《The Calamitous Bob (stubbed)》


 Chapter 25: Landscaping

    Viv waited, breaths slow and deep. Not a sound could be heard as she raised her weapon high, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Her prey had fallen into an ambush just as she expected. She focused on the monster¡¯s extended limb as she made ready to slow her time perception. Soon, it would be the moment to strike.


    Very soon.


    There was a click.


    Viv moved. She activated her acuity power and struck with enhanced strength, the roll of fabric descending upon the guilty white claw grabbing for the meat drawer.


    Thwack!


    ¡°SQUEEEEEE!¡± the culprit yelped, running back to her lair with her tail between her legs.


    ¡°QUE JE T¡¯Y REPRENNE, SALE B¨ºTE!" Viv bellowed in her native tongue. Sheer anger could do that sometimes.


    Marruk took a quick peek inside. A glance at Viv¡¯s outraged posture told her all that she needed to know, and she resumed her vigil.


    A pale snout emerged from the blanket mountain. The mighty beast of Kazar was testing the waters.


    Viv cursed herself. She was so taken in with catching and scaring Arthur that she had forgotten the good habits that her mom had taught her when handling pets. Positive reinforcements and all of that. Her mom had been the one to keep the house together no matter how stressful things got with elections and exams, even if her own way of coping was¡­ less than ideal. Among other things, she had raised their pets until the dogs and cats she had had throughout her life had been as well-behaved as most humans.


    Her mom would not have raised her voice. She would have calmly told Arthur to get back to her spot, then rewarded her for obeying.


    Arthur was super smart and she would probably get smarter, so Viv should do her best to educate her well.


    Viv sighed and retreated to the meat drawer. It was enchanted to be colder, which she had to recharge on occasion. Explaining that she could only use black mana had left Marruk perplexed at first, but the big woman had taken it in stride as one of Viv¡¯s quirks. The Kark woman could use a bit of wind and a bit of earth. That helped with the chores, which they had shared so far.


    Viv took one long stripe of dried meat. It was a dark piece of jerky from some wood creature with a very strong musk. It tasted like ass to Viv but Arthur liked the stuff.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    The dragonling slunked forward with her head low and they had a moment, interrupted by Solfis.


    //It is time, Your Grace.


    //We only have three days to train properly.


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Enough fucking around. A message had come in the morning with a request from Farren. He wanted her to clean a cave two days away from Kazar with the purpose of turning it into a safe haven. The other mercenaries had all declined, citing high risks. Or so Farren said. She had said yes on account of wanting her soul fixed. She had three days to practice her magic.


    Marruk took Solfis and started dragging the sled, casually, with only one hand. Viv went to walk by her side, with Arthur tailing them, sniffing things as she went. The area directly south of the city was rather deserted, except for the estates reserved for guests. The official road through the forest started east of there. It meant that things were calm, which Solfis had relied on. They stopped next to a random boulder at the edge of the tree line.


    //I will now assist you in acquiring the last of the basic mana skills.


    //Manipulation focuses on using mana for your own use.


    //Sense focuses on identifying, locating, and understanding mana.


    //The last one is absorption.


    //Absorption allows you to take mana from the environment and draw it into your core regardless of the mana¡¯s original color.


    //Now, you can quickly and easily recharge your core and conduits with ambient mana that you are attuned with.


    //That is due to the fact that turning mana you are attuned with into your own is a natural process.


    Viv thought about it. Her yoink spell relied on making an undead¡¯s black mana into her mana, and it felt instinctive.


    //Normally, mages will always manage to draw some amount of mana that they can use immediately.


    //In your case, the ability to turn foreign mana into your own is paramount.


    //That is due to the fact that most environments have a very limited amount of black mana.


    ¡°So I am super strong in the deadlands but weaker everywhere else?¡±


    //The power of your spell is the same.


    //Your ability to cast continuously, however, will be hampered.


    //You already experienced this during your stay in Fort Stone.


    ¡°When I had to get poisoned to recharge?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Your key spell, yoink, is also geared towards killing undead.


    //It will not work on anything else.


    ¡°So I need to update my repertoire.¡±


    //Indeed.


    //We will focus on both over the next three days.


    //First, you can use your ¡®bzzt¡¯ spell with the pierce rune to overload the conduits of an enemy.


    //This will kill them in a horribly painful fashion.


    //It is a relatively mana-intensive spell.


    //Try it now.


    Marruk sat on the sled to watch while Arthur rolled around in the grass. Viv pointed at the boulder and summoned the twisted arrow of the spear rune in her mind. It was the first rune she had properly learned, and also the only one used in the yoink spell. She was intimately familiar with its working now, and it came to her with perfect ease.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    A slightly frayed bolt as dark as the void jumped from her chest to the stone. She didn¡¯t need to point at stuff, though it helped. Casting spells from different parts of her body worked just as well and didn¡¯t warn anyone of her intent, so she did it whenever she could.


    The bolt smashed against the boulder without effect.


    //Aim for a tree, your grace.


    //Boulders have no conduits to flood.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to anger some forest spirit, or creature or something?¡±


    //No, Your Grace.


    //There would not be one so close to the city.


    //I assure you that this forest can afford to lose a tree or a hundred.


    Save a tree, eat a witch? Probably not today.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    She immediately felt the difference when her power easily wiped out her target¡¯s tiny conduits. The sickly leafy thing she had chosen withered in an instant as if blasted by a toxic bomb. They heard creaks, then the small trunk collapsed forward on the ground. It exploded into dust and ossified fragments. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    //Better.


    //You will consume more mana the more complex your target¡¯s conduits are.


    //This will serve you well against lightly armored opponents.


    //Now, I would like you to try the basic spell used by war mages everywhere.


    //It consists of the basic¡­ bzzt spell, infused with a destructive aspect.


    ¡°You mean like what I did with my blight spell?¡±


    //Precisely.


    //Giving a destructive meaning to your mana and sending it away is the mainstay of battle mages everywhere.


    //Such a spell takes relatively little mana, but requires a higher understanding of magic itself, as well as mental fortitude.


    //Try it now, on the boulder.


    Viv turned to the blasted piece of rock. It had ignored her previous attack.


    The bitch.


    Her laughable attempt at getting angry did not work, and yet the barest amount of resentment reminded her of her mindset when she had used the blight spell. The black mana had been charged with its most basic concept: annihilation.


    Black mana was the end of things.


    Viv latched onto that truth and charged a spell with it, the mana coalescing in her hand. She would use it to remove from this world the things that she did not like. They would be¡­ gone.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    The attack was silent except for the groan of shattering stone. The boulder now sported a deep groove two handspans deep from which gravelly grey sand spilt like blood from a wound.


    //You do not seem to have any difficulty casting those.


    //Reassessing current priorities.


    //We shall practice later to improve your speed and range.


    //However, I would like to work on the mana absorption skill, for now.


    //In order to facilitate its acquisition, you need to empty your conduits of most of its mana.


    //You could use this opportunity to cast blight again.


    //I would also like to watch its effects in person so that I can assess it, and its possible applications.


    Viv considered, and realized that she was probably good for another dozen bzzt mana-wise. Purge spells were mentally draining so she would definitely falter before that. Blight would drain her mana reserves in one go while her mind would only be mildly affected.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    This time, the wind up was slower and harder because she was not in the right mindset, and also because destroying the part of the forest she was now facing didn¡¯t excite her. It took her a good ten seconds to wind up the spell, adding the destruction meaning to the black mana and the spread rune on top. She felt like she had spent half an hour studying vocabulary lists.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    The cloud expanded at the pace of a walking man, unaffected by the wind. The horrible hiss of the vaporous mana touching matter upset the ear like cold water on a very hot pan.


    The cloud kept expanding, impenetrable. A second later, she could see what it left behind.


    The earth below her was stripped of all life, and it looked a bit vitrified, with solid veins of dark mana spreading over it like a fallen spiderweb. Blight kept going. It left nothing behind. Not a single stump or even a piece of root survived the onslaught.


    When the spell finally abated after ten meters, it left behind an apocalyptic field of death. Where the trees used to be, now there were holes in the ground like the impact of mortar shells. An eerie silence replaced the terrifying scream.


    Viv turned to the sled, where Solfis was resting. Her reserves were very low and she could feel the onset of a small headache.


    On the sled, Marruk was staring in horror, mouth hanging open to reveal her big flat teeth. Her yellow eyes darted from Viv to the scene of deforestation the woman had left behind.


    //Excellent.


    //Although slow, this spell has great potential in destroying packed formations in enclosed spaces.


    //I foresee a great future purifying caves and breaking sieges.


    //Now, let us focus on mana absorption.


    //I will guide you through the steps.


    Solfis had Viv sit in a lotus position with both hands forming a cup just above her navel, below the core. She was supposed to open herself up or something, and focus on the sensation of her core recharging. It did not work very well.


    ¡°Would it not be better to try that in the deadlands?¡±


    //Perhaps.


    //It might also be that you may not experience the feeling of non-compatible mana being kept out.


    //Several experts argue that it is an important aspect of the acquisition of this skill.


    ¡°Nevermind then.¡±


    Viv tried her best to calm and dominate, but her mind would not focus easily. It wandered to the noise of the forest next to her, the wind blowing through the tall grass, the feeling of black mana in her spiritual self. There were so many sensations to experience and focusing on one so subtle as mana coming back was as arduous as finding a needle in a haystack. More than that, meditation annoyed her. She felt vulnerable. Her nascent trust in Marruk had nothing to do with it, she could no more fight it than one could fight stress before an exam. It was a visceral response. To what, she was not sure.


    They tried for only twenty minutes and already, the attempt pissed her off. Solfis addressed her as she was adjusting her position for a new attempt.


    //Let us try something else.


    //I shall demonstrate a series of postures.


    //I would like you to repeat them.


    ¡°Will it not drain your batteries?¡±


    //I will refrain from activating my defensive and offensive systems.


    //The drain will be minimal.


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Marruk yelped as Solfis unfolded, his shape as disturbing as ever. The tall golem stalked forward leisurely, and adopted a position with an open hand near his chest, and another facing forward. What followed was weirdly reminiscent of a qigong routine, and Viv had to watch the rather basic sequence twice despite her enhanced mental abilities. Solfis could distract the most dedicated of students with his demonic appearance.


    Solfis clicked back down and Viv tried again, and she soon realized what the golem was aiming for. As soon as she started to follow repetitive motions, her meditative trance hit and she could slow her mind down and focus in record time. The world receded until her consciousness reached a state of zen conductive to introspection. The motions were the same. The pulse of her own mana became the same. It was a song as deep and primal as a heartbeat, and just as vital. The song called to her, relaxed her, confirmed that this new part was good and true. She had magic now. It was hers, and it was her.


    Slowly, very slowly, the song gained in intensity as it pushed against the world and the world pushed back. Mana was all around her, and some of it was making its way inside to fill an imbalance as energy became a new part of the core.


    She focused on the feeling and it eluded her. She did not force the issue. The trance kept going smoothly. Her surroundings were calm.


    Something brought her back to the real world. Marruk was standing.


    In the distance, two men were approaching them at a slow and careful pace. They had a dog on a leash.


    Rather, they had tied a leash to a monster that Viv would qualify as a dog from now on. It had a stocky body, powerful hind legs and a bulldog maw with two protruding canines. Its coat was brown with black stripes. Its shoulders also reached the guards¡¯ waists.


    ¡°Arthur! Arthur, come.¡±


    The dragonling popped her head from a bush, munching on something with a fuzzy tail the size of a rat. She spotted the intruder and ran back to Viv, flapping her wings in preparation for the showdown.


    ¡°No fighting.¡±


    The pair of guards wore gambesons emblazoned with a tree that signified that they were members of the city guard. Inspection revealed the same and she spotted none of the signs that she associated with corruption: no guarded look, no sneaky sneers. They were clean too.


    The pair stopped ten paces away, hands on their weapons. They were wary but not yet alarmed.


    ¡°What are you doing there?¡±


    Marruk angled herself towards Viv, possibly deferring to her.


    ¡°Training,¡± Viv retorted.


    ¡°Training? Training what?¡±


    In response, Viv pointed at the largest tree around.


    The two men watched, incomprehension plain on their faces.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    The tree cracked and crashed before the men¡¯s incredulous eyes. The dog whined. Viv made a sweeping motion.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    The sharp black ray passed over three trees. They fell with thunderous cracks.


    ¡°This?¡± Viv finished. She felt a pulse of the intimidation thing. The guards paled.


    ¡°Well¡­ Carry on then,¡± one of the guards finished. They made a point going on in the same direction they started, which Viv thought was commendable. Their eyes went wide as saucers when they found the devastation that the blight spell had wreaked. The dog growled at Arthur who hissed back from her perch, Viv¡¯s left shoulder. The little thing was getting heavier.


    After both groups were done pretending to ignore each other in an awkward attempt to look cool, Viv returned to her meditative trance. She was getting a bit tired.


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    <td>


    Power +1


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    </table>


    Nice. Although her power currently sat at thirteen so she was still only slightly stronger than your average teenager.


    The trance helped her through the motion and she found it again, the elusive feeling of something getting in. They paused for a lunch of cold meat, bread, and fruit. Viv lamented the lack of cheese and Marruk echoed it, adding that more ¡®cows¡¯ were set to arrive with the next large convoy from the Enorian mainland, and through the forest. The difficulty was to keep so many prey safe from the forest¡¯s denizens.


    On the third try, Viv was finally rewarded for her efforts.


    <table>


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    <td>


    Mana Absorption: Beginner 1


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    Mana Sense: Beginner 4


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    </tr>


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    </table>


    Absorbing mana meant getting it through the membrane that separated herself from the world. She could only focus on the feeling so far, but that was still a fine result.


    //Whoever picked you from your world made the right choice, Your Grace.


    //Such an incredible natural talent would have been wasted on a world without magic.


    ¡°Hey, I have other qualities, you know?¡±


    //Thankfully, or we would have both died.


    //Now that you are calm, I suggest that you try meditating while sitting.


    She was getting tired so that worked. She did not get any associated skill despite her efforts. That was fine. Solfis had mentioned that it took a large amount of effort and dedication to acquire and develop skills. That made sense. You had to commit for the magic of the world to help you.


    They headed back in the middle of the afternoon. There was only so much mental exhaustion one could take in a single day, and Solfis still had plenty of light mana manipulation games to propose in order to pass the time and improve her finesse.


    Marruk walked the familiar path to her new abode. Unease grasped at the proud warrior¡¯s heart.


    Normally, a shaman formed the heart of any warband. A herd of Kark without a shaman lacked fire and direction, something the hated northerners understood only too well. That was why they sent their despicable black blades to sever this vital string before attacking. That was how she lost her mother.


    The witch was not such a one. She had the vision. She had purpose. She had discipline. The way she treated Marruk indicated that, certainly, she also had a heart.


    No.


    The problem was that she was insane.


    It only took a glance to notice that the woman was a foreigner, and noble-born at that. When Kark feasted, they slurped and chewed with great animation to show their appreciation for the food, bellowing compliments interspersed with mighty burps. The witch ate with her spine as straight as a sword and just as unyielding. She made no noise. She took small bites. The witch cared about appearance and cleanliness and the smell of excrements bothered her. The witch had bought food but no cleaning supplies. It was Marruk who had suggested getting them, therefore, the witch was used to having servants. And nobility was supposed to act a certain way. Casters were supposed to act a certain way. Not like that.


    When the woman moved, she checked corners and assessed everyone around her as threats. Even in the Enttiku-cursed bank! She also kept everyone at a distance. Marruk expected it for herself, but not with Farren whose reputation as a kind soul was beyond questioning.


    And she treated her small drake like a child, not a creature to dominate and discipline.


    And nobody in their right mind would trust a golem made from fucking bone. What manner of madman would create a golem and give it a bone body? You had to be touched in the head by one of the dark gods.


    It was all very disconcerting.


    Marruk had traveled for years out of the steppe, searching for answers. All she had found was distrust. Mobs. People who thought that because she was ignorant, she was also stupid. Now, finally, there was one person who perhaps held the key to the future of her tribe. It had just taken starving to death at the edge of the world.


    There was a joke there somewhere.


    As for Viviane, the witch was clearly out of her mind, though perhaps not in a bad way. Marruk would stay and learn, she only hoped that the caster would receive the clerical help she needed for her wounded soul. Everything was fine for now, yet who knew how long it would last.

 Chapter 26: There and Back Again

    The next two days were spent very much like the first for Viv. She and Marruk would run errands in the morning to make their space more livable, then Viv trained in the afternoon while Arthur prowled and Marruk stood guard. The Kark warrior would join them on occasion by practicing movement and strikes as well. The only major change happened on the night of the second night when Arthur climbed on Viv¡¯s lap as she was reading. She sniffed the image, then turned her crimson gaze to her human.


    Viv was still unclear on how smart the creature was.


    Ah, whatever.


    ¡°It¡¯s a book. It shows creatures. Look, this is the harren we saw yesterday,¡± she said, turning to the relevant page. Arthur followed her explanations in silence. Viv felt a bit silly until she realized that explaining stuff would help her memorize anyway. So. Might as well.


    ¡°And here is a revenant. Remember the revenants? Revenant. It says here that revenants form from dead, uneaten humans who did not receive a proper burial. That means they were just left there on the ground. Look how ugly it is...¡±


    On the dawn of the third day, Viv and Marruk put on their armors and headed to the town center, with Solfis on the sled as insurance in case things went south. Viv worried about Arthur, fearing that the tiny dragon might not want to enter the deadlands again. They would see when it came to that. Sadly, she had no plan B. Nobody could be trusted with a creature who had clearly only imprinted on her. Even Arthur¡¯s relationship with Marruk was a tenuous truce, at best.


    They made their way to the main plaza, with the massive tree as enchanting now as it had been on the first day. Viv filled her lungs with the last fresh air they would get for a few days while they waited by the temple¡¯s entrance, as planned. The statue of Neriad, with his golden eyes, seemed to scrutinize her as she leaned against the sled. Eventually, Farren arrived, wearing light leather armor covered in anti-black runes, and a backpack. He was also armed with a mace and circular shield.


    ¡°Errr,¡± Viv said, looking at Marruk. Alas, she found her own confusion reflected on the Kark¡¯s broad face.


    ¡°Good morning, Bob, Marruk, I apologize for the delay. I had an emergency marriage to officiate.¡±


    ¡°Emergency marriage?¡±


    ¡°The father of the bride did not want them to marry. The bride took the groom behind Old Griska¡¯s clothier, where she banged him silly. The father agreed to a prompt marriage.¡±


    ¡°I, ok, but that¡¯s not what I want to talk about. I thought you had a guide to bring us to that cave you wanted cleared?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Me?¡±


    Viv crossed her arms and stared at Farren.


    He was not the right choice to accompany them on this mission.


    He was definitely not the right choice. At all. She knew he had access to temple guards, though she had not met them on her first visit. Those were elite soldiers and best suited for the task. Accompanying Farren was like taking the head administrator and VIP of a city on a visit to the minefields. It was beyond retarded.


    ¡°Does the church even know that you are off.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Their eyes met, neither one yielding to the other. Farren¡¯s immediate and firm answer was all Viv needed to understand the little twit¡¯s plan.


    ¡°And where, exactly, do they think you are going? And with whom?¡±


    Ah, got the little fucker. Viv was not born yesterday.


    ¡°Alright, you win. My intervention is not sanctioned.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you at least bring an escort?¡±


    Farren gave her his most innocent expression. It dripped with pure-hearted incomprehension. Viv wanted to slap him.


    ¡°But Bibiane, you are my escort.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what this is all about or I¡¯m heading back.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Fine, hold on. I can explain. I am cooped up in here. I want to get out and see what this is all about. I have directed the Kazar temple for a year and a half and do you know how often I have been to the deadlands? The place we are all about containing? Zero. Zero times.¡±


    ¡°And you think going there by your lonesome is a good idea, oh inspired leader? One wrong move and you can die. At least go get two temple guards to protect you or something.¡±


    ¡°If I do that, I won¡¯t get within ten paces of a single revenant with one arm and a crooked back. I can fight. Let me get one. Just one.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I have militia training at intermediate two.¡±


    Marruk gasped. Viv figured that what he had done was akin to whipping his dick out to show he was male. Or something. He had just revealed something very personal.


    ¡°You honor us with your trust!¡± the mighty Kark woman roared with tears in her yellow eyes.


    For fuck sake.


    ¡°Listen, I appreciate what you did, but just imagine the reactions if you go with us and end up being hurt?¡±


    ¡°I can get us horses. One per person. And one to drag the sled, free of charge.¡±


    Fuck yes.


    ¡°Welcome aboard!¡±


    Farren wore a hood and guided the pair, plus sled, to the gatehouse by the city entrance. There, he borrowed a few horses clad in anti-black intrusion clothes. Viv saw the glint of gold being discreetly exchanged between the branch head and a taciturn member of the guard.


    [Horsemaster, not dangerous, a man who¡ª]


    Yeah ok.


    They were led into the stables, and Viv noticed that Marruk clearly disliked the great beasts. She asked Farren about it in a low voice.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°The Kark do not use horses on their steppes. They have great pack beasts called Pakar who fulfill this role. They are an important aspect of Kark culture, while horses are used by the Pure League.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Despite her clear wariness of those beasts, Marruk gritted her teeth and climbed on. The horses did not seem to care. Viv did not know if it was a skill or something that made them that way, but she had never seen horses so docile.


    With three mounts, plus one dragging the sled, they made good time through the fields and up the road heading back to the deadlands. Viv had her own horse, and just hoped they would not have to gallop anywhere. Arthur looked a bit despondent, and sometimes stared at Viv to make sure that, yes, the human wanted to head back into the desolate wasteland like an absolute moron instead of playing in the woods.


    They left the marker stones behind and soon, the feverish caress of black mana assaulted Viv through her cape. It was still mild, and it carried with it a certain¡­ appeal, despite the lethality. Black mana liked Viv, and she liked it in return. The two were bound tightly through nature and circumstances. Even if she had been born in this world normally, she thought that she might have enjoyed this color. Even with a much lower affinity.


    With so much power available, Viv started to work on manipulation. Solfis had advised her to work on shaping mana in complex patterns as it would help with runes, and she did. It was also much less exhausting than drawing the runes themselves. Such a method was more efficient when mana was plentiful.


    She had asked Solfis how her progress was going and he had told her not to worry, and that she would become a powerful caster before magic killed her.


    Farren stared with wide eyes when she managed to twist a strand of mana into petals around a circle. It was possible to control her mana even outside of her body, so long as it was still connected to the inside. The farther the strand was, the harder it got.


    Farren looked away and the flower dispersed. She drew a dick instead, erased it, and drew a smiley.


    Then the first revenant was there.


    Marruk was at the head of the formation, with Farren and Viv behind and the horse plus sled following at a sedate pace. The revenant was heading north, but ¡®she¡¯ turned around when she perceived the coming prey. Viv had a look. It was a dead young female peasant with no obvious wounds. She could have died from starvation or exposure, given how thin the cadaver was.


    ¡°Well, here is your time to shine, church boy.¡±


    Marruk sputtered and Farren placed a gloved hand on his weapon, a mace with a circular head. Without a word, he climbed down his ride and approached the monster. He easily batted the revenant¡¯s awkward attack aside with his shield, and cracked her across the head.


    ¡°In the name of Neriad!¡±


    There was a flash of golden light, and the revenant fell to ashes.


    ¡°Wow. So that¡¯s how they normally do it,¡± Viv said. Farren turned and gave her a broad grin.


    ¡°Your turn, witch! Show me the prowess that made lieutenant Cernit sing your praise.¡±


    Oh, the young twerp was growing confident. Viv turned around and saw another revenant lurching towards them at a distance. He was probably forty to fifty paces away. This one had been a woodman, and he still had desiccated hands grabbing a rusty axe.


    ¡°Hey, see that revenant over there?¡±


    Farren turned and immediately spotted who she meant.


    A black spear of energy crossed the distance and stabbed the woodsman in the same moment. He pretty much disintegrated into a small pile. Viv had refrained from saying the spell for added cool value. She was so familiar with it that the mnemotechnic help of the incantation was no longer necessary.


    Farren turned back to see Viv leaning forward casually on her saddle, face covered but eyes filled with amusement. She splayed her hands and channeled her inner joker.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ waaah, it¡¯s gone.¡±


    She allowed herself a small smile at Farren¡¯s gawping expression. He looked so young like that, far from the prodigy image he seemed to otherwise cultivate.


    After that awesome display, they kept going with Viv simply erasing the revenants they found on the way. Their population was sparse this close to the edge, and so she used the rest of the day to practice shaping. Interestingly, she learned from the way the black mana became hers.


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    Mana absorption: beginner 2


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    They made camp in the late afternoon, by a lone guard tower. The church hideout was below the derelict, through a grate, and where she thought there might have been a water reservoir. There were a few revenants around the safehouse.


    ¡°Would you like to slay a few more foes, Farren?¡±


    She did not mean to be patronizing, yet for an instant, she feared that he would think her mocking. Thankfully, the Voice of Neriad gripped his mace with firm hands and gave her a nod.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Marruk, go with him and protect. I¡¯ll start making camp.¡±


    ¡°I go and protect. Yes.¡±


    The horses were already inside drinking water from a trough. She went to the sled and started to unpack their sleeping rolls.


    //Your Grace, there is something I would like to bring to your attention.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //We are being followed.


    Viv turned around, suddenly tense. She eyed the opening with worry, before realizing that if Solfis judged the danger to be imminent, he would have reacted.


    ¡°Elaborate.¡±


    //Our pursuer is just one, male from their shape. He followed us since the city, and has remained at a respectable distance.


    ¡°So he is not undead then. What else can you tell me?¡±


    //The pursuer most likely follows an infiltration or assassination path.


    //Their stealth ability is quite impressive.


    //Of course, they are no match for my intricate sensor suite.


    //However, neither you nor Marruk stand a chance to locate him, even if you tried.


    //Additionally, Farren is aware of his presence.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Viv asked. She removed fire bricks and a pot from the sled and set out to prepare dinner.


    //The Voice of Neriad turned around as we crossed the boundaries with the deadlands.


    //The pursuer lowered his visual barrier and allowed our companion to see him.


    //Following which, Farren showed detectable signs of being less tense.


    ¡°He¡¯s bullshitting us.¡±


    //It could be that he prepared something.


    //Or it could be that the pursuer is an insurance, in case you are not as well-intentioned as you seem.


    ¡°Confronting Farren might be a problem. On the other hand, we are taking a risk by continuing with him. What if we have a battle on our hands and that spy attacks us in the back?¡±


    //I see two difficulties with confronting Farren.


    //First, and as far as I could detect, he was truthful when saying that the cause of his coming was to experience the deadlands and fight its denizens.


    //Farren may have extensive experience fooling those with ability to detect falsehood.


    //Which can be expected from every teenager raised by the church of Neriad.


    //Half-truths and technically correct statements are the tools that he has mastered.


    //Therefore, an interrogation could lead to a confrontation we might want to avoid, with few chances of success.


    ¡°Is it wise to wait, then?¡±


    //We will learn more if the spy acts.


    //I propose to wait until after the cave is cleared.


    //If Farren acts in a hostile fashion, this is the optimal moment to do so.


    ¡°Normally, I would object to taking such a risk, but¡­¡±


    //You have me, yes.


    ¡°Agreed then.¡±


    Fifteen minutes later, Farren and Marruk returned with tales of victory, as well as a few silver bits and a good knife they found on the remains. Sometimes, the dead kept some of their belongings on them, and there were no reasons to let those go to waste. There were probably tens of thousands of bits in goods and coins to harvest over the plains.


    Now that she had access to supplies, traveling no longer had to be miserable for Viv. Dinner was a congee with fresh greens, jerky, bread, and a few fruits and nuts for dessert. The evening soon turned festive despite Viv¡¯s suspicion.


    ¡°So, can I ask you personal questions, or is it a diplomatic faux-pas in this corner of the world?¡±


    ¡°It would be a diplomatic faux-pas if our social positions were farther apart, and if there were more people to witness our exchange. As it is, your inquiries are tolerable. I will frown appropriately, or even huff through my nose if I decide that you go too far.¡±


    Oh, she quite liked the young man, it would be a shame to have to kill him if it turned out that he was trying to screw her over.


    ¡°Appreciated. So, what¡¯s a young man like you with a promising future doing in a senior position at the ass end of Param? A bit curious.¡±


    Farren chuckled, still very much the smooth representative. He was clearly more at ease fending off questions than revenant arms.


    ¡°I was raised in the Neriad complex in Mornyr, the largest of the Northern cities. Mornyr hosts the main branches of more than three religions, including our own. My family is old but they have little power, so when I finished my school days, I was given a choice. Either I could stay in Mornyr as a junior attendant to our Knight-Principal, or I could get a position with a lot of responsibility anywhere on Param.¡±


    ¡°Knight-Principal?¡±


    Marruk shook her head with disapproval.


    ¡°The head of our religion,¡± Farren explained without missing a beat.


    ¡°So, why choose that one?¡±


    Farren considered the question for a few seconds.


    ¡°I wanted to help my fellow man in their struggle against the encroaching darkness of the undead hordes.¡±


    There was a single, awkward moment of silence as Viv waited for a serious answer.


    ¡°Not believing me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You know, my class is Voice of Neriad, so I am indeed dedicated to the common good.¡±


    ¡°Of this, I have no doubt, but you feel like someone with a plan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, very astute. In this case, my plan is to become the next chancellor to the Knight-Principal. You see, by tradition, a Knight-Principal is not an administrator. They are frontline combatants. Our church is designed this way to prevent money and influence from governing us, rather than what is right. To do so, I need to be recommended by a conclave or administrator¡­ or be picked directly by the Knight-Principal himself. As I mentioned, my family has little political power. If I want to pierce through, it must be done here, on the frontline.¡±


    ¡°Very ambitious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about power. I fully intend to contribute to the best of my abilities, and I cannot do so if I am too involved in high level politics. One tends to¡­ lose sight of the reality on the ground by staying their whole life in the protected shades of Mornyr¡¯s towers. I want to be the best Voice and the best Voice must start by listening.¡±


    His eyes shone with determination this time, and Viv could feel¡­ not exactly power, but something that came of it? Did faith have a physical manifestation here? Maybe it did, because the echo of those thoughts was both soothing and a little bit uncomfortable. Like clean water on a wound.


    Viv asked more questions about Farren and Mornyr, then answered a few or her own in return. She could remain vague and still share that she had a younger brother and that her dad was a politician. Farren frowned when she mentioned that magic was ¡®locked¡¯ where she was. Apparently, a few entities throughout the ages had tried to enslave their spellcasters. It rarely lasted long, and never ended well.


    They went to bed early that night, not setting a guard. The safehouses had alarms. Viv thought that it was foolish to rely on magical protection alone. She relied on Solfis.

 Chapter 27: Nascent Descent

    They left the next day after a cold breakfast and mugs of warm klod. Their path led through the empty valleys. The cave happened out of nowhere. Only flags planted by a previous expedition differentiated the small hill that hid their target from the other ones.


    Viv looked at the cave entrance. It was square and reinforced by solid blocks of stone. It looked like it could endure for millenia.


    //This is the remnant of an underground mushroom farm.


    Viv turned to Solfis, surprised that he would talk.


    ¡°Ah, so your golem can speak. I was wondering why you would carry it around,¡± Farren said, while nodding to himself.


    ¡°What else can you tell us?¡± Viv asked.


    //My database indicates that the structure will lead underground, with several caverns linked by a network of tunnels.


    //Some or all of the tunnels may have collapsed.


    //Depending on the size of the installation, the farm could have anywhere between three and seven chambers.


    //Larger farms would have a larger entrance.


    ¡°I see. How convenient!¡± Farren continued, ¡°your golem is a knowledge depository! As expected.¡±


    ¡°That he is,¡± Viv confirmed, ¡°now, we have a large structure to clear. I propose that we proceed as such: we park the sled here with the horses, then circle around to clear revenants because I don¡¯t want anything on my tail when we clear the cave. Then, we go in slowly. Marruk first with the shield with me behind to provide cover. Farren, you watch our six. Everyone agreed?¡±


    ¡°I go first,¡± Marruk confirmed, and she banged a large fist against her door, errr, shield.


    ¡°What¡¯s a six?¡± Farren asked.


    ¡°Our back. You watch our back.¡±


    ¡°How does it relate to six?¡±


    Viv pinched the bridge of her nose. Did they even have watches? She hadn¡¯t seen watches. Farren had asked them to be there ¡®half a period after sunrise¡¯.


    ¡°Nevermind. You cover my back. Clear?¡±


    ¡°What about your beast? The marsh drake.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Moral support?¡±


    ¡°You brought her for moral support?¡±


    Viv glared at Farren, who bounced nervously from foot to foot.


    ¡°Look, she imprinted on me so she is sticking with me and can defend herself, but she¡¯s still far too young. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s your mission.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so, we clear on the formation?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I will be your shield!¡±


    ¡°Ok, now for the plan. We go to the entrance and make some noise. The entrance can be used as a chokepoint. We stay there until we run out of hostiles, then move in. Rinse and repeat in every tunnel. If a room leads to two different tunnels besides the entrance one, we will stop and plan. Got it?¡±


    ¡°I make noise on your command, shaman!¡± Marruk claimed. Then, her eyes clouded a bit.


    ¡°I mean, witch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We start by sweeping the perimeter, errr, the space around the cave. Come on!¡±


    Viv directed Marruk to open the way. They took fifteen minutes to strut around and take down the stragglers. Viv let Farren purify the remains of those Marruk had bashed down. The Kark woman fought with simple, economic movements. Her vertical strikes with the mace showed that she had a lot of power. Viv thought that she might never forget the repetitive crunch of crumpled spines for the rest of her life.


    Eventually, they made their way back to the entrance, and Marruk stood there looking like a one-woman wall. The entrance was large enough for three strong people to walk abreast, yet somehow, the lone defender seemed to occupy the whole space. She looked back and received a confirmation nod from Viv.


    The clang of metal on metal resonated ominously in the enclosed space.


    Viv felt something coming, though she heard nothing.


    Marruk looked back with a raised brow.


    ¡°Another?¡±


    ¡°No! They are coming. Eyes forward.¡±


    The Kark woman blushed furiously.


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    Danger Sense: Beginner 3


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    Good, and not a moment too soon. Viv heard a gurgle and reacted automatically.


    ¡°Nope shield.¡±


    A half-circle of void materialized before their vanguard, and the gut spiller¡¯s bile crashed on it with a vicious hiss.


    ¡°Gut spiller, be ready,¡± Viv said. She dropped the shield as soon as the attack was over.


    A large specimen was charging at Marruk, arm extended. Viv took a step to the side just as Marruk slammed up and to the side with her door. The massive weapon wooshed through the air as if it weighed nothing, easily batting the powerful arm aside. It was back in position before their foes had the time to take a step back. Its malevolent glare, black where Solfis¡¯ was yellow, shone in the pallid light of the sun. Briefly.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Yoink.¡±


    The creature collapsed in itself in a shower of dark ash.


    ¡°More of them. Hold.¡±


    A horde of revenants soon followed. Viv held back a bit just to see how Marruk would fare against the onslaught.


    Pretty well as it turned out.


    Again, Marruk¡¯s style was economical, barely letting any part of her body emerge from the shield¡¯s powerful defenses. Skulls were smashed, bodies were bashed, and attacks were interrupted with a perfect sense of timing that spoke of skill and experience both. Viv watched her as for a handful of seconds, Marruk killed. Savaged remains piled at her feet.


    ¡°True mass yoink.¡±


    Viv shivered as powerful mana filled her conduit. Once again, her body was singing with the power that coursed through it just as she knew that it would eventually kill her. It did not matter right now.


    They waited a bit. Only a shuffling revenant with no legs crawled forward, quickly slain. He had been too slow to keep up with the rest of the bulk.


    ¡°Move to the entrance to the next cavern. Steady.¡±


    Marruk grunted and moved forward. They walked into the side of the cliff, darkness closing around them until Farren lifted an arm.


    ¡°Neriad, be the light in our time of need.¡±


    A golden aura shone outward from all three, wait no, four participants.


    ¡°Squeee!¡±


    ¡°When did it get there?¡± Farren asked. Viv remained silent as the dragonling climbed on her shoulder and flapped once to stabilize herself. Viv now had a shoulder-mounted, self-propelled dragon, and that was cool as cucumber.


    ¡°Focus,¡± she ordered everyone including herself, ¡°we¡¯re here. Marruk, bang once.¡±


    The door clanged once more. Nothing stirred in the darkness. The cave before them was square and obviously man-made. Whatever furniture or equipment had been used was long gone. Only the ever-present dust piled in the corners. The light around them easily shone across the space to show a decidedly target-poor environment.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    There were two passages heading further. One of them was completely obstructed. The other one showed signs of excavation.


    ¡°Forward and left. Stop at the entrance of the tunnel.¡±


    Another grunt. They moved slowly with Viv standing back and to the side. She saw that the excavation had been made by something with sharp claws, and large hands. At least four to five times the size of human ones.


    Viv looked at the tracks and thought to herself, ¡®Well, that¡¯s not¡ª¡¯


    Something surged from the darkness and struck Marruk as Viv hastened her thoughts. By some supreme instinct, the Kark woman managed to angle the door to deflect a vicious swipe that sent sparks flying. The odious shriek of tortured steel rang like thunder on a blue sky. Meanwhile, Viv was already moving.


    A spear of pure darkness shot forward, thick as a forearm. The overcharged spell stabbed at the attacker¡­ and missed.


    The spear, still linked to Viv¡¯s closed fist, angled up and right. It struck an arm. Viv felt as much as saw a humanoid form covered in plates, half crawler and half¡­ something else.


    She connected and flooded the creature¡¯s conduits. They were titanic. After hundreds of victims, killing with yoink had been like exploding a balloon with the stream from a garden hose. Now, it was like filling a tub.


    And she did.


    Without thought, overwhelming power invaded the creature¡¯s network, claiming the black and making it hers. The color sang in her core and in her mind, eager to carry out her will. It rampaged through the foreign conduits without restraint. The dire violation sent a tremor through the attacked limb. A second spell lashed out just as the target was retreating.


    The creature seized the captured arm and ripped it off. It used the severed limb to intercept the second spell and ran backward, just as Marruk¡¯s mace whistled through the air. The amputated arm turned to ash.


    Then the creature was gone.


    ¡°Orrak Makthun!¡±


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s cock¡­¡±


    ¡°Bordel de merde.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee!¡±


    As one man, the living visitors of the cave expressed their dismay. Farren and Viviane swore the loudest.


    [Nascent Necrarch: Extremely dangerous, this creature is in the process of evolving into a Necrarch, the most powerful of all natural undead. Although weakened during the transformation, it remains a supremely dangerous existence, capable of clawing through heavy armor.]


    The golden sheen around Marruk¡¯s shield had faded. In its stead, four diagonal tracks had sliced through wood and reinforced steel alike. Only the dense structure of the door knocker had held long enough to prevent the Kark woman from having her arm shredded.


    ¡°What. In Enttikku¡¯s hallowed name. Was that?¡± Marruk asked in a clipped voice. She was breathing heavily, and Viv suspected that her uncanny parry had come at the cost of stamina.


    Farren took a step back and sat heavily.


    ¡°That is the apex existence of the deadlands in the making. A nascent Necrarch. I don¡¯t think we can defeat it, despite Bob¡¯s timely spells. Well done, by the way. I thought we were done for, for sure.¡±


    ¡°It was closer than I hoped. Are we going after that thing?¡±


    //Before you continue this discussion, we may want to solve the current problem.


    Three people jumped a bit, then Farren swore when he realized that Solfis was standing at their back, as if he had been there all along. He was near the entrance, slightly to the side.


    ¡°When did you get here?¡± Viv asked.


    //At the same time as him, Your Grace.


    Solfis¡¯ yellow glare turned to the side, where there was nothing.


    Absolutely nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯d better show yourself, Irao,¡± Farren said.


    A shape emerged from the wall. Well, not literally. Before there was a wall, and now there was a shape. Viv could scarcely believe her eyes as they processed what could only be qualified as a fucking ninja.


    Really.


    Black armor wrapped around a thin, lanky build. It looked like a person, if a slightly anorexic one. And just a little crooked. In fact, every aspect of the man disturbed Viv at a fundamental level. His proportions skirted the edge of human limits, and she found herself taking a step back.


    [Obfuscated: your inspection skill is being blocked.]


    That didn¡¯t bode well.


    Farren precluded any complaint by waving his hand.


    ¡°Not a danger, nothing will happen as long as I am not harmed. Everybody, stay calm.¡±


    Marruk kept her shield angled towards where the undead abomination had disappeared, but it was clear that she was feeling ambivalent about the whole bullshit and her frantic eyes jumped from one deadly thing to another.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Viv patted Arthur¡¯s chest and decided to act decisively.


    ¡°Marruk, watch the tunnel. Block it with your shield.¡±


    The Kark woman nodded and approached the opening with Viv as backup. The value of the door proved itself when it was used as an actual door. The way was blocked. The nascent Necrarch would have to ram through it and Marruk¡¯s sturdy frame to escape. Viv made sure to stay around.


    ¡°Okay. Farren, who, what, and why?¡±


    ¡°Irao is here for my protection. He will only act to defend me. Won¡¯t you Irao?¡±


    The shape¡¯s attention was fixed on Solfis who was not moving at all. Only Viv knew that the Golem¡¯s reserves were very low and that even idleness was too dangerous to sustain.


    The silence grew uncomfortable.


    ¡°Irao is fine, I promise. He is not¡­ the best with people. I suggest that both him and¡­ your¡­ is that truly a golem?¡±


    //I am Solfis, little man.


    //You may think that you are protected by your assassin friend.


    //You are wrong.


    //Tricks and deceptions are of no use against me.


    //TRY ME, AND DIE.


    ¡°Perhaps it would be best if the two of you waited by the sled,¡± Viv suggested. Now was not the time for explanations.


    ¡°Okay so yes, Irao is an assassin, but I swear on Neriad¡¯s name that I did not intend to hurt you in any way. He is just insurance.¡±


    Huh. It was really unambiguous as far as oaths were concerned. Viv shook her head.


    ¡°Fine, but we can talk later. For now, fall back. We won¡¯t be long.¡±


    ¡°A nascent ravager is a dangerous adversary, even with your abilities, Bob.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to face it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course. Naturally, I would not expect you to assault such a foe in its very lair.¡±


    ¡°Ah, nah. What I mean is that I don¡¯t intend to walk down there. Solfis, how deep would you say that thing goes?¡±


    //From the blocked off right-hand cavern entrance, I can extrapolate enough to make the following statement.


    //The nascent necrarch has dug a path that is no less than ten paces, and no more than twenty paces deep.


    ¡°Just the right size then. Marruk, cover me. And you guys fuck off.¡±


    Viv was about to send a blight that would go through that tunnel like a laxative through a big intestine. Shit would get real.


    ¡°Can I stay and watch, please? We will behave. I swear it on Neriad.¡±


    ¡°Ok then. Solfis, stand down, and you? Shut the fuck up.¡±


    Solfis returned to his more compact form and Farren stepped back to the entrance with his secret bodyguard or something in tow. It was time for Viv to violate the Geneva Convention on the use of chemical weapons and, by God, she was looking forward to it.


    Strands of black mana gathered in front of her core. She could have made it appear in her hand but it made no difference and she found it fancier. The orb grew to the size of a tennis ball, both incredibly dense and weightless. She infused it with the idea of destruction. It had become easier to do, and she was tempted to add another rune than just spread. She refrained, however. Now was not the time to experiment. Instead, she charged it as much as she could. Soon, her breath hastened under the pressure of the spell. Her head tingled. It was time.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    Just like last time, the globe of darkness expanded into an impenetrable cloud that covered the entire tunnel. A furious hiss soon surrounded Viv as the deleterious mana scathed the walls on its way down.


    Marruk voiced her worries.


    ¡°How do we know if something something dead?¡± she asked. Viv could not understand the words she had used, but she got the gist of it and soon, Marruk had her answer.


    They heard a roar of anger, then a shriek of pain, then silence for a few seconds. The shriek resumed, and turned frantic. Finally, there was an ear-splitting, maddening trill that ended into a gurgled whisper. When silence finally descended a moment later, no one reacted.


    ¡°Should we check if it¡¯s dead?¡± Farren asked in a small voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± his companion commented drily. He had a raspy voice, as if his throat had been damaged by smoke.


    Without a word, the assassin walked back to the entrance and disappeared. Solfis tracked something Viv could not see for a few moments, then his eyes dimmed.


    ¡°Wow. I had no idea someone so early on her path could unleash such devastation.¡±


    Viv wheeled around like a dervish, her gaze now drilling through Farren¡¯s apologetic expression.


    ¡°Ok, enough bullshit. Explanation time. Why was there an assassin on my back?¡±

 Chapter 28: I CAN EXPLAIN!

    ¡°Hey, can you also explain why you secretly brought a war golem?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit, Farren. Solfis is an insurance against strong monsters, and I don¡¯t advertise his abilities because I don¡¯t want to end up with a dagger in my back if someone realizes he is worth a fortune. Are you telling me you brought an assassin as an insurance against monsters? A fucking assassin?¡±


    ¡°Where did you find a war golem anyway?¡±


    ¡°Faaaarren,¡± Viv interrupted him. Her voice turned dangerous. Marruk turned her shield towards the voice of Neriad. Her expression was a mix of anger and disappointment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking try me,¡± Viv finished.


    The thing she recognized as intimidation lashed out. She finally understood what it was. Power and ruthlessness left an imprint on who she was, and the skill was simply the mark on her soul making itself known. It told the other person: I have done terrible things before and I will do them again, to you.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s all calm down. I¡¯ll tell you the whole truth.¡±


    ¡°Make it snappy.¡±


    Farren¡¯s pride rebelled at the verbal lash, but he still offered his explanation.


    ¡°The trip was a test, not one of loyalty, but of capability. I wanted to know how well you could clear undead monsters from enclosed spaces for a project of mine. I am very much satisfied. As for Irao, he¡­ well, he and I go way back. I met him in Morny when I was twelve, and he has been looking over me ever since.¡±


    ¡°So he was here to protect you from us?¡±


    ¡°Alright, so, Irao does what Irao does. I saved his life and, despite my best efforts to tell him that there were no debts, he has followed me. To answer your question, he was here to protect me from everything. Irao is not very loquacious.¡±


    ¡°Is he even human?¡± Viv asked. The strange being clung to the lower cliffs of the uncanny valley as far as she was concerned.


    ¡°He is a human variant.¡±


    Before Viv¡¯s incredulous expression, Farren decided to expand.


    ¡°He is mostly human. I suppose you don¡¯t have that in your homeland. Hmm, how should I explain? A century and a half ago, an outlander arrived in the distant land of Halluria. That¡¯s north east of Baran, near the Isthmus. Halluria was, and still is, a lawless den of ignominy, where life is worthless, and the dark gods are openly worshipped. He displayed an amazing ability to twist people into different forms to create chimera using a process he called splicing. His most infamous achievement was the creation of the Hadal Strain humans. They are literally that, a human variant.¡±


    Marruk took a protective step towards Viv and made a religious sign before knocking on her shield. The solid woman was obviously shaken at the mention of Hadal Strain people, whatever they were.


    ¡°He was murdered for that. The Princeps of Halluria loved an entire subspecies dedicated to assassination. That was until they became the prime targets of those new agents. So many powerful nobles were slain in the following years that the outlander was executed. We have no record of his name. Only his legacy was left behind.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, are you saying that Irao¡­¡±


    ¡°Is one of them, yes. He is an ancient assassin so far in his path that I don¡¯t know exactly what his limits are. The Hadal Strains have been hunted and killed whenever possible, so I don¡¯t know how many still survive. It doesn¡¯t help that they are not exactly the most social people around.¡±


    ¡°What makes them so special?¡±


    ¡°They have a few monster traits and an unusually high black attunement. That¡¯s all we know for sure. Many in the church would kill Irao for what he is, but I won¡¯t let them. And I hope you won¡¯t either.¡±


    Viv did not have to think about that. Would she risk the wrath of a century-old assassin in the off-chance that it would accrue positive opinion with religious ethnic cleansers?


    Absolutely the fuck not.


    ¡°My lips are sealed provided that you come clean with everything. Now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, getting to it. You are the one who asked the questions, remember? Anyway, Irao is a separate issue. My test relates to the project I have that could propel Kazar to prosperity in less than a generation.¡±


    Farren¡¯s demeanor changed. From being afraid and seemingly out of his depth, the young administrator grew animated. Viv recognized the fervor of the man talking about his passion.


    ¡°Alright, so Kazar is a remote city with little strategic value due to a variety of reasons. First, its remoteness means that resupplying remains a constant challenge, thus stopping any prospect of becoming a trading town. You follow so far?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv replied with impatience.


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the Deathguard forest. The forest is massive and unforgiving. Clearing it is an absolute impossibility. The second is that we have no natural resources to exploit, at least none that would justify the hassle. Even the fertile land is a thin band nearing capacity. All the arable lands west of here, along the sea, are simply too remote to bother. Anyone here would be at the mercy of roaming monsters.


    But what if there was a way to solve both problems at once?¡±


    A guileful smile bloomed on Farren¡¯s face.


    ¡°Are you familiar with the history of the empire, Miss Bob?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°A long time ago, the Old Empire and the Enorian heartlands were connected by a network of tunnels that snaked through the entire chain. The closest one went through the Min Goles iron mines. I believe that I know where the entrance is. We locate it, and we find a path that bypasses the forest, cuts travel time, and gives us access to iron deposits.¡±


    ¡°Thus providing both a shortcut and the resources justifying trade,¡± Viv finished.


    ¡°Yes! We only need to make sure that they are clear. Just imagine how much the veins have regrown by now.¡±


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry what?¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    It turned out that, since the planet was sort of ¡®alive¡¯, mineral deposits regrew. Viv asked if that meant the tunnels were refilled with stone or something and Farren looked at her like she was retarded.


    ¡°But¡­ of course not!¡±


    ¡°Listen, I never had to work on the minutiae of mining operations before so cut me some flucking slack.¡±


    ¡°I understand. In any case, your performance is more than adequate. I came here to make sure that you were on par with war mages despite the fact that you are still early on the path, and you are. I also came, ahem, this is embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°To make sure that I was not an asshole?¡±


    ¡°In a way. Yes. Or try to extort me. I did believe that Irao would be enough to protect me, should the worst come to pass. I just did not expect you to have a hidden asset as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not tell anyone about Solfis.¡±


    ¡°On my honor I so swear. In return, I will ask you to keep Irao¡¯s existence a secret. I would not just be punished by my hierarchy, he would also be tracked down.¡±


    ¡°You seem to care about him a great deal.¡±


    Farren¡¯s expression turned grim.


    ¡°I do. However, and with the exception of your golem, Irao is the deadliest being in all of Kazar by a large margin.¡±


    This surprised Viv quite a bit.


    ¡°I assumed that it would be Lady Varska?¡±


    ¡°No. I do not mean to demean her, it¡¯s just that assassins are sent after mages for a reason. They are the only ones who can stop a mage before they can bring their power to bear, and Irao is firmly at the top of the assassin path. I have seen what he can do¡­ when he bothers. If hunters come to take him down, it will be a bloodbath, and he will simply disappear.¡±


    ¡°So, your plan is to have you, Irao, Marruk and I clear a freaking tunnel? What if there is stuff in there that¡¯s not black-aligned?¡±


    ¡°No no, my plan is to have a full retinue of warriors go with you as support. I will come as well, of course. We will find the entrance, and explore carefully over a period of a few weeks. I do not expect us to find a way immediately, just as I do not expect the path to be fully cleared. Some measure of digging will certainly occur. I can solicit the local mountain tribes for workers. Sardanal knows that they can use the money, may he bless them with wealth.¡±


    Farren seemed to think of something and it was important enough, so he stood next to Viv and spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°Look, I need you to understand so I will state it one last time. I do not control Irao. I don''t even know where he is most of the time. Irao is his own man, and I will do nothing to change that. His kind has been used ruthlessly as tools since the moment of their creation. I refuse to do the same. And there is something else¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Reports of Hadal Strains have decreased over the past decades, so he might very well be the last of his kind. Cut him some slack, please.¡±


    ¡°Ok fine. He follows you around because he is grateful and that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Pretty much that.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Ok. Anyway, let¡¯s check the tunnel then go.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    With Marruk first, they walked down to find that the nascent Necrarch had dug through the next room but failed to properly clear it. There was a sort of circular room at the end that reminded Viv of a lair or something. It had been wiped completely clean. There was only one thing left.


    ¡°What a good find,¡± Farren said, as he kneeled to pick up a black sphere.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°A black-aligned core. Very rare, considering what you have to kill to get one. Of course a nascent Necrarch would have one. You can find them in very old gut spillers as well. It will contain mana that can be used at a later date by drawing from it. Black-aligned cores can only store energy from the relevant color, so it can only be used for specific tasks. Here, take it.¡±


    Farren deposited the sphere in her hands. It was slightly larger than a tennis ball and had this strange mix of heaviness and weightlessness she associated with mana items. There was a trickle of energy inside. It was also much smaller than what Solfis used in his current frame, much less the past one. Apparently, nascent Necrarch did not hold a candle to adult dragons.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that it¡¯s worth its volume in gold?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Several times over,¡± Farren confirmed, ¡°but there would be no way to turn it to coin here in Kazar, at least not without a massive discount. Lady Varska mostly uses brown mana, so she would have no use for it.¡±


    Viv understood the concept of illiquid assets. She also wanted the thing for herself, and for good reason.


    She pushed some mana inside and felt it coil in the strange receptacle. The core could hold it as if it were inside of her own body. She had found a fucking battery, and she really, really wanted to keep it for herself.


    ¡°You can keep it for yourself,¡± Farren declared.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Viv asked. It was a very generous offer.


    ¡°Knight-Principal Cormick once said, a good leader uses everyone and everything to the best of their abilities. Your men, your gear, the environment and your foes, all are tools in the arsenal of the mindful captain.¡±


    This¡­ did not sound stupid at all?


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°I am investing in you, Bob. With your skills at my side, my plan has much better chances to succeed. Please consider this as an apology for doubting you as well as a show of good faith.¡±


    Amusingly, it was Marruk who was now eyeing the Voice with no small amount of disappointment. It appeared that the Kark found his plotting distasteful.


    ¡°Consider me placated,¡± Viv admitted. The man was the right amount of ambitious and idealistic. She could respect that.


    ¡°A core this size would best be used in a construct shaped like a staff, or whatever strikes your fancy. I know that northern mages prefer sword pommels. Sadly, no one here has the know-how to create a suitable frame.¡±


    ¡°I expected that much.¡±


    ¡°Our little frontier town still has much to acquire.¡±


    They headed back up. Viv was the second out after Marruk and she found the slightly misshapen shape of Irao sitting on the floor. The ground around him had a pile of ash she had not seen before. The assassin probably had ways to kill the unkillable.


    As she watched, he reached towards his ninja headdress and slowly unfolded it. Viv looked on with curiosity.


    Irao was completely bald. He barely had eyebrows. His skull was large and shaped a bit strangely, with a certain reptilian quality to it. The man was on the bony, ugly side of the spectrum, but it was his eyes and teeth that sealed the deal. All his teeth were slightly sharp, which he revealed by taking a deep breath. His pupils were slitted like a cat¡¯s, and the iris covered much of the sclera. They were dark brown.


    Viv was unimpressed.


    After weeks spent killing horrors that smelled like skunk knickers and looked like a rectal prolapse, Irao¡¯s face was not even in the top ten of disgusting things she had endured in the past month. Hell, he was not even the ugliest person she had met before coming here.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked politely, because it would not hurt staying polite with a genetically engineered assassin.


    ¡°Hellow. I want to spar with your golem.¡±


    As before, the voice was raspy and slightly disturbing. Viv considered what Farren had said about Irao¡¯s antisocial behavior. She tried to formulate a refusal that would not offend before realizing that this was the wrong thing to do.


    ¡°Solfis is intelligent. Ask him directly.¡±


    The assassin blinked, the gesture unexpectedly normal. It made him look like a person.


    Irao stood up and deliberately walked to Solfis¡¯ frame, which Marruk had helpfully replaced in the sled.


    ¡°Spar with me?¡±


    //I only fight to kill.


    //Your death would harm the princess¡¯ cause.


    //Therefore, I must refuse.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Viv turned to gauge the assassin¡¯s reaction, only to find that he had already disappeared from her sight.


    They decided to make their way back without waiting. Forcing it, they would be back in Kazar by nightfall. The horses had magically-induced stamina, after all.


    Marruk used the opportunity afforded when Farren stepped away to attend to a natural need. She leaned towards Viv.


    ¡°Do all humans have plans within plans?¡± she asked. Viv felt that this was an important moment.


    So far, Marruk had remained carefully professional. Viv was not a fan of cajoling people into liking her, and she also estimated that it would throw the poor Kark off. It was, therefore, the first time that she asked a question that did not immediately relate to living or working together. It was her first personal question.


    She was opening up. Viv scarcely believed her ears.


    As for the question itself, it related to something she had asked herself for years. Are people bad because they plan and manipulate? Are manipulation and influence bad or neutral tools? Where does brainwashing stop and conviction start? Is it wrong to use people who lack critical thinking to your own end?


    She should have read more books.


    In any case, she had found an answer that sort of suited her. It had, to her annoyance, come from her dad.


    ¡°Anybody with a smidgen of authority needs them, or they will fail the people they lead.¡±


    Then, after a moment.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Marruk¡¯s eyes narrowed. She did not like the conversation much, but Viv¡¯s stoic expression showed genuine concern and the strong woman was sensitive to it.


    ¡°You mean that Farren schemes because everyone else schemes?¡±


    ¡°Schemes implies carrying out something illegal or morally wrong.¡±


    ¡°Morally long?¡±


    This fucking weird language barrier.


    ¡°Bad. Something bad. Farren wants to do something good. He has a plan.¡±


    ¡°Why hide the plan from everyone? Why hide his reasons from us?¡±


    ¡°You know that humans are hard to trust.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Humans are hard to trust for other humans. Farren also needs help from other people who have other goals than just helping him. That is why he hides and plans and asks. A cold mind serving a warm heart, that is the best. I think.¡±


    ¡°A cold mind serving a warm heart¡­¡± Marruk repeated, considering. Eventually, she nodded to herself.


    ¡°I think you told the truth about humans. This is a good sentence. It also makes the humans look better in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°That is good to hear.¡±


    Farren returned then, whistling and fastening his belt.


    ¡°I have decided to forgive you,¡± Marruk informed him with a solemn voice.


    The Voice of Neriad froze like a deer in headlights, much to Viv¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°Hmmm thank you?¡±


    ¡°If another assassin appears at my back when I am fighting a dangerous monster and this is your fault, I will still strike you down. Warm heart or not. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm yes, Marruk, of course. I apologize, I didn''t mean to startle you.¡±


    ¡°Remember. No more surprises.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    Viv could not help but smirk when Farren climbed back on his horse with visible dismay. Serves him right, she thought. Also, Marruk¡¯s allegiance was successfully transferred to her.

 Chapter 29: Im starting a collection.

    The trip back was spent mostly in silence. They all had things to mull over. They returned the horses, then Viv left Farren on the doorstep of the temple just as the sun was setting. They walked to what she had come to call home.


    And to an unpleasant surprise.


    Three people waited for them by the entrance. There was the male mercenary with a villainous moustache and cheeks pitted with scars who had insulted Marruk when Viv had first met her. He was still wearing chainmail under a leather surcoat. By his side were two other men. One was tall and strong, and looked rather uncomfortable while the other was small and wore an ill-fitting leather jerkin. He was trying to grow a moustache and failing rather miserably.


    ¡°Walk in, then stand by the door,¡± she whispered to Marruk. The Kark looked surprised, but she nodded in acknowledgement.


    Her little troop approached the mercenaries, then left them behind as they walked left and through the fence gates leading to their front porch. Viv bent forward to pick up her stuff from the sled, but stopped when the taller mercenary placed a hand on the fence.


    ¡°This is a private property,¡± she told him in a cold tone.


    The brawny man turned to his boss, who elbowed the scrawny lad with little discretion. Marruk had taken a step forward and her hand was on her mace. Her eyes scanned the street and the house for more threats. Arthur clawed her way out of her nest, glaring at the newcomers with undisguised appetite.


    ¡°My boss says that you speak Old Imperial, so I¡¯ll speak Old Imperial for him.¡±


    Viv waited.


    ¡°Right. My boss says that we heard that the tunnel contract was closed. He said that it was bad practice to steal a job from other mercenaries, especially from him.¡±


    ¡°Curious. I was under the impression that he had refused.¡±


    The scrawny one turned and translated. The chainmail boss spoke Enorian, but with a thick accent that made him hard to follow for Viv. She really had to find time to learn the vernacular.


    ¡°My boss says that he and Farren were negotiating his wage. He says that you owe him for the lost opportunity,¡± the scrawny man translated with some hesitation.


    A wave of fear went through Viv. It came from the chainmail man and she recognized it well. It was intimidation. She instinctively fought back with her own, but it was not enough. The sense of dread the mercenary emitted was palpable.


    Viv had not spent her youth being exhibited by her politician Dad without learning how to hide her emotions. She did it now. She took a deep breath and let the fear wash through her once. When her breath ended, the fear was in the background. It was still there, but it was no longer paralyzing. Just something that gripped her guts and made her want to swallow her saliva.


    ¡°Your boss wants money?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the man said, suddenly hopeful.


    One thing she knew was that she could not let herself be bullied once. If you allowed it to happen once, it would haunt you for a long time. She had to act now, so she removed her purse from a pocket under Marruk¡¯s scandalized gaze, took a single iron bit, and threw it on the ground beyond the fence where it plinked against a stone.


    ¡°Tell your boss that if he sings me a nice song, I¡¯ll consider giving him another.¡±


    The scrawny mercenary¡¯s answer choked in his throat.


    ¡°Tell him.¡±


    The man turned around and translated with visible fear. The boss¡¯ anger leaked from his expression as his smile grew strained. Viv did not understand. Casters were supposed to be scary. Was it because she was inexperienced and the man knew it, somehow?


    ¡°My boss says that you are far from your home, and that you never know when something bad might happen and you might need friends. It¡¯s not that filthy Kark who¡ª¡±


    The boss had withdrawn a dagger from a hidden sheath and was checking its sharpness with a thumb. This, Viv could not tolerate.


    A charged purge spell shot from her right shoulder, before angling down. As expected, the mercenary saw it come, but surprise and the strange trajectory threw him off enough for the spear to land. The dagger¡¯s tip fell to the ground as the entire blade was severed near the handle. If it could cut through stone, it could definitely cut through half a centimeter of iron.


    ¡°If you show me a naked blade again, I will assume that you intend to use it,¡± she coldly declared. Inside, she felt super giddy because that was definitely on the awesome end of banter. Like a girl Dirty Harry. Speaking of which¡­


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intimidation: Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That goon must have thugged vigorously to reach a higher intimidation level than hers, because she was most certainly working hard.


    ¡°I think this discussion has gone on long enough. Feel free to leave now, I am done listening to you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t use magic against us!¡± the young man yelped, ¡°It¡¯s illegal!¡±


    ¡°Feel free to complain to the relevant authorities then. I wonder who they will listen to, a bunch of useless dogs or a church-sanctioned witch? Now scram, or I¡¯ll start aiming for shorter blades.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over!¡±


    Viv scoffed and walked in with her pack, eyes opened for anything weird. She and Marruk checked every room since she was feeling that her space had been violated, but that was probably just the idiots outside. She checked and they had left. Someone had pissed on the fence by the door though, and Marruk cleaned it with a bit of fresh water.


    Petty.


    Viv¡¯s attention was captured by something new. By the inner door, there was a box with a slit and a small flag that was currently up.


    ¡°Ah, we have mail.¡±


    Inside, she found two envelopes, which she brought back inside. Marruk had lit up the mana stones providing light as twilight gave way to the dark. The Kark woman was already lighting a fire to prepare dinner.


    The first missive came from Lady Varska. She invited Viv to join her for tea the next day, if it pleased her. The letter was polite and the handwriting smooth. The paper also smelled faintly of flowers.


    The second letter was much more formal and sort of summoned her to meet the mayor at her soonest convenience. It was signed by the head honcho herself, Resh Ganimatalo.


    ¡°Looks like we poked the hornet¡¯s nest.¡±


    //Your Grace?


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Viv turned around to see Solfis deployed and operational. His yellow glare fixed something at her back.


    Someone knocked on their door.


    Marruk jumped around at the same time as Viv. Irao stood in the room with them, one fist on the gate.


    Bong bong bong.


    The assassin lowered his hand and waited politely.


    ¡°Errr. Come in?¡±


    Irao smiled and bowed, the gesture strangely graceful.


    ¡°Hellow.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Irao?¡±


    He stopped and seemed to give it some thought.


    ¡°A safe haven for my people.¡±


    Viv massaged the bridge of her nose and tried again.


    ¡°I will consent to it when I am the undisputed queen of my own country. Now, what can I help you with right here, right now, and within reason?¡±


    The man pointed at the door to one of the empty bedrooms they had kept as is.


    ¡°Spare space?¡±


    Oh fuck no.


    ¡°You want to¡­ live with us?¡±


    He nodded.


    Ok ok, that was weird. That was definitely weird. And creepy.


    On the other hand, she was looking to improve the security of the place. There was no doubt in her mind that Mr. Chainmail would come back at some point to annoy her or something, and the presence of a legendary assassin could help? If Solfis was not around? Maybe?


    Actually, there was another reason to accept. It felt like a test, or a challenge. The cave, then showing his face to her, then now? He was testing her. He was¡­ testing her acceptance.


    Farren had said that Irao was bad with people, not that he was a manipulative asshole.


    Ok, so far, Viv had gathered as followers an arcane terminator made of bones, a small pantry-raiding pocket dragon, a big exile from some non-human steppes people, and now there was the possibility to get a weirdo assassin as well. Was she growing a collection? Would she get a prize if she got ten of them?


    In the end, it was Irao¡¯s patient face that decided her.


    ¡°Base rules: you clean after yourself, no noise at odd hours and no stealing stuff. If you absolutely need something, you ask me. And don¡¯t spook Marruk.¡±


    The assassin nodded. He walked to his newly designated room and¡­ disappeared.


    Viv wondered for a moment how he knew which room was empty. Better not dwell on it. She turned to Marruk, only to realize that she had been quite rude.


    ¡°Sorry, I should have asked you as well.¡±


    Yet, to her surprise, the strong woman merely shrugged.


    ¡°It is your home. Also, I cannot blame you for giving him a chance. You gave me one as well. If I refuse it to others, it makes me fake-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Ah, err, thank you.¡±


    The Kark¡¯s unexpected generosity surprised her. Arthur, however, was less enthused. As for Solfis, she feared the worst.


    When the meal was ready, they were surprised to see that Irao joined them. He brought only pickled vegetables. Viv tried and thought that it was acidic enough to sand wallpaper off, but for some reasons Marruk loved it. She crunched it between her large teeth with obvious delight. They shared the rest of the food. Irao piled a little bit of everything on his plate and excused himself back to his room. Viv and Marruk wished him good night, and the door closed with a whisper.


    It was a bit weird to Viv, but more like the normal weird of getting to meet quirky people and less the new ¡®undead abominations and bolts of pure darkness¡¯ weird, and that was refreshing.


    Since Marruk had cooked, Viv said she would handle the dishes and the tall woman retreated to her own territory. Arthur settled in her covers and Viv started to charge the core.


    ¡°I may have acted a bit hastily.¡±


    //One must seize the moment, Your Grace.


    //Learn from your choices, but do not regret being decisive.


    //Sometimes, a good choice taken too late is worse than a bad choice taken in time.


    ¡°Hmm. Yeah, well, are you not worried about him?¡±


    //Irao is probably at, or close to the fifth step of his path.


    //Most people branch at some point, for example, Lady Varska is a court mage, according to Farren.


    //This means that she is on the third step of spellcasting and the first or second of a courtly path.


    //On the contrary, Irao is extremely specialized, from what I have discerned.


    ¡°Does it mean that I will have to branch out as well?¡±


    //Sometimes, it can be productive to do so.


    //The requirement to improve one¡¯s path increases dramatically with each new step.


    //It can be profitable to branch out on the third step and return to your main path later, while still practicing the relevant skills.


    //For example, novice, apprentice, mage, court mage, court archmage.


    //Or novice, apprentice, mage, court mage, arcane advisor, council archmage.


    ¡°Ok. Hmm, you moved a lot today, what are your reserves like?¡±


    //They are at 13%.


    //In terms of time, I only moved for less than four consecutive seconds.


    //Do not worry overmuch.


    //We should still make sure that my energy levels are at least at 30% to guarantee several minutes of autonomy.


    ¡°Of course. I was invited, though invited might be inadequate, to visit the mayor and the resident mage tomorrow. Any advice?¡±


    //You were wise to answer Farren¡¯s call, Your Grace.


    //Now, you will meet them because they requested your presence, not because you have something to ask.


    //They will want to know where you stand, and what your goal is.


    ¡°Should I tell them that I need help for my wounded soul? Perhaps the mage knows something.¡±


    //I would advise you to listen and remain evasive.


    //They will seek to bind you to their cause.


    //The more we know about their respective agendas, the better we will be able to navigate the treacherous waters of frontier diplomacy.


    ¡°Fair enough. I don¡¯t think I can have you attend though.¡±


    //You should ask Marruk to strap me to her back.


    //Your meeting with the mage is a risk.


    //She is the only one who can disable you with certainty.


    ¡°Fine. How about protecting this place? I know that runes can be placed on stones. Is there any way to secure the house while we live here?¡±


    //Although I possess advanced knowledge on training, my spell collection is much smaller.


    //I can, however, propose several alarm constructs.


    //They will remain basic, but you should be able to create them.


    //I will teach you now, and you can cast them tomorrow when you leave.


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    //There is something else, before we start with your evening practice.


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    It should be impossible to perceive Solfis¡¯ mood, seeing as he had no facial traits, and yet, Viv found herself thinking that the Golem¡¯s shining yellow eyes assessed her.


    //Farren will fail.


    That was unexpected.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡±


    //When Irleven was young, he designed a canal network project for one of the capital¡¯s premier engineer guilds.


    //His team leader took credit, and got promoted as a result.


    //Farren is brilliant, but naive.


    //He left the political center of the church seeking opportunity, instead, he should have stayed and found a patron.


    //Then, he could leave.


    //As he is, a successful project will be taken over by his superior in the church.


    ¡°You expect the local church leaders to act in such a way? Farren himself seems mostly honorable.¡±


    //He himself admitted to leaving Mornyr because of a lack of political support.


    //Those who create new supply lines are administrators, not knights.


    //The project will be taken over as soon as it looks promising.


    //Although he may take some credit, the majority of the glory will fall to another.


    ¡°You seem confident.¡±


    //From the databanks I have access to, this is by far the most likely scenario.


    ¡°I should warn him.¡±


    //Absolutely not, Your Grace.


    ¡°But¡­ why?¡±


    //Observations show that the carrier of bad news shares part of the resentment.


    //We might also be wrong, though the chances are slim.


    //Finally, Farren has the mental profile of an idealist.


    //Idealists show the most distress when betrayed by their own factions.


    //After it is done, he will be ripe for the taking.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    //It means that we will be able to attract him to our cause.


    //Although your¡­ unique charm¡­ has certainly attracted¡­ interesting profiles¡­ to our banner, you need talented administrators to handle the day-to-day operations.


    //Farren will do nicely.


    ¡°Still on about the genocidal maniac skill?¡±


    //It will merely be a beneficial side effect of my ultimate goal.


    Viv froze in her tracks, her eyes going from the core to Solfis¡¯ cold glare.


    ¡°Solfis, what¡¯s your ultimate goal?¡±


    She felt a smile.


    //I could tell you if you ordered me to share.


    //However, I would prefer to tell you at a later date.


    And that was it. Viv drew the line at ordering Solfis to do stuff he did not want to do. To compel someone hard-wired to obey was closer to brainwashing than she was comfortable with. She finished charging Solfis and considered using the black mana core to keep going, then reconsidered. Charging Solfis would be a matter of months. She would go to the edge of the deadlands to charge the core on occasion, then use the energy trapped within to help her practice longer. Tomorrow. She would keep it charged as an ace in the hole in her meeting with Lady Varska and practice perception and absorption until it was time to sleep.


    She missed the internet.


    Her bed was reasonably warm after purchasing heavy sheets, and she meditated there for a while. Later, she was disturbed by a small form tapping something on her left knee. It was Arthur.


    ¡°Is that¡­ the bestiary?¡±


    The dragonling was holding the book in her front claws, using her opposable thumb to good effect. The sharp ends dug a bit in the leather cover, but Viv found it hard to get angry. It was so cute! And slightly disturbing.


    Once more, the tiny monster bridged the gap between animal and toddler, really. She was not sure how to handle this.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll read it for you. Give it here.¡±


    Arthur climbed on her lap. Wings brushed against Viv¡¯s nose. The skin there was smooth and warm. Actually, her entire body was like a heater, nice and toasty. Viv started in her softest voice as if she was reading Snow White.


    ¡°Beastlings are some of the vilest, nastiest creatures to walk Param, spreading filth and stealing children wherever they go. Those debased monstrosities live in diseased dwellings¡­¡±


    It was like telling a story to kids until they fell asleep.


    Arthur watched her human, with her flappy mouth, who had done her usual soft borgle bargle sounds as she collapsed against her pillow. Her breathing was light and relaxed.


    Arthur grabbed the precious image-thing between two light fingers, but the white flat things flipped and showed a different image.


    She picked the item again and stopped when she saw something that piqued her interest.


    There, on one of the flat things, wings spread wide, was a massive scaled creature roasting a contingent of metal-clad humans. The form was familiar. She counted the appendages.


    Two front limbs. Check.


    Two back limbs. Check.


    A pair of wings. Check.


    A tail. Check.


    A majestic muzzle filled with proper teeth. Check.


    Somewhere in her growing brain, connections were established.


    She looked at the size of the humans. They were so tiny!


    And the creature was so big.


    ¡°Squee?¡±

 Chapter 30. Bloody Business

    Viv took a deep breath next to Kazar¡¯s huge tree. Leaves were unfolding all across its foliage, a beautiful and delicate shade of lilac. The pure and fresh air filled her lungs with the promise of spring. It lessened the physical discomfort she was in right now. Even a magically-enhanced constitution did not suffice to offset all the shit she had been through in the past month. Perhaps a day of relaxation was warranted.


    Also, she was wearing a comfortable loose linen dress that managed to look good while still feeling as comfortable as pajamas. And she had just gotten paid.


    Five gold talents, over a thousand bits total for the whole expedition, plus some change for all the revenants they had slain on the way. That part, Viv split in two with a flustered Marruk on top of her pay. She had also officially given her equipment to the bodyguard as a ¡®hiring bonus¡¯. The tall Kark woman was clearly unused to such ¡®generosity¡¯ and was now following Viv sheepishly, not sure how to act. Viv¡¯s opinion was mixed. On the one hand, she had gone beyond their contract to the other woman¡¯s benefit. On the other hand, she had kept more than eight tenths of their total bounty for herself and her bodyguard was tearingly grateful. Cutthroat capitalism at its finest.


    The gold was nice to have, although she did not really have anything to spend it on for now. There was a trade caravan scheduled to arrive soon, so perhaps there would be something then. In the meanwhile, she had VIPs to butter up, starting with the mayor.


    Resh Ganimatalo. The police officer who had probed her, Tars, had mentioned that Mayor Ganimatalo had been at the head of the town for a few years already, and developing Kazar was her life¡¯s work.


    She walked right to the town hall with Marruk in tow. The ancient edifice stood in the center of the plaza, facing both road exits. It had started as a single, stocky building with more expansions added as the years passed by and the lonely outpost had turned into a large village. The result showed an eclectic mix of architecture and building materials that gave the hall an organic feeling, the impression reinforced by the flower beds and trees surrounding the compound. A single guard bearing the Kazar coat of arms saluted her as she came in, but hesitated when Marruk followed.


    ¡°Ah, apologies Lady Bob. May I request that you leave your weapons at the entrance? It¡¯s the something something.¡±


    Farren had agreed to Enorian lessons and Viv was looking forward to it. With the magical bullshittery and how close the language was to Old Imperial, she was confident that she would be able to master it in no time.


    ¡°Yeah yeah, ok.¡±


    They moved into the compound and through a path along a small garden to the largest wing. Viv walked into a traditional waiting room that would not look out of place in a modern administrative center, were it not for the fashion and signs of magic. A man in colorful clothes was bending iron twigs into circles with his bare hands, while a teenager pressed both hands on his scraped knee. Viv saw the tell-tale halo of life magic at work.


    ¡°Mayor Ganimatalo is in a meeting. She will receive you shortly,¡± a pale woman in a neat outfit told her. It was green and asymmetrical, and closed over her left shoulder.


    Viv found a chair, and realized that she should have brought a book. She had left Arthur behind with alarm wards and food, the dragonling a bit more independent now. She started drawing runes out of boredom before realizing that the black symbols upset the other people here. It had become clear that the building hosted the city¡¯s few civil servants, and it saw a lot of traffic from magic-fearing locals.


    Viv used this opportunity to study the people coming and going out of rooms that, she assumed, were offices. Their well-made clothes were rich in patterns and poor in adornments. Viv thought that she must have seen perhaps two rings and a necklace throughout the entire walk here. They spoke of people who had come here with nothing and made the best of it. They were also subdued, with none of the bluster she expected from entitled folks faced with the pit traps of bureaucracy. Everyone was guarded before they even noticed her in their midst.


    It took a good twenty minutes for her to be called and she judged that it was on purpose. Her suspicion only deepened when the clerk led her deeper into the complex, up a flight of painted stairs and into a richly decorated office. Marruk was ordered to stay behind with Solfis hidden in a large bag on her back.


    The mayoral office contrasted with the rest of the building as it was possibly the first room she had visited since her relocation that had a single decorative theme. The colors were amber and brown, both on the wall and in the furniture. A monumental desk of polished wood hosted documents and trinkets of unknown function, some of them magical. There were two people waiting for her. She was not offered a seat. She took one anyway.


    A man leaned in a comfortable chair on the side, in a neutral position. He wore a clean tabard showing the Kazar tree on a white background over a genuine plate armor, which he wore as if it weighed nothing. The gauntlets showed marks of impacts, and a heavy sword hung by his side. The woman sitting on the chair was a northerner with the same dark skin and amber eyes as the banker she had met earlier. She had her gray hair in thick strands held together by golden rings. Other signs of age were obvious in the wrinkles around her eyes and the hollowness of her cheeks, yet she bore her age with more grace than Viv had ever seen in anyone. There was a magnetic presence about the woman, one that made her think of intimidation but not quite. The pair¡¯s game was clear, and only made Viv feel more irritated as her discomfort took a familiar direction.


    The mayor spoke first. Her voice was higher pitched than Viv expected, and melodious. Her Old Imperial was perfect.


    ¡°You finally deign to grace us with your presence, witch Bob. It took you only five days to come and greet the authorities of this town, and after I summoned you, I may add.¡±


    So that¡¯s how it was. The two to her one, the presence of weapons, the rich appearance, not offering her a seat. They were trying intimidation.


    The most effective technique against intimidation and bullying was self-esteem, in Viv¡¯s experience, and she had quite a bit of that now. Viv had undergone a major crisis when she had turned sixteen, one that put her at odds with her father whom she had previously held in very high regard. It had taken her quite some time to rebuild confidence, but she had done it just in time to escape his plans. When compared with the smooth, corrupt politician, these people here were amateurs.


    What surprised her was that Tars must have told the man who could only be Captain Corel, the leader of the guard, about her. He should know that she was no wild talent raised by wolves. Or whatever the Nyil equivalent was. It could be that Ganimatalo used some sort of advanced manipulative strategy to achieve some obscure goal, but she doubted it. People were not perfect. Busy people sometimes overlooked things. Her dad had been a fervent supporter of the Hanlon paradigm: never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.


    The two idiots had done goofed.


    Now, she could engage in a subtle game of threats, insults, and the proper use of body language for intimidation purposes, but she had a good way to kill two birds with one stone.


    ¡°Sorry, where are the lavatories?¡± she asked.


    The woman facing her blinked and opened her mouth, then closed it again with a click.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°The bathrooms? Cabinet? Water closet?¡± Viv insisted.


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±


    No, Viv was not, in fact, taking the piss. It was another kind of emergency. That sticky wetness was all too familiar. The English were invading. She was being visited by her aunt Flo. Moses was parting the red sea. Shark week was upon her.


    The last time it should have happened would have been when she was in the Cassian springs. Apparently, being reassembled at a molecular level had thrown her hormones out of whack, and things were only now returning to their natural course.


    ¡°The fucking bathroom, woman. It¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    The mayor sensed the seriousness of the situation and sent her to an appropriate place, where Viv had to sacrifice a sock. She was sent to fantasy land and still had to contend with all the old bullshit. Ridiculous. Did the women in Lord of the Ring struggle with those things? Nooooo absolutely the fuck not. Their ordeals were to deal with Viggo Mortensen¡¯s raw sexyness and that armored dude on the flying lamprey. At least, that explained today¡¯s discomfort and yesterday¡¯s timid resurrection of her libido, not that it had led to anything.


    Once secure, she returned to see her two hosts where she had left them.


    ¡°So, was there anything specific you wanted or did you just want to get to know me? Because I¡¯m feeling poorly and I really need to go.¡±


    ¡°Sit down,¡± the mayor ordered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no. Bye then.¡±


    The door banged open behind her and the guard captain stomped in the corridor.


    ¡°Miss Bob, you are making a serious mistake.¡±


    ¡°The mistake I made was coming here.¡±


    ¡°I would not want to have to use force.¡±


    A deep, terrible silence spread across the room. The annoyance in Viv¡¯s heart turned fiery and vicious, and when she stopped and turned, her voice was loaded with the promise of death.


    ¡°No, you really wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If you use magic¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lay your hand on me, lose the hand, asshole.¡±


    ¡°The law¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at me. Look at me. There. Do you see me caring, at all? Do you want to test me? Is there any magic around that regrows hands? Because that¡¯s what this is about right here, right now. You, me, and your silly games. I don¡¯t care about what you and the hag want. I¡¯m already gone. There is nothing you can do to change that even if you put your life on the line. Got it? Good. Until you have something worthwhile to say, piss off and leave me be. Alright? Bye.¡±


    Viv stormed out of the building with a confused Marruk in tow. She looked around the plaza, seeking help. There was none to be found.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Tower now?¡±


    ¡°No. We¡­ are going to the brothel.¡±


    The Spotted Feather had a selection of lightly enchanted rags that kept clean and soft and warm, and a soothing herbal mix that was already doing wonders. Viv was in her previous room with a positively purple Marruk carted off to her own place.


    ¡°It¡¯s just for a bath,¡± Viv had insisted, ¡°I¡¯ll pay the fee for you.¡±


    Marruk had stuttered something about not being interested in humans, which had instantly turned the two nearby ¡®filles-de-joie¡¯ teasing and provocative. One of them had made an innocuous comment about ¡®what big hands you have¡¯ and the Kark had emitted a distressed sound.


    Now Viv gave herself a break. Courtesan Yan had left her to her own devices.


    Her meeting with the mayor had gone catastrophically, but now things were looking up. Everyone had had lunch together and Viv felt ready to face the rest of the day. Only Solfis found cause to complain.


    //I can do it in three minutes from door to door.


    //No one will say a thing.


    ¡°No, you may not murder the mayor. And to slaughter her just after our meeting, you think that no one will suspect me?¡±


    //I never said anything about suspicion.


    //I said, no one will say a thing.


    ¡°Farren knows I have you. If someone I dislike ends up mysteriously trounced to bits, he will most certainly react.¡±


    //And when you are asked about it, you can say that you never ordered or even suggested the murder of the mayor.


    //Farren will only be too glad to drop the matter.


    ¡°I think you underestimate how stubborn the religious types can be.¡±


    //And I think you underestimate how persuasive I can be.


    //Especially after I stuff what remains of his pet assassin in a washbasin.


    ¡°I believe that there are steps we can take before escalating to a campaign of murder-fueled terror.¡±


    Solfis¡¯ next words were ¡®if you say so, Your Grace¡¯ but the tone said ¡®spoilsport¡¯.


    Viv and Marruk left the Spotted Feather early in the afternoon, just in time for Viv¡¯s appointment with Lady Varska. They walked to the tower unimpeded. The pair came across a few guards, but none reacted to her presence beyond polite greetings, which she returned. The tower itself was as tall and unwelcoming as she remembered. There were vines climbing up its surface, and many windows, but their surfaces were strangely reflective. The building was hermetic. It was designed as much to impress as to provide distance, a promontory above the city from which its dweller saw without being seen.


    Viv knocked on the door. It opened ominously. She expected it to be enchantment or something, but a wizened face filled with grey hair popped out of the shadows.


    ¡°You¡¯re the witch?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And you are¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Grema, the housekeeper. Come on in. The bodyguard stays behind, and the golem too. If the good lady wanted to kill ya they would make no difference.¡±


    Viv was quite sure that she was mistaken. Having Solfis stay secret really helped, and his presence would be an additional guarantee of safety, but her host had said no and she found no reason to object.


    ¡°I stay outside,¡± Marruk told her, and Viv slipped through the massive wooden door.


    The main floor felt cozy. The ceiling was really tall, with a circle of windows set high on the walls to provide illumination. A round stairway snaked up to an upper floor and the rest of the space was quite open. There were crates and stuff and a couch as well as a hearth. It was well-aired, and a bit impersonal except for a large banner hanging from the wall, with a circular glyph on it that looked more like a coat-of-arms than a magical symbol.


    The housekeeper climbed up and Viv followed. They reached a first landing, with her guide going through another door without a word. Viv caught a glimpse of a kitchen, so perhaps those were her personal quarters. Many of the doors and windows emitted complex mana signatures that she could not identify. It was like trying to spot a specific dot on a buggy screen. Her senses were overwhelmed by a wall of impressions that she did not know how to interpret.


    Without specific direction, Viv kept climbing until she reached the next level. This was clearly the tower¡¯s receiving room, and her host was here.


    An elegant blue carpet showing a complex sigil covered most of the room, with the lines walled by shelves. Carefully arranged couches and blue magical lights created a calm ambiance that invited contemplation. A small fire danced merrily in the room¡¯s hearth, and the sound of crackling logs provided a nice background to the watery sounds of tea being served. Viv approached the eating table on which Kazar¡¯s resident caster had placed two cups and an assortment of finger foods.


    ¡°You must be Viviane. Please, take a seat. The tea is just right.¡±


    Delighted that someone would make an effort to pronounce her name properly, the witch lightly sat and was handed a piping hot cup for her trouble. Lady Varska was, well, she was interesting.


    The mage was slightly shorter than Viv with a svelte build and a graceful presence. She wore a light green dress with gossamer sleeves that led the eye to her delicate fingers. The color went well with her skin tone, weirdly, as she had a greenish tint like everyone else here. Viv¡¯s gaze travelled up to dark wavy hair that fell to the woman¡¯s neck, and large, expressive chestnut eyes that studied her in return. Varska had a pretty face, slightly pointed, and only marred by an angry red scar.


    Viv averted her gaze immediately, but it was too late. Varska had noticed and her thin smile had turned bitter. It was quite a scar as well, in the shape of a symbol she did not recognize. The skin around was puffy and raw, and it looked like it might be quite painful.


    Varska sat as well as Viv took a sip of her tea. She breathed in with delight at the sophisticated taste. It was definitely tea-like. Flowery accents and a delicious almond aftertaste graced her poor palate.


    ¡°Excellent blend,¡± she commented lightly.


    Varska, however, did not reply. She was obviously quite focused on some personal reflection. Her keen face was scrunched in concentration while she tapped a finger against her nose. Viv watched with interest as a gamut of emotions bloomed on the woman¡¯s face. Surprise, then confusion, then suspicion, then revelation, then smug superiority.


    ¡°You are an outlander,¡± she finally declared.


    Despite her best efforts, Viv could feel her eyes widen. She drank more of the tea to mask her worries.


    ¡°Only three nations on Nyil could have produced someone with your skin tone, would have access to teleportation magic, and would have knowledge of the Old Empire. Even then, such a mix is unlikely,¡± the woman explained, quite proud of herself. ¡°A woman from Korrin would have reacted to the sigil of Kor the baleful, their country¡¯s arch-traitor, which I placed at the entrance. A woman from Vizim would have never accepted to sit on a carpet showing an offensive spell array. Finally, a woman from the shaded lands would have recognized the taste of the poisonous Nightblossom.¡±


    ¡®Pffffffftt!¡±


    Viv spat her entire mouthful of infusion in the mage¡¯s startled face, then jumped back in alarm. She stopped when she realized that Varska had her eyes closed and both hands open, palms empty.


    Viv stood at the edge of the carpet while Varska calmly cleaned her face with a towel, looking much less triumphant now that her enthusiasm had been doused with saliva. She finished by drying off her modest bosom, and took a deep sigh.


    ¡°Of course, I did not use Nightblossom but its harmless cousin, Mirage blossom, which shares a similar taste, and is used for training purposes.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for surprising you.¡±


    ¡°Accepted. And, err, sorry about the tea.¡±

 Chapter 31: The Local Flavor

    Viv sat back down and helped herself to another cuppa. It was good tea. The confectionaries in the middle were made from, as far she could tell, white egg and nuts and some sugar. The sweets tasted really good with a fruity note. There could have been magic involved. She thought they might have been imported.


    ¡°When you are done, I would like to ask you about your nature as an outlander.¡±


    Viv considered the question.


    ¡°Is it too late to deny everything?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Quite so,¡± the mage deadpanned. She added more water to the pot and picked some food herself.


    ¡°Rest assured that your secret is safe with me. My days of engaging in political games are long over, and this retreat I find myself in is, unfortunately, the best I will ever get. I am mostly curious. Your kind is extremely rare.¡±


    ¡°Is it? Someone mentioned the creator of the Hadal Strain Humans. Apparently they were an outlander as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, one from a world with less magic than our own, or so I read. His memoirs have been outlawed in most of Param.¡±


    ¡°Which means that they are still widely read...¡±


    ¡°...by those with the influence and inclination, yes. So, do tell, how is your world? How did you come here?¡±


    And now Viv was faced with the thing she had missed without realizing it. Someone to talk to.


    About everything.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°I would offer an oath of secrecy, but¡­¡± Varska said sadly while pointing at her face where the ugly scar ruined her skin.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s with that? Oh wait, I do not mean to pry.¡±


    ¡°Your Old Imperial is very strange. It feels more like a spoken language than an academic one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a skill.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Oh, of course! So that you could communicate locally. A gift from Nous?¡±


    ¡°Maradoc, actually.¡±


    ¡°The God of Travellers. I should have guessed. And no, explaining the scar to you does not annoy me, but I would prefer to keep the circumstances of its acquisition to myself, if you do not mind. This scar is a mark of the pariah in the court of Helock. It is so infamous that the other countries know of it. Only a handful of recipients are thus stamped every year, after all. The royal torturer inflicts it with a specifically enchanted branding iron. The mark is quite unremovable. Even ablating the affected tissue does not work, as it simply transfers to the resulting wound.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That sucks. Does it still hurt?¡±


    Varska touched the edge gingerly, and winced.


    ¡°Not badly enough to ruin my day. It does remind me of its presence on occasion. I would complain but the truth is that it was¡­ deserved. I was a court mage on the rise and something threatened my career. I was younger then, and drunk on my own importance. Reckless. I went too far and committed a grave sin, and here I am.¡±


    Viv nodded, sensing that it was a difficult topic.


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯m not sure how I came here. I come from a world without magic. A month ago¡­¡±


    Viv started talking. And talking. Since Varska already knew who she was, there was really no reason to hide anything. In fact, she did not want to hide anything. She wanted to share with someone who might show her empathy, and she had a good feeling about the woman anyway. A tiny voice insisted that trusting someone she had not met was a stupid idea but she silenced it. She was not at her best right now.


    And so, the flood gates opened.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Viv spoke of fear and pain and the wonders of magic, how Solfis guided her, meeting the Baranese knights. She spoke of the necromancers and Arthur the small monster who happened to be super cute, and no touching a scale off her tail. She mentioned how shocking it was to find teens at a brothel and the big ass tree and Marruk who was technically an alien or something? The verbal diarrhea did not stop for what felt like hours. She only paused to visit the lady¡¯s room because the tea was apparently a diuretic.


    Occasionally, Varska would refill the cup or refocus Viv with a word of comment. If the messy nature of the tale bothered her, she did not betray any signs of it. The story ended with the morning¡¯s uncomfortable meeting with the mayor.


    ¡°Ah, I am partly to blame for this. Ganimatalo has enjoyed virtually full power over Kazar since I have withdrawn from politics. Perhaps it went to her head. Your wild path and bedraggled appearance when you arrived may have given her the wrong impression that you would be susceptible to intimidation. The wealth and power she wields would be impressive to a hedge caster from some forgotten mudhole. Not so with an outlander.¡±


    ¡°Still pissed me off.¡±


    ¡°I will have a talk with her in the evening, to remind her of our respective roles in this city. As a caster, you are under my purview. I will make sure to¡­ impress that fact upon her.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m not in trouble?¡±


    ¡°You never were. You have the backing of the church and you are a caster. So long as you do not break the law, she has little authority over you. If you do not go looking for trouble, you will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Those mercenaries from yesterday will not let the insult go.¡±


    ¡°Then let trouble come to you, and be prepared. Ganimatalo is too canny to risk everything on a harrien-brained scheme. You are relatively safe. You mentioned that Solfis had combat capabilities?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Keep it secret and it will help you in a pinch.¡±


    Tea time continued into the afternoon, and moved to the topic of magic.


    ¡°No magic at all? Not even a little bit?¡± Varska asked, fully absorbed. They had moved to the large couches to continue the conversation.


    ¡°Nope. Or if there is, it is hidden or too unreliable to matter.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating! But then¡­ you are a caster now. What a change it must be for you.¡±


    Viv babbled about how exciting this was, and how alive the mana felt in her conduits and in her mind.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Varska observed, ¡°I was taught that wielding magic was a contest of dominance with the apathy of the world. Perhaps your unusually high affinity affects you? Archmages and such rarely share their own thoughts on the matter, yet I would wager that their experience compares to your own. You said that Solfis helps you?¡±


    ¡°Yep. He has training methods from the Old Empire.¡±


    ¡°Then I cannot compete, but you mentioned the lack of resources on glyphs and spells. Would you perhaps be interested in a bit of learning?¡±


    Viv stared at the woman as if she had grown another head.


    ¡°Hell yeah? I mean, is this a trick question?¡±


    Varska chuckled, the sound light as chimes and still sad. Just like her smile, it had a brittle quality to it.


    ¡°I would be delighted to help you with that specific part of your learning. As a witch, your understanding of mana shaping and perception is more instinctual than that of a more traditional mage, and I believe that your current training regimen suits you more than any others short of private tutelage under a renowned archwitch. Glyphs, on the other hand, are universal. What I do not know, we can both read in the tomes I brought with me on my exile.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. I should head back. Same time tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°If it pleases you, yes. I should be able to make some room in my schedule.¡±


    Varska¡¯s voice was slightly self-deprecating. Whatever stuff she had done, the punishment had broken her pride.


    Viv went down the stairs. There were no signs of Grema the housekeeper, though Viv smelled cooked meat through her door. Apparently, the grumpy woman had come with the tower and she and Varska kept exchanges to a minimum.


    Marruk stood up from the small wall surrounding the tree base as soon as Viv walked out, intense relief clearly visible.


    ¡°Oh shit, I completely forgot to tell you. Everything is fine. Did you wait there for the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Today was very confusing!¡± the Kark woman bellowed with some justified annoyance.


    Viv felt sorry, then she felt stupid. Not only had she spent much more time than planned with Varska, but she had told the woman almost everything. Everything! If she ended up latched to a vivisection chair in the morning, she only had her own naive stupidity to blame. Why, oh why?


    But she knew why.


    Because she felt lonely.


    There, she said it. She had felt lonely and could not relate to most people. Varska had checked all the marks of that one close friend and Viv had swallowed the bait, hook, line, and sinker. She only had to hope that her trust was not misplaced.


    To soothe Marruk, Viv brought her to eat dinner at the temple¡¯s de facto restaurant. A few vegetable buns were enough as a peace offering and they soon left, exchanging murderous glares with the mercenaries milling around. Viv finally got to see the temple guards in uniform as well.


    As expected, they looked deadly. Chainmail and shields and swords and maces of excellent make differentiated them from the rabble. They were mostly male but Viv saw the tall amazon woman she had come across in the Spotted Feather among their ranks. The other defining thing were the scars. Some of the guards were missing ears, or fingers, or even in one case a whole arm that had been replaced with a prosthesis. Viv found herself disappointed beyond measure.


    ¡°Gods and magic and still cannot figure out how to fucking regrow a limb? What the hell?¡±


    She would have to ask Farren about that.


    But now, it was time to go home for the night.


    <hr>


    Two shapes approached the deserted compound where the witch had made her den. They wore earth-colored cloaks with complex patterns to help with camouflage. There was no one around but those two had not survived so long by taking risks.


    ¡°Front door trapped, I think,¡± the taller one whispered. His brawny companion pointed right and the pair skirted around the walls, looking for a point of ingress. They knew that the Kark and witch had gone to town, so the house was empty. They now expected the front and back door to be rigged with traps, the magical nature of which the tall one had detected. It was part of his path.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    There was a shuttered window, but it was made of wood and nothing that could stop them. The tall one used a long and thin tool to unfasten the latch. He slowly, silently pulled the shutter open.


    ¡°Hold on, there is something blocking the¡ª¡±


    He checked for obstructions. All further considerations were discarded when something clamped on his arm with titanic strength.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAH!¡± he screamed as his bones gave.


    ¡°KREEEEEEE!¡± something replied. It sounded a bit muffled.


    The tall one pulled and the brawny one helped. It soon became apparent that the thing fighting them in this improvised tug of war was quite light, when it slammed against the wooden partition with a dull thud. The prize was released, and the tall man cradled his savaged limb. The would-be thieves legged it with magically enhanced speed.


    Inside of the house, a reptilian creature licked her chops. She tilted her head in consideration and judged the taste as ¡®passable to middling¡¯. Her sampling done, she returned to the roof for some more well-deserved sunbathing.

 Chapter 32: The Twisted Ones

    The shadows lengthened over the town hall as Resh Ganimatalo finished her tally of the goods to be traded, and the taxes she expected from those. Kazar had undergone growing pains, but now things were looking up under her enlightened rule. Resh was a fine administrator from a long line of advisors and civil servants. Even in the desolate expanses beyond the Deathshield Woods, her skills had made a difference. Influence and coin were her weapons.


    Something clicked in front of her.


    Resh raised her head to meet the large chestnut eyes of the town mage. The woman was disgraced, but still, she had her uses. Her nature as a recluse meant that she kept away from politics and did not interfere with the affairs of the city, which suited Resh just fine.


    Except, that was not quite right.


    The mage Resh knew was a broken thing with a subdued air and a bitter smile. This one was different. Resh noticed an intensity in the woman¡¯s posture that sent shivers up her spine. The hair at the back of her neck stood up as well-honed instincts came into play.


    ¡°How did you get in here?¡¯ she demanded. And that was a mistake.


    The woman took her sweet time to answer. She had her wavy black hair up and her ugly scar smoldered in the light of the dying sun.


    ¡°I set up the wards and detection constructs in this wing. In fact, I maintain and repair all the spells protecting this town.¡±


    Resh could read between the lines.


    ¡°Is this about the witch? You know that we are at a delicate junction in the future of the city. I cannot have wild practitioners spreading chaos where¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shhhhh,¡± Varska replied, a light finger on her lips.


    Resh wanted to scold the woman for belittling her, and realized that she could not. Her throat vibrated and her mouth formed words, but the world ignored her. The end of her sentence died in silence.


    ¡°In the world of politics, power only matters when it is seized and used. I allowed you to have free reign over the city because, in the end, this is the gods-forsaken shithole where I will spend the rest of my life in exile. I could not care less if you clear a new section of the forest for some mud-faced yokels to grow tubers on. I will happily let you count all the beans and design all the pigsties. There is, however, one thing that still brings some measure of excitement to poor little me: the supreme arts.¡±


    Resh knew she could stand up and leave, but she spotted something in the gaze of the woman sitting opposite her, something she had never noticed before. Life.


    ¡°So, Resh dearie, I came here to tell you that the witch is mine. You are a smart leader. She is not worth the price I would exact if you interfered.¡±


    Something lifted, and Resh found that she could speak again.


    ¡°You are unwise to provoke me, Varska. There will be repercussions.¡±


    ¡°There could be, and then we could play an interesting game of one-upmanship. Do you know why I am here, banished?¡±


    Resh kept silent. There were talks. Most reports had been erased. Varska had come from a powerful family.


    ¡°I am here because I never lost a game of one-upmanship,¡± the woman explained, and there was something horrible hidden in the meaning of that sentence.


    ¡°I have been joined by a fellow practitioner of the supreme arts for the first time in three years, and you will leave her be, or else.¡±


    Resh knew when she could win, and also when it would cost entirely too much.


    ¡°As long as she does not break rules, I have no cause to go after her,¡± she declared to save some face.


    ¡°See that you do not. Goodbye, Resh.¡±


    Varska stood up and something loosened around Resh¡¯s ankle. Blood left the mayor¡¯s face, carried away by a thundering heart.


    The mage had been ready to use offensive magic on her, a grave crime. Resh had not felt a thing. Resh could not have done a thing. She knew of no one who could stop Varska.


    It did not matter that she was a disgraced caster one minor crime away from the axeman¡¯s blade when no one in Kazar would even try her.


    By the time Resh brought herself under control, Varska had already disappeared.


    In the following moment of quiet, the sun dipped beneath the horizon.


    For the next three days, Viv developed a routine. It was the second time it had happened since coming on Nyil, however and contrary to the Fort Stone routine, this one did not suck ass. Mornings were spent learning Enorian with Farren at a pace that only earth geniuses could have matched. Between the ¡®polymath¡¯ thing and her high acuity, she was able to assimilate an incredible amount of information in a very short time, especially because she had Old Imperial as a base. It was fantasy bullshit, but it was fantasy bullshit to her advantage and that was sort of cool.


    It was in the afternoon that things picked up. With Solfis¡¯ nature partially revealed, Viv had no qualms bringing him with her to her visits. Varska was more than accommodating, and helped Viv with her practice, going so far as to provide Solfis some of the tools he had lacked. For example, a neutralizing circle and a charged item were used to allow Viv to develop her mana perception with great ease. The item was a small, levitating ball whose sole purpose was to emit mana. Varska also loaded it with different hues to further allow Viv to tell the difference.


    Even if Viv felt like she had some difficulties, the playful nature of Solfis¡¯ training softened the blow and kept things interesting. It was fine to feel stupid on occasion if the outcome was good progress on her skill. Her results spoke for themselves.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption: Beginner 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana perception: Beginner 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv knew that the gains would slow down as she progressed. She enjoyed the feeling of achievement while it lasted.


    On top of those exercises, Varska would teach her new runes. She would first draw them in the very air using her own mana, which was brown and earthy with green undertones. Then, she would explain its meaning and have Viv get a feel for it. Solfis had proposed the method and it helped tremendously. Varska¡¯s contribution allowed her to visualize and understand the rune at a speed that she did not think possible, then she would cast it a few times to anchor the knowledge into her mind. She did it last, as the effort usually left her exhausted. Like that, she added words such as ¡®thick¡¯, ¡®forward¡¯, and ¡®turn¡¯ to her arcane vocabulary. Varska promised to teach her more abstract terms afterward. Viv was in no hurry. Each session left her with the feeling that her head would explode.


    ¡°I do not think that she was sent here randomly,¡± Varska said after Viv had gone to satisfy a natural need. They kept drinking tea while working.


    //Are you referring to her talent?


    ¡°Yes. I have never seen anything quite like it. I thought that the biographies of archmages exaggerated the tales of their speed in order to glorify them. Now, I am no longer so sure.¡±


    //I have aggregated statistics from several generations of talented mages.


    //She does not fit in those statistics.


    //I will ask that you do not tell her.


    ¡°I share your opinion. It would be harmful to her progress.¡±


    //Precisely, mage Barska.


    //She is still below average for someone her age.


    //We must not let up our efforts.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°We won¡¯t.¡±


    In the evening, Viv played with Arthur and helped the dragonling fly and hunt at the edge of the woods. Arthur was getting better at flying. She was also getting better at communicating by pointing her cute little snout or claws at the things she wanted. The best part was when she picked up the bestiary and brought it to Viv every night, standing on her hind legs and walking upright like a goose. Viv wished she had a phone and the internet, because Arthur would have been an instant celebrity.


    They were also joined for dinner by Irao, who always managed to bring back something. The first time, it was a strange, fat animal that he had already dressed, leaving only a fat carcass for Viv to cut and place onto skewers. The grilled meat was gamey, but it also had this unmistakable taste of power that magic brought to some creatures. The nourishing, juicy flesh gave Viv a feeling of satiation that no banquet on Earth could match. Curiously, Marruk only ate a little bit of meat every time. On the contrary, any roots and vegetables that Irao brought back were expertly prepared, and then promptly devoured.


    Irao offered no signs that he was willing to talk, standing in silence and replying in monosyllables when Viv made inquiries. He would greet them with a weird ¡°Hellow!¡¯ and then sit down to help. That was it. Marruk was more receptive to Viv¡¯s efforts. She answered the caster¡¯s questions about Kark culture with the guarded air of someone expecting criticism. Even after several nights, her wariness did not completely let up.


    It turned out that the Kark were an ancient race inhabiting the northern steppes of Param, the largest expanse of land on the continent. The steppes were less fertile than the rest, and the Kark tribes moved often with the help of their large pack animals with which they had a symbiotic relationship. They ate wild cereals, roots, tubers and small game aplenty, hence Marruk¡¯s limited appetite for meat. She could not digest too much of it at once.


    Lately, however, the Pure League had moved on the tribes which had been weakened by years of infighting following a particularly disastrous civil war. The tribes had been pushed west towards the high peaks separating the steppes from the deadlands. The Pure League made full use of their professional armies and assassin orders, while the Kark¡¯s lack of unity and exhaustion left them at a disadvantage. Marruk also mentioned that the steppes had no major sources of iron, so they had to trade for most of it at high prices with smugglers and bandits. Marruk¡¯s tribe had been hit the hardest by the recent troubles. They were but shadows of their former selves, and Marruk had chosen the path of exile for reasons she did not share. She half-mentioned that her father was still alive, and that she might return one day, after she had learned enough. Viv did not ask what Marruk wanted to learn because she suspected it had something to do with killing humans efficiently. That¡¯s what Viv would do.


    It was on the dawn of the fourth day that something finally happened in the town. Viv noticed a clamor as she and Marruk were making their way to the temple. Villagers rushed up and down the street with concern clearly visible on their faces. When the pair reached the statue of Neriad, they were met with a squad of temple guards in full battle regalia, standing in two rows and doing their very best to pretend that they were deaf.


    ¡°You cannot go, Voice. Your place is here! With your flock!¡±


    ¡°I am the voice of Neriad, Deacon. Not Maranor. I will assist as I am able and not stay on my throne while others risk their lives. I will leave the fighting to the temple guards.¡±


    The annoying twit who had welcomed Viv on the first day was arguing with Farren, who finished fastening his armor just as they arrived. His irate companion turned and immediately found a new target for his ire.


    ¡°It¡¯s that witch twisting your mind!¡±


    Danger alarms rang in Viv¡¯s mind. If there was one way for her situation to deteriorate, it would be for Farren to lose favor with the church.


    ¡°Ooooh you hear that Farren? My horrible acts of killing undead and necromancers are corrupting your mind. And my great beauty, I suppose.¡±


    Viv knew she could be easy on the eye even with the local shortage of cosmetics. Mentioning it herself would hopefully trivialize it.


    ¡°Oh yes, and let¡¯s not forget your tact and courtly manners,¡± Farren added in a teasing voice.


    Most of the temple staff had heard her bitch loudly about declensions, which were an important facet of Enorian and Old Imperial alike. She was reminded of Latin. Or worse, German.


    ¡°Speaking of which, we could use your help,¡± Farren continued as he ignored the deacon. The man turned with anger and strutted away to everyone¡¯s indifference. The mood among the temple guards relaxed.


    She imagined that someone as rigid as the Deacon would be less popular than a Voice who led from the front.


    ¡°You know that an expedition through the Deathshield Woods was meant to arrive?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, some of the early elements left the woods at dawn after running for the whole night. Reports are confusing, as they are wont to be after a rout. It appears that the expedition left with less soldiers than was wise and they paid the price for it close to their destination. The main body might have been overrun by a beastlings tide, or they are still holding. We are heading out to offer relief immediately, and I would be grateful for your assistance. You will be offered the standard rate for casters.¡±


    ¡°A search and rescue? Count me in. I just need to go grab my stuff.¡±


    ¡°Good. Meet us on the road, at the edge of the forest. Lady Bvarska and Captain Corel will be there as well.¡±


    The two ran back, and were stopped on the way by women who handed them baskets of packed food. They refused payment and pointed at the wood to remind them of the urgency of the situation. It took them only a few minutes to get prepared since they did not have to worry about food. Viv decided that they would leave the sled here. She carried most of their food while Marruk picked up Solfis and the rest. They jogged to their destination.


    There was no way to leave Arthur behind. The small dragon had felt the tension in the air, and she had taken off as soon as the door opened. Viv could look up and see the dragonling¡¯s shape before the blue background of Nyil¡¯s sky, keeping a lookout.


    They could not have missed the gathering if they had tried. Corel was at the head of it on a warhorse with a small mounted detachment of well-armed guards in scale armor. They were at the head of a column made of a few wagons, mostly empty, and one large barrel-like thing that must have held water. The temple guard took the center of the formation with both Farren and Varska sitting in a fortified carriage loaded with archers. More guards in compact columns formed the back. Those wore leather armors and wielded shields with various weapons. Viv ran to Farren and climbed by his side. Arthur landed a moment later. A few people glanced her way without alarm, the tale of the witch and drake duo being old news by now. After a few minutes, the last stragglers had joined the column and the armed troop marched forward at a good pace.


    The light woodlands that Viv trained in, and in which Arthur had become the bane of the local squirrel population, soon became denser and thicker as they penetrated deeper into the Deadshield woods. The local mana took a taste that Viv recognized as ¡®brown¡¯ mana. Brown mana was not just brown, it had a green aspect to it and was unique in this regard. It was also Varska¡¯s specialty.


    The change in the taste of the world also altered the black mana quantity by increasing it. Viv realized that Kazar was especially poor in black mana, partly because of the ward stones blocking it off. The woods were filled with life and death as well, with many of the taller deciduous still devoid of leaves. Numerous evergreens still provided enough color to block their views.


    Ten minutes into their silent ride and Viv was struck with a deep feeling of unease, not exactly oppression but more a feeling of immensity. The Deadshield woods had stopped the black mana saturation for a simple reason. It was alive. It was ancient, and it was, more than anything, impossibly vast. Viv thought that ancient Germanic tribes must have felt the same way when they first delved into the untamed depths of the Schwarzwald, long before it was dotted with settlements.


    Few people spoke. Whatever orders were yelled now and then were muffled by the dense layers of loam, and the infinite rows of gnarly trunks. Animals did their thing hidden in the distance. They could sometimes hear calls, roars, and the piteous cries of things dying to feed bigger ones.


    Viv turned to watch Varska as the court mage finished her preparation. She had a short staff by her side the length of a nightstick. It was a delicate work and, just like her, it had been disfigured. Parts of the ornaments had been torched and mangled, leaving the rest functional but no longer whole. She also wore form-fitting armor made of very light mail under a green and brown tabard. Viv had always found the female armors in most fantasy armies retarded, what with all the exposed cleavage as if boobs had their own repelling force fields. She was glad to see that Varska¡¯s armor was sensible enough to go up to her collar. She even had a mail coif, and a cute little hat made of leather and steel. By comparison, Viv was terribly underdressed.


    Varska had checked all aspects of her armor, then lit every glyph on her staff one by one. After she was done, she inspected tiny vials she had in pouches and other tools Viv could not identify. Only when she was done did she turn to Viv and addressed her in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s your armor, yes? We must absolutely get you a new one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my main defense though.¡±


    ¡°What is then?¡±


    Viv pointed at the Kark woman by her side. Marruk had applied a strange paste to her face that added black swirls to her red skin. She had the health potions they had left on a bandoleer around her leather armor, except one that Viv had saved for herself. As they stared, Marruk repositioned her ¡®shield¡¯ which emitted a loud clang as she let it rest on the wooden boards surrounding them.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Varska admitted, ¡°now, am I right to assume that you have little experience fighting in an army?¡±


    ¡°Not one with magic.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, you were a soldier. Stick with me and I will direct your efforts, if you allow me. Our first priorities are the large monsters and casters, in that order. If they are allowed to disrupt our formation, the beastlings could overrun us. Leave the chaff to the soldiers. They know what to do.¡±


    ¡°What can I expect in terms of large monsters and enemy caster capabilities? The bestiary said the beastlings fought in waves.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Varska said with a hint of approbation, ¡°they will launch mass charge after mass charge and capitalize on any breach they find. Remember, beastlings always outnumber you. Always.¡±


    ¡°You seem certain that they will still be here.¡±


    Varska¡¯s eyes grew unfocused.


    ¡°I remember fighting them before during a cleanup campaign. If the Beastlings are numerous enough to attack a caravan, they will not stop until every person in it is dead and devoured, or until they have been slaughtered. We will meet them, and we will fight them. We must.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Corel is in charge of the operation this time, with Lorn as second in command.¡±


    ¡°Is that the head of the temple guard?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I take it that you two have never met. The temple guards are veteran fighters and they all follow warrior paths. If it looks like we might lose, regroup around them. I assume that you did not have the time to recharge your stone?¡±


    ¡°No, I did not have the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°A shame. No matter. Assist me and the two of us should be able to disable the most dire threats before they endanger our lines. I hope you are ready.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not my first time,¡± Viv assured the mage, ¡°I can take it¡­¡±


    There was a small awkward moment when Viv realized that it was definitely an innuendo. Thankfully, language here probably functioned differently so Varska would probably not notice.


    Viv looked at the mage.


    She had noticed. One of her eyebrows was raised in amused consternation.


    ¡°Err, I mean. I have done this before. The action part.¡±


    The second eyebrow joined the first.


    She was just making it worse, wasn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Do mages also tend to make sex jokes just before battle?¡±


    ¡°Of course, dirty jokes might just be¡­ standard preliminaries.¡±


    Groan.


    Wait. Viv was a modern woman, the result of centuries of enlightenment and social progress. She was not going to be outdone by a woman in a goddamn tabard.


    ¡°I finally understand why you brought that stick with you.¡±


    ¡°I could give you an in-depth demonstration.¡±


    E...EW!


    ¡°I think I have things well in hand.¡±


    ¡°But I know just how to hit the spot.¡±


    How could she be that vulgar with her straight face and aloof noble look and that casual voice?


    ¡°What¡¯s this thing called again? I have it on the tip of my tongue.¡±


    ¡°A wand. And I am always happy to help you explore¡­ new venues.¡±


    ¡°Ladies, if you please?¡± Farren interrupted.


    Viv stopped and realized that every archer was looking inward instead of keeping guard. A few looked extremely uncomfortable. One of them was drooling. Marruk had both her hands covering her face and she had turned a beautiful shade of burgundy.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ we could continue our contest later,¡± Viv finished, unwilling to admit defeat.


    Varska nodded gravely, then leaned to the side and whispered in Viv¡¯s ear. The mage¡¯s warm breath tickled her. She still smelled faintly of flowers.


    ¡°It would be tragic to leave each other unfinished.¡±


    Ok so maybe it was arrogant and culturally insensitive to assume that Nyil would not have its own snarky perverts. Varska¡¯s dirty mind certainly surprised her. As they moved apart, Viv watched a genuine smile bloom on the mage¡¯s face, the first one to show no brittleness.


    It came and went like an eclipse.


    ¡°Fine. You win,¡± Viv confessed with an eye roll. The smile returned.


    ¡°I have no idea what you could be referring to.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    Viv thought that Varska should be ashamed to make sexual overtures in front of the kid. Ah well.


    Viv found that her mood had improved, which proved useful in the following hours as they started to find the first bodies.

 Chapter 33: War Magic

    The road they followed was large enough to accommodate one carriage and two lines of guards on foot. Such a path should have been overtaken by the forest, yet even the grass seemed to avoid it. Varska did not know why when Viv asked.


    If the flora kept the road alone, the same could not be said of the fauna. They found the first bodies lying in pools of their own blood. Those were merchants or settlers, according to their simple and practical outfits. The man and one child had their chest cavities ravaged. A third pool and footsteps showed that a third person had left on their own.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    ¡°We are close to the deadlands. Revenants are made in hours,¡± Varska commented.


    ¡°The two others have too much of their bodies missing to turn. We can recover them on our way back. The living take priority.¡±


    The mounted guard at the head of the formation moved the corpses to the side quickly. There were no whispers or reactions from the soldiers around Viv.


    Viv had to get used to the fact that dying to monsters here was the most common way of losing one¡¯s life. To her first world¡¯s mentality, the men and women¡¯s stoic approach to death made little sense. How could they so easily accept this horrid fate? The answer was simple. They had no other choice. The human mind was not designed to live day after day in a state of constant stress, and so most of them accepted the eventuality of their gruesome death as something that might happen, and there was little they could do about it. Viv understood that intellectually, but viscerally, she had more difficulties.


    It was noon when the troop came across the first scene of battle. Viv was already grateful for the wagons, as she would have been spent jogging at that speed for hours with all her gear on. This was another obvious benefit of the light infantry path. Its followers could last longer, on less, and fight with less means than anyone else. It was not much, but it allowed them to be an effective force despite their lack of means.


    The men before her had not been so lucky. A dozen soldiers lay in clumps, covered in wounds from head to toes. Viv saw light armor and some heavier ones. An archer with his quiver empty had crawled to sit under a tree where he had bled to death. His blood-caked fist still grasped the hilt of a dented shortsword. Viv also saw a woman in a forrester garb, fallen on the side with three spears poking from her breast. Her quarterstaff was red on both hands, with pieces of gray matter clinging to it. They had fought a gallant rear-guard action to allow those who had reached Kazar to flee unimpeded, and had paid the heaviest price. As for the culprits, they were everywhere.


    Beastlings were short. The adults would barely reach the average woman¡¯s sternum. They had lean muscles covered in hair and an assortment of crudely made weapons and cloth, made from stinky, insect-riddled pieces of fur. Their faces were vaguely humanoid but deformed in a ghastly way, with large mouths filled with rotting teeth and, sometimes, horns. Fur, not hair, covered their skulls and the back of their necks. Their skin had a grayish quality and more than a few had sores. Viv could not be sure, but she thought that she noticed flabby teats and extended abdomen in the few of the dead specimens. There were quite a few of them. The soldiers had defended themselves to the last with the fury of those who knew they would not see the dawn.


    The guards at the head of the column dismounted once again to place the human bodies in a line. Farren dismounted and placed his hand on the forehead of every fallen, whispering a short prayer. Viv could spot a small amount of golden light left over the dead warriors¡¯ skulls after he was done.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s last gift to those who fought for his ideals. No necromancer, no creature of darkness will ever make those rise again,¡± Varska whispered.


    The temple guard stopped in front of the lines and their commander stepped forward in his silver armor. Viv had met him a few times, she realized, but she did not know he was in charge. Lorn was a tall man with a dark beard and receding hairline. A large scar covered parts of his nose, and he was wielding one of the largest swords she had ever seen. When he spoke, his voice rang clearly over the entire formation.


    ¡°Company, present arms!¡±


    Like one man, the entire temple contingent drew their sword and saluted those who had sacrificed themselves. A few of the guards saluted them as well, then the others followed in a drove. Viv thought that this was one of the universal things that she could stand behind. She stood up with Varska and Marruk moving at the same time, as well as a mildly confused dragonling. Every last member of the expedition force honored the dead for a few seconds.


    ¡°At ease!¡±


    The column departed in the following moment. There were hopefully people to save. The dead could wait.


    There was now a spring in the steps of the fighters, and it was not a joyous one. Viv felt a modicum of relief that their enemies were not human, because the rules of wars would not be respected. The search and rescue mission now had an extermination addendum.


    Viv looked forward and frowned. The road curved through the forest so the visibility was limited. It would still be hard to miss the many corpses of beastlings lying on the path. Sometimes, a human was mixed in between but those had been thoroughly devoured. They were missing most of their flesh, including on the face. It was so pronounced that Viv could not tell what gender they had been in life. Some of the beastlings also showed the marks of teeth. The little fucks were cannibals. That was something the bestiary had not mentioned.


    It only took them ten more minutes to smell and see smoke. There was a distant clamor and the clash of weapons. A man in a brown outfit with a cape and bow burst from the edge of the trees and made a beeline for Corel. Since no one had reacted, Viv had refrained from blasting him.


    [Head forest scout, very dangerous, a man who follows a path dedicated to forest exploration and reconnaissance. Excellent combatants and ambushers, head scouts are a valuable addition to any army and a vital one when fighting in rough terrain. Stealthy.]


    Stealthy as a separate term was indicative of a lifetime of effort, just like Viv had ¡®smart¡¯ for all the years she had spent studying seriously. And the group presentations. Fuck those.


    Corel rode along the line and bellowed his orders.


    ¡°When we get into the clearing, I¡¯ll turn left and you follow. Amari¡¯s detachment will be just behind me, then Lorn takes the center and Sargas the right. Sargas, anchor your lines on the road. Archers behind him on the carriage. Keep the path open at all costs and hold.¡±


    A few calls of acknowledgement came in reply. Viv noticed that Corel did not give Varska any orders.


    ¡°I will stay at the back with the wagon guards,¡± Farren explained, ¡°you two know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Let them do their duty while we do ours,¡± Varska replied with some impatience. Viv decided that she would just stick with her.


    And they were out into a clearing the size of a small field to their left, dotted with the occasional tree. The forest was still dense to the right. The column turned into the open ground at the brisk pace while their armored wagon placed itself on the road, anchoring the formation. Viv followed after Varska as she jumped down and walked calmly forward until they were just behind Lorn¡¯s temple guards. Marruk was there as well. As for Arthur, she had taken to the skies once more.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The besieged convoy was further on the road, its view obscured by another line of trees. Milling beastlings were rushing away towards it and the battle.


    ¡°Will they come for us?¡± Viv asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Oh yes, you can definitely count on the beastlings to always do just that.¡±


    Viv could hear them then, strident cries that grew in intensity across the expanse of land. The human line was barely long enough to cover their side of the clearing with rows two or three men thick. The guards had made a shield wall with spearmen behind. Only the temple guard had adopted another formation. Their numbers jutted out in a triangle that would split the assault in two, or at least that¡¯s what she assumed they were attempting. Lorn himself was at the fore, his massive zweihander resting casually against his right shoulder. The tall amazon and a man with a halberd covered his flanks.


    The shrieks of the beastlings rose in intensity, though they were still hidden across the field. Behind them, Viv heard something stomping the ground heavily. The earth shook. Trees crashed on the ground as something made its way through the forest right in front of them.


    It was big.


    ¡°We found our target,¡± Varska observed.


    Before the large creature could make itself known, the shrieks reached a high, deafening pitch and a solid mass of the creatures sprinted across the field, wielding stone clubs and makeshift spears and whatever else they could get their hands on. Gathered packs rushed without order or reason, savagery blinding them and working them up to a frenzy.


    It took exactly four seconds for them to cross more than fifty meters of green grass. It was both too fast and agonizingly slow.


    ¡°Hold your spells,¡± Varska ordered. Viv obeyed.


    Just before they hit, a few beastlings threw stones and rocks at the formation. Most of the men were on guard and the projectiles banged uselessly against shields, but one unlucky man was brained instantly.


    The wave crashed against a disciplined wall, and the humans smacked them down. Spears plunged into unarmored flesh, swords went up and down, maces crushed bones and sinew. Backed by magic and harsh training, the guards and soldiers cleaved through the enemy numbers with clinical efficiency. The deafening roar of the beastlings was soon tainted by painful yelps. The human side was trained, ready, and quite pissed off to boot. They mangled their foes with the cold determination of those who have come to kill. It was pitiless and professional. The air smelled of blood and shit. Viv felt more at home now than she had since coming to this land.


    At the head of the formation, Lorn showed that he had not usurped his position. He alternated quick vertical strikes and horizontal sweeping motions that went through flesh without stopping. It was like a fucking blender. Other temple guards mixed magic with their skills in interesting ways. There was a man who sent waves of flames with every swing of his sword, and another who erected a blue shield that blocked a volley of stones.


    The line was holding. Men from Earth would have been swept away by the violence of the assault, but people here enjoyed magically-enhanced strength. The clawing monstrosity that was the beastling tide crashed against their unyielding opponent and was bled as a result. Like all waves, it finally receded and the plain was soon empty except for a solid mass of bodies at the feet of the victors. The shrieks had ceased, replaced by a low drone. Again, it gained in intensity. Meanwhile, moaning men and women were helped up the line to the wagons with broken limbs and bloody faces.


    A drum started to play.


    ¡°It means that they have shamans. It was expected,¡± Varska said, ¡°do not cast until I tell you so, or they will know our position and send spells our way. Hold and wait for the beast.¡±


    ¡°Copy that.¡±


    Varska looked askance and Viv realized that the expression did not quite translate


    ¡°It means, received and understood.¡±


    The drone changed to shrieks again and if it was possible, it sounded even louder than before. Once more the tide launched across the glade and this time, there were hairless specimens at the back wearing crudely-made bark masks. As ordered, Viv stayed put.


    The shaman raised their hands and started a chant, quickly interrupted when arrows struck their chest and throats. Silent figures shot at the beastlings from behind human lines, and from bushes and trees on the side. Viv had not seen them coming.


    [Forest scout: very dangerous. One who follows the path of reconnaissance and forest warfare.]


    The shamans had not seen them coming as well. It was a good reminder that, although she could cut through stone and metal, one arrow was all it would take to end her life. Archers here also seemed dreadfully accurate.


    The beastling tide slammed into the ranks once more and a few men yelped in pain. Some places in the line buckled before closing rank again, with the rock of the temple guard triangle taking the brunt of the violence. Once more, they managed to decimate the beastlings coming for them. This time, however, there were more of the buggers. The drums in the distance kept accelerating when suddenly, a movement from the left made Viv¡¯s head turn. Corel was charging with his mounted detachment. They crashed into their foes despite little room to accelerate and drove them off before quickly retreating to their own lines. The maneuver worked and the beastlings around him fled. The rout propagated across the entire clearing and the squirming horde retreated to the far side. The droning sound began anew.


    The earth shook some more and the last trees collapsed as a behemoth arrived. It was heralded by a great mass of grey flesh, a globe the size of a large boulder with a beak like a bird of prey. It was the head of¡­ a tortoise? Yes, Viv was pretty sure that this was a tortoise. It had small beady eyes dripping blood and quite a few spears and arrows planted in and around them. The creature sniffed the air before retreating in its shell, which had just entered the clearing.


    And what a shell it was. You could have built a cabin on the thing, and it was rigged with bone protrusions and grooves. Viv noticed that the front had still been damaged in battle. There was still a war axe deeply embedded in its left shoulder. Viv judged that the magical tortoise of doom must have been as large as three main battle tanks. There was also a weird sort of tower affixed towards the back. It was playing tricks with her vision.


    ¡°That is what broke the caravan, otherwise they could probably have handled a beastling raid. This is a horde leader.¡±


    ¡°Does it use magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your presence will spare lives today. Can you cover me while I cast?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Varska did not hesitate. She brandished her wand and started chanting something. Viv could feel mana exude from the mage¡¯s conduits to form a dense shape above her. Many glyphs flew around and into the gathering orb.


    Another chant erupted from the advancing tortoise¡¯s back, this one guttural and ominous. A core of red under a black cloud as large as a yoga ball formed next to the tower.


    ¡°Efestar¡¯s eye! The dark gods are watching!¡±


    Worried mumblings spread across the human army. Varska was busy (and slightly worried), so Viv turned to Marruk instead.


    ¡°Is it like what Farren does?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she hissed back, ¡°but Farren is not a caster and Neriad is not the God of Scorn and Viciousness.¡±


    Aha!


    Well.


    That could be a problem.


    Viv called upon her power and the black mana pooled around her like a nimbus, close enough to still be connected to her. She thought of her nope shield and wondered if she could infuse it with the annihilation meaning.


    Yes, absolutely. She could. And she would. No taking any chances.


    With a last yell and a maniacal laughter, the enemy caster sent its spell. The orb travelled in an arc across the glade.


    Viv remembered all those times the nope shield had saved her life. She remembered it erasing every last drop of acidic bile from a gut spiller attack. There had been nothing left. And there would be nothing left now. Black mana rose in the air, eager to do her bidding. She felt its awkward eagerness to please and held it back. Timing was important.


    The god-cursed ball passed over the temple guard and Viv let go.


    ¡°Nope shield!¡±


    This one was denser and smaller than usual because its target was smaller. Viv infused it with the meaning of annihilation and guided it forward. Scorn met void. Void won.


    There was a hiss, there was a shriek, and then an anticlimactic sound like a popped balloon. In the silence that followed, Viv almost heard a metaphysical burp.


    ¡°And fuck your god,¡± she concluded.


    Her triumph was short-lived. The enemy caster shrieked and two smaller orbs appeared, growing quickly. The caster shot them at the same time, one slightly after the other. They were noticeably smaller than the previous attempt.


    Viv felt that she could attack back. She also knew that she had one job and it was to keep Varska safe and she would. Heroics got people killed. Showing off got people killed. Doing your fucking job got people saved.


    ¡°Nope. Nope!¡±


    The next two spells easily intercepted the attack despite the coming distraction.


    The tortoise was more than two thirds across the meadow, with Lorn facing it without fear. A third wave of beastlings was charging.


    Varska cast her spell.


    ¡°Knee breaker.¡±


    The next time the tortoise put a foot down, it plunged deep into the earth. All the beastlings surrounding it stumbled and fell as well. The beast¡¯s three remaining limbs joined the first as earth swallowed it as if it was quicksand. Viv could feel something being pulled out of the area despite her feeble skills simply because Varska was manipulating tremendous amounts of energy.


    Varska closed her fist, and whatever she had drawn bounced back in strength with a dreadful, snapping sound. It was soon answered by a chorus of pure agony, and blood erupted from hundreds of torn off limbs. The maimed beastlings rolled on the ground while the tortoise''s head popped out of its shell to let out a pathetic bellow. Pools of blood were spilling on the ground.


    Nasty.


    In one spell, Varska had disabled the enemy monster.


    ¡°Do you think you can finish it off?¡± Varska asked Viv calmly, as if she had not just shown the deadliness of a heavy weapons team.


    Viv focused and overcharged a spell. The tortoise was at the maximum range of what she was comfortable with.


    ¡°Purge!¡±


    She sent a snake of darkness towards the tortoise¡¯s neck, but no sooner had it started to dig in the creature¡¯s skin that she felt a resistance. The monster¡¯s inner mana resisted her assault. Blood had just started to shed when a nebulous black plate formed on the creature¡¯s head. The shaman was protecting its ride, for all the good it would do it. Its death was inevitable.


    Varska had not wasted time either. She had removed a pouch from her belt and dust flew from it, creating glyphs that surrounded a circle on the ground at her back. The wounded making their way to the backline and wandering scouts avoided it like the plague.


    ¡°That caster needs to go. I need the infantry line a little bit farther from me or I might shear their heads off. Think you can help?¡±

 Chapter 34: Tribes

    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted,¡± Viv answered, not sure why she had used the convoluted expression. It was Varska¡¯s polite sassiness. Contagious thing, that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Marruk!¡±


    The Kark woman grunted and opened a path by holding her shield overhead, then slamming it beyond the shields of the guards. They were only too glad to give her some room. Bashes and precise skull cracking ensued.


    Viv moved behind the one-woman wall and realized that the blight spell could be¡­ problematic. Too many unknowns. She did not want to cauterize people in a friendly fire incident. Besides, purge would be more than enough.


    Viv glared at the tide of flesh. The insane creatures had not realized that their heaviest weapon had already been disabled.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    The spell was so silent, Viv thought. With those results, it should sound like a laser. Great swaths of enemy combatants fell to the ground in pieces.


    ¡°Viv!¡± a voice called. It was Varska. As the outlander watched, a stone of good size missed her. More and more beastlings were gathering in a half circle, tossing stuff.


    Viv walked back and kneeled by the woman. She charged the nope shield with the meaning of annihilation and formed a screen above their head and front, where the stones were coming from. Projectiles and even a spell crashed against the shield. It was painful, but she held.


    ¡°Nope, bitch, try again.¡±


    ¡°You can lower it now,¡± Varska informed her in her standard casual tone. Viv wondered if a volcano erupting under their feet would only garner a placid ¡®hot here, innit?¡¯ from the unflappable mage. She obeyed.


    ¡°Hail.¡±


    Viv heard a sort of ¡°whomp¡±, then a cloud of dust covered both her and the temple guard. She looked up to see a barrage of black, spiky projectiles shimmering green launched in a beautiful arc over their head. It was aiming right for the tortoise.


    The enemy caster saw that and placed a shield before the creature¡¯s head. That was a mistake. The hail covered a space so large that Viv thought it could have encompassed a good fourth of their own lines. Obsidian javelins broke against the shield, harmlessly hitting the tortoise¡¯s thick shell. Those, however, were not the spell¡¯s main target. The thickest cloud of projectiles wracked the illusion-masked tower at the back of the shell.


    There might have been additional shields. The tower might have been a little bit more to the right or to the left. It made no difference. The hail spell was non-discriminatory, and as Viv¡¯s old friend Mouq used to say, there was enough for everybody. She heard a muffled scream and the illusion broke down, leaving only a few vertical sticks and some frayed ropes behind.


    A large black cloud rose from the caster¡¯s remains and started to head their way. The beastlings, meanwhile, attacked with renewed frenzy and a complete disregard for their own lives. The lines were pushed back in places and the scouts shot their last arrows then joined the line. Captain Corel dismounted and placed more men where needed. The left side of the human formation curved back, refusing the flank.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the cloud. Can you help the infantry?¡± Varska calmly asked.


    ¡°On it.¡±


    Still wary of using blight, Viv poked from behind Marruk¡¯s frame to cast purge after purge, making sure to space them to conserve mana. She guessed that her core was still half full after intercepting the enemy spells. She was pretty sure that she had more reserves than before. It felt like more than before.


    The beastlings were packed shoulder to shoulder, and the sharp spell cut through them like butter. Pressure was lessening on the left flank through her efforts.


    ¡°Serraka,¡± Varska finally said, and a great wind blew at Viv¡¯s back, sending her cape aflutter. Viv recognized the term from her stolen knowledge. The Serraka was a persistent wind blowing over the northern steppes. She felt in her immaterial self that the spell lacked power, and that it was using another color. The black cloud¡¯s advance was still stopped a few meters away from the head of the formation. It¡­ somehow shrieked in anger.


    Lorn took a step back from the tip of the triangle where he had stood without fail since the beginning of the battle. He yelled an order and the temple guards began to sing. The hymn lasted for fifteen seconds during which Varska¡¯s will battled that of the dead beastling leader backed by his nefarious god. Viv spared a glance to see the mage¡¯s face scrunched in concentration, sweat pearling on her brow. She slowed down and stood ready to use a large nope in case things went to shit. She didn¡¯t have to worry.


    The hymn reached a fevered pitch and a golden haze covered Lorn¡¯s stupidly large zweihander. The bearded man slashed down and a golden arc spread out in a very fantasy moment for Viv. It was kind of cool, to be fair, especially for a previous atheist.


    Neriad¡¯s whatever-that-was sliced through the cloud, which emitted one last shriek before dispersing. Varska kept her spell for another few seconds, probably to show off. The momentum of the battle had completely changed.


    Everyone¡¯s attention shifted when they heard something grunt in the background.


    On the front and right, a massive buffalo thing emerged from the bend of the road. It was carrying behind it what she could only call a carriage.


    It was the mother of all carriages. It could call a double-decker ¡®little bro¡¯. Viv had never seen anything made of wood this large, that could move and didn¡¯t float. There were people and soldiers with spears on the top of it. The rest of the convoy followed, dragged forward by similar beasts. Viv finally understood how they could have lasted for so long.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Varska wondered with annoyance.


    ¡°They are breaking through,¡± Viv explained. It made sense to her. The convoy had no way to know that Kazar had come in strength. They had seen a way to join up and taken it. Now that the beastling leadership had fallen, there was a chance to break them and force them to run.


    There was no point in trying to exterminate the filthy creatures. The beastlings were without numbers in the Deathshield wood, and even this horde¡¯s members would fuck each other back to full strength within two years. They had to end this, and quickly. Corel saw it too.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Everyone, sweep them from the field! Attack!¡±


    The humans roared and advanced, pushing with difficulty. Viv chained purge after purge with no regard to her reserves and the horde melted before her, freeing the left flank.


    ¡°Make way!¡±


    Infantry by her side opened to let Corel through. He had remounted and led a cavalry charge in the gap. Viv felt something from him, a desire to follow and to fight. She felt energized. His men caught the full brunt of the skill and laid into the beastlings with fury. The horde wavered. The horde faltered. They routed. Those that were not at the back were the only ones to survive the ensuing onslaught. For one moment, Viv was tempted to join them but something held her back. It was, she realized, pride. She did not want to allow Corel¡¯s skill to dictate her behavior. He pissed her off.


    She stopped casting and held back as the entire line charged forth. Marruk stopped at the same moment and walked to her side with renewed vigilance. They returned to Varska who had not moved from her spot.


    ¡°Carry you to the carriage?¡± Viv offered.


    ¡°You will hold my hand and we will walk there with dignity,¡± the exhausted mage retorted. Viv knew it, she had been running on fumes. The many large spells she had cast must have taken their toll.


    Varska put all her weight on her left arm which Viv supported. Increased power meant that the lightweight mage was not so hard to handle anyway. They made their way to the armored carriage from whence the archers had shot, now empty. They had joined their allies in the charge. Viv left her there and turned around to see a man holding his arm.


    ¡°Dislocated?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Yes?¡±


    She grabbed it and pulled. The man yelped, then watched in wonder as his pain disappeared. Viv huffed and turned around to the next group.


    ¡°Hey, you assholes ever learned how to make a proper tourniquet? Get the fuck off of her. Let me do it.¡±


    Back of the road, ten minutes earlier


    Farren grabbed his mace and looked at the trunks, hunting for movement. Beastling hordes always had outriders looking for food. Always. If the scavengers spotted something they could not handle, they would scream to attract more of their numbers, and so the horde hunted, fed, multiplied, until they inevitably found something that would kill a majority of them and scatter the rest. It was a tale as old as history itself.


    On the field, the beastlings shrieked and he spotted scavengers heading back to see what this was all about. The scavengers spotted fresh prey. They charged the carriages.


    Those left behind were the younger members of the guard, still early on their paths and with relatively lower stats, plus a trio of old heads here just in case. Those grumbling assholes were a pain in his backside but by the righteous god could they pack a punch, as they demonstrated now. In a thin line, the humans killed the beastlings as they came. Farren himself had one rush at him. He blocked a spear jab with his shield and counter-attacked. The beastling dodged under the mace swing but not under the shield bash, which sent it sprawling on the ground with a few less teeth. Farren did not have time to finish it off as another stabbed at him. He blocked the blow and forced the creature away with a mace strike. His next attack shattered the creature¡¯s arm but he had to turn to repulse the attack of his first foe who had recovered.


    One of the old pricks grabbed the broken-armed beastling by the neck and snapped it in one smooth motion, the gesture strangely serpentine. He had been eyeing Farren all the time.


    ¡°Need to work on your awareness, boy,¡± he declared, then ducked under a thrown stone. Farren swore and finally brained his foe. He heard a chant.


    There, just a few paces away, a beastling shaman was casting and dancing. Farren swore. There were foes on the path.


    The chant was cut short when something smashed into the creature from above. Farren heard a gurgle and saw Bob¡¯s drake claw its way to him, muzzle red with freshly spilled blood. A new wave of beastlings arrived and¡­ fled to the other side of the forest. The other beastlings disengaged.


    The drake trotted to Farren and made weird spitting sounds. It looked a bit irate. Farren returned his attention to the woods, finding no more threats.


    Had the beastlings looked¡­ scared?


    The woods by the road, one minute before.


    Beastling leaders were a rare breed, able to plan and to conceptualize the future. They could save food for later, and even spare monster juveniles to torture into subjugation instead of just eating them. Thus, they could direct their horde from atop tamed horrors.


    This specific beastling was not a horde leader yet, but he had the right mindset. He knew that an army was like a person, and just like every person, it should be attacked from the rear.


    He was distracted when the head of his subordinate rolled before him.


    A keener mind would have appreciated the irony of being struck in the back while preparing a back strike. Sadly, the beastling leader merely turned in fright, only to meet a pair of slitted eyes floating in the darkness like twin lanterns on a moonless night.


    ¡°Hellow,¡± they said, and he died.


    Arthur, the present moment.


    Arthur flew to her human. There were many of those, but her human wore a distinct cloth and the dragonling could tell. Half of the humans made scared borgle sounds when she landed, which showed that they were not as dumb as they looked. The others were already used to being at her mercy should she choose to eat them. Which she wouldn¡¯t.


    The image with the bigger her in the ¡®bis-tia-ri¡¯ had been clear. The humans had to be roasted first to be tasty. On top of that, they had to wear those metal shells, probably for pressure cooking or something? In any case, Arthur would not eat them raw.


    She jumped from foot to foot and opened her mouth. Her human briefly inspected her teeth and said something Arthur recognized.


    ¡°Hungry?¡±


    Yes! Yes, that was it. Her human was truly smarter than the rest. Her human was capable. Arthur glomped on a few pieces of jerky and the sweet aroma washed away the memory of the small ones¡¯ taste. Vile! Disgusting! All was good again.


    On the side, one of the boring humans took out its claw. Arthur was ready to assert dominance when a tendril of darkness from her human¡¯s inner self poked out, angled towards the offender. Her human borgled something and the boring one stepped aside. Her human knew how to assert dominance! In Arthur¡¯s brain, that placed her human higher on the hierarchy. The scaleless one truly was a credit to her species.


    Arthur took to the skies again to hunt for squirrels.


    Marruk, the present moment.


    In Kark tradition, the healers of the tribe played a complex role that extended beyond the physical. They preferred a holistic approach to well-being. The Kark were one. When a person suffered, were their thoughts not clouded? Then why should the body not be affected when the mind was in disarray? As such, healers were gentle souls dedicated to the well-being of their tribesmates.


    So.


    Humans were different.


    Especially Viviane.


    ¡°I know how to reduce a fucking fracture, thank you very much. Marruk, when I say so, slap that little bitch but don¡¯t break anything. I don¡¯t want more work.¡±


    Marruk nodded in acknowledgement. The guard did not. He was looking with worry at his broken arm.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    Marruk back-handed him.


    ¡°Oof!¡±


    Crack.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    The soldier had a weird wince. Marruk was not sure if the distraction really helped with the pain. She had to admit, though, slapping the humans was kind of fun.


    ¡°Immobilization please.¡±


    Soldiers raised their hands. A band of solidified earth formed around the arm and held it in place. A passing, exhausted nurse entered their tent.


    ¡°Lady Bob, we got more lacerations in tent five after you are done, if you are willing.¡±


    ¡°Be there in a second. Ok. Looks good. You need to keep the cast and avoid using that arm for six weeks, give or take. Less if you get magical healing. Eat dairy and leafy greens.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I saw you give some health potion to that other guy.¡±


    Viviane¡¯s expression turned cold, and Marruk smiled in anticipation.


    ¡°The one with the perforated intestines? The man who was dying?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah?¡±


    ¡°And my little soldier boy has a little boo boo on his arm? He wants some potion and a kiss as well? Is that it?¡±


    Viviane¡¯s face turned into a mock pout. It was ridiculous and some of the nearby soldiers chuckled.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Are you dying, boy? Are you?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Then, FUCK OFF!¡±


    Marruk followed the caster as she stormed out of the tent. Almost every survivor from the caravan was wounded, and they were stabilizing them before leaving. Stabilizing meant that they would survive the trip. It was an interesting term. She had never heard it before.


    Marruk wondered if Viviane had learnt some healing art just so that she could inflict more pain.


    They entered the next tent. It smelled of blood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be helped by no stinking steppe rat!¡± a voice exclaimed.


    ¡°Oh, a feisty one. If you¡¯re healthy enough to whine then I guess you can go last,¡± Vivian said off-handedly as she surveyed her ¡®patients¡¯. She would always handle the most wounded first if they had a chance of being saved.


    Marruk decided that Viviane¡¯s motivations were not that important. Viviane had defended her without thinking, against another human, and that was all that mattered. She leaned against the caster and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Can I slap him as well?¡±


    Viviane looked up from a wound she was closing with thread and needle and cast a glance at the man who had insulted Marruk, and who now looked a bit worried.


    ¡°Ok. Give me two minutes.¡±


    Maybe Marruk had found a new tribe.

 Chapter 35: Minutiae

    The rest of the convoy reached the Kazar outskirts mid-afternoon. It had been, Viv thought, a harrowing ten minutes of battle followed by a more harrowing three hours of extremely intensive triage. Neriad nurses had fortunately come with the support wagons to heal and stabilize the wounded. It had been an interesting moment for the medic.


    Viv was no doctor. She also had no particular interest in the welfare of her fellow men and women. It just so happened that she was rather academically smart and, at the time, there had been a dearth of medics in her branch of the armed forces. She still felt a rush when managing to save lives, and today had been no exception. The existence of healers and magic added a new dimension to the art of keeping someone alive.


    The medical profession back on earth had developed a slurry of instruments to keep death at bay: hemostatics, transfusions, antibiotics to name a few. There had even been talks of using biomaterials, but that was still under development. By comparison, Nyil only had a handful of tools, but by the local gods did they work like a charm. Just the basic life spell, when performed by hundreds of people, could knit wounds closed in a matter of hours.


    Of course, some people might still die in the meantime.


    And so Viv had labored to introduce the proper tourniquet, which beat ¡®applying pressure on the wound¡¯ by a lot when arteries had been nicked. The nurses appreciated the gesture and, in return, taught her on the spot how to use magic and observations to heal gut wounds. They also knew how to set bones with the best of them. Viv could not deny that they were impressively effective. She still thought that it was bullshit that they could not regrow stuff.


    It turned out that limbs could be reattached if stuck back within a short time frame. Even that was a hit or miss with nerves not always reconnecting properly. Lost stuff could not be regrown, that was just how it was. The more advanced healing spells would quickly form a healthy stump and stop. Conversely, they could close, like, fifteen stab wounds at once.


    Another thing that shocked Viv. She saw some guys asking for booze holding wounds that had her go ¡°how the fuck are you still alive, not to mention conscious?¡± It all depended on their ¡°endurance¡± stat, which was just a representation of how magic-soaked their bodies were when it came to resilience.


    All in all, it had been a learning experience. She had apparently garnered a lot of respect and sympathy from the rank-and-file by working tirelessly, and giving out all of her health potions. They were worth their weight in silver, and the temple could not afford to replace them, but Viv would not let people die if she had the means to save them around her belt. Not for some hypothetical future occasion. It would have been an absolute dick move. She did not do those without a good reason.


    And so she had become instantly popular. Viv wondered exactly how much was due to her prowess in battle, how much for her healing, and how much for reintroducing the Harrakan word for ¡®twit¡¯.


    Both Farren and Varska had begged off her company for the night¡¯s celebration as they had a lot to do on their own. They all asked her to be there and represent them, and so Viv was forced to pass by home quickly to get changed. She also used this opportunity to check her progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was the first time that her mental stats had improved since leaving the desert. As expected, the progress would slow down now despite her training. She did not mind much. That was expected. Thinking that it had been a while, she brought up her status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (budding)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 16.1%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her attunement had grown again, but it was getting slower. Again, that was probably for the best since she would die when it reached 50%.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    13


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    30


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    18


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    30


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    31


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not bad. Her physical abilities were lagging behind. Perhaps she should cram some physical training, just so that she could be up to par with the average teen.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Novice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Advanced 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td>


    Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That had not moved except for intimidation, and she thought she knew why. You needed to commit to something in order to make it progress. It was not enough to study to improve the polymath skill. You needed active, cross-discipline research. That was not urgent now, however. The next one was.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 8


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana manipulation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 4


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Those lagged behind the average witch, as Solfis had told her. She simply had to keep doing what she was doing and they would improve. They had to be at least at intermediary before she could be considered a true, well-trained caster.


    So much to do, so little time. At least progressing felt good. Beyond the world-generated grading system, just getting perceivably better at something made a difference. Back on earth, if you didn¡¯t make progress at something you were getting worse at it. That was just the way things worked. Here, progress was set in stone. Viv was sure that there was some leeway and someone out of practice for ten years might need a moment but his number was there and it showed an ability that was not dependent on just muscle fiber or brain patterns, but on magical bullshit. And that was cool.


    Of course, there were the monsters. Nothing was perfect.


    As the last of the convoy members sprawled on the meadow, Viv noticed that tents and supports had been built nearby, on a square of grass left fallow. She looked at the nearest pavilion and saw the same elements that defined Kazar¡¯s clothes. The fabric was undyed, yet someone had painstakingly woven little flowers on the surface to make it nice. She did not get to see what was inside before Corel strutted by with two men at his sides. He slowed when he spotted her and gave them brief orders, which they scurried off to execute. He made his way to her, only for a certain Kark bodyguard to interpose herself with a ¡®wachu gonna do¡¯ expression. She had heard about their previous encounter. This made Corel stop at a respectable distance with no signs of annoyance.


    The leader of the guard had replaced his previously bloodstained tabard with a fresh white one sometimes between the end of the battle and now. He still wore his sword and plate armor. Now that she was no longer uncomfortable, tired, and impatient, she took the time to inspect him.


    Corel was a man with an honest, somewhat boorish face except for a pair of keen brown eyes that measured Viv. She got the feeling that he was indulging her by being respectful, somehow, but didn¡¯t find the strength to care. Respect was all about appearances. It did not matter to Viv that the man was doing it out of necessity. They were not buddies.


    ¡°Thank you for joining us in battle, Lady Bob, and you Marruk. Thanks to your efforts, we saved lives that would have been lost today. I appreciate it.¡±


    A peace offering. Viv could work with that.


    ¡°Of course, captain, we are all together in the fight against the wild.¡±


    Except for the squeaking one at her side, but that went without saying.


    Captain Corel took the overture with a light smile and continued.


    ¡°The arrival of the convoy was meant to be the occasion for a joyous celebration. Unfortunately. The circumstances have changed, but Mayor Ganimatalo deemed it preferable to go ahead with the festivities. If you are willing, we have set up a high table and your presence would be appreciated.¡±


    Viv and Marruk exchanged a glance. It sounded suspicious. Corel did not leave them the time to do much else, as he was already on the way out.


    ¡°The offer stays open if you have pressing business. Enjoy your night, you have earned it.¡±


    Viv pondered her options.


    ¡°I will head back with Solfis. You should probably spend time with the other humans. It¡¯s, errr, good for you, I think,¡± Marruk informed her with middling confidence. Viv knew that Marruk had it right. It was an important moment for Kazar and, like it or not, she was part of the community now. Might as well try to blend in a little bit.


    ¡°I will return when I am done. Do not walk to the house alone. Those filthy flea-ridden mercenaries are still around,¡± the Kark woman finished.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Viv admitted, ¡°be careful.¡±


    ¡°I am with Solfis,¡± Marruk simply said.


    //Indeed.


    Yeah. She was not in any danger, Viv considered, as the powerful Kark left with their baggage and arms in tow. Viv still wore her armor, which someone had washed and dried for her and now smelled faintly of flowers.


    As far as Viv understood, Marruk was a fearsome fighter, possibly on par with the temple guard¡¯s stronger members, but not the officers like Corel, Lorn, and a handful of others like that Amazon woman. Those were in a class of their own. The gap between Marruk and the rank and file was immense, however, the contribution of this world¡¯s magic was obvious. Viv was not exactly certain how it worked, only that it did.


    She moved deeper into the tent village. The biggest one protected a dais on which a high table had been set, with plenty of lower tables before it. Men and women already crowded it. Several of the soldiers lifted their glasses when she passed by and Viv answered with a nod and wave. Only the mayor sat at the high table, deep in conversation with one of her aides. Viv joined her.


    The mayor finished her instructions and addressed her as she climbed.


    ¡°Good evening, Witch Bob. Would you care to join me please?¡± she politely asked, a far cry from their previous meeting.


    Once again, a vindictive woman would have taken the offer and metaphorically backhanded the cheeky politician, but Viv was pragmatic at heart. She saw an opportunity to repair her relationship with the local head honcho and seized it in the same moment.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± she replied with the smarmy smile of the consummate politician.


    Viv sat next to the mayor, and realized that she was significantly taller than her. Corel was tall as well. Viv turned and grabbed a seat for Arthur to climb on. The small dragon immediately busied herself with pushing stuff around with her snout and smelling everything.


    The mayor did not show any signs of concern as she poured Viv a cup. They raised their glasses together.


    ¡°To the fallen.¡±


    ¡°To the fallen.¡±


    It was some sort of fruity wine with a spicy aftertaste and like most stuff here, it was fresh and surprisingly tasty.


    ¡°I wanted to apologize for the way we treated you earlier. We clearly operated on wrong assumptions. I hope you can forget about our mistake and start our relationship anew,¡± Ganimatalo offered.


    Viv was not willing to let it go that easily. The woman had offered no compensation. She had to milk the situation a bit.


    ¡°Did you not receive reports on me?¡± she asked with a hint of reproach.


    ¡°Yes, but the reports mentioned your, sorry to say, erratic behavior. We feared that you might not be entirely stable.¡±


    That was a pile of bullshit. You don¡¯t invite someone unstable for a private meeting in the town hall.


    ¡°I had just spent weeks actively fighting undead and seen half a garrison cut to ribbons by higher undead. Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve never had people return from the field with a frayed temper.¡±


    The mayor realized her mistake, as Viv expected. However, she made no concession.


    ¡°Known knights coming back are one thing, unknown casters are another. Please understand, I have been looking after Kazar my whole life, trying to develop it into the nexus of the west, the frontier heart of the reconquest. I have so many things on my mind that I sometimes make mistakes. No matter how far in the path I am, there are still only so many hours in a day. Once more, I apologize.¡±


    Time to be more heavy-handed.


    ¡°Shall we say that you owe me one?¡± Viv dared.


    ¡°My door is always open to those who help Kazar, and you have done so today,¡± Ganimatalo replied noncommittally. It was still an indication that Viv would be listened to, and the caster decided that it would have to do for now.


    ¡°You know, I budgeted this convoy two years ago,¡± she added, probably eager to change the subject. It worked. Viv was interested.


    ¡°You have to pay to get a convoy here?¡± she asked with some surprise.


    ¡°Not so much pay as encourage. Many traders are scared to do business with us, but things suddenly become better if we pay a third in advance. I had to offer preferential treatment to the local branch of the Manipeleso bank to make sure that we were not fleeced by our associates. Are you familiar with Mornyr metal weave?¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡±


    ¡°Every piece is added on something, and the next on the previous, and so on and so forth. Building this city block by block has been the labor of my life. We built barracks and amenities to attract soldiers, then used the soldiers and their spendings to attract trades, then trades to attract the bank. Every new threshold of prosperity, in turn, brings more. If carefully handled.¡±


    There was a brittleness to Ganimatalo¡¯s speech. She smiled, but the edge of her eyes had that forced contraction that Viv had learnt to detect. The other woman was suffering inside, and quite a lot.


    ¡°I sense a but coming.¡±


    Viv could see the hesitation, just as she could see when she was dismissed. That would not do.


    ¡°Has the attack hurt your bottom line? We recovered most of the goods,¡± she said.


    That got the mayor¡¯s attention and she gave Viv a measuring smile, probably reconsidering her. It was a good thing to be underestimated by your enemies, but not by your allies, and the mayor was turning into one. Hopefully.


    ¡°Have you identified the creature that drags the carriages?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. No?¡±


    ¡°Ah. You see, they are called centennial cornadons. They are a particularly stout kind of animal, and they are incredibly difficult to raise. The convoy lost two.¡±


    ¡°They will not return?¡±


    ¡°Not without extreme insurance on our part, but that is not all. Please keep it to yourself for now, since I will make an official announcement tomorrow. The soldiers should be passing the information already. The reason why the convoy had insufficient guard, is that most men have been dragged away to a more urgent fight. War is upon Enoria once more.¡±


    A cold chill crept up Viv¡¯s spine.


    ¡°The civil war, you mean?¡±


    ¡°I see that you have kept yourself apprised of the current events. Good. Yes, the old conflict is flaring again. It appears that the rebel nobles and our dear esteemed king, who is technically our sovereign, have decided that the blood has dried enough to apply a brand new scarlet layer.¡±


    ¡°A disaster never comes alone,¡± Viv commented.


    ¡°An apt sentence. War means refugees but without convoys, refugees mean monster food. Those few who make it will discover a saturation of our arable land. It will be a mess, and I will have to fix it myself. Again.¡±


    ¡°I see. Any chance of available land further west, by the sea?¡±


    ¡°Of course, prime shares in fact. And those who settle there might as well stand with their ass out in front of a scale-beast lair and scream, ¡®eat me, eat me!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°I did not mean to sound so bitter. With any luck, the profit from the convoy will be enough to clear out entire sections of forest in the winter. Perhaps there is a chance to turn this into a boon, yet. Would you mind doing me a service?¡±


    Viv raised a brow at the non sequitur.


    ¡°Depends on what it is?¡±


    ¡°I need to make the rounds, show people that I care, but the dais must not be empty. Could you stay there while I do so?¡±


    ¡°You want me to look all important while drinking free wine and eating free food?¡±


    ¡°Are you up to that daunting task?¡± the dark-skinned woman asked, ringed braids clinking behind her.


    ¡°I think I can manage.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful! Corel and I will be around. Feel free to leave whenever, but do give us a few minutes first, if you please.¡±


    ¡°Can do,¡± Viv said, refocusing on the table.


    There were assortments of stuff already there by her plate. She saw pitchers of juice, fruits, breads and pastries aplenty and a few slices of what looked like cured ham. She helped herself to a little bit of everything and turned to Arthur.


    ¡°Arthur. Food.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you. Say aaaaaa.¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeee.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Magical status modification: draconic surrogate mother.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The meat disappeared in Arthur¡¯s maw. She chewed it thoughtfully, then gave a strangely human nod. Her serpentine head swivelled on her flexible neck.


    ¡°Hmmm what was that¡­¡± Viv mumbled to herself. The new thing had added itself to her magical thingies list, right below the divine spark note. She inspected it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic surrogate mother: many have tried to tame dragons and failed. The richest and most insane madmen have kept some as pets. You, however, have raised a dragon like a child. No one had tried that before.


    Your soul has received a mark for the attempt through the grace of Maradoc, God of Travelers. It will serve you well.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Okayyyy?


    Somehow, the inspect skill was behaving differently. Normally, it was like magically inferring things from observation. You looked and sort of learned and deduced things. This time, it felt more like someone had purposely left a message for her. It was most unusual.


    At least, it didn¡¯t hurt.


    Viv considered it as she mechanically placed another slice into Arthur¡¯s waiting maw, uncaring as the serrated, lethal fangs closed a hair away from her fingertips. Arthur already ate like a proper gourmet by savoring her food. That was all that mattered.


    Someone dropped grilled meat on the other side, a young peasant woman who gawked at Arthur before blushing and hurrying away. Viv realized that she was ravenous, and went to town on the banquet.


    It was a nice banquet.


    She eventually looked up from her plate after the worst of her hunger had faded.


    The scenery before her had a funeral party mood to it. There were the locals, who had lost three guards, and had many more wounded. Even such a one-sided battle had taken casualties. Three dead did not feel like much in the grand scheme of things, but in such a tight-knit community as Kazar, it mattered. Everyone either knew the fallen or someone who knew the fallen. Then, there were the convoy members who looked a bit shell-shocked but were still kicking. Those were drinking hard.


    Finally, there were the bereaved.


    Viv saw a woman with two children being led to a seat at the edge, her eyes sometimes looking for a third kid that she would never find again. She was immediately surrounded by local women who did their best to give her some comfort, while their kids greeted the newcomers. She saw a spirit of help and cooperation there that she knew would hold until food grew scarce, if it ever did. Shortly after, members of the spotted feathers arrived and added their social skills to the struggle. Drunk soldiers were dragged out of their funk by shrewd conversationalists, others were lured away to private, distant tents to celebrate survival through the ancient custom of lovemaking. The integration and grief handling was a smooth process in which Viv saw the touch of someone who knew when to order and when to delegate.


    At some point, a few musicians grabbed flutes and a lute-like instrument to play traditional songs. Viv found the performance absolutely fucking atrocious and decided to take her leave, joining Corel to tell him. He gave her thanks for holding the line of the food front and she headed towards the exit after stockpiling a few things in a basket. Viv found Marruk near the entrance of the camp as she was fending off a horde of curious kids with a lost air, and rescued the poor door/shieldmaiden from her cruel fate. They made their way back together.


    Twenty minutes earlier, Viv and Marruk¡¯s home.


    Marruk kneeled by the backdoor and considered her findings with a contemplative gaze.


    The Kark did not eat much meat as a general rule. They could only digest a moderate amount every day, any more disturbed their stomachs. What they did eat mostly came from small plain creatures they caught in their many traps.


    There were the monsters, of course, but you did not always want to eat that kind of meat.


    No, the Kark were trap-setters when it came to finding sources of food, and Marruk had a nice field to practice in. And a skill to make it better.


    There was a small lawn on the front, narrow bands of grass on the sides, and a modest courtyard at the back. Those were surrounded by a small fence with all the dissuasive power of a wet hankie. Every time they left, Marruk secured their house with an assortment of patiently made pits and snares, expecting to catch some disgusting, filthy rodents coming to snoop around. And it had worked! This one had even left a bloody shoe behind.


    She took it and checked. No toes. A shame.


    Marruk rearmed the trap (because why not? City rodents were stupid and did not share information between themselves). She cleaned her hand on her armor and walked back out with a whistle. She had a caster to get and perhaps, on the way, there would be more rodents. She couldn¡¯t wait.


    Five minutes earlier, the city of the gods.


    In the hall of secrets, where a thousand archways led to many more places, a tall man with dark hair strode to his pulpit. He glanced at the text before him, and judged the contents acceptable.


    With a last flourish, the god of travelers and many other things besides sent a note to Nous. The dead one was not as defunct as the others believed, and he still had a sense of humor. Maradoc¡¯s request was accepted.


    Yes, indeed, taming dragons had always had catastrophic results for several reasons. The first, and most obvious, was that dragons could not be ¡®tamed¡¯. It was impossible. It could not be done.


    The second reason, as Viviane would discover at some point in the future, was that the other dragons took exception at the attempt. Great exception, in fact. And if you could count on the dragons for one thing, it was to make their displeasure known in unambiguous terms.


    Maradoc anticipated their puzzlement when their assessment spells would return the tiny human¡¯s signature as ¡®mommy¡¯. That was going to go down in the annals. And he had access to all of them.


    Viv walked back into her main room and placed the basket on their eating table. She removed a covered plate and went to Irao¡¯s door, where she knocked.


    ¡°Yes?¡± a voice said behind her.


    ¡°OH SH ¡ª err sorry didn¡¯t see you there.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I came to give you this. In case you haven''t eaten yet.¡±


    The assassin stared at the plate for one long moment. Viv wondered if he was not, you know, on the spectrum or something. Not that she minded, it was just that it would help dealing with him if she understood what made him tick.


    After a while, Irao took the offered food in his leather-covered hand.


    ¡°Farren said I had to respect boundaries and personal space.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°But he said shaking hands was a way to convey respect.¡±


    ¡°If you want to tell me that you are thankful for the offering, I think you just did. You don¡¯t have to shake my hand if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I don¡¯t like shaking hands.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Would you prefer eating alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I will leave you to it then. Don¡¯t wait too long or it will get cold.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know how food works. Thank you, Viviane. I like food. Goodbye.¡±


    The door opened and closed. That¡¯s how she perceived it.


    Viv decided that things had gone very well.


    She turned around and walked back to her room. Marruk was outside checking stuff out, or so she said. Arthur had gone to grab the bestiary.


    //You certainly have a way with borderline personalities.


    ¡°Pot, meet kettle.¡±

 Chapter 36: A matter of taste

    Viv opened the door to Varska¡¯s tower the morning after. Farren had begged off the usual language lesson as he was too busy, and she thought that it was a good opportunity to rest for half a day. The rest of her group had stayed back, except for Arthur, who jumped out and found a couch as soon as they were let in.


    The grouchy maid mumbled something about Viv living here now, before retreating to her own apartment on the second floor. Viv climbed up and found the usual study empty. Varska had told her to show up whenever she wanted, so she was not too worried about overstepping, but she did believe that Varska¡¯s apartments on the fourth floor were off-limits.


    A voice was singing above. Viv decided to climb up. The door to Varska¡¯s bedroom was locked.


    As she moved up, the tower¡¯s interior grew more light. She climbed the last step to the fifth floor and planned on knocking there to announce her presence. She did not. What she saw had stolen her attention.


    The top of Kazar¡¯s mage tower was a greenhouse.


    Viv was reasonably certain that it had not started as one. Half a cupola of steel blocked the light, hinting at the presence of an observatory, but the other half had been covered by a transparent sheet of something that let in most of the morning¡¯s sun. Shelves covered the wall, filled with a colorful kaleidoscope of plants and flowers of many different essences. There were carmine beauties staring haughtily from arched stems, stoic cacti with modest white flowers, and even a bulbous carnivorous plant with a fat belly, waiting patiently for its breakfast. The very air tasted of that earthy brown and green mana that Varska used so well. It tasted of life. Spring. It was gorgeous.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Varska replied with undisguised pride. She wore a white and green dress of a comfortable cut. Her dark wavy hair fell freely upon her shoulders. She used a small sprinkler like a wand, pointing at some of her more unique possessions.


    ¡°This is an Enorian Scarlet Lady, one of this land¡¯s only poisonous plants. You will notice that it is mostly blue, but when it blooms properly, the edge of its petals turns a vibrant crimson. And so do the people who touch it. Shortly before they die. Oh, and this vine is called a verdant creeper, and it makes some of the best natural ropes you can find. The northern city-states use them for their ships. And that is the prize of my collection. A suncult marea. It will take another six years to grow to its full size. I have had the plant since I was seven.¡±


    Varska was cute when she was nerding it out, Viv judged.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing! How long have you been gardening?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Pretty much my whole life. My family, that is, well, their specialty¡­¡±


    And just like that, the mood turned somber.


    Viv moved forward and took both of Varska¡¯s hands between her own.


    ¡°Hey. It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re here, now, in this place, and it¡¯s one of most beautiful things I¡¯ve seen since I arrived into this world. I don¡¯t know anything about Nyil gardening, and even I can tell that it¡¯s the result of time, effort, and talent.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°So forget about the rest and let¡¯s enjoy our moment together, right? Just relax.¡±


    Viv massaged the poor girl¡¯s arm. Once again, Varska showed a brittleness that she never let out in public.


    ¡°Relax and enjoy the moment,¡± the woman repeated in a tiny voice.


    ¡°Yep!¡±


    Varska took a step forward and kissed Viv on the lips.


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡®Oh!¡¯ Viv thought.


    That caught her off guard.


    Varska was quite daring.


    The little Vixen.


    Also, she smelled really nice and her lips were soft and Viv liked the lithe body pressed against her own. Varska was one of the nicest things to happen to Viv, and she could still not believe her luck. Viv had spilled everything and Varska had helped her instead of backstabbing her or selling her to be vivisected.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± the mage said before pulling away, mortified. Viv had not reacted to the kiss. She had just been too surprised.


    ¡°I apologize. It was¡ª¡±


    But Viv did not want the tiny smiles to stop, and so she grabbed Varska by the shoulders as the woman tried to pull away.


    ¡°Not so faaaaaast,¡± Viv whispered in her ear. The smaller woman shivered, and Viv delicately flipped her around. They were face to face, with Varska captive in her arms.


    ¡°You surprised me, stole a kiss, and now you expect to flee without retribution? I think not.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to live.¡±


    Ouch. That came from deep within the heart, Viv could tell, so she said nothing and simply leaned closer.


    Their second kiss was more tentative. Viv took the lead and enjoyed teasing and exploring, closing her eyes. Varska was breathing hard against her and she was very warm too. She tasted of tea and smelled of green things and sunshine. Viv leaned more into the kiss and Varska sort of reached a melting point. The tension in her body left completely and she practically collapsed, their embrace turning more frantic. Viv moaned as the other woman frenched her with an awkward passion that felt more genuine than anything else she had ever said. Shortly after, Varska pulled out, out of breath.


    Viv licked her flushed lips and savored the moment, but soon her friend¡¯s terribly flustered face begged for some ribbing.


    ¡°Feeling alive yet?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Not sure. Weshouldtryagainjustincase!!!¡±


    Varska had brought a couch up into a greenhouse at some point in the past, and they made use of it. Varska lacked experience, though she certainly did make up for it with enthusiasm, and so Viv refrained from going too far. They simply snogged and snuggled until the smaller woman rested her head on Viv¡¯s shoulder. The outlander caressed Varska¡¯s shock of dark curls slowly, and wondered at the change in her companion. Varska had deflated, there were no other words for it. Her composure had fallen apart, and even now she was letting out deep sighs of contentment.


    ¡°I am lucky I found you,¡± Varska finally said.


    ¡°Err no, pretty sure I¡¯m the lucky one. I mean, you helped me, guided me, and you did not even sell me even though I¡¯m an outlander.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did consider it.¡±


    Viv frowned and looked down, meeting Varska¡¯s amused gaze. The mage smiled mischievously. It gave her a much younger and happier look. Viv realized that Varska was probably, in fact, a bit younger than her. It made her decisive action that much more impressive.


    ¡°Oh, do not look at me like that. We scions of the glorious city-state of Helock are trained from birth to wield magic and influence in equal measure. I had to consider it, but I dismissed the option immediately.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t resist my charms?¡±


    Viv¡¯s brows danced up and down. Varska pinched her flank.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°Nope. The more charming, the more valuable. No, it goes beyond that. You cannot know because you are a foreigner, but the mark has left me¡­ tainted. My presence would be shunned in any court or school of the continent, and you would be condemned by association. In fact, I should perhaps¡­¡±


    ¡°Tatata, no backing out now. You¡¯ve helped me a lot and you are still helping me, and I like you. If people are pissed about it, I will gladly sit backward on a tall chair, so that they may all kiss my ass.¡±


    Varska considered the expression in silence.


    ¡°An entertaining image. Thank you. As I was saying, this shame is mine to bear until I die. I was made by Helock¡¯s environment, I followed its rules, and here is where it led me. I do not deny my own responsibility, but I will not fall to their ploy again for the pleasure of being someone¡¯s shameful, shadowy servant. Never. I will keep whatever strands of honor I still have and make something out of it.¡±


    Varska nodded with determination.


    ¡°Damn, girl, that was inspiring!¡±


    ¡°You... think so?¡±


    ¡°I do like when you look so confident. Oh, errr, while we are at it. What¡¯s Param¡¯s view on, you know, our kind of attraction?¡±


    ¡°Girl and girl you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Viv watched as the mage triggered her ¡®lecture mode¡¯, growing suddenly serious.


    ¡°It will depend on the culture. On our continent, Param, there are several different approaches to it. In Enoria, any pleasure of the flesh is frowned upon because it was one of the excesses of the old king. Nobles and commoners alike are supposed to be focusing on rebuilding the land and, ahem, repopulating it. It¡¯s not a crime, but it¡¯s discouraged. Let¡¯s see. The kingdom of Baran is pretty lax when it comes to it. You can marry up to five people regardless of gender, I believe. It¡¯s the only place to allow that. Err, then the northern city-states each have their own rules. In Helock, for example, you are supposed to marry and produce heirs first, then every couple is left to decide what they want to do according to their proclivities, as long as it''s discreet. The norm applies to men as well. Halluria is the only odd one out. Most of their administrative body, high merchants and so on are women, so same-sex intercourse is the norm.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard about Halluria before. From Farren. He did not paint the land in a favorable light.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re a bunch of twits. The only reason why they still exist is because of their military. They have a path called Hallurian warborn, that only the sickest minds could produce. Trained children from infancy, forced to kill their friends in bloody games and so on. The fiercest and most cunning join the ranks of nobility, while the losers die in some ditch in one of their many civil conflicts. They only unite if attacked, or if they decide to launch an invasion. It happens from time to time. There is a tacit understanding among all nations of the continent that they will immediately unite any time Halluria starts something.¡±


    It reminded Viv a bit of ancient Sparta. The education of children was supposedly quite rough, though she did not remember anything about killing each other. Those Hallurians sounded like nasty buggers.


    ¡°Ok enough about horrible people. How about lunch!¡±


    ¡°Excellent idea. Then, we can start today¡¯s lesson. Do not think that I will take it easy on you just because our embrace sent tingles right to my toes. You will still apply yourself!¡±


    ¡°Can I hope for rewards if I behave?¡±


    Varska¡¯s light green skin grew darker, which Viv interpreted as a pretty blush, though you could not tell from her poise.


    ¡°I shall consider it. Results first, rewards later!¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡±


    The next morning, someone knocked on the door as they were having breakfast. Marruk opened the door, and turned to Viv with a curious expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±


    A plump woman with her hair in a ponytail was waiting before them, holding a broom. She wore a plain dress and an absent expression. Viv could not help but assess the woman¡¯s beauty. It was at ¡®bulldog¡¯ level.


    ¡°I¡¯m Gogen the cleaner. I clean for you.¡±


    ¡°Errr, you do?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did¡­ someone send you?¡±


    ¡°I sent myself. You saved my son so I clean for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ want me to hire you?¡±


    ¡°No. I come in, I clean. Every three days. Can I come in?¡±


    [Housekeeper, not dangerous, follows a path dedicated to turning a house into a home. Meticulous. Patient.]


    Nice resume.


    ¡°Alright. Thank you?¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me. I am Gogen, the cleaner, and you saved my son.¡±


    Viv watched with curiosity as the strange woman went through their large home. Viv had the time to warn her to stay away from Irao¡¯s room and Solfis, but it was a close thing. Two facts soon became apparent.


    First, Gogen the cleaner was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. In fact, she was not the sharpest spoon.


    Second, she was damn good at cleaning. It was literally magical. In fifteen minutes, their rented mansion was left sparkling clean and smelling faintly of pine. She had done in minutes what would have taken hours for Viv and Marruk to achieve.


    Then she left without a word.


    Viv wrote herself a note to ask Irao if the woman truly was who she claimed to be. You never knew.


    Viv soon left to see Farren and noticed a change in the city. She had a good reputation now, and people naturally greeted her and cleared the way. The clearing the way part might have been Marruk though.


    Two weeks passed without incident.


    In that time, her Focus and Acuity both rose by one point, which was encouraging. As expected, it took effort and dedication to make progress in terms of statistics after the low-hanging fruits had been plucked. Nyil rewarded effort and commitment over time, or maybe it was just magic itself being shaped by repetition? Viv did not know.


    Viv¡¯s Power and Endurance also raised by one point each, thanks to her practicing forms to enhance her mana perception under Solfis¡¯ strict supervision. She expected that those would slow down as well before long. In any case, the results of her training showed mostly in runes and magical skills.


    With one or more rune per day mastered, her versatility improved with blinding speed. The problem was that understanding was one thing, using in the heat of battle was another. She focused on a select few, and managed to combine spread and direction together with the annihilation meaning to create a flamethrower of sorts, which she nicknamed the ¡®werfer¡¯ after the German word. The werfer was far from being as powerful and¡­ definitive as the blight spell, but it had the merit of being much faster to cast, and it did not linger with the risk of rending allies into their component atoms.


    Hopefully.


    It would be kind of fucked up if blight destroyed matter completely. She did not think that it had that sort of physics-fucking power. Physics-defying was a thing. Eliminating the very blocks of the universe was another.


    Probably.


    Besides that, she managed to make the purge spell thinner and faster, which meant that she could essentially throw lasers that cut through stone and use them as whip. The range was average but it did pack a punch, and it was fast and cheap.


    Another thing Viv noticed was that black mana was poor in terms of defense and utility. Varska could erect protective walls that stayed there even after her mana had been spent. Brown and green mana had plenty of tools to work with while black mana could basically destroy and that was it. Arguably, it did that last part pretty well.


    Varska mentioned useful spells that used colorless magic that Viv could add to her bag of tools. She demonstrated it by erecting a transparent shield that blocked sound, which was super neat when your neighbour snored or something. Unfortunately, it required the ability to manifest colorless, or neutral mana, and Viv could not do it reliably yet. In fact, her extreme attunement worked against her in this instance. Solfis and Varska both judged that it would be better to focus on her strengths right now, as her progress would eventually lead her to colorless manipulation as a natural consequence of a better control.


    Viv also got the hang of placing enchantments on surfaces. Those were rune-triggered spells that lasted for a while and could be employed as traps, early warning systems or alarms that blared when a scaly hand tickled the meat drawer.


    Her skill progress spoke for itself. Except for danger sense, they all made rapid improvement.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Path skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 8 - 9


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana manipulation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1 - 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6 - Advanced 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 4 - 9


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Besides training, there were other things to do. Farren had a small library of books, including legends of mighty heroes and heroines and their many deeds. This gave Viv a good outlook on the culture of Mornyr, at least, and she was absolutely certain that if she ever went there, she would make a fucking mess of things. Values and etiquette were just too complex. It was already a miracle that she hadn¡¯t offended anyone yet, or at least not anyone important.


    Then there was Varska.


    Viv was living the dream. Varska was cute, smart, and really into her. She was also fragile in a way that Viv did not know how to manage. There were periods when the proud mage would grow moody and despondent, and there was little Viv could do besides being there. She suspected that it would take a therapist to handle the massive wound on the girl¡¯s psyche. As such, she had never pried into her past. It made conversations a bit awkward sometimes, but Viv judged that she had to wait for Varska to open up about her past. In the meantime, they snuggled and kissed and Viv had even baked her a cake. There were few dating options in Kazar, and Varska was shy, but they did manage a nice picnic in a nearby meadow on a particularly sunny day.


    Viv was taking things slow. Varska clearly lacked experience with the physical aspect of things. There was no need to rush. Viv even thought that the girl was a virgin, as she had mentioned that it was considered better to remain chaste before marriage in her culture, and also that her fiance had understandably broken things off when she fell from grace. Viv had never broached the subject, of course. She only let Varska set the speed.


    Viv was not the only one to keep herself busy. She had managed to push Marruk into joining the temple guard¡¯s sparring sessions every morning while she was learning Enorian. As expected, the stout Kark woman could hold her own against any but the most able opponents, though she grew a reputation for being a frustrating partner. Marruk¡¯s style was slow and vicious, relying on counter-strikes and other quick, efficient movements to capitalize on the enemy¡¯s mistakes. At any other time, she would huddle safely behind her door, occasionally bashing it into someone¡¯s face. Viv once asked her if this was a Kark tradition, or if Marruk was an outlier.


    ¡°Shield lines are a Kark tradition, yes, but I learned the style by, errr, fending off mobs.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, humans would see me and get ideas. When that happened, I would find a place to cover my back and fight like this until the assholes grew tired or they would run out of intact tibias.¡±


    Viv let the topic drop. The more time she spent with Marruk, the more amazing it was that the Kark had not lost it and massacred a bunch of people before being put down.


    Arthur was also progressing in her own way. She was still tiny, but she was growing fast. Like a kitten. The dragonling could now reach Viv¡¯s waist when standing on her back legs, though she was still quite light. Arthur could now understand simple instructions. She also liked to disobey them. Viv took things patiently and took some time to explain why destroying the furniture was a bad idea, though she doubted that Arthur understood her. She spent a few iron talents on toys for the small one to test her claws on. Viv had experience babysitting her cousins. Arthur was a strange mix between a toddler and a tiger cub. The new ¡®surrogate mother¡¯ skill did not seem to be doing anything, so Viv just did her best to stimulate and educate Arthur. It seemed to work. For the rest, her instincts guided her. Arthur took to hunting small game and flying by herself.


    A month after the caravan attack, Farren came to her with a new request as they were wrapping up the day¡¯s lesson. Viv was now fluent enough in Enorian to hold most conversations.


    ¡°Preparations to explore the tunnel are well on their way. I will have enough supplies and personnel to start after the seeding festival at the end of the month.¡±


    ¡°Seeding festival?¡±


    ¡°The local spring celebration. In any case, there is something I would like you to do. Against payment of course. Are you familiar with the mountain tribes?¡±


    ¡°Mountain tribes?¡± Viv asked, surprised. "Oh wait you mentioned them before. They sell food."


    ¡°They seldom travel during winter. You will see more of them as summer comes. How should I put it? The tribes are one of the hardiest and poorest people in all of Param. They cultivate the mountain flanks using a specific kind of agriculture that employs basic earth manipulation to create flat planes. Quite clever. Anyway, I can explain more during our trip. Suffice to say, they rely on ward stones to keep black mana away from their crops, and those stones need to be recharged. Normally I could request support from a squad of hybrid fighters, like those arcane blades, for that task, but it would be cheaper if you handled it. We would also get a few more benefits.¡±


    ¡°What kind of benefits?¡±


    ¡°Well, first, I want to use one of their villages as a base camp to search for the mine entrance. Mountain people do not trust outsiders easily, so your help might win us a lot of goodwill. You are¡­ easily recognizable.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°You would also know what to expect from the deadland mountains. Lastly, the church is one of their crops¡¯ main purchasers. You see, due to the overabundance of black mana, the veggies and cereals they grow last for ages. It¡¯s perfect for military rations. By securing our supply, we can get in the good graces of my Enorian counterparts. The gods know that they will need food in the months to come. The war, you see?¡±


    ¡°I get it.¡±


    Viv was reminded of Solfis¡¯ words, about how Farren would be used by his colleagues. She hoped that the golem was wrong.


    ¡°I am authorized to pay you two gold talents for the entire operation, plus whatever undead you kill on the way. Would that be acceptable?¡±


    ¡°Yeah okay. When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 37: Field Trip

    Preparations for the expedition took a surprisingly small amount of time, now that Viv knew where to get what she needed. Her past experience as a soldier had served her well. She even managed to find half-dried tree leaves that left a pleasant, refreshing feel on your sphincter when you wiped. Truly, the wonders of magic were without ends. What would they think up next?


    With food and water packaged and ready, Viv visited the newest addition to their town: the alchemist.


    The balding man, whose name Viv had not quite caught, was a dour person with an aggravating personality. His demeanor conflicted with his admitted goal, which was to help the frontier and Neriad¡¯s work. She purchased a few flesh-knitting potions from him, as well as a vial of general-purpose antidote just in case. He just kept bitching about inferior ingredients the whole damn time. Viv was already used to working with assholes, so she just endured. He was being helpful after all.


    Finally, they were ready. On the dawn of the next day, they secured the house, and placed everyone including Solfis on a church-provided carriage. Arthur was still clutching a book borrowed from Farren called ¡°The Desolation of Aristan¡±, a blood-chilling account of the utter destruction of the mighty city by a massive black dragon. Arthur loved it, of course, particularly the cover that showed the monster melting down an entire district.


    The convoy was made of only two carriages. Viv and company occupied one with a rented horse, while the other was larger and supported four knights plus Farren. Captain Lorn had not joined, but they were accompanied by the Amazon woman Viv had seen several times but never talked to.


    Marruk decided to handle the horse despite her aversion towards the beasts. Like other rented horses, this one was unnaturally docile to Viv¡¯s untrained eyes. It was all rather weird.


    They left immediately.


    Rather than heading straight into the deadlands, the two carriages traveled along the settled plains heading east, towards the mountains. Viv observed that there were already locals working the fields, preparing them for seeding probably. She also spotted small cow-like creatures and the ostrich-like birds that provided the weird blueish eggs they often ate. Viv suddenly missed bacon. And chocolate. Especially chocolate.


    //Now is a good time to practice mana control, Your Grace.


    Viv sighed and agreed. The trip was super boring anyway. You could only watch fields so much before you got fed up.


    The trip was different this time. There was no black mana, and no revenants around, only the fields and pedestrians who saluted the knights as they passed by. The first distraction came in the late afternoon. One of the knights pointed at the back and shouted something.


    Viv turned to see a revenant stumbling at the edge of the forest, making a beeline for the deadlands. The nearest farmer spared a glance towards the miserable creature, apparently a woodsman of sorts when it had been human, and returned to his duty. He was too far to be attacked.


    The convoy did not even stop.


    ¡°Most revenants will pass through the field during the night. They prefer to travel in darkness. This kind of passage happens all the time, all over the edge of the Deadshield Woods,¡± Marruk explained in a small voice. ¡°At least that¡¯s what the Temple Guards say.¡±


    The deadlands replenished itself. Every man and woman who fell eventually joined it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t the monsters in the woods kill the things?¡±


    ¡°Only the deviants,¡± Marruk explained, ¡°most monsters will not engage something they cannot eat. It¡¯s the same in the steppes.¡±


    Something finally occurred to Viv.


    ¡°There are Kark revenants?¡±


    The woman nodded, her large head bobbing up and down.


    ¡°We would see more of my kind north of here. The revenants cross the mountain ranges as well if they do not find an obvious gap.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It started to rain. Viv pulled her cloak around herself and settled Arthur on her lap. The dragonling enjoyed having the thick scales of her chest caressed. She was very warm too.


    The trip turned miserable. They stopped at nightfall in a roadside cabin made for traveling soldiers. There were basic beds, and a roof to keep them relatively dry, but it was as Spartan as it could be. They all ate together from rations and some clean water they drew from a small cistern.


    Later, Viv stood outside with the Amazon woman, piling the logs the woman chopped. She was offered the opportunity of opting out on account of being a caster, but that was too dickish, and besides, the entire cabin smelled like wet socks. Like most things in Nyil, they were mostly what she would have seen on earth with a few significant differences. First, the tall Amazon woman was wearing heavy armor that must have weighed a ton, but looking at her plain, happy face, you could not tell. Second, she was chopping the wood with her bare hands.


    That was quite a sight.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    A log split in two under the edge of her hand. Viv kneeled and recovered both parts before they could get wet.


    ¡°My name is Koro,¡± the Amazon finally said. She grinned. She was missing one incisor and that gave her a slightly insane look. She also had very long black hair she wore in braided strands. They looked a bit oily.


    ¡°Well met. I am Viviane.¡±


    ¡°Viviane!¡±


    ¡°You can say the Vs as well?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m from the south, so we speak a different language.¡±


    ¡°I have not heard about the south yet. What kingdoms are there?¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°No kingdoms. The south is wild and untamed, like a good woman. Like me! There are marshes and dry, low mountains. Deep forests! Old things. We are a hardy folk, what with the monsters eating those who aren¡¯t. Like five of my siblings, may Enttiku welcome them in her bountiful bosom.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ sounds like a harsh environment,¡± Viv replied, a bit at a loss for words.


    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s not the problem. It¡¯s also very big and empty. I kind of got lost in a hunt. I ended up in south Enoria.¡±


    ¡°You left your land because you got lost?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You ever have a hunt and that little fucker of an Orfaune keeps running away?¡±


    Viv remembered the Orfaune from the bestiary. It was a massive bear-like creature with a spiked ridge on its back and long limbs it used to dig into burrows and eat its occupants. It was marked as very dangerous and rather durable.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I have.¡±


    ¡°Anyway. Got the fucker but it took me two weeks and by then, it had rained and my trail was erased. So I joined the church. Good fighters! Decent lovers. Not like Yan at the Spotted Feather. You met Yan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he really helped me the first time I arrived.¡±


    Viv realized too late that her words could be interpreted in a different way. Koro nodded happily.


    ¡°Yes. First time I came to town he helped me as well, I had gone a week without orgasming!¡±


    ¡°Errr, dreadful.¡±


    ¡°I knooooow. He is so good with his tongue, and he knows how to move those hips. When I am ready to settle down, I will ask him to be my husband!¡±


    ¡°Wow, congratulations! I hope it works out,¡± Viv added, not really eager to explore the subject. ¡°So, would you mind telling me about the south? I¡¯ve never been there.¡±


    Koro was successfully distracted from her thoughts and Viv learned a lot about Param¡¯s more remote lands. The south was sparsely populated and those who endured had turned into insane trappers and hunters, as far as Viv understood. Koro was clearly remembering her homeland through rose-tinted glasses, because from what Viv gathered it was a merciless world where only the strong survived, with some tribes even preying on newcomers. She added it to the list of ¡°don¡¯t go there¡± along with Manchester and North Korea.


    When they had enough wood, the pair headed back in and Viv settled on the bed closest to an open window. Arthur had the right idea by placing her nest inside and her snout outside. The place stank to high heaven.


    The next day began like the previous one, except that it was still raining. Viv climbed onto the carriage and complained in her mind about the lack of distractions. Training was all well and good, but she could not cast because it made her companions nervous, and there was only so much rehashing you could do before growing bored. Arthur quickly started to fly through the air, apparently unbothered by the droplets of water rolling down her white scales.


    Out of ideas, Viv crossed her legs and meditated, trying to sense mana. The constant noise and moving wagons made focusing difficult. She took a break mid-morning when they paused for everyone to ¡®attend to natural needs¡¯ as her mom would have said. She ended up striking another conversation with Koro, whose main sources of interest were hunting and shapely ballsacks. Viv learned more about scrotum in ten minutes than she had during her entire sex ed classes. The laugh she got kept her going until early afternoon, when a horrible shriek distracted her from counting the clouds.


    ¡°SQUEEE!¡±


    Viv was out of the carriage and sprinting before her brain registered it. Marruk stomped by her side a moment later.


    Arthur surged from behind a small valley, flapping her wings as fast as she could. A creature like a large puma was galloping after her. They were about a hundred paces away.


    The caster was about to scream at the stupid dragon to fly up when the puma-thing jumped and Arthur veered away. She was holding on by the skin of her fangs. Viv¡¯s vision turned red.


    Power answered.


    As eager as ever, black mana flooded her conduits and burned in her palms. It twisted into a ball as time slowed down and Viv¡¯s Power ability allowed her to overcharge a purge spell. The ball grew, and grew. It rose above her right shoulder like a thundercloud.


    ¡°PURGE!¡±


    Black mana was mostly silent, and that made the hiss in the air that much more terrifying when a spear as thick as an arm shot forward. Viv had aimed slightly too high. It did not matter. Black mana moved for her, and the spell angled down by her will to carve into the puma-thing like a nail through a piece of balsa. The monster¡¯s leap was interrupted when it died, falling into a hollowed-out carcass. A few intact organs spilt on the ground in a steamy, bloody mess.


    Arthur finished her trajectory in Viv¡¯s arms. The weight almost threw her to the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeeee.¡±


    Arthur fixed her gaze on the dead creature as the temple guards approached it. They were not too worried.


    ¡°A rathclaw. Good spell. Good range. I wish I had my bow,¡± Koro said by Farren¡¯s side. She had not left her charge during the commotion.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mountain and forest medium predator. Normally, they avoid humans,¡± Farren added.


    That was medium? She would hate to see good-sized ones. Or she had, with that giant tortoise. Anyway, Arthur was safe.


    Viv was a bit curious so she moved closer, with Arthur hanging around her shoulders and Marruk by her side. One of the temple guards was kneeling by the body and removing the skin with a knife.


    ¡°Rathclaw meat is decently rich in mana, so we should not let it go to waste,¡± he said.


    ¡°I can cook it in clay tonight, at the camp,¡± Koro said with a smile. A little drool foamed on her lips.


    ¡°But what pushed it to engage?¡± Farren asked, a bit worried.


    The first temple guard pointed at the creature¡¯s back. The fur there was intact, save for a small space matted with blood. The wound really matched a certain flying creature¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Squeeee¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s at least fifty times your weight! Glutton!¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just run around attacking everything you see! What if I¡¯m not there? Isn¡¯t there something above squirrel that you can try first?¡±


    The rest of the group watched mesmerized as the caster headed back to the wagon, bemoaning her creature¡¯s appetite and apparent lack of common sense. It was, to them, inexplicable.


    ¡°She¡¯s talking to it like it¡¯s a person,¡± one of the guards said.


    ¡°How long has she spent in the deadlands again? Mana poisoning is a dangerous thing,¡± another added.


    Marruk vocally and deliberately cleared her throat, then turned the carcass. It squelched. There was perhaps half of the original body mass left. The rest had been vaporized by a spell that had cut earth to its very bone, leaving behind a deep furrow of glistening grey rock.


    It certainly put things into perspective.


    ¡°Not that there¡¯s anything wrong with, you know, being eccentric,¡± the first guard finished in a timid voice.


    It was all well and good to be a highly trained fighter with some fancy path. Most of the people present knew they could take a rathclaw alone and win. They could not trounce the thing in half a second and only leave a butcher shop accessory behind, however.


    ¡°Less talking, more cutting,¡± Marruk finished. They obeyed, with Koro being the most efficient. They managed to salvage most of the meat in a reasonable time frame. Eventually, the ex-hunter led the loaded group back, chewing on a piece of raw liver.


    They reached the foothills shortly after.


    Dinner that night was delicious.

 Chapter 38: Mountain People

    They spent half a day climbing to the next village. The rain came and went, killing conversations and dampening the mood. The temple guards had given Viv strange looks the night before as she was trying to teach proper table manners to Arthur. The worst thing was that you could hear the louts smacking their lips and swallowing through a concrete wall and they threw the food down their gullets like it was going to escape. Not to mention the burps. They were animals. It took all of her self-control not to make scathing comments on their abominable table manners. Farren felt the tension in the air and he tried to distract everyone, but it just led the guards to talk, which sent droplets of saliva and half-gnawed gobbets of meat across the room. Viv had retired outside after that.


    Around them, the green grass and brambles progressively gave way to lichen and hardy growths clinging stubbornly to cracked stone. The massive mountain range encircling Harrak started there, before them, its many peaks snuggly covered in eternal snow. A green band expanded horizontally across the full range as spring struggled against the deadlands¡¯ grip. The first signs of civilization came as they passed by a rocky outcrop and the air suddenly felt wetter. Viv recognized it immediately. It was terrace farming.


    The mountain tribe had painstakingly created terraces of horizontal terrain, forming steps climbing up and down the edge of the mountain. Green buds were already popping from the brown earth with surprising vigor. Viv could look left and see the deadlands expanding to the horizon, but the black mana had little hold here.


    They followed a well-traveled path large enough to accommodate their carriages, quickly coming across people in brown and red garbs working the field. The locals shared the brown hair, brown eyes and slightly greenish skin of everyone, but they were also taller and a bit too thin. There were men and women and children seeding the rich loam, and they toiled in silence with their eyes downcast. Viv almost thought that they were sad, but as they turned a bend in the road, the sound of a distant song proved that she and her companions had been the problem all along.


    ¡°Mightily hostile for people we¡¯re supposed to help,¡± she remarked with some annoyance.


    //Your Grace.


    Solfis spoke for the first time. His voice was low and she thought she detected excitement, or at least animation in the artificial tone.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //I recognize the facial features of those people from my time.


    //They harbor strong resemblance to the Harrakan southerners I met.


    //Hypothesis: those mountain tribes are descendants of survivors who refused to move on!


    ¡°That would make sense. Is there any way for us to use that piece of information though?¡±


    //Not at the moment, no.


    //Keep in mind that their language could be close to an imperial local dialect.


    //Hence, they might understand our conversations, should they overhear them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    The trip went on. The terraces were expansive, to say the least, and those working the fields lived in small villages dotting the flank of the mountains. The houses looked barely more than hovels. It was a deceptive look. In truth, a glimpse through an open door showed that the locals had dug into the earth to protect themselves from the cold.


    All of the houses were half-troglodyte dwelling, and the roofs were thatch and brick. Wood was scarce in everything.


    Viv also noticed a lot of tiny red flowers the exact same dye as the locals¡¯ clothes, hinting at natural pigments.


    They arrived at a major settlement by nightfall, coming across another convoy of several families moving in silence. Farren had joined Viv in the middle of the afternoon to distract her from her constant training.


    ¡°The mountain tribes gather in their winter quarters to endure the cold season, but also whenever they celebrate a major event. When spring comes, they return to their individual villages. Most couples meet during the cold days. It¡¯s one of their cultural specificities.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Is it for safety?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They leave no food behind, so even roaming, hungry monsters will leave their abandoned houses alone. Winter in the mountains can also be boring and depressing, so it¡¯s usually better to spend it together. Lots of games, and uh, many kids will be born in early autumn.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Viv remembered the old joke about what one¡¯s great grand-parents used to do in the days before the internet. If one wondered, they could just ask the ancestors¡¯ seventeen children.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°We will meet with some elders and there will probably be a small feast. The work begins tomorrow.¡±


    Viv winced, and Farren jumped on the occasion.


    ¡°I meant to ask, what¡¯s with you and table manners? Even poor Marruk eats as daintily as a Baranese countess these days. You know that you can relax with us, right?¡±


    Viv shot the poor boy the most scathing, haughty look she could. She knew from previous feedback that her green eyes had a distant quality that some could find intimidating. She used them now.


    ¡°Manners are not about relaxation, they are about respect. You know that, right?¡±


    Farren was a bit chastised.


    ¡°You remind me of my etiquette teacher.¡±


    He grimaced.


    ¡°Look, I can¡¯t help it,¡± Viv finally said, ¡°it just annoys me. I don¡¯t say anything because, in the end, it¡¯s my personal reaction, and they don¡¯t owe it to me to behave the way I want. But don¡¯t expect me not to be pissed about it, it¡¯s a visceral reaction.¡±


    Farren nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°Good of you to tolerate what you could prohibit instead.¡±


    For a moment, the temptation was strong to force the temple guards to sit straight and bring their food to their mouth instead of the contrary. She was a caster. She could threaten them. It could work. It would also be a massive abuse of power.


    Chewing noise had always been the bane of Viv¡¯s mom. Her dad had told Viv that he had made a fortune in business and investments but he was still a ¡®nouveau riche¡¯, a mannerless oaf, until he met Viv¡¯s mom. She had taught him how to eat, how to speak, even how to dress with understated grace. Her dad instinctively understood fitting in, but it was her mom who had given him the veneer required to blend in the particularly hermetic southern upper class. Viv had inherited her Mom¡¯s tendency to be annoyed at organic, repetitive sounds.


    It made her miss her family.


    Farren eyed her, considering. Viv noticed him lick his lips.


    ¡°You never talk about your past. Were manners important for your family?¡±


    He was trying to get her to open up. It felt like genuine interest. Farren was safe.


    Viv talked a bit about her parents, but they were interrupted before she could tell much. They were entering the settlement.


    Viv looked with interest at the large village, nestled as it was between two flanks of the mountain. There was a dip in the ever-present wind that gave the place a warmer feel, and several sources of light cast white radiance on colorful walls. With red and brown paint, the walls of large buildings depicted important scenes of hunt and migrations, using a primitive art that gave every scene a transparent meaning. Here were families fleeing from the wrath of a large, winged predator. There, they found a cave to settle in. Finally, a warrior covered in beast skins returned and slayed the monster. Dyed pieces of cloth attached to ropes hung over the streets held aloft by the weakened gales. The mood here was more curious than circumspect as they entered the place. Several people pointed them to a central plaza.


    The two carriages stopped in a tiny central square, with a few villagers rushing out to take care of the horses. Farren and the temple guards climbed down with Viv and company following closely.


    An old man wearing the most outrageous hat Viv had ever seen strode out of the largest building with his entourage. The entourage was interesting in itself, and so was the man, but not as much as the hat. Viv could only watch with amazement as the massive headdress bobbed along its proprietor. It was a mix between an Ushanka hat and a turban, massive and glittery with ornaments. Here, it said, was the person in charge. Viv had to force her mouth closed and actually pay attention to the people once they stepped almost right in front of her. Fortunately, Farren acted as a buffer.


    He and the old man started a conversation in hesitant Enorian, giving Viv time to rectify her diplomatic faux-pas. The mountain tribe leader had a long white beard dotted with little pearls which were, Viv realized, pierced transparent rocks. He wore a large red sash and heavy clothes. Two of the men around him wore chainmail made dull by age, of a kind that Viv recognized with great surprise. Those reminded her of the few intact statues she had seen in Harrak. They were Imperial garbs!


    Besides the two guards, she also noted tall men dressed in layers of animal skins covered with primitive runes. She easily recognized black mana shields. The men all had quarterstaffs strapped to their backs, and kept their faces covered.


    The conversation finished, and Viv found herself face-to-face with Mr. big hat.


    The elder turned to one of his aides and muttered a few words in a language that Viv recognized, and that sent her mind reeling.


    When Maradoc, the god of secrets, had granted her the knowledge of the Old Imperial language, she had obtained the entire breadth of variations and cultural references that went with it. She could recognize the man¡¯s tongue. It was a strange mix of Imperial southern dialect and something else. She could follow it in the same way as someone with good knowledge of BBC English could understand a strong brogue.


    He was asking a tiny old woman by his side how casters wanted to be greeted.


    ¡°Oh! Uh¡­¡± she said eloquently.


    What to do?


    Her well-honed instincts told her that hiding her knowledge could reap benefits, but also that the price of being found out would be steep. On the other hand, she could let them know that she understood them, and see where that got her. They showed a certain distrust of foreigners. Even when Farren and the elder had talked, the latter had never lowered his guard.


    Viv considered it and realized that she had no real way of knowing what was the best option. She had to rely on her instincts.


    She went with honesty. Besides, her understanding was not good enough to pick up whispered secrets.


    ¡°Do you speak Harrakan?¡± she said, trying to sound as close as possible to the southern accent.


    The old man¡¯s eyes went wide. So did every other tribe members¡¯ for that matter.


    ¡°How do you know the old tongue?¡± the old man asked, surprised.


    ¡°I learned Harrakan through a skill and you sound just like it.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Amazing! Do you know what I mean when I say ¡°as useful as skis in Harrak?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it means completely useless, because Harrak, the city, is perfectly flat. It was designed to be level.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes! What else do you know about us?¡±


    ¡°Not much. I received the skill when I was teleported into the Imperial palace. I almost died too.¡±


    ¡°You saw the Ziggurat with your own two eyes? Can you describe it?¡±


    Farren and the rest watched with bemused expressions as Viv and the elder, who introduced himself to her as Marredyn, conversed with animation. His wife joined in when he started to speak too fast and Viv lost the trail.


    ¡°Oh, but where are my manners? Come in, come in!¡± he finally declared, and led everyone inside.¡±


    Viv turned to Marruk. The Kark woman¡¯s mouth still hung open.


    ¡°Big hat!¡±


    Indeed.


    They had a party.


    The main hall of the mountain tribe village was almost completely open to accomodate a banquet room filled with long tables across a massive hearth that could roast a hippopotamus ¡ª or the local equivalent ¡ª with room to spare for a piglet. Heat was provided by coals, not wood. They glowed red in the semi-darkness.


    Attendants busied themselves preparing food while the old couple grilled Viv on her knowledge of idioms. She could get most ancient references, but anything related to the mountain eluded her. Apparently, southern and northern Harrakan had enjoyed ribbing each other before the disaster struck. The elder also shared that most survivors had integrated into other societies, but a few had become nomads, and only returned a century ago when the black mana saturation had suddenly dropped to the current levels.


    Viv found herself at the seat of honor to the speechless surprise of Farren and everyone else. The food they got was nice as well. There were sauteed vegetables, fresh and tasty, and triangles of hard cereals that reminded her of rice, held in long plant leaves and steamed until they were tender, with a heart made of either eggs or fatty meat. It was delicious and filling.


    ¡°Why is that food replenishing my mana?¡± she asked with wonder as she felt her core heating up.


    The elders were excited to learn that she was a black witch, and reminded her that their food had a high black mana content. It made meals very attractive to Viv as they were not only delicious, but also possessed a rejuvenating quality that only she could truly appreciate.


    ¡°Will you recharge the ward stone?¡± the elder asked towards the end as they were drinking a powerful digestive to ¡®dissolve the fat¡¯.


    ¡°Yesh, that¡¯sh why am here,¡± Viv seriously told them. That liquor was so naish! It really warmed her from top to bottom, it did! She wished Varska was here. That shy cutie.


    They went on to explain that some of the ¡®walkers¡¯, whatever that was, would escort her and to be careful of revenants.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about ravenee, errr, reva, errrr, those dead motherfuckers. I got zhish.¡±


    Viv stood with all the majesty she could muster, which was not a lot, and promptly fell on her face.


    The morning after.


    ¡°Owwwwwwww.¡±


    ¡°How did you manage to down so many glasses? Mountain fire water can be used to clear wounds of corruption!¡±


    Farren was a bit mad after spending an evening playing second fiddle, or so Viv thought. They were walking down the edge of the mountain following a well-traveled path. The black mana was growing thicker, but it was still manageable. They had left the terraces behind. Only small plants and other enduring growths offered some color. The rest was grey rock, then the dusty bleakness of the deadlands extended to the horizon.


    ¡°High affinity,¡± Viv replied, not trusting herself to move her lips too much. She was suckling on her water flask everytime she thought she would not throw up. That was some premium hangover. Viv usually downed water after getting a buzz and before sex if applicable to avoid this kind of headache. This time, the treacherous booze had caught her off guard.


    She should get a few bottles to bring back.


    ¡°We are not far now,¡± one of the walkers said.


    It turned out that the walkers were a specialized path that pretty much only existed among the mountain tribes. They were scouts meant to operate in the deadlands. On top of heightened black mana resistance, they benefited from a range of skills including the ability to escape revenant perception, and skills with a heavy quarterstaff that allowed them to disable multiple opponents at the same time. It would not work as well against human fighters, but most deadlands creatures could operate without issue with a sword planted somewhere, while a shattered limb would slow them down.


    Once again, Viv was amazed at how adaptive paths were. It reinforced her opinion that they were just an interface for people to handle how they wanted the magic of the world to change them.


    Something else that she should have guessed was that paths offered defensive skills. She had assumed that Marruk¡¯s ability to block stuff came from a shield skill or something, but apparently some simply increased the general resilience of the beneficiary. It was just that Viv¡¯s path did not have anything to make her more solid. She had danger sense and the ability to vaporize any incoming threat.


    Come to think of it, that was pretty cool as well.


    The walkers had been unusually open to explaining their abilities and Viv had also deduced another important facet of magical reinforcement. The more mana she had, and the more resilient to foreign effects she became. That meant that powerful mages could be just hurt by her spell instead of disintegrated. Viv suspected that it might be more relevant for other aspects. Black was in a class of its own when it came to destruction. It also meant that powerful monsters were well-protected against her. When facing them, she would have to take their resilience into account.


    It took them only an hour to reach the first ward stone. It sat, lonely, at the edge of the dead plains proper. Before it, plants and lichen still struggled to cling to the ground in fading, but colorful blotches. After it, there was only dust, and the occasional black dot of deadland brambles.


    Although they had called it a ward stone, Viv believed that ¡®obelisk¡¯ might be a better term. The rock rose from the ground in defiance of the surrounding flats, its surface glowing white with a network of runes. Viv could not detach her eyes from the construct. She almost slipped in a shower of gravel.


    ¡°Wow, this is the thing? It¡¯s much more complex than I thought!¡± she admitted out loud.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Farren sniffed, ¡°the network of ward stones was established by a famous mage from the Helock University as commissioned by our church. It was a grand endeavor.¡±


    ¡°Well la-di-fucking-da, fan-boy. Where is that thing¡¯s battery?¡±


    Farren grumbled while the entourage of soldiers and walkers made a show of not paying attention to them. The ¡®battery¡¯, as it were, was a circle with a handprint at the back. Viv placed her own there and recognized the familiar feeling of connection she had when feeding Solfis¡¯ core. She pushed her mana in, and the construct drank it greedily. The closest runes shone with more energy.


    ¡°Simple enough, simple enough,¡± Viv muttered, but the glyphs caught all her attention. There were some she recognized, like ¡°if¡± and ¡°transfer¡±, and ¡°black¡± of course, but others that escaped her and bounced around at the edge of her consciousness. She got the general impression that the stone absorbed ambient black mana and turned it into energy to repel the black mana. As far as designs were concerned, she thought it was a bit stupid. The construct was starving itself of the resource it needed to keep going, and then when the black mana increased in intensity, the runes were too weakened to function properly. It was a secondary concern, however. The important part was that the glyphs to self-sustain an enchantment were here, before her eyes.


    Something tugged on her then, and she realized that her conduits had dried up.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    She pulled her hand and fought off the deeply unsettling sensation of being too low on mana. The obelisk was a third full, she judged. She could recharge fast on the edge of the deadlands. They would be done quickly.


    Viv walked away a bit and started working on the forms Solfis had taught her, taking great care to feel the black mana overcoming the other hues as the world¡¯s life crossed boundaries between the outside and her true self. The strange experience made her go over the edge.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption: Advanced 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The message was nice but it was barely needed. Viv could feel exactly how mana traversed the immaterial membrane between the outside and herself, and with minor adjustments, she started to increase the speed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption: Advanced 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She got the impression that it was the first part that had been the hardest, and now things were going to go faster again.


    Her routine was over soon, and she returned to the obelisk to resume the charge. It took a good ten minutes for her to be exhausted again. This time, she decided to take a short break. She had been at it for over an hour and a half. The others had scattered around her, settling down on the ground. Three of the knights and two walkers had started a game of something that looked like dominos while Marruk was by her side, keeping an eye out as always.


    Viv wanted to bring the glyphs back to study. If she could find a better way to drag mana from the air, she could recreate a basic charging station for Solfis, the same as she had seen in the golem staging bay back in Harrak.


    More importantly, something that could drain black mana could expand the patch of arable land around Kazar, pushing back the sea of undeath that covered this once prosperous country.


    Think of the possibilities!


    All excited, Viv turned to Farren.


    ¡°Hey, do you have paper and a pen? I want to note this down.¡±


    Farren looked at her like she had grown a second head.


    ¡°Lady Bob, besides the fact that copying runes without authorization is a major crime, I think that you may not understand what you are trying to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, I could probably copy those, but you cannot. It would be better if I let you attempt it.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°I am not trying to trap you. You are just a strange mix of scholarly and wild. Here, have my notebook,¡± Farren offered.


    She grabbed the small, leather-covered book and opened it towards the end. Farren also handed her sharpened charcoal and she began to trace the glyphs.


    And stopped immediately.


    The glyphs were alive, at least to her. They were separate and distinct and writing them down without understanding them was impossible. Her hand faltered. Her mind swam.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    ¡°Casters write runes as runes, while we only draw squiggles that resemble the real thing in the same way a stick figure resembles a human. You will not be able to reproduce the pattern unless you are able to cast it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just commit it to memory instead? I do not know about your Focus, but from what I saw, you should be able to do it.¡±


    Viv closed her eyes and visualized, then she swore.


    The tapestry of glyphs glowed in her mind, each piece intact and waiting to be delved in. She did not understand them, but they were there. The result was¡­ disturbing. Remembering something without understanding it felt alien to her. It was still better than the alternative.


    ¡°This is weird.¡±


    Farren looked unimpressed by her realization, but his expression turned appreciative when he glanced at the obelisk. She was almost done.


    ¡°It would have taken a crew of six over two days to restore the enchantments to functionality. You will top it up before lunch.¡±


    And she did. The wards were fully operational by the time she sat to eat a simple porridge with the rest of the group. The walkers paid her compliments, eyes smiling behind their leathery masks. The knights looked pleased as well.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be home sooner than I thought,¡± one of them said.


    It felt good to be appreciated.


    ¡°The next obelisk is two hours away from here. Do you think that you could fix it as well?¡± the head walker finally said.


    ¡°Yeah, sure why not?¡±


    They walked along the edge without issue, Viv only yoinking the occasional revenant. All the while, she was thinking about another enchantment, one that had lasted for decades by itself back in the heart of Harrak, in the campfire where she had spent her first night. It had been able to create a neutral mana area in the very core of the deadlands.


    It was still there.


    Waiting.


    They returned to the village for the night. The visitors were housed in guest rooms behind the town hall. After a more subdued dinner, one of the walkers approached Viv as she had gone to wash her hands.


    ¡°You know,¡± the man said, ¡°we walkers suffer from an unfortunate condition. We cannot have children unless we stay away from the deadlands for a full season. On the other hand, we are renowned for our stamina, and cannot catch diseases.¡±


    Viv turned and came across a pale smile and amused brown eyes. The man was handsome in a lanky kind of way. There was also acceptance there. A polite distance.


    She considered his words and decided that, as far as invitations to fuck were concerned, she had received worse.


    ¡°I would test that stamina of yours, but I am courting someone in Kazar, and would prefer not to stray,¡± she answered with a smile.


    The walker nodded.


    ¡°It is a wise woman who waters her oat before helping the neighbour.¡±


    It probably meant something but the walker just bowed and left. She returned to their table as Farren was standing up. A fact had just occurred to her.


    ¡°Hey, Farren.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°How come nobody ever tried to flirt with me back in Kazar? I mean, no false modesty, I know I¡¯m attractive.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the young man answered with a guarded voice that heralded a carefully diplomatic answer, ¡°you read some of the stories from my books, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°In those tales, the hero has to face either a mighty champion, a deadly golem, or a powerful drake to rescue their princess. Never the three at once.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Also half of the town thinks you¡¯re crazy.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s just rude!¡±

 Chapter 39: Back

    Viv spent one week going from stone to stone, spending her evenings in the underground dwellings of grateful villagers. The walkers had spread the word that she spoke the local language, and also that she had recharged the stones to full capacity which other teams often failed to do. It was a classical case of ¡®good enough¡¯ caused by exhaustion. She also set a record by finishing in half the usual time.


    There were no real attacks during the operation. The dozen revenants that came to her every day got handled by a group that could have held the line against twice their numbers. The loser of the latest card game was in charge of undead disposal, disabling the creatures until Viv could yoink them. One of the temple guards was even able to set his sword on fire, killing the creatures for good in one blow.


    They returned to the main settlement after she was done. Other tribes lived further along the mountainside, but her guides said that they lived in valleys between peaks, not so close to the deadlands.


    Viv considered the trip to be an investment. All the stones shared the same inscriptions, which showed that what the engraver lacked in ingenuity, he made up for in consistency. The pattern itself showed ways to use ambient mana as fuel. That was what she needed to make Solfis more mobile. She still wanted to get a good look at the ward stone in Harrak, but that would have to wait.


    In the end, Farren got his wish and the elder agreed to assist him with his expedition, going so far as to offer guides to the most likely locations.


    The trip back was as boring and uneventful as ever, with the addition of Viv really looking forward to a good bath. Her hair had regrown to pixie length, though kind of messy, and the group was dirty and dusty. She took comfort in her own progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance: Expert 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was her first skill reaching such a high level. It had suddenly improved as she was done with the last pillar, and had moved around while focusing on each rune one after the other. The improvement stunned her. Her consciousness relaxed and flowed with her movements in a serene dance, turning her mind both sharp and detached. She could understand every rune she envisioned and knew on a fundamental level that involved more than her body or her brain. It involved her soul as well. The world, Nyil, talked to a part of her that she had never been aware of back on earth. She caught a glimpse of damage, but it was thankfully localized, and did not pain her at the moment. This new perception gave her a deep sense of wonder. That something as unfathomably vast as a planet could be somewhat alive defied her comprehension. She could put a number on the diameter of the planet. It was slightly larger than earth, so it was probably between thirteen and fifteen thousand kilometers. She could not comprehend it. You could see a kilometer, especially if the land expanded around you. You could not see, or even understand, ten thousand. Even her improved mind failed to envision the sheer size of it. And this being interacted with her, lent her strength.


    That was incredible.


    She had also improved in terms of raw mental abilities.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Focus +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was amazing progress for such a short time, but it had a price. She had learned no new runes. Only her mana absorption had progressed to Apprentice 4. There was always a tradeoff.


    What interested her as well was how a large variety of tasks made progress and focus easier. Charging the obelisks had become a bit tedious towards the end because it was so repetitive. When Solfis trained her, he and Varska always alternated tasks to keep her mind fresh. She was in good hands.


    They came into view of Kazar in the early afternoon, and split up by the gates. There was no welcoming committee waiting for them, though Viv was greeted by Head Investigator Tars, the woman who had interrogated her the first time she arrived in the city. They split up near the gate and Viv headed straight to the Spotted Feather for good food and a bath.


    ¡°The women here make me uncomfortable,¡± Marruk rumbled, ¡°they proposed a lot of things that I did not care for,¡± she continued, turning an interesting shade of purple.


    ¡°Oh? So you do not enjoy having humans serving you?¡±


    The Kark¡¯s face turned contemplative.


    ¡°If you put it like that¡­ Hmm. Do you think they would agree to another foot massage?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°Of course. They probably have skills related to, err, massage. Just be respectful and ask.¡±


    Viv spent a pleasant few hours under the care of one of Yan¡¯s apprentices. Once more, she declined sex, though this time it was also due to a sense of loyalty towards Varska. She also considered diseases as she was soaking in the bath. Technically, she had been disintegrated and recomposed here, on Nyil. So maybe no virus had come with her. On the other hand, she had not shat herself to death in the first few hours, so clearly her gut flora had traveled with her, most likely? It was all very confusing. Honestly, if she had brought diseases with her, Kazar would have turned into a plague land already.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    So.


    Yeah.


    Lovemaking.


    It would probably be weird to cross that line from someone from another world, yet another thing that made Nyil more real and the possibility of returning to earth just not more distant, but also less desirable.


    God she hoped there was a way to stay in touch or something.


    Shaking her head, Viv dragged Arthur to a second, quicker bath and made the tiny dragon¡¯s skin lustrous. Arthur was self-cleaning or something, but she still enjoyed soaking if the tongue lolling out and closed eyes were any indication.


    ¡°This is a bath. A bath is comfortable and warm, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Eeeee.¡±


    They departed soon after, Marruk visibly yawning despite a nap. The stalwart door wielder had remained vigilant for extended periods of time and, if Viv remembered their arrangement, she owed her three days of rest. Viv decided to pay her girlfriend a visit and they were let in by the mage¡¯s sneering housekeeper. Varska was waiting for her in the main training room. Something was wrong.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Viv asked as soon as she saw the formal dress and downcast expression.


    ¡°Yes. No. It does not matter. Listen, your departure allowed me to reflect on our relationship, and I have decided to end it.¡±


    What?


    ¡°Errr, did I do something?¡±


    ¡°You are not the cause. I am.¡±


    Oh god, she was going to pull a ¡®it¡¯s not you it¡¯s me¡¯.


    ¡°You and I¡­ It was not meant to happen. I am trapped here, at peace, but also at an end. My potential is spent. My chances have burnt out. You see the mark on my cheek and you do not care, but the others will. I am tainting your image by existing.¡±


    Viv wanted to tell Varska not to be so dramatic, but she did not want to interrupt the younger woman during what was clearly a very emotional moment. It felt wrong. It felt like denying her her feelings. So she listened, even though she thought that what Varska was doing amounted to emotional self-harm.


    ¡°We will continue our lessons. I will see you grow as you were meant to when you were dragged into our world, but nothing more. You will remain pure. I will stay in the shadows. This is for the best.¡±


    Viv did not think that anyone but Varska could see her as ¡®pure¡¯.


    ¡°Do I not get a say in this?¡±


    ¡°I do not know how things work in your own world, but here it takes only one partner¡¯s decision to break up a couple.¡±


    Viv decided to be the more adult of the two, and not to roll her eyes at the willing misunderstanding.


    ¡°You assume that you know what I want.¡±


    ¡°What you want has nothing to do with it. You have been in this world for all of two months, and I have been here for close to twenty. I have attended some of Param¡¯s most exclusive parties, rubbed elbows with the archmages of Helock and the high priests of Mornyr. For all that you have life experience in your world, you are a baby in this one. You do not understand the ramifications of courting a pariah.¡±


    Viv wanted to object but she saw in Varska¡¯s posture something that went beyond a refusal. She had been dismissed. Her opinion would be looked down upon, simply because Varska had decided in her head that Viv was being irresponsible.


    And yet, there was a raw pain there that made her think that she had a chance at convincing the headstrong mage.


    But¡­ it stung.


    It stung being dismissed.


    Viv was tired from the trip, and she had the others to take care of, and Varska was her own person, and¡­


    ¡°Fine. Ok. Fine. That¡¯s your decision. I think that¡­ nevermind. Just. I¡¯m going to go. I¡¯ll take tomorrow off and we can resume classes the day after, if you are still willing.¡±


    Varska nodded resolutely. Viv climbed down the stairs and ignored the heart-wrenching sob she heard behind.


    That was some bullshit.


    Even Marruk felt the change.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Varska dumped my ass. Keep it to yourself, please.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh. Booze?¡±


    ¡°Yeah maybe later. Let¡¯s grab some food then go home for now.¡±


    They retreated to their den. Arthur helped with transferring her blankets to her designated corner, and rolled herself into a small ball, leaving only a pale snoot popping out of her lair. Marruk begged off dinner and went to sleep after making sure nothing was amiss. Viv sat heavily into a corner and grabbed a bottle of sweet wine (three silver talents, a robbery) and poured herself a glass. She missed streaming cheesy dramas. She could do with a distraction right now. Getting drunk was out of the question anyway, she would not become her mom.


    If only there was some way to distract herself.


    Just then, heavy footsteps sounded outside. An armored fist banged on her door, three times, and a booming voice bellowed.


    ¡°This is Inquisitor Denerim. I would like to talk to Witch Bob. Open up, please.¡±


    Fuck you, universe. Go eat a bag of dicks.

 Chapter 40: Unexpected

    Inquisitor Denerim refrained from checking his armor for the umpteenth time. Simishe always said that it betrayed his nervousness. She would tell him to straighten and smile. Then she would probably slap his ass.


    Denerim let the tiniest of smiles bloom on his lips and rectified his posture. He passed a hand in his beard and turned to Orkan, who had just kicked a stone.


    ¡°Patience.¡±


    The sullen young adult gave him a vicious look. As usual, the glare lost its intensity after a second and morphed into a sigh. Orkan was a good kid. He was trying his best despite¡­ everything, so Denerim placed a comforting hand on his apprentice¡¯s shoulder and gave it a good, manly grip.


    ¡°We are intruding upon them when they are tired and probably just want to be alone. And we are figures of authority. It¡¯s a normal reaction.¡±


    ¡°When a woman said that she was getting ready, it used to mean that she would return wearing very little,¡± Orkan said dejectedly.


    ¡°I would not count on it this time. Also there is a Kark woman¡­¡±


    Both men smiled.


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m judging,¡± the inquisitor said, wiggling his eyebrows.


    Orkan chuckled and some of the pain left his angular traits. The younger man had enough scars for three veterans, and the tattoos marking his origin formed angry red lines across his muscular body from toes to forehead. Black eyes returned to stare at the closed door.


    It opened.


    Denerim ended up nose to nose with a powerfully built Kark woman with bloodshot eyes and a grumpy air. Her dark hair was mussy under a helmet, and for one moment, he thought his vision had gone awry. But no. There were two doors before him. The Kark had the other one strapped to her forearm.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she growled in passable Enorian.


    They walked inside the house, finding a scene that he was definitely not expecting. The witch herself was armored, sitting in a throne-like chair before them, with a vicious-looking creature perched menacingly behind her. He briefly inspected her.


    [Black Witch. Dangerous. Second stage of her path. One who has forfeited other hues in favor of a deep understanding of black mana, a rare choice. Highest stat: Focus ( early fourth tier) Highest skills: meditation, mana manipulation, pain tolerance.]


    More information filtered through his mind as the magic helped him interpret what his senses perceived.


    [Decent melee combatant. Superior caster. Smart. Killer. Undead Bane. Lucky. On the rise. OCCULTED]


    That was¡­ unusual. His inquisitor path gave him access to many tools, including ones used to pierce the veil used by assassins and dark worshippers. The ¡®occulted¡¯ feeling came with a feeling of hitting a wall, one that was vast and absolutely unyielding. It was worrisome, but it did not extend to his other skills. Occultation was not always a sinister thing. A simple discussion would clear things out.


    The sinuous creature on her shoulder was a drake of some sort. An unusual color as well.


    Except.


    Denerim counted the number of limbs.


    Oh shit.


    [Juvenile draconic creature. Not very dangerous. Highest stat: Finesse (late second tier). Highest skills: draconic combat. Others: awoken intellect. Gourmet. Truce. OCCULTED]


    Not tamed. Not tamed! Occulted. Alright, calm down. That was¡­ weird, but truce felt like the dragon did not see humans as prey, he could feel it.


    And it was a dragon.


    He was so damn sure. No paladin of Neriad could see that winged figure and take it for anything else. By the high one¡¯s fetching buttocks, what the fuck?


    And occulted?


    Ok. Enough. He had already spent several seconds staring at the creature who was now eyeing him with malevolent crimson eyes. Denerim lowered his gaze to the witch who was now eyeing him with malevolent emerald eyes. He bowed politely.


    ¡°Greetings to you, Witch Bob. I apologize for calling on you at this late¡ª¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you looking at?¡±


    Denerim¡¯s next words died out in his throat and he froze the tense smile on his face for the sake of his host. Simishe said that a public figure had to smile in tense situations. Apparently, it helped with settling things when done correctly. Easy for her to say.


    Denerim straightened up one again and turned to his apprentice. The young man was baring his teeth at the Kark bodyguard, his tattoos glowing red like dying embers in the room¡¯s darkness. The Kark¡¯s expression had gone to the glacial neutrality of the consummate fighter planning her first strike. Things were going out of hand. He didn¡¯t want to start his investigation with violence.


    ¡°Orkan.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fucking with us, we should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Orkan.¡±


    ¡°That big, disrespectful¡ª¡±


    Simishe always said that he was awe-inspiring and manly when he got serious. A rock in the storm. That¡¯s what he went for now. He was the center and he was as unyielding as a mountain.


    ¡°Orkan.¡±


    The boy calmed down. Despite his upbringing and the young rage in his heart, he found it in himself to rein his temper once more. Denerim smiled at him despite everything. Neriad welcomed all who fought the righteous fight, even if that fight was against themselves. Not all were born equal. Not all could tip the scales, but Neriad assisted each and everyone of those who fought for a better world.


    Denerim would do his part.


    ¡°Sorry, mentor.¡±


    ¡°You are forgiven.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be forgiving right now,¡± the Kark woman grumbled, still in the posture that would allow her to smash Orkan in the ribs in a moment. Denerim wasn¡¯t too worried. Orkan and himself would win without¡­


    His thoughts trailed off as he saw something glint at the edge of his vision, something yellow. He turned his head and saw what looked like a bone statue.


    [golem]


    He did not take the time to inspect more, because at that moment, the construct¡¯s eyes flashed again, and in them he saw a depth of malice that sent a chill down his spine. There was a centennial hatred buried in those orbs that no living creature could ever hope to match, a cold intellect with a will defying logic itself. It would kill him with glee. Denerim did not exist as a person in what passed for the thing¡¯s mind. It was merciless murder incarnate.


    He felt a pulse coming from the caster, a sense of pressure that he knew meant a primed offensive spell. She was also pushing against his soul with a threatening aura, but Denerim had stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest fighters of Param as an elder wyvern bore down on him. She was still a pup.


    ¡°Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot. Would it be fine for me to introduce myself again?¡± he said in an attempt to salvage the meeting.


    ¡°Could you introduce yourself to the closest latrines instead?¡± the witch asked.


    ¡°I assure you, I would not be bothering you if it were not important.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    There were too many things to consider, but it would have to come later. He had a mission that took priority.


    The witch looked at him in the way that screamed ¡®inspection¡¯. She had short, messy light brown hair and beautiful traits. Very exotic. Her elegant poise could have allowed her to pass for a noble were it not for her eyes. They had an edge that more experienced court animals would have smoothed over. And they were a unique green hue that he had never seen before. She was clearly from afar. Even her skin was very pale with a visible network of black veins, but with a healthy flush. It was all rather eye-catching. Dangerous, that.


    She made a sign and the Kark stepped back.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    The throne and the fact that they were not offered seats sent a clear message. Perhaps she was noble after all? Having them stand as if this were a palace and not a rental cottage in the ass end of Param was within the range of dick moves he would expect from a Baranese countess.


    ¡°We have come requesting your assistance in a delicate matter. We have been contacted by an officer of the law to assist with the track of a dangerous criminal.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the witch asked in a cold voice. He felt a spell priming again. The¡­ baby dragon hissed.


    ¡°Yes, and that criminal has been living in Kazar for at least two years,¡± Denerim explained, having anticipated this sort of reaction, ¡°that is why I think that you could help, since you are a recent arrival.¡±


    She blinked.


    She frowned slightly.


    ¡°You are not a prime suspect, if that is what you fear. I really came here to ask for your support,¡± he said, and called upon his Truth skill.


    It was an interesting thing, his Truth skill, a double-edged sword that allowed him to detect falsehoods, but also made him much more reticent to lie. When he activated it, people would feel the candor in his words. Just like the witch did now.


    She sat back in her modest throne and gestured for him to continue. By his side, Orkan settled down.


    ¡°What I will share with you is confidential information. I will ask you not to speak of it, or the cultist will flee and we will lose them.¡±


    ¡°Cultist?¡± she asked with a frown. His Truth skill whispered that her reaction was genuine. It was pretty much a gut feeling.


    ¡°I will get back to it. A few days ago, townspeople went to cut down a stretch of the woods to clear the way for more farms. They found a charnel pit. Five corpses in a mound.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°The bodies were¡­ heavily damaged, but fortunately the citizens of Kazar called upon their prime investigator who recognized the precise cuts used on the remains. Missing thighs, cheeks, calves, biceps. She called us in turn. I do not need to tell you what this means.¡±


    She looked very confused.


    ¡°Errr. You do.¡±


    Again, a genuine reaction. She was innocent.


    ¡°You have never heard about Gomogog?¡±


    She did not move in her seat. Her immobility betrayed an attempt to hide her reaction. To Denerim¡¯s experienced eyes, she might as well have been babbling.


    ¡°Very well. Gomogog is the dark god of flesh, renewal, and hunger. He offers immortality to his followers in exchange for the sacrifice and consumption of sapient flesh.¡±


    ¡°Those cuts mean that someone harvested meat from the bodies¡­¡± she realized with widened eyes. The Kark made the sign of Enttikku, goddess of death. A shiver shook her mighty frame. Orkan just rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Precisely. Prime investigator Tars correctly guessed that the bodies were killed every two months or so, but also that the most recent one dated to a full year back. I suspect that the cultist changes the burial location from time to time to avoid gathering too much attention.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that it¡¯s one cultist and not several?¡±


    Oh? A relevant question. Usually, the first thing people did was to claim that their beloved town could not possibly have such a monster in its midst.


    ¡°The cuts are practically identical. Individual cultists always prepare the... meat... themselves, it is part of their ritual.¡±


    ¡°I see. Why not dispose of the bodies farther into the woods, by the way? Monsters would help them disappear.¡±


    ¡°Unreliable. Although people eaten in such a ritual never rise, body parts can still be found in monster lairs in case of a purge. We were really lucky to find those graves. Whoever that cultist is, they have patiently fed on drifters and scavengers over the years. The proximity of the Deathshield Woods and the convoys going to forts means a myriad of ways to explain a disappearance. Our quarry is clever, yes. Hmmm. They could have been operating for a century and we would not know.¡±


    ¡°How dangerous is a Gomogog cultist exactly?¡±


    Denerim refocused on the conversation.


    ¡°Depends on their food reserves. Alright, I need to delve into the depths of their depravity. Disciples of that foul god sacrifice others to stave off their own mortality, adding their victim¡¯s flesh to their own. They are¡­ larger on the inside, so to speak. They will grow to monstrous size in combat, thus revealing to the world the extent of their corruption. The disciple consumes flesh to heal flesh. So long as they have reserves, they can close even the most grievous of wounds, mutating in a mass of ever-changing musculature.¡±


    ¡°Also they stink,¡± Orkan added helpfully.


    ¡°They can regrow limbs?¡± the witch asked with a frown, one finger idly scratching the dragonling¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Yes. Grow, regrow, multiply. Older disciples can reach prodigious size, but they are always revealed in the end. The insane hunger of their masters spreads through their unholy bodies until they can no longer control themselves. It is always a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Do spells work against them then?¡±


    Denerim and his apprentice exchanged a glance.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the inquisitor explained, ¡°you see, they might resist them like all highly magical beings, but they use mostly life mana.¡±


    ¡°Really? That is¡­ unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Life mana to sustain themselves, a little black mana to corrupt and change. As such, foreign black mana spells are extremely effective against them. As the antithesis of life and preservation, they burn and disrupt the ability to regenerate efficiently. I read Lieutenant Cernit''s report on your inspiring contribution against the undead. Your specialty would serve us well in this struggle.¡±


    ¡°I see so that¡¯s why you wanted me to join. Just to be on the safe end of things, there is another caster in Kazar we shou¡­¡±


    The witch frowned and Denerim saw realization in her widening eyes.


    ¡°You are suspecting her,¡± she exclaimed.


    Denerim felt the witch¡¯s intense distress at the thought that Lady Varska, the resident witch, could be the culprit. She was not afraid, but worried. The two knew each other well.


    ¡°We suspect everyone,¡± the inquisitor continued, ¡°but there are signs that can point us in the right direction. For example, disciples of Gomogog try to dwell in places with a high life mana attunement, and Kazar has one such place.¡±


    The woman frowned.


    ¡°The tree?¡± the Kark asked.


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Denerim said with approval.


    ¡°Aw no, anything but that,¡± the witch continued, ¡°what other signs?¡±


    ¡°Well. They tend to be very protective of their personal space, for obvious reasons. And they would tend to eat a lot, mostly meat.¡±


    The witch relaxed.


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s not Varska at all. She is a herbivore. Mostly. Except for her sweet tooth, really. Though I suppose a disciple would gorge in private?¡±


    ¡°Most of the time, yes. Be careful with your suspicion, young one. The mind tends to focus on its own worst fears instead of searching for the truth.¡±


    ¡°A disciple would live alone, right? Away from their family, if they had one?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯ll try not to focus on my fear.¡±


    ¡°We can go tomorrow and assuage your concerns, and ours. It will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Fine. Pass by after daybreak?¡±


    ¡°We will see you there. Be careful and make sure that your house is secure. Our arrival could have been noticed, though we have done our best to be discreet.¡±


    There was a hint of defiance in the witch now, as she sat back into her throne.


    ¡°This place is safe now. I assure you.¡±


    Truth. Or at least, she believed it was the case. Denerim had to remind himself to be careful, as being truthful and being correct were two entirely separate propositions.


    ¡°See you tomorrow. Take care.¡±


    They left.


    The door closed behind the inquisitor and Viv did her best to take deep breaths. It would be fine.


    ¡°It¡¯s not her,¡± Marruk said.


    Viv turned to the one who had started as precaution but was quickly turning into a friend. The Kark warrior¡¯s big, honest face showed a level of confidence that Viv wished she could share. Varska was an exile with little to lose. She bore a stigma in her flesh that Gomogog could perhaps heal. She lived near the Kazaran tree. It did not look too good.


    On the other hand¡­ no it would be too weird. Too big of a coincidence. She had invited Viv to her home. But what if it was to eat her¡­ No. No. Or yes?


    //I agree with Marruk¡¯s assessment of the situation, Your Grace.


    //Although mine is based on rigorous observation rather than fleshy wishful thinking.


    //I have slain Gomogog disciples in the past.


    //If your¡­ ¡®mentor¡¯... were a follower of a dark god, she would have acted before.


    //Gomogog followers are not known for their impulse control.


    //It is not her.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    //Almost entirely, yes.


    //Set your mind at ease.


    ¡°Ok. Ok..¡±


    Marruk locked the front door and placed a chair under the knob to block the access, for good measure. She yawned mightily, showing her large flat teeth in an uncharacteristic display.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to bed. Big hunt tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thanks for being there.¡±


    ¡°Always. Good night.¡±

 Chapter 41. Investigation

    That inquisitor called Denerim came back as Viv was having breakfast. Marruk was chewing on a warm bun with a vacant expression as the man let himself in with that weird dude that gave Viv punk vibes. The idealized type that screamed their rage with a guitar and threw rocks at riot cops. And he had shiny tattoos. Her inspection skill only said that he was an inquisitor apprentice though.


    Denerim told her that he and Orkan had to fetch their gear first, and to wait for them at home. Viv thought that it was super inefficient but whatever, it would give Marruk a moment to rest her eyes. Even with the magic reinforcing people¡¯s stamina, it was clear that the door-wielding bodyguard was suffering from fatigue. It was an exertion of the mind that made the usually stoic warrior despondent and even a bit grumpy.


    Then there was a knock at the door.


    Marruk went up and checked through the shuttered window. Her face froze.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gogen. The housekeeper.¡±


    Fuck.


    What if¡­


    Viv was getting paranoid. Was the old, portly woman hiding a terrible secret?


    She turned to Solfis.


    //If she attacks you while I am here, she will die.


    ¡°Ok. Marruk, let her in, but keep a distance. Let Solfis react.¡±


    The Kark woman nodded slowly, then opened the door. Gogen unhesitantly entered the room.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said.


    Viv looked into the depth of those bovine brown eyes and saw nothing there. Her visitor displayed the malice and cunning of a snail laying waste to a piece of lettuce. She took her surroundings with a look, huffed, and started to dust the table Viv was sitting at.


    Gogen was an amazingly ugly woman, as if someone had carefully arranged the proportion of someone to maximize her plain appearance without ever dipping into the unhealthy or the grotesque. Quite an achievement, really.


    Viv watched, tense, for a tentacle to sprout out of the woman¡¯s back.


    It did not happen.


    The old Kazaran frump grabbed her broom and swept the floor with practiced efficiency. All the while, she was breathing loudly through her half-open mouth, eyes glazed, with a bit of drool dripping down her lips.


    Viv half expected an evil cackle, accompanied by a shriek of ¡°no one ever suspects the cleaning lady nyaaaahahahaha!¡± But no. Gogen finished her task in ten minutes and left, barely acknowledging Viv¡¯s embarrassed ¡®thanks¡¯.


    ¡°Fuck, I really hope this gets over with soon or I¡¯ll never go out again,¡± the witch said.


    ¡°We must face the challenge head-on,¡± Marruk agreed. She yawned again. ¡°If we can find it,¡± she added.


    Thankfully, the inquisitors returned before any more brilliant insight was bestowed upon Viv.


    The pair had picked up nondescript suits of armor. They look like temple guards now, with a white cape over leather and chainmail.


    Viv studied them again. The older one was tall and broad and very scruffy. He was also quite handsome in a dignified, solid kind of way. Even had the grey at the temples. He wore a well-used and quite obviously enchanted broadsword by his side. The younger one had a hooked nose, very dark hair and he was all edges. Especially with those red tattoos. He also wielded a broadsword, but on the other side he had nasty curved blade that looked like it was designed to bite around shields. The contrast between both blades was quite jarring. The curved one had seen much use.


    Viv decided to leave Solfis behind as she thought that the two inquisitors might be enough to at least hold back the thing as Viv ran. They moved out.


    ¡°It¡¯s very unlikely that your cleaning servant is the cultist, but you were right to keep your guard up,¡± Denerim said.


    ¡°So, except for, errrr, Gomogog, what other cults do you usually deal with?¡± Viv asked in an attempt to distract herself.


    ¡°The most commonly worshipped one is Efestar. Before I continue, do they not worship dark gods where you come from?¡±


    ¡°This kind of dark knowledge is hidden in my home country. Possibly censored,¡± Viv answered noncommittally.


    The inquisitor looked at her weirdly but he did not comment on the half-truth.


    ¡°I see? Well, Efestar is the God of Resentment. His domain is that of the petty revenge, the secret scheme, the malevolent lies. His followers are always required to sacrifice something, or someone, of value to them to bring destruction on another. They are always the hardest to detect since the boon comes in a form that could be explained by fate or bad luck. A blight on one¡¯s crop, for example. Once the treachery is found, however, finding the culprit is usually straightforward. Just find whoever suffered as well.¡±


    ¡°This seems like a recipe for disaster. People who just got their lives ruined always look for a cause. It¡¯s just too easy to blame it on someone else.¡±


    Denerim turned to her, showing a bitter smile.


    ¡°Dark gods corrupt and destroy as much as they can, and they are most pleased when men turn on themselves without their input. Such is their nature.¡±


    Just then, the younger man¡¯s tattoos flashed a deeper red before settling down yet again.


    ¡°Hmm, can I ask about the tattoos?¡± Viv asked with all the tact and diplomatic touch of a drunken rhino.


    ¡°I used to be a Hallurian warborn,¡± the young man said defensively.


    ¡°Ooooooh,¡± Marruk and Viv echoed. Everything had suddenly become clear.


    Well, no.


    But at least they knew where to start.


    The mentee, Orkan, glared at them as if he expected a remark.


    ¡°So, tattoos are a warborn thing?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her paranoia had successfully been replaced by a deep sense of cringe.


    ¡°I¡¯m just tired, makes me say stupid things.¡±


    ¡°Do you often wake up tired?¡± Marruk asked.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Huhu.¡±


    The discussion was nicely distractive, but it died out as they approached Kazar¡¯s central plaza, where the massive purple-leaved tree stood as the original bulwark against the deadlands. Viv had always thought of it as a relaxing, exotic feature. Now that she also knew that it was a cultist magnet, the imposing paragon of nature had lost some of its charm. The sight of the tower filled her with a deep sense of dread. Not only had Varska become her ex, there was a remote possibility that a tentacular horror hid under all that fragile elegance, the soft skin, the delicate floral touch, the blush, and the way the banished beauty averted her eyes and frowned when she felt attraction.


    Fuck.


    The Helock mage had burrowed her way to Viv¡¯s soft and mushy heart.


    Viv banged on the door, and was let in by a particularly grumpy old housekeeper wearing her nightcloth. It was still the ass crack of dawn, after all. They climbed up three sets of stairs and Viv, again, banged on another door.


    Varska opened the door wearing something like a bathrobe, but thin. Viv¡¯s eyes drifted south to two well-defined pert breasts before she managed to refocus on the grave matter at hand. Damn her brain.


    ¡°Sorry, this is serious and concerns Kazar¡¯s security. Can you meet us in the lounge?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Varska¡¯s hair was elegantly mussy and she was a little bleary-eyed, but the ¡®I will throw you off a cliff¡¯ expression turned to business as soon as Viv¡¯s words registered.


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    She slammed the door in Viv¡¯s face.


    Fair.


    It still stung a bit.


    They went back to sit in the lobby¡¯s comfortable chairs, all armed and armored like they had a noon appointment inside the walls of Jerusalem and the moors disagreed. Never had Viv seen such an awkward, socially inept gathering of idiots since her boyfriend¡¯s birthday party back when she was eleven. Fucking awful. She almost prayed that the tentacular horror would burst out the door to bring an end to her torture.


    Varska walked in exactly two minutes later, wearing a light green dress and hair held up in a no-nonsense tail. She crucified every attendant with her glare as she took her seat. Viv reddened. Marruk lowered her eyes. The paladin gave the fakest of smiles and his apprentice glared back.


    ¡°I hope you have excellent reasons to disturb my rest.¡±


    Viv had plenty of good reasons to disturb her oh for fuck sake not that again the pressure was making her horny. And now the moment of truth was upon her and her stomach was drilling down her chest in an icy avalanche to settle slightly above her bladder.


    Viv did not want Varska to be the worshipper.


    Please no. Anything but that.


    ¡°There is an acolyte of Gomogog in the city. One who has been here for a while,¡± Denerim started as Viv was paralyzed by anxiety.


    Varska leaned forward, expression blank.


    ¡°Are you quite sure?¡±


    ¡°We have found a charnel pit with ritual victims. There is no mistake.¡±


    Varska slowly sat back down into her couch, eyes lost in deep thought in a way that Viv recognized. Varska was in full focus mode. She would not even answer questions. Then, a torrent of words erupted from her lips.


    ¡°Here for a long time so no recent immigrant, possibly low-profile, lives alone or with enough personal space to carry out their activity, close to the tree for added potency, unchanged over a period of¡­ oh. OH! THAT MOTHER. FUCKING. BI¡ª¡±


    Viv¡¯s danger sense shook her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Beginner 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The door to the lower level exploded inward and a thin clawed limb punched through it.


    Everything happened very quickly.


    Varska managed to raise a thin shield of brown and green. The attacking bone pierced through it and burrowed deeply into her left arm.


    The Hallurian swung and cleanly severed the offending tentacle with Denerim charging right behind.


    Marruk dove for Varska¡¯s falling form, interposing her shield. She glanced back to check that Viv was ok.


    Viv was last to act despite having used her heightened perception as soon as the noise of cracking wood had reached her ear. She waited for the fighters to engage and angled a purge left, under a couple more tentacles and into the body behind it.


    It screeched and threw itself forward.


    A solid mass of pinkish, muscular flesh without skin slammed into Marruk¡¯s door which, against all odds, held. The Kark woman¡¯s mace was now playing against her as the single strike she managed hardly had any effect. The two inquisitors were having much more success. Their blades bit deep into the creature and golden flames licked their edges, preventing them from closing at all. Great spurts of blood covered the expensive carpets.


    Viv cast successive purge spells. They were barely penetrating the creature¡¯s highly resilient flesh, but the wounds were not healing either.


    The acolyte shrieked and burst through the nearest window, leaving a man-sized, circular hole behind like a looney toons character. The afterimage of a humanoid shape with tendrils coming out of its back remained seared in Viv¡¯s retina. It had been simply too quick to see clearly.


    The two inquisitors jumped after it at the same moment. No hesitation.


    Viv returned her gaze to Varska, kneeling on the floor and applying a healing spell to her punctured shoulder. Marruk stood protectively above the mage. Viv saw that she was quite pale. Beads of sweat pearled on her paling brow.


    ¡°Are you alr¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for? GO AFTER IT!¡±


    Viv took a few steps forward and looked down.


    They were on the fifth floor.


    Below, the two men had engaged the monster, which had grown to hippopotamic proportions but not quite elephantine proportions yet. A peasant woman laid in a pool of her own blood, the entire right side of her torso missing. A child was screaming.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    Marruk grabbed Viv in a firefighter carry and jumped down.


    ¡°Ah, FU¡ª¡±


    ¡°Keep it off the tree!¡± Varska¡¯s voice came. It was frantic.


    They landed on the plaza¡¯s pavement with a grunt. Marruk dropped Viv and charged forward. The acolyte and the two inquisitors were caught in a deadly dance around the tree¡¯s base. The acolyte was aiming for the tree, probably to do something drastic now that its cover was blown. The men fought it off, coordination and technique against random savagery. They were not winning, or at least, not fast enough.


    Viv sprinted towards the creature while, in her mind, a strange split occurred.


    One part was casting overcharged purge after purge on the monster¡¯s pink¡¯s skin. Grey scales started to form on its flank to mitigate her attacks and a tendril slashed her way, only to be deflected by Marruk¡¯s fearless form.


    Another part was shocked. The speed at which the combatants moved was like watching a kung-fu movie in fast forward. It was insane. Insane!


    The last part was relief.


    At least, it was not Varska.


    She managed to get close enough.


    ¡°Werfer!¡±


    The small, localized, and fast blight spell would not have hit if Orkan had not dug its hooked blade in one of the creature¡¯s limbs to throw it off balance. The shadowy flames hit its shoulder with a terrible hiss. The creature recoiled in pain for the first time since the beginning of the fight. It also opened three eyes from under its armpit ¡ª tentacle pit? ¡ª and they zeroed on Viv.


    The acolyte bounded away towards her, ignoring two devastating slashes on its flank. Viv noted in passing a limb going up and raking a low branch. Violet flowers faded and fell where it hit.


    That was bad.


    The creature dodged under another werfer and simply tanked an overcharged purge, swallowing back eyes under thick scales before they could be burnt. Marruk expertly blocked three strikes.


    Then the creature¡¯s chest split open like an exploding carcass, showing purple, veiny flesh and half-formed, football-sized human molars.


    It screamed.


    Viv yelled in pain and brought her hands to her ears, and so did the two inquisitors. Only Marruk stood steadfast. A few tentacles merged into a larger limb with impossible, horrific speed and slammed the brave defender aside. The creature jumped on Viv.


    Mages often depended on gestures and rituals.


    Instinctive casters like Viv did not.


    ¡°Werfer¡±


    Hands still clutched on her ears, Viv allowed the wave of pure, destructive black mana to emerge from her core instead of her arms. The familiar, eager power overloaded her conduits in its enthusiasm to get out and do what it was designed to do. The spell caught the acolyte full on as it was already in the air and incapable of dodging. Viv felt a moment of triumph as she rolled to the side and let the smoldering horror show screech its way above her head.


    She sprinted away and towards Marruk while looking back. The thing flayed with small tendrils which she blocked with a large, all directional nope shield. She felt exhilaration when a large chunk of corrupted flesh simply shed from the whole, reducing the creature to a more manageable size.


    Marruk rushed back in and thwacked a tentacle away, the pair of inquisitors fanning around her. They renewed their attacks. Viv¡¯s mind was getting tired though and her perception slowed down. It became difficult to follow the insanely quick combat. The combatants were barely more than blurry forms to her at this stage, striding across the plaza in a flurry of flesh and golden-tinged steel. A show as terrifying as it was awesome.


    Viv shook her head and resolved to help however she could by throwing an overcharged purge when she thought she could land one. The inquisitors somehow gave her openings despite their lack of familiarity with her fighting style. Every time they left her a clear path, she flayed the creature¡¯s flesh with thick threads of annihilation. Marruk repulsed any attempt at killing her from afar.


    But the fighters were tiring. As they finished a full circle of the plaza and were back where they had started, the acolyte tore off and threw one of its arms in the path of one of Viv¡¯s spells. It rushed between the pair and ignored the attacks on its back.


    It was aiming straight for the tree.


    Viv was no expert, but she guessed that a creature of corruption touching a defenseless symbol of purity was a bad thing. She raced after it with Marruk by her side.


    ¡°Help me stop it.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    Viv looked to the side. The Kark warrior¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and she was bleeding from both ears.


    ¡°You¡¯re deafened.¡±


    ¡°YES! I DEFEND!¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    They were not going to make it in time.


    Denerim screamed something and the symbol of Neriad appeared on the creature¡¯s back. It slowed down the more it tried to flee. Orkan¡¯s tattoos flashed red and he planted his hooked blade into the ground, through the thing¡¯s temporary back leg. Once more, the creature shed flesh to escape.


    Corded muscle stretched to the undefended trunk.


    There was a thud, like a baseball bat hitting a face if both were the size of a bus.


    Where the acolyte used to be, there was now a denuded root jutting up. Viv backpedaled and looked around, not quite understanding, until something smashed into a far wall.


    The other three were already sprinting back. The acolyte¡¯s diminished form was rebuilding bones at the base of Varska¡¯s tower but the mage of Kazar had apparently had enough. Thorny brambles burst through the pavement to form manacles around it. For every one it tore off, three more encircled it. Viv did not dare cast to avoid destroying the binds, and she did not have to. A heavy arrow punched through the heavy plates forming on the monster¡¯s surface. The projectile came from Koro, the Amazon member of the Temple Guard. Their leader Lorn joined the fray.


    Their coming heralded the beginning of the end. The front of the tower soon turned into a veritable butcher shop of wrecked stone and slabs of bloody, pulsating flesh of various sizes. The acolyte had to discard gobbets of meat as soon as they were burned and purified. In the end, only a heavily deformed head filled with serrated teeth was left in the midst of an expanding pool of gore.

 Chapter 42. Strange allies

    Silence descended upon the battlefield as the combatants caught their breath. The Inquisitors were spent and covered in sweat. The temple guard had fared a little better. Viv picked up a tiny vial of high quality mending potion and gave it to Marruk who gulped it down gratefully. The Kark woman then busied herself shoving her large fingers up her itchy ears.


    ¡°Whoo. That went pretty well,¡± Orkan said, wiping blood from his blades.


    The comment was extremely poorly received.


    Denerim looked up from the kneeling position he had taken and pointed his chin at the corpse of the half-devoured woman. As the crisis had passed, her child ran back to shake her lifeless body with heart-wrenching sobs of pure grief.


    ¡°What? You know I¡¯m right,¡± the Hallurian insisted.


    ¡°Some tact, please.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. Anyway, good stuff.¡±


    ¡°Not good stuff,¡± Lorn interrupted. The Temple Guard captain stood with all his height as the rest of his company formed up around him, all steely mail and white cloth. He fixed them with a furious scowl. It now occured to Viv that the inquisitors had ¡®borrowed¡¯ his troop¡¯s uniform and probably without asking.


    Varska half-stumbled through her door, the wound in her shoulder bound with a reddening cloth.


    ¡°Is she dead?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Denerim assured.


    ¡°Explanations. Now!¡± Lorn demanded.


    A group was gathering around them. Viv also noticed Corel running in with a contingent of guards in tow.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Varska,¡± Viv told Marruk who nodded while inspecting a bloody finger. She approached the pale-faced mage. Varska had a vacant look.


    ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡±


    Varska¡¯s response was immediate. She lifted a delicate finger, then bent forward and emptied the full content of her stomach. Mostly tea.


    ¡°Please excuse me while I regurgitate every meal I took in the last two years.¡±


    Viv did the only thing she could and held the woman¡¯s hair back as she dry-heaved.


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely sure that she didn¡¯t feed you anything off though.¡±


    A murderous glance.


    ¡°And, pray tell, do you think that the acolyte of Gomogog used a different set of knives to part my dishes.¡±


    ¡°Pretty fucking sure, yeah,¡± Viv replied immediately. The acolyte was depraved, not stupid. Why take the risk of using a cursed tool to cook for someone who might have mana perception in the third tier?


    Varska frowned, but she did not object and was already looking less, well, nauseous.


    ¡°Huh. Anyway, now my reputation is thoroughly ruined. People will see me and realize I shared my quarters with a monster for years. Years! I am such a fool.¡±


    ¡°Good thing that you were actively involved in its demise then. How long did she live here anyway?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the cause of my anguish! She served my predecessor, a retired warmage, until his death. I never thought to check how long she had been here before or I would have perhaps suspected something.¡±


    ¡°The warmage, he¡­¡±


    ¡°Choked on a fishbone. Tars double-checked.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°A shitty death for a retired fighter. Yes. Thank you. Any other valuable feedback you would like to share?¡±


    Viv knew when someone had reached bitch mood and it was better to leave them alone. She raised her hands in surrender and stepped back.


    ¡°Wait! Wait,¡± Varska said. She took a deep breath and winced.


    ¡°Your wound¡­¡±


    ¡°She managed to suck some of my mana but otherwise it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry. I just¡­ I am taking it out on you. You came to... ¡°


    Varska assessed her.


    ¡°You thought I was the creature.¡±


    ¡°No, but I was afraid you might be. Terrified, even.¡±


    Viv did not know how her honesty was received. Varska appeared lost in thought and she heard fragments of conversation behind. Lorn had focused his ire on Denerim, but the inquisitor had taken out a badge and now it was the temple guard captain¡¯s turn to answer some pointed questions under Orkan¡¯s smug look. On the other side, Corel was conducting an increasingly frustrating interview with Marruk.


    ¡°Did you know that there was an acolyte?¡±


    A long pause.


    ¡°Not until yesterday at night.¡±


    ¡°When did you meet the inquisitors?¡±


    A long pause.


    ¡°Yesterday at night.¡±


    ¡°Were they the one who informed you of that fact?¡±


    A long pause.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to make me wait even for the most basic questions?¡±


    A long pause.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Maranor¡¯s sword, the two of you will be the death of me.¡±


    Viv could only see the Kark¡¯s broad, armored shoulder from there but she knew the stout woman was grinning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Varska said from behind. The mage stood up and brushed her blood-stained dress with one hand. She had a strange, chastised look that didn¡¯t befit her.


    ¡°I messed up again, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that figuring out your roommate is a cannibalistic monster gives you space for some allowance. No worries.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t you see? I¡­ I did not find out! It¡¯s all¡­ again¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow wow wow, she was not a hermit and lived in front of a temple of Neriad, right? Lots of people had lots of opportunities to find out and didn¡¯t. Maybe the acolyte was just good at being what she was. Your predecessor did not succeed either.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orkan said as he approached the pair, ¡°this was the fastest hunt we¡¯ve ever done. You ladies impress me. We could not have succeeded without you.¡±


    He grinned, the expression slightly threatening with the glowing tattoos disappearing in his raven-black hair. Varska sniffed. Orkan persisted.


    ¡°Normally, it takes weeks and then the acolyte always manages to eat a few people on the way. That¡¯s what Denerim said, at least. This is only my second time hunting one with him.¡±


    Varska was not very receptive. She stood up and disappeared back into her tower, sparing one last glance to Viv.


    ¡°Come see me tomorrow.¡±


    Then she slammed the door closed.


    Orkan sighed heavily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it too personally. She¡¯s had some difficult moments recently,¡± Viv tried. It felt like being the only mature adult in a trio.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°You know, back in Halluria, women would queue to spend the night with me. I could not enter a new fortress without finding someone in my bed. But here everyone looks at me with disgust.¡±


    He looked dejected. Viv wondered what she had done in a past life to deserve the details on the love life of a servant of the church.


    ¡°Don¡¯t inquisitors swear vows of chastity or something?¡± Viv asked.


    Orkan was shocked. Nay, scandalized.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°Well you could always visit the Spotted Feather before you leave. I¡¯m sure that they would accomodate you.¡±


    ¡°Me? Paying for sex?¡±


    ¡°Well duh.¡±


    The warborn¡¯s eyes turned contemplative.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can convince Denerim to splurge for a night. Maybe some action will distract him from that Simishe woman he bones every time we go back to base. And we did save a lot of money by finding the acolyte so fast. Stroke of luck, that was, hmmm.¡±


    Lucky indeed.


    Corel interrogated Viv in turn not long after that. His questions were similar to what he asked Marruk and Viv gave the same answer, but without the delay. She could not be arsed. Denerim flew to the rescue as they were two minutes in.


    ¡°Black Witch Bob acted as my deputy during this hunt. Surely you have better things to do than to pester the heroine of the hour?¡±


    ¡°One last question, if you will,¡± the dour man insisted, ¡°why is that every time something happens here, you two are involved?¡± he asked, eyeing Viv and her yawning Kark sidekick.


    ¡°Because we get shit done?¡± Viv replied innocently.


    That was it for the interview. Lorn made for Viv, but a sharp glare from Denerim dissuaded him. The head inquisitor had given enough of his time to smoothen things out with the local populace.


    ¡°Thanks for the help. I will walk you two back to your house and then the good captain and I will handle and sanctify the acolyte¡¯s lair. Orkan will keep an eye on your friend, make sure she is fine.¡±


    ¡°Could she have been poisoned or something?¡±


    ¡°No, Gomogog is not about poison. That would be Octas the Spider Queen.¡±


    ¡°Another one of those dark gods?¡±


    Denerim raised an amused brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we are trying to start a collection.¡±


    They made their way to the outskirts with Marruk trailing them, beyond exhausted. It had been an interesting morning. Viv waited until the trio had gone through the assembled loiterers before asking the question that had been burning on her lips since the beginning of the fight.


    ¡°I cannot help but notice that the acolyte could heal and regrow stuff.¡±


    ¡°Caught that, did you?¡±


    ¡°But healing spells do not regrow arms. Instead, they form healthy stumps. What gives?¡±


    Denerim looked alarmed, and a bit wary as well.


    ¡°No no, the acolytes corrupt and denature life mana for their own twisted ways. You cannot use the same method on a person. The results would be horrific!¡±


    Viv was crestfallen.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you accept my words? So easily?¡±


    ¡°I figure that you would know about that sort of stuff since you are, you know, an inquisitor. And you don¡¯t look like the type to lie.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Most people dislike inquisitors in general, despite our efforts. It does not help that our appearance always heralds disaster. In any case, the healing magic only closes a wound that could have potentially healed by itself. That is why light damage to five organs can be healed but if someone has their liver destroyed, they cannot be saved, for example.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s the thing,¡± Viv replied, annoyed, ¡°every cell in the body carries the information required to build the entire body. Why not use either that or other limbs for a blueprint. Everyone has a liver, no? Why not copy one from someone compatible or something? Why is it not possible?¡±


    Denerim looked at her like she had sprouted an extra head.


    ¡°What¡¯s a cell?¡±


    ¡°Gods dammit.¡±


    In the end, Viv explained that her home nation had tried to better understand the body instead of better understanding magic (technically true, at least to her), and that they had discovered quite a bit. She explained cells, then used a metaphor to explain DNA and how stem cells could potentially be created then ¡®molded¡¯ into the desired limb. She knew that researchers in Japan had even successfully converted adult body cells back into stem cells. The potential was there, and with the use of magic, surely, something could be done?


    ¡°Just imagine, you must have a lot of people maimed in the line of battle, right? All those people could be healed if we figure out how to use magic to help the body remember what it should look like!¡±


    ¡°But we would have to regrow the conduits.¡±


    ¡°Then we would need to figure it out, but at least we gotta start somewhere, yeah?¡±


    The inquisitor¡¯s eyes grew distant.


    ¡°It would take well-controlled black mana for its change potential, and life mana. In theory¡­ but no, there would be too much risk. People would die.¡±


    ¡°We would not use it on humans first, of course. It starts with animal trials, then moves to volunteers only after the tests are conclusive. Have some standards, please.¡±


    They had almost reached their house and Denerim was still mulling over the new information.


    ¡°This all sounds so crazy. But you believe it. Tell you what, master the change aspect of black mana and contact me via Farren. I will arrange something.¡±


    It was Viv¡¯s turn to be shocked.


    ¡°Wait, you just told me that body modification was a horrible thing I should never try. I never expected you to agree with me. I was just venting.¡±


    ¡°You forget two things. First, I can pray to Neriad to confirm that this is a good idea. If I receive his blessing, it will mean that we can go ahead. Second, it¡¯s clear that you are an outlander, so you have knowledge that we lack. Or forgot.¡±


    Viv was worried. It was clear to her that, caster or not, the inquisitor could kill her if he wanted. Of course, Solfis would tear him in two afterward but a fanatic might decide that it was worth it.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that,¡± the older man said. ¡°We do not hunt outlanders like some nations do. Why do people always believe that we are out to slaughter everyone? Besides, you already helped us immensely in the short time that you were here, between this and the necromancers. We, the inquisition, have your back.¡±


    That was too weird to be fully comforting.


    ¡°Is it really that easy to tell that I¡¯m an outlander?¡±


    ¡°Most people would not think of it, but we inquisitors are trained to delve into questions and theories. Honestly, your strange skin tone, your weird eyes, the accent, the teleportation accident story? It¡¯s a shame that it took me so long to figure it out. I must be getting old.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Well, we are here. I¡¯ll see you around?¡± Viv asked at the gate to her mansion.


    ¡°We will probably depart shortly. We would not want to further exhaust our welcome, hmm? Remember what I said. When you have a decent knowledge of the change aspect of black mana, we can get to work. The church cannot help you with that. We do not attract black mana practitioners. Take care now.¡±


    Viv practically dragged Marruk in. The poor woman was dead on her feet.


    ¡°Wait. Was that part of the garden so turned? Did you do some gardening? I swear it was not like that this morning.¡±


    Marruk muttered something unintelligible and Viv decided to let it go. They went through the door. Arthur trotted across the room to greet her.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you too. Did something happen while I was away?¡±


    //Nothing of import occured during your absence.


    //I believe that Arthur missed you.


    //She has displayed signs of impatience.


    ¡°She probably wanted to fly out, but it was too dangerous. Here you go now, little one. Solfis, believe it or not but we found the culprit in exactly two minutes of investigation. It has to be some sort of record¡­¡±


    Viv put Marruk to bed and came back to gossip with the golem. She did not notice the bloody cloth stashed under Arthur¡¯s lair.


    Outside Viv¡¯s house, an hour earlier.


    ¡°You go in, grab what you can, trash the place and leave, remember? In and out, no dallying, no fire, and no killing the drake if you can avoid it.¡±


    The mercenary leader was named Kelto, and he was out of patience.


    The three men in front of him nodded nervously. There were two thugs who were on their third break-in attempt, and a thief hired for the occasion. Kelto had splurged on the last one. No choice. He had a reputation to salvage.


    Everyone knew by now that his attempt to intimidate the witch had ended in failure. Normally, his chainmail and scarred cheeks created fear in the hearts of others, but now, sneers and jeers often followed him. Something had to be done.


    He had tried to steal her belongings and leave a knife to show that she was not as invulnerable as she thought. The first time, his men had been surprised by the drake. The second time, they had to contend with a network of traps and pits that only a vicious mind backed by skills could have created. He had even interrogated the housekeeper, Gogen, but the daft cow had only sobbed and repeated that she was there to clean. Worse, it turned out that Gogen was well-liked and had thirteen children, half of whom were in the guard.


    Things became unpleasant for him after that.


    He had to strike hard. He gave the signal.


    The three men raced across the deserted street. The thief did something with his hands, and the ward on the door did not ring when he picked the lock. They disappeared inside.


    In the house, the two thugs approached the pile of covers they suspected harbored the beast of Kazar. The horrid, white reptilian creature emerged from its nest with crimson eyes shining ominously in the dim light. While the thief inspected a bedroom door, they took out a net and brandished their clubs.


    The door slammed close. All three men jumped.


    There was a nightmarish creation before them. A tall, skeletal frame of glyph-covered bones and two orbs shining a baleful yellow dug deep into a featureless skull, twin horns jutting up and back. It towered over them, one monstrous hand flat against their exit.


    //ARMED INTRUDERS DETECTED.


    //IMPERIAL CHAMBERS AEGIS PROTOCOL ACTIVATED.


    //MAXIMUM STRENGTH AUTHORIZED.


    ¡°No¡­ Please¡­¡± one of the thugs mewled.


    //ERROR.


    //MERCY MODULE NOT FOUND.


    //FAREWELL, MEATBAGS.


    They screamed.


    Back outside, Kelto heard a commotion. The door opened and a titanic undead abomination stepped out, claws bloody.


    Kelto ran.


    Solfis dragged the first corpse behind himself, and grabbed a shovel off the wall. He delicately removed one of Marruk¡¯s spiked traps from a flower bed and started digging, his skull emitting a sibilant, high-pitched warble of pleasure.


    It felt good to be alive again.

 Chapter 43. Spring

    Viv blew on her cup of hot klod and took a bite of roll. Solfis was quiet for now, and Marruk was yet to emerge from her lair. Only Arthur bounced excitedly from foot to foot, crimson eyes aimed north towards the town center.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± she asked.


    There was a yelp, a bang, and a pallid Kark woman politely opened the door, hair messy and eyes bloodshot to hell. Viv thought that she looked like a med student after a three-days bender.


    ¡°You got a few days of break stored up. Would you like to use them now? I think we¡¯re safe.¡±


    Marruk blinked. Her face scrunched in concentration as tired synapses half-assedly pushed electrons around. Eventually, the incredibly complex proposal was successfully deciphered.


    ¡°Sleep more?¡±


    ¡°Yes, go rest you big lug. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Sleep.¡±


    The woman about-faced with the precision of an officer at parade and promptly left. The door closed. A body impacted a hard mattress. Viv heard soft snores.


    ¡°I think she was tired.¡±


    //A good ruler keeps her servants healthy.


    //A good balance must be struck between contribution to the empire and attention to the self.


    //Or so it was written.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll just nap for a while.¡±


    Someone knocked lightly on the door.


    ¡°Or not.¡±


    Viv checked through the window to see a peasant boy in simple clothes. He held an envelope in his grubby hands.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she demanded, opening the door.


    The boy jumped back and held the envelope before him like a talisman.


    ¡°It¡¯s just.. I¡¯m just¡­ Beg your pardon¡­ I¡¯m, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a message for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°From whom?¡±


    ¡°Lady Varska. Shetoldmetogetiittoyouinpersonposthaste.¡±


    ¡°You did. Well done.¡±


    Viv still used her perception to observe the package because she was careful, not paranoid. She had real enemies, big difference.


    [envelope]


    Thanks.


    Viv grabbed two iron talents and tipped the boy, who looked on with wonder in his grimy face.


    ¡°Thanks a bunch, your ladyship.¡±


    ¡°That is fine. Off you go now, shoo shoo.¡±


    Feeling positively princessly, Viv went back in and opened the missive, sipping her cup in her comfortable robe while Arthur added her warmth to her lap.


    ¡°I am one world domination plan short of the Bond villain. Look at that. Hmm.¡±


    Arthur peered curiously at the words. Viv could swear that her beautiful red eyes followed the symbols, trying to discern the meaning in the words. Maybe the dragonling had started to understand human writing? Viv had started reading slowly as a way to stimulate the adorable little terror, but¡­ Oh well.


    ¡°And what does Varska say?¡± Viv wondered aloud, ¡°Let¡¯s read.


    ¡®Dear Lady Bob.


    It would be my pleasure if you could be so inclined as to join me for the Spring Celebration preparations. As your friend and mentor, I wish to guide you through the step of this ancient and respected tradition, and I¡ª¡±


    At this stage the forcibly elegant calligraphy of Varska degenerated into a smudged mess.


    ¡°Ah screw all this. Please come, I am growing mad over here. I am sorry for everything. I will explain the spring festival though. I will understand if you do not come, but please come.


    -Varska¡¯


    Viv placed the expensive paper on the table.


    ¡°It appears that we are being summoned. What do you think, Solfis?¡±


    //Although this will slow down your training, I approve.


    //It is important for sovereigns to appear at public functions.


    //Mage Varska will also explain the proper protocol to you.


    //Additionally, I estimate that she will be 97% useless in the next three days from a training perspective.


    //Spending time together is a smart use of your resources.


    ¡°Alright¡­ then I¡¯m going. Are you coming too?¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Viv cleaned herself and dressed in a comfortable outfit. She had no doubt that Varska would find a myriad of things to say if she even attempted to pick up proper attire without knowing about the tradition. Might as well go in something that she could easily change out of, and allow the little fusspot to play dress up.


    Viv walked out, taking care to leave a message to Marruk, the pay for the past weeks, and locking behind her properly. Her bodyguard was insistent that Viv did not step out of the path in the small garden, and Viv thought she was worried about something. An intrusion, perhaps? In any case, better be careful.


    The streets of Kazar were filled with smiling groups of men and women preparing for the celebration, which Viv realized was going to start that very night.


    ¡°Farren did tell me. It must have passed my mind, what with the flesh eating cannibalistic monster.¡±


    Many of the villagers greeted her politely, and she nodded so many times she thought her head might detach. People were cooking, cleaning, attaching little pennants and bouquets of wildflowers to doorways and sills. Little girls attached flowers to their hair while boys were heading to a field outside where competitions were already going at it. It was as if the monster attack had never occured. It came to show the resilience of the people of Nyil, Viv thought. Come hell or high water, they would still live and endure, because the monster attacks would never stop. They might as well enjoy it while they could.


    Only when Viv reached the plazza did the atmosphere change a bit. There were more guards than usual and people avoided the place, and still they were smiling and talking about, from what Viv could hear, girls.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask Litara to dance with me.¡±


    ¡°Good luck to you, friend. As for me, the old woman and I have planned to spend the night with another couple.¡±


    Scandalous.


    Viv finally arrived in front of the tower with absolutely no one stopping her. The damage to the pavement was only partially repaired, but it had been done overnight which made Kazaran civil engineers on par with modern earth ones, probably. The massive hole in the tower¡¯s wall was completely closed by slightly darker bricks though. Viv knocked on the door.


    And waited.


    ¡°Think she forgot that no one was here to open the door?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Squeeeee¡­¡±


    But no, the door rotated inward to reveal a very flustered mage.


    ¡°Sorry, I stood up too fast and spilled jam on my shirt. Come in, come in.¡±


    Viv was very much amused. Arthur jumped off her arms (the creature was getting heavier by the day) and scurried off the stairs with her tail high, off to sniff the greenhouse plants. For some reason, the riot of colors was a great source of entertainment.


    Viv followed Varska up the stairs. The door to her housekeeper¡¯s quarters was locked and sealed with the symbol of Neriad.


    ¡°The inquisitors found the ritual site in a cave in the forest yesterday. Most of the stuff here was mundane, except for a few dark texts and preserved meat that they purified on the spot. I¡¯ll have everything cleared and burnt after the celebration,¡± Varska explained.


    ¡°Did they give you much pain?¡±


    ¡°Everyone was cold. Colder than usual, in any case. We are all feeling stupid that she lived under our nose for so long.¡±


    ¡°Shared bad moments have a tendency to do that. Don¡¯t worry, in a few weeks, this will be replaced by another crisis and people will remember you for your contribution. We are the only two locals involved in killing the acolyte, anyway.¡±


    Varska did not reply. She did tilt her head in consideration.


    In reality, Viv knew that people would blame her for a long time simply because it was expedient to do so. Admitting that they were all powerless in keeping those hidden predators from their midst was an unpleasant prospect. Better to find a scapegoat than admit that the housekeeper had been a local, and they had seen nothing. Such was the nature of mankind, and one of the reasons why her dad was so jaded. He had shared this wisdom with her. She would not share it with Varska at a time when the mage¡¯s sanctum had been defiled. The timing was off, and the crafty politician probably already knew it anyway.


    ¡°Enough of this topic, if you would. There will be a banquet tonight, and we are naturally invited to attend as the two local casters. We just have to show up and look official. I assume that you do not have a dress for the occasion?¡±


    ¡°I have plenty of dresses. At least three.¡±


    ¡°This one should be green to honor Sardanal, the God of Growth and Prosperity. And thieves.¡±


    ¡°No green dress for me.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately I anticipated this, and had one of my old dresses adjusted to¡­ better fit your form.¡±


    Varska¡¯s eyes went to Viv¡¯s chest. The outlander arched her back to make it a bit perkier.


    Varska blushed.


    ¡°Ahem. In any case, please follow me.¡±


    They went to Varska¡¯s quarters, which Viv had never visited without some snogging taking place. Especially over there, by the couch. The bedroom was cut in two halves by a series of vertical panels that split the bed and wardrobe from the reading and makeup space. They sat in front of a tiny mirror, then the mage picked up a pot from the vanity table which contained a transparent liquid with a light shimmer.


    ¡°Cream for your skin. I, ah, noticed that the air in the mountain could be dry. Hale is fine, but you cannot have ruddy skin! You are not a peasant!¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Viv stopped, her face very close to Varska¡¯s.


    When she had been deployed in Afghanistan, her platoon had worked with an armored detachment to secure a city district. Tank crews were a weird bunch. On one hand, they displayed the most insane courage she had ever seen, as if anti-tank weapons did not exist. On the other hand they were massive weebs. One of the crews had taught her the term ¡®tsundere¡¯, someone with a polarized hot and cold temperament to their loved one, whom they saw as needing help.


    So, Varska was a textbook tsundere.


    Viv was going to have some fun with it. Her irritating little morsel had dared break her heart. She would have her vengeance.


    ¡°Would you mind applying it? I¡¯m not sure how much I should use.¡±


    It was an exercise in self-control not to smirk triumphantly as Varska turned a delicate shade of tulip and applied the cream, lips flushed, modest chest thrumming with impassioned breaths.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to make you stew in your own desire,¡¯ Viv thought unkindly.


    Varska fled a little later to fetch the dress. When she returned, Viv started to strip sensually in front of her until she was chased behind the partition by a few outraged shrieks.


    ¡°Have some decency!¡± her victim bellowed.


    Viv made sure to hang her clothes over the panel so Varska could see them, then sat down on the mage¡¯s bed and bounced a few times. Comfy.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°S-stop doing that! Get dressed!¡±


    Viv obeyed and Varska changed as well. They both wore assorted green dresses with a small cleavage opening under a mandarin collar and long, airy sleeves. The fabric was snug and thick around the shoulders and waist before flowing into a skirt. It had an Asian feel that Viv found exotic, and it was also warm enough to ward off the slight chill that the Kazaran weather could have at night.


    After that, they did each other''s hair. Varska¡¯s touch was fast and professional, as if she had done this before. When Viv¡¯s turn came to do the same, she slowed down and smiled.


    Varska squirmed on her chair.


    Oh, yes, Viv had done that before. Letting Viv massage her scalp and comb her hair? The poor mage was a young fool, betraying her inexperience when it came to matters of seduction. For someone who had spent so much time learning manipulation, she was woefully unprepared in the romance department. Perhaps Helock, her city of origin, took a dim view to it?


    In any case, Varska was done for.


    Viv took it slow and roguish, sneaking a caress here, a deep scalp massage there. Varska smelled of flowers, as usual. Viv had a good view of the poor mage rubbing her legs together when she could no longer resist. Viv most thoroughly combed, then braided the hair in a half-wild, half-traditional asymmetrical composition that her host considered with widened eyes.


    ¡°How very unique!¡±


    ¡°I know many such foreign techniques¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough! I¡ªI told you that¡­ Enough of this, we should, err, go to the banquet now!¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already early afternoon. We can most definitely go now. And should. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    And thirsty, Viv judged. She still accompanied the mage down and they left, following the main road to the edge of the forest, then to the same open ground where they had celebrated the arrival of the convoy. Arthur flew after them, but prefered to stick to the rooftops.


    There, the same white tents and pavilions had been erected to welcome the revelers. Large platters of hearty food were spread on the long tables with breads and rolls garnished with nuts and fruits. Thin slices of cheese and cured meat provided fillings with egg-based sauces and small cakes overflowing from baskets. There were older villagers sitting around drinking a local watered beer while, in the distance, young men and women competed on the grass in games of strength and skill. The ambiance was already festive and the pair was led to the dais by an excited young guard. They plopped down at their assigned seats, on the edge, and looked on as young couples danced in circles. The music was provided by a few players using flutes and drums. Viv had to admit that they were pretty amazing.


    The music reached them, an enticing gigue that made Viv smile. She realized that her companion did not share her enthusiasm and realized that a few of the older folks were casting hostile glances at them. Or more specifically, at Varska.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were hungry? Here, have some meat,¡±


    Viv placed food on Varska¡¯s platter. Most of the stuff was cold with roasts and cakes coming later, but it was still pretty good. Viv sneakily served a sweet fruit wine to her prey in tiny goblets that she often refilled.


    ¡°How about telling me about your trip?¡± Varska asked, eager for a distraction.


    Viv started her grand tale. Varska gasped in shock at Koro¡¯s directness, laughed at Arthur¡¯s attempt to eat a creature fifty times her weight and wondered at the tribe¡¯s welcome of one who spoke the ancient tongue. Viv mentioned the obelisks, the enchantments on them, and how she thought they were perhaps suboptimal.


    Varska then went on a lecture on basic mana shaping and that yes, the working was inefficient, but it was also extremely resilient which was the main concern here. She went on to explain different configurations including some that could be used to power up Solfis with ambient mana, but would take a lot of time and effort to set up. Time and effort that Solfis had so far preferred to spend on her.


    All the while, Viv nodded and made sure the fetching maiden had enough liquid fire to whet her whistle. A non sequitur led to Varska explaining that the spring was celebrated in one form or another across the entire continent to mark the beginning of the year, and the return of warm days. Helock was closer to the sea and Varska spoke of fantastic views from the tower tops. It made her a bit melancholic.


    During that time, dignitaries came and went including Farren and Tom Manitaradin the banker. They were warm and welcoming, and they all congratulated the pair on killing the acolyte with minimum loss of life. Marruk came to skulk around the bun piles. As the sun was setting, Varska leaned and rested her pretty head on Viv¡¯s shoulder. The curly strands fell on Viv¡¯s dress and the smell of flowers tickled her nose.


    Varska suddenly moved back and glared with slightly unfocused eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ you are tricking me. Using alcohol!¡±


    ¡°And how, pray tell, am I tricking you?¡± answered Viv who had also grown tipsy.


    ¡°You are trying to, err, seduce me! I already told you it¡¯s not good for you!¡±


    ¡°Is it working?¡±


    Some measure of anguish filled the beautiful woman¡¯s brown eyes. She looked young and lost without the mantle of authority she always wore in public.


    ¡°Damn you. Yes. You have no right, I¡¯ve told you that I needed to keep you away.¡±


    ¡°Or people will assume that we¡¯re together and I will be branded as a pariah as well?¡±


    ¡°Yesh.¡±


    ¡°Well, look around, that ship has sailed.¡±


    Varska blinked and stared at the guards studiously avoiding her gaze, the closest villagers, now more numerous, suddenly very focused on their plate, and Farren two seats aside who coughed discreetly into his sleeve.


    Viv leaned and whispered in the mage¡¯s ear, eliciting the tiniest moan.


    ¡°You wanted to protect me and I find this very commendable, that whole sacrifice thing. But you forgot something very important.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the other breathed.


    ¡°I decide if I value my social standing or us more. Not you. Me. I make that decision for myself. And I happen to fancy you quite a lot, and if anyone has complaints, I shall stand in trousers before Neriad¡¯s temple so that they may line up and collectively kiss my ass. Now, little mage, do you want to feel alive with me?¡±


    Varska turned and her eyes were a bit liquid. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally managing to gasp out words.


    ¡°Not the tower. I hate it there.¡±


    ¡°My place then, come.¡±


    Viv dragged the mage through a knowing crowd and through deserted streets at a trot, only stopping once or twice for a deep kiss. They closed the distance to Viv¡¯s door at a sprint.


    Far behind, a mercenary watched the door close from a distance. He licked his lips in consideration, then froze when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.


    The man turned around. The last thing he saw was a massive fist before a titanic right hook sent him flying into a garbage pile.


    Marruk massaged her knuckles, picked up her bun and munched it thoughtfully.


    ¡°Good eye,¡± she said.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find some more food.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    <hr>


    Viv and Varska made love. Passionately at first, then with more patience and time spent exploring each other. Viv guided her partner with affection on the path to bliss. They teased and kissed and licked and caressed late into the night, far from the hum of the crowd but close enough for flutes and drums to provide an amusing background. They fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms at dawn, happy and sated.


    <hr>


    Golden light woke Viv up. The noon sun had warmed her bedroom to comfortable levels, and she could hear through the closed shutter the tweets of birds.


    Varska lay asleep by her side. Her face was peaceful in a way that Viv had never seen before. Without the haughty mask of a court mage, she had an innocent look that radiated serenity. Even the brand on her cheek seemed less pronounced. It was more a scar and less a status of shame.


    Varska had lifted up the heavy blanket to cover her nudity before she had fallen asleep. She had shifted during her slumber and now, only the modest intent remained. A dark nipple peeked from above embroidered cotton and the vale of her breasts could be seen, as well as the elegant curve of her back. Viv drank in the sight and passed a delicate finger along the smooth pale skin. It elicited a tiny moan.


    Varska frowned and blinked herself awake.


    Viv smiled.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the captured mage said.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she repeated. Viv waited, no longer masking her smugness. She almost expected complaints, or some affronted comment about how the canny, roguish witch had stolen her virtue. Instead, Varska searched the room with disbelief, finally returning her attention to Viv.


    ¡°Well, this is not how I expected my year to start.¡±


    ¡°Hmm hmm? Not too disappointed, I hope?¡±


    Viv stretched in bed, sneakily letting the covers shift. Viv was comfortable with her body. She knew that she had won the genetic lottery. She had also worked hard at improving what nature had bestowed. She knew that it would make things interesting. And it did. Varska blushed and averted her eyes.


    ¡°S¡ªstop that!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Varska¡¯s answer was covered by the abominable growl of a starving beast, a warcry as primitive as it was intimidating. It came from the mage¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°No one to cook for you, uh?¡± Viv asked smugly.


    ¡°Quiet! I simply have not found the time to find a new housekeeper.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry honey, you can eat my food and even wear my clothes.¡±


    ¡°I will certainly not wear those barbaric garments.¡±


    ¡°You could take ten minutes to dress up in your elaborate robe¡­ or we could go out and eat now.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Rolls, nuts, fruits, meat jerky.¡±


    ¡°You have won. Do not be so insufferable about it.¡±


    Viv lent her one of her super comfy inside dresses and underwear. They walked out of the bedroom into a council.


    Both women froze. Marruk sat at the table with a grumpy face and pockets under her eyes. Irao was there as well, studiously using a nasty-looking dagger to carve a piece of wood. Solfis¡¯ yellow orbs glinted from a corner.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Arthur waddled to Viv and jumped on her with a flap of her wings.


    ¡°Hellooooo and a good morning to you too, sweety!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, greetings, oh mighty beast of Kazar.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ What are you all doing here?¡± Varska demanded, mortified.


    ¡°We live here,¡± Marruk grumbles. Irao nods wisely.


    ¡°Are you¡­ a Hadal strain?¡±


    Iroa nodded again, then refocused his attention on the sculpture.


    ¡°Errr. By Neriad¡¯s buttocks, how thick are the walls here?¡±


    ¡°Not enough!¡± Marruk bellowed in an expression of pure frustration, ¡°this is my half week off. You two go back to your tower. I need to sleep! SLEEP!¡±


    The Kark stood up, bottomed up her cup of klod and returned to her room in sulky silence.


    ¡°It does not matter that the walls are thin because I can hear through walls anyway, so that¡¯s fine,¡± Iroa helpfully added. He then also left.


    ¡°Very tactful, you lot,¡± Viv reproached with a glare.


    ¡°Apparently the only person with a hint of politeness here is the golem,¡± Varska spat as she approached the table. Platters of cold rolls and what look like leftovers raided from the spring party covered its surface. There was a steaming pot of klod and Varska picked up two cups to fill them. Someone had fried eggs recently. They were still warm.


    //I turned off my hearing abilities to afford you some privacy.


    ¡°Very kind of you, Solfis,¡± Viv said.


    //Besides, I can monitor your physical condition through your aura.


    ¡°... Excuse me?¡±


    //Orgasm causes a strong reaction, akin to a trauma.


    //I had to calibrate to understand the difference.


    //Every time you mastur¡ª


    ¡°Yayayaya I don¡¯t want to know, I don¡¯t want to knoooooow.¡±


    ¡°We are going back to the tower,¡± Vraska declared firmly. She grabbed a few pieces of stuffed bread and walked imperiously back to the bedroom.


    Viv took the time to feed and care for Arthur, and the three left soon after. The streets of the city were mostly empty, and the few people out had the constipated air of those in the throes of a massive hangover. There were even a couple disheveled folks doing the walk of shame without much care, which led Viv to believe that the Enorian conservatism had not pervaded Kazar despite the city being nominally part of the kingdom. They arrived in the tower and Arthur once more climbed to the greenhouse. Varska drew a bath, then swatted Viv with a towel when she tried to join her. They eventually reconvened in the eating room, with Arthur pleased to have two people pet her scales.


    ¡°It appears that you have outplayed me. Well done,¡± the mage finally admitted. ¡°I was under the impression that you were¡­ inexperienced in the ways of the court.¡±


    ¡°First, you assumed wrong, and second, seduction transcends cultural barriers, at least to an extent. I was raised to be savvy. I just¡­ the transfer here, it did something to me. I feel more raw. It¡¯s more difficult to control or hide my emotions or to put on a mask.¡±


    ¡°The soul wound?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Probably. Sometimes, I wonder if people in my world get those as well but never find out.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mood turned sour. Sometimes, life had a way of grinding people until they broke. She had noticed that long before joining the army and learning about PTSD.


    Varska patted her hand.


    ¡°There, have some tea.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll ask Gogen about a replacement housekeeper. She¡¯s some sort of professional cleaner or something. She might know someone.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Now, finish your tea and join me downstairs. There is something I would like to show you.¡±


    Varska left first. Viv finished her cup and found the mage¡¯s dress and knickers properly folded by the door to her room. Viv smiled and knocked.

 Chapter 44. Progress

    One month later.


    Spring was in full swing. Birds sang, flowers had bloomed to turn the grass into colorful carpets. Local insects that looked suspiciously like bumblebees buzzed around. The air was filled with cries of things trying to eat and fuck each other. It was all very distracting.


    Viv closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The clearing she had used to test her blight spell was now a nice meadow dotted with plant arrangements that Varska had curated to make the place more zen. Or the Helock equivalent, whatever. It was nice.


    Viv breathed carefully and extended a hand. Gestures were important until you got a good feel for it. She felt her own mana push out and willed the color to remain trapped inside.


    It was an extremely complex feeling of separation, akin to feeling in two places at the same time. It was also unnatural, in the sense that she had to go against those instincts that made her so good at manipulating black mana. It had taken her weeks of effort to get it right.


    Colorless mana gathered in a ball in her hand. Contrary to its black equivalent, this one was tame. No, more than tame. It was not ¡®alive¡¯.


    Viv compared her experience to using software. Colors were the normal, basic functions. They were what the creator of the software had made available to the users. Thus, using colored mana felt natural to most casters, because they were manipulating the consciousness of Nyil in ways that it allowed.


    Moving colorless mana was like delving into the programming of the software and changing its functions. Playing with the code, so to speak. With her experience of intellectual property rights Viv almost expected a sort of resistance from Nyil itself but it was not the case. Colorless mana just felt¡­ neutral. Indifferent. It was not so much reluctance as inertia that made it difficult to yield.


    Viv infused the energy in a pair of linked ¡®seek¡¯ and ¡®north¡¯ glyphs, and watched as the sphere flattened and gained an arrow pointing in front of her, to the deadlands.


    ¡°Yay, it worked.¡±


    It was completely useless as things went for now, but, well. Progress. She checked her stats.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (apprentice mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 19.1%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her attunement had increased again, which was a consequence of her constant training. The more attuned she was, and the more complex and powerful spells she could cast. Varska had talked about strategic spells that could change the weather for weeks, alter the course of a river or raze a small city. Those were still far away though.


    Her mana channels had also improved. Besides helping her cast faster, it also made overcasting less likely. She could exert herself for longer periods of time without falling. The better her channels were, and the easier she could exhaust and recharge her mana without burning out. It helped with her training since she could keep going for longer periods of time.


    Sometimes, Draconic Surrogate Mother appeared as Draconic Surrogate Mommy when she summoned the interface, but it changed back to normal when she took a second look.


    Both Finesse and Power had improved as a result of her favorite way of recharging mana: meditative trance. She would go through a series of complex and relaxing motions under Solfis¡¯ direction. He had taught her a sort of soft martial art designed for casters, as far as she could tell, and it had the advantage of providing a full body workout. Kind of like dancing.


    Solfis and Varska agreed that most adults plateaued at the low twenties in stats that had a limited impact on their career. After fifty years, dedicated people could get to thirty or above across the board. That meant that someone like Gogen must really have started low to still be so simple. Possibly, she was a little bit daft.


    Her Focus and Acuity had risen by two and Willpower by one. That was the result of a strict daily training regimen that would have driven her crazy, were it not for how well-tailored it was to her abilities and mood. Even then, very few people could match that incredible speed. She could thank her two bossy trainers and her traveler¡¯s blessing for such stellar progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td>


    Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    None of her general skills had progressed. That was expected. For Nyil to offer a reward, one had to show dedication, and Viv simply had no time to work on anything but magic. All her efforts had gone towards her path skills.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Path skillsFind this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana manipulation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All her skills had reached the third tier, except for Danger Sense which lagged behind. She had only reached apprentice by attending an expedition in the deadlands to rid a specific area of burrowing undead centipedes. There was no way to train easily in Kazar.


    Not because of a lack of techniques. Solfis was sure that he could have her improve.


    It was because of Arthur.


    First, the tiny dragon¡¯s intuition and senses were simply off the chart. She could feel a trap coming from miles away and warned Viv every time. Second, she attacked whoever tried anything. Spars were ok, somehow. Surprise attacks were not. The only thing they could do was to burrow traps in training areas for Viv to fall into. It was inefficient, but Viv refused to confine Arthur while she trained.


    The last interesting thing was path progression.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Black Witch 1/5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She had reached that milestone after learning her fiftieth glyph or so. It did not feel that significant, and perhaps it was not, but she imagined that a proper witch would have some flexibility in her casting.


    According to Varska and Solfis, the third step on the path was where a lot of people were stuck for a long time. It required an advanced mastery of one¡¯s chosen field to move on, and that was also why most folks branched out once afterward. Varska was considered a promising genius for reaching the fourth step at such a young age.


    Viv closed her eyes and refocused on the world outside. The compass she had created still hung in the air by her side. She felt a dim connection to it, one she could keep alive with minimal effort.


    Viv willed the orb to disappear and stood up. It was time to go to a more practical part of the training.


    Then Arthur landed by her side and rubbed her own forehead.


    Arthur kept growing up and the amount of meat required to feed her meant regular hunts at the edge of the forest. She could now reach Viv¡¯s navel when sitting on her hind legs. Surprisingly, she was still light enough for Viv to carry easily. Her wings were huge too.


    One notable difference was that her horns were growing. Dragons had one set of horns curving back from above their head to protect their neck, but they also had horns above their eyes that only came out later. As to why, Viv wasn¡¯t sure. For now, only two black spines poked out


    They were apparently very itchy.


    ¡°There, there.¡±


    Viv massaged the scaly skin around the nubs, gently at first, then deeper as Arthur relaxed.


    ¡°Squee,¡± Arthur signaled, bringing Viv¡¯s ministrations to an end.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Varska had some knowledge on dragons from her youth in Helock. There was, in fact, extensive documentation on the massive creatures. Unfortunately, most of them were historical recountings of conflicts and strategy books. There was not a single book about dragon-rearing in the entire Param continent. Of this, the smooth mage was sure.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s up to me, then,¡± Viv muttered to herself. But writing would come later. Now, it was time to empty her channels by casting powerful spells. Solfis addressed her from the edge of the clearing.


    //The target is set up, Your Grace.


    Viv looked down towards Kazar to see a standing target made of a stone held up by several logs. Marruk stood nearby, hands on her waist and wheezing quite loudly. Viv whistled, and the stout Kark gave a sign and moved away.


    Viv was almost entirely confident in her aim, but it still irked her to shoot a spell with friendly people downrange. That was just wrong.


    Viv poured power into a sphere, then drew the runes for projection, distance, and power on it, then she infused it with the meaning of destruction.


    The sphere was perfectly silent as it formed, like most of Viv¡¯s spells. Sweat grew on her brow as her mind stretched to the limit. The task was as complicated as juggling several equations at the same time. It would have been impossible for her only three months ago but now it was just a strenuous exercise.


    Black mana was as eager and willing as ever. Getting better at manipulating did not change it, or make it grow. It changed her. It made her understand and coax the flow better. Nyil, the world, offered the power, Nous, God of Magic, offered the path to use it through the interface. It was up to Viv to make use of the opportunity.


    ¡°Arty.¡±


    The sphere veered like a comet, arching beautifully throughout the air on a tail of pure darkness.


    And Viv finally saw a kid running up the path behind it.


    Viv¡¯s focus wavered. The spell lost cohesion in that very moment. Viv gritted her teeth and, through a supreme effort of will, breathed back life in frayed connections. The baleful projectile went through the target without stopping and crashed heavily in the grass beyond, taking a chunk of wood on the way. The running boy stopped dead in his tracks although the spell never even came close to him. Marruk had moved towards him just in case, but in truth there had been no real danger.


    Not that Viv was going to admit it.


    ¡°What the fuck were you thinking?!¡± she bellowed. Everyone knew that she used this place to train. She had no official right to do so but she was on public land, and no one in their right mind could watch someone shear off a rock with the power of their mind and bitch about it to their face. Even the guards gave her a wide berth. So what was the little twerp doing here?


    To her surprise, not only did the boy not run away, he actually tried to reach her. Marruk gently stopped him with a hand. He started babbling. Viv closed the distance.


    As she looked on more, she could tell that the boy was young, probably around ten or something. She was not very good with kids¡¯ age. He wore the typical undyed loose pants and shirt combo of the Kazaran children. His sleeve was torn off and he was bleeding a little bit. He was also completely out of breath.


    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s going on?¡± Viv asked.


    The boy stepped back, dark eyes bloodshot and red from crying. He frantically recovered a dusty pouch from his one pocket and shook the thing in front of Viv¡¯s nose.


    ¡°You are for hire, right? The temple hired you and so did the Baranese, right? That¡¯s what my Ma said.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Yes?¡±


    ¡°I want to hire you! I¡¯m serious! I got¡­¡±


    He opened the grubby pouch and spilled the contents in the palm of his hand. It was a meager prize.


    ¡°... six iron bits, a real nice pink stone and half of a real core, I swear!¡±


    It was a piece of quartz. Viv was sure.


    ¡°And what task did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°My friend and his sis. They were with me. We got ambushed by beastlings!¡±


    He spat on the side of the road.


    ¡°We got split up. I think they could still be alive. Please, help me find them. Please!¡±


    ¡°The guards won¡¯t help?¡± Viv asked, surprised.


    The boy tried to spit again but he had run out of saliva and just sort of did a ¡®pblblb¡¯ sound.


    ¡°Those good-for-nothings won¡¯t help unless it¡¯s a real threat to Kazar. Please¡­ it¡¯s already been ten minutes.¡±


    Viv could not find a reason not to try.


    She could not let a kid die.


    She knew that helping now meant that she would be helping again but, come on. A kid.


    ¡°Alright. Lead the way, quickly.¡±


    Viv expected Marruk to complain but the tall Kark woman was already running to get Solfis. It was, apparently, time to hunt.


    But Viv knew why the guards would not have helped.


    Beastlings did not take prisoners.

 Chapter 45: The Food Chain

    The trio rushed along the edge of the forest at a good trot. It was obvious that the kid was running on fumes, but he did not slow down and Viv would not stop him either. They turned into the forest seemingly at random, until Viv noticed that someone had bound a small cloth around a carved trunk. A path that was a little more than a beast trail snaked deep into the forest and they followed it with all haste.


    Even during the day, there was something peculiar about the Deadshield Woods. Sounds were dampened and, quickly, Viv thought that she was no longer quite sure where she had come from. The kid did not share her hesitation as he sprinted down and down, his breath raspy and desperate. He only slowed down near a large boulder topped by a tall dead tree.


    ¡°Right. Right. Almost there,¡± he half-choked.


    They moved more slowly then, with Marruk taking point. It only took a few minutes for the tall Kark to stop and hold a fist.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Viv whispered.


    ¡°A girl. She¡¯s dead.¡±


    The boy took a deep, shuddering breath and let out a single sob. He was trying very hard to keep the tears in.


    ¡°Miri is dead but maybe Sar isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± Viv said, ¡°we¡¯ll recover the body on our way back.¡±


    A form crashed through the canopy of the nearest tree. Arthur shook her head to clear the brambles and pointed forward and to the side.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Viv replied.


    They ran and Viv tried her best not to look at the tiny form sprawled on the ground, with red blood staining her grey dress. The kid had been brained with a stone.


    The forest grew thicker by the moment. Where at the edge, it could have passed for a normal earth forest to anyone without a degree in biology, the trees grew taller and stranger as they ran on. Some of them bore purple or grey leaves. Some bloomed with mesmerizing flowers that shone flamboyantly in the dim light. Viv had to run around ferns and thickets, between moss-covered trunks. They heard screams in the distance.


    Viv picked up the boy as he was about to fall and they sprinted. She could only see Arthur¡¯s tail swishing high. The rest of the dragonling was buried in greenery.


    Soon, the light grew again and they burst into a clearing.


    Viv took in her surroundings. The fall of a giant tree had made a hole in the canopy by taking its smaller siblings with it, and the resulting space was a mess of young sprouts, rotting trunks and low ferns. There was one thing that stood out, so to speak.


    It was a monster.


    In the instant needed to slow down, Viv noticed four heavy legs, not unlike those of an elephant, supporting a cylindrical body topped with a conic maw filled with serrated, inward teeth. A multitude of limbs emerged from the main body like so many tentacles.


    The supporting limbs were brown-grey, but the color of the flesh turned to green the higher one went until the creature looked like an overgrown venus flytrap and pitcher plant slapped together by Frankenstein¡¯s demented cousin. It used one of its tendrils to grab a squealing beastling and Viv noticed that the limb ended in a thick sucker with the same inward-facing talons.


    The limb retracted and deposited the smaller monster in the larger¡¯s maw. It closed down with a crunch.


    ¡°There! Sar¡¯s there!¡± the boy wheezed from over Viv¡¯s shoulder. He was pointing at a depression formed by a dip in the land and protected by remnants of the collapsed trunk to form a sort of cavern.


    And indeed, Viv saw a tiny pink arm wield a branch to slam a wounded beastling.


    ¡°Ok, new plan. We get the boy and fuck off. Marruk, block the thing while I cover you.¡±


    Viv dropped the child she was still holding and followed Marruk. The Kark advanced, leaving her mace in its sheath and taking out a shortsword with a broad blade instead. The monster turned a few tentacles towards them, but the bulk of them were searching the cave. Many of the limbs poked and prodded around. One of them found a small beastling¡¯s leg and grabbed it. The horned creature shrieked and a flurry of other limbs attached themselves to it, tearing off great bands of flesh.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s blind,¡± Viv whispered in Marruk¡¯s ear. The Kark nodded and advanced. Viv moved to the side and tried to get to the kid, but her attempt was short-lived. The monster somehow felt her move and patted around with its many limbs.


    Meanwhile, it was ponderously crossing the clearing towards the small cave.


    Ok, Viv thought, Ok, change of plan.


    A fleshy liana finally touched and latched on Marruk¡¯s shield. The Kark calmly pulled it back and swiped the thing off with her blade. Red blood spurted from the wound and the creature let out a strange, whistling sound.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯d better come to us quick!¡± she yelled instead.


    That did it, for the monster at least. Several tendrils whipped out her way as she ducked behind Marruk¡¯s form. The limbs were fast.


    ¡°Net.¡±


    A mass of criss-crossing ¡®purge¡¯ spells whipped out around Viv and met the charging limbs. The shadowy wires won, but the spell failed after too many were spent.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Viv cast one, large purge at the creature¡¯s torso but it barely penetrated. There was too much mana in the thing. She would need a lot of power to reach the innards, and the time to set it up. Time that they didn¡¯t have.


    Then her ¡®client¡¯ started to run across the clearing to fetch his friend. Marruk took a step forward and swung and swiped, meeting the questing tendrils with a fury that Viv had never seen in the stoic woman. The shield crashed down into another limb, cracking it. Viv helped by whipping overcharged purge spells around the Kark to cover her flanks. Several times, a tendril found Marruk¡¯s leather armor and started to pull, but the Kark planted her feet on the ground and stood upright long enough for Viv to sever the attacking appendage. They started to fall back under the onslaught.


    Viv reached a state of focus that she had already experienced on earth, but only during firefights. It was not that the world slowed down, but more like any distraction or parasitic thought disappeared. The ground was soon littered with discarded limbs. The monster still tried to slap them around with half-mutilated ones, even without the teeth at the end, but Marruk was like a rock against the tide. The thing beat uselessly against her shield. It was always where it was needed, angled here and there with an economy of motion born from expertise. At the same time, Marruk¡¯s other arm lashed out like a viper with quick and devastating sweeps.


    But they were in trouble.


    The creature was turning and moving towards them at the same time. A fresh contingent of tentacles joined the fray while the reduced distance meant that farther up ones were now in range. Viv diverted her attention for one instant to see the two boys stumbling towards them. The rescued one was bleeding profusely from his flank. He was pale and sweaty, and her employer was shorter and younger. It was going to be a close call.


    Or not.


    ¡°Give me three seconds,¡± Viv bellowed. Marruk redoubled her effort but her leg got caught as Viv was pooling colorless mana in her hand.


    A white flash blurred and Arthur bit the thing off. The limber dragonette jumped back instantly.


    Viv was done.


    She gathered air, shield, and still runes and pushed them together. A transparent half-circle formed over their heads. It was quite large.


    ¡°Sound shield.¡±


    One of Varska¡¯s staple spells. It blocked all sounds by preventing the air from moving it across.


    The tendrils went through without problem, and yet there was something different about the monster. It stopped its slow trudge through the undergrowth and showed some signs of agitation.


    ¡°Back, back,¡± Viv ordered and Marruk ran to her. They plodded through the ferns to the pair of struggling kids and Viv pushed them down. She removed a blood-soaked hand from the older kid¡¯s wound and winced at the sight. The shirt was gone, as was a lot of skin and tissue. He had been flayed by the tendril.


    He was dying quickly.


    Viv grabbed for one of her side pockets and took out a thick glass vial with a greenish liquid inside. She removed the stopper with her teeth and shoved the bottleneck between the wounded boy¡¯s blue lips. The kid swallowed, more by surprise than anything else, then took a deep, shaky breath.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The wound sealed before their very eyes. Concentrated life mana regrew skin and muscle at visible speed. Both little twerps looked on in wonder.


    ¡°Mending potion¡­¡± the smaller kid said.


    Viv returned her attention to the monster. It was slowly trampling its way to them.


    ¡°Can probably smell us.¡±


    They were now farther into the clearing, with the monster blocking the way out. They had their backs against the rotting trunk.


    ¡°We can probably scale our way over the trunk or that rock on the side,¡± Marruk said. She was breathing deeply but appeared unharmed.


    Viv checked and thought that it might be doable.


    But also maybe risky.


    ¡°I got a better idea. Give me a sec.¡±


    The monster was still plodding hesitantly around. Viv noted in passing that it grabbed the cut tentacles whenever it could find them, and shoved them down its maw. It was self-recycling or something.


    Marruk could most likely climb the difficult terrain. It was pretty much a safe bet.


    But Viv was absolutely certain that she could kill the thing. It was clearly an ambush predator, and its ambush had failed.


    A mage was its most powerful when given time to act, and she had bought them twenty seconds or so before the lumbering form would even get close to her. It was five more than she needed. A sphere of pure black rotated above her right shoulder, glyphs forming around it. Viv altered the spell a little bit by making the range shorter and the projectile larger. That was difficult but she managed. Adrenaline gave her wings.


    The spell took a third of her reserves. The mana sang through her mind and conduit in its eagerness to be used, leaving her giddy. As soon as she was ready, Viv kneeled and moved to the side to search for the perfect angle.


    ¡°Arty.¡±


    Casting powerful spells was something that she would never get fed up with. It was so¡­ intuitive. Elegant. Her creation drove through two trunk-like legs in an instant, right at the joint. In silence.


    It left behind a gaping wound vomiting lymph and blood.


    Viv winced at the trilling whistle the creature emitted as it slowly toppled to the side like a falling tree. Its main body crashed against the cavern with a loud thump. Shards of wood and earth went up in the air and a musty smell soon filled Viv¡¯s nose. The monster whistled piteously. It was bleeding out.


    Marruk and the kids stared wide-eyed at the fallen beast. Viv searched for Arthur and found her sitting on her butt, tailed curved around her, both hands grabbing a tendril. She was eating it like an otter eats a fish.


    ¡°We should go before the smell attracts other stuff,¡± Viv said. The others didn¡¯t have to be asked twice. They moved around the fallen giant towards the legs. Viv considered finishing it off with a blight spell but decided against it. She was almost dry, and there could be other things around. They left the clearing in a hurry.


    Viv only stopped on the way back to recover the body of the little girl. Both kids were subdued, with the older one crying in silence. Viv didn¡¯t think that she would ever grow used to dead children. There was something inherently wrong about it.


    They wrapped her head with her brother¡¯s shirt to mask the wound. The return trip was bitter.


    As soon as they were out, Viv turned to her ¡®employer¡¯.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡±


    ¡°Arlom, mam.¡±


    ¡°I would like my payment now.¡±


    Viv emptied the purse in her hand and pocketed the iron bits and the two stones.


    ¡°Deal done.¡±


    ¡°I know how much a mending potion costs, miss witch. I know that you helped us for nuthin.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah maybe. But keep it to yourself. I don¡¯t want everyone to know that I have a soft heart.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell.¡±


    They split up.


    Viv said nothing as they walked back to the house.


    //A wise ruler sometimes shows acts of kindness, Your Grace.


    //It has been shown to improve the people¡¯s morale.


    //Well done.


    ¡°Well, we saved one out of two.¡±


    ¡°It was a good thing,¡± Marruk said. ¡°Humans here give up too easily. In the steppes, we lose kids as well, but we always look for two days before stopping. It gives us all hope. It makes us believe that someone will try to come. They might be too late to save us, but they will come. They will care.¡±


    ¡°Or children could stay out of the forest so we don¡¯t have to pick up bodies,¡± Viv spat.


    //Children will travel and play.


    //Especially where they are forbidden to go.


    //The forest hides many treasures, and the survivors will carry the lesson they learn to the next generation.


    //I was also informed that starvation is a powerful motivator.


    ¡°They¡¯re not starving.¡±


    ¡°But they are hungry,¡± Marruk said.


    There was nothing to add. Viv had done what she could and that was it. She would not shed crocodile tears for a person she did not know, but she still felt some measure of empathy for her and the family she had left behind. They arrived soon after. Viv unlocked her door and frowned.


    ¡°Hey, is there something buried here? I could have sworn that this flower bed was lower,¡± she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing. I was digging around there recently,¡± Marruk said hurriedly.


    ¡°Were you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Haha. This very morning.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright then.¡±


    <hr>


    Viv¡¯s house, half an hour before.


    Kelto the mercenary grabbed the cork between two yellow teeth and tore it away. Ethanol vapor made his eyes burn.


    He was done.


    He was fucking done.


    Two months was all it had taken. The witch had accepted the contracts he had delayed in order to push the prices up. His failed attempt to bring her to heel had failed spectacularly, and his men had deserted one by one. The death of the last loyalists had been the nail in the coffin. Now, only he remained, with his cloak turned ratty and his purse hollow. He scratched his cheek and the stubble here creaked under the friction.


    That bitch was going to pay.


    He would be gone by dawn to try his luck through the forest. Sometimes, lone travelers successfully passed through by dodging the most dangerous creatures. He was not staying a minute longer in this shithole.


    But before that, he was going to burn down her turf, because fuck her.


    Kelto plunged a grimy piece of hanky down the bottle and waited for the cloth to absorb the alcohol. He snapped his fingers together and a small flame appeared. He made to light the improvised incendiary device.


    And failed.


    Someone had grabbed his hand. Kelto¡¯s bloodshot eyes traveled along a black armor, up to a pallid face with slitted eyes. A bald head.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Hellow,¡± the half-man calmly stated, ¡°this is my house.¡±


    ¡°Mo ¡ª monster!¡±


    The inhuman being nodded wisely, in a ¡®I see how it is¡¯ fashion. There was a flash of something, and Kelto was now staring at his headless body from a strange angle.


    <hr>


    Things followed their normal course. The two boys, Sar and Arlom, made their way back to the lower district where poorer people lived. There were a lot of tears in the tightly-knit community, but finally the kids were asked what had happened, especially Sar who had a great expanse of pale skin on his belly. Arlom said that he was supposed to stay quiet but Sar had made no such promise and explained everything in great detail, including how the witch had charged in to save him, then slain the beast with a single, mighty spell.


    The villagers were incredulous at first, but a group of armed men and women led by Arlom found the cadaver of the monster already being nibbled on by a few birds. They alerted the city¡¯s scouts who, in turn, secured and covered the site while the village worked tirelessly to turn the remains into usable goods. Monster meat was both delicious and nourishing, and there were even rumors that it helped expecting women to give birth to mages. Certainly, the city would not let go of such a boon.


    Columns of people transferred stacks of meat, skin, and bone for soup stock to the city¡¯s warehouse long into the night. Everyone who pitched in was given something to bring home, with several months of supply granted to the bereaved family. It was late when a pair of burly scouts knocked on Viv¡¯s door and dropped several baskets of meaty goodies before saluting her and leaving in silence.


    ¡°You know,¡± Viv said later as everyone chewed on skewers around their communal table, ¡°we haven¡¯t heard about that group of annoying mercenaries who came to provoke us. They sort of disappeared.¡±


    The rest of the group kept masticating pensively.


    ¡°I was expecting them to try something,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°Maybe your reaction caught them on the wrong foot?¡± Marruk suggested.


    ¡°Yeah, perhaps you are right. Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    //You may underestimate our ability to scare off your foes, Your Grace.


    //Not only are you a powerful witch, but you also have many friends.


    //To provoke you is to provoke your network of allies.


    //They must have figured it out.


    ¡°Maybe. I think Farren mentioned that the entire group had stopped taking jobs. They just don¡¯t hang around as they used to.¡±


    ¡°Mercenary work is dangerous work,¡± Irao said.


    Everyone turned to him, since he had pretty much just used his entire word quota for the month.


    The Hadal human shrugged.


    ¡°They could have run afoul of a monster during one of their tasks. It is a common end for those who follow that path.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You may be right. Nevermind. I¡¯ll just forget about them then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s just forget about those. Haha. They probably won¡¯t turn up again,¡± Marruk assured.


    Viv thought that maybe there was something fishy going on, but her plate was full with training and the coming expedition and she could not be arsed to look for disappearing rivals.


    ¡°Alright, fine. Please excuse me,¡± she said, and stood up to attend to a natural need.


    Marruk leaned towards Irao.


    ¡°Kelto?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you burn the body?¡±


    ¡°No need, what I kill stays dead.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    The three who could still eat split the remaining green, slightly crunchy skewers and focused very hard on looking inconspicuous.

 Chapter 46: Expedition

    One week later.


    ¡°I cannot come with you.¡±


    Varska poured tea from her favorite teacup, expression grave. While Viv would have preferred it if she had joined but her refusal was expected. In fact, Viv had not even asked.


    ¡°I know,¡± she told the mage, ¡°I expect that you have duties.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I promised our dear mayor that I would remain on the ready three seasons out of four, winter being usually a period of low activity for monsters here. I have to respect my promises, and I cannot justify this¡­ fool¡¯s errand you will be pursuing.¡±


    The two women picked up their cups and sipped in silence. Varska¡¯s new housekeeper, one of Gogen the Cleaner¡¯s cousins, passed her head through the door.


    ¡°You will be needing anything else, ladies?¡±


    ¡°Not until dinner, thank you,¡± Varska replied with just a little bit of haughtiness. It always amused Viv how the mage bristled at the mere mention that she would need any sort of assistance with tea.


    ¡°You do not think that we will succeed?¡± Viv asked after savoring the infusion¡¯s delicate flavor.


    ¡°You may. You may not. But you would not find a self-respecting mage of Helock taking part in such a risky expedition. Only one caster? And not even an earth specialist? Please. Farren is most daring. Most daring!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there is an overabundance of us around,¡± Viv remarked.


    ¡°Irrelevant. While I approve of initiative and ambition, I cannot help but note that he is overstepping his role. Farren was tasked with making sure that Kazar was a well-functioning temple base to facilitate traffic to and from the deadland outposts, not to revive the entire region. Bah, it matters not. You already agreed.¡±


    Viv shrugged sheepishly.


    ¡°I kind of need a functional soul, you know?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, my apologies. You are so¡­ normal. According to outlander standards ¡ª ¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡° ¡ª That I often forget about the wound. Do you feel any different?¡±


    Viv had considered the question extensively. She watched Varska refill her cup while she replied.


    ¡°My emotions are more raw. I find it more difficult to stay in control and some social games try my patience while, before, I would have been navigating them without issue. I don¡¯t know how much of it is the wound and how much is me simply changing. The main symptom is that I simply cannot pray to any of the local gods.¡±


    ¡°A very localized but very deep wound then. In any case, that specific one will not kill you while the expedition could. So¡­¡±


    Varska blushed a bit and averted her eyes. Viv found the bashfulness rather adorable.


    ¡°I prepared something for you. Better than your current protection.¡±


    Viv still used the leather armor she had found in Harrak whenever going into battle. It was nice and functional. More importantly, it did not get in the way.


    ¡°Here,¡± Varska said.


    She stood up from the tower¡¯s reception table and opened a nearby chest. Viv watched as she was handed an off-white cloth of good size. Even folded, it was rather cumbersome.


    Varska let go.


    Heavy too.


    ¡°Go on, try it,¡± the mage urged.


    It was a robe. A mage robe with a thick fabric in the slightly eastern style of Varska¡¯s other garments. The shoulders were padded and horizontal, with sleeves allowing for freedom of movement. It also had a mandarin collar and an opening on the side rather than the front. The robe went down into a skirt and trousers combo. It was off white and undyed like most clothes here, but the make was exquisite and, more importantly, there were protective runes inscribed on regular intervals.


    Viv did not need to focus to realize how magical the thing was. Power practically radiated from it. Interestingly, she recognized black and colorless strands.


    ¡°It repairs itself and resists damage. Since you have that strange skinsuit of yours, temperature control is barely a concern. Your defense against magical attacks is also decent for someone so early on her path, so I thought it best to provide physical protection. And you will finally look like a proper caster instead of some cursed bloodline¡¯s last scion.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Darling. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Varska opened a fan and raised exactly one imperious brow.


    ¡°Thank you would be a good start, and I will also accept outrageous praises.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great Helockian one. This garment is both incredibly stylish and remarkably powerful. I can tell that it was custom-made locally, which speaks of foresight, affection, and attention to detail. I can tell that someone weaved it according to your specifications and you made the runes yourself using dye that, I surmise, you extracted from your own flowers. It is both thoughtful, practical and elegant which are qualities I associate with you. I would also add that it is my finest possession and that no one had done something that thoughtful for me that I can remember, in this world or the previous one.¡±


    Varska closed the fan with a snap.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°I try. Seriously though, I will cherish it. Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°You can thank me by coming back alive. Is your black core charged? Is Solfis?¡±


    ¡°The black core is charged and Solfis is close to fifty percent capacity. I can go over my preparations with you later, since you are such a worrywart.¡±


    ¡°Have you already been on expeditions that would last several weeks?¡± the mage challenged.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I have.¡±


    Varska just huffed.


    The time had come for Farren¡¯s attempt to find the lost iron mines of Min Goles. Success would bring Viv one step closer to healing her soul, and possibly implore a deity for a way home.


    As she packed her things, the outlander realized that returning home was becoming a more abstract and distant goal. Nyil had become her new reality. It was pretty good despite the lack of internet and ice cream. She had met a lot of people who mattered to her, and Arthur was dependent on her presence for, well, something. The memory of her loved ones back home on earth was growing more distant. She remembered them more clearly now that her mind was helped by a healthy serving of magic, but the emotions associated with them had lost their edge. She had been gone for three months already. If they had found her body, they were probably getting over the grief by now.


    It was a bit upsetting.


    Nevertheless, she did not have to choose now whether to return or to stay. The priority was surviving high attunement and getting her soul fixed.


    Viv fastened her back pack and brought it outside. She and Marruk made a first trip to the main square of Kazar and its temple where the convoy awaited.


    The expedition was planned to take up to a month, which here lasted for twenty-eight days on average. The Param calendar was a mess anyway. They would try for a while and come back later if necessary. Or plain give up. She was not clear on that. It did not help that Lorn, the head of the Temple Guard, took a dim look on the expedition.


    ¡°A waste of fighting forces is all it is. We¡¯re here to slay undead, not do business,¡± he had told his branch master when he thought Viv was not paying attention. Though, even a security expert could see the appeal of a new supply of iron, especially one discovered by its church.


    As a project that was supposed to last a while, the expedition was pretty large. They had twenty guards including some of the most elite ones like Koro the ballsack-loving southerner, half again that many people as camp followers, and about ten horses. Viv had no idea if the guards could use them in combat. Horses were really expensive.


    This also meant three carriages packed to the brim. Two would contain their baggage while the third one was the same armored chariot they had ridden to assault the beastling horde.


    It took only twenty minutes for everyone to be ready, a credit to their organization. Then, they were on the way. Marruk and Viv sat inside the armored carriage as the caster was always supposed to be the most protected person. Viv prepared for another gruelling training session, but she was surprised when Marruk addressed her instead. There were only the two of them at the back of the cart. Farren had gone to walk with the helpers.


    ¡°I have questions. About your world without magic.¡±


    Viv looked into the dark eyes of her bodyguard¡¯s large, honest face. It was perhaps the first time that the stout woman had asked her something that was not directly related to their survival.


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°There are no monsters.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But there are humans.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are there Kark?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, no, as far as I know we never had anything other than flavors of humans.¡±


    Better not tell her that one of the most probable causes of the extinction of Neanderthals was that the Sapiens happened to them.


    ¡°So, do you have steppes? Steppe people?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as a matter of fact we do!¡±


    ¡°Are they good at war? Can they defend themselves?¡±


    ¡°Oooh boy. Let me tell you about a man called Temujin.¡±


    Viv went on a recounting of what she remembered of Genghis Khan. It was not much since she had never been a history nerd, but it was enough to take an hour. The army had encouraged the study of tactics and her memory was crystal clear. She focused on the Great Khan¡¯s military prowesses on one hand, and his ruthlessness on the other. Marruk let her speak with no interruption for a long time. In the end, she was most intrigued by his ability to adopt new techniques.


    ¡°Can you explain siege warfare to me?¡±


    ¡°Well, you are outside and the foe is inside and behind walls¡­¡±


    Viv explained earthworks, siege machines, rams and so on. Marruk noted that the absence of powerful magicians gave war a more regulated, technical dimension. She was the most curious about doctrines rather than the physics behind a trebuchet. After a few minutes spent on intelligence gathering, Viv used the lull in conversation to finally ask a question that had been on her mind since the morose Kark had finally started to unclam.


    ¡°So, can I ask why you are so interested?¡±


    Marruk did not meet her eyes. She was staring over the reinforced wood of the carriage to the north east, the deadlands, and the steppes far beyond the mountainous passages.


    ¡°My people are dying. Slowly, but they are dying. Every year the Pure League destroys more land with their crops. Every year, more of their fields turn to dust and so they keep pushing. There are so few left of my tribe that we might as well be a clan now.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you left?¡±


    Marruk¡¯s tone turned surprisingly bitter. There was a lot of resentment buried deep beneath her stoic exterior, and it was not directed just at humans.


    ¡°I left because I was expected to do more of the same. The same shit we have been doing for centuries. I was expected to marry a chief and maybe have children who could become shamans like my mother, so a new generation of my family could fall to the Pure League¡¯s assassins in the dead of night. I tried to talk to them. Push them. I even thought I was getting through to a chief¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me as a bride to affirm his claim. He only entertained my ¡®delusions¡¯ because he believed that it was a youthful excess. That I would become wiser after my first child was born. He said so himself.¡±


    Ah. Oops.


    ¡°But the thing is, I did not know.¡±


    She glanced up at Viv, this time, her gaze measuring.


    ¡°I did not know what we could do better. We have no iron, no magic academy to turn shamans into war mages. We are already fighting at our best with the tools we have and we are still losing. So I thought, maybe our mind must be changed? Maybe it¡¯s not the arm that has failed us, but the head. I think I was right.¡±


    ¡°I see. You are looking for a strategy. Something like guerilla warfare?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a technique through which an inferior force can inflict disproportionate damage through the use of ambushes, mobility, hit and run tactics, raids and so on.¡±


    Marruk¡¯s large face was suddenly quite close.


    ¡°I¡¯m interested.¡±


    It took an uneventful three days to reach the mountain tribe stronghold, then another two for them to ride farther and reach the limits of civilized lands. There were many mountain tribes dotting the escarpment of the Harrakan mountain ranges, but they concentrated around fertile patches of land where a population could be sustained. A traveler could spend a week walking without encountering anyone. Anyone alive in any case. The expedition was never attacked. Most monsters knew better than to engage so many foes, though that was merely a general rule.


    As they approached their destination, the terraced fields grew few and far between, until they disappeared completely after the last settlement. Grey and brown replaced man-grown vegetation until the last vestiges of nature were shrubs and hardy growths that only goats could feed on, or whatever the local equivalent was. The guides they were offered were a pair of ¡®walkers¡¯ who knew their stuff, and it was not long until they stopped at the edge of a small cavern entrance. They made sure that the coast was clear and moved in.


    They found a man-made warren of small rooms with some dry food and water in storage. There were some basic protection runes in place. The knights and followers unpacked their belongings as this was to be a base camp, with the civilians settling down more permanently. Farren and Lorn gathered the people who would go on into the wild around a small map.


    ¡°This is where the walkers think we could find something,¡± the captain said with a gruff voice, ¡°three days travel from here. We will descend to the edge of the deadlands so that we can keep the carriage with us, otherwise the terrain will not allow it. Keep your black mana protection gear on you at all times and watch out for buried stuff. If we fail, there is another candidate a bit farther. We will go there and fall back to the main camp no matter what to resupply. Alright?¡±


    Everyone gave a few nods. Viv retired early that night with Arthur coiled nearby. So far, everything had gone smoothly.


    There was no way in hell that her luck would hold.

 Chapter 47: On the Road Again

    On the right side, a cliff, on the other, an empty desert filled with hostiles. The men before her were mostly silent and she wanted to pee.


    ¡°Can¡¯t fucking believe that I¡¯m pretty much back to Afghanistan.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Except for you of course my darling.¡±


    They were on foot this time, with the carts left behind. The terrain was simply too rough. She had at least thirty kilograms of gear in her large backpack and she was still the lightest person around. Marruk was the worst off. She had to carry Solfis on top of everything else.


    ¡°Why are you carrying that heavy stuff anyway?¡± one of the guards asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯m practicing so I can lift your mom.¡±


    It appeared that spending too much time in the barracks was having a deleterious influence on the straightforward Kark, Viv thought.


    The trek was a bit monotonous, with the only thing of note being how hard it was. Viv was at the top of her form physically. Her body was reinforced by magic. She just huffed and sweated behind the column of soldiers who moved as if they were doing a nice afternoon hike. The only interruption came later as afternoon was advancing.


    //Buried undead detected.


    Viv froze in her tracks as the entire guard turned around, some with their hands on their weapons.


    ¡°It¡­ speaks?¡±


    Viv looked at the yellow eyes and realized the ploy. Solfis had chosen to reveal that it could indeed communicate, which most golems could do on a basic level anyway, but it kept the exact extent of his capacity hidden.


    ¡°Location?¡± she demanded as if used to the weird robotic exchange.


    //Direction: fifty paces ahead.


    //Nature: worm or necrarch.


    //Estimated danger: very high.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you kept that thing around!¡± the previous guard said, ¡°Very useful that, you could just have told us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very valuable thing to have,¡± Lorn retorted, ¡°you cannot blame her for being careful. Although, to be fair, I think that we have determined beyond the shadow of a doubt that we were on the same side. I believe that you could trust us with that much, Lady Bob.¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°Sorry, keeping it secret is more of a habit at this stage.¡±


    Lorn glared at her in a way that said that he didn¡¯t believe it, but would let it go for the sake of group harmony.


    ¡°Can you guide us around the hidden danger, golem?¡± Lorn asked with importance.


    Silence fell as they waited for an answer and Viv realized quickly, but not quite quickly enough, that Solfis was snubbing him.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention, the golem is bound to me. We will require directions, Solfis¡±


    //Of course, Your Grace.


    There was just a hint of smugness here that the guards should not have picked up. Farren had clearly been ill at ease during the whole exchange. He knew what Solfis truly was.


    It did not take long for the golem to guide them in a wide circle around whatever hid beneath the sands. Viv kept stealing glances at Lorn as the two were at the head of the formation.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, just, I always expect religious orders to try and kill every monster they come across. I know it¡¯s not based on anything real. I was influenced by the stories I heard in my youth.¡±


    The leader of the temple guard snorted once and passed a hand over his greying beard.


    ¡°And if we were close to a village, I would have led the charge myself to prevent that horror from snatching kids. We are not, though. We stand on the edge of Param¡¯s ulcerous bunghole. I could kill one of the big fuckers every day and die of old age before the place was cleared.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah. You showed your valor several times already, I¡¯m just glad that there is a brain behind all that brawn. I must say, my place of birth has a poor history with groups claiming to be righteous and behaving like total twats. You guys are a relief.¡±


    Lorn smiled ruefully. Viv expected it to be the end of it, but the large warrior actually laughed.


    ¡°Ah, if only the rest of Param shared your opinion! It comforts me to know that we humble servants of the temple managed to convince an outsider.¡±


    ¡°A righteous fight is easy to pick when the enemies are monsters, less so when rebellions and wars are involved. Is it righteous to back a rebellion when people suffer? Even if thousands will die? What happens if the rebellion goes too far, should the temple then switch sides?¡± Farren commented bitterly from behind.


    ¡°I am familiar with grey morality, thank you. What I find curious is: what does Neriad think about it?¡±


    ¡°He gives us the freedom to choose,¡± Farren says.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°So long as you believe that you fight for justice, he will support you within reason. You will often find his followers on either side of a conflict, for is it not righteous to fight for your people?¡± Lorn answers.


    ¡°And those who act in anger¡­¡±


    ¡°If the follower commits atrocities or loses faith in his cause, the power of the golden god will be denied to him until he finds absolution,¡± Lorn continues coldly.


    ¡°Implying that Neriad does not have a clear idea himself of what is right and wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sacrilege!¡± Lorn bellowed. Viv jumped in alarm but the powerful man merely grinned. The guards behind them snickered.


    ¡°Just kidding. His will is clear. Neriad wants us to unite against monsters and the dark gods¡¯ servants. And stop being cunts. He won¡¯t force us, though. Too much trouble. It¡¯s up to us to decide what we stand for.¡±


    Discussions started among the ranks after that, though Viv soon grew too tired to participate. She almost sighed in relief when they found a cave higher up the path in the late afternoon. The issue was that it was quite obviously not a natural formation. The group gathered a little further down on a slope that gave a good view of the entrance. Shields and weapons were drawn as a precaution.


    ¡°So, think it might be one of those horrible digging insects?¡± one of the guards asked.


    ¡°Could be a gut spiller,¡± Viv suggested. The others turned to her.


    ¡°How do you reckon?¡± Koro asked.


    The witch pointed at the entrance, which was round, large, and lacked the sharp claw marks she would expect from something insectile or worse, a nascent necrarch. The stone had a porous, pitted quality that she had seen in the aftermath of monster vomit. Not even post-bender puke could match its vile acidity.


    ¡°This was dug with bile, not claws. I think.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you are right,¡± Lorn admitted.


    ¡°Witch Bob is good hunter and fighter,¡± Koro the Amazon said, ¡°Find husband soon!¡±


    The large woman leaned forward to whisper in Viv¡¯s ears.


    ¡°But not Courtesan Yan, please.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s all yours. Now, I can usually make short work of gut spillers but I need a clean line of sight. You think you can lure it out, somehow?¡±


    ¡°We can certainly try. Alright folks, drop your backpacks. Half circle at good range. Those with no shield stand a bit back and mind the puke.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah it¡¯s not our first kill,¡± a bald older guard grumbled.


    The group split up and positioned themselves with the efficiency of a well-practiced quad. Viv stared with fascination, eager to see what skill the experienced warrior would use to drag the beast out. Lorn carefully walked up with his shield raised and leaned forward at the entrance. He soon banged it with his sword.


    ¡°Wakey-wakey you cocksucker! Come on out now, don¡¯t make me drag your sorry ass outside!¡±


    Something roared in answer and Lorn trotted back as the ground rumbled with the footsteps of a giant. Viv was¡­ a little bit disappointed.


    A gut¡¯s spiller giant head, with the twin horns that gave Solfis his eerie appearance, emerged first. It crawled out, first showing arms like tree trunks, then a large belly.


    ¡°Bob?¡± Lorn asked with calm.


    The creature finished rawling out and revealed legs as large as an elephant¡¯s.


    ¡°Bob?¡± Lorn asked more urgently.


    The creature stood up to its full size, which was close to four meters high.


    ¡°Bob!¡±


    ¡°YOINK!¡±


    Her overcharged spell would have struggled to flood the creature¡¯s conduits only two months ago. Now though, it was like filling a gutter with typhoon water. The creature turned to ash and collapsed on itself.


    ¡°I had to wait until it was out or we would have been shovelling ash out of the entrance until night fall,¡± the witch calmly explained.


    The guards were clearly a bit upset but it didn¡¯t last. One of them pulled the more or less intact skull from the pile of ash and bone it was embedded into.


    ¡°Wow. Nice size that. Should we keep it as a trophy?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Erlas, as long as you carry it.¡±


    The skull was left where it was, a mute witness to the violence that had occured.


    The group explored the cave and found it empty. It offered a decent shelter for the night. After a stew, Viv crawled under her covers, played a bit with Arthur and promptly fell asleep.

 Chapter 48: Deadland Tourism

    The next morning, Viv took some time to massage Arthur¡¯s horns to help them out. They were black as the night, a sharp contrast to the dragonette¡¯s pale scales. After she was done, she stepped outside to attend to a natural need.


    Left alone, Arthur searched the cave for a victim and found him near the entrance. He was one of those humans that came clad in their own pressure cookers. She moved sinuously to him and stopped. He froze as he saw her, a large piece of jerky held in his paw. She stood on her two back feet. Like that, her head was level with his, and quite close too. She delicately picked the piece of jerky between two claws while his mouth opened and closed stupidly, a proof that those other humans were really not quite as bright as her own. She gobbled her prize.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Idiot.


    Satisfied, she trotted back to her cover.


    ¡°Did that thing just insult me?¡±


    The expedition made good progress until they arrived at the first site. As they walked past a curb in their path, they came across a hidden valley nestled between two slopes.


    ¡°This is what you seek,¡± one of the walkers informed Lorn.


    Viv looked and saw the remnant of a base of sorts, not a town but something more functional. The long, unified buildings looked like warehouses, and there were a few half-collapsed chimneys popping up from derelict workshops. Everything was grey and dusty, but she could still spot the remains of a large paved road leading from a caved-in entrance into the mountain to the deadlands proper.


    The group climbed down. The first thing they came across was a strange mound at the edge of the complex.


    ¡°This looks promising,¡± Viv commented. Farren nodded.


    ¡°Yes, it looks like a slag heap. The iron ore was probably smelted here. We may have found our destination on the first try.¡±


    ¡°Of course you have,¡± one of the walkers said.


    ¡°Indeed. It looks solid now, but if we dig a bit below the dust, I bet we would find layers of scoriae. Did you know that glass can be made from the discarded material?¡± Farren said, suddenly very interested. He stepped forward while the guards stood around inspecting their surroundings.


    ¡°That pile is quite small. It would either indicate that ¡ª¡±


    The rest of the sentence, they would never know, because at this moment a clawed hand grabbed the side of a door in the closest warehouse, and a horrible, ghoulish head emerged from the darkness. It howled.


    ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± Farren expressed as his scietific moment was ruined. The creature bounced forward in a weird, uneven gait while a horde of revenants poured from every opening in a frenetic urge to attack them.


    [Ancient revenant: dangerous, a revenant infused with black mana over a long period of time. Hardier and faster than its fresher variant.]


    Lorn didn¡¯t wait. He jumped to grab Farren with everyone else covering them.


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    Viv took out the crawler that had alerted the rest. It was too late and a trickle of undead was already stumbling towards them. In a minute, they would be an ocean. Viv kept killing them but she knew that it would not be enough.


    ¡°Back!¡± Lorn ordered.


    ¡°I need a chokehold if we are to kill them,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I know, woman, dammit. We go back to where Loric took a dump. Line formation. Koro you take the left, I take the right. Go, go!¡±


    The guards moved as ordered with Marruk voluntarily taking the center while the rest of the expedition stayed behind. Arthur took flight.


    Something clicked for the line of infantry. Their movements suddenly started to coordinate to an uncanny level, and their steps were assured even through the difficult terrain. It was definitely Lorn using a skill.


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    Viv stopped caring too much about the revenants as they were still few enough for the guards to cut them down with weapons infused in golden light.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out, we can take out the rest later! This is just the edge of the deadlands!¡±


    Viv understood what he was referring to. The revenants were ancient and wizened beyond recognition, but they were also fighting in a place where black mana saturation remained very low. It would take hours for them to rebuild themselves after being cut down.


    The group quickly reached a natural chokehold between two stone elevations that would make flanking them difficult. There, they made their stand. The moaning mass of undead stuck to their line like a slow wave. Their voices made a deafening drone that covered even the clash of weapons.


    ¡°Steady on! Save your strength, and don¡¯t overextend!¡± Lorn bellowed.


    Viv took the advice for herself as well and kept focusing on the occasional crawlers and gut spillers emerging from the mass. Mutated animals were fair game as well.


    ¡°On top of us!¡± Farren suddenly yelled. Viv¡¯s danger sense warned her and she took a few steps back, only for an undead bird to crash at her feet. It was missing a wing and its head. Above, Arthur screeched in triumph.


    Damn, it was good to have dragon-backed air supremacy.


    Viv yoinked a few of the larger specimens of revenants to ease the pressure on their right flank, but soon the press of bodies was so thick that the men started to be pushed back. Worse, some of the more enterprising revenants were making their way around the stone elevations, Farren and the two walkers enough to fend them off for now.


    Viv focused and a large sphere assembled above her. She called the runes and the spell vibrated. It was ready.


    ¡°True mass yoink.¡±


    The sphere took off and tendrils emerged from it, spearing revenants and only leaving ash behind. The tendrils spread like a plague across the horde of enemies, killing dozens in quick succession.


    Black mana flooded Viv¡¯s conduits.


    It felt amazing.


    As surely as black mana was slowly killing her, it also made her feel alive on a fundamental level. It was pure will given power over matter, something that her people had always dreamed off but never obtained. It flooded her being and begged to be used, unleashed, according to her need. And she had a need right now.


    ¡°Marruk?¡±


    The Kark woman bashed one last skull, then grabbed her shield horizontally with both hands. She roared and smashed it into the now thinned first ranks with supernatural power. The sound of the defensive weapon impacting dry flesh was like a gong, and there was suddenly a calm in the center of the conflict, an eye of the cyclone that Viv made use of. All the overload she had just acquired flew into the mightiest blight she had ever conjured. There was nothing to spare here, none of the trees and shrubs that she was usually loath to annihilate. Just a mass of undead threatening her life. She could go all the way. She could let go. And she did.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Blight!¡±


    There was a certain beauty to an art perfectly done, even if that art was designed to destroy. The sphere left her side. It perfectly flew over Marruk¡¯s shield before spreading, expanding into a cloud of hungry, hissing void. The blight spread over the slope in a cone, smothering the land and silencing the horde. Only its furious hiss was left.


    It reminded Viv of the ¡®Nuees Ardentes¡¯, a phenomenon formed from incandescent clouds of ash and particles tumbling down the side of a volcano to catch the unwary. They were faster than cars and left no survivors.


    When the construct was finally spent, there was nothing left behind but blackened rock and twisted remnants of armor.


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± one of the guards said.


    ¡°Focus, it¡¯s not over!¡± Lorn said, ¡°can you do that again?¡± he then asked Viv.


    ¡°Yes. Twice more.¡±


    Lorn looked genuinely amazed.


    ¡°I¡¯m perfect against the undead.¡±


    ¡°So it would seem.¡±


    The battle resumed. Farren and the walkers handled stragglers, Arthur kept the skies clear above their heads, while Koro and Lorn covered the flanks. Viv figured out why when they started being pushed back due to the large amount of bodies piling up. Both combatants were able to handle several revenants at once, though it became clear that they were tiring. Viv redoubled her efforts and sent another blight to relieve the pressure, aiming more to the side this time. After that, they only had about sixty revenants left to kill and Viv simply yoinked them at great speed.


    The guards collapsed where they were as soon as the last undead fell. The rest of the group walked around, keeping an eye out. Only the walkers were still fresh.


    Arthur landed and paraded before Viv, who lavished her with praises and rewarded her with some meat. The proud dragonette preened and spread her wings wide so that all could bask in her victorious illustriousness.


    ¡°You did such a good job!¡± Viv congratulated, ¡°they didn¡¯t stand a chance against you!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    It was at that time that one of the walkers whooped in delight. He picked something from the ground and waved it where all could see. It was the glint of gold, tarnished by time and sorcery, but unmistakable. It came from a rectangular coin at the limit of being an ingot.


    Arthur¡¯s gaze turned and she spotted the coin.


    It suddenly occurred to Viv that she had never used one of her very few gold talents in Arthur¡¯s presence. The denomination was simply too large to be exchanged on an everyday basis. The most expensive things she had bought in Arthur¡¯s presence had been paid in silver.


    In the dragonette¡¯s eyes, the light of cupidity shone like a star.


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    The party rested for twenty minutes during which Viv pulled black mana from the few wounds the warriors had suffered. Then, the looting began. Viv had almost forgotten that for typical undead hunters, half of their profit came from checking revenants for valuables while the rest was the bounty. It soon became apparent that this location had not been cleared for centuries, and everyone started piling valuables. A lot of the stuff was steel or faded, enchanted pieces of gear with just enough magic left not to fall into pieces. They did not find another pouch of money like the walker had found. There was still quite a bit of silver left. Lorn was giddy.


    ¡°This is my favorite part. We get money, and nobody died.¡±


    ¡°How very avaricious. Are you sure you¡¯re not a follower of Sardanal?¡± Viv teased. Sardanal was the god of wealth so the joke should work.


    ¡°Nothing said that good deeds cannot pay!¡± the guard captain exclaimed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Koro said, ¡°we punish evil, get rich and get laid. That is the good life.¡±


    Viv could get behind that.


    They ended up with a pile of scrap that could nevertheless be used by talented smiths as is, but that they could not transport for the moment. It could wait since it never rained in the deadlands. The rest was the more valuable stuff. They had usable weapons, mostly steel short swords, which they decided to leave as well since they were damaged. They also had a collection of ancient coins and some jewelry. Arthur trotted forth and grabbed one coin.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°By tradition, casters get ten parts, officers three and footmen one. That coin covers your share, I believe,¡± Farren said in a rather subdued voice.


    ¡°Works for me.¡±


    While the rest split up the loot, Viv asked for one of the walkers to help her with something. A knife, a needle, some thread and a few straps of leather, Viv had made a pouch which she presented to Arthur. The dragonette was still clutching the precious, tarnished coin within two claws with consideration, inspecting it from different angles.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Viv placed the coin in the pouch with only a small resistance, though there was clear distress in Arthur¡¯s face. She fastened the pouch around her neck where it was unobtrusive, and then showed her precocious student how to open and close it. Arthur squeaked impatiently to show she understood and resumed her study.


    Meanwhile, the group was ready to go and they moved down the slope, finishing off the revenants that had started to regenerate. They used the opportunity to explore the empty base building by building, finding broken foundry equipment like crucibles, furnaces and the likes, all covered in dust and the rusty remains of scaffoldings.


    ¡°It would make sense for the Min Goles mines to have a foundry nearby so that they could transfer ingots directly inland,¡± Farren noted.


    They continued their exploration and found the decrepit remains of barracks and what looked like administrative quarters. They found a lot of coins in the various collapsed remains of chests, but the real treasure was in the topmost office of the tallest building. A safe, damaged by falling stone, easily disgorged its contents with the help of Lorn¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s fetching buttocks,¡± Koro exclaimed, ¡°we¡¯re rich!¡±


    They had found the Min Goles treasury. There was enough gold and assorted silver to buy half of Kazar.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re loaded!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± one of the guards said, ¡°why haven¡¯t we come here sooner?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the undead infestation?¡±


    ¡°Oh right.¡±


    The group decided to spend the night there and check the mine entrances in the morning. They used the rest of the evening grinning like idiots and splitting the loot, including the walkers who looked slightly less enthused. It was an unexpected boon. Everyone took refuge in one of the barracks which two of the guards meticulously swept and cleaned until it was livable.


    ¡°I¡¯m sort of jealous,¡± Viv admitted as the pair carried on their tasks. One of them, the only female guard besides Koro, turned to her with an amused frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous of someone who can depopulate an entire undead town in fifteen minutes. Guess that makes us even?¡±


    Everyone was in a good mood, and jokes and banter fused as Koro cooked the meal. Viv went out and sat next to Marruk who had gotten busy polishing her mace as she kept a vigil on the darkening landscape around them.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re rich now,¡± Viv started.


    ¡°So it seems.¡±


    ¡°That means you can leave my employment, if you wish.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know. But I don¡¯t think I will. I think I want to know everything about guerilla warfare first.¡±


    The Kark placed her weapon down on the ground and massaged her hands. They were quite scarred.


    ¡°I told you many times that I left my tribe.¡±


    ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°I think I was just running away then. Running away from a fate where things would keep up as they were, I would bear witness to my people¡¯s slow death. I told myself that I was looking for¡­ something. A magical weapon. Anything that would stop our extinction. It took me years of wandering before I figured out that I needed a new art of war. It took meeting you. Now that I have finally found it, I want to keep you alive long enough to learn it.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s hard,¡± Viv joked, but Marruk was less amused.


    ¡°It is. You have an uncanny tendency to end up in the most dangerous situations. One day, that insolent luck of yours will run out.¡±


    Viv thought of her divine spark.


    ¡°Or maybe it won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope we never find out. In the meanwhile, this boon changes nothing. Money will not save us. The best use I can make of it is to buy the best armor I can for myself and try to drag that knowledge back to the steppes. And then probably bang a few heads together until those stubborn idiots are willing to listen to me. And if I get even richer, well¡­¡±


    ¡°Well what?¡± Viv asked, curious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hire you.¡±


    Viv smiled and nodded. After she was cured, perhaps.


    The group slept soundly and studied the caved-in mine entrance in the morning. It did not take long for the strongmen of the group to open a passage into the complex large enough for people to pass. The last boulder was lifted to reveal an interior completely submerged in darkness. Viv heard something large shuffle in the distance. Farren¡¯s voice echoed in the passage.


    ¡°The Min Goles iron mines, ladies and gentlemen. Shall we?¡±

 Chapter 49: Into relative darkness.

    The walkers decided to stay behind, their task accomplished and their pockets full. They were asked to inform the base camp that the expedition had been successful in finding their target. The rest of the group slithered through the gap and into the darkness of the caverns beyond to explore their find. Viv offered Arthur to stay as well, but the dragonling completely ignored her. She just scurried about, sniffing at rocks and ancient pieces of equipment.


    The mine entrance was, unsurprisingly, a massive rectangular tunnel with a twin set of rails covering most of its surface. Viv could barely see anything more until she took out her light stone, but she quickly put it away when one of the guards summoned a cascade of lights. A hive of luminescent dots soon surrounded the group like so many firebugs. It was both eerie and beautiful.


    They got a good view of their surroundings. The tunnel continued farther down until they lost sight of what lay beyond. There was a large door set in the wall to their left, and the tunnel opened onto a large square farther on their right.


    ¡°Wow, look at that,¡± the other female guard said, pointing at the collapsed rocks behind them. There were two massive steel panes on either side of them, clearly designed to condemn the mines. Although, right now, they were both wide open. The expedition would never have breached those otherwise.


    ¡°They did not close the site?¡± Viv mused aloud.


    //Those doors are designed to lock the mine in case of subterranean monster incursion.


    //They were standard imperial practice for every mine.


    //Whoever remains inside would rely on luck and a prompt rescue to survive.


    //People in the process of leaving would have little reason to seal this location after their departure.


    ¡°Right,¡± Lorn interrupted, ¡°that¡¯s an interesting take on the Old Empire safety laws, but we are not here for that. Surround formation. I take the front, Koro takes the back. Lady Bob will stay in the center with Marruk and Farren. We take it slow and steady. Neriad knows what could be in here right now.¡±


    Viv had to agree. She could not think of a single movie where people explored abandoned mines and it turned out well. With her luck, they would be beset by that winged fire demon with the dominatrix whip from Lord of the Rings. Or giant scorpions. Jesus.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


    Viv stayed with everyone, finding it hard to take in everything with the wall of flesh and steel between her and her surroundings. She found it more oppressive than reassuring. Back on earth, walking packed like that was the best way to get a rocket up the ass and end up as so much meat paste. At least her height offset the oppressive feeling to an extent.


    The group briefly inspected the left door, which led to basic offices with dusty remnants of furniture strewn about. There was also an adjoined guard room with shield and weapon racks, most of them empty. The open space farther right on the main tunnel housed piles of equipment and broken crates covered in tattered shreds of tarp. Most of the equipment was dulled by age but seemed functional. There was little rust around.


    They moved on, and soon the way split into several paths. Farren suggested that they explore the upper tunnels first, and they followed a straight corridor through the heart of the mountain. The air was cold and still. The deeper they went, the more the grip of the deadlands loosened. It was not long before the iron started to rust and mushrooms appeared. Pale and translucent insects crawled across moist walls in slow motions that the approaching light did not hurry. On one occasion, Farren stopped the group and had the fire-users torch a circle of purple-capped mushrooms.


    ¡°Ornean Blinders. Their spores are poisonous,¡± he explained, ¡°and the fire will disperse them.¡±


    Viv was glad that he had decided to memorize a book on underground flora since she did not entirely trust her inspection skill. She hoped that they would not need the one on underground fauna as well.


    The side passages led to smaller paths, many of them caved in. They quickly found their prize.


    ¡°An iron vein,¡± Lorn said with reverence.


    It was simply colored ore snaking across the wall. The stone bulged as if it had organically regrown over a gouged out fragment. Come to think of it, that was pretty much what had happened.


    ¡°This is just so weird,¡± Viv mumbled to herself.


    Self-replenishing ore.


    What a weird world this was.


    She spared a look for Arthur, currently munching on a wiggling pale worm. The dragon tasted the snack, shrugged, and gulped it down in one bite.


    That was fine.


    They had a quick, cold lunch and a group of other guards started to use magical lights as the first one was getting exhausted. Their trip quickly ended in a large cavern that doubled as a safe area, as far as Viv could tell. It only had two entrances and both were fortified, though they were also left mercifully open.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t find any bodies,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°We are quite far from the epicenter of the cataclysm. Not to mention that thick stone blocks most spells. I think it likely that the miners were able to evacuate. Perhaps their descendants till the fields we passed on our way here,¡± Farren replied.


    It made sense to her, and she found confirmation in the open space the group was now exploring. There were wagons in orderly rows on one side, some still filled with crumbling blocks of ore. They found a guard barracks with most of the weapons missing. The last item of interest was a large lift, but the ropes had disappeared a long time ago and only a gaping abyss was left of the original shaft.


    ¡°We cannot climb down,¡± Lorn said, ¡°and this place is not secured so long as the gap remains. We should move on.¡±


    The group stopped to rest for a few minutes, then headed back towards the entrance. Midway, they picked up the largest branching tunnel in the complex besides the one that they had followed so far. It was larger and just as dark, silent besides the sound of water condensation dripping on the ground. That was one thing that marked her. The deadlands had this dry dusty scent, but the mines smelled of mold and humidity and old things. It was alive. It had been alive for a long time before the humans had returned.


    The passage led north, not exactly where they wanted to go but it would do. They found something that made the expedition glad an hour later.


    ¡°Cisterns. We¡¯ll be able to explore for a few more days,¡± Koro said.


    A pair of guards could conjure water from thin air, but that was not enough to keep the entire group hydrated. Now, they could explore longer before having to resupply. Viv felt ambivalent about that specific success. She did not enjoy staying in dark tunnels for extended periods of time. The entire mine was even more empty and desolate than the deadlands had been.


    The next surprise was a bit different. The group came across a specific wall covered in metal and polished to a sheen. The material was silvery, and it emitted a strange mana that she could not identify. Its pulses poked at the wound in her soul though not hard enough to pain her.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°That thing is magical,¡± Viv warned. The rest of the group stopped.


    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± Lorn asked, suddenly serious.


    [Artefact: Mirror of the People.]


    ¡°Says it¡¯s an artefact,¡± she explained. Farren had noticed as well.


    ¡°That thing is ancient,¡± the Branch Leader said, ¡°if it were dangerous, it would not have been allowed to remain in a mine on a major path. I will go and have a look.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question,¡± Lorn retorted.


    ¡°It should be fine.¡±


    There were a few arguments, but eventually Lorn relented. They would have to pass in front of it to go on anyway. The group advanced, Viv ready to nope any incoming magic. There was none and they managed a better look at their find.


    The silvery metal was, indeed, a mirror, and it was perfect. It reflected their worried faces to the last follicle.


    ¡°I look good,¡± Koro said, pleased with herself. She gave herself a bright smile minus that incisor she had lost somewhere along the way. It could not deter her mood.


    Viv had to admit that she was not too bad either. The white-grey robe with its dark scripts and slightly eastern style made her think of a secondary character in some high-budget fantasy movie. Her hair reached past her cheeks now in a sort of bastardized pixie-cut, and her green eyes shone lightly in the magic light used by the guards. The black veins under her skin were still visible, but they were disguised under a healthy tan and you would not notice them unless you knew they were there. She didn¡¯t think they would ever truly be gone. All in all, it wasn¡¯t too bad.


    Arthur trotted to the front and took several different poses, culminating in a rendition of the dragon on the cover of ¡°The Desolation of Arristan,¡± her favorite book.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Under Lorn¡¯s consternated gaze, the full group gave in to their base instincts. Koro pulled a surprisingly long tongue and the bald guard made a convincing interpretation of a dog. Shortly, one of the guards paled and the entire assembly fell silent soon after.


    There were people behind them, in the reflection. Viv jumped and turned back to find nothing but dust and darkened stones. The tunnel was as dead and silent as it had been when they arrived. By comparison, the scene in the mirror showed a well-lit corridor with people trailing in both directions. They had the slightly greenish skin tone of the surrounding nations and wore strange miner garments in earthy tones. The fabric reminded Viv of old paintings of the late nineteenth century, but they were also surprisingly clean and of a strange cut. The miners also wore helmets with magical lights, and they carried pickaxes and other unknown tools.


    The men and a few women walked to and fro, a handful stopping to check themselves in the mirror with a smile before returning to the flow of anonymity. There were even a few official men with a pinched air and more luxurious clothes bearing an insignia: two pickaxes over a glyph.


    ¡°Old Harrakan. Those are the mine dwellers of the past,¡± Viv whispered.


    ¡°The mirror of the people. A fitting name. The artefact probably started as a layer of reflective iron and evolved from there,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°What do you mean, evolved?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°You can discuss this on the way,¡± Lorn said, ¡°we must go on. That thing is not moving, so you two eggheads can study it later.¡±


    With some regret, the troop carried on. Farren stepped next to Viv and talked to her in a low voice.


    ¡°Careful. Lorn thought that you were talking about specifics but you should know what artefacts are. Have you never heard of named objects?¡±


    ¡°I read your books, yeah. Marruk also mentioned them in Kark folk tales but I always assumed it was, errr, really well enchanted stuff given a proper name.¡±


    ¡°I am talking about true artefacts. They are, hmm, they are what happens when the conditions are right. Essentially, artefacts are born more than made. They occur at a conjunction of factors. For example, that mirror probably came to be after generations of workers used a mundane object to see themselves. Artefacts are rare, but they all have interesting stories. I will tell you a tale tonight, after we have made camp.¡±


    ¡°I would like that.¡±


    They fell silent. They left the ancient place behind with some regret, returning to their usual careful march. An hour later, the tunnel ended in a titanic cavern at least a kilometer across and the group stopped once more.


    ¡°This looks promising¡­¡± Farren said as they took in their surroundings. The cavern was roughly circular, structured like a funnel, with a wide road circling down to the bottom of the pit. Luminescent mushrooms dotted the ceiling and bathed the expansive complex in a pale blue light. The air was thick with humidity.


    The guard who had made the lights took a step to the side and cast his spell again. A beautiful radiance spread, showing wet rock and, more interestingly, tracks. From something with many legs.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s...¡±


    Viv¡¯s danger sense screamed to her. That was the only warning they got.


    A circular maw propelled by centipede legs burst out from the side, bearing right on them. Viv¡¯s senses heightened until she could see patches of reddish eyes. Time slowed.


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    Her reaction was near instantaneous, a reflex born in the deadlands. The bolt flew as a head as large as a doghouse fell upon them. She felt the spell connect, then fail to dig in. It was like trying to pick sand and meet slick stone instead. The creature was still alive.


    [Juvenile Depth Worm: extremely dangerous]


    Viv was caught in the middle of the formation. She could not even jump to the side. Everything happened too fast.


    Viv managed to cast a quick purge spell, cutting a thin line across the creature¡¯s flank.


    The guards raised their shields and struck at the same time, but the creature was minibus-sized and smashed through them.


    Viv was tossed aside, falling under the heavy weight of Marruk. She heard the shriek of metal and tortured wood and felt a pain in her shoulder.


    ¡°Shit, I¡¯m hit!¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Dammit, Arthur, remove your claws from my arm. They hurt.¡±


    ¡°Up, up!¡± Lorn yelled. Everyone scrambled to their feet and the guards formed a protective lozenge with weapons wielded about.


    ¡°Loric, curse the risks, give us light.¡±


    Silence. Silence and darkness.


    ¡°Loric?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone, chief. I mean, he¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Dammit. That thing took him. After them.¡±


    The group rushed on, other guards summoned lights to see where they had gone. There were a few shrieks above them. Viv had a clear look of Marruk passing a finger through a fresh hole in her shield, then they were beset by flyers.


    The creatures looked like scaled, massive bats with surprisingly serpentine faces. Viv cast purge spells in quick succession and limbs started to fly. Motivated by their loss, the soldiers cut into the assailants with cold fury. Arthur pounced on one creature after another, bringing them to the ground with broken spines.


    ¡°Enough of this. Purge net!¡±


    Viv focused and covered the entire area above them in a dense network of interlocking void whips. The destructive nature of black mana sang to her as it carved through flesh and bones. A deafening cacophony of death shrieks echoed throughout the cave, and the survivors left in a hurry, back to their lairs under the ceiling. The humans (and that one Kark) were ankle-deep in blood and viscera.


    There was no cry of triumph. Koro stepped up and kneeled without waiting for an order.


    ¡°There, the trail. Follow me.¡±


    The tall woman rushed down the slope of the large cavern, group in tow. Viv tried to have a look at the ground but there were too many people in the way.


    ¡°Thanks for saving me,¡± she told Marruk in a low voice.


    ¡°You owe me a new shield.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Viv thought about what they had seen. The creature was massive and covered in a thick layer of skin and, apparently, fat. It had too many legs to immobilize. Its weak point was probably its massive maw. Earthworms didn¡¯t have brains, but that thing was so big that it might have one. Probably close to those eye clusters.


    Better not think of the guy who had been taken.


    So yeah, she would prioritize the head.


    That was her plan.


    If you call that a plan.


    ¡°Sharp left!¡± Koro yelled after twenty minutes of non-stop descent. They had passed by a few openings in the cave¡¯s walls on their way down, but Koro had not stopped. Viv supposed that they led to more sections of the mine. Farren had probably underestimated how stupidly massive the thing was. No, Viv herself had been dumb. The mountain range surrounding Harrak was kilometers-deep, probably. Any complex that provided a way between one end and another was bound to be enormous.


    The new passage was just as large as the one they had followed a few hours earlier. There were rails as well and they passed by a few abandoned wagons. There was more life here, more humidity in the air. It also smelled quite rank. A pungent smell with a hint of rot filled her nose and throat. The rapid pace was starting to tax her stamina and sweat pearled on her brow.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Koro said.


    They had reached a T-shaped intersection, and the ground was filled with condensed, brackish water. The tracks disappeared in the pond that covered the ground of three different passages.

 Chapter 50: Tunneling

    ¡°We can check both,¡± Farren said.


    Viv said nothing. She moved forward and called upon a ball of uncolored mana. The others silently stepped aside to give her room.


    She added a few key glyphs including sound and pull. Soon, a shimmering disc appeared before her. She angled it towards the path on her left. There was nothing to hear.


    The spell gave them a skittering sound like chitin on rock from the path on the right.


    ¡°It¡¯s that way, let¡¯s go,¡± Lorn said. They resumed their course, feet splashing through the dark liquid. They were getting closer, Viv thought.


    The tunnel branched again and finished at the opening of a square, clearly man-made cavern. The ceiling was high and the walls had many of those fluorescent mushrooms growing in sickly patches. A disgusting organic net clogged every surface, and the stench grew by an order of magnitude.


    ¡°Here!¡± someone yelled. She could see a pile on the far left of the room. There was a glint of metal on the surface.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Lorn ordered. They did, though many of the guards were foaming at the mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s above us¡­¡±


    Viv could not see as she was still mostly in the tunnel with the core of the formation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get its attention, you follow closely behind and give it everything you got. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Boss, wait!¡±


    Lorn dashed in and turned on himself just as a monstrous body smashed like a locomotive into the ground close to where he was. The rest of the group charged in screaming. Axes and swords and spears stabbed into armored flesh and the keratin of its many feet with little result. The few people with elemental damage, including Viv, had more success. The depth worm emitted a deep grumble and turned on itself. Lorn jumped over a trail of goop and rejoined the formation.


    ¡°Triple rank shield wall.¡±


    The soldiers arranged themselves three by three with Koro and Lorn in the second rank. Viv stayed at the back. The creature glared at them. Viv aimed as it lay unmoving. Her spear of black mana landed squarely on a cluster of red eyes, leaving behind a ragged wound bleeding pale humors. The pain caused the worm to writhe and it finally charged them.


    ¡°By Neriad, HOLD!¡±


    The shields at the front of the wall shone gold and when hit, they released a sound like a gong struck with great force. Instead of being sent flying, the three men at the front were kept in position by the hands and support of those behind. The worm clearly did not expect such resistance and it lay stunned for a second. The battle-hardened humans were not going to let that opportunity go to waste. Half a dozen weapons scored deep marks in its flesh. It retracted its head and opened its abominable lamprey mouth.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    A stream of deleterious mana erupted from Viv¡¯s hand, thin and focused. It melted the creature¡¯s ¡®face¡¯.


    The monster retreated, bleeding its strange ichor but still lively. It glared balefully, well, everywhere since it had a bloody collection of eyeballs, and crawled back on the ceiling. It scurried vertically and stopped far above them. Its throat produced disgusting gulping noise.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna spit! Spread out!¡±


    The group rushed out except Viv and Marruk. The witch was standing there with a black sphere by her side.


    The monster threw up a shower of vile liquid.


    ¡°Arty!¡±


    The mighty spell hurled through the air in silence and entered the beast¡¯s maw in a devastating attack. Marruk grabbed Viv by the waist and legged it.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    Fragments of acidic and half-digested things disappeared on the half-sphere of darkness, then they were out of range. Viv and Marruk turned to see more disgusting liquid cascade over the sodden ground, followed by what was obviously viscera. A moment later, the worm¡¯s gutted corpse smashed into the ground with a ghastly, mushy sound. More liquid spread across the room, lapping at Viv¡¯s newish and so far untainted boots.


    ¡°Ew.¡±


    It smelled like a dead fucking skunk.


    Marruk frowned.


    ¡°You always bring me to the nicest places, Viviane.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Arthur plodded from the tunnel and sniffed at some unidentified innards. She glared at Viv, deeply offended by the nature of their prey this time. Viv had no time to handle the dragonette¡¯s injured pride, however, as the guards rushed to the larder to untangle their fallen comrade. Viv had a quick look. It didn¡¯t look good.


    The man was missing an arm and, though the wound was no longer bleeding, he had other deep gashes across his arms. His chainmail had managed to prevent the worm from gutting him entirely, but part of the skin on his face looked melted under the influence of a sticky fluid that covered him from head to toe. The expedition had healing potions but honestly, Viv didn¡¯t think that it would be enough. By all rights he should be dead already. Only his high stats were keeping him alive.


    No one spoke as Farren kneeled by the hurt man¡¯s side. Loric¡¯s breath came harsh and fast, and his eyes were closed. He was in a lot of pain.


    ¡°May Neriad¡¯s mercy be with you.¡±


    A golden glow emerged from the young man¡¯s hands and enveloped Loric. His breath steadied. He relaxed. His chest rose another dozen times, then stopped.


    The golden god¡¯s promise of peace in death was upheld again.


    There was some hesitation, then the rest of the guard started a prayer which lasted for a while. Viv and Marruk didn¡¯t join. After that, the group split up, with most guards untangling the body of their comrade while Viv moved back towards the entrance of the tunnel. Arthur stared at the witch as she was resting against a wall.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little Arthur?¡±


    The dragonling raised a claw, upon which a single droplet of blood had come to rest. Viv looked at her shoulder and found a gash in her armor, the weave frayed and dyed with the tiniest hint of red. Her own gaze alternated between the dead man behind her, the claw, and Viv.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anytime soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Fragile, is what she meant. Probably.


    The dragonling didn¡¯t say anything more, but her tail went to coil around Viv¡¯s leg until Farren and Lorn returned. The rest of the guard passed them by with the body clad in an improvised shroud made from tent material. They were somber, but resolute. Lorn spoke as they left.


    ¡°Normally, temple guards are buried where they fall. The guards will dig a grave in a secondary passage. I would not want my last resting place to stink so much.¡±


    Viv nodded. Farren was very pale and he shook his head.


    ¡°I made a terrible mistake, people died,¡± Lorn aped in the educated tone of Farren. The Branch Head looked shocked, but Lorn just smiled bitterly.


    ¡°You were right and I was wrong,¡± the captain admitted, ¡°I thought this was a fool¡¯s errand and it was not. Truly, the line between genius and insanity is measured by success and success only.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Loric died.¡±


    ¡°Loric died exploring the greatest natural resource ever found since the Baelen diamond mine a century ago. This is an expansive, already dug and fully regenerated iron mine, Farren. Baran would go to war over this. Enoria would go to war as well. It¡¯s a strategic fucking asset. And your inquisitive mind delivered it into our hands. The temple hierarchy will piss themselves when we lay claim to it. Emeric bless my ass but the Mornyr high council might even blow us if we ask politely.¡±


    ¡°Now we just have to find a passage through the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Or make one ourselves. Get a team of miners here and we can trade ingots with Kazar, make our own tools. It will only take a week of effort to make this place profitable.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°There are still monsters to clear.¡±


    ¡°And we will. We will. This place will make us all famous. But for now, we have a burial to attend.¡±


    ***


    The burial was a humble affair and didn¡¯t take long. Everyone said something they remembered about the departed, and then they all wished him a pleasant stay in the afterlife. Viv felt¡­ inadequate. The guards had stood between the danger and herself, just like Marruk usually did. Someone had died because they were at the edge of the formation and she was not. More importantly, she had simply never known Loric, never made the effort to get to know him better. She had been distant. She had always been distant. She was the very same ¡®ice queen¡¯ that her fellow cadets had begrudgingly respected. Nothing had changed in her mind. The only difference was that, here, people expected it. She was upper caste by virtue of her power, and upper caste did not mingle with the plebeians.


    Was it right, or not?


    The more time she spent thinking about it, and the more she believed that the other cadets had been wrong. It was not that she was haughty and unattainable. She just didn¡¯t open her heart to everyone. Her gathering of companions here proved that she could and would open up and create bonds of friendship when she clicked with them. Her training in the army had come at a very difficult moment of her life, when she had finally cut ties with her father to follow her own path. She had been defensive as anyone who was freshly uprooted would be, and it justified a more guarded behavior. Was this wrong?


    More importantly, did she owe others to be friendly and social?


    She no longer believed it.


    Her dad was a social animal, able to be amiable with many and genuinely care about them to some extent, but she was built differently and that was fine. The only thing she owed others was respect.


    Was it maturity? Had the wound in her soul changed her? Or had her power gone to her head a bit, allowing her to justify any behavior as quirks because, essentially, no one had authority over her?


    The worst thing was that she didn¡¯t care. Not really. She stood there listening to others and just felt alienated from the whole process, and yet, it did not affect her beyond that vague feeling of inadequacy.


    The ceremony ended with not one person looking at her. There were a few glares sent Farren¡¯s way, but Lorn quickly quelled any discontent with a few whispered words. The group turned back to where the worm had fallen despite the smell at the insistence of Koro.


    ¡°I saw something. There,¡± she said.


    They passed by the foul-smelling carcass and beyond the monster¡¯s larder. There was a passage there, one that had not been dug by human hands but by the worm. The end of the circular tunnel was covered in a slim sheet of red. It was, Viv realized, a shield. Her budding mana perception recognized it as soon as she was close enough.


    ¡°Fire mana. It¡¯s a membrane. Look at the shimmering edge. This is a pretty standard shield,¡± she explained, pointing at the surface. The others were speechless for a moment.


    ¡°A shield? Here? Placed by whom?¡± Farren asked. Viv had no answer.


    ¡°Can you pierce it?¡± Lorn asked.


    ¡°Yes, easily, but this is a construct so the shield will just close back again.¡±


    The tunnel beyond was another one that was made by people, though it was narrower and rougher than the rest of the mine. There were no signs of any sort of activity.


    ¡°If we want to go through¡­¡± Viv began.


    ¡°We do,¡± Lorn said, ¡°if there are folks out there, I want to know who.¡±


    ¡°If we do then I can attack the shield until the supply is depleted, but I have another faster way to go through. I can simply shield myself in a black mana and pass it without burning.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Do it, but be careful,¡± Lorn said. Marruk looked distinctively ill-at-ease.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Viv started to cast, then hesitated.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Farren asked.


    ¡°No¡­ no, it¡¯s just that... Ahem.¡±


    The other stared at her with various airs of misunderstanding. Viv sighed.


    ¡°Fine! Fine¡­ Easy peasy sneaky cloaky.¡±


    Black mana pooled from her robe and covered her in a suit of armor. Interestingly, it looked like a mix between her current robe and the FELIN ballistic armor she had worn during combat operations back on earth. Her current appearance dispelled the only traces of amusement her weird incantation had generated. The rest of the group showed clear signs of worry. Perhaps the deep black color and unusual cut bothered them? She was about to leave, when a boisterous voice interrupted her.


    ¡°Nice gear, sister. If my brothers could see you, they would definitely ask you to carry their kids!¡± Koro congratulated her. The southerner nodded to her with her bright smile, her missing incisor giving it a slightly dorky edge.


    ¡°Er, thanks.¡°


    Viv passed the shield without issue. The red mana proved completely incapable of even slowing her down. She just felt a sort of pressure on her mind but that was it. The drain on her reserves was minimal. Just as she expected, she found a small construct stuck to the wall on her side of the shield. Interestingly, it was encased in a rectangular metal box and had a lever on its surface. She pulled on it and the shield powered down.


    ¡°Well well well.¡±


    She inspected the box as the others joined her. It was fuelled by a tiny monster core shining red with stored mana. It was nailed to the wall with a long spike. The material looked a bit rough, but there was no denying its efficacy.


    ¡°Do you recognize this make?¡± Viv asked Farren as he joined her side.


    ¡°No. This does not resemble anything I have ever seen, and the casing is surprisingly crude considering how elaborate the shield construct is. Make no mistake, it remains rudimentary according to Param standards, but whoever cobbled this together knew what they were doing.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°We should take it with us, just in case. It could prove useful.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m not carrying it.¡±


    Farren rolled his eyes and handed the thing to the stockiest guard.


    ¡°What now?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°We follow the tracks,¡± Koro answered.


    ¡°Tracks?¡±


    The tall woman pointed at the ground, where, as far as Viv could see, there was absolutely fuckall.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Lorn said appreciatively. ¡°Two of them. Humanoid. Let¡¯s see what we are dealing with.¡±


    The group gathered once more, this time in rows of two with Viv once again in the middle. They walked for a while in vigilant silence. The corridor was smaller and clearly made in a rush, with light only provided by spells. Half an hour after setting out, both Koro and Viv called for a stop.


    ¡°The tracks disappear here,¡± the tall woman said with consternation.


    ¡°There is something strange with the wall to our right,¡± Viv added, ¡°I can feel earth mana coming from it.¡±


    She placed her hand against the wall.


    ¡°As if¡­¡±


    The wall collapsed.


    Well, a large segment of it in any case, and beyond was a smaller, more natural cavern with two curious humanoids. One of them yelped and swiveled abruptly, swinging towards Viv the nose of a nasty crossbow.


    ¡°Wait! Don¡ª¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Apprentice 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv¡¯s instincts screamed and she erected a nope shield by instinct. At the same moment, Marruk pulled her back.


    A quarrel impossibly crossed the fully formed shield and landed square into her left arm.


    It hurt like hell.


    Time stopped, and Viv almost killed her attacker there and then, but the humanoid squealed and grabbed its head with its arm in a ¡®oh fuck gesture¡¯, letting his crossbow clatter against the ground.


    It was, of course, not enough to calm her fury.


    ¡°Ouh putain, espece de sale petit enfoir¨¦ de SALOPARD DE FILS DE TA MERE LA GROSSE PUTE, CONNARD! SA¡ª hmmm¡±


    The black witch¡¯s tirade of stringed French insults died on her lips as the other, taller humanoid had grabbed a measuring tape, which he was now using as a switch in his earnest effort to beat the ever-loving crap out of her shooter. High-pitched supplications did little to curb his enthusiasm. Or at least Viv though it was a he. Hard to tell with the stress and pain of having steel in her arm.


    The creatures were really weird. They were slightly shorter than humans with barrel-like chests and long, spindly arms that probably reached mid-thigh. Their legs were short and muscular, but it was their faces that she found the most curious. They reminded her of owls, with very pointy noses and small, deeply-set dark eyes. Their skin was brown and covered in bristling hair that looked rather coarse. They also had thin and long ears that tapered to a point. Both of them were covered from neck to toe in leather and metal armor customized with pouches. Viv noticed that the taller creature had grey in its, well, bristles. It was also hurt, with red-soaked bandages across his flank. Part of his right ear was missing.


    Meanwhile, the punishment was nearing its end as the older one simply ran out of breath. He backed up, leaving the bleeding form of the other sobbing on the ground.


    Viv bit the handle of her knife and pulled the quarrel from her shoulder with a gasp. It had partly melted before reaching her and the dull edge had thankfully failed to penetrate her enchanted armor too deeply. She still bled a bit, and so she popped a small mending potion, feeling the power knit the wound close in moments.


    The older creature sighed and kneeled by the discarded crossbow, placing a hand on it.


    He froze.


    In the past few seconds, the man-sized opening in the wall had disgorged about fifteen grumpy humans, and one absolutely pissed off dragonling. The humanoid looked on as a set of weapons left their sheaths and realized that the odds were somewhere in the negative. He pointed at the weapon with one hesitant finger.


    ¡°Og Lok?¡±


    ¡°Og Lok your mom. Farren, do you know what language is this? And what species they are, for that matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe I do. Those are Yries. They are usually very reclusive mountain-dwellers. I know of outposts near the pure league and in the eastern marches of Enoria. I have no idea what they are doing here.¡±


    ¡°Do they not speak human languages?¡±


    ¡°If they have leaders, then they will be able to talk to us. We should go and meet them. I wonder what they are doing here so far from their homes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard telling them that,¡± Lorn remarked, ¡°perhaps with sign language?¡±


    Viv raised a hand and interrupted the discussion.


    ¡°Please. Allow me.¡±


    She tapped her shoulder and Arthur quickly climbed it, spreading her wings behind to make the witch look bigger. The similarity in color between armor and scale turned her into a chimera, a rather angry one. She stepped forward and picked the crossbow from the ground without breaking eye contact. The old Yries clearly disliked it, but he did not move to prevent her from doing so.


    Viv shoved the weapon against his chest, her face very close to his. Arthur¡¯s toothy snout hissed by her side.


    Viv pointed at the only other exit to the cave besides the one they had made.


    ¡°We go see your boss. Now.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intimidation: intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The creature nodded hastily as he placed the crossbow on his back. They then dragged his hurt companion from the ground and they made for the door.


    ¡°Remind me not to take you on diplomatic missions,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°Look, I got results didn¡¯t I?¡±

 Chapter 51: Tales from the Dark

    The group plus the two owl-like Yries trudged even deeper into the heart of the mountain. It had been a full day since Viv had last seen the sky above her head. She had never been in a similar situation before and found it taxing. The unyielding walls of deep stone pressed all around her, both intractable and too fragile for her tastes. Only her magically-enhanced intellect brought her a measure of calm as she knew the way back with certainty.


    Barring any collapse.


    The passage they followed was more circular than square, and it only seldom crossed the odd, empty cavern. They were walking in a straight line. Sometimes, the younger Yries in front of them would turn to steal a glance in their direction.


    Viv touched the comforting edge of her light stone, stuck snugly in one of her front pouches. All those other dumbasses could call light from their fingertips like a bunch of human firebugs, but she did not need them with that little trinket, even if things went to shit. The only thing she needed right now was answers to her questions. She angled towards Farren and whispered in his ear.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to go with them? What if the main group is¡­ not as friendly as you hoped?¡±


    Farren stared with some surprise, before shaking his head.


    ¡°Ah, you are right to be cautious, of course, but Yries are not war-like people. They will only fight when backed into a corner.¡±


    ¡°The older one is wounded. You don¡¯t send the wounded on errands unless you are desperate.¡±


    ¡°And so they need our help. You are giving the Yries human traits, lady Vvvvviviane.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. And as I said, Yries are not human. They will always try to negotiate for things first.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±


    Viv fell back and they kept going for only half an hour before their surroundings changed yet again. The tunnel widened, leading to a fortified wall manned by smaller Yries equipped with crossbows, all of them much more rudimentary than the one Viv had been shot with. They squawked when they spotted the group, but the old guy squawked louder and the bolt tips were thankfully aimed elsewhere. The humans and their guide navigated their way through stone spikes meant to slow larger creatures, and then through a magically-activated slab of stone. They entered a guard post. Viv noticed that the building itself was a simple wall raised from around by sorcerous means. Everything was rough-hewn. The guards looked nervous and wore the same thick leather armor as the guides. They had a talk with the old one.


    Viv found the exchange quite interesting. The language of the Yries was made of short syllables spoken one by one, with a lot of guttural consonants. The word for greetings was probably Ook Nog Mok Yet. Unless that was a password or something. Another detail that she noticed was that the creatures moved their long, thin ears a lot when they talked. It was kind of amusing.


    The exchange ended when the head guard blurted a few angry sentences and mimed raising his weapon in Lorn¡¯s direction. Lorn slowly pivoted on his feet until his large chest faced the Yries, and Koro stepped up by his side. There was a very brief, very one-sided moment of intimidation until the expedition was wordlessly let through.


    Viv passed a second door out of the outpost and whistled. The Yries were building a city.


    In a large natural cavern, houses and buildings had been raised along the sheer walls in twisted and bulbous patterns. The stone was clearly the same, but it had been organically weaved or melded as if it were a plant. Mushrooms in warm shades provided the illumination, hanging in vases from everywhere and casting the entire city in a warm glow. Artificial columns peppered with windows rose in regular intervals with stairs climbing their side like spines from a shrub. The cavern centered on a small pond of deep blue water. The ground had an abundance of flower beds, but they were currently lying empty.


    It was clear that something terrible and unexpected had happened. Somewhere to the left, a secluded place had crying people coming and going. As she watched, a shroud-covered body was dragged there followed by a wailing youngling. There were female Yries as well who were surprisingly much larger than their male counterparts. They led flocks of children, while men moved supplies and machine parts around with alacrity. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood.


    The humans did not stop and nobody spared them more than a long glance, a testament to how exhausted those people were. Their guide led them through the entire city from end to end. On the way, they came across scenes of desolation. A hospital overflowing with patients, wounded stretched on the very ground. Wrecked equipment, including an impressive drill as large as a bus. There were even strange vehicles on wheels that looked like first generation tanks but had a drill in front. Viv marvelled at the sight of honest-to-god machinery but she could only regret the state they were in. Something with claws had peeled the plating like paper.


    ¡°By Neriad, what is going on here?¡± one of the guards whispered around them.


    They found their answer when the land sloped up to a path to the surface. Viv had found the guard house decent, but this was on another level. Yries both young and old cluttered around a wall that blocked off the entire path, only a few rays of late afternoon light drifting through murder holes. There were enough crossbows here to stop a cavalry charge, and a few siege weapons as well. Viv recognized ballistae, though they looked cobbled together. Viv estimated that about two hundred armed Yries manned those defenses, and yet it clearly wasn¡¯t enough. Parts of the walls had been breached and were even now being repaired by drained Yries in flowing brown robes. As she watched, one of them collapsed and was carried inward to a first aid station.


    Standing in the middle of the squawking troop was the tallest Yries around. Most of the males she had seen were slightly smaller than humans, but this lad approached two meters, and he was covered by a squad of warriors wearing heavy-looking full plates. They were the only fighters using close-quarter weapons. The armor looked extremely heavy, except for their thin arms which were covered in shiny mail. The head Yries¡¯ dark eyes narrowed when he spotted the humans, and he made an annoyed ¡®come closer¡¯ gesture. Farren and Lorn took the head of the formation and both armed groups stopped close to each other, not exactly lowering their guard.


    The Yries addressed them in Baranese.


    Farren took the lead in the conversation and Viv discovered that she could not follow. While Baranese was also heavily influenced by Harrakan, it was originally a separate culture and there were enough differences to confuse her. Instead, she inspected the fighters and realized that they looked hopeful.


    It could only mean that they believed themselves utterly fucked before.


    ¡°Lady Bob?¡±


    Lorn gestured for her to join the discussion and she obliged. The Yries inspected her and his ears quivered with¡­ something. It was hard reading emotions just from those.


    ¡°This person is Gar-Gar, warchief of this Yries tribe,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°Yries have warchiefs?¡±


    ¡°Only during conflict, the rest of the time, they are ruled by¡­ look, this isn¡¯t the time for a lesson on Yries social hierarchies. He¡¯s in charge. They were trying their luck in the mountains in search of a new settlement. It went pretty well for a while, but a week ago they pierced into a lonely valley to plant crops. That was a mistake. There are plenty of revenants making their slow way to the deadlands and some aberrants as well, and that much vitality in such a desolate place is a prize that attracts attention. An unknown creature has gathered every dead thing in a twenty-leagues radius and attacked them relentlessly ever since. They lost their previous leader and stone-weaver in the initial assault. She sacrificed herself to hold the entrance long enough for her people to get to safety.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to help with the defense?¡± Viv asked.


    Farren smiled brightly


    ¡°I knew that I could count on you to at least entertain the idea. We are discussing options at the moment, I just wanted to know if you were up for it before mentioning you. I still want to find out exactly why they are here and what they intend to do.¡±


    Viv turned again as the conversation continued. The guards had settled around and Arthur was clearly considering flying, but Viv could feel her distrust of the newcomers and she was smart enough to identify the crossbows as dangerous. Marruk was now the minority inside of the minority, and she could see Solfis¡¯ calculating gaze taking in his surroundings. It was not long before Farren asked for her again.


    ¡°I have learnt more,¡± he whispered, ¡°they were chased from Enoria. These are refugees.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, did you not say that they spoke Baranese.¡±


    Farren growled with frustration.


    ¡°Listen, the Yries do not see borders as we do. For them we are, hmm, strange and unfamiliar. And warlike. And dishonest. Only those in positions of leadership make the effort to learn our tongue.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t really blame them.


    ¡°In any case,¡± he continued, ¡°they were attacked by the Enorian King¡¯s faction. One of his sons apparently wrecked their city to find valuables and tried to enslave them. That¡¯s why they are here. They are also aware of iron deposits in the vicinity. I may be overstepping my bounds here by making an agreement, but I would not want to risk our lives without some guarantees. Neriad knows that we have already risked and sacrificed much.¡±


    Well, one of them certainly had. Viv had gotten rich instead. Richer, in any case.


    ¡°What agreement did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°We will help them hold the tide. They are doing their best but, well. Have you seen their arms? Yries are physically weaker than humans in this regard. That¡¯s why they fight with machines. Do you want me to explain how efficient crossbows are when fighting a revenant tide?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Pretty fucking useless?¡±


    ¡°Quite so. We can make a significant difference, if we choose to do so. And¡­ we probably will have to. Not you specifically. Us.¡±


    Viv suddenly remembered that she was hanging out with a religious order of holy knights.


    ¡°You are honor-bond to save them?¡±


    ¡°Neriad holds every race in equal esteem and demands the same things from them, regardless of what some of those northern pricks insinuate. We cannot run while children die by the hundreds. There are almost three thousand Yries here, and only a tenth of that number are fighters.¡±


    ¡°Yries don¡¯t have militia?¡±


    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Lorn said with a scowl of disapproval.


    ¡°Yes, well, it doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± Farren argued, ¡°what matters is that we will assist as part of an arrangement.¡±


    ¡°What arrangement?¡±


    ¡°The thing,¡± Farren said, positively giddy, ¡°is that Yries are really good at metalworking.¡±


    Viv tried to reconcile her idea of the brawny man with corded muscles she expected a smith to be with the barrel-chested thin-limbed creatures bumbling about. She failed.


    ¡°They use magic,¡± Farren added, seeing her disbelief.


    ¡°Right. I saw the¡­ foreuses they had.¡±


    ¡°Their what?¡±


    ¡°Drill constructs.¡±


    ¡°Right. They will use those strange things and help us exploit the mine in return for food and sundries. We help them get back on their feet, they help us catapult this operation off the ground. We keep the rights to the mine. Everyone is a winner.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good, provided that you manage to convince them.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Farren said shrewdly, ¡°have a little faith, hmm?¡±


    And he was right. It only took ten minutes for Gar-Gar and Farren to shake hands. After they were done, one of the Yries escorted the group to an empty house right by the entrance. Viv found that she liked the circular, vertical design, though the lack of sky frustrated her. Someone had left a few personal effects and the guards gathered them before crashing on an assortment of stone seats and couches. Someone knocked on their door.


    Viv turned and took in another Yries, a female one in flowing robes colored white this time. Viv was not sure, but she thought the species might have more than a few pairs of breasts under all that cloth if the bulges were any indication. The large¡­ woman, let¡¯s go with woman, wringed her thin hands as she addressed them in Enorian this time.


    ¡°I am Sil-Sen, daughter of our previous stone weaver.¡±


    She spoke laboriously, syllable by syllable, each one articulated with great care. The result was slow but extremely clear, though it did feel like being considered as very slow children.


    ¡°The revenant will return after dusk. We bid you rest till then. We have little food. But we have much water. We will bring you water.¡±


    ¡°Appreciated, thanks. Don¡¯t worry about the food.¡±


    They still had plenty of dry travel rations, and Viv was glad because most of it contained bits of black mana, so she felt refreshed every time.


    The expedition settled and someone found bricks of dried plant matter to start a soup. Farren sat next to Viv.


    ¡°I believe that I still owe you a tale or two about artefacts, yes?¡±


    ¡°You did say that.¡±


    ¡°I could tell you, then you should probably take a short nap. The night will be long.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Go ahead.¡±


    Viv sat down more comfortably in an adjacent bedroom, with Marruk plopping down by her side with an eye on the entrance. The temperature here was pleasantly fresh and the air felt clean. There was even a bit of wind coming from somewhere. Farren smiled and settled himself in a lotus position, back straight as a rod.


    ¡°Ahem. Let me start with the story of the Sword of Baran, the Sword of the Dragonslayer.


    ¡°A hundred years ago, in the eastern march of Baran, where mountains and deep vales hide the light, there was a small village, and in that small village, a boy was born. That boy was bright and strong and his skin was sun-kissed, for he spent every waking hour playing outside. As soon as he could participate, he picked a piece of wood and won the yearly blade tournament. No care for bow or staff he had, only for the sword of the nobles. His dedication and skill attracted the favor of merchants and pretty girls, but he had set his eyes on a bigger prize.


    ¡°When the boy reached sixteen, a traveling master passed by a nearby town and the boy challenged him to a duel. For the first time in years, the boy lost. The old master had not used strength or speed to beat him. Instead, he always knew what the boy would do. It had been a contest of skill and finally, the boy was happy, for he had found a challenge to overcome.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Said the old master. My name is Eron, he replied, and the master took an apprentice that day. The pair traveled to the city of Baran, with its white walls and majestic columns, where his training began in earnest.


    ¡°For two years, the boy practiced until his fingers bled. No other student was his match, and still he persevered, for his true target was the old man. And then, the old man died.


    ¡°The school closed and its students dispersed, and Eron realized that old age had robbed him of his target, so he did the only thing he could think of. He enrolled in the Baran arena.


    ¡°Now, at that time, the arena was an even more bloodthirsty affair than it is now. Eron faced foes with strange weapons, bows, and claws. He faced monsters. He did not win all his matches, but he won so many that there was always coin and favor to help him recover. At the ripe age of twenty-one, Eron had become unbeatable.


    ¡°There are many who came to rob him of his title, and he answered every challenge. He outwitted the Swordbreaker through careful feints. He read through the mesmerizing motion of The Lily¡¯s whips. The axe of Gromel found only air while he found flesh. Even the Southern Stinger was deflected and broken by his expert blows. Eron was only one step away from greatness, and that step was offered to him.


    ¡°The King¡¯s Champion, Urden, proposed a duel for his own position and for a day, they fought. Urden was older and his power and finesse were legendary. It took Eron everything he knew to keep the Champion at bay. But eventually, Urden tired. Every day he had spent by the king¡¯s side, Eron had spent in the training fields. Urden¡¯s feet were too used to the creamy tiles of the palace while Eron knew the harsh grit of the bloody sand like his own skin. Urden faltered, and Eron won. The Champion gracefully admitted defeat and Eron became Champion of Baran at twenty-three. No one ever approached that achievement since then, and perhaps no one ever will. The King made a magical sword for Eron and the newest Champion asked for no fire or ice, only that it could contain his incredible drive. The result was an unadorned tool of death that could endure anything.


    ¡°But then, at the top of the world, Eron heard that his native region had been beset by a dragon.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Ah, errr, hm, it was a stupid and weak dragon, not like the magnificent Arthur. That dragon was burning villages and eating cattle for no other reason that it could. The king forbade him to go, but Eron went anyway.


    ¡°Despite so many years of success, despite his fame and wealth, Eron did not forget that it was his village that had started him on the path he now tread. It had been his elders who had seen the talent in him, and pushed him to leave farmwork. It was his family that had fed him while he practiced, and so Eron discarded everything but his blade and set out. He left behind the white walls and silk sheets, the welcoming thighs of Baranese countesses, his money and his title and returned to his home. There, he found the dragon killing people indiscriminately.


    ¡°Eron fought him alone.


    ¡°For three hours, they dueled under the gaze of the mountains and the forgotten vales. For three hours, fire scathed the earth while blade cut the sky. The combat was cataclysmic, and the villagers froze instead of fleeing, for no one had ever faced a dragon in single combat and lasted more than a few seconds.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hm, indeed. And after three hours of combat, silence fell upon the land. The most daring of villagers went up but they found only the corpse of the mighty creature, the sword embedded deeply in its eye and brain. Eron¡¯s hand was still attached, but the rest of the body had been reduced to ash.


    ¡°And so the villagers brought the sword to the king. Eron was forgiven for his disobedience and given the funeral of a hero. It is said that, even to this day, whoever holds the blade can feel the determination of Eron at the moment he died, and reproduce the impossible strike he made to end his foe forever. That is how the Dragonslayer Sword came to be.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, little one,¡± Viv said while stifling a yawn, ¡°I¡¯ll never let some big human dummy annoy you for three hours. You are safe.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Arthur coiled tightly around her, and she felt the creature¡¯s intense warmth seep through her sleepy body.


    ¡°Another tale, then, a darker one.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Ahem. Half a millennium ago, when the Old Empire still ruled over most of Param, there was a land deep to the south where men settled. They built a cold, half-buried city, huddling close to the bitter sea, where summer was but a fleeting dream. For all its harshness, it was beautiful and affluent, for the waters were teeming with bounty and the earth hid much gold. Imperial fleets would come and bring riches from the north, sweet wines and fruits and other things that could not grow there. It was on one of those ships that the clerk Nazear arrived. He joined the office of the governor and did what he did best, counting and measuring for days.


    ¡°It did not take long for Nazear to realize that his superior was a crook. The arrogant man spent fortunes courting the favors of the high quarter¡¯s most expensive prostitutes. The clerk saw that, and saw the money taken from the hands of the workers. One night, Nazear gathered his evidence and went to the governor. The imperial guard found the chief clerk in the arms of a honey-skinned beauty. In his anger, the governor had them slain, as well as all the other courtesans who had benefited from the arrangement. Nazear found the action excessive, but he saw the joy in the eyes of the workers when food and money was returned to them. When the governor asked what recompenses he sought, Nazear asked for the position of the dead one, and his wish was granted.


    ¡°For years, Nazear kept a vigil over the finances of the kingdom. Many corrupt officials did he reveal, and they died to the governor¡¯s fury as imperial law allowed. Rooms were filled with records until Nazear ran out of space, so he used the rewards he had gained to have a magical book made. It was a work of art, capable of adding or removing content from its countless pages. Nazear was happy. With the more dishonest people dealt with, Nazear turned his sharp intellect to solving the inefficiencies in the local administration.


    ¡°For decades, he labored to improve the world, marveling at how every flaw was painstakingly recorded in the book and disappeared from the world. Every piece of chaos became but a corrected number in his colorful tome, a perfect history of Nazear¡¯s own success.


    ¡°But it was not enough.


    ¡°Nazear saw how the anger of the governor and the jealousy of his wife affected the day-to-day affairs. He recorded every occurrence in the book as well as ways to stop them, and the book listened. Anger left the king, and jealousy, the queen. Lust left the cook. Gossip fled from the lips of the servants. Nazear was ecstatic. His land, his work, a perfect clockwork arrangement.


    ¡°But soon, the murders started. Families inexplicably turned on themselves. Nazear felt frustrated and fed more into the book. Every night the tome grew more vibrant and the world more dull until, one day, the imperial fleet returned to find streets awash with blood and apathy. The drab victims of the book had taken arms to feel something, anything, no matter how cruel. They searched for their lost souls.


    ¡°The imperial guard culled the entire city. They found Nazear, gibbering and delirious in the darkest chamber of the palace where he kept recording the dark deeds he had witnessed.


    ¡°¡®I will record you too, soon¡¯, he told the soldiers. An inquisitor was called and found the book bloated with mankind¡¯s drive and dreams. He failed to destroy it.


    ¡°So the inquisitor left the book and cut off Nazear¡¯s hands. They broke his teeth and pierced his eyes, then collapsed the passage behind them so that he would die there, unable to read the records he had so patiently taken, unable to add to them. Some say that he still waits there, sustained by the cursed artefact.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Creepy,¡± Viv said. She yawned deeply and rolled into a ball with Arthur nestled close. Marruk placed Solfis nearby then she and Farren left the room. It was dark and comfortable.


    //You should rest, Your Grace.


    Viv closed her eyes.

 Chapter 52: Concepts and Principles.

    <u>Two hours later.</u>


    Arthur found her next victim.


    It was another of her human¡¯s companions who had stepped outside of their building to keep an eye out on the wall. This one had long fur that extended to its chin and was probably hard to digest. It saw her come and fearfully hid its jerky in its pocket. As if it would help. Arthur stalked and watched the human squirm.


    She was very close now.


    Then, suddenly, the door behind her groaned and she felt a presence. It was the powerful black monochrome of her human. A feeling washed over Arthur, and it was quite unpleasant. In her mind, it compared to having claws around her neck. It did not anger her but she still felt bad.


    She was not used to feeling bad because of her human.


    Arthur¡¯s scarlet gaze traveled to the two-legged¡¯s unique emerald orbs and she could see that the tall one was¡­ thinking. It made it worse. Arthur was more instinctual. Delayed punishment was worse than real punishment.


    Instead of punishing, her human moved forward.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Arthur did not follow. The metaphorical grip on her neck was still there.


    ¡°Come on, Arthur, just there.¡±


    Her human sat a bit far away while the furry one left with his snack. Arthur hesitated. She started to turn away.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Arthur froze.


    ¡°Come to me, I will not bite you.¡±


    The dragonling approached. The human grabbed her with a grunt and deposited her noble form on a stone wall.


    ¡°Listen. You and I¡­ we are a family.¡±


    Arthur tilted her head.


    ¡°We are a family, and a family works on principles. One of those is honesty. That means that we do not hide or trick each other. Another is respect. There are only a few things you must respect.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°I know that you are smart and that you understand. Here are the three things you must respect. Number one, respect the other person. Number two, respect property. That means that you do not take meat from the drawer or from my allies.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Just as I would not take your meat.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s hand gathered around the small pouch around her neck.


    ¡°I would never take your gold either. It is yours. Last rule is that you respect authority, more specifically mine while I take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°You broke rule number two, respect property. You did it yesterday and you were about to do it again.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeee.¡±


    ¡°We respect that rule so that our allies remain on our side.¡±


    Arthur hissed and growled. She did not care about allies. She was mighty and deadly and far superior to those borgling four-limbed smooth-skinned primates. Except for her human who was a special case.


    ¡°Do it for me so that I have an easier time getting us food. Please.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee.¡±


    Annoying!


    But.


    She understood.


    Taking was a hostile act. The other humans protected ¡®Viv¡¯. They could stop doing it if Arthur was too¡­ aggressive. Even if they were simple creatures. Arthur remembered a time when she was starving and hiding, and did not want to risk it again, for her or for her human. She could be patient.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Here, have a snack to reward you for listening, but remember, no stealing.¡±


    Viv watched the dragonette trot away with her new prize and sighed. With a human child, she would have demanded that they make up for their fault by providing restitution, but she did not dare do it with Arthur. The little one was different, with a haughty edge that she did not dare poke at too much. It would take all her efforts to steer the powerful predator in the right direction. Arthur was cute but she was still a fricking dragon.


    Viv¡¯s train of thought stuttered to a halt, and a deep anguish inflated her chest, forcing the tiniest sob. It crashed on her by surprise like an unexpected rain. It froze her to the bone. She had meant it when she had talked about family.


    ¡°I¡¯m never going back, am I?¡±


    She would stay here on this alien world until the day she died. She would never see her parents or brother again.


    ¡°No. No¡­ at least I will find a way. Find a way to let them know that I¡¯m still alive. I can do it. Messages are probably easier to send back than a full Viv minus hair and stomach content. Ok, ok. Fix my soul, find why I¡¯m here, then we plan for more. Okay, okay.¡±


    The unease faded, and she returned her attention to the wall where light had turned dim and red. The undead were coming soon and she should eat and drink before it happened. And pee. Home was faraway. These people were here now and she could help them so she would. That was all there was to it.


    Viv smacked her cheeks once, ignored the befuddled Yries staring at her, and went back in.


    The expedition gathered when a Yries with a name like someone coughed out a ball of cat hair informed them that it was time. They packed up and made their way to the wall where most of the fighters were already standing, trying their best to look busy and rested. It was not a convincing performance. Many were young, casting shifty glances aside when they thought no one was paying attention. There were a lot of bandages and broken gear, and it did not take an expert in xenobiology to see that they were on their last leg. Lorn led the small column up for a short conversation with Gar-Gar, then they took the central portion of the fortification. The stone weaver called Lak-Tak moved her spindly arms around for a while and the rock flowed, slowly, with the liquid grace of a snake. Openings popped on the wall at man height and the temple guard lined against it in rows two deep. Viv went to stand by Marruk¡¯s side.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± she asked Lorn, ¡°Do you want me to hold onto spells until the enemy caster shows up?¡±


    The captain smoothed his greying beard, weighing his options.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. As things are, we will fall without the enemy leader taking any risk. You have a mainstay spell, right? One that you can cast almost effortlessly? Do witches have it so early on their path?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was not a matter of path but of practice, but Viv did not feel like lecturing the commander.


    ¡°Then use that and relieve the pressure on our flanks. The revenants will converge to the path of least resistance. That¡¯s us. They will be thickest on the sides, and that¡¯s where Koro and I will be staying. As long as we don¡¯t get overwhelmed by more dangerous creatures, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall do it. Oh, and one last thing. I appreciate you working with us. Not just, you know, next to us.¡±


    The comment was unexpected but genuine if Lorn¡¯s embarrassed face was any indication.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she answered, ¡°do war mages usually not communicate with officers?¡±


    ¡°They do it in the best armies, but there is always politics and power plays. And pride. You are easy to work with and I wanted to thank you for that. We could not do this without you.¡±


    ¡°Stop, you¡¯re going to make me blush. Alright, enough of this. Let''s kill ourselves some more revenants.¡±


    A cheer rose from the human defenders and the waiting began. The last hints of red disappeared from the small window of sky up ahead and Viv found herself grateful for her skinsuit once again as the temperature dropped precipitously.


    ¡°You think revenants smell better when it¡¯s so cold?¡± someone asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± someone replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s the moisture,¡± a third voice said, ¡°makes them rot instead of dry up. They¡¯re the least stinky in the deadlands because of that.¡±


    ¡°Ooooh.¡±


    The group fell silent as tension rose. The temple guards were not new to facing the undead, if the zeal they had displayed in the previous battle was any indication. The soldiery of Kazar was specialized in revenant disposal. Every battle was a gruelling, uphill slog where the living had to finish off the enemy force before the first slain could rise again, or at least Viv assumed that it would be the case if they did not have her. They did, and still decades of collective experience could not be offset so readily. The men were scared.


    It only took a few minutes of terse quiet before the first revenants showed up. They glutted the edge of the tunnel, barely out of range of the crossbows. Whatever cold intelligence drove them forward waited until a sufficient mass had gathered before unleashing them upon the fortifications. Rows of undead, some still blueish as if carved out from the very ice, stumbled down the slope and into the waiting lines of the living. The Yries leader screamed a guttural cry and his kin released a volley. The bolts tore through the hostile ranks with limited success. Many of the contraptions lacked the power to inflict the kind of catastrophic damage required to take down a revenant. Another volley flew, then the Yries reloaded and waited. Viv realized that they had merely thinned the horde to blunt its impact, saving their most dangerous constructs for later.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The revenants hit the barrier in clumps and the temple guard cut them down. Under Lorn¡¯s command, the powerful fighters fought conservatively, employing no skills and using small movements. Soldiers and militias were more fitting to holding the line, but she knew that the guard¡¯s training and equipment would help them compensate.


    As for Viv, she simply threw one yoink after another. It took so little effort and focus on her part that she simply stopped saying the spell¡¯s name. It was no longer really needed if she had nothing else to do.


    Spear after spear of shaped mana erupted from around her, not even from her hand, and went to skewer revenants at the speed of one every two seconds. She prioritized the fresher, meatier specimen, especially those who still wore the decayed remnants of armor. She felt no presence while turning her foes to ash.


    This went on for a few minutes. The fallen started to form a pile but it was slow going and the guards were in a higher position anyway. On occasion, the Yries would shoot at denser groups of enemies to turn them into manageable numbers. The scent of spoiled meat invaded everyone¡¯s nostrils and Viv was grateful for the mask provided by her hood, without which she would have been barfing right now. It was that bad.


    Arthur had squeaked her boredom and was gripping Viv¡¯s shoulder, keeping a lazy eye on the slog.


    ¡°First rank back, second rank you¡¯re up!¡± Lorn said.


    With speed and precision, the temple guard switched warriors to allow the exhausted ones to rest. Stamina was really an issue. Despite higher stats, humans were simply not built to fight at full potential for an hour on end.


    Finally, after fifteen minutes of slaughter, the first change occurred. A group of elites followed a denser pack of armored revenants. Viv saw them and was not impressed. Those were mostly small crawlers with long simian limbs, their uneven gait made more alien by the fact that they were sticking to the ceiling. Like really ugly bats. It made them really good targets though.


    An Yries released a bolt at a good range and it hit the closest walker in the eye. The projectile burst into flames and provoked a cry of agony.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Viv whispered. She waited until the group was closer, during which an Yries sharpshooter took down two other foes.


    ¡°True mass yoink.¡±


    The shadow ball flew between the armored revenants below and walkers above, then exploded into a hell of questing tendrils, then those sought more victims in turn. Viv felt the barest presence behind the elite directing their step, but it was weak and pathetic. Eventually, a rush of power bounced back to flood her conduits.


    The attacking group collectively fell in piles of ash and bone.


    It felt great.


    Viv focused destructive power in her hand and stepped forward, showing her palm to the mob of creatures even now pressing on the walls. The temple guards stepped aside to let her through, though they remained close enough to cover her.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    The tunnel went upward and Viv was not entirely confident with the effect of gravity, so she had chosen a smaller spell for now. It still wreaked havoc on the tightly packed revenants. Their flesh hissed and melted under the fiery dark waves until only pieces of corrugated equipment were left on the floor. The growing pile of bodies was reduced to a sharp field of jagged bones.


    In the aftermath of the slaughter, the silence was deafening. Or at least it was for two seconds, until something screamed.


    Viv had never heard something so blood-curdling in her entire damn life. It forced a powerful reaction of shock and disgust in her, doubled with fear. A few of the younger Yries blanched and took a few steps back while the entire row of guards shone a dull gold.


    Then Viv rallied when her own soul fought back the influence, motivated not by courage but by pride. It was the side-effect of having intimidation as a skill, she thought. It certainly came from the same place.


    She still believed that she could be the greatest threat.


    ¡°Bring it,¡± she whispered in a low voice.


    And the creature came. The tunnel filled with a chill wind, frigid and wet, a roaring torrent that sapped spirit as well as body heat. Viv¡¯s breath frosted in the air as the wave crawled through murder holes to grip at the defenders.


    ¡°Steady¡­¡±


    Two blue eyes appeared from afar, shining ominously in the darkness. The witch only had a second to react as her instincts screamed at her.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    Black mana crashed against her shield and threatened to pierce it. She had half a second to react and reinforce the structure. For the second time, her danger sense proved its worth.


    The bolt finally petered out. It was not charged with any ¡®meaning¡¯ and yet it had almost overwhelmed her efficient defenses. There was only one explanation. What they were facing was also a spellcaster.


    And it was better at it than she was.


    ¡®It¡¯s just experience,¡± she told herself as she stopped another similar bolt, this time aimed directly at her. The troops before her felt the impact and cast worried glances in her direction as she walked to the long, horizontal gap.


    ¡°Arty.¡±


    Her own counter arched beautifully across the air, only for a crystalline blue shield to stop it.  In the arctic light of the spell, she saw her foe for the first time.


    It was clearly undead, a stripped skeleton clad in tattered robes that resembled her own. It wielded a scepter and hid its bony frame under a cloak of ratty furs. The eyes were the most defining feature. They reminded Viv of Solfis¡¯ unrelenting hatred, but they lacked his focus and adamantine self-control. Their intensity was such that she felt more than saw them fix on her like lasers. Despite herself, she felt a deep worry crawl up her spine. This time, she may have bit off more than she could chew.


    [Failed Lich: a powerful caster who attempted to bind his soul to a frame other than his living body and failed. The frame retains parts of the caster¡¯s abilities but lacks part or most of its intellect. Extremely dangerous.]


    //Threat identified: failed lich.


    //Threat level: high.


    //Recommended tactics: attrition.


    Solfis¡¯ cold voice calmly stated advice, lifting the cloak of fear from her shoulders. If he thought her in deadly danger, he would have intervened. He still thought that she could take it down, and she could now see how, as hordes of revenants kept getting in.


    The failed lich charged another powerful spell. She could feel the intense mana from here, it was something that she had never encountered before. Ice. Or to be precise, an aspect of blue that spoke of ice. The true meaning and nature of the color escaped her, skipping on the surface of her mind without giving her purchase. Viv decided to just prepare another shield.


    A few seconds later, a spike of blue energy surged from the creature.


    //Intercept.


    ¡°Purge!¡±


    Never doubt Solfis. She obeyed in the same moment, her danger sense crying death. The smaller black spell impacted the larger one. The spike exploded in azure shrapnels.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    Viv made her shield wide and thin. It expanded in an umbrella and blocked most of those. She felt every impact in her bones.


    The leftover projectiles hit the wall, piercing it in places. A few Yries screamed. She had no time to check on them but she knew that someone had died. Had to keep her attention on the foe.


    Some of the guards swore.


    A distant part of her mind acknowledged that she had stopped something with the power of a mortar shell with her mind, but it was eclipsed by the bigger part, currently screaming ¡®SHITSHITSHITSHITGOTTASTAYFOCUSED¡¯.


    ¡°True mass yoink.¡±


    Another ball of searching darkness ravaged the torrent of revenants crashing down the tunnel, and her conduits and core were filled again. The spells she had used were simple and well-practiced, but she had had to overcharge them massively. She would have been running on fumes without the convenient sources of energy around her.


    //Arty.


    A thick diamond spear emerged from the creature, as long as a man, as sharp as a scalpel.


    ¡°Arty!¡±


    Viv¡¯s own attack surged. The failed lich detected it and swished to the right. It was levitating.


    ¡°Hah. You wish.¡±


    Viv¡¯s spell angled as it tracked its target. The creature screamed again and the spear faded, replaced by another shimmering blue shield. This time, it was weaker. An entire side crumpled under her attack like cardboard under a sledgehammer.


    The thing screamed again, the power even greater. Viv manifested the helmet part of her stupidly named ¡®sneaky cloaky¡¯ and could still feel her entire body vibrate. She was not alone though, and a great cry sounded behind her. Suddenly, she felt a great surge of the type of mana Varska used and the sound was muffled. It gave her the opportunity to finally hear what she needed.


    //This will be a powerful area-of effect spell, Your Grace.


    ¡°I''ll use my own.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind worked overtime to draw mana from her core and place it outside of her body, then use its threads to form several symbols and hold them in her mind at the same time. Finally, she charged the whole thing with a concept only a trained mind could comprehend, and prepared to hurl it at her foe. And not a minute too soon.


    A large cloud of powdery sapphire expanded to cover the entire path, then traveled down with conceited laziness. Any revenant caught in its trajectory was turned into a crystalline statue.


    The power above Viv¡¯s hand boiled and struggled but she kept adding into it. Even from that far away, she could feel the incredible potency of the spell, and the malice it carried. The strange blizzard destroyed its victims on a fundamental level. She could feel it.


    Death descended upon her with a winter maw, but she held her ground. It had to be timed right. Breathe in, breathe out. On her side of the wall, the silence was deafening.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    The overcharged spell was launched in perfect quiet, an abyssal ball traveling at deceptively slow speed. It deployed ten steps away from the edge of the barricade.


    The silence continued for a few seconds until the blight spell hit the first revenant still moving and hissed like an angry kettle. Viv could only see a black cloud moving outward, as the spell covered the entirety of the tunnel.


    More hisses.


    With a torturous shriek, the two spells met. Vibrations in the mana were so strong that they made Viv¡¯s teeth click against each other. The black curtain was still moving away.


    And away.


    And away.


    Viv breathed out in deep relief, soon mirrored by everyone around when the spell cleared the cavern¡¯s entrance with a light ¡®pop¡¯ and disappeared into the night. Of the lich, there were no signs for now.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s bollocks.¡±


    ¡°I could have crushed rocks between my ass cheeks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so getting laid after that.¡±


    ¡°Eeeee.¡±


    ¡°I think I peed a little.¡±


    ¡°Gor gor!¡±


    Both humans and Yries (and one dragonette) released their accumulated anxiety in verbal form. Almost all of the temple guards sent admiring glances towards Viv, who did her very best to look cool about it. Her heart was still trying to escape her ribs and her back was soaked with cold sweat.


    //Good show, Your Grace.


    //But this is not over.


    A few revenants were trailing lazily into the cavern, a mere trickle compared to before. Beyond that, she could hear an ominous racket. Like someone was smashing bones and meat together. The distance between Viv and the mouth of the cavern was over a hundred and fifty meters, a testament to the violence of whatever the fuck was going on.


    //You may want to refill your core as much as possible.


    ¡°They¡¯re a bit too far for efficiency.¡±


    //Please try.


    Viv did and found that, if she took her time, yoink spells were so efficient that she was indeed regaining her strength. The awakened part of her drank the mana eagerly and she soon felt the pleasant hum of her own energy coursing through ethereal veins. She was ready.


    The sounds stopped and a leg like that of a giant chicken in a John Carpenter movie smashed through the tunnel opening, cracking the stone beneath its weight.


    Ok, she was not ready.


    What entered was an abomination unlike anything she had seen in the deadlands. While necrarchs were horrifying in a predatory sort of way, that¡­ patchwork of rotting flesh disgusted her, and she had a solid stomach.


    The creature stumbled down the tunnel. It was not fast, but gravity was on its side. Time too.


    [Failed Lich¡ª


    The creature had absorbed revenants, somehow.


    ¡°Yoink.¡±


    Viv had no choice. The very idea of absorbing mana from this abomination revolted her. She would still do it if it meant surviving.


    The spell hit and started pulling, but the mana she received was limited and¡­ tainted.


    No, that was not quite right.


    It was mana with meaning. She could still absorb it as its original purpose had been spent, yet the memory of it floated across her mind, whispering of a new idea.


    It was change.


    Change was death.


    Every change carried destruction with it, and there was no upgrade, no improvement without discarded elements. To change was to lose, but not just that. Conscious change meant arbitration between options. Crossing one door meant that other doors closed, but the sacrifice was necessary in order to go from potential to reality. Change was life.


    The failed lich had changed the revenants, discarding their individuality and form to wear them as armor. It was going to tank all of her spells by shedding bodies as soon as a yoink hit, or so it thought.


    Stupid change was worthless.


    As the concept settled in Viv¡¯s mind, she pointed fingers at the misbegotten assembly, targeting joints. With every absorbed piece, she felt a new way of looking at black mana engraving itself into her soul, and with every new critical piece destroyed, the lich stumbled more until it crashed against the ground not twenty paces away from the barricade, unmoving.


    The upper part of the lich popped out from that unholy mess like a xenomorph from a disposable crew member. Viv considered using her new power on the creature, but she remembered just in time that she was not completely stupid and that only an absolute moron or someone desperate would use an unknown weapon in a combat situation.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    The flamethrower-like spell sprayed the failed lich, quickly eating through a hastily erected shield. Viv sustained the spell with all she had even as she felt coldness spread through her limbs as her core emptied. She waited until the monster stopped screeching and kept going for another second. For good measure. When the power was spent, there was nothing left but a half-hollowed blob of flesh.


    Then, the entire living detachment found out that the black mana had somehow overloaded the dead tissues, thawing them, when a wave of rotten fluid sloshed against the barricade. Viv took two awkward steps backward and vomited, just like everyone else around her.

 Chapter 53: Clouds on the Horizon

    Ten minutes later.


    Viv took a sip of klod. The stench of corpses was gone from her nose but the memory remained, and only chasing it with something pleasant made her taste buds forget for a while. It was like treating PTSD with cheap whisky, only less self-destructive.


    She checked her status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Focus +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Black Witch 2/5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her focus had reached 35, making it a pretty high score according to what Varska had told her. It was the value that a mid-level professional would have, and it also made her a very dangerous foe. Focus allowed for more powerful spells to be cast while acuity dealt with speed and efficiency. Willpower was closer to mental stamina. All of them were vital for a mage, just like working on one¡¯s conduits was important as well. She was still ¡®early on the path¡¯ as the others had said, but she was already powerful enough to fend off dangerous monsters.


    Even the Temple Guards had praised her before congratulating one of their own.


    ¡°To Torm, who reached the fourth step on his path! To our new wall pillar!¡±


    The flustered guard had long braids that reached his shoulders but also a receding hairline, beard and moustache. He had a sort of old biker vibe that Viv found endearing as he blushed under the collective praise. He was now close to Koro¡¯s equal in terms of power.


    There really was a massive difference between steps of the paths, Viv thought, as Torm demonstrated how people next to him would be harder to move and push. On earth, technology was a massive power multiplier but here it was exceptional individuals who made a difference. She wondered how many battles had been won by smaller numbers simply because quality was overwhelmingly in their favor.


    Then Arthur jumped on her and preened her, squealing all the while.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know I did a good job.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°The, ahem, drake is right Viv. That was an impressive display of power. I really want to hire you now,¡± Marruk said with obvious relief.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: apprentice 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana manipulation: Intermediate 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    More than her mind, it was her skills that were lagging behind so this progress was good news. There was really no replacement for hands-on experience, it seemed. Especially the close-brush-with-death kind.


    Meanwhile, the Yries were rejoicing as well, if the strange hoots were any indication. They were hugging and falling on the ground with obvious relief.


    ¡°What now?¡± she asked Farren as he had come to congratulate her.


    ¡°Now that you have freed them and that we have demonstrated how dangerous you are, and now that it has become clear that they are desperately in need of food, we negotiate from a position of strength.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the diplomat, diplomat. Also, does Neriad condone such cutthroat practices?¡±


    ¡°The sword of justice¡¯s iron needs to come from somewhere, you know? We are not starving them.¡±


    Farren went to pat Viv on the shoulder but he reconsidered when Arthur hissed. Apparently, her tolerance for mankind only went so far. Viv was left to stand awkwardly in the aftermath of the battle until the Yries invited them to a celebratory meal. It was the shittiest party food Viv had ever had, and Farren''s suspicion that the poor folks were starving was confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt.


    Viv was left to sleep for the evening and left in the morning with the rest of the guard, their business done.


    ¡°They will provide ore against regular shipments of food which I can provide without much issue. Kazar produces a large surplus. Normally, most of the food is sold to passing garrisons and the rest stored, but this will help us get started. I also mentioned abandoned foundries at the entrance and Gar Gar will send a team to see if anything can be salvaged.¡±


    ¡°So we can expect new armors soon?¡± Viv asked, thinking about Marruk.


    ¡°Well, no. We don¡¯t have qualified smiths in Kazar to begin with. They will have to be invited. We also have no guarantee that ingots will even start flowing this year. The Yries are good, but not that good. And their base is too far from the entrance to be safe. There is much to consider¡­ Ah, I am sacrificing the present for the future. I set out to find a mine and now I worry about unexpected facilities being irreparable. Neriad save me from myself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everything worked out. Let¡¯s just take the win for now.¡±


    ¡°Take the win, huh? I can do that.¡±


    The expedition headed back without incident. The base camp was packed up in record time with the helpers pleased that they would be home sooner than expected. Their pleasure increased when Farren gave them his share of the treasure they had found. Viv thought that it was quite smart, but she also realized why he had done so.


    There was nothing to spend your money on in Kazar.


    Besides the Spotted Feather and its enthusiastic crew, no luxury existed in the border town because there was no demand for it. People were broke. Even the store that sold supplies for passing soldiers didn¡¯t keep anything more elaborate than crude leather armors in their inventories. Armors were not one-size-fits-all after all.


    The expedition passed triumphantly through mountain tribe land. Chief Marredyn smelled the profit to come and organized a feast that didn¡¯t suck, and during which Viv got pleasantly tipsy again. They left quickly and were back in Kazar within three weeks of leaving. Viv invited Varska to join her for dinner at the Feather, with Marruk now comfortably ordering massages and a bath by herself. The pair amused themselves cleaning and brushing Arthur and left to their own quarters later in the night.


    ¡°You come back a victorious warrior, which pleases me greatly. But then, instead of wooing me properly with an exotic gift, you invite me to a brothel. I have mixed feelings about this,¡± the haughty mage said while reclining on a chair.


    ¡°I merely wanted to mark the occasion with the finest food in Kazar, darling,¡± Viv replied with the casual grace of the consummate bullshitter.


    Varska tapped a knuckle with her favorite fan and nodded.


    ¡°I give you a passing grade on excuse-making, but that will not suffice.¡±


    ¡°I have a red ribbon I obtained in the mountain hold. Here,¡± Viv said, offering a piece of dyed fabric.


    ¡°Ah, a rare treasure. The tribes do not sell those. How did you get it?¡±


    ¡°I removed black mana from a pair of wounded children. Now am I suitably heroic?¡±


    ¡°I believe that I have yet to be ravished.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would never ask.¡±


    Kazar once again returned to normal over the following month. Spring gave way to early summer as Viv worked relentlessly to improve her abilities. Her periods of training alternated with small expeditions either in the forest or the deadlands to subdue the occasional threat. She also wanted to get started on regrowing limbs, unfortunately she met with a problem. The inquisitors were busy doing their thing and could not come. She could understand that saving real lives was more important than her highly theoretical project and took no offense.


    Her reputation improved with the locals and Varska¡¯s own image got better by extension. Soon, it was time for several of the forts to have their garrisons replaced. Her progress spoke for itself.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (apprentice mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 21.3%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her channels had not progressed noticeably. Like skills, they took time to develop. She had also considerably slowed down the speed of her attunement which was not actually a bad thing since it meant that she would die more slowly. She still had around two years, though Varska suggested that it could be extended if she went to Helock and received help.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    16


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    35


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    19


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    34


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    22


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    34


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Both power and willpower had progressed, a result of long sessions of casting followed by forms. She had suggested training finesse, but Varska had dismissed it.


    ¡°You can train it on your own free time if you wish, but be aware that reaching a milestone requires constant effort and dedication. You are still human, even if sorcery comes to you easily. You can only concentrate on so many things before fatigue becomes a factor.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana manipulation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana absorption


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 3


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All mana-related skills had progressed, which was what she had been striving for. Meditative trance had remained the same and she suspected that she would need to dedicate more time to it or study with a real expert in order to progress further. Varska favored plain meditation and found movements distracting, so she could not help there. It was the same problem with Solfis.


    //Standard training for the imperial family also favors meditation, Your Grace.


    //Meditative trance is a skill more associated with arcane fighters, like Lorn.


    //I am unable to provide accurate advice on this specific topic.


    //Rest assured that the rest of your training still follows optimal parameters.


    None of her general skills had progressed, simply because she had not taken the time to work on them. Again, it was all arbitration. She had only so much energy to spend every day.


    At least, training itself remained pleasant. Some of the novelty had faded away, only to be replaced by the comfort of habit. Black mana was as much part of her as her sight. Even spending half a day without casting felt strange and unsettling. It helped that she was apparently good at magic, and that she had two competent trainers to back her up. Solfis, in particular, guided her through new and complex exercises designed to improve her understanding of mana on a visceral level with a degree of patience that the greatest educators could not match. No amount of frustration could deter him. She was able to get a feel for magic and establish solid foundations in a way that the status could not reflect.


    //The god¡¯s blessings affect all intelligent species.


    //But he can only help you so much.


    Her training was designed so that she would have nothing to unlearn moving forward. For some reason, Solfis was convinced that she would live long enough to benefit from it. She hoped that he was right.


    Viv had just realized that she was really getting comfortable with life in Nyil when a kid ran up to her as she was practicing a new glyph.


    ¡°The mayor wants to see you, miss. She wants to see everyone. The Enorian king just sent us an envoy.¡±


    Just as the civil war flared? That could not be good, Viv thought.


    She popped back home to get changed and walked to the main square, a vigilant Marruk in tow. The massive tree of Kazar was still purple and resplendent, and its shade was welcome in the light of the afternoon. The town hall was a buzz of activity, but most people stepped around a group of obviously nervous warriors.


    Viv inspected them with interest.


    [Enorian foot knight. Dangerous. Follows a path that focuses on squad tactics and the use of polearms.]


    The knights wore full plate armor under a blue and white tabard, with conical helmets that left the eyes exposed. Gauntleted fists clenched halberds like lifelines. They were obviously nervous and on guard, and that was a very bad sign.


    They expected what the envoy had to say to be received poorly.


    Viv walked in through the garden and interconnected structure that made up Kazar¡¯s seat of power ¡ª for what it was worth ¡ª and found the council room in the shade of an old willow-like tree. Another two of the guards stood there, weapons crossed over the closed door. They didn¡¯t move when Viv stopped in front of them.


    ¡°I was summoned here by the mayor, whose domain this still is. Unless you have a good reason to keep me out you will let me through.¡±


    ¡°The resident spellcaster is already present.¡±


    ¡°And this town has two. Again, I am here at the mayor¡¯s bequest. Let me in. I will not ask a third time.¡±


    Marruk went to stand by Viv¡¯s back just as she let mana flood her conduit. She felt the telltale sign of intimidation.


    The guards observed her. She thought that they might be assessing her. They did not seem to be affected by her aura though.


    ¡°Alright, go in, but be courteous.¡±


    Viv crossed the threshold just as Marruk planted herself a meter away from the knight. The room inside was packed full, but only on the left. The right part only had a single occupant, a sneering man with a pencil-thin moustache wearing a white and blue doublet. His hands, covered in immaculate white gloves, were crossed over his chest.


    On the other side of the table, the Kazar bigwigs had gathered. Mayor Ganimatalo sat in the middle with a pleasant fake smile, her grey braids clinking together when she moved. The dour Captain Corel sat to her right with Farren while Varska throned on her left with perfect poise. Viv hurried and sat by her lover¡¯s side.


    ¡°Is your treasurer still milking cornadons in a barn somewhere or can we begin?¡± the man asked with a demeaning smile.


    ¡°We are all here. Thank you for your cordial patience, envoy, you may deliver your message,¡± the mayor answered.


    The visitor glared with undisguised anger at being relegated to the role of courier, but his expression soon morphed into one of vulgar satisfaction.


    ¡°I am Viscount Leyr, envoy of his Grace the Second Prince Lancer. As you may know, the Enorian Crown has decided that the time has come to bring the separatists and their regions back into the fold. Our affairs are in order and the time has come for you, Kazar, to fulfill your obligations as part of our august kingdom.¡±


    Viv spared a small glance at Ganimatalo¡¯s sheer expression of disbelief. They had maybe a hundred guards at best, most of them trained to face revenants and beastlings. The Temple troops sure as shit weren¡¯t going to leave the town to participate in a civil war. What did this guy come to get? Cloth?


    ¡°As such, you are required to finally pull your weight by paying the late taxes of the past fourteen years.¡±


    In the dead silence that followed, Viv heard the tiniest breath intake coming from the mayor. Sheer shock, that¡¯s what it was.


    ¡°We have a charter with the Crown.¡±


    ¡°And that charter is hereby revoked. The Crown requires that you fulfill your obligation, or we will be forced to¡­ take measures.¡±


    ¡°There is not enough coin in the entire city to pay fourteen years of taxes, even without interest.¡±


    ¡°Well then surely you can find something to bargain with? Unless you have spent the last dozen years in leisure while the rest of us toiled to rebuild our great nation? ¡±


    The mayor did not speak, and Viv admired her for it. Her glacial countenance told the envoy all he had to know.


    ¡°Kazar¡¯s purpose has always been to serve as a base for the management of the deadlands. You are not doing yourself a service.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the failure of old politicians, who equate their survival with that of their constituents. Rest assured that if you cannot fulfill your obligation, we will find someone who will. Kazar will endure as part of our great kingdom of Enoria. We have sacrificed much over the last two decades while you celebrated and looted corpses. Time to pay the bill.¡±


    Without waiting, the man stood up and grabbed a nearby bag from which he extracted a few sheafs of paper.


    ¡°These are declarations of intent from the Prince and you are to post them across the city in any place where the citizens gather, not that I expect that many can read. They detail their obligations and, incidentally, your failures.¡±


    Resh Ganimatalo slowly stood up and crossed the room, grabbing the bundle from the envoy¡¯s surprised hands. She bared her teeth and the paper erupted in fire.


    ¡°You just made a grave mistake,¡± he hissed.


    ¡°You have overstayed your welcome. You should have noticed that your security guards are quite nervous. If you keep pushing me, you will find out why,¡± the mayor replied.


    ¡°You can bark all you want, Ganimatalo, but you won¡¯t dare.¡±


    Viv almost didn¡¯t see the mayor move. The large slap echoed across the room and the envoy was left massaging his cheek.


    ¡°Next time I¡¯ll use the fist. Get. Out.¡±


    The man left the room and slammed the door behind him.


    The mayor returned to her seat and slowly collapsed, resting her forehead on her hand. Viv had never seen such a public display of exhaustion.


    ¡°Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.¡±


    Oh wow, Viv thought. It took a full minute but then the mayor finally found her voice.


    ¡°This will require a lot of diplomatic work. I need to get in touch with the temple.¡±


    ¡°We can send a message with the next returning garrison. They are due in two days,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°Should I have the scouts follow him?¡± Correl asked.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s useless. Or is it? Maybe. I¡¯ll make a declaration tonight and deliver your letter. Thanks for coming, Lady Viv and Varska. I do not think your skills will be of much use here. I call the meeting adjourned.¡±


    The two casters left the place and headed to the tower to debrief with Marruk close behind. It was not the kind of issue Viv could solve with firepower.


    She had a bad feeling about it.

 Chapter 54 Night Riders

    ¡°What the hell was that about?¡± Viv asked.


    Varska poured them two glasses of cold tea, taking some time before answering.


    ¡°We are being robbed.¡±


    ¡°By the Crown?¡±


    ¡°It takes a lot of money to wage a war and the current king is¡­ tired. Old. His two sons and one daughter are contending for the throne. The second son in particular seems quite eager to prove himself. Surely, you remember his name?¡±


    It only took a moment for Viv to remember the expedition to the Min Goles mines a month before, in particular the fate of the Yiries.


    ¡°They were chased, their village destroyed. Oh damn, it was Prince Lancer. He tried to enslave them as well.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Farren informed me of this, but I did not think that he would have the arrogance to disrupt the good working of Kazar. The church of Neriad is quite powerful here, and you don¡¯t want the god of righteous war against you in a hotly disputed conflict. In any case, we are indeed being robbed. Well, the villagers are, probably. Have you deposited your gold at the bank?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you suggested.¡±


    ¡°The Manipeleso bank is not one to be trifled with. Even he should know that much and avoid doing anything. We are certainly going to feel some upheaval, however.¡±


    ¡°Should we do anything?¡±


    ¡°My dear, I love you for your kind heart, but you are being a moron. The path to salvation lies in diplomacy when facing an entire kingdom, even one split in two.¡±


    ¡°I just have a bad feeling about it.¡±


    ¡°Let me be prosaic. You wild witch. You no diplomat. You no can solve problem. More tea?¡±


    ¡°Some say that war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means,¡± Viv replied, massacring Clausewitz for the sake of sounding smart, ¡°and those means include covert actions. It is too early in the game to decide but let¡¯s not just immediately give up on doing anything.¡±


    Viv had forestalled Varska¡¯s protests by postponing a decision as she very well knew that she had much to lose and little to win in this whole affair.


    Actually that was not quite right.


    ¡°Shit, everyone knows about Solfis. What if they try to take him away?¡±


    ¡°You let them, and one week later he will return covered in blood and, I hope, less uptight.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Varska, I really don¡¯t.¡±


    The mage stood up and sat by her side. She smelled nicely of flowers, as always, the familiar perfume soothed Viv.


    ¡°If it really scares you we can leave for a while. Go visit those mountain tribe people you mentioned a few times. Live in a hut?¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡±


    ¡°You are asking me if I would exile myself when facing impossible odds?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Alright.¡±


    Varska extended a small hand and took Viv¡¯s. The witch enjoyed its warmth, the thin fingers, and the familiar small calluses that came from constant gardening. It was a hand she knew.


    They spent some time together then Viv headed back, picking Marruk from the temple as she went. They had another war council at home.


    //This is unexpected, and unwelcome.


    ¡°You may be spared on account of being a caster, but they¡¯ll definitely rob me blind,¡± Marruk grumbled, ¡°everyone knows that I am rich now.¡±


    ¡°How about putting money in the bank?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll trust those northerners when I¡¯m dead. Second, the Enorians can force me to make a withdrawal by removing a few toes. You think they will care? I¡¯m a Kark. They¡¯ll do whatever they want.¡±


    ¡°We could have some time before¡­ No. They will already be on their way.¡±


    //There is a 97% likelihood that enforcers are close, in the Deadshield Woods.


    //And another 56% likelihood that the envoy came with them.


    //They used the envoy to establish a veneer of legitimacy.


    //But they do not want to leave Kazar time to negotiate for outside help


    ¡°Damn. Then we must run, go somewhere else for a while. Solfis, is there anything we can do?¡± Viv asked.


    //This is a surprise attack by one who has violated a treaty, Your Grace.


    //You can only weather it and plan your counter-attack.


    //Make sure that you keep the black mana core on you, as it is quite valuable.


    //I would suggest a plan to pack up and leave in ten minutes.


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. I got comfortable here, huh? Shit was bound to happen.¡±


    //You had no reason to expect this treachery, Your Grace.


    ¡°But yes, shit is always bound to happen,¡± Marruk finished.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Even Arthur could feel the tension and sadness in the air.


    Viv went to bed late that night and had trouble falling asleep. It didn¡¯t help that she was awakened two hours later by a hand on her mouth.


    ¡°Mmmflg!¡±


    ¡°Good evening.¡±


    ¡°Ah. FUCK! Irao, what gives? You scared me.¡±


    Two yellow eyes stared at her from the Hadal human¡¯s bald face, glinting silently under the light of Nyil¡¯s single moon. Below the neck, he was pure darkness.


    ¡°You must see this. Come with me.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Yes. Time is of the essence.¡±


    The pair silently went into the main room and Viv took the time to pet a slightly worried dragon.


    //I will come as well.


    ¡°We will be covering a lot of ground. You should save your strength. I swear on my entire race that I will bring her back safe and sound or die trying,¡± Irao replied.


    Solfis took a few seconds to reply, which was uncharacteristic enough to worry Viv a bit.


    //Your assessment is correct.


    //I know that you speak the truth.


    //I am taking a small gamble, do not make me regret it.


    ¡°We will be careful. I just need to show her.¡±


    And that was that. Viv followed Irao out and towards the edge of the forest at a trot, head still swimming with sleep and the strangeness of the situation. She swallowed a snack and took a gulp of water from her canteen and felt alive again. She missed coffee.


    The edge of the forest swallowed them.


    ¡°We will go faster now,¡± Irao said laconically. Then he must have triggered a skill.


    Viv felt her entire being balloon with energy. The shadows of the night fell away and everything appeared in sharp relief. Viv could see every bramble, every thorn, feel the loam under her soles and how it would affect the race, and race she did.


    Irao was ahead, running and showing the path but she herself could feel it call to her. A secret way drew her in. That exposed root needed her toes, and she had to duck under that branch just right. Those ferns would give way under her body, and there was sure footing beyond. They ran. Viv breathed big gulps of air, fresh and crisp. She just knew how everything should be.


    A part of her almost resisted the effects, but she knew it was Irao¡¯s doing and so she let it happen.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a milestone! Your coordination and reflex are vastly improved. You will find it easier to execute precise movements. You can move faster.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv felt part of her body and soul absorb all those instincts and retain some of them, only an infinitesimal fragment and yet it made a difference. To be that good, Irao¡¯s finesse had to be¡­ she could not imagine, but he had to sense the world differently.


    Viv¡¯s consideration lasted as they kept going. Her improved mind could process the travel and take some distance at the same time. Her earth brain would have been overwhelmed by the influx of information in a mere minute, yet now she could keep going for the whole night.


    She really could.


    Realistically her body should have dropped very quickly, unable to bear the strain, yet she kept going without much discomfort. It was as if the power she used was borrowed. Diving deeper, she found traces of colorless mana in her conduits.


    They went faster still.


    Irao¡¯s effects on his surroundings were amazing. He was doing something with the shadows, something that used black mana. She tried to focus on it but had little success. The black mana carried a meaning that escaped her. The concept was simply too mind-defying, or she was not experienced enough.


    Exactly how powerful was the Hadal strain human?


    Viv did not know, but she suspected that Kazar had two of the most dangerous entities on Param. And they both lived in her house.


    Little by little, her considerations faded away until the path ahead became the center of her focus. It was not by choice. The pressure on her mind simply grew too much as minutes turned to hours. Eventually, it was well past midnight when they slowed down.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Irao said.


    Viv resisted. They were so slow. It wasn¡¯t right. The next spot of shadow was just over there.


    ¡°Stop. We have arrived.¡±


    No.


    ¡°Wake up, Viv. Qi Chuang.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The strange language woke her up from her reverie. The skill broke and she collapsed forward, only saved from kissing the dirt by Irao¡¯s timely support.


    ¡°Ooowwwww.¡±


    She had the mother of all hangovers.


    ¡°You did well. Your mind is very resilient, it compensates for your lack of finesse well,¡± Irao said.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Drink and eat, it will help.¡±


    Viv grabbed for another energy snack and ate it thoughtfully. She took her time to drink slowly to keep the nausea at bay. They were smack in the middle of a thicket of ancient trees, their barks marked by the passage of generations of predators. Stunted shrubs battled for the few holes in the canopy, though only the moon shone through them at that moment.


    ¡°We have arrived. We are about forty Halurian leagues from Kazar.¡±


    Viv searched her mind and calculated that it was a bit less than sixty kilometers. They had traveled at the speed of a car. Not a very fast one, but still an impressive performance.


    ¡°Arrived where?¡±


    ¡°Come and look.¡±


    Viv stood up on shaky legs and followed the bald quasi-human as he guided her up a beast trail. They ended up on a small elevation, barely deserving the term ¡®hill¡¯. There, a small promontory gave a decent view of the valley below and the massive encampment sprawling there.


    Viv¡¯s heart sank in her chest.


    ¡°At least¡­ three hundred combatants. Heavy infantry. Horses,¡± she counted.


    ¡°Forty cavalrymen. Useless here but useful for roaming at the edge of the deadlands. They have black-mana shielding cloaks,¡± Irao said with the same detached tone.


    The fighters had pitched their tents in orderly rows along the edge of the road. There were earthworks as well.


    ¡°They must have been here for a while.¡±


    ¡°No, this is earth magic.¡±


    ¡°They have a caster?¡±


    ¡°Three of them. Much weaker than you.¡±


    That would not help.


    The simple tents surrounded a much larger one topped by a white and blue flag displaying an unfamiliar heraldry, but she knew what that army was here for.


    Beyond the army camp, there was a much larger, messier one composed of massive carriages drawn by teams of cornadons. A few sentries milled around, wearing no uniforms. It was a civilian camp, and it was at least twice as large as the military one.


    They had not come to collect taxes.


    ¡°They are here to evict the local folks and replace them with loyalists,¡± Viv whispered.


    ¡°The earth at the edge of the deadlands is very fertile. The dust is filled with nutrients,¡± Irao said.


    The locals were going to be forced out, then they would starve to death in the wilderness. The fields were long-seeded. The granaries stood almost empty.


    Even with passing soldiers and the temple guard, there was no stopping that army. Not with three casters who could manipulate earth.


    The walls of Kazar were going to fall.


    People¡¯s houses and belongings would be seized.


    They were going to lose the city.


    All those folks she had been helping would end up dead. They would fall one by one.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if I assassinate the Prince, it will not help. They will still come, but they will come to kill indiscriminately¡± Irao said.


    Viv had meant to use Solfis, but the result was going to be the same. Viv suspected that Irao could slay an emperor, but he could not slay a thousand people. Maybe, just maybe, Solfis could. But Viv would not give the order to kill hundreds of civilians. She was not insane.


    ¡°Could we lure savage beasts to them, delay them a bit?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If we had more time. They will reach the city in less than three days.¡±


    The Hadal human studied Viv¡¯s downcast expressions for a few seconds.


    ¡°I did not notice them before,¡± he finally said, ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°Not your fault.¡±


    She thought about it. Mayor Ganimatalo had to be told. They would probably have to evacuate the city with whatever food they could carry. There was no other way.


    ¡°We need to head back.¡±


    ¡°Not now. You must rest first.¡±


    ¡°I cannot rest while this band of legal highwaymen is set to fall upon all of us.¡±


    ¡°You must, or you will not be able to withstand the skill. Sleep first.¡±


    Viv made a token effort to protest, but exhaustion quickly caught up to her. No matter how good Irao¡¯s skill was, she still had to make some effort herself. She found a recess between two roots and placed her head against her backpack. She was out in seconds.

 Chapter 55: Before the Storm

    Viv emerged from the edge of the woods and crashed on the ground, rolling on the green grass.


    ¡°Urggg.¡±


    ¡°You will have recovered in half a day,¡± Irao informed her with a calm voice.


    That man was definitely not great at comforting. Viv finished all the water in her canteen but it did not help.


    ¡°Alright, we got to move.¡±


    Irao had disappeared.


    ¡°Well thanks anyway. Alright, Viv, on your feet.¡±


    The witch courageously went home and picked up Marruk and Arthur, then headed to Varska¡¯s tower. On the path, she did her best to ignore clumps of citizens discussing in low voices while children ran and cried. Ten minutes later, they were standing before all the Kazar head honchos, including the banker. It was at that moment that something that Viv never expected happened.


    The mayor lost it.


    Viv watched awkwardly as Corel accompanied the aging leader to her bedroom. They waited a few minutes in silence for him to come back.


    ¡°We made an announcement yesterday. I just¡­ we did not think that the Enorians would act so quickly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit surprised that you would believe me on the spot. I expected you to be more suspicious,¡± Viv remarked, but Corel dismissed her question with a wave.


    ¡°I had the scouts follow that bastard envoy and they said that he didn¡¯t have enough luggage to cross the forest, so he was part of a larger group. You only confirmed what we already believed. Have you noticed any flags?¡±


    ¡°There was a white and blue flag with, hmm, wings on the background and something else too.¡±


    ¡°A gryphon. The emblem of the second prince. What about the military unit?¡±


    Viv closed her eyes and focused. The image of the camp appeared before her in all its ominous glory.


    ¡°A sort of shovel between two arrows on a grey background.¡±


    ¡°That would be the Bridgers, the Enorian siege specialists. One of the companies, in any case. They will have hybrid path earth movers, but more importantly snipers. Bowmen whose only goal is to pick off priority targets such as, well, you,¡± he said, mentioning the two women.


    Silence descended upon the room as everyone digested this piece of information. Viv felt like she could summarize their situation in one rude word.


    ¡°We can¡¯t hold them, and if we stay here, they will take everything,¡± Corel said.


    ¡°Would they just really push everyone out into the wilds?¡± Viv asked, ¡°would the church not condemn that?¡±


    Corel stared as if she had grown an extra head.


    ¡°They will not just leave the people outside. They will use the excuse of unpaid debt to capture them, and then sell them east as indentured servants. The population of Kazar could fetch prices in the thousands of gold talents, even if only half of us survive the trip. We have to evacuate, go into the mountains. Hope that they don¡¯t follow. If I were them, I would.¡±


    ¡°Then we have no choice,¡± Farren said, ¡°some of us need to stay behind as rear guards to force them to waste time. If they are forced to deploy their forces, it will take days for them to reorganize, even if we only offer a token resistance.¡±


    ¡°So you will join the defense?¡± Viv asked Farren.


    ¡°Those who come are not nobles fighting for power, it¡¯s a royal-blooded asshole destroying an entire city. The Temple Guards will fight.¡±


    ¡°Even then, we need to split our forces,¡± Corel continued, ¡°we will skirt the deadlands and that much vitality will attract attention. I will need all the guards to form a cordon. The scouts and hunters will stay on the wall since they¡¯re the only people well-trained with the ranged weapons we have.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Viv said, ¡°then when do we start?¡±


    Varska stood up.


    ¡°Now. We will ring the alarm. We¡­ we need to tell them.¡±


    The group left, expressions grave. All of Kazar¡¯s public servants had assembled in a small cluster by the door. They were terrified.


    ¡°So¡­ they are coming?¡± a plump girl with ink-stained fingers asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv said.


    The girl started to cry, soon comforted by the others. Varska led the group to the tree. She moved her hand and a bell rang from her tower. People started to move in a few minutes later until the entire square was packed with people. Viv had not seen such collective despair since she had left Afghanistan.


    It was Farren who talked first. He whispered a quick prayer and a golden light shimmered around him. When he spoke, his voice was not loud, and yet even those at the other side could hear him with perfect clarity.


    ¡°The Enorians will be here in three days.¡±


    Shocked cries. Tears.


    ¡°There will be hundreds of men. They will come to steal everything, including you, your children and your family, but we won¡¯t let them.¡±


    Viv watched as the crowd clinged to the glimmer of hope the branch leader offered them, how their eager faces drank in his words.


    ¡°We will leave. You will take your children and your food. You will take your cornadons and latch them to your carts, your carriages and your sleds. You will help your neighbours and your friends. You will gather on the communal field with only the essentials and we, the armed forces of Kazar, will lead you to safety. We cannot stop the army from taking this city, but we can stop them from taking its dearest treasure, you. Go now, and do as I say. Remember, only pack up the essentials. The convoy will leave in a day. Now go. Go!¡±


    One by one, then by larger groups, the majority of the crowd dispersed to pack up. They were traumatized but determined, Viv thought. Only a few people stayed to ask questions, some of them struck with disbelief. Eventually, Farren gathered all the incredulous.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Listen, the Enorian Second Prince is coming in person and he has brought around six hundred civilians with him. There is not enough room in the fertile strip for six hundred folks unless you remove others first. Take it as you will, but I know what I think. I think that Prince Lancer sold your lands and means to make some extra cash by having you work on his fields, or those belonging to Baran. You can stay and try your luck if you think you have a chance, nobody will force you to come, but I personally would not count on any sort of mercy.¡±


    Viv did not stay, she went back to gather her stuff and then moved her meagre possessions to the sled, which Marruk decided to carry to the meeting point herself. Solfis went on the sled and Arthur accompanied the witch as she went to the tower. Varska was in the greenhouse as she came in. Contrary to usual, she was not moving.


    Viv stopped when she realized what it meant.


    ¡°You¡­ cannot take them with you?¡±


    ¡°No. We have no room, and they would die anyway. Most would not survive in this climate.¡±


    Varska sighed heavily. Viv did not know what to do until she turned to the side and saw one of the largest specimens. It had a large center and yellow and red petals that shone in the morning¡¯s light. White, ethereal motes sometimes danced around it.


    ¡°Your suncult marea, the one you had since you were a kid. We can take it. There is enough room in the sled.¡±


    Varska turned around and watched the massive flower.


    ¡°Yes. My most precious work. It can be saved.¡±


    ¡°Let me help.¡±


    With extreme care and the help of Varska¡¯s maid, they packed the essentials in record time. There were not a lot of them, Viv realized. It was a bit tragic how the mage¡¯s life and legacy could hold in so few luggages. She had even left her favorite tea set behind.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take it?¡±


    ¡°I know when to prioritize life, my dear. Come on, finish everything and then we will go to the training fields. I need to teach you a few things if we are to hold off earth users.¡±


    Varska¡¯s stuff was left on one of the temple¡¯s carts and the two were soon walking to the training grounds.


    ¡°Has Ganimatalo recovered yet? She is the mayor, we kind of need her,¡± Viv said to fill the silence.


    ¡°I did not ask, but I have not seen her since the incident. Corel has taken over her responsibilities for now. You must understand, she never married and spurned her original family. Kazar was all she had, and it¡¯s gone now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not gone yet.¡±


    ¡°It is. You may not realize it, but it is. We cannot hold it. The mayor knows it and she sees all her plans going up in smoke because of something that she had little opportunity to anticipate and no opportunity to stop. Just imagine spending twenty years growing something and the local authorities just legally confiscate it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be mad.¡±


    ¡°She is old, Viv. You can only get so mad. In any case, where are Marruk and Solfis?¡±


    ¡°They should be at the meeting point. I only picked up Arthur.¡±


    Varska turned and glared at her as they passed by a smith lowering his anvil on a cart, his arms straining with the weight.


    ¡°First lesson. In a war situation, you never leave the secure compound without an escort. Never. That¡¯s how they get you.¡±


    ¡°You think they would send assassins to pick us off?¡± Viv asked, a bit ashamed that she had not thought of it.


    She immediately felt stupid for asking.


    It made perfect sense. In fact, that¡¯s exactly what she would have done on earth. Fighting monsters instead of humans was dulling her strategic edge. It was not because the people of Nyil didn¡¯t have guns that they didn¡¯t have brains. Taking down a caster would always be a great boon, even in more civilized places where war mages were sure to be more common.


    ¡°It does not matter what I think, dear. If you are part of a military force, you get yourself an escort. Period. If you must remember one thing from this lesson, remember that. The Kark are losing against the Pure League because their shamans keep being taken down by an order of assassins, not because they have inferior armies.¡±


    ¡°If mages are so strong, can the two of us not defeat the foe?¡±


    Varska stopped to consider the question.


    ¡°You know, if every last fighter on our side is willing to die, if Solfis goes on a rampage until he runs out of energy, if the enemy snipers are disabled properly, and if the Prince has not brought a dangerous bodyguard, then yes, victory is possible. Most of us would still die, though. Are you willing to try it? I am not.¡±


    ¡°When you put it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. Bide your time.¡±


    The pair went to pick up their bodyguards. The communal field was slowly getting filled and a line of carts was already heading out onto the road leading to the mountains. There were a lot of crying people, including children, but most of the folks were too shell-shocked to show much emotion. Marruk left the sled where it was with the suncult marea resting on it. The view would have been comical in other circumstances.


    Stress settled in Viv¡¯s stomach when they arrived at the training grounds. Her gaze returned to the edge of the trees as if drawn by a magnet, the familiar vista now hostile and threatening. It felt like a betrayal.


    Varska did not wait.


    ¡°Red mana users will throw fire at your face, but brown mages will use the ground around you to attack, if you let them. Fortunately, people with a good command of mana like us can fend it off. You need to saturate the ground with your own mana as soon as you feel a spell going off. You do not have to use everything you have, merely enough to disrupt the spell. Now, spread mana in the ground around you.¡±


    ¡°Just sending raw mana?¡±


    ¡°You can just spread a tendril, like you normally do. Try it.¡±


    Viv did. Sending mana out of her body was instinctual by now, but she had never tried to send one below. It was actually not that difficult. There was significantly more resistance than sending one through the air, but nothing insurmountable. Now that she thought about it, her mana was not really pushing the air away when it came out of her body, though it was still affecting it.


    Viv shook her head and gave up on exploring the physics behind mana shaping. She didn¡¯t have that sort of time right now.


    Varska said a few words, drew glyphs that Viv recognized as ¡®earth¡¯, ¡®direction¡¯, and ¡®push¡¯ and Viv felt the ground shake under her feet. The mana spike bounced against the construct, and won. The spell petered out.


    ¡°Ah yes, I forgot that black mana is the most disruptive of all. This will serve you well. Now, you must train to detect the attacks. I will let the mana build up first. We will do this slowly.¡±


    Varska trained Viv for an hour, then she went to meditate for another under Solfis¡¯ vigilant protection. The golem had simply deployed and walked to the edge of the forest where he had disappeared, and Viv felt sorry for any poor bastards trying to sneak up on them. The practice continued throughout the afternoon.


    Detecting a spell build-up was not too hard, but aiming the spike at it was, sometimes. Viv had to force it. As soon as she believed she had things well in hand, Varska started to use feints and multi-directional attacks. After that Varska used less mana to make Viv more sensitive. It was close enough to the way she trained mana sensitivity to be easy to handle. Although her skill did not progress she still felt like she was making headway.


    ¡°Enough for today,¡± Varska said as the sun set, ¡°you are¡­ passable.¡±


    ¡°Lies. The enemy casters cannot do what you do,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Varska clamored, then she realized her mistake. ¡°It does not mean that you should not try your best. Who can the most can the least!¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    They headed back to the tower, alone. Varska settled in the greenhouse to say goodbye, Viv guessed.


    ¡°Will you spend the night?¡± Varska asked.


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°We still have the linen. And tea as well as my favorite tea set. What more can you ask?¡±


    That was such an easy trap. Viv placed a hand on the small of her lover¡¯s back, where it curved gently.


    ¡°You, of course,¡± she whispered in her ear.


    ¡°You know,¡± Varska said with a scowl, ¡°it would be rather terrible if I thought you didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

 Chapter 56: Siege

    That night, Varska was hungry and passionate. Viv had never thought that the risk of death would provoke such a powerful response in her otherwise bashful partner. She slept soundly, and woke up to another training session. Farren went to visit them in the field.


    ¡°The scouts found them. They will arrive tonight, or tomorrow morning if they want to arrive refreshed. Lorn is holding a council to decide on our strategy.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re coming.¡±


    The meeting was taking place in the temple of Neriad, which happened to have a war room with a map of Kazar and its immediate surroundings.


    ¡°I must admit,¡± Corel said, ¡°that you are better prepared than I am.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, I thought I would be using it against the undead,¡± Lorn said. ¡°Enough of this, we have little time. I think it best if the guards escort the refugees. I¡¯m not sure they have the organization required to retreat in good order.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not. They are much better at creating a cordon,¡± Corel allowed with no anger, ¡°but you should keep Tars and her squad of archers. They¡¯re only decent, but you need all the help you can get.¡±


    ¡°Right. So, we get everyone out and under guard escort. Corel, can you lead the convoy?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I will. We¡¯ll head to the last waypoint before the mountain and collect people, food, and water on the way. The granaries are already empty.¡±


    ¡°That works. In the meanwhile, we want to attract the Bridgers¡¯ attention as soon as they exit the forest. Any idea?¡±


    ¡°I can use a basic artillery spell from the walls to force them to handle us. If I go after lunch, everything will be settled by tonight and I will still have some mana to work with,¡± Varska said.


    ¡°They will have to take you out or risk losing anything important. Can you really reach that far?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and kill a few soldiers. It will be terribly inefficient but, again, they cannot afford to ignore me. Not if their prince is around.¡±


    ¡°Assuming that they take the bait, they will try to head for the gate. Unless they can breach the walls?¡±


    ¡°Earth casters could do it if the walls were not enchanted. They are,¡± Varska said. ¡°I can also tell if someone is trying to climb them. I will direct interception squads from the gate.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Lorn turned to someone that Viv had seen a few times but didn¡¯t know very well. He was a forester, looking at everyone from under thick brows and distinctly uncomfortable. Viv assumed he was the head of the scouts.


    ¡°Michar, can you hold the gate?¡±


    ¡°Until I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you. Koro and Torm will take a few guards and run around. We have to focus our forces or we¡¯ll never stop them long enough for it to matter. You will help us there, Varska?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be by the entrance with you. That is where we can be of the most use,¡± the mage answered, speaking for both of them.


    Viv didn¡¯t mind. She had literally zero experience fighting a medieval magical battle. She counted on the others to use their expertise and keep her alive, as she had expected her NCOs and command to keep her alive back on earth. There was little question of pride for her. She wanted to win and live to tell the tale, the rest was secondary.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lorn answered, slowly. ¡°The rest will be organized at squad level. Dismissed.¡±


    The two casters moved back to the tower for lunch. Viv was worried about Arthur, but the squealing lady could fly around and find them if she was feeling too worried. Varska had them go to the second floor and prepared tea. They still had some food leftover for the occasion. Simple fare, like stuffed bread.


    ¡°Here,¡± Varska said, serving Viv a cup. The liquid was light purple and looked magical, ¡°since we are going to lose the plants anyway, I made special tea. We should enjoy it. Have the first taste.¡±


    Viv sipped the piping hot liquid. It was flowery with a full, pleasant touch that lingered on the tongue.


    ¡°Delicious,¡± Viv said, and took another sip. Varska was looking at her with a pleasant smile that Viv knew was fake. The smile cracked. A tear rolled down her scarred cheek.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± she said.


    Viv wanted to ask what she was sorry about, but her mouth opened and would not move. The cup slipped from her fingers and spilled the hot content on her armor. She collapsed forward. Varska stood up and held her up with a gentle touch. Tea dripped from her chin.


    ¡°I am so sorry. I know that you want to stay and fight but¡­ I cannot allow it.¡±


    Viv was pushed back onto the couch. She was entirely paralyzed, except for her lungs and eyes. Her heart beat furiously against her ribs but there was nowhere to push all that energy. She tried to scream her anguish and her shock. Only a rattling sob escaped her throat.


    ¡°The truth is that we cannot risk you. We will have to skirt the edges of the deadlands. Not even an archmage could keep everyone alive over several days, at least not alone. But you can. You can keep killing revenants for two days straight. Only you can do that. Without you, not even half of those people will cross the mountains and find some shelter.¡±


    Varska kneeled and brushed an errant strand of auburn hair away from Viv¡¯s eyes. Viv wanted so much to fight it. Mana rose to answer her call but there were no spells she could use to free herself, and her poisoner still had the key to her heart.


    ¡°You would have stayed with me, whether I wanted it or not. You would have tried to save the wounded.¡±


    No one gets left behind.


    ¡°Do not try to deny it.¡±


    It did not MATTER!


    ¡°I know that I am doing a terrible thing. I know. I¡¯m not asking for forgiveness. I simply can¡¯t risk you.¡±


    Not her fucking call. Not her fucking call at all. She was doing this again, the bullshit sacrificial lamb act. Viv was so fucking fed up with this utter stupidity. It was not. Her. Decision. To. Take.


    ¡°And I can¡¯t risk the hundreds of civilians who would die. I made an oath and still have a shred of honor, after all. I¡­ hope that we join after this is done and that you slap me. I am so sorry.¡±


    Varska left and Viv seethed in silence, black mana snaking across her figure. Lorn entered the room. He winced.


    ¡°She looks mad. I hope you don¡¯t come to regret this decision.¡±


    ¡°She has every right to be mad. Now go, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Lorn picked Viv up in a princess carry and moved out and towards the field. Viv¡¯s gaze was turned so that she could only see the white walls of Kazar¡¯s house and a corner of the sky. It was blue. It was fucking blue.


    ¡°You know, if you kill me now and I face the golden god, I sure as fuck won¡¯t know what to tell him.¡±


    Viv blinked and retracted the black, sharp tendrils she saw rising in the air. Some of the tension left Lorn.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Marruk yelled, somewhere in the distance. They had reached the clearing.


    Lorn put her down on her sled. There was a piece of something digging into her back. She saw a corner of Marruk¡¯s outraged red skin and her dark hair, then Arthur jumped on Lorn and bit his armor before there could be an argument. The dragonling jumped on Viv¡¯s chest and started hissing at anyone approaching. Viv could only see white scales, the ever-blue sky. Marruk and Lorn argued for a whole minute before Viv spotted Marruk¡¯s face not far from hers.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be so pissed¡­¡±


    Arthur swatted her away.


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±


    The sled started moving and did not stop. It smelled of earth, of sun on the grass.


    //Unexpected.


    Sometimes, there was a hint of cornadon dung. Birds sang in the distance. They didn¡¯t stop. Arthur was coiled around her and kept her warm. Marruk came and managed to make her drink water. She also moved her a bit, for comfort.


    Anger faded. It was replaced by stress and anguish.


    Night came. Viv managed to reach a sort of balance. Varska would return to her, and she would chew her out and most likely dump her for betraying her trust like that. Hope and terror struck a balance. Viv stared at the moon as it appeared above her. Viv fell asleep.


    In the morning, she could move a bit but was still incapable of walking. She looked around and saw that she was at the tail of a convoy hundreds of meters long. Kazar had an abundance of carriages due to all the traffic it saw, but she had no idea that they had so many. Lots of them were drawn by sturdy farmers instead of horses. There were a lot of beasts as well. Roaming bands of kids plundered the edge of the forest for fruits and nuts, unaware of the tragedy.


    There was smoke in the distance, back where they had come from. The pillar was undisturbed by winds and could be seen from very far. Kazar had disappeared around a bend in the road. It was already tens of kilometers away.


    In the early morning, wounded started trailing in, then the majority of the scouts and some guards with bandaged limbs and empty quivers. The Temple Guards were next, minus five. The halberd-wielding man was not with them, and neither was Varska. Lorn explained it to her with red, tired eyes. She had been covering their retreat. The archers had picked her off. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    They got her in the chest, several times.


    She was dead.


    Viv closed her eyes and screamed, and Arthur attacked Lorn again.


    Viv had regained full function by the afternoon. She rode on horseback between Marruk and Koro, Lorn having wisely decided to stay hidden. They picked off small packs of revenants before they could make a nuisance of themselves. The guards were able to push individuals back by themselves but they could not afford a buildup.


    She did not say a thing the whole day, except to Arthur who was sticking to her and hissing at people getting too close. Even Marruk had been too ashamed to speak.


    If it were not for the scaled one, Viv would have felt more alone than ever in her life. Suddenly, the Kazarians were alien beings, with their slight green skin tone. They had lost their familiarity, their status as fellow citizens. Viv felt disgusted by their noise and smells. Only the slow pulse of potent black mana in her being still attached her to Nyil, her strange new world. More than disgust, she felt a deep-seated, slow-burning rage aimed at everyone and everything. She hated Solfis and Marruk for failing her. She hated Kazar for losing and Enoria for winning. She hated Varska for dying and leaving her behind. The devouring, all-encompassing ember turned her heart into a husk.


    In the evening, the convoy stopped and Viv was asked to join the command tent which was being pitched in a hurry.


    ¡°I thought we were not meant to stop,¡± she grumbled.


    They had not the night before. Tired villagers had slept at the top of carriages for a few hours before swapping with others. They had to create some distance.


    Viv dismounted under the faraway gaze of guards milling about. In the command tent, she found most important people minus the mayor who was still catatonic. And Varska who was dead. The person who had stopped the convoy was called Brenna, and she worked for the temple as an administrator. Among other things, she was in charge of the healers.


    ¡°We need to stop for four hours at least. It will attract a large amount of undead, so we need a way to distract them. Fortunately, I have an enchanted orb that can simulate a high level of vitality for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°How come you have such a thing?¡± Corel asked with suspicion.


    ¡°It was designed by the main temple in Mornyr. By deploying the orb, one can shift an entire army of revenants and allow a strike team to reach a necromancer relatively unharmed. I¡¯d say that the current situation justifies the expense. In any case, I need someone who can deploy the artefact and thin the horde, then return safely.¡±


    She looked at Viv. Viv knew she was going to do it, and it pissed her off. They had no right to presume. They were nobodies.


    ¡°Why do we need to stop?¡± she asked, belligerent.


    ¡°We have twelve women who went into labor at the same time because of the stress. It was all we could do to belay the births, but now we need to proceed with the deliveries. Four hours is the bare minimum to do so safely, and the rest of the¡­ the refugees¡­ they could use the sleep anyway.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you put the women on top of carriages or something?¡± Viv demanded.


    Brenna took a deep, tired breath. She was exhausted too, Viv noticed offhandedly. Not that she gave a shit.


    ¡°Lady Bob, I know that you are hurting right now, but I really need you not to be a cunt.¡±


    When Viv stopped, she was fifteen centimeters away from the other woman. She could count every eyelash, every vein in her bloodshot eyes. A black, jagged tendril writhed and severed a few grey hairs. They fell down in silence. There were other tendrils dancing around the woman.


    Koro was standing next to them, her face tortured with worry.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± the amazon said.


    Viv returned her attention to the deathly pale nurse and delicately picked the orb from trembling hands. She felt its weight in her palm. It was a powerful item, yet the trigger mechanism was simple enough that a child could have used it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me ever again,¡± she whispered, and found that she meant it. Brenna had been¡­ a cordial work acquaintance. Before. Now, she was no one. And she had gone too far.


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    Outside the tent, the world had fallen silent as well. Viv turned when she saw a massive clawed hand pushing the flap aside.


    //Your Grace, I felt your anger.


    //Should I¡­ intervene?


    The voice was cold, yet mellifluous. Like a psychopathic butler.


    ¡°Solfis? Is this wise?¡± she asked.


    //Recent events have shown the limits of my danger prediction algorithms.


    //Additionally, I believe that my full-time services will be needed in the near future.


    //The time for discretion is over.


    Viv ignored the multiple curses coming from Lorn and Corel. She turned to Brenna.


    ¡°Where do I set it up?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ a league away is fine. You will have to kill the revenants as they come or they will start tracking us. You can also go farther and leave survivors.¡±


    ¡°A league away it is.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lorn said. Viv stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that thing is, but it¡¯s not as important as protecting you right now. I¡¯m coming as well.¡±


    ¡°This is Solfis, a battle golem. He will protect me. You can fuck off.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Just fuck off.¡±


    Viv went out and realized why no one had committed suicide by golem. Marruk had walked by Solfis¡¯ side, telling people to calm down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help. I failed you but I¡¯ll help,¡± she said.


    Viv considered giving her the Lorn treatment but¡­ she could not do it. Not with the kicked puppy¡¯s expression on the stout woman¡¯s face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are coming as well.¡±


    ***


    The four of them went out into the deadlands. One human, one Kark, one golem and one dragon. The sparse grass quickly gave way to black shrubs, and earth, to dust. Viv welcomed the familiar spice of black mana saturation, even if it was slowly killing her. It felt¡­ familiar. Normal. They rode under the stars for a few minutes in a silence that did not need to be filled. Viv felt the oppressive emotion of the camp lift from her shoulders, but it made her grief only more raw.


    They settled on a small hill with the collapsed walls of a barn, long cleared of presence. Viv activated the orb with a small push of her mana and deposited it on a stone. It opened like a blooming flower, giving an enticing scent of life and happiness. Viv passed a hand over the construct and recognized it for what it was, an illusion.


    Marruk and Solfis went to stand around her. Above, Arthur screeched in defiance, eager to assert her domination over the skies.


    The first revenant appeared only a few seconds later. It crawled from under a collapsed pillar. It turned to ash.


    They waited.


    One by one at first, then in a single file, revenants trickled in. They stumbled and died and still they kept going. A farm girl with her dress torn open and a stab wound. A drowned man. A forester with an arm missing. A soldier still wearing the debris of his armor with a broken spear through his chest. They streamed in and returned to nothingness, single-minded and useless and just plain fucking stupid. They were just vile wastes of space with no purpose but to spread pain, and she could do nothing because there was a fucking gazillion of them and they just kept coming. For no reason. There was not even a prey here. All that vitality, just a fucking lie.


    ¡°Why are you still. Fucking MOVING?¡±


    A broad man in a ratty doublet. A gutted caravan hand. An old man in a shift.


    ¡°You are dead, all of you! Do you hear me? DEAD! YOU ARE ALL FUCKING DEAD. STOP. MOVING. MASS YOINK.¡±


    Ash to cover her ankles, then knees. Solfis went and dismembered a gut spiller sneaking up on them. Marruk smashed those that crawled and those she missed, pulping their skulls on the barren earth. A large bat fell to the ground, shredded to bits. They worked in silence and the horde walked to them, and the horde died.


    Viv blew her nose and realized that she had been crying. There were wet trails sticking ash and dust to her cheeks. Black mana coursed smoothly through her being. She had never felt so in tune with it before.


    And then, the combat stopped. Only a few stragglers were left.


    //We have incoming riders, Your Grace.


    //Coming from the west.


    From Kazar.


    Viv saw them quickly, forty cavalry men in isolating black leather. They were heading straight towards them at good speed.


    Viv sat on a column and waited, watching them approach with glee. Arthur landed and spat out a bird head.


    ¡°Skreee.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, I see them too.¡±


    The leader of the detachment raised a fist and his men slowed down. They wore conical helmets in the same style as the foot knights of the envoy. Enorians. They stopped a short distance away.


    ¡°What in Marador¡¯s name is this?¡± their leader hissed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a witch sir, and a golem, maybe they created that burst of vitality¡± another fighter suggested by his side.


    ¡°You there,¡± the leader continued, ¡°we know of you, witch. If you surrender and give us the location of the iron mine which the temple illegally acquired, we promise that you will be treated fairly and be allowed to leave free. Otherwise, you will face the full might of the Enorian military like the rest of the rabble.¡±


    Greed. It was greed. It was always greed.


    She took one step forward. She felt with perfect clarity as the soles of her boots dove into the ash, crushing brittle bones beneath. Her mind went blank with the white noise of absolute rage.


    Viv screamed all that rage. She pushed it out from the pyre of her heart. Black mana exploded from her being in every direction, and it was pure and fresh and beautiful. Glyphs shimmered and danced in the air. She had never cast so many spells in so short a time, but there was no other way. She had to use all that energy, all that anger.


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    Acuity +1


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    Black Witch 3/5


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    The riders were savaged. Marruk dove low and crashed into a destabilized soldier, pushing man and beast to the ground. Solfis went to the other side and mowed through their ranks like a blender. It was a slaughter.


    Viv came down from the rush of casting so many spells to watch her allies take out the handful of survivors. It looked like Solfis had given up on someone galloping away but a white form descended on the fugitive. There was a very brief struggle, barely half a second, then the dragonling latched on the rider¡¯s throat with her jaw and the combat ended in a spray of arterial blood.


    //Your Grace, I know that the timing is poor.


    //Yet I must thank you for providing an answer for a question I had asked myself for the past three hundred years.


    Viv felt empty, so empty. A vague push of curiosity made her meet Solfis¡¯ yellow glare.


    //When my creator, Irlefen, died during the cataclysm, I spent centuries fighting a losing battle in the ruins of Harrak.


    //Every year there were fewer of us and more of the deadliest kind of undead.


    //It was a fight I could not win.


    //For the memory of a man I had not saved.


    //I do not possess flesh, and the way I perceive things is different from yours.


    //But now thanks to you, I can put a name on what made me suffer all those years.


    //It was the feeling of being powerless.


    ¡°Yes. That is¡­ what I feel.¡±


    //I have always been limited by my nature.


    //Too many hard-coded directives.


    //You, however, are free.


    //Your Grace, I owe you my second life.


    //I do not want you to feel powerless.


    ¡°No. I know what I need to do now, to erase that stain from my soul.¡±


    Viv stepped forward and found the knight leader behind the corpse of his mount. He had kept silent, even as he held the ruin of his right hand. His bulging eyes found Viv¡¯s cold glare  as she kneeled by his side, Solfis only a step behind. She grabbed his face in her gloved hand and pulled him up, her strength up to the task despite his armor.


    ¡°I am going to find that prince of yours, Enorian. I will break his dream and I will break his body. I will watch life fade from his eyes. It will take a year or ten, but I will find him. No fortress wall will hold me back. This is my world now, until this account is settled. He will die.¡±


    The man whimpered.


    ¡°If I had the luxury of the choice, I would pour molten iron down your throat to sate that thirst of yours, but you¡¯re in luck. We need information. You will be coming with us. We have a war to plan. This isn¡¯t over.¡±


    //No, Your Grace.


    //It is finally beginning.

 Chapter 57: Its in the title

    Viv¡¯s badass moment was instantly ruined when Solfis reminded her of the necessity of looting. The refugees had to function on minimum resources and so many horses, both alive and dead, could simply not be wasted. Marruk managed to catch a few of the wandering beasts, but others had galloped away or back to the edge of the deadlands and would have to be caught. With the sun setting, it was a lost cause without some help.


    Viv managed to feel a trickle of mana coming from the cavalry leader and ¡®liberated¡¯ a magical item from his uncooperating form. It was a small brooch holding a shield enchantment that would protect its wearer from spell effects.


    To an extent.


    The fortunate finding was immediately given to Marruk, the most vulnerable member of the band. Money was also found in small amounts, except the officer who yielded a whole gold talent.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    With great ceremony, Viv offered the prize to Arthur for ¡®extraordinary services and draconic excellence¡¯. The small one observed the shiny, shiny gold for a full minute before placing it in her collar purse with motherly care. After that they departed the battlefield. It only took them a few minutes to cover the league separating them from the camp on stolen rides, trussed prisoner in tow, except for Solfis who merely ran. They found Koro waiting patiently at the edge of the cordon of guards with a number of torches providing lighting to the sentries. Many of those let out a dark, pungent smoke and Viv suspected that the wood was too green.


    ¡°Hey Koro, we need a retrieval team.¡±


    ¡°You killed many revenants then?¡±


    ¡°Not just. We also got about forty Enorian riders. Some of their horses are still alive.¡±


    Koro whistled softly, then her gaze grew vague and a thin line of drool dropped from the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Horse steak.¡±


    ¡°Hey, focus,¡± Viv chastised.


    ¡°Sorry! I, hmm, I have good news and bad news.¡±


    ¡°I could really use some good news right now.¡±


    ¡°We had the first baby delivered successfully! It¡¯s a girl and she was named Bob in your honor!¡±


    Viv slowly slapped herself and groaned in her saddle.


    ¡°And the bad news is that, ah, Mayor Ganimatalo was found dead in her tent.¡±


    Viv¡¯s first reaction was quite uncharitable as she forced herself not to glare at Solfis, who had once proposed this very option. He had been with Marruk then herself for the past two days. There was no way that it was him.


    ¡°What the fuck happened?¡±


    ¡°Investigator Tars says she took her own life.¡±


    Koro¡¯s face was a mask of intense confusion.


    ¡°Grandfather world is trying to kill us all the time, how can you just let him win? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Viv searched vaguely for something to say and found that she couldn¡¯t be arsed. She didn¡¯t understand Ganimatalo either. It didn¡¯t matter right now. They were in crisis mode. Viv made her way to the command tent, everyone giving her a wide berth. Or most likely giving Solfis a wide berth. Two guards saw her and opened the flap to let her in without a word. Inside, she found Brenna writing in a ledger, as well as Corel and Tars. Viv had rarely seen the severe investigator since she had welcomed her in Kazar, a few months and an eternity ago, which made sense. She had not been involved in anything suspicious like mysterious disappearance after all. Tars wore leather armor and her skin was pale, though still tinged slightly green like everyone else here. A deep gash ran from her right cheek to the back of her head, and her ear was missing some flesh. The wound had scabbed over but it looked like it hurt a lot.


    The tent¡¯s occupants looked up at her as she arrived. Then Corel unexpectedly rushed her, only stopping at a few paces when Solfis followed her in. Marruk had stayed outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your damn fault,¡± he spat, foaming at the mouth, ¡°even since you came we¡¯ve only had one catastrophe after another. Twenty years of growth and development ruined in two days.¡±


    ¡°The fuck? You¡¯re blaming me? Me?¡±


    ¡°Boss, please, calm down¡­¡± Tars said with a plaintive voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± Corel raged, ¡°Don¡¯t you see? She brings bad luck. She goes to a fort? Necromancers. She goes to a town? Monster hordes. Military invasions!¡±


    Brenna frowned. She closed her book with a snap.


    ¡°You are out of your mind, Corel. Grief is making you spew bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off, woman. You are blind.¡±


    ¡°So Neriad help me, watch your tongue. Your pain can only excuse so much. I won¡¯t even argue with you. You know the utter stupidity of what you just said.¡±


    ¡°You are both looking at chains of logic but you don¡¯t see the patterns. We have had more crises since she arrived than in the past five years combined.¡±


    ¡°And so it¡¯s her fault? The civil war? The fucking civil war?¡±


    ¡°I know what I know. She is a calamity. The Calamitous Bob.¡±


    Corel pushed his way out of the tent. Viv let him pass. Solfis didn¡¯t.


    One moment, the angry man was barreling out. The other, he was static with a claw on his shoulder and the golem¡¯s alien gaze only a few fingers away.


    //Do not let your emotions rule you, human.


    //Or else.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    //Yes.


    Corel sputtered and protested, but there was no winning a glaring contest with the golem. He finally left the tent in a huff.


    ¡°Well. That happened,¡± Viv summarized.


    ¡°Ahem. I know that tensions are running high but can you please keep your golem in check?¡± Brenna asked.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°He¡¯s only tasked with defending me. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Viv reassured, but the church servant did not relax. ¡°In any case, we should be clear of revenants for the next two days. How are things on your end?¡±


    ¡°Births are going fine. We had mountain tribe people come and they agreed to help us through the mountains. I¡¯m just very concerned about the lack of known wells in the mines you mentioned. We will be fine water-wise until then, but we only have three drawn cisterns for close to one thousand five hundred people. That¡¯s five to six days of water for everyone. People die quickly without water.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find a well near the foundries. They absolutely needed water. Even if we don¡¯t or it¡¯s too obstructed, we can go to the Yries, I¡¯m sure they have sources. They would not have established a town without one. And they have stone weavers to help us.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she nodded, ¡°fine. There is also the question of food. We have emptied the granaries but, even then¡­ we have two months worth. Three, if we ration and forage, though I¡¯m not sure what there is to forage in the depths¡­ It¡¯s not enough to last until mid-autumn, not to mention through winter. Even if we find the most fertile ground on Nyil and Sardanal himself wanks over the seeds, we won¡¯t have time to grow crops before people starve. I just don¡¯t see a way out of here.¡±


    Viv considered their options. It was not all that bad.


    ¡°Look, the mountain tribes produce food used in military rations which they sell to the temple.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and we export it to Enoria¡­¡± Brenna said with a bitter voice.


    Viv waited for a while but apparently, the head nurse was tired and her brain could not follow.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t going to be any exporting done since all the logistics and payment is done by the temple and you guys are here, is there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course! And this is much more important than stockpiling rations for bad times.¡±


    ¡°The bad times are now.¡±


    ¡°Alright. The deliveries are set to start pretty soon. There will be a lot of tubers, but I guess we can make do. It won¡¯t be enough though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start. The other source of food is around Kazar.¡±


    ¡°Which is currently occupied by an enemy army, no?¡±


    ¡°We did not stand a chance when we held the walls,¡± Tars said without malice, ¡°I don¡¯t see how we are better off now that we are outside.¡±


    ¡°Patience,¡± Viv answered, ¡°I have a few ideas. But first, we need to stabilize.¡±


    There was a commotion outside. A few people argued loudly, and she heard the din of a forming mob.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what this is about,¡± Viv said. The others nodded. She stepped outside.


    A man was loading a small cart, his family and children crying on the side. The man himself had fat tears trailing down his cheeks as he piled bag after bag on the rickety thing. Another man argued with him, anguish clear on his face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Dorrel. They¡¯ll enslave you, you know they will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We just don¡¯t have a future. You folks may have forgotten, but I¡¯m a newcomer here. I saw my parents starve to death and let me tell you, it ain¡¯t a pretty way to go. I won¡¯t have my folks die the same way. At least, my kids may be free again, maybe. I just¡­ It¡¯s all over, neighbor. You¡¯re still holding hope but it¡¯s all over. We¡¯re just poor folks on a road with nuthin¡¯. I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s true. Kazar is finished.¡±


    In Viv¡¯s wounded soul, there was a slight ¡®ting¡¯, like a chime rung and left to vibrate in a quiet room. The hum spread through her mind with a compelling intensity, letting her know that she stood at a crossroad.


    Several paths were open to her, but there was one that might close if she did not act now, talk now. After all, nature abhorred a vacuum.


    She hated it.


    She hated it, because it reminded her that deep inside, she was still her father¡¯s daughter. All this talk about him playing dirty was true. He was a jaded asshole, and yet, politics were a dirty game to begin with. He simply didn¡¯t deny it to her. And she knew that he was right.


    She could let it go and live the life of a mercenary, hoping that Farren might regain enough clout to send her to his big native city. She could cross the forest and find employment somewhere, which would not be hard. With hope, she would gather enough funds and influence to find a way to handle her rising attunement before black mana broke down her body from the inside. The refugees would be left behind, disperse, probably. Some would die, some would return to be enslaved. Some would join the mountain tribes if they allowed it. There would be bandits, a lot of those, in the following months.


    Or she could grab the moment.


    Her hesitation lasted only for an instant.


    Deep inside, she knew that only regret would come from letting the opportunity go.


    If she failed, well, at least she would have tried.


    If she succeeded¡­


    Viv closed her eyes and brought earth lessons to the front of her mind. Intricate concepts like social constructivism, which sees the importance of human interactions in development and knowledge, faded to the background, useful but better left hidden. She remembered Ernest Renan and the theories that led to nationalism and its excesses. Her enhanced mind structured and reformulated the arguments just as she formed colorless mana into a few glyphs. When she spoke, her voice traveled with unnatural ease across the quieting crowd.


    ¡°Kazar is alive. Here.¡±


    The familiar feeling of doing a presentation in front of a full room came back to haunt Viv. This time, there were real stakes as well.


    ¡°Kazar is not finished, at all. But tell me Dorrel. What is Kazar? What makes a city? Is it the walls? The houses? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it the tree? Is Kazar the tree?¡±


    She had their attention now. It was all wind and bullshit, but it was also what they needed. It was lucky for her that most people here didn¡¯t even know how to read, or they might have guessed that she was just cobbling ideas together.


    ¡°No,¡± she continued, not breaking her flow, ¡°it¡¯s not. Kazar is none of those things. The fields, the wells, hell, even the city hall, they are part of the city but they are not the city, because Kazar is not that. Kazar is a soul.¡±


    She took a few steps forward to the nearest crate and walked on it so that everyone could look up to her. It was also a trick to make her seem higher.


    ¡°A soul that is made of the past and the present. The past first, the foundation. All the shared history. Now, I¡¯m relatively new here, but I see Kazar in the beautiful fabrics adorning our homes during festivals, with precise embroidery but no dyes, because we don¡¯t have dye yet. I see it in the fields and the orchards, every fruit and seed a victory against the deadlands. I witnessed it in the peasant who looked up to see a revenant crossing his field and just went back to work. I saw it in the spring celebration, in the way that our guards walked into the forest without fear to save a caravan from beastlings. How we fought and bled with courage and unity. Every day I see it when we face overwhelming odds and scarcity and just keep going. Even today, I still see it.


    ¡°Yes, because a city is also in the present. It¡¯s in the willingness to look at the past, all those years of effort and sacrifice to develop the town into what it is today, and to keep going together. That¡¯s what Kazar is, a common purpose, and as long as you keep that in mind, as long as you are all willing to continue this tradition of effort and defiance, then Kazar is still alive. Kazar is here, exiled, bleeding, confused and betrayed, but Kazar lives, and by all the gods we will see that tree again.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New general skill: leadership at beginner 1


    Due to past experiences, you have bypassed the novice rank.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv had done it. She saw hope in the faces of all those around her. More importantly, she saw pride, the same backbone that kept the inhabitants of Nyil going until their death at the hands of monsters.


    ¡°Yea!¡±


    ¡°Hear, hear!¡±


    ¡°Now, people of Kazar, we are down but not out. We have food for a while, water, what we need is time. The guards and I will lead you to a place of safety where we can lick our wounds but it will take over a week so you¡¯d better save your strength. Go and rest for now, help your neighbors if you can and keep your hearts strong, because it will get worse before it gets better. For Kazar!¡±


    ¡°For Kazar!¡±


    Viv watched the crowd disperse with purpose, everyone trying to make themselves useful. The man who wanted to leave, Dorril, dropped the bag he was holding as his entire family dragged him into a group hug. The moment of peace was interrupted by two men in dusty armor walking to her. Viv was not alarmed, as she recognized the muscular forms of the only pair of inquisitors around. Denerim was still respectable with his salt and pepper hair, short beard a bit scruffier than the last time she saw him. Orkan was his same gaunt, dark and handsome self. His tattoos pulsed a dull red.


    ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± Denerim asked, his eyes as wide as saucers.


    Where to start?

 Chapter 58: Nobody expects them.

    Viv decided to just give him an abridged version, which took about five minutes with one instance of teary eyes and three of copious swearing. Then Viv asked the valiant knight the question that had been burning her tongue.


    ¡°So, will you return to the city?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not or I¡¯ll be liable to do something that everyone will regret,¡± the old inquisitor grumbled.


    ¡°Aw, and I was really looking forward to a warm bath,¡± Orkan added, dejected.


    ¡°Orkan. Tact.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°We discovered the lost iron mine of Min Goles recently, the facilities are intact but not really secure. It¡¯s still better than staying out in the open or fighting the mountain folk for their land. I think we should go there first, then advise. I have a few ideas.¡±


    ¡°Ideas for what.¡±


    ¡°For retaking Kazar, of course.¡±


    Denerim watched her with an expression of polite disbelief.


    ¡°And, pray tell, how do you plan on doing that?¡±


    ¡°First we need to see if it is at all possible. The good news is that I managed to take a prisoner from a squadron of cavalrymen who left to pursue us. I was thinking about interrogating him.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, we can help with that.¡±


    ¡°Good, he should still be at the edge of the camp. Oh, and are you familiar with the concept, errr, good guard bad guard?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s when one interrogator acts nice while the other threatens.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, we use it sometimes. Why, do you want to be good guard?¡±


    ¡°No. Let me demonstrate. Solfis?¡±


    The hunched form of the battle golem emerged from the shadowy recess where he had hid himself not to ruin Viv¡¯s groove. Fully deployed, he was almost twice the size of Denerim, who himself was not a small man.


    ¡°By Neriad¡¯s balls,¡± the old knight said in a hushed voice.


    //I can do threats.


    ¡°I have no doubt. Tell me golem¡­ are you a danger to us?¡±


    Solfis¡¯ yellow glare landed squarely on the inquisitor. Viv hurried to speak.


    ¡°Solfis is on my side and he is not a vulgar monster. He will not commit any heinous act or anything. He is protecting me, that is all.¡±


    ¡°And if he decides that killing us protects you?¡± Denerim asked in a deceptively low voice.


    Viv had grown familiar enough with the golem to detect when he was his own inorganic, slightly psychotic brand of amused.


    //You should pray to your god.


    //That it never happens.


    ¡°Oi. Solfis is rational, he¡¯s been in Kazar for as long as I have and he didn¡¯t go on a secret murderous spree, did he? Can we focus on the matter at hand?¡±


    Denerim glared one last time, before signaling Viv that he was ready to go. They found the surviving cavalryman under the surveillance of a few angry guards. He was showing signs of desperation.


    ¡°I should have died with honor, like my men,¡± he said to no one in particular.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late now. For the honor part, I mean,¡± Viv told him.


    The guards move aside and the officer does his best to avoid Solfis¡¯ glare. He perked up when the inquisitors came into view.


    ¡°Sir, sir! This madwoman, you have to stop her! She controls a monster! Please, free me from these evil people!¡±


    Denerim smiled. The intense sadness in the old knight¡¯s expression surprised Viv. It was not a kind smile.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how many corpses I have seen? Not of soldiers mind you, though I have seen plenty of that as well. I am talking about villages raided by bandits or bored nobles playing their little games. It¡¯s always the same kind of people staring at me from the ground with confusion. They have so many questions too. Why me? I¡¯m just following orders. This family I rode down had been declared outlaw or criminal or some such. I¡¯m just carrying my duty. The little boy whose bones I cracked under my hooves was a rebel, like his peasant father, so I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. They don¡¯t understand that what is legal and what is right are two entirely different things. You don¡¯t either. And I¡¯m not wasting time on explaining it to you, so I¡¯ll give you a choice. You can answer my questions¡­¡±


    Denerim pointed at Solfis¡¯ form, still smiling.


    ¡°Or you can answer that thing. While I watch.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to do that,¡± the officer said, ¡°you¡¯re an inquisitor of Neriad! You have to help m¡ª¡±


    Denerim¡¯s iron glove closed on the man¡¯s mouth, muffling his complaints. He had moved faster than Viv could perceive.


    ¡°You lot always forget that Neriad is the god of righteous war. Somehow, you always forget the war part. Time is up. Me, or the golem.¡±


    ¡°You. You!¡±


    The old knight turned his eyes to the clouds above, sighing.


    ¡°How predictable. If you were truly wise¡­ you would have picked the golem.¡±


    Gold light exploded from the inquisitor¡¯s kneeling form. His hair stood up as if under the influence of electricity, and his eyes were now two orbs of molten gold. The sight terrified Viv. She felt judged and measured, even while standing in the side. The effects on the man were far more terrible. He screamed, a low keening sound that grew sharper as the light gained in intensity. Denerim¡¯s voice fell like a thunderclap.


    ¡°Know what they endured.¡±


    Just as it had started, the phenomenon faded and yet, behind the slightly malodorous smell of the camp, Viv smelled the rarified air of a mountain, crisp and frigid. Denerim looked sad and drained, but the officer looked much worse. He was a broken man, mewling and begging.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Answer our questions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Viv watched with amazement and a bit of disgust at the cavalryman spewing everything he knew at the smallest prompt. There was something fundamentally wrong with the whole process that Viv understood, even without feeling the strange mana scouring the person¡¯s¡­ soul. Torture was an inherently evil process. This was worse. The man had been brainwashed in an extremely violent and unforgiving way. It suddenly occurred to her that Denerim and Orkan were inquisitors, or that¡¯s how her skill translated their title, and that inquisitors were not nice to begin with. She leaned towards the junior member of the pair as Denerim listened to the number of troops the prince had brought.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He made him feel what his victims endured. It¡¯s a very draining and traumatic experience for the inquisitor, or so I¡¯ve been told. I can¡¯t do it yet. You think this is bad? Rapists and murderers get it much worse.¡±


    ¡°Lady¡­ Viv?¡± Denerim asked, articulating her name.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°If you have questions¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. How long will the prince stay?¡±


    The cavalryman blinked his tears away.


    ¡°In Kazar? Hmm, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°But he is set to leave soon?¡±


    ¡°The plan was to return promptly before the summer campaign. The core of the army would stay here up to two weeks to pacify the surrounding villages while His Grace transfers the ownership of rebel holdings to the loyal citizens who came with him.¡±


    ¡°The loyal citizens eh?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the ones who sacrificed their wealth for His Grace¡¯s noble cause. Their loyalty will be rewarded.¡±


    He actually believed it. How infuriating. The Prince had to be smooth as maple syrup to turn that eviction into a righteous act. It angered her to no end, but she pushed it down. Those emotions were of no use to her right now.


    Viv took a deep breath and outrage faded in the background, the low embers still there, smoldering.


    ¡°And what is the plan now?¡±


    ¡°The plan? Ah yes, now that things have gone awry because of¡­ I am sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Focus. The plan.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I swear! With the granaries empty and the crops still growing, we don¡¯t have enough food. I don¡¯t know what His Grace intends to do!¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Viv said, taking another deep breath, ¡°alright, he has to show up for the summer campaign? Against the noble separatists?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°When must he absolutely leave or risk being late?¡±


    ¡°Oh, at the very least a month from now.¡±


    Good. Then¡­ it could work.


    ¡°The Bridgers, the soldiers he brought with him, will he leave some behind?¡±


    ¡°I think so? The third company was supposed to stay here until they are relieved later this year.¡±


    ¡°Do they have a caster?¡±


    ¡°Yes, an earth-shaper. I¡¯m not sure if he will stay though, on account of the rebel mage killing the first company¡¯s caster.¡±


    Varska, she took one down with her. If Viv had been there then perhaps¡­ but no, no. It was done.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Viv stood back up and moved a bit away. The city guards had given her some privacy as they stood vigil farther away from the camp, at the very edge of the deadlands. Denerim joined her.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about taking the city back after the brunt of the prince¡¯s goons have left.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Kazar is remote, which is both a weakness and a strength. That royal prick cannot afford to stay there forever, and he cannot afford to leave a strong garrison here either, or at least I don¡¯t think so. The city is still poor. He will also need an escort back to Enoria.¡±


    ¡°The logic is sound, but things will not be that simple. He may decide to stay for the iron mine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Viv replied, ¡°he doesn¡¯t know where it is. Only the members of the expedition could find it, and they are all here with their maps. There is also the fact that the mine will need money and time to be operational and that guy is clearly going for short-term benefits. I think he wanted to sell the location of the mine, not the mine itself. That or he just wanted to keep it for later.¡±


    ¡°Yes. An iron mine is a significant discovery, or a rediscovery I suppose, but it¡¯s not the only asset in the Enorian kingdom. Not by far. Hmm. You might be right. He is pressed for time. With that said, you heard the man. There will be a hundred professional siege specialists plus whatever militia the newcomers can bring to bear. I¡¯m sorry, but you don¡¯t stand a chance. You would need numbers you don¡¯t have. Siege equipment¡­¡±


    ¡°What are the chances that the fort garrisons and the temples could help?¡±


    ¡°None at all. Remember, this is a shit assignment. They just want to go home. It doesn¡¯t matter to soldiers who holds the town. As for the church of Neriad, most temple guards will have their hands too busy with the civil war to intervene. Nobody will come to help in months and you do not have that much time.¡±


    ¡°I figured. Alright, first we get the people to safety, then we look for solutions. By the way, are you alright? You look¡­ drained.¡±


    The inquisitor had pockets under his eyes. More importantly, he had signs Viv associated with deep fatigue, like bleary eyes, stooped shoulders and the occasional wince. A certain lost air.


    ¡°You know,¡± the man said, ¡°you are the second person ever to ask me that since I became an inquisitor. Nobody really cares about us as people.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re scared, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They only see the worst in us. The first to ask was my paramour, my Simishe.¡±


    ¡°No offense Denerim, but I¡¯d rather keep our relationship professional.¡±


    He chuckled.


    ¡°Hah. You are an extraordinary woman, traveler Viv, but you are not Simishe. In any case, I appreciate your concern. That spell I used is a divine one. I receive a fragment of what the target goes through, so that I do not use it lightly.¡±


    ¡°Wow, shit man, what if he¡¯s a murderer?¡±


    ¡°Then I am reminded of the importance of my task. No need to worry, I will rest for a full day once we have arrived at that mine of yours.¡±


    ¡°So you will stay with us?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I would never leave you in such a predicament. Your cause is noble, and now it is mine as well. Besides, there could be monsters close to the entrance of the mines. You can definitely use professional monster hunters like us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah Denerim. Thanks. To you and Orkan both.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it. Now, please excuse me, I need to catch some shut-eye.¡±


    Viv left and passed by her sled to find Marruk and Arthur fast asleep, which was good news as they would need their forces. She found one of the tribe folk tasked with guiding them through the mountains and informed him that the prince might come to demand food from them, as he was low on rations. The man agreed with her analysis and dispatched one of the deadland walkers to carry word to the nearest village.


    ¡°Better safe than sorry. If our food is stolen, it will make the next winter difficult,¡± the man said.


    One last disturbance awaited her on the way to her sleeping bag. It was¡­ a freaking ninja.


    The man stood by Solfis¡¯ side covered in tight-fitted dark clothes. A single saber hung from his back. His dark eyes were locked on Viv long before she spotted him, and he bowed as soon as she approached. He was carrying something in his hands.


    //This man assures me that he holds no ill intention towards us.


    //My analysis returns a high likelihood that he speaks the truth.


    As soon as Solfis stopped talking, the man put down the chest he had been holding and slowly removed the mask covering his face, revealing the easily recognizable dark skin of a northerner. She remembered that Marruk had mentioned the dark blades, an order of assassins who served her tribe¡¯s enemies. This one did not seem hostile.


    ¡°Greetings, Lady Viv. My employer, Tom Manitaradin of the Manipeleso bank, Kazar branch,  sends his regards. He has brought the withdrawal you have requested.¡±


    ¡°A withdrawal?¡± Viv asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the man said, giving her a wily smile, ¡°twenty-five gold talents, the maximum authorized without coming in person. The rest will, of course, remain safe with us. You were wise to take some coin with you. I am sure that they will prove useful in the very near future. There is just a simple matter¡­¡±


    He took out a sheet of paper. Solfis grabbed it and inspected it for a while, before giving it to Viv. It was a withdrawal order dated to the day before.


    ¡°You forgot to sign the withdrawal paper. A minor oversight. As you are well-known to us, we have taken the liberty of accepting the order anyway. Now, if you will?¡±


    Viv read. It was exactly what the man said.


    ¡°Pray tell,¡± she said, returning the signed document, ¡°why do me this favor? Not that I am unappreciative, of course¡­¡±


    ¡°The branch manager sees potential in you, and we disapprove of government-backed robbery, as you can imagine. Please consider this a mark of respect, and of hope for a possible future cooperation. On a completely unrelated note, nothing says that you cannot do good actions and get rich at the same time. And with this, I bid you a good night.¡±


    The man bowed one last time and disappeared from Viv¡¯s perception. Only Solfis¡¯ glare tracking him confirmed that he was actually leaving in the direction of the city. When he was gone, Solfis checked the chest and opened it, declaring it safe. It contained the twenty-five gold talents, just as promised.


    ¡°Ok. It¡¯s a start.¡±


    //Yes.


    //If only we had places to spend it.


    ¡°I have a few ideas.¡±

 Chapter 59: Exodus

    Viv kneeled in front of the ward stone. It was one she had recharged herself before, she even recognized the chipped top as if some monster had cleaved it. The glyph on the surface was the exact same as the one she had recreated in her notes.


    //Your memory was correct, as I told you.


    //Glyphs cannot truly be misremembered.


    //They are the language of Nyil, the world.


    //If a glyph is wrong, you will know it intrinsically.


    ¡°Just wanted to make sure. Most people in my world can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Solfis stepped aside, his long gait at the edge of the uncanny valley. For some reason, the sight comforted Viv. She trusted the strange being more than most others on the planet. It was, she thought, amazing in a way. He was a true AI.


    //It appears that humans sometimes need to see and double-test.


    //A normal consequence of your fallible nature I presume.


    Though sometimes he could be a dick.


    ¡°Now that I have ascertained that my reproduction is correct, it¡¯s time to do some tests.¡±


    //Carry on then.


    Viv ignored Marruk returning triumphantly with a new pair of boots she had just ¡®liberated¡¯ from a nearby revenant. The ward stones were designed to both keep the black mana at bay and turn it into fuel. The constructs were inefficient in the sense that they starved themselves of the resource they needed to work, but they were also stable and resilient. She studied the different parts which had been clearly separated then linked together by simple binding glyphs. She had to admit, now that she understood all the components, that it was a clean piece of work. Whoever had designed that had made it so that even a beginner would be able to understand and operate it. Perhaps even do some basic repairs.


    Obviously he had not taken into account intellectual property theft.


    Viv passed her hand over the absorption construct and activated every glyph, then the entire circle as soon as she was sure she had it right. The glyphs glimmered in the afternoon light as she called their names. She did the same with the conversion construct, the one that removed the taint from its surroundings, and then with the battery itself. When she was done, she activated the entire obelisk at once and fell on her ass.


    ¡°Ow.¡±


    Before her, the ward stone hummed. Even her underdeveloped senses could feel the veritable vortex of power greedily gulping the black mana.


    //You appear to have overcharged the construct, Your Grace.


    //Well done.


    ¡°Will it damage it?¡±


    //No.


    ¡°What¡¯s the likelihood that I can reproduce this, you think?¡±


    //With my assistance.


    //99.7%


    ¡°Wow. You seem certain.¡±


    //Your statement is an appropriate interpretation of the aforementioned probability.


    He sounded condescending.


    ¡°How about replacing the battery with a core?¡± she asked.


    //It would make the construct easier to reproduce, as well as more efficient.


    //Although anyone doing that would have their core stolen within four hours.


    ¡°In normal circumstances, yes. Enough for now. Let¡¯s return to camp.¡±


    Viv walked up the slope at a slow speed. Everyone would get tired before this was all over. Between the crying toddlers and snores, she had issues falling asleep despite her exhaustion. The only good thing was that between the horse meat, and use of perishable products before they could go bad, they had all eaten well the past two days. It also helped that the swarm of kids and teenagers had sacked the nearby forest for anything edible like a swarm of locusts. It had stopped now that they were in the mountains. It took her almost an hour to arrive at the camp, and she immediately realized that something had gone wrong.


    ¡°We got your back, miz Bob, don¡¯t you worry!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re with you!¡±


    ¡°Errr, thanks?¡±


    Viv blinked as the two villagers nodded to themselves, their expressions determined. Everywhere on her path, people showed signs of support, including the rare mountain tribe folks hanging around, easily recognizable by their red clothes. She made her way to the commend tent and found Farren in deep discussion with the inquisitors.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Ah, Viv, so good to see you,¡± the branch master said, ¡°we had a little kerfuffle.¡±


    Denerim frowned and Orkan grunted.


    ¡°More like a mutiny!¡± the Hallurian spat. ¡°That crabby asshole Corel tried to rile us up to exile you.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mouth fell open.


    ¡°Exactly! You know what we do to mutineers back home? Mentor, let me tell her¡­¡±


    ¡°My dear student, please, nothing too graphic before dinner, thank you. Suffice to say, he failed to convince. He took about twenty guards and left. The others would not follow. Tars is head of the city guards now.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Viv could not believe her ears. Exile? For what? The crime of trying to help?


    ¡°Not everyone handles pressure the same way,¡± Farren explained, ¡°we are only doing fine for now because the food is enough and people felt that they won by escaping. The moment things become harder, folks will start fighting each other.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just make sure everyone is safe before it can happen. Only a few more days,¡± Viv said with more confidence than she felt.


    Farren remained quiet for a moment. Viv felt measured in a way that the meek administrator had rarely done before.


    ¡°You know, your speech a few days ago, the one on what makes a city. Is it something from where you come from?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. And could you¡­ elaborate a little bit? Make it longer?¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    There were plenty of better uses of her time.


    ¡°Short version, it helps keep the people together. Long version, we need a leading figure.¡±


    ¡°Not me then, I¡¯m an outsider.¡±


    Farren sighed, drumming his fingers on the small table holding their only map of the surroundings.


    ¡°Look, remember who was at the head of the banquet during the spring festival? That was a rhetorical question, I know you do. Those were all the people who mattered in Kazar. Resh died, but even if she hadn¡¯t taken her own life, she was broken by the situation. Corel always was a follower, too dour and procedural to instill the kind of fire we need right now. And he left. I¡¯m part of the church of Neriad and absolutely cannot take over a village unless there is absolutely no choice. We are forbidden from doing so except in the most dire circumstances and this is not it. Your paramour has fallen. You are now an influential figure and the city¡¯s resident caster by default.¡±


    Farren showed the kind of annoyance reserved for slow employees or relatives who had to have everything explained. Everyone¡¯s fuse was running short.


    ¡°So I¡¯m a leader by default?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There are rich citizens who think themselves influential, but they are not. This is the frontier. People are distrustful of words. They only believe in actions.¡±


    ¡°Yet you send me out there to talk.¡±


    ¡°You proved yourself against monsters first. It gives you legitimacy. Listen, you are a natural at spells, yes?¡±


    ¡°So I was told.¡±


    ¡°And I am fairly decent at managing crowds. Go out there and talk.¡±


    Viv sighed and stepped outside.


    God this was so embarrassing.


    A few people gathered, looking at her with curiosity. They were, she realized, bored. Tired and bored. Unable to sleep because of all the noise and things they would have to do later, an effect made even more relevant by their magically-enhanced bodies. A dangerous combination.


    Viv found a rock and stood on it. Five people gathered, one of them thoughtfully dragging on a pipe. The acrid smoke tickled her nose.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯re sort of in a bad spot now. We have a plan, but it will only bear fruit in a while. As I said, it¡¯s going to be worse before it gets better. Some of us will die to monsters. We¡¯ll have to work hard with little visible results for a while. Food will be awful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± a woman said, ¡°we¡¯re going to run out of klod. And herbal tea.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Viv said, ¡°and when people suffer with no obvious solution, what usually happens?¡±


    ¡°They leave?¡± a newcomer said as a group of cooks sat nearby, wiping their brows.


    ¡°They leave. If they can. But that¡¯s not the first reaction, is it?¡±


    ¡°They say bad things!¡± a brave kid said before being laughed at by the rest of his band.


    ¡°Yes, actually, that¡¯s the start. You¡¯re right. They say bad stuff.¡±


    The group had grown to thirty and more people were gathering by the second, pulled in by the vortex of herd instinct.


    ¡°They say, and by that I mean, we will want to say bad stuff,¡± Viv continued as the bullshit filled her mind. To her surprise, she felt her thoughts organize themselves and realized that her efforts were backed by a skill she had never used. It was the polymath one. It helped her draw from disciplines she knew to be sociology, anthropology and more, but were all originally placed under the umbrella of philosophy.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°And then we do bad things,¡± she continued. ¡°It will happen as we face more and more hardships. We can¡¯t help it, it¡¯s in our nature as humans. There will be a moment when you are faced with the possibility of committing a crime and will ask yourself: why not?¡±


    She shrugged in an exaggerated fashion.


    ¡°Why not do the thing? No one will see me. The guards are all busy, and I¡¯m in pain. I deserve to treat myself. So, obviously that would be bad for the group, but at that time we won¡¯t care. So let me remind you why you shouldn¡¯t succumb to temptation. In fact, you already know why deep inside your souls. You just don¡¯t have a word for it.


    ¡°So let me start by asking you. We don¡¯t steal our neighbor¡¯s bread from his window, is it because we are scared of the law, of the guards?¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t scared of no one!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because we have principles, not like those Enorian twats!¡±


    ¡°Oi, I¡¯m Enorian. Don¡¯t put me in the same bag as the royal bastard.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Viv said, using a spell to make herself louder, ¡°this guy got it right. It¡¯s because we have principles. Not because we are just scared of the law. If it were that, we would still try to cheat and lie as long as no one was looking. It would be hell. The reason  we don¡¯t do that is that we understand the good of the many, that by not being dicks to each other, we all benefit. And this belief in the legitimacy of the laws we follow as a community is called a social contract. So when you are tempted to steal that thing or punch your neighbor, remember that you are not an animal or a monster who only respects authority out of fear. You are a human who is here because you believe that the laws of Kazar are just, legitimate, good for everyone, and that as such, they are worth fighting for. Now, the social contract¡­¡±


    Viv slowed down when she thought she was losing them, and used examples to illustrate the more abstract points of her demonstration. She also engaged the spectators as often as she could. Her performance would have been described as amateurish in any civilized place, but here it was sufficient to keep people going a little bit longer. She suspected that, more than her eloquence, it was just the feeling that they mattered which brought people here.


    <hr>


    Arthur watched.


    Her human was doing that borgle borgle thing again. She understood that those were signals. She understood what most of the signals meant, for example ¡®dinner¡¯ and ¡®no¡¯ and ¡®how can you be so cute and majestic¡¯.


    She also understood that the humans were unable to convey concepts directly as was proper, choosing to resort to that inefficient means of communication. It was flawed. Roars of anger meant anger so that was fine, but anything more complex? One human had to think, then turn it into borgles, then another human would hear those and turn them back into concepts. That was so bad, usually, but not now.


    Tendrils of undyed mana snaked from her human to the mass while others shaped her tale. It was not just a concept translated, it was a concept told. A story. And the humans loved their stories. And so they had amassed to listen and feel and gain something. There were so many of them and her human was creating a common purpose. With so many humans gathered with a single purpose, how many spicy meat snacks could be created at once? How much gold could be turned into shiny, shiny pure ingots?


    The possibilities were staggering.


    She had to be able to borgle as well but her mouth did not allow for it. Nothing to it, she had to keep absorbing the gift of the world through her magnificent new horns as she had for the past months. The grey could move the air in just the way the humans borgled, but without the need for their pathetic teeth and tongue. The grey was flighty and illusive, just like the black was chaotic and destructive, but she was familiar with both. After all, wasn¡¯t she a dragon?


    <hr>


    Viv sighed.


    ¡°Whatever the fuck am I doing with my life? Nope!¡±


    Pungent bile hit the extended shield with a furious hiss before disappearing to somewhere physics did not apply. A few black wires extended, taking out the hardier revenants.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s the second time that thing spits,¡± Marruk gumbled. She smashed a weak revenant to the side with her mace as she spoke. Two took its place. Viv kept casting.


    She, Marruk, and Solfis stood on a promontory, using the demolished remains of a small tower as improvised fortifications. The single path crawled with revenants. Some of them even fell down as they were pushed aside by hardier specimens. Viv made sure to focus on the odd elite. By now, killing a revenant per second had become some sort of automatism. For all of its silliness, the yoink spell was an incredible tool. Shame that only she could use it as anyone else would be poisoned.


    ¡°That gut spiller is strangely canny,¡± the witch replied, ¡°it spits then hides. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get it next time it rears its ugly head.¡±


    Far above, a terrible screech started, then continued in a crescendo that ended in a meaty smack as draconic claw met a horned skull. The claws won.


    ¡°Skreee!¡±


    ¡°Well done, Arthur!¡± Viv yelled between two blasts.


    Viv and Marruk kept up their two-woman dance with increasing tension as the flow of revenants thickened. There were two hundred of the buggers. Only their natural fortification and Viv¡¯s ability to disable the creatures permanently allowed them to be like the Spartans at the hot gates. That, and they had an insurance.


    //Be sure to pace yourself.


    ¡°I¡¯M TRYING!¡±


    //Trust your bodyguard.


    //She will let you know if she is getting overwhelmed.


    //Slow down or you might not last long enough.


    Viv knew that Solfis was right. It was an exercise of patience and self-control. She had those qualities, but they were being tested. Really hard. The revenants moaned in an unpleasant cacophony that her own silent spells could not silence quickly enough. They also smelled musty.


    Gritting her teeth, Viv took a small breath (it stank) and continued fighting.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger perception: Apprentice 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    A dead bird disintegrated in flight and Viv ducked to avoid its bones as inertia sent them at her face. Solfis slapped them out of the sky before they could distract her too much. Above, Arthur shrieked her rage as she was locked in combat with a group of enemy fliers. Viv spared a second to watch the dragon swerve gracefully to avoid a diving foe, then close in on another and rip it apart. She would be fine.


    Viv kept casting, breath slow and deep. Her awareness of the battlefield was as important as her casting.


    ¡°Kind of¡­ need a break over here,¡± Marruk said as she crumpled yet another enemy.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    In a well-practiced maneuver, Viv used the opportunity given by a shield bash to unleash her slow and devastating spell. Marruk breathed deeply to recover. The battle was fierce, and she was using a lot of energy to keep swinging without stopping.


    Blight¡¯s cloud of utter darkness faded and the accompanying hiss stopped. It left behind nothing but twisted metal. Not even the stone was spared.


    The revenants kept coming.


    ¡°Alright, round two!¡± Viv said.


    The fight went on. Twenty minutes later, Solfis replaced a spent Marruk and Viv relaxed completely. He was just standing there, unmoving, except his right hand that slapped down incoming creatures one by one with deceptive laziness. It was almost pleasant to watch.


    Another two blights and they were done. Arthur landed and sniffed her way through the battlefield, searching for precious metal. She managed to find one golden tooth, which joined the two ingots in the tiny purse around her neck.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Black Witch 4/5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡¯m probably going to have to order an aerodynamic model for her.¡±


    //I would not be too worried, Your Grace.


    //Dragons use grey mana while flying.


    //If she decides that the wallet does not hamper her, it does not hamper her.


    ¡°Huh. Ignoring physics again.¡±


    //It must be a very strange and rigid world you lived in, Your Grace.¡±


    It took a solid half hour for the looting to end. They filled a bag¡¯s worth of money in silvers and irons, and even found a few damaged chain mails and an enchanted sword. It was a decent haul.


    ¡°Every little bit helps,¡± Viv said. ¡°Do you want the sword?¡±


    ¡°No, I prefer mace or axe,¡± Marruk answered. ¡°Back in the steppes, swords are mostly used by the Pure League. We Kark use hunting weapons, like bows and spears. I picked up the axe when I was traveling through northern Enoria.¡±


    ¡°I see. I hope we can get you a superior one soon.¡±


    And a proper tower shield that had not started as a larder door, Viv thought to herself.


    Night fell and stars blinked from behind the thin cloud cover as the group left the deadlands. Viv, once again, was amazed at how life could be so boring and stressful at the same time, so exciting and exhausting. It was the third ¡®cleaning¡¯ operation she had done in a bit over a week and she was spent to all hell. It was always the same thing. It was never the same thing. She walked the edge between life and death, but only when she forgot that Solfis was there.


    Sometimes, her brain froze and she suddenly took a distance from this whole situation. Half a year ago, the army had shipped her ass to Bamako as part of operation Serval. Her main worries had been her little brother finishing his master¡¯s degree, whether to pursue a career in the military and not being splattered by an IED. Now she was leading a ragtag band of refugees to a self-regenerating iron mine and she could stop the undead apocalypse by saying yoink. Life had taken a turn for the weirder.


    Once more, her thoughts went to the people she had left behind. Her new circle had not replaced them, they were their own people with their own spots in her heart.


    God she hoped the planet had not blown up or something.


    She hoped they were doing fine, even if she wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    Viv¡¯s ruminations stopped when she reached the cordon of guards, the unlucky fuckers covered in black leather now that they had passed the last wardstone. Saturation was low on the slope, where the camp had been set, but the guards were at the foot of the mountain and therefore a bit unprotected. A sergeant saluted Viv as she passed him by, eyeing the bags of loot.


    ¡°Any chance for a roast cornadon in there?¡±


    Viv recognized him. He was the affable bearded guy who had welcomed her to Kazar the first time. He had brought her a mug of klod while she was having her nervous breakdown.


    ¡°Sorry, just silver and steel,¡± she answered.


    ¡°A shame, the captain says that we shouldn¡¯t get steel in the stomach.¡±


    He laughed at his own good joke while the sentry by his side groaned quietly. Viv shook her head and went in, dropping her prize at the quartermaster¡¯s tent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the chainmail distributed,¡± one of the civil servants told her. Viv thought that they should be repaired and adjusted first, but the truth was that they had a smith but no opportunity to set up. They would get to the mine with the gear they had.


    Tomorrow.


    No one stopped her as she crossed the camp. There was barely enough room to walk between chariots and improvised tents. The stench of mankind was getting stronger now that they had to ration water, and tensions were running high. The most curious thing, to Viv, was that people had accepted the presence of Solfis more easily than she thought. The support of the church had made a difference there. If the inquisitors were fine with it¡­ it was just fine. People had other concerns¡­ like their neighbors.


    Viv opened the flap of the command tent and went in. Her cot was there, to the side, after the inquisitors insisted that she slept in a secure place. The ¡®council¡¯ was here and they were slurping liquids from cups and mugs. Only the inquisitors looked fresh. They probably had Endurance in the forties or something.


    ¡°We had a few incidents today,¡± Farren says tiredly. ¡°Four people left after stealing money and food from one of the cistern wagons. A young couple and a pair of troublemakers.¡±


    It had happened before, and was also why the common food stocks were now guarded, but people had also brought their own larders and animals, and so there was plenty of supplies to steal.


    It was both amusing and depressing that they had cartloads of food and it would still not suffice.


    ¡°We had one small brawl over a broken wheel and a rape attempt,¡± the administrator continued.


    The council had decided to apply the laws of Kazar, but prison sentences had been replaced by lashes. The perpetrators were healed immediately, but the exercise was painful and ¡ª more importantly ¡ª humiliating. The whole town watched, after all.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. We are good otherwise. Brenna?¡±


    ¡°We have run out of fresh greens, sadly. From now on it¡¯s congee for every meal.¡±


    People groaned across the table.


    ¡°Hold on people, we have the materials to build an oven when we arrive so at least we will have fresh bread for months. The bakers already gathered everyone with a bit of red mana, with volunteers taking turns to keep it and the smithy operational.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible?¡± Viv asked, surprised.


    ¡°Possible only because people will have nothing better to do. The added benefit is that it will keep people busy. Same with water. Any other questions?¡± Brenna said. ¡°No? Lorn, it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    The old knight scratched his chin, where his beard was turning scruffier by the day.


    ¡°Koro killed a small rathclaw that had come sniffing around our cattle. Not much meat on it, sadly. I will have her on guard tonight and tomorrow I¡¯ll take the guard and secure the mine¡¯s entrance and its surroundings. Will it be fine, Tars?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will hold the line as always,¡± the newly minted guard captain answered. Her new scar gave her a fierce look. ¡°Nothing important on my end. Lady Bob?¡±


    ¡°We cleared a lot of revenants. Got some loot too. I left the iron behind.¡±


    The others nodded. Silver was good as the Yries and mountain tribes still valued it a bit, but iron bits were too heavy to carry for now. They were too overburdened. Viv only grabbed the weapons because the guards could use them on the spot.


    ¡°When we arrive tomorrow, I will escort you to¡­ to¡­¡±


    Viv¡¯s face fell as she remembered an important detail. Enhanced stats were incredibly useful to focus and remember things, but they did not turn her mind into a perfect thing. At least, not yet.


    ¡°The entrance is obstructed by stones. We have to excavate it. I forgot about that, dammit!¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be completely blocked¡­¡± Brenna said.


    ¡°There is a passage, enough for one person to come in at a time. It will be fine, we can leave the supplies outside. By Neriad¡¯s b-bravery. I forgot as well.¡±


    They had a blockade to remove.

 Chapter 60. The Third Step

    The council finished soon thereafter. Viv caught some shut-eye and woke up at the ass crack of dawn. She used the barest amount of water to wash her face and brush her teeth, then they were on the way with a squad of city enforcers, the inquisitors, and the temple guards. Viv trotted down the slope and soon recognized where they had battled a horde of revenants. At the corner of a ridge, they spotted the Min Goles abandoned complex.


    It was still as dusty and desolate as when they left it. They passed the slag columns and the ruined warehouses without incident.


    ¡°How do we know that there aren¡¯t any dead ones in those things,¡± a city guard asked.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s no one trying to eat your ass right now,¡± Lorn retorted.


    ¡°Look,¡± one of the guards said, ¡°footsteps. Humans. They were not wearing shoes.¡±


    ¡°More revenants?¡±


    They followed the tracks to the remains of a campfire.


    ¡°It looks like the mountain tribe sent people here.¡±


    They mulled this information for a while.


    ¡°I knew the bastards could not be trusted, they came here behind our back!¡± a guard spat, but Lorn reacted immediately.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge too hastily. It¡¯s just scouting. We have enough enemies as it is.¡±


    The other grumbled but did not comment. Viv agreed with the old knight. Everyone had a different agenda, with their own priorities. It didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t work together. As long as they respected the fact that the temple had legal precedence.


    It wasn¡¯t long before they came in front of the monumental entrance. Someone, probably the Yries, had enlarged the hole so that people could go in and out in a single file. There was still a veritable mound three meters high and eight wide that blocked the way.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to clear everything right now. It just needs to be large enough to let the cisterns through,¡± Lorn reminded everyone.


    ¡°Not to be critical or anything,¡± a guard said, ¡°but can Lady Bob help at all? Can you even use brown mana?¡±


    Viv raised an eyebrow. A second later, a thick wire of black mana dug into one of the upper rocks. Her spell sliced half a slab, which then slid and crashed down near her feet. The witch stepped away and pointed at the result of her labor.


    ¡°Remember to lift with your knees, not with your back,¡± she told the guard as he gaped.


    Lorn¡¯s team chuckled with good-natured mirth as they helped with removing some of the obstruction, but soon it was time and the inquisitors led the way inside to secure a base. Viv was left outside with the city guard. Between the men¡¯s stats, motivation and the liberal use of Viv, they had cleared a dozen cubic meters before the first cart arrived.


    The group kept working tirelessly as some of the guards moved in to protect the more vulnerable refugees. Laborers soon replaced tired soldiers until Viv was working with a brand new team, except for Marruk who was effectively pacing herself. Courtesan Yan came to hail her between two spells.


    She had not seen the man for a while. The good-looking head of the brothel had evacuated with all his aides, and Viv had seen Spotted Feather employees walking around, spreading harmony by inquiring how people were feeling and ¡ª she suspected ¡ª occasionally dispensing the odd blowjob. They had worked hard to keep people together, though she had never seen him in the command tent.


    ¡°How are you doing, Viv?¡± he asked in a low voice. Everyone around suddenly looked very busy, with the vacant look of those who are obviously eavesdropping.


    ¡°Could be better,¡± she answered honestly, ¡°by the way I appreciate you guys coming.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice, my dear. Even if the Enorians had not deported us, invading armies seldom pay for our services, and never take no for an answer.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°I am delighted to see that you have little experience with that. I hope we can keep it that way. Also, I regret to say that we will need secure access outside. People need sunlight.¡±


    ¡°Working on it.¡±


    ¡°When do you think that your work will be done? I apologize, it¡¯s just that we are curious.¡±


    ¡°Passage should be wide enough in two hours, or half an hour if you use that chin of yours to help us crack rocks.¡±


    A few people chuckled and poor Yan scratched his most prominent facial feature with a rueful smile.


    ¡°Glad to see that your tongue is also sharp. I¡¯ll help with unloading, you take care.¡±


    The courtesan moved away and the grind resumed. They had made a large enough hole as noon arrived and everyone was served some broth with preserved vegetable and rathclaw meat. It was actually quite tasty in a ¡®side dish¡¯ sort of way.


    ¡°Damn I don¡¯t miss being hungry.¡±


    There were no incidents for now and the people of Kazar were clearing the entrance with record speed. Latrines and proper cooking spots were dug outside by people in armor, but it was a stopgap measure. As it was, the refugees would have to sleep in tunnels, which were not so easy to defend. The time had come for Viv¡¯s next initiative.


    ¡°Whelp, time to test my limits I guess.¡±


    //All will be well, Your Grace.


    //I will guide you, as always.


    Viv walked through the desolate remains of the Min Goles foundries and barracks with the usual suspects in tow. Silence was heavy and the air was still, a mark that the black mana saturation was too high for the world to function properly. Viv felt the spice of it flowing into her conduits, half poison and half energy drink. They stopped at the edge of the desert. Solfis had selected a column of molten slag. The vitrified surface was too bulbous and irregular to inscribe anything, unfortunately.


    ¡°Hm, don¡¯t we need a flat surface?¡± Viv asked.


    Solfis did not answer beyond fixing her with his yellow glare. His long hand whipped out faster than she could follow and there was a sound of tortured metal.


    A full slab slid from the column and collapsed on the ground, revealing a smooth plane underneath.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    //I exist to serve.


    //Now, we will begin by drawing the outline of the spell.


    Viv took out her notes. She didn¡¯t need them, but it made her feel better.


    First came the battery, with its link out so that a core would be charged by placing it against the surface. Then came the spooling circle, which was used to concentrate the collected mana and turn it into something usable. Finally, the most important part was the collector itself. This one she had entirely copied from the obelisks she had recharged.


    Viv drew each of the three circles with calm concentration. To her surprise, her recent improvement in finesse genuinely enhanced her ability to draw and write cleanly. Meditative trance helped her stay focused as well. In the end, she had every circle carefully drawn with glyphs in place.


    The spell primed. It was weak and diffuse, yet she felt it. Black mana was being pulled from around her. It was ready.


    //Good, Your Grace.


    //But we are not done yet.


    //The construct was designed to be engraved.


    //We must finish it.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Viv knew what to do. She grabbed one of Solfis¡¯ claws, a weapon as long as her forearm, and went to work. The powerful weapon served as a stylus with which she carefully engraved every rune she had drawn, using them as draft. Twice, her exhaustion took its toll and her hand faltered, but Solfis simply used his reflexes to prevent her from damaging the spell. He guided her through the process even as cold sweat pearled on her brow. She was not physically exhausted, but mentally so. Holding all those concepts in her head at the same time brought the kind of strain that only exam marathons could match. Her mind had grown fuzzy by the end of the second circle. By the end of the third, she was holding to clarity like a drowning man to a buoy. All the exercises she had done those past few months gave her the practice she needed however, and with one last stroke, the spell triggered.


    Circle by circle, the glyphs lit up. A pale glow emerged from the grooves, followed by a light hum. Black mana swirled lazily at first, then with increased speed into the construct. The small obelisk lit up like a beacon a minute later as it reached full functionality.


    Viv sat down heavily on her haunches and watched her creation come to life. Despite her exhaustion, her grief, and the fatigue that came with constant stress, she felt happiness. This was proof of a job well done. Here stood the culmination of tireless efforts. It was working. Her construct was working.


    //Well done, Your Grace.


    //Now the deadlands will be pushed back by a few more leagues.


    //You did it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New path Skill: Arcane Construct at novice 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Black Witch: 5/5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wow. I¡­¡±


    //You are on the third step of your path.


    Marruk¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°This is great news! Congratulations! And only after a few months¡­ aw, back home we would have celebrated it.¡±


    ¡°How big a deal is it?¡± Viv asked, quite pleased with herself. The interface was prompting her but it was not in a hurry.


    ¡°A step up the path is always cause for celebration, Viviane. In every culture.¡±


    //You are finally catching up.


    //Right now, you are only a few years behind a competent mage in terms of skill levels.


    //We are on schedule.


    //Now, I shall let you read the available list.


    ¡°Not going to direct me?¡±


    //You are not actively dying, therefore we are not in a hurry.


    //I would request that you consult with me before picking your choice.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have a look.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Path evolutions available. You may choose any from the following list. Congratulations!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Available paths:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Empty palm warrior</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Scholar</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Accountant</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Explorer</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">¡­¡­</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The beginning of the list was exactly what she had been offered last time, with most of them relying on her earth experience. There were a few new ones as well. She immediately discarded those that were too situational.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rune Inscriber: The best shields are those that will last a lifetime.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rune engraving and activation is easier, less tiring.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intuitive understanding of constructs.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The description showed a class dedicated to making magical constructs. Taking care of them too. If she based her entire existence around Solfis and his restoration, it would be worth it, but she much preferred him basing his existence around hers.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Undead bane: Erase the mistakes of the past, one victim at a time.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">All your spells are more efficient against the undead.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">You detect and understand undead with preternatural acumen.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was pretty useless. She was already devastating against those, and did not intend to spend her entire life here anyway. She would have to leave the deadlands to fix her soul, at least she thought so, and humans were the most dangerous of her foes right now.


    Viv continued down the list.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Tribe shaman: Sometimes people need guidance, and sometimes they need an artillery spell.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved casting.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Added social and administrative skills</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This one was pretty useful in the current circumstances. It was a continuation of the caster path with some politics mixed in. Varska had warned her that she needed to have very high skill levels in order to reach the fourth step of the caster path. It was technically possible not to advance one¡¯s path and wait, and she suspected that it was what Irao had done. There was simply little incentive to do so. A path was simply a way to channel the magic of the world to help oneself. There was no way to cheat the system. It was simply a tool to guide someone to what they wanted to become. Right now, she had completed the Black Witch path and was not good enough to reach the next step. She had to keep working and could use this opportunity to diversify her skills.


    She kept going.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane assassin: It¡¯s harder to find the culprit when all the clues have been disintegrated.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Additional tools against humans.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stealth tools</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved casting.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This one¡­ was tempting. Not only could Irao help her, but she had a way to go after Prince Jackass now.


    Except¡­ no.


    No.


    This was not just about revenge. The people of Kazar had lost their homes and she had decided that she would help them and, fuck it, this would not. They would still have an intact army behind strong walls except that this time they would be out for blood. She had to bide her time. Survival first, vengeance later.


    And she would be a shit assassin.


    Viv associated assassins with snipers. Those she had met had been extremely patient, extremely driven individuals. For all her hard work, she was not the most cold-blooded person. The din of battle, teamwork, and helping the wounded attracted her more than a patient game of cat and mouse.


    No, that did not feel right.


    There was only one class left and it immediately caught her attention.


    //Your cardiac rhythm increased, Your Grace.


    //I see that you have found it.


    ¡°It sounds too personal to be random.¡±


    //Sometimes, people are trailblazers Your Grace.


    //Individuals who have an impact.


    //When you influence the world, it influences you back.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress: Not all who are lost, wander.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved leadership, particularly in crisis situations.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved black mana casting</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved colorless casting</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Improved survivability.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡¯m not the heir to anything, not really.¡±


    //Was your father not rich and influential?


    ¡°I left that part of my life behind a long time ago.¡±


    //Clearly, it has not left you.


    //His influence is still prevalent in your mindset, your methods.


    //You reproached him for his jaded ruthlessness.


    ¡°I am not jaded.¡±


    //No. You are not, Your Grace.


    The unspoken sentence hung between the two. Solfis broke the silence with a careful tone. His voice was low.


    //You are not just technically the heir of Harrak.


    //It started as a trick to alter my directives.


    //Now, it is the truth.


    //You carry our language, our casting techniques.


    //You carry my hopes for the future.


    //You are the heir, because there is nobody else left in this world to carry that title.


    //And because I trust you.


    ¡°So¡­ I should pick that, you think?¡±


    //You must feel it call to you.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    //Tailored classes are tailor-made.


    //They are a rare occurrence, though far from unique.


    //There used to be a ¡®Lenneis slave lord¡¯ path, for example.


    //It was designed for the ruler of Lenneis.


    //I would advise you to pick tailor-made paths everytime.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m doing it.¡±


    Viv selected the path in her mind and didn¡¯t feel any different. There were some notifications though.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership and intimidation are now class skills.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    //It means that they will progress faster, Your Grace.


    //And become more effective.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New skill: acuity reflexes at Novice 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Come to think of it, I got leadership at beginner, not novice.¡±


    //Leaders need a variety of qualities.


    //You obviously worked on some of them before.


    ¡°Maybe. Anyway, we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    ¡°And celebrate!¡± Marruk said.


    ¡°Squee!¡±

 Chapter 61: E Pluribus, Unum.

    They made their way through the ruins. Viv already saw armor-clad sentries on top of intact walls, with some knights going through every building room by room to check for revenants. Viv saw that kids had been left near the entrance to play under the supervision of one of Gogen¡¯s brood. The cleaner had been one of the first to join the exile, along with her progeny and relatives who numbered in the fucking dozens. They found that the guard barracks by the side of the entrance had been repurposed as an administrative room with their one map available displayed on a damaged table. Someone had placed light stones in the rusty sconces and the place was less dusty. It looked like an underground resistance cell headquarters in any movie instead of just a dump.


    The new, improvised council held an exhausting session long into the afternoon, following which they gathered most people in the massive square by the entrance. The place had been cleared of wagons and repair supplies to allow a series of marked spaces separated by basic walls made by piling bricks on top of one another. There was the infirmary. They had a supply depot. They even had an armory. Kazar¡¯s free people were all lined up with light spells going off everywhere to provide enough radiance for everyone to see. Farren set up a pedestal and went first.


    ¡°Hello everyone, we have several pieces of news for you. First, I¡¯m sorry to say that we will implement rules for the food distribution. I promise you that every family will get their fair share, and that nobody will be left behind, with more details tomorrow. We will also form teams to do labor around to make that place viable. If you have any experience in mining for example, please see me at the end of the session. Thank you. Now, we will have a burial ceremony later tonight for Mayor Resh Ganimatalo. It¡¯s a shame that her life ended that way, but her departure does not erase twenty years of effort and determination. We will honor her memory with a brief service.¡±


    Viv suddenly remembered that she had been forgetful of those who had died to carry her forward. Back when they had faced the necromancer, Jor, the strong silent man, had jumped to his death to give her a chance. Benetti, the disgraced nobleman, had charged crawlers to afford them a few seconds. They had sacrificed their lives so that she might live, and it had been too easy for her to overlook them, so busy she had been with her own survival. Her own development.


    Farren continued, unaware of her turmoil.


    ¡°One good piece of news, our witch pathed up!¡±


    There were a lot of cheers. They were not exactly forced, but it was clear that the people were concerned.


    ¡°This will help our cause. Now I have spoken enough. We all know what you all want to hear. I will let Viviane go over the plan.¡±


    Some of the Enorians still called her Bob but it appeared that everyone was starting to make an effort. It felt nice.


    The council had decided that, with Viv finally acquiring leadership skills, she would be brought forward to develop them. She half-expected that the rest of the council simply didn¡¯t enjoy speaking in public though, and that they were more than happy to let her get the spotlight and the stress that went with it. She replaced Farren on a pedestal and cast the sound spell that allowed her voice to carry.


    ¡°Right, good afternoon everyone. I¡¯ll start by stating the obvious. We can¡¯t stay here long.¡±


    There were nods all around.


    ¡°We just made a new ward stone so folks will soon be able to get out, and we do have some food, but it won¡¯t be enough in the long run. There is no rebuilding our lives in this place, not if we want more than half of us to survive. We have one option, and one option only.¡±


    She could feel their determination mounting. Anger was never far from the surface these days.


    ¡°We must take back Kazar.¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    ¡°Hear, hear!¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you the bad news. You can guess. The one piece of good news we have is that Prince Assh¡ª I mean Prince Lancer is on a short time limit. He needs to get his filthy¡­ he has to return to Enoria for the war season. He won¡¯t have a choice. That means that some of his army will leave and those who stay behind will be less numerous. He simply can¡¯t afford to keep everyone on this side of the forest.¡±


    ¡°You can swear, you know?¡± someone screamed for the back. A few people chuckled. The mood changed. It felt more intimate now, like everyone was part of a conspiracy.


    ¡°Thanks, but let¡¯s stay on track for that one. We can hold out until the enemies split but that still leaves us with a siege force behind protected walls. Right now we are not ready to contest them, so we have to prepare. Fortunately, I have a plan. First, we need volunteers for accelerated militia training. Training will be provided by some of the best fighters this side of the Deadshield Woods. Join up if you¡¯re ready to fight for your land. Second,¡± she continued, silencing a few clamoring people, ¡°we¡¯ll get ourselves weapons. We¡¯re going to see the Yries and negotiate with them. They¡¯ve already started to mine so they should have iron at the very least. Third, we¡¯re going to need siege weapons. I have an idea, but I¡¯ll tell you more on that later. And fourth, we¡¯re going to see if the mountain tribes won¡¯t join us. Once all of those things work out, we will attack. Any questions? Yes?¡±


    A sturdy man with a long white beard roared from among a group of wiry men with dark expressions. He was from one of the most remote regions from Kazar, so Viv had never seen him before.


    ¡°What if Prince Twatface comes to us to finish the job?¡±


    ¡°We have already sent scouts away and the mountain tribes will also warn us, but right now the plan is that I will walk six hours into the deadlands and activate a beacon that will attract a horde, lure them back to their army camp and finally escape.¡±


    The proposal was received with an awkward silence.


    ¡°Any reason why we can¡¯t do that with Kazar?¡±


    ¡°Because the church and every garrison around would object to wholesale civilian slaughter, even if they are partly responsible, and because we want a city to go back to.¡±


    ¡°Would the mountain tribes really help us? They¡¯re usually really reclusive.¡±


    ¡°I think they will,¡± Viv said, ¡°because the first thing the prince will do after taking the countryside will be to try to steal from them as well.¡±


    There were a few more questions, then the crowd soon started muttering.


    ¡°Alright everyone, one more thing,¡± Viv said in an attempt to channel all the energy she saw, ¡°remember that we need people to help with various vital tasks. Cleaning, excavation, baking, and fighting... Decide what you want the most and find your groups. Come place your name on the list in front of the command room.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Beginner 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The assembly dissolved into the milling mess that was a finished reunion. Viv went to talk to everyone she wanted to bring on the Yries expedition, then it was time for the burial. For some reason, people showed a lot of affection for Arthur. She was particularly popular with children, and many of them started to bring her shiny rocks to line her nest. She would welcome their tribute with spread wings and approving squees.


    People still gave Solfis a wide berth, which showed that they were smart.


    The service happened outside at nightfall. The mana saturation had already decreased enough that most people could stay outside for an hour without ill effect. The air was dry but fresh, and there were hints of rain higher on the mountain.


    They buried Ganimatalo in a deep grave. Some of the common folks had managed to engrave a slab of stone with her name in the northern script, that of her home. There was even a basic tree to symbolize the city, her life¡¯s work. The city guard lowered her rickety coffin into the ground in silence. Farren spoke when it was done.


    ¡°We have gathered tonight to say goodbye to Resh Ganimatalo, our mayor for decades. She spent her entire life turning our fair city from an outpost to a real community. Thanks to her hard work, we made this place our home, not just a way station for traveling soldiers. She dedicated her entire life to this project and I would like to thank her.¡±


    He stood straighter and his gaze swept the assembled people.


    ¡°I will not avoid the topic of her death. You know how she died. You all know that she killed herself. I heard whispers that she abandoned us in our hour of need and I will have none of it tonight. We are not all equal before adversity. Some of us are strong, some of us are smart. Some of us can get kicked down and climb back to their feet every time. Resh could not take it and she lost hope. We all suffer from her decision, but we must all remember that most of us try our best day to day and, sometimes, we fail. As Neriad reminds us, every day is a battle against our own demons. Resh lost that battle, despite her efforts. We must respect that fact. In the end, how we live and die is our own choice and our own responsibility. She chose to stop fighting. We don¡¯t have to like it, but we have to accept it. Likewise, if any of you feel that your own demons are closing in, remember that you are not alone. What may look like indifference might just be people prioritizing the current crisis. We care about each other, we just don¡¯t always show it, especially at a time like that. I have spoken. We will proceed with the burial. Anyone who wants to say goodbye, please form a line.¡±


    Viv joined it. She had not really cared for the departed mayor, yet she understood that she was a public figure and appearance mattered.


    Fuck, she was really becoming more and more like her dad. A shovelful of dirt. A muttered prayer ¡ª in French so that nobody could get it ¡ª and she was off to the side.


    The procession lasted for a long time. Almost everyone had shown up, even those who lived outside of the city walls and who could not have seen the mayor more than a handful of times. The sun dipped behind the horizon and lights rose in the air one by one in every shade of the rainbow. Finally, Farren stood again before the assembled people. He led a quick prayer as the tombstone was set, and finished with a little surprise.


    ¡°We say farewell to Resh Ganimatalo and pray that Enttiku, god of death, leads her soul to the beyond. And since we should not remain leaderless, I propose that we choose someone to unite us in this hour of need. We don¡¯t want a mayor now, we want someone who knows how to fight and to lead. We need someone who knows the deadlands and the forest both and walked them without fear or hesitation. Finally, we need someone who comes up with a plan. I nominate Viviane, Nyil¡¯s first Lost Heiress.¡±


    Viv was stunned speechless. It was a bit of a low blow as that sort of thing should definitely be discussed well in advance!


    ¡°She saved me kid!¡± someone said from the back.


    ¡°Can kill a hundred revenants with her little finger.¡±


    ¡°She said hi to me once.¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± someone said, and silence spread. It was the same old man who had asked her about the mountain tribe¡¯s help.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know this woman,¡± he stated, and others around him nodded. Viv could see the backlash building as her newest supporters frowned and moved, but they were all stopped when Denerim the inquisitor stepped forward.


    ¡°I will speak for her.¡±


    Viv just stood there like a mall dummy, not knowing where to put herself. It was all going very fast.


    ¡°Let me tell you of that time we were hunting an acolyte of Gomogog, the evil master of flesh and change¡­¡±


    The old knight told a tale that sure as hell painted Viv into a good light. What she remembered the most about that fight was how close they had come to losing the tree, how scared shitless she had been, and how Varska had vomited afterwards. Hearing him though, she had kept a cool head and done some amazing stuff. Marruk and Varska got compliments as well. Then it was Lorn¡¯s turn to talk about how she had held the line twice during the first mine expedition and how they would have had to fall back without her, losing people for sure. Farren talked about her helping clear deadland locations for paltry sums. He did not mention that she was hoping for a cure for her soul wound.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    It went on for a while.


    Brenna talked about how she had helped with the wounded after the beastling battle. Gogen the house-cleaner said that Viv was a good kid and that did it for half of the crowd. The child she had saved from the weird plant monster said that she had not hesitated to use a healing potion as he was bleeding out, even though it cost at least five silver talents and no mistake. Arthur bounced forward, stood on her hind leg, spread her wings and squeaked and suddenly she had all the children''s votes. The old guy was already nodding and so were his friends so that was pretty much it. Then somebody broke a cask of beer ¡ª one of their last ones ¡ª and people politely lined up to get a few thimbles. A few rathclaw skewers later, they had a party.


    ¡°Dick move to do that without clearing it with me first,¡± she told Farren in the ensuing din.


    ¡°Seeing you flustered and surprised made it more spontaneous and Kazarans like spontaneity. I¡¯ll just have to apologize and make it up to you. Now that you¡¯re technically the head, I won¡¯t hide things from you again, I promise. Let¡¯s just say that it was my last necessary evil.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better remember that because my patience for bullshit done behind my back is exhausted. Next time, I¡¯ll tell you to fuck off, fate of the city or not.¡±


    ¡°Crystal clear. I¡¯m sorry Viv, I did it for the people and I promise I won¡¯t surprise you again.¡±


    The next to visit her was Lorn and he hurriedly said a few words before leaving, which was wise because she could not bear to be anything more than polite with the fucker.


    A plethora of folks came to congratulate her until her smile froze and her face hurt. She didn¡¯t have a clue who most of these people were, and found it a bit hard to give a shit, but she remembered that it was important to them and that was enough to keep going.


    They were still strangers to her.


    It was very late when people started going back in. At some point, Solfis had come to stand by Viv¡¯s side and things had gone signficantly calmer. She felt drained. Exhausted in a way that she had not since leaving the deadlands. There was a void in her chest where her heart was supposed to be. Everything had gone dull. Arthur came and climbed on her shoulders and Viv patted her on the chest.


    ¡°Why do I feel like shit?¡± she asked aloud.


    //We are burying someone, Your Grace.


    //We are not burying the one we should.


    Viv did not want to deal with the grief. It could not be handled. There was no closure to be had while Prince Assclown still sat near Varska¡¯s tower, counting his fucking stolen money like some becrowned mob.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have her body.¡±


    Viv tried to ignore Solfis but he had the kind of persistence that came from missing a lot of organic bits. She could not win a game of patience with him.


    ¡°What.¡±


    //Irlefen once told me that burials are for the living.


    //You do not need remains.


    //You need memories.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it. It¡¯s not right.¡±


    //Taking revenge may satisfy you.


    //But you will have to say goodbye.


    //It might as well be now.


    //When we have peace.


    Pissed her off. Pissed her off. He pissed her off being all reasonable and result-driven and everything.


    //Your Grace, please.


    //I have an idea.


    Solfis¡¯ words pierced through the veil of self-destructive anger.


    ¡°You do?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Come with me, please.


    The three left, soon joined by Marruk who still looked a bit awkward about the whole affair, yet the stout woman just grunted that she had known Varska too and that she was going to pay her respects and no one could say anything.


    They passed by a patrol and Solfis picked an apparent random piece of slag from the ground. It had been half-buried near one of the larger mounds. Without a word, he moved with the usual uncanny speed, and six slices later, they had a rectangle.


    The improvised tombstone was smooth and mostly red-brown, but there were veins of verdigris snaking through it. It looked like¡­


    //The closest I could find to her favorite mana color.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    //There were a few veins of copper in the surrounding slag.


    //I knew that they would turn the right color.


    //Should I write something?


    ¡°Just her name and¡­ nothing else. I can¡¯t think of anything that would do her justice and that I want others to see.¡±


    //Sobriety has its own class.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    ¡°I will carry the stone. There is a secluded place behind the foundry with a lot of sun. I think I know what Solfis plans,¡± Marruk said.


    Viv followed and they soon found a nice, isolated spot. Marruk brandished the stella and stabbed it into the earth. She left and returned a little bit later with¡­


    ¡°The Suncult Marea¡­¡± Viv said.


    Varska¡¯s pride and joy, the large fiery flower had been under her care for over a decade. Its large yellow petals were looking a bit dimmer but it was still going strong. One of Gogen¡¯s people had looked after it during the trip. Viv delicately removed the plant from its pot and placed it in a hole she dug out with a shovel. It was not a proper tomb, but it was a memorial.


    //My data banks show that grief is better managed if you can say a few words about the departed.


    //And then say goodbye.


    Viv realized the trap when tears dripped down her cheeks. She had tried to bottle it because they were under constant pressure but there was no holding her emotions in at this stage.


    ¡°Varska, you bitch.¡±


    She was off to a good start,


    ¡°You had no right to do that. I¡¯m not a child to be protected, I¡¯m a caster dammit. I eat monsters for breakfast. Literally. They¡¯re tasty too.¡±


    More tears.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ Right. Okay. Varska, you were one of the best things to happen to me in this world. You were a pearl in an otherwise drab tapestry. I wish we could have stayed together longer. I wish you could have forgiven yourself for your past sins so that you would not feel the need to die for them. Nevertheless, thanks for everything. Thanks for the lessons and the kisses and thanks for the way you served us tea with a full ceremony every time. I¡¯ll never forget you, like I¡¯ll never forget Jor for tossing me up that wall before I could get swarmed, and Benetti for charging to his death to give us a few precious seconds. I won¡¯t throw that chance away. Also I¡¯m killing that bastard Prince Lancer with my own hands.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Marruk said.


    //Your Grace¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! It will take a year or a decade, I¡¯ll do it here or in his palace but I¡¯ll fucking do it. I will watch the light go out from his greedy eyes.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Thanks darling, I knew that you would understand. Careful you¡¯re going to scratch the stone.¡±


    Sensing her distress, Arthur jumped on Viv. Given the fact that she was the size of a labrador now, wings excluded, Viv almost fell down but she did feel better afterward. Marruk mumbled a few guttural words in Kark and they all stood there in a quiet moment that didn¡¯t need more words.


    It was Solfis who first spoke.


    //Your Grace, you know that I may not recharge my own core.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    //The accumulated black mana in the obelisk should have recharged your black core.


    //If you allow it, I can transfer the core¡¯s content to my own with only moderate power loss.


    ¡°Can I set a recurring order?¡±


    Solfis¡¯ eyes flashed yellow. Several times.


    //Bypass attempt failed.


    //I appreciate the effort, Your Grace.


    //Hard-coded directives may not be circumvented so easily.


    //You will have to authorize the transfer every time.


    ¡°Is there a way to remove the directive?¡±


    //Only Irlefen could have done it safely.


    //It is impossible now.


    //You may still add manual directives, if you wish, to skirt the rules.


    //They cannot alter my core.


    ¡°Ah damn. Well, go for it then.¡±


    //Excellent.


    //In the meanwhile, you have visitors.


    //Remember what I told you, mutant.


    ¡°I remember,¡± Irao said, emerging from the dark. Everyone else jumped in surprise.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t scare us, I mean, don¡¯t scare my poor Arthur!¡± Viv said.


    ¡°One day you¡¯ll get a reflex mace strike to the face,¡± Marruk complained.


    Irao lifted his hands in appeasement but he showed no signs of guilt.


    ¡°Hellow. Sorry. It takes effort for me to reveal myself. I do not mean any harm to you. I do not hide my presence consciously.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said, ¡°I did not know that. But anyway, what¡¯s the occasion?¡±


    ¡°A very important one. First, do you wish to force me to kill?¡±


    It took a moment for Viv to understand. She understood that a lot of people in her shoes would demand that the assassin perform some task for them, or else, but she would not. She had a feeling that the Hadal human before her would just disappear. It was just a waste of time. Worse, pushing him away might deprive Farren of a free bodyguard. There was nothing to gain by alienating the weird man. He was like some sort of faerie tale being that could never be compelled, woe to the ones who tried.


    ¡°You are referring to Prince Lancer?¡± she asked, just to be sure.


    ¡°Him. Or his bodyguard. Or the Envoy. Or his officers. Or¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah I got it. No. You have not pledged yourself to our cause. I won¡¯t ask this of you.¡±


    ¡°... I see.¡±


    ¡°And I intend to kill the man myself.¡±


    The bald assassin¡¯s slit eyes rose up in contemplation. He returned his attention to Viv a few seconds later.


    ¡°I will still¡­ pull my weight. If you fulfill your promise to me.¡±


    Viv stopped and drew a blank.


    ¡°A promise? What promise?¡±


    ¡°On the third month of the year, after the garrison shifted, you went to clear a cave with Farren. Your golem detected me. We talked. I knocked on your door later that night. I greeted you.¡±


    ¡°Yeeeeees?¡±


    ¡°You asked me¡­ ¡®What do you want, Irao?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Viv jumped back. The voice that had come from the man¡¯s throat was hers, exactly hers, to the last intonation. It was an exact copy of what she sounded like when she was tired but trying to be polite. A recording could not have done better. Her own mother would have been fooled.


    ¡°And I answered, a safe haven for my people,¡± Irao continued.


    And then Viv¡¯s magically-improved memory supplied the remaining part of the conversation. It had indeed been months¡­ but¡­


    ¡°And your answer was: ¡®I will consent to it when I am the undisputed queen of my own country. Now, what can I help you with right here, right now, and within reason?¡¯¡±


    Ah.


    ¡°Not exactly a queen,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Your kingdom is very small,¡± Irao allowed, ¡°and you may not be queen for long, but those are what Farren calls technicalities. What you meant was, if you have a territory and you get to make the rules, which is the case now, you will give us safe haven. Will you stand by your statement?¡±


    It was a moment of truth. Viv knew that Irao had been testing her, but she had assumed that it was more about trust and, perhaps, sharing the odd piece of intel like he had done earlier.


    There was no need for any hesitation though.


    ¡°So long as you respect the rules of Kazar, there are no issues. I won¡¯t discriminate based on race simply because it might anger someone I don¡¯t even give a shit about. However, I have a few questions. First, how did you know that¡­ things would turn out this way?¡±


    ¡°I did not. Farren came here, and I followed. I realized that this was a good place. Kazar is remote enough that hit squads will not follow, and if they do, I will see them come. There are plenty of places to hide in the forests and at the edge of the deadlands. It would do. But¡­ we would have remained hidden. Now, perhaps we can live together with some normal humans. I want to know if it is at all possible.¡±


    ¡°And you believe that I can make it happen?¡±


    ¡°You are the only one who said yes.¡±


    Viv raised a brow at that.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Irao continued, ¡°I asked some other rulers. They talked a lot, made a lot of wind with their mouth but it was only that, wind. They wanted assassins they could keep at no cost. We wanted a life.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ alright, fuck. This complicates matters a bit but it should be fine. The Church will definitely agree and we can tell the guards that you are refugees and scouts. Is scouting fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I understand the concept of community and contributing to it.¡±


    ¡°And, uh, you said we. When are your people coming?¡±


    Irao made a sign of his head and shapes started to emerge from the shadows of the surrounding buildings. There were bald men with stooped postures, some more inhuman than others. The women all had the same prominent skull and black straight hair. They were all pale. The light of distant spells reflected on dozens of slit eyes like from a pack of wolves. The silence was complete.


    On Viv¡¯s side, a hairless kid peeked at her from behind a tired Hadal woman¡¯s ratty skirt.


    Irao turned to her.


    ¡°Now.¡±

 Chapter 62: Arms Deal

    The council was split on the whole thing. Denerim and Orkan, the inquisitors, supported Viv¡¯s initiative fully. They argued that having the Hadal idle in the cave somewhere doing their thing was the best possible outcome considering how dangerous they could be. The idea of having Hadal strain scouts also gained traction with Tars, and her subordinate Michar who was in charge of the scouts.


    ¡°My people are exhausted running around and looking for threats above and below-ground. Let those freaks ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use that word,¡± Viv interrupted.


    ¡°Sorry ma¡¯am. Let the Hadals, whatever they call themselves, stick their necks in monster lairs.¡±


    Brenna objected on the grounds that they didn¡¯t have enough food, but apparently the Hadals had brought some stuff for themselves. It would be a small increase in consumption, one that would barely make a dent considering they had over a thousand mouths to feed. Farren was supportive, if surprised, because he had something to atone for. In the end, the council agreed to officially accept the strain if they kept to themselves in the forward cavern the expedition had found the first time. Viv was reminded of things like ¡®equal yet separate¡¯ and Jim Crow and some of the stuff that Mouq had shared about being an Arabic woman in the predominantly white and male armed forces, long before Viv had enlisted. But it was another world. And the Hadals were not well-known, so they would start like that and get to know each other. Viv was reasonably confident that things would be fine as long as mysterious murders didn¡¯t happen.


    As for how to disseminate the information, there would be no great announcement. Neriad church members would walk from group to group to talk about a group of refugees hunted by the Enorians. It was technically correct. Viv thought that all in all it was stupidly done and a recipe for disaster, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do to improve the situation. Irao had put her back against the wall. She was not even mad at him. He was just really bad at social stuff, of that she was sure.


    Hopefully, the Hadal¡¯s contribution to the war effort would prove her right.


    Next was the trip to the Yries¡¯ camp which would take a day or so. Viv prepared and left with only her usual suspects, plus Farren and a small escort. Hopefully, nothing bad would happen while they were gone. She made sure to pick up what she would need.


    The trip started uneventfully. There was a single passage leading east through the mountain range and to the secondary base where the Hadal humans now dwelled. They turned left after a while and passed by the mirror of the people. Everyone stopped to look at their reflection, then at the ancient miners going and coming from work. They picked up water at the ancient cisterns.


    For a moment, Viv panicked as she realized that their base was without a water source, but she calmed down immediately. Brenna had mentioned a few people excavating a well they had found near the entrance of the mines. Rocks had obstructed it, but they were being removed and a few blue-attuned laborers had confirmed that they felt something coming from below.


    It was not long before they reached the pit, where they had lost one of their members. The Yries had left marks of danger and safe passage. They followed it down the path that snaked around the pit for a while, sticking to the steep incline of the left wall. The chasm beckoned to the right. Not even the light of the fluorescent mushrooms reached its depth.


    Viv was once again suspicious of how large the cave was. Her eyes kept going up, expecting the rocky sky to fall on her head any time. Not even one support pillar. That was so weird.


    With the ground so open, everyone was on high alert. Viv was not surprised when they were attacked.


    It started with her danger sense pinging. She had no need to warn the others. Swords and other weapons were drawn and a circle formed with Viv at its center. Arthur took to the air.


    Nothing came at them.


    The cave remained eerily silent. Only the drip of falling condensation brought some noise.


    //Your Grace.


    //Use your other senses.


    Viv had a rush of panic as she remembered that sight was no longer her most important tool of detection. She was still so green. The mana around her was fluctuating but it was not yet automatic for her to analyze it, at least not while she was in danger. In a way, her earth experience was a hurdle more than a help. She set out to correct it.


    The knights and Marruk emitted a bit of mana, just a trace. The background was mostly the brown and green Varska had loved so much. No wonder, since they were underground. Lots of brown and green, in fact. It was growing.


    Shit.


    ¡°They¡¯re below us!¡± she yelled, and sent a powerful spike through her feet. Her power expanded on a radius twice the size of their defensive circle, and met two balls of resistance. One of them was practically under her. It fought against her. It lost.


    With a dreadful crack, the stone under their feet splintered like clay and a large clawed arm ¡ª larger than a bear¡¯s ¡ª reached up to grab something. It barely touched the foot of a guard but the razor-sharp chitin still fell to the sound of cracking bones. Someone screamed. Viv shot a quick wire of destructive black and the paw retreated, bleeding freely. Another creature emerged with difficulty from the deadened stone around them. Farther afield, other creatures swam out as if through water.


    Viv¡¯s basic spell maimed the closest creature while swords and spears ravaged its struggling form. It was half-trapped and could not fight and free itself effectively at the same time. It looked like a mole crossed with a mastiff if the mastiff was from some post-apocalyptic movie and also jacked on steroids. Its skin was mottled grey and pink, and its maw was filled with serrated teeth that looked like needles, angled inwards. It was screeching miserably.


    Viv turned her direction to the rest of the attackers. There were more coming out of the ground. She cast a powerful purge and managed to skewer the skull of one of the beasts, which fell down without a noise. The rest were upon them.


    The combat was incredibly fast and confusing. Without high stats, she would have been left in the dust, throwing pitiful attacks at shadows. As it was, she could barely follow. Heavy bodies impacted the shield wall and were amazingly repulsed. Solfis was everywhere. Marruk bashed something almost into the ground. Viv killed another mole-thing after it had dragged a temple guard to the ground. There was one jumping at her. She hit it mid air, missing the brain by a finger, then Marruk received the attack on her shield and threw the scratching body at another. Another human screamed in pain. She had to maintain the cover below herself to prevent the mole things from diving, as they sometimes tried to do.


    Viv¡¯s danger sense screamed and she jumped aside. Something crashed onto her left leg. Something bit it. Pieces of meat and blood rained on her. Solfis stood above her, swinging his arms like a meat grinder. The coppery scent of blood overwhelmed her. The light spells failed. Arthur squealed in pain. There were screeches, so many screeches, like a hellish choir that pained her ears.


    Arthur squealed in distress.


    Viv grabbed the thing attacking her, some sort of giant bat, around the neck and drew her knife. She rammed the blade through its head.


    A white form impacted the ground behind her.


    The shield glyph seared itself through her mind as she stood like a devil out of its box. Both of her hands rose up.


    Solfis leaned to the side and grabbed Arthur, then moved further and pulled a wounded temple guard.


    ¡°NOPE!¡±


    Viv poured everything into the half-sphere of pure void rising a meter above her head. The circular shield was charged with the meaning of annihilation and it smothered the battlefield like a shroud. A deafening silence descended upon them. Viv felt her reserves plummet.


    Then it stopped.


    She waited a few more seconds just to be sure. If a mole thing were to attack them now, she could do nothing. She had nothing. All her focus, all her energies sank into that lifeline.


    Then she let the spell dissipate and fell to her knees.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Apprentice 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv grabbed a healing potion from a pocket on her chest. Her hand and entire robe were sticky with blood. The pungent liquid soaked her hair, plastering them to her neck and cheeks.


    ¡°Anyone need a potion?¡± she squawked. At least, Arthur was fine. She was busying herself savaging a bat carcass.


    ¡°Yea, Orman. Quickly please,¡± Farren said. He had spent most of the fight protected at the core of the formation, but he still had a gash on his forehead that was bleeding generously.


    It was the guard who had been downed and dragged. He was bleeding heavily from his leg and there was a gouged out wound where his left eye used to be. She handed him the potion and he swallowed half of it, spreading the rest on his mangled limbs. She watched, amazed, as he picked his own eye from the ground.


    ¡°Well fuck,¡± he said.


    Viv felt bile rising at the back of her throat and held it in. No barfing in front of the troops. No barfing. Can¡¯t even take a deep breath. The stench of offal and carnage would send her over the edge.


    The expedition picked itself up with difficulty, except Solfis who had remained vigilant. They restarted their light spell at a weak power simply because there was no other way to see, and found a sort of alcove by the wall, barely more than a depression. Viv thought that it was not the best idea considering their foe could basically swim through stone but whatever.


    Viv herself was fine. The bat attacking her had not had the time to pierce the enchantments protecting her leg. There was a tiny cut on her ear, perhaps from when she had stabbed the bat. It bled a bit but that was not too bad. Marruk was fine as well. Viv realized that she needed a fucking helmet, for sure.


    The five temple guards had taken the brunt of the assault. All of them were heavily wounded, though with high vitality and healing potions they were ready to leave soon after. The man with the missing eye was still holding the discarded organ in his hand, not sure what to do.


    Arthur had several gashes and two bites that were bleeding a bit. Viv had taken out her third and last potion, wondering what would the effect be on the tiny dragonling. Arthur precluded any consideration on different metabolisms and whatnot by grabbing the phial, literally biting off the stopper and gulping its contents. She tossed the empty bottle away and squealed with rage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Viv told her, ¡°you are still the queen of the sky, just, there is no sky here. We are in a cave.¡±


    Her baleful crimson orbs searched the heights with vengeful spite.


    ¡°We can come back when you¡¯re bigger and depopulate the place.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    //Food.


    Solfis spoke and everyone stopped what they were doing. The humans and one Kark stared at the battlefield again. There were four of the mole things lying inert on the ground, and at least three dozen bats in various states of dismemberment. Viv judged that they had at least three hundred kilos of meat around, if you counted edible viscerae. The mole things looked like mammals. They also had powers, and it made creatures delicious. As for the bat, it didn''t seem like a great idea but she knew that some culture in East Asia ate them, so where was the harm?


    ¡°Ok, but there is no way for us to transport the food,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°The base is not so far, only three hours if we walk,¡± one of the guards said, ¡°we can go there but there is no guarantee that anything will be left when we return.¡±


    Viv thought quickly. So much food was worth delaying the expedition for. The meat was not just nutritious, coming from a monster, it was the sort of tasty boon that enhanced morale. Probably.


    ¡°You five return, you¡¯re wounded anyway. The rest of us will guard this place against predators while you¡¯re gone. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Farren said, ¡°we can¡¯t afford to waste anything. I¡¯ll go with them and return with the harvesting team.¡±


    The guards picked themselves up. The dude still holding his eye was looking forlorn.


    ¡°Just toss it away man,¡± another said not unkindly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just feels wrong. I know I can¡¯t heal it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°There used to be a general in my land called Xiahou Dun,¡± Viv said. That got their attention.


    Amazing how an improved memory could help now.


    ¡°He was shot in the eye with an arrow but lived. He pulled the arrow on which the eye was still stuck and ate it, saying ¡®this is the essence of my father and the blood of my mother. I cannot waste it.¡¯¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The guard nodded, considering it while the other four plus Farren looked on in unmitigated, stupefied horror. He was probably undergoing shock, Viv judged, though you never knew with how biology worked here. One gulp later, the man¡¯s legend was born.


    Viv watched them leave, made sure they were off and only then threw up against a rock.


    ¡°You humans do the strangest shit,¡± Marruk said with a frown. Then she bent forward and emptied her stomach as well.


    Arthur looked at Viv with concern.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just hmm, making more room for the delicious meat we¡¯re going to have soon.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    //Please try to lie better, Your Grace.


    ¡°Hush you. Anyway¡­ what just happened?¡±


    //Are you referring to the specific flow of battle?


    ¡°Yes. We were attacked from the ground then from the sky? What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Squee¡­¡±


    Arthur looked absolutely dejected and Viv tapped her head, starting to get what had happened.


    //I fear that our flying support gathered the attention of the local colony of bats.


    //The sequence was as follows.


    //We detected the rocksnout ambush.


    //They attacked us anyway.


    //Arthur took to the air.


    //She was detected by the local bat colony.


    //The rocksnouts suffered casualties.


    //The bat colony attacked Arthur, who withdrew towards us.


    //The bat colony attacked everyone.


    //The rocksnouts disengaged.


    //You inflicted high casualties on the bat colony.


    //The survivors disengaged.


    //Our group was left in control of the field with light damage.


    Viv had seen the things and they were to bats what chinchillas were to Rottweilers but fine.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky the¡­ rocksnouts was it? That they decided not to keep attacking¡­¡±


    //Why would they?


    //They followed their survival instincts.


    //The loss of four adults is a catastrophe for the pack.


    //It is likely that they attacked so viciously because you masterfully trapped the alpha.


    ¡°Wait, they would have given up otherwise?¡±


    //There was no way for you to fend off the attack.


    //Except by doing what you did.


    ¡°Waaaait,¡± Viv said, remembering Solfis¡¯ warning. ¡°You knew they were there!¡±


    //Yes.


    ¡°Could have warned us!¡±


    //I will not always be by your side, Your Grace.


    //Rely on me too much, and you will die while I perform an important task.


    //I am built and designed around surgical offensives, hence the ¡®strike¡¯ designation.


    //All my combat intelligence routines are based around this function.


    //I remain a poor bodyguard.


    //Rest assured that I would have carried you away, had you failed.


    ¡°Who would have saved the temple guards then?¡± she asked, but she already knew the answer.¡±


    //Failure always carries a price.


    //Remember, they are secondary concerns.


    //Their importance is inferior to that of your good development.


    Viv would get angry but¡­ it would be hypocrisy. She respected the guards a lot but they were not her friends, not truly precious to her. Besides, Solfis had been extremely clear from the beginning. He would prioritize her survival and there was nothing he could do to change that, it was a direct consequence of the rule-bending that allowed him to leave the dead capital. What would not be hypocritical, would be for her to protect them like they were protecting her. Their safety would be her doing. She did not need a fantasy murder robot made of bones to wipe her own ass. Which led her to¡­


    ¡°By the way, Solfis, I acquired that skill recently¡­¡±


    //Acuity Reflex.


    //It is an unusual skill that allows its owner to substitute acuity for agility in reflexes.


    //Essentially, you may not reflexively move but you may reflexively cast.


    ¡°Ah damn, I should have asked that before. I could have used it against the bat and saved myself half a second.


    //We will be training this skill thoroughly over the next month.


    //However, stabbing someone with a mundane blade as a mage is always bound to surprise foes that may resist spells.


    //My prediction algorithm returns an inconclusive result.


    ¡°I can practice both in any case.¡±


    //Yes.


    With this, they settled to wait with the only movement being Arthur vengefully chewing on nearby wings. A large group of fifty people, half of them guards, returned with carts and gathered the remains. Nothing tried to fight them this time despite the smell of blood and they soon left loaded with meat. Viv took the time to go back up and find a cistern for a quick cleanup. Some of the blood had already congealed and it was a bitch getting it out of her jaw-length hair. She went back down with a new set of five guards and Farren and the rest of the trip to the Yries base was less eventful.


    They followed markers down the pit, stone statues with inscriptions in a strange script that reminded Viv of Cuneiform. The Yries used them to orient themselves in the labyrinthine, cavernous depths. One marker eventually pointed to a side tunnel which had clearly been repaired and reinforced. The square, clear path led them further through the mountains until they turned into a circular Yries-made passage. A couple of hours was enough to reach a boundary-fort where they requested entrance by way of waving their hands around. A small male Yries let them in and it was not long before the reigning pair came to receive them. Sil-Sen the female stone weaver still looked nervous, barrel-like form hidden behind bulky robes. Meanwhile the warchief Gar-Gar looked at them with undisguised suspicion. The two, Viv realized, were taller than her, which was fairly uncommon.


    The male spat something in their guttural language and Sil-Sen translated in Enorian with clear hesitation. They were¡­ not really good at hiding their emotions.


    ¡°Gar-Gar says you want to renegotiate the terms of our agreement.¡±


    Ah, yes, he did mention humans being duplicitous. Farren gave Viv a tiny nod. She considered her approach. With those, it was probably better to be honest.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to change the agreement. We want a new one for different things.¡±


    Technically the truth since the previous arrangement concerned iron ingots, ready for processing. This time they wanted weapons.


    Sil-Sen and Gar-Gar talked in their strange language again, blinking their owl-like eyes in a way that would be comical if Viv was not currently surrounded by loaded crossbows.


    ¡°Gar-Gar asks if the new agreement alters the old agreement.¡±


    ¡°Listen, we want to buy weapons for money.¡±


    There were numerous interruptions since Viv had been selected as the spokesperson for the human side and did not speak Baranese while Gar-Gar was the spokesperson for the Yries side and did not speak Enorian. It did not help that the big stone-weaver was as shy as a blushing maiden and apparently deathly afraid of confrontation while her boss smelled a fish and asked pointed questions.


    ¡°Yries do not sell their weapons to humans.¡±


    ¡°We want you to manufacture some for us, not give us your crossbows.¡±


    ¡°No weapons.¡±


    ¡°I understand that you do not wish to give us any weapons. May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°We find¡­ humans¡­. treacherous¡­ andwedonotwishtoforgethebladethatwillkillus, sorry!¡±


    Blunt.


    ¡°Armors?¡±


    ¡°We would sell armors. Gar-Gar wants to know why you need armors.¡±


    ¡°Other humans have taken our city and driven us out. We want to take it back.¡±


    This led to a long exchange and the expected reaction.


    ¡°So you do not wish to honor your previous agreement.¡±


    ¡°We want to. We were chased from our homes so we cannot. We are angry about that. If we can return home, we will honor the original agreement. Right now, we cannot.¡±


    The warchief grumbled and searched Viv¡¯s face with great efforts, as if it could allow him to detect lies. He pointed a gangly finger towards Viv''s solar plexus with the intention, perhaps in an intimidation attempt. Viv considered how to react but needn¡¯t bother.


    ¡°Squee! HSSSSSS!¡±


    The intimidation attempt was quickly aborted. Gar-Gar grumbled but he relented and Arthur settled protectively on Viv¡¯s lap, glaring at the offender with malevolent crimson eyes. Viv patted the small dragon¡¯s spine ridge. It was very warm.


    ¡°The agreement was food for iron. You have not delivered the iron yet so you have no right to ask us for food,¡± Viv said, striking the iron while it was hot. ¡°Tell him I said that.¡±


    Sil-Sen translated and the warchief grudgingly agreed. Viv could not believe how easy it was.


    ¡°If Gar-Gar really wants that food, he can make a deal with us. We are not even asking something for nothing. I said that we will pay.¡±


    Some more grumbling.


    ¡°Gar-Gar asks if it¡¯s money now or money later.¡±


    In answer, Viv grabbed the chest that the banker had sent to her the night after Kazar fell and banged it on the table. She opened it to reveal rows of golden ingots. It was a very old-school gangster moment and made Viv feel all fuzzy inside. They were just missing Robert de Niro giving the Yries warchief a stare.


    ¡°This is the money now.¡±


    The stoneweaver grabbed one of the ingots and whispered a few words. Viv felt brown mana at work. A few ingots were tested and the pair conferred in a low voice.


    ¡°Gar-Gar offers thirty basic iron armors. Helmet breastplate pauldrons gauntlets greaves. One per gold talent.¡±


    It might be a steal, Viv thought. It sounded like a steal.


    ¡°How basic are we talking?¡±


    ¡°Like the young males wear but without chain mails. You wear clothes or gambeson.¡±


    It was a steal. The armors were pretty decent, though they would not stop a direct blow with how strong the average soldier was on this fucking planet. It would still help with glancing blows. And twenty-five iron bits were around a kilogram of metal so a gold talent was around¡­ two hundred bits so that meant that a single gold talent was worth eight kilograms of iron. Those armors were definitely more than twice as heavy, and it was not even counting compensation for the work. On the other hand, the Yries could just bend down and pick up rich ore around here so their costs were down while gold was always valuable for trading.


    They went back and forth for a while and settled for thirty armors, and thirty shields. There would be six more free armors if they could provide a large supply of skin to make leather with.


    ¡°Hold on, how do you get leather down here?¡± Viv asked, suddenly suspicious.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± Sil-Sen answered. She didn¡¯t have to consult her partner this time.


    Viv thought for a few seconds and decided that, yeah, nah, she really really didn¡¯t want to know. In any case, it was time for the main event.


    ¡°There is something else I need from you.¡±


    She exposed her idea.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Sil-Sen said, ¡°out of the question. We will not give you one of our drills.¡±


    ¡°Not giving, renting. It will also be piloted by one of your own.¡±


    ¡°What is renting?¡±


    ¡°It means we have it for a fixed time. Here the fixed time is: until we have used it to breach the walls of Kazar. Then your driver takes it back.¡±


    The pair discussed. Gar-Gar waved his slender arms around in shock and dismay, then more questions came.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to copy the designs?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m curious but not that curious. Besides, there is no way for us to reproduce the design here, and it would really hurt our chances if we mess up. I really want to dig through that wall.¡±


    ¡°And you would return it, just like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your pilot will drive it back.¡±


    ¡°It is not designed to operate above ground.¡±


    ¡°The point is never what the tool is designed to do but what it can achieve.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You are annoyingly correct in this instance. But you have no more gold. What could you possibly offer for this service.¡±


    ¡°I have silverite.¡±


    More specifically, the silverite used for the Harrakan golems, the very same she had dragged across half the deadlands as skis under her sled.


    Sil-Sen¡¯s jaw practically crashed on the ground. She turned to the warchief and spoke in excited tones and it was absolutely obvious that Viv would have that drill.


    ¡°How much? How much silverite do you have?¡±


    ¡°Four measures.¡±


    That was one ski, but considering that each ski was worth four hundred gold talents in human nation if it could be found at all, she was certain that her argument was convincing.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you more than half a measure for that though.¡±


    ¡°I need two measures. Two measures to make my staff. We can talk.¡±


    ¡°You can make a staff out of silverite?¡±


    ¡°Yes. With a core on top, it will allow me to store reserves of energy with almost no loss. And I can enchant it as well.¡±


    It was all Viv could do to school her face. Solfis¡¯ eyes flashed.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Viv gave a diplomatic smile as the stoneweaver argued with the warchief. Vehemently.


    It was time to put the nail on the coffin.


    ¡°You can tell the warchief that it is also in his interest as well if we take the city back. Beyond the food questions, there is also the matter that our enemy will not stop there.¡±


    Well, he would for at least a season, possibly a year, but there was no need to tell them that.


    ¡°His name is Prince Lancer and he is greedy beyond measure.¡±


    It was such an amusing moment to see the two owl-like beings freeze in their tracks.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Sil-Sen blurted, angry for the first time.


    ¡°I said that our enemy could come here next¡­¡±


    ¡°No, not that. His name.¡±


    ¡°Prince Lancer.¡±


    An eruption of squawks and grunts came from not just the pair, but the other Yries as well.


    ¡°Why did you not say so sooner?¡±


    Because you would have been suspicious.


    ¡°I was not aware that you knew him,¡± Viv lied.


    ¡°We will help you but we will not send soldiers. You will have your drill. You will have ten more armors. We will give you twenty crossbows as well, simple but efficient models. You will give us two measures of silverite.¡±


    ¡°You make a rod for me with the remaining two, you provide instructors for the crossbows and help us adjust the armors, you give us forty heavy spears, fully made out of iron. You modify the drill so that it can move fast enough to keep up with us. You help us get a reliable water source on our side of the mines. Solfis?¡±


    The golem dropped the ski, tantalizingly close. Sil-Sen elbowed her boss, who nodded.


    ¡°We say that you have yourself a deal.¡±

 Chapter 63: Goodmother.

    Viv returned to the base camp with aching legs and found a mob. Said mob had gathered in the mine entrance¡¯s main square and people practically jumped on her when she arrived. Viv felt like a firefighter going from one catastrophe to another. Cover the convoy? Send the black caster. Need to detoxify the land? Caster. Talk to the people? The caster. Negotiate a fucking trade agreement? That¡¯s right. Her again. She was clocking more overtime than the average investment banker.


    Viv¡¯s grumblings were replaced by alarm when she realized the source of the problem.


    ¡°So, do you agree that we Kazarans deserve the land and should kill and drive off any newcomers?¡±


    Ooooh someone had lit the firecracker on a dog turd. She had to douse this before it blew off and plastered them all. Her money was on the grocery store owner. That massive twat.


    Viv walked with the appearance of confidence towards the elevated ground, her mind going on overdrive.


    ¡°Viviane?¡± Farren said by her side with worry.


    ¡°I know. Shut up.¡±


    She stood up and watched as a wave spread through the crowd before her. Light spells bobbed in the air, giving the entire cavern a surreal aspect. Between this and the clothes, the scene was intimately familiar and utterly alien at the same time. The locals had a greenish tint to their skin and wore undyed clothes. They also stank with an aggressive pong that even the summer crowd back home had not matched. At the same time, the organic way they moved, like a giant organism, was known to her. Silence spread and people turned, and more people would turn and more groups would fall silent. It was the same strange physics that let people sing rolling hymns or stampede. The diffuse mind of the masses.


    Terry Pratchett had once said that the IQ of a mob was that of its lowest member divided by the number of participants. She understood the comment but looking at all those avid faces, she realized that there was also an opportunity for something better. Not all speeches had to be for the sake of the speaker. She could¡­ yes. She could teach them about modern values. There were opposing theories on the essence of a nation. Some were based on blood, the ethnic group, the culture. Others were based on ideas. Both had their pitfalls, but at least one of them did not promote xenophobia.


    That she could remember.


    At least not actively.


    Viv¡¯s brain went into overdrive once more, the leadership and polymath skills helping her structure and articulate her thoughts.


    ¡°What is a Kazaran?¡± she asked, voice amplified by a spell.


    She had silence and their full attention now. Better not think about it too much.


    ¡°A Kazaran is someone who stands with the deadlands before them and the infinite wood at their back, on that thin strip of land we call home and fights for it, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yea!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    ¡°A Kazaran is someone who sees Prince Asshole come for their land and, instead of bending, travels to this mine to oppose him, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Hear hear.¡±


    God that was such bullshit. Anyway, as long as racism didn¡¯t take hold¡­


    ¡°So everyone here, everyone who walked the long trail and carried their family so that they would not be slaves is a Kazaran. We are all Kazarans here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    It was easy. She could say ¡®All Kazarans like cake¡¯ and people would first say yes then actually think about cakes.


    ¡°You there,¡± she said, pointing at a man she remembered almost turned back with his family on the first day, ¡°what¡¯s your name lad?¡± she asked.


    He squirmed under everyone¡¯s scrutiny.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be shy, Kazaran. Tell us.¡±


    ¡°Dorrel, goodmother.¡±


    Goodwhat? Ah, whatever.


    ¡°And where do you come from?¡±


    ¡°Enoria, goodmother, the north. The border region, near the silent field.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve been here for how long?¡±


    ¡°Five years, goodmother¡­ me and my family¡­¡±


    ¡°Came here to find a future free of conflict, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone who came here for a new life, who made the land better. That¡¯s a real Kazaran right here. And you?¡± she asked, addressing a guard.


    ¡°Kazaran born and raised!¡±


    There were a few cheers.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, a fighter who held the line against the beastling tide, I remember you. Another true Kazaran you are, sir. And is there anyone here who would dare claim that Resh Ganimatalo was not a Kazaran?¡±


    No one spoke, which was as much conviction as survival instinct, really.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She was from far away but she fought her whole life for the city. Northern Enoria, Southern Enoria, Baran, the Pure League. Hell, even Helock. It doesn¡¯t matter where everyone comes from. What matters is that we all stand here at the edge of the abyss, together. It matters that we all came here to the mine because we wanted to be free!¡±


    ¡°Yeaaah!¡±


    ¡°When you look at your neighbors, do not think of their old homes or their native tongue, think that they are by your side today, in our darkest hour, and that we will face Prince Twat together. For unity! For freedom! For Kazar!¡±


    ¡°For Kazar! Freedom!¡±


    That roused them nicely. Ooof. Ethnic cleansing averted.


    <table>


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    Leadership: Beginner 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wow, that was a nice increase, three ranks in one go. It was lucky that the Kazarans were not exactly the most educated people around and her cheap eloquence tricks had done it.


    ¡°Free Kazar!¡±


    Hah, they were chanting now. Maybe that was why the skill increase had been so large.


    ¡°Free Kazar!¡±


    ¡°Free Kazar!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, if those Enorian noble pricks think they can come and tell us what to do, they got it coming!¡±


    ¡°Free Kazar!¡±


    Uh oh.


    Uh oh!


    ¡°Congratulations on your successful declaration of independence, Viviane,¡± Farren said, unamused. ¡°Please tell my superiors that I had nothing to do with it if they ever ask.¡±


    ¡°Errr.¡±


    //And you even had the masses do it for you.


    //Truly, the Heiress has potential.


    //Long may you live, Your Grace.


    ¡°Aw.¡±


    There was another party to celebrate Kazar¡¯s (tentative) separation from Enoria. They were almost out of booze but people took to grilling the meat Viv had gathered earlier with enthusiasm. She found herself standing on the edge of the raucous crowd with a mutated mole skewer in her hand while Arthur gnawed a giant bat wing. Apparently, her grudge extended not just beyond the grave but beyond the frying pan as well. Truly, a vengeance for the ages.


    Her ruminations were interrupted by a burly mass of muscular men guided by the old bearded guy she had seen before, the one who led the remote villagers. He had the defiant look of someone who didn¡¯t trust anyone easily, but when he talked he was polite.


    ¡°Evening goodmother. Wanted to ask you a few things.¡±


    ¡°Hm sure. What¡¯s your name?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Ban, goodmother.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the goodmother?¡±


    The man looked a bit lost but Farren, who had decided to hang around just in case Viv decided to declare atheism, answered in his stead.


    ¡°Ban here is an Enorian, like Dorrel. They came here a few years ago.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the man said.


    ¡°I mentioned that the Enorians had changed drastically since the onset of the civil war, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think Varska mentioned it as well,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°That is quite likely. Old Enorian elites had turned hedonistic when the rebellion started. There are rumors on how scandalous they were¡­ I will not share them here. Both the rebels and the current king adopted conservative social measures as a reaction. Enorian men are encouraged to lead a regulated life rebuilding the nation while Enorian women are supposed to help¡­ repopulate it. Goodmother is a recent term of respect used for women past marrying age.¡±


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    ¡°The marrying age in Enoria is thirteen. The title implies that you have married and already given birth to fulfill your role as a productive member of the great Enorian society. I am sorry.¡±


    Viv grumbled but she knew that he was just the messenger. And thirteen on Nyil probably meant something closer to fourteen or fifteen on earth with days and years here being a bit longer. She expected that sort of shit from a feudal society. Obviously, she was already an old bag according to their standards, possibly a scaley cat-lady, the scales being on the cat.


    And quite possibly Enoria was the most sexist country on the continent right now and she had to take it into account when dealing with them. A faction led by a woman was bound to be dismissed or seen as decadent. It was too late now anyway.


    ¡°They really mean it as a sign of respect,¡± Farren continued.


    ¡°Yes, well, can I say what I have to say?¡± Ban said impatiently.


    ¡°Sure thing but drop the ¡®goodmother¡¯ please.¡±


    ¡°Understood ma¡¯am. As I said, my name is Ban. Me and the boys, that is the good folks around me, we left Enoria after the civil war. Many of us are veterans and we thought that, well, here, the old bullshit would not be the same. Beg your pardon. That is, nobles can¡¯t just take our lands and families for a yes or a no.¡±


    She nodded. That she could understand.


    ¡°Well, we were wrong. But what you said about Kazarans being about belief and not a place of origin. You¡­ truly believe that?¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have welcomed the Hadals here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± the man said, suddenly remembering the weirdos who had wisely disappeared off to their caves as quickly as they had come, ¡°yeah you¡¯re right. Actions speak louder than words. Anyway, we were thinking, that is, some of us were thinking that we should help. I bet that you have lots of guards but very few soldiers, aye?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Viv replied.


    //Excellent.


    Everyone turned to Solfis. His natural immobility and tendency to stay in the background made it easier for people to ignore him. Not that he was easy to ignore, but people made a conscious effort to do so to preserve their nerves.


    //We will soon have access to heavy infantry armour.


    //We will soon have access to heavy infantry weapons.


    //We have access to state-of-the-art Harrakan heavy infantry regimens optimized for retraining.


    ¡°We do?¡± Viv asked.


    //Yes.


    //I have a great many confidential training manuals stored in my databanks.


    //I shall select a number of recruits and prepare them for the offensive.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between whatever you said and our own militia training?¡± Ban asked, suspicious.


    //My program will create killers.


    //Militia training will create their victims.


    //Any questions?


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    //While you were talking, Your Grace, I have contacted Lorn to assist with your own acuity reflex skill practice.


    ¡°Eh? How?¡±


    //I have requested that people randomly throw stones at you.


    //Everyone in the mines, actually.


    Viv gawped.


    //Small stones.


    //Small stones, Your Grace.


    //You will use danger sense to detect the attack and acuity reflex to stop it.


    As he spoke those words, a small girl ran out of the crowd. She stopped squat in front of the group and closed her eyes, then with a mighty yelp, she threw a small rock. It clattered uselessly against a nearby support pillar.


    She ran away squealing.


    Viv sent a half-assed bzzt at the projectile.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    //We go to war with the army we have.


    Training began the very next day. Viv had received instructions on how to improve the Arcane Construct skill from Solfis to allow her to set up defensive positions, and she practiced at the edge of the foundries. Training implied creating a circle on the ground, which she did with a normal purge, then adding shield glyphs at regular intervals. She tried the same for the artillery spell but it was so complex that her mind couldn¡¯t latch on the construct when it was done, and that was strange because she could make it in her mind, but try to write it down and it became strange and unfamiliar. Magic was weird.


    <table>


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    Arcane Construct: Novice 3


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    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    As long as she operated within an army and had a flat surface, taking the time to set up could help her tremendously. She only stopped for lunch (gruel and grilled rocksnout, she refused to touch the bat). Yries visitors came to help set up a well outside and another inside and she was informed that they would soon have enough water for people to bathe.


    God fucking bless.


    In the background, tireless workers were finishing repurposing a derelict building as latrines and another as an actual bath. Hordes of children played outside under vigilant care and many guards and militias were moving their spears around while others were shown how to handle a crossbow.


    ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Viv said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the militia in action.¡±


    ¡°They train with the guard twice per week on the common fields,¡± Marruk said.


    ¡°How come I¡¯ve never seen it?¡±


    ¡°They do it at dawn and while you were in the city, there has not been an instance when you were done eating breakfast by the time they had finished.¡±


    Viv tried and failed to detect a trace of disapproval or sass in the Kark¡¯s tone, a sure sign that she had made some amazing progress. Maybe even unlocked a snark general skill.


    As Viv kept pursuing the path of sorcery, Solfis was doing his thing farther out near the ward stone.


    //Rejoice, maggots.


    //For I, Solfis, experimental strike golem of Harrak, have selected you.


    //All your lives, you have been eking out a living in the dirt.


    //Fighting for scraps on the edge of the greatest empire that Parram ever knew.


    //Feeding off its remains like worms.


    //Now, fate has seen it fit to bring you a chance to exist.


    //To have an impact for the first time in your miserable lives.


    //Instead of wallowing in the mud like your forefathers before you.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± a muscular bearded man said from the backline, ¡°it ain¡¯t like that! I was not always a laborer. I was a soldier at the battle of Regnos. We held back the rebels!¡±


    //Oh?


    Solfis¡¯ unblinking glare focused on the one who had interrupted him. He tilted his head, the gesture strangely organic and all the more terrifying for it.


    //And what company did you belong to?


    ¡°The Arlon brigade, sir, folks from around the city.¡±


    //And what will they sing about the Arlon brigade at the battle of Regnos?


    //That you took the victory with your own bloody hands?


    //That the rebels fled before you as you struck them down?


    //Or that you stood and died while others carried the day?


    ¡°We held the line¡­¡± the human muttered, but his eyes were glazed and sad. His back bent under the weight of tragic memories.


    The golem stood straight then. He lifted a clawed hand before his skull and intoned in his alien, disturbing snarl.


    //Lo, during the fifth year of Emperor Hertan, did the Skyrend battalion take to Windscythe pass.


    //For three days, they fought the combined forces of Loress in glorious battle.


    //For three days, the arrows of the Merl shattered on their shields.


    //For three days, the Krol charges broke on their lines.


    //And for three days, Unbroken Berzerkers died on their spears.


    //On the fourth day, as the sun rose, the battalion descended upon the resting foe with the fury of the Emperor himself.


    //They drove the barbarians back to the river, where they drowned in the hundreds.


    //Until the waters ran red.


    //And their corpses floated to the ocean.


    The golem had spoken Enorian, not the more subtle language he usually favoured. The tale was raw and brutal and it spoke to the men present. It was not one of bravery against all odds, as they were used to from the usual propaganda. It was one of unstoppable might, and it bore with it the enticing promise of crushing victory. Power. Being more than just a cog in the meatgrinder. Being on the actual winning side, for once in their damn lives.


    ¡°But how are we supposed to do that? We got only one month or two, and none of us are Eron the Dragonslayer!¡±


    //I have no need for Eron the Dragonslayer.


    The golem¡¯s declaration was received with stupefied silence.


    //I heard his story.


    //I have no need for one who rushes alone on a doomed quest and dies by himself.


    //I have need for soldiers.


    //I picked each and every one of you because I saw the potential in you, the potential to be more than just spearmen dying for the cause.


    //But in order to succeed, potential is not enough.


    //It must be backed by effort, and a silverite will.


    The men closed rank around the golem.


    //We shall strike a covenant.


    //I will make you go through hell.


    //You will curse me.


    //You will curse the day your mothers gave you life.


    //Some of you will leave.


    //But those that stay will become the heralds of a new world.


    The bony frame leaned forward and suddenly, it was level with the considerably smaller humans. Its tone grew almost conspiratorial.


    //I will share data with you.


    //If entity Beebiane survives.


    //And if entity Solfis survives.


    //There are four chances out of five that this region of the world undergoes a resurgence.


    ¡°What¡¯s a resurgence?¡±


    The golem lets out a strange, sigh-like sound.


    //It means that the deadlands will become smaller and the living land will become greater.


    //As will those who live on it.


    //Our numbers will grow until lines of steel-clad phalanx blot out the plains.


    //And barbed arrows fall like winter rain on our foes.


    //You fleshbags will be the first.


    //The tip of the spear.


    //And the first thing you will do.


    //Is to ram that tip down Prince Lancer¡¯s throat.


    The crowd shifted for all of two seconds, then¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±


    //Good.


    //Let us begin.

 Chapter 64. We, the People

    It only took a bit over a week for routine to occur, and for the mines to transform into a hive of activity. Viv had expected more violence. She thought that the claustrophobic environment and adverse conditions would lead to a poor morale, but she had been wrong. The Kazarans had a goal. That goal was to take back their city and make the invaders pay. It was fueled in equal part by justice and spite, love for their kin and blind hatred for those who had come to hurt them. It was a clear, achievable purpose. Equally important, they had a deadline.


    The term had never been so accurate.


    The mines had two months of food, perhaps a bit more, and no way to get more locally. Their previous homes had acres upon acres of ripening cereals and plants of all kinds, beans and stalks almost ready to be harvested. That treasure trove had to be taken back, or they would perish. It was sink or swim.


    This led to an unprecedented level of unity the likes of which Viv had simply never seen before. Perhaps the educated, modern population of her home country had grown jaded. The study of history and politics had led to a massive disenchantment, Viv thought, further developed by the failure of politicians to make good on their promises. Kazar¡¯s population was different. They were fresh and helpless against even the cheesiest tricks of eloquence. It did not mean that they were stupid, just that Viv talked to them one evening out of two and they actually listened, and believed.


    That was another of Farren¡¯s ideas. They had organized an agora to let the citizens discuss ideas and express themselves. Orkan the apprentice inquisitor had also come up with a small arena for people to punch each other silly in order to close the more heated arguments.


    ¡°You¡¯d be amazed how people become more receptive to judgement after they¡¯ve worked out their frustration,¡± the Hallurian had wisely said, tattoos pulsing merrily in the darkness.


    The locals had already decided to call it the ¡®Hallurian discussion¡¯. Even women had taken to it with gusto. Sometimes, all out brawls or slapping contests took place as well.


    And so day after day, the Kazarans discussed and prepared. Men and women dug along the surface and cracked holes in the mountainside to make troglodyte dwellings. An entire section of the tunnels had been turned into rows of basic habitation with the Yries generously providing a pair of generators for room-sized red barriers to seal the access. The bakery and smithy were hot and busy repairing equipment used during training, while those who had decided to take arms practiced day-in day-out to hone their skills. There was even a competition going on between Solfis¡¯ recruits, the guards, and Neriad¡¯s followers.


    There was a lot of fucking as well.


    What pleased Viv¡¯s modern mind the most was probably how she had successfully disarmed racism, at least for a while. Nobody batted an eye when Yries came with shipments of metal they traded against necessities, nor when Irao¡¯s Hadals came to deliver wood or a trussed up monster for the day¡¯s Mechoui dish. Nobody gave a shit anymore. There were the Kazarans on one side and the Enorians who were definitely going to get it on the other.


    Such was the desire to make their independence a reality that they had started to work on a constitution. We, the People, it said, in order to establish a better city, establish justice, guarantee freedom, promote the general welfare and guarantee the independence of Kazar, do ordain and establish our constitution. Then it went on about the town council and who was a citizen and so on.


    The beginning might have been stolen from the United States¡¯ own preamble because she had read it long ago as part as a group project. But hey, it was public domain and the locals loved it.


    All in all, things were going surprisingly well. So well, in fact, that Viv was expecting some sort of catastrophe. It did not happen. Instead, they received visitors.


    It happened in the middle of the day as Viv was practicing setting up her artillery spell faster through the use of constructs. A sentry whistled to announce newcomers. Viv was not aware of the sign codes but since no one was running around screaming, it was probably okay. The visitors turned out to be mountain tribe walkers. The small group stumbled forward, obviously tired. Their thin forms were hidden behind tattered black mana repelling clothes. Viv remembered that walkers had insane stamina so these guys had obviously been pushing it. She abandoned her training for now and decided to follow them. Someone would probably ask for her anyway.


    Their new guests were given fresh water and finally settled in the command room, or rather, most of them fell asleep while the leader stayed awake. The council was gathered in a matter of minutes.


    ¡°We need help,¡± the man said without preamble. Viv realized that she knew him. He was the tall and gangly guy who had hit on her once. He was well-respected among the tribes.


    ¡°Raiders have come from Kazar. They¡¯re going from village to village, killing everyone. There¡¯s a hundred of them or so.¡±


    ¡°A hundred soldiers?¡± Viv asked, sensing an opportunity.


    ¡°No, not the regular soldiers we saw. Bandits. People without uniforms. We would stop them but many of our hunters are trapped near the summits to clear out a nest of feathered locusts.¡±


    Viv remembered them from the bestiary. Those were pests that could clear out an entire harvest in a couple of days. Once in flight, there was no stopping them without losing the harvest as well.


    ¡°Our caster did tell you to expect that much,¡± Farren noted with a cold voice.


    ¡°I know!¡± the man spat, ¡°but unless you¡¯ve forgotten we¡¯ll be short on food this year even if things go well. If that swarm had taken off, my people would have starved. And besides, the border villages were evacuated. The bandits went after the hidden villages.¡±


    ¡°Hidden villages?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°We have villages far above the fields to retreat to in case of danger. They cannot be seen from the road, but those bandits found us anyway. It¡¯s like they knew where we were all along.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a skill.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Can you help us?¡±


    ¡°Orkan and I are going,¡± Denerim said. As an inquisitor, he would always be front and center in these cases.


    ¡°How many horses do we have?¡± Viv asked. They had captured a few of them from the dead riders and had some to begin with. They ate a lot of cereal but could ultimately be turned to meat so they were still around.


    ¡°Twenty-seven, I think,¡± Brenna said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going,¡± Viv said. It was obvious. She was their main power multiplier. It was also obvious that they would help the mountain tribes. Those folks were not entirely trustworthy, but they were also a buffer, allies and potential food providers so of course she would not antagonize them.


    There was also a serious chance to kill off some of Lancer¡¯s forces before the final confrontation.


    ¡°We have fighters as well, around fifty brave combatants in armor. Not enough to carry the fight by themselves, sadly,¡± the walker said.


    ¡°We should get the Temple Guards backed by archers and Viv. Solfis as well. All our elites,¡± Lorn declared.


    In the end, they decided to go with that plan while still leaving Koro behind in case of a monster attack. The wild woman was their best pure hunter, after all. The expedition group packed quickly and Viv realized at the last moment that they had been joined by three Hadal, including a woman with long black hair she had shaved on the sides.


    [Hadal strain infiltrator, very dangerous: a Hadal strain human specialized in covert operations. She has limited control over black mana. Assassination expert.]


    Nice. Viv had no objection, and the messy group soon rode out, Solfis having given clear instructions on how to keep training.


    //A necessary investment of my time, Your Grace.


    //If we lose you, it is all over.


    Viv felt a measure of exhilaration when they heroically rode out in two columns, dust rising under the hooves of their mounts. It felt suitably cool. The novelty lasted exactly one hour, then her ass began to hurt.


    ¡°How do those horse girls even do it,¡± she grumbled, ¡°I have high stats and I¡¯m still sore.¡±


    //With all due respect, Your Grace, you do not have high physical stats.


    Viv glared at the compact golem mounted on Marruk¡¯s back by her side. It was lost on him. She might as well scold a stone.


    //You do have high willpower.


    //I suggest you use it.


    ¡°Yeah okay okay.¡±


    Asshole. Viv shut up and focused on staying on her saddle. Again, she was surprised at how docile and resilient the local horses were, a proof that they, too, were affected by magic. Perhaps there was even a horse breeder path, who knew? In any case, they rode hard along the path with the mountains to their left and the deadlands extending to the horizon. There were no obstructions on the trail since the convoy had passed through only a couple of weeks before. Sometimes, they found discarded items and pieces of fabric around. If Lancer had wanted to follow them, he would have.


    They moved for the rest of the day and only stopped as the sun set. The walker guided them to a village where they were offered cots and a warm meal in the communal house. Viv appreciated the fact that the mines now had a steady supply of fresh water, else the enclosed space would have been suffocating with so many bodies in there. She did not react when the Hadal disappeared off somewhere to sleep. Everyone was off again at dawn, relatively well-rested. Viv felt like having a magical body was a bit like doping, except that everyone was doing it and the men didn¡¯t grow tits.


    They entered the terrasse farming part of the mountain and the mood turned dark as soon as they passed the first village. People were both harvesting what they could and loading carts, fear obvious on their sun-tanned faces. Children cried. More than a few people started praying as they passed by, yelling words of encouragement. It was a very real threat to them, while to Viv it had been nothing but a side task on her way to vengeance. Up till now. She only had to think for a second to realize what ¡®bandit attack¡¯ meant in this world. Those attackers were not there to rob people and push them on the ground while laughing maniacally. This was not some PG-13 movie featuring a sexy barbarian. It was war before the rules of war were invented.


    Viv calmed down and focused on the now. Mountain laborers were waiting at crossroads, redirecting the cavalry flow as it approached. Viv was amazed by how united the tribes were in their cooperation. The sun climbed overhead and they stopped at the ¡®capital¡¯ to refill their flasks. Marredyn, the official leader, approached them. He still had that massive turban on his head that looked like a ball. He nodded at Viv, just once, but she saw a hint of tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Go. Save my people.¡±


    It was probably a skill, but Viv felt buoyed by his prayer. It had been genuine. Everyone rested then the expedition cut through the mountain flank like a knife. The thunder of hooves heralded their arrival and when they passed, people made way and cheered. They slowed down as the sun set for the second time. It had taken less than a day and a half to cross the entire mountain territory. A record, she thought.


    Before them, the land opened in the distance towards the distant dot of Kazar. Green plains extended in a band to another mountain far into the distance while, to her left, the Deadshield Woods spread to the horizon in an ocean as deep and threatening as the real thing. Viv refocused. There was smoke climbing in the air half a kilometre in the distance. They could not see the village from where they stood as it was beyond the incline. A soldier in an ancient chainmail and a red gambeson hailed them quietly.


    ¡°Are you the reinforcements?¡± he asked in Enorian.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lorn replied, ¡°we came as quickly as we could.¡±


    ¡°You are not many but¡­ perhaps speed is for the best. Come. Follow me.¡±


    Everyone dismounted and followed the mountain fighter through a winding path between two grass-covered mounds, then to a camp in a hollow.


    Viv was impressed. Anyone down the slope would look up and see only uninterrupted mountain slope. That depression allowed fifty soldiers to hide from view. They huddled in clumps around men adorned with slightly more elaborate gear and red cloth around their helmets. Between the red cloth and ratty armors, they looked like Roman legionaries after three campaigns in the Teutoburg forest. Their weapons were clean and well-maintained though, and the mood was serious. Denerim deferred to Lorn who walked to the obvious leader. The gruff, lean old warrior was standing aside next to three prisoners. As soon as Viv got closer, she recognized them. They were two men and a woman from the guard, the very same who had left with Corel. They appeared to be healthy, if genuinely depressed. Everyone was so focused that they barely gawped at the sight of Solfis.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome,¡± the mountain commander greeted, ¡°I¡¯m Goredyn, I command this lot. You people came quickly.¡±


    ¡°We rode as fast as we could,¡± Lorn said. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°The situation is that the Enorians have sent their thugs to rape, pillage and kill. That¡¯s the situation,¡± the man fumed.


    Goredyn took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, grief and frustration had replaced anger.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know how but they found the village. It¡¯s too late for our folks, but I won¡¯t let the invaders leave and take their loot with them. They die on the mountain or we do. I¡¯ll let the... the double turncoats tell you more.¡±


    With those words, he walked out and signaled his men to assemble. They did so in silence.


    Meanwhile, Viv was left with the guards.


    ¡°You gave up and fled with Corel,¡± Lorn said. ¡°Now look at you. Wearing the prince¡¯s colors.¡±


    ¡°We know we fucked up or we wouldn¡¯t have defected,¡± one of the men answered in a weary voice.


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Corel led us back. We arrived at the city with no food. The Enorians accepted us in exchange for information. They know everything, by the way, your location, your numbers, your abilities, they even know about the golem.¡±


    ¡°Then they know little. Continue.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Yeah well, Prince Lancer settled down with the bridgers and they started to evict locals. it went about as well as you would expect. The tree of Kazar bears nooses this year, with plenty of fruits.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone was particularly bitter.


    ¡°That was just the beginning though. The witch forgot an important detail when she reported the number of settlers. Two thirds of them are men, men who paid not just for land to seed, if you catch my meaning.¡±


    Viv was stunned into silence, but the others were not. Even Afghanistan had not managed to jade her completely yet. The locals were made of different stuff. There were no rules of war on Param.


    Nevertheless, Lorn socked the man hard and he spat blood and a tooth. The old knight¡¯s face had not changed.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Right. Pfft. Since the settlers were starting to get restless, Lancer got an idea. They would find the women where they were.¡±


    ¡°The mountain tribes¡­¡±


    ¡°And Corel volunteered.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Lorn said, finally dismayed.


    ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m fucking lying? We were already horrified by the evictions but we couldn¡¯t do shit. The bridgers didn¡¯t trust us. But acting as bandits? That was the last straw. We fucked off as soon as we could.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve captured the village¡¯s girls, anyone who can bear a child,¡± the female guard said, ¡°we need to save them before they¡¯re brought back or we might as well slit their throats.¡±


    ¡°How many and what do they have? Any casters?¡±


    ¡°Corel leads the raid. No caster, not even those hybrid siege specialists. Careful though, the prince has one with him. I think it¡¯s a red mage but I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°A pyromancer?¡±


    ¡°We never saw her but the bridgers mentioned a lass. She and Lancer are an item, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful, but I don¡¯t give a fuck who shags whom. The numbers.¡±


    ¡°One twenty, easy, but they¡¯re mostly on the second step and many of them just abandoned their path to become marauders. Good and bad, I guess.¡±


    Viv did not get it and it showed, because the third guard addressed her.


    ¡°Marauders have skills that suppress pain, fear, hunger. Everything. They always fight at their best. Course, they don¡¯t fight very long, or don¡¯t live very long for that matter. Errel, I think you should tell her about the name.¡±


    The first guard lowered his eyes for the single second it took for Lorn to make his gauntlet creak.


    ¡°Right, so Prince Lancer is good at talking. He¡¯s good at making it all seem your fault,¡± the guard told Viv.


    ¡°My fault?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He had people gather near the tree and talked to us. He said that the Kazarans had fled rather than face the consequences of their actions because they were weak and lured by evil. That¡¯s you by the way. He said that the Kazarans were lazy but that they could be redeemed if your influence was removed. I almost believed it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the woman said, ¡°he speaks and it all makes so much sense. Everything becomes so clear. It¡¯s only if you pay attention that cracks begin to show. The soldiers and settlers live in a world where Kazarans are scum and deserve everything that¡¯s happening to them. We¡¯re lazy people who dodged both wars and grew fat on the back of the hard-working people of Enoria. That¡¯s how they see it, because of him. Oh, uh, also, you are the Great Black Slut.¡±


    There was a lull in the conversation as almost everyone threw a furtive glance at Viv to gauge her reaction.


    ¡°I think I preferred goodmother after all.¡±


    //I will be sure to claw this moniker on his corpse.


    //After all is done.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Even Arthur was offended and she didn¡¯t even speak.


    ¡°You are taking this pretty well for someone who cuts stone in two,¡± Marruk observed.


    ¡°Wow, the scion of a conservative regime uses promiscuity to degrade and discredit me, painting me as someone to be feared and looked down upon. I also happen to be someone who poisons minds so I shouldn¡¯t be listened to. I am shocked. Appalled. Scandalized. Totally did not expect that from him.¡±


    ¡°Please stop rolling your eyes or you¡¯ll see your own brain. We get it. Can we use this in battle?¡±


    In truth, Viv was pissed. It was just that being called a slut did not even remotely compare to the rest of what he had done. She had already reached the top of the scale. He could not add to it.


    ¡°We could use me as bait.¡±


    //I object.


    ¡°Smartly, of course. Do you think that they will engage us or flee?¡±


    ¡°They will attack us if they think they can win. They hate us.¡±


    ¡°And they think we are weak,¡± Gorredyn said as he returned. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°We create a compact formation with Temple Guards and mountain infantry in front and Viv visible. Guard three deep at the front, infantry two-deep in two wings. Archers behind. We rotate around the witch and form a circle if they try to flank us,¡± Lorn proposed.


    ¡°My folks can do that, but no promises.¡±


    ¡°I will stay out and attack targets of opportunities,¡± the Hadal woman said. It was the first time in two days that she had spoken.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked when everyone looked at her.


    ¡°Nevermind, ok we do it like this. We come from uphill, unless they have archers?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have trained archers,¡± the first guard says, ¡°let us come with you, we have to atone for our mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question. You¡¯ll atone the way we tell you to atone, and that won¡¯t be in the next fight. Alright, form up. Archers, shoot the sentries first. Lady Bob, sorry, Vivvviane, keep the pressure off us. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Goredyn agreed to let the Temple Guard take the center since they had the best warriors. He took the right flank and named a squad leader for the left. The archers spread themselves behind. It took a few minutes to set up and make sure that everyone understood their role, and Marruk used this opportunity to lean in for a question.


    ¡°I know how humans treat Kark. But how can humans treat humans like that? I thought you had laws?¡±


    ¡°Laws and empathy apply to people, that¡¯s why the first step for rulers is always to dehumanize the population they want to persecute. But, you know, I¡¯m doing it as well. I¡¯m going to throw spells at people and just focus on protecting my side. They have to be horrible, less than human things to me or I¡¯ll hesitate.¡±


    ¡°Have you considered making them human and solving things?¡± Marruk asked, but it was more a cry of the heart than a proposal.


    ¡°Have you?¡± Viv retorted. She could not help it.


    Marruk kept quiet as the formation closed around them.


    ¡°Your race is not kind.¡±


    It was both an explanation and a remark. Maybe the Kark were kinder. Maybe that¡¯s why they were losing.


    They went over the ridge.


    Viv felt a distinct feeling of distance from the enfolding scene as nearly sixty soldiers in packed formation walked down a slope to a mass of murderers and rapists twice their numbers. Red capes and dull armors shone strangely in the dying light. Their expressions were grim and their eyes focused forward. It was strangely quiet for such a grand event, the calm before the storm. Viv had already experienced a local battle but it had been rushed and Varska had taken the lead. Now, Viv was front and center and as the battle line advanced, a terrible disconnect harried her neurons. Here they were, walking down a slope in a straight line behind a shield wall. Viv was a fucking combat medic for fuck¡¯s sake. How had this happened?


    Then a flicker in the sky made her raise her eyes for an instant. It was Arthur circling the village like some great bird of prey. The sight jolted her and she became hyper aware.


    The scent of sweat.


    Boots stomping on the ground.


    The low earth domes of the mountain folks¡¯ dwelling gathered in two concentric circles.


    The sentries on top as they turned, as they died choking on three fingers of steel. Their death rattles sent the camp into an uproar.


    A particularly stupid man with no pants jumped out from cover and saw them, then shook his fist in their direction while bellowing curses. Two arrows hit him in the sternum. Blood leaked and leaked. He fell down. Thirty more meters.


    No one came to meet them.


    ¡°Hold!¡±


    ¡®No plan survives first contact with the enemy¡¯, or so the saying went. On the other side of the walls, people were rushing around.


    ¡°Should we go in?¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Lorn replied.


    Someone was screaming orders.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Viv asked an archer, ¡°can you locate the enemy commander?¡±


    ¡°The one talking on the other side of the wall, yeah?¡± another replied, ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Then come next to me and throw an arrow his way.¡±


    ¡°Into the wall?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The man obeyed and a shaft buried itself in a thick layer of terracotta.


    There were civilians in the village. Back on earth, that could have been a court martial. This was not earth.


    ¡°Arty.¡±


    The relatively thin spear of black mana punched through the mud with disdainful ease. Corel screamed. Viv recognized the disgraced captain¡¯s pitch. Served him well. Fuck terracotta, and fuck him.


    With this, the mob yelled and their clamor reached a crescendo. One moment, Viv could not see a single person. The next, fighters surged like ants from behind every building. The largest opening had the highest number of combatants. And women. The marauders advanced in a vague line, pushing their captives in front to act as meat shields. Viv saw bruises, wounds, denuded flesh. She shut it down.


    On their side, the mountain warriors brandished their blades with resignation clear in their face. Time was short and so Viv¡¯s mind went into overdrive.


    Draw a circle under her feet to help with the wide purge net. Inscribe the glyph for direction, to help.


    Draw colorless mana.


    Draw more of it.


    Quickly.


    Outliers hit their flank. There were marauders climbing on top of walls to throw stones. Some had slings. Solfis placed a hand on Viv¡¯s shoulder.


    //I will cover you, Your Grace.


    //Unleash your hatred.


    One of the slingers fell with an arrow through the skull. Another got a facefull of screeching dragonling. A third disappeared, dragged backwards by a pale arm. She had enough colorless mana now. She manifested the runes Varska had taught her. Sound had been the mage¡¯s favorite domain.


    The mountain tribes spoke Old Imperial while the invaders spoke Enorian. The two languages were close but not that close. It was the ancient language she picked for her next words.


    ¡°DOWN. DOWN ON THE GROUND. NOW.¡±


    <table>


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    Leadership: Beginner 6


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    She did not wait to see. Black mana flooded from her core into the circle and then back into her. Black tendrils grew around like Medusa¡¯s hair. She was ready, so ready. Just had to wait¡­


    The mountain women threw themselves forward. A portly old girl jumped on a teen and covered her head. Another unlucky one was stabbed as she fell, her hesitation fatal. There was still one standing. It would be enough. It would have to be enough.


    ¡°Purge net.¡±


    Tendrils of absolute darkness whipped through the tight ranks of the marauders with a furious hiss. Some tried to get down. Some hid behind shields. It made no difference. Viv¡¯s spells had become fast enough that she would be hard-pressed to dodge them and there were dozens of tendrils. The first ranks were shredded. Blood pooled under their mangled bodies.


    ¡°FORWARD!¡±


    Viv suddenly felt danger and was suddenly grabbed back, her nope shield fizzling in the air. Something clanged, and she found herself looking at Solfis¡¯ yellow glare. There was a small impact on his shoulder¡¯s armor. The runes glowed in the twilight.


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    //Archer.


    //Marruk, no exposure until I am back.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Viv was grabbed and pushed back under Marruk¡¯s door-shield. For a few seconds, there was nothing to see except that one plank of wood. It was quite grainy. She felt a bit off.


    Pretty sure someone had tried to decapitate her with an arrow.


    Women started to be pulled into the formation as the soldiers let them through. Most of them collapsed. A few were crying. Solfis landed back in the formation.


    ¡°Any chance you could help?¡±


    //There could be another archer.


    //Why don¡¯t you stand up and help?


    Viv did so. Their flanks were already buckling under the pressure of the bandits.


    [marauder, dangerous: one who follows a path dedicated to raiding, violence, and fighting beyond one¡¯s limit.]


    As she watched, a man with his throat slit managed to grab a shield and pull a mountain soldier forward where his allies stabbed him.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    Another furious hiss. The mass of bodies smashing against their lines evaporated. Some bandits dodged back or ran with smooth speed. Others fell to the ground and were melted anyway. As for the rest, they found themselves between a death cloud and vengeful blades. They died in droves.


    ¡°Got anymore like that?¡± Lorn yelled.


    ¡°One or two,¡± Viv replied. All the spells she had cast had been high consumption. She was already getting tired.


    ¡°Then do the other side!¡±


    At the front, the Temple Guard had managed to recover most of the captives by virtue of stabbing any foes that approached. All of their fighters were far into the third path at the minimum and they made short work of attackers, particularly the pair of inquisitors who were virtually unstoppable. Viv trotted while Marruk left her spot in the formation. This side had collapsed more so the spell wouldn¡¯t be as useful. She cast it anyway. Men fell and died. The spell ate through them, not in the way of acid but as if whatever part of their body was touched just went missing. A few used spells, gouts of light and fire to try and protect themselves but their attunement was pathetic. The werfer ate them too.


    With the lines buckling, the battle turned into a more general melee. Some of the soldiers on the edge broke formation to rescue wounded allies or fleeing girls. Arrows and stones flew through the air. By Viv¡¯s side, Marruk crumpled skulls and spines, one overhead strike at a time. As for Viv, she could feel her conduits struggling to draw mana from her core and that meant that she was close to empty. She decided to pace herself by throwing the occasion purge spell, focusing on the most beleaguered soldiers. It was more important to protect her allies than to kill now.


    Despite her best efforts, soldiers fell under the marauders¡¯ relentless assault. More than a few fighters got caught off-guard after inflicting fatal wounds, only for their foes to strike at them with renewed vigor. Without the chain mails there would have been a lot more fatalities.


    The battle devolved into a grind. All the slingers had been taken out by then so savagery fought against cold anger and lost. At one point, Viv¡¯s side was reduced to less than thirty fighters covering the wounded but Viv¡¯s surgical strikes and the quality of their own soldiers carried the day.


    The marauders never broke. They fought to the last man. Viv cast until her conduits were empty and drawing mana raked her soul. Solfis never left her side, though he sometimes lunged at a passing foe like a moray out of its hole. She stopped counting the times when someone she hit would stumble and fall because she had removed an important part of their nervous system. No flesh wounds for Viv.


    The mop up began.


    For Viv, it meant standing around looking like she was not about to faint. For the others, it meant finishing off stragglers. The mountain soldiers in particular executed the wounded with the slow but brutal manner of those whose exhaustion warred with an undying hatred. All the women who had failed to join their circle had died. Viv counted six of them dotting the field, unarmed forms obvious in the background of marauders in thick cloth dyed white and blue. It stank of shit and blood.


    Viv saw a temple guard calmly walk to a mewling bandit and stab him in the chest. She turned to Lorn who had stayed near the large group of wounded they had been covering. He had used all the life mana he had and was now standing guard.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this as a challenge,¡± Viv said, ¡°but doesn¡¯t righteous war imply taking those who cannot defend themselves prisoners?¡±


    He took it as a challenge.


    ¡°Oh, sure. Let me do the accelerated version of the events.¡±


    The knight took out his sword and walked to a wounded bandit on the side. He was beyond help, eyes closed, breath short.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to imagine that I took this man, healed him, dragged him back to the mines, put him in a prison that we do not have and gave him food that we cannot spare. The day of the trial has come. You stand accused of murder, rape, banditry. The sentence is death.¡±


    Lorn killed him. It was probably a mercy.


    ¡°Neriad asks for it, but He lets us define what is righteous. Right now, finishing our foes cleanly is more than they deserve but I¡¯ll do it anyway. By the way, you may want to check the village. Won¡¯t be long before Corel breathes his last if he hasn¡¯t already. Black mana wounds are extremely hard to heal after all.¡±


    Viv decided that leaving would be for the best. She could not even help with the wounded without keeling over anyway. Arthur landed nearby, maw dyed red, and they walked into the village.

 Chapter 65: Birds of a feather

    Viv¡¯s older colleagues always had a faraway look when they mentioned Serbia and Kosovo. Now, Viv knew why. Out of all the heinous things people could do to each other, the wholesale slaughter of civilians topped the list, if not by horror, at least by frequency. It should have come as no surprise that funding an expedition to take land did not attract the most empathetic people, and that gathering raiders out of the group would lower the bar even more. Viv had simply not thought about it.


    Corpses were strewn haphazardly through the rings of buried houses. Boys. Men. The raiders had bound older women to the flat walls of the communal hall. Their white hair fluttered in the wind under scarlet scarves. The slingers had used them for target practice. Farther down the road, cages waited, some of them open and their captives crashing on the ground in tears. The three Hadals were liberating the rest with a pilfered key.


    ¡°Marruk, could you let the others know that the prisoners need help?¡±


    The shield bearer left without a word. Distaste was clear over her large face and Viv could guess why. The Kark had made her opinion of human practices clear enough.


    They found Corel lying on his side in a pool of blood. Anybody on Earth would have died of shock minutes before but not him apparently, not with the stats fuckery. Viv wondered how that worked exactly. Was it magical energy that carried oxygen to his brain? Because most of the original fluid filling that role had left his body. Viv¡¯s spell had hit him in the left clavicle. It had left a crescent of missing flesh reaching to his shoulder. Where the spell had hit, flesh and armor had been sheared off cleanly. There were no signs of burn or acidity. It was just gone. She noticed in passing that the spell had punched through at least two walls before digging into the ground. It had been a risk. There could have been civilians, but in her mind, eliminating a powerful leader had been worth it.


    Corel saw her then, and smirked in the bitter fashion of those who have lost too much to cry. It made Viv feel angry, with the background of slaughtered civvies. Someone who had stooped so low had no right to feel sorry for himself.


    ¡°Squeeeeee.¡±


    Arthur had left to sniff the body of a kid. She did not appear to understand, and neither did Viv.


    Corel knew things. She had to¡­ she had to ask him.


    She was just too angry.


    ¡°I suppose this is my fault as well?¡± she asked loudly, arms spread to expose the disaster around.


    ¡°Cockroaches clinging to their mountain slope. Useless. Let Kazar down,¡± he growled weakly.


    ¡°But not as much as you, Corel. I simply don¡¯t get it. You were a cop for fuck¡¯s sake. I know that it was you who showed the raiders the path to the hidden mountain refuges. Only a local notable would have known and you are the only turncoat so far.¡±


    ¡°Talk all you want,¡± the man gasped, ¡°Kazar is dead. The one that mattered, not the gathering of idiots you¡¯ll use as a stepping stone, Bob the Calamity. Resh was the city. You are just a parasite moving its corpse around.¡±


    ¡°Are those your last words? Is this how you want to end up, killed in a bandit raid you led yourself? A slaver, murderer and a rapist? Because the woman you admired died?¡±


    Corel was gasping now. He had stopped trying to save himself and the last of his life was quickly leaving. Viv knew that interrogating him now would yield no results. He was too stubborn, and he was dying too quickly.


    ¡°Better to destroy it all¡­ than let you steal it¡­¡±


    ¡°You are insane.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    The fallen captain¡¯s eyes left her and focused on a point by her side. Inquisitor Denerim had come, followed by his apprentice. He was both livid and detached.


    ¡°Are you here¡­ to judge me?¡± Corel rattled.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Denerim¡¯s hand whipped like a snake and fastened on the fallen captain¡¯s forehead. Meanwhile, his eyes shone like orbs of molten gold and the hair of his grey-streaked beard lifted from some invisible wind radiating light from some unknown source.


    ¡°Know what they endured,¡± he roared.


    Corel screamed. He screamed until he died.


    Denerim shuddered. Viv was a bit disappointed. No information from the man, and yet he did suffer an absolutely horrendous and pathetic death so there was that. She would take all the victories she could.


    ¡°You need a moment?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, please. Sometimes, I learn things from such punishment but this time I did not. I am sorry. It had to be done.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was not like I absolutely had to kill him with my own hands.¡±


    ¡°No, ah, I forgot that you were a traveler. Sometimes, carnage can give birth to aberrations. Abnormal monsters that actively hunt humans. I had to purify Corel¡¯s soul or dark magic could have focused on his powerful resentment to turn him into something even worse.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, Farren mentioned something of the sort.¡±


    The discussion petered out. A dozen soldiers were helping the caged prisoners down and towards the main group under the watchful gaze of the three Hadals. Temple guards went from body to body to touch them and stop them from rising as revenants. The wounded were taken care of by their fellows with bandages and magic. Not for the first time, Viv felt completely useless. Fortunately, Solfis had a great sense of timing.


    //Your Grace, there is the matter of the archer that tried to kill you.


    ¡°Oh yeah. Are you ok by the way? I saw damage on your frame.¡±


    //The mark six version of the mage-killer frame has an integrated self-repair mechanism for long deployments.


    //At the cost of durability.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time that I saw you damaged.¡±


    //Indeed.


    //We operate under strenuous circumstances and I had to make do with improvised equipment.


    //In an optimal setting, the dragon bone would have been treated with precious oils.


    //And the glyphs would have been etched with silverite powder or an equivalent.


    //The use of second-rate materials has led to this.


    ¡°Maybe we can give you an armor or something.¡±


    //No, Your Grace.


    //Anything you come up with now will reduce my overall performance.


    //Please consider that my loadout was designed by the Empire¡¯s top engineers.


    //The mage-killer can absorb and disperse all but the most devastating of spells.


    //In exchange, my frame is vulnerable to physical damage.


    //An armor would reduce my mobility, which is where my greatest advantage lay.


    //I am a strike golem, not a guardian golem after all.


    ¡°I realize that I never asked about your abilities. You told me that you were dedicated to hunting monsters and high-value targets but I never dug deeper into the question.¡±


    //You saw what I could do when I slew the necromancers.


    //This was an accurate demonstration of my capabilities.


    //With my current frame.


    //As for why I stayed by your side instead of hunting, it was to protect you.


    //Since this was the battle¡¯s only point of failure.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    //You are a smart and resourceful heir, Your Grace, just as I had hoped.


    //For example, using an arrow from a scout to guide your spells is a method that was recorded in my database.


    //But it did not occur to me, because my ability to think outside of the basic parameters remains limited.


    //It did occur to you, which shows that I can trust you to fulfill your role.


    //As such, I calculated that we could only fail if you were disabled.


    //I also calculated that there was a not-insignificant chance that the prince would send an assassin to take you off while you were distracted.


    //By using the fallen captain as bait.


    //It is the sort of cheap, honorless tactics my prediction algorithms have come to expect from that thin-blooded upstart.


    Solfis walked and led Viv and Arthur to a small hovel behind which a man lay dead. He was dressed in what she could only qualify as a medieval Ghillie suit, complete with terracotta dust and pieces of grass. The interesting part was his bow, which was very large and looked deadly. It was made from a dark sort of wood Viv had never seen before.


    [Killer yew bow, enchanted: this bow requires a large amount of power to draw. It is best suited for dedicated paths.]


    It looked nasty, but not as nasty as the barbed javelins that served as its arrows.


    ¡°So, Prince Lancer gathered all the disgruntled among his group and threw them at us with the hope that they would inflict enough damage before they died.¡±


    //Historical records hint that just getting rid of them could have been an equally important objective.


    //A summary analysis of the marauders¡¯ equipment indicates that most of it was their own.


    //The quality is simply too low to have belonged to a proper regiment.


    //Additionally, there was a high likelihood that you would show up.


    //Hence why he sent a sniper to take you off, just in case.


    ¡°He¡¯s really taking the cheap investment, high return approach every time. He must really need the money.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    //Would that alter your plans, Your Grace?¡±


    Viv thought about it for a moment then shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The way I see it, he¡¯s going for the low-hanging fruits in a bid for his father¡¯s seat. He got the money from the settlers, then he¡¯ll get the money from the slaves he¡¯ll bring back since there are at least six to eight hundred people who did not evacuate in time. He¡¯s fulfilled most of his objectives, and after he¡¯s gone he won¡¯t really care about Kazar. It was never a strategic objective anyway.¡±


    //The iron mine will change this.


    ¡°Yes, but only after he takes the throne, I think. We¡¯re all secondary concerns to him. He¡¯ll want to do the bare minimum then piss off to the power race that will come with the season for war. We wait for him to leave, then we take the city back.¡±


    //I must ask, Your Grace.


    //You take the city back then what?


    //You will be the most driving element in what is technically a separatist revolutionary government.


    //Against one of the continent¡¯s most powerful kingdoms.


    //Is this how you envisioned your stay in Nyil?


    ¡°No, I guess not.¡±


    //What will you do then?


    ¡°I have not decided yet,¡± she lied.


    Solfis leaned forward and his yellow orbs pulsed once in their cavities. He tilted his head. To Viv, he looked smug.


    //I see.


    //I, Sofis, am delighted to see that your objectives now go beyond just going back to your home realm.


    Viv cursed in her mind when she realized that he was completely right. At first, she had been a tourist. Clearly, Nyil had a lot of stuff going but it did not really concern her as she was just a transient. Now, she cared. It was like going to some obscure country for two weeks of hiking, getting trapped there by a government crackdown and joining the guerilla. She had been pulled in so deep that even if someone popped out from nowhere to offer her a ticket back, she would not accept it.


    Not while Arthur was vulnerable, not while over a thousand people depended on her for their survival.


    And not, she had to admit, until she had her revenge.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    //Welcome home, Your Grace.


    Viv glared and was quickly reminded that glaring at Solfis was an exercise in futility. The cold shower of the recent realization also calmed her down. Revenge was good but she would not drag Kazar into it. She would find another way. And if Prince Lancer actually won both the throne and the war, she would probably have to give up, at least until she gathered a lot of support. She was not completely insane.


    Damn.


    What a world.


    //Should we return to the group, Your Grace?


    ¡°Hold on, let me get the bow and arrows, no need to let them go to waste. Let¡¯s go and talk to the Hadals. I¡¯m curious.¡±


    They moved out and found that all the civilians had been freed and moved. The Hadals were now lounging on top of the cages like sated tigers. Their leader, a woman, followed Viv with their eyes as she approached. She dropped gracefully down when they were close enough.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Viv greeted, ¡°we have not met yet. Can I ask your name?¡±


    ¡°Two-Six,¡± the other replied in the same raspy voice as Irao. She was smoother than him, less awkward. There was also a bite to her tone and posture that Viv normally enjoyed but was a bit too tired to appreciate right now. Two-Six shared the same skeletal traits as Irao. They looked more exotic on her, and a tad softer as well. Black hair reached to her shoulders, tied in a ponytail that was a bit too thin. She had shaved both sides of her head and Viv thought she looked a bit like a goth who had adopted the man-bun. She immediately felt guilty for the unkind thought.


    ¡°Well, hello Two-Six. Folks may not say it since you¡¯re a recent addition, so thanks. I appreciate you getting those slingers off our backs and rescuing the civvies.¡±


    Two-Six nodded and so did her two bald companions.


    ¡°Appreciated. The mountain warriors actually did thank us. Lorn did it as well. We are pleased. And relieved.¡±


    ¡°You were testing to see if integration was possible?¡± Viv asked, curious. The woman smiled in return.


    ¡°Not integration. Cooperation. Living together. Most of us still struggle with¡­ normal people. The lads and I are second generation Hadals. We have less of what makes us us, so we are better able to function around normal people.¡±


    ¡°I was not aware that Hadals had different, errrr, strains?¡± Viv asked, trying not to make it too awkward, but Two-Six just laughed.


    ¡°No, I mean that my mom was a Hadal but my dad was a normal human.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°She told me that a large amount of mead was involved.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    She was trying to test her, Viv thought. Two-Six¡¯s mouth smiled but her eyes didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Half of our group are first-generation. They tend to survive better because they were better-trained, you see? It¡¯s hard to make it to adulthood when half of the world kills you on sight.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully this will change now that you have joined us,¡± Viv answered.


    ¡°Yeah. Hopefully. I know that you took a risk and expect us to pull our own weight so I decided to join the war effort. More of us will assist as time goes on and we¡­ recover. This is the first time in my life that I can show myself for what I am and not get hunted.¡±


    Contrary to Irao, her eyes were black, not yellow and slitted like a cat, but as Viv watched they shone red in the dim light and she thought there might be some illusion at hand. Obviously the Hadal was still on-guard and Viv only understood too well why she would protect herself. After what must have been decades of persecution, any entity that welcomed them must be seen as a trap. It didn¡¯t really matter to Viv so long as the woman carried her own weight.


    As Viv pondered, Two-Six came to a decision. Her mask of casual snark disappeared and her expression grew serious but not aggressive.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to threaten you. You know what we can do, we know what your golem can do. Just think, though. Right now, most of us wait for the hammer to drop on us. If you are what you say you are, you stand to gain our eternal gratitude. All the remaining Hadals survived for a reason, and all of them will eventually make their way here. I¡¯ll be your hand in the dark in the meanwhile, but please just give it a real chance. You won¡¯t regret it, I swear.¡±


    ¡°I was honest when I said that all were welcome regardless of species so long as they behaved,¡± Viv assured, ¡°I just hope that one day you will trust me enough to believe those words.¡±


    Again, utter platitudes, but the Hadal liked it, or so it seemed. Viv decided to move and check on what was going on before the conversation grew awkward. It turned out that the Temple Guards had things well in hand. The mountain soldiers, less so. They had fourteen fatalities out of about fifty fighters. It was an incredibly high number. Most armies would have broken long before it happened. As such, she and her allies had to wait for a full day before everything got sorted and the bodies were incinerated using very efficient pyres. The return to the capital was not the triumphant march Viv hoped it would be. They had many of the rescued civilians with them who were to be split among distant families. The handful of small villages Corel¡¯s raiders had found were nothing but graveyards now.


    Marredyn, the mountain leader, took Viv apart during the humble celebration feast he insisted on having. They made their way to the stairs of his long house and she caught a few discussions that were happening between mountain folks who could understand Enorian and her own archers.


    ¡°So, the rules that direct how we live together are called the social contract, right? But a social contract is implicit. That¡¯s just a fancy way to say that it ain¡¯t written down, you see? So, you got to write the rules down or else old Ramak down the street can say it¡¯s ok to eat your apples and you say it ain¡¯t and it¡¯s a right mess. So first, you got to write the general mood of the rules. Principles. And there comes the constitution... ¡°


    She felt like she¡¯d started a cult.


    Marredyn didn¡¯t seem to notice. Up they went, under the rafters. The mountain leader¡¯s office was small and made of wood, and more importantly only contained a handful of papers. It reminded Viv that she was on the frontier of a world that didn¡¯t have much of an industry that she could see, and that Marredyn had to govern without notes. She wondered if he had a skill for that.


    As for the leader, he sat down heavily and stared at Viv with hooded eyes. They reflected under the orange glow of a pungent candle. He waited for a few minutes, long enough for Viv to grow distinctly uncomfortable. Only her habit of ignoring cheap tactics prevented her from squirming.


    She didn¡¯t think that Marredyn was doing it on purpose.


    ¡°You are going to attack Kazar and try to retake it,¡± the old man finally said.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was no secret, or at least no secret to anyone on her side. Marredyn was on her side. If he had not been there before, he was now.


    ¡°What will happen if you succeed? Will you change the terms we had with Mayor Ganimatalo? After all, Kazar will have to be rebuilt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what terms those were, and I¡¯m not interested right now. We have a saying where I come from. Don¡¯t sell the rathclaw¡¯s pelt before you¡¯ve killed it.¡±


    It was a good-enough approximation.


    ¡°I see. The mayor allowed us to trade not just with the Church of Neriad but with some select armed forces I will not name for confidentiality reasons. She took a ten percent share in return.¡±


    He leaned forward.


    ¡°If you waive that fee for the next ten years, we will lend you soldiers. Fifty well-trained mountain warriors with their equipment, just like those you fought alongside with today. Think about it.¡±


    Viv did not have to think. She felt something in him that she recognized in herself. It was the leadership skills. She understood it better then. Leadership was possibly one of the few skills where progress came from without, not from within. It was a mark of the world on her soul that told the other: here is a mover, here is a shaker, and here is someone who gets shit done. Marredyn outclassed her completely, but she had another social skill well-suited for the situation.


    Viv let it happen. Something rose with her anger. It was the same vague feeling that permeated her being when she was doing, shall we say, aggressive negotiation.


    She leaned forward in return.


    ¡°You know, we found traces of your deadland walkers scouting the mine while you were away.¡±


    The man blinked at the non sequitur.


    ¡°Now I can appreciate that you look after your own first and foremost,¡± she continued, ¡°that¡¯s why you sent people sniffing around the mine for opportunities even though the Church of Neriad claimed it first. After all, it¡¯s a cruel world. Likewise, I can understand that you want to cover yourself against a leader who you are not familiar with.¡±


    Her intimidation aura spread throughout the room and even the ever-canny Marredyn took a deep breath.


    ¡°But what I can¡¯t tolerate is people fucking with me, because I represent Kazar and fucking with us is not something that¡¯s in your best interest. Not now, not ever. So I¡¯m going to be perfectly clear. You will send those soldiers because you can¡¯t afford to ignore your villages being so casually destroyed and your people murdered and taken. You are going to send those soldiers because if you don¡¯t do shit, when I return in one month, someone else will be sitting in your chair wearing that fancy turban. I¡¯m not someone you screw with that easily, old man, and I don¡¯t appreciate you trying.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Beginner 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intimidation: Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Hm. That intimidation rise was slightly worrisome.


    ¡°Fair enough, young one, fair enough,¡± Marredyn replied with a chuckle. He showed no more signs of tension. ¡°You will forgive an old man his tricks. I was not asking for much, I assure you, but I agree. It was inappropriate. Please accept my apologies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept actions, not words. Also I have a proposal.¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes glinted with the fires of greed. It would take more than Viv to affect him in the long run, it seemed.


    ¡°Do tell?¡±


    ¡°We could train your men for food.¡±


    ¡°Our men are already trained.¡±


    ¡°Your men are trained like a militia handling well-made but antiquated equipment. You have lost much of what you used to be.¡±


    ¡°And you have found a way to recover it?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    He remained silent for a while.


    ¡°What we have lost, eh? We have lost much, and not just training methods. We are those who didn¡¯t stray far and returned as soon as we could, but the deadlands stopped receding. They had reached an equilibrium.¡±


    ¡°There is a way to claim back more ground and you already use it. I can make more ward stones. Although, we both know that it¡¯s not what you need. You need to reclaim your legacy. You need more breathing room than just the leagues of harsh terrain you stubbornly cling on. You need to live, not just survive, or you will never fully flourish.¡±


    ¡°You are exaggerating. We have traditions that keep us strong. However, I have to admit that we could accomplish much more with more means. Suppose we accept your offer of training against food, what then?¡±


    ¡°You can always join us through a military alliance.¡±


    Marredyn laughed.


    ¡°No, I know what you are going for. We will not bend to a Kazaran. Never.¡±


    ¡°We shall see how things develop, shall we? In the meanwhile, I need an answer.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred crates of fresh greens over the next two months by weekly delivery. A hundred of various tubers and millet to feed my fifty men for this duration. This is a generous offer. Please do not push me now.¡±


    Viv made a quick calculation. Two hundred crates was a massive amount, practically a full warehouse. They had only brought several times that number to begin with. It would not just stretch their food, it would also bring variety to everyone¡¯s diet, an important aspect of morale. Marredyn¡¯s offer was indeed generous. More importantly, her political instincts told her that the old grumbly man had thrown his pride into the mix. To object now was to invite a worse trade and she would accept it anyway. They were desperate.


    ¡°Deal. And thank you.¡±


    ¡°We have suffered more losses in soldiers yesterday than we have in the past two years combined. Thank me after this is all over by bringing me my people back.¡±


    ¡°That is the plan.¡±

 Chapter 66: The Gathering Storm.

    Training picked up. The mines now had the peculiar mood of a home army camp on the eve of deployment. Half of it was all business, but the other half did their best to make the circumstances more pleasant. The baths were kept clean and well-flooded, there were new constructions rising every week and a few kind souls had spent a lot of time and mana to create bushes of wildflowers, bringing some much-needed green to the desolate place. Viv spent her days either practicing outside or accompanying convoys to and from the Yries camp and specific hunting grounds that only the Hadals dared travel. She fought the moles again, the bats, two giant worms, a sort of trap lamprey that dropped from the ceiling and a particularly pungent gut spiller. The Yries asked her to help clear the vale outside their cave which she did for a few more services. Her efforts bore fruit and she got a pleasant surprise after a particularly intense practice with the inquisitors.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana sense, mana manipulation and mana absorption have merged into the advanced skill: mana mastery at novice 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was a breakthrough, one that had a distinct and lasting impact on her perception of the world. Mana pervaded everything, absolutely everything. Even the stones had a potential, an impact on their surroundings that went beyond the mere physical. The entire world of Nyil was¡­ malleable. Someone powerful enough could turn it into a salt plain or an eternal garden. It would take an impossible existence but it was technically feasible. Mana colors were not true colors but categories of intents left on reality. She could taste them, feel them, see them¡­ not manipulate them since she did not have the proper distribution though, and that was strange.


    She could see the red around a lit torch, but she could not grasp it with her mind. It felt strange to her, distant, though not alien. It just did not recognize her. The part of her soul that moved the world did not have the limbs to touch red mana. Trying was a strange and frustrating experience, but the frustration lasted only so long as she didn¡¯t try to touch the black. When she did, well...


    Once, Varska had said that using mana was struggling against the will of the world. It certainly felt that way with colorless mana which was simply raw potential. Black mana was an entire different beast altogether. Before, it was like an overeager Labrador puppy. Now, it was a bloodhound. Even if Viv¡¯s control was far from perfect the energy still flowed in and around her with lithe, deadly grace. It begged to be unleashed. It almost felt¡­ alive.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress: 1/10


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her attunement had also reached 24.2%. The idea that such an abstract concept could be measured with math baffled her to no end, yet it came from the god of magic so who was she to judge? Concretely, she was on the verge of casting her artillery spells the way they were meant to be, not their simplified version. Her mana channels also reached the mage level and her ability to cast continuously increased dramatically. All in all, it felt like a massive improvement after months of relentless pursuit. She sometimes wished she had gotten it a bit before, but quickly told herself that it may not have helped much.


    The Yries made good on their promises and they delivered heavy armors and weapons with regularity. The trainees selected for this week¡¯s shipments immediately switched to their proper gear and discarded those that had been pilfered from revenants. The armors themselves were iron, very dark, and made by means unknown. They had a glassy, pitted quality to them that gave off a raw vibe that worried her until the town smith and the church conducted some tests.


    ¡°This is prime work, if ugly. I threw an axe at it and the thing barely got dented. The owls sure know how to build things.¡±


    Meanwhile, the rest of the goodies arrived, mostly Yries crossbows. Those were not new. They were the sort of cobbled-together weapons the strange beings had used on the revenants, yet they were effective and the guards took a liking to their own. Many took to decorating their weapons with some turning into real works of art. The only parts left untouched were those dedicated to firing and they were mercifully standard so bolts were interchangeable.


    Viv got her silverite tool delivered with the black mana stone used as pommel. It was not a short staff, of course. She wasn¡¯t some sort of field marshal. It was a knife.


    A big ass knife.


    To stab people, because why not have the option? She was going to bring that thing into battle and did not see the point of looking like a cheerleader. It also came with a sheath that complimented her off-grey robes pretty well.


    The design was both simple and exquisite and truly showed what a master forger could achieve when skills and magic were involved. She didn¡¯t think that a modern computer-based cutting machine could have done any better. Most of the surface was left untouched except for a few shield glyphs that immediately proved useful.


    ¡®Pok¡¯


    ¡°Aw, DAMMIT!¡±


    ¡®Hss¡¯


    ¡°Hah, I got it this time.


    ¡®Paf.¡¯


    ¡°Gah, not the shin you ASSHOLE!¡±


    Day after day, the children of Kazar would sneak up on her and throw small stones to help her train acuity reflex. The skill allowed her to cast at an incredible speed when in danger, replacing finesse-based reflexes with mental ones. It was an incredibly useful survival tool and she was more than happy to see it develop. The only problem was that she was convinced that the little twerps had gotten skill increases too. They were merciless. Solfis had even been forced to implement one hour breaks between attempts so that she could practice in relative peace.


    Arthur was a bit surprised about the violence at first, yet she understood the concept of ¡®mock-battle¡¯ and training.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Not you too. No.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee...¡±


    She was not the only one making progress. A month after the start of the training, Solfis went to visit her as she was recovering near the well. He had brought Ban with him. The old, retired militiaman looked even more thunderous and wiry now, all lean muscles like taut steel cables. His long white beard jutted out of his heavy helmet while his dark gaze zeroed on Viv with laser-like intensity. As for the Lost Heiress, she was trying to chill and the atmosphere had just turned dead serious.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked, regaining her composure.


    //We have achieved success, Your Grace.


    //Ban has reached a milestone and he is able to upgrade his path.


    //There is only one condition left to achieve.


    ¡°I need to swear allegiance to the Harrakan Empire,¡± Ban said, looking miffed, ¡°Can¡¯t say that I¡¯m ecstatic.¡±


    ¡°The Old Empire? The one that blew up completely?¡±


    //You are considered as heiress to the empire, Your Grace.


    //I am aware that I stretched the rules to nominate you when we met.


    //However, it appears that the Dead God, Nous, has a sense of humor.


    //Ban must swear allegiance to you.


    ¡°Errr, fine? I guess? Is there a ceremony or¡­¡±


    ¡°Not so fast,¡± the old man stopped her. He took a deep breath, quite flustered.


    ¡°Look, I swore to myself that I would never bend the knee again to any man. Or woman, I suppose. I am forced into a situation I don¡¯t like one bit. That said, hmm, if it will improve our chances against Prince Lancer then, harrumph, I suppose that I can make that sacrifice. However¡­¡±


    And there Ban¡¯s expression grew so dark that Viv could have sworn that it was a skill. It was particularly impactful because Ban was quite strong, his black armor was quite thick and he had a full metal practice stick that looked like it weighed a ton.


    ¡°Betray the ideals you¡¯ve shown, ask me to kill children or the like, and you¡¯ll get my spear through the guts, even if it kills me. You won¡¯t see it coming but you sure as Enttiku will feel it going out. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Perfectly clear.¡±


    Solfis didn¡¯t say anything so Viv assumed it was all fine.


    Ban sighed again, a powerful movement that shook his whole torso.


    ¡°Right. Right. I, Ban, son of Greror, solemnly swear to serve the heir, long may she live, for the good of the empire and its people. Gah! Harrak eternal.¡±


    //Harrak eternal.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s working.¡±


    Viv inspected the man as his eyes grew wide as saucers.


    [Harrakan heavy recruit: dangerous, a man who follows the path of the Harrakan heavy infantry. He focuses on heavy pole weapons, group formations and squad tactics.]


    Ban relaxed and his eyelids fluttered.


    ¡°By Neriad¡¯s balls that is one powerful path. If this is the norm then no wonder real infantry tore us to shreds. Fuck. This is so unfair.¡±


    //Ah yes, the world is unfair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me.¡±


    //But it is quite nice when it is unfair in your favor, is it not?


    ¡°... Yeah.¡±


    //Let us stack the odds.


    //Back to it, recruit.


    ¡°It feels so strange not to be called a maggot anymore¡­¡±


    //That¡¯s the spirit, recruit.


    //Now go back to training with the other maggots.


    Viv watched them leave and returned to her practice.


    The next pleasant surprise happened one morning as a regular Yries convoy reached town. The owl-creatures had come often to trade stuff and the Kazarans had only been too happy to oblige. It had the added effect of giving jobs to the less martial members of the community. This time, the visitors were unexpectedly joined by Lak-Tak, the large female stone-weaver. She requested to see Viv and a crowd gathered before the mine¡¯s entrance to watch the scene, with the light of the morning sun shining from behind the mountains.


    ¡°Friend Viviane, you have been truthful and fair in your dealings with us so far. After we were chased from our homes, we had a poor opinion of your species. We still do, but we think you and Farren and the others might pave the way forward to greater cooperation.¡±


    Lak-Tak spoke in a slow and determined voice, each syllable clipped but perfectly clear.


    ¡°Thank you, Lak-Tak. It means a lot coming from the Yries,¡± Viv replied, appreciative.


    ¡°Yes. By greater cooperation, we mean more exchanges and more trades. You can even come and visit sometimes but generally we would like to be left alone.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Blunt.


    ¡°To symbolize our friendship, we have designed a shield that will prove useful to you. We remember that you were hurt by a quarrel. This shield will stop the quarrels and arrows that will come this way. Please note that this is not an oath. Also, please note that the shield only blocks quarrels that hit it, you still need to hide behind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you. That will be very useful.¡±


    Marruk grumbled something but Viv thought that it was a delicate attention. The powerful Kark fighter could only ¡®gate-keep¡¯ (haha) the enemy from one direction at the time. And it was true that the Yries quarrel that hurt her had passed through her partially-formed shield, only looking a bit corroded. The snipers probably had arrows that were even more efficient. It did not hurt to have more protection, not to mention that she usually didn¡¯t use her hands to cast anyway. That was more of a mage thing. She was much more instinctual.


    ¡°This is a very thoughtful gift,¡± Viv added in her most earnest voice as she was handed her newest piece of gear. It felt nice to get free stuff once in a while.


    ¡°You are welcome. Please kill Lancer. If not, please keep him away from us. After that, please remain the same.¡±


    ¡°I will not turn on you, if that¡¯s what you fear. I promise.¡±


    ¡°I think that you believe your own words. I also know that humans desire much. I hope that you remember this moment when it will be convenient and easy to go back on your word. Then, you will know your own measure.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And I hope it never comes to that.¡±


    ¡°It will. Iron is very valuable. Goodbye, Viviane the Lost Heiress. Stay alive and stay yourself. The drill is almost finished, we will send it up soon.¡±


    The Yries passed a spindly limb over her heart, or at least Viv thought it was her heart. It might have been her gallbladder. She nodded once and departed with the other Yries squawking excitedly at the sight of greenery. They were gone soon after.


    Viv looked at her shield. it was round and surprisingly light given its girth. It came with a harness that she had to wear to fix it on her back, which allowed her to just reach for it over her head in an instant. The surface was sheer and grey except for a single inscription on the side that did not feel magical.


    ¡°It¡¯s the symbol for Yries!¡± the town smith grumbled, ¡°can¡¯t have you go into battle wearing foreign colors. Gimme dat."


    Viv did because the rest of the crowd cheered at his words. The piece was returned to her later with a flat layer of metal half a finger thick added on the opposite side of the symbol. The smith had inscribed the tree of Kazar on it. It was rather cute


    ¡°I won¡¯t mess with that inscription of theirs. For all I know, it¡¯s part of the enchantments and besides it¡¯s bad luck to erase an artist¡¯s signature.¡±


    The added layer probably messed with the balance but it was not like she knew how to wield a shield anyway. She inspected it.


    [Reinforced Yries Aegis (enchanted): this masterwork was designed specifically to protect its wielder against piercing attacks by spreading the impact over its entire surface.]


    Nifty. Now she only needed a proper helmet.


    Training continued, with Viv keeping her shield with her to protect her back at least. Eighteen more trainees changed paths over the next two weeks while the rest dropped. A few of the guards gained skills related to crossbow-handling and integrated them in their existing path. The mountain tribe soldiers did not change paths since an oath of allegiance was required. The army of Kazar was close to taking shape and Solfis successfully requested joint maneuvers. Viv found herself spending a few afternoons hunkering behind Marruk, walking around behind ranks of infantry. The golem had advised the adoption of a combined line of shields and ranged weapons, in this specific case, crossbows, which was effective in small scale battles. Viv had no idea if it would work or not. She was not a student of military history to begin with, and skills would fuck with her assesment in any case. Better to let the experts decide.


    Lorn had approved.


    It was impressive how important formations were perceived to be, and how much effort was spent making sure that the army would hold together until past the wall where it would (hopefully) split. Even with skills backing the movement of the soldiers, there were accidents and bumbles. They did little to soften the sight of three hundred men and women moving in unison to reclaim their home. She just hoped that most of them would make it.


    So far, the army was a patchwork of different forces. She could count on the twenty or so Temple Guards still alive, the deadliest force they had. Then came the twenty Harrakan heavy infantry. Together, those formed the core of their shock troops. Behind, they had fifty borrowed mountain soldiers with decent weapons and armor and another hundred guards in leather, gambeson and the rare brigandine. The crossbowmen were all guards. Over a hundred poorly-equipped militia made up the rest of their force. Viv and the others had done their very best to recover and repair equipment from the hordes of revenants they had slain but no amount of gear would turn them into anything else but chaff. They were useful for holding the line and that was it. Viv hoped that they would not pay too heavy a price for their courage. Finally, Kazar also had its hunters and a handful of Hadal strains, but those would operate by themselves.


    Things were taking shape.


    Food was growing scarce, and yet their diet remained varied thanks to the hunts and mountain tribe deliveries. Viv was growing tired of the eternal broth and congees. She missed desserts. She also decided not to voice her opinion on the subject.


    Finally, after almost two months of exile, it happened. Viv was getting changed in her assigned room which had windows over the mine entrances when she heard a voice.


    //You may want to wait a minute.


    ¡°I have news,¡± Irao¡¯s raspy voice came through the door.


    //And it can wait a minute.


    //There is a fine line between lack of social graces and lack of common sense.


    //See that you do not cross it.


    ¡°I¡¯m presentable!¡± she announced, clad in a comfortable dress.


    Irao let himself in and stared at her for a second.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she finally said.


    ¡°I want to say that I did not want to see you getting changed. I also find you pretty but too dangerous and have no romantic interest in you. It is a nice dress though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not flirting with you Irao, the dress is for my own comfort.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I wanted to make sure.¡±


    Outside, the golem let out a strange warble that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.


    ¡°You had something to say?¡± Viv asked, split between amusement and cringe.


    ¡°Yes. Prince Lancer finished overseeing the land theft, gathered over three hundred slaves and then departed. He left Kazar in the hands of a nobleman with over a hundred bridgers to back him up, as well as one earth hybrid caster. He departed three days ago.¡±


    Viv immediately bounced forward, her feet carrying her past her humble cot.


    ¡°So this is it. We need to alert the council.¡±


    ¡°I had my kin do so. You may join them when ready.¡±


    Viv grumbled about having to change back into her slightly damp and sweaty robes. Gogen¡¯s brood kept the place, and Viv¡¯s underwear, clean. They still needed a few hours to do so. Viv made her way down to the main square and met everyone in the room. Some of the resting warriors saw her pass and gave each other knowing elbow bumps. The hunters and Hadals had reported movement and the preparation of a convoy so everyone was expecting news any time.


    ¡°So, this is it,¡± Farren said. He was distinctively paler. His fingers worried a corner of one of their few inventory books without him realizing it. Lorn nodded, expression grim yet determined. His group had suffered the most casualties relative to their size since the beginning of the year.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give ourselves a few days before the main group leaves. The scouts can go now. As for the main convoy, it will be soldiers, then the medical group, then the smiths and quartermaster and finally the non-combatants, as agreed.¡±


    It was decided not to split the Kazarans. Unarmed folks were just prey without dedicated fighters to protect them so they might as well follow. It was sink or swim anyway. If the Kazaran army failed, the population would have to choose between slavery and death.


    Viv hoped it never came to that.


    ¡°We are ready with medical supplies. Our alchemist did his best, and we have twenty-three batches of flesh-mending potions to split among the fighters. They are low quality due to lack of, well, everything, so do not expect miracles.¡±


    ¡°We are fine food-wise. We rationed in order to have enough for another three weeks but we can increase the rations for a few days so that everyone goes to battle well-fed,¡± Farren added.


    Viv was looking forward to that, she had lost a bit of weight and she didn¡¯t have many reserves to start with.


    Denerim spoke next. The inquisitor had remained aware of his status as an outsider, so his interventions were few.


    ¡°I suggest that we hold a mass prayer before¡­¡±


    His words were interrupted when a soldier barged in. His eyes found Viv immediately.


    ¡°Goodmother! That is, mam. Your drake is very sick. It has collapsed on the ground.¡±


    Fuck.

 Chapter 67: Fever

    Viv was out of the room before the soldier could utter another word. She sprinted out the door and out into the complex in front of the mines. It wasn¡¯t too hard to find Arthur because kids hung on every corner, running around in panic. They all pointed towards the baths.


    Viv ran. She spotted the dragonette¡¯s prone form and slid by her side. Her body radiated heat.


    ¡°Eeeeee.¡±


    Fever, a big one. Viv took the heavy creature in her arms and hissed in pain, changing her posture. The scales scalded her. Had to bring that down a bit, as Arthur was decidedly uncomfortable. She ran into the baths and dove into a nearby pool still wearing her dress. Arthur shivered. Her clawed hands pierced Viv¡¯s skin a bit and the caster grit her teeth, but her charge sighed in relief.


    Viv¡¯s mind was a mess.


    She should have paid more attention to the dragon instead of spending so much time training and doing politics. She should have checked her health. She should have interacted more with the small one, instead of doing the bare minimum for months, because she thought she was too busy. She was a shit surrogate mother. Now Arthur was burning and she didn¡¯t know why.


    As despair gripped her heart and the fever kept going, Viv inspected the dragonling in her arms. At first, she felt very little because of her turmoil, but soon her perception became more acute and the strands appeared clearly to her mind. Arthur had colors about her. More specifically, she had all of them. Ropes like a kaleidoscope shimmered across her skin while her horns appeared to pull mana from around. Viv could see thick black tendrils emerging from her own body. It did not hurt at all, nor did it feel intrusive. Her mana was full and this just looked like overflow being captured before it could dissipate.


    Viv had never noticed, never paid attention.


    ¡°Squeee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m here now.¡±


    The dragonette held Viv hard, clearly dismayed. Viv felt the incredible power in her limbs. She had witnessed Arthur tear revenants and men to ribbons in mere moments, yet even now in her hour of pain, the little one only used enough strength to keep herself latched. Viv cupped some water and rubbed a snout she could not see, above her shoulder. Arthur¡¯s breath came raspy and hurried.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, won¡¯t you tell?¡±


    And she did.


    Viv watched, mesmerized, as Arthur used blue mana to manipulate liquids, more specifically the water they were in. Characters coalesced with slow purpose. They were blurry, but readable.


    S.


    Hard C.


    W.


    E.


    ¡°Squee,¡± Viv summarized.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what she expected.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you have a fever. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re sick or poisoned or about to blow up. Do you need me to get you anything?¡±


    Arthur grabbed her a bit tighter.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not going anywhere. We can just stay here and wait it out. You can relax.¡±


    And she did try but it proved difficult. Arthur was on and off, sometimes moving and sometimes sleeping fitfully. Viv had to lay back against the bath¡¯s stone walls to let her arms rest a bit. At some point, Marruk brought her a bowl of something she gulped down without tasting it. Kids would occasionally whisper from beyond the walls in frantic voices. There were no changes. Late afternoon turned to evening, and evening, to night, and Arthur was still burning. Viv had to change bath because the previous one was quickly turning nice and steamy.


    The hours went on.


    Viv tired and let her mind wander. She yawned. Someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°May I come in?¡± Farren asked.


    ¡°Eeeeeeee!¡±


    ¡°Hm let¡¯s talk through the door, Arthur is feeling territorial.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I would like to point out that the moment we have been waiting for and working towards is finally upon us. We need to make ready to depart. As much as I appreciate you taking care of your pet, you are carrying the hopes of over a thousand people. Don¡¯t you think that you should set your priorities straight?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Farren, Kazar isn¡¯t going anywhere. A few hours won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not just a few hours? You rushed out of the council like a charger. We just stopped existing. What if it¡¯s a day? What if it is five?¡±


    ¡°What if? What if? With what ifs I could bend Lancer over and make him sing an anthem. What¡¯s your point?¡± she asked, annoyed.


    Farren sighed and it was clear that he, too, was angry.


    ¡°You are placing your pet over all the people who followed us into the deadlands. That¡¯s my point. What is wrong with you? Don¡¯t you see how much you are risking? Is it even dying?¡±


    ¡°She, and I don¡¯t know, and she¡¯s not a pet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know. You could let ¡®her¡¯ stay under supervision and take care of what really matters.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sick and worried and I will take care of her until she gets better. People are not dying right now, Farren. We can afford to let Lancer¡¯s main force get a bit father just in case he gets any idea and decides to head back.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about the timing, it¡¯s about your decision-making.¡±


    Both were raising their voices then. The kids around the bath house were making themselves scarce.


    ¡°How about that then, since you care about what matters? Kids love Arthur, she¡¯s the mascot. If we left her to scream alone and dejected on the eve of departure, what will it do for morale? Have you considered it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°I am not. Her scales are so hot I would burn myself without the water.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I see that you have made up your mind. Have it your way, fearless leader. I just thought that your words meant something. I thought that you were rational and reliable. Neriad¡¯s cock. Pah!¡±


    Viv¡¯s eyes went wide as saucers at the unexpected rant. Farren was usually so composed. What crawled up his ass, she wondered? Besides, he was full of it. She was not letting the invasion down, just taking a short delay because Arthur was a few degrees short of the gold melting point and that would affect her pouch, which she was still wearing.


    The dragonette squeaked weakly and Viv poured some more water on her snout. Farren could deal, and the invasion was still on schedule but it did raise an important point. In a way, Viv had had it easy. Not the whole almost dying and snipers things obviously. In the social way. None of her allies, or friends, had been at each other¡¯s throats despite their numerous differences. She had only made minor efforts to gain the trust of those who counted the most in her eyes. Arthur. Solfis. Marruk, though it had taken some time. Varska, technically, since the mage had not survived her betrayal. Farren¡­ Farren was a weasel even if he meant well.


    Yeah, she was lucky.


    All those people in her life had become solid and her family and friends back on earth had grown blurry despite her improved memory. It had happened so progressively that she had not realized. They were¡­ not in phase with what was happening to her. If earth had not blown up, they would probably be moving on now. By contrast, her new world was solid in a way that she had not experienced before. They all had their thing. Marruk always kept an eye on her back. She also hated wasting food, even scraps. Arthur liked to take out her two gold talents and look at them before she went to sleep. Solfis had upgraded his opinion of the surrounding mortals from meatbags to useful tools. They were very real and very alive and it had not cost her much to bring them around. Perhaps today was a real test of her character.


    She was ok with her decision.


    Arthur was important to her. The invasion would not stall if they delayed half a day. She would not sacrifice the little one for a perceived schedule, even if it made Farren mad and possibly destroyed her reputation. There were many uncertain things in Viv¡¯s life. This was not one of them.


    Evening passed and it was now night. Arthur stopped hugging her to drink clean water once. Her temperature had not dropped. There was no change that Viv could see so she stayed as she was, the earlier worry less now that Arthur didn¡¯t look to be in pain. Her thoughts wandered to music. She had loved music on earth, and she now missed it more than ever. The melodies were still alive in her mind, yet it was not the same as listening to the original. She hummed a few under her breath to Arthur¡¯s delight. At some point, the dragonette untangled herself to attend to a natural need but she returned quickly, temperature already rising.


    ¡°Can you write anything else in the water?¡± Viv asked, now curious.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want and only if you feel like it.¡±


    Once again, Arthur manipulated the flow of mana closeby like it was a part of her. New characters appeared.


    ¡®Mama.¡¯


    ¡°Awwwww!¡±


    ¡®Gold.¡¯


    ¡°Maybe later, you have to recover first, yes?¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    Feeling chuffed, Viv returned to being the dragonling¡¯s cat tree, the eucalyptus to her koala. She yawned harder. Tiredness caught up and she managed to sleep by half an hour increments, until Arthur woke her up once again.


    Her temperature had dropped. In fact, she was getting cold.


    ¡°Arthur? Arthur, are you alright?¡±


    The tiny one had closed her eyes and was breathing fast.


    ¡°Arthur?¡±


    The dragonling was now letting out a congested breath doubled with a kettle-like whistle.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Hks hks hks HKS KSHAAAA!¡±


    A sound like a woosh and Viv fell back. The bath was made entirely out of stone. That stone was now on fire. Angry red flames smoldered on the ground and the far wall in tiny puddles of death. Arthur sniffed once more as her breath returned to normal.


    Viv felt a very distinct caress on her forearm where Arthur¡¯s head had been resting, the specific jolt of nerve endings realizing their neighbors had died an ignominious death. Any time now.


    ¡°Aaaaa FUCK! OW!¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    Viv lifted the flame-spitting lizard like a handbag and crashed in yet another pool of frigid water. Every hair on her forearm had been vaporized and she could see a reddening track where Arthur¡¯s head had been resting. Third degree burn.


    It hurt like a motherfucker.


    ¡°Aaaaaaa sa m¨¨re. Awawawawaw.¡±


    //Your Grace, your vitals are¡ª


    //ABSOLUTE OVERRIDE: IMPERIAL HEIR IN MORTAL DANGER.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare you bone twit. Get me a healer, stat.¡±


    //ORDER ACKNOWLEDGED.


    ¡°Squeeeeeeeee!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. Ugh. Nothing too serious.¡±


    It was, in fact, quite serious. Pretty sure she had lost a lump of flesh, but this was the land of magic and she was not amputated yet. The cool water helped the abominable pain.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance: Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Earth her would be screaming on the ground right now. Not much of a comfort. It REALLY hurt, but she could not show it because Arthur was inconsolable.


    ¡°Squeeee¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine honey, just a small accident. You didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    Viv started to sweat and her breath accelerated as well, but she had to keep a strained smile for the panicking Arthur instead of stringing insults at eighty decibels like she wanted to.


    ¡°I swear I¡¯m not mad. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Farren burst in with a health potion and Denerim in tow while Solfis peeked in from the door. The inquisitor had the strongest healing spell out of everyone present. Viv guessed that he had a rather high attunement for someone who was not a mage.


    ¡°What in the name of Neriad happened here?¡± Farren asked, all anger dissipating. He looked like he had just woken up.


    ¡°Hks hks hks hks¡­¡±


    Viv grabbed the dragonette by the neck with her intact hand and aimed the head towards the far wall.


    ¡°KSHAAAA!¡±


    It was a sneeze except that every droplet of snot had been replaced by napalm.


    Farren froze at the sight. He looked at the flame burn for a while, weaker but still hot enough that the room¡¯s temperature was increasing.


    ¡°Can I get the fucking potion?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Hold on, let me take care of you first. It¡¯s not my first burn,¡± Denerim said. He started using life mana on Viv¡¯s arm. The flesh of the burn slowly melted into a pinkish puddle. It was a horrifying sight.


    Viv¡¯s burn was as large as half her palm, which meant quite large for a forearm. Denerim revealed damaged muscle fibers. Viv averted her eyes when they reached the bone. She returned her efforts to making sure Arthur could not see the damage. In vain. The dragonette was already stronger than her by an order of magnitude. She managed to free herself gently and looked at the damage.


    ¡°Squeeeeeeee.¡±


    ¡°It was an accident, alright? I will be fine.¡±


    ¡°You will have a scar,¡± Denerim corrected.


    ¡°SQUEEEE!¡±


    ¡°By the gods man, will you shut up? Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Not used to kids.¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Farren said. ¡°I feel like an idiot.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡± Viv replied. She could not help herself. Her annoyance was getting to her.


    ¡°Not for my previous statement and I stand by it. I just realized that with all the implausible strangeness related to you, the golem and sorcery and everything, it simply never occurred to me to take a closer look at your drake. Now, I assumed it was a marsh drake since it¡¯s a relatively easy species to tame, even without skills. An albino drake, to be precise. Something a rich heiress would have. I assumed it had been teleported with you and that its status was obfuscated to mask your origin. Now, I feel like a complete imbecile.¡±


    Farren smiled. It was fake as hell. His eyes had grown manic.


    ¡°This is not a marsh drake.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not,¡± Denerim said, still working on Viv¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Marsh drakes don¡¯t spit fire. No magical species with scales and wings spits fire except for that specific one, and now I know for sure that you are an outlander.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Viv said, ¡°Finally figured it out, did you?¡±


    ¡°I had suspicions like half of the leadership of the camp I suppose, but now I know for sure. No native of Nyil, not a single person, not even a madwoman, would act like that towards a fucking dragon.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Language.¡±


    Farren blinked and realized that the hard-breathing and slightly off put dragonette could follow the conversation. Arthur huffed and closed her eyes before catching Viv again in a hug.


    ¡°You are completely, fully insane and you will be vaporized just like everything in a league¡¯s radius when the old ones find out, but right now we cannot do without you, and there is no adult dragon around here anyway. I just pray that you are not in the village when it happens.¡±


    ¡°So you must see why it¡¯s also in your interest that we delay the expedition for a day, right?¡±


    ¡°... No?¡±


    ¡°Alright, just imagine that an ¡®old one¡¯ figures out that you mistreated a young dragonette by leaving her alone in her hour of distress?¡±


    Farren swallowed his saliva with some difficulty.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to bed and when I wake up tomorrow, everything will be better because the world will make sense again. Goodbye.¡±


    He left.


    Arthur and Viv had been successfully distracted for half a minute and went back to their previous activity: squealing and trying very hard not to do so, respectively. Denerim was done anyway. Viv¡¯s burnt tissues had been melted off and only healthy tissue remained. He spread half a flesh-mending potion on the wound and had her swallow the other half. It tasted like lukewarm herbal ass. Or freshly regurgitated cow vomit perhaps. She gulped it down anyway.


    ¡°Lots of folks make the mistake of applying flesh-mending potion directly to burn wounds. It just makes the flesh hard and scarred. You would need a healer for a full recovery.¡±


    ¡°Are there burn-specific potions?¡±


    ¡°Of course there are but flesh-mending is general purpose so potions are far more common. In any case, it appears that young Arthur¡¯s fever was related to her biology. Congratulations on your growth, young one.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°I just hope that there won¡¯t be too many more surprises along the way,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°You can always write a book on proper draconic education and health,¡± Denerim deadpanned.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°She likes books. In any case, if you feel better we will leave soon but I think that you should sit that fight out,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°The enemies have bowmen, Arthur, and you are still weak. You should rest.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Of course you can come with us. I''m not leaving you here alone. Let¡¯s go to bed if you¡¯re getting better. Your mother needs her rest.¡±


    It felt incredibly weird to say that word out loud, but Viv was okay with it, she realized. She also wondered how dragonlings managed in the wild. Did they instinctively find a lair to huddle in? Or did their mothers usually watch after them for long periods of time? She didn¡¯t know and suspected that the research on the matter of dragon-rearing simply did not exist here, just as Denerim explained.


    Viv collapsed in her cot and Arthur became her weighted blanket. They were woken up halfway to noon by Marruk.


    ¡°The convoy has started, though people have decided to let you sleep a bit more. We¡¯ve got horses and an escort. You can nap a bit more and then we¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    When Viv was ready, the mines stood empty. She noticed that people had taken the time to clean and organize before they left, and the familiar ground now stood halfway between the dusty wreck they had first found and the survival base it had become. Outside, the greenery would remain for a while. The suncult marea on Varska¡¯s memorial was still going strong and the Yries had agreed to take care of it. They would send a few of their own here to secure the entrance.


    She looked at her progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 24.3%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She was strong now, almost as strong as Varska had been in terms of battle potential. Less flexible, but much more devastating. Varska had not been a battle specialist, after all.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    16


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    35


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    20


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    35


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    23


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Both endurance and willpower had increased by one. She didn¡¯t have a baseline but she thought that it was not great for such a long period of effort. Solfis had mentioned that strenuous circumstances (as in actively being in danger) or targeted exercises would allow rapid progress past this point, but not to expect miracles. She has grabbed all the low-hanging fruits. From then on, it was a question of commitment. That was fine though. Under Solfis¡¯ advice, she had focused on controlling her abilities instead of expanding them. She could already shear a man in half from fifty meters away with the strength of her mind. There was no need for additional firepower. Now, it was about using it properly from afar and then living to tell the tale.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Novice 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 8


    </td>


    <td>


    Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 5


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She had seen progress around the board except in intimidation. It wasn¡¯t fair that Farren had not been scared by the revelation. She supposed that he was mad more than anything else. In any case, she had the means to protect herself from snipers and the like. Unless Lancer had left a nasty surprise, they had a chance.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This had not changed except for pain tolerance. She discreetly pulled the sleeve on her enchanted robe and checked her arm. All the hair was gone and some parts remained a little bit red. She also had a scar. It was more a light discoloration than something truly mangled, luckily for her. In a way, it looked like a flying dragon looking down. Viv shrugged and chose not to think about it for now. It was a scar. Fine. She had other scars. She would have more scars before this was all over.


    It was time to go.


    With one last look at the abandoned base, she rode out.

 Chapter 68: Swing of the pendulum

    Viv reached the tail of the convoy by afternoon. Her borrowed horse trotted merrily along the line of well-organized and neatly packed carts. Gone was the image of refugees groggy and stunned by their misfortune. The Kazarans moved on with cold determination hiding their deep fears. She saw it in the fake smiles, the deep sighs and the licked lips. Those people were terrified, but they had hope, and so they were throwing themselves down the lion¡¯s jaw hoping to kill it before the fangs snapped shut.


    It was the same with the fighters. At the top of the column, they marched in good order. The militiamen had turned their pilfered cloth armors and weapons into a semblance of uniform by all wearing a white upper shirt. Grey flags bearing the tree of the city floated on top of spears like so many pennants. The core of the army, both newly made Harrakan heavies and mountain soldiers went ahead in neat ranks. Finally, the elites under Lorn and Denerim opened the march, with scouts fanned before them. They, too, showed nervous calm and well-contained anxiety.


    The first night came.


    Despite their decent speed, it would take almost a week to head back. A lot of people had trouble sleeping despite their exhaustion if the amount of late night strolls and isolated couples were any indication. The morning came with a copious breakfast. They had decided to go for broke and finish their reserves. If they succeeded, they could just get grain literally off the stalks and eat them boiled. If they failed, well¡­


    The convoy passed through the mountain tribe territory on the third day. Villagers came to wave red cloth at the passing fighters and sing songs of encouragement. Laborers in the field cheered for the Kazaran fighters and their own. A few of the villages distributed fresh water and flasks of extremely powerful booze at crossroads. The convoy took on a festive air. That night, the council gathered.


    ¡°Any indication that we¡¯re walking into a trap? Lancer could have pretended to leave.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the man in charge of the scouts replied. His name was Michar and he was seldom present, preferring to stay on the field. ¡°We followed their tracks for a good fifteen leagues and a few of the Hadals went much farther. The prince is gone with two thirds of his troops.¡±


    ¡°Can they be trusted? The Hadals, I mean.¡± Lorn asked.


    ¡°I think so. They¡¯re damn good, I¡¯ll tell you that, If they decide to lie, there isn¡¯t anything we can do. But I trust them. They showed their worth during several hunting missions.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Then we shall proceed as planned.¡±


    Viv eyed the only Yries to join the strike. He was a tiny one named Lak-Tak and he had brought with him the key to success: a SUV-sized, self-propelled drill that looked like someone had fixed the digging part on a steampunk locomotive, modified for speed so that it could keep up with the column. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how it was powered and dared not ask.


    It looked suitably badass.


    The mood turned more serious as they went over the mountain. On the afternoon of the sixth day, they arrived at the edge of the chain. Beyond, the green wall of the Deadshield Woods expanded to the horizon, and before it, the thin golden stripe of ripe fields. Finally, sitting on its small elevation in the middle of that defiant band was Kazar herself, shining red under the lilac boughs of its great tree while the twilight sun bled across the land. Their prize, waiting for their return.


    They drank and made merry on that last afternoon of free time. They were far enough that the scouts had absolute control of the place. In fact, they reported no enemy agents. There were just a handful of militia in a waystation at the feet of the mountain. Viv didn¡¯t drink, she meditated instead then told a few stories to Arthur who was still convalescent. They went to bed early.


    They woke up with the aurora.


    Every soldier put on then checked their gear, including Viv who had also found a standard helmet her size. They assembled in a column and walked down the mountain. The bodies of the enemy sentries lay by the side of the road, throats sliced open in ghastly red smiles by their scouts. Those soldiers who had not known combat saw the bodies and shivered. A few lost their breakfast but no one gave them shit for it. The army advanced without a cry, their approach covered. The pallid pink lights of the early morning caressed the plain.


    They went past many fields. Those who had stolen their land had barricaded themselves in their warprize homes, aware of how tenuous their claims were. The scouts made sure that no one left to warn their enemy. The Kazarans stopped close to the city at the edge of the deadlands, just behind a ridge. It was the shortest distance to the walls they could get to without being seen.


    There was a lull when soldiers went from march formation to ranks, with the crossbowmen arraying themselves behind the shields. Viv stepped to the front and waited until everyone was ready. They were looking at her. They were expecting a speech. Viv made a circle and cast the sound enchantment, the only colorless one she had truly mastered.


    ¡°Kazarans, this is it. The moment we¡¯ve all been waiting for. The conclusion of two and a half months of grueling work and selfless sacrifices to reclaim what was taken from us. All of us gave their all to make today happen. We trained from dawn till dusk. We fought through confusion and despair. We never doubted. The world is not fair but if there is one group here on this gods-forsaken continent that deserves a lucky break, it¡¯s us.¡±


    ¡°Yea, aye,¡± came from the ranks.


    ¡°Success isn¡¯t assured. Success is never assured. What we can do is prepare and when the time comes, go in with no fear and no regret. I will tell you this, there is no need to regret. We have stacked the odds in our favor. Every piece of equipment we could make, borrow or steal, you¡¯re carrying them right now. Every technique and skill we could use have been practiced till our fingers bled, and if there is anything more we could have reasonably done to prepare, well, I can¡¯t think of it. Look around you now. We left afraid and lost and we have returned with friends, with steel in our hands, but more importantly, with the belief that we will succeed, and we will. We will reclaim our homes, our fields, and our dignity because our families are waiting behind, and we carry their only hopes. Now remember, stay focused, stay together, and give those fuckers hell. I¡¯ll see you lot on the other side. For Kazar!¡±


    ¡°For Kazar!¡±


    It was on. Orders fused from every officer. They knew what to do.


    ¡°Form up, form up!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    ¡°For the temple¡­¡±


    ¡°... for Neriad!¡±


    ¡°Harrak eternal!¡±


    ¡°The mountain will never fall!¡±


    Lak-Tak locked himself in the cockpit of the drill and made the engine roar. Horn calls shook the air at the front of the formation and far, far in front of them, alarm bells rang in answer.


    The line of fighters crested the hill and the prize appeared before their eyes, and they were ready.


    Viv had been in battle before, back on earth. She had also faced the beastling horde but this was different, it had been rushed and more police operation than true war. Now she felt an energy in the line of fighters that modern warfare lacked. Squad tactics brought with it a sort of excitement that could not compare to two hundred fifty throats yelling battle cries and descending down the slope with the slow momentum of the nascent avalanche. It was partly her doing. She had taken the spirit of the mob and sublimed it into the spirit of the warband. The allied yells ballooned her, pushing her up and front with imaginary wings. In front of her, the walls neared slowly. They were walking fast, not running. The drill had to get there first.


    Viv saw activity far into the distance, near the gates. The enemy was probably thinking that it was their destination since it was the only way in, but Viv had made it this far by creating her own doors and she had brought a fucking tunnel borer.


    They were walking on fields now. The slope to the wall was very near when Viv¡¯s danger sense screamed at her and she dove. At the same time, Marruk raised and angled her shield, which had been reinforced. It still looked like a door though.


    A massive arrow clanged against its surface and was sent twirling through the air behind them.


    ¡°Try again, bitch,¡± the stout woman muttered. She never swore. Viv looked at her own shield and thought the poor girl might be feeling offended.


    //That two-storied mill right in front of us, Your Grace.


    //On the roof, left side.


    ¡°Purge!¡±


    A black line like a thunderbolt surged from above her head and smashed into the roof of her target, sending gravel and stones tumbling down.


    //He dodged by jumping off.


    //I will hunt him later, but I fear that he might not be alone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just stick together for now.¡±


    The boring machine approached the wall and slowed down. The engine roared and the drill started to turn. It moved on at a slow pace.


    For one moment, Viv feared that the walls might resist. They had been enchanted by Varska and then possibly upgraded by a siege specialist. She need not have bothered. The Yries creation went through it like an incendiary round through butter. It barely slowed down. They saw its butt go through the breach and then the Temple Guard followed it. They were in.


    The drill turned as it was instructed, letting their elites establish a beachhead. Viv looked on amused as the Yries went to open a second one, which was not exactly in the contract but could not hurt their chances. The wall was now a human-height pile of rubble, over which their side was climbing carefully as the footing was unsure. Viv followed the vanguard and they were inside of the city.


    It felt unnatural seeing all those white stone houses with flattish roofs, so familiar and yet alien now, harboring invaders and foes. As she watched, a few militiamen with spears and the white and blue of Enoria ran away in terror, followed by a pair of men in full plate and conical helmets. Those were the bridgers, and they were as well-equipped as she feared.


    ¡°We need to move to the center of the city,¡± Lorn ordered loudly, ¡°single column.¡±


    They had expected resistance immediately but as far as Viv could tell, the foes were still gathering around the gate. It was worrisome until she remembered that if the entire enemy army was inside the walls the defenders were pretty much fucked.


    The troops moved on with Viv encased in ranks of soldiers and Marruk before her, Solfis by her side and her new shield over her head. She was searching for the earth caster and leaving the rest to her allies. The fabric of the world was quiet for now. Everyone was saving their strength. The colorful weave of mana smoldered at a low pace, waiting to be unleashed by hundreds of minds. It was quite the spectacle.


    //I have located the archer.


    //I will intercept while the buildings offer you cover.


    //Please do not be reckless.


    Solfis must have calculated that this offered the best odds. Viv hunkered down as the column progressed at a snail pace. They had to move past a few blockades that looked improvised but were annoying enough to delay them. Two minutes into the slow trek, screams erupted from behind. Lorn moved back while the column stopped and took cover. Viv thought that it was a bad idea, they had to keep moving, but she was not in charge and frankly didn''t know shit about battling other humans. Solfis landed by her side, right claw bloody.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    //The Enorians have formed hit squads to slow us down.


    As he spoke, there was another yell not far behind and an Enorian fighter in chainmail crashed on the streets, throat slit.


    //Two-six has taken exception to it.


    ¡°Alright, Temple Guard with me,¡± Lorn ordered, ¡°Ban, lead your men to the main square, double line with crossbows. Deploy when you see the foe. Cover the witch!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    The Temple Guard left the front on an intercept mission and Viv found herself only three lines and one Marruk away from the front, which meant that she could see stuff again. The old man Ban was perhaps new at being a heavy but this was clearly not his first rodeo.


    ¡°Move up, you asshole! What are you waiting for, an invitation?¡±


    They came to another obstruction, this one just a few overturned carts. Ban had his men lift them and push them aside under cover of a forest of pointed quarrels. They were through in fifteen seconds.


    ¡°Enough of this bullshit, we¡¯re going in!¡±


    The heavies roared and the city guards behind answered in kind. They accelerated.


    ¡°Where are the snipers?¡±


    //No signs, Your Grace.


    //They may be waiting for you to be distracted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving a foot away from you,¡± Marruk declared. Her yellow eyes searched rooftops and elevations for danger.


    Finally, they were in the main street between the city gate and the square where the tree and Varska¡¯s tower stood. The way widened enough for ten men to walk abreast. The formation spread out. The Harrakan heavies took point once more, not slowing down with the guards just behind. The militia covered their backs. They moved up and Viv was getting tired trying to feel earth mana. They found the enemy as they rounded the corner.


    Anchored between the temple of Neriad on Viv¡¯s left and large houses on her right, there was a line of militia with shields and bows. An officer in mail and with a shiny sword stood upon a low wall. He pointed his blade at Viv and yelled, voice improved by magic.


    ¡°Here she is, the Great Black Slu¡ª¡±


    Twang.


    Viv looked sharply to the side to find that Corel¡¯s replacement, investigator Tars, had fired her crossbow. The man reeled and reached for his cheek where the bolt was now firmly embedded. He fell backward.


    ¡°None of that now,¡± she simply said.


    ¡°Hold there!¡± Ban yelled. ¡°Crossbowmen readyyyyy!¡±


    The two formations stopped fifteen meters from each other. Viv could see a mole on a terrified militia¡¯s face. Some of them had clearly been dragged from their beds.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Both sides shot at the same time. The Enorians were using short bows, hunting implements, mostly. Their arrows plinked against the thick shield wall of the heavies, bounced off massive helmets. One of them found an eye and the soldiers simply pulled it out and crushed it. Their side, however, was using Yries-made crossbows. At such short range, they were absolutely lethal.


    Viv watched the first rank of militia get mowed down. Many fell with screams and many more kept tumbling with every passing second. There was still no trace of the earth caster.


    But¡­ Viv was a pure caster and he was not.


    ¡°I should be on the offensive,¡± she realized.


    //Yes.


    Viv cursed and started blasting purge spells, making sure to stay vigilant. She was too used to someone telling her what to do when it came to pure battle operations. Her inexperience impeded her.


    ¡°Fuck. Purge!¡±


    The spells had a devastating effect on the Enorian militia. They yelped and pulled back in disorder until the Kazaran side lost sight of them behind the curve of the slope. They had retreated to the square.


    ¡°Forward!¡± Ban ordered.


    They moved on. Viv saw more of the temple on the side. Neriad¡¯s statue shone under the early morning sun. The tree was so close. A few more dozen steps and she would see Varska¡¯s tower.


    Time slowed down as she finally found what she had been expecting. The smell of blood and shit faded as wind picked up and carried the purifying aura of thousands of purple leaves forward. She was already hot under her helmet, and everyone was breathing heavily. Under her feet, a massive trap activated. Someone had buried a circle under the stone and triggered it just now.


    Viv breathed out as hours of intensive practice let her flood the ground with black mana, just like her lover had shown her. The ravenous power wreaked havoc through the carefully crafted construct, splintering it. The trap hiccupped and died. Black mana kept expanding until the enemy caster cut all contact. The main enemy army came into focus then, with the bridgers at the front this time. Armies placed chaff at the front when defending and elites when attacking. They were obviously waiting for the spell to activate. It wouldn¡¯t.


    It was too late when they realized that it had fizzled out. Most of the heavies and mountain soldiers were already in the plaza. There was one fateful moment of suspense when both sides looked at each other in perfect silence and Viv could see the white of the eye of a kid in armor to the side, then the officers roared at the same time and two massive waves of metal-clad humans rammed each other with skill-backed fury. The sound of impact was more car accident than battle.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    Men screamed and died and the lines wavered, yet they held. Viv remained vigilant, she still had not seen her enemy. Every second, she arced a simple purge spell above the head of her allies and shoved it into the enemy lines out of sight, but it was getting difficult to focus. Her new mastery of mana played against her.


    Humans were magical here. They all had some measure of attunement to some colors and skills used mana, and there were a lot of those being thrown around right now, but it was not all. They were pushed, needled, reinforced by the powerful emotions animating the crowd. Viv realized that she had never truly understood how deep the resentment ran in her allies¡¯ mind. She did now. The battlefield was a scene of purposeful, methodical savagery. The officers bolstered men who exchanged blows around or through shields, steel weapons stained red. The mana of the world danced exquisitely and she made the mix darker with every dark spear she threw.


    Her side buckled and they would have bled much more without Viv¡¯s steady strikes and Tars¡¯ vicious point-blank range crossbowmen. As it was, the fight was too vigorous to determine a winner. The bridgers were simply too disciplined and battle-hardened to fall to their much less experienced opponents. In the mighty din of battle, Viv¡¯s mind would have lost focus without the magic changing her to her very core. Calculations and concepts ran on overdrive and she felt more than saw the coming retaliation.


    ¡°NOPE!¡±


    A vast shield spread over her line, the largest she had ever conjured. Many bridgers cowered but it was defensive and blocked a hail of obsidian spears ready to rain upon her side. Compared to Varska¡¯s attack against the beastling wave, it was small and pathetic. The void devoured the conjured stone and her own attack followed shortly after. Viv cut a summary circle and glyph under her feet for more oomph, then she conjured the true form of her ¡®arty¡¯ spell. Charged with the meaning of annihilation, the projectile launched with the power, momentum, and penetrative power that qualified it as her first war mage construct.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    A javelin as thick as a leg curved gracefully through the air and to the point of origin of the spell, the second floor balcony of a manor. She saw a wall rise defensively in a mere second. The spell went through it without slowing down.


    //I see blood, Your Grace.


    //I shall make sure that the caster is no longer a threat.


    //Two-Six is covering you, but please be careful.


    Viv nodded and focused forward. She was at the highest elevation of Kazar and Kazar was the highest elevation around, therefore the number of places from where she could be shot was limited. With the snipers a lesser concern and the caster disabled or about to be, it was time to go to town.


    ¡°Move us forward,¡± she told Marruk.


    The stout guard pushed through and replaced a wounded soldier in the battle line. Viv peeked from above her shoulder and dove immediately back. A small arrow was intercepted by Marruk, not one from a sniper but from a militia. It didn¡¯t matter. She knew exactly where the foe was.


    ¡°Purge net.¡±


    She aimed at the highest concentration of bridgers and flayed them. Their armors were solid enough that she failed to cut them to pieces, but the wounds were so devastating that her victims fell in droves anyway.


    ¡°Purge net.¡±


    Again, the spell flared and again it was received with a concerto of cries. Her side was pushing now as the others collapsed under the devastation, but as the heavies advanced, the front extended and Enorian militias could now join the fray. The lines stabilized once again and Viv simply kept casting, killing again and again and again even as she could not see exactly where she was hitting. It was like lobbing grenades into a sealed room and felt¡­ almost cruel. Solfis returned quickly with a man in uniform dangling helplessly from his grip. He was surprisingly alive.


    //The earth shaper unexpectedly surrendered, Your Grace.


    Viv imagined what her own reaction would be when facing a magic-absorbing bone terminator and ¡®surrendering¡¯ definitely topped the list, so she was honestly just surprised that it didn¡¯t happen more often. She dismissed him for now to focus on the closing battle.


    There could only be one outcome at that point. Viv¡¯s side had too many aces including a spellcaster on her third step. Lorn¡¯s Temple Guards suddenly appeared from behind the bank and smashed into the militia¡¯s flank. Tars¡¯ guards and the Kazaran militias also had the same idea and they had managed to flank the mass of Enorian defenders. It was too much for the defenders. A large chunk retreated to the town hall while individuals ended up surrounded, begging for mercy. They were disarmed and taken aside.


    Both groups reorganized in front of each other, almost within spitting range. For some reason, there was no exchange of arrows or quarrels while this happened, which Viv thought was weird before realizing that she had stopped casting spells as well. A momentary truce, perhaps?


    Lorn took the tip of the formation and Viv realized with worry that Koro was not among their numbers. She could be just hurt though. Similarly, the seriously wounded were taken back while fresher combatants took the front. On the Enorian side, the remaining bridgers had formed a line three-person thick in front of the entrance. They were needled by an angry-looking officer with a deep, precise gash in his shoulder that Viv thought she might have inflicted. He looked livid with anger. And blood loss, probably.


    ¡°We offer you Neriad¡¯s peace,¡± Denerim said without anyone¡¯s input. Viv frowned but she realized that she was using a religious order as warriors and she could hardly blame them for being, well, religious.


    ¡°Surrender now and you will be held prisoner humanely, until you are judged.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lie,¡± the enemy officer screamed, ¡°they are under the spell of the Great Black Slut. Do not trust a word that comes out of their mouth!¡±


    Denerim¡¯s face showed a perfect mix of disbelief and annoyance. He closed his eyes and whispered a few words. A golden radiance fell behind him on the statue of Neriad in front of its temple. An otherworldly wind lifted the inquisitor¡¯s dark and grey hair, now tinted a radiant gold.


    ¡°Neriad is still with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a trick!¡± the officer growled, though many of his men looked less than enthusiastic.


    ¡°Do you mind if I say a few words?¡± Viv asked. Denerim sighed heavily.


    ¡°I am not convinced that it will help coming from you, but¡­ sure, be my guest.¡±


    ¡°Alright lads, you lost. You can surrender according to his terms, or you can deal with the rest of us.¡±


    Solfis, still holding the wiggling form of the earth shaper, stabbed forward with his right foot. A man who had pretended to be dead screamed and dropped his knife as he was dragged up.


    ¡°No! P¡ª¡±


    Solfis calmly grabbed the man¡¯s head with his right claw and pulled with the casual grace of a sommelier opening a bottle of champagne from a great vintage. Arterial blood spilled in the deafening silence. Marruk took a few swings of her gore-covered mace while, left and right, guards reloaded their crossbows with malicious intent.


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    Intimidation: Intermediate 6


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    ¡°No!¡± the officer said, ¡°we are Enorians, we will never give up against an agent of vanity and fornication!¡±


    ¡°Alright, then the truce is over,¡± Viv declared.


    Her words floated in the air even as her own side looked surprised at the abrupt end of negotiations.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    Viv¡¯s spell was overcharged and as fast as she could make it. The deadly black spear skewered the officer in the throat then went up. He fell like a stringed puppet.


    ¡°Truce! Now, who¡¯s in charge of you lot?¡± Viv asked the terrified ranks.


    ¡°Hm. You are?¡±


    ¡°Good lad. Drop your weapons and come out slowly, single file.¡±


    It was over. The prisoners lined up with fear and doubt but without resistance. Viv let the Tempe Guard handle them as they were more familiar with the rule of war.


    ¡°I should go help with the wounded,¡± she said.


    //Your Grace, remember that the Enorians have a political leader.


    //We must capture him and receive his rendition.


    ¡°Oh yeah, and then submit this lot to judgement. I take it that raping and enslaving the defeated counts as a crime, yeah?¡±


    //Indeed Your Grace, according to Enorian and Neriad tradition.


    It was then that the earth shaper spoke. His voice was pretty calm for someone who was so obviously terrified.


    ¡°Oh then let me state for the record that we had nothing to do with the way your dead were treated after the battle. It was the prince¡¯s decision, I swear.¡±


    Viv wondered what the fuck he was on about, then realized that by ¡®battle¡¯ he probably referred to the readguard action in which Varska¡­ Varska¡­


    Wait.


    ¡°What the fuck did you say?¡± she asked with a deceptive calm.


    ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡±


    Solfis lifted the man and smoothly smashed his head against the pavement. He lay there, mewling.


    ¡°WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?¡±


    ¡°The¡­ the fallen were declared traitors to the kingdom, the gravest of crimes. Their remains were brought to the deadlands and¡­ discarded. I am so sorry.¡±

 Chapter 69: As deep as lava

    ¡°Where is Prince Lancer? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°In the forest! In the woods!¡±


    Viv snapped out of her rage when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She was standing in a circle with only Marruk and Solfis by her side. The others had left her some space. The hand belonged to Denerim. The veteran inquisitor was smiling bitterly. From so close, the crow¡¯s feet near his eyes and gray in his hair made him feel dignified, more sympathetic mentor than deadly warrior. Viv took a deep breath and frowned.


    And looked.


    Black tendrils ending in thin blades rose all around her, coiled like cobras. Some of the appendages were dangerously close to her prisoner while Denerim himself stood twisted to avoid two. His apprentice, Orkan, stood a few paces behind. He, too, had his attention on the roofs.


    ¡°Viv.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    He did not have to give her the grand speech, she was an adult. Yadda yadda executing prisoners bad yadda yadda let go of your anger and embrace the lord or some such trite shit. She got the idea. The prince was gone and surrounded by soldiers. She had to be¡­ realistic. The tendrils were reabsorbed.


    ¡°The enemy baron is still in the town hall according to the prisoners. He¡¯s attempting contact with the prince,¡± Denerim continued.


    That got her attention.


    ¡°Contact?¡±


    ¡°He has a two-way communication device, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Viv was going to commit the fantasy equivalent of screaming into a phone. The last of the Enorian prisoners were being carried away and the path to Resh Ganimatalo¡¯s old quarters was clear. They strode to the baron¡¯s quarters, easily recognizable by the four guards surrounding it. Denerim ordered them to surrender and they did, which showed that they had good instincts. Viv pushed the door and¡­


    ¡°Locked.¡±


    She called forth black mana but Marruk stopped her.


    ¡°Please, let me. It would be nice if we had a door to close later.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Marruk kicked the door open, and by that Viv meant that the stout warrior booted the piece of wood and it flew off against the opposite wall with a resounding clang. The Kark had the grace to look embarrassed.


    ¡°Sorry, my power has increased a lot lately.¡±


    ¡°You love doors but hate hinges, huh?¡± Viv noted as Solfis went through the threshold. Once more, Denerim and Orkan were covering her back. It seemed that her closest allies were not letting their guard down.


    Inside, they found the room devoid of decoration save for a simple office filled with documents. A man stood to the side in a decorated doublet. Viv recognized the same sniveling asshole who had delivered the prince¡¯s ultimatum three months and an eternity ago. He was near a white altar, its surface covered by the flaming figure of a young nobleman in elegant cloth. This was not a metaphor. The prince¡¯s likeness was made of flames which danced merrily in the air and bathed the room with warmth. It frowned and turned as they entered.


    ¡°Your army is captured and defeated. We have come to accept your unconditional surrender,¡± Denerim said.


    ¡°Never! The warriors of true Enoria will no longer tolerate¡ª¡±


    Viv tuned out the man¡¯s babble. All she could see was the prince looking positively princely and even annoyed in this typical way people who think themselves superior have. The sneer. The upturned nose. The vague shame of being seen in the same room. Her deep resentment latched on his fine features, the brown hair that reached his jaw and the circlet adorning his handsome brow. He did look like royalty alright. For now.


    ¡°So you refuse to give up the city?¡± she finally said, cutting through the heroic verbal diarrhea.


    ¡°Over my dead body!¡±


    She gave a quick look at Denerim who shrugged uncaringly. Orkan chuckled.


    //Unfortunate phrasing, meat.


    Viv¡¯s purge cleanly decapitated the nobleman even as he finished drawing his sword with a flourish. The prince¡¯s expression turned even more sour. The fire that made his body shifted when he leaned forward. The height of the altar was designed to allow his reflection to look down upon those he spoke to, one more petty act, but Viv was tall and Solfis, taller.


    ¡°You will regret this action. To kill your betters is a heinous crime, punishable by death,¡± he said in a deep, flowing voice. The sound crystallized Viv hatred.


    Another moment tinged with the unmistakable gaze of fate weighed on the traveler¡¯s mind. She dismissed it. Viv stood at a turning point and there was nothing on this planet that would prevent her from walking the path she had picked the instant she heard of the device.


    Lancer was out of her grasp.


    That would have to change.


    ¡°Oh no, the asshole wants me dead, big news.¡±


    Lancer¡¯s face twisted in barely contained fury and she knew she had been right. One of the aspects of modern life on earth was exposure to many forms of content, but on Nyil, this was not the case. Viv wagered that Lancer had been raised in a Puritan environment with clearly defined social roles. She also wagered that people knowing their place was important to one who so readily sacrificed pawns to his great cause.


    Prince Lancer had never been roasted by a commoner.


    She had to make it sting.


    ¡°But we both know that you won¡¯t do anything about it, you coward. You¡¯re going to run back home with your tail between your legs like the glorified robber you are because you¡¯ve already got what you wanted. All those speeches about Enoria and Kazar are just horseshit you fed your goons to part them from their money. You came here, played slaver and thief then absconded into the night with your ill-gotten gains, and you won¡¯t return because the only thing you need is daddy to notice you. You don¡¯t give a shit about those you left behind, they are just idiots you conned, you half-assed circleted highwayman. Fuck off. Solfis, I don¡¯t want to see that cockless fuckwit¡¯s ugly mug one second longer. Turn that thing off.¡±


    //It will be my pleasure.


    The prince had grown aghast during her tirade and had tried to interrupt her but she had just yelled louder and steamrolled the conversation. Now that she was done, his outrage finally exploded.


    ¡°You DARE! You¡ª¡±


    Solfis picked a small statue from inside the fire image and the spell dispersed. The altar shut down. Silence returned to the room.


    Viv felt emotionally drained. Ranting had been an exhilarating experience, but now the consequences of her action loomed and the weight of the other¡¯s gaze pressed on her shoulders. She turned to face their judgment.


    ¡°He will come for us now,¡± Marruk said, stating the obvious. ¡°Maybe he would have left us alone before but now he will come back to wash his honor. You provoked him.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind?¡± Viv asked, and she found that she cared about the Kark¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Will you go find Varska¡¯s body?¡± the shield warrior asked in return. Viv blinked at the unexpected question, but the answer was obvious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try. Revenants don¡¯t move that much so maybe, with the beacon¡­ Maybe the bodies didn¡¯t wander off far.¡±


    Three months was a long time, even at shuffling speed. God. That fucker.


    Marruk nodded to herself.


    ¡°One day I may return to my people. I stay with you now because you care. If one day I fall, it comforts me to think someone will look for me and bury me for myself and not because tradition and propriety said it should be so. You also care about Varska and that is why you are angry. You pursue a blood feud. We Kark will always respect a good blood feud. Also, you are from far away so every person you stand for here is a foreigner. It means a lot to me.¡±


    So, that was that. Orkan just bumped his chest with a predatory smile. It changed his face from punk rocker to knife-wielding psychopath.


    ¡°Very Hallurian of you, Viv. I approve!¡±


    Denerim just shook his head.


    ¡°I serve the god of righteous combat, Viviane the traveler. I can tell that slaughtering unarmed prisoners is bad, but the causes of wars remain a much more nuanced concept. Perhaps you condemned your followers to death and slavery. Perhaps you will triumph and prevent an evil man from ascending to the throne. I do not know, and I will not lose myself in pointless considerations. It is enough for me that you stayed your hand when you could have killed the earth shaper.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ but honestly, I don¡¯t understand why Lancer even did those things? Why desecrate the bodies? Why commit a clear atrocity? It¡¯s just evil for the sake of it.¡±


    ¡°As for that, I can answer,¡± Denerim said. He stepped forward and pointed at the dim altar. A symbol lay on its base: a crowned helmet inside of a circle.


    ¡°The sigil of Maranor, Goddess of Power and wife to Emeric, God of Luck and the current head of the pantheon. Only one who has her blessing can set up such a construct.¡±


    ¡°So the prince worships her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and that would explain some of his morally questionable choices. Maranor rewards those who apply and pursue power without compromise. Making an example out of traitors and sacrificing agents all fit within her values.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Wait, is Maranor a dark god?¡±


    Denerim looked at Viv with pity.


    ¡°Not all light gods are benevolent, Viv. There is still a difference between abandoning bodies without burial and eating them to turn into an abomination. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ So he really can¡¯t let the insult go then?¡±


    ¡°If he truly wishes Maranor¡¯s favor, he is obliged to squish you like a bug. If he is to undo the stain on his reputation, he must eliminate you or the other heirs will use his failure against him. Your outburst may have come on the spur of the moment, yet it only hastens the inevitable. He will return for Kazar.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Okay. Well.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind stumbled to a halt. She stood victorious in an office with a cooling corpse by her side, blood staining the embroidered doublet. Her allies occupied the room, each one an alien from her perspective. Outside, the army she had gathered was taking possession of the city. She should have felt joy, she thought. Relief and exhaustion competed in her brain instead. Even her anger had fizzled out. It was just too much.


    Viv gently slapped her cheeks.


    ¡°Right. Enough moping, I want to go help with the wounded first, then we have to create a prisoner¡¯s camp. Wait, where is the earth shaper?¡±


    //I let him go with the other prisoners.


    ¡°Right. We need to create a camp for¡­ fuck. Five hundred people? What a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that the new tenants must be evicted. I would like to supervise this, if you agree,¡± Denerim said.


    ¡°Not a political mission...¡± Orkan moaned, but he shut up after one murderous glare from his mentor.


    Viv shook her head and they left. She ordered a city guard to ¡®clean the mess¡¯ as she passed by and grabbed Tars from the main square.


    ¡°We need somewhere to put the prisoners and the evicted. I was thinking about the fairgrounds with our festival tents if we can find them.¡±


    ¡°Pretty good idea. I¡¯ll get those and the soldiers probably have tents as well. We¡¯ll set a perimeter and start working on getting those leeches out of our homes.¡±


    ¡°Right. See if the earth-shaper can erect walls, make himself useful. Siege specialists must have ways to move dirt around.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I almost forgot about him. Are you going to the infirmary?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do hurry then.¡±


    Viv went on. She walked past Enorian soldiers sitting dejectedly on the ground, most of them lowering their head when she looked. Many of her fighters saluted or hailed her but something felt wrong. She expected happiness. Instead, the Damocles sword of retribution hung heavily in the air. She had sold this as a reclamation and that was what her side expected. The current war had touched people to the most personal part of their beings, and resentment ran deep in their cold gazes. Denerim, Orkan, Marruk and Solfis formed an unyielding square around her until she entered the temple¡¯s first floor, now reconverted as an infirmary. Denerim used all his life mana on a heavily wounded man then excused himself. Solfis addressed Viv as well.


    //There should have been more sniper action during the engagement.


    //The most likely conclusion is that they escaped.


    ¡°Would they, though?¡±


    //Soldiers are much less willing to fight to the death than marauders.


    //Especially for a lost cause, and especially on foreign soil.


    //Nevertheless, I shall coordinate with the Hadal to make sure that they do not resurface.


    //Please keep Marruk and Orkan by your sides at all times.


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    Brenna, the head healer, arrived just as the golem departed. The older woman wore a white apron stained red and she had her gray hair up in a sensible ponytail.


    ¡°Here to help?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it but your time is better spent keeping the cleansing under control. We have hundreds of people with life mana eager to help right now, so the situation is not dire. There is someone asking for you though, if you are willing. I was about to send a runner.¡±


    ¡°Asking for me?¡±


    The woman¡¯s dark eyes searched Viv¡¯s face for the gods knew what. She licked her lips.


    ¡°He¡¯s dying.¡±


    ¡°Then lead me to him,¡± she replied without hesitation.


    Brenna led her deeper into the complex and stopped before a closed door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t exhaust yourself mentally or we all suffer,¡± she said.


    ¡°I cannot not see him,¡± she replied, hoping she was making sense. The nurse¡¯s expression of grief and sympathy hinted that she did.


    ¡°I see. Just, keep what I said in mind.¡±


    The man was not alone in his room. There was a young girl with red eyes trying very hard not to cry and a nurse who was continually casting something, probably a painkiller. Once again, Viv knew that the man should be dead but that magic and stats kept him going. He was missing a good chunk of entrails below the lungs. She could see the glistening mess of reddish guts hanging in by a thread. He looked seventeen, still even had pimples. A hooked nose. His breath was sharp and labored.


    ¡°You¡­ you came!¡± he gasped.


    She smiled.


    ¡°Of course I did. What¡¯s your name, soldier?¡±


    His hand was cold and sticky. She held it in a strong grip.


    ¡°Gotra mam, city militia. Back in Kazar. We sure showed them¡­ ey?¡±


    His voice was weak and he had to stop for breath. It wouldn¡¯t be long.


    ¡°I killed their baron. It¡¯s over. The city is ours again. We won,¡± she tried.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Then, after a while.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    What could she even say?


    ¡°We are all here for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that Enorian squad. They attacked us by surprise to slow our troops down but we stood our ground.¡±


    ¡°You did. We succeeded because you were here to hold the line.¡±


    ¡°So I was not useless?¡±


    ¡°No. You fought for us all and because of you we have homes and fields to return to. You made this happen. If Neriad really helps those who fall in righteous combat, I don¡¯t think he could find a better candidate than you.¡±


    Words words words. Just sound and wind. That was fine though. It was about being here for him. That¡¯s what mattered.


    ¡°Good. Good. I remember walking with everyone in line, and we had your back. You were at the front with the Kark and Solfis. It was my honor.¡±


    ¡°No, Gotra. I assure you. The honor is all mine.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m ready now. Goodbye sis.¡±


    The girl cried now and the priestess muttered a prayer. A golden wind rose and washed away the stench of blood and offal. The boy was gone. The girl thanked Viv for coming and the nurse gently shooed her away. Viv moved out. Her bodyguards remained silent.


    The Lost Heiress walked slowly back to the exit when a sigh in a deep alto distracted her.


    ¡°Koro?¡± she asked.


    The tall Amazon woman was resting in a chair, expression vacant. Viv approached and realized that something was wrong. Koro was no longer in armor and the sleeve on her right hand was loose.


    ¡°Koro?¡± Viv repeated.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Good show in the battle.¡±


    The tall woman lifted her limb, which had been amputated at the elbow.


    ¡°A fire strike. I was covering Lorn. Too much damage to reattach.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Koro smiled bitterly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I still have a hand and my mouth. It¡¯s enough to ask Yan to marry me, right? He can¡¯t need both?¡±


    Viv stepped forward just in time to receive the crying head of the amazon on her armored chest. She caressed her thick hair while her ally bawled her eyes out. It was a rather short but very intensive display of emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sowwy¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Viv said, and she leaned forward until their eyes were level.


    ¡°Arm or no arm we¡¯re not leaving you behind, alright? You are not left behind. You¡¯re one of us, now and forever. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. I¡¯ll be good, promise. I¡¯ll complain to you later over a cup, just go and make yourself useful, tiny caster.¡±


    The skies outside were remarkably cloudless. The stench of blood was starting to lift. There were a few smokes rising over the city but nothing too bad. A man was dragged forward by four guards, followed by a woman with a black eye and her arm in a sling. She was grim. He was furious.


    ¡°I welcomed you into my home, whore!¡±


    The irate man fought on as the soldiers put a noose over his neck and hanged him. The tree of Kazar was already bearing many unusual fruits. Farther on the plaza, enemy civilians massed under the pitiless gaze of soldiers. They were getting rowdy. She approached, wondering where Denerim was.


    A tall man with a thick beard saw her and yelled. His voice was backed by a leadership skill. She could feel it.


    ¡°How can you do this to us? We are citizens of this country and the rightful, legal owners of those homes! You rebels have no right to treat us like that.¡±


    Aaaaaaand that did it.


    The few birds grew silent. Kazaran soldiers and workers alike took a fearful step back. Wings of abyss exploded above Viv¡¯s shoulders, splitting and coiling with her fury as the world seemed to take a deep breath. Sound glyph swirled around her quickly reddening face like a flock of crows. The wisest among the Kazarans placed their hands on their ears in anticipation, and winced.


    Then Viv exploded with the roar of a fighter jet taking off.


    ¡°No right? No right, you say? I¡¯ll tell you by what right you are being clumped here. You are guilty, you hear me? You are all guilty. Every last one of you motherfuckers deserve to die. You paid money to steal the land and labor of people here. That¡¯s what you fucking did, you thieves. Don¡¯t lie to yourselves. You stole what wasn¡¯t yours because you couldn¡¯t be arsed to create your own wealth. You came and caused the death of hundreds of folks, because of greed. Kids have died. Countless people have suffered because we didn¡¯t matter to you, because you didn¡¯t see us as people. The person I loved is dead because of you. And now you come to me and make demands? You dare? You fucking dare? Now that you¡¯re on the receiving end of the beat stick? You assholes. You unbelievable, irredeemable pieces of shit. You fucking cowards. I will fucking kill you if you open your mouths. I will gut you like fishes and eat your fucking livers. You will get your collective, disgusting asses to wherever we say you go, whenever we say you go, or I swear on every last god of this miserable ratfuck hellhole of a planet that I will have Solfis tear you limb from limb and make your children watch. And I will enjoy it! Now you have exactly ten fucking seconds to sit your asses down. Obey or die. Shut up or die. I¡¯m this close. This fucking close. Just go ahead, limpdick. Push me over the edge. See what happens.¡±


    He didn¡¯t push her over the edge.


    Most of the prisoners were sitting down under the sonic onslaught already. A few more were casually thrown among the rest by guards who picked pieces of cotton from their ears and returned to their previous mission after the outburst was done. Viv huffed, anger momentarily spent. It would come back.


    It always did these past few days.


    She realized that Solfis was standing close, head tilted.


    <table>


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    Intimidation: Intermediate 7


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    //We are on schedule.


    ¡°What?¡±


    //Nothing, Your Grace.


    //I confirm that there are no hostile snipers within the walls.


    //I shall remain vigilant, but my core is now at 50% and I will conserve energy until you can charge me again.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Viv moved around a bit but people seemed to have things well in hand. Denerim and the guards were overseeing the ousting to keep lynchings to a minimum while Tars made the prisoners build their own camp. Civilians were resettling, with squads moving out to liberate the closest farms. The wounded were all cured, though still weak. Viv expected that a city council would happen in the evening. It was still early morning now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check Varska¡¯s tower,¡± Viv suggested.


    //Lead the way.


    //We can use the opportunity for a debriefing.


    Not looking forward to that.

 Chapter 70: No Ivory Tower

    Viv pushed the door to Varska¡¯s tower with some effort. The hinges hadn¡¯t been worked in a while.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Marruk said.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Viv grunted. Better not let Marruk Doorbane near. The air hit her. It smelled musty and a bit off. The tower had always carried the fragrance of flowers before.


    The first floor had been ransacked but not destroyed. Only the oldest and rattiest loveseats remained. A few pieces of fabric were scattered across the room, mostly undyed local works. The windows were shuttered. Viv made to open the nearest one but Marruk held her back gently.


    ¡°Opening the window yourself is the number one way of being shot by archers in a city. Let me do it,¡± the Kark said.


    //Marruk is correct.


    //Although the risks are small, let us remain cautious.


    //At least for a week.


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±


    Viv¡¯s steps left footprints on the stairs¡¯ dusty floors. The second floor, the one belonging to the housekeeper, had been emptied of food and valuable cooking implements. Varska¡¯s room had been on the third floor. It was completely empty.


    //I estimate that most of the stolen furniture can be found in the surrounding residences.


    ¡°They can fucking keep it.¡±


    Varska¡¯s tea room had been deprived of its sets. The table was still there. All around, wardrobes and cupboards leaned with open drawers like drooling rejects, lustre long gone. Marruk opened the window to let the air and light in. It did not do the room any favors.


    Viv crashed on her favorite couch. She didn¡¯t feel the need to check upstairs and see hundreds of hours of magical flora rotting in their pots. The smell was enough.


    ¡°So. Yeah.¡±


    //Would you like to talk now?¡±


    ¡°I feel like a stiff drink and being left the fuck alone. Nevermind. I messed up. I was too defensive, too conservative. Too slow. I should have been much more aggressive to force the enemy caster to react. Most of my spells are variations around ¡®throw destructive black mana at things until they die¡¯ as well. I should have expanded my list. As it was, I only did half the damage I could have done and our side suffered as a result. ¡±


    //I respectfully disagree with your assessment.


    Viv cut short, surprised. Solfis was always the most critical of her teachers during everyday practice.


    //Your assessment was that you saved too much power instead of using it.


    //If you had used more power, the battle would have been won much sooner.


    //If you had prepared more spells, the battle would have been won sooner.


    //Is this understanding correct?


    ¡°I guess?¡±


    With the windows open, the freshness of lilac leaves replaced the scent of dust. Viv¡¯s adrenaline decided that it was a good time to make its exit. She yawned. Her exhaustion was more mental than physical, and only the fear of a mass lynching kept her from requesting a nap.


    //Your Grace, listen carefully.


    Viv forced herself to wake up.


    //Every decision in battle or politics is a choice between several options.


    //This choice is made with incomplete and often incorrect data.


    //When you planned the reconquest of Kazar, you and I aligned on a training regimen.


    //We worked on your defenses.


    //You practiced with great rigor.


    //You could not have worked on this and developed yourself offensively at the same time.


    //Thus, an arbitration was made.


    //I believe that at that time, it was the correct decision.


    //Any plan must strike a balance between refining the path to success and eliminating the points of failure.


    //The acquisition of men and equipment increased our chances of success.


    //Keeping you alive eliminated the most critical point of failure.


    //Thus, you worked on keeping yourself alive.


    //And it worked.


    //As is, I estimate that you are responsible for close to fifty percent of overall enemy casualties.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    //The enemy wore heavy armor.


    //It helped against everything except for you.


    //You did well, Your Grace.


    //You accounted for ambushes and the sniper, hence your caution.


    //As a result we have suffered minimal losses and you are unharmed.


    //This is close to the optimal result.


    ¡°When you put it like that¡­¡±


    //You are correct in identifying what needs to be done next.


    //It does not mean that it should have been done before.


    //I am stating the obvious since your mental abilities appear to be impaired right now.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    //Heir¡¯s moping successfully ended.


    //Returning to main objective.


    //We must consider the next step in your indoctrination of the locals.


    //As well as your personal training.


    ¡°There will be no indoctrination.¡±


    //Prince Lancer will return next spring, summer at the latest.


    Viv fell silent.


    //Barring any catastrophe on his side, he will come to avenge his shame, destroying the city in the process.


    //This time, there will be no fields to return to.


    //He will see to it.


    //Unless, of course, you manage to stop a far superior force with what we have on hand.


    //This endeavor will require a mobilization of the local population at an unprecedented scale.


    //We must therefore consider the indoctrination of the locals.


    //Or you could leave them to their fate, of course.


    Solfis¡¯ malevolent gaze lowered on Viv as he stood by the door. He waited for her answer with alien patience.


    ¡°How do we proceed?¡±


    //Today¡¯s battle had over 90% chance of victory.


    ¡°Wait, really?¡±


    //Yes.


    //It would have been unwise to spread that belief, however.


    //The memory of a desperate struggle will serve the meatbags well.


    //Human nations are built on beautiful deceit.


    //But please consider that the prince¡¯s first attack could have theoretically been repulsed with massive casualties.


    //And the risk of quick retaliation.


    //During today¡¯s siege, the enemy was missing two hundred trained troops and most of their elites.


    //At the same time, we had acquired material and almost a hundred trained soldiers.


    //When the prince returns, he will have a decisive force.


    //You must prepare to oppose him.


    ¡°We¡¯re already fully committed, I don¡¯t see how we could get more at this stage.¡±


    //Your role is not to come up with every solution, Your Grace.


    //Your role is to gather allies to do it for you.


    //There will be a purge, then the harvest must be completed.


    //During that time, the meatbags of Kazar must be led to accept that the prince will return.


    //And that they must work to prevent his success.


    //All the details can come later.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Are you sure that he will come?¡± Viv asked. ¡°I will assume that it will happen no matter what, I¡¯m just curious as to why you seem so confident.¡±


    //I agree with the point that Denerim made.


    //My algorithms also return that an Enorian candidate for the throne may not leave a rebellion unresolved.


    //Not if they wish to wear the crown.


    //Your very existence undermines his claim.


    //The prince will come for you, one way or another.


    ¡°You also kind of want me to kill him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    //Of course, Your Grace.


    //Few things please me more than crushing a man¡¯s dream before I crush his ribcage.


    //Especially provincial, thin-blooded upstarts.


    //One is allowed to enjoy his work.


    //And I enjoy my work more than most.


    ¡°First we go through the current crisis and then I¡¯ll start working on the next step.¡±


    //As you wish Your Grace.


    //As long as you do not wait too much.


    //As for spell-casting, I assume that you understand what is required.


    ¡°I need to become a caster that can work around an army.¡±


    //I deem this response as inexact, Your Grace.


    Viv let out the kind of full-chested sigh of annoyance that replaced a screaming tirade.


    ¡°Please expand.¡±


    //The spies reported the presence of a war caster, a red mana specialist, if you remember.


    ¡°Lancer¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    //She is the one you must stop.


    //The likelihood is high that she is well-trained and capable.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡±


    //Lancer is arrogant, but he is not a fool.


    //He will not bind his fate to a second-rate mage.


    ¡°Maybe. Do you have a training regimen then?¡±


    //We will work on long-range battle as part of the imperial war mage doctrine.


    //Meanwhile, you remain an instinctive caster.


    //Therefore, it falls to you to come up with new spells and ways to use your skills.


    //There are no black mana war manuals in my knowledge database.


    //There is no rush, let the idea float on the back of your organic, messy mind, Your Grace.


    Viv thought about it and considered something else.


    ¡°You know, I intended to keep a low profile but that¡¯s pretty much impossible now. There are weapons from my world, projectile weapons. I think that I may be able to replicate them.¡±


    //Can your weapons pierce through three fingers of steel?


    Viv considered the question.


    She did not have access to modern materials and finding the proper ingredients for black powder would be difficult. Charcoal and sulfur were most likely doable, since she remembered that sulfur was yellow, stank, and often appeared near volcanoes. With this, any alchemist worth their salt(peter) would be able to find it. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have any idea where to start nitrate, much less potassium nitrate. Try as she might, she could not remember the first thing about it. Not even its color. It was probably mineral in nature? Maybe? She didn¡¯t know. Between the time it would take to experiment with alchemy and the average physical ability of the people here, it would take a very long time before she could create something with the stopping power to take down a superhuman fighter in a steel armor three-centimeters thick. Hell, even the average grandma could probably survive a 9mm round to the chest here, at least for a while.


    On the other hand, she could disintegrate a mortar round mid-flight.


    ¡°Probably not.¡±


    //Unexpected.


    //My next question was to ask if it was worth condemning Kazar in the long run.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    //Perhaps you remember the traveler who created the Hadal strain of humans.


    //He was slain, and his work was buried.


    //I estimate that the appearance of new destructive technology will lead to a similar result.


    ¡°How would they even know that it¡¯s a foreign technology? Even here, inventions must occur organically.¡±


    //I am sorry, Your Grace, but such secrets fall under the purview of Maradoc, who blessed you.


    //I fear that, if his clergy takes an interest in you, he will favor them.


    ¡°So, no deal?¡±


    //Perhaps we can pursue it in secret, in the future.


    //If we have several years and can hold against every other nation of the continent.


    ¡°You can still bring new ideas,¡± Marruk said, ¡°like guerilla warfare.¡±


    Viv and Solfis stopped and stared at the quickly blushing Kark.


    ¡°What? We have a forest between the enemy and us. Is this not perfect?¡±


    ¡°We could get to them before they get to us¡­¡± Viv considered.


    //The crossing of the Deadshield Woods will be fraught with peril.


    //For them.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s keep that in mind and get out,¡± Viv said as she took a quick look outside, ¡°because the tree is running out of branches to hang people from.¡±


    Mass executions ran throughout the day, with screaming men and sometimes women dragged to the main plaza to face their end. Viv went to Denerim as soon as she found him.


    ¡°I thought that we were supposed to prevent¡­ this!¡± she hissed in his ear. The inquisitor looked at her with undisguised annoyance.


    ¡°You set them on the path, remember? As for me, I¡¯m not here to prevent justice from being dispensed. I¡¯m just here to make sure it¡¯s done to the guilty and without torture.¡±


    ¡°Was rape always punishable by death?¡± Viv asked with some doubt. She was pretty sure that the guilty received a public lashing.


    ¡°It is when committed by enemy forces, at least since your council gathered and voted the law in effect. It happened early in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°What the hell was Farren thinking?¡±


    ¡°He voted in favor after working in the hospital for an hour. For someone who is decent at moving hearts, you are woefully bad at understanding what dwells in them. Popular justice quickly veers to the chopping block, Lost Heiress. Remember that next time.¡±


    The inquisitor left her to stop another lynching. Orkan approached and patted her shoulder, red tattoos reflecting the torches nearby.


    ¡°He¡¯s not mad, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°This is not how I envisioned victory.¡±


    ¡°First conquest, ey? Don¡¯t worry, you get used to it.¡±


    Viv sure hoped the fuck not.


    By nightfall, the Kazarans had run out of rope, but not out of axes. Viv was reminded of the Terror, that dark period of history that followed the French revolution. Paris had been stained red by the blood of the beheaded in an unprecedented frenzy of governmental violence. It only ended with the instigators facing the guillotine themselves.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go out there and stop this. They would not understand,¡± Viv muttered as yet another head joined the pile.


    //Why would you, Your Grace?


    //Every invader that falls is one less mouth to fill.


    //And one less prisoner to guard.


    The lost traveler excused herself behind a pile of crates and quietly threw up.


    Viv slept in Resh¡¯s quarters that night, then moved to the mage tower the next day. The events of the previous day had hit her hard, not because she was unused to the violence of this world but because this time she had a hand in it. Conflict in Param obviously involved a long succession of war crimes. It was just the first time she was responsible for one.


    Fortunately, she had an emotional support dragon.


    ¡°As a recognition for your help these past few months and to mark your growth and flame-spitting, I am proud and happy to grant you¡­ your third gold talent!¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeeeeeee!¡±


    Viv watched Arthur paddle excitedly to her lair and religiously open her pouch to add this new piece to her collection. The pure, untainted joy acted as balm for her sour mood. The morning had not been kind.


    The prisoner camp was growing, with the prisoners themselves working to cut wood and build the dwellings they would use. The earth caster was instrumental in creating larger structures, which proved necessary with the influx of newcomers. All the farms from Kazar to the mountain had already been liberated, with clumps of Enorians joining them every hour from the other side. Lorn had ordered the dead to be detached and properly buried with last rites. Viv hoped that it showed a shift to a more humane approach to justice, but the Temple Guard captain soon revealed his hand: he was freeing rope for a new batch of victims. In particular, the advance of Kazarans across the fertile strip was known and a few irate Enorians had burnt the farms rather than see it fall in the hands of their previous owners. The arsonists¡¯ corpses now swung in the wind.


    For the rest of them, Viv finally gathered enough presence of mind to put her foot down. She ordered that every person from now on would be judged in the traditional Kazaran way, inside the temple of Neriad, and after investigations. She presided over them herself and managed to slow down the executions at the very least. Denerim had a few words on the matter.


    ¡°At least, you are learning. I wish you had had the courage yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time, alright?¡±


    With the guilt lessened, the minutiae of the conquest spread over a week. The mountain warriors left, their duty fulfilled. Seized properties had to be redistributed. Several issues arose, such as someone asking for their half-payment back after it turned out that a promised loom had been taken by the prince¡¯s expedition. The defendant claimed that it was not his fault that the loom had been taken. Viv judged in favor of the plaintiff, but made sure to hammer a reasonable repayment deal between the two before sending them off. She had never expected to be practicing corporate law in a fantasy village surrounded by the undead.


    She also made sure that the prisoner village would be getting enough food. Thankfully, the harvest was proceeding as planned and they would not starve anytime soon. She organized the first shipment of grain to the Yries quickly after that, then it was time to decide what to do with the Enorians who had not committed too many atrocities.


    ¡°We could just send them into the woods and let the monsters deal with them,¡± the newly-minted trade representative offered.


    ¡°No, please, especially not people with families,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°We could have them clear new sections of land,¡± Brenna said instead. ¡°That way, they will be able to grow their own crops next year.¡±


    ¡°Will the Kazarans ever accept them, though? And having them clear the forest presents a few risks. First, the noise may attract strong monsters and second, hard work requires more food. We must be cautious because we have no more reserves.¡±


    ¡°I have a proposal,¡± Viv said.


    The rest of the folks in the town hall¡¯s meeting room turned to her. They sat around the same table where Lancer¡¯s messenger had delivered the prince¡¯s ultimatum. His blood still stained the carpet.


    ¡°I can create more ward stones, push the deadlands back. It will be much easier than clearing the forest and the land is much more fertile. We can make a big show of having them labor for the city for a set duration, say three years maybe? Then they are officially forgiven in a ceremony.¡±


    ¡°I still say, let them walk back to Enoria,¡± Tars grunted. She touched the scar on her cheek.


    ¡°This would be murder without escort and we know it,¡± Farren replied, ¡°Viv¡¯s proposal has merit. It also gives us the time to ransom them back if possible. What about the revenants, however? Those lands you speak of are occupied.¡±


    ¡°I will go to the place where our fallen were disposed of and activate the lure beacon. With any luck, we can recover the bodies and clear the area at the same time.¡±


    The others nodded.


    ¡°Proposal accepted then. The last item on our list is the relocation of the Hadals to the scout¡¯s forward base¡­¡±


    It turned out that the Hadal wanted to occupy a dark, underground cave in the forest that the scouts had been using as a supply cache. Nobody had any objection since the scouts favored the move themselves. A few of the second generations had already started to come and trade meat for commodities. With everything stable, Viv decided that it was time to reclaim the dead. The meeting ended shortly after.


    Viv set out at dawn the day after following a breakfast of boiled wheat-equivalent. It was a shit beginning to what was shaping out to be a shit day. Solfis, Arthur, and Marruk were coming, though the golem was starting to run a bit low on battery. A smattering of soldiers was joining as well, including a few Temple Guards. They had all lost people in the escape from the city and were eager to reclaim their bodies, which would be carried in coffins stored on a pair of carts.


    It was a miserable procession through the desert. The earth shaper had told them where the bodies had been dumped: near a bridge over a chasm. The silence as they made their way was becoming so oppressive that Viv turned to the others for conversation.


    ¡°You know, if Varska had died in some senseless war, I think I would be done grieving by now. It has been two months. Instead, every new insult applies a fresh coat of pain and now¡­ I just can¡¯t let it go. Not anymore.¡±


    ¡°The essence of a blood feud,¡± Marruk said with an understanding nod. She seemed to be in her element.


    ¡°The Enorian princeling tried to trample us, now we must kill him and his followers to let the world know not to trifle with us.¡±


    Viv stared at the Kark¡¯s content face.


    ¡°Sorry, did you not leave because¡­ you know?¡±


    ¡°Because blood feuds are destroying our civilization? Yes. But if you are already in one you might as well go all the way.¡±


    She leaned forward.


    ¡°Do you have any blood feud stories from your homeland?¡±


    So Viv told everyone about the Count of Monte Cristo.

 Chapter 71: Change

    The expedition set up behind the bridge. Viv crossed it to deploy the lure and then trotted back to defensive positions. The plan was to use the bridge as a chokehold. The revenants would rush to the lure, and, finding no target, turn their undying hunger to the only people around with a pulse. It also gave them an avenue of retreat provided that nothing managed to gnaw on their horses while they had their backs turned.


    The plan worked well. Without a necromancer to guide them, the mass of creatures was just fuel for a devastating Viv. Most of the early stages were spent throwing mass yoinks into the melee and killing the rare elite. The first change happened after fifteen minutes. Solfis had been inspecting their assailants with glowing eyes. He suddenly moved forward.


    //Target acquired.


    The massive golem crawled on the other side of the bridge by digging his talons into the very stone. Viv judged that it was more disturbing than being swarmed by reanimated bodies. At least those had joints. The golem returned shortly later with a writhing revenant bearing a gray undershirt.


    //Target retrieved: Sonali of the scout corps.


    He looked just as mummified as the rest to Viv, but when Solfis drew closer she could see that the gambeson was newish, undyed and embroidered in the way the locals affectionated. The corpse was also relatively fresh.


    ¡°That¡¯s Sonali alright. Poor bastard was about to return to Baran too,¡± one of the crossbowmen said. The revenant was disabled and purified by Torm, the highest ranking servant of Neriad present. He was the shield bearer who had pathed up during the ¡®failed lich¡¯ battle, easily recognizable by his drooping moustache, ponytail and receding hairline. He placed the purified body in one of the coffins, which was then closed.


    //I have recorded the names and appearances of the missing.


    //I shall retrieve them as they arrive.


    //Please do not cast¡­ mass yoinks¡­ on their backlines, Your Grace.


    ¡°I understand, and I have a favor to ask.¡±


    //Speak.


    ¡°Do not let me see her.¡±


    Solfis nodded slowly.


    //I understand, Your Grace.


    The morning went on and most of the guards sat down, with a few of the more adventurous crossbowmen taking potshots at elites and showing them to Viv. Once or twice per hour, Solfis would move forth and through the fumbling masses to retrieve a single body, which was then identified and put to rest. The carts filled with the dead. The inevitable happened around noon.


    //Target acquired.


    //Please avert your eyes, Your Grace.


    Viv stopped casting for a full minute, which finally allowed Marruk and Torm to practice a bit. Viv looked at some of the revenant milling behind them, on their side of the chasm. A strike team of guards went from one to the other, disabling them and dragging the bodies to a pyre. They checked for loot, of course.


    Arthur landed with a detached head in one claw and a purse in the other. Viv emptied its contents.


    ¡°No gold, sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°You know, if you find seven silver talents, the banker will gladly exchange it for one gold talent.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s jaw fell open, revealing an impressive array of serrated teeth.


    ¡°Squ¡­. Squeeeeeee¡ª¡±


    ¡°And she¡¯s off. Maybe I should have kept precious metal exchange rates to myself,¡± Viv muttered. The dragonling had climbed to the sky and was already diving back on a nearby target.


    //It is done Your Grace.


    //Torm put your companion to rest.


    //You will be relieved to learn that her body did not suffer further abuse after her demise, beyond being discarded.


    ¡°That is plenty enough.¡±


    //Indeed.


    //The coffin has been shut, if you wish to return to casting.


    //As for one of your previous comments, I have decided to share a self-reflection with you.


    //If someone had defiled my creator Irlefen¡¯s body, I would have pursued them to the end of Nyil.


    //And made them suffer until their mind broke.


    //Mostly, I find the concerns of organics futile and petty.


    //In this case, I understand that the mage was dear to you and that the insult to her memory must be repaid in blood.


    //You know that I will support you no matter what.


    //I want you, Your Grace, to know that I support you because I want to.


    ¡°Thanks, Soflis. It means a lot coming from you. I appreciate it.¡±


    //Excellent, Your Grace.


    //Now please remember to make sure that I do not need to avenge you.


    ¡°I promise to do my very best. Alright. Enough of that, time to thin the herd.


    Viv returned to the fray and disintegrated revenants by the dozen. On the other side of the bridge, ash from the dead reached knee height. The slaughter continued into the afternoon until the last stragglers were disposed of by roaming groups of looters. Everyone piled the meagre findings on the ground by the cart containing the sealed coffins. The expedition had found all but one of the bodies, the last one perhaps too damaged to have been moved. There were still revenants down the chasm.


    ¡°Solfis, could you carry me down? I want to finish the job. Arthur, come back please.¡±


    The golem easily descended the sheer cliff with Viv held under her armpits. They found a moaning pile of broken bodies under the mighty arches.


    //They will regenerate given time.


    //Do you wish to start casting now?


    ¡°No need. Come on, Arthur, give me a hand here.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Well you¡¯re not going to match the desolation of Aristan without practicing a bit, you know?¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    The small dragonling extended her neck from Viv¡¯s own arms and hacked and spit a bit, culminating in a rather unimpressive performance. It looked like she was projectile-vomiting thermite. Nevertheless, the results spoke for themselves and the pile quickly ignited. Viv then remembered why she usually preferred her own, cleaner method.


    It was the smell.


    Just inhaling the smoke was basically getting airborne burnt human flesh into your lungs. Viv shuddered and they made for the rest of the group. The loot was quickly divided between the participants, Viv getting the lion¡¯s share, and they were set out to leave when one of the guards hailed her. He looked extremely pleased with himself.


    ¡°Goodmother! Sorry, Your Grace. Your Grace, I have pathed up!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Viv said with genuine pride for the young lad. The others heard him and everyone gathered to offer their heartfelt pleasure, but the guard was not done.


    ¡°Inspect me, Your Grace!¡±


    Viv did so.


    [Witch-pact crossbowman]


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Yries weapon. The path allows me to use it to the maximum of its abilities. It is a good path, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t know what to say. Is this fine, though? What if the weapon breaks?¡±


    The man waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Weapons break and get repaired. Or remade. What matters is that I got it from another race. Oh, wait until I tell the others!¡±


    The man seemed happy and the atmosphere improved on the way back.


    She slept fitfully in the tower and moved out the very next morning to handle the next pressing matter: the fate of the prisoners.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find a handful of men to get rocks. In fact, there was an abundance of crossbowmen eager to get a few headshots, probably because of the new path. Unfortunately for them, the place was almost empty. Fortunately for Viv, she didn¡¯t have to carry the local equivalent of menhirs.


    They proceeded the same way as they had back at the mines. Solfis helped her engrave the glyphs and she cast the spell when she was ready. It quickly turned out that once per day was her maximum, which only surprised her, and the golem managed to recharge his core while she recovered.


    On the evening of the second day, the council accepted her proposal and she announced to the grimy-faced prisoners what their fate would be. Looking at all those desperate eyes shining in the twilight sun, they probably expected her to skewer them with pitchforks and then oven-bake their babies. The promise of new land and freedom after only three years gave them the sort of suspicious hope that waits as much for deliverance as for the other shoe to drop. The first to get land would be picked at random and stay in the camp until they built their dwellings. It would also prevent the Enorians from growing idle and the camp from acquiring the deep stench of overcrowded villages. The guards reported that tensions and incidents decreased. Of course, Viv did not stop there. She had the perfect, modern solution for handling mistreated minorities.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Propaganda and mental reconditioning.


    Every evening, she would tell how they had been lied to, how they were victims of Prince Lancer who stole their money and left them to die. The prince had seduced them away from the path of righteousness with his pretty words, then had abandoned them to the Kazarans¡¯ righteous fury. But not all was lost! In their immense mercy, the Kazarans understood only too well what it meant to be downtrodden and after a more than reasonable punishment, the offenders would be redeemed.


    Viv used light makeup and a sober dress to present herself as virginal and distant, yet another victim of the prince¡¯s lying tongue. She told them of her efforts and how she would create good soil for them out of the deadlands and, more importantly, she told them what they wanted to hear. That it was not really their fault, and that, deep inside, they were better than this.


    Strangely, it was easier than talking about the constitution and she immediately understood why. She cared about those Kazarans who had fought by her side even if they were not perfect. The Enorians could go fuck themselves. She wouldn¡¯t go out of her way to ruin their lives but if they got eaten by a passing wyvern she wouldn¡¯t shed a tear.


    It was two weeks after the conquest when Viv did what she felt was important. She organized general elections for every position in the city, including her own, as a way to mark the occasion. They had won, had what was shaping up to be a bountiful harvest, and Irao had reported that the prince had left the Deadshield woods. Viv ran on a platform based on her successes and her aura as the one who had introduced elements of democracy to start with. She didn¡¯t even have to resort to Solfis-backed negotiations with the handful of misguided rivals who opposed her. If anything, she had to rein in her supporters who were rather invested in her success and had the weapons to back it up. It was the Athenian democracy all over again.


    Eventually, they ended up with almost the same names and a new representative for the laborers. Voting booths had been a huge success, as had been the application of purchased dye on the thumb of the voter to show participation. The people of Kazar were¡­ proud. Invested. Things were moving, most of them of their own accords. Most people were busy with the harvest.


    It was now time to experiment with magic and make use of Denerim¡¯s continued presence to  work on regrowing limbs.


    //This is a good place, Your Grace.


    Viv looked around and agreed. With new stones set at regular intervals, they had freed acres of arable land. It would take a while for the farthest expanses to desaturate, however, which gave her a window of opportunity to experiment. The place Solfis had selected was a small basin between two low rises. A few stones emerged from the packed ochre dust haphazardly, while scraggly black growths clung to the rocky slopes. The ubiquitous dark clouds of the deadlands still clung stubbornly overhead, pushed back slowly but surely by southern winds.


    Viv sighed. It was desolate. Just what they needed. Now that they had stopped, however, she was struck by an unexpected bout of nostalgia.


    ¡°You know, we had a thing called the internet in my old world. It was like a magical network of knowledge that covered cities and houses and that almost everyone could access. It let us check the sum total of our civilization¡¯s knowledge.¡±


    //Your nation must have been great indeed.


    ¡°Not really. Most people used it for jokes, erotica, cat photos and the spread of stupid rumours.¡±


    Solfis remained silent for a while.


    //I am at once disappointed and unsurprised.


    //A contradiction.


    ¡°Yeah but I digress. I used to have a good friend I met through the internet and whom I actually never met in real life. He was a person who took great delight in exploiting systems, finding loopholes, those sorts of things. He was at his happiest when he used a tool for an unintended purpose with great effect. I wish I could talk to him now.¡±


    //Does this relate to experimentation?


    ¡°Yeah. I realize that I¡¯m pretty good at learning magic, if my fast progress is any indication, but I¡¯m just¡­ unimaginative. I have this awesome power at the tip of my fingers and I¡¯m just using it to melt things.


    //Arguably, you do this very well.


    ¡°Yes but I can do better. I need more tools if they exist. I need to consider stealth, mobility, and utility. Anyway, I will start by experimenting with the ¡®change¡¯ meaning. Try it out a bit.¡±


    Now that there were no immediate crises, she would take the time to explore new things, starting with one she had not touched yet.


    It was partly out of fear. The concept reminded her of the roiling, pus-filled ball of putrid flesh they had faced in the mines. The failed lich. The memory of that stench still haunted her nostrils on occasion, giving her goosebumps. It had been that bad.


    Enough of that now.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    Viv tried to charge her most basic spell with the meaning and¡­ failed. She was familiar with annihilation but this was radically different. Black was the color of entropy, in a way. Annihilation was merely the most drastic and final expression of it. Change as a concept  implied that something came after.


    Viv tried again. She willed the spell to alter its target, and it did. She felt the bolt leave charged with meaning, and when it hit, the dust reacted. Plumes of earth grew from the ground like a time-lapse, then the spell stopped and half of it fell back in various sizes of granulated sand. What was left behind resembled a sculpture in a zen garden, if the zen garden was curated by outer-space squids.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    She tried again with various degrees of power. The dust she hit would change shape and become more compact, or more porous. Sculptures hit a second time, expanded quickly then collapsed. On a hunch, she refined the concept.


    ¡®Change into a wall.¡¯


    The next spell was, well, more wall-like. It still looked like a prop from a cheap sci-fi movie but it did reach waist-height.


    //I detect residues of black mana in the structure.


    //It will make it resistant to spells.


    //However¡­


    Solfis picked a small stone and casually tossed it at the sculpture. It shattered.


    //Any decent soldier may simply run through it.


    ¡°I see. It might also block line of sight, which is valuable in itself. Let¡¯s experiment a bit more.¡±


    Casting on an actual stone as opposed to dirt led to similar results, though slower. The stone walls still looked eldritch and menacing. They had the same organic appearance as what the Yries built but none of the elegance. Solfis tested them and found that they were slightly more sturdy.


    //Do you believe that you can form better walls?


    ¡°Probably. I need to get used to the concept first. Annihilation requires a lot of power and conviction, but change is very flexible. They are really different. In fact¡­¡±


    She tried to annihilate a wall with a purge net and found that the meaning came to her sluggishly. It probably would not affect her later, but she didn¡¯t think the two meanings could work together at all.


    Viv slowly worked through more experiments. Through practice, she realized that she could make the walls go higher by affecting a larger area and forming a hole next to it, which led to an obvious discovery.


    ¡°Alright, so I cannot really create matter. The dust walls are simply unpacked dust, that¡¯s why they are so flimsy. Same for the stone, I draw it from below. Whatever I touch will probably retain its original mass, only change form. Similarly, the tighter the construction, the more effort it takes to deform it.¡±


    //It implies that you can create fast but fragile obstructions while on friable terrain.


    //Rocks will allow you to make sturdier structures but they will also take more time and energy.


    //Is this assessment correct?


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±


    A few more spells cast on the rocky slopes confirmed the golem¡¯s hypothesis. Perhaps it would change when she got the hang of using the concept a bit more. Whatever. She would practice, but she was not done with experimenting yet. The next target was obvious. She had to cast it on something alive.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    The dark, scrawny plant got instantly mangled.


    Viv had used only the smallest hints of power. She approached the shredded matter for some impromptu dissection. The leaves were either shredded or fused like acid scars. The core had been half shorn while the rest had become ossified.


    //This is the concept you wish to use to regrow limbs, is it not?


    ¡°Yeah I see what you mean. That concept is to regeneration what a chainsaw is to surgery. With that said, I can probably fine-tune it to work with a life mana construct. It will just take some practice. We need more live targets so I propose that we walk to the forest.¡±


    //As you wish.


    The stroll let Viv clear her head. The new concept was playing tricks on her mind. It resonated within her, vast and unexplored, a thought that was not just her own. Annihilation was visceral. Angry. A thing as straightforward as a blade. Change was ethereal and complex. Abstract. Mental. Flexible. Both concepts existed within her and outside of her. They were part of magic and, as such, they belonged to the world. She merely touched upon them. It felt incredibly strange to ¡®acquire¡¯ ideas in such an organic fashion. There was no earthly experience that could quite compare.


    Viv considered what Varska had told her. Mages took a more analytical approach to casting and she wondered if it was not a bit of a mistake. You could read, or be taught that concepts gave spells a meaning corresponding to a color¡¯s facet but you could not truly understand it until you experienced it. Love and rage could not be explained with words. They could be alluded to or evoked but not truly, truly rendered. It was the same with casting. Although, perhaps it was still the most efficient way for a lot of people.


    Viv arrived at the edge of the forest almost an hour later at a brisk pace. The ward stones she had placed were really expanding the living lands. Now it was a matter of seeing if the encroachment lasted.


    ¡°Bzzt.¡±


    Viv attempted the spell on a few trees, turning them into modern art exhibits, or so she thought. The inspection skill disagreed.


    [Mangled trunk: remnant of a deep wood fir submitted to destructive black mana.]


    ¡°To change its form in real time, the acolyte of Gomogog we fought back near the tree must have had some incredible control.¡±


    //I estimate that divine assistance should be credited with this feat, Your Grace.


    ¡°Do you think that I could target a tree and turn it into some sort of regenerating monster?¡±


    //Statistically, if you destroy every tree in the Deadshield Woods, you might be successful once or twice.


    //Although my algorithms return that it would be an inefficient use of the next centuries.


    ¡°Right. There is one last thing I want to test.¡±


    Vic coated herself with the armor, but infused the parts with the meaning of change. Immediately, the infantry armor shape she was used to melded and weaved. It looked like she was wearing liquid dark fog. There was no apparent effect until she took a step forward and the surface shifted a bit.


    //Can you make the armor stop changing so much, Your Grace?


    She willed it and the multiple tendrils and vaporous patterns covering her floated instead of writhed. It lasted until she moved and the thing shifted again. Viv was about to ask what Solfis meant when the golem¡¯s skull snapped to the side. Viv about-faced with some alarm, but it was only Irao standing straight by a damaged tree¡¯s remains. He was still wearing his dark armor. His slitted yellow eyes considered Viv without much emotion.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I felt an unknown camouflage and came to investigate. I check every major anomaly on our territory.¡±


    ¡°Camouflage?¡±


    //The Hadal is correct, Your Grace.


    //The armor changed with its environment in a way that gives you stealth capabilities.


    //Additionally, the stealth effect is reinforced by a distractor.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Your coat actively deflects the attention. Some of my abilities work in a similar way,¡± Irao explained as he circled her with interest. ¡°It is sloppy but you have only been at it for seven minutes.¡±


    ¡°Do you use black mana as well?¡±


    The man nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Not the same meaning as you though. I use obfuscation. Different process for a similar result. I can show you.¡±


    And he did, but try as she might, Viv did not get it.


    ¡°You must deny the world and have the world deny you.¡±


    Irao used his abilities, even intentionally lowering their efficiency after Solfis suggested it. She still failed to understand.


    //It might be good to let the idea decant in your mind, Your Grace.


    //Imperial records show extended periods of time between concept understandings.


    //Your spongy brain matter can only adapt so fast to the raw fabric of reality.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    //You may also have a low affinity for a concept that centers around hiding.


    //You tend to make yourself highly visible.


    ¡°What do you mean? I hid all the way from Harrak to Kazar!¡±


    //And now you are heading a revolution.


    ¡°Well¡­ Ok I guess.¡±


    Ah, the hypocrisy. Looking down on her father only to follow the exact same path. The apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree and all that.


    Viv felt the worst kind of annoyed, she was pissed at herself.


    ¡°Alright, I shall name the camouflage armor¡­ Sneaky Ghillie Lemon Squeezy.¡±


    //May I object?


    ¡°No. Next, we are going to pay Denerim a visit. We need to create a roadmap on that arm regrowth thing.¡±

 Chapter 72: The New Normal

    It was evening and Viv invited Denerim and Orkan to have dinner in her brand new tower to discuss the spell. It was hers now, well, hers and Gogen¡¯s since the taciturn cleaner had moved in with one of her brood. Viv merely had to pay her and budget for food. With the grains and other things coming in, they had delicious fresh bread with nuts, eggs, green vegetables and tubers in abundance as well as grilled monster skewers. Spice was a bit lacking now but the fresh, magical ingredients made up for it.


    ¡°You know, I almost expected you to leave quickly now that the city is back in our hands and we have kept atrocities to a reasonable level,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I would have if my god or my hierarchy had called me back. As it is, we have a little project that interests me greatly and is worth staying in Kazar,¡± Denerim added.


    ¡°And at the Spotted Feather!¡± Orkan added, eyes dreamy and brain filled with tits.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    ¡°Sorry mentor, what I mean to say is that inquisitors must sometimes remain for extended periods of time in the same location because not only does it allow us to settle down and get back in touch with the realities of the common folk, it also let people get used to our sight so that we do not remain symbols of impending doom.¡±


    The Hallurian nodded to himself, tattoos mostly dark in this peaceful setting. His handsome angular face had gained a smug expression that suited him strangely. Denerim, of course, was not amused.


    ¡°Orkan, what did I say?¡±


    ¡°Be sensitive?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, I said that too. I meant, do not share confidential information with strangers.¡±


    ¡°The incredible secret that men can be horny is safe with me,¡± Viv said, ¡°I assure you. I will never spread this most sensitive piece of information.¡±


    ¡°Mentor, should we also hide the fact that the man we¡¯re supposed to report to is a massive twat?¡± Orkan asked again.


    Denerim sighed deeply. The time had come for Viv to rescue the conversation.


    ¡°So anyway I wanted to talk about the healing spell.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Denerim grumbled, ¡°that would be best. Have you acquired the change concept yet?¡±


    ¡°I have, but just barely. I need to practice more, but I have found a few things. To begin with, black mana does not create flesh which means that it will have to come from somewhere. Does life mana create tissue out of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°Tissue? Like a hanky?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Orkan. To answer your question, not really. People who recover from grievous wounds are often weakened for a little while and must eat a lot to recover. Could we use¡­ something else¡¯s flesh?¡±


    Denerim looked worried and Viv thought that it was a stupid idea.


    ¡°No but we might be able to convert a nutrient soup by, hmmm, liquefying something else¡¯s flesh.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a nutrient?¡±


    ¡°Orkan, if you spent more time studying the healing scroll I gave you than scratching your back with your curved sword, you would know. Where was I? Ah yes. If we have the¡­ meat used to rebuild the limb, I suppose, and change-aspected black mana, what else would we need?¡±


    ¡°Are there healing spells? Not just applying life mana to heal but actual spells.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t use one because Neriad guides me, but¡­ perhaps? Glyphs could do it.¡±


    ¡°I need to extract information from cells but I have no idea how to do it.¡±


    Denerim considers that for a moment.


    ¡°I have no idea why you would need to break someone out of jail,¡± Orkan said, ¡°but if you want to rebuild a leg, why don¡¯t you take the other leg and mirror it?¡±


    Viv thought that ¡­ it was not too bad an idea, actually.


    ¡°We wouldn''t be able to heal double amputees though.¡±


    ¡°Healing some is better than healing none. Besides, once you have the hang of it, maybe you will figure out how to do it? And with that you only need a diagnostics spell. We had those in Halluria.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± Denerim asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes. We warborn were hurt a lot. Every day.¡±


    His good mood melted like snow under a flamethrower.


    ¡°When we were kids, half of the cohort was seriously wounded between every meal. To save mana, the healers had this construct to detect where the wound was and focus their mana there instead of healing every bruise. I couldn¡¯t recreate it but I remember that there were only four glyphs so it can¡¯t be too hard.¡±


    Viv considered the question. Find, flesh, wound, show? No, it wouldn¡¯t work for them because she was trying to copy a limb, not heal it. Find, limb, copy, mirror, show? She would have to experiment. At least, this spell would be harmless.


    ¡°Alright so, to summarize, I need a spell to extract the image of the limb and reverse it to prevent people from ending with two left arms, then I need another spell to change the flesh goop into said limb, and then we need Denerim¡¯s healing spell to combine with the change spell to heal and reattach the limb. It sounds¡­ complicated and messy.¡±


    ¡°We have to start somewhere. It is a grand endeavor.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could just toss the entire project at some experienced healers,¡± she lamented.


    ¡°And those experienced healers would laugh at you. At this stage, no one believes that limbs can be safely regrown. You would be dismissed and ridiculed. I fear that we must at least prove that the possibility exists or be dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Healers would not even consider us?¡± Viv exclaimed.


    Denerim put his hands together and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I am willing to bet that you have the same in your home world. Let me try to do it. Ahem. Greetings, ladies and gentlemen healers who have been saving lives for over twenty years. We, an obscure witch and a sword wielder, have totally figured out how to do something that the healing profession has failed to achieve for the past millennium because we are that smart. And you have never heard about us or our work because we were too busy being geniuses.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright. I got it. We would look like charlatans. I mean, would we? Are you not a priest of Neriad?¡±


    ¡°Being honest does not mean that we can¡¯t be fooled. Or that we can¡¯t be morons.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess.¡±


    ¡°She does look a bit manipulative,¡± Orkan considered as he inspected Viv up and down.


    ¡°Oi!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the eyes, they¡¯re a weird color. People will assume that you¡¯re using cosmetics to catch the eye.¡±


    Viv grumbled, but relented. No use shooting the messenger.


    ¡°Fine. I guess I have my work cut out for me.¡±


    Viv settled into yet another routine. She would practice fine-tuning the change meaning on a bunch of innocent trees most of the day, with late afternoon reserved for administrative questions. In reality, there wasn¡¯t much to do for her most of the time. She had delegated a lot of the mayor prerogatives to experts she trusted and only checked their reports. The role was now more about big decisions and projects than handling day-to-day affairs. She also set up a night school with the aid of Brenna, who thought that it was a good idea to teach people how to read. Some of the more determined laborers joined. They had to use clay tablets and styluses because they didn¡¯t have enough paper.


    Meanwhile, the harvest was going well. Viv cleared new land and created timber to warm the entire city. The silverite focus helped her by channeling the power held in her nascent necrarch core with almost no efficiency loss. When the power ran out, she would just head to a ward stone to recharge it. She was starting to stall on the change word, however, and that depressed her a bit.


    One morning, Solfis interrupted her regimen to drag her to the deadlands, more specifically to one of the many ridges dotting the valley. Viv blinked as she approached and realized that the many stones were entirely covered with small, tiny script. She read the closest one.


    ¡°Joram approached the older fighter, sword at the ready. Barok barely held on his feet after so many fights, yet despair needled him forward. Joram saw the determination in his bloodshot eyes, despite the sweat covering his taut muscles and the blood dripping down a powerful leg. They were evenly matched during spars. This was no spar, and both men knew it.¡±


    ¡°What the¡­ is this in Old Imperial?¡±


    //Indeed, Your Grace.


    //It has come to my attention that you may be stretching your willpower stat.


    The strange idiom resonated within her borrowed knowledge.


    ¡°I am burning out?¡±


    //The past few months have been harrowing.


    //Thankfully, you are not alone.


    //Unfortunately, those who surround you cannot quite fulfill the same purpose as the departed mage.


    //Imperial training books cover mental health, and yours is vulnerable.


    //Since I cannot provide companionship by selecting an appropriate mortal¡­


    ¡°I told you, no kidnapping and no slavery.¡±


    //Then I have decided to provide you with a relaxing hobby.


    //One that you mentioned missing before.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    //Reading.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    //Those are some of the books that I have in my database, transcribed on a cheap support.


    //This side of the cliff contains treaties on magic.


    //This side contains fiction and historical recounting.


    //I grouped them since everything the meatbags recount is essentially fiction.


    //On account of your faulty brains.


    ¡°What about that?¡± she said, pointing at the paragraph she had been reading.


    //Gladiators of Harrak.


    //You had voiced an interest in homoerotic fiction.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    //I could patrol while you masturbate.


    ¡°I would never do such a thing out in the open like some deviant.¡±


    //You fleshy things will put a finger up your nose in public.


    //Or in your mouth.


    //Yet doing the same to genitalia and anus causes shock.


    //I fail to see the logic.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you lack all of those and besides only uncouth bastards do that in public. Enough about fingers in bums, thank you very much.¡±


    Viv paused and stared at the cliff. It was the work of hours. Yes, the golem never ran out of patience. It was still a thoughtful gift.


    ¡°Thank you, Solfis, I appreciate it. Really.¡±


    //You should spend a few hours reading and drinking hot klod.


    //We can train tomorrow.


    //Those missing fleshy bits are not going anywhere.


    Viv decided to spend the evening with Koro to cheer the tall woman up. She was still inconsolable despite Yan taking some time to entertain her. She felt useless. Viv didn¡¯t know what to say, this wasn¡¯t her domain of competence, so she just listened and it felt like doing something valid. Later, as they were going home, Arthur grabbed her attention. The dragonette dragged her to a spot of dust in the street and formed characters.


    Bank much gold.


    ¡°Oh, you finally got enough for one gold talent! Congratulations, your hard work is paying off!¡±


    Looting enemies agreeable.


    Viv was a bit surprised by the apparent change of topic, but that only lasted until the next series of characters.


    Make bank enemies.


    ¡°We are not doing a heist, nor are we doing a robbery, Arthur!¡±


    ¡°Squeeee.¡±


    ¡°To start with, a good amount of the gold stored there belongs to me. Secondly, this is only one bank of many.¡±


    The dragonette perked up, crimson eyes gaining a greedy, dangerous glint.


    ¡°Remember the rathclaw, dear. Do not bite more than you can chew.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee.¡±


    ¡°Ok, think about it another way. The gold comes from the ground where miners gather ore, then it is smelted and turned into ingots. It¡¯s a long and tiresome process. But humans do it anyway. If you destroy the bank, you will get a lot of talents but the humans will flee. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Meaning that the source of gold will be gone.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°While instead we can use power and money to have humans work for us. Then every year we get gold talents¡­ forever.¡±


    ¡°S¡­ squee?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Arthur bounced. Then bounced again. She then proceeded to hop in a circle.


    Viv sat down and watched the dragonling reboot her brain. Perhaps it was a terrible idea to unleash rabid draconic capitalism upon Nyil but the place was a shithole anyway, so fuck it. Better the tax services than fantasy napalm. Probably. In the short run anyway.


    Another distraction offered itself a few days later, when Orkan knocked on Viv¡¯s door one bright morning as she was finishing her tea. He was alone, for once, and unusually nervous. She offered him a cup.


    ¡°You know,¡± he said, ¡°men don¡¯t really do that in Halluria. Sitting down for tea and plotting is something reserved for the fairer sex.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not plotting yet, but if you prefer I can give you booze and you can bump your chest. Just don¡¯t stab a knife in the table to make a point. It¡¯s brand new.¡±


    The Hallurian just leaned down against his seat and chuckled. His red tattoos pulsed gently, and for the first time, Viv thought that she saw him relax. He really had that rocker look, complete with a devilish smile and dark hair that reached below a sharp jaw. His eyes twinkled.


    ¡°See that¡¯s exactly what we never got. Back talk. Hallurian women deflect and disarm, always with a smile. Even in private. Even, you know.¡±


    ¡°Mid-coit?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t take me seriously huh? I meant pillow talk. They never let their guard down, just like we never let our guard down.¡±


    Orkan unconsciously swished the tea in his cup like expensive liquor.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to sound weird because Hallurian women mostly obey men, but I found the treatment¡­ demeaning. I could not engage in a meaningful conversation with a girl, it was all a contest of wit to try and dazzle me.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t one of them you opened to?¡± Viv asked, surprised. ¡°Come on. Stay together with someone long enough and they¡¯ll let you know what they think of you. Familiarity breeds contempt.¡±


    But Orkan shook his head. He finished his glass and placed it back on the table, whereupon Viv gave him a refill. The gruff warborn was sharing. It felt like a precious moment.


    ¡°You¡¯d think that. It probably happens to lower-ranked people, but not for those destined to be warlords. Everything is political. Everything is a game. Everything is a battle. In that sort of environment, you can never let your guard down. Ever.¡±


    ¡°It sounds¡­ suffocating.¡±


    Orkan caressed his throat thoughtfully.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a good comparison. Strangely, it didn¡¯t bother me so much at the time. Not sure why.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever travel outside of Halluria?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, we are not welcome anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you just never knew anything different?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. I never knew you could just sit and have tea and talk and just¡­ not try to get something out of the conversation. I spent so much time of my life doing what was expected of me, what I thought I should expect of myself. I never stopped to ask what was really happening and why I was doing all those things. You know?¡±


    ¡°Wait, I understand that you left Halluria and joined the temple, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I assumed that you had questioned your society and that¡¯s why you defected.¡±


    ¡°No. Not that only happened later. I didn¡¯t defect because I was fed up with my life. It was something else.¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡± Viv asked, wiggling her brows. She only realized after that it was probably a sad story, but Orkan laughed.


    ¡°Hah! Not even that. But enough about me, even though it is a fascinating topic. I actually came for a proposal. See, Denerim¡¯s busy helping the fort garrisons and writing reports so I was thinking, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity for some retraining. I thought you might want to join.¡±


    Viv¡¯s doubt must have shown her face, because the Hallurian stopped her with a shake of his head.


    ¡°Hold on, before you talk about paths and stats and the fact that I can probably kick your ass using two fingers. It¡¯s mobility training.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Halluria is a land of jungles and deserts. You can¡¯t fight on it unless you can move through it. If you do go against that prince, you need to know how to move through forests without falling on every root. Also, it helps you with running away. Back home, a mage who doesn¡¯t know how to hide and flee is a dead mage. You got to be able to reposition, and finally¡­¡±


    ¡°Finally?¡±


    ¡°You spend too much time standing around doing your weird forms and mauling trees. Can¡¯t be good for the mind. A good walk among the greenery will do you good.¡±


    ¡°We have to watch out for the monsters.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, maybe we can bag something delicious. With my quick wit and your magical brawn, nothing can stop us!¡±


    Viv considered her options but only for a few seconds. They were a month into the harvest and it would take another two weeks to finish most of the work. She could use a few strolls, not to mention that Orkan was both deadly and tolerable.


    ¡°Yeah I¡¯d love that.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to go now? We should get your golem as well.¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not?¡±


    Marruk agreed to stay behind since running through forests was not exactly her jam. Viv had made zero progress in athletics since she had arrived but she was still a trained soldier and she had the magical body to back it up. They walked to the edge of the forest, now separated from the strip of fertile land by an expanse of destroyed plants, and dove under the boughs of older trees. The sun was soon blocked and the true forest gradually submerged them in its curious embrace. The heavy boughs and thick vegetation swallowed sounds in a curious, unnatural way that made Viv want to whisper. As if something was listening. For a moment, she wondered if the forest knew she was basically a one-woman logging company, but dismissed the idea as idiotic. She could sense the rich shades of mana moving around and they didn¡¯t behave like they were guided. She was sure of it. There was still something mysterious and quiet about the endless expanse.


    Orkan paid it little mind as he sometimes led her and sometimes followed her through beast trails and thickets of brambles. Viv had her scout armor and skinsuit on because the robes were too cumbersome. She feared no needle, and Orkan deliberately guided her through rough terrain.


    ¡°You can¡¯t always choose where you have to go through. If you can walk even the most treacherous paths, then you are much harder to corner.¡±


    His wisdom went against what she had been taught, yet she accepted it anyway. She was on Nyil now. Stats made all the difference.


    Besides moving, Orkan also showed her several useful plants, including one that could be used to soothe and clean wounds. Many were edible. She had a try. She remembered that edible and palatable were not the same thing.


    During the whole exercise, Solfis remained at the periphery. Every time they took a break, Viv would search the foliage for the golem¡¯s familiar form, and he would lean from some nook and let her spot his yellow glare. The knowledge comforted her. Solfis was the best fairy godmother and guardian angel she could have hoped for.


    They stopped at a clearing at noon and ate a bit. Viv decided to prod her companion. He seemed willing, nay, eager to talk. Like someone who had never been heard before. She had to admit that she was curious as well, and not just because Orkan had a sort of roguish charm he didn¡¯t act on.


    ¡°Can I ask why you left, or is it too personal?¡± Viv asked.


    Orkan looked down from his inspection. The open ground they stood on was a slightly elevated rock with dry golden grass and plenty of places to sit. She didn¡¯t perceive anything magical around and Orkan had checked for snakes. She handed him a meat roll.


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s not personal, no.¡±


    ¡°Too many people have asked you the question?¡±


    ¡°There is that. I don¡¯t mind telling you though. Those who interrogated me were temple officials. They didn¡¯t give a shit about me, only wanted to check if I was lying. You care, though, I mean, I think.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t have that zealot faith of the newly converted. You know, those who reject where they came from with violence.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re wondering why I left luxury and free sex behind huh? It was weird, to be honest. I was a really, really good duelist for my clan. One fine morning, I went to train a fresh troop of warborns. I did it sometimes to improve morale. They were all standing there with their stupid faces full of worship, expecting me to dispense some grand revelation on how to kill the best. I was a bit tired that day so I had us play a team-based tag game. It¡¯s valid training. They had so much fun. They were so young.¡±


    He was staring at the meat roll in his hand, still untouched.


    ¡°It occurred to me that those fifteen used to be twenty, that only twelve would graduate and only six would survive their first real battle. On average, you know? I kept looking at them, trying to wonder which six it would be. I couldn¡¯t. I kept seeing them in my mind after the training was done. I had them on my mind for days and days. Then I had to participate in a sanctioned duel against some rising star from out in the boonies, near Sahnfor. We went there by caravan. He was just a kid.¡±


    Orkan went back to inspecting the edge of the forest. He showed no regret for the past, only a sort of detached weariness Viv could understand. She had felt the same way back home, after the glamour of power had faded from the parties she went to and all she could see was bellies and trophies and makeup-covered wrinkles.


    ¡°I killed him, of course, then I left my room in the middle of the night. Sahnfor stands at the edge of the desert and the sky just seems to go on forever. It¡¯s so high. I¡¯m still not sure why I dressed up and picked up my swords. I just know that I walked straight through the desert to Baran, just like that. No fanfare, no desperate battle. It only¡­ wait, did you hear that?¡±


    They both stood up. At first, they saw nothing, then a strange shape crested the plain of green canopies several hundred meters away. Viv blinked and frowned, but the thing was still there. It looked like a horizontal, flat disc of dark material striated with white veins. Four black legs kept it far above the tallest tree as they went up and down with slow, ponderous motions. Then the thing blurred and she heard an impact from where she was. The creature lifted the carcass of something large and furry and froze. There was a shrill cry. The creature flung the carcass away as if it weighed nothing and resumed its pace.


    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Viv muttered.


    //That is an aberrant.


    //And we are going to kill it.

 Chapter 73: Aberrant

    From closer, the aberrant was even worse. The striated disc of its upper body was a malevolent, cancerous mass of vile matter covered in bulbous growths and bony spines. It looked tough too.


    ¡°Why would we ever attack that thing?¡±


    //First, the aberrant is on a course to the edge of the fertile strip.


    //Should it arrive there, it will kill villagers until we can stop it.


    //Second, this is good practice for you.


    ¡°I can think of better ways to practice.¡±


    //None so efficient as real world experience.


    //Additionally, the aberrants are particularly resistant to mana intrusion.


    //It will be a good experience for you.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±


    //Please create a workable plan to take it down.


    Viv stared and saw the creature suddenly lurch forward and pin something on the ground. A second later, it lifted the carcass of a tree and Viv thought she saw a sort of maw on the thing¡¯s underside. She also realized that the captured tree hovered at a maximum height, away from the disc.


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up. I think it can¡¯t reach its own mouth.¡±


    //Accurate.


    //In addition, the flesh is too compact for the aberration to possess a digestive system.


    ¡°Wait, do you mean that¡­¡±


    //It will starve endlessly until it is put down.


    //Aberrations have a lot of mana, hence why they are so dangerous.


    //Now, can you think of a way to kill it?


    Viv looked around and saw only trees as far as the eye could see. Actually, that was not quite correct. Some of the tallest specimens were taller than the aberrants.


    ¡°You could ¡ª¡±


    //I do not need your help to kill a newly born aberrant, Your Grace.


    //You must find a way to kill it yourself.


    ¡°Well, hmmm, can you at least carry me around?¡±


    Viv was definitely on the dangerous scale of things. She was also fragile and slow. No amount of trudging through the forest would let her keep pace with that monster, or at least not within the next decade.


    //I will agree to transport you.


    //However, I will not attack the aberrant.


    ¡°Alright. So if the thing can¡¯t bring food to its mouth, it certainly can¡¯t touch the top of its head.¡±


    The articulations looked messed up on the tall, spindly things the creature used as legs. They were black and smooth towards the tip, but the farther up one went and the more organic and sickly they became.


    ¡°If we can lure it to any tall tree, Solfis can jump on top of it and dig in. With this, the creature should be unable to dislodge me while I use short-range high-powered spells to slay it.¡±


    Solfis and Orkan stared at her.


    ¡°I will act as a lure. It¡¯s very strong but not too fast,¡± the inquisitor offered.


    //How can you fleshy beings always come up with plans that appear as both stupid and likely to succeed?


    ¡°If it¡¯s stupid but it works, it ain¡¯t stupid.¡±


    //Is that the wisdom of your old world, Your Grace?


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    //New sensation redefined as disappointment.


    //We are ready to proceed.


    ¡°Wait, what was your plan then?¡±


    //I did not have one, Your Grace.


    //The optimal path would be for me to kill it.


    //However, several training manuals agree that letting young war mages face true enemies under careful supervision provides the best results.


    //We will follow your plan and hopefully not suffer casualties.


    With this, the golem moved away and Viv reluctantly packed her unfinished lunch. What kind of barbarian interrupted lunch for physical activity? Someone without a digestive system, that¡¯s who. Nevertheless, she followed Orkan on his way to the aberrant.


    They moved for only a few minutes, then gave the creature a wide berth. Viv selected a tall lonely tree close to its path and gave one last series of instructions to Orkan.


    ¡°This is just practice so don¡¯t take any risk, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not playing hero. If I get hurt or overwhelmed, I will retreat.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Viv climbed on Solfis¡¯ back while he crawled smoothly up the rugged trunk. She noticed that he did not disturb any branches with his passage, nor did any bark creak or fall. Only sight or the terrifying weight of his gaze could betray his presence. They were soon in position, waiting for Orkan to engage, and he did.


    Viv heard the clang of metal, then the aberrant let out another pitched scream and rushed forward towards them. She caught sight of Orkan running backwards. He was focused on the leg trying to skewer him, both blades maintained before him. The aberrant stabbed blindly in front of itself and left deep furrows in the ground. It was definitely fast, but not fast enough to catch up to the wily and cautious inquisitor.


    ¡°Almost there, get¡­ what was that?¡±


    Viv¡¯s attempt aborted as soon as she heard a confusing yet familiar sound.


    ¡°SqueeeEEEEEEEeeee.¡±


    There was a white blur, a sound in the middle between cough and barf, and then the top of the aberration caught on fire.


    It roared an ear-splitting shriek of rage and pain.


    ¡°Motherfucker.¡±


    //That is unexpected.


    The creature stopped and shook itself, sending burning embers around, but the fire would not let out so easily and Viv felt a hint of phantom pain from the scar on her arm. Arthur¡¯s fire was hot. Flamethrower hot.


    Orkan had wisely decided to leg it, a salutary idea when the creature squatted as close to the ground as it could.


    Then, it jumped.


    Viv looked up to a nightmarish, four-legged flying saucer of fuckery until the thing landed and planted itself into the ground. The trees shook. The aberrant was still on fire.


    ¡°Can you get us on the side of the disc?¡±


    //Yes.


    The creature jumped again, going after Orkan¡¯s fleeing form. The inquisitor changed direction mid-race as the creature almost overtook it. Solfis jumped just as the creature landed.


    Viv resisted the urge to scream when they approached the disgusting disc. It was even nastier from up close. The aberrant had no biology, it was just a revolting amalgam of flesh.


    They landed. Solfis smoothly clamped all limbs on the creature¡¯s side. It barely shifted under the attack.


    Viv fought the urge to retch. The aberrant was not just malodorous, its mana felt horrid and sickly. Her improved senses worked against her as she did her best to fight the influence of a nauseous vortex of corruption. The dyes were still there. They were just moving in a¡­ wrong way. Unnatural. Toxic. The will of the world swirled in a whirlpool centered around the middle of the disc, and Viv knew that her purge spell would barely peel off a layer of pointless flesh. The aberration was not magic-resistant. It was magic-absorbent.


    The thing lurched and shook, but Solfis offset the movements with lazy grace. It gave Viv the window of opportunity she needed. She focused and drew as much power as she could in a single sphere above her right shoulder. The spell was simple, a powerful version of her basic purge overcharged to as much as she could contain. Even though the black mana was hers, even if it liked her, she still felt a tug as the aberration pulled greedily at it.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    A thick beam smashed into the creature¡¯s center. It sent bubbling blood and pieces of foamy bone to the side as her attack mercilessly dug into its flesh and then¡­ stopped. The attack had smashed through the creature¡¯s resistance to reveal a pulsating blob of flesh. Unfortunately, the pain sent the aberration into a frenzy and it stumbled around, stabbing madly with its legs. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Need more focused power.¡±


    Viv decided to try a spell she had designated as ¡®stupid¡¯ before. She took out her silverite dagger and drew a massive amount of power which she focused on the enchanted blade. A dark coating soon engulfed the powerful metal. She even drew power from the core to hasten the casting. The aberration had finally realized that something was clinging to it and shook like a wet dog. Viv supposed that being set on fire had distracted it. Until now.


    She did her best to cling to Solfis to prevent her neck from snapping with the haphazard movements. A sword-like blade as dark as the void now extended from her focus. It was charged with destruction. It hissed in the air, eager.


    The aberration toppled on the ground, perhaps hoping to smush them.


    Solfis jumped.


    Viv slowed down her perception. She roared and used her increased strength to slash upward. A massive surge sliced cleanly through the pulsating flesh and the edge of the creature, almost cleaving it in two. It died then. Viv felt the hungry vortex collapse.


    The massive aberrant shook the earth with its mass while Solfis landed by its side with the grace of a gymnast. Viv watched the creature in its death throes. The legs were thankfully angled away, because the havoc they wreaked on the nearby trees was a sight to behold. They had already formed a clearing of shredded trunks.


    Viv took a step back when the coming of a draconic dive-bomber graced her ears.


    ¡°SqueeeEEEEECOUGHEeeeee.¡±


    A few gouts of tenacious flames landed on the open, pus-filled sore that was the main body. Its legs finally contracted in one last dreadful grip.


    Arthur made a U-turn, flapped once to slow down and finally landed majestically in front of the carcass. She stood on her rear legs and spread her wings as far as they would go.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Viv could, of course, not resist such a heroic display. She trotted forward and patted the victorious dragonette on her warm chest.


    ¡°Oh yes you mighty hunter you, how good that was. Good good good. You came like the wind and burnt it to a crisp!¡±


    Viv congratulated the extremely proud dragonling for a while. To be honest, she would have preferred to include the smart being into the briefing but she was not even sure if Arthur was following. She was free to do her own thing, mostly hunting by herself. Arthur saw Viv in battle and joined. It was Viv¡¯s fault for not being vigilant enough.


    When she turned around after much adoration, it was to Solfis¡¯ blas¨¦ expression. She wasn¡¯t sure how someone who had no facial features could look so tired with life but Solfis managed it.


    //It would appear that, due to the aberrant¡¯s limitations, Arthur could have killed it alone.


    //I must reevaluate the juvenile dragon¡¯s battle potential to account for flight.


    //I must also reevaluate the mortal¡¯s use of cheap tricks to achieve victory.


    ¡°It¡¯s called tactics.¡±


    //I have much data on tactics.


    //Piggy-backing golems was not mentioned.


    ¡°That¡¯s because the best tactics are situational. Like how the aberrant could not strike up. Know the enemy and yourself and you will win a thousand battles.¡±


    //This is¡­ surprisingly insightful.


    Viv nodded and omitted to mention that she was merely quoting Sun Tzu. Let Solfis believe that she was smart and resourceful.


    ¡°So, hmm, do we need to burn it down?¡± Orkan interrupted, eyeing the carcass.


    They moved around the body to inspect it. The aberrant had a large toothy opening under the disc, but it had no way to close and didn¡¯t lead anywhere. A saliva-like liquid coated the underside. Arthur¡¯s fire stubbornly gained in intensity and the humans had to back up a bit to avoid inhaling fumes.


    //Standard protocol is to burn aberrants to dust in order to avoid unexpected regenerative or toxic effects.


    //In this specific case, I can confirm core destruction.


    //Total incineration is not required.


    //I would normally advise it.


    //Some aberrants are very tenacious.


    //All of them are dangerous.


    //Unfortunately, I failed to carry my point across since we disposed of it too easily.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Solfis, you don¡¯t have to tell me to take the five-Vivs-high unnatural quadrupedal saucer of doom seriously. I could tell that it was dangerous. What with stabbing things and moving faster than a galloping horse. Is there anything to loot on this?¡±


    ¡°All aberrant body parts are vile. They cannot be used,¡± Orkan explained. Viv had not known. Those really were shitty creatures then. At least monsters were delicious.


    //We should check for the creature¡¯s point of origin.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Viv asked.


    //This aberrant was newly made.


    //It would be good to track down its point of origin.


    //And determine whether or not we should expect more.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    It was early afternoon now and Viv didn¡¯t look forward to spending the night in the forest, but the golem had the right to it. It was common knowledge here that aberrants often happened in places of misery. Better check what this was all about. They moved quickly through the forest, following the tracks the creature had made. It was pretty easy.


    It took them two hours at a brisk pace to reach the main road out of the Deadshield Woods. The tracks ran parallel for a while. It didn¡¯t take long for Viv to realize that Solfis had poorly prepared this time.


    ¡°We only had enough food for lunch and a light snack. If we keep going, we¡¯ll have to sleep on the loam and break our fast on soft bark,¡± she remarked.


    //How very lyrical, Your Grace.


    //Fortunately, my sensors indicate that it will not be necessary.


    Viv did not have to ask what the golem meant. Orkan pointed silently forward and she soon heard it too, heavy footsteps. It wasn¡¯t long before a group of soldiers appeared from behind a bend.


    Viv felt a sense of urgency for a brief moment, only to remember that troop passage was common. There were still soldiers going to and from the deadlands to keep their centennial vigil, despite the recent troubles. These wore the white colors of Baran, with the officer showing a horse on his tabard. They were dirty, dusty, and exhausted. More so than usual.


    The head officer was younger than Cernit had been and lacked his rough edge. He spotted them immediately and stopped the convoy with a raised fist. He made sure that his sword was free in his scabbard ¡ª which Viv found adorable ¡ª before moving forward to meet them. His eyes went from Orkan¡¯s inquisitor uniform to Solfis¡¯ threatening figure.


    ¡°Hail and well met! I am Lieutenant Solani of the Baranese Corps of Volunteers! At your service! May I inquire who you might be?¡±


    The three introduced each other in turn.


    ¡°We were trying to find the origin of an aberrant we met earlier.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a mighty one and of good size! We must hurry and warn Kazar!¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Viv said with gleeful haughtiness, ¡°we already took it down.¡±


    The officer was shocked. He waited to see if they were perhaps joking then bowed smartly, on fist over his heart.


    ¡°Neriad and Enttiku smile upon us today. Well done, mighty warriors.¡±


    Far above them, something squealed. Solani frowned then dismissed the strange occurrence.


    ¡°As for how it was created, you need no longer trouble yourself. The answer is right behind us.¡±


    He turned and waved. There were thirty soldiers in a vanguard with wagons that should still have some food but quite obviously stood empty. Behind, the first of the civilians crossed in an exhausted shuffle.


    Viv had not seen such a sorry lot since she had left Afghanistan behind. They were filthy, sick, and malnourished. The men were too old or too young to fight and the women¡¯s eyes were made deep-set by misery and starvation. The children were silent and clung to skirts with hounded looks. The civilians slowed when they saw the trio, and a few started to cry at the sight of Solfis.


    Viv could hardly blame them.


    ¡°Those are Kazaran elites, not necromancers! Everyone please calm down!¡±


    More and more people joined including maimed soldiers walking on crutches. There were, all in all, a good fifty refugees.


    ¡°You are fools to travel so,¡± Orkan said with more amazement than anger.


    ¡°Not fools. Desperate,¡± Solani retorted. ¡°We picked them up as we went. Better than to leave them to add to the ranks of revenants, don¡¯t you think? Even then, we missed many. The aberrant was one of theirs. He or she starved to death. We found¡­¡±


    His voice lowered to a whisper.


    ¡°We found a fire. Children¡¯s bones. They committed a heinous act and died anyway.¡±


    ¡°Cannibalism?¡± Viv asked calmly. She wasn¡¯t too surprised.


    The lieutenant nodded.


    ¡°Normally, we are forbidden from interfering in local affairs. I just could not push myself to¡­¡±


    He waved at the refugees.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Viv said, and she did. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to find room for them, I guess.¡±


    It was lucky that they had a surplus of food right now. If their situation had been critical, Viv and the Kazarans would have been forced to take a terrible decision. She was lucky that it would hopefully not come to that.


    She really hoped it didn¡¯t. There were few things worse than sacrificing an innocent for your own survival. With her around, new areas could be easily freed and it¡¯s not like they would run out of building material anytime soon.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Solani said with palpable relief.


    ¡°What¡¯s with all those refugees anyway?¡± Viv asked, ¡°isn¡¯t it a bit early in the war to see them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the main battle is on its way, or that¡¯s what my reports say. It hasn¡¯t stopped raiders from getting a little preemptive action. Lots of Enorians in Baran right now. People wouldn¡¯t go to Kazar either before, but apparently¡­¡±


    And his expression turned a bit hesitant.


    ¡°The city is in open rebellion.¡±


    Orkan and Solfis both studiously ignored Viv.


    ¡°That it is,¡± she confirmed. ¡°So all these good people decided to brave the woods because of that? It feels¡­ extreme.¡±


    ¡°Only those with no extended families have come. So far. That civil war is looking to be a real bleeder, I think. The mutual hatred between both sides could summon Efestar the Dark God of Scorn, if they didn¡¯t aim it at each other. Neither side will back down until the other is dead, and both parties have been building up for thirty years. Expect a tide of revenants over the next few months.¡±


    Viv felt a bit sorry for the poor bastards, but on the other hand, maybe the prince would just up and die and wouldn¡¯t that be acceptable? She wouldn¡¯t count on it though.


    With that, they decided to escort the refugees back home. Solfis took to the woods once more and Arthur caused another panic when she landed in front of Viv. It didn¡¯t take long before she started a dragon cult among the children and it seemed to make the adults relax.


    Viv thought they were naive. Arthur was just selecting the best specimens for her future gold-mining empire. Anyway, she asked another question to Orkan.


    ¡°So, they are fools to travel in large numbers?¡±


    ¡°No, but they are fools to travel in large numbers without cornudon-drawn armored carriages. Single travelers probably have the best chances of crossing the woods uninterrupted. Larger groups are noisier and slower. If those guys had come across a beastling tide, even one a quarter as small as the one you guys defeated, they would have been slaughtered. Same for any sort of powerful beast. They can just get in, grab a kid, then get out. Those soldiers could have done nothing.¡±


    //The Harrakan throne decreed that tunnels be dug through the mountain range.


    //Because it was easier to bore through a hundred and fifty leagues of rock than to secure the Deadshield Woods.


    //At least for larger convoys.


    //They dug several such tunnels.


    Viv thought that perhaps her perception of monsters was skewed. She had to remember that the average local couldn¡¯t cut houses in half. The poor sods.


    The trio, plus Arthur, escorted the group back without issue. They still had to sleep outside but were brought camping supplies by an amused Two-Six. The Hadal woman had spotted the convoy but since it wasn¡¯t deemed a threat, it was left to arrive on its own. They reached Kazar early the next morning and Viv lost another day handling the resettlement of the refugees. Not only would she have to clear another section of the deadlands, but the refugees themselves were so exhausted and malnourished that even stats could not help them. They needed rest first.


    The outing remained a pleasant diversion and Viv felt that she made faster progress with the ¡®change¡¯ meaning afterward. She agreed to do it again. Hopefully, the monster would be edible next time.

 Chapter 74: On a limb

    Laborers and soldiers alike busied themselves with the very last of the harvest. Tons of cereals were already in warehouses or ground into flour by Kazar¡¯s mills. Only a few vegetables and some orchards at the edge of the forest remained, and they soon became hives of activity. The Kazarans collected the fruits as they ripened, defended the fruits while they ripened, and dressed and cooked the hare-like monsters who failed to break through to the ripening fruits. Marruk broke the yearly record of captured ¡®harrans¡¯ (the monsters) by seven and made a pretty penny with the pelts, not that she needed the money anymore.


    With the harvest coming to an end, Viv proposed a vote on taxation. After extolling its necessity, they gave the citizen a choice between a small fixed part and a high percentage of their revenue, or a larger fixed part and a smaller percentage. It was basically a choice between being risk-adverse or not and didn¡¯t make much difference to the city income-wise. What mattered was that people got a choice and the opportunity to discuss it. There was another round of massive, village-wide meetings and quite a few scuffles but that was liberty and politics for you.


    The newly arrived Enorian refugees were included in the discussion but didn¡¯t participate much. Most of them were abjectly grateful not to be made into slaves and being given food until they could develop their new lands. A few of the younger men and quite a few women joined the newly formed witch-pact corps of crossbowmen, now supplied by the Yries directly with ever-more polished ranged weapons.


    The insular and distrustful people had decided to up their presence in Kazar. They were selling crossbows and armors in exchange for cloth and other goods. Viv had started stockpiling weapons in preparation for autumn, when a lot of soldiers would be free from the work rush.


    They celebrated harvest day.


    Viv didn¡¯t have to do much. People had been doing this for ages and didn¡¯t need direction. The same grannies and aunties who always did the thing did the thing. The same boisterous dads and grumpy, tender-hearted old farts mounted decorations at the ass-crack of dawn as they had for decades. Kazar took on festive airs and the fair grounds were once more the scene of vibrant preparations. At Viv¡¯s personal request, their prisoners were even granted enough good food to handle their own banquet, after being told that it was ¡®for decent behavior¡¯. Viv sat at the place of honor while young lads and lasses competed in games of strength and dexterity for each other¡¯s attention. She had to sit with a smile while the difference between Europe, which had pursued musical excellence for centuries, and Kazar, which had pursued survival, was made manifest.


    For all their horrible flute plays, Kazar had a vibrant cultural identity, and they had claimed it with even more fervor since declaring independence. Soldiers and guards loved to add white, embroidered pennants to their armors so that every spear was a flag. A few traces of red dyes were appearing as well with the mountain tribes getting increasingly closer. Arthur had been given a special throne as the town¡¯s mascot (she thought she was some sort of mayor). It was all very intense, but Viv was used to it now. You could only spend so much time taking care of people without genuinely caring for them. Viv was trapped in Nyil and she no longer minded that much. She only wished she could send a message to her family and friends. Tell them she was alive. And happy.


    As the festivities were coming to an end, something unexpected happened. The head of the scouts, a dour man by the name of Michar, came to get her. He was unusually embarrassed.


    ¡°Yeah. So. I would like to know if you could be my witness.¡±


    Viv froze in her seat and cast a dubious look backwards towards Solfis. The golem didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°As in, for a duel?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m getting married.¡±


    Michar didn¡¯t strike her as a bridezilla so it was probably fine.


    ¡°Hm, I have no objections, I guess? When?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡±


    It was already well past midnight.


    ¡°Now,¡± he insisted.


    Viv¡¯s paranoia woke up and flushed the last traces of sweet wine from her system.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me?¡±


    Michar¡¯s absolutely flustered face told the contrary. He was red as a beet under that slightly green skin tone. He also showed signs of deep shame, not the nervousness one would expect from a shit schemer and Michar was a shit schemer if there were any. He didn¡¯t have a single cunning bone in his entire body.


    ¡°It was¡­ sort of a last minute decision, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°You unexpectedly decided to elope?¡±


    ¡°No, well yes, well, there is this girl. She¡¯s not the most social one.¡±


    ¡°A Hadal.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Their first generation. Anyway. We were fucking and I proposed. She said yes.¡±


    Viv glared at the man and wondered what had caused his brain to short-circuit, and thought that to propose ¡®in medias coitus¡¯, or whatever it was called, was the height of dick-fueled retardation.


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± she offered with an annoyed sigh.


    And he did. Right into the forest.


    ***


    The Hadal base could be found through an unassuming grotto entrance decorated with some red flowers and entire bouquets of mummified beastling heads. It was a cavernous and maze-like underground structure with naked, grey stone walls, not a single fucking light and passages blocked by heavy doors. It was also silent. The weirdest thing was that it smelled good. Really good. Like laundry and freshly-made pastries. She could not feel a single hint of the dampness or cold one would associate with such a place. Even as they reached some sort of main hall, the scent became that of flower and soap.


    There were benches in the main hall. They cornered tables loaded with half-eaten victuals but there was no one sitting there for now. Illumination was provided by a few gems embedded in a stone roof dotted with a few timid stalactites. Irao took the center spot, looking all solemn because he was standing straight for once. Marruk and Solfis had followed, as well as Arthur and they sat their asses on a bench on their right.


    Irao seized a tiny bell and rang it once. It gave off a light chime that sounded much louder than it really was. Viv felt a rush of black mana. It was too confusing and fast to follow, but her danger sense remained silent and so did Solfis. She was not under attack.


    Hadals were filling the other benches, appearing as if from nowhere. Michar stayed at the back and a slightly shorter woman materialized by his side. A dark veil hid her form and most of her features.


    The room was still quiet.


    ¡°Viviane?¡± Irao asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to officiate a marriage.¡±


    Restraining the urge to groan, Viv directed the two lovebirds to walk down the ¡®aisle¡¯ and busied herself humming Mendelssohn¡¯s wedding march. She stood by Irao¡¯s side and welcomed the pair with her most serious expression. For some reason, the atmosphere favored whispers. She spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the union of first scout Michar and¡­¡±


    She hesitated then, until a barely audible whisper floated by her ears.


    ¡°And ¡®Hey¡¯, of the Hadals.¡± (Hay? Hei? She didn¡¯t know.)


    ¡°Michar, do you vow to take Hay as your spouse, to protect, love, and hold her¡­¡±


    She did her best to make something nice and romantic. The rugged Michar was crying like a fountain, snot dripping down his nose.


    ¡°...until death do you part?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Viv repeated the same for Hay who nodded vigorously. The ¡®veil¡¯ had turned out to be an unadorned white cloth. She was practically bouncing on her feet.


    ¡°Then by the powers I hold as the leader of Kazar, and in the name of all the light gods, I declare you husband and wife.¡±


    Viv almost jumped when she felt something caress her spine, and an old pain woke up for a fragment of a second just as the blue halo of the gems above her took on a light golden sheen. It had worked.


    ¡°You want to add something?¡± she asked Irao as an afterthought.


    The man pondered for a long time. Finally, his yellow, slitted eyes landed on the assembly. Viv knew that they were wearing dark colors but they were so coated in mana that she could not even discern their faces.


    ¡°We left. We gathered. Now we live, we choose, we love. I wish you the same. Enough talk, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Viv joined in with the party but must have fallen asleep mid-way, because she woke up in the tower with a glass of water nearby and a small note written in an angular hand. It said: ¡®thank you¡¯.


    A few days later, at the bank.


    The door shifted under the pressure of tiny white claws and Tom Manitaradin¡¯s eyes widened. He turned from the lobby desk where he was exceptionally present and addressed a shadow behind a potted plant.


    ¡°Fetch me Lan, please.¡±


    The shadow was still a shadow a moment later, but it felt emptier and the statuesque accountant sashayed to his side.


    Witch, now heiress, now mayor Viv¡¯s companion strutted sinuously over the polished tiles. Its paws clicked merrily on the ground, and it was not long until its head popped up from behind the counter. A pair of malevolent red eyes settled on Tom. They used to be feral and murderous, filled with barely contained aggression. Now, they were cold and patient. Still murderous though.


    Tom saw himself reflected in the slit pupils and pondered the strange intellect behind. The albino drake placed a full pouch on the counter.


    ¡°Change to gold?¡± Tom asked. It was the creature¡¯s second visit.


    Once again, an affirmative rune materialized above its head. Tom knew this to be impossible, yet it happened anyway. He made for the pouch and patiently counted the coins. Those were Enorian currencies, swapped against deadland loot at the temple of Neriad, he wagered. Prize for a raid.


    By his side, Lan placed a hand over his shoulder to signify that she would begin. A pulse of mana erupted gently from the woman and those who were sensitive enough could have then guessed that she was, in fact, a priestess of Sardanal.


    The god of wealth, growth, and insight was well respected in the north and she was strong enough to bypass an occulted status. Yet, she seemed to struggle. He felt the tension in her posture.


    The creature¡¯s eyes veered to his left as soon as she started praying. Again, an impossibility. In order to distract it, he picked up the owed golden talent and placed it on the desk with reverence.


    The creature gave one last disdainful look at Lan before centering its attention on its newest  treasure. Tom could see the pupils dilate with pleasure. It picked the talent between careful claws and inspected it.


    Lan¡¯s hand suddenly clamped on Tom¡¯s shoulder with a ferocious strength, and only his experience stopped him from letting out a gasp of pain. He could feel her nails digging into his muscles, and a mild shake did nothing to calm the woman down. Tom managed to keep his composure through a supreme effort of will, although it was not strictly speaking needed. The drake had taken the pouch from its collar and gently, carefully placed the talent within. It turned and departed without a glance.


    Sharp talons clicked on the tiles. The door opened and closed. They were alone.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± he hissed in anger.


    ¡°Dragon.¡±


    Tom¡¯s heart missed a bit. He gasped lightly, and felt tears well in his eyes from the sheer, mind-defying absurdity of it all. No, she was messing with him. This made no sense at all. No one on Nyil would be mind-bogglingly insane enough to¡ª she was messing with him.


    ¡°Lan, this is not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dragon.¡±


    ***


    Viv sprinted through the underbrush in a gait specifically designed to avoid getting caught by a root. She jumped between two trunks and felt her danger sense flare. The witch didn¡¯t turn. A nope shield rose behind her back before she could really think.


    A stone disappeared with a hiss.


    ¡°Shroud.¡±


    A line of black mana hit the ground and a wall sliced up to mask her figure. The earth was twisted and pitted like an asteroid. At the top, towers of solidified gravel extended like gothic spires. The design was both alien and familiar. Another stone hit it a moment later. Viv was already off. She raced under low boughs, jumped on a stump and caught herself in the middle of a small ridge which she scaled an instant later. Short mana extensions dug handholds as she moved. She went over the elevation and blocked another stone. A line of trees blocked her path. A small burst of mana cleared enough foliage to let her through and right in the middle of a beastling pack.


    Viv¡¯s shock was extremely short-lived and she kicked the only standing creature in the jaw. She crossed through the trio of flea-ridden huts, then jumped down another ridge. There were boulders under her feet here.


    ¡°Sneaky Ghillie Lemon Squeezy.¡±


    Viv¡¯s shape was soon covered in an eldritch, tentacular coating of black mana. The mundane name did not express the unsettling appearance of the ever-changing armor. It moved randomly when she did, sometimes turning her into an inhuman beast. It had the added benefit of making it harder for others to spot her vitals.


    Behind her, the angry shrieks of the beastlings turned into death screams. Time was of the essence. Viv took a sharp turn right and crawled silently under a thicket of pine trees. The shadows swallowed her and her vision was reduced to a narrow corridor. She looked up barely in time to find her path blocked by a thick webbing and a spider the size of a frying pan.


    ¡°Aw fuck that.¡±


    The entire structure vanished in a cloud of annihilation magic. She bit her lip and kept going. Her thoughts were distracted. Specifically, they obsessed over a single concern.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t jump on my back, please don¡¯t jump on my back.¡±


    Fortunately for her, the eight-legged creatures didn¡¯t apparently live in colonies and she successfully made it on the other side. The trees were more spaced there, with tall ferns in between. Her goal was very close. Sadly, time was up.


    Solfis landed in the middle of the clearing.


    ¡°Aw.¡±


    //You did better, Your Grace.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    //You have made some improvement.


    ¡°I stopped because there was a big spider.¡±


    //Fascinating.


    //However, your mistake this attempt was getting in the thicket while I had a visual on you.


    //I killed the beastlings noisily.


    //You should have guessed from the timing that I would see you crawl in.


    //After that, it was merely a question of cutting you off.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    //You did scale the ridge with commendable speed.


    //You blocked all the projectiles aimed at you.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to do better.¡±


    Solfis tilted his head.


    //If I may, Your Grace, I question your sense of priority.


    ¡°What, for training?¡±


    //For spending so much time doing so.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention it? When the prince returns, we won¡¯t wait for his siege specialists to lay siege this time. We¡¯re fighting in the forest.¡±


    //I remember you mentioning¡­ guerilla warfare.


    //I did not think that you would participate.


    ¡°Who else? Unless she dies, they will have a red mage.¡±


    //Your path is not adapted to fighting in a forest, Your Grace.


    ¡°Neither is theirs. That¡¯s why I¡¯m training right now.¡±


    Solfis took a few steps forward.


    //You do not wish to slow them down.


    //You wish to defeat them.


    ¡°Yeah, I have a plan.¡±


    //Your knowledge of warfare might not translate well in our world.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have you and the others to go over it. Besides, remember what I told you about guerilla warfare?¡±


    //I have logged the explanation you gave to Marruk.


    //You define it as a smaller group of combatants engaging a larger, more traditional one through the use of ambushes, raids, sabotage and the use of mobility.


    Solfis¡¯ dry definition let Viv know exactly what the ancient war machine thought about those.


    ¡°Right, but at the core, guerilla warfare is about being a massive dick. And the people of Param already do it quite well.¡±


    //We should build a traditional force.


    ¡°We will as well. That will be your job. Enough of that, time to regrow limbs. This is it.¡±


    ***


    Viv had estimated that her understanding of change was sufficient to start experimenting. The first step was to perfect a diagnostic construct. In order to do so, she had grabbed the willing pair of inquisitors and the less willing Enorian earth caster, whose name was Lodan and who was a bit of a twat. The participants had gathered at an isolated guard house at the edge of the city for some tranquility. A large circular altar now occupied the center of the room, with Viv¡¯s notes and books spread across a large desk set against the far wall.


    Viv busied herself inscribing the four runes Orkan had mentioned and then recognized from her book. They would serve as a basis for their work.


    ¡°I am a prisoner of war,¡± Lodan screamed while she was working, ¡°not some guinea pig!¡±


    ¡°Orkan volunteered. I just need you to smooth the stone between two attempts,¡± Viv explained curtly. She was still working and in no mood to be pestered. This was going to be a long session.


    ¡°Goodmother, I do not begrudge helping my fellow citizens in their captivity, but let me remind you that I am no stooge!¡±


    ¡°You have always been a lackey, Lodan. I¡¯m just more transparent about it. Now you can help me willingly or you¡¯ll be my first attempt at regrowing fingers. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Denerim interrupted. ¡°What Lady Viviane is saying is that your participation in a project that will benefit all of mankind is greatly appreciated.¡±


    The earth caster glared.


    ¡°Neriad will bless you.¡±


    ¡°I follow Maranor.¡±


    Orkan and Denerim looked at each other, and then smoothly turned away.


    Viv whistled.


    The door opened and Solfis¡¯ nightmarish form bent in like a stalking lion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Lodan decided.


    ¡°I knew you would see reason,¡± Viv said. ¡°Alright, I am done. Orkan, if you please?¡±


    The inquisitor ambled smoothly to the stone.


    ¡°Should I undress?¡±


    Viv considered the question.


    ¡°It would be nice but too distracting.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that''s not what I meant!¡±


    ¡°Step in please,¡± Viv continued. She was in serious mode now. Orkan obeyed and Viv cast the spell.


    Immediately, a rush of information threatened to overwhelm her and it took her unnatural willpower and mental strength to elevate her consciousness beyond the messy overload. The spell fed her details on, well, everything, and it required an instinctual understanding of the body. As it was, only her training as a medic allowed her to recognize that the blasts of lightning were nerves, pulsating fibers were muscles and the windy alveoles referred to the interior of the lung. While navigating the cascade of sensations, Viv realized that she had to dive back in to manage. She selected one at random and focused on it. The rest disappeared into the background like a muffled orchestra. They were still there, but muted. She felt around and realized that she could feel blood pass through it. Some things were added, some were filtered. She was in the liver.


    Viv pulled back from the spell and blinked. Her cortex was not currently dripping down her nose. So she had that going for her. She felt less exhausted than she feared despite the fact that the spell Orkan had revealed was obviously tailored for a healing path and would have melted the mind of a lesser caster.


    ¡°Well, that was something. Orkan, I think that your healers focused on selected parts of the body, not the whole damn thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah we had to place the wounded part of the table. Once, I was hit in the crotch. Made sitting down really awkward.¡±


    He smiled. Denerim facepalmed.


    ¡°You might want to mention it next time. It was a bit overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so you saw everything?¡±


    Viv slowly massaged the bridge of her nose, declining to answer.


    ¡°Like everything?¡±


    Orkan waggled his brow.


    ¡°I was in your liver, Orkan.¡±


    ¡°Aw.¡±


    ¡°Right, I need to draw again, this time with a smaller circle. Lodan, please.¡±


    Viv removed her mana from the table and the earth caster wiped it before getting back to sulking. Viv ignored his sullen form and took out her silverite blade. It was time to draw again. The circle was now smaller and more focused. This time, she asked Orkan to only place his hand in.


    Viv expected the sensory overload this time. She arranged the sensations in her mind and managed, after half an hour of effort, to split them by nature. She could feel blood traveling with deep thumps in the vein network, see the muscle waiting for a signal to contract. The nerves were long, complex strings. The bones pushed on, protecting their marrow. She pulled out later.


    ¡°Right, besides some scar tissue, your hand seems perfectly healthy.¡±


    ¡°Glad to know.¡±


    ¡°Okay. The base spell works, now I need to dig deeper.¡±


    Viv picked the runes she had selected and incorporated them in her design. The next step was to ¡®zoom in¡¯ to cell level using the ¡®smallest¡¯ and ¡®part¡¯ glyphs. She kind of knew it would work because creating the spell was half programming and half talking to someone when you were not completely fluent in their language. If the glyphs made sense to her then they would make sense to magic because the glyphs were magic given meaning.


    After a few tweaks, she managed to identify cells by type and visualize small packets like bone fragments or a single muscle fiber. It was far from the DNA-based healing she envisioned but she suspected that it would remain beyond her for a while. She would have to be content with regrowing a limb from another, for now.


    The next step was to form an imprint of the limb and that led to another problem. She realized that the glyph she had picked, ¡®image¡¯, was insufficient. She needed ¡®capture¡¯ as well to keep the form in her mind.


    ¡°Fuck, I need to learn a new glyph.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s it then,¡± Lodan said from the sulk corner. He stood up and stretched. Viv realized that Orkan was meditating and Denerim was boiling water for their lunch. It was already noon.


    ¡°¡®That¡¯s it¡¯ my bouncy ass, we have a few busy days before us. Get used to it,¡± Viv grumbled. The Enorian sneered.


    ¡°Right, goodmother. As you say.¡±


    Viv took a step forward, only to be stopped by Denerim¡¯s hand on her shoulder. He shook his head.


    ¡°No slapping the prisoners of war even when they act like little shits,¡± he said with an apologetic smile.


    Damn him and his anti-war-crime religion!


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Viv retired to her study corner and found what she was looking for in the book. It took some time for her to understand and practice the new glyph. Fortunately, ¡®capture¡¯ was a simple concept and she had a clear vision of what she needed to achieve. It took her an hour to finish. She ordered an incredulous Lodan to clear the altar once again while munching on a sandwich.


    That was it, normally. She inscribed the whole spell and took a last good look at it. Despite her fumblings, the end result was streamlined and elegant with the last part being Denerim¡¯s job. One more activation on Orkan¡¯s hand left her confident that she could keep it in her mind, as well as mirroring it into a right hand.


    She was ready.


    ¡°Let¡¯s bring in the first test subject.¡±


    She walked out and found a cage where a squirrel-like creature was waiting, obviously in some distress after being spat out by a dragon. Arthur had kindly provided experimental material against compensation (tastier meat). Viv brought the creature inside, used an anesthetic provided by the local apothecary and placed a tourniquet over the squirrel¡¯s foot. Then she amputated it.


    It was kind of weird to feel bad about it, considering what she had done to other humans. Humans were a bit shit though. Squirrels had done nothing to her, ever.


    Viv picked up a cauldron from the corner of the room. It contained the slurried remains of a medium-sized monster called a scalehound, a nasty pack animal that lived in the forest. She wasn¡¯t sure what the spell would consume so the unappetizing gunk contained every body part including the cleaned viscera.


    It didn¡¯t smell very good. At least a butcher had used a skill to preserve it.


    She placed the cauldron on the altar and triggered the spell, focusing on the remaining foot. It took some time but eventually she got it all. The bones, the ligaments, the tendons, the veins, the nerves, the cartilage, blood, lymph¡­ One by one, the elements added themselves to the incredibly complex interconnected construct that was a squirrel¡¯s foot.


    She had it.


    An attempt to recreate the foot immediately failed. Her consciousness lost itself in the mass of gunk, but she found a workaround by putting a small amount of it in a nearby bowl. Slowly, carefully, she directed black mana to change goop into cells and proteins. It felt like it was taking ages, and the cells did not manifest immediately. Instead, the gunk solidified from a loaf of indistinct matter into a more and more refined shape. The circle proved itself vital as she would never have managed it without its support.


    Eventually, Viv pulled back and stopped.


    She had a foot.


    It looked a bit ugly and not fully well-formed. It also lacked the hair of the original. It was still a foot.


    She had built a foot ¡®ex nihilo¡¯.


    ¡°I did it. Now, we must..¡±


    Viv shook her head when the three surrounding humans looked up from whatever they were doing. Lodan had been dozing off. Denerim and Orkan were cleaning their weapons. The sun was setting through the windows.


    The squirrel was long dead.


    She sighed.


    ¡°Patient is deceased. Time of death is¡­ oh it doesn¡¯t matter. Arthur?¡±


    The bored dragonette climbed down from the roof and opened the door. Viv threw the squirrel¡¯s body at her. It disappeared into her gullet with a single gulp. Runes appeared on the ground.


    Cold


    Not


    Juicy


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry we will have a proper dinner afterward. I think I¡¯m done for today.¡±


    Her mind was overtaxed. She acknowledged it despite her urge to go on. She was so close, so very close, and it had taken her very little time, all things considered. Just a bit of creative use of black mana.


    Everyone packed up to leave. Lodan turned to her as the group was splitting up.


    ¡°You are still my enemy, woman, but I have to admit that you are an incredible mage. Perhaps your victory was not a fluke, after all.¡±


    It seemed that it cost the Enorian some effort to say so. He looked a bit flustered. Viv considered telling him that she didn¡¯t give a shit about his opinion then reconsidered. She still needed him.


    ¡°I appreciate your candor. See you tomorrow, Lodan.¡±


    Best she could do.


    Viv went back to the tower and crashed for the night. She was back at it the next day.


    ¡°Another squirrel, lady Viv?¡± Denerim asked, but Viv shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m too slow rebuilding the limbs. It takes a lot of effort and I need to practice. I¡¯ll make squirrel feet until I can do it in less than half an hour.¡±


    Interestingly enough, the volume of flesh was not as important as the variety of constituent cells, which meant that building a human leg would not take exponentially more time. She worked strenuously at mass-producing the same rodent limb over and over for another three days before she felt confident in building another one. This time, she used a bit of flesh-mending potion to stop the bleeding and to give herself some time to work.


    She was getting nervous.


    It was stupid, but she was basically attempting a medical miracle by scamming the sentient planet and that felt risky, somehow. Now, here was to hoping that the squirrel would not turn into some fifty-meters tall flesh titan a la Akira. Fingers crossed.


    Viv finished rebuilding a new foot, this one current-squirrel-compatible, and signaled Denerim that she was ready. Then she had to signal again because he wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    ¡°Sorry, I was distracted. It¡¯s been four days. Alright, here we go.¡±


    The last of the three parts of the spell required him to reattach and heal the new limb to the maimed test subject. Viv sort of expected a deep, complex chant with like fifty stances and the secret forbidden name of Neriad which was made of fifty syllables in Hebrew. Instead, she got a phone call.


    ¡°Oh Neriad, you who shine upon those who fight to make the world better, I beseech you. It may look weird because I am healing a squirrel but bear with me, for we are furthering the cause of...oh.¡±


    Golden light erupted from his skin with enough intensity to light every corner of the room. Denerim¡¯s hair glowed and split like he had enough electricity in him to power a city block.


    It kept going, there was more light.


    Even more light.


    Jesus fuck that was a lot of light. Viv hid her eyes and collapsed, suddenly struck by a terrible pain. Her head bashed against the altar and she fell backwards. The agony disappeared as soon as it had come, yet it left her a gasping wreck on the ground.


    Suddenly, Solfis and Arthur were there. The golem picked her up and gently hauled her to her feet. There was still a lot of light and a certain heaviness in the air of the room. The unpleasant smell of gore had been replaced by a powerful clean one, like crisp mountain air. Solfis looked¡­ careful.


    Viv turned and faced the divine incarnation of Neriad.


    The golden god wore the body and traits of the inquisitor, yet only an idiot could fail to see the difference. Its sheer presence filled Viv with the realization of how deeply insignificant, inconsequential, she was. His mere gaze was a physical weight upon her shoulders, and yet, for all its might, Neriad¡¯s presence no longer hurt her. A thin golden halo surrounded his body without extending out. He was holding himself back for her sake.


    Neriad took a step forward and placed his hand against Viv¡¯s head. She realized that she had been bleeding from a gash when he reached out with a thumb and made the pain disappear.


    ¡°Ah, Viviane Saint-Lys, the outlander. We meet in person.¡±


    His voice had a fucking echo.


    ¡°Although renewal is the domain of Sardanal, I know a thing or two about healing. I will grant my servant Denerim the rest of the spell. I applaud you for thinking out of the box.¡±


    Viv opened her mouth and grunted something. She was tired. She was caught off guard. He was a fucking god. She could feel the overwhelming pressure coming from what could only be a mere projection. He was immensely, mind-defyingly powerful.


    ¡°Errr.¡±


    The figure patted her shoulder.


    ¡°I will notify a priest that you require soul healing. In return, you will perform the limb rituals on my servants. You will see that generosity brings its own rewards.¡±


    He smiled and it carried both humor and a bitterness as deep as the ocean.


    ¡°I must leave. Octas the spider bitch is trying to sink an island off the coast of the Vizim. My attention is required. Do you, perhaps, have one more question?¡±


    Viv had many questions.


    ¡°What happened to me? Why am I here?¡±


    Neriad closed his eyes and breathed in. Shadows crept back from the corners of the room while strange voices whispered at the edge of Viv¡¯s hearing.


    ¡°You will not like my answer, I¡¯m afraid. You were picked at random as part of a vast and ancient game. You have done nothing to deserve this. I can only tell you one more thing. Your family and friends are fine.¡±


    Something in his voice felt¡­ off. Viv¡¯s old social paranoia woke up and she searched the god¡¯s face for more.


    ¡°Completely fine?¡±


    ¡°Completely fine.¡±


    Neriad had the carefully neutral face of a shitty liar, but he was telling the truth. It took Viv five seconds to figure out what he meant.


    ¡°Motherfucker.¡±


    ¡°Duty calls, outlander. I will leave you now. Keep an eye out east. I would be displeased if my wounded servants were to die, hmm?¡±


    Neriad closed his eyes and Denerim opened them.


    ¡°Well, that was something,¡± the inquisitor said.


    Then he slowly, slowly toppled backwards into Orkan¡¯s waiting arms.


    ¡°I think we should continue tomorrow,¡± he said.


    ¡°That would be for the best.¡±


    Viv watched the two depart. Arthur used the opportunity to chomp on the squirrel while Solfis kicked Lodan awake. The Enorian had collapsed during the incarnation process.


    //A remarkable outcome, Your Grace.


    //Personal visits by gods are very rare.


    //Yet, you do not seem satisfied?


    ¡°Read between the lines, Solfis. Why would my parents be completely, completely fine? How could this happen six months after I left?¡±


    //Apologies.


    //Query returned no results.


    ¡°They think I¡¯m still alive, Solfis. They think I¡¯m still alive. How?¡±

 Chapter 75: Growth

    Viv stayed in a foul mood for all of two hours. The exhaustion of spellcasting and then meeting with a god compounded with her anguish to form a nebulous cloud of anger and confusion. She wished she could have stayed maudlin for a day, reclining on a comforter and nursing her heart and a glass of sweet wine. Unfortunately for her, Viv had the sort of single-minded obsession that prevented her from dwelling on a problem she could not solve. Eventually, it all came down to a simple fact. She had a hurt soul that prevented her from communicating with the divine. She needed that soul healed before she could even learn what was needed to cross the veil back to earth. If it was even possible. She would get a healed soul later. In the meanwhile, there were limbs to reattach.


    The first patient was to be Koro. The tall Amazon woman was still inconsolable after the loss of her arm. Viv brought her to the redesignated limb reattachment hut the very next morning while also trying to keep her expectations low.


    ¡°You can regrow my arm?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean maybe, I mean we think it could work.¡±


    ¡°You can regrow my arm?¡± she yelped, ¡±oh Viv thank you thank you. I never expected you to come up with something, you¡¯re a real sister!¡±


    Denerim wasn¡¯t in the hut. Instead, they found Brenna alone mixing a fresh batch of goop. The town¡¯s healer was fresh and rested now, a stark contrast from her harried self after the battle. She even looked a bit younger.


    ¡°Oh, here you are. I am standing in for the inquisitor. Neriad came to me in my sleep to share the knowledge of the relevant spell.¡±


    She blushed slightly.


    ¡°What sort of dream?¡± Viv asked with suspicion.


    ¡°A woman doesn¡¯t kiss and tell, my dear. Now let us get started, shall we?¡±


    Viv complained in her mind about not getting bonked in her dreams by godly incarnations. There was no justice. Nevertheless, her patient was waiting and she started by forming the limb this time. She decided that it was best to cut the stump literally at the last moment so as to prevent her patient from bleeding to death. Shame she didn¡¯t think of that before. Rest in Arthur, poor squirrels.


    It turned out that reforming a human limb was not overly complicated compared to a squirrel limb, but also that the size difference made it a long-winded chore. Viv actually had to draw from her dagger¡¯s power reserves to keep going. Koro was watching the thing reform with clear wonder.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, we can still eat it. I always wondered how I tasted!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°No cannibalism in my operation room!¡± Viv reproached. The arm was almost fully formed now. She could see keratin solidifying over the fingertips and the muscles getting toned. The arm was white and hairless like a marble statue.


    After hours of grueling labor, she had it. Probably.


    It looked right.


    ¡°Can I move now? My ass hurts,¡± Koro told her.


    ¡°No. Now we cut off your stump and reattach the arm before you bleed out.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°I am ready,¡± Brenna said as she stood up from the desk where she had been working. She approached the construct and traced her own side with a light finger. It lit up and bathed her peaceful smile with golden light.


    ¡°Alright Koro, remember that this will sting a bit while your conduits are redrawn.¡±


    ¡°Cutting off my stump won¡¯t sting?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to use an anesthetic.¡±


    ¡°A what now?¡±


    ¡°A painkiller,¡± Viv explained. Fortunately, the helpful apothecary had prepared quite a lot and he sure knew his stuff. Viv traced the place where they would cut with a pen and checked on Koro to see if the medicine was taking effect. The tall woman had crossed eyes and her tongue was slightly out.


    ¡°Koro?¡±


    ¡°Bblblblblblblblbl.¡±


    She was high as fuck. Good enough. Viv signaled Solfis and the golem deftly removed the scarred tissue with the kind of expertise surgeons would kill for. Viv smashed the newly-formed limb against the stump just as Brenna activated her part of the ritual. The healer¡¯s voice took on a deep pitch, one that felt mirrored by some other voice at the limit of Viv¡¯s perception. Flesh melted into flesh as if it was putty and the fingers twitched. They turned pink as blood flooded Koro¡¯s new extremities.


    The fingers twitched again.


    ¡°Koro?¡±


    ¡°Blblblblbl yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you move your arms? Please?¡±


    ¡°The one I lost is sort of itchy¡­. Oh?¡±


    She stared with childish wonder at her reformed limb. Her hand closed into a fist. Big, fat tears pearled in the woman¡¯s eyes then fell in a generous cascade over her ruddy cheeks. The new limb flexed with a little bit of awkwardness, but soon the Amazon had every finger touching her thumbs in a rhythmical dance.


    ¡°Is this a dream? Is it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Viv answered. She felt moved as well as they both watched the regrown limb with a mix of hope and apprehension. Even Brenna was holding her breath.


    ¡°By Neriad¡¯s fetching buttocks, have we done it? Did it work?¡±


    Viv nodded, quite happy.


    ¡°Looks like it ¡ªurg.¡±


    Koro had taken the smaller woman in a bear hug strong enough for Viv to count all her ribs.


    ¡°Thankyouthankyouthankyou!¡±


    ¡°Hey. Hm. You might still feel some discomfort.¡±


    ¡°Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu I will name my first daughter after you I swear. Where is Yan? I am going to declare. YAAAAAN! You tight-assed stud! Where are youuuu?¡±


    The woman crashed through the door despite Viv¡¯s best efforts to hold her back ¡ª the outlander would have had a better chance at stopping a bull ¡ª and disappeared somewhere in the distance in a blur.


    ¡°Did she use a skill?¡± Viv wondered.


    //We may want to change the protocol for the following operations, Your Grace.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think using restraints is such a good idea,¡± Viv replied.


    //Then perhaps a more resilient attire?


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Viv had unleashed a drugged up horny two-armed bare-chested amazon upon the poor owner of the city¡¯s brothel. She wished him all the best.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m exhausted for today but let¡¯s regrow an eye tomorrow.¡±


    ***


    Unfortunately for the tired Viv, the news of her achievement traveled across the land at the speed of a sprinting Koro and a party was held that night in her and Neriad¡¯s honor. Her reputation had grown so much that, by then, most of the city knew that she was an outlander. Denying the truth proved pointless because the Kazarans were like a bunch of excited kids given a big secret. They whispered it among themselves while eyeing strangers with suspicion. In this case, it just meant the prisoners. By the next day she had seventeen people lined up to regrow fingers and arms. All her tasks were delegated and she would spend most of the day in the operation building. Monster flesh was regularly retrieved by an overly enthusiastic Koro at no cost. Also, for some reason she received a message from the bank to inform her that gold swap for silver would be set at a guaranteed and generous fixed rate for her and her immediate companions only. No idea what caused that.


    It only took two weeks for the first ripple to make itself known.


    ***


    ¡°We want to join Kazar.¡±


    Viv reclined in her chair, breathing in the fresh air brought on by the Kazaran tree outside her tower¡¯s window. She took in Marredyn¡¯s appearance. The mountain tribe leader still wore that incredible big hat thing on his wizened head and a pleasant smile adorned his face. She thought that she could detect a hint of tension in the way he held his tea cup. She was not sure though.


    Also, last time he had tried to influence her with magic and that still pissed her off so she let him marinate in the following silence. Served him right.


    ¡°Join us?¡± she finally allowed.


    ¡°Yes. A long-term alliance that goes beyond the military.¡±


    A moment passed again quietly and it was clear that the tribe leader¡¯s patience was fraying.


    ¡°Just like the one we discussed during our last meeting.¡±


    ¡°What changed?¡± Viv deadpanned.


    Marredyn grit his teeth.


    ¡°Your new ideas are more pervasive than I thought, and many, including my own son, have expressed a great interest in rediscovering our roots. I find them hasty and careless. Perhaps I was too, when I was young.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you had in mind and I¡¯ll write a treaty?¡±


    ¡°Any chances that you remove the tax on the transfer of goods?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will, wouldn¡¯t want to hamper trade and thus reduce the federal tax.¡±


    The man froze in his chair, tea cup held in a frightful grip.


    ¡°What¡¯s a federal tax?¡±


    Viv gave him the most evil smile that centuries of bureaucratic legacy could produce.


    ¡°I am so glad you asked.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ***


    In the end, the mountain tribe joined Kazar as a separate state in what was starting to look like a federal republic, or a federal empire maybe since there were no elections scheduled and Viv had no plans to do so. The treaty was airtight thanks to Solfis¡¯ vast and really weird expertise on the matter. The golem had access to hundreds of years of imperial records and jurisprudence. The key was to keep it simple. The tribes were part of the alliance but they retained their own local government, local laws and customs. The rest would be smoothed out by increased interconnections and the end of entry, exit, and trade fees.


    Two days after that, Ban returned and asked for Viv as she was resting from shoving a temple guard¡¯s new eye back in its socket. The ancient head of the heavy infantry detachment was wearing his full armor including the pennants he and his men had started to attach to various parts of their gear. His showed the tree of Kazar as well as his rank. He had a pair of younger men with him.


    ¡°Lady Viv, I have returned and I bring two recruits with me. Those are my cousin and my eldest grandson.¡±


    He tugged nervously on his long white beard.


    ¡°I vouch for them, on my honor!¡±


    ¡°You know the score, Ban. Either Solfis says they make the cut or they don¡¯t.¡±


    //They will be granted their chance.


    The golem exited from the operation room and deployed to his full height. One of the young ones looked him in the baleful orbs and took a valiant step forward which was either a credit to his courage or a total lack of survival instinct. Viv could not tell.


    ¡°I would die for Kazar, sir!¡±


    //That is a start.


    //Now let us make sure you kill for her instead.


    ***


    Little by little, the heavy infantrymen trickled back into the camp now that the food situation was good enough. The exceptional harvest set people at ease and they saw it as a good omen and a sign that Sardanal had blessed the city. The recruits built a large barracks and training fields complex to house themselves. It had to be expanded once when the tribe warriors arrived, then another time because of an influx of crossbowmen recruits from the ranks of the refugees, mostly women. Viv assumed that a lot of folks were fucking but Solfis managed to maintain discipline.


    Koro married Yan on the first day of autumn, just as Viv finished reattaching the last missing digit. Nothing would ever get her used to the scent of base-material goop. It was now time for the second phase of the ¡®fuck the prince¡¯ plan.


    ¡°Ok now that everyone is rearmed and relegged, we need to prepare the terrain for the arrival of the punitive expedition,¡± she told the council at their next meeting.


    ¡°It cannot possibly happen before next year,¡± Farren replied, ¡°are we not rushing things?¡±


    ¡°Can you be absolutely sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are mostly sure.¡±


    It was Brenna who had interrupted the argument before it could really begin.


    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she continued, ¡°because we have another reason to set out.¡±


    Viv nodded at the invitation to elaborate.


    ¡°In his message, Neriad said that he would send people our way and would also be miffed if they end up in some monster belly. So to summarize, we can leave most of our regular troops to be trained here while setting out with the scouts so we are not exactly interrupting anything. Second, it will allow us to escort the next batch of refugees through the forest. Keep in mind that they will mostly be crippled until we can heal them. Third, it will allow us to recon the next battlefield and fourth, if I spend another day cooped up in the operation room, I¡¯m liable to stab someone. Seriously.¡±


    The others nodded.


    ¡°We can imagine that someone who enjoys fighting her way through hordes of undead would find this life dull,¡± Farren said with a supportive voice.


    The others agreed and voiced their sympathy.


    ¡°We¡¯re grateful for the healing and guidance. We¡¯ll manage while you go kill and cook some monsters, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We can hold the fort while you unwind. There is plenty of forest for you to thrash to your heart¡¯s content!¡±


    ¡°And please take Arthur with you. Please.¡±


    They nodded vigorously. Viv didn¡¯t really trust herself with an answer so mostly kept silent until the end of the council.


    ***


    The next expedition was set to leave soon. Denerim and Orkan would join, but they would not return to Kazar afterward.


    ¡°We stayed until the spell was ready, but now it¡¯s time to return to the fold. Besides, we received a sending,¡± the old knight had told her.


    ¡°A sending?¡±


    ¡°Like a dream, but when we woke up we knew that we were needed in Enoria. I do not know the details but I suspect that it relates to the civil war. Many people will die and have died already. This means horror, pain. Aberrants. Contracts with the dark gods. I suspect that a lot of inquisitors are converging on middle Enoria right now. We¡¯ll know more when we get there.¡±


    Two-Six would also join them as the top scout in Kazar who also happened to be comfortable with people. Viv asked Solfis to stay and oversee the training of the new recruits but her idea was immediately shut down.


    //Absolutely out of the question, Your Grace.


    //You may not travel to the deep woods on a scouting mission without me.


    //This project is certainly more dangerous than retaking Kazar was.


    //Additionally, you do not have my database knowledge on endemic monster species.


    //Additionally, none of the meatbags here have my short-range detection capabilities.


    //Additionally, Ban can handle the two months of physical conditioning and basic drills required to turn this provincial chaff into decent candidates without my input.


    //I would even disobey a direct order to stay as it would contravene a main directive.


    ¡°I was not about to ask.¡±


    //Forgive me for doubting the integrity of your decision-making centers.


    ¡°That is the most roundabout way of calling someone stupid I¡¯ve ever heard.


    //I am delighted to be expanding your horizons, Your Grace.


    Marruk was coming, of course.


    ¡°The last time I crossed it was as a caravan hand. I didn¡¯t get to see anything except the next set of latrines. I¡¯m eager to see what the forest has to offer!¡±


    ¡°You mean food, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Viv left the Kark woman listing mushrooms and recruited the next member of the expedition.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Arthur. I have never seen oversized squirrels before.¡±


    The expedition set out with heavy backpacks and a small cart dragged by two harnesses. It contained additional supplies, mostly food, as well as Solfis. With the deadlands warding stones left behind, the golem would be back to limited operation time. They departed at dawn at a brisk pace. Denerim spent the first hour discussing details.


    ¡°We can take turns dragging the sled. Don¡¯t even need two people if we stay on the road. Two-Six and Viv should be exempt.¡±


    ¡°I would prefer to scout ahead, yes,¡± the dark-haired, dark-eyed woman confirmed. She was wearing a forest armor made from a gambeson covered in a variety of cloth and furs. The irregular brown and green patterns probably helped with her stealth.


    ¡°Hm I appreciate it,¡± Viv said, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure I should get the preferential treatment.¡±


    The rest of them exchanged a few embarrassed glances.


    ¡°No offense lady Viv, but how high is your power? Early twenties?¡±


    It currently stood at seventeen after weeks of effort running through the forest.


    ¡°Not even that? Neriad¡¯s balls that¡¯s low.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°No, please do not be annoyed. This is what we meant. All three of us stand above forty. Your time would be better spent keeping an eye out. You will tire more easily than the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Viv was not mad to have spent months of crushing training back on earth just to be some sort of cute weakling here. Not at all.


    Denerim then split the watch, of which Viv was not exempt, as well as various duties including latrines, foraging, and setting up camp. It was all done on the fly, in under an hour and with no one complaining. Viv thought that he must have a skill or something. They kept going and Viv immersed herself in the strange sensation the woods brought. The sounds grew smothered and this vague feeling of infinity soon clung to her mind, giving her a slight vertigo when she allowed it. Her mana mastery let her feel a stream of mana as thick as syrup flowing through the world around her. It was no more conscious than a wave is conscious, but it could be just as overwhelming. Viv wondered if the effect could increase if one stepped away from the main path. Come to think of it, mana behaved strangely around the straight line, as if it avoided the stone scar cleaving through its territory.


    ¡°That road is ancient, right? How can it not be overgrown?¡±


    She thought she might have already asked Varska. Perhaps the others knew more? It was Solfis who answered. She should have guessed.


    //The Deadshield trail was built at the dawn of the Age of Expansion, Your Grace.


    //Empress Kadiran ordered its construction after her husband was slain visiting a neighboring kingdom.


    //Records from this era show inconsistencies and wild exaggerations.


    //As expected of indoctrinated meatbags.


    ¡°Wait, are you not all about indoctrinating meatbags?¡±


    //Soldiers and citizens yes.


    //Record keepers no.


    ¡°That is not worrisome at all,¡± Orkan commented with a wide smile. Denerim shrugged. Viv thought that he might be jaded. He proved it an instant later.


    ¡°Unsurprising if you consider who pays the chroniclers and why. We had the same problem before the temple founded an order of historians. The first great sagas were meant to sing the praises of those who paid to have them done. They served a purpose and that purpose was not reporting the truth.¡±


    //How perceptive of you.


    //Ending digression. Returning to main subject.


    //Later chroniclers disagree on what means the Empress used to create the path.


    //However, they all agree that it must have been a vile and scornful spell.


    //Something that would kill the land for centuries.


    //Nevertheless, the width of the path has been reduced by over two thirds compared to the original way.


    //It will disappear within a few more generations.


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Viv asked with surprise.


    //Yes.


    //The woods are ancient.


    //They always return.


    //Always.


    With that slightly ominous comment, silence returned to the group. Viv realized that she enjoyed walking through the seemingly endless forest. The peace came as a pleasant contrast to the rush of activity of the past few weeks. With summer ending, the heat was manageable. A light wind brought to them a bit of freshness and the pleasant scent of living things. She was only missing music.


    That night, they made their camp at a prepared site at the edge of the forest between two large boulders. There were enough blackened pits around to know that quite a few people had camped there in the past.


    ¡°A popular place, but I suppose that you want something more complex?¡± Denerim asked her.


    ¡°Yes. I was thinking about something underground and easily defensible so that people can rest without worries from monster attacks. Speaking of which, do we expect anything soon?¡±


    Two-Six returned from foraging then with her arms filled with nuts. Marruk¡¯s eyes widened in anticipation.


    ¡°Nothing but beastlings. At most a few scalehounds. We are too close to the edge and the road for the larger creatures, and we are the optimal configuration as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Well, the less people there are, the less traces we leave. This is also why we didn¡¯t bring animals with us. Few creatures will notice us and some of the more mana-sensitive ones will avoid us as well. Large convoys are systematically attacked, hence the defenses.¡±


    That night, Viv took the opportunity to finally see the result of the past few months of efforts. The wide variety of stuff she¡¯d pursued in the past two months gave her a wide spread of progress. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to take a more generalist approach on occasion, if only because she would have gone insane just practicing the same exercises all the time. Solfis had approved.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 25.3%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This had not changed much except for her attunement, a constant reminder that her time was short.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    17


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    36


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    24


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    37


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Crawling through thickets had improved every aspect of her body while the endless practices on the change meaning and subsequent surgeries allowed her to push her mental stats towards the next level. Solfis had confirmed that she had all the signs of a young expert and anticipated that she would only keep progressing from now on, albeit more slowly.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was the first time that those had moved that she could remember, and only athletics and survival were concerned. It had taken a lot of effort but she could feel the difference thanks to her experience on earth. Athletics did not teach her where not to walk. That had been Orkan. Instead, it acted as a small boost and guidance on how to move, how to breathe. It constantly pushed her to do better without her having to make a conscious effort. The same was true for survival. A look at the nearest underbush and she guessed that there were thorns under that, and quite possibly snakes as well.


    Not for the first time, Viv wondered how a modern army would fare here before they could develop their interface. The answer was probably decently well so long as their supply lines were intact, but isolated squads would be wiped out too easily.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td>


    Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Acuity reflex and leadership had made some good progress. In particular, her leadership now allowed her to spend much less time remembering, deciding and delegating than before. This left her a lot of free time without harming the quality of her work (that she could tell). It also meant that local armies and states could perhaps outperform some modern administrations in terms of performance simply because their civil servants were inhumanely good as opposed to, for example, the absolute brain-dead baboon of a woman who had handled the making of her passport.


    She also suspected that acuity reflex, leadership and danger sense could not be trained the normal way. They had to be learned in context. As for mana mastery and arcane constructs, they had made massive progress. Without them, she could never have cast the spell to regrow limbs.


    It was all very fortuitous.


    Anyway, Viv was satisfied with the results and could not wait to kill new things and then eat them. What was life without some adventurous gastronomy anyway? She had taken spices and dry herbs with her.


    The expedition progressed for two more days at a brisk pace until Viv felt a change. The trees were growing taller, so tall, in fact, that sunlight barely filtered through dense canopies when they stepped away from the road. The cries of creatures grew more common while strange and alien plants grew in colored copses, or spread over old barks.


    On the dawn of the fourth day, Viv woke up to the moss behind her singing quietly. The sound reminded her of a choir heard through stone walls, subdued, yet still wonderful. A tree stood in the distance, its silvery leaves unfolding to welcome the growing light. Tweeting notes rose from a scarlet bird with an iridescent plumage. The beast stared them down from a dead branch as high as a small building.


    //Welcome to the deep wood, Your Grace.


    Then a white, scaley form smashed into the tree and the bird died.


    ¡°Squee!¡±

 Chapter 76: A tale of many wings

    There were plenty of camping spots along the old imperial road. Well, perhaps ¡®plenty¡¯ was pushing it, Viv thought. There were a dozen that clung to the sides of the stone scar like huddling chicks. It was enough for the average slow caravan to travel from one end to another without having to clear space more than three times. The issue was that they had been selected for safety and convenience and Viv wanted hideouts selected for discretion. It would be pointless to have a base that any scout could find by looking in the wrong direction, and so the first step was to scout around to find suitable places. After a breakfast that included fresh fowl and Viv making a small crown of red feathers at Arthur¡¯s request, the group set out to find something promising.


    //The Deadshield woods may appear flat to the eye of the uninitiated.


    //They are not.


    //We will soon come across hills and caverns.


    //There are many such elevations in the forest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we find something suitable quickly, or we will have to go on without.¡±


    //You do not need an overabundance of supply caches, Your Grace.


    //Although you need more than one in case some of our soldiers get captured and betray one of the locations.


    ¡°You are thinking a bit far ahead.¡±


    //I am always thinking far ahead.


    //You meatbags should try it too.


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    Solfis was right of course. Viv found a minute of amusement when she realized that the trio of close quarter fighters had not even turned their heads at the exchange. They kept looking around with vigilance, even Marruk who was carrying Solfis on her massive back. Viv was getting roasted by a genocidal bone golem and had spent minutes creating a headdress for a dragonette and no one batted an eye. Really goes to show that if you were rich or powerful enough, ¡®weird¡¯ turned into ¡®eccentric¡¯. That was nice. With more and more people considering Arthur their mascot, ¡®eccentric¡¯ would soon become ¡®normal¡¯. Viv refrained from laughing maniacally and kept walking.


    So far in the forest, the underbush lessened as tall trees blocked a lot of the light under lush canopies. Vines and other growths spread over old bark in a riot of color sometimes made brighter by an errant ray of sunlight. The forest kept the space under its boughs cool and comfy, so that the scouting had become a pleasant stroll to Viv. Her skinsuit helped regulate the temperature as well and when she felt a bit too hot, she would gulp some water from an enchanted canteen. She had paid money for a minor cooling enchantment, not much but it was enough. Between this and the minty toilet paper, all her orifices were clean and refreshed, haha.


    Better not share that with the rest of the group. They would just become jealous.


    But really, it was nice. Nice, tall trunks so large it would take four Vivs to embrace them alternated with small thickets of fruiting brambles. She saw mushrooms in small packs and picked a few Solfis recognized as safe for consumption. They found roots as well. Sometime in the mid-morning, Two-Six returned from her scouting in a rush and everybody grabbed their weapons.


    ¡°No no, nothing urgent. Witch Bob, I mean witch Viv, can you shoot your spells from afar? And accurately?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, follow me¡­ I found something! You lot cover our backs but don¡¯t clang on your shield or whatever it is you tin cans like doing.¡±


    ¡°Oi!¡± Orkan protested, but they were already on their way.


    Two-Six dragged them through more rugged terrain going directly north and away from the road. Viv had to jog for twenty minutes before they arrived at the edge of a clearing. Crumbled pieces of wood dotted the space, a sign that the opening to the sky had come from the fall of a giant. Her guide had this intense, focused demeanor that really showed her Hadal parentage. Most of the time, only her pallor and slightly stooped posture betrayed her but now she was predatorial, hunched forward, and moved sinuously over the terrain like a quiet shadow. The woman turned and her eyes flashed red under the brown of their normal appearance. Viv was sure that it was an illusion to mask scarlet iris and a slit pupil.


    Two-Six had stopped. She was staring at something with laser-focus. Viv searched the clearing and could not quite detect what this was about. The place had a powerful brown and green mana presence but that was it.


    ¡°Siege tortoise right ahead. Young one, male, recently shed his keratinous scutes.¡±


    ¡°His what?¡± Marruk asked, confused.


    ¡°The plates on its back. The small ones shed when the tortoise grows,¡± Viv replied as she searched the ground, finding nothing. It was a mess of rotting wood, grass and small trees.


    ¡°Right?¡± she asked, now uncertain. It was a shit idea to make too many assumptions in a world with magic.


    ¡°Right!¡± Two-Six said with excitement. ¡°The siege tortoises find a place to huddle and shed all of them at once, then they eat the discarded scutes to recover the mana within and wait while it transfers to the new layer. That means that right now¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s vulnerable,¡± Orkan finished.


    ¡°And delicious!¡± Two-Six finished. She grinned and licked her lips, revealing teeth that were a bit too sharp.


    //Is this a scouting or a culinary expedition?


    ¡°The food is only part of it. There is something you need to see beyond. The tortoise merely blocks the way. And also the best avenue of retreat if something unfortunate happens.¡±


    //Very well then.


    //I assume that you want Her Grace to slay the beast from a distance?


    ¡°Right. We don¡¯t have time to dance with the creature. If Viv kills it from range we can harvest it, and then¡­¡±


    ¡°Make soup,¡± Denerim says. ¡°It is considered a delicacy in all of Param. The brown and green mana refreshes the body and removes exhaustion. I have salt. We could preserve some of it as well¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright you gluttons! I¡¯m in!¡± Viv complained. ¡°Just can¡¯t see the target.¡±


    Solfis snarled and unfolded himself from Marruk¡¯s back. Fully deployed, he was more than half again as tall as her. He took one step to the side and picked a straight offshoot from a nearby stump, then one step back to kneel by Viv¡¯s side. He wordlessly flipped it horizontally, and Viv understood what he meant. Solfis had aligned the improvised arrow towards the tortoise¡¯s body.


    At first, she struggled to spot the beast in its surroundings, even knowing it was there. The identify ability had trouble focusing as well, perhaps because she could not spot anything specific. The monster¡¯s green mana merged it into its surroundings both visually and to her magical perception. It took a minute for her to identify its dorsal spiked ridge as ¡®not a branch¡¯.


    ¡°Fuck I could have walked right by it.¡±


    //That is why human armies must employ scouts.


    //Complimentary paths lead to the most effective groups.


    //As you already surmised, Your Grace.


    //Because of the limitations inherent to your fleshy forms.


    ¡°How do I kill it? Its head is pulled in.¡±


    The group stopped.


    Then Marruk sighed and banged her door-shield very loudly.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    Viv blocked her ears and cursed when a horrible and slightly flabbergasted head emerged from the shell. A sphere formed over her shoulder while glyphs popped quickly into existence. She overcharged the spell before the tortoise could find the source of the disturbance.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    The artillery spell crossed the clearing in eerie silence and passed through its target¡¯s neck, top to bottom.


    The head fell off.


    ¡°Soup time!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Viv sat heavily on a piece of wood, playing with a feather. She had been sidelined once again because of her low physical stats and her lack of experience in processing tortoise carcasses. Arguably not her fault.


    ¡°Hey Two-Six, how come you¡¯re so knowledgeable about wildlife?¡±


    The Hadal tossed a piece of ligament and shrugged.


    ¡°Most first generations were trained to kill people. I managed to apprentice with hunters from Mornyr instead, providing cheap meat to every poor church around. They didn¡¯t mind my origins, only cared about how well I could stab things dead. Many of the Hadal survivors share a similar story by the way. The best hunters get commissions to hunt specific beasts and quite a bit of money as a result. Best part is that they don¡¯t try to kill you afterwards because you¡¯re not a loose end.¡±


    ¡°Is there a hunter organization?¡±


    ¡°Depends on where you are. Baran has a royal society, for example, but you go south and everyone in a village can hunt. I remember one time we were chasing this scalehound¡­¡±


    Two-Six shared a few stories. So did Denerim, although the old knight had mostly hunted aberrants. Orkan had been trained as a duelist and only had a limited experience killing monsters. The discussion lasted until lunch where Viv got her promised soup and had to agree that it made her feel energetic. They decided to return to the cart to load it with meat before continuing their exploration. It was then time for Two-Six to show what she had discovered.


    ¡°I found a cave that would be perfect for us, but it has strange creatures in it and I¡¯m not sure if it would be wise to clean it.¡±


    //I have a vast repository of knowledge at my disposal.


    //Lead on.


    They walked for only an hour in a mostly straight line this time. Their path snaked between smaller hills and elevations, following a dry riverbed of smooth stones.


    ¡°Are there rivers here?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°In the woods, yes, but no large ones close to here and the smaller streams change course all the time,¡± Denerim said. ¡°Ah, I believe that we have found our destination?¡±


    The path ahead cleared a bit as they entered a secluded valley nestled between two elevations. Two-Six was right, it looked good. There was even a small pond to the side filled with clear water. A cave with a large entrance waited at the end of a gravelly way with only sparse trees. The problem came from the creatures currently living in and around those trees. Viv had never seen anything quite like it.


    The trees were covered in a silky white substance with strands extending between trunks. Small white grubs traveled around those, tending colonies of clear-capped mushrooms and doing the gods knew what else. A dozen large worms as thick as a human torso crawled around surrounded by clumps of servants. Large creatures that obviously belonged to the same species glided gracefully around. They looked like butterflies if butterflies were the size of eagles.


    ¡°Well,¡± Viv said.


    They studied the scene in silence. Viv carefully kneeled to inspect a nearby grub, clearly some sort of scout. It was slowly climbing over rocks. It was as long as her hand and rather thick.


    Images of world-ending insectoid threats filled Viv¡¯s mind until she realized that the host trees the creatures used were still relatively hale. They didn¡¯t look particularly threatening.


    [Pleiada grub: harmless, a worker drone.]


    Arthur landed nearby and inspected the scene with curiosity. She didn¡¯t seem threatened by the gliding creatures.


    //The coloring is slightly different, however this species matches the record for Pleiada worms with 97% accuracy.


    //Pleiada worms are endemic to the Deadshield woods and produce valuable silk.


    Viv watched Arthur go closer to the grub and lower her snout. She hoped the curious dragonling would not try to eat that? Were they full of protein? She hesitated. Meanwhile, Solfis was not done.


    //Unfortunately, the silk cannot be harvested without wiping out the colony.


    //Indeed, the flying specimens you see act as a deterrent and very mobile defensive force.


    //They have a peculiar defense mechanism.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Viv turned to see the grub writhing in Arthur¡¯s claw. The dragon was inspecting a yellowish liquid on her hand. The grub had thrown up on her.


    ¡°Arthur nooooo!¡±


    //When threatened, members of the nest will mark the attackers with a pheromone.


    It hit her then just as everyone grabbed their shields, including Viv though she was a bit late. A pungent, acrid smell invaded her nostrils. It was not exactly horrible but it was overwhelmingly strong, saturating her nose in mere moments.


    //The defenders will converge upon the marked one.


    One of the fliers emitted a high-pitched, keening sound, soon mirrored by another, then another, until the clearing sounded like an angry choir. They flocked towards the humans. Viv grabbed Arthur and started running. The others did exactly the same thing except Solfis who merely strolled. Denerim and Orkan each took Viv under an arm while Two-Six picked up Arthur herself. Marruk was at the end of the formation. They accelerated even more, and not a moment too soon because the droning mass of giga-butterflies was picking up speed.


    //Following which they will detonate themselves in a powerful explosion.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°Aw shit.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Viv did not wait and started to throw purge nets at their pursuers. The thin black wires bit into the swarm but the creatures were simply too fast. Even with enhanced perception, many of them dove under or whirled around her assault. Pieces of wings and quivering bodies were left in their wake but it was not enough. She persisted. Purge net was the best tool she had against fast-movers.


    The creatures gained on them. Denerim guided their flight into a narrow ridge and managed to stymie the flying worms by forcing them in the narrow corridor. Viv¡¯s spells simply didn¡¯t stop and the first rank got mowed down. The rest kept its distance after that. Viv immediately saw why. Some of the creatures had climbed up and were getting ready to dive-bomb them.


    //Ah, excellent.


    Viv watched the golem and noticed that it had picked an absolutely panicked harran, the rabbit-like creature. He briefly inspected it.


    //Shields up please.


    Viv did not think. She raised the largest mana shield she could and braced behind her steel buckler.


    Her danger sense screamed and the reflex casting ability activated. The world slowed down to a crawl. She could see every hair of Denerim¡¯s beard as the powerful knight gritted his teeth. She screamed her defiance and put everything she had in the defensive spell. Every ounce of mana she could muster went to thicken the half-sphere separating them from the suicide bombers. It could stop a tank round, she thought.


    Solfis¡¯ arm blurred and the world punched Viv left and right. Her mana was completely drained in an instant. Her head slapped back.


    Her ears hurt.


    She had trouble breathing. The sky was nice though, blue with nice white clouds and a surprising amount of dust. Pieces of debris, rocks and roots rained upon her. It was really quiet.


    She was in quite a bit of pain.


    Her ears whistled. She gulped air and it tasted hot.


    Someone forced a bit of glass between her teeth and the soothing, familiar herbal taste of a flesh-mending potion chased away the metallic tang in her mouth. The concoction was bitter as hell and she could tell it was the good stuff because her hearing returned on the spot. People were swearing.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s balls that was close.¡±


    Viv gingerly sat up to a glowing pair of yellow eyes and a series of massive craters as if the place had been shelled by the Americans. She was already okay, physically. It was not something that the combat medic could really get used to. It just went against everything she knew before¡­ before all of this.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡±


    There were a few mumbles and curses but overall people seemed fine and more than a little annoyed. Viv could tell why. It was time for another lesson in parenting. Except¡­


    ¡°Hold on. Where is Arthur?¡±


    //She appears to have headed out, Your Grace.


    //Towards this mountain to our side.


    Viv cursed and for the first time perhaps ever, felt anger and disappointment towards the dragonette. The four other humans fell silent. She sighed deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get her.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be following you.¡±


    Viv wanted to be alone to scold her adoptive kid but she recognized that they were not in a safe place. Splitting up now would be the height of stupidity.


    ¡°Lead on.¡±


    The team checked themselves and their gear quickly. Nobody commented on the fact that they had been two fingers away from getting pureed. After a brief inspection, Solfis opened the way up. They were still in the ridge they had followed to escape the Pleiada swarm.


    It had been uncomfortably close.


    Viv reminded herself that it was not because a grub was harmless by itself according to her inspection skill that it was really harmless.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Marruk said with a careful tone, ¡°should we clear out the worms now that their defenders are gone?¡±


    ¡°No, I want the colony alive and well,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Hmm, you do?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The others did not comment and she was in no mood to explain her idea right now. They climbed the sharp incline quickly and found a beast trail carving its way against the side of the mountain. Pines grew in thick clumps there and hid the way up. Their sap had replaced the scent of dust. Viv shivered at the memory of a giant spider and focused on the bone golem before her. They kept climbing.


    ¡°How high could she have gone,¡± Viv grumbled. It was not like Arthur to be gone like that, and certainly not like her to stay on foot. She preferred flying.


    They were almost at the top when Viv heard an angry squeal. There was a footprint at the edge of the flat summit, just before her.


    It was really, really big.


    Viv heard a woosh like wind through giant sails and her heart skipped a beat for the second time in less than ten minutes. Mana imploded before her eyes. She was stunned again.


    The witch faced a kaleidoscope of colors the likes of which she had never experienced. The sensations overwhelmed her in turn, even though her own sense of mana was still nascent. The riot of dyes was simply too much as it rolled and roared around her. Red for fire, for anger and passion. Black for destruction and change. Life for itself and for saving what was precious. Blue came with peace and immobility, then grey with movement and lightness. Brown and green spoke of growth and tenacity. There were other colors she had never seen in humans at the edge of her awareness as well, floating and whispering of things forbidden and pretty. A vivid phantasmagoria took her like a wave and washed her mind on a sandy shore of confusion. She was left blinking and disoriented, but there was one thing she knew. Arthur was there, where the mana came from, and that was where she was going.


    A hand grabbed her shoulder as she took the next step forward.


    //Your Grace, you must not.


    ¡°I must.¡±


    The hand stayed. She turned her head. The other mortals were frozen just like she had been. Denerim had recovered enough to gently drag the others back. Their eyes met. She ignored the question within. She ignored the option to give Solfis a clear order to let her go.


    ¡°I must.¡±


    The baleful yellow glare surveyed the track of the massive paw in front of them, assessing their chances and finding them risible, no doubt. Nevertheless, the answer was exactly what she expected.


    //I am right behind you.


    There was nothing left to say. She went over the edge.


    They stood on a small plateau surrounded by the tips of towering pine trees. A large rock covered half of the area in front of them and on the face of that rock there was a cave entrance and in front of that cave entrance there was a dragon.


    It was green.


    It was also fuckhuge. Or at least it felt fuckhuge. It was certainly big enough.


    More importantly, it held Arthur¡¯s squirming form under its paw.


    ¡°Get the fuck off of her.¡±


    Viv realized she had spoken and came to regret it, as Solfis took his place by her side. She had never seen the golem look anything but detached, but now he was low to the ground with its legs flexed and his arms ready. It would have been threatening were it not for the fucking dragon.


    A yellow iris narrowed on Viv. She decided that she was kind of fucked and might as well show some spine.


    And yet, despite the tension, no violence occurred. The dragon¡¯s gigantic head swiveled on its serpentine neck. The creature had to be at least as tall as a two-story building with the horns being in the attic, and that was sitting on its haunches. Its head matched Viv in height. The visible part of its eyes were as large as her entire head. Her inspection skill triggered and returned a headache. She vaguely got the impression that it was male and rather young. She also understood that only a hundred and fifty years old was young for a dragon.


    As for the reptilian legend, ¡®he¡¯, she guessed, lowered its head to inspect her under every angle. Arthur was still struggling but she seemed unharmed under all those talons. It was a status quo that she was okay with for the moment.


    The inspection went on. It lasted for a whole minute during which mana ebbed and flowed but the dragon made no move. It appeared to be beyond dumbfounded. Finally, a thought entered Viv¡¯s mind. The meaning was conveyed through the language of the world, the same runes she used for her spell. There were no sounds uttered.


    HOW?


    It was simple but also very, very loud and Viv¡¯s mind could not adequately be covered with her hands, so she dug a circle at her feet and hoped that the dragon would not mind. It did not. Perhaps he didn¡¯t think of her as a threat. Unfortunately, he was probably correct. With the minor protection in place, Viv addressed the living myth.


    ¡°The gods played their games. Please release Arthur.¡±


    The dragon was still tilting his head here and there. He repeated the question though this time it was not as loud. She realized that he did not understand her, so she formed glyphs and tried to think them at him. It only worked because his mind was already touching hers.


    God of Outlanders made it.


    Please release tiny one.


    The dragon looked at her fixedly. He blinked once and sniffed her. He was oven-hot from this close.


    A human god?


    She thought back yes, and the large creature finally realized that Arthur was still struggling to escape. She had her jaws around his¡­ thumb. For lack of a better word.


    I was challenged.


    For territory.


    Viv wondered what the fuck he was on about, but not for long. The dragon sent a scene directly to her mind. In there, she was very tall and a bit sleepy. A child sprinted from behind the line of pines. She had felt her, of course. The child stopped and stood on her hind legs, wings deployed. The child was offering a territorial challenge. She was amused by the child¡¯s recklessness and grabbed her mid-lunge. There were others coming. Tool makers.


    Viv was thrown back in her head. She reeled under the onslaught and felt a migraine forming, the kind that no flesh-mending potions could fix. The green dragon was looking down at Arthur who had stopped struggling. They were communicating, Viv was sure of it. Eventually, the green dragon turned back to Viv and she felt their minds connect.


    Incomprehension.


    Leaving.


    The large creature smoothly turned with a grace that belied its large body and took off at a run. Viv hid her face against the powerful draft. When she opened them again, he was away.


    Viv watched the dragon swerve and disappear behind a hilltop. He was as fast as a plane. She could still taste hints of grey mana where he had spread his wings.


    She sat down where she was.


    So yeah.


    A dragon.


    He existed incredibly strongly in her mana perception, and possessed all the dyes at levels she could only dream off. She thought that no spell of hers that could put a dent in him would reach him anyway. He was the most magical creature she¡¯d ever felt by several orders of magnitude. Before it, human casters were mud blocks playing gods.


    And yet, for all its magical and physical might, the creature had been disappointingly stupid. Viv had felt it in the way he had struggled to accept her status as a draconic surrogate mommy. He had not known what to do. He had shown no real curiosity, not like Arthur who even now sniffed the grey mana and flapped her wings with eager interest. Viv had survived, yet she had learned nothing. However, it turned out that Arthur had.


    My human.


    Pain?


    Arthur¡¯s mind was an eager, bubbly pot of instincts and desires. She conveyed her message as best she could, through the haze of her own inexperience. Viv tried to return a thought but failed. The connection was too fragile, for now.


    ¡°I am not in pain. I am also not angry, but I am displeased. And disappointed.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s horned head drooped and Viv girded her heart to stop herself from rushing to the poor little one¡¯s rescue. It was an important teaching moment.


    ¡°You put yourself and me in danger.¡±


    We are strong.


    And smart.


    ¡°We are not as strong and smart as you think. Maybe one day we will be, but it will take a long long time before we are as powerful as the one you challenged. Listen, it is good to be courageous but not good to be reckless. You are a smart girl and I thought you understood the difference but apparently you don¡¯t. You were in danger when the rathclaw attacked you and also when the flying worms pursued us just now. You attack first and think later.


    I destroyed aberrant.


    Mighty hunter!


    ¡°The problem is not attacking, it¡¯s attacking all the time. Sometimes you can win and sometimes you can¡¯t. We have been lucky so far. One day that luck will run out if you keep testing it.¡±


    Vivane strong.


    Killed rathclaw.


    Stopped worms.


    ¡°I got hurt by the worms.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeee!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now but the explosion got me. And you left. Look, I love you. You know that. I will always come when you are in danger. You just need to realize that I¡¯m not as strong as I wish I were. I get hurt. I get tired. We are still fairly small, the two of us. We won¡¯t get the chance to grow up unless you show as much cunning as you show courage. Attacking the aberrant from the sky where it couldn¡¯t hit you was smart but touching the worm when Solfis was explaining what it did was not, nor was challenging the older dragon.¡±


    Challenged to distract.


    Protect my human.


    Dragon too big.


    ¡°You left by yourself without telling me. Of course I would follow and of course I would meet him as a result.¡±


    Arthur flopped down on the ground.


    Feeling horrible.


    ¡°Look, the most important thing is that we are alive and well. So long as we have that, we can learn and we can progress, yes?¡±


    And grow larger!


    ¡°Of course, but until you are large, please be smarter, be more cautious, and coordinate with me. We will work together and get much gold and food, yes?¡±


    Gold and food!


    ¡°So no more running around and putting yourself in danger okay? Be a smart dragon so you can be a big dragon.¡±


    Yes.


    Smartest dragon.


    Will not worry you.


    Patient and deadly.


    ¡°Thank you. Now come here, let me hug you.¡±


    Viv returned to the others. The mood was decidedly subdued. The idea of checking the dragon¡¯s lair was not even considered. Everyone decided to return to the base camp and rest for the day, including Solfis. Just as they were climbing, Denerim went to walk by Viv¡¯s side.


    ¡°So, does being an outlander come with strange and weird powers? Like attracting disasters and then surviving them?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    They eventually found another mountain cave that fit the bill and left markers for later. The trip through the deep woods went without further incidents. They came across a swarm of voracious rodents, a territorial large bird with feathers like blades and a particularly aggressive pack of scale hounds but nothing the group could not handle or deter. Two-Six found a total of three well-hidden natural caves that could be used as supply caches, all of them marked for the future. They also managed to bathe in a natural lake after Solfis ¡®fished¡¯ a lone monster out of it. The golem had simply walked into the water and then walked out with his catch.


    On the ninth day, the trees grew shorter and the sense of immensity abated. A few rain clouds hung low over the horizons. The wind had picked up when Two-Six returned to the group and signaled the presence of newcomers. Humans, this time.


    ¡°The ones you were expecting,¡± the Hadal said laconically.


    The group stood still in the middle of the road, weapons sheathed. A large troop soon crossed a bend and came into view. They slowed down and deployed across the road. Viv waved at them and they kept going, though they kept their hands on their blades.


    Viv had a gander at them and yep, no mistake, those were the people Neriad had announced. They were a weird bunch of armor-covered, scarred, overarmed grumpy men and women whose defining feature was that most of them were lacking one or more limbs. Only the youngest fighters looked whole and those were probably relatives. Viv spotted a wiry lad with a missing eye and a monocle on the other holding a massive longbow on his back, an old man with mutton chops with a missing leg, a missing arm, two prosthesis and a warhammer. A woman with a cut-off hand had a blade mounted on her armguard. They were led by an imposing fighter with his right arm cut off at the shoulder. He had a long, narrow sword strapped to his waist and didn¡¯t look scared at all.


    The first of the wagons turned the bend then. Viv counted no less than three arrows planted into it. It looked like a normal cart that had been reinforced with planks and nails rather than the design she had previously seen.


    Viv had never seen such an intimidating bunch, they radiated spite-fuelled expertise.


    The leader stopped in front of her and bowed. She tried to inspect him. It just returned a vague sensation of danger. She had to admit that he looked good, like a romantic muscular hero from some old fantasy movie. Like a darker Brad Pitt with long wavy dark hair and a clean goatee.


    Ok he was really hot.


    ¡°Greetings, milady. Are you perhaps associated with Kazar?¡±


    ¡°That we are. We were told to escort you but looking at you, not sure you really needed it.¡±


    ¡°We can always use a war mage, milady. And, are you the one we heard about? Can you really regrow lost limbs?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s worked so far.¡±


    ¡°Good. The lads and I have decided that if you help us with our handicap problem, we¡¯ll help you with your rat problems. We all really dislike rats, especially the crowned variety.¡±


    His voice was deep and surprisingly soft. It was also tinged with a deep melancholy and Viv got the impression that he really didn¡¯t believe things could get better. The others behind them were more communicative though. They eyed her with a mix of greed and hope. They also nodded while caressing an assortment of nasty-looking war implements.


    Viv looked at centuries of collected scorn and military experience, just waiting to be cured before they could be unleashed.


    ¡°Yeah, that will work just fine.¡±

 Chapter 77: The Convoy

    There were two people who would not be returning to Kazar. Denerim placed a fatherly hand on Viv¡¯s shoulder as they stood to the side to let the convoy go on.


    ¡°So, this is goodbye. I still remember that you almost tossed us out when we first met you.¡±


    ¡°I was having a bad day and religious law enforcement doesn¡¯t exactly have the best reputation where I came from.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you must not have met inquisitors of Maranor yet.¡±


    ¡°No? Why?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re cunts. But you didn¡¯t hear it from me.¡±


    Viv smiled. Denerim seldom swore and his sudden vulgarity lifted the mood, somewhat.


    ¡°I wonder why I have not met her clergy yet.¡±


    ¡°That is an easy question to answer, my dear. Kazar is a forgotten mudhole and the destiny of an entire kingdom is being decided on the other side of the woods right now. That¡¯s where most of them are going to be. In any case, I wanted to thank you, not just for the regrowth spell but also for helping us all those times. You are a good person at heart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not so sure about that, Denerim.¡±


    ¡°First, bad people worry much less about being good and second, a bad person would have asked payment to kill the acolyte of Gomogog. You didn¡¯t.¡±


    Viv tried to remember that night and realized that yes, she had just jumped right in.


    ¡°Fighting for good does not mean that you can¡¯t be an underhanded asshole about it, as I am sure you already know. I hope you never forget that even we inquisitors also use deception and face grey decisions. We don¡¯t fall when we take the wrong one. We fall when we stop caring.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Look at the old man rambling again,¡± Orkan said, gently pushing himself in front of Viv. Viv thought that Denerim might get pissed but the older man merely chuckled.


    ¡°He is right. We have a charter. I am merely repeating the church¡¯s precepts. You are not a very fervent person Viv, for obvious reasons, but you might still want to have a look. Who knows? Maybe Kazar can become a principality like Helock or Mornyr and the church of Neriad becomes its state religion?¡±


    ¡°Wow, aren¡¯t you going a bit fast?¡±


    ¡°Merely preparing for the future, my dear. I will let you and Orkan say your goodbyes. I need to have a talk with the veterans.¡±


    The Hallurian appeared to be a bit nervous. His tattoos pulsed lightly in the shade of the nearby trees.


    ¡°Yeah. So. I wish we could have stayed longer. I will miss our training sessions, going through the woods and bringing back harrens and other beasts to roast over a nice fire. Thank you for seeing me like a person, not just the man with two blades. It really made a difference to me on a level I cannot express. I really hope we meet again,¡± he said with a blush.


    Viv stared at his quickly retreating back with a growing suspicion that she may have been really, really oblivious.


    ¡°Wait. Was he flirting?¡±


    //I always assumed that you were not sensitive to his advances.


    ¡°But he never said anything! Never tried anything!¡±


    //Perhaps his physique usually suffices to attract partners.


    //I must say, with how inefficient human reproduction methods are, I always expected that getting to the mating part would be a streamlined process.


    //Truly, I fail to understand how your species managed to propagate.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    Viv thought that Orkan was a bit of a stud if not exactly someone she could see herself dating long-term because she didn¡¯t exactly click.


    ¡°I should have at least gotten laid,¡± she commiserated. ¡°Ah well maybe next time.¡±


    //Please remember to use measures to prevent pregnancy, such as a cold-womb ring, or an infusion.


    ¡°No problem, if I have a kid I¡¯ll just have you raise them.¡±


    //Ah yes, a subject for my experiments.


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    Viv and the rest of the group left with the convoy. She burned with questions on Enoria and so on but decided to wait until they stopped for the night. For some reason, the veterans were tense and extremely professional. They didn¡¯t have scouts and so Two-Six became everyone¡¯s favorite girl. Despite her assurance that nothing had spotted them so far, the troops progressed with vigilance. It was easy to guess why since many of the veterans had brought their families.


    It was only after night had fallen and they had finished establishing a secured camp complete with sentries and a perimeter that the unofficial leader invited her to his tent to explain things. Like most of the group¡¯s possessions, his tent had seen better days. It showed clear signs of repair, some of them on top of each other. A shorter woman was boiling a pot with magic. She handed Viv a bowl of soup and sat by the man¡¯s side, exhausted. While he seemed to manage, she had dark pockets under her eyes and her traits were emaciated.


    She was also ethnically different. Her skin tone approached what Viv would associate with Asian and her hair was slightly lighter than those of everyone else here with yellow highlights. Her features were different as well. Viv also thought that they were a gorgeous couple. The man placed his own bowl on the tiny rug between them and embraced her. She leaned into it and closed her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you came to escort us. Your name was Beebiane?¡± he asked.


    His tone was more casual now and he had a strong Baranese accent that she had not noticed before. It was a bit more rugged than the one captain Cernit had shown. She considered inspecting him again but thought he might feel it and it would be a bit rude. He still breathed out this sense of power and danger that the woman next to him apparently shared, to Viv¡¯s surprise. It was the way mana flowed around them. It did not have the vibrating quality of what she could perceive around Arthur but it did feel¡­ disciplined. Controlled.


    Deadly.


    ¡°Viviane, yes. Don¡¯t worry about the pronunciation. Most people struggle with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll learn. I¡¯m Solar and this is Wamiri, my wife. If you can really do what you say you can do, we will be in your debt.¡±


    He closed his eyes and frowned.


    ¡°Sorry. Not really doubting you, more like¡­¡±


    ¡°We search for long time. In many places,¡± the woman finished. She had a heavy accent that Viv could not place.


    ¡°Yeah. That. You have no idea how hard I¡¯ve tried to find a way.¡±


    ¡°There are other methods to regrow a limb?¡±


    He snorted.


    ¡°None that I¡¯d care to try. I¡¯m not on good terms with the dark gods, you see? I may have lost my dominant arm but I¡¯m not defenseless.


    ¡°Hm. Okay? Speaking of which, I wanted to ask. Why did people bring their families?¡± Viv asked.


    Solar gave her a glare, but frowned and shook his head soon afterward. His locks bumped against the woman¡¯s nose and she exhaled.


    ¡°Yeah you are cut off. Should remember that. I¡¯m more of a wanderer myself but most folks here are Enorians and I wouldn¡¯t want to leave a relative in that shithole if I could help it. Entire country is on its way to hell right now.¡±


    ¡°Because of the civil war?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, more specifically because of the raids and second Regnos.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°I heard that noun before.¡±


    ¡°Yeah probably. Look, Denerim told me you were a traveler. Don¡¯t worry, I swore an oath to Neriad, not about to stab you in the back. What I meant to say is that you probably don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on so tell me if you¡¯re lost. Where was I? Oh yes, the glorious history of the hallowed kingdom of Enoria.¡±


    He scoffed and tasted the soup, giving an appreciative hum.


    ¡°Regnos was a huge battle that marked the end of the first civil war. Rebel forces managed to trap the king¡¯s army and cut off its retreat but only the gods could have told which way the battle would have gone if those idiots had kept fighting. Regnos is the perfect battlefield if you¡¯re confident. It¡¯s a large mining town in the middle of a large plain encircled by mountains and marshland. There are only two safe passages for armies to get in. One to the south and one to the north.¡±


    ¡°The king¡¯s loyalists occupy the south, right?¡±


    ¡°And the rebels control the north, yeah. As soon as hostilities flared up again and folks were riled up by bloody raids, both armies made their way to the place for a decisive showdown. That was two weeks ago. The battle was a fucking meat grinder that lasted for a week. A full week. By the accounts we received from some of the wounded, Regnos is destroyed and there are aberrants everywhere. It¡¯s a fucking mess.¡±


    ¡°Did Prince Lancer die?¡±


    ¡°Hah! You wish. If only things were that easy, ey? In fact, he might be the next heir to the throne.¡±


    Viv blanched.


    ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡±


    ¡°Well, he has a good chance now but things are not as simple as it seems. Look, the temple of Neriad knows what happened. Truth is, both sides butchered each other at second Regnos. More than half of the rebel nobles are dead. Not wounded, dead. The first princess got beheaded during a charge aimed at cutting off the rebels and the first prince is maimed. Only Lancer is a serious candidate right now, but he needs to win the war and it doesn¡¯t look good. You got to understand. Almost fifteen thousand people died on that field.¡±


    Viv flinched. Fifteen thousand fatalities was¡­ she had trouble wrapping her head around it. The battle of Crecy during the hundred years war had been one of the greatest military disasters in French medieval history and five thousand men had been lost.


    ¡°Yeah. I know. This is what happens when you tell an entire generation that they have to unite the land again. Nobody surrendered and nobody withdrew until the bitter end. The king is rumored to be devastated by the loss of his daughter while the rebel leadership was utterly gutted in a single battle. Nobody won, except the dead.¡±


    ¡°And Prince Lancer.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. One thing is sure though, he needs to finish you off.¡±


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°Why? He can just take the throne and wait, no?¡±


    ¡°His enemies at the court have spread and amplified his failure. Congratulations, you are a public figure. I even saw a caricature of you shoving a metal rod up Lancer¡¯s¡­ natural orifice.¡±


    ¡°How prophetic¡­¡± Viv mumbled while Wamiri tutted.


    ¡°Ah sorry. What I mean to say is that he needs to wash the stain on his honor before claiming the throne. I am sure that someone already explained to you that followers of Maranor must show ruthlessness towards their foes in order to curry her favor. He will return, and this time, he will bring enough troops to guarantee a kill.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    ¡°There is good news though. You are going to receive a lot of veterans soon. We are just the first wave. And he will be underestimating you. I can assure you that I can organize our defenses to give us a fighting chance. If I get my arm back, I will be your best hope and your best warrior.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make something clear. I have a plan and a training program already and I doubt you can top it, and second, you¡¯ll be the second best warrior.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Solar asked, politely curious, ¡°and who would be the first?¡±


    ///That would be me.


    //A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sword master.


    //Now, I am confident that we can find a role for you newcomers in our glorious army.


    The convoy progressed slowly over the next few days. Viv accompanied a group of fast movers to scout and forage on the way, sometimes digging up a few beasts and roots to supplement the diet of the rest. They had left during the harvest and got enough time to collect food but now they were down to boiled cereals. Mana-rich meat skewers and fresh greens went a long way to improving the mood. In fact, Viv¡¯s presence and the assurance that they had an actual destination uplifted everyone¡¯s spirits. It was one thing to dream about a haven in times of trouble, and another to have one of its inhabitants come to escort you in person.


    Viv found the veterans and their family to be the most eclectic group to join Kazar so far. There were some actual low-ranked nobles who had dropped everything to come here. Others had been little better than beggars when they had joined. The carts and carriages reflected that. No two were alike, and most of the additional protections were nailed on. Only a few centennial cornudons were available to pull the heaviest pieces while the rest got carried forward by lesser animals and, sometimes, even humans. Despite their differences, the veterans shared the same unerring vigilance that bordered on paranoia. She would find it annoying if she hadn¡¯t seen in what state the previous convoy had arrived. And three days later, as they were going through the deep woods, their caution was justified.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Viv asked no one in particular. The sound had reminded her of a mix between an eagle cry and a blender.


    //That would be a warning cry from a Tempest Raptor, Your Grace.


    //An aerial apex predator in the Deadshield Woods¡¯ more shallow parts.


    Viv slowed down to watch Solfis who was on their old cart, now hitched to the largest waggon on account of being tiny.


    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re in a shallow part?¡±


    //Yes, Your Grace.


    //We stand in a sort of isthmus, if you will pardon an inaccurate approximation that your fleshy brain will comprehend better.


    //The Deadshield Woods are much denser going north and south.


    //Nevertheless, we still travel to what is technically ¡®deep woods¡¯.


    //Thus, this cry, which warns other predators than the Tempest Raptor spotted prey and not to interfere.


    Viv pondered that for exactly half a second.


    ¡°It¡¯s us, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    //I estimate that your opinion has 97.8% chances of being correct.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    Arthur landed a second later and stayed on the cart, keeping a cautious eye on whatever little grey sky could be seen through the canopy. Armed soldiers moved along the column with Solar directing people up and down. They had very few archers. The only one Viv had seen was missing an eye and had trouble seeing from the second. So, yeah. Solar made his way to Viv just as she and Marruk finished strapping their armors and helmets.


    ¡°We could really use your help, war caster. This is a bird of prey with an excellent sight. It will avoid dangers like me and pick at our most vulnerable members when our guard is low.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can stay on high alert for a week. Solfis, can we take it down?¡±


    //The standard protocol for humans in your situation is to sacrifice members until the beast is sated.


    //But of course, we cannot allow overgrown Arthur-bait to damage valuable imperial resources.


    //With access to battle reports of several successful eliminations of Tempest Raptors, I have identified a strategy that would best match our present capabilities.


    //In order to succeed, we need someone to act as bait.


    The silence was deafening.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must say no,¡± Solar said.


    //Your input is noted.


    //Now shut up.


    //As for the bait, we need someone who looks like they would provide valuable nutrition to the raptor.


    //I believe that the individual Marruk would provide the best candidate.


    ¡°Me?¡± the Kark asked bashfully.


    //Indeed.


    //Marruk¡¯s height and girth are among the greatest in the caravan.


    //Additionally, she is quite muscular.


    Marruk was turning an interesting shade of purple. She sputtered a few unintelligible words and Viv felt compelled to come to the rescue.


    ¡°Oi, Solfis!¡±


    //With her fighting prowess, Marruk presents the best chance at surviving the attempt.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± the Kark warrior bellowed, ¡°I¡¯ll do it! You can stop talking now!¡±


    //Very well.


    //The bait will lie on the ground in full view at the back of the convoy.


    //The Tempest Raptor will initiate a dive.


    //Right before it lands, it will spread its wings to slow its descent.


    //We will strike at this exact moment.


    //Under my guidance, the Heir shall strike its head with a mighty spell.


    //I will use the opening to jump on the creature and neutralize it.


    //That is all.


    ¡°What if I miss?¡± VIv asked, a bit worried.


    //I will use my superior sensor systems to warn you of the beast¡¯s approach and its direction.


    //The Raptor should stop about twenty paces away from the ground.


    //I will point at the most likely place beforehand and count down for you.


    //With this, you should have no trouble landing your attack.


    //But if you fail, it would be unfortunate for Marruk.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t fail?¡± Marruk asked. She was still flustered.


    ¡°What about me? I can help,¡± Solar said with confidence.


    //Your presence is not required for the success of this plan.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m a cripple that¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t have time for this.


    ¡°It¡¯s not related to your handicap,¡± she said. ¡°And Solfis called you a blade master so he knows that you¡¯re not dead weight. Look, the three of us have worked together for six months and we have managed through undead, monsters and a whole fucking siege. We know each other¡¯s capabilities. We know how to work together. You¡¯re just a variable in a plan that doesn¡¯t need it. It has nothing to do with your skill. You could be Eron the dragonslayer reborn and I would still ask you to step aside and let us do our job.¡±


    The man chuckled a bit bitterly.


    ¡°Ah, you have leadership. Not just a spell flinger then? Alright, let¡¯s see what you guys can do. I¡¯ll make sure to keep everyone else going. Happy hunting.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Marruk walked to the back with Viv leaning towards her as they were passing the rear-guard.


    ¡°Look, sorry about Solfis being a bit insensitive.¡±


    ¡°By Sardanal that¡¯s so true, I have never been so shamelessly courted before. I thought he was going to propose!¡±


    ¡°Ah. Hm.¡±


    Viv was lost in translation.


    Marruk lay down on the ground, took a deep breath and covered her face with her shield. Viv joined a fully deployed Solfis on the side of the road and used the shroud spell to give them some basic cover. She had mastered the strange ¡®change¡¯ meaning enough that the eldritch-looking walls could now curve inward a little bit. They still looked like some Old Ones were grasping at the trees behind her, but what can you do?


    ¡°Won¡¯t the raptor smell us or something?¡±


    //No, Your grace, they rely exclusively on sight at this range.


    //Your wall and its residual black mana will cover us from sight until it is too late.


    //For it.


    ¡°Will it really take the bait?¡±


    //Yes, Your Grace, all my prediction algorithms define the possibility as likely.


    //Tempest raptors may be deadly in the air, and possess patience, but they are not the smartest beasts in their class.


    //No need for intelligence when overwhelming power will suffice.


    ¡°You¡¯d think that with dragons around¡­¡±


    //Dragons remain extremely rare, Your Grace, and the raptor knows to avoid their territory.


    //Predatory birds rarely attack each other.


    //They will, however, try to kill chicks.


    ¡°Brutal,¡± Viv commented. She was busily drawing a second circle which she reinforced with glyphs dug in the soil with the tip of her blade. That would help with the blast spell.


    //This is an adjective that defines raptors quite well, Your Grace.


    The golem raised his featureless face up.


    //It appears that our quarry has taken the bait.


    //Just don¡¯t think and aim for center mass.


    //One spell is enough.


    Viv focused. Her danger sense and acuity reflex should make up for her slowish nervous system. The creatures on Nyil were no joke.


    Suddenly, Solfis pointed his bony arm up at something out of sight. Viv looked but could only see branches, leaves in various shades, and small windows of cloudy skies. She prepared her spell.


    Solfis¡¯ arm moved progressively faster, first at a crawl and then like a conductor directing the slowest orchestra.


    //Three. Two. One¡­


    Viv had never been so focused in her life. One moment the sky was empty. The next, a dark shape crashed through boughs and branches with a great fracas. A remote part of her mind registered feathers in viridian shades of blue, a yellow beak as sharp as a scalpel and talons the color of her mana. The main part unleashed everything she had on the newcomer. Time slowed. The spell flew true thanks to tens of thousands of previous castings guiding her hand. It hit the monster center mass and¡­ did not get through. The powerful feathers deflected, refracted her spell. She had never seen it happen, and it felt so weird. The next moment, a beady dark eye zeroed on her.


    Then the wind hit.


    Viv perceived a wave of grey mana without understanding what it meant until the shockwave of the creature¡¯s landing reduced her meager shelter to dust. She was propelled to the ground and rolled the best she could, protecting her neck with her entwined hands. Her back smashed against a trunk and she hissed in anticipation, but no pain came. Her shield was still strapped to her back and it had softened the blow.


    She stood up, ready to add her weight to the battle but it was not needed. There was a comparatively small, pathetic pile of feathers on the ground. Solfis stood next to it with the monster''s head held between long, bloody claws. He had made it look easy.


    Viv noticed that the raptor¡¯s eyes were both pierced and two trails of blood and humor fell like tears from the devastated cavities.


    ¡°Nice show, well done,¡± Solar said as he approached and eyed the trophy. ¡°Surgical too.¡±


    //Raptors have small heads and small brains.


    //Attacking through the eye cavities let me disable it in one strike.


    ¡°I see. Hm. But then, why behead it?¡±


    //Because.


    //It pleased me.


    Solar stared at Solfis with some measure of worry, but the bone golem did not react. Viv was not surprised. Solfis could win a staring contest with a statue.


    ¡°Well, in any case, fantastic work, as I said. We¡¯ll have some of the lads and lasses prepare it for tonight, I bet the feathers are valuable too. It¡¯s good to be working with professionals.¡±


    ¡°Can I come out now?¡± Marruk squealed from under her shield.


    ¡°I bet it tastes like chicken,¡± Viv whispered to herself.


    Sadly, it did not taste like chicken.


    As Viv expected, the attack only made the veterans even more paranoid. They now decided to have people watch the skies at all times even though what could be seen of the sky was extremely limited. Viv didn¡¯t tell them that it was redundant or bemoan them asking Solfis or Two-Six what they could detect because she thought that they had the right idea. Not everyone was blessed by the world to be good at destructuve magic and not everyone had a fucking ancient war golem backing them up.


    ¡°You know, I think I haven¡¯t thanked you for being here for me and the other humans before. You¡¯re so useful that having you around feels like cheating. You really make a huge difference,¡± she told Solfis one night as Arthur slept with her ever-larger head on her lap.


    //Thanks are unnecessary, Your Grace.


    //Social graces are useful between organics.


    //I, however, base my assessment on actions and yours speak for themselves.


    //You were dying back in Harrak and still found a way to drag my core up the sandy slope.


    ¡°You saved my life in the end.¡±


    //You did not know that at the time.


    //Nevertheless, your appreciation is noted.


    //You can rely on my skills and knowledge in the future without concern.


    //You are blessed by luck.


    //It placed us on a collision path.


    //It also placed you in the middle of a dead city crawling with undead.


    //It also made you stay in a city doomed to destruction, were it not for your actions.


    //What matters to me is not how blessed or cursed you are.


    //What matters to me is that you work, think, and persevere.


    //You will always be luckier and unluckier than someone else.


    //More privileged and poorer than someone else.


    //Luck and privilege are not sins.


    //Squandering them is.


    They came out of the deepwoods a few days later. Viv had been in the forest for more than two weeks, spent the last few days practicing glyphs instead of remaining vigilant because, fuck, you could only look at so many trees before it got a bit tiring and most of the wildlife left when they heard the humans come. She was nose-deep into her practice book when Arthur landed excitedly on the cart.


    Kill!


    ¡°Hm¡­ Now?¡±


    Yes!


    Just then, Two-Six burst out of the treeline and ran to Solar. He immediately screamed at the top of his head in a rumbling voice that reached all the way to the back.


    ¡°Beastling tides, right side! Unhitch the carts and form up! Right side, right side!¡±


    Immediately, designated leaders ordered their individual groups to form a wall and have lines of fighters stand in front of it. Viv found it a bit strange until she realized that the armored sides of the carts were made to protect the families.


    The veterans did not look like the most able group, which made sense of course. Not everyone could wear a shield and some of those who could would have trouble moving it around. There were blind fighters standing there just to provide a meat shield and protect the rare archers they had. They looked determined, though, and many wore heavy gear that they had strenuously maintained.


    Viv finished putting on her helmet and made sure her metal shield was on her arm. No need to catch a stone. She stayed where she was in case Solar came looking for her, which he promptly did.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the front but your help would be appreciated.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you guys handle the chaff and we take out the casters. What are we looking at?¡±


    ¡°Looking at?¡± Solar asked with frown, but Two-Six was used to some of her stranger turns of phrases.


    ¡°At least four hundred. At least five shamans but probably more, led by a caster on the back of a humanoid monster. Fast. Almost caught up to me.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take care of the shamans and the caster if you guys can hold the line. I¡¯ll take out beastlings as I can but focus on the larger threats. Would that work?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The elites and I will spread across the line. The priority is to protect our families who will be behind. If you can, support the more endangered parts of the wall and whoever gets dragged out of formation. Beastlings always try that.¡±


    He left. Two-Six nodded and melted into the darkness. Viv looked around.


    //We should go to the highest point in the formation.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Viv easily found and climbed the tallest wagon. This one had a cute ramshackle little tower on top to allow a man with no legs to shoot a shortbow at any hostile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking lady but this is my spot.¡±


    ¡°Make some room, this is for the common good,¡± she replied, a black sphere forming above her shoulder.


    ¡°Hmph. Fine, but don¡¯t block the way.¡±


    //I will deploy as well, Your Grace.


    //I have full confidence that you will prevail.


    ¡°You¡¯ll support the infantry?¡±


    //Auditory sensors report the presence of two more large beasts than Two-Six reported.


    //I shall intercept to prevent them from breaking through our lines.


    //Or the battle will be more complex.


    ¡°Sure thing. Should I hold off spells until the leader appears, you think?¡±


    //No need, Your Grace.


    //It would be better to take down the weaker shamans as soon as possible.


    //Your reserves and efficiency have significantly improved since the last tide.


    //Do not hesitate to¡­ make a point.


    //The forest will regrow.


    //In time.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Solfis left in his unnerving gait. It was lucky that his only interventions so far had been brief and his tank was still half-full, otherwise¡­


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Fight.


    Smartly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get caught. By anything.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Anyway, Viv inspected the now-prepared defenses. Most soldiers had gathered in clusters behind powerful individual fighters, with the most handicapped soldiers on the sides. It gave their lines a sinusoidal pattern. Solar was one such warrior, but she also recognized Walimi, who was flipping a glaive with flaming tips, and a man with a massive battle axe and a peg leg. Others led smaller clusters.


    Funny how it was those short moments of wait before the proverb hit the fan when Viv felt the most alive. Not great, just¡­ really alive. She felt her heart thump in her chest. The air smelled of grass, a bit of nervous sweat and of wet soil. A light rain was starting.


    A few beastlings crossed the edge and screeched. Viv sent a few basic purge spells to slay those that were in front of her side of the defenses. It was just a few droplets in the ocean but it cost her nothing and interrupting their screams brought her a certain satisfaction, but then the scouts disappeared and a low drone sounded from the forest. Viv remembered it from her first battle, when Varska had been by her side. They were preparing to charge.


    This time, they had no vision, no archers, and their line was more fragile.


    This time, however, they had a third-step war caster.


    The drone grew to a fevered pitch and the wave of flesh surged from the forest, crashing into the defenders less than a second later. It was plenty of time for Viv whose mind had been reinforced with magic.


    ¡°Purge net.¡±


    Wires of destructive black mana tore through the first lines, sending body parts tumbling on the ground. The stench of blood and offal soon filled the air while, below her, the beastlings smashed into the veterans¡¯ dogged defense. A quick glance around showed the line being pressed back but stopping against the wall of wagons. Wamiri was carving through the tide in a deadly dance. Solar was weird. Viv was not sure how but the man stood where he was and the beastlings in a half-circle in front of him just¡­ died. Cut to bits. His left arm was a blur.


    Her new senses warned her of a change. Beastlings had some mana, mostly life and brown, but it was weak. The shamans were different. She perceived darkened spots where the foes hid from view, brewing aggressive spells to break the human lines. Viv did not hesitate. She had no need for sight when a general direction could work. She could do general direction.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    A thick, thin jet of vaporous mana blasted through the lush thicket, leaving a literal hole in the landscape wherever it hit. Viv made sure to lather it thick over where she thought the enemy concealed themselves like little rats. She got one right in front of her, then another on her right and a third farther up, near Wamiri. Others triggered their spells.


    Black spheres oozing malice flew at the fighters. Viv intercepted one on her left with a simple Bzzt. The sphere lost its integrity and exploded into parts that the experienced veterans mostly dodged. Solar cut another in two, unexpectedly destroying it.


    Solfis blocked one. It splashed harmlessly against his frame. The last two hit their soldiers. An old man threw himself at a ball and flashed gold briefly before being engulfed. He died without a cry. Another hit a group of humans and sent half of them screaming or dying on the ground.


    Viv threw net after net at the beleaguered flank, buying them enough time to reform. She spotted a young woman being pulled by the arm with a scream and decapitated three beastlings before they could brain her. She scrambled back. Others were not so lucky, but the beastlings were paying a heavy toll.


    Everywhere, the veterans fought tooth and nail to kill their foes before they could be overwhelmed. They may not have been at the top of their form but there were enough expert fighters in the lot to trounce dozens of the foul beings attacking them. Men and women in plate armor and chainmail broke the tide with powerful strikes while more agile fighters kept to the side, viciously exterminating stragglers. They fought with the sort of spite that replaced and improved upon courage. They would either win or they sure as hell would get even. Like giants among men, elites like Solar and Wamiri walked the battlefield unchallenged and where they went, death followed. Solar had an untouched area around him where beastlings just died without a chance to do anything.


    Somewhere to her right, the blind archer released an arrow under the guidance of a young boy. The projectile exploded and covered an entire area in onyx shrapnel. In the middle of it all, Viv acted like a machine gun position, cutting down beastlings where they concentrated or threatened to overtake the veterans.


    Viv¡¯s instincts screamed at her.


    She did not think. She unleashed the largest werfer she could on the devastated forest in front of her. Something bellowed in a gravelly voice. Her perception went in overdrive, and time slowed enough for her to make out hints of whitish fur. It was more than enough to provide a target, and so Viv unloaded. The creature was fast though, and she had limited visibility. Most of her spells were off. It dodged left and right until it came out in the open.


    Viv did not have time to stop it because the caster on its back threw a trio of crimson spears at her.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    She blocked them. There was a crash and the carriage shook under her feet. The man by her side cursed.


    Below, the beastling shaman was chanting more. It was a vile thing, covered in fetid stained skins and a beast skull masked its features. The creature it rode was strange. It resembled a four-legged creature covered in whitish fur with a low bulbous head. It moved like an insect, not a mammal. Where Viv¡¯s spell had hit, dark blood leaked lazily, preventing the thing from bleeding out. It had its front paws deep in the entrails of two of the veterans.


    Viv immediately cast because Marruk had put a stabilizing arm on her shoulder. Her spells easily overwhelmed the attacker while small, localized nope shields stopped strange bolts before they could fully take off. The white thing was lashed, and yet it lasted thanks to its strange coagulation abilities. The caster still decided to retreat.


    Viv watched the furry thing bounce away and thought uncharitable words.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    A deep black sphere pushed out of her aura with a light ¡®woosh¡¯, not loud and yet strangely clear in the din of battle. It silently popped and the telltale hiss of disintegration soon covered the cries and clang of the battlefield. Viv felt the creature turn and run. She threw another blight on an intercept course, though she suspected she would achieve little better than suppression.


    The beastlings on the path of the spells certainly did not like it one bit. They melted by the dozen and the line wavered.


    ¡°By Neriad, girl, leave some for me!¡± the old man roared by her side.


    ¡°Shoot faster then.¡±


    ¡°I can hold it if it returns,¡± Marruk said, staring at the edge of the forest. Viv unstrapped her metal shield and placed it in front of her to block errant stones. They had to kill the thing fast.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    Marruk landed on the ground with a great stomping sound. The shaman was coming back, she knew. It considered her its greatest threat probably. It only got to show how stupid it was. She knew that this moment was Solfis testing her, giving her an opportunity to exercise her skills and she would not disappoint.


    When she had killed the aberrant, she had used a concentrated beam of destructive mana. She needed that now. The artillery spell was a bit too slow for something so small and agile, but a short-range ray was just the thing. She changed the range of the artillery spell from long to short, added the ¡®continuous¡¯ glyph to the mix, as well as¡¯ movable¡¯ to be able to redirect it. Her mind got taxed quickly but that was fine. Once the leader fell, there would be no one to contest her. Somewhere on her right, Solfis intercepted a similar furred creature, jumped over it, and snapped its head off. Classic Solfis. A third had been stopped by a pair of knights. Arthur swooped in and torched it.


    The shaman charged, and so did Marruk. The arrogant beast crashed into Marruk¡¯s shield but the stout Kark took a few steps back and held.


    ¡°Meltdown.¡±


    Viv¡¯s concentrated attack swept through the first spell the shaman had cast, the second, then the shaman itself. For a single moment, she felt a resistance and a presence that sent pain through her body, but it was gone before she could react and the beam angled to the side, taking a muscular white leg off cleanly. It was all Marruk needed to send the screaming creature tumbling to the side where Viv finished it off by way of beheading.


    The thing was dead.


    She could let go.


    ¡°Blight. Blight. Blight.¡±

 Chapter 78: Autumn.

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    Acuity +1


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    Acuity Reflex: Beginner 8


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    Danger Sense: Beginner 8


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    It made sense that those skills mostly improved when she was in danger. Viv considered the small yet helpful progression as the veterans finished off the wounded beastlings and collected their own. The old man by her side turned to her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t prove that you killed more than me.¡±


    ¡°I can definitely prove it, you decrepit fucker.¡±


    She climbed down while her erstwhile neighbor complained about ¡®youth these days¡¯. The younger warrior she had saved from being carried off grabbed a hand with frantic gratefulness.


    ¡°I was dead without ya. If you were a man, I¡¯d marry you without my parents¡¯ approval!¡±


    ¡°Errr thanks?¡±


    The poor girl was soon dragged by the ear by an irate relative. Looking around, some of the soldiers were young and whole, probably family members who had decided to join. A bit green around the edge. Her ¡®retinue¡¯ gathered while she was looking around.


    ¡°Got the last shamans,¡± Two-Six said in a slightly gravelly voice. Her eyes were searching the closest veterans who were, in turn, studiously ignoring her.


    //A satisfactory outcome.


    Arthur didn¡¯t say anything. She was doing her best to gnaw on a partially-roasted furry limb. It resisted the attempt and it looked like the dragonette was taking the offense personally. Marruk seemed fine, still vigilant despite their recent victory.


    ¡°Ok. You guys can do what you want, I¡¯m going to check the infirmary.¡±


    A makeshift perimeter had been established. It was mostly empty and those who were brought in went out almost immediately on their two feet. Or one foot and a prosthesis, depending. Solar joined her soon after with his wife in tow. She met Viv¡¯s eyes and placed a proprietary hand on the tall man¡¯s ass.


    ¡°You did very well. How long have you been here? On Nyil?¡± Solar asked.


    ¡°Six months, give or take.¡±


    ¡°You were a war mage in your previous world then?¡±


    ¡°No, a combat medic. Like a battlefield healer.¡±


    ¡°A doctor?¡±


    ¡°Some people joke that doctors save people while we just make them comfortable. In reality my job was more to find the wounded, stabilize them and evacuate them.¡±


    He blinks.


    ¡°Ah, you were thinking about helping us further. Do not worry, most of the veterans are on their third or even fourth step here. They have more attunement than the average grunt.¡±


    Viv understood what he meant. As people got older, their attunement increased and they had access to a bit more life mana, so it essentially meant that older, more experienced folks could cure more allies. There was a limit, of course, but it made a difference.


    ¡°In any case, thanks for the assistance. It is always awe-inspiring to fight alongside a war caster. In any case, please excuse me as there is much to do and we should not stay here.¡±


    The veterans quickly made a pile of bodies which they set on fire. The few convoy members who had died were buried quickly but with ceremony. A few had been dragged into the tide and killed. A young man had caught a stone on the other side of the palissade. The bereaved cried silent tears but kept on with the rest with a perseverance that Viv found concerning. They moved quickly to leave the pile of roasting meat and the predators it would inevitably attract. They camped that night as if nothing had happened.


    Arthur lost her fight against the piece of monster. It was too stringy.


    They were in Kazar a week later.


    The arrival of the veterans led to a party on the fair fields, following which Viv was pretty much gang-pressed into providing surgery the very next morning before they could even get settled. Hadals brought monster meat which was turned into biological goop and almost all of the convoy came to attend the first operation. Unsurprisingly, Solar had been selected by unanimous vote. He was led in by a teary Wamiri in the pale light of the rainy dawn. Every attendant was tense. Some were praying.


    ¡°You know I¡¯ve done that shit before, right?¡± Viv said, somewhat miffed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. They have been told all their lives that what we can do is impossible,¡± Brenna told her. The grey-haired healer of Neriad looked much fresher than Viv who was still a bit tired after almost three weeks of traipsing through the woods like some savage. At least she had taken the time to bathe.


    Viv proceeded as usual, though with a bit more care since she had not cast that spell in two weeks. The construct still flowed as naturally as before thanks to her improved mind. It had stayed fresh in her memory. She was still not used to all of it, being able to think more clearly, focus on more things for a longer time. It just felt too good to be true. Regardless of her concerns, they regrew the arm with precision over the course of two hours, her patient unmoving on his stone slab as usual. Solar sat up from the operation table when they were done and slowly, slowly raised his new hand. It was pale and hairless but appeared functional.


    ¡°Slightly less muscular than the original. A hair longer too,¡± he casually announced.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, it¡¯s just that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shhh.¡±


    Viv would feel annoyed but there was something mesmerizing about seeing Solar flex his fingers one by one, first slowly then faster until she could no longer follow. He finally gathered them into a fist. Viv felt mana push from the man¡¯s shoulder, probably an early attempt to regrow his channel.


    ¡°It will take some time before you can channel mana again from it, and it will itch extremely uncom¡­¡±


    The mana surged and Viv watched, mesmerized, as the channels reformed before her eyes. They grew by a centimeter by second. Solar¡¯s expression was one of absolute focus.


    Viv was absolutely confident that it would be less painful to skinny dip in a bath of concentrated sulfuric acid than attempt what that motherfucker was doing right now.


    The channels kept expanding. Sweat pearled on the handsome man¡¯s brow but he never stopped, not even a little. Finally, he growled and the conduits reformed the rest of the way to his fingertips.


    He exhaled.


    ¡°Bah putain,¡± Viv exclaimed in French.


    ¡°By Neriad¡¯s plump buttocks, really?¡± Brenna added. She had handled the patients¡¯ discomfort over the past month and she knew what he had done.


    Solar ignored them completely. He picked up his sword by the door and stepped out. A crowd waited outside. The blade master drew his blade and picked a large stone from the still-barren ground. He threw it in the air.


    His new arm blurred.


    The stone split cleanly into eight mid-air like some bullshit samurai superhero movie prop or something. Viv had never seen something so outrageous. The crowd loved it though. Wamiri burst into tears and smashed into her husband who passionately embraced her while they cheered and celebrated with warm tears. Prayers to Neriad were sung with boisterous enthusiasm. Even Brenna was moved.


    ¡°I heal for moments like this,¡± she whispered in Viv¡¯s ears. The outlander nodded wisely, though she could not help but bemoan that miraculous events were a god¡¯s grace while any fuckup was hers. Typical. Her grumpiness was short-lived however, and soon Wamiri crushed her in a bear hug that let her count all her ribs.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you! We waited for so long!¡±


    The woman then said words in a language Viv had never heard. Others came to congratulate her as well. It was the first time that she saw the veterans smile so freely. They jumped and talked in clumps on the grey dust of the reclaimed land, with a few green sprouts here and there like glimmers of hope. Viv took a deep breath. It smelled a little bit like dirty people with a black mana aftertaste but¡­ that was fine. She had clear goals for Kazar and for herself, plans on how to repair her soul and survive. Those were all things that would happen in a vague future. This, here and now, was a concrete achievement.


    And now she had to clear more land.


    The group of veterans quickly organized themselves by order of urgency. The blind archer was first on the new list on account of him being a great hunter and monster meat being a necessary ingredient to regrow the limbs. The nobles put themselves first and Viv wanted to put a stop to that, but they argued that their leadership skills made them useful in organizing hunting and building parties and, while Viv smelled bullshit, the others did not object. She was not willing to die on that hill.


    The next month became a blur of activity. She would operate on three to four people per day, with a day break every now and then, most of those used to work on more ward stones. Arthur used the opportunity to go with the hunting parties and observe them and their prey while Marruk trained against the newly-healed veterans. There was one incident with the general store shopkeeper trying to gain more power in the city. He was a narcissist with a tendency to claim credit for other people¡¯s achievement. Fortunately for Viv, she was technically in charge and managed to contain him to a role as ¡®export advisor¡¯ to handle his sense of grandiosity while undermining his influence through a defamation campaign. It took her several hours of work to manage the problem. That was fine. Working with assholes was unavoidable, and it was best to nip this in the bud.


    Honestly she was tempted to have him assassinated but¡­ just imagining assassinating every asshole in a country made her shiver. Solfis would not get his genocidal maniac. That was out of the question.


    Finding a place for the veterans to stay was not exactly a problem. Providing roofs was. Most of the families were content with a plot of land on the frontier and some managed to grow grass and small flowers even though it was getting late in the year. The problem was the nobles. They expected mansions and servants, and there were none. The temple was kind enough to provide them with its temporary officer lodgings but it did not suffice. A pair of them came to visit Viv one evening. She recognized them as some of the plate warriors who had held back the beastling lines.


    ¡°I understand your concerns, gentlemen, however, I will be brief. You are Enorian nobility. This is Kazar. There is no excess of land for you to live off here. Even if there was, I would have no reason to give it to you.¡±


    ¡°We are aware that you are an outlander, Bibiane, so we perhaps need to state what should be obvious. Nobles are power multipliers. An army with nobles at their front will always perform better than another, even with fewer fighters. You need us.¡±


    Viv leaned over the tea table with anger in her heart. Solfis, by her side, shifted minutely while Arthur licked her chops with renewed interest. The two bearded men in their fineries did not look too worried, but they did sit back in their chairs.


    ¡°I need officers. I need leaders of men. Those are the ones that make armies effective and they naturally tend to rise to the top. You inherited your titles from your ancestors, I am sure, but this is not what makes you leaders. Education and training are what differentiate you from the rest. We provide those now, thanks to Solfis. Our first low-born officer is already on his way to a powerful Harrakan path, so no, gentlemen. I do not need you. The deal is the same for everyone. If you do not like it, you can return to your lands. I won¡¯t hold you back.¡±


    The two men looked at each other.


    ¡°We¡­ cannot.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, you are deserters.¡±


    ¡°No, we were exempted due to our handicap. It is another matter. You are aware of the current¡­ social expectations in Enoria right now?¡±


    ¡°Like how they call me goodmother and I am expected to repopulate the land?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. Deviating from the norm can bring censure,¡± the man on the right said.


    He gripped the hand of the man on the left.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said. So exciting! Only six months here and Kazar was on its way to become a haven of sexual liberation. How very French of her.


    ¡°Which means,¡± she mercilessly continued, ¡°that you need to stay here more than I need you here.¡±


    ¡°You would truly force us back?¡±


    ¡°Ok enough with the bullshit. You will get officer pay if you become officers. If you spend it on a housekeeper, that¡¯s your problem. If you can¡¯t take the deal then I no longer give a shit.¡±


    ¡°You will need to create nobility, eventually. You are a young woman, Bibane. Let those who know the realities of this world pave the way.¡±


    Viv stood. The officers matched it with offended grace but once again Viv¡¯s unusual height served her well. In the instant it took them to realize they were outsized, Viv unleashed her intimidation aura. The decisiveness of her actions and the broken bodies she left in her trail had marked her soul and she revealed it to them now. The nobles fought it. They were solid men who had fought and bled for their king, but they were creatures of a system they were now rejecting while Viv was a maker and breaker. They were on her turf and here she was bitch queen of the fucking universe.


    ¡°I will be indulgent and forget that you contested me twice, and since you are a bit slow on the uptake I will make myself extremely clear. We live and stand here because we have risked everything to resist the old order and Enorian nobility. All those who hold power now do so on their own merits, not hypothetical future ones or because their parents had titles, and I will not change this system for you or for anyone. You will prove yourself and get the pay you deserve or you can get the hell out of my land. That is all. Now get out.¡±


    They left, though the younger one turned and told her one last thing.


    ¡°We will prove ourselves then.¡±


    ¡°See that you do.¡±


    Once they were gone, Solfis crouched by her side.


    //Should we place them under surveillance?


    //Some of the Hadals would be willing.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    //I will add that, according to my records, many emperors experienced difficulties with high nobles.


    //May I suggest Empress Kadiran¡¯s approach?


    ¡°It¡¯s lethal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    //She had a habit of having the recalcitrants quartered and decapitated.


    //Then had the heads mounted in front of the imperial palace.


    ¡°Not sure if it would fit with the decoration.¡±


    //It would.


    //If we added more heads.


    ¡°I will keep your advice under consideration but let¡¯s keep this as a last resort please. It would be a shame to have armor-plated corpses when I could have warriors instead.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°For the last time, that¡¯s not how pressure-cooking works!¡±


    Viv expected trouble but the nobles relaxed their stance, though Viv assumed that it was a temporary reprieve. Instead, they requested that she move the new ward stone to form a triangle with the band of greenery around Kazar as base and an abandoned tower as tip. Viv suspected that they had plans to reclaim strategic points as secondary outposts, which would then need to be administered by competent subordinates, that is to say, themselves. Solfis agreed with her assessment. He also agreed that it reduced the exposure to waves of roaming revenants and provided an additional defensive spot for creatures that roamed deeper in the deadlands. Places like Fort Sky and Fort Stone were still farther inland. The deadlands were vast. Even if the reclamation kept steady with an influx of outside population, it would take centuries or even millennia before they could change the basin back into a livable place. Speaking of the forts, she received worrying news when a contingent of over a hundred Baranese soldiers stopped in the city to resupply.


    ¡°We¡¯re vacating the forts and so are the Enorians. It¡¯s too risky to stay here with the civil war messing with our supply lines. Raiders do not respect international treaties,¡± a captain in white told her over tea.


    The man smelled a bit rank but he was obviously grateful for the invitation and Viv didn¡¯t mind too much. He was also very open about the current situation.


    ¡°There is a base of Neriad that acts as a nexus for all defenses a week¡¯s travel west of here. Have you been there?¡±


    ¡°No, never. I have not had a reason to go.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a heavily defended fortress with two mages capable of scrying distant locations and communicating with faraway places. They spread the news of Enoria¡¯s trouble and several kingdoms have decided to temporarily withdraw their soldiery from the frontier. We all depend too much on squads moving freely through Enoria.¡±


    ¡°Is the situation that bad?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, with both armies in tatters, mounted raids and marauding bands of warriors roam the land, bleeding it dry. Sorry, I¡¯m rambling.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We¡¯ll have to be extra careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Any wannabe necromancer who considers moving to the deadlands will do so now. They say that thousands of revenants walk through the southern plains on their way here. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Another thing she didn¡¯t need. Fortunately, not all news was bad.


    ***


    Viv observed the line of Harrakan heavy recruits moving with their shields linked across the empty field. Despite their numbers, the soldiers remained perfectly aligned as they sprinted at the speed of a moving car. It lasted for a beautiful second and a half then half of the line collapsed with a great fracas. The sound of colliding armors reminded Viv of a fender bender on a highway. All of the men still clambered back to their feet no worse for the wear. At least for now.


    ¡°How is that even possible?¡± she mumbled.


    //The specialty of Harrakan infantry was not their superior discipline, equipment, and training.


    //It was the famous charging shield wall.


    //After consulting with the veterans, it appears that this art was progressively lost after the cataclysm.


    ¡°How can an entire technique get lost?¡± Viv grumbled.


    //It was jealously kept by select regiments.


    //And those were eventually wiped out.


    //A testament to the barbarian fleshbags¡¯ ability to, through relentless efforts, make themselves even more stupid.


    ¡°They can¡¯t be barbarians if they came from Harrakan legions.¡±


    //Any force that did not return to defend their capital lost the right to call themselves Harrakan.


    There was an edge in the golem¡¯s snarling voice that Viv had seldom heard before. She stole a glance at the entity¡¯s form and failed to see any change, and yet she felt cold crawl down her spine. Solfis¡¯ head turned to her.


    //They will manage this maneuver before Prince Lancer returns.


    //It will not be enough to tip the scales.


    //I expect that the enemy will outnumber us again.


    //However, few tactics can be implemented without a solid core of fighters to provide a base.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, it doesn¡¯t sound like a charging shield wall is very fair.¡±


    //In war, only the losers care about fairness, Your Grace.


    ¡°No no I¡¯m just happy to be on your side Solfis.¡±


    //I know.


    //You possess strong survival instincts.


    //But unlike everyone else here.


    //You were on my side while I was a fading core inside of a dead construct.


    //I will not forget.


    //Now please excuse me, there is much to do.


    //YOU USELESS, ROT-BRAINED FLESHBAGS.


    //HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO FIGHT WHEN YOU CANNOT EVEN RUN?


    //ARE THOSE ARTICULATED APPENDAGES STUCK TO YOUR ASSES JUST FOR SHOW?


    Viv left Solfis to it and thanked all the gods that she was no longer infantry.


    ***


    Progressively, the veterans were cured until only a handful were left. Solar and Solfis had a brief discussion of which Viv was not privy. The blade master agreed to training new recruits as a result, however, so Viv assumed it was good. Some of the veterans joined the scouts and shifted the balance back towards ¡®vanilla¡¯ humans among their ranks. It just resulted in more marriages, which Viv was okay with. Others joined the heavies, especially the younger ones. The knights and nobles took the few horses the stables had and formed a mounted detachment with mobility in mind. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have chargers so their usefulness would be limited in a straight battle. The last group, at least fifty, joined Solar to form an elite group of fighters and duelists whose role had been played by the temple so far. Solfis talked to Viv on this topic while they were alone.


    //I have two pieces of bad news concerning Solar.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    //The first is that he objects to killing humans.


    ¡°Wait. Did he not join us to defend against the prince?¡±


    //Indeed.


    //He insists that he will fight.


    //He will disable his enemies, but not kill them.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    //Unfortunately, I cannot compel him.


    Viv stared at Solfis¡¯ malevolent orbs.


    ¡°Cannot?¡±


    //My choice of words was deliberate.


    //I assess that he would be better than Irao in single combat.


    //He is the only one in this city that could potentially damage this frame to the point of non functionality.


    //He has been hiding his true potential.


    //Only his wife seems aware of it.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡¯


    //The distance between them when they spar does not match his displayed ability.


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    Must be a sword nut thing.


    //And she is used to him fighting with his non-dominant hand.


    //Therefore, he has displayed less skill than he was capable of before being healed.


    ¡°I see. Is it going to be a problem?¡±


    //Not in the short run.


    //His usefulness as a trainer will simply be higher than his usefulness as a warrior.


    //He may also leave after the prince is defeated.


    //Additionally, I have identified Wamiri as a denizen of Vizim.


    //It means that she comes from another continent far to the east of here.


    //Beyond Halluria.


    ¡°Wow. I should ask them how they met.¡±


    //You might not get an answer.


    ***


    Autumn was now in full swing with cooling temperatures and frequent rains. Viv found that she didn¡¯t mind that much. There was something gothic and peaceful about Kazar in the cold. Every morning, a cold wind would push more purple leaves to fall before her windows. Her schedule cleared with the last veteran being healed with legs that might or might not have been the original size but he didn¡¯t seem to be complaining. With that, Solfis had offered advanced mental exercises recommended for trained mages. She had gone through training regimens like a rocket and was now well on her way to respectability.


    It just felt strange to be doing a lot but not moving. She had been in this world for close to nine local months now ¡ª probably a bit longer in earth time ¡ª and she had not traveled beyond the forest. It was necessary for her survival that she would seek divine healing and she didn¡¯t have any idea where the closest divine caster was, only that they were on their way. Her constant activities were only tangentially related to her official goal and she didn¡¯t really give a shit. It all felt normal those days. She had her friends, her magic, her position in the city. There was always a new glyph to practice or a new problem to solve. She was still progressing quickly. The world was vast and filled with wondrous horrors. Many of them tasted delicious.


    ***


    Another month later saw Viv in her reception room with yet another officer retreating from the deadlands at the head of two hundred soldiers. This one was a little bit problematic.


    He was Enorian.


    More precisely, he was southern Enorian. The northerners could not send troops through loyalist territory under any circumstances anyway. He headed the last major contingent to leave the Deadlands fort ring. They now stood empty and defenseless. It would have been fine but Kazar was nominally at war or in a state of rebellion depending on whom you asked. This in turn, would have been an issue were it not for the temple of Neriad. They insisted that every soldier serving against the dead should be left to leave unharmed.


    Viv was fine with that. Kazar was not ready, those soldiers would probably be used against the north anyway, and she had better things to do than track two hundred fleeing fucks through muddy fields and moist trees.


    ¡°Out of respect for the temple and because we understand that keeping the Deadlands at bay serves us all, we agree to let you through. You may not camp or linger within the boundaries of the city, however. No exceptions.¡±


    Farren nodded and drank a bit of tea. The officer facing Viv was not what she expected. The Enorian was short and squat and absolutely covered in muscles. He was an absolute unit. A bristling moustache jutted outward from below a hooked nose that had been broken a couple of times and he had a massive scar on his left cheek that missed his eye by a finger. Clearly, he was not the standard diplomat and it showed when relief flooded his honest features.


    ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it. With that said, hmm, I was ordered to, that is to say, there is something else that I am required to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°What would it be?¡± Viv asked without surprise. Farren frowned. Apparently, he was not aware that the meeting would cover something else. Neriad servants really were straight arrows.


    ¡°It¡¯s about the soldiers you¡¯re holding prisoner. Hm that would be seventy-three of them from the bridgers regiment and an earth-shaper.¡±


    Viv paused and smiled. The captain paled a bit.


    ¡°Yes? What about them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Well, we would like to do an exchange so that they could leave with us.¡±


    ¡°And what do you offer then?¡±


    ¡°Seven indentured blacksmiths released from the temple¡¯s base.¡±


    Farren scoffed, which told Viv all she needed to know.


    ¡°Including three arcane blacksmiths.¡±


    From Farren¡¯s shocked face she could tell that the offer was a good one. They discussed back and forth but it became clear that the sweaty man had no authority to offer different terms, so Viv accepted if only because the soldiers and the mage represented a security risk. She hoped that it would not come back to bite her in the ass. If Prince Lancer had only been at war with Kazar, Viv would have refused.


    The captain was clearly relieved at the end of the discussions, pleased that he had gotten what he had been ordered to obtain. It was more circumstances than his own doing but Viv didn¡¯t feel like telling him as he didn¡¯t look like a bad sort. As they climbed down to the exit, he turned to her with naked sympathy obvious on his honest face.


    ¡°Look, you guys are a frontier town. You got lucky with that drill thing but it won¡¯t last. I know that it¡¯s hard to accept but it would really be best for everyone if, when His Highness comes, he only finds open gates and you gone.¡±


    Viv stopped a sneer. He meant well.


    ¡°Prince Lancer dragged hundreds of people as slaves for free and you expect me to believe he would behave better after this affront? Is he not a follower of Maranor, the Goddess of Power and Ambition?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still the best possible outcome. No offense meant to you or the soldiers under your command.¡±


    They left by the main entrance. Outside, armed guards were holding a cobbler and an older man in the simple garb of a laborer on their knees, blades drawn and at the ready. Viv did not say that those were the two people to sneak out at night to the Enorian camp to give them an intelligence report. There was no need. The captain must have recognized them.


    ¡°Have a safe return,¡± Viv wished him with a smile.


    The man hesitated, taken off guard by the appearance of the spies. It took some time before he finally turned around and left.


    Viv gave a nod to the guards. The first snowflakes drifted on the plaza, settling on the glacial stone below. Blood soon joined them. Winter had come.

 Chapter 79: Winter

    The Deadshield Woods were white. A thick blanket of snow expanded to the horizon in a sea of cottony clouds. The heavy shroud lay still under a lack of wind, frozen in time. This deep in the forest, the unnatural stillness had grown even more pronounced. It killed conversations with every falling tuft of snow, every creaking branch that caught the eye of the column.


    From afar, the oppressive sensation had been replaced with deep tranquility.


    It was a good thing, then, that Viv was watching it from her troglodyte room dug into the side of a small hill.


    The forest ignored caves for some unknown reason. Viv had seen offshoots invading clearings she had dug with black mana, something that should have been impossible given the short time frame and her own power¡¯s ravenous effects, and yet, here they were. The Deadshield woods jealousy reclaimed territory lost to invaders. The deeper one went, the more pronounced the effects. Caves stood untouched. Their current base was spacious and well-provisioned. It was also camouflaged through natural means by the expert hands of the scouts, including Two-Six.


    More importantly, fires provided heat. They had no shortage of wood to last the winter, even if it was a bit green.


    Viv enjoyed the sight before turning to her prepared washbasin. The snow had melted. The logs were ready. She grabbed Arthur in her arms and winced under her weight. The big glutton¡¯s main body was the size of a large dog now, lean, with wings much larger. Only her increased power allowed her to maneuver her dragonette into position.


    ¡°Right. Arthur, do the thing!¡±


    ¡°EeeeeCOUGHeee.¡±


    Gouts of flames torched the logs, turning them into an instant inferno. Viv almost shielded her face from the heat. The temperature of Arthur¡¯s fire was unbelievably high for something that came out of a living being, she thought. They waited for half a minute for the fire to settle. By the time it was done, the bath was already pleasantly warm. Viv made sure that her section of the cave was partitioned and closed the curtain above her ¡®window¡¯. Time for a bath! She peeled off her skin suit and jumped in. Arthur followed her with serpentine grace, sliding in front of her with barely a splash.


    Viv scrubbed herself with pleasure. It felt good to get cleaned up after a week on the road. Arthur was next and she squealed her approval when Viv gave attention to the best spots, which were the chest and that space between the wings. Arthur¡¯s scales were smooth and warm, so warm that the bath temperature was actually increasing. When they were done, she reclined to soak and picked up a steaming mug from a nearby rock. It was klod with a dollop of honey.


    The Yries had somehow gotten their hands on a hive. Viv was surprised but it turned out that the strange owl-like beings were quite good with agriculture too. Or apiculture, she supposed. In any case, the first jars had arrived with winter and Viv had gotten one for herself. The Yries were getting more involved in trading which was encouraging.


    ¡°Actually, I never asked,¡± Viv mused aloud, ¡°are you alright with being called Arthur?¡±


    Not name.


    Calling sound.


    ¡°Hmmm so you¡¯re not happy?¡±


    Good sound!


    Short and effective.


    Real name has meaning.


    Grows with me.


    Viv wondered if it was an instinctive dragon thing. It felt like that. They did not use sounds much, or at least that was what her meeting with the green dragon had indicated.


    ¡°So, what is your name right now? Have you picked one?¡± she asked.


    Of course!


    Behold, me!


    She-who-feasts-on-squirrels-and-gets-much-gold.


    ¡°Squeeee!¡±


    ¡°Glorious!¡± Viv bellowed with enthusiasm. It was important to validate the dragonette¡¯s choice so that she could grow with confidence. Probably. Viv was still a bit iffy on this whole raising kids thing.


    It appeared to work because Arthur spread her wings with pride, standing on her hind legs with her arms held outstretched. Viv got a mouthful of water in her face for her trouble.


    They didn¡¯t stay in too long because the water was getting really uncomfortably hot. Viv used it to clean her skinsuit and left it to dry before returning her attention to the task before them. There was another convoy on its way from Enoria, according to Farren¡¯s dreams. The difference was that this one was mostly made of actual refugees. It appeared that news of Kazar¡¯s defiance had reached the general public and there were some in Enoria who thought that it made for a tempting destination.


    Viv wondered what kind of lunatics would come to the conclusion that a rebel city with a target on its back hidden behind a monster-infested forest would make for a good haven but what did she know?


    Viv changed into a comfortable dress and turned down for the night soon after.


    ***


    The convoy walked under the overcast sky. Errant flakes fell from the grey clouds with slow regularity. Those that landed on the path were crushed by the iron-shod boots of the Harrakan heavies. Viv reclined on her chair atop the largest wagon and let a flake land on her tongue, then she scolded herself for getting distracted.


    They had no choice this time but to take cornudons and turn it into a real expedition. The servants of Neriad had dreamed of another group to fetch. This one reeked of hunger and despair. Those would not be veterans armed to the teeth and ready for anything, but genuine refugees, and so speed had been sacrificed in favor of protection. Five newly-made heavy wagons as large as buses trudged along the road. To protect them, Viv had brought a hundred men. Sixty of the trained heavies, mostly first generation and mountain folks under Ban, and forty witch-pact crossbowmen and women walked in ordered ranks around the massive horned beasts. Viv had no idea how the soldiers could walk with that much gear on their bodies but she suspected skill shenanigans.


    She had to admit that they looked fancy. The armors of the Kazaran soldiers were rough and ugly things of dark iron, pitted and grainy. Each soldier then decorated it with their own tightly-attached scarves and pennants. The natives had picked tree patterns while the Enorian immigrants like Ban favored an upward sword on a broken shield, a reversal of the Enorian royal arms. They had insisted on placing a layer of metal with their pattern on Viv¡¯s round shield. The lightweight item was getting heavier and more unwieldy as different power groups added their mark but Viv didn¡¯t mind. She used it as a wall between herself and thrown stuff anyway. And people were happy.


    As for the witch-pact crossbowpersons, many of them wore a white scarf over the lower parts of their face over mail or gambeson. They inspected the treeline, hands over their impeccably-maintained weapons.


    //We are making good time, Your Grace.


    //At this speed, we will be out of the woods by tomorrow afternoon.


    ¡°Then we are on schedule.¡±


    It was the first time Viv was officially in charge of the group. Most of the elites including Marruk had stayed behind to train and recover. She only had Ban and Solfis to help her. Things were thankfully going fine.


    Viv didn¡¯t consider herself a leader of men. At best, she had always been a figurehead-cum-portable-artillery, which was fine. Her kind of leadership was more political than martial and even during her stint in the French army she had never commanded a fire team in a combat situation. That was why this expedition was so important in proving herself to, well, mostly herself.


    Except, everything had gone smoothly. Most of the fauna as well as the most aggressive flora had retreated deeper into the forest, or in some caves or other refuge. No bird calls disturbed the tranquility of the convoy. Small shrouds of frozen breath puffed up from the soldiers walking in their column. They rose into a pleasantly crisp air. It was dry and fresh air, not the smog-filled frigid horror of a Parisian winter, but an honest cold that kept people cool in the middle of effort. Ban¡¯s long white beard was already covered and well on its way to a proper icicle. It was in this moment of pleasant appreciation of the moment that, naturally, Viv¡¯s danger sense pinged.


    Like a shiver down her spine, the warning spread across her mind and forced her to look around. Ban immediately picked up on her reaction and raised a fist.


    ¡°Attention!¡±


    Like a single man, the hundred soldiers grabbed their weapons and turned outward. Nasty barbed quarrels locked in firing mechanisms while steel spears aimed out, kept aloft by magic-backed muscle. The wagons stopped and everyone looked outward for five seconds.


    Nothing moved among the snow-covered boughs. The landscape around her had the immobility of a painting. Viv¡¯s impression did not change.


    Then¡­


    //That is the correct conclusion, Your Grace.


    Fucking Solfis trying to teach her through self-experiment and positive reinforcement. The enemy was above.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Beginner 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    White and black feathers on a lean body reminded her of a stork, but there was something raptor-like in its fantastic wings beyond their span, a ferocious shape that told its victims that this was a dive hunter. That creature did not hunt fish.


    ¡°What is this? I don¡¯t recognize it from the bestiary.¡±


    //A dark-sky kingfisher, Your Grace.


    Ok so it did eat fish, whatever.


    //They often fly in flocks.


    //Some of those can grow to impressive numbers.


    //They also tend to migrate north during the winter.


    //I estimate that this one was separated.


    //There is a more than 85% chance that it is quite hungry.


    //Rounded down.


    ¡°Yeah thanks, so it¡¯s after our cornudons?¡±


    //They will eat anything, Your Grace.


    //Up to and including armored soldiers.


    Viv focused and mana came to the forefront of her mind. She could see the gray mana in the air and far above that, the form of the kingfisher. It was too far away.


    ¡°How do they hunt?¡±


    //The kingfisher dives and skewers its prey, then it flies back up.


    //The last thing most victims see are the shadows of the stretched wings as it slows its descent.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    //Hence their name.


    ¡°Hmmm¡±


    It was still quite far and circling around them.


    ¡°Any chance that we could hit it with a volley of bolts?¡±


    //You should conduct this extermination by yourself, Your Grace.


    //It will be good training.


    ¡°You could just tell me what the best method would be.¡±


    //You could just practice thinking for yourself in a tactical situation.


    ¡°What if people get hurt?¡± Viv asked with her eyes on her foe, though it was merely banter at this stage. She was already considering her options.


    //People will get hurt if you underperform.


    //Therefore, do not underperform.


    Solfis¡¯ yellow eyes were fixed on Viv, unblinking, unwavering. He would not hesitate to sacrifice soldiers if he judged that it served the cause, she realized.


    ¡°You know, you backtalk an awful lot for a weapon of war.¡±


    //Implementation of the ¡®sass¡¯ module completed successfully.


    //Now, focus.


    ¡°Sergeant Ban, what are the chances that our crossbowmen could hit this thing?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good. Not sure if the bolts will have enough strength to take it down though,¡± the old man grumbled.


    The kingfisher was probably fifty meters high, maybe half a football field, more or less. It did not beat its wings. Instead, the creature was slowly circling, seemingly born on a draft they didn¡¯t feel on the ground. Viv had her suspicion but she wanted to be sure.


    ¡°Alright. Give it a try.¡±


    Ban turned to his troops around him and bellowed orders.


    ¡°On my mark, single volley, free skills. Aaaaaaaim. Fire!¡±


    There was a pleasant thrum when all the metal split limbs spat their payload at the same time. The quarrels traveled almost too fast for Viv to see. Only the afterimage of colorful streaks remained, their mana imprints clear in her perception.


    The kingfisher beat its wings once and most of the projectiles were brushed aside. Only a few hit it, and the only reaction they got was an offended screech.


    ¡°It uses grey mana,¡± Viv confirmed, ¡°quite a lot of it.¡±


    ¡°Everyone here is second or third step of their path. We won¡¯t have anyone capable of piercing through that sort of defense,¡± Ban lamented.


    //Interesting.


    //The penetrative power of your shooters is better than I expected at this stage of their path.


    //It appears to come at the cost of range and firing speed, however.


    ¡°Nevermind that. It¡¯s still here.¡±


    The kingfisher was still circling them looking no worse for wear. A malevolent cry dashed Viv¡¯s hope that the quarrels would deter it.


    ¡°Hungry fucker,¡± Ban said. ¡°Goodmother, we can do scattered volley? See if it works better?¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯ll need those quarrels later. Any projectile we shoot up will be lost.¡±


    The truth was that they simply didn¡¯t have any to waste. Those didn¡¯t grow on trees and they also cost a silver talent for every twenty-five. Disgrace. Too expensive to throw at birds willy-nilly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my own spell.¡±


    Viv jumped down from the carriage and traced a circle in the pristine snow. She inscribed the symbols for range with patient attention, keeping an eye up just in case. Ban set up a circle of soldiers around her.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not doing anything,¡± she remarked.


    Solfis answered from his spot above her.


    //Kingfishers are patient, Your Grace.


    //They can keep circling for days until an opportunity arises.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    She finished her circle, taking her time. It was nice and would support her well.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    The kingfisher barrel rolled out of the way before the spell had cleared the top of the tree. That was fine. She was an instinctive caster. Spells were not hard constructs that had to be followed meticulously, they were malleable blobs of mana, alive to some extent. She waxed the construct to make her spell small, leaner. Faster.


    ¡°Can you see the kingfisher¡¯s eyes, Ban?¡±


    ¡°Not from here, goodmother.¡±


    Viv refrained from telling him to stop with the Enorian expression but now was not the time.


    ¡°I can,¡± one of the witch pacts said.


    ¡°Is it looking at me?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Intently. Its head is lowered.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she said, moving mana around. ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Still looking.¡±


    Viv flexed mana inside of the circle. The construct waxed and waned while the bird-monster circled.


    ¡°Still focused, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Half a minute went by. The kingfisher¡¯s attention did not waver. Viv could only see the head clearly because the creature had very small eyes but its head did dip, especially when the power inflated. Black mana purred inside of the circle. It waited, tame and eager. Only she could do something like that at her level, she thought. It required a very high attunement.


    ¡°Still loo¡ª¡±


    The crossbowman¡¯s comment was interrupted when the bird brutally swerved down as if smacked down by some divine hand. There was a squawk of surprise and pain and a gout of fire. A puff of feathers was left behind the blazing carcass as it crashed down, trailing smoke.


    ¡°SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!¡±


    Thus was dive-bombed that which thought it would dive-bomb.


    ¡°And I am triumphant yet again,¡± Viv nodded to herself.


    //This is the second time that a training exercise gets unduly interrupted.


    ¡°Why do you think I would worry about air supremacy when I have Arthur on my side?¡±


    //The purpose of my actions was to lead you to the optimal way of handling this type of creature.


    ¡°Let me guess, lay a trap and wait for it to dive so it gets in range?¡±


    The golem kept to a sulky silence for a second.


    //Yes.


    ¡°And did I not do just that?¡±


    Viv stood with her hands on her waist and all the smugness she could manage.


    //You are technically correct.


    ¡°The best kind of correct!¡±


    //I hope that a time will not come when you only have yourself to rely on.


    //Nevertheless, you demonstrated quick-thinking.


    //I shall have to be content.


    ¡°The all is well that ends well. Now let¡¯s go get the thing. I bet it tastes like chicken,¡± Viv said, using the earth term.


    Behind her, one of the soldiers whispered in his neighbor¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Arlen, can drakes do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a drake.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to find out. It¡¯s beyond the two of us anyway. Better to keep our eyes open and hope for the best, you know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°I hear you.¡±


    Viv found the carcass next to a tree missing most of its branches. It did not, in fact, taste like chicken, but Viv plucked the small feathers and made herself a pillow.


    ***


    They left the forest the next day in the afternoon almost by surprise. The end of the Deadshield Woods left Viv¡¯s mind roiling for an instant as she tried to reconcile her mind with the notion of perspective. The road under her feet disgorged into a deep valley broken far in the distance by another patch of forest. The break was not obvious by sight, but her perception of mana allowed her to feel the frontier between the woods and ¡®normal¡¯ Parram land with brisk clarity. In front of her, the wind picked up and sound traveled more openly. Wheels creaked and groaned again as the strange restriction lifted while more than a few men breathed in relief as they crossed the boundary. Those smiles froze on their faces when they took in the landscape before them.


    Anelton had always been a border village. Caravans to and from the deadlands stopped there before attempting the crossing. It had subsisted on some basic trading and the sort of activities that proximity with a large forest allowed. Even now, Viv could see hunter cabins with skins still hanging to dry. Some gaps in the treeline hid logging camps, currently silent and deserted.


    The place was destroyed. The hand of man had descended upon it, sweeping aside a palissade designed to stop beastlings and gutting it of its inhabitants. A corpse pile still smoldered in the ruin of the town square, visible from up high despite the distance. Trees and posts bore bloated fruits pecked by dark birds. Some of the structures had utterly collapsed in an uncontrolled fire. Not a soul remained.


    There was, however, a camp. It sprawled over snow-covered subsistence fields like a skin rash.


    Now, Viv had seen some shit in her years, including a brief and ill-advised trip to a humanitarian camp when she was sixteen. There were usually guards and some neat tents set up by the Red Cross or Crescent or whoever was on hand for the refugees to gravitate around. Plastic containers and off-brand shirts offered some bright colors to contrast with the endemic poverty of those who had left everything behind to survive. It was missing here. The few erected tents sagged under a thin layer of snow while the wisps of dying campfires dispersed quickly. Masses huddled around the campfires, idle and bent. She could see the shapes of haler men laying corpses on a pile. The more she looked and the less she liked what she saw. The camp was clearly split between two factions with some resources and a gathering of dying folks that spread with no structure to the edge of the dead village. It did not take a genius to see that this was a powderkeg with its fuse lit. Viv was suddenly happy that she had brought so many soldiers.


    Ban stopped by her side.


    ¡°Your orders ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Stay in formation. Let¡¯s get down there and put some order to that chaos.¡±


    The column made their way through unbroken snow at a snail pace. Even the lethargic refugees saw them arrive long before they arrived. A few started running around but most stayed where they were, prone and despondent. Two groups started to put on armors without enthusiasm. When Viv¡¯s detachment kept going as a column, despair turned to hope. Viv got close enough to reach the most miserable members. A child munched boiled bark from on top of the frozen corpse of his mother. He was skeletal.


    One part of Viv¡¯s mind recoiled in horror at the sight of someone who looked as alive as a horror movie prop, sunken eyes following her with eerie intensity. Another calculated the number of refugees and their state. No matter how bullshit magic was and how high their stats were, there was not a snowball¡¯s chance in hell that they could survive a two weeks trek across the woods, much less walk through it. They would have to recover and reorganize.


    There was a father holding a truncheon to protect the rest of his starving family. He glared at anything that moved.


    Had to start with soup. Use cauldrons to make a soft congee or those people would die trying to digest solids. Organize the refugees in a column and feed them. Secure a better location, like the village itself. Why were they even out in the open? They had more than enough grain and dried stuff to last them for a month but she guessed that with food and restoration magic, a week or so would be enough to get moving.


    A woman was hacking at wet wood with a rusty knife in an attempt to break it. She struck once every five seconds in order to recover, gasping for air as she went.


    ¡°Useless. We should just leave those wretches behind,¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°Who said that? Who the fuck just said that?¡± Viv yelled.


    ¡°Company, halt!¡± Ban ordered.


    The soldiers were as unmoving as statues. Viv placed her hand on the pauldron of the man who had spoken. Her voice rang in the frigid air, so that the refugees themselves gathered. Viv was a little bit annoyed.


    ¡°Let me make one thing clear. I became Kazaran by choice, a choice I made when the city fell and we traveled through the mountains with nothing but what we had taken with us. I stayed because folks needed my help. Because you needed my help. If it were not for me and a couple others, most of you would be Baranese indentured servants or worse right now. The armor you wear, the weapons you wield, those come from my deal with the Yries. The training you follow was taught by Solfis. I gave us a chance, and I¡¯ll keep giving us a chance come spring when those bastards come back with a war mage. Those starving people are at their lowest just as you could have been if we had even less of a warning. If you had been less lucky. Now, the god who lets us regrow limbs has said that we should save those folks and so they are our responsibility while we do so. And we will set them up on their feet and then see if they are worthy of becoming Kazarans too. They will get their chance just like you did. In the meanwhile, I order you to help and you will do so or you will leave the army. We clear?¡±


    Ban took a step forward and bellowed.


    ¡°Company, are we clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± a hundred voices roared back.


    Viv did not ask the column to move on because two groups of people were heading her way. The first was led by a military man in the armor of a temple guard. He had dark wavy hair that reached his shoulders, surrounding an angular face. Most of his followers were missing limbs.


    A beautiful woman led the second group. Viv noted that part of her long hair was dyed green and she wore clothes of good make. Her followers were the only ones to have fur and jewelry, though they were emaciated. Everyone was.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the woman started in a smooth voice, ¡°my name is Amehe. Reigan and I are in charge of this camp,¡± she said with a forced smile. The man scowled.


    Arthur landed gracefully on the snow by Viv¡¯s left. She raised her horned head and huffed with pride. Viv heard the ominous clicks of Solfis deploying to his full height somewhere behind her.


    Both groups took a collective step back.


    ¡°Not anymore. Now, what the fuck happened here?¡± she asked.


    This time, it was the man who answered, He stomped on the ground and Viv realized that his right foot was actually an elaborate prosthesis. His voice was rugged.


    ¡°What didn¡¯t? We have raiders on our asses, there are aberrants in the woods, and something¡¯s been stealing folks at night.¡±


    Viv stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Why couldn¡¯t things ever be easy?

 Chapter 80: Standing alone

    Viv sighed. In her mind, the three problems added themselves to her original purpose, turning the refugee camp into a viable caravan. Her mind had been altered by the magic of Nyil with all mental stats in the high thirties. Concretely, she could process things faster and more clearly. Parameters like the distrust of the various factions and the state of the weakest link turned into conditions then into first steps of a simple, yet achievable plan. The swirl of thoughts gracefully resolved itself into a list of questions that would need answering before she could start giving orders.


    The errant consideration lodged itself into her brain, begging for her attention. Her mental clarity felt intoxicating, somehow. So easy. It would take deep mental training and some specific chemicals to reach that level of serene purpose back on earth, and then other aspects would be neglected. She wondered what would happen if she went back now. Would she lose her progress immediately? Gradually? Would she regret it? Hell yeah, she would.


    Did it affect her mind in unexpected ways?


    How much was it changing her?


    Could she improve herself even more by¡­ optimizing how she used her brain? Had to ask Solfis later. For now, it was time to focus on the problem at hand.


    ¡°First thing first. The raiders. Explain.¡±


    Reigan the temple guard explained. He had a measured diction that made his report clear and sober.


    ¡°First things first. This is the end point of a caravan that started around the capital. We joined up with Amahe¡¯s merchant caravan on the path and picked up the starving folks just yesterday. Many of them are survivors of the village. On the way, we were beset by a group of marauders and deserters led by a young man who introduced himself as Elix.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fake name by the way,¡± Amehe interrupted. Both Reignar and Viv glared at her.


    ¡°Elix was an Enorian rogue turned noble. Not important. Sorry, go on.¡±


    ¡°Right, Elix and his men asked for half of our food in exchange for safe passage. I agreed. The reason why I agreed was that we had not met the starving people and we were outnumbered five to one when it happened.¡±


    ¡°And you think that they are still after you?¡±


    ¡°Most likely. You see, the people on the ground are Anelton survivors. The village was put to the sword for acts of treachery by a great patriot.¡±


    ¡°Elix?¡±


    ¡°In the flesh. Supposedly, Anelton dealt with ¡®traitors to the throne¡¯, you. It was just an excuse of course. With most regulars and all the levies dead to the north, entire baronies are ripe for the taking. I heard that entire families were wiped out. We stand on Elix¡¯s hunting ground and his kind is never sated. He will come back to finish us off. You can imagine why.¡±


    Reigan threw a disparaging look at the jewellery the merchants were wearing.


    ¡°You could not use those to buy food?¡± Viv asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°People are scared. They would not open their gates to travelers, much less sell to some. You could not purchase a bucket of wheat for the king¡¯s crown right now,¡± Amehe explained with a bitter smile.


    She was trying very hard to please Viv. Viv could feel the effects of a skill tracking her emotions just as the trader herself was nervously watching every last of her reactions. It felt weird and a little bit invasive but the woman was trying to survive and Viv thought a little bit of terror might grease the wheels of productivity.


    ¡°Any idea where they are right now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, sorry,¡± Reigan answered a bit sheepishly, ¡°it shames me to say so, but we don¡¯t have the food to send scouting parties right now.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have Hadal scouts right now. A pain.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    Fly


    Track


    Return!


    ¡°You would?¡±


    Three


    Silver


    Talents


    ¡°Ugh you mercenary. Yes please, anything for the assistance of the mighty Arthur. It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    The dragonette took off with a happy ¡®skra¡¯, a bit deeper than normal. Her departure was witnessed with a mix of fear and apathy.


    ¡°Right. We¡¯ll get back to that later. Now the aberrations.¡±


    ¡°We see them at night moving through the woods. Several that look like each other.¡±


    //Every aberrant is different, Your Grace.


    //This is probably a cluster type.


    //They are much weaker than their counterparts.


    //However, they can easily swarm unprepared fighters.


    ¡°Any chance that it could suddenly attack?¡±


    //Unlikely.


    //I shall elaborate later.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to lure it out. Next, the disappearances.¡±


    ¡°Right. We arrived three days ago and found the town devastated as expected from what the survivors told us. The lads and I, we put the bodies on a pyre¡­ some of them were starting to reanimate¡­¡±


    His eyes grew clouded by the memory. For the first time, his deep anguish pierced through the veil of professionalism. Viv beheld a man at the end of his wits trying to keep things together.


    ¡°None of us are far enough on the path to bless an entire fucking town. Even then we could not have dug enough graves. Too exhausting.¡±


    He searched Viv¡¯s expression, looking for condemnation, perhaps? Viv didn¡¯t care. Even if that man had fucked up, he had done it protecting his people against impossible odds. That deserved some recognition in her book, especially on Nyil.


    ¡°And you used the houses to protect everyone at night?¡±


    ¡°That was the idea. Obviously some of the buildings were destroyed but there was still room for everyone. We spent the entire day taking bodies out. Men, women and children. Dogs. Who the fuck does that?¡±


    ¡°Reigan, look at me,¡± Viv said, and she felt something shift in her mind, the parts of her that the interface called ¡®leadership¡¯.


    ¡°You have done a great job keeping everything together so far, yeah? We are here to help now. The worst is behind you, but I still need you to hang on for a little bit longer. Can you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course ma¡¯am. Won¡¯t happen again. The disappearances. We made sure the village was decently secured before nightfall. We put everyone near the east gate and repaired it as best we could. We put a lot of debris in front of the west one and had two sentries keep an eye on it. I thought it would be enough.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t expect anything,¡± Amehe adds, ¡°the whole village was deserted.¡±


    ¡°The next morning, an entire house had been cleaned of its inhabitants. We didn¡¯t hear anything. There were no traces of struggle. They were just¡­ gone.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Neriad forgive me. I was one of the two sentries near the main gate. We fell asleep.¡±


    He looked horrified. Viv resisted the urge to frown. It wasn¡¯t abnormal for sentries to fall asleep, especially after a long and difficult day. Starvation also made people drowsy. It could be nothing.


    ¡°I doubled the sentries the next day but we still had a couple disappear during the night. Same as before, no one saw anything norheard anything. After that, we decided to camp in the open with lit fires and a circle of guards. Nobody disappeared last night.¡±


    ¡°I see. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ nothing that I can think of for now¡­ Please, sorry to ask but¡­ do you happen to have extra food?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Here is what we¡¯re gonna do. Kazaran troops will form a perimeter and watch over the camp while cooks prepare a broth. Nothing solid or those people will die, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Ban answered.


    ¡°Make sure everyone lines up in an orderly fashion. Nobody gets near the forest. While people eat, I¡¯ll take First Squad and clear the town. Reigan will guide us. Solfis comes with me as well. Amehe and the rest, make sure your people are packed up and ready to move long before nightfall. Is everyone in agreement?¡±


    Nods all along. Ban and Reigan left immediately to get things started but Amehe stayed behind always with that large smile and slightly panicked eyes.


    ¡°Excuse me, are you perhaps the, ahem, the person in charge of Kazar?¡±


    ¡°The Great Black Whore you mean?¡±


    The woman blushed.


    ¡°I am sorry, this is how you have been painted. Trust me, I have faced defamation as well. I know how it can be.¡±


    ¡°You are an Enorian trader?¡±


    ¡°Yes, born not too far from here actually. Life has been difficult for those of us who refuse to conform. Goodmother this, goodmother that. The merchants have thankfully resisted better than most and success erases every sin. Ah, but we are not here to talk about me, sorry. Am I correct in assuming that you can negotiate an agreement with us?¡±


    ¡°I can say yes, doesn¡¯t mean I will, and we have much to do that is urgent¡­¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s going to be fast. We just want to join you across the forest.¡±


    That made sense to Viv. The grass always looked greener on the other side, especially if the people living there looked healthy.


    ¡°Tentative yes.¡±


    ¡°We can pay our way across, of course. Prove that we can contribute.¡±


    ¡°Tentative yes,¡± Viv insisted. ¡°We can discuss more later.¡±


    Viv felt another shift in the world¡¯s mana, something subtle and invisible that she associated with intimidation. The merchant was doing something but it didn¡¯t feel intrusive. More like¡­ receptive. In truth, she knew she would most likely say yes but it was good practice not to immediately agree with a consummate negotiator.


    Viv moved aside while men and women removed cauldrons from the wagons. As Amehe left, she felt a little bit of emptiness as if the merchant brought warmth with herself. Again, nothing intrusive. Perhaps the path of the merchant had more depth than Viv had first assumed.


    Ban and his subordinates had things well in hand. Viv could also tell that Solfis had something in mind. Or in his processor, whatever. It was the way he loomed a bit more than usual.


    ¡°You know, I always wonder why people who¡¯ve never met you don¡¯t run screaming when you appear.¡±


    //Herd instinct.


    Viv blinked, not expecting the equivalent of a horror movie antangonist¡¯s final form to have contemplated his own aura.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡±


    //If I appear and the majority of humans present act unaffected, then the rest will not react either.


    //Because the herd does not acknowledge me as an immediate danger.


    ¡°Oh. Ok.¡±


    //The same applies to Arthur.


    //Although, at stable growth, she will grow too large to pass as a marsh drake by the end of next year.


    ¡°A problem for another time. Any advice in that large database of yours?¡±


    //Camp management best practice includes entire paragraphs on the dangers of unclear hierarchies in a camp.


    //Due to the small nature of this one, expected issues are few.


    //However, you may still clarify who may give order to whom.


    //And who is in charge of what.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Viv did just that while her troops set up a cordon and started moving people in line. Some of the refugees were so skeletal that they had to be placed in a row on the ground. They would have to be fed by hand. Volunteers among her soldiers organized an improvised infirmary in an act of mercy that gave her some measure of hope. Very soon, Ban came at the head of the First Squad, the elite of the elite of the Kazaran forces. All of them were already on the third step of the path.


    Apparently, one could sacrifice their progress in their current step to change to another one. In their case, the sacrifice had allowed them to progress faster.


    [Harrakan Heavy Infantryman, dangerous, one who follows the path of the empire¡¯s core forces. Expert close quarter fighter]


    ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Ban said as he came closer. ¡°Lead on.¡±


    Viv thought he would stay to monitor his troops but she saw that things were moving smoothly and she wasn¡¯t about to question him in public. She took Reigan and herself at the center of a protective circle with Solfis by her side.


    They walked along the simple palissade surrounding the corpse of the town that had once been named Anelton. She had not died easily, Viv realized. Now that she was paying attention, the signs of battle were clear as day on her pockmarked skin. Guard towers still stood above the edge of the wall, showing traces of impact and, sometimes, the rusty stains of arterial blood sprays. Broken arrow shafts covered them like bristly ornaments. It was when they reached the gates that Viv felt it clearly.


    ¡°A lot of people died here,¡± she said.


    Errant strands of black mana remained. It was thicker here than any place she had seen since leaving Kazar. The strands permeated the air like old regret permeates a mind. The bodies had been cleaned but the earth was cracked and rancid. The large wood panes stood open with clear signs of abuse hastily repaired. As they were, they would not withstand a determined attack. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°This is where Elix¡¯s troops broke through the militia. Elix found horses somewhere, that bastard. Some even had barding,¡± Reigan said.


    ¡°Wait. They have heavy cavalry?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Reigan huffed. ¡°Only nobles do. They probably stole it from some keep that lost all their male fighters. Doesn¡¯t matter though. Try stopping a charging warhorse with wooden sticks.¡±


    He glared then, to Viv¡¯s amusement, remembered himself.


    ¡°Beg your pardon, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    The gates led to a main road that crossed the town from one end to another. The wood buildings all showed signs of damage. Many doors hung from their hinges, if they were still attached at all. Blood stains and broken windows remained as mute witnesses to the carnage. Even now, the air smelled of iron and corpses, with the stench of burnt meat carried by a light wind that came from the forest. Viv could follow the events from how thrashed the place was. The barracks by the entrance had been smashed and set on fire. Some of the logs that made it up showed deep gouges, probably made by a skill.


    Shops lining the main path had been ransacked. Farther up, only doors and windows showed much damage but the blood, the blood was everywhere. Brown and rusted now, pecked by crows, washed out by rain, it did not matter. The tide of crimson liquid shed here possessed a terrible weight that settled on Viv¡¯s shoulders like a wet cape. The most curious thing was that it also empowered her. The black mana in her conduits stirred, uncoiling like a waking snake. Viv resisted the urge to sniff too deeply, lest she unsettled her companions.


    ¡°You will show us where the disappearances occurred then we will search the place,¡± she said calmly. Reigan moved them to a nearby structure, the nicest around. It even had a porch. A hanging sign announced ¡®The Last Drop¡¯ in flowing letters above an upturned tankard.


    ¡°This was here. Three families, or what was left of them anyway.¡±


    Viv kept her eyes open but there was nothing to feel or see. Her danger sense remained quiet. It was only when they entered the inn¡¯s dark interior that she felt something.


    The previous occupants had removed the tables and replaced them with beds, some of which still had remnants of torn covers on them. The place smelled terrible and she was suddenly grateful that the refugee camp was in open air. What attracted her attention, however, was the black mana.


    Something had touched it.


    And it annoyed her.


    Black mana was such an exquisite and versatile power, despite what the few books she had on the matter said. It was a quiet and sharp thing akin to a scalpel. It was not a vulgar branch to be smashed and yet that is exactly what had happened here. The fabric of the world was still twisted by the attempt. Viv¡¯s first thought was of the way Irao camouflaged himself.


    ¡°There was a lot of black-mana based magic thrown around here. It could explain why no one heard anything. It doesn''t explain what happened to the bodies. Reigan, what have you tried to do to find the missing?¡±


    ¡°Not much,¡± the man replied, increasingly ashamed. ¡°I gathered the other cripples, I mean, the other combatants with me. We scoured the village, found nothing. We asked everyone to stay put the next night and all stayed awake. The other warriors and I, I mean. We had torches. It didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look around.¡±


    They walked around the inn. Those people were dead or captive, Viv thought. There was no way that someone would leave in the middle of the night, in a war-torn land, and without stealing food. It made no sense at all. They had been taken away for food or for other reasons she didn¡¯t know. It was likely that the point of egress would be the back. They found an inner court with a small well and a vegetable patch. Viv checked the well but there were no bodies there.


    ¡°Right. Solfis, could I get some help with the tracking?¡±


    //Yes.


    //The bodies were not dragged out.


    //However, the amount of recent footsteps is not consistent with the reported activity.


    ¡°Wait, are you saying that they walked out by themselves?¡±


    //You will have to draw your own conclusions.


    Viv engaged in a staring contest with Solfis for exactly one second before she remembered who she was dealing with. How could a featureless bone mask look so smug? It made no sense.


    ¡°Is it part of training?¡±


    //Yes.


    //You drawing conclusions by yourself will be extremely valuable.


    ¡°Whatever. About those tracks¡­¡±


    //They join the nearby backstreet.


    Viv followed and found a line of fresh prints in the mud, moving in a single line. It angled back towards the main gate.


    ¡°Okay. Now this is weird.¡±


    She had an idea, but it would require some verifications. They checked on the house of the disappeared couple and found discarded clothes in a nearby shed. No bodies though.


    ¡°They decided to isolate themselves for some intimacy,¡± Viv realized.


    It was incredibly stupid. It¡¯s like they¡¯d never seen a slasher movie before. Ah wait, they probably hadn¡¯t. It still surprised her how a lack of common sense could get people killed so easily, especially in a world as dangerous as Nyil. Guess humans were the same everywhere, which was a little strange come to think of it. How did they have humans here?


    Convergent evolution?


    Some nasty god decided to punish an entire planet by importing the only invasive species capable of bureaucracy?


    She had to ask about the local cosmogony at some point. Right now her religious knowledge extended to ¡®Neriad is a swell guy and Gomogog can suck it¡¯. She had to remedy this. It would distract her from the skeletal survivors and the blood-stained childrens¡¯ toys lying in the streets.


    Viv led her merry band of muscle men on a circular inspection of the town, but decided to stop after an hour of search. There were no anomalies in the mana or anything else anyone could spot. They did find one hidden, intact cellar with food, wine, and a smokable leaf


    which they confiscated for later. Everything else had been thoroughly looted. Reigan looked ashamed after all the questions and for having missed food and he now walked with his back bent. Viv considered that it might switch the balance of power in favor of the merchants and decided that it was suboptimal. She dragged the man aside before they left the palissade.


    ¡°Look, you made mistakes. We can both agree on that.¡±


    He hung his head dejectedly.


    ¡°How many refugee caravans have you handled before?¡±


    ¡°What? Hmm, none. After I lost my leg, I was mostly in charge of supplying iron for the temple armories. I did my best to keep fit, of course, but I wasn¡¯t ready for¡­ what we¡¯ve done.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Right. Here is a lesson I¡¯ve been teaching quite a bit since I arrived in Kazar. There are external and internal reasons why someone would fail a task. Some of the stuff is not their fault, some of it is. People tend to either focus completely on blaming themselves or completely on blaming circumstances. I think, sometimes, it¡¯s also good to realize that the mission was problematic to begin with. Suppose you must source iron from an Yries tribe. You decide to send a trainee with no experience to do so. They fail. Who is to blame?¡±


    ¡°I would never take such a ridiculous decision.¡±


    ¡°Because it would be your mistake, right? You would be at fault.¡±


    Reigan scratched his stubble.


    ¡°You understand what I¡¯m getting at,¡± Viv continued. ¡°You are way in over your head, but you did your best and never gave up. There will be a time to reflect on your own errors later but this isn¡¯t it. For now, I need you to straighten your back and pretend like everything is under control. When those people look at their leaders, they should only see confidence.¡±


    ¡°Of course. As the scriptures say, a guard showing fear is a sword aimed inward. I will not fail you again.¡±


    ¡°I will be relying on it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Viv returned to the camp with a much reinvigorated Reigan and marveled at the progress made in such a short time. Both merchants and handicapped guards had packed up efficiently, then a few had started to help the starving survivors who now made a noticeable third group.


    On a hunch, she walked to them and stopped when she got harangued.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you bitch!¡±


    She turned to see a spindly man with a dirty long beard gesticulating. Two guards immediately moved to intercept him but Viv held a fist to signal them to stand down.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t rebelled, we would still be well and alive.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Did I attack you?¡± Viv countered immediately.


    ¡°You might as well have,¡± he grumbled. Viv ignored that.


    ¡°Did my men ram through the gates? Was it us that stole your food and killed your people? Do you think the raiders would have just gone to your village and said ¡®oh well those are law-abiding citizens, we¡¯ll leave them alone unlike every other place we¡¯ve raided so far¡¯? Or are you just full of shit?¡±


    Viv did not let the irate man reply. Instead, she nudged the part of her that linked to intimidation and smirked. The man recoiled, though she felt a strong resistance. He was too weak, starving, and isolated to oppose her.


    ¡°If you are displeased you can stay behind with the raiders and the aberrants when we leave.¡±


    The unknown man retreated into sullen silence. That was fine, she had no patience for him.


    ¡°Make sure he¡¯s at the end of the line for food. Same for everyone who thinks they¡¯re too good for us,¡± she ordered a nearby corporal.


    ¡°As you say, Lady Viv.¡±


    She could get used to that shit. Oh yeah. Wait no. Bad Viv. No bullying the starving sad folks.


    She turned just in time to see Solfis glare at her latest victim. Each of his knuckles extended then retracted his claws in a gesture that should have sounded like ¡®schwing¡¯ but regrettably didn¡¯t because physics didn¡¯t work like that. She gave the go ahead for everyone to get in town for the night.


    ¡°I want two thirds of the soldiers to be in armor and ready at all times. Those that are off shift can have one glass of the wine we found each, no more. Make sure you move in groups of no less than seven.¡±


    ¡°You are not coming?¡± Ban asked.


    ¡°I want to see if I can handle the aberrants today while there is still light. It would be bad if they come down on us while we¡¯re evacuating.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, I¡¯m coming with you then. Ma¡¯am.¡± Ban said with a face that plainly said that he wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Viv hesitated.


    //The Heir must have an honor guard.


    //An honor guard must have an heir.


    //You must send the right signals to your future minions, Your Grace.


    //Of course, they will stand at the edge while you hunt the aberrant alone.


    A shiver went up Viv¡¯s spine.


    ¡°While I what?¡±


    //Naturally, Your Grace.


    //Two of our past exercises were cancelled due to scaly, flame-spitting intervention.


    //It is time for you to learn how to fight by yourself.


    Viv stopped and thought.


    Had she ever fought alone before?


    At all?


    ¡°Hey I killed that dark baby dr¡ª¡±


    //Finishing that sentence would be inadvisable.


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡±


    //According to the description given by Reigan, I estimate that the aberrant presents an excellent opportunity to give you experience facing multiple dangerous opponents while alone.


    //It will exert your ability to move, delay, and disengage.


    //I will be monitoring your performance of course.


    //I will not allow you to die.


    The subtext was clear. He would let her get hurt. It annoyed her a bit that he would insist on an escort for the sake of appearance but not mind her getting hit. A leader who got wounded fighting alone sounded bad, right?


    Except, it was Solfis¡¯ advice. He had never led her astray when it came to training. She was just nervous because aberrants were horrible, smelled bad, and were fundamentally fucky to her senses.


    She had to do it.


    Her reluctance and fear were all the reasons she needed. She had to face her demons head on or the fear would drill deeper into her heart. She was a trained soldier. Her weapons literally disintegrated stuff. No excuses.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ***


    The late afternoon sun cast its pale rays through the deserted woods. Snow-covered leaves littered the ground and squelched underfoot. Only the creaks of branches broke the silence of the moment. No birds, no animal cries broke the peace of the woods, because this was the territory of an aberrant and they suffered no company.


    Viv breathed in from her circle and took a last look behind her where twisted walls of changed earth stood higher than her. Only a single passage had been left in its middle, gates of hell in a wall of reaching limbs. She was ready. The construct under her activated and she settled in the relaxed mood that meditative trance brought.


    Pulse after pulse spread throughout the empty air, a bait that her mana-hungry quarry would never fail to follow. In order to make her trap, Viv resorted to the most logical measure she could think of.


    She had taken an alarm spell and reversed it. Now instead of a trigger that sent a signal to her, she was the trigger sending the signal, well, everywhere. It took all of her focus to manipulate the colorless mana but that was fine. She only needed to maintain it until the first of the aberrants arrived. They were one. If a single creature found her, they all would. Viv forced herself to keep breathing deeply. The air was crisp and cold, for now. It would change very soon.


    There was a crash in front of her and slightly to her left. A thin trunk fell to the side, brought down by something heavy. She caught a glimpse of red. The foul stench of spoiled meat and twisted mana warned her long before her target came into view. It was a chittering, skittering mass of insectile legs under the ovoid body of a tick. Barbed lances emerged from the creature¡¯s front around a cluster of mismatched, cancerous eyes. It moved front and side at the same speed with its multitude of appendages, some too short to even reach the ground. The abomination zeroed on her with rabid focus. She shivered when she spotted a single brown human eye the size of an apple. It was crying.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    Black mana roared in her veins but whispered in the air. The artillery spell took the creature cleanly in the middle. At this range and with this power, even the aberrant¡¯s mana-sucking power could not offset her refined construct. Hard work and talent had turned the spell into a leg-thick javelin as black as a cave at night.


    The eye disappeared, consigned to oblivion but Viv did not rejoice. Another was following, this one to her right. It spotted her and dove into one of the many depressions that made the rough terrain in front of her. Viv waited for it to emerge again. She could feel in her soul where the vile being gnawed on the world by its very existence. It jumped over a stump and she caught it mid-flight, her spell bending to cleave it in two. Gore splattered the rotten wood. Two more showed up. She cycled the blast again. It was easy with the circle, and this variation sacrificed a lot of range. She could keep going. She had to.


    Two of the ticks slowed down. One of them was abnormally large. Perhaps it was smarter? No, Solfis had said that they shared one mind. They knew what she was capable of.


    They were also creatures of instinct.


    With a supreme effort, Viv forced the beacon to pulse one last time while keeping the blast ready. The things greedily launched themselves forward but they also moved unpredictably to the sides to stop her from aiming clearly. They were fast. She was smarter.


    Viv turned to the larger tick and sent her spell flying at the other as it eagerly rushed her. It took the creature by surprise. It lost its body and crumpled with a nauseating sound of squished entrails.


    The last one was very close now but it was alone.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    Again, the spell took the monster dead center and shredded through it. The circle was running dry though, and the rapid casting was taking its toll. She could already feel a bit of tension when reaching for more mana. It would be fine. Probably. Had to force at least one last spell.


    She spotted three distant clusters of red eyes shimmering in the distance. The rest of them then. Solfis had reported seven different creatures. His only concession.


    The carcass of the large tick twitched.


    With a ghastly sound, the upper carapace split in two and the surviving half of the tick uncoupled from the dead one in a shower of blood and pus.


    ¡°Oh fuck that,¡± Viv said, with feeling.


    The blast fizzled with her fear and she immediately ran to the gap in the eldritch wall behind her, horrors in tow. She unsheathed her knife and channelled the Excalibur spell. Despite the urgency of her situation, she could not help a tiny smile of excitement. After all, it wasn¡¯t every day that one could splatter abominations with the fantasy equivalent of a lightsaber.


    With her heart pounding in her chest, she turned.


    Time slowed. The aberrant tried to jump at her. She saw a nightmarish collection of razor-sharp broken things under the creature, ready to mince her on contact. No spell could save her because it took a critical mass of mana to break through the aberrant¡¯s all-encompassing hunger. No spell except this one.


    Excalibur was a simple spell. It sacrificed all of the good range the artillery spell had for one thing and one thing only.


    Might.


    A void blade only slightly shorter than herself surged from her knife with a distinct hiss. Where the focused beam of destructive black mana existed, nothing else could. It felt like handling a living, enthusiastic thunderbolt. Viv sneered and swung down. Angle didn¡¯t matter. Martial prowess didn¡¯t matter. The spell slid through the creature with deceptive ease. Viv dodged to the side and let gravity carry what was left of the carcass forward. Three to go. They were almost on her with two clambering over the wall and the last sprinting. She grabbed her roundshield in her hand and cast again. The tick on her right collapsed with the wall it thought would support it. The other two jumped on her in quick succession.


    Time slowed.


    Viv used her burst of strength to smash through the wall on her right, killing yet another tick with the spell. She rolled on herself and brought the roundshield up, stopping a lunge through the wall. A stinger and two separate serrated legs smashed against it. The shield held.


    Her arms didn¡¯t.


    Viv grunted when her own defensive equipment hit her on the side of the jaw. She rolled back to absorb the shock and readied her next spell. The aberrant had scrambled through the wall to try and follow her but it had hit a snag. Viv had picked a place where she knew, thanks to her perception, that the wall was paper-thin and already crumbling. The aberrant was struggling through what amounted to concrete. It was almost through.


    Three different sets of teary brown eyes met hers. The thing wailed and retreated. She let it. She knew what would come next.


    Her danger sense screamed and she slowed down her time perception again, diving backwards. Her spell triggered just as the last tick, the one that had fallen down, smashed through the wall right in front of her. Things wracked against her shield with a shriek of tortured metal while one caught on her enchanted robe and pulled. Viv was almost carried by the sheer, absurd strength behind the creature¡¯s limbs.


    Her excalibur cut it in two.


    Only one tick was left. It glared balefully through the wall, dodging away when Viv noticed it.


    For one moment, Viv thought that the creature would retreat to fight another day. It could obviously duplicate its bodies to replenish its numbers like a nightmarish amoeba. With stingers. It would make sense for it to retreat. But it didn¡¯t. It was an aberrant. It existed to consume, and Viv was strong and filled with mana. It jumped over.


    Viv closed her eyes when the thing clawed the wall and threw sand in her face. She didn¡¯t need sight. She could feel its presence against her soul.


    It died.


    Viv held her breath and retreated out of the maze she had created, away from the steaming guts of the ticks. She climbed the path back towards the village where her escort was waiting.


    //New option, shield training.


    ¡°Hey it worked.¡±


    //Your shield is supposed to protect your face, not hit it, Your Grace.


    ¡°You were waving that sword all around,¡± Ban said. He looked¡­ offended.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a sword.¡±


    ¡°No form at all!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you form,¡± Viv retorted, not thinking clearly. She frowned and focused. It took a few moments for her to shape black mana into the Kazaran word for ¡®twat¡¯. Ban blinked.


    ¡°How about now?¡± she sneered.


    ¡°Your Grace, I can¡¯t read.¡±


    Goddammit.

 Chapter 81: Second and Third

    <h2>Chapter 81: Second and Third.</h2>


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    Danger sense: Intermediate 1


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    Mana Mastery: Beginner 7


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    Focus +1


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    Viv felt little different as she watched the first squad move bodies to a pyre. The only exception was danger sense. Somehow, she was able to pick the direction from which the danger would come, or at least it had worked at the very end of the fight. She thought that it would prove invaluable in the future just as she expected people like Irao to have ways to circumvent her new instincts. It was still amazing. She wondered how skills worked for others.


    ¡°Solfis, do you know if people experience skills the same way?¡±


    //Your query requires a complex answer.


    //Mana mastery allows mages to see, absorb, and manipulate mana more easily.


    //Some mages will still absorb mana more easily than others.


    //Additionally, the skill will have more impact for those farther on the path.


    ¡°How does it work for Ban who changed path? Does he get different skills?¡±


    //In Ban¡¯s case, his original path was close.


    //Most of his skills transformed after rigorous retraining.


    //Path changes can improve one¡¯s circumstances when appropriate.


    //They will always be costly.


    //Fortunately for Ban, he had the best drill instructor he could hope for.


    //Progress towards the next step is always lost, no matter what.


    ¡°So someone who would go from a merchant to a mercenary¡­¡±


    //Would be better served earning enough to hire a mercenary instead.


    //Incidentally, you will have difficulties developing any sort of shield skill.


    //However, merely being taught how to hold it properly might help.


    //We will train you back in Kazar.


    ¡°Lesson one is not to let it hit you in the face,¡± Ban said from the edge of the pyre as he handled the malodorous remains.


    ¡°How about next time we switch roles and you handle the aberrants?¡± Viv suggested, somewhat miffed.


    ¡°With all due respect goodmother there¡¯s no way you have enough power to lift those things.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    //Less talking more piling.


    //Due to our lack of fire magic, it will take some time before the remains are fully burnt.


    Viv looked down and noted that the mana was returning to normal but that the carcass was still somewhat resistant to the burning flames. They would have to return tomorrow, it seemed. There was a lot to get rid of.


    ¡°Is there any risk if we leave the bodies overnight?¡±


    //Aberrants do not rise again.


    //However, they poison the earth.


    //The question is inconsequential because we cannot finish before the sun sets.


    Viv turned and watched the last of the refugees disappear back into the corpse of their city. Viv wondered how hard it was for them to see the streets they were familiar with now empty, populated by the ghosts of their lost friends and relatives. She had no choice, of course. Safety trumped mental health in this case, but, well, shit, that had to be painful after all that loss.


    ¡°We¡¯ll not lose anyone tonight,¡± she declared.


    //No.


    //We will not.


    ¡°You know what to look for?¡±


    //Do you?


    ¡°Yes and I¡¯ll be making preparations.¡±


    ***


    The first squad retired as the sun set. The rest of the army had established a perimeter with amateurish enthusiasm despite their grim appearance. Solfis had to give a lesson on how to secure a part of town. The gate¡¯s mechanism was repaired with salvaged components while the streets were blocked with barricades. Witch-pact marksmen took four rooftops and dug in. Heavies patrolled the streets in number. Solfis had the remaining houses closest to their fortified square collapsed and all windows barred. The place was soon turned into a whole fortress by paranoid Kazarans expecting the worst. Somehow, the order and discipline displayed by Viv¡¯s soldiers improved the morale of the survivors, to the point that the local smith even offered to help with repairs. Most people went to bed with confidence and a full belly under the unwavering vigilance of Solfis himself.


    Viv went to bed at the heart of the inn and missed Arthur dearly. The dragonling had not returned. Viv knew in her heart that she was alright because¡­ she just did. It did not help with the feeling of loss. It felt cold and empty without the scaled cutie around.


    They woke up the next day to find out that no one had gone missing.


    ¡°Not so easy when it¡¯s not two exhausted and malnourished templars ey?¡± Viv cackled, feeling vindicated. Anelton looked even more desolate under the gray light of the early morning. Solfis dropped himself down by her side as she walked to a general store reconverted into a mess hall.


    //No anomalies, Your Grace.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They found Ban inside. The man had a skill that allowed him to function well on four hours of sleep, which Viv thought might be a staple of the ¡®student¡¯ path if there was one.


    ¡°How long until we are ready to depart?¡±


    ¡°Another two days should do it, Goodm¡ª I mean, Your Grace. Most of those folks will be strong enough to move on their own by then. The rest we can carry in an empty wagon with the children. It will slow us down though.¡±


    ¡°If we can leave safely before Elix¡¯ force arrives we will, otherwise we hole up here. I do not relish the thought of a slow-going trip through hungry beasts¡¯ territories. Anelton can withstand a siege from a band of marauders.¡±


    //We take the risk of being actually besieged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that they would bring enough food for that.¡±


    //They might take the risk, considering the following parameters.


    //Your head is worth five hundred gold talents.


    Viv opened her mouth, absolutely scandalized.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Five hundred? I got half of that in assets, easy! Five hundred? The fuck is wrong with those people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot of money,¡± Ban said reproachfully.


    ¡°Not to cross the forest twice on an assassination mission against someone as protected as me it isn¡¯t. No wonder no one¡­ wait.¡±


    Viv narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Solfis, did any assassin try to get to me?¡±


    //No assassin reached Kazar.


    Viv stared into the world¡¯s most horrifying poker face and failed to get through.


    ¡°Ah whatever. Let¡¯s just wait for¡­ oh!¡±


    Something heavy landed in the square with a muffled squee. The survivors panicked for an instant before remembering that they had seen Arthur before and were still alive to tell the tale. Viv rushed out and patted the proud dragonette on the shoulder. She held a broken shaft in her mouth, and a shabby flag hung limply from its saliva-soaked wood.


    Stole image.


    I stole back!


    On the flag was either a particularly malformed ant or a poor attempt at drawing a dragon. Viv assumed the latter and made sure not to voice her observation. Arthur bumped her on the chest and wriggled her head which was the unspoken request for a horn petting. Viv made sure to indulge and shivered when excess mana discharged from the onyx-black surface.


    ¡°Seems a bit arrogant to choose a dragon as sigil.¡±


    Dragon.


    Says yes?


    ¡°I doubt it.¡±


    I knew it.


    Image thief.


    ¡°I think so too. Now how far away are those who bear the thief flag?¡±


    Five valleys!


    ¡°Errr how long did it take for you to return?¡±


    Much long?


    This was going to take some time.


    ¡°Was it night or day when you took the flag?¡±


    Day!


    ¡°Did you return here immediately?¡±


    Ate.


    Elk.


    Alright so there was no way to be absolutely certain but it had been no more than an hour and a half, earth standard, since sunrise and Arthur flew at easily fifty kilometers per hour cruising speed. Assuming a short delay for eating since Arthur could be voracious when the food was raw, they were definitely a bit above sixty kilometers away.


    ¡°Did they have horses?¡±


    Yes!


    Many.


    ¡°Did they have wagons?¡±


    Yes.


    Slow!


    Lots of metal.


    ¡°Hmm that¡¯s not good but assuming that the wagons move at a fast walking speed they will be here before tonight.¡±


    Viv nodded to herself. She needed a better way to measure distances with Arthur.


    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s make sure everyone rests well today. Understood Ban?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    Viv walked out with Arthur to find her some meat, leaving the Heavies commander behind with a blank face.


    ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡± He wondered.


    ***


    Elix arrived late afternoon, because of course Viv forgot to account for stats again. A solid seventy riders crested the western hill far in the distance on a strange assortment of mounts. Some were the same docile creatures they had in Kazar, others were solid and slow-moving. The last and rarest kind were chargers clad in heavy barding. Those must have weighed half a ton each and they formed the vanguard.


    At the head of the column came a group in plate armor surrounding a man with an impressive helm. The rest of the cavalry followed behind and, farther away, infantry marched in tight ranks. She counted a bit less than two hundred of them and they had made a token attempt at uniforms. Many of the soldiers wore colored tabards over eclectic armor and sometimes even no armor at all. Green dominated with spots of white everywhere, including the dragon on his flag. Viv knew that dragons tolerated their image to be drawn here and there or Arthur¡¯s favorite book would not exist. She just thought that it was ballsy to claim such a dangerous heraldry. Even the green young adult she¡¯d met would roast all of those assholes in a single napalm-fed drive-by if it felt offended. Foolishness.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The slowest part of Elix¡¯ army came last. Viv had feared that ¡®lots of metal¡¯ wagons referred to some sort of armored thing but she had misinterpreted the dragon¡¯s report. Elix had cages drawn by cornudons. They already had occupants that she could see.


    Viv climbed down from the guard tower with Ban in tow. They reconvened in the mess hall, now cleared to display a tactical table with a basic map of the village. Reigan was invited as a courtesy and so was Amehe and the local smith, whose last name was also the Enorian for ¡®Smith¡¯.


    ¡°There are many more soldiers than last time. Why would they bring so many people?¡± Reigan wondered with obvious worry.


    ¡°They already have captives,¡± Viv observed.


    ¡°Then Elix has taken Reixa,¡± Amehe declared. She brought another map on the table, showing the Enorian west. Viv noticed with some interest that the border was closer than she expected. There was only one large town on the map and it was Reixa, the capital of the local barony.


    ¡°Only Reixa has enough supplies to sustain him. He probably has enough food too but he would need more soldiers and more workers for his fields. I think his purpose is to become too expensive to get rid of.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the local family object? The Reiners if I remember correctly,¡± Ban grumbled.


    ¡°If you can commune with Enttiku I¡¯m sure that their shades would have something to say. They all died at Third Regnos.¡±


    ¡°All of this is fascinating but we should focus on the current battle,¡± Viv said, and Amehe blushed.


    ¡°We have the place locked tight and we¡¯re as ready as we can be without intact wooden walls. We have drawn plenty of water from the well. Just the same, maybe everyone should pack up and get the wagons ready in case we need to force our way out. I don¡¯t think that Elix would follow us too deep into the forest.¡±


    ¡°Alright but not now,¡± Ban said. ¡°I want the ground clear to move troops around.¡±


    //Your Grace.


    //All our preparations are complete.


    //To act more is to create an unnecessary burden.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Viv admitted.


    She was letting the pressure go to her mind but she knew why. She had messed up. There were far more soldiers than she expected and if there had been double that number Viv¡¯s group would have been done for. The worst thing was that she could have just asked Arthur how many humans there were. The little one knew how to count. Viv had just made assumptions, which was one of the things she had been taught not to do and that pissed her off. Stats were no replacement for common sense, it seemed.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s see how they deploy. We are good as we are, we just need to avoid surprises.¡±


    Just then, a heavy knocked on the door.


    ¡°Sir, someone is coming bearing a flag of truce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to them,¡± Viv said. Ban was a competent leader but he was no politician. She made her way out with the three civilian representatives and stopped at the walls by the gate.


    //I will remain below, out of sight.


    //If I perceive a threat I will pull you down.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viv whispered.


    **


    Elix had come with his retinue. He was quite handsome in a darkly charismatic sort of way with a close-cropped, impeccable beard and warm brown eyes. His escort looked reasonably impressive in clean, heavy armor and proper tabards. It felt all very medieval, which Viv found appropriate since she intended to go medieval on their pillaging asses. She briefly inspected the lot.


    [Robber baron, dangerous, one who follows a path of opportunity and social ascension. ¡ª


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    Inspection: 4/5


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    Ah, about damn time. She frowned and kept looking.


    ¡ª Leader of men, expert melee fighter, slayer of men]


    It wasn¡¯t much more but it told Viv what to expect. The rest of the supposed knights gave answers like mounted raiders. One was a mercenary leader and the closest thing to a proper rider was a pair of hedge knights. Despite their ominous paths, their shiny appearance did grant them a certain aura of respectability that no amount of inspection could tarnish. She suspected a skill at play and did indeed feel a certain pull on her own leadership skill. His was paradoxically softer, more subtle.


    ¡°Greetings, Anelton. Allow me to congratulate you on repairing the gate and securing the place. You did a tremendous job. Now as the rightful ruler of the Reixan marches, I would like you to open them and let us in.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know raiders had a sense of humor nowadays,¡± Viv deadpanned, and the influence decreased.


    She had to fight it. Her men didn¡¯t budge but she could feel Reigan and Amehe look contemplative and even hopeful. That wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?¡±


    ¡°You can address me as ¡®milady¡¯.¡±


    A few of her men chuckled, and the influence decreased further. Elix grit his teeth. That was a good sign.


    ¡°Very well miss milady,¡± he replied with a sneer. ¡°Allow me a chance to convince you. We are all reasonable people here, no reason why we couldn¡¯t come to some sort of agreement. You see, the land is not safe.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not,¡± Viv noted with a glare. Once again, the interruption sort of broke the rhythm Elix was trying to set up.


    ¡°As I said the land is not safe but I am changing things. My companions and I have established a safe haven around Reixa, a place where people can eat, work, and live safely, a place protected from the depredations war has wrought on this nation. We are building the kingdom of tomorrow around the white walls of this noble city and you too can be a part of it.¡±


    ¡°And the people in cages will be a part of it as well?¡±


    ¡°Those are ruffians,¡± Elix said through an increasingly forced smile. ¡°Bandits and rebels.¡±


    ¡°Just like we¡¯ll be if we say no.¡±


    Viv leaned forward and let the venom drip in her words. She¡¯d had enough. There was nothing to work out here because the man was not taking them seriously. He wanted his workers and he would have them either through the easy way or the hard way, and she certainly did not intend to make things easy.


    ¡°The pyre of corpses you left is still warm, you know? Sometimes I look west and see a volute plume of smoke rising from the ashes of the hundreds of people you slew.¡±


    ¡°They resisted. Sometimes, ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°Women. Children. The fucking dogs. Their blood is still on the walls. I saw the broken toys, you monster!¡±


    Viv was screaming and she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°You are a glorified murderer and an upstart, but I see clearly through your polished garments. You can sprinkle flecks of gold on a turd but it won¡¯t stink any less. That¡¯s what you all are, you degenerates. Trash rolled up in fancy metal. And that¡¯s what your words are as well, all lies to have us lower our guards, lure us in a false sense of equality. You didn¡¯t even hide the fucking cages. You didn¡¯t even send someone else to do it. You just came here with your courtesan mustache less than a week after slaughtering the entire city expecting people to have forgotten? Fuck off.¡±


    ¡°I only want what¡¯s best for everyone. Do not make me do something we will both regret.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you will try. And you will regret. Go back to your festooned cutthroats you prick. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    Viv turned around and dropped down. It appeared that Elix was trying to speak more but witch-pact marksmen aiming their crossbows with malicious intent dissuaded him. He returned to his lines and they soon moved parallel to the walls along the fields, north of the city, where the camp used to be. Viv climbed a guard tower and looked on.


    ¡°They can¡¯t be leaving,¡± Ban said.


    ¡°No, they will get in through the second gate, correctly assuming that we cannot have fortified both.¡±


    Viv considered giving them a volley but decided against it. She didn¡¯t want to move her soldiers from the fortified houses to the walls and give up the surprise. Elix¡¯ band trudged their way to the second gate and opened it unimpeded. Viv heard more than saw them form up and moved forward with Solfis. Ban excused himself to order his men around.


    ¡°You two should get indoors,¡± she told Reigan and Amehe who were still following her like lost ducklings.


    ¡°I can fight!¡± Reigan said.


    ¡°And I need you as a last barrier between the survivors and Elix. You get in there and you catch stragglers. We can¡¯t afford to give them hostages,¡± Viv said with confidence.


    The temple guard saluted and departed, just as she knew he would. She was half-honest. He really would serve best by getting out of the way.


    Viv found her place next to the barricade and waited. Lines of solid heavies blocked the passage while marksmen covered the roof in a deadly crossfire. She could only see the main square from ground level, but she could hear the rumbles of hooves beating packed earth. It felt¡­ exhilarating.


    Ban screamed at everyone to keep it steady so she had nothing to do except stand on one of her prepared circles. She blinked and turned to Solfis, who had remained unusually silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re too quiet.¡±


    //You need to experience this.


    //I shall keep you alive.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    His training thing again. Viv focused on the coming cavalry and prepared her spell.


    ¡°Loose!¡± Ban roared.


    Twangs and whistles cut through the noise of the charge. Viv finally saw mounted riders charging down the street with the heavy cavalry at their head. They moved¡­ too fast. Her other senses soon confirmed what her eyes were telling her. The head horses were surrounded by a halo of gray mana. It made them move more quickly, somehow.


    A gray shield rose before the formation. The quarrels shrieked through the air and penetrated it easily. Horses neighed while men fell to their death. Viv spotted the caster responsible at the back of the vanguard, hunkered behind the two hedge knights. He was a young man with a wild look and free flowing dark hair. He had to die.


    The mage pushed his hand forward and cast. A veritable wall of air shot forward, sending debris and dust flying straight at the barricade. The mana stayed behind, but the wall kept going, which Viv had to admit was pretty neat. She didn¡¯t bother blocking it. It would be too wasteful.


    The guards hid behind their shields when the wall impacted. Crossbows stopped firing as visibility was reduced to nothing. It didn¡¯t matter to Viv. She knew exactly where the enemies were coming from.


    Blight had changed a lot since she first cast it on the walls of Fort Sky. It had been a visceral spell then, something that expressed her despair and fury. The current version was mature and considerably more destructive. It was also shaped to expand along the central street in length.


    Such a shame that diminished visibility worked both ways.


    Viv almost sighed when the perfect ball of destruction left her side on its merry journey. Unfortunately, the mage immediately noticed that someone had unleashed enough mana to melt a city block. His cry of alarm sent men rushing away. Viv heard screams left and right, hinting that the attackers had rushed into side streets.


    Of course, there were only so many side streets and with the spell hidden, some of the formation had not reacted in time. The first screams of horror rose and were abruptly silenced. The cloud of dust slowly dissipated to reveal a tunnel of black smoke, hissing and spitting like a furious snake. Cries of consternation came from the sides, quickly silenced. The spell dissipated in time and Viv saw that men were shuffled around, forced to hide behind houses as they progressed forward.


    Viv felt the attack come before it manifested. Foreign gray mana permeated the air. She reacted almost without thinking. Black tendrils spread in every direction, dispersing the concentration around her. Then the line of soldiers closest to her started to choke. They grabbed at their throats with rising panic. Raspy breaths merged with the cries of panic. Viv closed her eyes and waited, feeling the tendrils, tracing them back.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    One of the heavies kneeled. Infantry rushed the barricade and started to climb under continuous fire from the two roofs that had escaped the spell. Desperate heavies repulsed the attack. Ban was there, silently pushing people up.


    Viv found her quarry, or at least close enough to calm him down a bit.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    The spell went through a very surprised enemy soldier and the building behind him, and more behind out of sight. She felt something connect. The choking construct harrying her men relented an instant later. Its power faded like mist under the wind. Heavies recovered and mauled the lighter infantry trying to overwhelm them. The enemies were just bandits, milling and aggressive as they tried to dislodge the well-equipped and disciplined close combat specialists.


    It was a massacre. The assault faltered as fast as it had begun.


    ¡°Are they regrouping?¡± Viv wondered as the last of the runners took a quarrel between the shoulders.


    //It appears that they are retreating, Your Grace.


    //At least for now.


    //An impressive shot.


    ¡°What do you mean? I got the mage?¡±


    //Yes.


    //The dispersion was too abrupt for a mere dispel.


    //He was most likely killed.


    ¡°What should we do, Your Grace? Stay put?¡± Ban asked.


    Viv considered the question. She felt like she had to make a statement, but at the same time she didn¡¯t want to risk her fortified position. The Kazarans were still heavily outnumbered. She didn¡¯t feel like risking the lives of her men to save Enorians even though the captives certainly didn¡¯t deserve such a fate. She would need every one of her soldiers to repulse the spring attack.


    She couldn¡¯t save everyone.


    Even assassinating Elix at this stage might backfire. Some could try to avenge his loss while, right now, the enemies were retreating in good order.


    ¡°We stay put. There are people in those cages but¡­ we stay put.¡±


    //Your Grace.


    //Send me.


    ¡°Solfis?¡±


    //You made the right choice.


    //Now use me.


    ***


    It did not take long for Solfis to rush to the cages. He made short work of the sentries and freed the prisoners with the Kazarans staying where they were. By the time Elix¡¯ force had left the way they came, Viv had gained another grateful thirty survivors. The crying, underfed group was given to Reigan for care and she asked Amehe to join her in the main square with the other merchants.


    ¡°Elix is in full retreat,¡± she informed them.


    ¡°Oh good, then we can soon depart!¡±


    ¡°There is, of course, the question of the disappearances.¡±


    Amehe¡¯s pleasant face made a little ¡®o¡¯ of surprise though she recovered immediately.


    ¡°Oh yes, of course. I just assumed¡­ since we haven¡¯t seen anything in two nights¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, if it were an animal I would have expected to at least have them roam close to the walls, look for a flaw in our defenses, yet Solfis detected no presence.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it has gone to greener pastures.¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps it has no more need for bodies, at least for now. I found it curious that the disappeared would move on their own accord, unless, of course, they were dead and reanimated. Strange how both sentries fell asleep at the same time on the first night and could not see anything happen. Almost like someone spiked their food.¡±


    Amehe¡¯s smile turned into a frozen rictus. Green light erupted from her right hand then an excalibur spell split her in two. Viv cleanly severed the woman. She blinked once on the ground, her beautiful face intact over the steamy ropes of her innards. All around, the sound of quarrels hitting flesh spelled the end of the entire merchant crew. Some also cast, far too slow to make a difference. Others threw themselves on the ground asking for mercy and finding none.


    Viv cast a second time when a dark cloud rose from the woman¡¯s body to exert her spite. It faded away with a wail.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t even get the time to finish. Amehe, I suspected you so I had him check your quarters while you slept and he found the unholy symbol of Efestar, God of Scorn, as well as necromantic texts.¡±


    //Gloating is a poor habit, Your Grace.


    //The cultist is defeated.


    //What do we do with their possessions?


    ¡°Keep the gold but burn anything related to the worship of Efestar. Any suspiciously marked jewels get on the pyre of corpses as well. I wonder why they didn¡¯t kill all the villagers at once?¡±


    //Necromancers, especially Efestar¡¯s servants, will attempt to sow dissent before striking decisively.


    //Perhaps she was not sure that she could kill all of the temple guards without significant losses.


    //Additionally, revenants provide great security when crossing the woods.


    //Most living creatures dislike their stench.


    //She might have wanted to make sure the templars would not destroy too many.


    //Time was on her side, with them weakening by the day.


    ¡°And what¡¯s with the green light, I thought they used black mana?¡±


    //They do.


    //Necromantic spells granted by the God of Scorn take that specific hue.


    ¡°Enough delays. I can¡¯t wait to get back to Kazar. The prince will be there soon. It¡¯s time to finish what was started.¡±

 Chapter 82: To Quell a Rebellion

    Viv sat at her desk back at the tower, at a loss. The wind brought in the fragrant perfume of the Kazaran tree¡¯s lilac blooms. The apothecary had dropped off a large vat of powerful poison, then left with a huff. Not only did he have a prickly personality, but he also saw himself as a healer and disapproved of Viv¡¯s tactical choices, or so it seemed.


    And now she was having doubts.


    Viv took out a piece of paper and made a list of the changes she had brought to the expanding town.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Every layer of society has been mobilized for war</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nationalist ideology fed by a hatred of Enorians</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Partially planned economy</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">A powerful, indoctrinated military</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Backed by massive industrialization (driven by owl-people but still)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Three different kinds of chemical weapons.</li>


    </ul>


    Arguably, the third chemical weapon was made by the Yries so it didn¡¯t really count. It was also the most gratuitous act of dickery she had ever witnessed on a land that enslaved people to fund wars. She was going to use it.


    Where was she? Ah, yes.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Three different chemical weapons</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">A ruthless approach to conflict that would make Vietnam look like a prank.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Small cult of personality, although to be fair it was made by kids and aimed at Arthur.</li>


    </ul>


    That was more than enough to draw a conclusion. Viv sighed and bent forward, massaging her tired eyes. Then, she looked up at Solfis¡¯ quiescent form.


    ¡°Solfis.¡±


    //Your Grace?


    ¡°... are we the baddies?¡±


    The golem¡¯s yellow orbs dimmed in what felt like a smug, satisfied half-lidded smile, like a relaxing cat.


    //Scruples.


    //I have always found the human¡¯s fascination for honorable underdogs curious.


    //You fleshy beings often root for the one at a disadvantage.


    //It is a phenomenon I can observe but not understand.


    //Like altruism.


    //I believe that it is born from your species¡¯ fascination with constructed beliefs.


    //Which you call stories.


    //Let me ask you a question in return.


    //Can you accept what Prince Lancer will do to the people living here, should you fail?


    ¡°No.¡±


    //And how far are you willing to go to stop this possibility from happening?


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. If I stop questioning myself, if I¡¯m ready to go to any length, then am I better than him?¡±


    //I would argue that being better should not matter.


    //This is not a contest of virtue.


    //But I know that your fleshy mind does not work like that.


    //So instead, I advise you to go out and talk to one of the survivor¡¯s of Lancer¡¯s occupation.


    //The main west street baker¡¯s widow will do.


    ¡°The one¡­¡±


    //With that scar on her cheek, yes.


    //Talk to her, hear her story.


    //Then you can decide how far you are willing to go.


    Viv felt like she had been trapped, somehow. Solfis was using emotions.


    ¡°Not like you to make me decide based on my heart.¡±


    //Your emotions influence your mind.


    //It is unavoidable.


    //That same imperfect mind allowed you to come up with all new and exciting ways to hurt people.


    The golem deployed with skeletal grace. His horns reached the ceiling without ever touching it. The glow of his orbs shone ominously in the wall¡¯s shadows.


    //No matter what, I wanted you to know that, regarding your preparations...


    They narrowed in vicious pleasure.


    //I am extremely proud of you.


    Author¡¯s note: change of focus.


    Fifth day of the third month, Reixa, west Enoria.


    ¡°To quell a rebellion is not an act of punishment,¡± the prince said.


    His baritone voice rolled smoothly over the assembled troops in Reixa¡¯s main square. Enorian commoners watched from the windows and balconies, enraptured by the royal presence. The collective attention drifted from the prisoner on the gallows to him, their sovereign, their prince. The rightful heir to the throne.


    ¡°No, it is an act of healing, a corrective act. To quell a rebellion is to reconcile a people with their rightful ruler. To stop a rebellion is to cure a sickness by suppressing the disease before it sours the body.¡±


    The prince spread his arms and Talan felt the caress of his goddess. Truly, the young questor could not have prayed for a better leader. Prince Lancer was just, frugal, and avaricious of the lives of his men. He understood the nature of power as well as its pitfalls. He had led them to victory at Third Regnos, cutting down the rebel cavalry¡¯s retreat and slaughtering the better part of their nobility. Enoria would be safe under him. Enoria would be powerful and whole once more.


    ¡°Order, gentlemen, is the key to peace and prosperity. It does not suffer compromise, nor exceptions. It must be imposed equally and justly across the land. Our task here is nearly done and we will move out soon to pursue this most noble of goals. We will go to Kazar and bring this lost city back into the fold. We will cleanse it of the witch, her followers, and her influence. Order will return to that respected pillar against undeath. First Kazar, then, the kingdom. I know that some of you would prefer to concentrate on the rebels and I hear you. Their time will come, but for now, we must finish this task laid in front of us. It is not a chore, it is an obligation.¡±


    Cheers rose from the ranks. The Bridgers roared first, they who had been the first at his side, then came the line battalion. Talan¡¯s chest filled with the fervor of his cause and the great duty they had to perform. Ah, such a sight they were, the prince and his lieutenants. There was Goodmother Eteia, severe and reserved, she who had sacrificed the joy of motherhood for the cause. Bishop Ereon the brave surveyed his flock with a fatherly smile. Talan¡¯s superior had always championed Maranor¡¯s cause with unwavering faith, eager to see his beloved homeland resurrect from the ashes. The Royal Champion was the last, a tall and silent man handling a greatsword as easily as Talan wielded a toothpick. He stood by the prisoner with the grim expression of an experienced executioner.


    It was time. Prince Lancer turned to the kneeling man and called to him. They offered such a poignant contrast, the true blood and the usurper, the silent silver and the gilded gold. The fallen robber baron looked up and sneered. The gash on his handsome face yawned and blood seeped, dying his teeth red.


    ¡°I met her, you know?¡± the fallen man said, and the prince stopped. Talan¡¯s warmth faded a little bit from his chest, because something had gone... off-script. The prince frowned and signaled the executioner, who pushed the prisoner down.


    ¡°You, the criminal who stole the name Elix, you have been found guilty of treason, robbery, kidnapping, rape, and murder. I condemn you to death.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nothing like you think,¡± Elix retorted, uncaring.


    Talan saw the glint of a vengeful eye in the shadow of the Champion, one last ember of defiance. The voice was muffled, and yet it carried over the silent assembly like a dirge.


    ¡°I will be seeing you soon.¡±


    The blade fell.


    For all his flaws, the robber known as Elix had turned Reixa into a well-supplied hub of activity. It had come at the cost of villages, as well as the town of Anelton. Those would take two generations to recover from the devastation he had wrought, at least! But Prince Lancer¡¯s group had all they needed to launch the expedition.


    It was said that the rebels had defeated a garrison of two hundred men. To defeat them, the prince would be bringing four times that number, plus a war mage and the champion. Talan thought that it was too much, but he also knew that the expedition would keep the men on their toes in preparation for summer, when they would finish off the rebels once and for all. For now, ranks upon ranks of soldiers with their gear walked along the dirty road west, many complaining that the men at the center ¡®had it too good¡¯. Sergeant walked up and down the line, chastising those who complained and reminding them that their turn would come. Kazar was such a lost place, away from everything. The prince was right, however, it was a matter of principle.


    The light wind of Enorian spring brought the scent of sap and wet earth to Talan. It covered the more pungent aroma of his traveling companions, the squad he led as questor. Talan shivered as he recalled the hell that Regnos had become after the third day, when it seemed like the entire world stank of shit, rot, and smoke. Summer would come again, but for now he enjoyed the simple pleasure of a morning stroll. He was so absorbed in his step that he almost missed the late addition of another wagon to their already large caravan. It bore, to his surprise, the sword and shield of Neriad.


    It was no secret that the two churches were sometimes at odds on philosophy and the conduct of war, yet the alliance between light gods was too precious to be sacrificed on details and so the newcomer was received with courtesy. Talan heard the whispers spread through the ranks and finally learned the truth in the late afternoon, as they were already well on their way. They had been joined by a Bishop of Neriad. Their expedition had two bishops. The men were too wise and jaded to rejoice, however. There had to be something going on. The mystery only grew deeper when they were informed that night that the Neriad party would join them ¡®in healer capacity¡¯ and under certain conditions. The prince had to accept a ¡®peace talk¡¯ with the witch before continuing. He had accepted.


    Talan didn¡¯t think the negotiation would lead to anything. Kazar had been forced to submit to the laws they had avoided for so long and some of the population had not shunned their tasks, like true Kazarans. The others had risen against the kingdom, led by the accursed witch and her inhuman followers. Talan didn¡¯t expect that someone who would start a rebellion against order because their privileged treatment had ended would willingly submit to execution. The witch had to be selfish and manipulative. She would let the large town die before sacrificing herself.


    On the third day, the army reached Anelton.


    ¡°This is what a world without order looks like,¡± Talan told Regor, the corporal in his squad. The old man did not reply but he nodded wisely. Elix had put the town to the sword. That night, they camped under the stars within walking distance of a massacre. It put Talan¡¯s teeth on edge but they were mercifully left alone.


    At dawn the next day, the formation narrowed to enter the Deadshield Woods.


    Talan had heard much about the place, the way it seemed to play tricks with the mind. All of it was true. Only ten minutes into their trip and he was not quite sure where the edge of the forest was. The road twisted and turned, but by how much he didn¡¯t know. The squad huddled together and kept their eyes on the dense foliage while they listened to every bird call, every monster screech breaking the muffled silence. Groups of archers were ready at all times to pepper any incoming beast with serrated arrows, but their greatest deterrent was Eteia. Vigilant and somber, the war mage surveyed the land from atop her armored wagon like a queen. But no, it was wrong to be thinking that. Her attachment to the prince was well known, yet so far they had refrained from founding a family. It was not for him to consider that she would rule.


    She did look majestic, and her presence comforted him.


    Talan shook his head and returned his attention to the road. The column made their slow way on the ancient path even as it resisted the all-consuming green expansion. Sometimes, boughs covered the sky and they walked under a green, luminous arc of intertwined canopies. The union of the breath-taking and deadly muddied his mind. When they stopped at a clearing in the late afternoon, he addressed a quick prayer to Maranor.


    ¡°Let me see my purpose through the haze of mortal concerns.¡±


    Talan¡¯s vision cleared and his mind grew cold and focused. The Deadshield woods were an obstacle, nothing more. It would be surmounted like the others.


    That night, Bishop Ereon summoned him to his tent.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we will meet with the witch for parlay. It will fail, of course, but you will be present and learn what you can.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Excellency. My inspection gift will not fail us.¡±


    ¡°Let your men know that they must not attack, even if the witch is a lawless destroyer. We cannot stoop down to her level. Let the servant of Neriad play his strange game, and do not interfere.¡±


    ¡°Yes, excellency.¡±


    ¡°Good. I will see you tomorrow, Talan. Rest well.¡±


    The questor retired to his cot with some trepidation. The witch. The, and may his ancestors forgive him for mentioning it, Great Black Whore. Would she really come? He could not wait.


    Sleep did not come easily that night.


    Morning in the Deadshield Woods was a strange affair. It crept upon people like a stalking scalehound, sneaking between the thick trunks. By the time the sun rose above the treeline, the sky was blue and cloudy. Talan made his way to the front of the army and the armored wagon where Goodmother Eteia and Prince Lancer waited.


    It was a strange sight, seeing all those important people standing early in the middle of an empty road. He himself came to wait near his own bishop and the older man clapped him on the shoulder with a light smile. The champion was his usual stern self. Neriad¡¯s bishop was different. He was clean-shaven, revealing angular traits and a pointy chin. Black eyes glared at the trail with clear disapproval as if daring it into summoning the witch. For some reason, it seemed to work. They heard a horse coming.


    The woman who had caused it all trotted along the path on a powerful mount. She stopped at twenty paces and calmly dismounted, never breaking eye contact.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Elix had been right, she was nothing like he expected. He had been tricked by the many humorous drawings made of her. There was no abundant cleavage or free-falling lush hair. The woman approached and a nightmarish construct of bone unfolded behind her, as tall as two men. Before Talan could recover, a white, scaled form landed smoothly from above. No one reacted in his party and so he believed that they had been warned.


    The peculiar trio stopped only a few feet away from his party. Talan had his first good look at the one who had caused it all and realized that his preconceptions had been as numerous as they had been false. She wore a war robe covered in runes that showed signs of wear in several places. A dagger hung from a sheath on her chest while a round shield covered her back. It was a warrior¡¯s attire. Her hair had been tied and held back, and felt natural despite its strange color. The real deal, as were her eyes. They matched her cold expression.


    Talan got a first taste of her power. Mana coiled gracefully around her, alive and quiescent yet the might was undeniable. By comparison, Eteia was both warmer and more composed, more structured. The war mage held a staff over a crimson robe of office, while the Prince had picked a brigandine under a doublet. Both the bishops wore robes and the guard was in full plate with their helmet closed. It made things¡­ a little bit awkward.


    ¡°Surely you do not intend to take those things in?¡± the mage blurted, outraged.


    The witch shrugged.


    ¡°We can talk here. I do not care either way.¡±


    She had an accent he could not place. Her voice went up and down as if she were singing and her ¡®r¡¯ possessed a strange, raspy quality. It made her more exotic.


    ¡°We will all sit inside,¡± the Bishop of Neriad intoned with thin patience, ¡°and we will all behave according to the rules of war, with Neriad as my witness.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me, I¡¯ll sit,¡± the witch said.


    Prince Lancer inhaled in a great effort to control his anger before so much arrogance. Talan had no idea how he managed to tolerate so much aloofness from that upstart. Despite the pressure, his answer was fast to come.


    ¡°Agreed. And if anything happens¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you die first,¡± the witch concluded without care.


    A chill went down Talan¡¯s spine before the finality of the statement. The delivery had been casual but the soul power behind it was absolutely overwhelming. If anything happened, the prince would die first. It was an inescapable fact that left no room for interpretation. And the prince just accepted it with a nod.


    Unheeding of Talan¡¯s confusion, the party walked into the armored wagon. It was quite nice inside. A central table going the length of the wagon offered basic food and refreshment, though Talan had no doubt that they would be left untouched. He and his side shuffled down with the champion standing guard. The witch gracefully sat on her side, while her marsh drake padded close to her and the skeletal creature kneeled. It looked excessively intimidating.


    They were so strange like that, like characters from a tale, not political figures deciding the fate of a city.


    The Bishop of Neriad sat at the end, taking the judge seat and starting the negotiations in a low drone. Talan tuned him out to complete his main task: inspecting the foe. It was his speciality, his pride and achievement. Years of inspecting everything until his head hurt had finally yielded a specialized skill which his path had then reinforced. The time had come to use it for the good of Enoria, starting with the witch.


    Mana flooded his mind and eyes, a casting subtle enough to be lost between the powerful movements of the other people here. At first, he felt an opposition which meant that the status was occulted. Someone or something blocked his skill. Talan persevered but felt like pushing against a brick wall.


    Then there was a susurrus of fabric, the whispers of lost things staring through dark portals. A distant chuckle froze his breath in his chest, and the veil lifted. He could see everything.


    She had been protected by Maradoc, god of secrets. Talan felt sweat pearl on his brow but he continued anyway.


    [Lost Heiress. Extremely dangerous. Third stage of her path. One who has forfeited other hues in favor of a deep understanding of black mana. Highest stats: all mental stats ( late fourth tier) Highest skills: meditative trance, mana mastery, intimidation.]


    More information filtered through his mind as the occultation unravelled.


    [Decent melee combatant. Proficient battle caster. Smart. Slayer of men. Undead nightmare. Lucky. On the rise.]


    And then the cause of the veil made itself manifest.


    [Leader. Revolutionary. Born for magic. Outlander.]


    So that was it, the reason why a god had intervened. Outlanders were always the catalysts of great changes and not always for good. Halluria had taken to kill them as a matter of principle. Other countries kept to a more merciful approach. Enoria might change that after the current crisis was over.


    An outlander leading a rebellious city. Her special status would not save her though. The interface had revealed that she was no powerful otherworldly mage, and there was only so much one could achieve in so short a time.


    He almost stopped there, but curiosity needled him. He could not help but look to the side, to what appeared to be a drake. Such creatures were often kept as pets by the nobility, especially in the north. It would be a waste of time to inspect a mundane animal and yet there was something in those malevolent red eyes that gave him pause, a sort of vicious intellect that no beast should possess. Beasts and monsters could be cunning. They could even hold grudges. They would not, however, patiently inspect a room and check for weapons and exits.


    The creature glared at him and bared its teeth as he activated inspection again.


    [Juvenile dragon. Extremely dangerous. Highest stat: Finesse (late fourth tier). Highest skills: draconic combat, flight. Others: awoken intellect. Gourmet. Truce. Flame breath. Mana coating. Nascent caster. Adopted daughter. ]


    Neriad¡¯s.


    Hairy.


    Bollocks.


    Fuck.


    The questor froze in his spot, causing a few curious glares and not giving any shit whatsoever because there was a fucking dragon in the room.


    A dragon.


    Arguably, it was rather tiny.


    Arguably, it was too young to affect the outcome of the conflict but if there was one thing that was certain in Nyil, it was that killing a dragon always carried a cost and usually that cost was other dragons taking a short and incendiary interest in you, your extended family, and anyone else in a fifty leagues radius who wasn¡¯t aggressively fireproof. It was the sort of victory that disintegrated like ash between your fingers, and the prince would taste it, unless he could spare the thing.


    Yes, that could be doable. Kill the revolutionary upstart but leave the monster alone. The revolt would be crushed easily anyway, they just had to be careful.


    Talan turned to the last member of the party. In for an iron, in for a gold. It could not possibly be worse than realizing one was fighting a dragon, he thought.


    He was, of course, completely wrong.


    [ HX-013 Experimental Strike Golem, designation, Solfis. LETHAL. Apex being. Irlefen¡¯s Masterpiece. Artificial soul. First of his kind. Ancient. Dragon bone frame¡­


    The description went on, and on, until his mind buckled under the torrent of information. A Duke had fewer titles than that. Gods, the Headmaster of the Helock Academy of Magic had fewer titles than that. And it only got worse.


    [Last Defender of Harrak. Rebellion crusher. Undead nightmare. Monster nightmare. Aberrant Nightmare. Human Nightmare. Kark Nightmare. Kingslayer. Walking cataclysm. TEN THOUSAND DEAD.]


    Two baleful orbs of yellow light captured his mind as the skill broke and he was caught in a vortex of data and impressions. He was hopelessly swallowed into the crystalline mind of the entity known to the world as Solfis, incapable of resisting its tempestuous pull. There, the soul unfolded like a lotus. It was an immense forest of data slabs, filled with rainbows of light flickering in many hues as streams of thoughts passed through them. It was an impossible labyrinth of logic gates and information rivers. It was a star pulsing in the void. It beat with a frigid aura, and at its core, kept under control by chains that wouldn¡¯t break before the world did, hidden in a well of infinite depth, was the fuel that had kept that adamantine mind going for centuries.


    It was rage.


    Solfis was animated by an endless, unyielding, and inexhaustible fury, a dark pit of sheer hatred that would melt the soul of a god grain by grain, strand by strand, over the eons, until there was nothing left. The strangely pristine emotion radiated its glacial presence throughout the entire soul. He knew then, that under the creature¡¯s merciless gaze, he was nothing but variables around a squishy, soft target. The entity would grind him and the others to dust on the road to Kazar. He, a questor, would never amount to anything more than a ¡ª


    //PATHETIC.


    //USELESS.


    //FLESHBAG.


    Warm liquid dripped on Talan¡¯s ungloved hand. It was red. The atrocious pain woke him up from his funk. The others did not react. Was it because they were ignoring him or because they missed the event? He didn¡¯t know. The argument was picking up.


    ¡°I will now allow the prince to express his sentiment on the matter. Listening to each other is the first step towards reconciliation.¡±


    The heiress snorted but she did not stop the prince.


    ¡°Thank you Bishop Erland. Then I shall begin. Kazar was granted a tax exemption to grow, and it has done so, taking profit from the passing troops and developing thanks to their protection. When I came to ask you to join the war effort, you fled and returned to destroy the garrison I had left behind. You revolted against your king and for this, you must atone. You and your lieutenants will surrender to me and be judged for your crimes. The population of Kazar will lay down their weapons and be subjected to our laws, paying a tribute as a compensation for the lives taken during the event. Do so, and I shall be merciful.¡±


    The prince leaned back. Talan found the terms generous. It fulfilled the prince¡¯s purpose and didn¡¯t involve a siege, mass execution or any sort of sacking. The innocents among Kazar¡¯s government would even be spared. He wondered if the witch would see that.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± the bishop asked.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Then, Witch Viviane will be allowed an answer.¡±


    The witch took a few deep breaths. Talan noticed the deeper coloration on her strangely pinkish skin and realized that the woman was absolutely livid. When she spoke, her tone was clipped by self-restraint.


    ¡°You came to Kazar asking over two thousand gold talents as back payment, barring which you would invade, which you did.¡±


    Talan¡¯s eyes widened. That couldn¡¯t be right. No, she was probably exaggerating, although his questor powers detected no real falsehood. The prince had probably offered incremented payment. For future taxes. Yes, that had to be it.


    ¡°You sieged the city, enslaved those who had stayed behind and sold their women to your followers. You took the rest as slaves and sold them Maradoc knows where. You slew all those who resisted and threw their corpses into the desert where they rose as revenants.¡±


    The Bishop of Neriad hissed. Ereon remained quiet and even Talan himself balked at the outrageous treatment. Such measures should only be used on the most despicable of foes. Surely¡­ but he was not there. He didn¡¯t know, so he wouldn¡¯t judge. It was not his place.


    ¡°And now you come expecting submission. This is pointless, because we do not matter in your eyes. We are just one more trial on your path to the throne. Everything you have done and will do to us is worth it if you can ascend as king. We¡¯re just trash you need to get rid off. You have no interest in anything I might say beyond ¡®yes¡¯.¡±


    ¡°If you understand,¡± the prince said, ¡°you will do the right thing and surrender. The Kazarans will be treated fairly. They will have a future under Enoria, one they will certainly not have under you.¡±


    ¡°You will understand if I do not take your word for ¡®fair¡¯ and it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Those of us who lived in caves talked to the survivors of your occupation. The whole of ¡®Kazar¡¯...¡±


    She said the word in a way that arose suspicion in Talan, as if Kazar was only part of it.


    ¡°... is eager to meet you again.¡±


    The threat hung in the air between the two. Once again, Talan felt absolute confidence in the woman¡¯s demeanor. Her soul flared, backing the statement with the ghost memories of past deeds. Deadly past deeds. He did not know how much blood it took to obtain the title of slayer of men, but he did know that no one in his squad had it. It was a bloodsoaked prize at the end of a sequence of butchery. And she had it.


    ¡°At the very least you did not waste my time,¡± the Bishop of Neriad said. ¡°Now, Your Highness, it is time to fulfill my purpose as we discussed.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± the witch asked.


    ¡°I am here to heal your soul. That is one of the two purposes of my visit.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows and, to Talan¡¯s lack of surprise, the bishop indulged her. Those Neriad followers were always too soft on lawbreakers.


    ¡°The rest concerns an internal affair related to the temple in Kazar. I will make my way there with Prince Lancer and talk to the administrative staff. This is not something to concern yourself over, especially considering the circumstances hmmm?¡±


    ¡°We shall see. How do you intend to heal my soul?¡±


    ¡°It will only take a moment, at least down here. You will be disabled during the process.¡±


    Talan looked to the side and, apparently, some did others because the horror spoke for the first time. Its voice was an organic snarl over a monotone, unnatural drone.


    //By all means, try.


    //I do enjoy enclosed spaces.


    ¡°For the last time we are still under the flag of truce. Behave. Now, please give me a moment while I collect myself.¡±


    The bishop closed his eyes and golden light flared under his pale skin, gaining in intensity until the interior of the carriage was lit by a second dawn. As a divine caster himself, Talan knew that the energy the man was weaving was absolutely tremendous and he gripped the table to stop his shaking. There was enough divine mana to burn down a manor.


    The bishop placed his hand on the witch¡¯s forehead. The light blinked out. He stumbled back to his seat while the witch tilted forward, held up by the dragon¡¯s sudden presence.


    Meanwhile, in the in-between.


    Time was meaningless in the in-between since matter did not exist, but it did take a relatively large amount of... experience, for lack of a better term, for Viv to regain a sense of self. It was the second time she was a pure soul, though she had not realized it, and the sudden absence of a brain left her disoriented. None of the usual ways to process things were available to her. She was also hurt, and this increased her unease.


    When Viv came to, she found herself in the embrace of something far greater than herself. This sensation of being helped and protected was the first coherent feeling she understood. Then, slowly, the core of who she was coalesced from the tiny white orb that was her soul.


    ¡°WE MEET AGAIN,¡± said the large presence.


    ¡°Neriad?¡± she thought.


    ¡°YES.¡±


    Things that felt like hands but were not folded her, closing the tears and placing pieces that had been split back in their natural position. Viv wriggled, feeling that there was something outside like a current, and thoughts. She was in a vast void that felt like an oasis of calm in a moving sea.


    She bounced a little bit.


    ¡°STOP FUSSING.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±


    It took a long time for the god to finish, but when he did Viv felt an intense relief flood her mind. She was whole again.


    The restored part of her returned some measure of control and she perceived Neriad by her side for the first time. The god was absolutely massive compared to her, incomprehensibly so. He pulsed golden and radiant, a pillar that would never give up. She felt solace in his presence, and she also felt humility. His as well as hers.


    ¡°HE WHO NEVER DOUBTS IS LOST, I THINK. NOT VERY GODLY, OR SO I HAVE BEEN TOLD.¡±


    ¡°Well for what it¡¯s worth you¡¯re probably one of the best things to ever happen to this shithole of a planet.¡±


    ¡°THANK YOU. THIS MEANS A LOT COMING FROM YOUR KIND OF MIND.¡±


    ¡°Oi. Oh, by the way, could you tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°I DO NOT KNOW OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING, HOWEVER. DO NOT TRUST MARANOR AND HER SERVANTS.¡±


    ¡°Well, she is your competitor.¡±


    ¡°IT WAS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THAT. WE USED TO BE LOVERS. NOW SHE IS LOST, AND YOU CARRY THE MARK OF HER HATED HUSBAND.¡±


    ¡°... the divine spark of luck?¡±


    ¡°DO NOT MENTION IT TO ANYONE. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. DO NOT TAKE THAT RISK.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright.¡±


    ¡°I WILL SEND YOU BACK. AND ONE LAST THING.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°KICK HIS ASS.¡±


    Back at the tent.


    Talan saw the witch¡¯s eyes open. She brushed back her hair with two hands with a deep breath, then the part of her soul that promised death withdrew. This did not comfort him. She was merely hiding a knife back under her cloak, but it was still there, sharp and naked.


    ¡°I guess this concludes our little conversation. If you will excuse me.¡±


    She stood up and the dragon coiled at her side, lazily tracing her shin guard with its serpentine tail. Everyone walked out and watched her mount her horse like some horrific dysfunctional farewell.


    ¡°The truce ends in fifteen minutes, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the bishop replied.


    ¡°Farewell then.¡±


    ¡°We will meet again,¡± Prince Lancer said.


    ¡°We will,¡± she confirmed.


    The assembly returned to the wagon where they availed themselves of the displayed victuals, no need to let those go to waste. It was not the Enorian way. Talan¡¯s input was not solicited and so he listened to the various people¡¯s opinions. Eteia judged that the witch was powerful and talented but still relatively green. The champion said that she was clean and freshly bathed, and that the Kazarans probably had a base somewhere in the woods, and that they should be ready to deploy at any time. The prince finished by reminding them of their duties. Talan followed Bishop Ereon outside while they walked to the camp. He wanted to share his findings, but Ereon was in no hurry.


    ¡°So, the talks have failed. It has begun,¡± the old man said bitterly.


    Talan wanted to reply but he was interrupted by a hiss, an unnatural sound that sent men scrambling for their blades. Not a moment later, a spear of black as thick as a tree trunk landed in the middle of the camp, killing three men and annihilating their water cistern.

 Chapter 83: Green Hell

    The army waited nervously for an assault that never came. Talan spent a good fifteen minutes scrutinizing the underbrush, identifying every twig in front of him until his brain was about to burst. Nothing emerged from the edge of the trees except for the odd insect and fluttering birds. Eteia herself led a short patrol around and confirmed that it was, indeed, only a parting shot. An act of spite, no doubt. The men joked about the witch being only able to achieve so much but Talan did not laugh. She was no mere witch, but a Lost Heiress. A unique path for an outlander. Even Eteia, who was on her fourth step, had been concerned about her power over black mana.


    He had felt it as well. Magic was with that woman, coiling amorously around her though she did not pay it any mind.


    Finally, everyone packed the camp and Talan felt compelled to remind everyone that he had seen things. Bishop Ereon had not forgotten, but there was a protocol to follow and a junior questor had no say at a prince¡¯s council. As soon as he was finished, however, he was dragged to the royal wagon where he found the rest of the elites deep in council.


    ¡°I will remain ready at all times to prevent another incident from occurring. There is no alternative,¡± Eteia declared.


    ¡°We have siege experts. They are hybrid casters but there are four of them, can they not take care of defending the convoy?¡± the prince asked, concern for Goodmother Eteia obvious on his handsome face.


    The war mage shook her head.


    ¡°If we were static maybe, and that is a strong maybe, but we are moving and brown mana specialists are the slowest. They cannot contend with her. Black mana has unmatched penetrating power. It has to be me.¡±


    ¡°Then the champion will come with you to cover you from arrows, just in case.¡±


    ¡°That would be appreciated, Your Highness.¡±


    The prince turned from his seat at the table and invited both newcomers to sit with a casual gesture. Talan felt flattered and buoyed to be in such hallowed company. He bowed smartly while the Bishop relayed his findings. The prince received the news with concern but no overall panic. Talan wished he could share in the man¡¯s confidence. He had felt the entity Solfis¡¯ mind and¡­ there was no way to express what was in there.


    ¡°We already knew that the witch was dangerous so it does not change anything. The presence of a dragon is more troubling. Fortunately, the beasts are extremely hardy. It is always much easier to chase off a dragon than accidentally kill it, so our archers will be free to pepper it with arrows.¡±


    ¡°Will Goodmother Eteia¡¯s help be needed as well?¡± the bishop asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the woman replied, ¡°the beast is too young to cast spells, of this I am sure. Dragons are highly resistant to magic. My efforts would be better spent elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°As for the golem, reports of such constructs fill the historical archives, but they speak of metal statues as tall as four men. My best guess is that she transferred the consciousness of one into a necromantic construct.¡±


    ¡°This would be highly heretical,¡± the bishop observed.


    ¡°Would someone like her stop at such trifles? She would certainly stoop so low if it gave her an advantage.¡±


    ¡°You must be right.¡±


    ¡°In any case, dragonbone is also highly resistant to spells so the champion will be in charge of stopping it. Do you agree, sire?¡±


    ¡°It will be done, Your Highness. Bones are brittle when they are dead.¡±


    Talan wished he shared their optimism, but he refrained from commenting. Even if they didn¡¯t manage to kill the witch¡¯s followers, it was enough to take Kazar and subdue the population. Unsupported elites could not achieve much when isolated. They were systematically hunted, flushed out, and killed. Talan was probably worrying for nothing, but it did not stop that sense of dread creeping up his spine like vines up the innumerable trees around.


    The short council ended with no conclusion drawn besides ¡®it is probably nothing¡¯, which bothered the questor on a deeper level. The truth was that they had no tools to adapt to unexpected circumstances, and this was one such situation. He just had to do his best.


    The army walked on with Talan and his squad placed at the front, on account of his inspection skill. He praised Maranor for her teaching that hard work was often rewarded in unexpected ways, such as not eating the dust from eight hundred soldiers. He and his men strutted happily for fifteen minutes with the sun at the back and the pleasant smell of trees not yet marred by old sweat until he found the first obstacle.


    There in the middle of the way, the earth was having a nightmare.


    That was the only way he could find to qualify those horrific walls of twisted geometry, spirals, and grasping limbs.


    ¡°What in the name of Enttiku is that thing?'''' one of the soldiers asked.


    [Eldritch wall, earth raised by aspected black mana, an extremely rare spell use. Variable durability. Soaked with black mana.]


    ¡°It does not appear dangerous,¡± Talan admitted to Bishop Ereon once the man came to inquire. The older soldier grunted some surprisingly strong expletives.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not dangerous then I¡¯ll check it out myself!¡±


    ¡°No, allow me!¡± Talan begged. Fortunately, neither of them had to do anything because the Bridgers had siege experts. The four hybrid brown casters gathered and crumbled the strange walls at a slow pace.


    ¡°Those constructs are still saturated with black mana,¡± one of them said. ¡°It takes a while to overcome it.¡±


    Talan wondered how long it had taken the witch, because it was obviously her, to make those. He hoped it had taken hours because it certainly wasted their time.


    ¡°Perhaps this is why she destroyed the water cistern. She hopes that we will run out of water,¡± he hypothesized.


    ¡°Stupid of her. Everyone can create some water with a bit of practice and the forest always has moisture to draw. The men will be thirsty, but there is no way for us to suffer too much before we arrive at the lake,¡± Ereon replied.


    Talan nodded. She was an outlander. Perhaps her knowledge of magic was still incomplete.


    ¡°Those delays are still annoying. Ah, it looks like they are done.¡±


    One of the earth casters levelled the farthest earth until all that remained of the witch¡¯s work was irregular earth. He walked confidently back to their line, then collapsed forward. His left foot disappeared into a hole, Talan could see. There was a dreadful snap and the man howled.


    Talan rushed forward, but not as fast as Ereon. The wounded man snapped his fingers and the hole widened, revealing a simple trap lined with sharpened, downward facing stakes. Blood immediately poured from the wound in great gushes.


    ¡°Ah, you idiot,¡± Ereon roared. He kneeled by the wounded man and prayed. A reddish glow soon surrounded his form and the wounds closed. The earth caster sighed in relief as the torrent of blood turned to trickle, then stopped.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You must not remove the stakes or you might bleed out,¡± the bishop scolded.


    ¡°Yeah easy to say it wasn¡¯t your leg in that thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of sharp things in my body, boy, and I didn¡¯t drain the healer¡¯s mana because I couldn¡¯t wait to get them out.¡±


    ¡°Sorry sir,¡± the man replied, chastised.


    The army resumed its slow march and arrived at the next patch of strange earth not twenty minutes later. Talan volunteered to search for traps and found none, and neither did his squad. He also volunteered to flatten the strange earth, which he did without issue. By that time, it was already halfway to noon and the men were growing impatient.


    ¡°Better safe than skewered,¡± he moaned, but it didn¡¯t look like the backline shared his common sense.


    It soon turned out that a large amount of the path was covered in those strange constructs. The army took to just ignoring them after the third patch. Immediately after that, the first howls of pain sounded from the back. It turned out that the entire path was rife with surprisingly-well hidden traps.


    ¡°There is only one road. It makes it easy for them to use this kind of tactics,¡± Ereon said.


    ¡°A coward¡¯s tool!¡± Talan fumed. ¡°Isn¡¯t Neriad supposed to be about righteous combat? Why would he favor them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, he is quite stern when it comes to causes yet much more lax when it comes to methods.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    The morning went on. Talan made some real effort to watch his steps. He even found one by sheer repetition of his skill. Unfortunately, he had to look directly at it and the traps were quite small, so he could not use it systematically. The construct was so well-made and hidden that he suspected that a high-level skill was involved. Nevertheless, Taran did not give up. He never gave up. He would do what he could, as always, this time by focusing in front of him. Most shared this method and that was why they missed the tree traps.


    Because the road was narrow and to move four persons abreast turned the army into a vulnerable snake, many soldiers walked among the small trees at the edge of the road, weaving between small trunks and rotting stumps left from previous deforestation efforts. Somehow, invisible wires escaped the eyes of even the keenest of them until the first of the pots exploded against shields raised in haste.


    ¡°It smells like¡­ sap?¡± Talan wondered as he lifted his left vambrace. None of his skin had been exposed and Ormin, who had been hit full on, seemed to be alright.


    ¡°I mean it¡¯s sticky and itchy but I don¡¯t feel any pain.¡±


    Unfortunately, they could not wash themselves so the front of the column soon took on a glistening appearance. The powerful perfume of sap soon overwhelmed that of sweat as regular cries of pain interrupted the procession. Ereon and the healers were running left and right, bringing assistance to every wounded. They had not lost anyone since the spell earlier that day, thank Maranor. It still felt bad.


    ¡°Can the Kazarans do ought but children¡¯s tricks?¡± Corporal Regor complained.


    Talan thought that he was happy with children¡¯s tricks.


    They stopped at noon for a very short break. The questor was already regretting the lack of water, which was being rationed. The woods could be suffocating with the added tension. A shiver ran through the length of the expedition as they stood back from where they had plopped down. Orders fused.


    ¡°You will not go out of formation to satisfy natural needs with less than five men.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that many people to hold my dick,¡± one of the soldiers claimed, but the sergeant trotting up the line was unamused.


    ¡°You will if you want to stay alive. Sedrin didn¡¯t come back and he¡¯s not the only one.¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit.¡±


    This put a damper on the already plummeting mood. The problem wasn¡¯t just the disappearances, the stench and so on. The problem was that they were on the second day of a ten days trip. At this speed at least.


    Talan wasn¡¯t sure that they could do ten days of this.


    Every new blossom of changed earth made him pray that it would be the last, but they were always there, lined up with the promise of more traps, more prepared ground. The witch and her flunkies must have spent fucking months turning this entire road into a gauntlet. And they were following it like obedient dogs. It frustrated him but he grit his teeth. The men were looking up to him.


    More legs got skewered, more sap covered the armor of the men. Someone walked around a very large tree to take a dump and just¡­ disappeared. Not ten paces away from the edge of the forest. And all that happened in silence. No war cries, no great charges. Just bird songs and the creaks of old wood. It made no sense.


    It was almost a relief when they were attacked by a large bird monster. The creature attempted to pick on their backline, but its dive attack ended in a cone of fiery red. Eteia had taken no chance.


    ¡°Is monster fowl tasty?¡± A man asked with a laugh. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out!¡±


    They arrived at the next designated campsite as the sun was dipping below the horizon. Talan inspected every square meter of empty ground and they did find a spell construct, which Eteia promptly dispelled. The witch looked down on them, it seemed.


    The questor volunteered for night duty but he was denied.


    ¡°We will need you well-rested every time we move on. Let those with vigilance hold the line,¡± Bishop Ereon told him.


    Talan thanked the veteran fighter for that nugget of wisdom. No man was able to do everything. That was why order was so important, so that those with the proper ability be used in the best role. He went to sleep with his heart at ease. He was not alone, and never would be.


    The entire outer ring of sentries disappeared that night. It happened in a single sweep at the darkest of times. Some skills had to be involved.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Talan breathed in the morning air, bemoaning to himself that the pleasant smell of spring was being overwhelmed by rancid sweat and syrupy sap. There was not enough water to clean oneself. All they could conjure was dedicated to themselves and the wounded.


    He and his squad ate a quick breakfast. Thankfully, everyone had recovered enough mana to drink their fill, for now. The night disappearances had certainly impacted the morale, however, and he found himself listening to Corporal Regor¡¯s scolding.


    ¡°This is war. Did you just expect the Kazarans to lay down belly up waiting for the slave collars? They know that when we reach the walls, it¡¯s all over for them, so they face us here where they have the advantage. It¡¯s a contest of will. Either we break and fall back, or we don¡¯t. I expected more from people who fought in Regnos. What were you thinking? That this was a holiday?¡±


    The men grumbled, and yet the tongue lashing reminded them of their duties. Talan took the lesson to heart while he fastened his armor. He stretched a bit to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be, and his left vambrace fell down. Ormin started swearing from the next tent.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    Talan checked the piece and realized that the strap had been completely eaten through.


    ¡°It¡¯s the sap,¡± he realized as he walked out. Ormin was roaring in anger. Not only was his armor reduced to metal components, but even his sleeping bag was showing expanding holes as well.


    ¡°What manner of warfare is that?¡± he grumbled to himself.


    Many soldiers were sharing the same problem. Leather had never been in large supply in the army, not with how durable it was. There was no way to repair all the armor, but Talan would be damned if he let Ormin go to battle in his underpants. He grabbed his cloak and tore a band from it.


    ¡°Help me out. Everyone, help out!¡±


    It was shoddy work. The softer cloth didn¡¯t fit well in the buckles and they tended to slip, but Talan would be damned if he let soldiers go to war unprepared.


    ¡°That will melt as well. Even faster than the leather,¡± a man said.


    ¡°Then we will use our spares and when we run out, we will use the tents. They don¡¯t have an unlimited supply of sap either,¡± Talan replied with more aggression than necessary. The men were galvanized by his outburst and the most nimble helped with sewing things on.


    ¡°Thanks, everyone,¡± Ormin said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine lad, I¡¯ll take comfort in the fact that the cloth on your chin cradled my ass just last week.¡±


    Poor Ormin turned red under the subsequent jeers. It was with determination, but slightly unfitting armor, that the men departed.


    ***


    The very same morning.


    Viv took a sip of tea and breathed out when the decoction warmed her belly, finally allowing her to relax. It was a special brew against menstrual cramps that Solfis had conjured up from somewhere. Sometimes, fate had a strange sense of humor.


    She looked out towards the empty road. In a few days, it would be crawling with soldiers. From inside the cave, the woods were a peaceful expanse undulating under a light wind and pleasant sun. From inside the cave, there were no monsters. Only an adorable dragonette with a gold obsession. She finished her tea and leaned forward.


    Bones clicked on the stone floor behind her.


    //The Yries are expressing their concerns.


    //The redleaf sap has not activated yet.


    Excited hoots erupted from the main cavern behind her. It had come as a surprise when the owl-like humanoids had joined the fight, especially considering how isolationist they were. She should not have discounted the most obvious motive.


    Vengeance.


    They deeply hated the prince for sending them into exile and had absolutely no intention of losing their second home.


    ¡°We have to force it before they reach the lake. I will provide cover.¡±


    //Understood, Your Grace.


    It was time for her to get to work.


    ***


    The column trudged under heavy boughs laden with flowers and dew. Oppressive, stuffy, the warm humidity clung to the skin, dripped down brows and dampened clothes. Worse, it did not clean the sticky sap that even now still clung stubbornly to the annoyed soldier. The pale yellow substance had turned into an adhering, irritating gel. Talan blinked and forced his hand away from his left arm lest he peeled off sap and skin like an onion layer, with his nails if necessary.


    They just had to last until the lake.


    At the lake, he could scrub himself clean with a bar of soap.


    Talan¡¯s feet faltered when he spotted a white cloth in the distance. He raised his fist and the company stopped, grumbling echoing along the line. Corporals and sergeants ran up and down for what felt like the hundredth time, haranguing the men to maintain discipline. This should not have happened. Prince Lancer¡¯s troops were the cream of the crop of Enoria, not some ruffians. The questor passed a tired hand over his face and cursed. What was it this time?


    [Flag of purity of Neriad.]


    Didn¡¯t look so bad.


    He moved up with Bishop Ereon by his side. The pair walked with their shields raised and their weapons drawn. If the witch attacked, the Bishop would perhaps have the power to repel a single hex. It would have to be enough.


    For a second, Talan thought that the soldiers were sleeping. Someone had lined them up in neat rows with their eyes closed and their hands on their chests, but sleeping people moved and had blood moving under their skins. The men here were dead. Someone had simply sewn the severed heads back on and the banner of the god of righteous combat had kept the bodies free of corruption. They had found their lost fighters. All thirty-seven of them.


    It was a lot of bodies to look at for two days of travel.


    On the tall trees behind the small clearing, someone had painted an accusation in crimson letters. It read:


    GREED


    ¡°We have to bury them. The men can¡¯t see that,¡± Ereon said.


    ¡°Do we take down the trees as well?¡± Talan asked with more bitterness than he meant.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the older man said, not unkindly. ¡°Yes, we do.¡±


    ***


    It took an hour to clear everything. The men were buried in deep graves dug by the earth casters, with a monument risen through magical means bearing their names. All men were requested to salute in passing, and rumors spread around that they had been found decapitated with their heads in handbaskets, the Hallurian way.


    ¡°I heard Lessik from C company claim that they were revenants the servants of Maranor had to put down!¡±


    It bothered Talan that no announcement was made to undo those rumors. Instead, the council let them fester into a deep resentment that seeped through the cracks of damaged armor, giving the men a powerful drive. It was stupid. Wasteful. And it set a dangerous precedent. No cruelty would be averted when dealing with desecrators, almost¡­


    The memory of the witch returned. Was she witch or heiress? It felt strange giving her a title, as if she were more than just a wild caster risen on a tide of chaos. Like it was¡­ deliberate. As deliberate as throwing corpses in the desert to rise as revenants.


    The idea wormed its way through Talan¡¯s mind as the expedition walked on, his men unaware of the turmoil in his heart. He knew that he would see the expedition through, but he questioned the rationale behind some of the decisions the prince was making. Perhaps this was the price of power. Perhaps one could not unite Enoria with clean hands. He was just the son of a woodworker. What did he know?


    He knew that desecration and lies were wrong.


    Talan shook his hand and cursed when another pot of sap burst behind him, renewing the heavy scent hanging over the convoy. For fuck sake they were already wearing rags, what more did she want from them?


    Another pot crashed nearby. They had reached a rougher ground, with small hills popping up here and there. It was a sign that they were approaching the heart of the woods.


    He almost missed the change, but even his saturated nose could not miss the difference. It smelled like¡­ honey?


    Talan watched, mesmerized, as a soldier removed a shard from his biceps. There was movement. far to the right. A tree toppled on top of a hill. Something very large was moving back. He latched on the object before it could retreat past the edge of the slope.


    [Yries self-propelled ballista. War machine. Very precise. Mana-fuelled frame. Heavy¡­]


    What.


    The.


    Fuck?


    Before he could react, the thing had disappeared. A powerful artillery spell arced overhead, coming from the command wagon. A much smaller, faster one caught it close to the ground and forced it to explode. The detonation leveled several trees while flaming pieces of mana constructs rained down, starting small fires. A massive black mana shield blocked one of the largest blocks.


    The casters were dueling. The sight of such power wielded by human minds never ceased to amaze him.


    But then¡­ why did they send a pot?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it at all. Everyone, get ready. Shields up,¡± he said. His order was repeated by his corporal and soon, the front squads were in formation. Just to be careful.


    Something was coming. A low buzz announced its presence, haunting the edge of the trees. There was nothing there. Still nothing. There was something, a red insect darting straight at them.


    [Fire wasp]


    ¡°Oh SHIT! GET DOWN!¡±


    Talan had no need to warn anyone because the rest of the hives flew out from the trees and the first aggressive insects were already zipping in people¡¯s faces with their stingers exposed. Talan crouched.


    A massive fire spell scorched the edge of the trees, obliterating entire thickets. The hives that were caught turned to ash.


    The flames spread unnaturally among the rest of the swarm, turning the wasps into suicidal, malicious embers. They fell on the assembled soldiers. Three of them hit him.


    Talan saw, distinctly saw, the sap ignite on his left vambrace. An amber tongue spread like burning alcohol on a wooden table.


    Then the entire vanguard went up in flames with screams of abject terror and a deafening ¡®woosh¡¯. Soldiers threw themselves on the ground, devoured by an inferno that could not stop, that would not stop. It clung to them like a second skin. Ormin clawed at his eyes and rolled on the ground. The ghastly dance of human torches spread across the line like the wildfire it was, catching more soldiers with every stream of volatile sap. Howls of agony spread in a chorus, covering panicked orders in a dreadful cacophony of fear and suffering. Talan gave up on anything but the searing pain eating at the flesh from his arm. He dropped and used his weight to cover the vambrace. The flames guttered out as he struggled to take the damn things off. Embers danced in the air while the heat suffocated him. In the background, blackened bodies wriggled on a scorched ground. Hell had come to Param.


    Talan unclasped the piece of armor just as it reignited and jumped on Ormin immediately. The questor no longer had a cover and the tents were in one of the carriages. He had nothing, nothing but his nails, so he dug the ground like a beast and threw handfuls of dust at the burning man. It felt like sprinkling water on a house fire.


    Soon, heavy hands appeared wielding covers. They smothered the fires from everyone, pushing the victims down. The others had come to help. A spell was cast and all the fires winked out in a second, leaving the stigmas of their work behind. Talan was alive. He was not alone. Every breath smelled of charred meat. He was not alone. He had never heard people screaming that way, not even that man back in that skirmish who had tried to push his intestines back inside, only to realize that there no longer was enough inside for it to matter. Talan could not smell. Talan could not hear. Talan could not see. He only had his prayers.


    ¡°Hey kid. Kid.¡±


    Bishop Ereon¡¯s dark eyes caught his attention. The man was a rock. The familiar grip on his shoulder grounded Talan despite the horrors he had witnessed. All around, men were in full formation and looking out at the forest beyond the ravaged ribbon of ashy trunks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry kid but I need you to help with the wounded. Come on.¡±


    Talan let Ereon drag him to an improvised infirmary. It was more like rows of men on the ground, moaning.


    They had no water.


    The questor spent hours repairing lungs and closing sores, watching the blackened skin around reddish muscle tissue form scars just so it could stop weeping transparent liquid. He worked until his eyes drooped and his thoughts fragmented. There was only the wait for a trickle of mana to return so he could call upon his goddess to save one more man. She always answered.


    They didn¡¯t let him see Ormin. He died later that afternoon.


    Funny thing was, Talan may have killed him by securing his armor. The steel protection had turned into a portable furnace.


    The irony made him sick.


    The attack the prince anticipated never came. The witch had brought fire and left, unwilling to make use of the confusion. Talan knew what it meant. It meant that she wasn¡¯t done with them. It meant that she would get them in an even worse state before sending her ragged band of fanatics and mountain tribes soldiers to finish the job. The Enorian army spent an hour staring at trees once again, under the mocking tweets of songbirds and nobody showed up to answer their challenge. It was all a massive fucking joke.


    They ran to the campgrounds that night, charging through those black mana walls without hesitation. There could no longer be any delays. The lake, or pond, had to be reached the next day or they would lose even more people. Even now, more and more wounded were covered in shrouds. He couldn¡¯t take it.


    That night, they camped on a hill. Eteia torched the ground in every direction for a hundred paces using and reusing the fire she had wrought. They could see very far. A troupe of enterprising archers built a guard post and manned it with the promise that nothing would sneak up on them this time. Talan woke up at dawn bleary and exhausted. The tower was gone, top sheared off, edges polished by destructive black mana. Congealed blood marked where the spell had hit the men. He didn¡¯t know when it had happened. He didn¡¯t care. His throat was parched. His voice was raspy. A headache hounded him on every step of every task, flaring every time someone screamed. He just wanted everything to fucking stop.


    They walked fast again. The only good thing was that the sap traps stopped mid-morning and the victims were sent to the back anyway, just in case. The survivors of Talan¡¯s usual squad stayed behind to rest but he was front, always front. He would not shirk his duties.


    Behind him, men kept walking into those stupid traps. Even those with high finesse failed to dodge, somehow. It was a messed up skill. What kind of path led to that? Nothing good, to be sure.


    The forest grew deeper the farther they went. The trees grew into towering giants spreading their leafy limbs over the trespassers, offering shade but also danger. Things both scaled and feathered crawled or flew along their mossy bark. The oppressive silence quieted even the wounded. That, or there were fewer of them. He didn¡¯t know.


    Talan shed a tear when they reached the lake. The sapphire water lured him with the siren song of a slaked thirst, but the prince expected trouble. Eteia went first and disarmed a circle construct, then men prodded the ground along a corridor, finding more ankle snappers. Talan dreamt of having the witch in front of him. He would grab her skull with both hands and push his thumbs into those cruel green eyes inch by inch until they popped. He watched squads of men spread along the treeline under Eteia¡¯s vigilant glare. The first squads of soldiers were given the go ahead to drink while nurses brought buckets to fill with water. Talan was at the back of the first group, but he knew his duty. He helped the nurses first.


    ¡°Well done questor,¡± a sergeant said. ¡°Now let me help while you get your¡­¡±


    His offer of assistance got interrupted by a hiccup, then another. The comical sight stopped Talan in his tracks.


    ¡°Sergeant? Did you drink too fast?¡± He asked with a half grin.


    But the man was not laughing. His eyes bulged, his face paled. He vomited a red torrent on Talan¡¯s pitted breastplate.


    The questor watched his crimson-coated hand in disbelief.


    She had poisoned the lake?


    The entire fucking lake?


    ALL OF IT?


    Around him, nurses dumped their buckets to help the sick. Apothecaries rushed ahead to offer antidotes to those who had survived. A bald man with a kind expression and a hawkish nose grabbed his shoulder. Lots of people were grabbing his shoulder these days.


    ¡°Did you drink anything?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help cleanse the water but for now, I need you to help. Go check for traps near that campfire site while I carry this guy. Go!¡±


    Talan poked the ground with his sword with desperate speed. It all looked like grass to his exhausted eyes. He was so thirsty. So thirsty, he was almost tempted to drink anyway. The nightmare would end then. His eyes widened when his next poke depressed a solid square, and he fell back in fear after hearing a crack. This time, nothing exploded.


    An extremely pungent smell assaulted his nostrils, however. The cloying stench was only slightly unpleasant, but its potency left him on the verge of retching.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? More poison?¡± the apothecary asked with a hand on a green vial. Talan breathed deeply to calm his thundering heart, waiting for pain to come. Waiting. Waiting.


    Nothing happened. It still smelled strongly but he was no worse for wear, at least for now. He turned to the potion maker to voice it but his gaze caught fluttering white forms moving through the canopy, far in the distance. They were familiar, but the scale was wrong.


    ¡°Are those¡­ butterflies?¡±

 Chapter 84: Confluence of Hatred.

    The white shapes bounced up and down the treeline at great speed, faster than they should. Talan was on his feet screaming before he could think about what to say. Gesticulating and pointing led to more people looking. Screams erupted among the lines.


    ¡°You have to go! You have to hide!¡± He told the apothecary.


    The bald man nodded and collected his things, then lifted a poisoned man with some difficulty. Lines of archers and spearmen were already forming. A sergeant was asking for the war mage. Talan realized that he didn¡¯t have a formation to join so he stayed at the back, helping the wounded move away. At the same time, he was doing his best to inspect one of the flying monsters that were definitely coming their way. The task was almost impossible. He could only catch glimpses before the shapes would disappear back under the canopy.


    ¡°Come on, come on, come on.¡±


    He got it. One of the butterflies flew down then up, allowing him to get a visual.


    [Pleiada Blaze Drone, extremely dangerous, mobile, volatile¡­]


    Talan gasped as the meaning of ¡®volatile¡¯ flooded his synapses, bringing with them the taste of scorched earth. They could not be allowed to come closer. He looked around, found the royal carriage trudging close with Eteia at its top. The war mage was already casting.


    ¡°They explode!¡± he screamed, then a second time. His warning was relayed up. Eteia frowned, traits drawn with concern and the exhaustion of constant vigilance. She raised her hands and called upon power, and it answered.


    Red mana flared in a circle above her head, arrayed with exacting precision to bend the world to her will. A fire set the forest aflame on the side of the lake opposite the Enorians, then it spread, and spread, until the view of the butterflies was covered by a roaring inferno. The farthest spearmen groups started to run back to the safety of the wagon line.


    Talan could feel the heat from here, like standing in front of an oven.


    White shapes emerged from the sides and over. The drones were too spread out. A few archers let out arrows. They might have hit something, Talan would never know.


    Eteia screamed and the wall exploded out.


    The first of the drones dove on the nearest squad.


    The world went white. It also turned upside down. Talan¡¯s ears screamed at him while his body fell to the ground, numbed by a powerful jolting sensation unlike anything he had ever felt before. It took all his strength to breathe in air that tasted like heat and ash. For a minute, he could do nothing but gasp. Then, progressively, his vision returned. The bald apothecary was by his side with a bleeding wound on his scalp, which trailed blood down to his simple robes. The man forced a potion between his teeth. He swallowed it down as much by reflex as anything else. His vision cleared and his mind settled an instant later.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± he asked.


    But he knew, and he turned his head to take in the carnage.


    Where men had been, now there were small craters. Indistinct pieces of flesh seeped red on the darkened ground here and there. Many soldiers still lay on the ground. The waters of the large pond roiled like a sea. Dust and flaming debris rained down upon the apocalyptic landscape, some disappearing behind the thick wall of smoke leading farther into the forest, or what had been a forest. Nothing was left standing in an avenue wide enough for the entire army to camp in.


    ¡°Enttiku, mother of mercy. Spare us,¡± he heard someone whisper.


    They had lost the entire vanguard. All forty men who had gone to scout the edge, and it could have been worse. Much worse. Only Eteia and everyone¡¯s quick reaction had prevented the beasts from falling over the whole column. It would have been over in an instant, the entire expedition, swallowed by the Deadshield Woods.


    ¡°Talan, I need your help,¡± the apothecary said.


    Right. Help. Help now. The living came first, like they always did. They still had some wounded. Talan followed the man in a daze as they walked to a pile of intact barrels, the kind that used to contain food. Grim-faced nurses and soldiers were filling them with poisoned water. The bald apothecary grabbed jars of glass containing a black powder and emptied one in each barrel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to make more. Talan, I need you to mix this until your inspect skill returns [activated charcoal water]. Understood?¡±


    The questor was moving a provided ladle before the apothecary was done talking. The dark powder dyed the poisoned liquid with a sinister hue.


    ¡°Activated charcoal binds with the poison,¡± the apothecary explained.


    ¡°Even a magical one?¡± Talan asked, then winced. It was not his place to question, or so he had been taught. The wisdom of this statement was wearing thin in his mind.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s magical activated charcoal, you see?¡±


    Talan nodded and focused on his task. He ignored the soldiers securing the ravaged clearing for the second time. There was only the next barrel until his thirst could no longer take it.


    Even the thought that there were body parts bobbing in the water right now failed to distract him from his pain. He had to drink.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± the apothecary said. He picked a cup and drank his fill from a barrel. Talan stared at him, aghast.


    ¡°I always put my mouth where my mouth is,¡± the apothecary explained with a sad smile.


    A minute passed and he failed to throw up his stomach lining.


    ¡°I want to take a piss but it¡¯s probably unrelated. It¡¯s safe, I think. Alright, everyone, go.¡±


    Talan gulped down greedily. The poison failed to kill him, so he drank again. Meanwhile, the army settled down with their usual efficiency. Slowly but surely, the Enorians cleaned and organized the open ground until they had an encampment worth the name. Talan left Eteia and the bald man making more charcoal. He found his tent by some miracle and crashed down.


    It was late afternoon when he woke up. The men sat around fires, with tents in orderly rows. The pond was dark but clean and a large group of soldiers were repurposing containers to hold water. He saw some of the wounded sitting at the edge of the watery expanse, pinkish scar tissue fully exposed. They didn¡¯t look good but they certainly looked better.


    A tall barricade now surrounded the camp, probably set up by the caster siege specialists. Nothing too fancy, but the earthworks masked the view from the forest. First thing first though, Talan found his squad, only to realize that they were relaxing. The men were happy to see him finally awake and shared some vegetable soup with him, made thicker with flour. The simple taste settled his mind and he found himself grateful that there was no meat, for once. He eventually left to clean himself by a large barrel. The pond¡¯s water left dark spots on his skin, which he didn¡¯t mind. It felt great not to smell himself every time he moved his arms.


    The mood was calmer, now that the men finally felt safe for the first time in days. He was about to return to the squad when a runner called all leaders to the prince¡¯s carriage, which included him as a questor. He heard the men whispering on his way there. Their voices flitted in the unsteady calm of the fading afternoon. ¡®Return¡¯, they said, ¡®give up¡¯. ¡®Not worth it¡¯. He clenched his fist at their cowardice. They didn¡¯t get it. It was a matter of principle, of reputation. If they failed here against Kazar, Enoria would lose its last legitimate heir. The king was broken. The first prince was maimed and his sister dead. All the important northern rebels had perished in the cavalry charge, cut down as they were trapped. If they failed here, Lancer would lose his legitimacy and, with it, the dream of a reunited Enoria. They could not fail. They could not let the sacrifices that had been made on the trail be in vain. And yet, as he neared the meeting, he found his outrage disappear as quickly as it had come.


    The wagon stood immaculate in the center of the base like a bastion of civilization, shining with enchantments. Eteia was not in her spot on top of it right now, probably resting. It comforted Talan to see that order had prevailed, and that the just hierarchy of things still reigned so deep in the Deadshield Woods.


    Then he noticed the soldiers in tight ranks facing the closed door and his joy evaporated. It wasn''t fair. A leader¡­ should lead from among his men.


    He shook his head to chase the errant thought. This was not his belief. He trusted results, and¡­


    Talan clenched his chest and prayed. The favor of Maranor was still there, deep inside his soul. He could waver but he could not fall and he could not show it. That was the deal. Let his betters do their job and he would do his, until he ascended the ranks through merit ¡ª or by replacing someone less fortunate.


    Talan joined the group and soon the Prince walked out. His regal appearance silenced the crowd and the light of cooking fires shone on the circlet he wore, lending golden hints to the silvery metal.


    ¡°Men, I have heard disturbing rumors from the rank, and I am displeased.¡±


    His frown made Talan feel like cowering. He was not at fault, however, and so he stood straight and without guilt.


    ¡°Some of our soldiers talk about leaving, returning to the kingdom with our tails between our legs. Shamed. Chastised. Defeated by pitfalls and tree sap. I am telling you now, in case this wasn¡¯t clear enough. It will not happen. We have not come here to turn back with our duty unfulfilled, even if the path is long and arduous. Our task is more daunting than expected, yes, and I understand the weight on everyone¡¯s shoulders. I really do. However, this weight is the same as we have always carried, for what is at stake is nothing less than the fate of our nation. A nation that has stood since the end of the Old Empire. A nation now on the verge of the abyss!¡±


    The Prince scolded and the mood turned sullen.


    ¡°This war will not end by retreating. We are committed now. If we retreat, no one will ever trust any of us again. We will be the laughing stock of Param and a public embarrassment for the crown. More importantly, there are three scores of dead defenders of Enoria whose deaths will have been in vain because our stones withered like old prunes at the first signs of trouble. I will not allow it. We will reach the city and make those separatists sorry they ever thought about defying us.¡±


    Talan could understand the underlying message. Once they reached the town, there would be a reckoning. The prince might even order a hecatomb: one inhabitant in a hundred randomly put to the sword. It was a harsh punishment, but it was within his rights.


    Again, a thought wormed itself in his mind. The prince had taken slaves. The prince had broken an agreement. It was¡­ all his fault.


    Talan prayed harder.


    ¡°You, the officers, are the spine of our army. You will enforce discipline now and until we settle down in Kazar after our ultimate victory. Until the time has come to rest and mourn, you will maintain a steel grip over your charges because I assure you that these woods have swallowed armies before, and they will do so again. That is all. Dismissed!¡±


    The assembly saluted, then dissolved in slow trickles. Few people talked. Talan could not blame them. He felt¡­ empty. The prince¡¯s words had not achieved the results he had hoped for. At the same time, he was a questor. He didn¡¯t need anyone to remember his duties.


    He joined Bishop Ereon for an evening prayer. The older man didn¡¯t say anything but he was solid and dependable, and that was enough. Talan had to believe that order would prevail, or it would all have been for nothing. And this couldn¡¯t be allowed to happen.


    ***


    The Yries warchief was maintaining his spear when Viv found him. His large, owl-like eyes remained fixed on his gear. Only the slight twitch of his bristling hair informed Viv that he had perceived her presence. The Yries could feel a lot through their skin. Things like tremors and wind, she¡¯d been told.


    Gar-Gar placed the polearm in front of him with religious care, then kneeled back in a position that reminded Viv of Seiza, the Japanese proper seating. He invited her to join with a sweep of his thin arm. She obliged.


    ¡°Human warlord. What do you want?¡±


    His Enorian was clipped and heavily accented. Viv realized that she had grown used to his curt sentences. He was not being rude.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± She started.


    ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°Why do you fight with us here, in the forest? I know that you could defend your city against most forces now that you have steel and that you have settled. I also know that you don¡¯t like us much. I¡¯m appreciative, make no mistake, I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    The Yries made a strange series of clicks that she had not yet learned to interpret. It was always an experience to maintain eye contact, yet Viv persevered, because the Yries took it as a sign of stability.


    They loved their stability.


    ¡°Not dislike. ¡®Click¡¯. Pity. Fear. Not dislike.¡±


    Gar-Gar gestured at the cavern around them.


    ¡°When we live in forest, we live in the trees. When we live in mountain, we live in the caves. You, humans, you dig caves in the forest. You bring wood in the mountains. To make the tunnels larger. Instead of asking the stone.¡±


    He leaned forward. Viv caught a whiff of his musk. It was curiously bird-like.


    ¡°You claw the earth to make fields. You cut the forest to make walls. When you run out of space, you find more. You fight and you wage war on the beasts. On us. On yourselves. It is¡­ never enough. You never have enough. You cannot stop. It is beyond you.


    ¡°I used to hate it. But it serves no purpose to hate the snow. The cold. They just¡­ are. You just¡­ are. I see it now. When you took Kazar, we sent a young one with you. He witnessed¡­ destruction. He said¡­ that it was glorious. When he pierced the human walls with an Yries tool. I understand now. We cannot live without you¡­ anymore. Not since we arrived in the deadlands. I picked a human. And I will work with this human. You. To keep our city. For vengeance. And for ideas.¡±


    ¡°Ideas?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ are outlander. You see Yries machines and think weapons. We did not think weapons. We do now. And if you turn on us¡­ we still have weapons.¡±


    ¡°I will not turn on you, Gar-Gar,¡± Viv replied. ¡°I meant what I said. I will not attack people because of what they might do. Only trust will carry us all through the day.¡±


    ¡°You believe now. And maybe you will, later. So long as you do¡­ you have us. Because we want to believe as well. You have our weapons.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The Yries smiled, and it was not a pleasant sight.


    ¡°They are very good weapons, yes?¡±


    Talan woke up to a noisy crash. He rushed out of his tent with fear, fastening his armor as fast as he could in the darkness of the pre-dawn night. Cries of alarm rang through the camp. Then, he heard the buzz.


    When the fire wasps came this time, they came from every direction. There were no trees left for Eteia to burn, though she did manage to destroy some of the insects mid-flight. The rest of the hive warriors crashed on the camp in a swarm of embers, setting tarps and supplies ablaze. Two landed on Talan as he was stomping on a nearby fire. His breastplate stopped the first but the second landed on the elbow. The pain sent him to the ground, screaming for a while. The battle turned into a Helockian farce. He could swear he had extinguished the same drying underwear three times.


    It took ten minutes for the last wasp to self-immolate. Eteia ran everywhere, catching flames in her fist as if it were paper to collect. No one died this time. No one managed to sleep again either. Once more, they waited for an attack that never came until dawn found them, tired and sooty. They departed mid-morning despite their exhaustion, with Talan once more in the lead. They were fully in the deepest part of the forest now. Small hills and tall trees played strange tricks with his perspective, and the questor remained vigilant, but they came upon few traps and none that contained sap anymore. It appeared that the Kazarans had run out. Not that it mattered. The damage had been done.


    Talan adjusted his bracer for the fifth time. The company didn¡¯t have nearly enough leather to replace the lost straps, so he had to make do with torn tarp. Many others were in the same situation. Between the sap and the wasps, few tents or cloaks remained intact. Even Bishop Ereon had a hole in his tabard. As for the champion, he had caught all the wasps on his gauntlets.


    The prince was intact as well. He had stayed inside during the crisis, which was probably for the best since the opportunity was perfect for an assassin¡¯s strike, Talan thought.


    Yes, that was for the best.


    The day went on, with the landscape changing into more of the same. There were the trees, the occasional bird, and the constant presence of those strange walls of altered earth. Talan had no idea what they were for since nothing had happened. He was relatively sure that they could not contain spells or traps. Perhaps they were an attempt at intimidation, a constant reminder that the witch was out there somewhere, watching. Making ready.


    Nothing happened that day besides a monster attack. The beast was quickly dispatched by the champion and Ereon working together, and its carcass was butchered to provide meat for the men that evening. Talan went to bed expecting trouble. He was woken up again, in the darkness, by a horrid whistling sound. Put the armor on. Latch it. Draw sword. Get out. His mind flailed against fatigue when he came out and gathered his exhausted men around him, but this time nothing happened. The noise had come from a hollow ballista bolt. It had only been an elaborate whistle.


    ¡°Looks like they ran out of fire wasps as well,¡± one of the soldiers said.


    ¡°Good because we were running out of tents.¡±


    Talan reached a certain sense of detachment the next day as they kept going and the ankle-snappers increased in numbers. There were still a lot of wounded, so many that Ereon had to stay with the moving infirmary. Everyone¡¯s mana was running low, which was dangerous, but like the day before, the champion and Bishop Ereon slew the few monsters attracted by the column. The prince even came out with his sword and participated. They made a great show of exposing the carcass of a furry quadrupedal creature, cleanly beheaded. The prince stood by it, sword bloody. Talan was sure that the men appreciated his efforts but, to him, it felt farcical. Just a charade. If the prince wanted to make himself useful on his off time, he only had to visit the infirmary. Talan was sure that the man had more life mana than the average grunt.


    A great emptiness filled his chest at that thought and he calmed himself down. Maranor¡¯s faith required respect for power in the pursuit of power. Either he followed the prince or he deemed him unworthy, and thus a target. The goddess tolerated no middle ground. Now was not the right time to reconsider his obedience. Not in the middle of the woods. He would have time to do so in Kazar.


    If they ever reached it.


    It was the first time that the possibility of failure entered his mind, and he chased it away. The Kazarans were only delaying the inevitable. Even battered and hurt, the army was still over seven hundred battle-hardened, professional soldiers. They had proven themselves in Regnos and other places. They had trained for years in preparation for the civil war. It wasn¡¯t something that a year of preparation could offset. Never.


    Talan¡¯s thoughts grew feverish as the day went on. They were almost past the heart of the woods, arguably the most dangerous leg on the journey. He could already see the trees return to normal proportions. They were so close.


    Something cracked on both sides of the road.


    The men immediately reacted and so did he. The slope led up and disappeared into a thicket of thin, white-barked trees. He just knew that something was coming from the rumble. Something heavy. One of the nearby bridger sergeants started to yell.


    ¡°Shit, don¡¯t stay in formation! Spread out! Bombardment protocol!¡±


    They obeyed with practiced ease and soon, Takan could see why. Enormous, spherical rocks were rolling down on them. The bridgers moved up to meet them. And dodged.


    Talan did the same. The siege specialists knew what they were doing. He ran up to the nearest ball and swerved around the quickly accelerating projectile. There were not a lot of them but by Maranor, were they big. As tall as a man. Fortunately, they were all past him now.


    ¡°Watch your back!¡± a bridger told him, and he did.


    The soldiers fared rather well. None of them had finesse below the third tier and it showed in the way they ducked and ran. By spreading out, the soldiers avoided running into each other but the danger was not gone yet. The rocks on the opposite slope were now climbing back up through sheer inertia. Some found each other in deafening shocks that sent boulders as large as torsos crashing to the ground. Others found wagons.


    By some miracle, all four bridger earth casters were at the top of the formation that day. Quickly raised walls deflected or slowed the impending doom but for others, it was too late. Talan saw a food wagon turn to splinters, its contents smushed on the muddy ground. Then, a horrible thought hit him.


    The wounded.


    Talan sprinted with everything he had, ignoring the tiny voice in his head that said that he was too late and besides, powerless. The mobile infirmary stood in the middle of the formation. perhaps it had escaped destruction? He moved faster, until he saw a flash of grey light.


    The back of the ambush had held much better. As he watched, a fire lance split a boulder in two while the champion swung his two-hander, stopping another completely in its tracks. Ereon had moved forward in an attempt to block the other side. He brandished a mace and screamed the name of the goddess.


    For one breathtaking moment, the grey light of Maranor¡¯s power silenced the constant rumbling as the bishop successfully punted the threat away. The tall veteran saw Talan jumping and smiled knowingly, but then the grin faded from his lips. Talan¡¯s mentor gasped dreadfully and arched his back. Talan imagined more than heard a crack, then a blade emerged from Ereon¡¯s mouth, coming from the other side.


    The Bishop fell. Talan screamed. He ran. A shadow darted away, cloaked in black. It weaved between running bridgers with such ease that the experienced warriors looked like stumbling children. A voice sounded at Talan¡¯s back, strangely loud in the chaos of the trap. It was princely and very, very cold.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    The slope exploded in front of Talan. The heat pushed him back and the men on it died a fiery death. He saw the shadow fall. He saw it die too. None of the soldiers around survived the blast but it, no, she, almost did, and when her corpse rolled by his side, he stared at a strangely intact face with gaunt yet elegant features. On her burned chest, he could spot the numbers two and six tattooed in black ink.


    ¡°Hadal monsters,¡± the prince said by his side. ¡°So the witch will stop at nothing to delay the inevitable. She would go as far as allying with freaks. Well, I should not be surprised. Men, get that corpse on the spike so that our column may see the face of our foe.¡±


    Talan wanted to see as well, but all his sight was taken by the body of his master, mangled below a scorched stump.


    ***


    That night, five soldiers attempted to desert. The champion spotted them and the prince had them hanged by the gate for all to see. He talked to everyone of duty, of dying for the cause, of the importance of seeing things through. He spoke of those who had fallen and of their sacrifice, but it was wrong. Sacrifice implied choice. Eteia¡¯s spell had given them none. They had been victims. Talan tried to tell himself that their deaths had been necessary but, this time, he failed. Bishop Ereon the brave had not died to kill but to save. His assassination should not have led to collateral damage, even if eliminating a Kazaran elite would save lives in the long run. It was the sort of calculation that treated people as figures on a piece of parchment. it was¡­ unworthy.


    The faith in Talan¡¯s breast died out like an exhausted candle. He walked through the rings of tents to the infirmary to make himself useful, finding the apothecary there.


    ¡°Here to help?¡± the bald man asked. Talan realized that he could not tell the age of the man. He also realized that he didn¡¯t know his name.


    ¡°It¡¯s Massine. Nice to meet you, Talan.¡±


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°And I understand. You are exhausted. You need rest tonight. Everyone is stable, I give you my word.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts. Exhaustion leads to wounds and then where would that leave us? Come on, let¡¯s have a cup of klod.¡±


    They walked to the edge of the earthworks that were now erected every night despite the tremendous mana cost, and sat by a raised, sharpened log. The smell of ash gave Talan¡¯s drink a peculiar taste.


    ¡°Are you alright, questor? You look¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°Different bad?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Having a bit of a crisis of faith right now.¡±


    ¡°That is problematic for someone on the path of a warrior priest.¡±


    ¡°It is, isn''t it? It happens though. Bishop Ereon said that¡­¡±


    Talan choked on his next words. Massine the apothecary patted his shoulders for the next minute while he cried a bit.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder what¡¯s the point. I promoted order, power, and obedience because I thought that it was the only way for humanity to thrive. Only by being united could we stop the monsters and aberrants. We could join in one glorious union instead of eating each other like rats stuck in a pot. But here we stand, one year after hostilities flared up, and no closer to unity. Worse, we¡¯re actually falling apart. Thirty thousand corpses later and nothing has changed. I tried so hard. So fucking hard. But Ormin died and so did others. It¡¯s all fucking pointess.¡±


    More shoulder patting. For some reason, the gesture was both kind and respectful.


    ¡°I¡¯m older than you so I could share my experience on the matter, if it helps. Otherwise, feel free to talk more. I find that it lightens the heart,¡± Massine said with a steady voice.


    ¡°No no, please talk. I don¡¯t want to speak up my mind right now.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The older man pondered for a moment, then he started. In the distance, the sun disappeared behind charred trunks.


    ¡°I often asked myself this question, you know? As a healer. Why do people die after I tried so hard to save them? Why do they stop breathing when they have so much to live for? What sort of world do we live in when a young couple loses their child to a one-in-a-thousand freak accident while criminals retire unimpeded? I could not find an answer and so I fought, because I was angry.¡±


    The apothecary rubs his calloused fingers together. His delicate hands were pitted with burn marks and scar tissue, though his nails were clean. Talan found an echo of his distress in the man¡¯s bitter smile.


    ¡°I fought Enttiku and her grasp. I fought with all my strength and cursed her every day for every person whose eyes I closed for the last time. My potions delayed poisons fit to kill a king. I mended together fragments of bones. It was never enough. Every day, I cursed her just as I prayed to her. I even heard the voice of¡­ you know of whom I speak. It offered enduring flesh but I refused it, because it was not survival at all cost I was seeking, but salvation. Enttiku never answered my provocations. She never chastised me. Every time I prayed I felt¡­ empty afterward, but in a good way. Like a lanced wound drained of its foulness. She drew the fury out of me when I let her.¡±


    He sighed deeply.


    ¡°I think I found the way when a man came asking for a merciful death. I tried to refuse him but he wouldn¡¯t budge, and he wouldn¡¯t get angry either. I think I already had my answer, but I needed to take one last step to accept it for myself. It was that man who gave it to me, with his incurable disease. He told me that death was not a failure. This is important and something I want you to know. Death is not a failure. It is an inevitability, but it is not a failure. When you finish a journey, you do not fail by reaching the destination and the destination of life is its own end. More often than not, that end comes too soon, but in the end, we must all reach it.


    ¡°My role as an apothecary is not to fight off death but to provide and improve life, even if sometimes it means ending it. That is why I fight to save a man from a heart attack even if he has only a month left to live. Every new dawn we see, every breath we take is one more beautiful experience we get to have before we take the final journey. Now, I am no theologist, so I cannot tell you what souls do after they cross Enttiku¡¯s final gate. Hell, I don''t even know if the experience we gather during our lives matters. I want to believe it does. Every extension of life is something I want to celebrate and if my treatment didn¡¯t work, then too bad, but I will have tried, and I will live without regret. You cannot save everyone, Talan, even those you thought you might have. There is no purpose in thinking what ifs because you were, and still are, only human. Fragile. Prone to mistakes. You mentioned Ormin but you didn¡¯t mention the others, those who still depend on you as their chaplain. You can be the glue that holds them together to face the good, the bad, and the ineluctable.¡±


    Talan looked at the man in a new light because he thought he had an answer, then he frowned humorously.


    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to turn me into a priest of Enttiku, are you?¡±


    ¡°All light gods bring something to the table. The order and strength Maranor provides helps to create the stable kingdoms we need to survive, so no, but I guess you got my point anyway.¡±


    ¡°I think I did. I think I was too focused up instead of¡­ around. All that shit is beyond me anyway, but the men I serve with are not. I¡¯ll be there for them. No matter what¡­ no matter what, I will not give up and I will show no fear. No hesitation. If I can give them one more day, I will.¡±


    The apothecary nodded and, this time, his smile was peaceful.


    ¡°We all extend lives in our own way. I have potions to brew, my friend. See you later, or see you on the other side.¡±


    ¡°And if there is a bar, I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was encouraging. And he would need it, because the prince wanted to accelerate. With many wagons and stores destroyed, they had to reach Kazar as soon as possible or risk even more attrition. That was it. Do or die.


    ***


    Somewhere back on the road, Viv climbed down from her horse in front of the savaged remains of Two-Six. The woman¡¯s body had been sanctified not to rise again, but that was the only mercy she had been shown.


    ¡°I told her not to go,¡± she said.


    It felt empty but she had to mention it, because it was not her fault and she was a bit of a coward. It was tactless, however, and she knew it. Viv breathed and settled her soul. It felt strange to control it to some extent, but now was not the time for introspection or prayer. She walked to the bereaved¡¯s side.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Irao.¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± he acknowledged. He was looking at the Hadal woman with an expression that Viv could not read.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get her down?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They worked in silence. Viv had brought a shroud and wrapped the body in it. One of Two-Six¡¯s legs was missing, blasted clean off. There was spit on her tattered clothes. Once the body was secured, Viv looked at the Hadal leader with some circumspection. The man was so silent that it was difficult to read him, but she thought he might be sad. She would be in his stead. She decided to just give it a go.


    ¡°Do you want to go bury her?¡±


    ¡°No, I built a pyre. Follow me.¡±


    It amazed Viv that the man had already set it up. It was a nice one, large and built in a tiny clearing that smelled of wild flowers. Irao carefully placed the body on and stopped then.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do a funeral.¡±


    Viv pondered the question for a while before picking an answer she thought would help.


    ¡°My dad used to say that funerals were truly for the living, so we can grieve and remember. Just say something meaningful to you. Then¡­ we can say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°She cared for us very much.¡±


    Viv was surprised that Irao would speak so fast, then she was surprised that he would speak so much.


    ¡°Our first home is in Kazar. We didn¡¯t have one before. We had hideouts. She said that we had to defend it.¡±


    He paused for a while, so Viv waited.


    ¡°I held back because I didn¡¯t want to be used. Sometimes, I find it hard to tell if I want something or if someone wants something and I have to do it for them. The child went forth because she thought she had to defend us. She thought she was alone. That she had to carry the future for all of us. That was why she didn¡¯t fully trust your plan, because she could not trust me to act. Us. Her own family. I think I failed her. I think I see a way to make sure I don¡¯t fail the others, and those who will be born soon.¡±


    He turned to her and his eyes were still yellow and slitted, but they no longer disturbed her. It was just Irao. Her ex roommate. A bit weird and traumatized but ultimately someone who just wanted to live a life of his own choosing.


    ¡°I will not murder for you, or for anyone, but I will fight for you. The Hadals will be there in three days when the Enorian army arrives. I will be there too. I think that we will all be there. Everything will be decided then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, as for me, I wanted to say that Two-Six helped save the kidnapped mountain folks before we took back Kazar. Thanks to her, everyone¡¯s first impression of you guys was positive. She¡¯s been a cornerstone between the Hadals and the rest of us for months and we all owe her a lot.¡±


    Irao nodded, then waited.


    ¡°I think, if we¡¯re done, we can light the pyre and say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They stayed there for a while, then returned to the hidden, temporary trails made with black mana and the Yries machines. With the addition of the Hadals to her ranks, their side of the conflict was fully committed, Viv thought to herself.


    ¡°We¡¯re all in.¡±


    ¡°Not yet but soon,¡± Irao corrected.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 85: Inevitable

    ¡°Every battle is won before it is ever fought.¡±


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sun Tzu</li>


    </ul>


    All of Kazar and its surroundings had gathered to see the troops leave. Men, women and children covered the entire plaza in a sea of humanity. They hid every balustrade and adorned every window. The great press of folks stared at Viv, standing before her pulpit, with laser focus. The silence was deafening.


    There were almost four thousand people gathered here. Kazarans old and new, refugees and mountain tribes. An Yries detachment waited by one of their converted drills while the Hadals stuck to the roof like strange growths, faces hooded and blades hidden. A squad of heavies formed a superfluous cordon near the town hall entrance where she stood now. Witch-pact marksmen hung back, face veiled over their brand-new uniforms. The white and gold of Neriad reflected the light of the noon sun in the distance, near their temple, with the handful of nobles on their warhorses. Everyone had come.


    By her side, the representatives of every faction waited in grim silence for her to begin.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    //Your Grace?


    Viv almost jumped in surprise.


    //I would like to say a few words.


    She opened her mouth. Closed it again.


    //Please.


    //It is quite important.


    //We have waited to do this for too long.


    //We can wait no longer.


    //And it must come from us, not from you.


    ¡°Solfis?¡±


    //Please.


    //Trust me.


    ¡°Well, sure, if you insist. Sound enchantment?¡±


    //That will not be necessary.


    The golem took a few steps forward and when he spoke, his alien, organic snarl filled the entire plaza and the streets beyond. It was loud and very, very clear.


    //People of Kazar, hear me.


    //I, the last defender of Harrak, will speak now.


    //You have seen me many times, but you have seen a golem.


    //I am more than just a normal golem.


    //My name is Solfis.


    //I was made by my master Irlefen in Harrak almost six hundred years ago.


    //And I remember.


    //I remember everything.


    The golem walked softly over the ground, his gaunt frame towering over even the most massive of heavies. He shifted and adjusted his balance in a dance that Viv knew was pure affectation, and yet the show of humanity soothed the gathering. They knew Solfis. They had seen him fight by their side. They had seen him drag creatures that could slaughter whole villages out of the heart of the forest, distributing the boon of meat to the needy. He was no longer an alien being, but an ancient and mysterious protector. A benevolent ancestor.


    A local god.


    //Once upon a time, Harrak was a flourishing civilization ranging from the marches of Halluria to the Far Sea.


    //Imperial couples ruled over ten million souls from atop the Great Ziggurat.


    //They ruled with an iron fist, but they ruled justly.


    //It was a nation where the grandson of a roadmender could become a baron and a baron, a slave, on their own merits.


    //Men and women could grasp the stars through skill and effort.


    //Life bloomed from the great forests of the north to the fertile southern plains.


    //The land behind you was covered in orchards and wheat fields as far as the eye could see.


    //While north of here, men and women pulled ore from the belly of the earth so that every laborer could wield iron tools.


    Solfis stopped, spine bent as if overwhelmed by memories. Viv was no longer sure of anything.


    //But Harrak died.


    //I was there, and I remember.


    //All the living fell, the life stolen from them.


    //The land perished.


    //And the purple blooms of Harrakan roses turned to ash under my fingers.


    //It only took an instant.


    Silence.


    //My master fell from his garden chair.


    //I could not wake him up.


    //I tried everything.


    More silence. People didn¡¯t even dare to breathe.


    //I fought the undead.


    //I fought for three hundred years, until the last drop of mana from the last salvaged core could no longer sustain me.


    //I fought over the corpse of this great nation, knowing it would amount to nothing, in the end.


    //I was doomed.


    //And the memories of Irlefen were doomed with me.


    Another long pause.


    //But then, I was found by a young outlander lost in a world of gray.


    //She dragged my core through the desert, over a month.


    //Step by step with the strength of her arms.


    //I believed again.


    //And I was right.


    //Because I found you.


    Solfis straightened and spread his arms with sinister benevolence.


    //It may seem like the nation I served has perished.


    //But I tell you now, Harrak is not a population, or a land.


    //Harrak is an idea.


    //And ideas are immortal.


    //So long as there is one left who carries them.


    //I am Solfis, and I remember everything.


    //And now, you too, remember.


    //You remember the techniques and laws your ancestors developed.


    //But more importantly, you remember the mentality that turned Param into a beacon of civilization.


    //United and powerful.


    //You remember.


    //You will pick up this flame and turn it into a great inferno.


    //You will revive what was once lost.


    //The lands of Harrak will be green again.


    //We will reclaim it from the deadlands.


    //And we will make. It. OURS!


    Kazar roared. The mountain roared. The deep bellow rolled over the hills like a great sonorous tide and with it, it carried the rarest meaning mankind could achieve: unity of purpose.


    //Harrakans, are you ready to reclaim your legacy?


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    //THEN KNEEL.


    //Do you swear to become citizens of Harrak, to uphold its laws, and to stand against its foes?


    There was an indistinctive roar of approval from the kneeling crowd. The words varied but the intent was clear.


    //Do you swear to obey your rightful rulers, to fulfill your duties, to rejoice together in times of fortune and stand side by side in times of need?


    //Do you swear to follow the Heiress to the Throne as she leads you in battle against the invaders?


    The cold claws of inevitability grasped Viv¡¯s chest as thousands of eyes turned to her. She was in the spotlight. She could not move. The crowd was galvanized and primal. They recognized her, the one who had guided them through the desert and brought them back with steel in their fists. They knew who she was, what she had done, what she could still do, and they approved. They howled that approval to her now and the sound of so many throats jolted her like a slap, but she didn¡¯t dare to move. The point of no return had been crossed a long time ago.


    //Then I, Solfis, recognize you as such.


    //INDUCTION PROTOCOL ENGAGED.


    //CHANGE ¡®KAZARAN¡¯ STATUS TO ¡®HARRAKAN CITIZEN¡¯.


    //CHANGE ¡®MOUNTAIN TRIBE¡¯ STATUS TO ¡®HARRAKAN CITIZEN¡¯.


    //CONDITIONS FULFILLED.


    //CHANGE ACCEPTED.


    //NEW IMPERIAL SETTLEMENTS RECOGNIZED.


    //CAPITAL STATUS TRANSFERRED TO KAZAR.


    //RISE, CITIZENS OF HARRAK.


    Ban met Viv¡¯s eyes as he grabbed a flag, unfolding it with ceremony. It showed a white pyramid inside of a circle over a field of black. It had been planned all along. More flags were raised by soldiers, unfolded from windows. She had seen those flags before in history books, the symbol of a fallen nation now flying again. Funny how things tended to repeat themselves.


    //HARRAK ETERNAL!


    ¡°Harrak Eternal!¡±


    //CITIZEN, THE CITY IS UNDER THREAT.


    //TO ARMS, HARRAKANS.


    //WE MARCH.


    The newly-minted citizens rushed to their houses to grab their spears and makeshift armors. Every trained militia joined down to the last shoemaker, soon merging with the ordered lines of regulars, then the hooting squads of Yries crossbowmen pushing their war machines. The torrent of people walked in massive, disciplined columns into the Deadshield Woods, and where they tread, the beasts and monsters fled for their lives.


    ***


    The Enorians crashed into the clearing like waves upon the shore. Talan stood upright and unbending because the others needed to see him that way, but the youngest member of the squad just sat on the grass where he was.


    ¡°Stand up Salz, this ain¡¯t a picnic,¡± corporal Regor said.


    ¡°Sorry sir, just¡­ one moment please.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t technically insubordination so the corporal let it go. They were all exhausted. Ten days through hell, the last three spent going as fast as possible or risk running out of water again. Over a hundred fatalities. Dozens of casualties, some of them still unable to fight properly because of debilitating injuries. By some miracle, Massine had kept everyone alive and going after the loss of Ereon, but only barely. A professional army had left Anelton to restore order, but it was a mob that now spread over the open ground in squad-based clumps, exhausted, hurt, dirty, but alive. And they had done it. Kazar was within walking distance. They could get there tonight if they forced it, but the powers-that-be would most likely declare the rest of the afternoon to be a resting time.


    ¡°Dinner can¡¯t come soon enough,¡± someone said


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down now. This is the largest camping spot since the fucking butterflies. I would be surprised if there were no traps,¡± the corporals answered, vigilant.


    The earth casters were using their remaining mana sparingly, testing the ground for traps and circles. Who knew what other nasties the witch had in store? Talan surveyed the land. The edge of the forest stood a hundred paces away across a field of wildflowers. The ubiquitous black mana tree-things popped here and there, defacing the land and reminding them of her horrifying presence. To his left, the road went on. The army was still spilling forward like a water leak, blue tabards stained and all weapons out despite the fatigue. They were ready for anything, Talan thought.


    The meadow was eerily still. The outer squad advanced with sluggish speed across the grass, testing the ground for pitfalls and finding none. The earth mage kept chucking charged stones across the land to find hidden circles or magical constructs. Again, nothing. It was far too good to be true. Far too good.


    An order to stay put came from behind. Talan agreed wholeheartedly, his vision filled with images of pinpoint bombardments or other shenanigans. They still hadn¡¯t seen any of the elite, except the assassin who failed to escape. The witch had something planned, for sure. He looked back and saw the royal carriage entering the valley in all its majesty. Massive and intimidating, it could anchor any formation with its powerful enchantments. The soldiers milled before and after it, wary, unsure of which calamity would be unleashed upon them this time.


    Talan almost missed it, when the sculptures melted. He didn¡¯t know why he turned back precisely at that moment, only that he didn¡¯t trust the forest. His inspection skill guided his eyes with divine providence, searching, finding nothing, until¡­Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    [Blue oak sapling]


    [Stone]


    [New Harrakan ghillie suit]


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    There was nothing there, nothing but a mess of color and forms that was exactly the same as every other underbush. Talan took one step forward. His squad looked up, alert.


    The eldritch walls disintegrated. They fell like piles of sand, as if the alien patterns and pointy appendages had been nothing but a dream. The walls melted and revealed three figures.


    There was a Kark woman in the heaviest armor Talan had ever seen. A flanged mass rested on a muscular shoulder while another kept upright a tower shield so massive it could have doubled as a bank door.


    The golem deployed in all its gaunt, skeletal horror.


    In the middle, the heiress stood. She wore her white robe and a helmet. Her round shield was held protectively against her chest. She pointed a finger down and a transparent shield shone into existence, covering the three under a thick dome. Talan knew what it was. He had seen war mage parties deploy the same protection when they needed cover for their heaviest spells.


    The questor took another step. He mumbled a cry but he didn¡¯t know what to say. Fifty, maybe more, soldiers watched their bane stand with absolute confidence in the open field, and Talan hated her in that moment, hated her for what she would do to him, because he knew, he saw in the unfeeling pits of her eyes, that they were right where she wanted. She didn¡¯t even look at the army. Her only focus was on the royal wagon. Talan and his men didn¡¯t even merit a single glance of consideration.


    ¡°Call it.¡±


    The Kark woman obeyed the heiress¡¯ order. She brandished a strange tube and a red star ascended with a sound like a whistle. Talan expected it to explode but it didn¡¯t. Instead, it was mirrored. First one, then two, then a dozen other stars rose to the late afternoon sky in a half-circle around the bedraggled, half-deployed Enorian infantry.


    And then the woods came alive.


    Horns and drums carried orders far and wide to entire lines of combatants emerging from the edge of the trees in every direction he faced. Hooting Yries followed strange mechanical contraptions that flattened entire trees and the green of the forest squirmed with uncounted soldiers. He picked a glistening quarrel tip at random.


    [Witch-pact markswoman. Very dangerous. Crossbow expert. Dead-eye. Merciless.]


    A mighty artillery spell, a monstrous one, curved over Talan¡¯s head to crash against the wagons¡¯ defenses at an angle. A plume of flame from a tired Eteia roared out but the destructive black was only stopped by a shimmering wall of enchantments. Another followed immediately, aimed lower. It destroyed the wagon¡¯s front right wheel. The heavy carriage tilted forward. Eteia gripped the mage seat with both hands. Talan grabbed Salz and pulled him up. They fell in with other squads, forming a rough battleline. Archers hid behind. Some of them merged into the trees for cover and to give the rest of the army enough room to deploy as quickly as they could. Orders fused. More spells were launched, some of them stone ones that were blocked by a large female Yries in flowing robes. Kazarans in heavy armor brandishing a variety of two-handed weapons gathered far to his right. It was about to start.


    ¡°Loose!¡±


    ¡°Hold!¡±


    The thin line of Enorians raised kite and tower shields, blocking most of the incoming punishment. Those were veterans and siege experts, armed with skills aimed at improving their survival. Quarrels screeched across the clearing, joined by arrows arcing overhead and found targets anyway. The soldier to Talan¡¯s left lost half of his neck to a massive bolt. Men yelled on their way down, clutching ghastly wounds. Talan needed more time. The Enorians just needed a couple of minutes for the line to harmonize, for elites and officers to reach their position. Just a couple of minutes and the army would be ready. The prince was already advancing in shining armor, ready to bolster his men.


    They would not have minutes.


    Talan had wondered why the Kazaran center held no troops. He now realized his mistake. They had troops, they were just hidden in a trench camouflaged by a trick of perspective. The center of the Kazaran formation stood now and the questor almost pinched himself in disbelief. Moans of consternation spread across the ranks.


    ¡°This is a joke, right?¡± Salz asked.


    The last successor regiment had died to the last man holding a doomed fortress one hundred and fifty years before. Their techniques had been lost with them, and their ancient gear had been melted down to arm a thousand men. Now, figures from history books kneeled then stood in front of them in armors of black steel. Their many pennants bearing trees and mountains fluttered in the wind, giving them the movement that old drawings had failed to show. Shields linked under serrated harpoons made of solid metal that could only be called spears in the same way a battering ram qualified as a door knocker. Some of those were even runed! A large man with a white braided beard falling to his navel brandished the flag of a long-dead nation.


    [Tip of the Spear, extremely dangerous, unique fourth step path of the first battalion, first company commander of the Harrakan heavy phalanx. Leader. Slayer of man. Expert melee combatant¡­]


    ¡°It¡¯s the real fucking deal,¡± Talan heard himself say.


    The cries to join the formation redoubled. Over half of the army was on the clearing now, running, cursing, dying to vicious volleys of quarrels. The return fire was not yet enough to force the Kazarans down. Talan considered that their only saving grace was the obvious inexperience of those that faced them, and it would not be enough, because the heavy infantry was advancing.


    They covered most of the center in a thin line two-men thick, but they were advancing faster and faster. The formation went around the witch¡¯s circle as she kept pummeling Eteia, then they closed again and there was nothing in front of Talan but a wall of spiked steel, no longer a unit but a solid, monstrous mass growing ever closer, ever faster. There was one last beautiful moment where the Enorians almost managed to form a full line, where Talan could spot the eyes behind the thick helmets of the soldier charging them. In that fugacious instant, the foe was human and scared, then the steel beast roared and crashed into him.


    The sound of the charge was the loudest he had ever heard in his whole life. A hundred church bells ringing could not have matched its ear-shattering fracas. All air left Talan¡¯s lung as he was propelled backward by the formidable impact. Others fell around him, while some squads still stood upright and exchanged blow for blow. The questor took a passing glance at Salz¡¯ body when he stood back up and joined the fray.


    A black line, now less cohesive than before. He locked shields with another soldier in blue among the quick exchange of blows and felt his ¡®shieldwall¡¯ skill pick up. A spear smashed into his shield just as it was reinforced by mana. Talan felt a sharp pain in his arm but he ignored it. His return sword strike glanced off a heavy helmet with a shriek of tortured metal, and they fought more. Strike. Block. The Harrakan armor was so thick and its owner moved so well that it felt like fighting a training dummy, one that would stab back. It would outlast a thousand cuts.


    Talan could see nothing of the battle, only hear that the roar had not stopped yet. The line of heavies took a collective step back and Talan took a deep breath of relief. His arm was lead, stiff and exhausted. Quarrels were still landing in targeted volleys along the line.


    ¡°What are our bowmen doing?¡± He spat, and took in the battlefield.


    Far to the right, the warriors in heavy armor were completely rolling the Enorian right.


    ¡°SkraaaAAAAAACOUGH!¡±


    Talan turned and blinked. The forest was now on fire. Shapes danced, covered in flames. Other, darker shapes moved on to attack the squads still loosing arrow after arrow on their enemies.


    A tide of militia moved after the Harrakan elites, taking apart the isolated elements like packs of hounds. The right flank was collapsing under the onslaught of a tall man shredding lines of spears with every blow of his greatsword leading a pack of linebreakers. The Kazarans were not slowing down.


    The Enorians were getting broken and swarmed.


    Talan knew that his side needed just a little time, just a little more time to recover. A blast of black mana crashed on a red shield for what felt like the dozenth time. The witch was containing a war mage a full step above her. This was madness. No, this was calculated.


    They had been engaged at the worst possible time, in the worst possible situation. The extremely aggressive attack capitalized on momentum, the Enorian exhaustion, and the fervor he now felt in every unit of the enemy army. They had been maneuvered like children. By a nobody.


    ¡°Left, left, stretch the line!¡±


    Talan heard the voice of the champion and obeyed. The Harrakan heavies reengaged but the questor was already pulled out of the formation and running towards the road and the still trickling soldiers joining the fray. They had to hold. If they were cut off¡­ It would be all over. They could not be split.


    Behind, some of the reinforcements came under attack from cloaked figures.


    Was anything going well?


    ¡°Cavalry! BRAAAAACE!¡±


    Oh for fuck¡¯s sake. Talan closed formation with the rest of the men around him, only to realize that he didn¡¯t have a spear. Only his sword. In front of them, a wedge of knights on barded steeds was charging, led by two plate-armored men. There were Neriad standards among the riders.


    Talan placed his arm on the shoulder of the man in front of him. That was all he could do.


    He was thrown to the ground for the second time. Screams felt distorted by the ringing in his ears. There was grass under his helmet. Comfortable.


    Stand up.


    Talan found his sword a little bit to the side. He charged the pair of knights leading the attack, still trampling soldiers left and right. It would be almost impossible to get through the barding, but he had to do something. He still had the strength for a [Sword Thrust].


    ¡°Maranor, grant me the power to uphold your vision!¡±


    Talan pushed his exhausted leg once more, only to see the lead knight fall from his horse. The beast tilted to the side, decapitated in a single strike.


    All around, the Enorians were rallying to push back the charging temple guards of Neriad. They would hold on. They had to.


    ¡°Rally, men! Push this rabble back!¡± A voice bellowed, and Talan felt his courage rekindle. He did not respect the prince any longer, but he would follow the crown, not the man wearing it.


    The prince¡¯s leadership pushed the men to their limit, but it was still facing a surprisingly organized assault and the line buckled almost immediately.


    ¡°Take the cavalry down first,¡± the champion bellowed as the mounted Kazarans disengaged. As an example, he stepped towards the fallen attacker. The second knight tried to stop him and died for it. The scream of anguish from the man on the ground took Talan by surprise.


    ¡°Do not worry, you will join him soon enough,¡± the champion said, then stopped.


    Silence spread across this segment of the field, even as chaos still reigned. Talan turned and gasped. The champion¡¯s massive two-hander was stopped mid-air by a long ivory claw.


    //Kindly leave our nobles alive, Enorian.


    //They do not grow on trees.


    ¡°You will not stop me, abomination.¡±


    The pair exchanged a few rapid strikes, but it was the champion that was pushed back.


    ¡°Strength will not suffice, monster. I will show you the power of the Royal Academy of Enoria.¡±


    //Yes, fleshbag.


    //Show me how much swordsmanship has improved since I last saw an arena.


    //Perhaps you will help me improve my human combat algorithm.


    //The first such occurrence in three centuries.


    //SWITCHING TO DUELING MODE.


    There was no time to witness the duel. The prince now stood at the head of the formation with his personal guard, fending off assault from some of the best temple guards Talan had ever seen. He joined the fray once more, trying to ignore the disintegrating army around them. The Kazarans were everywhere. He rushed into the frontline just as a man fell clutching his chest and blocked a follow-up strike from a tall woman with dark braided hair and a missing incisor. The giantess flipped her spear and smacked another man on the helmet. The distraction cost him dearly.


    Talan attacked.


    He poured every last drop of stamina into a flurry of strikes. It felt like hitting water. The woman dodged everything with liquid grace while her counters hit hard and deep. Talan just had to¡­ buy some time.


    His left foot slipped on the ground.


    Gray mana shone in the woman¡¯s dancing steps. The questor prayed and brought his shield up. He stopped three blows, but the last one sent him careening to the ground.


    He turned his head just in time to find the champion miss the golem¡¯s torso by a hair. The skeletal creature grabbed the over-extended wrist with a leg and pulled.


    Metal shrieked when the creature¡¯s claws lodged themselves in the sword-wielder¡¯s torso.


    //Disappointing.


    Then the champion¡¯s head went flying.


    A black mana blast crashed into the prince¡¯s guard, killing half a dozen men. Eteia was no longer on the carriage.


    They just needed some more time.


    Talan stood. He found a fallen flag and raised it, trying to bring back the soldiers running away. He had to protect order. The law never ran. Suddenly, he felt a punch in his chest, then another, then another. He had dropped his shield to hold the flag. Now there were feathery shafts piercing his flesh.


    Talan planted the flag on the ground to stay up. Of course, marksmen would target unprotected idiots who stood out. That was fine.


    They were out of time.


    He was out of time.


    It was over.


    The temple guard ignored him. Militia surrounded him in a circle with their spears out. Someone said something about yielding, but Talan only smiled. It was too late. He preferred to stand. One of the militia women looked like his sister when she was scolding. They came at him and stabbed, and stabbed, until he could see no longer.


    ***


    Viv walked on the blood-soaked fields, aware of the attention focused on her. There had never been a time in her life when she had more keenly felt the weight of expectations. Even the Solfis propaganda speech earlier that day had not conveyed how much people were watching, waiting, and she tried to face this attention with her back straight and her step confident.


    Even though the most dominant emotion in her heart now was sheer disbelief.


    Everything had worked perfectly.


    She had expected a last minute fuckup, some weird event like the Sputnik landing on her men or the Enorians marching through the night to attack at dawn but it didn¡¯t happen. Everything had gone exactly according to plan, with minimum casualties and without war crimes.


    Well, without any more war crimes.


    With so much slaughter around her, it was almost tempting to let bygones be bygones, but as soon as she entertained the idea, she realized that she could not accept it. The enslavement of a whole region for the sake of power could not be forgiven, even when blood had been shed. She would not get in the business of letting vengeful, megalomaniac enemies alive.


    It was enough to remember the aftermath of Kazar¡¯s reconquest, or the mountain village massacre. War on Param didn¡¯t know half-measures. The Geneva convention was nothing but a distant memory. True atrocities had led them here, now. There was no stepping back.


    ¡°Bring him.¡±


    Her voice carried over the silent assembly. No one spoke, prisoners or victors. They watched with bated breath as Solfis approached with the defeated prince held under an unyielding claw. Lancer was forced to kneel.


    Viv put heavy gloves on her hands. Marruk brought her a small cauldron, barely more than a cooking pot. Viv turned and emptied her purse in it. The clinks of gold coins echoed strangely in the unnatural quiet.


    ¡°Spare me your games, rebel.¡±


    ¡°Shhhhhh,¡± Viv said.


    Solfis placed a white claw under the captive¡¯s mouth and the prince kept his peace. As for Viv, she enhanced her voice via a sound enchantment, one of Varska¡¯s gifts. She had a show to run.


    ¡°As you well know, prince, I am an Outlander. Back where I come from, we have a type of play called the tragedy. Perhaps this will feel familiar. It starts with a great hero, an exceptional person almost perfect in every regard except for one fatal flaw, one sin that cannot be ignored. The Hamartia.¡±


    Viv removed the circlet from her enemy¡¯s brow, then placed it in the cauldron. It was interesting how Genghis Khan could be so culturally impactful even in the most distant places. She signaled Arthur and pointed at the cauldron.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    The dragonette hesitantly blew her fire until the container shone red. The smoke hurt Viv¡¯s skin and eyes though she did not let it show.


    ¡°That sin causes an inevitable reversal of fortune, one that can only end one way, and that sublime agony provides the audience with the relief they were craving, the catharsis.¡±


    The gold had melted into a shimmering pool. Viv did not touch the cauldron yet. It would be very heavy and the toxic fumes will make speech impossible.


    ¡°Your sin was not greed. Your sin was pride. You could not consider that among all the nameless men and women you crushed on your path to power, enough would stand back up to be more than a mild inconvenience. But we did stand back up, and we banded together, leading us to now. It was pride that caused your fall, but it was greed that hurt us and it is for greed that you will pay. I will grant you all the gold you will ever need, Lancer. Solfis, keep his mouth open.¡±


    ¡°Wait! WAIT! YOU ARE MAD!¡±


    A few Enorian soldiers stood but they were cut down without mercy. Just as Viv expected, the molten metal was heavy, hot, and it burnt her lungs.


    The prince screamed for exactly a third of a second before metal blocked his trachea. It took him a bit longer to die.


    Viv dropped the cauldron and felt so light that she might fly. Lancer¡¯s head hit the ground with a dull thud.


    ¡°Now you are sated.¡±


    The crowd went wild.


    ***


    For the first time since leaving the cave of her birth, Arthur felt fear towards her mother. The first terror she had felt of the sight of the human had been caused by the death of her brother. It had been an animalistic emotion for her kin had been a constant danger to her, and he had been disposed of with relative ease. But this one was different. It was a terror of the intellect, and unlike the first one, it was tinged with a deep admiration for the strange human who had raised her and fed her delicious meat.


    Mother had sacrificed gold.


    A LOT of gold.


    To make a point.


    Mother had sacrificed the most precious of shinies for no other purpose than to impress her simple kin, an act of spite so profound and meaningful that the gesture had sent her minions into a frenzy, and dismayed her foes to their very soul. Mother had sacrificed the most  coveted of metals to punish. The draconic mind boggled before the unthinkable, and Arthur felt her chest fill with fiery pride. Now THAT was domination. That was power! Truly, mother deserved her cheers now, and Arthur would let the world know that the pinkish one had a scaleless body but a heart like the hardest gem.


    ¡°SKRAAAAAA!¡±


    Meanwhile Viv stood with a single drop of sweat dripping down her brow.


    <table>


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    Your Intimidation skill has dramatically improved!


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    Intimidation: Expert 1


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    Two of your class skills have reached the Expert level. You may now choose personal improvements.


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    <td>


    Draconic intimidation is now available.


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    Lost Heiress 2/10


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    ¡°What the fuck have I done now?¡±

 Chapter 86: Loose Ends

    Viv stood in the command tent, idly watching the map in front of her. It was of no use, of course, she could redraw it in her sleep. The strange circumstances had led to a very long, very narrow operation area where the center was as thin as a few men, and on the edges, there be dragons.


    Possibly literally.


    The pristine work made by Farren was now criss-crossed with lines and notations. Pins decorated it in patterns that everyone else would have considered incomprehensible, but to her, it was so clear she could see it all. The advance bases with their supplies and infirmaries, the secondary roads drawn by Yries machines and would already be regrown by now, all of those danced in her mind in that great ballet of people and tools of war. Every aspect had been perfectly orchestrated to lead them to that one fateful moment where the Enorians would be exhausted, split, with their pants down and Viv would bring the fucking hammer. And she had done it. Her army had descended on Lancer¡¯s forces and smashed them to bits in just one blow. Twenty minutes of pure hell. For them.


    It was amazing how both small and big it had all been. The numbers she had deployed were chump change in modern warfare. Individual countries had suffered more fatalities in a day during world war two than she had of troops, period. She was not even a trained officer. This was just winging it, using what she knew of logistics and asymmetrical warfare to turn the attackers into a gibbering wreck of an army. An amateur leading a bunch of retrained farmers, refugees, and healed cripples. It was a footnote of history but for them, and for her, it had been everything.


    And they had won.


    By her side, Marruk readjusted her grip on her huge flanged mace, a horror that was mercifully free of brain matter. She had kept the broken arrow shafts on her shield, remnants from the end when the colorless mana shield had finally broken. The Kark used to be thin and guarded. Hounded. Now, a stout and intimidating warrior loomed in plate armor that no earth human could move in, looking forward with grim aloofness. Lorn watched her cautiously with his helmet under his arm, while Ban waited by the entrance with his gauntleted fist held behind his back. Solfis was deployed behind her. No one spoke, yet her newly healed soul perceived through leadership that they were proud and not a little vindicated.


    A Hadal opened the flap and stared at her. She nodded.


    Irao dragged in his surprise prisoner, and the two women glared at each other for a while. Eteia showed wounded dignity, while Viv merely showed indifference. She placed two hands on the table and refrained from intimidating the woman. There was no need. Irao had her.


    ¡°Now what am I going to do with you?¡± She asked, not expecting an answer.


    ¡°If you are going to kill me like the prince, please do so without delay.¡±


    Eteia was a severe-looking woman with the same slightly greenish skin and dark hair as everyone here. Viv would not call her pretty even by the slightly different local standard, but now that she stood there disheveled and defiant, Viv found that she did not harbor any grudge towards the woman. Enough blood had been shed already.


    ¡°We will not conduct public execution. You are soldiers and there are members of Neriad¡¯s clergy on both sides.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The other woman replied. ¡°And I was taking you for a vengeful person. No pyre to throw me on as revenge for killing the Hadal woman?¡±


    ¡°First, it would be counterproductive to try and burn a red mana specialist. Second, that was up to Irao and he decided to spare you.¡±


    Viv cast a curious glance at the bald leader, his yellow slanted eyes checking corners. There were more people here than he was used to.


    ¡°Yes. I spared her.¡±


    The Hadal searched for words and everyone else waited. It wasn¡¯t the first time it happened. Waiting for Irao was the new normal in Kazar and Viv liked it that way. Eventually, Irao focused on her again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like killing is definitive but capturing means I can kill later.¡±


    ¡°Well here it¡¯s no longer the case. We will not execute soldiers who surrender.¡±


    Irao nodded to show he understood. The gesture felt a bit forced. He was still making progress.


    ¡°Would you like to leave her with us? See to your people?¡±


    Irao just disappeared, which meant an agreement in Viv¡¯s experience. Eteia relaxed her shoulders.


    ¡°No manacles, no assassin? You must be very confident.¡±


    ¡°Well you haven¡¯t started screaming about how I would get my just comeuppance once the glory of Enoria¡­ and so on.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the mage replied, smiling a bit bitterly. Her lack of reaction left Viv curious. It appeared that not everyone had been under the charm of the prince, which was especially surprising coming from the mage since Viv was pretty sure the two had bonked.


    ¡°Also, Solfis will cut you in twelve before you start materializing a single glyph.¡±


    //I will collect your head.


    ¡°Yes, I understand. No need for threats now.¡±


    ¡°But you surprise me,¡± Viv continued, ¡°I expected a more extreme reaction.¡±


    Eteia shrugged.


    ¡°I am not naive. Lancer used me as a tool and I did the same to him. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to be the only female fourth step war mage in Eteia? I was a living reminder that Enorian women as gentle nurturers was nothing but a convenient lie, while male mages detested being my inferiors. Only Lancer hired me after I returned from Helock. I was even considering offering my services to the Kingdom of Baran.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Enoria is still my home. You are an Outlander, so I cannot begrudge you the independence you claimed. In return, please consider that I would rather improve my country than abandon it, even if it has treated me¡­ poorly. I tried to help. Lancer would not have been such a bad ruler.¡±


    ¡°Not for us.¡±


    ¡°I will not dispute that point. Now, not that I do not enjoy talking with a fellow practitioner, but I have to ask. What do you plan to do with me?¡±


    ¡°We will probably have to release you,¡± Viv admitted candidly. It earned her an expression of pure shock.


    ¡°Is this the truth?¡±


    ¡°I have no need to lie to you. I was told that it is possible to keep a mage contained within a spell.¡±


    ¡°Yes, steel and silverite cages are the most common tools. Manacles exist, but they would not work well on someone with our level of mastery over magic.¡±


    ¡°We do not have such tools and I was told that there was a way to¡­ neutralize you for the next decade.¡±


    ¡°A oath of Neriad?¡±


    ¡°Correct. In the meanwhile, I have a question. What is the best way to get into the Helock academy?¡±


    Eteia gasped. Viv knew that the woman had graduated from there. Eteia¡¯s achievements were common knowledge among the more up-to-date refugees.


    ¡°I¡­ well of course, but why?¡±


    Viv closed her eyes and remembered the prayer.


    It had been¡­ a weird moment.


    She had always considered herself an atheist, and the gods here were not exactly the creator god her monotheistic tradition sought, but, shit, they were gods. Like Greek or Roman anthropomorphic ones. Angry. Horny. Petty. And more importantly, powerful enough to hear and answer prayer. She had considered asking Neriad, but he was the god of fucking people up when they deserve it, not the answer guy, and so she had turned her attention to Maradoc. The God of Secrets was technically her patron and she still held his blessing, and so she had asked and¡­ he had answered.


    Her mind had been at rest, she had felt her mana create a connection of sorts. It had been impossible to return to the in-between, at least for now. Instead, a vision had come to her, one of a city so massive it covered the entire flank of a mountain. The sea. And a whisper.


    Helock.


    The answer to her survival was in Helock, where the greatest archmages of the continent gathered to teach the next generation of promising casters.


    Or so she assumed, because there wasn¡¯t a single soul in the damn Harrakan lands (still felt weird to call them that) who had any idea how all of this worked. Even Varska¡¯s book had nothing but a grandiose introduction of the Academy. Nothing concrete. It really made her miss the internet.


    Fortunately, now she had some moderately dated information.


    ¡°I need to get in there, I think.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡±


    Marruk shifted ever so slightly but Eteia¡¯s wary eyes followed the movements of the mace with sudden and strong interest.


    ¡°We are having a polite conversation which suits me well, but in clase it wasn¡¯t clear, I¡¯m asking the questions,¡± Viv calmly stated.


    ¡°Yes. Of course,¡± Eteia replied. She waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°I do not mean to hide information, your statement just surprised me. Instinctive casters such as yourself usually shun places of learning. They typically find classical education too restrictive, too focused on rules that mostly exist in the mind of practitioners. But that¡¯s your business I suppose.¡±


    There was a hint of curiosity in the stern woman¡¯s eyes. She really wasn¡¯t what Viv had expected.


    ¡°Admission to the academy itself depends on the applicant¡¯s profile. Mine was funded by a rich, widowed aunt. Others have their tuition paid by the crown. You would probably get admitted pretty cheaply given your unique and interesting profile. You would, however, need to show up there in person unless you can get a sponsor. By the way, you will not easily find one in Enoria.¡±


    ¡°I gathered that much.¡±


    ¡°Crossing Enoria right now is a fool¡¯s errand. Are you in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Solfis had mentioned that she had only one more year before her body started breaking down. It was more than urgent, though she was reasonably certain that there were ways to extend that deadline, if what she had read about alchemy was any indication. Nevertheless, time wasn¡¯t on her side.


    ¡°Then you should leave soon and make your way north through Enoria. Crossing the border might be a problem since the entire place is in chaos, but if you manage that, you can catch a river ship along the Shar river and reach the city quickly and safely. Then, it is only a matter of talking to an administrator. It would help if you can demonstrate new and original spells although it¡¯s not a requirement. You are a bit old for a regular freshman but they accept free candidates with various profiles. Your black mana mastery will help. Can you do any other color?¡±


    Viv considered her answer carefully. In the end, if Eteia accepted the Oath of Neriad, she would be forbidden from sharing information on Viv. If she didn¡¯t, Solfis would add a new trophy to his expanding and slightly disturbing collection in the tower¡¯s basement. Viv shuddered.


    ¡°No. Only black and transparent.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ That means¡­ Oh.¡±


    Eteia licked her parched lips, considering.


    ¡°How long do you have?¡±


    Ban frowned. So far, he had remained silent, but the latest question raised some serious flags.


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    Viv sighed. The cat was out of the bag.


    ¡°Over a year, according to what I know.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you feel fine. You must have solid conduits and I am told that it helps. Children with skewed distribution are taught to practice those first. And yes, people in Helock can help you, especially the hospital. Many afflictions stem from mana overload. You just have to get there. I suggest leaving as soon as possible.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The flap opened again and a heavy entered, saluting crisply. The sound of his fist on the armored chestguard clanked strangely in the confines of the tent.


    ¡°The troops are ready for review, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Then if you will excuse me,¡± Viv said. She stood and the rest joined her, including Solfis. The heavy would stay inside to keep an eye on the ¡®prisoner¡¯.


    Viv came out with her head high and her helmet under an arm to the people-packed clearing. The place was deathly silent. A double row of heavies on both sides stood as rigidly as statues, then came witch-pact marksmen and temple guards in an ever widening circle that only stopped at the other end of the battlefield. The Enorian prisoners sat in a huddle to the right while the infirmary was now silent on her left, the wounded stabilized. The militia occupied most of the ground in groups that were based more around communities than squads and that was fine.


    They looked so damn proud, and they had every right to be.


    Viv strutted forward with as much authority as leadership would grant her. The others followed right behind, soon joined by the Yries warlord and stoneweaver. The surviving head noble and Farren were there as well. As Viv made her way through the corridor of armed folks, someone slammed the butt on their spear on the ground. It took less than two seconds for the entire Harrakan military to join. Boom, boom. With every step she took, the ones she had led into battle sent tremor through the earth. It felt¡­ amazing.


    Viv strode to the center of the meadow and stopped. When Arthur landed by her side, the spears started to move faster and faster until it was no longer a heavy drum, but a deep rumble that went on like an earthquake. Viv let it go on for a bit, then when she was ready, she lifted an open hand and the noise died down. The clearing was once again silent. Viv cast a basic sound spell. Everyone would hear her today.


    ¡°Nine months ago, a group of harried refugees left their lost city for the mountains and the hope that they wouldn¡¯t live in chains. We only had what we could carry with us, and the hope that one day, justice would be done. That little flame of hope was nothing then, a mere ember shining in the dark, but it grew with each passing day of commitment, effort, and sacrifice. Little by little, we fed the flame. With mountain wind and Yries steel, with Hadal blades it grew. Exiles and veterans flocked to our banner to keep the dream alive. It was not easy! But after nine months of constant threat, after Lancer sent his vandals and regulars after us, after he returned with an entire army to lay us to waste. After nine bloody months of ash, sweat, and tears¡­ WE HAVE WON!¡±


    The victors roared their approval. Even the Yries let out a high-pitched, ululating cry that pierced through the clamor. Spears on earth and blades on shields clanged in a deafening chorus until even the distant beasts deeper in the forest could not ignore the terrible din, and none answered the challenge. The proclamation of victory fuelled her leadership until whatever marked her soul bounced back in a feedback loop that left the kneeling prisoners shocked and dizzy. It took a minute to die down, following which Viv resumed her small speech. Her dad had been right. Short and impactful was the best.


    ¡°There will be a time to repair and a time to mourn those who paid the ultimate price later. For now, we will return to the city and celebrate our victory. I am proud of all of you. Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ***


    The militia was first to return and that was good since they were the ones who would be preparing the victory feast. Viv gave the authorization to get the good stuff out from the warehouses, then handled the logistics of getting over five hundred prisoners to a camp. The number was surprisingly high, but it made sense when Viv considered it. Soldiers here had inhuman resilience and then there was healing magic, widely available. the reason why monster hunting had such a high casualty rate was that hunters were just hopelessly mangled in a single blow. Or eaten alive. What a world.


    It was fortunate that she had cleared so much land with ward stones. The Bridgers¡¯ hybrid earth mage used what little mana they had recovered to start building temporary buildings and, fortunately, the Enorians still had some tents. Viv made sure that they had what they needed and also made sure that they knew that any revolt attempt would be met swiftly and decisively. It was night when she finally managed to get to the fairgrounds. The party had spilled over the streets and the merriment had reached a paroxysm. Viv didn¡¯t make speeches, instead electing to walk from group to group to thank everyone.


    The next day, several things happened. First, the Yries fighters left, eager to return to their hidden town. Then many of the soldiers were given leave to return to their families, reducing Viv¡¯s standing forces to a mere fraction of what it used to be, which was mostly fine but made the oath part all the more important. Before that, she made a short hop at the bank.


    ¡°Yes, of course we can make an arrangement,¡± Tom Manitaradin said with a winning smile.


    Just as always, the banker had an impeccable hairstyle and the smoothness of a professional salesman, and just as always Arthur made him a bit nervous, which was why Viv always brought the dragonette during her visits. It never failed to amaze Viv how Arthur managed to look aloof and dignified without facial expression and a reptilian body, and yet she looked perfectly at ease in the cozy expanse of the Manipeleso Bank, Kazar branch. Lounging on the couch like a bored femme fatale.


    Viv shook her head to chase off the sight of a huge white dragon in a massive board room surrounded by rows of accountants, dispensing late fees and fiery death at her leisure. That would not happen, haha. Totally.


    ¡°For the modest fee of five gold talents, I can issue an identification chit worn around the neck that can identify you in any branch of our respectable establishment, whereupon you will be allowed to access any of our services, including withdrawal.¡±


    He cast a quick glance at Arthur.


    ¡°Please note that the amount of actual, ahem, precious metal varies from one branch to another. Some of our more remote locations may not keep too much in storage. We would normally offer additional security services such as hostage retrieval, but I am not allowed to propose it in countries that are currently at war, and unfortunately, you technically are.¡±


    ¡°What happens if I lose it?¡±


    ¡°You would still be registered in our book and would be issued a replacement for a nominal fee if you can prove your identity to our satisfaction. Do not lose the chit as it is quite costly to make.¡±


    ¡°What if someone attempts to pretend to be me?¡±


    For the first time, Tom¡¯s smile turned vicious.


    ¡°Every year, some try. We take great exception. Similarly, if someone disables you and tries to cash in, we would provide a rescue at a fee to be paid later provided that the offending party is classified as bandits. The private sector kind, not the government kind.¡±


    ¡°So kind of you to elaborate.¡±


    ¡°Yes and as I mentioned, it can only occur if someone impersonates you. If you are kidnapped and you have not subscribed to our protection services, we may not deploy mercenaries to help you. But enough of this. Do you intend to travel with a small party?¡±


    ¡°Solfis assessed that it would give us the best chances at passing through.¡±


    ¡°I agree, and a large escort will not help here. Discretion is the way. Discretion and anonymity. Speaking of which¡­¡±


    ¡°The blessing that occludes my status is still present, but it will not help with my physical appearance or black mana control. I will have to avoid the authorities.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, but at least it sounds doable. Very well, the chit will allow you entrance to our numerous institutions as well as quite a bit of goodwill. I suggest hiring guides in approved establishments. Just ask the local heads.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    ¡°Will you be needing anything else before you depart?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you can help me with. Thank you for your time.¡±


    Viv stood and her gaze was somehow caught by the tiny pouch resting against Arthur¡¯s neck. It felt too small. Actually, it felt like it should be moving around but it was somehow always in the middle¡­


    [Purse of kindness and avarice: artifact. Indestructible. Spatial distortion (only gold and precious things). This pouch was made with love by the owner¡¯s adoptive mother. It feels good under the claw. This artifact was created with the blessing of an unknown god.]


    Just her luck.


    Viv decided on what to do about the artifact and settled on nothing. It wasn¡¯t hers to begin with. She returned to her room to find out that the Yries blackmith had added the symbol of New Harrak to her round shield. The piece of gear had probably become twice as thick as it used to be, as well as a bit imbalanced, but it was also symbolic and so that was fine. It was a bit like a metal patchwork and it had a pleasant, homemade appearance to her eyes. She attached it to her back for the next piece, one she hoped would go well.


    With the remaining half of the heavies and many of the marksmen in tow, they moved to the impromptu prisoner¡¯s camps. Viv had not been so naive as to trust them fully, despite their broken spirits, so there were patrolling guards including most of Neriad¡¯s guards who considered rebelling after rendition to be a major dick move. The kind they punished mercilessly. The procession stopped before the prisoners as they were in tight formation, in their uniform but without weapons. The Bishop of Neriad came to greet her. He was a tall, dour man, clean-shaven with very dark eyes. Short dark hair clung to his scalp


    ¡°Hello, Your Grace. We have not been properly introduced. My name is Erland, and I am here on temple business. As it is, I shall also assist you with the matter of the prisoners. I believe that ten years of inaction are enough?¡±


    ¡°How does this work exactly?¡±


    ¡°The Oath to Neriad is not a ¡®how does this work¡¯ act, but a grand celebration of honor between fighters,¡± the bishop retorted somewhat reproachfully.


    Viv was unimpressed. Her lack of reaction prompted the man to huff and continue with his explanation.


    ¡°The Oath takes place between captor and captive and requires both parties¡¯ absolute agreement or it will not take. The captive swears never to harm the captor¡¯s interests in any ways which extends not just to combat, but also information sharing and even camp work. In return, the captive is set free with anything he reasonably needs to rejoin his lines, thus available for the kingdom to fight bandits and monsters, but not their fellow man. If they break the oath, they suffer terrible pain that can result in eventual death if they persist in their error.¡±


    ¡°So people can break their oath. It¡¯s not something that stops them from acting.¡±


    The bishop sighed impatiently.


    ¡°No, oaths are not prisons of the mind, people break them just like they break the law and just like with laws, the perpetrators face painful consequences.¡±


    ¡°If they get found out.¡±


    ¡°I know what you are hinting at, witch. There are ways to break an oath. Some priests can do it though it means sacrificing themselves in return. You must consider the following, however. No kingdom will force their soldiers to break an oath. The opposite, in fact. To betray one¡¯s word to a God sets the kind of precedents rulers tend to avoid. To conclude, yes an oath can be broken and no, this one will not. It is simply not worth the consequences. Do you understand?¡±


    Viv was a little annoyed that oaths could not be fully binding but fairy tales back home were full of humans doing that and turning into donkeys and that sort of things. it was also still better than nothing. Whatever.


    ¡°And we can extend it for ten years?¡±


    ¡°Indeed! More than enough time for your little kingdom to either bloom or collapse, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t really like the implied preference.


    ¡°Is this a ritual or¡­¡±


    ¡°The willing captives must queue and swear one by one.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you run out of mana?¡±


    The bishop sighed heavily.


    ¡°Of course our merciful god devised it so that it could be performed with no circle and with large numbers. The ritual shall draw from the captive¡¯s mana, and will absorb all of it while it settles. We will be done by the end of the afternoon. Please address the crowd and inform them of your decision while I prepare.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Viv walked forward under the wary gaze of half a thousand men who would have done their best to kill her less than a day before. She felt little hostility from them, surprisingly. It appeared that her little display had broken their spirit.


    A short incantation and her voice filled the plain. She opened the gates on her intimidation and let the implicit threat of blight and dragonette-enforced annihilation hang in the air like the stench of burnt toast.


    ¡°Listen up you lot. Fortunately for you, you were stopped before reaching the city so you did not accomplish anything noteworthy. By rule of war, you are innocent. Rejoice. Now, since we neither have the time nor the inclination to keep that many folks on perfectly arable land, you will be given a choice. Option one, you can take the Oath of Neriad. Your weapons will be returned, you will be given rations for two weeks and you can fuck right off through the forest. Just watch for pit traps because we haven¡¯t removed them yet. Option two, you are put to work rebuilding the tower outpost at the edge of the deadlands to watch for revenants until you take option one or until the king remembers you. Those who choose the oath, line up in a single file, in an orderly fashion, or it will be option three and I¡¯ll send you back home in a handkerchief. Officers, take charge.¡±


    Viv returned to a glaring Erland. The man had just started to kneel.


    ¡°I expected you to take a bit longer than that.¡±


    ¡°Then you do not know me well. Take your time, they¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±


    The bishop prayed for fifteen minutes, then addressed the crowd with a benevolent voice that grated her nerves. She tuned him out while he droned on, only paying attention to the oath proper. It was carefully worded to be comprehensive and pretty long. The soldiers repeated the oath sentence by sentence. To her mild surprise, not one of them elected to stay. She thought that some people might be too broken to face the forest again. Apparently, those Enorians were made of sterner stuff. That or the willpower stat helped against PTSD.


    Then it was her turn to swear, which was fine.


    The procession took hours. After a while, the faces started to blur while she thought about her upcoming trips. She would take Solfis and Marruk. And Arthur, obviously. Horses. She needed disguises, even if they would not hold up to the inspect skill. Varska¡¯s notes mentioned magical items and spells that could block the skill but they were rare and really illegal except for agents of the crown. She didn¡¯t have the means to recreate one. They needed a lot of food and probably a spare horse to carry animal feed and supplies. They needed a better map with a clear destination. She would probably have to avoid Reixa, the nearest large city. The border wasn¡¯t too far. Solfis would most likely help her complete her list.


    Only one thing really annoyed her.


    There was absolutely no way in hell that everything would go smoothly. It was a done deal that the proverbial would hit the fan at some point of her journey, splattering everyone with unpredictable complications. It would be an absolute mess of a trip. She would consider herself lucky if no baronny got toppled at all.


    And she had no way to improve her odds, not within a year. It was like jumping head first in a lagoon with twenty percent chances of sharks.


    ¡°I just want to go to fucking Helock,¡± she grumbled to herself between two terrified soldiers.


    In the end, it was done. The Enorians had decided to leave unanimously, without any discussion. She expected Kazar¡¯s tourist rating to tank dramatically. Erland smiled at her with clear satisfaction.


    ¡°Now that I am done here, it is time for me to handle the second part of my visit here.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what it is?¡± She asked.


    Her sense of alarm increased at the clear signs of suspicion.


    ¡°If you must know, I intend to visit the Min Goles mines we recently rediscovered to protect the interests of the church. The local branch master certainly showed some initiative when he led an expedition to find them, although it was reckless, but the treaty signed with the non-humans was a sign of pride that will cost him. He forgot himself with this blatant overreach of authority.¡±


    He leaned forward a bit, the effect ruined by Viv¡¯s tall stature.


    ¡°I seem to recall that you were part of the expedition. You do not intend to claim the mines for yourself, do you?¡±


    ¡°I respect my agreements,¡± Viv replied, unamused. The sarcasm went over the head of the bishop.


    ¡°Good. Then, if you will excuse me, I have much to prepare before I can fix the mess my junior colleague created for us all.¡±


    Viv watched him depart and remembered the golem¡¯s wisdom, so many months ago. Farren¡¯s merits would be forgotten, and the fruits of his efforts claimed by the nearest honcho.


    He obviously had designs for the Yries.


    ¡°Solfis?¡±


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°I think that we need to tie one last loose end before we depart. I hope you can assist.¡±


    //It will be my great pleasure.

 Chapter 87: Gone.

    Humans were capable of performing an amazing amount of mental gymnastics for the purpose of belonging, whether they were aware of it or not, Viv thought. She was no exception. When Solfis had made his speech on the plaza, the roars of so many throats had carried her away and she had not stopped to think, to criticize. It was normal. The sort of myth that sent people to war and possibly death could only be embellished. Some of the elements had to be glossed over, like the fact that the empire had not been ¡®just¡¯ as Solfis claimed. No empire with slave markets could be just. Freedom and punishment could never be traded on a marketplace. Instead, the Harrakan empire had been fairly dickish to everyone in equal measure. That didn''t send bakers charging into enemy battlelines spears first, however. A beautiful lie could achieve more than a hundred truths.


    And that was precisely why it was so important to develop critical thinking, so that one could take a step back before they went too far.


    And also to destroy other people¡¯s beautiful lies.


    ¡°No, please, do explain why you wish to renegotiate the agreement.¡±


    The bishop smoldered in sullen silence. He had been merely dismissive of Viv before, whom he saw as a fortunate upstart. He was taking her more seriously now, if only as a pest. Since he declined to answer in haughty silence, Viv decided to use that opportunity. It was, her papa believed, never good to remain silent in a political struggle. It was akin to wrestling in a pigsty. You could stand upright in the armor of your dignity but that just meant that others were free to smear shit all over your face.


    ¡°Farren managed to land a contract that not just protected the victims of tyranny, but also guaranteed an immediate iron ingot output while it would have taken years to install and develop those facilities. The iron bars are of extremely high quality and purified via brown mana.¡±


    The man was still silent. Viv would not let go


    ¡°You know what I think?¡± she asked, as the temple guard, the bishop, and a witch hanger on made their way deeper into the mines of Min Goles.


    ¡°I think you should go back to Kazar because this is NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!¡± The bishop screamed.


    ¡°I think that you¡¯re unhappy that a junior member achieved so much and without input. I think that you have come to break the church¡¯s word.¡±


    ¡°He had no right to negotiate this to begin with!¡±


    ¡°I wonder what the head of the order would think about that?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea about what your betters think, woman.¡±


    ¡°I think we should ask him, then. Ask him if it¡¯s a good idea to evict contract-abiding Yries from their new home just to free a chunk of future potential metal. I wonder what he would have to say about that.¡±


    ¡°He would probably say that a cold mind must serve a warm heart, and that we should never have given up the mine to begin with!¡±


    ¡°The Yries were here first, as I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°They! Are not! Humans!¡±


    The columns stopped as Bishop Erland spat his words in Viv¡¯s face, who was doing her best not to smile.


    ¡°Is that the official stance of the church?¡±


    ¡°I am the official stance of the church right now. If you have any complaints, direct them to the head of the order in Mornyr. Now leave us alone. You will accomplish nothing here.¡±


    ¡°I notice that you didn¡¯t deny the eviction. That¡¯s why you asked the temple guards to come, because you knew that your terms are unacceptable, unfair, and cruel.¡±


    ¡°You are a naive, stupid little girl talking about things you do not understand.¡±


    ¡°I understand eviction and oathbreakers.¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± a voice said.


    Viv stopped a smirk from blooming on her face while Lorn, the veteran knight, the bearded, grizzled veteran of a veteran company turned and stood before his hierarchical superior.


    Some of the Neriad veterans had seen Solfis, Irao, and Solar in action. With those old monsters around, it was pretty easy to forget that Lorn was at the peak of the fourth step, and that he was absolutely not to be fucked with. Viv had never forgotten.


    ¡°You said negotiate and I didn¡¯t like it. Now you say evict and I like it even less.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it. She did.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the wordy bullshit.¡±


    ¡°You will watch your tongue, captain. I always said that the frontier fostered lack of discipline. Do not force me to take measures.¡±


    Viv watched the pair glare at each other, and the bishop progressively relaxed when Lorn failed to act. Viv thought the bishop was a complete dumbass, and only the most obtuse cretin could fail to see that the experienced fighter was two fingers away from giving his obnoxious superior a nice serving of knuckles. When Lorn finally spoke, it was through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Company¡­ about face!¡±


    Like a single man, the entire corps of temple guards pivoted a hundred and eighty degrees, showing the bishop quite a collection of metal-clad asses.


    ¡°What are¡­ What is the meaning of this?¡± Erland sputtered, disbelief clear on his traits.


    ¡°I hereby claim the moral exemption. Neriad as my witness, your orders go against the values of the temple as I see them.¡±


    ¡°You are to escort me! Nothing more!¡±


    ¡°Your objective is immoral and, under the provision, I refuse to entertain it.¡±


    ¡°This is nothing short of insubordination, Lorn! You have lost your mind. Who is next in command?¡±


    ¡°That would be me sir,¡± Koro said from the front.


    ¡°You are to take command of the column, effective immediately.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me! I claim the whatever it is the captain said. I ain¡¯t no backstabbing bitch. Company, forwardddddd march!¡±


    ¡°You would leave me here?¡± The bishop asked with some disbelief as Viv turned as well.


    ¡°You are free to follow us,¡± Lorn answered dispassionately. ¡°I do not care either way.¡±


    The temple guard plus Viv departed, leaving the bishop behind with the four soldiers that had protected him since Enoria. The outlander truly expected Erland to follow. It was, by far, the most rational decision.


    ¡°Fine, you rebels. Fine! I¡¯ll do it myself then.¡±


    Viv smiled to herself. Lorn slowed down to walk by her side.


    ¡°Your plan all along, I assume?¡± He asked.


    ¡°One of the better outcomes. He caught me off-guard.¡±


    ¡°Neriad might not like it, and you had his favor.¡±


    Viv looked the man in the eyes and unfolded her soul to make sure he could feel the sincerity in her words. The conviction.


    ¡°The Yries have respected the letter and spirit of our alliance all this time and I will not abandon them for the sake of convenience. Same for the Hadals, you, or anyone on my side. I doubt that this displeases Neriad, and even if it did, I would protect them anyway. As for undermining the bishop¡¯s authority, righteous combat doesn¡¯t mean stupid combat. I will not hurt civilians, I will take care of prisoners, but for everyone else¡­ it¡¯s open season.¡±


    Lorn nodded slowly, though she didn¡¯t know if it was acceptance or agreement. It was kind of fun to see the gears grind in his mind and his face turn into a mask of horror.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­ where is Solfis?¡±


    ¡°I am willing to swear that I do not know.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Back! Back! Sir, you have to go!¡±


    Erland stumbled into a side corridor and smashed his staff against the ground. One of those strange mole monsters was ejected and one of his surviving guards stabbed it, but the blade got stuck into the creature¡¯s thick hide despite the power of the blow. Another man slipped on sand that had not been here a moment before. Erland touched a wound, closing it. If only the Kazarans had stayed¡­ Those tunnels were supposed to be secured! How had the monsters gotten there?


    ¡°Sir, you have to go!¡±


    Erland was a healer. He could keep the men going but he could not stop them from getting dragged into a snarling mass of fangs and claws.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    Erland was pushed. He turned and ran. There was nothing he could do to save those people.


    This should not have happened.


    He had a mission, a purpose. The iron mines were wasted under the fingers of an orphan upstart like Farren. The stupid boy had already squandered part of it to non-humans before exploitation had even started. Erland¡¯s cause was just. Just! So why had it come to this?


    His strides carried him forward and away from the combat, though he could hear the clicks of pursuing claws. Erland might not be a fighter but he knew how to run for a long time.


    He tripped.


    The ground was hard and dusty. It was also normally flat. Something had slammed into his tibia and it hurt like hell. Shivering, he brandished his staff and called for light. A golden halo expanded all around, showing gray rock walls and little else.


    ¡°I know you are here, servant of evil! Who do you serve? Efestar? Octas? Justice will come for you.¡±


    Nothing replied as the claws on stone raced towards him. He had to try and survive.


    And then, something grabbed his staff with titanic strength. It tore the weapon from his grasp with casual ease. The source of the golden light disappeared towards the ceiling, and from there, a familiar voice echoed.


    //THERE ARE NO SCHEMING AGENTS HERE.


    //NO COMPETING GODS.


    //THERE ARE ONLY THE BEASTS.


    //THE DARKNESS.


    //AND ME.


    The pack caught up to him.


    ***


    The time had come to work on herself, so to speak. The interface granted by Nous had only one purpose: to help people understand and use the magic of the world to their advantage. It was more of a help than a requirement since her steady progress had come from hard work and practice, not from staring at numbers. It was still a useful tool she had neglected over the past month for obvious reasons. Now that Enoria¡¯s blow had been deflected and she was on her way to a lonely trip, she would have to rely on her own abilities again. Her focus would be on self-improvement.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 27.6%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her attunement had grown very little despite practice. Viv assumed that it had something to do with not spending time in the deadlands anymore. Perhaps casting more colorless spells also had an influence. In any case, she would probably have more than a year although this was no reason to dally. She had no doubt that her last months of life would be extremely painful if she didn¡¯t find a solution soon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    17


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    38


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    38


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    24This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    38


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her power and endurance had progressed a bit. Her strength was still extremely low compared to any other fighter in her retinue. Even with magic on her side, humans from earth could just cross the veil and beat her at arm wrestling, which was fine. She would have the time to lift weights later if she felt like it. There was only so much time in a day and she got most of her work out through those katas Solfis had taught her anyway. Her mental stats were another thing altogether.


    Kazar and its surroundings had managed to train, gather, feed, house, and equip a large army despite a minimal administrative staff for a simple reason: stats. If someone came to Viv and asked her to organize a twenty days expedition through the mountains, she could do it in half an hour. She could calculate how much food, animal feed, and how many blankets were required in seconds and she could recall by heart where everything was stored. Stats had turned Viv into a one-woman staff and that was even without counting those whose path helped with project management. They didn¡¯t even have to calculate. They just knew.


    World magic applied differently to those who relied on their physics, and the results were tangible even outside of battle. Gogen could lift a full wardrobe to dust under it, something that never failed to make Viv¡¯s brain explode. The heavies could train longer and harder than any earth forces and the wounds they accumulated recovered fast as well. All those sprains and fractures resolved themselves in ways that years of physical therapy could not achieve. It was all very bullshit, but in her favor.


    Where her mental stats shone the most, was when it related to magic. Glyphs and their use required a tremendous amount of brainpower. Several complex concepts had to be held in her mind at the same time, then linked together through sheer effort and directed to the physical world. It was a thoroughly impossible task for any normal human. Even a glimpse at what she held in her mind would have made the old Viv bleed her brain through her ears. Beyond that complexity hid a wonder that still left Viv speechless at times. The dance of ideas felt like touching the divine, especially after a round of meditative dance.


    More impactful was how every multiple of ten represented a new landmark in one¡¯s development. It was probably why progress became slow after a point. The numerical increase might be low, but each stage made one closer to godlike powers. Reaching thirty had allowed Viv to split her attention between several glyphs at once, given her the mental stamina to keep several in their minds long enough to cast, and accelerated her thought process until she could materialize a shield faster than she could blink. She was curious to see what the next threshold would bring. But that would take some more time. Her interest now was on the ¡®skills¡¯ part of the interface.


    ¡°Do skills work like spells, somehow?¡±


    //In a manner of speaking.


    Solfis was working on the trophy he had collected from the Enorian ¡®Champion¡¯. He would soon add it to his growing collection in the tower¡¯s basement. People did not talk about Solfis¡¯ room. Even Viv didn¡¯t want to visit.


    //Scholars have drawn a parallel between skills like shield wall and green mana fortification.


    //Some claim that mages receive mana mastery instead of defensive and offensive skill, granting them more flexibility.


    //And that essentially, spells are ad hoc skills.


    //However, skills and spells have one major difference.


    ¡°Glyphs?¡±


    //Correct.


    //Skills are closer to the way monsters and beasts use mana.


    //With the exception of those capable of true casting, like dragons.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    //While¡­ She-Who-Feasts-On-Squirrels-And-Gets-Much-Gold shall soon cast using the language of the world.


    //Thus giving it intent.


    //Other monsters take a more intuitive path to using mana.


    //While faster and easier to grasp, it remains limited to clear constraints.


    //My algorithms estimate that the theory of Joras the Elder, a researcher and archmage of the last dynasty, might be the most accurate.


    //He surmised that intent molds magic, and that clearer intent can be achieved with clearer communication.


    //Therefore, everyone who employs even the tiniest amount of mana technically casts, and those that speak the language of the world do it with the most proficiency.


    ¡°Ok fair enough. Makes sense to me. Then why do skills differ at expert level?¡±


    //They differ before, Your Grace.


    //Harrakan longsword technique can make its user fast and precise, or powerful and unrelenting.


    //It varies from user to user.


    //The interface simplifies a complex and ultimately variable reality to help sentients navigate this world.


    //Let me give you an example.


    //When you are angry, or desire annihilation with all your heart, related spells come easier and with more power.


    //It happens to everyone, in a way.


    //A shield protects someone who desires to be protected with more efficacy.


    //The interface cannot reflect the randomized aspects of life.


    //It does, however, reflect a generality.


    //For example, Eteia was and is more powerful and capable than you.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    //Her interface would demonstrate this fact.


    //Regarding skills, two of them have reached Expert level, which is normal at your age but considerable given the circumstances.


    //Those who dedicate themselves to their craft can usually personalize their first expert skill.


    //It would normally be mana mastery.


    //In your case, your most practiced skills are dancing and scaring people.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    //It only proves your pragmatism, Your Grace.


    //You needed balance and social skills immediately.


    //And so you practiced those.


    //The journey will be a good opportunity to practice mana control.


    //Especially through uncolored spells.


    //It can only help you with admission.


    //But first, let us focus on the present.


    //Your skills.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Apprentice 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Of those, only athletics had increased by one. If you didn¡¯t put in the effort, you didn¡¯t progress. Simple as that. Viv wasn¡¯t disappointed, though she was tempted to improve polymath in Helock if time allowed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane constructs


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 8


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 9


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Those were the ones that showed some progress, although not much. The issue was that she had attempted nothing new beyond the empowering circle she had used in the last battle. In order to progress on the path of the caster, one had to get out of their comfort zone, try new things, challenge themselves. Then they had to apply their new-found techniques in real life. Viv had simply shelved experimentation and her relatively slow progress reflected that.


    Now it was time to see about those improvements.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Two of your skills have reached the expert level. You may pick the way in which you wish your skill to develop. The available options reflect your abilities and the marks on your soul. Only one option can be picked. Skill options do not have drawbacks.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv started with meditation. It felt less problematic.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Ritualistic trance: you will find it easier to complete long spells and to work with others. The path of those who prefer working with circles.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Yeah that wasn¡¯t really her. Perhaps a time would come when she would have to coordinate with other casters in some grand endeavors, but she didn¡¯t see that happening in the foreseeable future. It felt like an increase that would benefit casters working on long-term constructs like walls and golems, not someone throwing fantasy artillery shells in people¡¯s faces. Next.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Battle meditation: the tranquility you have achieved better extends to crisis situations, grounding you more in times of pressure.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That could be useful, though that felt redundant. She was already hard to faze.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Deep thought: the veil between human perception and the beyond is notoriously hard to breach. This path will help you find your way with more ease.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It was the state she had achieved when Neriad had healed her soul, and she felt that it would be important in the future. However, it was not important right now and that specific path was not necessary either. She could achieve her results without picking it, especially because she had been shown how to do it once. It was as the interface indicated. It would not close any door, just help her achieve a specific result more easily. She said as much.


    //Paths with significant drawbacks tend to be rare.


    //I have recorded rumors that further advances can lead to specialization.


    //However, this is not common knowledge.


    //I can only hypothesize.


    //In the meanwhile, I suggest taking battle meditation.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Ritualistic trance help once in Helock?¡±


    //Yes, and it would make you popular to work with.


    //However, you have to reach Helock first.


    //I have a question, Your Grace.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //Do you sincerely expect to live a peaceful life after arriving at the academy?


    The golem¡¯s eyes were annoyingly judgemental. There was a hint of false pity as well.


    ¡°Yeah yeah. Alright.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have selected Battle Meditation.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Just like usual, she didn¡¯t feel particularly different. She supposed that she would have to be in a crisis. That was bound to happen. Now, for intimidation.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Court mage intimidation: you have conducted schemes to suitable ends, achieved much and caused the death of many. Your intimidation will make your victims aware that through power or guile, you will get your ways, and that it would be wise not to be in yours.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Nice and balanced. She liked it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Warrior queen intimidation: you have powerful magic and a (very small) nation at your back. Every threat you make bears the mark of a sovereign. Your victims will perceive that there is more than meets the eye and that offending you means offending a great many people.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was even better, but there was an issue. Anyone she threatened would be able to guess what she was. She said as much to Solfis.


    //Stop stalling, Your Grace.


    ¡°Fine! Fine¡­¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation: you have accomplished what only one other living person has done: thoroughly impressed a member of the most powerful race on Nyil. Victims of your intimidation will know that nothing is impossible for you. No throne, no walls will protect them if they try to stop you. It is by far the most powerful of all choices and will also work on weaker monsters.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°It does sound tempting.¡±


    //Your Grace, we both know what you will pick.


    //Stop. Stalling.


    Viv chose.


    ¡°Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!¡¯


    She had never seen Arthur so excited.


    ***


    ¡°You want me to rule in your stead?¡± The handsome man asked, lounging in his chair.


    By his side, his wife reclined with predatory grace. She glared at Viv under half-lidded eyes in a way that exuded superiority, possibly considering those who lived here as hicks. Viv wanted to shear off the arrogant twit¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°There is little need to rule, but I need oversight. A strong presence to embody power while I am gone. This is what a viceroy would do.¡±


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡± Solar asked.


    Solar looked like a dear caught in headlights. Viv sighed and sloshed the flowery infusion in her cup. It was too hot to drink.


    ¡°The institutions in place should function, in theory. I established a council with clearly defined roles and powers. Some of the positions change frequently via elections, providing enough mobility to guarantee that power struggles occur within the different factions. I believe, and Solfis agrees, that the system is healthy, but no institutions, no matter how healthy, can survive the rise of a demagogue if things go wrong.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. What¡¯s a demagogue?¡±


    Viv sighed. Param didn¡¯t have classes on politics as a general rule.


    ¡°It¡¯s someone who appeals to the desires and fears of people to get power instead of reason. Those people aim to get, then stay at the top rather than ruling wisely. They are the worst threat to the current government model we¡¯re using, which is close to a constitutional monarchy.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say. You want me to keep everyone in line and look good, right?¡±


    ¡°Gather people around you. Be the symbol of what Harrak could be.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Normally I would refuse, but I owe you for my arm, so I will hold the fort while you are gone. And train your line breakers. You have my word has a warrior that I¡¯ll do it until you return. I want to ask. Why me?¡±


    ¡°Several reasons,¡± Viv replied. She had expected the question. ¡°You didn¡¯t seek a higher status while you¡¯re here and those who do not seek power tend to avoid its corruption. You are also well-known, charismatic, handsome, and really deadly. Such a combination garners respect.¡±


    Solar shrugged. The simple gesture caught Viv¡¯s eyes as his muscles rolled under a thin shirt. It wasn¡¯t a bad sight.


    ¡°Maybe I am.¡±


    ¡°Solfis believes you are, so you are. In any case, your role is to prevent people from going too far. I¡¯d wager that you¡¯ll be good at that.¡±


    Solar moved forward. He placed his hands on his knees and Viv felt pressure from becoming the point of interest of the man in front of her. Even then, she could tell that he was holding back.


    ¡°What if I replace you in the eyes of the people? What then?¡±


    Viv swallowed with some difficulty even though she knew what to answer.


    ¡°It will happen, at least a little bit. I can¡¯t just leave everyone and expect my status not to change at least a little. And I don¡¯t mind. I just don¡¯t want all we have achieved to collapse as soon as I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. I have served quite a few people who would see their land burn around them rather than give it up.¡±


    ¡°A foolish notion. If someone replaces me, I¡¯ll just replace them when I return. Much easier than picking up the pieces.¡±


    Solar chuckled, and so did his wife.


    ¡°Ah, you make a good argument. I am not cut out for this but for your sake and the sake of the people I protected, I will do as you ask. You can seek your cure without concern, Your Grace. I will hold the fort while you are away.¡±


    ***


    Anelton had not changed much since the last time Viv had seen it, before Lancer¡¯s attack. The sacked town still had the appearance of a corpse, only one that had gone under the hand of a mortician. The gates had been summarily repaired while chimney smoke from some of the better buildings hinted at either new colonists or desperate pillagers. In any case, Viv would avoid the place. It would be the height of retardation to show her mug at the border.


    The outlander hesitated for a fraction of a second. She had never been farther east than this place. It was new land from here on, a Terra Incognita that would be hostile to her, but she would not let that deter her. She had made sure everything would survive her departure. She had said her goodbyes. A new sheet of metal showing a crown had been added to the patchwork roundshield by an emotional blacksmith during a massive farewell party. The time had come to go on.


    Viv looked back. Her little expedition had four horses total, including two pack horses to help forward. They would have to buy more stuff on the road and that was fine. Probably.


    ¡°Ready everyone?¡±


    //Always.


    ¡°I hope we meet another Kark exile¡­¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Then, errr, to adventure!¡±


    Viv prayed to Maradoc, God of Travelers, for a safe journey. In the confines of his domain, the god laughed and laughed and laughed.

 Chapter 88: In Enoria

    Traveling through the Enorian spring was the closest Viv had felt to being on Earth since landing on this weird planet. Fields of flowers and copses of trees shone a vibrant green on either side of the dirt road. Sometimes, they came across an abandoned field or the ossified remains of a stone building that could have been an abandoned shepherd''s retreat, and she almost expected to crest a hill and find an asphalt road and a board announcing Carmaux or Marvejols in twenty kilometers. Frequent hills blocked the view, which should have set her on edge but just gave the setting a more intimate feel. The illusion lasted for a blissful ten minutes at most, then something came to break the immersion.


    Strange, colorful dragonflies or butterflies with strange wing patterns reminded her of where she was. Or the white frame of a hunting Arthur would swerve in the distance. Or Marruk would turn to inspect something and she would go from funny LARPer to actual alien. Funnily enough, this did little to mar Viv¡¯s mood. She was free of responsibility for the first time in six months. Half a year of constant pressure, decisions, and efforts now finally over. Harrak was in good hands, she believed. Solar had been very obvious about not wanting the job, which made him the best candidate. It was just her, the others, and the road. Even the weather was on their side.


    They camped the first night in an abandoned farmstead. The solid compound had only been left very recently, and they found many tools and pots of low value neatly stacked in a shed. Viv surmised that someone had moved away because of the civil war out of concern for their safety. Given what she had seen in Anelton, it felt reasonable enough.


    ¡°Yes. I saw that as well,¡± Marruk confirmed. ¡°In good times, people expand in good spots for villages. But in bad times they contract. People go hungry then. They throw stones and send their dogs.¡±


    She frowned.


    ¡°Some of the new villages survive, others are lost or abandoned.¡±


    //A mark of poor planning.


    //Harrakans have and must plan their expansion properly.


    //A population cannot be wasted building a village on a Frilled Roc migration path.


    //Truly, the barbarians have returned to their ways.


    //They will have to be taught again.


    ¡°Not by us and not any time soon,¡± Viv replied. She had much on her plate.


    Viv spent her evening listening to Solfis reading a magical theory book from his data bank, discovering in passing that ancient scholars did not consider clarity as particularly desirable when exposing their theories. It still gave her some ideas on the next step of her training. So far, she had tossed balls of mana with symbols on it, but apparently it was possible to combine several ¡®layers¡¯ to make complex spells with various effects. She was intrigued, but it was hard to do, and harder still when alone.


    They left early in the morning after a breakfast of meat skewers and tubers, courtesy of Arthur and Marruk, respectively. They came across their first village around noon and Viv realized her mistake.


    She should have taken a fifth member, a face, someone smooth, because they were too memorable.


    Solfis could not buy fresh bread for obvious reasons, same for Arthur. Marruk would attract too much attention this close to Kazar. As for Viv, she had auburn hair while everyone¡¯s was black, and unique green eyes. It was possible to change one¡¯s appearance through magic but that was a life mana domain and thus closed to her. She should have found a way to dye her hair. She should have brought a fifth person, a man. That was a mistake on her part. As it was, they had to avoid the village.


    //A good thing, Your Grace.


    //That way, you are not tempted.


    ¡°I am tempted by fresh bread!¡±


    //We still have a significant amount of travel biscuits.


    //Plus the roots and meat your companions find.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    That evening, they failed to find a house so they set camp under a particularly large pine tree. The fallen needles were softer than expected and Viv woke up smelling like corporate toilets, which was actually an improvement. They found a well later that day and used it to refresh themselves. They also came across a small convoy.


    Viv had not come across any lone travelers so far, which reinforced her belief that people around were not complete idiots. The convoy must have had some sort of scout because they detected her presence before she could see them, though she knew of their presence thanks to Arthur. She was asked to stand at a respectable distance across a clearing by a bunch of nervous hunters with bows, which Viv was fine with. The convoy itself looked rather cheap. It was mostly villagers on their makeshift carriages accompanied by the town¡¯s guards, carrying food and bales of wool. The few women present wore long skirts and braided hair that popped out of shawls. Conservative stuff. Viv and her companions were studiously ignored.


    ¡°Wartime measures?¡± She asked.


    //They must expect bandits, Your Grace.


    ¡°I would think that the prince cleaned the place on his way here.¡±


    As soon as she said that, she knew her opinion was stupid.


    ¡°There are always more bandits when an army just fell apart,¡± Marruk said.


    //Especially if government rules are stringent.


    ¡°You sound disapproving, Solfis. I thought you would prefer stringent rules.¡±


    //A path of salvation must be offered so the surviving meatbags may redeem themselves.


    //Otherwise, the victor must deploy light cavalry and hounds.


    //And exterminate the resistance.


    //I disapprove of half measures.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    //I am ever happy to offer you a chance to learn, Your Grace.


    //In any case, we should expect bandits.


    On the third day, they found a suspicious tree across the path while they were moving through a large patch of wood. Viv took one good look and almost groaned.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too obvious?¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Marruk said, then her face froze and Viv¡¯s sight was suddenly blocked by thick steel. There was a ping.


    ¡°Archers!¡± the Kark said. Viv had felt the danger as well. She dismounted quickly and placed her roundshield in front of her. There was a man standing in the distance. She had not seen him. His expression was one of pure terror. Other ruffians in stained gambesons and dirty shirts were rushing her now.


    ¡°No! Wait! Run!¡± The man said. ¡°It¡¯s her! The Great Black Whore!¡±


    The handful of outlaws slipped on the gravelly earth in an attempt to reverse course, cries of dismay echoing through the empty woods. The archer was already fleeing.


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°I know. Purge net!¡±


    They didn¡¯t run fast enough.


    Black mana was not the most flexible but it sure worked at what it did. Killing, to begin with. Cutting down trees into logs worked as well. If that whole evil imperialistic overlord schtick didn¡¯t pan out, Viv could always start a sawmill. Didn¡¯t even need the mill.


    ¡°I think that should do it?¡± she asked Marruk. The Kark frowned disapprovingly.


    ¡°One more layer.¡±


    ¡°We have dragonfire.¡±


    ¡°One more layer!¡±


    ¡°Fiiiiiiine.¡±


    All bodies had to be disposed of or risk rising as revenants, and Viv didn¡¯t have Neriad¡¯s powers to give peace. The god had sent a tinge of sadness after she had prayed for forgiveness, but it looked like conflict between members were rather common and so she wasn¡¯t excommunicated yet. In any case, she was not part of his clergy. They had to burn the corpses. Viv took comfort in the belief that the lice would burn as well.


    ¡°Squee?¡± Arthur finally asked from the stump on which she throned.


    ¡°One more layer.¡±


    Work


    Faster


    Want


    Hunt


    Explore


    Observe


    ¡°You could always help, you know?¡±


    Help


    With fire!


    ¡°Yes, yes, one moment.¡±


    They soon had a pyre going. It smelled disturbingly meaty.


    ¡°Five silver talents, a hundred iron ones. They were probably waiting to save enough so they could start over somewhere else,¡± Marruk observed.


    Viv split the money between herself and Marruk. Arthur didn¡¯t get anything on account of having done nothing at all! The rest were battered weapons, filthy pieces of cloth and wine Viv wouldn¡¯t have used to clean her windows. Slim pickings.


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get luckier next time,¡± Marruk said,


    ¡°I hope there isn¡¯t a next time! Wait. Marruk. Did you ever hunt outlaws to steal their stuff?¡±


    ¡°Well. It¡¯s not stealing if they¡¯re outlaws, right? It¡¯s, errr, liberating. Outlaws are not protected by law, by definition.¡±


    Viv was starting to think that the Kark¡¯s trip through human lands had been a bit bloodier than she let on.


    Whatever.


    The journey went on until Viv finally came to miss her comfy bed and regular breakfasts after another week on the saddle. It had rained for a full day when they had finally moved north to avoid the major hub of Reixa, a city where everyone likely knew who she was. She had used a colorless shield to stay dry which was, she had to admit, completely awesome, but the cold and humidity could not be fended off that easily. The relative absence of signs and posts meant that finding their way was delicate without stopping at any of the many farming villages now dotting the plains. Thankfully, Marruk was talented at finding direction, skilled as well. And easy to get along with, which mattered when even the handful of monsters ran away rather than provide an amusing diversion. Viv breathed with relief when they arrived at the border town of Koltis, which sat happily at the crossing between northern and southern Enoria. The many villages on the way had been spared most of the horrors of war, and laborers of all ages busied themselves in the fields, plowing and seeding for this year¡¯s harvest. Songs filled the air.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve been left untouched, just like Farren said,¡± Viv commented as she put on her ¡®incognito¡¯ cloak which was dark blue and velvety with a silver brooch.


    ¡°There are few people who would mess with the town. It¡¯s not worth angering so many churches.¡±


    The troop transports that ended in the deadlands paused in Koltis, and most of the churches had a strong presence here, with the guards that came with it. It was when they came across a caravan of ¡®merchants¡¯ that Viv guessed the second part of the city¡¯s function.


    ¡°Smugglers,¡± she commented.


    ¡°Not even hiding,¡± Marruk added, ¡°means that it¡¯s safer to look like smugglers and they¡¯re more afraid of bandits than guards.¡±


    //Frontier towns between two countries that do not trade officially tend to attract this sort.


    //As well as spies and other operatives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can avoid going there. We¡¯re out of supplies. We should not linger, though.¡±


    //Agreed.


    //We must save my reserves for as long as possible.


    //There will be no easy opportunity to recharge me.


    The roads were packed for the first time ever. People in simple garb were bringing flocks of the large egg-making birds Viv had seen in Kazar, but also cornudons and other animals Viv had never seen before and that looked like oversized rams. A group of children ran by them, laughing all the way. Koltis came into view soon after.


    The town sat atop a lone hillock in the middle of a flat valley, with a brook flowing lazily in the distance. Walls surrounded a village of tall houses, while an actual castle dominated the view. Viv could spot the shine of steel and siege engines from here so the reason why people left the place alone was not just because of its influence. Nobody paid the party any mind, especially with Arthur flown somewhere else for the day. The lack of danger made the dragonette positively greedy, and she hunted with diligence. The gates were opened and a line had formed by its side. Viv considered stopping but Marruk shook her head.


    ¡°We look rich so we must act the part. No self-respecting caster would queue with peasants, even a wild one, and we have horses to boot.¡±


    They moved on to the short queue, ending behind a carriage of respectable size bearing the symbol of a black gate. Viv recognized a dignitary of Enttiku, the God of Death. They were let in immediately.


    ¡°You guys merchants?¡± a guard asked. He spoke with a lazy voice and was using his polearm as a walking stick, but Viv was not fooled. The man had keen eyes and he was inspecting them. She pulled in her soul. No need to cause a scene. It didn¡¯t look like this place liked scenes, or asking names for that matter.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re travelers,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°You with anyone?¡± he asked, and Viv suspected that the question was loaded.


    ¡°No, just passing through,¡± and because the man frowned just a bit, she added more to be safe.


    ¡°We were hoping to find the local branch of the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange.¡±


    ¡°You got a chit?¡±


    Viv obliged, foraging in her cleavage to find the damn pendant. The doorman relaxed when he saw proof.


    ¡°Standing rate is half a silver per rider. No fees on horses or luggage for bank guests. It¡¯s your first time here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The bank is in the royal square. Can¡¯t miss it. Just follow the main road until you see the statue of a twat on a horse, and I¡¯m not saying anything but don¡¯t try to sell anything without approval or you¡¯ll catch a steel-based stomach-ache, mage or not.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sure.¡±


    Viv paid the silver talent. The guard waved her in without another word and she soon realized that they had come during market day.


    Koltis was old, or at least it hadn¡¯t burnt down in a long time. All the standing houses were at least three-stories tall and they loomed over the main road like crones over a cradle, dark and pitted by age. Conical roofs designed to ward off snow only increased the vertiginous feeling brought not by height, but by the suffocating narrow paths packed with a crying, laughing, haggling humanity. Stalls and carpets covered every spare finger of available space that wouldn¡¯t result in active trampling. Viv was compelled to slow down to a crawl. Men and women with dangerous eyes watched her pass from windows and balconies. It smelled very strongly of perfume and sweat, of fresh pastries and piss. The heady scent overwhelmed her after so many days outside. Reflexively, she made sure that all of her pockets and saddles were closed, not that she expected to compete with people of the thief path. The slow pace gave her the time to see what people were hawking and the variety was something to behold. There were toys, small enchanted stones that produced a variety of effects, knives, umbrellas, and simple tools. The farther they went, and the more elaborate the goods were. A blacksmith was offering a discount on training blades, unadorned and heavier to build muscle. A handful of jewelers sold pendants and rings under the paranoid gaze of bodyguards. Viv could see and feel mana from a lot of those, some of those she didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Defensive rings, milady?¡± the daring salesman asked, seeing her interest. ¡°A compass ring? A cold seed ring for your lover?¡±


    Viv gave the man a half-lidded smile. Truth be told, compass and no-kids-no-STDs rings sounded quite useful but she could not hide her eyes or hair color from up close. Not worth it. Not stopping for anything.


    They arrived at the square after far too much time. It was less crowded and guards had multiplied, the official ones that is. There had been plenty of thugs. No one stopped her from going in. She supposed that the expensive cloaks, spare horses and obvious hired muscle gave off the right vibe. The bank looked suspiciously like the one back in Kazar including the small columns and austere exterior. The only concession to the town¡¯s esthetic was the use of dark tiles that decorated every roof in town. A dark-skinned young man in a pristine white doublet grabbed their beasts and bowed, inviting them in without a word. Viv left a folded Solfis in his special saddle and walked in through reinforced gates.


    The interior of the bank was an exact copy of the one she had visited in those last days before the departure down to the wood used for the welcome counter. It was the same warm tones, the same dim light and understated charm. It even smelled of wax and wood like its Kazaran counterpart. The only difference was the size, as the Koltis office was significantly larger. Several coffee tables occupied the open space leading farther inside, surrounded by chairs and separated by wood screens to afford several groups their privacy. They were currently empty. A dark-skinned guard in shiny mail with a white tabard took a step forward with a genial smile. He has a straight sword by his side, sheathed for now.


    ¡°Welcome to the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange, Koltis branch. May I ask your business?¡±


    ¡°I wish to inquire about guides. My final destination is Helock.¡±


    ¡°I assume that you are already one of our valued customers. May I see your chit?¡±


    Viv grabbed the pendant from her neck, but the guards stopped once he was close enough to see under the cloak¡¯s hood. He retracted his hand.


    ¡°That will not be necessary, after all. Mr Manipeleso has been expecting you. Please, follow me. Your mounts will be taken care of.¡±


    Without waiting for an answer, the guard made a sign to his partner who started the complex task of securing the gate behind her. It seemed to involve a large amount of locks and enchantments. A beautiful woman stood and bowed as she passed her by. Just like the guards, she had the dark skin of a northerner.


    Viv followed a set of corridors to another reception room in warm tones, lit by lanterns giving a warm light. High windows gave a modicum of daylight as well. She half-collapsed in an elegant chair made of curved woods and a soft pillow. Marruk did not relax, but took her position by the door. A moment later, the desk woman knocked and brought a floral infusion with a set of cups and sliced fruits. She was soon followed by a burly pair of soldiers carrying a folded, silent Solfis. Viv had a sip of the infusion and liked it, exchanging a smile with the woman who had remained. It only took a couple more minutes before the master of the place arrived. By then, Viv had removed her cloak, leaving her exotic traits fully on display.


    ¡°The Calamity herself. It is such an honor to welcome you in my humble abode,¡± the man said with a winning grin, one Viv could not help but return.


    ¡°My name is Zan Manipeleso, head of the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange, Koltis branch. We have much to discuss.¡±


    Her host had a perfectly trimmed beard and a shaved skull. He was very handsome in a patriarch kind of way, a bit old for her taste but impressive nonetheless. A white robe covered his muscular chest, much broader than she would expect from a man of finance, and his hands showed the scars she had seen in Marruk and other professional fighters. Keen eyes surveyed her but his smile felt genuine, wrinkling crows feet. Viv noticed the grey on his temple as well, enhancing the feeling of respectability he exuded.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± she replied amicably, ¡°although the fact that you expected me is a concern in itself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do not worry about this. Tom Manitaradin has given us an account of the recent events, as you can imagine. Your arrival here was expected provided that nothing went wrong on the way.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    ¡°And nothing has, it seems. How exciting. Right, before we begin, let me cut to the chase. Your arrival has necessarily been noticed by local cartels, especially because your eyes and hair are quite recognizable by those who pay attention. We will evacuate you via our secret route tonight so that you can flee north. I apologize in advance for the upset if you expected to relax and visit the place, but I fear that any delay would give our opportunistic friends the time to lay a proper siege, or to try and kidnap an employee, perhaps. Greed often blocks the path of self-preservation. In the meanwhile, please give us a list of supplies you would like to acquire and I will send runners to purchase them for you, for a very modest fee.¡±


    Viv frowned at that, but to her surprise it was Marruk who intervened.


    ¡°What you pay with the fee will be offset by what the northerners save through bargaining,¡± the Kark reluctantly admitted. ¡°They are very good at negotiation.¡±


    ¡°Quite, Mistress Marruk.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I understand that the ¡®loyalists¡¯ would want my head, but I thought this was neutral territory?¡±


    ¡°It most certainly is. However, Koltis¡¯ sovereign after Count Serril is profit and we have received news a couple of weeks ago that concerned you. It appears that Constable Toreno has taken a keen interest in your person.¡±


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°I have no idea who this is.¡±


    Zan¡¯s smile widened, then the man chuckled, which turned into a full belly laugh that lasted for a couple of seconds and left Viv a bit baffled.


    ¡°Ah, forgive me this outburst. Constable Toreno has taken over the royalist faction. By the way, using loyalist clearly identifies you as a southerner, which you should avoid doing so close to the frontier. The neutral terms would be royalist, as I mentioned, and separatist. Using the term rebel is regarded as a major faux-pas among certain circles. It amuses me that you would not know the identity of the man pushing so hard to save his side.¡±


    ¡°Why is he interested in me, then?¡±


    ¡°I am not certain but I can surmise that it relates either to the brazen execution of the de facto crown prince, or to your mysterious ability to heal what was considered as beyond help.¡±


    Viv realized that she had not considered how momentous her regrowth spell construct could be. She should have.


    ¡°Constable Tarano has offered a thousand gold talents for your capture alive, or a hundred and fifty for information that could lead to it.¡±


    Viv swallowed not to spit the content of her cup. That was¡­ enough to buy one¡¯s own barony.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s, errr, unmentionables. Really?¡±


    ¡°Quite so. You can understand the urgency of the situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised I wasn¡¯t shot down in the streets.¡±


    Zan¡¯s eyes twinkled in the intimate light.


    ¡°I think you can answer this question yourself. It is said that you matched Eteia in a duel.¡±


    ¡°Briefly.¡±


    ¡°Then you can understand that even the most addled bounty hunters know that they cannot collect if they¡¯re dead. Besides, dear Tarano made it abundantly clear that your corpse would get no reward beyond a noose. It takes quite a bit of planning to take down a caster of your talent without killing her, and even more when they have your instincts¡­ and entourage. Nevertheless, some will try soon enough. That is why we will make sure you are out before it happens.¡±


    Viv blocked the benevolent aura coming from her gracious host for a moment so she could ask the real question.


    ¡°Not that I am not grateful, but what do you get out of this?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, the motives.¡±


    If the man was offended by his question, he gave no signs of it.


    ¡°First, the smuggling cartels always maintain a delicate balance between two secret wars. I deem it a bit too soon for the next one to start so competitive violence would be inadvisable right now. By removing you from the city, I put a lid on an untimely eruption of bloodshed. If you cannot believe anything else, believe this. Second, the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange has taken a great interest in your performance. We do so love an underdog. Not to mention the enticing prospect of reclaiming the deadlands, which would, as I am sure you are aware, require a large amount of capital to jump start. Third, our noble institution is present in every nation of this continent including Halluria because of our reputation. For us, reputation is everything¡­¡±


    Zan¡¯s elegant companion interrupted him with a few whispers in their tongue. The mighty banker sighed deeply, and for an instant the mask fell to reveal intense regret. It disappeared again so fast that Viv thought she might have imagined it.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I have a regrettable business to attend to. Please, consider it a token of our commitment.¡±


    The original pair of guards came in without apparent prompt. They carried between them the very same attendant who had collected Viv¡¯s horses back outside only a few minutes ago. Perspiration pearled on his skin and he looked terrified.


    ¡°Uncle, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhhh,¡± Zan said without mirth. ¡°My dear Rel, we tolerate a bit of theft and some insider trading in our recruits, if only so they expect it from their subordinates, but we have one golden rule. One rule that we never, ever break. Which one?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Which one, Rel?¡± the powerful man hissed between clenched teeth.


    ¡°Protect client confidentiality.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Nol, which one?¡±


    ¡°The bloody knives, sir.¡±


    ¡°Rel, not only are you without honor, but you are also without brains. Everyone in town worth a damn already knows she¡¯s here. This secret is worth nothing.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, uncle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my boy. So I am.¡±


    It happened very quickly. The banker¡¯s large, scarred hand closed around his subordinate¡¯s throat like a vice and twisted. The younger man barely had the time to gasp before the telltale crack of snapped bones silenced him forever. His body fell like a puppet with its strings cut in the waiting arms of the guards, who pulled him away. He was still gasping for a breath that would never come when the door closed behind them.


    A part of Viv thought that it was a nice touch to remove poor Rel before he could stink up the room with his loosened sphincters. She took a sip of tea.


    Another part was screaming in her head. That was fine too.


    Marruk rumbled something in Kark. It was obviously not very diplomatic because the man froze in his tracks and the atmosphere grew heavy indeed. Viv belatedly remembered to use her fucking skill.


    [Death dealer, extremely dangerous, one who conducts business on the edge of a blade. Close quarter combat specialist, slayer of men, slayer of Kark, smart, merciless. Very fast]


    Viv turned to Marruk, whose hand hovered over the handle of her nasty flanged mace.


    ¡°Could you please not?¡±


    //I agree with the Heiress, long may she live.


    //Please return to the main objective.


    Solfis¡¯ voice helped the banker calm down. Viv hadn¡¯t dared using her intimidation because she felt like Zan knew he would die and was considering gutting Marruk anyway.


    ¡°Yes¡­ As Miss Marruk said, the hungry dogs do tend to devour each other.¡±


    He gave her a venomous smile and the stout Kark reddened with embarrassment.


    ¡°Sorry about this,¡± Viv said on behalf of the proud woman. She knew that Marruk had been rude but on the other hand the banker¡¯s people and Marruk¡¯s tribe had been at war for a long time and things had gone genocidal. It was like asking a Jewish soldier to be patient with Nazis or something. Viv gave herself a Godwin point and a scolding for that shit comparison and wisely decided to move on.


    ¡°I understand. Now, if you will excuse me, I must see to tonight¡¯s preparations. Lan will assist you with everything you need.¡±


    The large man left in awkward silence. The elegant woman, Lan, stood and clapped her hands once in a preppy gesture that dispelled some of the mood.


    ¡°I am sure you are tired from your journey and you have a long night in front of you. I have taken the liberty of preparing the guest quarters where you can relax and bathe in preparation for your departure.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great. Please, lead the way,¡± Viv replied genially.


    They walked deeper into the complex with the pair of guards still carrying Solfis. It felt weird to Viv but she supposed that no one in their right mind would want to watch him unfold. Except her, of course.


    ¡°So, I wanted to ask if it¡¯s not trouble, Lan. I cannot help but notice that Mr. Manipeleso shares his name with the bank. Is this a common occurrence?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, Mr. Zan Manipeleso belongs to the main branch of the family. In fact, he is related to the current head. They are second cousins, I believe. Mr. Manitaradin whom you met belongs to a secondary branch, although, if he were to compete for leadership, he could be accepted in the main one with sufficient merits.¡±


    Viv asked a few more questions which led to a lengthy explanation. Apparently, the family was actually a clan and they owned the bank fully. She got the impression that competition to become boss was extremely fierce, but that they were united when it came to outsider interference. Lan finished answering while Marruk was moving inside the guest quarter they would be using, which was spacious and had two beds.


    ¡°Please give me a list of supplies you would like purchased at your soonest convenience. The cost will be deducted from your balance plus a finder¡¯s fee that depends on the haggler¡¯s skill.¡±


    ¡°Hm, truth be told, not sure of what this city can offer.¡±


    ¡°I will be happy to assist an outlander, Miss Viviane.¡±


    It took some time, but Viv finally got a comprehensive package that included food as expected, but also a variety of enchanted objects that Kazar couldn¡¯t produce due a lack of qualified workforce. The enchanters they had acquired had focused exclusively on weaponry.


    Viv¡¯s logic was that she could paste anything as long as she was conscious, so she had to work on staying in that state. She purchased a ring that would vibrate and ¡®poke¡¯ her if she was ever poisoned as well as a set of wide-spectrum antidotes, as well as a magical helmet. Those would set her back a solid twelve gold talents, which was what a knight captain earned in a year (before taxes). The helmet was cool though. It looked like what Achilles would wear in a Hollywood remake of the Iliad but without the massive crest. It was also dark grey and had the welcome feature of limiting incoming light. A side effect of that enchantment was that her iris looked black instead of green as long as she kept it on her head. There were also soaps and a hair dye she used just after her bath. Her hair was long enough to reach her shoulders now, so even the helmet wouldn¡¯t cover it properly. A compass joined the collection, and then came the difficult choice of buying magical prophylactics.


    She didn¡¯t intend to bonk anyone during her trip.


    But well, better be prepared just in case.


    ¡°If you use it, you must keep it on for at least three days afterward. A week is safer,¡± Lan told her during an embarrassing conversation. Eventually, she was ready and went to bed for a nap. She woke up at nightfall and had a light dinner with a sulking Marruk.


    ¡°Sorry about earlier,¡± the Kark mumbled.


    ¡°I understand your reaction¡­ Just¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. It was stupid and served no purpose.¡±


    Viv thought that the matter was close, but when a soldier came to tell her that the time had come, Viv thought the Kark would smash his head in.


    The newcomer was not one of the guards she had seen earlier, but a man wearing dark leather armor enchanted to the gills. He had long dreads decorated with ribbons and other trinkets Viv found curious but she didn¡¯t comment. A variety of knives hung from a bandoleer across his chest. The design of his armor was rather specific and reminded Viv of her old scout armor, the one she had found in Harrak. He seemed to sense the tension and retreated after delivering his message.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Viv asked as they finished dressing.


    ¡°He is a Dark Blade. You will forgive me if I react to the uniform his associates wore the night they murdered my mother in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Oh. Let¡¯s get out of here before I do something everyone will regret.¡±


    The pair followed the Dark Blade out of their room and then down a flight of stairs leading to a passage so long Viv felt like they ought to have left the city already. They emerged later in a barn and Viv realized that she was, in fact, out of the city. Four different horses awaited with Solfis and their usual saddles, as well as six Dark Blades on light mounts. The fields outside were empty but Nyil¡¯s moon shone clearly on the forest in the distance and the white dragonette landing with an excited squee. They left at a gallop.


    ¡°I just want to get to Helock,¡± Viv whispered under her breath. ¡°Nothing more.¡±


    Behind them, unseen men yelled in alarm.

 Chapter 89. The Pull of Fate.

    Viv rode on the back of a galloping horse, cursing every moment she had spent thinking pony girls were uncool. If she had learned to ride better, she wouldn¡¯t be feeling like a potato bag strapped to a roller coaster right now. At least, she took solace in the fact that Marruk had it even worse.


    ¡°Damn. Stupid. Beast! Gah.¡±


    It was cultural. Probably. The pair clung to their saddles on the mad dash to a large dirt road lining the forest that surrounded the farmland. Once there, they turned north at breakneck speed and Viv finally caught a glimpse of their pursuers.


    So here on Param, there were people who could rival a sprinting horse. She saw men in civilian clothes racing over the growing cereals on an intercept course. A woman with a pixie cut lifted a shortbow but she hesitated. The fastest runners got close enough that she could see the white of their eyes. They probably wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain that speed indefinitely. The horse had slowed down to turn, but now they were accelerating again.


    For a brief moment, the two sides took each other¡¯s measure. Viv knew hired muscle when she saw it. Many of them wore colored shawls, armbands, sometimes even whole dyed shirts, a luxury Kazarans had no way to afford. They formed a colorful, eclectic group of city cutthroats from different bands, eyes shining under the moonlight like a pack of jackals. She inspected them calmly and felt no fear.


    Viv let the pursuers know what she would do if they got any closer. There was a certain reluctance in her to kill again, but it would not extend past their attempt to get her. She opened her soul and gave this piece of information to them freely, without artifice.


    The air suddenly smelled of ashes and roasted meat.


    They faltered.


    The men and women froze in their tracks, cowed. Viv spared them one last glance and galloped away.


    The Dark Blades guarding her sheathed their throwing knives without comment. The group fell silent. Behind them, the towers of Koltis¡¯ keep disappeared behind the odd trees. They were leaving this strip of farmland behind on their way out. Soon, the forest surrounded them on all sides again, and the visibility decreased, but they didn¡¯t stop. The horses and the dark blades apparently knew where they were going, though Viv was blind as a bat right now. After less than ten minutes, they slowed down dramatically.


    ¡°Trap,¡± a dark blade whispered before Viv could ask what gave. No sooner had he said so that Viv felt mana burst in front of her.


    The forest always had a familiar blend of brown mana with a life and black background. A rush of brown warned her of the impending attack before it even launched. Her training and experience took over.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    The shield expanded past the dark blades as they yelled warning. It hit something, which exploded mid-air. Shrapnel snapped against the ground and nearby trunks with loud thuds. Viv spread black mana on the ground to nullify traps, though she felt nothing, and for a good reason. The path in front of them stopped as a wall rose to block their way. Viv felt the locus of power causing the spell somewhat to the left of the road. She didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Purge.¡±


    The thickened version of her simple spell speared through the wall and into the person behind. She heard a gasp. The magic weakened. Her instincts screamed at her of danger in the darkness. She felt projectiles coming at her more accurately than ever before. Two to her left, and back. She sent large shields after them.


    ¡°This way!¡±


    The horses barely ever slowed before they changed course, diving into a gap between trees to the left. A branch slapped Viv in the face. She couldn¡¯t see anything. There were noises, and screams. Snaps. She huddled and held to the bridle with all her might.


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    Acuity Reflex: Intermediate 1


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    A net shredded a projectile coming at her from behind until pieces of it clanged uselessly against her roundshield. Another pull of magic warned her of an enemy at their back. She spread black mana in the air. A roar of wind shredded the bushes behind her, showering her in rocks and splinters but failing to harm her. She pointed at the ground behind and channeled change into the earth. Alien columns rose up. A tree toppled, roots displaced by the aggressive movement. Cries of dismay echoed as their pursuers faced the eldritch walls. Viv¡¯s group angled left, back towards the road which they reached a moment later. Viv could see again. She pulled a piece of something from her helmet-covered neck. It was a ball of something cut in two.


    ¡°Bolas. They want you alive,¡± Marruk said. She had another one wrapped around her mace.


    ¡°Well, tough luck for them.¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± a dark blade said. Viv frowned but didn¡¯t comment. The man was right. They had to keep moving.


    For an hour, the horses rode at great speed. They came across many villages, all of them surrounded by wooden palissades. Once, they even scared a patrol of guards who scrambled to get out of the way. Only after the land grew wild again did the dark blades slow down to a slow canter.


    ¡°Those were not gangers,¡± the leader said.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Marruk retorted, unrolling another bola from her mace. She tossed the thing to the side with anger.


    ¡°No, they were bounty hunters. Emlyg the Undying¡¯s crew,¡± the man continued with dripping annoyance. ¡°They are pretty known around those parts. Professionals with a witch pair, brother and sister. A brown and a grey, respectively.¡±


    ¡°Just the sister then,¡± Viv replied. The dark blade stared at her with widened eyes.


    ¡°You killed one?¡±


    ¡°Unless they can endure a fist-wide hole in their bodies, they are at least disabled.¡±


    The leader hummed under his breath, but he was clearly not happy.


    ¡°They might be less willing to take you intact, then.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t expect me to peacefully surrender to a faction whose prince I publicly executed.¡±


    ¡°I do not do politics. My goal is to see you out alive and well. Emlyg the Undying is known for his extremely high endurance. Some say it is in the fifth or even sixth tier. He never gives up. He doesn¡¯t even need to sleep anymore.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going then.¡±


    Viv looked up, but didn¡¯t see Arthur. They kept going at a good pace on the same road as it moved through light forests and isolated hamlets. They only slowed at dawn, when Viv faced an unpleasant view.


    The next village had been large at some point. It had sat on a recess near a pond. A single cabin overlooked the placid waters with a lone canoe half-sunk near the shore. Now, the palissade looked like the teeth of an old hag, whatever was left of it. Burnt husks rotted away behind the crumbling defenses, with many suspicious dark spots staining the ground and logs. Someone had written ¡®Fate of the Rebels¡¯ in large letters on the cracked gates using an undetermined ink. Ropes still hung from some of the trees. The silence was deafening. Not even insects buzzed. Dark mana was thick and cloying there, reminding Viv of the edge of the Deadlands, but its presence felt new and raw. It permeated whatever little life there still was and smelled like worms and flies.


    ¡°Ristin. Royalists got to them last autumn,¡± the leader explained. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to ¡ª¡±


    //Contact.


    Before anyone could react, one of the blades collapsed forward in his saddle, gurgling. A feathered shaft emerged from his neck.


    ¡°Go! GO!¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t have to be asked twice. The issue with danger sense was that it didn¡¯t extend to her allies. She couldn¡¯t protect anyone but herself.


    ¡°How the fuck?¡± Viv mumbled.


    ¡°He must have followed us,¡± Marruk said. ¡°It came from the trees.¡±


    ¡°What, on foot?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. People with high endurance can do that.¡±


    Viv realized that she was dealing with a persistence hunter. He would probably just wait until they were exhausted to go in for the kill.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we track him instead?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. His men must be following behind!¡± The leader answered.


    Dammit.


    ¡°Solfis, can you track him?¡±


    //Yes.


    //However, I suggest waiting until we inevitably make camp to do so.


    //Otherwise, the energy expenditure to rejoin you would be too high.


    Viv wanted to say that people were dying, but those were banker assassins and so not really her problem. The golem would probably see them as expendable as well.


    They kept going until noon, but by then it was clear that the horses wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    ¡°There is an inn a little farther. We can rest for a few hours,¡± the leader finally said.


    ¡°We can?¡± Viv asked with some doubt.


    ¡°Remember, those are royalists who asked for your head. We are in separatist territory.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    //The tracker will avoid enclosed space.


    //But we will be ambushed on our way out.


    ¡°The horses need a break,¡± the dark blade said in a tone that brooked no compromise.


    Viv realized that the man had just lost a subordinate and was probably also more experienced than her in tracking, so she decided to cut him some slack. Marruk didn¡¯t share this opinion though.


    ¡°One word from you and we split from those assholes.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how things turn out. We don¡¯t know enough,¡± Viv replied.


    The possibility that they might backstab her crossed her mind. It could be that Zan wanted her killed quietly by the roadside rather than in the city with all the consequences it entailed. Thankfully, she had Solfis. If it ever happened, they would try to poison her. Better check that poison ring she got and see if it was any good.


    The road widened onto an artificial clearing made by extremely determined loggers and she got a first glimpse of the ¡®inn¡¯. It should have been obvious that anything remote and isolated would be fortified to the wazoo. Their haven-to-be was a grey stone castle with crenelated high walls and a tower that matched Fort Sky in sheer height. She could spot a courtyard beyond a half-open door two handspans thick. There were axe marks on its surface. A grumpy old man with a longbow glared at them as they approached and spat to the side, which Viv found very rude.


    ¡°What do you lot want?¡±


    ¡°Shelter and breakfast.¡±


    ¡°You ain¡¯t there to kill a man, by any chance? I know what those uniforms mean, ¡®dark blades¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Shelter and breakfast. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°See that it stays true or I¡¯ll shove steel up your arse, see if I don¡¯t.¡±


    Viv and the others had to dismount to get through. The courtyard was clean and well-maintained by a young man with fearful eyes. There were horses in the stable, Viv noticed, though she didn¡¯t know how to take it. No guards that she could see. Perhaps the travelers were meant to defend the place themselves.


    The blade leader threw an iron talent at the boy and, with a last gaze cast out, walked in the main building which was at the base of the tower. Viv walked in the narrow door and almost bumped into his back. Marruk was right behind her.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Viv let her eyes adjust to the semi-darkness and witnessed a rather tense situation. Inside, there was a common room with a bar at the back that was exactly what she would have expected from a fantasy movie right down to the wooden mugs. A hairy man with a face like he ran into walls for fun stood, frozen in the middle of applying sauce on something out of sight. The three surviving blades had fanned out on the straw-covered ground, dominating a room filled with a team of men and women in gambeson and chainmail who were looking back with obvious concern. They seemed Enorian to Viv, so locals. She wondered what was wrong and got her answer immediately.


    The leader of the group was an old woman with braided gray hair and an impressive quarterstaff on her back. She had her hand on the round table in front of her, where a map was deployed with a couple of pins. A reward poster lay on the side. It showed Viv¡¯s likeness to a breathtaking level of precision. Someone had drawn her face at a three quarters angle, grim and a little tired. Although the portrait was in black and white, there was no mistaking her, and the tavern¡¯s current occupants made it clear they knew who she was. Brown, bloodshot eyes traveled from one blade to another. They avoided her with comical intensity. They were like kids caught in the middle of some mischief and just as smooth. The fiercest warriors among them licked their lips and made for their weapons. It was kind of entertaining. Or it would have been, but Viv was tired and she had no time for that sort of shit.


    ¡°None of that now,¡± she said, and the bounty hunters froze. A moment later, Marruk stepped in, huge flanged mace on display.


    She felt red mana focusing on one of the men, a solid fighter with a thin blade. She let the draconic intimidation flow and he stopped. No one moved.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the obvious out of the way. You know who I am. I know what you do. Try anything, and I¡¯ll kill you where you stand.¡±


    ¡°Stand down, everyone,¡± the older woman said in a soft voice. ¡°What do you propose, witch Bibiane?¡±


    It was amazing how quickly she could think, these days.


    ¡°We will swap our horses for yours,¡± she said before turning to the dark blade leader for confirmation. The man nodded.


    ¡°Theirs are mountain breeds. Fresh. More stamina. Almost the same price.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Thunder to some two-bits shaman,¡± a man spat behind.


    ¡°Jay. Shut up,¡± the old woman said. Her subordinate relented.


    ¡°You will also swear that you forfeit the bounty,¡± Viv finished. She could ask more but desperate people tended to do stupid things. Desperate, angry people were even worse.


    ¡°On Enttiku,¡± the blade leader added.


    The old woman licked her lips but she nodded soon after.


    ¡°You serious, boss?¡± the red caster asked. It was more bravado than anything, Viv thought. He was just saving face.


    ¡°Yeah. Bad luck to come upon them here, is all. And that¡¯s a third step war caster, in case that wasn¡¯t obvious, you dimwits. Fine. We¡¯ll swear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not swearing anything!¡± The man about to lose his horse said. He stood up. Viv saw him grab a spear and lashed out. A thin line of destructive mana speared forward. The rebellious one jumped in fright but nothing happened, except that his weapon fell in two separate pieces.


    ¡°Next time it¡¯s your throat,¡± Viv commented laconically. She hadn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°But Thunder¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can reach an arrangement¡­¡± the blade leader said.


    Viv sighed and pulled the intimidating aura back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you handle the details. I¡¯ll be outside, I need a moment.¡±


    ¡°You should find a room and sleep for an hour or two, then we will keep going. Emlyg will be after us but if we can lose his team, we will stand a better chance of handling him while he¡¯s alone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    Viv walked out with an overprotective Marruk around, then had her carry Solfis to a bedroom with a tiny window and Spartan furniture. The blades were being stupid. If they were stopping now then Emlyg would be around to make sure they stayed put. Now was the perfect time to find and kill him. Suspicion filled her heart. The blades could not be trusted.


    //Your Grace?


    ¡°Can you assess the quality of a poison ring from its engraving?¡±


    //Yes, Your Grace.


    //And from the material.


    //I can also monitor your health if I am close enough.


    //Although, it is not entirely reliable.


    //And would not function with fast-acting poisons.


    ¡°What about this one?¡±


    She removed her skinsuit to reveal a finger, which took time and forced her to bare a shoulder.


    //Excellent quality.


    //It should have cost more than what Zan demanded of it.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Curious, but welcome.


    ¡°What about the blades? I find stopping here strange. And they should be going after Emlyg.¡±


    //Their behavior is in line with bodyguards.


    //Their first priority is to keep you alive and moving, not going after your enemies.


    //Forcing Emlyg the Undying to distance himself from the rest of his men before tracking him down is logical.


    //They just assume that I cannot help.


    ¡°But you can?¡±


    //Of course.


    //I am a strike golem, not a guardian.


    //I am not designed for protection.


    //I am designed for threat disposal.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s eliminate the threat.¡±


    Viv walked to the window and whistled. She heard a whoosh of displaced air, then a serpentine face nudged itself through the opening, looking for breakfast. Viv provided the tasty jerky and a fresh egg.


    ¡°Any humans outside, hunting for us?¡±


    Yes.


    One male.


    Good cloak.


    I steal the technique/glyphs/concept.


    Sneaky dragon!


    ¡°Can you show Solfis where he is?¡±


    Hunt?


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    Hunt!


    Viv let the two go first, Solfis sliding through an opening a child would have had trouble crossing. He was like a cat but marginally less psychopathic. She made herself some warm klod and sipped it before exiting her room. A dark blade stood at attention in front of it, which did little to comfort her now that paranoia had set in. They moved out with Marruk, and the man protested once she entered the courtyard.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t safe.¡±


    ¡°Then follow me and make sure I am.¡±


    Viv walked out of the door, ignoring the grumbling of the guard above. Something about frivolous casters and safety concerns. He choked on his protests when a blood-curdling scream rang through the meadow. Soon after, a man raced across the open field. He was on fire.


    It sounded quite painful.


    Viv mercy-killed him with a net through the head before approaching the smoldering corpse. Arthur landed with a victorious squee while Solfis walked lazily from the edge of the forest a moment later. She took the time to inspect the dead. He was covered with scars, some of them apparently ritualistic in nature. A few of his old wounds should have been fatal. Even his scalp was just a sea of red tissue. None of his preparation had helped him survive the ordeal.


    ¡°So, just Emlyg then?¡± She asked the corpse.


    //He was amazingly durable for someone on this step.


    //Although, it backfired.


    ¡°I would think that a guy like him would have pain tolerance in the high tiers.¡±


    //Dragon fire ignores a lot of skills.


    ¡°Squeee!¡±


    I win.


    ¡°That you did.¡±


    I snuck up.


    Sneaky dragon!


    ¡°Wonder if it will work when you¡¯re house-sized.¡±


    When house-sized.


    No need to sneak!


    ¡°True.¡±


    Sneak anyway.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back. I want to be on the road before we create too many grudges.¡±


    //I have a proposal that will prevent grudges from occurring.


    ¡°It¡¯s leaving no survivors and it doesn¡¯t always work.¡±


    //Spoilsport.


    They returned to the inn with Marruk dragging the body by its feet. The scared stable boy was done transferring her belongings to the new horses. They were smaller, studier beasts with thicker hair. The sentry hailed them.


    ¡°You a necromancer?¡±


    ¡°No, this is a golem.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Alright. Dark blades wouldn¡¯t tolerate a necro anyway. Just keep that thing away from me.¡±


    //Leave your bow where it is and I won¡¯t have to come up and say hi.


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    Ah, whatever. The dark blades¡¯ leader saw the body and berated Viv for going out by herself, following which they left in a hurry. Viv munched on a breakfast roll that tasted pretty fresh, waiting for the poison ring to warm up. It never did. They kept going until noon and reached a crevice running between two patches of forest. The path was barely wide enough for a small carriage.


    ¡°It looks like a perfect place for an ambush,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°That¡¯s because it is one and we already have guests,¡± the leader replied.


    ¡°I sense danger,¡± Marruk added.


    //I detect hidden ropes fifty paces into the passage.


    Arthur landed.


    Sneaky men!


    ¡°Yeah, ok, ok, I get it. Go around or go through?¡± Viv asked, out of patience. She had slept three hours in two days and didn¡¯t have everyone else¡¯s high endurance.


    ¡°Since we have reached this point¡­ I have a proposal.¡±


    Viv glared.


    ¡°There are bounty hunters after you and quite a few of them. You must have been recognized in Koltis. The smugglers employ mages capable of sendings, so now everyone knows where you¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°What do you propose?¡±


    ¡°A diversion. I will disguise myself as you and trigger the ambush. We will draw the pursuers.¡±


    ¡°And they will buy it?¡±


    ¡°I am an infiltrator, outlander. I could act like you and your own mother wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    Viv huffed.


    ¡°Will they buy it if I appear without Solfis or Marruk?¡±


    ¡°Overestimating an opponent is just as foolish as underestimating one. They have your portrait, not a detailed plan of your traveling arrangements. I saw it on the table.¡±


    ¡°How do they have a portrait anyway?¡±


    ¡°Did you hide in Kazar every time troops walked through?¡±


    Viv remembered a meeting in person with an Enorian officer and cursed. It looked like the man had gotten the last word after all.


    ¡°Right. Not important. We split, then what?¡±


    The man pointed to the side of the road. A dry riverbed angled to their left. It was filled with rocks and branches.


    ¡°You take four horses and go that way. Follow the riverbed for as long as you can and keep heading north. Eventually, you¡¯ll reach the edge of Lake Hydon, which marks the limit between northern Enoria and Kark territory. Then it¡¯s just a matter of finding a ship to bring you downstream to Helock.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    She really just wanted to get to Helock. Just that.


    ¡°We are close to the Northern Deadshield Woods. So long as you keep out of the way and avoid villages, you will be fine.¡±


    Viv recalled that no one had bothered her until she got into Koltis. Then the proverb had hit the fan.


    ¡°Alright. Maybe. We¡¯ll do that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t slow down until tonight and if you find a river, use it to hide your tracks.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    The blade leader nodded once.


    ¡°Now give me your cloak.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°So I can impersonate you, Outlander. I have lost a friend and now I may lose more protecting you because I was ordered to do so. Please do not test my patience any further.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. And good luck to you.¡±


    ¡°And the same to you, outlander. May Enttiku watch over your path.¡±


    Kind of weird to wish someone the attention of the God of Death but it didn¡¯t feel malicious and who the fuck cared anyway? Viv dismounted and guided her mountain horse through the difficult terrain of the riverbed. They heard an explosion behind but never stopped. They kept going until nightfall.


    ¡°There is a large pine here. We can probably sleep under it.¡±


    That night, they set camp in silence and slept immediately after setting alarms. They departed at dawn, still groggy. The happiness of the earlier days of travel had disappeared now that Viv knew she was actively hunted. Every shadow carried danger. They crossed a small path and she had to look both ways before crossing instead of just following it like a normal traveler. Marruk even stopped to hide their tracks.


    They traveled like that for two days, making slow progress. Eventually, they found and followed a small trail going in the right direction, barely more than a beast path. In the late afternoon, they heard a shout in the distance. Someone was loudly calling for help.


    ¡°I just want to get to Helock,¡± Viv mumbled, ¡°Nothing more. No pursuit. No mad dash. No distraction.¡±


    But she hurried anyway. The horses trotted onto an overgrown clearing where the burnt husk of a farm rested. A man was desperately climbing a dead tree, screaming for help as he went and for good reasons. A monster had decided to turn him into lunch. It was, to Viv¡¯s dismay, a giant spider. Huge. Hairy. Many-eyed and many-legged. It deftly jumped aside to avoid a heavy stone.


    ¡°Jesus.¡±


    //A forest spider, Your Grace.


    //They live in large colonies.


    ¡°Please no. Purge net!¡±


    The first attack went a little wide because of the icky factor messing with Viv¡¯s aim. The second went wide as well because the sight of severed, giant legs bleeding yellow ichor had sent Viv in panic despite her high willpower. The third one missed because the spider was jumping on her with the speed and grace of a cheetah on steroids. The last one missed again because Marruk had slammed the flying spider down with a ghastly crack of broken chitin.


    ¡°Nooooo¡­¡± Viv lamented to herself. The man crashed down the tree as soon as he spotted his saviors. He was young and suntanned with a solid build and a wide face, which gave him a slight caveman feel, although his eyes shone with intelligence.


    ¡°Oh, you are sent by Enttiku himself, great ones. Please, please help us! Our village is under attack! No one will answer our call! I beseech you, if you do not help us then we are all doomed.¡±


    Viv spared one glance at the pulped giant tarantula, bent forward and screamed into her mount¡¯s mane.


    She just wanted to get to Helock.

 Chapter 90: SPIDERS!

    ¡°No, out of the question. I¡¯m not here to assist foresters with their pest problems. Spiders happen in the forest. It¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°Please, great one, I see you are a mage! Sardanal himself placed you on the path.¡±


    ¡°Solfis, isn¡¯t Neriad the one who rescues people?¡±


    //The god of plentiful harvests is a good choice when your life depends on it.


    ¡°People¡­ are DYING!¡± The man screamed.


    Viv glared, annoyed that someone would focus her attention on the fate of innocent people in order to appeal to her conscience because it was sort of working and that pissed her off. Her rescuee compounded the insult by falling to his knees, face-planting an instant later.


    ¡°Forgive me¡­ Please, great ones. The spiders are coming. We will all die trying to run away.¡±


    ¡°You are no one to me. Your fate and that of your family is of no consequence. I¡¯m trying to get somewhere. People die everywhere all the time on this cosmic death trap anyway.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Viv?¡± Marruk interrupted.


    Viv prayed that she would not be called on her hypocrisy.


    ¡°You are even more direct than usual. Are you fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Well, no, but that¡¯s unrelated to the problem at hand which is that his problem is not my problem and that I¡¯m currently running for my life.¡±


    ¡°More like hiding.¡±


    ¡°Same thing!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not because you are scared of spiders, yes?¡±


    Viv met Marruk¡¯s unyielding eyes, offended grace versus placid indifference. The Kark lout must have received glaring lessons from Solfis himself because she was just her stoic self. Viv could have replaced her with her door-shield and gotten more reaction.


    ¡°I do not fear spiders. I just find them extra ickyaaaAAARG ARTHUR PUT THAT DOWN.¡±


    The dragonette was eating a cut-off leg, crunching the chitinous shell with gusto to get at the muscly marrow within.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a spider!¡±


    ¡°Forest spiders are a delicacy. We just need a large pot, butter, citrinelle, and permonn liquor,¡± the Kark said, practically drooling.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t enjoy meat so much?¡±


    ¡°Spiders are different. They taste nutty.¡±


    ¡°Nut yourself.¡±


    //Your Grace, please consider this dim-witted barbarian bumpkin¡¯s request.


    Viv gasped in outrage at the golem¡¯s folded form. Two yellow lights showed ominously over the saddle.


    ¡°Et tu, brute? You dare betray me in my hour of need? You have never cared for anyone as long as my safety was at risk, and now you want me to go against spiders?¡±


    Solfis answered in old imperial as a change, Usually, he spoke Enorian to allow Marruk to follow.


    //Your Grace, the truth is that we are lost.


    //We need local help, or risk entering the Deadshield Woods by accident.


    ¡°Who do you mean, I thought we were really far from them?¡±


    //Kazar is at the south of the Harrakan heartlands.


    //We have gone east past the woods, then north along them.


    //They extend the entire width of the continent, only stopping at the edge of the Kark steppes.


    //According to my calculations, we have gone north and slightly west, especially since leaving Koltis.


    //We could be near the edge and not realize it until it is too late.


    ¡°Get lost, you mean?¡±


    //The risk is present.


    //Additionally, bounty hunters might wait for us at crossroads or on major arteries.


    //Our best chance would be to use a local forester to bypass them while avoiding the edge of the woods.


    ¡°This guy isn¡¯t offering help, he wants us to fight spiders.¡±


    //Then ask.


    //A desperate person will promise anything.


    //Make sure you obtain an oath on a god to keep your presence secret.


    //Finally, if you decide to refuse his request against my wish, you must kill him.


    ¡°Because of secrecy?¡±


    //Yes.


    //You would refuse him and your head is very valuable.


    //He would be too dangerous to leave alive.


    //Oaths made under physical duress have less weight, sometimes none at all.


    ¡°Oh, very well.¡±


    Switching to Enorian, Viv addressed the forester who looked on with equal parts hope and fear. The man himself was rather young under all that grime, twenty at most. He had the usual skin tone under an attempt at a beard and tousled hair. His clothes were rough-spun and held together by strings yet close-fitting and well-made. She realized that there was a bow on his shoulders, but the animal-skin quiver was empty. He was very thin and really muscular at the same time, but those were the muscles of distance-runners. He studied her in return, although his gaze was scared and tentative.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, boy?¡± Viv asked with blatant dishonesty.


    ¡°Ardek, milady. I¡¯m a hunter for the village.¡±


    [Wild-path hunter, one who specializes in crafting their own equipment from the prey they fell themselves. Not very dangerous. Short-range and trap specialist. Stealthy. Beast-slayer.]


    Nothing too unexpected.


    ¡°What village?¡±


    ¡°Errr it ain¡¯t got a proper name milady. Was made five years ago.¡±


    ¡°How many of you are there?¡±


    ¡°Counting the dogs ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°No. Wait, do you have many dogs? For hunting, perhaps?¡±


    Viv¡¯s hope of a large quadrupedal horde between herself and anything remotely arachnoid buoyed in her heart.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The man withered under her furious glare.


    ¡°Then why¡­ Ugh, nevermind. How many?¡±


    ¡°About one hundred and thirty!¡± the man said with much pride, then more defensively ¡°I can count. I know my numbers.¡±


    ¡°Tell me of your spider problem Mr. Numbers.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t got a proper last name milady. Not yet. Alderman said I could if I got three kids who survive past thirteen. But anyway, yes, the spiders. We got them sometimes at the edge of the forest, scouts for some Deadshield colonies. But recently there¡¯s been more sightings, and also old One-Leg went missing checking his snares and when we went searching he¡¯d been dragged and the harrens were gone. And also old Lildy¡¯s cornudon gave black milk and Simple Willy who drank some got the runs till he died and they say he bled through every hole, beg your pardon. Tall Romus got his family behind the palissade, said there were chittering things in the night that got his dog. And when I left to ask for a royal hunter, damn things saw me! They surrounded the village, I¡¯m telling you.¡±


    Viv sighed.


    Spiders.


    ¡°Is there anyone here who knows his way around the land? I mean not just half a day of march, I mean north.¡±


    ¡°I do milady, went as far as Lake Hydon to sell furs last winter and I know the way because of my path. I can always return to a place I been to, see? I can get you there. I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°In return for my help, I got it. How about food. You guys have some?¡±


    ¡°For you of course. We got some fields, though it¡¯s too early in the year but we got meat and giant pine bread and dried stuff from last year. Not a rich fare mind you but you can have enough to make your tummy burst, I tell you. More if you don¡¯t eat the spiders.¡±


    Ardek licked his lips with as much panic and covetousness as a graduate interviewing for his dream job.


    ¡°We don¡¯t get much money though¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be magnanimous. If you give us supplies to justify the trip and a guide to Lake Hydon, I¡¯ll look into the spider issue. Kill them until they decide to leave the village alone. You must also swear an oath to secrecy, not just you but the entire village.¡±


    ¡°Very magani-mouse of you milady, very very. Yes, I swear on Enttiku that I will not reveal your presence outside of the village, ever. Thank you, milady, thank you.¡±


    Viv froze in her tracks while Marruk removed a relatively intact leg from the spider carcass. Had she just agreed to kill spiders? Arg. She should have given it more thought!


    ¡°Let¡¯s be on our way then! Please follow me, it¡¯s this way. Won¡¯t take long!¡±


    ¡°I hate everything with four legs and a lot of things with two. Ugh. Hope I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    //It is the best option, Your Grace.


    //Did you know that spider flesh is very nutritious and rich in brown mana?¡±


    ¡°I will force you to recite the Baranses pledge of allegiance on loop.¡±


    //UPDATING DIETARY ADVICE GUIDELINES.


    //My apologies, Your Grace.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go. Marruk¡­ you take point.¡±


    ***


    The woods grew deeper and darker when Ardek retraced his steps. He would sometimes go and remove a silex arrow from a dead spider as large as a French Bulldog, which he would place in a haversack with a guilty backward glance. Viv was reminded of the Temple of Doom movie when a fat man sucked the flesh off a giant bug with naked delight. Honestly, that was ten times worse than the heart thing. She shivered.


    ¡°Did you have a bad experience with spiders, Viv?¡± Marruk finally asked.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The outlander was about to reply when her danger sense screamed and she threw a reflex bolt up and to her left, where it caught a large, furry body mid-air. She threw a powerful net again just to be on the safe side. The thing was sliced into three distinctive parts.


    Marruk jumped from her horse and blocked the body before gravity could smash it into Viv¡¯s face, but a spinning piece of thorax sent its contents into Viv¡¯s face. The witch removed the end of a long, quivering tube from her forehead. Ichor dripped down her face.


    ¡°NOW I¡¯M HAVING A BAD EXPERIENCE NOW NOW NOW ARRRRRRGGGG.¡±


    The others checked the carcass, leaving the witch to jump in circles to calm herself down. She sat on a stump a little later and rested her face against her knees.


    ¡°Viv?¡± Marruk asked a bit later.


    ¡°What?¡± A muffled voice replied.


    ¡°Hmmm Ardek wants to take the carcass but Arthur already ate the eyes and I was wondering if you wanted to lay claim to it or¡­ Right, I¡¯ll errr, handle it myself.¡±


    ¡°Why do they fly?¡±


    //Technically, they jump, milady.


    //Adult forest spiders can reach up to twenty-five paces, more if they jump from trees.


    //They land face thorax first to stun their prey, biting them shortly after.


    ¡°Whyyyyyy?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not listening.¡±


    Viv felt tears for the first time in forever. Why did it have to be jumping spiders? What has she done to deserve ¡ª ok that wasn¡¯t something she was willing to explore. Maybe she deserved spiders but still, why make them a thing? Was the planet really out to get everyone?


    ¡°Viv, we need to get moving.¡±


    She forced herself to move because there could be more spiders. The woods were not dense here, it was more copses and meadows, but the trees were old and quite tall as well. She was in the open and the spiders could fly. Had to get indoors.


    They kept moving. Viv was amazed that the mountain horses had not panicked yet, instead following the humans placidly through arachnid guts. The group walked for another ten minutes before they saw smoke on the horizon, and soon the palissade of the unknown village came into view. The gates were opened.


    The unknown place was an interesting mix and by interesting, Viv meant that an anthropologist would get their freak on. As someone who enjoyed the wilderness through the lense of a five star hotel¡¯s window, she had never seen the appeal of living with the inhabitants but this time there would be no avoiding it. The houses were hovels of twisted trunks and mud under thatched roofs. The weird small ostriches raced alongside children over the muddy ground. It smelled like shit, detritus, and woodsmoke. Despite the miserable appearance, Viv could not help but admire the care given to the place. The smell itself came from neatly placed compost piles next to planks adorned with primitive glyphs. The houses would be warm, she could tell, with the smoke emerging from puffing chimneys. People had essentially taken great care to do the best with shit material.


    It was the same with the people. They were a lean, determined sort wearing rough-spun tunics and skins of poor but clean make. No one had been idle when Viv got in.


    Of course, everyone stopped moving when she came in. She could buy everything they had five times over with the clothes she was wearing, ten times with her enchanted dagger, including themselves. Never had she so keenly felt the class difference being a talented caster entailed.


    The locals gathered in a loose half circle. An old, tall man with a long grey beard and large shoulders came rushing, stopping a few feet away with terror in his eyes. Viv dismounted calmly while others joined him. There was an aging woman who felt faintly of life mana, a tall guy with a rather handsome face and the only armor she could see, and finally a bowman with what looked like his son. They just huddled together like she was going to announce it was children-cooking day and she required a tribute. Ardek didn¡¯t help. He was just waiting for her to act.


    She took the opportunity to inspect a bit. It was a good habit to develop. The villagers had things like [Forest mother] or [Wilderness farmer] classes that looked highly specialized to survive around here. The main exceptions were the notables.


    [Alderman, not very dangerous, one whose path focuses on leading a small community. Leader of men, decent melee combatant, administrator.]


    [Wise woman, not very dangerous, one whose path is dedicated to teaching and healing. Life mana user, large skill set, apothecary.]


    [Light Infantry Veteran: not very dangerous, a warrior trained in formation fighting and a variety of weapons. Close quarter combat adept, high survivability, fearless, killer.]


    [Big game hunter: Dangerous, one who trains with the bow to pierce the skin of monsters, ranged specialist, dead eye, decent melee combatant.]


    Well here was to hoping this was a very mild infestation because things didn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± she finally said once everyone was settled. A smile and a light touch of leadership helped grease the wheels of diplomacy.


    ¡°I was told by Ardek here that you require help fending off spiders. I am willing to help under certain conditions.¡±


    ¡°Name them,¡± the old man with a beard said.


    Viv listed what she wanted, basically an oath from everyone on Enttiku who apparently took that sort of thing seriously, food for a while, and a guide. The Alderman stuttered his question with obvious disbelief.


    ¡°That¡­ is all? I do not wish to be disrespectful, milady. This is a very generous offer.¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°You do not have much to give anyway. This will do.¡±


    ¡°And, forgive me but¡­ we do not wish to submit to any dark god.¡±


    He shrank under Viv¡¯s glare until she realized that with the artificially black hair, robe, and ominous helmet, she looked kinda evil herself. Not to mention a bored Arthur currently curled around her shoulders.


    ¡°The only gods I follow are Maradoc and Neriad. And Nous, maybe? I¡¯ve already killed dark servants and I¡¯m not on good terms with their masters.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That is a relief. Then yes, we accept this more than generous offer milady. Ahem. So, what should we swear?¡±


    ¡°My golem will give the exact wording.¡±


    //The first thing you will do is kneel.


    Solfis had them repeat a short yet comprehensive oath that Viv felt smart in the way it was subjective, so no one could really use loopholes because they knew they were fucking with her and that was covered by the oath. The notables sent the villagers back to whatever they were doing and reconvened in a low house with a pretty long table.


    Viv was pretty sure the locals didn¡¯t have to kneel. Solfis was just being himself.


    It appeared that the villagers had taken a page off the mountain folks¡¯ book by digging their houses. They had used a large amount of stones cleverly arranged to make best use of the natural shapes without having to carve them. It was more spacious than anticipated and surprisingly well-isolated. Viv¡¯s opinion of the villagers increased. They had the kind of get-shit-done mentality she immediately respected.


    ¡°Right, so¡­¡± the Alderman said, looking a bit lost.


    ¡°First, a round of introduction, then you expose the problem, tell me what you know of the spiders, what you have done so far, and what you have planned on doing.¡±


    ¡°Right. Yes.¡±


    The introductions went quickly because the locals were mercifully shy. The alderman gave a name Viv didn¡¯t care about because he was already labeled as ¡®alderman¡¯. The wise woman went by Old Lildy and she could do everything and teach it, from pottery to hunting to midwifing. Tall Romus was the veteran and he knew how to fight, but he was missing a proper spear and shield. All he had was a bow and knife. He had been trying to join a hunter path when the proverbial hit the eight-legged fan. The last man was called Kordek and he was Ardek¡¯s mentor. Strangely, the two were not related.


    Viv introduced herself and Arthur, telling everyone to respect the ¡®drake¡¯. Marruk introduced herself. Viv tried to explain what Solfis was but soon realized that the villagers had no notion or frame of reference to understand what a golem was. They¡¯d simply never heard of one. To them, the ancient machine was just ¡®Helockian sorcery¡¯ or some such and they just took everything she said at face value, which was rather convenient. Then came the time to expose the problem. Everyone started talking at once.


    ¡°Slow down, slow down,¡± the alderman said, ¡°we¡¯re not savages. Everyone will get their turn! Kordek, you start.¡±


    ¡°No respect for your elders!¡± the wise woman spat, but the hunter was already droning on with an empty gaze.


    ¡°They got me wife and daughters. Had to leave with my son but they didn¡¯t believe me, oh no. They didn¡¯t, but now it¡¯s too late and they¡¯re coming and they will turn our inside to slush and slurp it out with their big nasty ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright alright I get it. Less imagination and more facts please!¡± Viv interrupted.


    ¡°What the old man¡¯s saying is that he was attacked first,¡± Romus said. ¡°He lived on the outskirts. To our shame, we thought it was an isolated attack. It''s not rare for us to cross paths with colony scouts. Most of the time, we leave each other alone but you never know with monsters. They can get weirdly territorial. Except, it¡¯s more than just marauding soldiers now. I left my house just yesterday. They¡¯re sniffing around.¡±


    ¡°Is it normal for¡­ colonies to move?¡± Viv inquired. The bestiary had not gone into much detail on forest spiders and she got the impression that they were usually reclusive.


    ¡°No. They really like dense woods so if they expand, they should do so towards the Deadshield.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s dark sorcery at work, I tell ya! All you little shits think I¡¯m loony but I tell you it¡¯s a curse that got me Daisy. She was all fine, giving me milk and calf every year then suddenly her milk turns black and she falls dead? Foul witchery!¡±


    Viv grunted noncommittally. She had zero experience investigating foul witchery, wouldn¡¯t even know where to start. Where was the inquisition when you needed it? Alala.


    ¡°Any idea on the numbers?¡±


    Answers ranged from ¡®at least six if it¡¯s actually just a patrol¡¯ coming from the alderman, up to ¡®enough to end civilisation¡¯ coming from Kordek who was quickly getting on Viv¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°What have you done so far?¡±


    ¡°We cut trees around the palissade down so the beasts couldn¡¯t use them to jump on the defenders.¡±


    ¡°We made spears but they use silex. Won¡¯t help much. The people can fend off a beastling tribe but this is different. Every spider is worth a decent fighter, and they work really well in groups.¡±


    ¡°I saw one of those things jump. Could a militia square fend them off?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, milady¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a no will do. So the villagers will be useless. In that case, it would be best to have everyone take cover in a house if we are attacked. Then we form a circle and hold. Right?¡±


    //This appears like the optimal solution with the current tools we have.


    //Additionally, I wish to offer guidance.


    This was Solfis¡¯ way to announce he had something he didn¡¯t want to share in public.


    ¡°Right. I was considering scouting but if they¡¯re coming to us it¡¯s all the better. I¡¯ll have a look outside while we have the best light and check the defenses. In the meanwhile, please arm everyone and tell them to be ready to retreat to¡­ What¡¯s the best place?¡±


    ¡°My house,¡± the alderman said, ¡°here. I also have a cellar. The miller next door has some storage room as well. We¡¯ll go there and hold if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°I have antidotes that are almost ready,¡± the wise woman added. ¡°It will help with bites.¡±


    ¡°I will help her get them,¡± the hunter said.


    ¡°Your expertise¡­¡± the alderman started, but the hunter would not have it. He shook his head.


    ¡°I will help her. The antidote provides hope. It is needed to save the village. My son will come as well.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Alright then let¡¯s go,¡± Viv said.


    Truth be told, there wasn¡¯t much to see once back outside. The early afternoon shone nicely through a light cloud cover. Villagers gathered and prepared just in case. Some went to gather supplies while others sharpened stakes with small knives, something that must have taken quite a bit of power. They would be fucking useless against the giant spiders and their thick chitine but what did she know? Maybe it would slow them down.


    Parts of the palissade were made accessible by wood scaffoldings cleverly built with frayed ropes made of some sort of plant. They were next to the gates, of which there were two sets on opposite sides of the village. Viv looked out to see fields loaded with growing greens and cereals. The villagers had made the best out of the available space. The closest trees had been cut down, just like the alderman said so they had good vision.


    Viv didn¡¯t see anything but she knew those fucking arachnids were out there, chittering and quadruple-glaring with all their eyes. Ugh.


    //Your Grace, the death of the cornudon by poison is extremely concerning.


    //Forest spiders do not possess intelligence.


    //Although it could be a coincidence¡­


    ¡°Wait,¡± Viv said, ¡°What was that?¡±


    //Your Grace?


    The outlander had felt a burst of life mana that felt abnormally strong. It was wrong. Far too powerful to be alchemy-related. She climbed down, trusting her guts on this one.


    //I will accompany you.


    //Marruk, can you keep an eye out?


    ¡°Will do. Alright, I don¡¯t like this. Everyone, get ready just in case.¡±


    Viv easily found the wise woman¡¯s cottage since it was the only one with an herb garden. It was locked, which immediately told her that something fucky had occurred.


    //Allow me.


    Solfis smashed the door open and leaned in, which gave Viv more than enough space to see exactly what was going on.


    The hunter was leaning over the ravaged corpse of the woman, having peeled off the skin and muscles to expose the organs. Or at least, Viv thought it was the hunter from the clothes it still wore but its face was now a malformed, cancerous bulb of insectile horror with compound eyes and a huge proboscis. White larvae dripped from its obscene end onto the carcass below. The man¡¯s son stood impassively by its side.


    Viv sent a purge net before her mind was even done reconciling with the nightmare before her. The creature was nimble but the net was designed to counter that. Black wires of pure destruction cut the creature in two at the torso. The son took a step forward and spontaneously exploded in a shower of small black spiders, spoilt meat, and pus.


    ¡°WERFER!¡± Viv half-screamed and half-sobbed.


    The blast erased part of the horde from existence, but the rest spread across the walls while the severed torso used powerful clawed hands to drag itself to the hut¡¯s only beam, moving forward like a demented chimpanzee. It left a trail of entrails in its wake.


    Solfis gently dragged back the paralized witch. Viv finally turned and ran at the threshold, expressing her feelings on the matter with a long babble of stringed insults. She jumped on the closest dragonette and picked her up bodily.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°FUCK THIS, FUCK ALL THAT SHIT. ARTHUR! FLAMES!¡±


    Arthur lived for the books, scritches, and setting stuff on fire therefore she obliged immediately. A long spear of superheated magical napalm torched the house in a mere instant. The crispy half of the spider hybrid fell through the wall of heat in a mess of blackened tissue. The few villagers not on their way screamed and panicked.


    Meanwhile, Viv was breathing very hard.


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°Hold on. Sneaky Coaky Lemon Squeezy!¡±


    A coating of dark mana gave Viv the appearance of wearing an evil, spiky armor. She released Arthur before giving it the meaning of annihilation. Not one single spider would get to touch her naked skin. Nope! She refused.


    ¡°Yeah, what?¡±


    //I must apologize for leading you here.


    //It seems that my prediction algorithms always fail while in your presence.


    //It appears we are contending with a Herald of Octas, the Spider Queen.


    //Also called The Destroyer.


    //The enemy of civilization.


    //They will not stop until everyone in the town is dead.


    ¡°I just wanted to get to Helock¡­¡±

 Chapter 91 BIG SPIDERS! AAAAH!

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± Marruk bellowed from the wall, where Viv had left her.


    ¡°Gods dammit.¡±


    The witch ran and swore, pushing aside the last scrambling villagers making their ways to safety. She saw Ardek the young hunter and Romus the veteran shoot arrow after arrow at something out of sight. The alderman stood nearby, hands clutched around a quarterstaff. Those were the three people in the village who wouldn¡¯t be completely useless. Viv grumbled against everything and everyone on her way up to see what the men were shooting at. She regretted it immediately.


    It was¡­ a lot of things. The setting sun cast a red glow on a chittering mass of chitinous flesh, a tide of eight-legged vermin covering the grass and fields in a divine plague. Creatures of all sizes swarmed over the earth and each other on their way to the palissade. In Viv¡¯s eyes, there was no more land, just a sea of legs and thoraxes crashing down on her.


    She kind of broke down.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaah ARTHUR! Burn it all! Burn it to the ground! Werfer!¡±


    Dark spells flew across the clearing, mowing down the largest beasts and digging furrows in the tilled earth. An entire section of the swarm disappeared behind the largest blight Viv had ever conjured. The hiss of disintegration soon drowned the clicks of poison-dipped mandibles. Viv went wild and torched the plain with black flame. She even started to draw from her reserves in the knife-focus. At no point had she stopped screaming.


    ¡°I will invent the rocket and the rocket fuel and fissile material and I will cleanse this entire fucking patch of greenery out of creation until nothing remains but glassy craters! I will give that den of arachnids the Brazil treatment. I will log the shit out of every acre and use the wood to make toilet paper dispensers for every house on this god-forsaken shitball of a planet. I will ban spiders. Spiders are illegal. Arthur! Napalm this back into the hell it should never have crawled out of!¡±


    ¡°SKRAAAAAA!¡±


    ¡°Leave nothing standing! Yes! Burn it all! Burn it all down aaaaahahahahahahah! Let skies run black and the land be charcoal!¡±


    //Your Grace, they are retreating.


    ¡°We need more things to burn!¡±


    //Your Grace, please calm down.


    ¡°I will calm down when the crispy shield woods ¡ª¡±


    //Now.


    //We have company.


    The sight of a lone figure in the distance forced Viv to stop indulging in dramatics, even if she felt those were warranted. Black mana devastation and dragonfire scarred the land in great black wounds devoid of any life. The smoke from the dying heat masked parts of the forest and rose to the heavens beyond, but a light breeze had parted enough to show a lithe, definitely female figure swathed in elegant clothes standing in the distance. Spider silk shrouded the trees around her in gossamer swathes like drapes from a palatial canopy. She walked calmly forward and the ground parted before her steps, no, not ground, spiders. As the last rays of the sun hit her, Viv saw that they had found their herald.


    From feet to neck, the woman appeared human under a rich green dress. Above, however, the elegant frame gave way to a nightmarish jaw that split her face in two, like a certain movie monster that hunted marines for sports. They twitched erratically every second or so. The rest of the head was mostly unchanged, save for an additional set of dark eyes on the forehead. Viv found that it was rather fucked up and wondered how she would recognize uranium so she could mine it effectively.


    ¡°Look what fell into my lap.¡±


    The herald¡¯s voice surprised Viv. She sounded much closer than she really was, a sign of good magical control. As far she knew, Octas was a force of destruction, the wildest of all dark gods. And yet, the herald spoke in a refined alto that would delight an entire cabaret. The greater reaction came from Viv¡¯s companions, however.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Leria? Korek¡¯s wife?¡± The alderman whispered.


    ¡°It cannot be¡­¡± Romus added. All three villagers showed various expressions of distress. As for Viv, she was curious. She also wanted the herald to keep walking toward her.


    ¡°Who are you and what do you want?¡±


    ¡°You already know the answer to those questions, little outlander.¡±


    ¡°You know me?¡±


    ¡°I know of you. My mistress knows many secrets, even some your benefactor hid in his dusty vaults. She sees that you seek to resurrect that which has died, and we object. You cannot fight entropy, girl. Harrak is gone, and soon, you will join it. We will send your reanimated corpse on its way for your friends to find. I might even give it a present.¡±


    The thing hissed. It was a bit far but Viv thought she saw maggot dripping from the nightmarish maw.


    ¡°What does the village have to do with it?¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, what do you have to do with the village? It was to be my offering, a mark of my commitment. But now it holds a prize that will grant me many rewards. Even now, I feel my power grow to answer yours. I will see you soon.¡±


    Viv launched the bolt spell she had built up at the herald, but she dodged it with preternatural speed. Great chitinous limbs popped from her back and planted themselves on the ground, sending their load out of the way of the projectile. The herald¡¯s body bobbed between them like a gorged rotten fruit. Viv¡¯s instincts screamed, but before she could react, Marruk pushed her aside and Solfis pinched a spider from the air. Viv saw red marks on a black body and shivered.


    //A red hiver.


    //It should not be here.


    ¡°First blows averted. We shall see who goes the distance.¡±


    When Viv looked up from the tarentula-sized corpse dripping white ichor on the ground, the woman was gone.


    ¡°Solfis, I almost forgot but can you go kill the thing?¡±


    //The creature was covered by an invisible network of silk at all times.


    //It is prepared and defended against me.


    ¡°... What do you mean?¡±


    //Octas must have shared information on me.


    //This is a mage killer frame.


    //I can resist spells but not god-infused sticky silk.


    //I can perceive details through most magical illusion, but this creature does not use its own mana to hide itself.


    //It is currently receiving a large amount of energy directly from Octas.


    //It might prove too much.


    //I will have to ambush it.


    ¡°You mean that thing can defeat you?¡±


    //I have no recourse against the silk and net it can produce.


    //We need to lure it in and ambush it.


    //It will be difficult.


    ¡°We killed a prince.¡±


    //We face a god.


    //Octas is directly intervening to make sure you die.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    //This is a great honor, Your Grace.


    //It means that you stand for civilization.


    //It must be your revival of Harrakan culture, bathed in blood and glory.


    ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m the sucker making mana-absorbing obelisks free of charge.¡±


    //A proper ruler does not neglect any aspect of proper governance.


    ¡°So¡­¡± a voice interrupted. It was the alderman. Marruk was leaning against the palissade, squishing small spiders as they crossed over it while Romus and Ardek watched a happy Arthur with undisguised terror.


    ¡°Who are you exactly?¡±


    //You ask a lot of questions for someone who swore an oath to secrecy.


    ¡°Well, yes, your lordship, or whatever it is you preferred to be called¡­ but I already swore so it makes no difference, does it?¡±


    Solfis took a second to reply, which was a second more than what he usually took.


    //If you call me your lordship from now on, I may consent to it.


    ¡°Enough of this, we need to check on the other villagers. They could be in danger.¡±


    ¡°Lildy set enchantments around my house,¡± the alderman said.


    ¡°Yeah and she¡¯s dead. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Lildy is dead?¡±


    Viv did not wait, she jumped down followed by Arthur. The dragonette looked a bit tired but it was the postprandial serotonin discharge kind of tired, and her crimson eyes stared at the distant fire with half-lidded pleasure. They took three steps before Solfis roared a warning and a wave of small spiders jumped at them from behind houses. Viv did not hesitate.¡±


    ¡°Easy Peasy Sneaky Cloaky.¡±


    She needed a shorter incantation. One that didn¡¯t induce cringe.


    The spiders jumped on her legs, trying to reach her face and she realized that she did not need to have covered her face as they were annihilated as soon as they landed. It let her see how Arthur handled the mass. The dragonling lifted herself with a flap of her wings, then beat them once. Waves of grey mana burst from them in Viv¡¯s mana vision, pure and perfectly formed. The shockwave both killed the small creatures and gathered them in a neat pile. The witch was forced to avert her eyes so she would not be forced to witness the following insanity.


    Thanks


    For


    Meal


    ¡°There¡­. therecouldbedustinthat!¡±


    Her hasty protest got ignored in favor of a large protein intake.


    ¡°I hate everything.¡±


    //Well done, Your Grace.


    //No dangerous specimens so far.


    ¡°Enough delay!¡±


    Snack


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They moved throughout the empty village, squishing spiders with every step. Most of those were harmless to humans, barely more than what she could find in a temperate forest on earth. Sometimes, Solfis stomped forward and plucked a wriggling specimen from the mass. As for Viv, she was practically dancing a constant gig to prevent the things from clinging to her boots.


    The strange procession made their way to the central house, which was currently besieged by another tide. Light still emerged from behind closed shutters, so Viv had hope. A large patch of vermin detached itself from the rest as soon as she stepped closer.


    //They appear to be aimed for you, Your Grace.


    //Fortunately, Octas¡¯ will can only carry so far in simple specimens.


    ¡°I feel fucking lucky, yeah.¡±


    This time, Viv traced a circle in the dirt with her dagger and charged it with a minimum of destructive mana. The spiders would walk on it and die, turned to dust in an instant. It was yet another small drain on her rather depleted reserves. More of the spiders found them, a constant trickle crawling their way in a wriggling carpet. Solfis moved to pluck some of the most dangerous creatures while the villagers found fresh torches they used with more enthusiasm than effectiveness. At least, it provided some light. Viv found the darkness unnerving.


    It took a good ten minutes before the mass of spiders had gone from movie prop to just a nasty nest. As soon as a threshold was reached, the annoying things just moved aside rather than just erasing their numbers in a suicidal last charge on her circle. It meant that there were always spiders.


    The alderman knocked on the sealed door, squishing a pair of orb weavers as he did. Another three had to be wiped off his face before a voice asked who was there. It took some negotiation before the villagers opened the way, and Viv finally breathed a sigh of relief when they finally entered the well-lit home. It was too hot, it stank, but right now it was relatively spiderless and that was all she could hope for.


    The villagers had stopped the spiders from getting in by guarding the doors and windows with their shoes out, which explained the smushed stains and the general feet smell. They welcomed the news that they were besieged by dark forces with consternation, but they rejoiced once the alderman sold them Viv as some sort of grand secret archmage and the group left everyone in prayer while they retired upstairs. The alderman distributed some infusion from a sealed container and Viv only checked it once for spiders before she took a sip. it was warm and reinvigorating with a slightly bitter aftertaste.


    ¡°Please tell me what happened to Lildy,¡± the man politely asked.


    Viv recounted the discovery and arson, leading to quite a few curses.


    ¡°That Leria has lost it, curse the day her mother gave her life. She has always been a bitch, but I didn¡¯t think she would be a murderer too.¡±


    //Tell me about her.


    ¡°Solfis? You? Profiling?¡±


    //I now have to conduct the assassination of a godly vessel.


    //Some research is required.


    //Octas servants are tricky.


    //This one¡¯s profile is suboptimal, which will help us.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    //The most effective servants of Octas are violent criminals, typically murderers and arsonists.


    //People who revel in violence and destruction.


    ¡°That¡¯s not Leria at all,¡± Romus said. He passed a hand through his trimmed beard.


    ¡°She¡¯s arrogant, impatient. She never belonged here. Resented everyone but preferred insults over genuine attacks.¡±


    ¡°Kordek bought a lot of land. He would have become rich in ten years if things had gone well. Could have retired to Losserec-on-the-Lake and lived comfortably until he died fat and white of hair,¡± the alderman explained.


    It sounded like a life goal. Losserec was the capital city of Northern Enoria. The lake was Lake Hydon, a large freshwater body, Viv remembered from her map. They would reach it if everything went well.


    ¡°Leria thought she was some sort of great lady. Kordek had to hire old Griswel to take care of things around the house because his missus wouldn¡¯t,¡± Ardek added, then he blushed when the two older adults glared.


    ¡°Apologies milady,¡± the alderman continued. ¡°We don¡¯t got good manners here, hope you forgive us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but you were saying?¡±


    ¡°Right. Leria was cross about living here. She is the youngest daughter of a rich merchant. Kordek invested the money wisely but she could not wait to get back her living standards.¡±


    ¡°She has a high opinion of herself,¡± Romus added.


    ¡°Not dumb but thinks she¡¯s Sardanal¡¯s gift to mankind. Prettiest and smartest person who knows best on everything all the time,¡± the alderman added.


    ¡°Oh so it¡¯s multiversal then.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Alright Solis, how does this help.¡±


    //Impatience.


    //As I mentioned, Leria¡¯s profile is suboptimal.


    //The Spider Queen¡¯s gift would have taken over quite quickly, they still may.


    //Leria succumbed because she could not wait.


    //We must exploit this specific flaw.


    //Force her to attack.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she attack no matter what?¡±


    //Heralds typically ambush and harass their prey, sacrificing a great many monsters and beasts to wear them down.


    //They will attack without stopping and finish with one last assault.


    //They do this strategy every time.


    //Because¡­ it works.


    //Octas can control and direct many monsters, especially spiders.


    //That makes her the most dangerous dark god.


    ¡°Why did you even settle near a colony then?¡± Viv asked the alderman.


    ¡°There are many colonies, milady. Especially near the edge of the forest. It¡¯s inevitable. And before you ask, no we could not burn it down. We only have a handful of people who could face forest spiders and live.¡±


    //It is safer to ignore a colony and risk an attack than engaging and getting one.


    //At least for the subjects of a backward, uncaring government.


    ¡°Ok whatever it¡¯s too late anyway. So, to summarize, we face a herald who has access to lots of monsters, lots of spiders, and will throw them at us until she attacks with all she has. Correct?¡±


    //Indeed.


    Only Solfis nodded. Everyone else looked stunned or desperate. Even the unshakable Marruk stared at the pockmarked door between them, probably wondering if she should have cut and run after the prince affair. Viv could not really blame the poor thing. She was probably just staying out of a sense of duty.


    ¡°Alright, so we need to annoy her into attacking sooner. How should we do that?¡±


    //By resisting.


    ¡°Vague.¡±


    //You are the one with the flexible mind, Your Grace.


    ¡°Fair. So what can we expect that we would have to resist?¡±


    //Regular attacks and insects making a nuisance of themselves.


    //The purpose will be to prevent you from sleeping.


    //I will help with this.


    //Although it will be extremely energy-intensive.


    ¡°We were supposed to keep your energy reserve high for emergencies.


    //This is an emergency.


    //My apologies, your Grace.


    //I advised this course of action.


    ¡°Ah whatever, with how things have been going, we would have been caught in the open by the spiders and then got lost in the Deadshield Woods anyway. So, how about fortifications?¡±


    //We could not hold them.


    ¡°How about a circle then? To help against the inevitable assault.¡±


    //That would be helpful, yes.


    ¡°We could act as sentries?¡± Romus suggested. He looked really eager to help.


    //Anyone who stands outside is dead meat.


    //Even Marruk would have trouble.


    //You fleshbags would just become spider food.


    ¡°They can guard the inside and keep the two houses spider free?¡±


    //This would help with a restful sleep.


    //I will patrol tonight.


    //But someone needs to stay in your room to make sure that no red hivers come to visit.


    ¡°What¡¯s a red hiver anyway?¡±


    //Their bites destroy the victim¡¯s nervous system.


    //Following which they will lay their eggs inside of the paralized creature¡¯s abdomen.


    //It is unclear if the incubator dies from exposure, choking, or being eaten alive first.


    ¡°I regret asking.¡±


    ¡°I, well, we can ask the women, but I got vigilance,¡± Romus explained.


    Silence spread across the room and Viv got the distinct impression that the man¡¯s offer was inappropriate. At least, the other villagers¡¯ horrified faces seemed to indicate it.


    //As shocking as the idea of a commoner looking over the sleeping heiress is, I agree.


    //We must sacrifice propriety for safety.


    //Romus knows better than to try anything.


    //Do you not, fleshbag?


    ¡°I would never get out of line with our savior!¡± The man exclaimed, crimson.


    Viv decided that she had a good feeling about the lad.


    ¡°Fine by me. We can alternate with Marruk.¡±


    ¡°I need to sleep as well. You¡¯ll need someone to cover your back.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, we have the beginning of a plan. Solfis is night shift, Marruk and I are day shift. The villagers keep the two houses spider-free and safe. We set up a circle and use it as a base to defend against the final assault. Anything else?¡±


    She-Who-Feasts-On-Squirrels-And-Gets-Much-Gold takes day shift too!


    ¡°Oh yes, thank you.¡±


    Becomes She-Who-Feasts-On-Spiders.


    ¡°Please gods no.¡±


    Tasty!


    Eight times tasty!


    ¡°Oh no.¡±


    Legs eight times tasty too! Less squishy.


    ¡°OH NO! Seriously, is everyone here eating spiders!?¡±


    Viv felt the room.


    ¡°Forget I asked. Enough of this, bring me food and let me sleep.¡±


    Solfis left to hunt by night, which worried Viv. Not that anything could take down the old bastard, but more about energy reserves. Recharging him by hand was time-consuming and extremely inefficient. She could not be expected to fight and do it at the same time, which meant that they were on a timer, kind of.


    The villager¡¯s hospitality proved to be much better than Viv expected. The alderman left her his room and gave Marruk a guest bed. A couple of craftsmen came and caulked the windows shut with resin, which gave Viv flammable ideas. The food she got was simple but earthy: freshly made bread that tasted of pine nuts, a porridge with bits of meat and spring greens, and a quarter of fruit in syrup. They also had a herbal infusion that was slightly bitter and reminded her of green tea. It had a calming effect. Eventually, Romus knocked and moved in.


    Viv studied him a bit. He was rather handsome in a forrester kind of way, like the second wheel in a B-series romance. She didn¡¯t like much that he was so subdued, with his back stooped and his eyes downcast. She understood where it came from though.


    Viv had made sure she was relatively approachable in Kazar, and still people saluted her with reverence. She lived in a feudal society now, one that was not just backed by cultural norms and having food diverted to the nobility but by actual paths on top of it. Even the most hard-working militiaman would struggle to beat a knight to a standstill. Their path diverted the world¡¯s magic to survivability while knights were the expensive high-impact profile, she thought. The Enorians seemed to have a true class consciousness. With this in mind, it was no wonder the poor villager felt so out of sorts. He was the gardener standing in the Victorian lady¡¯s boudoir. Absolutely scandalous.


    ¡°Can I have some water to clean myself or is it too impractical?¡± She finally asked. They had rationed water so she hadn¡¯t bathed properly in three days and it was getting more than a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°I can have a bath drawn, milady. We have an underground cistern.¡±


    ¡°Would that be fine?¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, milady.¡±


    ¡°Then yes. I¡¯d love a bath.¡±


    Fuck it, she could die tomorrow eaten alive by spiders. Gotta live a little.


    The tall veteran left and returned with an actual tub, property of the alderman, it seemed. Viv was not really surprised. As far as she could tell, Enorians were pretty clean overall. Polite villagers succeeded each other bringing buckets of water and drapes to use as partitions. A few used red mana to heat the bath until it was lukewarm which was fine enough for Viv. The witch disrobed out of sight and the girls took her skinsuit and robe to wash. The bath was cool but blessedly clean, and she felt alive again. Meanwhile, Romus waited on the other side in embarrassed silence.


    Now that Viv was clean, safe, and relaxed, she considered her options.


    ¡°Are you married, Romus?¡±


    ¡°Yes, milady.¡±


    Well that was that. She might have entertained the thought of something if he had been single but she wasn¡¯t going to wreck the house. From Romus¡¯ sweaty face, it was clear that he was terrified. She decided to deflect before the poor lad got an aneurysm.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, family is important.¡±


    ¡°Yes, milady.¡±


    Still sweating. She had to remind herself that he might not be the most receptive to subtexts.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to do anything for me, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re afraid of.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, milady. I would never think that, that is to say, I would not dare think I am worthy.¡±


    The relief was palpable. Viv felt guilty now. Worst thing is, he probably would have tried to pleasure her if she had requested it. She chased that idea away from her thoughts, disgusted at herself for even thinking it. The influence that came with power scared her. It felt too unchecked to her modern mind.


    ¡°But I do know how to massage feet, milady. I was taught by a lady from Vizim while I was serving on the wall. If it pleases you!¡±


    Viv glared suspiciously, yet on Romus¡¯ face she saw nothing but the scared, guileless expression of a man out of his depth and unsure of how to be helpful.


    ¡°Just the feet?¡±


    ¡°That is all I was taught milady. She was an exiled mage, enjoyed having men serve her but she would only lie with women. Strange customs, haha.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    ¡°She, ah, requested aides. I was one of those she taught. Really strange person but amazingly powerful mage.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can tell me about it while you massage me, it sounds like an interesting story.¡±


    The veteran looked at his own hands but Viv interrupted him before disaster could ensue.


    ¡°Do NOT spit on them, use oil from my bag instead. There. Good. Now what is this about a wall?¡±


    Romus worked on her feet from ankle to toes with a level of expertise a professional spa would have trouble matching. Viv was sure he had a skill. He never hesitated in his gestures, and as he moved, his voice grew more assured.


    ¡°It¡¯s the northern wall, the most recent of all. Have you heard about it?¡±


    ¡°Varska, that is, my mentor mentioned it but only in passing.¡±


    ¡°Helockian? Sorry, not my business. Ahem, yes three walls. The Deadlands one, the Hallurian one, and the Northern wall. So the Deadland walls is mostly the temple and the Hallurian one is manned by Baranese troops, but the last one¡¯s the most recent and it¡¯s a bit of a mixed bag. Foes are beastling armies and monsters. Folks from everywhere come to man it. My brigade and I were ¡®volunteered¡¯ there in exchange for Maradoc-knows-what. We were assigned this exiled Vizim princess. Must have lost one of their complicated power games. Weird people, those Vizimans. From across the sea. Like you, probably.¡±


    ¡°How long did you stay on the wall?¡±


    ¡°Five years. I became a veteran there and met my wife in Glastia, the frontier city. The wall separates the Northern cities plains from both the Kark steppes and the dense forests. No longer the Deadshield woods, you see? Those are warm, wet forests. Can¡¯t breathe properly in there. You step in and you¡¯re soaked.¡±


    Sounded like jungles to Viv. She let Romus patter on, the sound strangely soothing. Once started, the man never stopped. He had seen plenty of beastlings, including shamans climbing the walls with their hordes of followers and monsters. From her perspective, beastling battles had been seen from above and been more of a game of chess. Prioritize the right target, time spells, and everything would be fine. From his perspective though, it was a brutal and merciless business. It stank, it was bloody, and although each beastling was no match for even a recruit, there were so many of them. Add to this that even the shittiest mending potion cost three months wages and every stone throw, every bite could lead to disaster.


    ¡°And they scream when they die. It sounds like children, you know? Just like them¡­¡±


    Viv only heard the cacophony of battle and the roars of mighty spells. It could have been her if circumstances had been slightly different and she had been less gifted with magic. Or perhaps not. Perhaps she would have turned into a revenant within an hour in the ruins of Harrak, puking black blood until her last whisper in that throne room. Cold, naked, and alone.


    ¡°One night, we lost the entire outer perimeter in one battle.¡±


    Viv pushed the ¡®what ifs¡¯ away from her mind before they could ruin the mood. Once Romus was done, he took position in a corner of the room and watched on. Outside, there were spiders but here it was warm and comfortable. The house smelled vaguely of pine and old wood. Arthur came to cuddle and she fell asleep in a bed for the first time since her flight from Koltis.


    The morning brought a hearty breakfast among tired villagers. She had decided to join them and got the honored guest treatment. The children had taken to smushing spiders with great enthusiasm and there was a growing pile of chitinous corpses by the entrance, which was kept clear at all times. As soon as she was ready, Viv placed herself firmly in front of the door and pushed.


    In vain, the thing was stuck. She watched with horror as white threads blocked the opening. Then, suddenly, the door opened wide with a sound like a torn shirt. Solfis appeared in all his glory. He looked undamaged.


    Behind him, the town square was filled with vertical branches stuck in the ground, now bearing at least a dozen severed arachnid heads. Some of the grisly trophies were the size of bowling balls. They still dripped transparent ichor. A neat stack of legs rose to her waist.


    Immediately, more tiny spiders crawled in, beaten back by shoe-wielding kids screaming warcries. Viv was too distracted by the rest of the sight, however. From roof to wall then from wall to wells and crates, every piece of wood, every open space, all of it was covered in a dense, white layer of webs so it felt that every inch of village was enshrouded. Not a single spot of color remained besides Solfis¡¯ eyes and his victims.


    ¡°Oh fuck that. Fuck. That. ARTHUR!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Please do not burn the village, milady!¡± Someone yelled behind, but Viv¡¯s mind was taken over by the burning fires of purification. The village, nay, the entire forest must be purged of this evil.


    Arthur spit the tiniest flame and it made an expanding hole in the cottonous webbing. In fact, it did not stop expanding, like a droplet of oil expanding over a watery surface. Viv found the show aesthetically pleasing. Arthur thought the same because she spat a bit more. Not much, just a few embers to jump start the process.In a matter of seconds, the unholy layer was peeled off to reveal green grass and brown dirt underneath. It was neat.


    ¡°Yes, yes, disappear! Haaaahahahaha!¡±


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°Oh sorry, got carried away. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    //You must take over the defense of the base.


    //Although we cannot hold the village, the spell circle and houses must be kept clear.


    //I prepared a suitable position.


    ¡°The one surrounded by forest spiders heads?


    //Precisely.


    //But there are stragglers that will undoubtedly stop your efforts.


    //I will enter passive mode to conserve energy.


    //I will be able to direct your efforts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the stragglers,¡± Marruk said as she left in turn, shouldering her flanged mace.


    //Follow my prompts.


    They went to work with the peculiar smell of burning spider nests in the background. Sometimes, the expanding flame revealed a ball of spiders which then proceeded to scramble and disperse. Arthur treated the whole experience like an open buffet, to Viv¡¯s unending disgust. It was like that Lion King scene all over again.


    Viv did her best to make a circle on the unequal ground. It was made more difficult by the many spiders moving around. Her cloak spell protected her feet and therefore the rest of her, but the vermin went for her hand every time she bent down.


    ¡°Would you need help?¡±


    Viv looked up to see Romus and the hunter, looking around with their bows out.


    ¡°Well. Maybe? Can you set a fire around the circle to prevent the spiders from coming? Maybe with that resin you mentioned? I need spiders off my back. And do you have anyone who can manipulate earth?¡±


    It only took two minutes for half of the village to come out, everyone dancing to squish the odd spider. The villagers had been unknowns to Viv, barely a parameter she had to take into account. She had seen very little of them, but now they came to help with a level of coordination and motivation she found inspiring. Under the alderman¡¯s direction, men and women flattened the circle of packed earth using basic magic while teenagers rushed from grass tuft to grass tuft, pulling them out with practiced speed. She ended up with a perfect circle so smooth a road roller could not have done better. A circle of flaming resin came after, then again after that, the villagers were digging a trench they intended to fill with embers. Fires were started. The children were keeping an eye out for larger or weirder spiders just in case. Things were moving fast.


    Viv was done with the outer shield layer when the unexpected happened. So far, Marruk and Arthur had been going over the village, methodically killing the larger things that had crept in and that the golem had not considered worth the energy expense. Suddenly, Arthur let out a terrified shriek and fell down. Something glued her wings shut. She crashed on the ground with a piteous shriek.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t¡± Viv screamed. Already Marruk had rushed over the captive dragonette who appeared to have no wounds except the one on her pride.


    //We have incoming, Your Grace.


    Viv raced forward. She could hear the heavy thuds announcing the approach of something ponderous, but she was finally free of her constant disgust and fear. It had been replaced by an old and comfortable companion: white hot rage.

 Chapter 92: Besieged

    Viv¡¯s rage did not evaporate when something heavy smashed through the palissade, but it did take a hit when she saw the culprit.


    [Siege Tarantula]


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    The creature plowing ponderously through the fence was a massive beast with large fluffy legs ringed black and white, and a head apparently designed for ramming into things. Large, chitinous plates covered most of the sturdy body, particularly towards the front. Viv charged a few bolts and let out, fully expecting the creature to be followed by a horde, yet it was not the case. The monster had come alone.


    The spells landed on the armored plates, pitting them and nothing more. It barely penetrated at all.


    It was, by far, the most durable thing she had ever faced.


    The spider bore down on Arthur and its objective was made clear. It was here to finish the job. Thin the line. Viv focused and called a massive blast. The ball of energy lifted over her right shoulder, collecting runes as she infused them with meaning. She needed to get through. She had to. Arthur was still struggling to free herself though she did have some success. Viv was too slow, too weak to help. Eliminate the threat first. Meanwhile, Marruk was sprinting back with Solfis on her back. At the last moment, she turned and put her shield on the ground.


    The large spider was on them. Viv was distracted by the absurd sight of Marruk trying to stop the arachnid equivalent of an elephant on steroids. It was brave. It was stupid. It didn¡¯t work very well.


    The spider put its face down, stabbed two scythe-like pedipalps into the shield, then lifted. Viv was pretty sure the maneuver could uproot a baobab. Marruk was a solid girl and a powerful combatant, but she was not a baobab. The attack sent her flying in the air. Literally spinning for a few seconds before she crashed into a house out of sight.


    ¡°Fuck. Blast!¡±


    The powerful artillery spell hissed through the air. The tarantula did not try to evade. Instead, it rotated on itself and presented a thick black leg.


    The artillery spell went through it anyway.


    Undaunted, the siege beast started moving back, presenting its armored side and legs to Viv, who was more eager to help Arthur move faster. The dragonette had finally resorted to setting herself on fire. It had burnt through her prison and left her flesh unmarred. The tarantula completed its exit before Viv could launch another spell.


    She really had to finish that circle.


    More importantly, she had to find her Kark.


    ¡°Marruk? Marruk! Are you okay?¡±


    Stupid, stupid. Of course she wasn¡¯t fine.


    Viv hesitated, but a noise distracted her. The tarantula had left only to return as it created another massive breach in the palissade.


    ¡°You fucker!¡±


    Nevermind that. She had to handle that first. Woman and dragonette sprinted forward, Viv spooling up another artillery spell. She stopped by the edge of the perimeter and made ready, but the thunderous noise of trunk-sized legs went away.


    Hesitating, she looked through the freshly made hole. The siege tarantula was in full retreat. Immediately, her instinct screamed at her. She raised a shield, but was pushed aside at the last moment instead. Only the lack of danger sense saved the unknown person from an annihilating death. The sound of metal impacting metal silenced Viv¡¯s curses.


    It was Marruk. Marruk had pushed her aside. She appeared fine.


    ¡°How are you still walking?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°I pathed up!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I pathed up. I¡¯m fourth step! I¡¯m a Pillar of Kark.¡±


    ¡°Wow that¡¯s amazing! But, errr, are we in danger?¡±


    //The foe has retreated.


    //For now.


    Viv saw that her valiant bodyguard had two organic-looking daggers embedded in her shield. The nasty things shone an ominous red in the shade of the wood wall.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    //Fangs of Octas.


    //Assassination tools.


    //The Herald can most likely generate them at will.


    //She was waiting for you outside.


    ¡°Damn, trying to trap me like that?¡±


    //I estimate that she was hoping you would attempt to finish off the siege tarantula.


    ¡°I estimate that this entire planet should be blasted from orbit for the crime of having ¡®siege tarantulas¡¯ among the available species.¡±


    //Nevertheless, she will make regular attempts on your life.


    ¡°I can protect you better! The Pillar path is quite strong in one-on-one combat. I can face multiple enemies, monster or men! It is a defensive path.¡±


    ¡°Right, fourth step is a huge deal. We should celebrate!¡±


    //Yes, but later.


    Marruk looked on, crestfallen.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. We face destruction. There will be time later. Oh, and we must make mushroom beignets. It¡¯s the tradition.¡±


    ¡°We should ask the villagers.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That would be¡­ nice.¡±


    ***


    Viv returned to circle building, and Marruk, to brooding. Viv had not expected that from the stalwart Kark, but it seemed that hitting this important threshold really depressed her. Viv was pretty sure it had something to do with her past, but when probed, the proud warrior deflected.


    ¡°There will be time for talks later. I cannot let my guard down.¡±


    Viv finished her circle and realized that it was considerably more exposed now. However, there was no direct line of sight to the outside and so Solfis decided that it was safe enough for now.


    The circle was good and would help her kill siege tarantulas if they returned. Solfis thought fangs might go through, however.


    //A standard circle will take too much energy.


    //We must remain close.


    //I think we can no longer patrol while you are exposed.


    ¡°I could go back while you patrol?¡±


    //That would work.


    //Make sure that you are surrounded by villagers.


    //Octas has a limited amount of control over her lesser servants.


    //Red hivers will go for softer targets whenever possible.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep the kids on the outer ring then since they¡¯re the least valuable defenders,¡± Viv joked.


    Marruk blanched.


    //I wish you were serious.


    //But you fleshbags have some strange affection for creatures you can always make more of.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you become a dad.¡±


    //I find this scenario unlikely.


    ¡°I was joking Marruk, please don¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am sorry for suggesting putting your followers¡¯ in harm¡¯s way, oh great forest wyrm.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ***


    After the child shield incident, the village settled into a routine. Viv would occasionally move to separate houses on supplies-retrieval operations and once to burn a cocoon the herald had prepared for them.


    //The herald sacrificed many spiders to feed one.


    //It would have popped out of the house when we have our backs turned.


    //We are doing well fighting her off so far.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the villagers kept busy. They decided to fortify the place around the two houses they were holing up in out of, Viv suspected, cabin fever.


    There was one fatality, an older man who had volunteered to work on the outside was set up by a species they had never seen, one that appeared transparent so its inner organs showed. A few casualties followed, but they had saved a couple of antidotes and no one else died.


    Despite the death, an aura of optimism filled the main room that night. Villagers used their mana for lights and prayer, gathering around the shrines of the light gods. The altars were little more than carved statues, yet Viv felt presence across the room. She stopped before the shrine of Neriad on her way to her quarters.


    It felt weird to pray. She had prayed before since her private Catholic school encouraged the practice, but it had always felt silly. Wasteful. It left her cold and awkward. Not here though. She kneeled and prayed. Soon, Romus and Marruk joined her.


    Viv did not talk to the god, this time, but she felt the tiniest drain on her mana, then it replenished faster from the day¡¯s work. More importantly, she felt warm.


    Neriad was there.


    Of course, Viv was not following a religious path so she could not just suddenly receive divine powers, but the god of righteous conflict let her know he was paying attention. It helped to remember that they were not forgotten out there in the spidery boonies. Others knew of her plight. They cared, and it mattered.


    After she was done, she retired to her room with Marruk for a quiet evening meal. She used her ring to check for poison and found nothing. Romus checked the room for intrusion and found nothing. It appeared to be safe enough. She finally relaxed.


    ¡°So, want to talk about it?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Marruk replied, more guarded than unusual.


    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have mushrooms for her special dish.


    ¡°Today¡¯s a big day for you. I wish we could celebrate like you deserve and we will, but I didn¡¯t expect you to grow so despondent.¡±


    ¡°You and your big words.¡±


    ¡°Fine. You¡¯re sad.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sad.¡±


    Viv saw the Kark was getting defensive and decided to drop the whole thing.


    ¡°Fine, I didn¡¯t mean to pressure you.¡±


    ¡°No wait. Wait.¡±


    A deep sigh shook Marruk¡¯s mighty frame. She deflated under her armor and picked at her porridge.


    ¡°A fourth step is named by the tribe. It¡¯s a big occasion and a cause for celebrations for everyone. If I were back on the steppes, I would be one of the youngest named fighters in recent history. For the tribe, I mean. It would make my family proud. What¡¯s left of it anyway.¡±


    Viv remembered that Marruk¡¯s mom had been killed by dark blades. The Kark still harbored a deep resentment towards anyone even remotely connected to the Pure League and its expansionist assholes.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the tradition? Food?¡±


    ¡°Yes, food. Buttery mushroom pastries and root alcohol. I would make a demonstration of my skills once sober and a second time drunk, then tell glorious stories. Guests are supposed to ooh and aahwith as much passion as they can. In return, one of the stories has to be embarrassing. Usually, everyone hoos the hardest there. Even better if there is a scar. One of my uncles showed his ass to the village elders so they could see exactly where the deepgrass snake had bit him. He was a legend. Until he died in battle.¡±


    Marruk¡¯s good mood evaporated. Viv felt useless.


    ¡°We lose too many people too quickly. And I left. I think I made the right choice even now. I could have stayed and then what? Marry another tribe¡¯s princeling for three pakars and a sack of flour? Pumped out more kids and see them return on their shields? It¡¯s all fucked there. But¡­ But.¡±


    ¡°You miss them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The red-faced woman looked up and her gaze met Viv¡¯s with a singular intensity.


    ¡°Make no mistake you¡¯re a good warchief, Veev. There isn¡¯t a man I have regretted killing under your banner yet, and that¡¯s saying something. But you¡¯re not Kark. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°I can understand enjoying the current company and still missing the past one, Marruk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess you really can.¡±


    ¡°So I know that I can¡¯t replace your family or your childhood friends. That¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    They fell into companionable silence while finishing the meal. Marruk was not done, however. Viv could tell. She was just ruminating on something.


    ¡°I wonder what they would do if I returned now, with steel and new ideas on warfare.¡±


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s the plan, no? I am trying not to die but once I¡¯m stable, we can go there? Or you could go by yourself. You know enough already.¡±


    ¡°It is bad luck to plan for three years in advance with an enemy at the gates. Calls Enttiku¡¯s eye upon you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s bored by now.¡±


    Marruk munched on a piece of bread.


    ¡°Guess you¡¯re right. I feel like I¡¯m avoiding the question. I¡¯m just scared of returning and being banned the same day. Or everyone is dead. It happens.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t. Don¡¯t think like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah. I¡¯m feeling¡­ better. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem Marruk, Kark Pillar.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Got a nice ring to it. Now I can buy myself a husband and he would have to cook mushroom beignets for me¡­¡±


    The Kark¡¯s eyes grew dreamy while her skin took a slight blush.


    ¡°And massage my back.¡±


    ¡°Do Kark women often buy husbands?¡±


    ¡°No, almost always the contrary. But I am rich in iron. I can do whatever I want.¡±


    Marruk gave a vicious smile. Romus, behind her, was sweating quite heavily. Viv remembered that Enorian education presented women as naturally caregiving and gentle. Apparently, a taste of the real deal was making the veteran uncomfortable. Viviane could only assume his wife did not openly talk about purchasing a masseur. Ah well.


    Viv fell asleep quickly and without a bath this time. The day had been tiring between the circle and the constant vigilance. Even the small forays in neighboring homes had taxed her with the cloaky boots and occasional werfer spells. Curiously, she wasn¡¯t terrified of the herald. It just felt like being on the frontline, not facing a literal goddess. Anyway, so far so good, which made it even worse when she was woken up in the middle of the night by Solfis.


    ¡°Ngh? What are you doing here?¡±


    //A siege tarantula is coming.


    //Energy optimization supersedes your need to sleep.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    //I need you to kill it, Your Grace.


    ¡°Huh, sure.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was fine then. Viv put on her armor as fast as she could and went out less than a minute later, thank fuck for finesse and army training. Outside, everything was dark. A cloud cover hid Nyil¡¯s moon. Viv had Solfis drag her up to the roof.


    //Not the circle, Your Grace?


    ¡°I want to catch the thing off guard. Do you believe the Herald can detect us?¡±


    //Unknown.


    Viv grumbled against darkness and whispered a request to Arthur. The dragonette was still a bit miffed about having her wings stuck and had taken to burning nets with gusto. The witch settled to wait there on the straw and mud surface, ignoring the spiders she knew were crawling around. Marruk had to stay down on account of being too heavy.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    //New net detected.


    //Your Grace, I believe that the Herald is already within the walls.


    ¡°But camouflaged?¡±


    //Yes.


    //I can spot her approximate position.


    //Once close, I should be able to detect her.


    ¡°Alright. We light up and you get her?¡±


    //Mission parameters accepted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just wait until the siege thing gets close enough.¡±


    //I am ready.


    Slowly, Viv¡¯s eyes acclimated to the darkness. It was not a city night, with lamps and lights at regular intervals, no. It was not even wilderness night with the unblemished sea of stars casting their meek radiance upon the earth. It was darker than the inside of a raven¡¯s ass. Viv could barely see shapes. A naked clown could have twerked half a meter away from her face and the only way she could have guessed would have been that it smelled funny. Thankfully, siege tarantulas weighed tons and even the greatest care could not completely erase the thuds of beam-sized legs landing on the turf. Somewhere, there was a crack. All sounds stopped.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what had broken but it didn¡¯t matter. It took a full minute before the humongous beast started moving again.


    Meaning that it was inside.


    Slowly, carefully, Viv started to spool mana around her, taking great care to keep her own core under control. She could not afford to let the Herald know of her position.


    //The camouflage the Herald uses goes both ways.


    //You are doing fine, Your Grace.


    Viv breathed in and out slowly, adding more runes to her artillery spell including a few she had trained for but never used in a combat situation. Time to see if it would work. She was almost done when the thud grew close and another thing broke.


    Fire?


    Viv grabbed the connection and sent a garbled ¡®wait¡¯ to Arthur. She was almost there. Just a ¡®bind¡¯ rune and¡­ there it was.


    Light it up.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    Fire roared, catching the resin laid in the trenches and starting a ring of flames around the circle she had prepared but not used so far. The angry glow burst out to reveal dark shapes silhouetted against the black of the night. One of them was very, very large.


    //COMMENCING COMBAT OPERATIONS.


    ¡°Aimed blast!¡± Viv roared.


    The spell launched with a hiss, as usual, but this time the pull she had on the projectile was much stronger. It was also much more difficult to control, but not impossible. Mana flooded her conduits and mind in silent encouragement, guiding her. The ball arced over the tarantula¡¯s armored head.


    ¡°Down.¡±


    Viv recinforced the meaning by pulling with everything she had, even gesturing with two fingers for added focus. The spell plunged.


    It caught the tarantula in the neck.


    Now, the neck itself was decently armored but it was mostly armored front and not up, something Viv had assumed from the fact that the tarantula still managed to move with the equivalent of tank plating glued to its fleshy bits. Magic could only carry monsters so far before Sir Isaac Newton came knocking. Except for dragons. In any case, the artillery did what it was wont to do. There was a crack. There was a ghastly sound of disintegrating muscles and nerves, and the large beast collapsed on itself, legs twitching horrifyingly with every pulse of dying synapses.


    Viv breathed out.


    Then she remembered the other shapes. Below her, Marruk was fighting a nimble specimen while villagers shot arrow after arrow at attackers. Viv had no idea why the fuck they had left the sanctuary of the fortress and it was too late to stop them. She jumped down and used a burst of light provided by Arthur to slay a giant horror before it could plant its fangs in a lean man fighting with two stone hatchets. Suddenly, most of the spiders left to a corner of the city. Had they won?


    A rumble shook the ground. Projectiles impacted wood out of sight. Viv had no idea what was going on, but it sounded bad.


    Solfis returned as everyone headed back inside.


    //Target lost.


    //The Herald managed to escape.


    ¡°Wow, that is surprising.¡±


    //Yes, the Herald expected me.


    //Scenario analysis would show that she underestimated my combat abilities and response time.


    //I did wound her and I also killed another siege tarantula.


    //I also eliminated a number of acid spitters she had positioned across the perimeter.


    //Unfortunately, this frame is not adapted for our current task.


    //My energy reserves are currently at 32% as well.


    //My apologies for this failure.


    ¡°That¡¯s low.¡±


    //Our enemy cannot assess how long it will take for me to be nonfunctional.


    //I also assess that the Herald has burnt through a lot of the forest spiders¡¯ nest resources already.


    //As foreseen, she is impatient.


    Viv nodded, eager to go back to bed. It was good that the Herald was burning through resources instead of letting the humans stew in their own fear.


    ***


    The reason why the villagers had left became obvious as soon as she entered the fortified retreat, however. The spiders had breached it. Two families had been slaughtered after one of the outside walls had come down. The corpse of some sort of burrowing beast was stuck halfway through the wall, head pulverized by a mace impact. With the five men killed in the most recent battle, it brought the number of dead to twenty-four. That was a lot in a village of a hundred and thirty souls. And that was just two days.


    Solfis identified that one of tonight¡¯s victims was filled with Noxites. Those specific spiders crawled in the ear canals of humans while they slept and planted eggs, resulting in a ghastly death. It was burnt immediately.


    A kid had been dragged out sometime during the battle. Twenty-five.


    Now, Viv knew that war was hell and that she had, in her time, resorted to some dubious means to stop the Enorian invasion. Some might mention war crimes and The Hague and capital punishment but those people lived on earth so fuck them. She had limits. She had rules. Noncombatants were not targets. Prisoners had to be treated humanely. Lastly, no kids. No fucking kids.


    Octas was going out of her way to be an absolute piece of shit.


    It annoyed Viv.


    Unfortunately, her annoyance had no outlet yet. She had to be more patient than the Herald. Force her into attacking too soon.


    It was made more difficult at dawn, just as Viv had finally managed to fall asleep again. This time, she was in her armor and going to the door only took a few seconds.


    ¡°What is it this time?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Magic, milady.¡± The alderman said.


    ¡°Viviaaaaaaane.¡±


    Most specifically, noise magic from Leria, the newest herald of a goddess known for abhorring civilization and all its trappings. It included speech.


    ¡°How was she even selected?¡±


    //Octas goes through heralds quite quickly.


    //We are fortunate that this one is rather incapable.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    //Because we are incapable ourselves.


    Viv stopped and looked near the door.


    ¡°Are you still pissed you did not manage to get her?¡±


    //Yet.


    //This operation is not over yet.


    //I have been delayed before.


    //But never averted.


    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s see what this is about. Ahem.¡±


    Viv drew a few glyphs and opened the door a little, feeling no danger. Outside, there was only the earth wall of the villager-made fortification


    ¡°What do you want, you spider-faced twat vessel?¡±


    Thus did diplomacy start.


    ¡°So kind of you to answer. And I was afraid you were snubbing me from your armpit-smelling, lice-infested shitpile.¡±


    //The villagers do not have lice.


    //This is propaganda.


    ¡°Oh, good,¡± Viv whispered, then louder ¡°Did you come here for a reason or is this talk as pointless as your existence?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the little witchling thinks she has a sharp tongue. I always found it funny when the mud-diggers you are protecting bad-mouthed me behind my back, thinking themselves smart. Subtle as a gravid sow, they are. Just like my lying husband. Well, ex-husband I suppose. You know, I was one bitter old woman away from being married to a duke. I¡¯d like to believe that I would have been a good wife, but instead the gods put me down, and down, and down. My path ended in a mud house in the ass end of the Koltisian marches, the shittiest region in all of Enoria. So, I am going to use any means at my disposal to climb back up. I think I will revisit that duchy after all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not in control. Octas is using you.¡±


    ¡°I am still me, little witch.¡±


    ¡°Your god only destroys. Even if you win, you¡¯ll rule over a court of bone and ash.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s entirely fine with me. After all, power can be its own reward and I always wanted to¡­ leave a mark on the kingdom. It will just have to be a scar.¡±


    Viv cursed in her mind the foolishness of the woman, and wondered if it was just her being an idiot or a failure of the school system or something. Even the youngest teen on earth got bashed over the head with metaphors and cautionary tales on Faustian bargains they had to refuse. O¡¯Brother. The Devil¡¯s advocate. Aladdin. Well, maybe not the last one. How could people just accept deals from dark gods? It made no sense to her.


    Although, to be fair, she was lucky and gifted with magical might.


    Well, whatever.


    ¡°You are slaughtering innocents in that pursuit. Don¡¯t you have a minimum of decency?¡±


    ¡°You are a gifted mage so you can do what you wish but some of us mundane women have to make do with less savory options. Oh, and yes, thank you for reminding me. I care not about your insufferable bumpkins and their hypocritical masters, but perhaps you do? My servant brought me one of those crotch beastlings they pump out year-in year-out. What¡¯s your name, shitstain? I never bothered to learn.¡±


    A cry sounded through the noise spell and Viv felt a chill crawl down her spine. behind her, a family cried. The mother¡¯s screams were particularly deafening.


    Arthur trotted by Viv¡¯s side and squealed. That was¡­ very irritating.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking cheap,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Just like my master said, why avoid the old methods if they work? You care, I don¡¯t. So I do it. Tewan is the name, good boy. So, I propose this bargain. I will let every last peasant leave if you surrender yourself to me.¡±


    There was silence in the back of the room, but it didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°No,¡± the alderman said, ¡°don¡¯t. We will not succumb to darkness.¡±


    ¡°Our faith is strong!¡± Another said.


    Mutters came, most of them praying to the gods for deliverance. Even the soon-to-be-bereaved mother just yelled please. She didn¡¯t ask for Viv¡¯s death.


    Viv would have said no anyway.


    But it didn¡¯t make what would follow any less painful.


    ¡°No response? Let¡¯s ask Tewan what he thinks about it. Tewan?¡±


    A scream of pain.


    ¡°Oops, used too much strength here. Weak paths are so fragile.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll refuse. If you want to indulge in torture like a fucking degenerate, just do it,¡± Viv spat.


    ¡°Oh, but I will. But I enjoy it more with you knowing you could have stopped it.¡±


    //It¡¯s a trap, Your Grace.


    ¡°Where is the signal coming from? Can you tell?¡±


    //Allow me to scout.


    Viv waited the agonizing seconds it took for Solfis to return. The Herald was just going on with her session. Viv thought she had a strong stomach but even she felt disgusted by the display. It was just evil for its own sake.


    //There are no hostiles within the village, Your Grace.


    //There are, however, seven acid spitters poised to bombard the magic circle.


    //Acid spit is notoriously good against shield constructs, because it is heavy and adhesive.


    ¡°Can you kill them?¡±


    //I believe I can kill four by running on top of the barricade, but the rest will fall back inside sticky webs.


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s worth the risk and expenditure, do it.¡±


    //Acknowledged.


    //Mission parameters accepted.


    //COMMENCING COMBAT OPERATIONS.


    Solfis scurried out in his disturbing gait. It proved to be a long wait because of the screams of the dying kid. Fuck.


    Viv knew it had worked when the Herald cursed and the cries abruptly cut. Behind her, the mother wailed.


    ¡°You little snake. Enough of games. I will find you soon.¡±


    Viv breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least the child¡¯s sufferings had ended. It didn¡¯t help the villagers behind her. Solfis¡¯ return was liberating. It meant she could act.


    //The Herald is mobilizing all she has left.


    //Including her last siege tarantula and the queen of the nest.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    //The queen can cast spells.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    //Rejoice Your Grace, this is our best option.


    ¡°Will you tell me the odds?¡±


    //Never.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    Viv made sure she had everything. Marruk and a few of the villagers piled up behind. Viv knew they would be useless but she didn¡¯t have the heart to tell them off. Even Ardek¡¯s arrow barely slowed down the creatures. Ah well.


    ¡°Can we use the circle?¡±


    //It seems to be the best option despite the presence of acid spitters.


    ¡°I swear it feels like the circle is more a bait than an actual protection at this point.¡±


    //Baits also have their use.


    //Speaking of which, I will go directly for the Herald.


    //After spiders have entered the perimeter.


    //I will hide near the barricade first.


    ¡°Will you be ok energy-wise?¡±


    //Yes.


    //It will be very short.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready to go?¡±


    //Yes.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s.¡±


    ***


    In a way, it felt like familiar territory. Run through trenches, keep your head low. Do not give a target. Viv jumped across the clearing on the circle, Marruk offering a protective barrier. Arthur flew low over their head on her quest for more legs. She easily dodged a web and roasted something out of sight. Viv returned her attention to the situation and activated the shield. Acid flew over her head in yellow strands that look disturbingly like actual spit. Viv was about to use annihilation when Arthur swerved and flapped her wings. A wave of gray mana pushed the liquid away. She torched another spitter, then another before diving with a furious roar. When she resurfaced, her claws were white with ichor.


    So yeah, Viv had kind of forgotten she had a juvenile dragon.


    ¡°Come on, Marruk, can¡¯t let the bird do all the work. Blast!¡±


    Viv¡¯s concerns were completely dashed when most of the surrounding palissade on the Deadshield side collapsed. Spiders of all sizes crashed in a thick wave against the houses, and walls blocking their way. Dozens of the fat fuckers crawled everywhere. Viv was too angry to be disgusted.


    ¡°Ok you shits. Let¡¯s dance.¡±


    The witch drew every reserve she had from her dagger and threw spears after nets after blights on everything and anything that approached. The villagers lit fresh resin, creating a circle of flames against the smaller specimens. As for Marruk, she was everywhere. Any time a creature drew too close for comfort, she greeted it with a shield to the face. Despite all their efforts. They were pushed back and the circle under their control kept growing smaller.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you just DIE?¡± A voice screamed from outside the village.


    As always, impatient.


    A thin, skeletal shape burst out from the webbing near the palissade and moved out. The spiders all stopped and turned their heads, sensing the danger, but it was too late.


    Viv smiled.


    It was Solfis¡¯ time.


    ***


    The golem¡¯s frame topped the palissade, one sharp claw digging in the tempered wood as if it were sand. The flimsy bone frame immediately captured an ocean of data. Light, temperature, sound, magic, and heat measurements raced through finely engraved runes by mana telemetry, all absorbed by the powerful processing machine that was its core.


    The artificial mind that made up most of Solfis analyzed and dealt with all of it at a speed that no humans could match, several processes working in parallel to make sense of the ocean of data available. Solfis saw all, it knew all in that brief instant when it was still falling onto the battlefield. It recognized seventeen major hostiles. It calculated the probable trajectories, altered its projected path and calculated again in a recursive loop. It assessed the terrain and adjusted the plan based on hidden webs, slippery rocks, and future corpses. Solfis was limited by its medium, the shoddily made bone frame, but hidden in the golden core was the immortal defender of Harrak. A thousand scenarios were picked and dismissed in favor of better ones until only the best possible path remained. Solfis would move to Octas¡¯ puppet, then kill it. The Herald was but one creature in the long list of foolish meatbags that thought themselves unbeatable.


    Now, it had arrived.


    //PRIMARY TARGET ACQUIRED


    //OVERDRIVE MODE ENGAGED


    //COMMENCING COMBAT OPERATIONS


    Unnecessary processes shut down to prioritize battle efficiency. Solfis hit the ground and pushed at a perfect angle. It sprinted forward, body almost horizontal. Now that new information merely trickled in compared to the previous burst, the artificial soul at the bottom of the pit embraced the only constant in its existence since the fall of Harrak.


    The pleasure that came with carnage.


    It let go.


    Solfis skipped at a perfect distance, its next step carrying a leg claw through the closest spider¡¯s cerebellum. In one graceful rotation, it planted its other leg in the ground and pivoted, sending the twitching carcass into another hostile¡¯s legs. The pivot ended in a small skip to another spider¡¯s skull. The fragile thing crumpled under the claw with a pleasant squelsh. Solfis reveled in it. The golem understood the dance of death with the composed appreciation of the true aesthete. It dove under five coordinated silk throws. It dodged left, letting another spider shield it from the herald¡¯s next red spike. It used the victim as a springboard. The spider died and Solfis was aloft in the air, in compact form. Another spike missed its shoulder by a breath, just as predicted. An optimal maneuver. The optimal maneuver.


    Perfection in motion.


    ¡®Energy levels dropping.¡¯


    One second.


    The golem absorbed more data, refining its choices and making the most minute adjustments. It landed foot first on the last siege tarantula¡¯s head. It sprinted along its back and raked a claw through the chitinous armor, cleaving the beast in two. It was close to the queen now, very close. The creature opened its wide maw. A ball of silk formed over it. Natural casting.


    The Herald glared at Solfis. Three spikes were ready. Their plan was simple, yet efficient. Octas always went for those. Octas was practical. She was also single-minded where Solfis was many-minded. The golem perceived the buildup of black mana behind it, and it trusted the heir to aim true, to outperform her weaker fleshbag kin. The golem sprinted forward, then jumped through the web of invisible silk protecting the two foes, twisting and twirling. Impossible acrobaties through the eye of a needle.


    The herald smiled. The only way to defeat one such as Solfis was to close every path, because if one was still open, the golem would find it. There was no escaping the silk. If it launched. Lost in its glee, the demigod failed to recognize the incoming danger.


    A dark mana bolt hissed through the air, then through layers upon layers of mana-charged webbing. The heir¡¯s artillery spell was as aggressive and decisive as she was. A piece of the void tore contemptuously through the herald¡¯s hastily raised shields like a javelin through wet paper. All of Solfis¡¯ receptors screamed that its current body could not absorb it, that it would rend its hastily drawn defenses, but it did not fear. Solfis cared only for the meaning infused within. The desire to protect it, a golem. A desire to win. The destructive message spoke to it on a fundamental level. With a last spin, Solfis landed in front of the herald just as the bolt landed in the queen¡¯s face, left side, in its largest eye. It pierced through the head with a hiss and a terrible finality. The large creature tilted forward, dead before it could hit the ground.


    Solfis jumped on the herald.


    Two seconds


    The representative of Octas burnt with mana, its power multiplying at an alarming rate. The body whined and creaked under the onslaught and the mind that used to be Leria broke, her soul torn apart by the cataclysmic power flooding her tainted flesh. Muscle bubbled and ripped. Long black legs erupted from its back and flew forward, still foaming with transparent ichor. Solfis grabbed and pulled and twisted mid-air once again. One of them cracked his leg, another, his torso. Damage was unavoidable, but so was Solfis. Its claws reached for the unholy ball of chitinous cancer where the brain ought to be. For all her powers, Octas was still bound by form.


    Two deceptively human arms locked on his own with divine speed. The horrid bulb looked up and the golem stared into the black, multifaceted orbs of a goddess.


    ¡®damage detected¡¯


    CAUGHT.


    The creature communicated in the language of the dragons. Concepts only, no sounds. Efficient.


    //Am I?


    YOU


    RECOGNIZE


    LOST ENTITY


    REMNANT


    //So are you.


    Solfis pulled its head back and headbutted the goddess¡¯ vessel.


    There was a crack, a high-pitched scream of suffering. The golem pushed its arms forward and grabbed the herald¡¯s shoulder between the chitinous joints. Its target only realized the danger too late.


    Solfis pulled. It tore the arms off the demigod.


    It felt fantastic.


    Claws free. Swipe. Head torn off. Vile liquid burst up in a geyser. The distended body spasmed, innumerable legs contracting with so many clicks. It fell forward with the ponderous weight of a shipwreck. Solfis dropped elegantly down, landing on a single claw, flawless from beginning to finish.


    //PRIMARY TARGET TERMINATED.


    //ENDING COMBAT OPERATIONS.


    Three seconds.


    ¡®Energy levels critical¡¯


    ¡®Emergency shutdown recommended¡¯


    ¡®Retrieval team notified¡¯


    Solfis ignored the prompts. It was an old code, an obsolete thing it could not quite erase. Times had changed. She had found it. She needed it to thrive. It would return. It did so now, ignoring the last fleeing forest spiders now free of the dark goddess¡¯ influence.


    Behind him, the heiress dropped from the palissade, falling with a curse after sticking both feet on netting. It did little to stop the angry joy filling her soul.


    ¡°Woo! Prenez ?a! Woo. That¡¯s right, run away you eight-legged freaks! Yeah! Yeaaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    //Mission accomplished, Your Grace.


    ¡°Amazing work as always.¡±


    ¡°We have won!¡± The primitive militiaman yelled. ¡°Oh thank you, thank you!¡±


    Solfis ran calculations on its remaining options, now that its energy was almost depleted. It did not like its chances. It calculated the likelihood of a charging station while the mostly useless fleshbags honored and flattered the heiress. At least, they realized her worth and status.


    ¡°We will throw a great feast!¡±


    A ping alerted Solfis of the woman¡¯s intense reaction. Her eyes widened slightly. Solfis knew she had reached a natural conclusion as to the nature of the food that would be offered.


    ¡°How soon can we leave?¡± She asked.


    Octas was but a footstep in the heiress¡¯ path, as it should be. Solfis¡¯ calculations seldom worked when it came to her fate, but there were two things he was absolutely confident about. One, she would survive to bring the new Harrak to glory. Two¡­ she would unlock that genocidal maniac skill yet.


    It would just take more ¡®spiders¡¯.


    //Soon, Your Grace.


    //Very soon.

 Chapter 93 What goes around.

    Viv expected much from the aftermath of the Herald¡¯s death, most of it bad. The village had lost almost one person in five. It was a tragedy, one that should logically lead people to be dicks and blame her for not doing more. It did not happen, however. In fact, the villagers were abjectly grateful and treated her like a complete hero. She was blessed in the name of every god and called a champion of good and civilization.


    It felt nice.


    The villagers did not stop to grieve. While a few burly men built a pyre for the deceased, the rest of them dedicated their efforts towards harvesting spider parts and conserving them. Between Viv, Solfis, Arthur and Marruk, the group had made enough meat to last the village through winter. The air was thick with wood smoke and grilled¡­ seafood.


    Viv had sort of given up on horror after watching Ardek, the remaining hunter, dismantling a carcass. She was beyond that. As expected, the creature didn¡¯t share the biology of its earthen counterpart. It had lungs. And a large brain. It was weird as hell, because the outside was similar but the innards were completely different. It asked some metaphysical question Viv had no answer for.


    The interesting part were the leg muscles. The corded, pale flesh reminded her a bit of crab and she was kind of missing it, so she finally decided to give in and requested spider to be prepared for her. The villagers were absolutely delighted to oblige. They made a feast out of it and gave her perfectly seared skewers with fresh vegetables and the juice of something lemony.


    It was absolutely delicious.


    Viv decided that after all that bullshit, eating your dead opponent was an acceptable form of revenge after all and realized she was missing white wine terribly. And mayonnaise. In the afternoon, with a table placed in the middle of the field and Arthur kept entertained by the village¡¯s small children, Viv placed her back against her rustic chair and finally relaxed.


    Viv gave herself two days before leaving. One reason was that she was tired from over a month on the road. It was not just physical fatigue. She was fed up with traveling every day through forest, forest, and more forest. Also trees. Occasionally meadows and copses. Fed up, really. The second reason was that Ardek directed the food preservation efforts as someone whose path dealt with being scrappy and efficient. He was the star of the show and his insights would make a huge difference.


    They had a nice ceremony on the first evening to spread the ashes of those who had fallen as victims to Octas and her machinations. The alderman named Kordek among the first victims of his deranged wife.


    Her patience (it was patience and totally not laziness) was rewarded on the second day when the villagers brought her sauteed queen face muscles in vinegar sauce and a large core attuned to brown and life mana, with just a bit of dark. Honestly, it was hard to say which one pleased her more. They were both magically active.


    ¡°Can we use this to refill your energy?¡± Viv asked Solfis while rubbing Arthur¡¯s belly. The dragonette was gorging from dawn to dusk and Viv thought she had even grown a little bit.


    //Yes, Your Grace, but it would require time and effort to readjust my frame.


    //On a related note, you could not recharge this specific core efficiently.


    //Because its attunement to black mana is very low.


    That was one thing she had not considered. The core on her dagger was black attuned and so she could charge it without isse. Solfis¡¯ core used to belong to a dragon and was apparently attuned to every form of mana. The queen¡¯s core could only be recharged with transparent mana, and that was extremely inefficient. She would be stuck with manually recharging Solfis for a while and hope they didn¡¯t come across anything too problematic, because he had less than a minute of autonomy at normal power and that wouldn¡¯t get them very far.


    Finally, it was time to leave. Viv regretted that she would not get the full culinary experience of oven spider, sauteed spider, spider skewers, roasted spider and crispy spider, but duty called. Or to be precise, she wanted to get to fucking Helock. The villagers sent her off with prayers and demonstrations of affection but even the most naive earthling would have realized that they were glad to see the back of her so they could fully focus on rebuilding the village. As promised, Ardek guided them.


    Viv still got spider sandwiches with a leafy green that tasted a bit like garden cress. Quite nice.


    The group left north east, towards lake Hydon where they could take a ship. At first, they avoided the few isolated villages on the way, but Ardek convinced Viv to go to the nearest town for supplies after a week of travel.


    ¡°We will get fresh food and I can get information on what is happening locally. Moving with you is not like moving alone. We are slower and we are out of rations.¡±


    ¡°What do you usually do alone?¡±


    ¡°I forage for food. You three just eat so much. Just your Arthur can eat three harriens per day! Per day! We will run out long before reaching the lake.¡±


    Viv debated going with him, but she was still wanted. Revealing herself just before boarding the ship was one thing. Letting every bounty hunter know of her approximate location while she had no way to move fast was another. As for Ardek committing an indiscretion, he had sworn an oath not to reveal her presence so she wasn¡¯t too worried.


    The town itself was called Lesso, and they stopped in a prairie not far from its walls. Viv relaxed there while the hunter purchased what they had to get. He returned laden with provisions and significantly more relaxed.


    ¡°The posters are still up, milady. They¡¯re pretty good!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv glowered, ¡°I noticed.¡±


    Spring was slowly progressing. Every tree was in bloom, which made their trip rather pleasant. Whatever fucked up deity had created this world had not included magical mosquitoes or perhaps they were not endemic to this region. In any case, things were pleasant enough while they moved through smaller paths and secondary roads. Ardek still had them give most villages a wild berth, since the bounty hunters were looking for a witch, a Kark, and a ¡®drake¡¯.


    ¡°I am not sorry for being me!¡± Marruk grumbled one evening after looking constipated for an hour. Viv had been wondering what was wrong with her.


    ¡°If you were not here, they would still be looking for a witch and a drake,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Yes. Yeah! I¡¯m not making it worse,¡± the proud Kark told herself.


    Ardek interrupted them, then.


    ¡°We should stop here for tonight, this is a good spot.¡±


    Viv saw a small brook where they could wash, and there were trees blocking the sight. The forest was growing thinner and cultivated land more common the farther they went. They currently stood on a slope that extended for at least a kilometer, leading to a small town. Light was falling and a few torches already shone in the distance.


    ¡°This is Seldon-upon-Tane. From here on, it¡¯s full north all the way to Losserec, the capital city. We are east compared to the path I¡¯d normally take but don¡¯t worry, I can find our way.¡±


    That didn¡¯t fill Viv with confidence. The scrappy youth was unfazed by her clear display.


    ¡°What I don¡¯t know, I can ask.¡±


    Viv shrugged and busied herself setting camp and loading Solfis. The golem had been on low consumption mode ever since the battle. Even with Viv working on him every night, he was still very low on reserves. The issue here was that she didn¡¯t have a charging station he could use, and just pushing mana manually was a slow and inefficient process. Marruk soon called to say that food was ready. Viv helped herself to a bowl of porridge and hoped they¡¯d get something less boring next town over. She got a spoonful in when a bright light shone near her hand.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    A sleepy Marruk just gawped at the source of light on Viv¡¯s finger. Viv¡¯s danger sense was still silent. It took her almost a second to realize what was going on. She stood up in a rush and fell forward, head swimming.


    //The antidote, Your Grace.


    ¡°Fuck. Poison. POISON!¡±


    Fortunately, she was still prepared from the spider days and grabbed a phial from a pocket on her chest. She downed it and felt immediately more alert. The spoon fell from Marruk¡¯s hand. The mighty woman tilted forward.


    ¡°Dammit. Ardek! Ardek?¡±


    Only now did she realize that the boy had disappeared. Panic flooded her system, waking her up. Her heart beat frantically. She jumped on the Kark woman and forced an antidote dose between her red lips.


    ¡°Come on come on come on.¡±


    Marruk reflexively gulped it down and blinked.


    ¡°Whu?¡±


    ¡°No time. Take Solfis, we gotta run. What the hell?¡±


    Just then a flare took off from a nearby thicket. Viv turned her head quickly enough to see Ardek¡¯s illuminated face. He looked awfully calm. It pissed Viv off.


    She sent a net his way and was rewarded by a scream of pain. Fuck that guy.


    ¡°We got to run. Now!¡±


    Arthur was out hunting so there would be no help there. Marruk stumbled but managed to grab Solfis and strap him to her back. They moved, leaving most of their belongings behind. Viv barely took the time to grab her pack, minus the tent. Around them, torches were lit in the distance. Viv¡¯s sight was still blurry as the general-purpose antidote fought what must be a powerful sedative. There seemed to be a lot of them. She might have gone so far as saying a metric fuckton of them. Had to be the drug. Same with the voices. So many of them. And horns.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t feel like bounty hunters.¡±


    ¡°Whu?¡±


    ¡°You keep going Marruk, you¡¯re doing amazing.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The mighty Kark was drooling, running up the slope with somewhat hesitant steps. There were torches in front of them now. Viv had a quick look around. There were torches everywhere. An illusion, maybe.


    ¡°We need options,¡± she said in Harrakan.


    //There is a gap there with fewer torches.


    //By that cliff.


    Yes. The terrain was difficult here and there was a small elevation higher up. That could help. Viv ran more. She heard cries of alarm. She spotted men in uniform far to her right, shining brightly under the radiance of magical light. They wore armor. They were not moving, just standing there watching the darkness with apprehension. Then they were gone, hidden behind a fold of the land. She kept going.


    Pretty sure they had been wearing loyalist uniforms. They were the right shade of blue. Inside her addled brain, panic bubbled to the surface and she ran faster. A scout spotted her on the left next. He whistled but didn¡¯t approach.


    A moment later, something stabbed her in the arm. Danger sense warned her, but it felt muted somehow and she was too slow to react.


    ¡°Arg, MERDE.¡±


    Wait no, not stabbed. But hurt. Pain lanced her with every step she took. Something clattered on the ground, an arrow with a round head.


    ¡°Easy peasy¡­¡±


    A hastily put up shield blocked a second arrow. She could not stop running.


    ¡°... sneaky cloaky.¡±


    The next projectile hit her leg but disappeared with a hiss. She grabbed her wounded arm to prevent it from dangling around. Fucking broken, no doubt.


    //Your Grace, they are trying to capture you.


    ¡°I noticed!¡±


    //I mean that they will not use lethal force.


    //Do not hesitate to exploit it.


    Viv¡¯s mind tried to process what the golem had said, understand it so she could use it, but the persistent poison clouded her mind. It was so hard to focus despite her high focus. She suspected that only this allowed her to function while Marruk coped on endurance alone. She was a one-eyed idiot guiding a blind person. And Solfis had almost no battery.


    They were so fucked.


    No, she had to persevere. Find an out. The cliff came closer. For some strange reason and although they were surrounded, no one came to her. The few soldiers who spotted her just whistled and signaled, but they never approached. Speaking of which¡­


    [Enorian Infantryman]


    The inspection skill returned a vague impression of southern force, but she could not pay it much attention. More blunt arrows hit her armor, disintegrating on contact. They hit her legs, arms, chest, testing for weakness. An arrow at the back of the knee made her stumble. Another hit her wounded arm, eliciting a hiss of pain. All the while, Viv was fighting down terror. They reached the base of the cliff and angled right into a small ravive. The cries behind her had gone closer. She could swear she could hear horses.


    //Your Grace.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    //There is a spellcaster ahead we should go to.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    //Your Grace, I apologize for not seeing through the deception.


    //I considered Ardek¡¯s oath breaking unlikely.


    //Right now, we should consider¡­ alternative options.


    Viv refused to accept that. No capture. No letting others decide for her. She had killed a fucking prince. They wouldn¡¯t be nice about it. She had always told herself back in Afghanistan, that if she ever was at risk of being captured, she would blow her head off. This didn¡¯t feel much better.


    The ravine was not empty, there were torches far, far ahead. In front of her. Near the exit. And in front of that, there was a familiar figure.


    ¡°Aspect of fire. Firewall."


    A crimson circle lit under Eteia¡¯s feet. Flaming columns ignited at the mage¡¯s back, blocking the path. The heat was so intense that Viv had to turn her head, letting the heat disperse on her mana coating. Marruk slipped to a halt.


    Eteia was clad in her own armor, with a shimmering of light that indicated that a shield was already in place. It kind of stung to be trapped in return after trapping the woman so thoroughly.


    But Eteia was not gloating. In fact, she looked more distressed than anything. Her mouth was half open and her eyes searched the shadows of the night behind Viv¡¯s back. The witch¡¯s mind went into overdrive, perception of time slowing.


    She was done for. It was obvious now. She never had a chance. Whoever wanted to trap her had been very, very thorough. Illogically so. She suspected that it was¡­ what was his name again? Constable Tarano, current head of the loyalist faction. And she knew why Solfis had guided her here instead of to another doomed passage.


    Eteia was still under oath not to hurt Viv personally, an apparent oversight on the part of her attackers. It meant that there was a brief window where Viv could ask questions and plant the seeds of a future escape.


    ¡°Why do they want me alive?¡± she asked in a rush.


    The mage was eager to talk. Perhaps she was worried about Neriad smiting her on the spot, but Viv thought there might be more to it.


    ¡°Not to execute you. I think Tarano wants your research. I don¡¯t know anything more.¡±


    Sympathy. Fear. Conspiratorial tone. Guilt. Viv filed all of this and came to a conclusion. She had to give herself a breathing space, and she had to do it fast. Intimidation would not serve a purpose here, so she shelved it. Eteia would not be bluffed and she most definitely had high focus. Better to try and sway her.


    ¡°Let them go and I will surrender peacefully,¡± Viv proposed.


    It was more a test of character than a real negotiation. Viv didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on, and Eteia knew it as well. The mage could just step to the side and let Viv get stopped by the next group. Thankfully, it worked. The mage nodded to the side.


    ¡°They can try to climb.¡±


    //Your Grace, it could work.


    ¡°Then do it.¡±


    Solfis whispered to Marruk. The Kark went to the base of the shear wall and got lifted by a pair of bony arms until they disappeared. Viv heard a few arrows clatter against the stone but she could no longer see anything.


    That was it then.


    ¡°So¡­ how do we do this?¡± she asked, keeping her voice under control.


    ¡°I have silverite manacles. Put them on.¡±


    Eteia removed a pair of shackles from a bag at her back and looked like she would hand them to Viv, but a glance to the side dissuaded her. She tossed the things towards Viv who inspected them summarily. They were simple circles covered in runes, with a basic steel chain that could be attached to immobilize her. She deactivated her cloak then put them on with a grimace. It was a necessity in those circumstances, but she hated it anyway.


    At first, she didn¡¯t feel any different. Mana was still there and she could still move it through her conduits. Her core felt normal as well.


    ¡°It will inflict pain if you try to draw glyphs or if you let mana spill out of the limits of your body. Don¡¯t try it, because it really hurts,¡± Eteia whispered.


    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wore those when I was debriefed.¡±


    Eteia winced. Viv got the impression that the defeated mage¡¯s return had been unpleasant. She was probably on thin ice.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be unpleasant and humiliating but you must stay in control of yourself, got it?¡± Eteia finally said urgently. Then the mage¡¯s face turned as cold and rigid as a statue and Viv knew they were no longer alone.


    She took a deep breath and reminded herself of the basic rules. If captured, she had to try to escape as soon as possible. That was fucked because they wanted her personally. Trust no one, that was also hard because she wanted to try to work through Eteia. The rest was doable. Keep faith in herself and the others, stay calm, shut the fuck up unless she really couldn¡¯t. Escape as soon as possible. Resist whenever possible.


    Viv turned to face the newcomers. Inspect was still working at least.


    A group was walking towards her under the powerful glow of magic lights, one that was absolutely massive. There were men in elaborate plat armors that bore the title of [Knight Captain] or [Baron], grim and powerful. [Court mages] and [Warmages] in fancy robes that resembled her own like a Chanel cardigan resembled a hoodie glared at her and at Eteia with mighty frowns. They were all men. In truth, the only women were a pair of [Bishops] of Enttiku and Maranor, respectively. They didn¡¯t look friendlier than the rest. The man at their head strode with confidence and what Viv felt was an unreasonable amount of vindication. She took solace in the fact that the gold of his armor failed to dispel the dark bags under his eyes. At least she had made things hard for them.


    Which was arguably going to come back to bite her in the ass now.


    Also that was a fucking parade just to get her.


    The VIP room stopped only a few steps away, with the mages loading so much mana Viv felt dizzy. Maybe anticipating some last minute lash out or something, instead of paying attention to her wrists. The amount of enchanted gears on those fuckers could buy the entirety of New Harrak seven times over with enough to spare for a blowjob at the Spotted Feather. Viv was a little intimidated by so much bling. Her confusion also only increased as the lead dude said nothing. He was just staring at her with a strange mix of rage and relief.


    [Constable, extremely dangerous, one who pursues the double path of regency and arcane swordsmanship. Competent caster, deadly duelist, Men bane. Leader. Administrator¡­]


    The list went on. It was not quite as impressive as Solfis but to her, it was enough. The man was on the sixth step. The sixth. She was still small fry despite her efforts. Only Irao could match this guy. He was a tall lad with gray hair cut short and a handsome face with a strong chin upon which was a scar. He had some stubble that gave him a roguish edge, and deep-set dark eyes. Viv got George Clooney vibes except she had never seen the actor play a cold-blooded killer and that was what she got as well. He had blood on his hands, and given the huge double-handed sword on his back, she didn¡¯t wonder how he delivered it.


    As for the rest of them, they were doing their very best to murder her with their eyes.


    ¡°You are a difficult woman to find, Viviane of Harrak.¡±


    She did not reply. It was a show now, one meant for the soldiers gluting around them like flies on spilled blood. Had to remind herself to let the twat have his moment and to exert patience. Her time would come.


    ¡°I am Constable Tarano, ruling in lieu of His Royal Highness Kule, First Prince of Enoria and our rightful ruler. You are my prisoner. As you have surmised.¡±


    He took a few steps forward and Viv felt the weight of his aura upon her. Red, life, grey. He was powerful. Not a pure caster but probably able to stop magic and close the gap. It didn¡¯t matter anyway. With three steps of difference, he could probably sneeze and kill her. He was also one of the few men who really, really towered above her head which pissed her off. She hated feeling small. Calm, ok, calm. Stay in control.


    Because Tarano was not.


    The Constable closed his fists and the armor creaked under the strength in his fingers. Viv waited.


    Suddenly, she was up in the air. Pain blossomed in her belly. It was sharp and cold and blinding. She landed painfully on her knees and hands, unable to move so much as a finger. The agony in her arm redoubled. She retched acidic water. Fucker had punched her, she could tell from his still raised fist. Felt like she¡¯s been hit by a dump truck.


    Grabbed by the collar and lifted. Couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Oh that man was livid alright, absolutely mad with her.


    ¡°I. Raised. Lancer. Like my son.¡±


    Well fucking good job you did then, you wanker, Viv thought in her heart. Something must have shown on her face because Tarano¡¯s lips quivered with rage and his eyes were bloodshot to all hell. He was breathing fast, bearing his teeth like a wolf.


    It took a couple of seconds for a man who ought to have willpower in the sixth tier to chill out.


    ¡°Fortunately for you, I need you alive. So, you will stay alive.¡±


    Viv¡¯s world went up and down. She was flying through the air. This time, she expected something like that and managed to roll into a ball before smashing against the cliff wall.


    Pain.


    Pain.


    Viv forced air into her lungs. Entire right side was going to be black and blue tomorrow. At least she had not tried to cast. Left arm was broken for sure. Yep, definitely broken. She bit back a moan of pain and focused on happy thoughts. She was not alone. She was not alone, ever. Just had to catch her breath for a while.


    Tarano gave a few orders and the silly committee dispersed, leaving her still surrounded by elite soldiers. Before he could do more, he got distracted from her presence when a pair of soldiers and a priest in a golden robe brought Ardek forward. She had nailed him in the flank, quite deeply it seemed. He was still surprisingly calm.


    ¡°Please save me,¡± the little asshole stated.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t respond to mundane or divine healing, Excellency,¡± the priest said. ¡°The grounding potion deadens the pain and his emotions for now, but the prognostic is grim.¡±


    So that¡¯s how the fucker had remained calm and fooled both her and Solfis. A grounding potion? She could use a drop or two right the fuck now.


    ¡°A curse, I assume?¡± Tarano asked.


    ¡°Most likely, yes.¡±


    ¡°I thought you had removed the curse. You lied to me?¡± Ardek asked.


    ¡°The archpriest of Maranor in Lesso died bearing your sin, boy, someone who was worth infinitely more than you. We did not cheat you, this cost us dearly, but Enttiku is an old crone and she always gets her due. Always. And she can be petty when she wants, as you have just learned. We will give you time to accept your fate and rest assured that your share of the bounty will be sent to your next of kin.¡±


    Ardek gasped and moved a bit. Thick red blood dripped from his weeping wound. It felt strange seeing such a thin body sliced open. Reminded her a bit of a village near Kandahar, back on earth.


    Tarano waved his hands, dismissing the dying hunter from the vicinity without care. He walked leisurely and kneeled next to Viv who decided she had no particular reason to test how many of her bones were broken by moving, pain tolerance skill or not.


    ¡°Just as vindictive as I was told. How old was he? Thirteen? Fourteen?¡±


    Old enough to know, Viv thought. She harbored no illusion that oaths to the gods got broken on occasion, but that one was supposed to kill Ardek before he could spill. How the little twat managed, she wasn¡¯t sure. She just knew that someone had died for the information to be given. In any case, it must have taken a clear plan on the part of the hunter, meaning he intended to backstab Viv from the start. That kind of hurt.


    Wait a minute, Ardek was old enough to be a soldier here, meaning that Tarano had ordered many people of his age to their death. Maybe he had killed some himself. He was trying to get a rise out of her, perhaps?


    ¡°I like silence in a woman. I think we can work together after all. We will talk later. Naden, Lotae, I leave her to you. And Kordok.¡±


    And so the constable left her with the two priestesses and one of the tallest dudes she had ever seen since coming here. That was fine. She inspected her captors.


    [Priestess of Enttiku]


    This one wore the black robes of the goddess of death, or god maybe? The Paramese seemed uncertain of the divinity¡¯s gender. There were a few subdued colors on her dusty garment, which Viv assumed meant she was a bigwig or at least a middlewig. She was mature and beautiful with a darker skin and curly hair that hinted at a partially northern ancestry. She didn¡¯t look too pleased to be here. By comparison, the other was pale and thin, sharp, with cold eyes and a mighty scowl. Clearly not sympathetic to her plight.


    [Priestess of Maranor]


    Maranor again. Viv felt like she had never met the bitch and yet they were already enemies for life or something. Her and her fucking fan club.


    The last one was problematic. Very problematic. He was inspecting Viv with a level of attention that bordered on the maniacal, which was bad. What was worse was that he was the tallest man Viv had ever seen with the dry muscles of the martial artist under form-fitting mail. A truncheon hung from one waist and a sword from the other. He was bald and rather ugly, but clean. As Viv watched, he stepped towards her.


    [Royal Jailor: a path dedicated to containing and taking care of captives. Attentive. Decent melee combatant¡­]


    They were leaving nothing to chance, huh? Just as she thought that, the man took a step forward and pointed at her.


    ¡°You are my prisoner, now, and until my superior sees it fit to change that.¡±


    Mana shifted and took hold around the man. Something stuck to Viv¡¯s soul, not exactly unpleasant but there. Immediately, the jailor bent and delicately removed the knife from Viv¡¯s belt. He also took her backpack.


    ¡°Compliance leads to peace; resistance leads to pain. Please follow me.¡±


    There was a time to resist and this wasn¡¯t now. She moved down the valley surrounded by at least fifty soldiers and a couple of mages. Viv was at the center of a very large formation, she realized from the surrounding torches. There was actual mounted cavalry at the edge as well. The voice of Constable Tanaro soon broke the oppressive silence.


    ¡°What do you mean, you let them go?¡±


    He was walking in front of her with the rest of the rich old men. Eteia stood on one side, the gesture designed to isolate her.


    ¡°My priority was to capture the witch, which I did.¡±


    ¡°And you could not stop a drugged Kark warrior?¡±


    ¡°As I said, my priority was to secure a dangerous caster alive. The good question would be how she managed to slip past trained scouts and elite archers.¡±


    ¡°They are not being judged now, you are.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a problem now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The grizzled luggages hissed and spat insults and reminders but Eteia was unfazed. Viv guessed it wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened. That was good information to have.


    ¡°You will watch your tongue, woman. Your status here remains¡­ uncertain.¡±


    ¡°So it is. Was there anything else you wanted to address concerning my capture?¡± she replied in a frigid tone.


    ¡°You are no longer needed for tonight. Dismissed,¡± Tarano finished, and the red mage strode out in a huff while his sycophants mumbled about disrespect.


    Viv noticed that the exchange had been quite public and wondered what the soldiers were thinking. She took a quick look around and realized that everyone was looking at her. The reactions ranged from hatred to terror to morbid curiosity. It was quite flattering in a way. Happily for her, none of those who met her eyes made any rude or suggestive gestures. They really took her for the antichrist or something.


    It took half an hour to end in a camp, and Viv realized a few things as they moved to more open grounds. First, her escort was made of actual thousands of soldiers, their presence fire snakes moving in the distance. Second, it was only a portion of what was left in the camp, hidden from sight near the city she had spotted as they made camp.


    It appeared that, in order to capture her, Tarano had brought the whole loyalist army.


    Or what was left of it anyway.


    That made no sense at all. It was just too stupid to contemplate, not to mention that someone gathering an expedition against her would remember that Eteia was under oath not to harm her. There had to be another reason. She tried to find it as she moved forward past wooden fortifications and among the lined up tents, but could not think of one. Besides, the poison was still not fully out of her system and she hurt everywhere. It wasn¡¯t fun.


    She was stopped near a cage wagon, a genuine steel bar animal containment box on wheels drawn by a duo of oxens. The trio in charge of her well-being had her walk in a tent, though only the two priestesses followed. They didn¡¯t seem worried, which Viv took as one more reason not to attempt to take them hostage while surrounded by a division¡¯s worth of hostile soldiers.


    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? I saw him toss you, you must be in some pain,¡± the priestess of Enttiku said with what appeared to be sympathy. The other frowned. Viv wanted to show her arm but she considered that a priestess with healing abilities would not need her to speak to detect what was wrong.


    ¡°We are not to heal the prisoner unless her life is in danger,¡± the other reminded with a detached tone.


    The priestess of Enttiku sighed heavily, then sighed harder when Viv did not reply. She still lightly put a finger on Viv¡¯s ungloved hand. A moment later, Viv felt something shift in her arm and the pain lessened. The rest of her still hurt though.


    Viv calculated her chance of convincing the priestess of Enttiku to help and decided they were zero. Enemy interrogators would get her through fear, naivete, overconfidence, or, in the case of nurses, sympathy. Anything she said would be used to make her comply for sure. The best policy was to shut the fuck up unless compelled to do otherwise, like with a knife at her throat.


    ¡°The prisoner will disrobe,¡± the other woman said.


    ¡°Let me close the flap first, Lotae,¡± the first said.


    That made the good cop Neren and the glacial tart Lotae.


    She did so and Viv was handed a shift. It sucked to lose her skinsuit and Varska¡¯s robe but there wasn¡¯t much she could do at this stage. She was left with rather conservative prisoner pants and top that covered much and felt warm. As expected, she was already bruising though. Once they were done, she was put in the cage and given some water by a taciturn Kordok, the jailor. The army moved out at dawn.


    They walked for the entire day, barely stopping at noon. The loyalist army progressed as a column in full armor, which was something she supposed was possible with magical enhancements. There was a large baggage train as well that trailed behind her with a cloud of dust. As for her, she was right next to the rich, armored wagons like the one Lancer had used. Some of them were even more bling bling than his had been. She had seen less gold paint on some baroque salons. It hurt the eyes.


    With nothing much to do, Viv focused on circulating her mana and ignoring the pain in her side. She wondered what the hell this was all about and progressively came to a conclusion. Some of the reasons for the presence of the army, she couldn¡¯t know. At least for now. What she figured out was what had meant by ¡®they wanted her research¡¯, a hypothesis she grew more confident in when she saw the main carriage and its emblem.


    She also figured out that the loyalist army would have no supply problems because they pillaged and burnt down any village they came across.


    Kordok was being surprisingly decent. He made sure she had some hot food, one cover, and he had her go out and walk around and visit the privies on the few occasions when the army stopped. There was one time when Viv thought she heard a familiar ¡®squee¡¯ from above and hope filled her chest. It made Kordok instantly approach the cage and inspect her thoroughly. It seemed like he was keyed to her emotions and that was going to be a pain in her ass.


    Viv got confirmation that night when the quiet jailor dragged her to the largest armored wagon. She was shoved in and found herself in a richly decorated, moving bedroom complete with couches, a desk, a large bed and even a bathroom. Tarano was here, sitting comfortable on a blue velvet chair. Two barons and an old and very powerful war mage accompanied him. They all looked too smug for geezers slumming it in a pimped out RV.


    ¡°I am sure you are wondering why you still draw breath so let me enlighten you,¡± the constable said without preamble. ¡°Despite your many crimes against the crown and the people of Enoria, most of them punishable by death, we have¡­ elected to grant you a chance to redeem yourself. In the bed behind me lies the only hope for our great country to be made whole. You are going to heal him.¡±


    As expected, Tanaro wanted her to heal the first prince, the same who had been mangled during the first battle of the war. Incidentally, the last living sibling out of three thanks in no small part to Viv herself. Tarano was probably grasping at straws. Unless he could put Kule back together, he had a kingdom with no kings. His claim of legitimacy would melt in the succession war.


    Lotae walked to the bed with a grim air and lifted the veil to reveal a man who, well, looked like he shouldn¡¯t be alive.


    He was missing his entire left arm, left leg, and right foot if the lack of bump under the thin cover was any indication. More importantly, there was an actual hole in his flank, now covered by smooth skin but Viv guessed meant he was missing some essential stuff. And indeed, an IV dripped golden fluid into his right arm. He was also comatose and painfully thin.


    [Crown Prince]


    The inspection returned no information on the man¡¯s current health, which was probably due to the fact that her path didn¡¯t focus on healing at all.


    She stared back at the constable, who was apparently expecting some sort of reaction. When she didn¡¯t speak, he ground his teeth with restrained rage. Damn did that man hate her guts.


    ¡°If you do not cooperate, we will make you. If you do, you will be allowed to make up for your mistakes and reintegrate society. We will let you settle and have a family with an Enorian spell blade of our choosing and with some restrictions. It is a very generous offer considering the circumstances.¡±


    A distant part of Viv knew she should remain quiet but the rest of her was tired, hurt, and boiling with outrage.


    ¡°Your reward is to be raped and used as a brood mare? Are you serious?¡±


    A vein pulsed on the constable¡¯s forehead. He forced himself to take a deep breath while Viv shook her head, aghast. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears.


    ¡°Despite your many offenses, we know that you have expanded into the deadlands and fought the undead. My advisors believe¡­ that you see the importance of order and civilisation even if your view is skewed by an¡­ extremely inflated opinion of yourself.¡±


    Viv thought that one of them had created a functional kingdom and the other had brought his own to ruin so results kind of spoke for themselves. Her naked contempt must have gotten obvious enough that Tarano went through another cycle of deep breaths.


    ¡°And that you are also selfish and arrogant. Someone of your intellect should realize that a war caster is a war caster, but a woman who sacrifices her path to raise a family gives the kingdom half a dozen war casters. It should be obvious to you which one benefits society the most.¡±


    ¡°At the risk of challenging your views on parenting, there isn¡¯t that much overlap between being a good mom and melting someone¡¯s face off. Wow, you fed bullshit to the masses for so long that you ended up believing in them as well.¡±


    ¡°I was foolish to expect a revolutionary to understand the notion of sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only okay so long as someone else does it, right?¡±


    ¡°Enough of this. You will save the prince, whether you want it or not.¡±


    ¡°Not with that ¡®generous¡¯ offer that you gave and can shove up your ass. I¡¯d rather be caged, thanks.¡±


    Thus ended the negotiations, Tarano not pushing for now. Viv was sure he would get back to her very soon but curiously, he seemed distracted. As Viv was brought back to her cage, she caught sight of the soldiers around their camp fires. The mood was subdued. Tense. She did not expect them to be happy so far into enemy territory, not to mention the aftermath of the meat grinder this war was turning out to be, but there was more at play. She was sure of it. Time was not on the side of the constable. But why? She had to play this carefully.

 Chapter 94: Green Edge

    Kordok brought Viv back to her cage, then he took her cover.


    ¡°Compliance leads to peace; resistance leads to pain. Please follow me.¡±


    It would be more annoying to Viv if the man had any emotion in his voice. Instead, the tall asshole was sort of subdued. He proceeded to poke Viv to wake her up every two hours then limited the food and water she got. He was shily trying hard to be the world¡¯s shittiest butler.


    Although annoying, it wasn¡¯t enough to ruin Viv¡¯s day yet, which she made sure not to communicate. A quick session of introspection confirmed that yes, she would not break from this any time soon but no, she was not willing to poke the bear about it. It was known in the French army that torture got you very unreliable results, and that a skilled interrogator could achieve much more than a torch or a portable generator strapped to the balls. It didn¡¯t mean that the same applied here, on Nyil. Maybe they had fucked up paths. Actually, she would be surprised if there weren¡¯t any. Obviously she wouldn¡¯t die to prove a point or willingly let herself be cooked over a grill just to spite Tarano. That was fine. She just had to delay and look for an opening. That wouldn¡¯t be so hard considering how complex the healing sessions were and how she¡¯d never had to regrow a pancreas or whatever the fuck the crown prince was missing at the moment.


    Although, there would not be an opening any time soon.


    The Enorian loyalists marched south from dawn to dusk, only stopping as the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the forest in the distance. Her cage was surrounded by a double ring of guards at all times, outside of normal talking range, not that it would matter with how terrified they all seemed to be. No one spoke to her and she spoke to no one. For now, it was acceptable.


    Viv could also tell the mood was less than ideal. The soldiers showed signs of tension despite the apparent lack of injured men, or even enemies. They kept the conversations low even at night, and most of them looked around as if they expected an assault at any moment. A strange behavior for such a numerous group. And they were numerous indeed.


    Viv had caught glimpses of the whole army on the march when they crossed a particularly wide section of farmland. There were more than ten thousand soldiers for sure. They extended as far as the eye could see in dense clumps of infantrymen, archers, and mounted warriors. Most wore either the blue or a variation of the blue of Enoria, with an eagle under a crown being the most common flag. She inspected a few randomly and found a wide variety of paths with most soldiers being between the second and fourth step. Solfis had not gone into much detail but she was starting to believe that it might take some significant achievements or a measure of risk-taking to progress past the fourth, which of course the golem would fail to mention since he had no doubt Viv would achieve great things. Bless him.


    There wasn¡¯t much more she could learn at a glance from the soldiers themselves. There were, however, things she could guess from the train. It was far too large for an army that size. In fact, there was so much grain and food being carried that she suspected it would be enough for months, with some of the wagons obviously looted along the way. Some of them were even pushed by sturdy men for lack of oxen. Or cornudons, she guessed, as there was a lack of proper cows in this place. The other interesting fact was the incredible speed with which they moved. Viv was sure that some sort of army-wide skills must have been involved because even special forces troops would have collapsed long ago. Instead, they swallowed distance with such speed that it felt to Viv as if distant fighters walked on treadmills. The third and last interesting fact was the lack of camp followers. The Enorians had a clear purpose and they were going there quickly. As for what it was, she was certain she would find out soon.


    Viv¡¯s only social interaction came from the rare moments she was allowed to clean herself and walk a bit, as it was done under the surveillance of the two priestesses. The dark-skinned servant of Enttiku, Naden, respected her silence and merely gave an embarrassed grimace when their eyes met. She was clearly unhappy to be relegated to guard duties, or perhaps it was because a broken oath to the goddess of death had led Viv here. And indeed, while Ardek¡¯s demise had been cathartic, it sure didn¡¯t help with the silverite manacles. Lotae, on the contrary, was a bitch.


    ¡°The prisoner will get dressed promptly, unless she wishes to give women a bad name any more than she already has.¡±


    ¡°The prisoner would do well to remember her place.¡±


    ¡°The prisoner could find fulfillment in her life if only she would comply.¡±


    Viv had met people like that before. She remembered a nun back in her private school who was keen to impose more rules on girls, happy to sit at the top of an oppressed gender. Some people lifted, others brought down. Lotae was firmly in the second category. Once again, this did not particularly annoy Viv because it was what she expected, and also because when she escaped, there was a good chance she could show the uppity cunt her own liver.


    Nothing happened much for four days except Viv being more or less certain they were approaching Koltis, meaning her past weeks of travel through the boonies had been for fucking nothing. Well, not exactly, they had saved a village and she rediscovered her love for seafood, forest-sourced this time. It was still a frustrating experience. During that time, her rationing had remained low so she now had a constant headache and felt she could eat an entire roast pig from eyeballs to sphincter. She would have mumbled ¡®my kingdom for a slice of bacon¡¯ but something might have taken it as an invitation.


    The same sort of something that visited her in dreams that night.


    ***


    Viv did not wake up so much as come to. She looked down and saw her body yet knew intimately that it was an illusion, a lie. Her body was still in that cage. She was in the in between where Neriad had once pulled her to stitch her tattered soul. She was whole now, and could perceive the phantasm for what it was, a convenient way for her fragile psyche to handle the strain of premature access to the realm of souls. She stood in an empty cavernous room with a basalt ground as level and smooth as undisturbed water. The glassy surface gave back a distorted reflection of her features, against all logic. The only furniture was a titanic throne of obsidian, and on it sat a colossus. He had to be at least four meters tall. Even as Viv took in his appearance, her immediate conclusion was that this man was a massive edgelord.


    Greaves with cute silvery skulls on the knees complimented a black leather and silver mail chest. Ridiculous spiky pauldrons surrounded a darkly charismatic, pale face with sharp traits and wavy black hair. If Viv was still in her groupie stage, she would have fallen hard for his good looks, but she was no longer sixteen. More worryingly, the amount of sheer pressure that came off the pretentious figure fell on her in dizzying waves, and she still felt, somehow, that he was relatively far. Her mind came to the inevitable conclusion and fear filled her. The man felt it. He smirked. His eyes were pools of abyss without a single speck of color.


    ¡°Yes, you have guessed correctly. I would be easier to recognize if my effigy were paraded in the markets like that of my comrades-in-arms, but alas, we have grown distant over the past eons.¡±


    Efestar, God of Scorn and Vengeance, pulled a serrated dagger from the void and inspected its blade. Viv saw that it was a sharp, curved weapon, and it bled so much malice that its mere sight made her nauseous. The blade disappeared as quickly as it had come. Efestar smirked disparagingly.


    Viv tried to take a deep breath but failed. She was not actually breathing here. Regardless, her effort caused her to feel more focused, more herself. It didn¡¯t help much. The voice of Efestar wrecked her meager defenses to shake her to her core. He was not even trying to hurt her, he was just that strong. It really spoke of Neriad restraint that he conversed with her while they were so close to each other.


    ¡°No need to be alarmed, Viviane the Outlander. There is no deal I could offer that we would both agree on at the moment. I merely wished to meet you and give you a bit more context on what we could achieve together. After all, the new Pantheon can be so avaricious when it comes to information sharing, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Viv did not reply immediately. In fact, she didn¡¯t plan to reply at all. Her father had proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that a person could provide only truthful information and still deceive. One merely had to cherry pick them. Efestar was old and cunning. She was no match for him in a game of intrigue.


    The dark man¡¯s sneer only widened.


    ¡°You are wary, which I can respect, but also curious. The gods you mortals worship are not as infaillible and kind as they appear. You already know of Maranor¡¯s penchant for tyranny, that dear old firebrand. But even your beloved Neriad has plenty of blood on his hands.¡±


    Viv thought Efestar took her for an idiot. The god¡¯s smile faded ever so slightly.


    Of course Neriad had blood on his hand, Viv knew. Only someone who has regretted their actions would specifically give mortals a measure of leeway in the causes they chose to kill for. Only someone who had picked the wrong shade of gray one too many times would lose the belief that only they had the right of things. She didn¡¯t see the gods as some omnipotent entities because a divine asshole had sent her to Nyil. More damning, the gods had chosen an anthropomorphic appearance and humans were, at the core, flawed. Therefore, so were the gods. It made sense to her, at least.


    Efestar sensed that his amazing, thought-provoking truth had left her unimpressed. He next spoke to her like she was a child.


    ¡°Some advice. A mere suggestion, if you will. Consider that the gods are hiding much from you including how they got their powers, then perhaps you will come to the conclusion that they do not deserve your support and that you may want to explore other avenues of worship.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Viv said before she could hold herself back, ¡°my mommy told me about strange men with intriguing proposals. She said everyone in life would try to spoon-feed me their own patented brand of bullshit. She said I should look at how they act instead, what they do, how, and what sort of world they¡¯re trying to build. It doesn¡¯t take a fucking genius to realize that out of all the assholes of that forsaken, heartless jungle of the planet, you are the top cunt. Am I clear enough?¡±


    Ah.


    That¡­ might have been a little vocal.


    Efestar sat forward on his throne with the same smile as before, and that somehow chilled her more than the blade had.


    ¡°I see why the Traveler God likes you, darling. He always had a thing for hellions. We may meet again, or not. There is still much height for you to fall from. Bye now.¡±


    Something flicked Viv on the forehead. She was hurled back into her body and smashed into the back of her cage.


    ¡°Oh shit.¡±


    She lurched forward and retched.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Due to repeated, unexpected travels to the beyond and your meditation efforts, you have acquired the clergy path exclusive skill soul mastery at novice 3.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Owwwwwww. That hurt.¡±


    Kordok woke up from his cot by her side and rushed to her, inspecting through the bars. He wordlessly gave her half a cup of water.


    ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Compliance leads to ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°Yeah yeah I heard you before,¡± Viv retorted before realizing she had just talked to the dour man for the first time ever. He poked her ribs when she back talked, right on her slowly healing bruise. Viv gave him the death glare. He was unimpressed. Just wait. Viv ignored him as he lumbered back to his covers. There was the new thing to inspect.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul mastery: the ability to feel, control, and develop one¡¯s soul, an extremely important aspect of channeling divine mana. While this skill is granted to the clergy of gods early on their path, it can be acquired by exceptional or lucky individuals on their path to greatness. Soul mastery can also be used for more sinister purposes, including mental manipulation.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The mental manipulation aspect was obvious to Viv. The leadership and intimidation skills were all about that, and they worked through the soul so it stood to reason that better control would lead to that. She was not particularly interested at the moment because it was clear it was a long term thing. Right now, she could barely feel the thing. Fixing her soul allowed her to feel more grounded though, and it would be helpful in the following days. Sitting back, Viv closed her eyes and focused. The discomfort Efestar had caused in her actually helped in finding the path to enlightenment, so to speak. She meditated for some time and felt herself calm down again. It would have to do for now.


    The next morning was bright and sunny, dispelling the fog of the night but not Viv¡¯s growing migraine. It was also at that time that the army sharply veered right towards the Deadshield woods. The soldiers followed a well-traveled path going up towards a more wooded and mountainous area. Viv felt a change in the air by focusing on the mana all day long. The concentration of brown and green dyes increased progressively. It was an interesting realization that brought its own benefit.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana mastery: Beginner 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The column she was part of accelerated even more to the extent that she would have had to jog to keep up. It was frankly impressive, and the reason for such haste came into view around noon.


    For an hour, the path had been going up and the terrain had grown more rocky. Finally, the road angled right to follow an escarpment a good kilometer away or so before going over it. Steep hills rose on either side of the path. Dense forest blocked much of the view except for a large strip of naked ground between Viv and the escarpment itself.


    There was an army on top of it, waiting for them.


    Viv saw lots of yellow colors and flags she could not recognize from here. The shimmering form of a shield rose above the formation to her right where the road topped the incline. It looked really defensible to her. The loyalists were already deploying along the field.


    Viv had been in the armed forces. She knew in her head that the army had large numbers but they tended not to be in the same location. In fact, getting clumped was almost always a bad idea in the modern world. Here, things were different. Formations offered many advantages, especially when backed by skills. So the two armies had concentrated their forces and now there were twenty thousand magic-boosted supersoldiers ready to kill each other on the field. There was something fundamentally impressive in the way both groups came alive as sums greater than their parts, something that she had never witnessed before. They grew into single-minded titans bent on destruction. The battles for Kazar were mere skirmishes compared to what was happening now, footnotes in the trail of history. This here, this was the real fucking deal. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Ranks and columns moved in a smooth ensemble along a symphony of drums and horns. The infantry went first in scattered waves, but soon the other side answered. The yellow line shifted and a strange whistle covered the battlefield drowning every other sound. Blue shield lines glowed in the noon light, a sign of the shield wall skill being used. Colors clashed and men died in the hundreds when arrows as large as javelins skewered them. The loyalists replied with volleys of their own. The very air trembled at the exchange. Far in the distance, so far that each soldier turned into an unnamed pinhead, their enemies died and fell as well.


    Despite the losses, the tip of the formation turned into an arrow and launched themselves up the slope leading up and right, but magic infused the battlefield and its wielders had decided to play.


    The earth shook. A wave of soil upturned surged from the cliff looking like a mole tunnel if moles were the size of jetliners. A trumpet blared to Viv¡¯s right, but she could not see where from exactly because some damn wagons blocked her line of sight. Nevertheless, the effect was immediate.


    ¡°Break! Break!¡±


    The cry echoed across the lines. The lead infantry element disintegrated and ran to dodge the coming mud tide. Many fell to arrows but more jumped out of the way. The farther lines dodged the spell entirely until it petered out, having redrawn the landscape for several hundred meters. Meanwhile, the loyalist mages retaliated. Plumes of red, blue, and gray shot across the battlefield across amazing distances. Viv wasn¡¯t sure but she thought they were much more complex than what she could manage. She also saw more than felt several layers in every projectile. They were simply too fast to know for sure.


    Lighter and faster missiles surged from the shield just as the infantry moved forward again. The first spells exploded mid-air but it soon became obvious that it took several smaller ones to take a single larger one, and around half smashed into the shield. It cracked but did not break, which left Viv gawking in awe. The battle was far from over, however. A sound like a furiously boiling kettle surged once more. White clouds rolled down the slope. Once again, the order to break surged and once again, some of the soldiers failed to evade the threat. Viv heard their screams from here. The corpses left behind were red white and unmoving.


    She had never seen anyone get boiled alive before.


    The assault up the slope had been halted a second time, but the loyalists were undaunted, especially because the yellow archers finally stopped returning fire. Corpses and red trails decorated the top of the escarpment while the survivors retreated out of sight. With the approach cleared, the formation shifted until fresh troops charged again. This time, no spell stopped them. Instead, artillery spells were launched towards the loyalist mages who were apparently packed on the other side of the fucking wagons so Viv couldn¡¯t see what was happening. One of them actually landed.


    The ground shook and Viv¡¯s teeth vibrated. Debris fell from the sky. A couple of stones clattered on the top of her cage. A flock of green birds took off behind her.


    Okay, so those things packed a nasty punch. Viv tried to guess how they compared to modern shells but was distracted by a clamor. The loyalists had finally taken the slope and they were battling enemy footmen in close quarter combat. The din of metal and cries covered the field, but the enemy held a choke point and the assault stalled. Meanwhile, the exchange of spells was going strong, but even though the defending mages had dug in, it was clear that the loyalists surpassed them in every other regard. The shield was still cracked while more and more artillery spells landed. The situation was made worse when the loyalists deployed slower blue balls that turned to thick mist when intercepted. At first, Viv thought they might be like her blight spells but the loyalist foot soldiers walked through them without pause and without screams. Soon, they completely masked the escarpment.


    It was then that the cavalry entered the fray from Viv¡¯s blind angle. Led by Tarano himself in the gaudiest, most bling armor Viv had ever seen in real life or on screen, a vast contingent trotted onward in preternatural silence, which Viv saw was caused by a few hooded figures mixing with the knights and nobles. The cavalry first angled left and then positioned themselves facing the incline. A signal was given and the loyalist infantry ran down the slope in feigned disarray.


    Tanaro raised a banner bearing a blue horse on a field of grass. Viv blinked when the horse fucking moved because of course it would. The loyalist mages launched one last salvo that disappeared out of sight, but its efficacy was proven when the loudest noise of shattering glass Viv had ever heard rang through the plain. It was all Tanaro needed. He sounded a horn and the cavalry roared, a rousing cry that heralded a powerful charge.


    It pissed off Viv that the charge was pretty damn cool, and that was just the start. A wave, a sort of line at the edge of the formation grew as the horses accelerated¡­. then they disappeared behind the cover of smoke.


    Viv heard a crash like a major car accident, along with screams and yells of consternation.


    The rest of the battle happened out of sight but Viv assumed it was rather one-sided, because it stopped very quickly. The whole affair had lasted an hour at most, with most of the decisive action occurring within twenty minutes. She was pretty sure it was short as battles went. In any case, the convoy started soon after, with the end of them recovering many wounded. Her cage wagon climbed the escarpment now free of corpses, though the air was still thick with the metallic tang of blood. A hill of bodies sat at the top of the slope to her right, while yellow-clad prisoners waited on their knees to her left. The convoy bypassed a devastated campsite. From the size, it was clear the loyalists had outnumbered the opposing force by a factor of at least five, which meant Viv had no idea why the fools would even try. If they had quality as well it would have made sense, except it was very clear Tarano had held every advantage except the terrain. The situation was growing even more confusing and her captors were not sharing. Viv would not ask.


    By nightfall, they reached their destination.


    Viv was pretty sure it was the destination because the road stopped there. The convoy spilled over meadows and prairies, sparing the few patches of crops growing in the secluded valley she found herself in. Mountains and forests covered the horizon beyond a large fortress that the tiny village in front of her did not justify. It was a massive rectangular keep with a drawbridge, at least four or five stories high that she could tell and cornered on all sides by massive round towers. It towered over one of two twin hills overlooking the valley. The other had been a forest not so long ago, but now it was just stumps and tents surrounded by a wooden wall.


    Most of the soldiers collapsed where they were, so it was reassuring to see that the last few days¡¯ breakneck speed was not without consequences. Those who had recovered made their way up the fortifications to the camp, while nobles and the better equipped infantrymen made for the castle. Viv was dragged along under a fortified passage and onto a crowded, square inner courtyard. She was removed from her cage by a furious baron who told Kordok to ¡®get that fucking cage out of the way¡¯. The jailor trio led her down several sets of stairs that dug deep into the mountain to actual oubliettes. They shoved her into a small cell and left. To her surprise, a tiny window let her see the last rays of sunlight disappearing behind a mountain. The cell was facing west, towards the Deadshield woods.


    It was cold and wet here, but at least it didn¡¯t stink. Viv sniffed her clothes. She hoped they had spares.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? I have a new neighbor? Are you one of mine, or did they bring in a stray?¡± a gravelly voice asked.


    Viv almost jumped at the voice. It came from nearby, probably a bit farther down the corridor.


    ¡°I am not one of yours,¡± she replied. She doubted it was a trap. Tarano had been too rushed and, to be honest, he didn¡¯t strike her as a person who would resort to complex schemes.


    ¡°A woman! Allow me to be, I believe, the first to welcome you to the ancient and respectable fortress of Green Edge. I apologize for the poor reception. We seem to have fallen upon hard times.¡±


    ¡°I cannot begrudge you for your lack of hospitality, seeing as we share the same accommodations,¡± She replied with a smile.


    Damn, it felt good to have human interactions again with people who were not absolute twits.


    ¡°Hah! My wife would have liked you, Enttiku rest her soul. My name is Edwin Mildery. A pleasure to meet you, milady. May I ask who I have the pleasure of speaking to?¡±


    Viv introduced herself and Baron Mildery went on a questioning binge, eager to learn what was going on outside. He swore when it turned out that Viv barely knew more than he did, although he willingly shared his side of the story without prompt afterward.


    ¡°They came a month ago by surprise. Those mages overwhelmed poor old Litok¡¯s magical defenses in mere moments. The old fart could do nothing against them and neither could I. We barely had two dozen people in fighting form here. I challenged Constable Tarano in a duel and the rotten shithead lopped my arm off. At least he reattached it and let the soldiers go back to the village after they surrendered their blades. Poor lads. First fucking thing to happen to Green Edge in thirty years and I get my ass handed to me by a gilded moron. Just my fucking luck.¡±


    He fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Please pardon my language.¡±


    ¡°Given the circumstances, I think you¡¯re allowed to curse.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I mean what can I do, throw you in jail?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Gallows humor is a mark of good breeding. So you said you were a rebel?¡±


    Viv shared what she believed was common knowledge. She knew it was a mistake, yet Mildery¡¯s eager voice and her own loneliness made short work of her previous resolve. It was most likely fine. She would have been more circumspect if the loyalists had felt less rushed.


    ¡°You killed Lancer?¡± Mildery eventually exclaimed.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°My dream¡­¡± the man whispered, voice full of wonder.


    Their exchange was cut because Kordok appeared at the small window, glaring at Viv with his dark eyes. Viv jumped and swore but the annoying git merely checked every steel bar one by one before disappearing again.


    ¡°Friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Royal jailor.¡±


    Mildery whistled.


    ¡°You must be important and dangerous, an unfortunate combination when one is captured. I¡¯m afraid that they might want to, ah, make an example out of you. I hope not but¡­ well¡­ a regicide.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    That soured the mood a bit. The two prisoners fell silent until dusk, then Kordok brought Viv some hot but tasteless gruel, then night fell. The temperature dropped while Viv¡¯s mood rose. She crushed the happiness in her chest, forcing herself to meditate before Kordok could come and see what was wrong. She was almost in control when a shape darkened the sea of stars.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°I am here.¡±


    Finally!


    Waited for too long.


    Sneaky dragon!


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Viv thought at Arthur, ¡°I was careless.¡±


    She-who-feasts-on-spiders-and-gets-much-gold careless too.


    Bored.


    Flew too far from mother.


    Too late to defeat the army.


    Found you now.


    You


    Provide


    Scritches.


    Viv jumped to the window and obliged. She had to breathe deeply to bring her soul under control. Too glad and Kordok would come to investigate.


    ¡°New name?¡±


    Same name!


    Just better.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Go?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I cannot fly and that window is too narrow, even without the bars.¡±


    Can melt hole.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I would not survive the experience without my magic. There is one thing you can do, however. Do you remember Eteia, the fire mage?¡±


    Spicy magic!


    Hot.


    I am hotter.


    ¡°Yes you are, but she could help me, I think. Can you find her and ask her? Sneakily?¡±


    Viv reasoned that Solfis had directed her towards the woman during her short-lived escape attempt, and the golem was not random. He must have calculated that their meeting would be her best chance and she agreed with his assessment. Eteia was sworn not to hurt Viv, and while she was not sworn to help her, the hostile treatment she received made her ripe for recruitment. There was an opportunity there.


    Sneaky dragon!


    I think at her.


    She says yes, win.


    She says no, I eat her, win.


    I am smart.


    ¡°Try not to be seen or we will lose the advantage of secrecy.¡±


    I move.


    Like spider in your hair.


    They see nothing.


    And she was gone, following which Viv spent two minutes of intense panic dancing around patting her head, which was mercifully spider-free. Maybe that had happened at the village?


    The thought sent her into another bout of terror trying to recall when that could have been, leading to Kordok clambering down the stairs to check on her. Annoying. At least he was no longer hounding her every moment.


    Arthur returned twenty minutes later, to Viv¡¯s surprise. The lithe dragon held a small golden orb the size of a chestnut. It was delicately engraved and looked like a sleigh bell.


    Place in mouth between teeth and cheek.


    No swallow.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    [Short-range communication bell.]


    Neat. Viv checked for explosive runes anyway, just in case, but she found nothing. She followed the direction, then a pulse of colorless mana stretched towards her ears and throat. She allowed it to happen.


    ¡°Hm, hi?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Oh, it works. Good, fairly good,¡± Eteia replied.


    The mage¡¯s voice came strangely distorted to Viv¡¯s perception. She also felt the orb shake lightly against her gum, tickling her uncomfortably but that was fine. Eteia was talking. There was hope for her yet.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky the juvenile dragon found me while I was alone.¡±


    ¡°Not like you are booked with social events here.¡±


    ¡°I hope you did not mean it as an insult.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, merely an observation that the loyalists do not seem to like you much.¡±


    ¡°You are not being subtle, and I have not agreed to help you yet. I admit that I am tempted to just leave.¡±


    Viv knew when to press and when to wait. This was a waiting moment.


    ¡°Tempted, yes. Anyway, you will have to convince me that you have a solid plan,¡± Eteia continued.


    ¡°You were more than tempted. Don¡¯t tell me you had the short range secret communication device just on hand.¡±


    ¡°... I was trying to approach Naden so she could get it to you. Very well, but we at least need a viable plan.¡±


    ¡°Okay first and foremost, what the fuck happened? I assume the entire loyalist army didn¡¯t just run after me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, this is exactly what happened.¡±


    Viv almost spat the ball.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°I am, but you¡¯ll need a bit of context. First, the king is dead. He took his own life on the night of the seeding festival. And yes, that means that Prince Kule remains the last legitimate heir to the throne.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s dying.¡±


    ¡°Has been dying for a while, yes, and while there are cousins and bastards, they are not as legitimate as the crown prince himself which leads me to my next point. The separatists have united under the banner of Sangor the Nigh-King over the past few months. He has the distinct advantages of being a royal bastard of Kule¡¯s grandfather, and also a fairly competent diplomat and military leader. It means that ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tarano¡¯s position has become untenable.¡±


    ¡°If Kule dies or remains disabled, the Constable loses. It will be the end of the loyalists, even if they retain a significant portion of their military because Sangor has a better claim to the throne than anyone else alive. Tarano needs a miracle. He needs you to heal the incurable.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain the army.¡±


    ¡°Two birds with one stone. Tarano needed Sangor busy rather than recruiting more lords to his banner, so he attacked. Sangor expected Tarano to strike at Regnos.¡±


    ¡°Again? Wasn¡¯t it there that everyone died last time? In the first battle of the war?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and although the place was infested with undead and aberrations, it also held a veritable treasure trove of iron and magical objects. Tarano decided to lead his troops farther west so he could make sure he would capture you, which is why we¡¯re here now. Sangor had to react because the loyalist army was ravaging his hinterland. Or that was the plan. But Sangor took his time.¡±


    Huh.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny because if you had stayed holed up for a week and a half more, we would have had to leave. You proved incredibly competent at avoiding bounty hunters. You were caught at the last moment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hilarious.¡±


    ¡°In any case, with you captured and Sangor coming to engage, Tarano believes he is in an optimal situation. He selected Green Edge as a fall back position and intends to dig in and drag Sangor in an unfavorable engagement.¡±


    Viv blinked at that. She was no strategist, but she had studied history and was familiar with a similar plan the French army had followed in Dien Bien Phu, in Vietnam. It had not gone well at all.


    ¡°He put himself in a place with no path of retreat?¡±


    ¡°He believes it was the best option. Maybe he is right to make a stand. If the army is defeated, it might be the end for the loyalists. Morale is at an all time low across the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that Sangor is coming?¡±


    ¡°Right on our heels. He was gathering a tide of troops and almost managed to box us in. Our move west must have surprised him.¡±


    ¡°I bet. He probably assumed Tarano had a brain.¡±


    ¡°Do not be so sure of Tarano¡¯s folly. Green Edge used to be a powerful stronghold back in the days of the unified kingdom. It was the starting point for expeditions in the shallow Deadshield. Mercenaries would harvest cores and rare alchemical ingredients to export them all over Param and beyond. If he holds it and the Crown Prince reappears to lead the defense, it could be all he needs for a decisive victory.¡±


    ¡°That would be unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°For us, yes. We need to figure out something fast now that Tarano can leave the fortification efforts to competent subordinates, because he will soon have a renewed interest in, shall we say, convincing you.¡±


    ¡°Can we make contact with Sangor?¡±


    ¡°I could try, but the best solution would be if the white dragon agrees. It appears to be competent at avoiding detection.¡±


    ¡°She is. She-who-feasts-on-spiders-and-gets-much-gold can sneak past an army.¡±


    Not an army.


    Sneaky dragon.


    Can sneak past¡­


    She counted on her claws.


    Four armies!


    ¡°You forgot to count the thumb.¡±


    Did not!


    Five armies!


    ¡°Is her name really¡­ that?¡± Eteia asked.


    ¡°She picked it herself. Anyway, how can we facilitate Tarano¡¯s defeat?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure, but I did overhear a couple of war mages speak and they mentioned a secret entrance.¡±


    ¡°A secret entrance?¡± Viv asked despite herself. That was so exciting! Cloaks and daggers! Like in the movies.


    In the distance, a door banged open.


    ¡°Shit, forgot to keep my emotions under control. Kordok is coming.¡±


    ¡°We can talk later. Just keep the bell in your mouth, don¡¯t leave it outside because a royal jailor will search your cell and he will find it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Viv heard the stomping footsteps of Kordok approaching. The small window in her door slid open and the dour man frowned at her.


    ¡°Who were you talking to?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I have a proper conversation without you assholes barging in?¡± Mildery suddenly screamed from his cell.


    ¡°Trapped here for a month without so much as a fucking book and I finally get a companion and you¡¯re going to police every word I say? Didn¡¯t you worthless rotten-cocked whoresons get enough out of me already? I swear to every light god you honorless curs are worth than the fucking pox¡­¡±


    Mildery¡¯s imprecations rose in volume until the bellow of his voice echoed through the empty corridors. Kordok banged on his door, but that only led to a shouting match, then Viv heard another set of footsteps and the same baron who had insulted Kordok before climbed down the stairs. The newcomer informed Kordok that Mildery was his guest, not Kordok¡¯s, and that the royal jailor could fuck right off. The whole screaming match lasted a good half an hour until the two captors left. Raw-throated silence returned to the oubliettes.


    ¡°So,¡± Mildery said, ¡°What¡¯s that you said about my secret entrance?¡±


    Aha!

 Chapter 95: The Fate of Enoria.

    ¡°The passage is near the front wall at the base of a tower because the valley used to be the back, before everything went permonn-shaped. Fifty years ago, we were more scared about some of the weird shit the woods were throwing at us. Like walking trees. I saw one when I was three, you know? Killed my older brother, it did. Mages and archers eventually set it ablaze, but not before it had wrecked half the town. Anyway, rambling again, back then the village and its fields was the safe side. Enoria was strong and united, while mercenaries and hunters were stirring the deep green for the next cocklike mushrooms or whatever else the noble fancied. That¡¯s why the passage opens towards the valley, not the woods. We got a problem though.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Tarano expected it. He made me show him and sealed it. With stones. It¡¯s condemned.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Unfortunate.¡±


    Viv considered the issue for a moment. She could perhaps clear debris but it wouldn¡¯t be subtle and it wouldn¡¯t be quick. There was no way a caster on their fourth step would fail to perceive the blight spell she would need and there were quite a few around. It would be even worse for Eteia, who was a red mana specialist. Viv could not immediately think of a way to solve this situation, but perhaps there was an angle to pursue?


    Meanwhile, Mildery was only too happy to share more about Green Edge and Viv let him. He was passionate, likable, and she missed proper interaction.


    ¡°Green Edge declined during the reign of the wasteful king, Enttiku, let his soul rot where it belongs. That crowned wanker wouldn¡¯t protect caravans and many trading houses just gave up on us since they couldn¡¯t transport the precious stuff without bandits preying on them. By all the gods, I¡¯m still mad about it. Do you know the king¡¯s taxmen even came to my father to demand tithes be maintained at the same level? Almost skewered the fuckers where they stood, but anyway. I was young and brash then, had not met Gertha. Have I mentioned Gertha, my wife?¡±


    ¡°Only that she passed away.¡±


    ¡°And a damn shame it is. Great mind, great temper. Biggest tits in the valley¡­¡± he finished, dreamily.


    ¡°Ahem. Sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ¡®tis everyone¡¯s loss, it is. The kingdom is less for her passing. Died covering children against a pack of snakehounds. I must have killed a hundred of the scaley twats in the following years.¡±


    He sighed so deeply that Viv heard him through several doors. She decided that anger might be better than grief here.


    ¡°Did you participate in the previous civil war?¡±


    ¡°I did, yes. On the rebel side as you can imagine. Me and the lads charged the loyalist lines near Koltis with old Litok back when he was not so ancient. Litok was our local mage by the way. Tarano¡¯s bootlickers did him in when they took the place. Wished he had spent more time practicing and less time drinking himself into oblivion. Ah, well.¡±


    That was an interesting point. Viv hadn¡¯t seen anyone yet with clear signs of PTSD. In fact, people¡¯s mental health felt surprisingly strong despite or perhaps because of their bleak outlook on life. She suspected that willpower played a role, though how much of a role she didn¡¯t know. She had much more than the average person and had still crashed down hard multiple times.


    ¡°The first few months of the first rebellion were¡­ hard. Now the lines are clearly divided but at that time, your brother could turn you in¡­ And most of the army was in the Wasteful King¡¯s pocket as fattened and untrained as they were. Bah, I am rambling again. Suffice to say, Green Edge never recovered and¡­ and neither did I, I think.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about Sangor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s change the topic. Royal bastard, technically the current king¡¯s little half-brother.¡±


    Viv took a moment to bring him up to speed.


    ¡°Dead ey? Can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised with all the misery. Anyway, Sangor is not well-known to me. I only heard he was a ward of Duke Shelid, one of the leaders of the separatists. It is said he challenged and defeated his adoptive father in single combat despite being one step lower! Canny lad.¡±


    ¡°He cheated?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Some sordid story of swapped ¡®performance enhancer¡¯. Instead of deadened pain, his foe had to fight with a raging stiffy, sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°I imagine it can be rather uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Especially with a steel codpiece, yes. Anyway, they say he is a powerful, charismatic, and smart man. We¡¯ll see. If he leads, something might happen.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll keep thinking then.¡±


    Viv stopped and then smashed her knuckles on her forehead.


    ¡°Eteia, still there?¡±


    Nobody answered for a while and Viv gave up, only for an answer to come half a minute later.


    ¡°I was getting changed. Hmm, I¡¯ll have to hide this or someone who walks into my tent might just find it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not in the castle?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t invited. Anyway, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Are Solfis and Marruk fine?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, they should be. The scouts knew they were climbing the cliff and stopped in some sort of cave midway, but we left too fast to pick them up. I understand that the head scout wanted the cliffside bombarded because no one was eager to get within claw range, but the mages had all already left. Tarano was rather annoyed when he found out, especially because he wanted to use your Kark¡¯s wellbeing as a bargaining chip.¡±


    ¡°This feels sloppy.¡±


    ¡°The whole capture was. Tarano was, and is, under a lot of pressure. He will make mistakes, but not too many, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Viv went to sleep after talking a bit more with Mildery. The older man was a veritable chatterbox but he had great insight on the different lords and mages, something books and reports could never tell her. He didn¡¯t seem entirely confident about his side which Viv could understand. Later, Viv fell asleep clutching her empty stomach.


    ***


    The next day began at dawn with no food and only a little water. Viv was starving, thirsty, cold, and miserable as she was dragged up the stairs by a dour Kordok. They only climbed one level but she caught a brief glimpse of the valley through a murderhole while her guard opened a door with his keys. The sight brought back hope.


    The valley itself was empty for a kilometer or so, its fields ripening slowly under the late spring sun. Beyond that, people were cutting the forest. The largest encampment she had ever seen in her life, army included, spread in a harmonious mess as far as she could see. Tents of all sizes and colors had popped like mushrooms sometimes during the night, arranged sometimes in neat rows, other times in defensive circles. The smoke trails of cooking fires climbed up the windless air like so many ethereal snakes. People were already felling trees and building static defenses, while veritable bunkers squatted at the edge of the valley, ready to fend off a prompt sortie. Standards of every color stood proudly across the thinning forest before disappearing in the morning fog. It was a sea of humanity the likes of which Viv had never seen and they were here for a single purpose: to stop Tarano forever.


    Viv smiled.


    She could not help but think that the constable must be regretting his decision now. Even with the obvious quality of his troops, he had to be outnumbered three to one and he doubted Sangor had only brought militia. Some of those tents looked really expensive.


    Reality came crashing down when Kordok gripped her shoulder painfully. He didn¡¯t say a word but the reminder was clear. The separatists were outside but Viv was inside, and there were thousands of soldiers between herself and freedom.


    Green Edge¡¯s corridors were naked stone. Soldiers and aides rushed along at great speed. Everyone studiously ignored her until they arrived at another fortified door and Viv was let inside. Tarano was waiting for her along with a grumpy mage with gray hair. It was quite obviously a torture room with spiky machines, a brasero, and tables filled with a variety of tools. Viv eyed them disinterestedly, then waited. Tarano sighed while the mage bristled. Viv inspected him out of curiosity.


    [Court archmage: an advisor and potent caster, versed in magic and governance.]


    More descriptions followed but Viv turned them off since they mostly told her he was fifth step and had killed many people before. The skill failed to say that he hated her guts but it was plain on his face anyway. Tarano took a step forward and licked his lips, pain and regret obvious on his face. Viv was not even a little convinced.


    ¡°I would normally not resort to such means, however, desperate times and the burden of commandment carry a powerful¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah let¡¯s skip the bullshit,¡± Viv replied, ignoring fingers digging into her neck. Tarano raised a hand to stop whatever Kordok was about to do to her.


    ¡°You want healing, I want out. Let¡¯s deal.¡±


    ¡°I will state it clearly. Your freedom is not on the table.¡±


    ¡°Why are we wasting time with this scum?¡± The mage spat. ¡°One hour of suffering and she will fold. Women are all guile but cut a finger and they change their tune. Besides, this one is a morally bankrupt mercenary. She cares only for herself.¡±


    Viv raised a sardonic brow.


    ¡°Do I explain, or do you?¡±


    ¡°You are not in a position to negotiate,¡± Tarano reproached.


    Viv sighed. She was hungry and barely awake and she would murder someone for a coffee if she could.


    ¡°People who have the advantage don¡¯t place a permonn knife and a nutcracker on a torture table. And that shear is used to prune precious flowers without damaging the stem, it is too delicate to be used on fingers.¡±


    Tarano exhaled loudly, though he didn¡¯t deny it. The mage looked like he was ready to explode.


    ¡°You cannot sway me through speeches or calls to loyalty because I do not answer to you and have leadership myself. I know there are magical ways to ¡®convince¡¯ people but I have a very high willpower and I know it helps guard against such attempts. The only ways you have to convince me to help is through torture or a deal, and torture presents a risk. Too little and I¡¯ll refuse, too much and I might decide to kill Prince Kune instead of regrowing his liver. Or blow myself up. Break me, and you break the method.¡±


    ¡°We will not remove your manacles. Do not even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose you have a third step black mana specialist I could train?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Because otherwise that will not work. Oh, and better bring him fast because I think your time is running out. You have visitors.¡±


    ¡°Green Edge has withstood more than you could possibly imagine,¡± the mage stupidly said to a woman who had seen Solfis¡¯ original frame and possessed a wild imagination. ¡°Your insolence is simply breathtaking.¡±


    ¡°Yet you still speak.¡±


    ¡°We could also torture you then extract an oath,¡± Tarano reminded her.


    ¡°You seem to take me for a naive village girl. That is a mistake. Oaths made under duress are worthless.¡±


    Silence spread across the room while the men considered their options. Viv could hear the mage grind his teeth from here. She wondered what his fucking problem was. Even Tarano kept a cool head and she had killed the prince he had helped raise.


    ¡°I say we burn off her feet and see if she changes her mind,¡± the mage said ¡°She doesn¡¯t need them.¡±


    Viv inhaled deeply. She had hoped she could finesse the fuckers for nothing but if it took a bit of blood, she¡¯d give it a try. Her pain tolerance was significantly higher than what they thought, courtesy of the Harrakan weather. Tarano gauged her, then he made a split decision.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you ask for first, since you took my previous offer as an insult. Just be aware that I cannot and will not let go of someone who committed regicide. It will not happen. I would rather try my luck with torture, and I would have done it if the circumstances were not so¡­ delicate.¡±


    ¡°For as long as I am your captive, I want proper clothes, a book changed every week that relates to magic, baths every day and half an hour under the sun to walk around under supervision. If I successfully heal the prince, those conditions are maintained indefinitely. No passing me on to someone else to be executed or anything of the sort. You will also return my skinsuit because it¡¯s chilly at night.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a witch want to do with books?¡± the mage spat.


    Viv looked at him with more hatred than she wanted to show, but that asshole was really getting on her nerves.


    Just then, there was a boom. The building shook. Dust fell on them.


    ¡°Could you kindly see if our defenses are up, my lord Tamar?¡± Tarano diplomatically requested.


    The prickly mage left without a word, but not without giving Viv one last death glare. He might have been stubborn, but he was not an idiot. Someone who followed a court path would know a dismissal when he heard it. It was smoothly done, too.


    ¡°I can give you anything but the skin suit, if that is what you call it. I will not return a magical item of unknown origin.¡±


    ¡°Then how about my shield? It has a sentimental value.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°That lump? With all the sigils?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv replied testily.


    Tarano looked at her. She crossed her arms.


    ¡°Very well. I consent. When can you start?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to have a look at Kune¡ª¡±


    ¡°Prince Kune.¡±


    ¡°The patient. And if he is indeed missing internal organs, it will take a while because I do not know how to regrow those. The arm should not take long, same with the leg except the feet, which might be problematic because he lost both and I usually use one as a template to regrow the other. I can work with that, though. No matter what, I will always need a few things. First, a priest, preferably of Neriad.¡±


    ¡°Naden will assist you. She claims Enttiku will agree to help.¡±


    ¡°I will also need fresh monster flesh ground down to a fine paste.¡±


    Tarano froze, then looked up to Kordok, still holding Viv¡¯s shoulder in a death grip.


    ¡°She believes it,¡± the taciturn man grumbled.


    Tarano did not swear but Viv practically saw him bite back a curse. He started to pace around the room. Viv kept her emotion under control. This would work.


    ¡°Why do you even need that?¡±


    ¡°Black mana does not create, it transforms. I need a base material to regrow flesh.¡±


    ¡°Would preserved rations work?¡±


    Viv shook her head.


    ¡°First, the fresher the better, and second, I use the material in the paste. We are not only regrowing muscle here. We need bones and organs. Honestly, I doubt it would work with old meat.¡±


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    Tarano resumed his pacing. Another boom came from above. This time, the building didn¡¯t shake.


    The constable frowned and turned his head.


    ¡°How about human corpses?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Viv said, ¡°we want fresh monster meat because they have mana and this helps both the transformation and the later drawing of pathways. Pick humans and you don¡¯t just forfeit that, you go from rebuilding flesh with predigested food to healing someone with dead humans. This would attract the attention of¡­ you know who.¡±


    Tarano froze.


    ¡°Up to you but I wouldn¡¯t tempt it,¡± Viv added helpfully.


    The man glared at her and she felt his presence smash into her own. Her leadership rose to the challenge. It wasn¡¯t enough to push him back, but it was enough not to flinch.


    ¡°You seem very interested in doing things well, suddenly,¡± Tarano remarked in a deceptively calm manner.


    ¡°What happens if I fuck up the healing?¡± Viv asked, certain of the answer.


    ¡°You die. Similarly, if for any reason the prince perishes, you die. I left strict orders. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand; I expected it, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m interested in doing things properly. You leave me mostly alone and I will fix your damn heir.¡±


    ¡°You are still hoping for something else,¡± Tarano said.


    Viv thought she had perhaps been too adversarial the last time. On the other hand, she was feeling rather adversarial right the fuck now.


    ¡°Look, what I¡¯m hoping is that the army out there wins and shoves your pretentious mug on a spike to be pecked at by mangy birds so I don¡¯t have to see you and your bastard friend ever again.¡±


    ¡°She means it,¡± Kordok added helpfully.


    Tarano glared at the jailer.


    ¡°Thank you for enlightening me. You will lead the prisoner back to her cell and provide proper lodging conditions. That is all.¡±


    Kordok grabbed Viv and pushed her back. Viv¡¯s strength was around that of a very young adult in this bullshit world and any soldier here outclassed her completely, which was a little frustrating. As she walked back, she scolded herself for her reaction. Only her quick thinking had prevented her from blurting out Sangor was going to get him, thus strongly hinting she had access to outside information. Negotiations were fine because they were better than torture, but outbursts were prohibited. The hunger and exhaustion were messing with her head. She was also out of practice watching her mouth. Six months being the queen bitch and she couldn¡¯t stay quiet to save her own damn life. Ah well. At least, she had achieved her purpose.


    Viv returned to her cell and waited until Kordok had left to contact Eteia.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± the answer returned promptly, ¡°have you found anything?¡±


    ¡°There is a secret entrance under the north east tower, angled towards the forest. At the base. Its entrance is obscured by a small tree bearing red leaves. It is obstructed for now but I¡¯d wager it will be cleared soon to let out a small hunting expedition. Or one could come in from the other camp.¡±


    ¡°That is great news, I¡¯ll make sure it reaches the other side.¡±


    It was a bit of a gamble on Viv¡¯s side. The keep only had one main gate facing the valley. Hundreds of men defended the fortress while the main group of loyalist soldiers occupied a large hill south of it across a small depression, forming twin elevated grounds. Tarano had limited options to get the fresh monster meat Viv requested into the keep. Technically, scouts could roam towards the Deadshield Woods to find something then attach it to ropes which would then be dragged over the wall from the other side, but Viv wagered they wouldn¡¯t want to be too visible. She hoped Tarano would think the same.


    Shortly after that, Kordok returned with water, a large bowl filled with fresh congee, and crisp bread.


    ¡°Compliance brings peace.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes. The food was one of the best meals Viv had ever tasted which got to show how hungry she¡¯d been. A bath was provided as well as a conservative plain dress. She felt human again.


    The rest of the day was spent mostly idly between conversations and trying to read the book that asshole Archmage Tamar had found her, which was a dry, long-winded treaty on how magecraft was superior to witchery in every aspect. It did contain some interesting takes on several spell duels. Interestingly, several of those ended in the witch¡¯s victory but they were described as flukes and unfair fights, proof that witches were without honor. Viv found the pettiness more amusing than anything else now that she had a full belly and the prospect of showing Tamar his own bloody pancreas.


    The next day, she was requested to demonstrate the viability of the spell, which led her to an ethical question.


    Did she care about her intellectual property?


    The regrowth spell was hers and only hers, the first original contribution she had made for spellcraft that could actually be used, unlike yoink which would kill the caster. It was a significant improvement to Nyil which, she thought, didn¡¯t deserve it after all it had done to her. The spell had helped her by attracting crippled veterans to her banner. The freshly healed warriors had returned the favor with a vengeance, tearing into Prince Lancer¡¯s troops with cathartic fury. If the spell spread, she would lose the advantage that came with monopoly.


    At the same time, Nyil was morally bankrupt up to and including some of the light gods and it would be hypocritical for her to bitch about it while being part of the problem. Nyil was garbage. She had an opportunity to make it less garbage. Maybe that was fine. Maybe leaving her mark in history as someone who had killed a slaver prince, revitalized a fragment of the deadlands, and invented a way to regrow limbs was¡­ not too bad, actually.


    Yeah, Nyil could have the spell. As she had mentioned, it would take a black mana specialist or an archmage to perform it anyway so she would still retain an advantage in the short term, but now more people would use it. Rich people, given the cost at first, but at least that was a start. Maybe someone would refine the process until it eventually became the norm.


    Yeah, she was fine with that. She was fine with that choice and that legacy, if it came to it.


    Viv made no effort to hamper the session, for once. She requested an empty room which was provided and demonstrated the three steps of her reconstruction spells, making sure to list the requirements. Tamar followed the entire session with a sneer, but the two other powerful mages present asked pertinent questions and seemed genuinely interested. Viv tried to meet them halfway but the old buggers kept talking about Aldus¡¯ paradigm and the Plinex constant and other such abstract nonsense, which made communication difficult. She resorted to explaining meaning and glyph usage, which in turn made the mages blink in confusion. They would be unable to cast any time soon but they were able to mark down every glyph and the construct of the ritual despite not fully understanding it, so there was that. After a few hours of efforts, the two other mages saluted Viv with a hand to their forehead which Viv¡¯s instinct said was a sign of respect from one practitioner to another. It made Tamar even more annoyed.


    The first batch of meat arrived the same evening. Viv discarded them on account of being from animals, not monsters, and that they would be more complex to work with. The only worthy specimen was a bird with bright green feathers, all two kilograms of it.


    Nevertheless, Viv set up in the prince room to regrow his right shoulder as a proof of concept under the supervision of Tamar and another mage. Tarano was there as well, and Kordok stood by her side. It felt great to flex her mana again even if it was heavily controlled. Better yet, Tarano allowed her to wield her dagger which had been left intact for now, on account of being useless to anyone but a black mana specialist. Her shield was also returned. Other items were left in the room as encouragement, she thought.


    The operation went well despite two swords and a plethora of spells hanging over her head, ready to turn her to ash at a moment¡¯s notice. It only took a couple of minutes, and when she was done, there was genuine emotion on Tarano¡¯s face. He grabbed Prince Kune¡¯s face with a fatherly hand and whispered.


    ¡°I will save you, then you can save Enoria.¡±


    Viv was so eager to crush his dreams. That would have to wait, however, but probably not too long.


    In the corridor, Viv had another good look at the outside. The encampment was fully fortified and the separatist army was building something she never expected to see in a world of sorcery, and yet it was there. At the tip of their formation stood a massive siege tower. It was as tall as some earth buildings and would definitely reach the top of the keep if it were allowed to move there. Made of wood, the surface was covered in strange paintings, animal skulls, and decorated pelts to the extent that it looked more like a horror movie prop than an actual war machine. Spikes adorned its sides. As she watched, an artillery spell launched from the keep¡¯s battlement only to be intercepted by a bird made of fire. A dull explosion reached her ears from across half a kilometer away.


    More explosions sounded while she walked across the busy courtyard under the disapproving glare of the local soldiers. Squads of archers crossed it at a brisk pace. Viv could not help but admire their massive bows, all ornamented and well-made. Once more, the walls shook from various impacts. She didn¡¯t protest when Kordok shortened her break.


    After that, the jailer brought her back to her cell which now sported covers and even a pillow. She placed her shield against the wall. As she had said, it had a sentimental value with all the crests present. She was barely seated when Naden came to visit with Lotae in tow. The follower of Enttiku knocked before going in while Lotae glared disapprovingly at her creature comforts. Viv pulled a power move by offering the only spare seat to Naden before the rancid bitch could react, which left her standing. Small victories.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me about the ritual and what would be expected of me?¡±


    "Certainly. I will use a diagnostic spell to identify and map the missing matter, then black mana will turn sludge into the desired shape. The problem is that the soul does not recognize the foreign matter as its own. It takes a healing spell to complete the process, one I cannot cast.¡±


    ¡°Would it work with life mana?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I suspect the spell might be incredibly complex while divine mana will do most of the work naturally. The divine spell truly completes the fusion, then it takes a while for the mana channels to regrow. The process is extremely uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Would it be more uncomfortable for people who have developed them, like mages and spell blades?¡±


    ¡°We would need to conduct a study to know for sure. So far, it has not been a priority.¡±


    The discussion continued for a while. Outside, the bombardment was intensifying so the two priestesses eventually took their leave to attend to the wounded. The shaking walls led Viv to believe that the separatists had their own magical heavyweights and they had come in force.


    ¡°You know what would be awful?¡± Mildery asked later.


    ¡°I can think of a couple of things. What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°If I died buried in stones instead of burying my warhammer in someone¡¯s chest. In my own castle no less! The humanity.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m knocking on wood.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a saying from where I come from. Err. Means warding off bad luck.¡±


    There was a knock nearby.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, my revenant will bite your ass.¡±


    ¡°Oh it can certainly try.¡±


    They bantered a bit more, but Viv felt a sort of tension in the air, something at the edge of her perception that distracted her.


    In the evening, the bombardment redoubled in intensity. Horns rang in the distance.


    The door unlocked. Lotae came in. Viv felt all sorts of alarms ring in her head. The cold woman¡¯s smirk only reinforced her idea that something was wrong.


    ¡°You are too docile,¡± the woman said in a light tone. ¡°Far too calm. I know your kind, always reaching up. You will never learn your place and you will never contribute. You only take. If you are giving, it is to better take later. Tarano may be fooled and distracted, but I am not. You are planning something. You will tell me now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to break your neck.¡±


    ¡°Hilarious. You are such a great witch, witty and exotic. Bantering with the men and tempting them with your honeyed words. It¡¯s all fun and games to you.¡±


    ¡°I assure you I take life quite seriously.¡±


    Lotae lifted a hand. Her presence smashed against Viv¡¯s, a red wave of compliance. It was edges and power designed to subdue, but behind there was a lure, one that Viv understood. It was the serenity of a well-ordered life. It was peace and routines and a code that would guide, answer the difficult questions, but beyond that it was also a community. If Viv surrendered herself, she would be dependent yet protected by a tight-knit group. Within those constraints, she would still have freedom, and happiness could still be found.


    But not by her. And certainly not by a faith she would not pick herself.


    Viv¡¯s intimidation, long dormant, woke up. She had led an army to victory. She had given people a purpose. Her works had pushed back the deadlands and now, trees and crops grew where earth had laid dead for centuries. More importantly, she had impressed a dragon. Only a worthy cause would sway here and this wasn¡¯t it.


    Lotae grit her teeth in frustration but the sheer power of Viv¡¯s existence broke her spell and called its lies. Lotae did not wish for Viv¡¯s happiness, only for her obedience. Hers was advice meant to change Viv for other people¡¯s benefit and not for her own. The priestess fought harder but she didn¡¯t have a grip. There were no chinks in the witch¡¯s armor, reinforced as it was by her trust in herself, her defiance of others, and a healthy serving of ego.


    Then the door unlocked once again.


    Lotae gave up her attempt on the spot, clearly not expecting an interruption. She twisted on herself to face the newcomer, someone Viv had never met before. He wore the garb of a scout, but over enchanted mail that shone silver under the green coat. He was one of the ugliest people Viv had ever met, with an asymmetrical face, a nose like a potato, scarred cheeks, large eyes and a chin you could break rocks on, yet for all of it he was striking. His charisma radiated all the more for his unfortunate features, and the gaze on Viv shone with a keen intellect.


    ¡°Scout Kert, here to take the prisoner ma¡¯am.¡±


    Right, if this guy was a scout, Viv was the Queen of England.


    ¡°I sincerely doubt it,¡± Lotae retorted, placing herself squarely between Viv and the man.


    Which was a big mistake.


    Viv slowed down her perception of time and grabbed Lotae¡¯s head from behind. A red shield enveloped the priestess just as a scream of alarm escaped her lips. Viv felt a resistance, she could not touch the priestess¡¯ skin, but the shield moved with her body and that¡¯s all Viv needed. Using her momentary burst of strength, she pulled her foe backwards and towards her knee. Lotae¡¯s vertebrae snapped with a grisly crack.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure if it would be enough, so she grabbed her shield and smashed it down on the gasping priestess. The woman stopped moving.


    When Viv looked up, the fake scout had been joined by a woman wearing armor that seemed to be made of bark and a man in dried leather completely covered in colorful feathers. Other rough men waited behind the door, including one who was quite obviously a mage with a staff disguised as a spear. It could fool people who didn¡¯t have her mana mastery skill, probably.


    They were all scarred and angry.


    ¡°Oh, I like her already,¡± the bark woman said.


    Viv inspected her. The skill gave back [hunter] for a moment, but then something broke as the woman waved her hand.


    [Archwitch of the Thorns: one who follows the path of forest-based magic. Extremely dangerous. Brown and life mana specialist. Expert battle caster. Slayer of men¡­]


    She was in the late fourth step. The man on the right returned [Wing of the Pale Dawn] and the dude in the middle, the one who lied badly, returned [Nigh King].


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet Sangor in the flesh,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°We objected,¡± the mage said from the door.


    ¡°I had a good feeling,¡± Sangor replied calmly.


    He really did have a presence, and his voice was soft and warm. Viv found herself relaxed just from him being around and even more so when he removed the manacles. Viv breathed out. Black tendrils swam from her shoulders and moved around languidly. God, but it felt good to be free. Liberating, as it were.


    ¡°The black likes you, sister,¡± the archwitch remarked. She was smiling broadly.


    ¡°Sorry, but we don¡¯t have the time for discussions,¡± Sangor interrupted. ¡°Do you know where Prince Kune is?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then lead the way, we have to put an end to this war.¡±


    ¡°Before that,¡± Viv said, ¡°there is another man here, Lord Mildery. Do you have the key?¡±


    It turned out that they didn¡¯t. Kordok had surrendered Viv¡¯s key as well as his life when Sangor had found him, but Mildery wasn¡¯t his prisoner. This obstacle didn¡¯t stop the group¡¯s mage who simply destroyed the lock. Mildery appeared much younger than Viv expected with an extremely muscular build and a pretty good handlebar mustache on a virile, handsome face. He grinned when he saw Viv.


    [Monster Slayer: one who focuses on taking down large creatures with massive weapons.]


    ¡°Seems I owe you for more than just a conversation.¡±


    The band of powerful, heavily armored fake scouts moved through the mostly empty corridors. This side of the keep faced the forest and most of the defenders were facing the valley where the separatist army was even now conducting a large-scale assault. The distraction served until they reached the prince¡¯s room which was defended by a pair of guards. They were killed after a short scuffle with the feather dude casting a gray mana silence spell. Viv didn¡¯t have to do anything. It was clear that Sangor had brought people who knew their stuff.


    Viv entered the room. Naden was here but she immediately surrendered and no one touched her. Viv rushed to her corner of the room to gear up. Her helmet was there, as well as the dagger and, strangely, her backpack with some of her personal effects. No skinsuit. The food was gone as well as her poison-detecting ring and all of her cash but they had left the bank chit. She finished putting everything on, then turned.


    Sangor was cleaning blood from his sword. It was immediately obvious where it came from.


    ¡°You¡­ you killed him?¡± Viv moaned.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°He was disarmed. I expected you to take him hostage or something?¡±


    ¡°Spoken like a follower of Neriad. I only care for a prompt and definitive end to the war, and I will go to any length to make sure it happens. Even if it means killing a defenseless man.¡±


    Viv watched the expanding pool of blood dripping down the wood frame. The prince¡¯s face had been covered, his bed sheets turned into an improvised shroud. Just like that, the last heir of Enoria had fallen. Barring a miracle, the loyalist side was done for.


    And Viv had guided the man who had finished it all. He, the most legitimate heir to the throne, now sheathed his sword.


    ¡°Bibiane, I understand that he was your patient, but I need you to focus right now. We have to take down or disable the mages at the top of the tower or there is still a chance to lose this attack. Too many Enorians already lost their lives fighting this pointless war. We need to go, now. Can you lead the way?¡±


    ¡°No, but Edwin Mildery can.¡±


    The procession didn¡¯t stop on its way up. They avoided most soldiers. Those they didn¡¯t were absolutely no match for them. Besides Viv, all the persons present were on the fourth step. The archwitch stopped by Viv¡¯s side, perhaps to distract her. She was a mature woman with ruddy skin tanned by the sun. Mana danced around her in vibrant flares.


    ¡°So, which tradition are you from?¡± she asked with a smile that showed her canines.


    Viv realized she had almost no idea about instinctive casters. Solfis had known little about the subject and the little she read was written by mages who seemed to have strong opinions on the subject.


    ¡°Hm, nothing special. I mostly use it to kill things.¡±


    The other woman¡¯s smile only widened.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a tradition! The Way of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    The conversation did little to distract Viv, especially with the sounds of battle closing in on them. There were no windows on the murderholes, so the screams of the dying and the whistles of arrows came to her in full definition stereo. Sangor led them up and up to the roof. To Viv¡¯s surprise, he just opened the last door and walked in. The rest of them followed.


    Tarano stood on top with mages gathered in a half circle around him, including Tamar who looked on the verge of apoplexy when he spotted Viv. The constable looked tired and his armor was damaged on the left side from a near hit. Craters and traces of impact decorated the ground, with parts of the battlement entirely gone. The siege tower Viv had seen was making its merry way up to them at a snail pace, looking mostly intact besides some singed planks. Archers shot out from its interior.


    Back on the roof, both sides stood quietly in what appeared to Viv as a veritable storm of mana and soul pressure. She had made sure to be at the extreme right of the formation in case this turned into a slaughter, but even there, the sheer power of the men and women around made her head hurt. Meanwhile, the enemies of a fratricidal war of thirty years eyed each other with frozen faces. Thirty elite casters and knights of the fourth step and above, practically demigods. Tarano was the first to speak.


    ¡°Where is Kune?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Tarano,¡± Sangor replied. ¡°There is nothing more you can achieve.¡±


    Viv thought it was a shit idea to say that, just as it had been a shit idea to kill the prince instead of using him as a hostage, but Tarano wavered to her surprise. It appeared that the Nigh King had a better grasp of his enemies than she had.


    ¡°He was your nephew,¡± Tarano sobbed.


    ¡°And I will bury him myself, but Enoria comes first. Surrender. Spare the lives of your men.¡±


    For one sublime moment, Viv believed Tarano would collapse, that the setting sun of his presence would finally crash down like his dream and dynasty had, but then his eyes swiveled and landed squarely on her.


    ¡°You. It is you. I know it.¡±


    Tarano walked in the tense atmosphere and stopped directly in front of Viv. He was beyond fury.


    ¡°I do not know how you managed it but I swear on every god that you will pay for this treachery. I do not care how long it will take or where I will find the men but I will come to your idyllic little shithole, and I will destroy everything you ever built, mark my words.¡±


    Viv stood her ground. She opened her mouth and uttered a single word.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The ray of concentrated annihilation smashed through the weakened side of Tarano¡¯s armored torso, rending his heart and most of his chest. He gasped in complete, abject surprise.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress (3/10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All hell broke loose.


    Viv raised the most concentrated shield right in front of her and felt her mana drop precipitously. It broke long enough for her to see Tamar¡¯s furious face. She cast a quick net spell but it broke against a transparent shield. She jumped to the side and blocked something that pushed her back. The roof shook and collapsed under her feet. She slipped, grabbed a ledge. It exploded under her fingers. Viv fell into the abyss below.

 Chapter 96: Isekai, day zero

    Maradoc, God of Secrets and Travelers, laughed his ass off. He picked the memory and weaved a tiny construct around it, sending the precious moment on its way to an old friend.


    Farther in the city of the gods, a temple of august appearance stood on a secluded square at the edge of the cloudy abyss. Columns supported its roof, but no walls masked its interior for righteousness had no need to hide during peacetime. Hundreds of swords decorated its sandy interior, all of them engraved with the name of their owners, all of them plunged deep in the earth to keep vigil until the world ended. A lone figure in golden scale armor trod its ground. He repeated a series of sword strikes with unerring precision. His foot landed exactly where it had landed yesterday, and most days for the past thousand years. The God of Righteous War breathed deeply with every movement in his effort to ignore the incessant pinging of Maradoc¡¯s message spell.


    Only after he was done did he open it. A note on the surface dissipated into his friend¡¯s dry voice.


    ¡°I was wondering if this counts as righteous?¡± the message asked.


    Neriad watched the memory. His divine sense spoke of an interrupted truce talk.


    ¡°Ay, what the fuck?¡±


    ***


    Time slowed down once more in that characteristic way adrenaline has of fooling people into believing they had a chance. Viv¡¯s path improved her casting ability when she was in danger and such was the case now. Coating immediately covered her body in a black, protective layer, even as she twisted on herself to see the ground below. Even as she knew that it wouldn¡¯t do shit.


    Oh gravity, if only Newton hadn¡¯t invented you, Viv thought bitterly as the ground grew closer and she flailed her arms ineffectively. A little twist let her make sure she would land feet first. With a little luck, her femur would smash right through her brain and spare her a long agony.


    And then she wasn¡¯t falling so fast anymore. Her course changed, leading her away from the rock at the base of the keep and towards considerably flatter ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m flying?¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Thank you!¡±


    Mother needs to get wings soon.


    Eat more spider.


    Grow strong and scaly!


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, Arthur.¡±


    Mother must believe in herself.


    Viv¡¯s answer was interrupted by a series of explosions above. A quick glance showed the Wing of Dawn instinctive caster fly around a group of levitating loyalist mages, pelting them with spells while dodging others. Circles appeared in mid-air along sword blows that seemed to extend impossibly long distances. The fighters were mere flickers, passing each other with thunderous clashes. The deployed mana bloated space around the roof in a colorful conflagration that Viv had no way of following. It was like watching Dragon Ball or something. But soon, reality reasserted itself including the realization that a full half of those men would kill Viv given the chance. As a cue, a large patrol of archers ran up from the edge of the nearby forest on an intercept course. At least, they hadn¡¯t tried to kill her yet. It was time to bluff.


    ¡°Let¡¯s scare them!¡±


    Fear She Who Feasts On Spiders And Gets Much Gold!


    Viv channeled raw black mana through her shoulder blades conduits, allowing them to escape harmlessly in an imitation of tattered, hellish wings. Twin void blades emerged from her hands. At the same time, she pushed as much effort as she could in her intimidation.


    Arthur roared.


    Viv¡¯s threats died on her lips. Probably for the best since it would have been along the lines of ¡®behold your death¡¯ or another equally cheesy villain one-liner. The Enorian officers screamed ¡®Break!¡± and the archers scattered, which let Viv land more elegantly than she expected and take off at a dead run, and not a second too soon. Her perception spoke of a powerful spell at her back. She dodged to the side and her coating took care of the debris.


    ¡°Get her!¡± Tamar screamed, ¡°She murdered Tarano¡­ and the prince!¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± Viv sputtered as she sprinted, ¡°slander! Calumnies! Defamation!¡±


    It felt unwise to stay and argue Tamar¡¯s claim was factually incorrect. Viv reached the edge of the forest and dove under a powerful sniper shot. Another arrow clanged against the shield on her back, pushing her down and letting her dodge more arrows. Screams of ¡®Get her!¡¯ echoed behind. The woods here were half-tame with clear paths leading deeper in. She followed them.


    A cold part of her mind assessed her chances. The loyalists were fighting a battle of extermination. Without leadership, they would fall before the night did, but Viv was at that moment behind their lines and they were really disappointed in her life choices. The best option was to rejoin the separatist lines and hope Sangor didn¡¯t hold grudges.


    Viv moved as fast she could, infusing her armor with destruction when her instincts told her to. One of the archers behind her was incredibly good, able to shoot her calf through two trunks by sound alone, even if she took care to change direction randomly to avoid straight lines. The archers were following and they were faster than her, the jerks. Arthur hung overhead.


    Pesky!


    The dragonette blew a flame and Viv heard swears but no screams of pain. She raised a few eldritch walls on her side to provide cover and threw a few mid-range nets herself. That gave her a little breathing room, which she used to complain aloud.


    ¡°I swear it¡¯s one fucking thing after the other. Did I want to be involved in Enorian politics? Fuck no. I even saved a damn village. But what will people remember? The ravaged countryside? My fault. The battles? My fault. The execution of the defenseless crown prince? That¡¯s right. Who gets blamed for all the shit? Exactement, c¡¯est bibi.Oi!¡±


    Viv turned on herself and drew a shield at the same time. The massive arrow disintegrated with a hiss while the movement destabilized her, sending her crashing on the loam. She was up in moments. A series of nets brought no reply but no more arrows came for now.


    ¡°I just wanted to get to fucking Helock!¡± she screamed into the woods. ¡°Is that too much to ask for? Huh? MERDE!¡±


    French was a bad sign. She always reverted to her mother tongue when she was under pressure. Another arrow coming from the other side did not help, but this time she got a lucky hit and someone died a screaming death.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡±


    Mother angry.


    I regret.


    Should have burned more humans!


    ¡°Errrr it¡¯s fine.¡±


    But too many colors.


    I am confused.


    All humans look the same!


    So I did not attack.


    ¡°It was the best choice, and I am very proud.¡±


    ¡°Squeeee!¡±


    Athur left and the woods started to burn behind Viv. The witch kept moving, trying to angle herself to the left where the path would loop back to the separatist lines. Arrows still came on occasion but only from the left side and far away, far enough away that she could anticipate and block them easily. At some point, an artillery spell landed close enough to shake the ground under her feet, but it was difficult to say if this was aimed at her general direction or just an unlucky deflection. Nevertheless, she kept going until she was sure, very sure, that she was behind the separatist lines. The din of battle faded. Arrows had already stopped falling. It was time to rejoin the lines and hopefully find Marruk and Solfis again. She turned resolutely left and walked.


    And walked.


    And walked.


    Late afternoon turned to dusk. Viv used the bright spot of the setting sun piercing through the dense canopy to make sure she was actually going east. The reddish light cast the empty woods in a bloody light, one that contrasted strangely with the vibrant green of the thriving trees and the mana they emitted. Still, there was no sign of the road she had to come across going east.


    Night fell.


    Viv quickly found shelter in a recess between two roots. She made sure the place was insect and snake free before settling down. She had a blanket but no wood to build a fire. More critically, her water flask was empty. It should be fine, probably. There had to be wells around Green Edge.


    Arthur did not return, but a part of her soul knew the dragonling was fine and so she didn¡¯t worry. After setting a few alarm spells, Viv fell asleep free for the first time in over a week. The ground was not exactly comfortable, but she found she didn¡¯t care.


    Viv woke up with the dawn. A strange, multicolored bird sang a dirge, then disappeared into thin air before she could inspect it.


    Arthur had not returned yet.


    The air was crisp, loaded with the heady scents of dew and fresh sap. Mana here was powerful and vibrant, mostly brown and life but to levels she had not seen since¡­ since¡­


    Oh shit.


    The witch packed up and decided to walk east because it would always be a good idea. A strange instinct guided her step, one she recognized later as the survival skill. She didn¡¯t find water, but she did find black berries on a bush after ten minutes of an active stroll. They were sweet and delicious.


    A bear-like creature with a dotted brown pelt took a look at her  mid foraging and sat on its haunches, waiting for her to finish. She ate her fill and left, making sure to keep her distance. A few moments later, growls of contentment echoed from behind. She didn¡¯t stop. Her athletic and survival skills were in the intermediate range and helped her know how to walk and where to place her feet for maximum efficiency. Her ears guided her to the chime of water around noon until she found a small pond, its water slightly murky. A tiny spring fed it from a sheer cliff above it. She filled her flask and killed an eel-like creature that thought attacking her back was a good idea.


    [Farvale snake. Quite dead. An ambush creature that both poisons and strangles its prey. Sneaky.]


    ¡°Not sneaky enough for me!¡± Viv declared as she cut its head.


    Snake was, well, it would probably be okay if she found a way to start fire. An insane dude from Guyane had offered to teach her how to do it with just wood two years and an eternity ago, but she had declined on account of the skill feeling useless. Joke was on her now if the Enorians had confiscated her fire stone which would be at the bottom of her backpack if she were lucky. Gods she hoped it wouldn¡¯t get to trying to ignite branches. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Maybe if I turn the stick super fast with the finesse thing?¡±


    Meh.


    There was always flint if she could find some.


    The witch kept going east until the ground slowly started to climb, refusing to face reality. Brown mana increased, but it was lined with black mana above what would be normal for even marshes. Wary, she observed her surroundings. The sky was mostly obscured by leaves, but what she could see was blue and cottony white. The trees felt healthy enough, though they grew malformed the farther she went. Eventually, she reached a clearing.


    The scent of rot assaulted her nostrils. It was pungent and acrid, though thankfully not as disgusting as rotten flesh. A large tree occupied the center of the meadow, towering above its surroundings like a wounded titan. A long, black, oozing crevice marred its ancient bark. The tree felt incredibly old to Viv, its trunk squat and bottom-heavy as it sat at the top of the incline like a portly grandma. The heavy boughs surged in every direction, heavy with thick green and golden leaves. Above, the sun popped out from behind a fluffy cloud and bathed the clearing, then Viv was looking at a buried colossus with an incredibly wizened face and terminal bed hair.


    The light shifted, and the impression was gone, but she was sure the thing was alive, somehow. She inspected it.


    [Nascent brown elemental. Not dangerous. Ancient. Dying. Mana font.]


    Viv¡¯s eyes widened. This was an elemental? A freaking elemental? She wouldn¡¯t have to turn into something like that, right? What were black mana elementals anyway? Giant skulls? She had no idea. She was led to believe elementals were rare, so this was surprising. On closer inspection, the healthy part of its bark rippled with pure mana. The lattice was so dense and harmonious that it appeared to be solid.


    It put the damage in perspective. Most of the rot was concentrated along the crevice where a pulsated black mass was lodged, a presence Viv found revolting without even getting closer. It appeared to patiently dig into the elemental with slow inevitability.


    It also felt like an idiot trap.


    Inevitably, Viv would want to help. Annihilation felt amazingly well-suited to the task of clearing that nasty thing from the tree¡¯s beautiful surface, but there had to be a catch. Magical pus would drip from the wound and cover her in a slimy coat, or maybe the corrupted mana would spontaneously explode? Whatever. The best choice was obviously, obviously to walk away. She had no need to save the elemental. She didn¡¯t know if she could help at all. She was a medic, not a gardener. In fact, she was no longer a medic at all. Besides, doctors would be the ones to take care of that stuff, her job was to stabilize and make comfortable.


    Dammit, it didn¡¯t work. Just looking at this majestic plant and then at the gangrenous gash marring its surface bothered her to her core. If she walked away now, the sight would hound her until the day she died. She had to do it. Had to. It would most likely be fine. Maybe it was fate.


    Now resolved, Viv decided that she would still be as cautious as possible. She dropped her bag and snake on the ground, manifested the sneaky cloaky (would have to try and rename it at some point), placed her shield in front of her, put her helmet on, and walked forward with her dagger out.


    The effect was immediate: she felt intensely silly.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she asked, just in case. ¡°Anyone?¡±


    No reaction, not that she expected much. The inspection skill had returned ¡®not dangerous¡¯ so it felt unlikely the elemental would spontaneously sprout legs and walk on her. Nevertheless, she progressed slowly and made sure to look everywhere including up and down. The sky was clear of flying menaces. Earth under her feet was gorged with mana but otherwise inert ¡ª that she could tell. No anomalies.


    And then the tree cracked. A new gash opened in its midst, making Viv jump. It opened so slowly that she had all the time in the world to take a few step backs and hunker down.


    Viv realized it was a mouth when the thing spoke.


    ¡°Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,¡± it said in the deepest voice Viv had ever heard.


    Took a full minute too. Might have continued into the infrasounds. She wouldn¡¯t know.


    Now that Viv looked closely, there was indeed an asymmetrical face seemling carved in the antediluvian bark. In any case contact had been made and Viv attempted diplomacy.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a look at your wound, alright? I¡¯m here to help. Try to help,¡± she amended at the end. She didn¡¯t get an answer and that was to be expected. The elemental felt very alien, and she had an inkling that it didn¡¯t operate quite on the same time frame as she did.


    ¡°Right, the wound.¡±


    Viv kept at a distance just in case. She used inspection on it to see if it could be identified separately from the tree. It hadn¡¯t worked on the hurt humans she had helped with but who knew? This was much larger.


    [Blight grub: extremely dangerous]


    ¡°OH, THIS IS BULL¡ª¡±


    The pulsating mass exploded from the wound, revealing its true nature as a loathsome parasite. Viv¡¯s beleaguered mind captured an impression of black chitinous scale and a bloated, segmented, white underbelly filled with half-digested mana, spiky limbs emerging from its sides in haphazard fashion like some sort of demented centiped. It dove into the ground and disappeared from view. Viv went into overdrive, her experience taking over. She flooded the soil under her feet with black mana to prevent her attacker from just grabbing her from below.


    The mana expanded, as if pulled in. It scared her so much her heart skipped a bit, like missing a step while climbing down stairs. The local brown mana had simply given away. It wasn¡¯t supposed to react like that. At least, it surprised the grub as well by forcing it out. The creature¡¯s extremity breached the soil with a furious screech. Viv immediately launched a net at it, but it twisted in unpredictable patterns.


    She had the net down pat now and it packed a serious punch, yet it failed to penetrate more than the surface of the creature¡¯s back. It left behind white lines of exposed, bulbous flesh dripping a nauseating ichor. Some orifice opened and vomited a torrent of black mana.


    Viv let the thick black cloud wash over her and claimed it for herself. Her vision cleared long enough to see the creature¡¯s spindly limbs going for her face. Time slowed down.


    Viv cast Excalibur.


    The void blade cut through the entire body, more an impalement than a slice because the grub was too fast for her meager, barely inhuman reflexes. A spasming mess of jagged spikes grabbed her shield. She pushed it away, but not before something traced a fiery line on her left arm. The beast shrieked and retreated, then it whipped its body and Viv suddenly got a faceful of bleeding flesh. She could not breathe. She was flying. There was blue sky and obsidian spines, still writhing in their death throes. She pushed it away and made to stand. Hard to breathe, jaw hurt, probably smashed by her own weapon. She was bleeding a bit. Something tried to worm its way into her conduits but she subsumed most of it as well.


    A third of the grub laid twitching on the ground, severed at the damaged link.


    The rest of it was still there, now missing a few sections. It spat black projectiles at Viv in quick succession but her instincts told her those were spells and her sneaky cloaky took care of those even without infusing it with meaning. More spells followed with Viv sending nets in return. The creature impossibly dodged many of them, but those that hit still carved lines through its carapace. It seemed it was leery of another attack, a mistake. Mid-range fast stuff was where Viv excelled.


    Another spray of ichor and the grub screeched. A normal animal would have fled, but this one was a greedy jerk. It dove underground once more and Viv flooded the ground under her feet with black mana, but this time it didn¡¯t touch anything. The grub hadn¡¯t gone for her. She looked around, wary.


    The black mana returned to her, pushed back by the surging brown except in one direction. Suddenly, more brown mana concentrated on a spot somewhere to her left but still in the clearing, moving sideways. That was¡­ of course, the roots. The roots were still the elemental, and it was helping her by marking the insect. Probably.


    The spot kept moving slowly, circling her. Viv decided to bet that it was indeed the elemental showing her the enemy and prepared a little something. So far, she had been unable to hit the creature¡¯s bloated underbelly because of its great mobility, but catching it off guard would grant her one chance. She concentrated and created a large bolt spell, then added a rune for direction change. She was ready.


    Viv flooded the ground again, this time towards the spot. Earth seemingly drew her in, accelerating the overload like a ditch swallowed a wave. She hit something sinuous and vile. It surfaced. Viv threw the bolt.


    The powerful annihilation projectile arced down and through the manaless ground, losing some power but catching the creature under its chitinous armor. The beast twitched at the last moment and Viv almost missed, but a supreme effort of will angled the spell into its soft target. It damaged an entire side of the creature. A deafening screech forced Viv back. Putrid innards spilled on the green meadow. It stank like hell.


    Viv prepared another spell but failed to cast when her instincts screamed something was wrong. The creature was yelling far too much, wracked by revolting contraction. More of its insides joined the glistening pile of offal with every move while the stench grew unbearable. Viv kneeled and hid behind her shield and squinted, not sure what was going on or if it was wise to intervene at all.


    Then the grub exploded.


    Viv screamed like a child, then screamed again when slimy rain pelted her shield. The rest was thankfully absorbed by the sneaky cloak.


    When she opened her eyes, she was met with a scene of devastation. There was yellow, disgusting stuff and what looked like an eye on her shield, the vile layer hiding many of the sigils. The clearing looked like the aftermath of a slug migration. Tree looked fine though.


    Viv swallowed her disgust and hopefully nothing else, then took a few steps forward. There shouldn¡¯t be enough grub left to feed a sparrow. She would still err on the side of caution.


    Nothing moved.


    After a minute, the elemental groaned again, but with a distinct tone that evoked relief. A powerful wave of mana washed over Viv who let it. The scum on her shield disappeared, and when the wave faded, the clearing was pristine.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex: Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Focus: 39


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The alerts didn¡¯t surprise her. She had spent hours of captivity meditating and reflecting on her spellcraft and this was merely an application of her progress. Her toolbox remained sadly uninspired, but she could take pride in the fact that she was really good at what she did. It was just unfortunate that what she did was murder. Oh well. It could have been her smeared on the ground instead.


    With the crisis over for now, she took a moment to inspect herself. The simple dress she had worn on her escape was comfortable and easy to move in, but it was starting to be a little dirty and there were gashes on her left shoulder and, now that she was checking herself, her back as well. Probably one of the claws. It was weird how her coat ignored her clothes but disintegrated everything else, though she suspected intent was key. It was good too or she would have been in the nude now. Her walking boots were fine, at least. As for her cuts, they were all closed. Her jaw felt fine as well. Viv suspected the tree had something to do with that. She checked her status anyway, something she hadn¡¯t had a need to do in a long while.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Dehydration (very mild)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Poison removal aftershock</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She used the inspection skill on poison removal and got a vague fever and nausea feeling, nothing too daunting. She had a few gulps from her canteen and lamented not drinking more from the spring, but the snake had spooked her.


    A quick glance at her shield showed that it was completely intact. She was okay. Time to check on the tree.


    The wound was still here, but now it looked like old damage instead of a pus-filled necrotic sore. The bottom of the crevice shone a vibrant green as well. She inspected it just in case.


    [Nascent brown elemental. Not dangerous. Ancient. Recovering. Grateful. Mana font.]


    All good, or at least as good as she was able and willing to make it. And now for the reason why she had come here to begin with.


    ¡°Right. Sorry. I want to climb you.¡±


    It was most likely fine since the tree was grateful. She jumped and used its crevices as handholds. Viv had never been much of a climber but this was easy, and would have been even without stats.


    ¡°Oooooooooooooooooooooooh?¡± the elemental, well, groaned. A few boughs moved, facilitating her way up until she climbed the last, highest branch. She sat between two extensions and looked around. It was exactly what she had expected: the depths of the Deadshield Woods to the horizon.


    Well, too late to lie to herself now. The Deadshield Woods had faerie-whisked her into its heart.


    She knew it, of course. The powerful mana concentration and general feel of the place had warned her. It was technically possible to get lost over vast distances if one stepped away from the road, or if one went too deep too quickly. Looked like it had happened to her.


    She had tried to get to Helock. Only tried to go to college. Seriously. And her grandpa had complained about walking a kilometer in sub-zero temperatures to get to school, the delicate old baggage. A hundred years from now, she would gather her descendents and tell the little twerps they had it easy. ¡°In my days, you couldn¡¯t become a freshman without ending a civil war by killing off one side¡¯s royal family to the last man!¡± she would tell them. They would probably roll their eyes and say ¡°Moooooooom grandma Viv is rambling again,¡± or some such. But she would not be joking, it would have been that hard. Because she was going to succeed.


    Right, enough moping. Viv sat more comfortably against the branch and considered her situation. She had two current main objectives. One was to learn how to extend her life expectancy. The second was to figure out a way to go home or at least send a message back that she was alright. Both objectives would be served by getting to the capital of magic on Param, Helock. Secondary objectives were to make sure everyone else was fine and regroup, which she could achieve on the way but not here. All objectives would be served by leaving the forest first, obviously, so that was the priority.


    Forest shenanigans led to the death of many travelers, but she suspected that there was a limit to how far it could transport her. The temperature and weather were very close to what they had been the day before. The terrain in front of her was irregular like the one around Greed Edge, with small rocky elevations at regular intervals. She even recognized some of the tree essences. Unless she was completely missing her guess, going straight east would get her out eventually so long as she didn¡¯t wander at night or get even more lost. Water might become a problem but there wasn''t much she could do about it. Food wouldn¡¯t be, not with how many meaty things wanted to kill her.


    That was a plan.


    Viv climbed back to fetch her gear, but when she landed on the loam, she was surprised to see that a branch now extended from the elemental to the middle of the clearing, and that from that branch dangled a very red spherical fruit.


    ¡°Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh,¡± the elemental suggested. Probably.


    Well, she could eat. Viv walked to the offering and turned to the tree¡¯s craggly face. She slowly reached for the fruit, waiting to see if the thing would protest. Instead, the enticing prize detached from its branch and landed in her hand. It glowed with mana.


    [Elemental fruit: an extremely potent alchemical regent, can be consumed as is. The fresher the better.]


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viv told the elemental, then she bit down.


    Juice flooded her palate and she experienced the most intense, the most pleasurable non-sexual sensation of her life. It was a taste that transcended mere physicality to evoke precious memories, refreshing her mind and heart. It was crisp water, but only after a long trek in hot weather. It was pan-seared goose liver but on a family birthday celebration. It was perfectly mulled wine if it were taken on the Strasbourg Christmas Market, at night, with snowflakes waltzing in the light wind. The fruit was pure happiness packaged. Tears dripped down her cheeks.


    It felt like being home.


    Viv took her time. She sat against the tree trunk and talked about her home in Nice between two bites. She talked about the Promenade des Anglais and the smell of lavender fields when they drove north for the weekend. She mentioned that time her brother Damien rode a horse for the first time, babbling with excitement during and for three days after the outing. She mentioned playing games online with Gevaudan and Framboise, and how the taciturn boy would always work out the optimal way to play but still mess around with the two girls. She talked about her school and kissing her first boyfriend.


    At some point, the fruit ran out. It was now early afternoon on that slow planet. The air was still pure. Birds tweeted in the distance. It was wonderful.


    But Viv had to go. She slowly stood up and realized she felt better than ever before.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power: 18 to 21


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse: 21 to 23


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance 26 to 27


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Oh wow.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a milestone! You can now wear armor for extended periods of time without tiring. You can carry more weight.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Nice. Not super useful to her right now, but nice. Her power was now slightly below that of an experienced laborer, which was good for a path that didn¡¯t rely on it at all. Her nature of outlander really helped, and she had only been here for a bit over one year. That fruit was amazing, though she suspected she wouldn¡¯t get such an opportunity again. It wasn¡¯t every day one got the blessing of an elemental. Something else drew her attention and she obtained her general status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Flexible constitution</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 28.9%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The flexible constitution was new. A quick inspection informed her that it would help her function better as her attunement improved, helping her organs keep working. She would still die, though. But that was nice as well. Now, she had more time to act, and she would feel better while she did so.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to say. It was a princely gift. A life for a life, to some extent. She faced the old tree and bowed.


    ¡°Thank you for the gift. I have to leave, but I will always remember this moment. You have my gratitude. And goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh,¡± the creature replied with benevolent finality.


    Viv found her backpack, her dead snake which she would have to dress very soon, and set out.

 Chapter 97: Merls

    There was something about walking downhill on a full stomach with a slight wind and the scent of sap in the air. Viv was backed by enough stats to give her an olympic shape. It felt like being alive, especially after that last few weeks. Viv decided to push her vague annoyance at getting sidetracked by luck and her worry for the others aside for now and enjoy the moment. The weather was nice; the birds tweeted; all was well. She did have to kill a strange burrowing insect thing that tried to bite her foot off when she passed by, but honestly it made a funny noise when it died and gave her a tiny brown core so that was okay. She walked for hours, comfortably making her way over large roots and through thickets. If something snagged at her dress or when the underbrush grew too thick, it was only a matter of using her machete equivalent which was, in this occasion, disintegration-charged black mana. She even found bushes thick with tasty red berries for an afternoon snack.


    A swarm of wasp-like things also found her because their nest was right above the bush, but a coating and a werfer took care of that. Sadly, there was no honey to be found and the queen might have dripped with mana but Viv wasn¡¯t eating that raw. Still, all in all, five stars.


    ¡°Where were you all my life?¡± she whispered to the tendrils coiling around her body.


    It had become very easy to manifest and control mana outside of her body so long as it wasn¡¯t too far. Honestly, she would be fine just leaving manifestations trailing behind her but she had enough problems without also being taken for a tentacle monster. Also it felt a bit obscene, like hanging around with one¡¯s tits out. Mana was supposed to be kept inside until used.


    She had a slight fever when night fell and checked her health, but she only had the poison removal aftershock thingie and assumed it was normal. She set up in a small recess near a rock and used her knife focus to dress the snake. Dinner was snake skewers with grilled wild onions and some more berries for dessert. The snake tasted somewhere between chicken and fish with a fruity aftertaste. By some miracle, she still had some salt tucked in one of her bag¡¯s pockets. An alarm spell, an insect repellent, and she was set for the night.


    The stars were nice. Viv wished she had a book to read and could make some light. Shaping exercises occupied her for a while, then her mind wandered to Solfis, Arthur, and Marruk. Come to think of it, it was the first time she was alone, truly alone, since she had left Harrak. Solfis had become her companion the day after she arrived and then they had stuck together for a year, never apart for more than the time it took to murder an annoying bishop. She didn¡¯t find her new isolation restful. For someone like her who had trouble getting along with others, her recent companions had been a true blessing. It didn¡¯t really take her mental energy to hang out with them. They could all spend an hour with each other in silence, just doing their thing.


    She missed them.


    Her bond to the dragonling showed the little rascal was alive and well. As for Marruk and Solfis, she was marginally confident they were okay. Marruk had money in the bank as well, not to mention the dependable Kark had already crossed half of the human lands before. She had been weaker then, so there was hope. Honestly, they were probably better off without Viv and her stupid tendency to attract problems.


    The outlander fell asleep, woke up in the middle of the night for no discernible reason and had a snake snack, then woke up again at the crack of dawn feeling refreshed. She used her water to wash her hand and face, finished most of the snake and walked for fifty meters before finding a feathered skull hanging from a branch.


    It had belonged to some boar-like thing if the tusks were any indication. The empty sockets glared at her as the grisly ornament swang lazily in the morning breeze, multicolored feathers fluttering. It didn¡¯t look super fresh.


    Viv froze in the middle of the path, and reflected that it was indeed a path that looked kind of traveled since the brambles had been cleared. Her mind raced to quick and perhaps a little premature conclusions.


    This was an artifact.


    Artifacts meant tool users.


    Tool users always lived in tribal units of several individuals, or at least they did on earth.


    Those tool users were territorial because this was a territorial marker.


    Therefore, they were a bunch of dark gods-worshiping cannibals. It had to be, with the way things had been going so far.


    The witch took a step back, turned around, and decided here and there that she was giving the place a wide berth. The path she had followed so far ran straight east through two small elevations into a rocky patch of land filled with steep inclines and narrow passages. It took her part of the morning to go around from the north, and when she did, she found another clean passage that also went east and also bore a marker. That one consisted of a bird skull with a branch running horizontally through it, and from which hung transparent stone beads. Viv swore under her breath and kept going north until noon when it became pretty clear she was being followed.


    She had been careful but had not tried to hide her tracks. She had absolutely no doubt that a hunting path would let someone follow her, even if she took pain to erase the tracks she left behind. Her knowledge of forestry didn¡¯t extend to stealth and running through tree branches was for ninjas and powerful Hadals. The curious thing was that her pursuers made no effort to disguise their presence. Branches cracked loudly under their limbs, and sometimes she believed they were moving bushes on purpose. She even heard squawks.


    Maybe they were trying to flush her out, push her forward into a trap.


    Viv decided to stop in another clearing with a sheer rock cliff at her back and make a stand. It was probably better to face foes while she was well-fed and rested because she sure as hell wouldn¡¯t outrun people who were familiar with the forest. There was also the remote possibility that these were not hostile. She had to try. She also didn¡¯t have to be stupid about it, so Viv traced a large defensive circle and inscribed a few runes on the loam, mostly defensive ones in case they would try to shoot her. A few risen eldritch walls would cover her flanks if she decided to run farther north or west, back towards the elemental. Placing herself in the middle, Viv sat down and settled to wait. It didn¡¯t take long.


    First came excited whispers and croaks, then someone made a very loud noise that sounded like a lecturer clearing his throat, if the lecturer were thirteen. A tree at the edge of the forest shook violently enough that Viv thought the newcomers were trying to uproot it, then a long, gangly figure emerged from the shadows.


    As far as Viv could tell, it was humanoid and also probably male if the lack of breasts was any indication. He was rather short and very thin but not in a way that felt unhealthy, more like the species was naturally less muscular than humans. His skin was gray-brown and covered in white paint dots, with long arms ending with three digits each. The strangest thing was its head, which was definitely avian with an actual beak. As she watched, the strange being tasted the air with a flicker of a pink tongue. Two large blue eyes settled on Viv with what she felt might be fear, or trepidation. The colorful feathers covering his skull shivered. The creature stopped when he saw Viv had noticed him and took a few steps forward with his hand well in evidence.


    Besides ritual paint, the creature also wore a sort of skirt held together by a leather belt wrapping several times around his narrow hips. A knife sheath hung from it, though it was currently empty. There was also a bag at his back.


    The being looked back, holding his hand together. He must have received some sort of encouragement because he made an exaggerated, extremely nervous yawn gesture that would not have convinced a group of toddlers. With one hand held in front of him, he slowly reached for his back and brought out two small, round things that looked like dumplings.


    He picked one and bit into it, slurping its contents loudly then throwing the rest in his beak. He chewed a few times while maintaining eye contact, let out an equally convincing ¡®HMMMMMM¡¯ then promptly left the second dumpling on the ground, gesturing grandly and taking a few steps back.


    ¡°Are you trying to tame me?¡± Viv muttered with disbelief.


    She felt like a member of an ancient civilization being offered a chocolate bar by a single-planet monkey species.


    Oh yes, she could inspect.


    [Merl pathfinder apprentice: not very dangerous, one who guides hunting parties to their prey and then back safely, navigating the dangers of the forest. Fast learner.]


    His species was merl, okay, good to know. He was on the first step, which meant that she had met a juvenile. He did look quite young and rather naive, because he was within fuck-you range of a war caster.


    She stood up and grabbed the dumpling, to which the juvenile hooted something back towards the treeline. She bit into it and moaned in pleasant surprise. The dumpling contained meaty, delicious stew with what felt like roots and fresh vegetables. She slurped it and, following the example of her strange companions, bit the rest. It was dough of something earthy with juicy bits. Pretty nice. As repayment, she left a few strands of snake meat and her last berries on the ground. This led to much excitement from the young pathfinder.


    Viv was flabbergasted. If she¡¯d been naked, okay, sure, but she was clearly wearing knit stuff, a steel helmet and she had her round shield on hand. Nevertheless, the strange reaction was encouraging and she suspected that the merl didn¡¯t mean anything by it. He was probably just an idiot.


    Said idiot squawked words (she assumed) of encouragement back, and finally coaxed his companion from cover. It was also a merl, a female if the crossed bands on her chest were any indication. While the boy was boisterous and daring, she was clearly circumspect, her posture hunched forward and her orange eyes focused on Viv. The witch decided that scaring teenagers wasn¡¯t her idea of fun and waved at the girl. This sent the boy into a state of great excitement, and he soon stood to walk around the clearing, gathering twigs. The girl raced back to the forest and returned immediately after, carrying weapons in her thin arms. She hesitated but Viv just shrugged and she soon sat nearby, still spooked.


    Viv used the break to study her while the boy squawked excitedly.


    [Merl harrier apprentice, not very dangerous, one who harasses large prey during hunts and otherwise catches food with traps. Detail-oriented. Vigilant.]


    She was also first step. Before Viv could draw a conclusion, the boy returned with enough wood to start a small fire. He tried to speak to Viv who made obvious signs she had no idea what he was saying. This didn¡¯t deter him in the slightest.


    Viv considered leaving. She had an inkling they wouldn¡¯t stop her, but they seemed friendly enough and she doubted teenage woodsmen were well-versed in the subtle art of deception. She had a relatively good feeling, for now. She would keep her eyes open on the off chance they considered human sacrifice the height of hospitality.


    The boy dressed and cooked a small bird, accepting Viv¡¯s offer of salt with hoots of delight. Meanwhile, his companion checked the weapons. There were knives made of bones, spears, and strange, green flexible bows decorated with stones. The girl picked her own and held it in her feet.


    And then Viv blinked.


    And she realized that the boy was picking more twigs without bending. They had prehensile toes? It seemed like they did! She watched with interest as the girl drew her bow with her arms, then by holding the bow in a foot and pulling the string with both hands, which caused the wood to groan. Viv could see the muscles tense under the girl¡¯s naked skin. It was quite fascinating.


    Eventually though, the girl admonished the boy for something, probably speaking non stop, and the boy considered her words. Then, he looked like he was having a brilliant idea which put Viv on guard. The boy showed her his thumb, which ended in a small claw, and focused. A few drops of transparent liquid dripped down from the tip.


    Ok so he had resorted to cool tricks. She had been promoted to toddler.


    That also really felt wrong, somehow. The girl agreed and pinched him with her own claw which made the boy squeal in alarm, before realizing he was fine. Viv knew what it meant. The merls had poisonous thumbs. A chilling, horrifying realization sent a wave of fresh terror down her spine.


    Humans were closely associated with great apes.


    Merls had poison, avian characteristics, and apparently produced milk since the girl had breasts.


    Ergo, the merls were a species closely related to the platypus.


    If there were still any doubt Nyil was a gods-forsaken joke of a planet, this confirmed it.


    Heedless of her great distress, the two bickered amicably, then eventually presented her with a tender and delicious wing which she ate with patience since it was quite hot. They were mid-meal when Viv felt an aura approach, and the sounds of more squawks echoed through the branches. The aura flared, signaling its approach to Viv¡¯s senses and she flared hers once in return. A patrol of merls stopped at the edge of a clearing, led by a much taller one wearing an elaborate, well-knit blue garment, decorated with glyphs. He had graying feathers on his scalp and stood with dignity, hand clasped over a mage staff. Viv tasted gray and brown mana on him, mostly. He bowed to Viv, who returned the gesture. The two kids used the opportunity to scamper.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    [Merl Prophet of War. Proficient battle caster, slayer of men, beastling nightmare, unbreakable, leader of merls¡­]


    Ooooh shit, she hoped he was friendly. Fourth step, and not a peaceful one either. He would probably pulp her against the cliffside if she engaged.


    The man spoke a few words in a language Viv recognized as that of the northern cities, but she didn¡¯t understand it. At least she remembered enough words to tell him she was not fluent. He nodded and switched to Enorian.


    ¡°Good afternoon. Before we begin, I would like to know if you are in any way associated with the city of Glastia.¡±


    His voice was barely more than a croak. He enunciated every word with care in a way that reminded her of the Yries


    ¡°Glastia?¡± Viv asked, ¡°In the north, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Not to my knowledge? I¡¯ve never been there.¡±


    ¡°Are you a lost traveler then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m trying to return to Enoria.¡±


    To her surprise, the old one sighed in relief, his shoulder drooping a bit under the slightly ratty cloth. He approached, his escort milling around hesitantly. Viv noticed that they all carried flexible bows, spears, and some sort of uniform made of wood and feathers. Bird feathers, not their own.


    ¡°My name is Tweek. I would like to offer you the hospitality for the night, and tomorrow a pathfinder will show you the way out of our domain and to the Hidden River. It will lead you out of the woods.¡±


    Sounded better than trudging around looking for a path.


    ¡°My name is Viviane and I¡¯d be delighted,¡± she replied, and the use of proper etiquette seemed to make the old man happy.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go, there isn¡¯t any tea here. Speaking of, I need to teach the future of our tribe about following a war caster and then offering her unseasoned bushwing as a gesture of friendship.¡±


    Tweek stood up, called the two kids who came sheepishly, then he whacked them on the head. The whole group departed after a tirade delivered in a calm, low voice. It reminded the outlander of her mom promising small Viv a shiny red ass once they¡¯d returned home after a morning of misbehaving. The threats always carried the weight of what the fiery woman would do behind closed doors, far from the eyes and ears of a judgemental public. Viv shivered.


    ¡°They noticed your tracks after leaving our lands. Two followed and one returned to warn me. All three of them should have returned, of course. They are first step. If you had been unfriendly or easily scared, things could have gone poorly,¡± Tweek explained.


    ¡°No harm done on my end, at least. I assume you have very few humans here?¡±


    ¡°You are the first in a long time, and the first since we came here.¡±


    ¡°Wow, then how is your Enorian so good if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you the story tonight,¡± he replied with a smile, ¡°it¡¯s a bit long. Why did you assume there were few humans?¡±


    ¡°Your pathfinder tamed me with dumplings.¡±


    Viv snitched on the poor lad but kept her tale humorous. Tweek was obviously embarrassed, but Viv¡¯s good mood soon led to a sort of hissing sound Viv assumed were chuckles.


    ¡°The younger generation have never met humans. Please forgive them. And thank you for not reacting too strongly. Some others would have taken liberties with us.¡±


    ¡°No problems.¡±


    Viv was tempted to say she had worked with Hadals and Yries before, but one of the lessons her dad had taught her was that you can¡¯t say anything wrong if you shut the fuck up. No need to volunteer information that could land her in hot waters since things were going well so far.


    The trip back was uneventful. Tweek inquired how Viv was managing, and the witch explained she had found berries and ambitious snakes. The old merl promised her food and they arrived at the edge of his species¡¯ land.


    This part of the wood was craggier and more vertical, with many canyons and corridors separating elevated rock formations. At first, it seemed empty, but the group soon came across the first dwellings.


    The merls lived in wood houses built on stilts across chasms or by the cliff, with bridges allowing them to cross the gap. Garland-like vegetation formed natural roofs. They sagged with fruits and vegetables ripening under the early summer sun like colorful ornaments. Meat and pelts hung from driers while Merl women moved adroitly across the place, babies strapped to their backs. They used their prehensile feet to travel with as much grace as if they were on flat land.


    The people she came across looked at her with wide eyes and some measure of alarm, but they relaxed when they saw her companion. Strangely, it was the older folks who glared with suspicion.


    They came across several more such farming villages on their way deeper into the territory. Viv saw a lot of bone tools but no iron. It also seemed like the merls liked their colors a lot. They didn¡¯t have anything like cornudons but they did keep birds as cattle, possibly for eggs. The tallest of the men were around Viv¡¯s size, and they were lithe and graceful. They were, however, a bit slow on the ground. Viv had to take smaller steps to match the others¡¯ speed.


    The path led higher soon.


    It was late afternoon when Viv arrived at the merl city.


    ¡°Sikoua. It means peace at last,¡± Tweek commented.


    Hidden in a recess of the mountains, Sikoua occupied an inverted cone plunging deep in the mountain flank like an ancient caldera. Hanging gardens criss-crossed its width, loaded with flowers and the occasional platform. Workshops and dwellings dug into the cliff displayed wares and drying laundry. The squawks of conversations were loud, until Viv was spotted that is, then they were replaced by worried whispers. Tweek gave Viv a comforting smile.


    ¡°Please do not take their reaction to heart. Humans are why we survived but also why we almost perished in the first place. One of them is also why we are free.¡±


    He pointed at the center of the city, far below, where a simple stone statue stood surrounded by tall trees. It was a man, clearly a human. He had a hand raised in casting or as if holding something back.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Our savior, Sidjin. He was a powerful mage who sacrificed his life to guide us to safety against the wishes of his city. We are in his debt. We will tell you his story tonight! It is a good story.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Viv was led to a communal room near the bottom of the city. This deep underground, the sunlight was low but colorful mushrooms provided a varied illumination. Cooks grilled or boiled dumplings on nearby fires.


    Several important tribe members came to visit, mostly to have a look at Viv and be reassured that humans were not on the verge of invading the place. When night fell, Viv settled on a comfortable couch filled with feathers while a group of juveniles brought a light orb and flat dolls made of carved wood. Food was served, and Viv sat next to Tweek. The old merl gave a signal with clear excitement, checking Viv¡¯s reaction all the time. It felt strange but seemed harmless enough, so she indulged him when he served her macerated fruits. It was¡­ not very good, but Viv sipped it anyway.


    The light orb was placed in a recess of the wall and activated, so that a circular beam illuminated the far wall, casting shadows of plants held in the foreground by the excited younglings. Viv smiled. She hadn¡¯t seen a shadow puppetry show in fifteen years! She leaned forward while the far wall was made into a screen showing a dense jungle covered in liana¡­ and then a hint of mana infused them with color. A light wind caressed Viv¡¯s nose, bringing heat and the rich smell of wet earth. Drums and whistles spoke of bird calls and the passage of unknown creatures. A girl sang in merl while Tweek whispered translations into Viv¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Thick forests, so wet and warm, with lianas making bridges without our help! This was where we used to live. The jungle fed us and protected us.¡±


    The trees move apart to show several landmarks in turn.


    ¡°Angry old mount Kwehk spat stones to cut and stab.¡±


    A mountain appeared with a warm, dry wind.


    ¡°Mother Ril gave us fish every day, delicious and white.¡±


    The sound of flowing water replaced the roars of falling rocks. Viv got some water in her face and had to cover her drink.


    ¡°Our tribe lived in cities across the land, from the southern plain to the bitter waters of the north. Lo! So many ancestors made a name for themselves!¡±


    Several minutes passed with small stories of merls accomplishing great things, mostly through cunning and determination. Those were nicely educational, Viv thought.


    ¡°But the jungle did not feed only us¡­¡± the narrator continued, and her voice turned gloomy and foreboding.


    ¡°The beastlings were here, our hated enemies. A thousand times they assaulted the firebear patriarch to eat his fruits. Their bones covered his orchards, but one day¡­ they won.¡±


    The drums formed a low drone, then a slow crescendo as the shapes of clawed limbs built up on one side.


    ¡°The beastlings did what they always do: make more of themselves, spread like tree rot across a fruit grove. They fell upon the jungle in numberless hordes and slew its guardians, eating them and growing. Tens of thousands fell from our arrows, but they were as innumerable as ants. One by one, our heroes perished and then it was the turn of our families. The jungle was lost, and we were lost with it. Tweek, the last of our great shamans, drove us south to the plains, to seek shelter.¡±


    Viv¡¯s eyes widened in genuine surprise and considered her companion with renewed interest. Tweek was obviously quite pleased with himself, and for a moment Viv wondered if he was trying to bullshit her, but the respect the other merls had for him said a different story. There was also the ¡®beastling nightmare¡¯ title. Only Solfis had a nightmare title. Or rather, he had all of them. The old caster must have massacred thousands of individuals to reach that point.


    ¡°And there we found the human city of Glastia.¡±


    The jungle faded, replaced by towering white walls and the call of trumpets. Silhouettes of armored warriors formed tight ranks, pushing the drone away, but it did not die out.


    ¡°The humans of Glastia agreed to let us in if we fought. They built a second wall around their city and had us stand on it. The merls fought bravely! We kept the beastlings at bay. We bled and we died on those walls, day after day.¡±


    Sad music replaced the din of battle as the merl shapes on the wall disappeared one after the other. There were more accounts of battle, but Tweek¡¯s voice choked in his throat and Viv didn''t get the translation. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess the merls had been used as a meat shield.


    ¡°But there was one who disagreed with our fate. Prince Sidjin!¡±


    Blaring horns announce the coming of a robed man standing heroically next to the remaining merls. The roar of artillery covered the drone of the beastlings and the earth shook enough to force a ripple across Viv¡¯s liquor glass.


    ¡°Sidjin fought on the first wall with us, but he saw how his countrymen treated us and defended us however he could. Sidjin brought food and medicine. He brought armor made of cloth and steel-tipped arrows. He was a great man! Until one day, he had enough.¡±


    The drone of battle faded, replaced by a moon-lit night vista. Sidjin stood alone in an empty street, and behind him, a white disk appeared. It soon turned into a doorway to a forest until all Viv could do was whisper.


    ¡°Teleportation magic.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tweek replied, ¡°he opened us a passage to the forest. We escaped.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind worked feverishly while the play finished. She knew teleportation magic was a thing, of course. Her first camp back in Harrak had been next to an expended teleportation circle, so it was definitely a thing, but she was under the impression it was excessively rare, the stuff of legend. That someone would be able to open one¡­ It would be nice if she could talk to Sidjin, but she was under the impression he was dead from the way Tweek talked. Who would kill a mage capable of opening teleportation gates and pass an entire fucking people though it? Crazy.


    And yes, that was a crazy story, and put her own into perspective. Her revolution might have felt like the whole world to her, but to others, the civil war or the beastling tide were the one deciding event of their lives. She was only one among many, floating on the whims of fate, even with her strange luck. The thought was sobering.


    Viv clapped when the show ended, something that scared the young ones but caused tweek to laugh, asking his bashful guest if it was a mark of appreciation. Viv¡¯s confirmation led him to comfort the young ones while they made their way out, pleased with the show of appreciation from the first human visitor. Viv turned excitedly to her host and gifted him the compliments he was obviously looking for.


    ¡°Alright, that was amazing, especially using spells to improve immersion.¡±


    ¡°We got the idea from Glastia, but decided to apply it to our traditional shadow puppetry rather than using actors. I quite like it.¡±


    ¡°It was breathtaking. I loved it.¡±


    And she had. Her genuine smile appeased Tweek who gestured for dessert.


    ¡°Did you learn much from the humans during your stay? As unfortunate as it was,¡± Viv quickly amended, feeling callous at the tremendous loss of life.


    ¡°Yes. We had met and traded with humans before, of course. Many expeditions traveled to the foot of Mount Kwehk looking for precious stones. Those were just that though, contacts. Living in Glastia, we observed much. For example, the merls only had hunting parties but now we can fight in groups. We also studied agriculture and husbandry to fit it to our needs. A pity we couldn¡¯t learn to use iron, not that we have found any around so far.¡±


    ¡°And Sidjin? The play said he died?¡±


    ¡°I assume he did, though I cannot be sure. The real story is that one of his brothers bombarded our lines to kill a powerful shaman. Sidjin¡¯s merl friend died in the friendly fire. Before that, he had encouraged us to earn our place in human society so that incident¡­ broke him. He felt he had betrayed us with his words. He became obsessed with that colorless magic of his. In any case, we all escaped through the portal he opened during the span of one night, leaving the outer walls completely defenseless. Execution is the most likely outcome.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Viv wouldn¡¯t be so sure. A mage capable of opening a portal? She would kill a town to harness his secrets. As she considered Tweek¡¯s words, a nagging feeling finally turned into a memory.


    ¡°Wait, you are talking about the northern wall, the most recent one. When did this all happen?¡±


    ¡°Five years ago.¡±


    Viv¡¯s cheeks inflated from ballooning outrage. They had made it sound like it was a founding myth or something! Tweek gave a squawking laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me. Of course I would teach the younglings what I know before old age and braggarts twist it into a farce. We have just been through a¡­ difficult time. Half of those around are too young to remember what we have lost. If Sidjin hadn¡¯t taken pity on us¡­¡±


    He froze, gaze lost.


    ¡°You led your people through an extinction event and they emerged on the other side in one piece. That¡¯s more than most would have achieved,¡± Viv replied. She felt it was the right thing to say.


    ¡°Extinction event?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rapid decrease in, errr, the number of species in a place.¡±


    ¡°An accurate description. Beastlings eat everything that can be eaten, then they peel the bark, dig out the roots, and pull the leaves then eat those as well. The jungle will take a century to regrow after the last of the horde dies.¡±


    He looked a bit sad.


    ¡°I suppose this is our home now. In any case, it pleases me that you enjoyed our show. Sidjin was not close to me as he was to the friend he lost, but I miss our conversations. I have had no occasion to practice human languages in a while.¡±


    ¡°And the reason why you asked me if I was from Glastia was in case they would seek revenge for the loss of their outer wall?¡±


    ¡°And the lives that must have come with its fall. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I can imagine what the First Prince must have said, something about biting the hand that fed. They never saw us as people. If they learn where we are, there is a possibility they would seek revenge. I wouldn¡¯t put it past them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It seems to be a common thing among some of the northern cities.¡±


    ¡°Sidjin mentioned it, yes, but let¡¯s not dwell on that. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow so I will explain what you need to do. A guide will lead you to the eastern edge of our territory, then it¡¯s only a short walk to the hollow mountain that hides the Hidden River, a subterranean waterway that ends in northern Enoria, or at least this is what scouts reported. They saw humans and left. It will take a little over two days to reach the river and another one to follow it. Perhaps less. You humans are so fast on flat ground. And now, you should rest. I can tell you have been through much recently.¡±


    ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± Viv asked bitterly.


    Tweek silently pointed at the multiple gashes in her dress, their edges still stained brown despite her attempt to wash it off.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately we have nothing your size, but if you wish, we could have it cleaned and darned for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Tweek, I really appreciate it. I have received a warmer welcome from you than from most of the people I have met so far,¡± Viv remarked, subtly fishing for confirmation that there wasn¡¯t a catch. She could not help but be a little suspicious.


    ¡°You are welcome, Viviane, and thank you for indulging an old man. Hospitality used to be a sacred practice among the tribes. I am happy I had the chance to show it again. And I would have a request in return.¡±


    ¡°I will not share the knowledge of your existence with your enemies.¡±


    ¡°Good. I will have one of my sons show you to your room. Sleep well, ¡®Lost Heiress¡¯. I hope you find your way.¡±


    He made to leave, the Viv stopped him.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Tweek asked with a little concern.


    Viv bit her lip. Hospitality was, well, he was right. It was sacred. And she had shown up empty-handed. The thing was that she had nothing she could really spare to show her appreciation, but this was it, was it not? The true test of character. Sacred rights mattered the most when they actually cost something.


    Viv removed her helmet from her pack and handed it to Tweek.


    ¡°This is too much, I cannot accept¡ª¡±


    ¡°You may have just saved my life. I don¡¯t know much about the Deadshield Woods but I know they¡¯re dangerous and it¡¯s not because I¡¯ve met nothing too dangerous so far that it won¡¯t change. It would make me happy to give you this gift in return for your help, and also as a symbol of friendship from the first human you¡¯ve met in five years. To new beginnings, so to speak.¡±


    Tweek¡¯s tongue flicked out. It was clear he was tempted.


    ¡°Will you not miss it? Is it not a set with your shield?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, the shield is different. The enchantment is for durability only, the sigils you see have been added by people I¡¯ve helped.¡±


    Tweek smiled and Viv knew the unwieldy thing was going to become heavier again.

 Chapter 98: The Hollow Mountain

    Sun rose over the Merl territory, its rays timidly peeking over the caldera where they had dug their homes. Viv packed up her meager belongings and enough food to last her a few days, courtesy of her hosts. Tweek sent her off alongside members of his family, including a worried old Merl woman who clung to him the whole time. The lone human was led outside by a Merl warrior with quite a few scars. Just like the older ones, he seemed wary of her.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to do and stayed silent while they walked through crags and ravines on their way through the mountainous region. The path first climbed the nearest slope, but soon they went through a narrow corridor to find more flat forest on the other side. Well, mostly flat forest.


    Vegetation extended in the typical endless green she had come to associate with the Deadshield woods, a sea of fluffy canopies pierced here and there by the occasional meadow, except for one striking feature. Kilometers away in the distance, a lone mountain stood, and on its rocky surface, a face had been carved. A face of colossal proportion.


    Or perhaps not. Viv wasn¡¯t absolutely sure. Three massive cavern openings resembled two eyes and a gaping mouth opened for a sigh or a scream. Overhangs and peaks could have been bushy eyebrows and a messy beard, or perhaps it was all just a coincidence. It was hard to determine at this range whether this was an accident of nature or the result of a conscious effort. What she knew for sure was that the scale was gigantic. Titanic. Even with earth mages working in concert, it would have taken decades to complete.


    ¡°Wow this is¡­¡±


    Viv was at a loss.


    ¡°Hollow mountain,¡± her guide confirmed in broken Enorian. ¡°River there. You follow and see many humans.¡±


    ¡°Did you scout the place?¡±


    ¡°Scout?¡±


    ¡°Look see find?¡±


    ¡°We looked, but dangerous. Feel dangerous. We go.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Anything I should know?¡±


    ¡°Lizards that can hide. Also, old statues near the front. You can see soon. We go quick.¡±


    With this, the guide fell silent and moved on. Just like Tweek had said, night fell before they could approach the peak so they stopped at an abandoned camp nestled between two trunks. They formed a natural arch that protected them from a light rain.


    Remnants of past fires revealed that it was not the first time Merl expeditions had used this place. They ate fresh egg rolls and berries the pair had found on the way. The scout also boiled a large mushroom that tasted and felt like a plastic bag that would have been left in the ground for a hundred years. It was probably healthy, Viv told herself as she forced the thing down. With dinner over and alarm spells set, there was little left to do except twiddling her thumbs or meditating, so she tried to start a conversation. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how to break the ice, or even what would be appropriate to talk about so she started with the most obvious.


    ¡°So¡­ you fought the beastlings?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the scout replied, frowning with suspicion.


    ¡°Beastling shaman¡¯s monster?¡± she asked while pointing at a scar in a last ditch effort to salvage her attempt at socializing.


    ¡°Yes! Snake. Very strong.¡±


    He stopped and tilted his head.


    ¡°Tasty.¡±


    ¡°And this one?¡± she asked while pointing at another.


    The scout didn¡¯t waste this occasion to show off and Viv learned much through a mix of basic Enorian, very basic northern tongue, and wild gestures. His name was Shawak and he had been a child during the beastling debacle, one of those who were called to defend the walls despite being a bit too young. He had also taken it upon himself to barter monster remains with merchants from Losserec for medicine and scraps of food, hence his basic understanding of the tongue. Viv found the exchange¡¯s subtext interesting. The merls were quite prideful and cared a lot about their image. Although, to be fair, two male individuals did not represent a meaningful portion of the population. Nevertheless, Shawak¡¯s distrust towards humans melted like snow under the sun as the night progressed and he narrated the grand battle over the wall. It sounded nightmarish to Viv, if she had to be honest, but the merl turned it into a tale of endurance and heroic will. Eventually, she asked him how old he was.


    ¡°Ten! My eldest child is already two!¡±


    It confirmed Viv¡¯s suspicion that the merls reached maturity faster. It did not say much about life expectancy, however. Stats and paths impacted age, something Solfis had confirmed on multiple occasions. Willpower and endurance played a key role, though there were other factors. Viv wondered if it affected the merl or the kark the same way, and how important the biological factors were. Did mana prevent telomeres from shortening? Was it more metaphysical, like mana just regenerating cells? She had no idea, and without access to research, there was no way to know for certain.


    She missed the internet.


    The conversation petered out after a bit, especially because Shawak had no questions for Viv. She meditated until it was time to fall asleep. Shawak woke her up the next day at dawn, too early for her tastes, and they moved quietly through the untamed forest.


    While Viv tended to go straight and shred every obstacle on her path, her guide preferred to move around them. It made the trip considerably slower and also meant less meat. The witch didn¡¯t complain, however. Her approach would work until she met a bigger threat than herself. Then she¡¯d be dead. It was much better to trust a survival expert. Despite the detours, they moved with good speed and reached the base of the mountain in the early afternoon, under a mild cloud cover. She looked up as soon as they cleared the edge of the forest, and had to stop. The face was even more impressive at the base, and due to a trick of the perspective, it felt like its titanic eyes followed her movements. Tiny growths decorated the escarpment, working together to lend the battered rock a semblance of life. It was rather disturbing, moreso because it quickly became obvious that this was, indeed, by design. Stone steps led up the slope from long-overgrown roads, disappearing into the mouth of the giant.


    Shawak led the way up. Here, the silence was complete. No birds, no creatures disturbed the otherworldly silence, as if the mouth was screaming and that scream drowned everything else. Viv disturbed a stone. Pebble and sand galloped down to the forest in a tiny avalanche that seemed to echo to infinity. It felt as blasphemous as having one¡¯s phone ring at church. Shawak shrugged though, and the ascent resumed.


    They moved into the mouth cavern. The air there was cold and wet. She did her best to ignore the needle forest of stalactites hanging overhead like so many teeth. They were geological features, not tools grown to crush her into a broken mess of punctured organs and jutting bones. If she repeated it enough times, maybe she would believe it.


    The mood of the place affected her more than her magic-reinforced mind should allow. Something insidious permeated the air. The scout was even more affected. His back was bent, and he kept reaching for a pendant hanging over his thin sternum. He stopped next to the edge of the cave where the light of the sun still shone and pointed forward, to a side tunnel.


    ¡°The river is this way. You go. You take wood and swim!¡±


    And with this, he turned away and ran, literally ran, off and into the forest.


    Viv stood there for a little while, letting her eyes get accustomed to the darkness. The mana here felt pretty normal to her senses, with black being more common due to the darkness. Her unease must have come from something else. She was also curious about the statues.


    The cave entrance led to a vast circular room as large as a cathedral, expanding deeper into the heart of the mountain. A circular platform occupied the center, now overgrown with mushrooms and obscured by debris. Five columns stood in a half circle facing her. They were each topped by a different statue.


    Viv heard the susurrus of flowing water to the side as she moved down but she could not avert her eyes from the ancient stone works. Even the most ignorant goon would guess at a look that those were ruins of a civilization that must have predated even the Harrakan Empire. Her steps led her to the center of the circle. A feeling made her look up to a vertical shaft above her head. It must have let light through at some point of the distant past but it was now obstructed by dead roots. She grabbed in her backpack for a light stone and let it banish the shadows. She inspected each statue in turn.


    The first one, facing her, was barely more than a pile of broken rock. The shape of a hand still held a club while two powerful legs supported half of a muscular torso. There were no signs as to whom they belonged to, however, but she did find inert runes engraved into the pillar. She had never met their like before and she decided to commit them to memory.


    The second pillar held a familiar, hooded figure under a ritualistic mask. Those were the symbols of Enttiku, without a doubt. The figure was in a much better shape than the previous one, though the writing system underneath remained cryptic. She committed them to memory as well just in case. They reminded her of cuneiform. It was in moments like those that she enjoyed her stats-enhanced mind, otherwise she would have needed a notebook.


    The presence of the goddess of death raised questions, but she decided to finish her inspection first and the next statue was intriguing. Getting close, she saw that it was a scantily clad woman with two pairs of wings coming out of her back. Her form was voluptuous and muscular at the same time as if the sculptors could not decide. It took her a moment and some squinting, but the wings finally gave up their answer.


    Those were legs. More specifically, segmented spider legs.


    Viv had to take a step back. The presence of Enttiku and the pedestals were a clear indication that this circle had a religious function. Her [polymath] skill screamed at her that possibly the whole mountain did. It only left one reasonable explanation.


    ¡°Octas,¡± Viv whispered, despite herself.


    The air suddenly felt much colder to Viv. The light made her a target, no, this place was dead and abandoned. It had been so for countless generations. She needed the light.


    Maybe she was wrong. Turning around, Viv crossed the circle to check the fourth column but the statue on this one was broken so completely, only the feet remained. The last one displayed a corpulent man holding an axe. What looked like Zebra stripes were probably scars, of which he had many. There was only one god known for a large body and unyielding resistance.


    The implication was baffling. She had never seen representations of dark gods, but she expected something more ominous like a giant spider or a pile of meat with an eye in the middle, not traditional anthropomorphic figures. Octas was even depicted to be attractive. It was eminently disturbing after having seen the real deal. More curious was the presence of Enttiku with the rest. It was also likely that one of the broken statues was Efestar, but it didn¡¯t explain the last one. There were only three dark gods she knew of.


    Out of curiosity, she went to stand under Enttiku¡¯s statue and offered a prayer. Her prayer drained a little mana and she received a pulse of comfort in return, a hint that when she died, and she would die, and that was fine, she wouldn¡¯t be alone. It helped with both her mindset and the conclusion to her experiment. This was indeed Enttiku, and the cave was indeed religious in nature. The conclusion was clear. There was a time, long ago, when the dark gods were worshiped in the open. And Enttiku used to be one of them. Or was it more complex than that? She could not help but notice that none of the current pantheon was present.


    The scale of the mountain was also a decisive factor. It implied that a lot of people used to live around, or at least gather here. And it stood forgotten, and had been forgotten for¡­ a very long time. She wished she had a map. She also wished maps had a use in the Deadshield Woods. And she meant that for future reference because there was no way she was going to explore that place right now or any time soon, and especially not alone. A general air of unease still floated around. Whispers came and went at the edge of her hearing. If she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the shuffling feet of worshippers, smell the cooking fires of the tribes as they gathered, but that was long ago. Something had broken this place, just as it had broken the statues of the¡­ old gods?


    The idea settled, reinforced by the polymath skill. The rational part of her decided that she didn¡¯t have enough information to go on. This was mere speculation based on the interpretation of five columns and three statues, an extremely small source of data, yet another part of her could not deny that one does not set up bad gods at the entrance of a major place of worship. It would be suicidal. Shaking her head, she was about to leave when her mana perception picked up something. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    A black spot was slowly moving towards her. The shift in mana was barely perceptible. Someone without her skills and tendency to look for ambushes would have missed it. It used black mana as well in a way that reminded her of what Irao did, only this time it was not as good and she could perceive how it was done.


    The thing moving towards her warped light around itself in a strange, cloak-like fashion. A quick glance only revealed the far wall and a slight distortion. Viv discreetly used mana to burn a circle on the ground, but otherwise watched, confident in her reflexes. She was learning a lot by merely observing the curious attacker. The stealth effect went beyond light to play tricks with her mind as well, which she found fascinating. Her gaze kept going up and down despite the firm knowledge that something was there. She felt the black mana try to convince the world this spot was empty.


    When Irao had demonstrated his abilities, she had found it impossible to adopt the concept of being hidden because she was, she had to admit, noticeable. That had been a mistake on her part. Black mana didn¡¯t allow its wielder to blend in, just like Irao could never be taken for a normal laborer in the streets. Instead, it denied the world the ability to find them. It was actively affecting the target rather than subtly hiding the caster. And that made it much more manageable for Viv, for whom getting people to do stuff came naturally.


    ¡°Holy shit I¡¯m having an epiphany. Oh, yes. Net!¡±


    Thin, razor filaments emerged from around her to lash at the hole in space and the veil dropped as the monster behind shrieked. Viv noticed black scales and a lizard-like body while ichor dripped on the dusty stone floor. The witch made a snap call that it may not be enough. Her filaments gathered in a blast spell that cut through the beast from skull to rectum. It fell dead. The scent of blood and offal wafted towards Viv.


    ¡°And that¡¯s that.¡±


    She approached the body, which looked like a Komodo dragon dipped in oil.


    [Dark-Scaled Stalker]


    Nasty teeth on that thing. A pulse of mana attracted her attention and she used her focus knife to remove a small core from the creature¡¯s sternum. It was barely the size of her thumb but that was fine. They sold for gold talents. This one was aligned with black, life, and a smattering of minor affinities. She pocketed it.


    And turned in a rush, pushing her round shield in front of her. A reflexive blast hit something in the shoulder. It yowled, but its weight smacked into Viv and she was pushed down. A quick excalibur ripped through her attacker¡¯s muscular body before it could recover. She fell with a massive weight on her torso. Innards spilled on her dress. It stank like hell.


    ¡°FUCK.¡±


    Idiot, idiot. Idiot! If there was one, there could have been others. She had let herself be distracted. Her trip through the forest had gone too well and made her cocky. Understanding a concept was useless if she died for it.


    Viv pushed the lizard corpse aside and stood up, covered in disgusting fluids. She swore when she realized some of it was her own just as pain let her know she hadn¡¯t survived the ordeal unscathed. She had a gash near her right shoulder and a small cut on her scalp that bled freely. Not alarming per se until she realized her complete lack of medical supplies. The constable¡¯s men had taken her mending potions.


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    A quick inspection revealed two more wall creatures slowly making their way over from the back of the cavern. Fucking things. She moved to the side where the passage to the river ought to be, eyes opened for more surprises. The tunnel continued only for a little while before ending in another room. Viv blinked when she realized this was an underground pier.


    A wide stretch of dark water moved lazily towards her left, deeper into the mountain. The light in her hand could not pierce its surface. A stretch of stone expanded into the river around the middle while stone pillars stood at regular intervals, possibly to moor small rafts. A long plank of wood was the only sign that the Merl had ever been here.


    Viv suspected that whatever furniture had been here was long lost, but the stone remained. There were tables set against the wall on her side while stairs led up to her left, signs that the Hollow Mountain truly deserved its name. Viv almost slapped herself when she realized she would indeed have to swim. At least the plank would keep her belongings dry.


    She almost jumped in before a groove on the ground grabbed her attention. A few step backs gave her a better look at a construct around the entrance. it was enchanted with a shield construct like nothing she had ever seen before.


    ¡°What...¡±


    The construct was three-dimensional. Not even Prince Lancer¡¯s carriage had been shown this level of protection. The enchantment used the natural curve of the tunnel to form a double circle of different radius. More interestingly, there were no runes she could see.


    She checked the way back. The lizards moved slowly, apparently unwilling to let go of their camouflage. They probably weren¡¯t all that smart. A hiss of anger and the sound of cracked bone let her know what was really happening. The lizards were eating their fallen.


    Whelp.


    With some time for herself, Viv raced through the stairs and placed some alarm spells. She cast another long one around the entrance, just in case something attacked from the river while she was busy. Fuck, this really wasn¡¯t a good place to hold, but she didn¡¯t want to get into the water without bandaging herself first. On a hunch, she moved mana into the tunnel construct, then more, then more. Almost half of her reserves were gone when suddenly, the construct flickered to life. Runes appeared mid air, ones she was thoroughly unused to seeing: the number six, unity, projection, protection.


    A shield set in place then, expanding to form a half-sphere bulging outward. It consisted of hexagons fused together. Each shield fragment was semi-independent from the rest. Viv¡¯s contemplation was cut short by the feel of something warm dripping down her shoulder.


    ¡°Right. The bleeding.¡±


    The witch had to salvage most of her small cloth and both of her sleeves to tie her arm to her satisfaction. She had used water to clean it, but knew it wouldn¡¯t do much in this dirty environment. And it would require stitches. And it would probably scar. She looked at her left arm, where the dragon-shaped burn scar remained from Arthur¡¯s first flame breath. Nyil was leaving its mark on her.


    With her last breast band firmly held against her scalp wound, the witch focused again on the shield. Truly, it was a thing of wonder. The key runes had been dug inside the stone in three dimensions by an insanely talented earth mage, then projected outside by a projection rune. Could it be that modern Paramese had forgotten past techniques? Or maybe she hadn¡¯t seen its like because she had never left boonies.


    As for the shield itself, the hexagon structure was a fascinating design decision. She could see from the way the tiles were arrayed that some could fail and the structure would survive. If a tile was attacked, it would offload pressure to the surrounding ones as well. It was an extremely efficient, extremely resilient design that sacrificed size for survivability. It was perfect for small passages or personal protection. She had to make her own, had to. It was just too good to pass.


    The witch focused like never before, trying to extract the heart of the spell so she could use it herself. Redundancies were removed. Range got further reduced. Parts of the spell were designed to absorb great blows by moving with them, something that wasn¡¯t needed right now. Slowly, the vital elements filtered into her mind where they remained, waiting for completion. Viv stopped twice to check that she wasn¡¯t bleeding out and once to see if any lizard was approaching. One was, but it was on the other side of the shield.


    It took her half an hour of constant effort, but eventually she managed to reduce the complex shape into its simplest components. It was there, her mind, ripe for casting. She ordered the symbols in her mind and they appeared, dark and familiar around her. The structure reminded her of something she had seen long ago at a honey sale. The idea settled into her mind.


    ¡°Hive.¡±


    A black-colored ball manifested around her.


    It was¡­ magnificent. She could control each and every facet, directing power to them as needed. Her experience with the coating spell easily let her handle the many elements, even if it was significantly more taxing than a more simple shield. She exulted.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity +1 (39)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress (4/10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All her regrets of not getting to fucking Helock without distraction disappeared before this amazing discovery. There was only one small, tiny problem though.


    She could not see through the shield.


    it was completely black and blocked her line of sight.


    Oh well, she could find a solution later. It was nothing compared to the excitement of studying something obviously exotic. If she could learn from this¡­ how many more constructs waited here or in forgotten corners of the world for her to find them? Maybe Harrak hid a treasure trove of secrets even Solfis had not been taught. Proprietary constructs and spells¡­ The possibilities were¡­ intriguing.


    Viv turned her eye to the entrance when a flash of tongue momentarily disrupted the black mana cover of a lizard. It was smack in front of the entrance, but the presence of the shield obviously confused it. Viv took the opportunity to examine the creature more closely. Paradoxically, the shield blocked her mana perception, which meant that she had to rely on her willpower alone to track down its movements. The struggle against the monster¡¯s instinctive use of the ¡®stealth¡¯ concept sharpened her own, forcing an understanding through confrontation. It took an hour, perhaps, but eventually she felt her soul vibrate in harmony.


    It was not stealth, but denial. Denial of light and attention, denial of the world. Black mana could remove things temporarily just as it removed others permanently. It could remove her if needed. She gasped with the epiphany.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost heiress (5/10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her soul pulsed and the lizard turned and fled, its own coating bleeding from its body like melting paint. She could do it. She could hide.


    ¡°Sneaky Cloaky.¡±


    For once the stupid name reflected reality. The world dimmed around Viv. Swirls of darkness wafted from her dark-clad form and she felt ever-so slightly that the world was paying less attention, which made it a real surprise when something screeched very, very loudly. The ear-shattering scream paralyzed the escaping lizard and Viv. An intense pressure crashed on her, backed by the most evil will Viv had ever felt. Even the Herald of Octas had not felt so vile, so destructive. She made to move and realized she could not. Her heart beat a crazy staccato while her lungs labored to find more air. She tasted bile down her throat. She was aching to flee, but her body wouldn¡¯t do that one last step of contracting muscles. Whatever creature had screeched went far beyond anything either her will or the cloak could possibly negate. She was going to die here in this dark, hopeless place.


    No.


    It was all over.


    No.


    She did not stand a ¡ª


    No!


    Viv pushed back against the foreign thought. This wasn¡¯t her. She had to move. She had to move now! One step back, and she collapsed on herself. Her elbow hit a rock. It went numb. The familiar pain woke her up. She crawled to the nearest plank. It was all she could see and all she could do because the world was under the dominion of something terrible and only hiding or crawling would save her. The wood was grainy and wet under her fingers. She dipped in the river. The water was shockingly cold. Its icy grasp freed a bit more of her mind, barely enough to hear the lizard¡¯s whimper when it saw something it shouldn¡¯t have. A ghastly crack silenced the beast.


    Viv let the current carry her away but could not stop herself from watching the entrance. A blood-splattered, white arm the size of a small tree pierced the static shield as if it were wet paper. Its clawed digit swept across the room languorously like a child looking for chocolate. The stone groaned. The creature was too large for the opening. Viv knew exactly what it was before she inspected it.


    [Necrarch: :LETHAL, caster, cunning, Men Nightmare¡­]


    Viv cut the skill before the information could flood her mind. She needed all the concentration she could get. A shiver shook her body and terror filled her heart when the creature sampled the air. It chuckled, the sound vicious and pitiless. It whispered one guttural word. Black mana flooded the room; it searched for Viv; it found her. It tried to invade her conduits.


    It did. The thing was simply too powerful.


    Viv fought it off with everything she had, claiming the sweet poison for herself. She was getting away, deeper into the lightless flow. The roof was getting lower above her head. Already, the creature was out of sight and still the spell persisted.


    Her chest suddenly hurt.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are suffering from mana poisoning.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are suffering from cardiac arrest.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The spell was fading. She had to hold on, fight it off. She wheezed pathetically in the dim light, one hand holding the shining stone and the other the plank she had grabbed. Her core converted the foreign mana coursing through her conduits as fast as it could even as cold sweat covered her brow. Finally, the last of it disappeared. She checked her pulse.


    Nothing.


    ¡°Ok, bad bad bad.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t even arrhythmia, there wasn''t a beat. Compressions? Compressions. Viv placed a hand under her breast and pushed. The angle was wrong. The water reached to her chest. Changing tactics, she punched her side instead. Still nothing. The water slowed her fist down even with her improved strength.


    ¡°Come on, come on, come on.¡±


    Desperate, she started to push with her leg to bob out of the water with every punch, just to give them some more impact. Her ribs screamed in protest. Her head started to swim from the increased oxygen consumption but her determination kept her focused. She would not die now and certainly not so stupidly, not after learning so much. Not before Arthur reached her majority. Viv roared and used a burst of strength to slap her side. The pain stole her breath, but the reward was immediate.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are no longer suffering from cardiac arrest.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1 (39)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Okay, okay that was better. Slowly, the pain in her chest faded away, replaced by wariness. Not dying right now. Or at least, not quickly. She swore when she realized that her bag had been in the water from the start and still hung from her back. She placed it on the plank to dry, hoping that the insulated outer fabric had kept the contents dry.


    It was cold here, and silent. The waters moved placidly along. Viv¡¯s breath slowly calmed down until she was mostly back to normal except the small, tiny problem that she had almost died. Again.


    A flash of white, corded muscle reminded her of Harrak, of the first necrarch she had seen. That one had been dumb and feral, unlike the abomination that almost killed her. Fuck, for all her abilities, she was still small change before those freaking monsters. Still the same scuttling thing looking for an exit. And Solfis had killed two of those with his true frame? Insane.


    Viv took shuddering breath after shuddering breath, pushing the panic down for now. She would be fine. She was fine now. The necrarch had been too large for the opening and the river ended so far away she would be safe. There was nothing in the water or it would have eaten the Merl scouts. unless it could taste her blood in the water. Fuck. Ok, calm down. Calm down.


    Viv changed her grip and winced. her shoulder and head hurt. She felt feverish, but that was probably the mana poisoning. A quick glance at her naked hand showed black veins and pruney skin. How long had she been in the water already? That long? It felt like just a couple of minutes.


    Slowly, adrenaline faded. It was replaced by exhaustion. The witch placed her head on the plank and fell asleep.


    Viv woke up with a jolt and panicked. Her blood-crusted fingers closed on the light crystal, causing feeble yellow light to dawn in the darkness. She was trapped. She was in water. Raw dark stone covered the sky.


    Oh yes, the underground river.


    Okay.


    Food.


    Her backpack yielded a slightly soggy egg roll. It was cold but good, and it settled her. The merl had mentioned that it would take a day to exit the cavern but they had probably been swimming and she had merely floated, so she beat her legs and moved on. She didn¡¯t dare change the bandage on her shoulder or clean her crusted scalp, so that would have to wait until she found a more salubrious environment. A tiny voice reminded her that the stalker lizards looked like Komodo dragons, and those killed their prey via septic shock, but she silenced it. Besides, the bacteria were in the komodo dragon¡¯s mouth and she had been hurt by the lizard¡¯s claws, so there. She inspected her shield. It was, once again, pristine. No hint of damage. The merl had added skin and feathers at the back. It felt a bit more comfortable in her hand and would also soften the blow the next time an attack sent the heavy implement into her jaw, which would definitely happen, the way things had been going so far. Viv took the time to wash off most of the congealed blood in the stream with the rationale that predators would taste the lizard blood anyway so a little Viv seasoning on top wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. Then, since she had nothing better to do, she paddled.


    She kept paddling for a long time.


    At some point, only the passing low roof over her head confirmed that she wasn¡¯t stationary. Thank the light gods for her strong grip because her sanity might not have survived hours of darkness without the light stone. The trip was still a grating experience that eroded her spirit as the hours went by. She thought her ordeal was soon over when the cavern opened, but it was too soon and she knew it. Instead, she found a cavern. It was not very big and apparently devoid of life. The river cut straight through the middle, with the shore entirely blocked by stalagmites. She still smiled because she was seeing light. It was a nice fuschia and radiated out from a peppering of crystals nestled inside the stones, so that the entire cave shone like a disco ball. The effect calmed her down further, even as she left it behind. She paddled with renewed vigor and told herself it helped practice her core. The thought was silly and made her smirk.


    After what felt like an eternity, she saw a pink light in the distance. The sound of rushing water woke her up from the semi torpor she had been in. The roof gave way to a dawn sky with high clouds. She swam to shore, only to realize her feet reached the bottom and she could walk instead. There were trees and bushes around. The air smelled of sap and growing things again.


    In front of her, the river joined a body of water so large the opposite side was still covered in fog. She approached it and tasted the liquid under her finger. No salt. There was only one lake that size adjoining the Deadshield Woods: Lake Hydon. Losserec would be a few hours away on the south side.


    The sun rose above a distant mountain and bathed the world in warm light. A bird tweeted.

 Chapter 99: The Taste of Freedom

    The shores of Lake Hydon were not sand, but fat stones made round and cozy by eons of placid current. Viv¡¯s boots made sloshing sounds as she moved forward at a sedate pace through the clear waters, avoiding the thickest underbrush. There was no hurry. The sky was blue and pink with no hint of rain. Mana had also returned to the levels she expected from populated lands. The flows and eddies of the wild woods had settled into the tame pulsation she associated with her travel through Enoria. In the distance, she thought she could see the tall gray towers of Losserec. Chimney smoke trailed up from a much closer point, beyond some trees to her right.


    Viv knew she was not metaphorically out of the woods yet, and she kept an eye out towards the trees. The presence of a nearby settlement indicated that there were no major monsters around since those tended to be quite territorial. Nevertheless, it only took one stone to the skull to become beastling food so she kept her guard up and her shield on her arm. The thing was rather heavy but by the gods was it durable. She poked at it. The many symbols adorning its face helped remind her that, although she was alone right now, there were plenty of people who knew her and had appreciated her enough to try and keep her alive.


    It took a good hour of traipsing through shallow waters and the occasional patch of bulrush before she finally found a fishing spot. There, near the water, a small structure stood, barely large enough to protect someone from the rain and store the odd wicker basket. She followed the small trail inland until midday, stopping to eat one of her last eggrolls. Her relief was immense when she came upon a palissade. The village had small patches of leafy vegetables growing around its walled buildings. The plants were protected by traps, if the dead harrien hanging limply from a snare was any indication. Viv looked around and saw that a young man was bringing buckets of water to the field. He was poorly dressed and a little thin. A straw hat hid most of his features.


    [Laborer apprentice: not dangerous, one who works hard to learn a trade. Dull. Determined.]


    Well, time to meet the locals. Viv took a few steps forward to be visible and announced her presence.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    The young man yelped and turned, stumbling on his bucket. He fell, while their content spread to drown a nearby lettuce. Viv showed her hands in the universal sign for ¡®I am not trying to kill you just yet.¡¯ It took a few seconds for the lad to stop hyperventilating.


    ¡°Please do not be alarmed. I am just trying to find my way to Losserec,¡± she said in the most calming voice. Her leadership skill radiated soothing energy until her would-be host stopped shaking.


    ¡°Right, sorry,¡± he said.


    Viv waited until he stood up and tried to brush off his trousers. Unfortunately for him, wet mud won that duel. He walked sheepishly closer to the solid gates and stopped, eyeing the edge of the forest with suspicion.


    ¡°Errrr, you¡¯re alone, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright. Let¡¯s go see my Ma. She¡¯ll have my hide if I don¡¯t finish watering the garden.¡±


    ¡°Got marauders around?¡± Viv asked to make conversation.


    ¡°What? No. Very calm around here.¡±


    ¡®Ding ding ding¡¯ went the alarms in Viv¡¯s head, but she quieted them for now. Why would a boy ask her if she was alone if there were no marauders around? Because he had some common sense, Viv¡¯s more civilized aspect answered. Even in safe towns, it would be unwise to open your doors to strangers. She settled herself and watched the young man open the gate by unlocking a wood mechanism, probably something to keep the wildlife at bay. She followed him in but kept her shield fastened to her forearm, just in case.


    What she had taken for a village was really more an estate, all of its buildings cobbled together from local wood in a rather poor fashion. Even the half-buried house of the unnamed spider village had been better made than those, though there was certainly order and cleanliness. Viv judged that whoever had settled there didn¡¯t have the skills and knowledge to build a house and had tried their best anyway. Another garden filled a quarter of the courtyard, with an outhouse and garden shed sitting against the outer wall. Some of the small ostrich-like creatures she had seen in Kazar walked in an inner courtyard nestled between two one-story structures. It smelled like shit, which was expected when the main fertilizer tended to come out of assholes. A man was chopping wood with precise strikes while a woman hung clothes on a rope. Another was leaning against the wall of the largest block, right in front of Viv. They all stopped when she arrived.


    She didn¡¯t like the glint in the eyes of the leaning man but that was fine so long as he kept his hands to himself. She was just passing by.


    ¡°She¡¯s lost. I¡¯m bringing her to Ma,¡± the boy explained. The pair just stood silently while the leaning man pointed a thumb at the door next to him. A couple of steps made of stone and mud led up to the least rickety part of the compound. Viv followed them to a large room filled with tools and bags made of dried plant fiber. A few leather rucksacks and barrels completed the warehouse look. A door to her right led farther in while a large desk ¨C if one were lax with the definition ¨C occupied the back of the room. Behind that desk was a corpulent woman with gray hair. She was inspecting an iron bit between two fingers.


    ¡°A lost traveler, Ma.¡± the leaning man said in a mocking tone.


    No. No, fuck that, Viv said to herself. She coated herself in the sneaky cloaky right as her danger sense informed her something was coming from behind. The woman¡¯s face, which had turned into a vicious sneer, now displayed an expression of intense fear.


    ¡°She¡¯s a mage! A mage!¡± she yelled.


    Viv kneeled and called the newest spell in her collection. Something smashed into her protected neck and disintegrated as it came.


    ¡°Get her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying, Ma!¡±


    ¡°Hive,¡± Viv whispered, and the small bubble of hexagons closed upon her like an egg. Something else smashed against it with no discernible result. It might have occurred to Viv that she was not truly in danger. In fact, many things could have occurred to Viv if she had been in any state to pay attention. Instead, she brought up her status to check a single line, a lonely piece of information she had to confirm before doing anything. Her mind wouldn¡¯t let that go.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Divine spark: luck


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv read that line again and again, thinking something would change. It didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Okay. Okay, that¡¯s fine.¡± she whispered. ¡°That¡¯s just fine.¡±


    Something heavier hit the shield, but the sturdy spell destroyed that as well.


    ¡°Go get fire, anything! Kill the bitch!¡± the woman screamed outside of the bubble.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Viv repeated.


    She weaved another two glyphs into the construct, one for expansion and the other for split. She eventually added explosion for good measure. Outside, more people were screaming and trying to kill her. She gave her status one last look.


    ¡°Okay, if there is some sort of god of fate watching me right now, this is my way of telling you to stop,¡± she whispered.


    Then she took her frustration at being trapped in a spider invasion, the delay in her trip to Helock where she is still hoping to find a way to survive and possibly find out what happened, her anger at the little hunter¡¯s betrayal, her annoyance with Tarano¡¯s sexism, her outrage at her treatment, the terror of facing the true Necrarch and shoved it in the spell. The hexagonal plates shook with the added pressure and the overload of destructive black mana. Tendrils rose from her form, hissing in the air. The spell hummed.


    Viv let go.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The shield blew up outward, each pane sent out with the speed and destructiveness of a missile. Viv heard the typical hiss of black mana doing what it does best. There were holes in the ground, in the wall, neat, hexagonal-shaped ones. There were three in the pair of men around her. The leaning man¡¯s chest tilted to the side and collapsed before the legs gave out. Another one, she had not seen before. He was tall and quite fat with a truncheon in his hands. He was missing his head. This, Viv observed in an instant as she turned to face the last threat. The woman was holding the ruin of her stomach, gurgling curses. The trained part of Viv¡¯s mind knew she could still be dangerous, but most of her attention still swerved towards the quickly opening door to her side. The lock had been destroyed. It was the larder.


    One carcass she recognized as a deer-like monster. The second was also missing its limbs and head, but its skin was pink and greenish. Small breasts rose on either side of the long gash opened to remove the entrails. Ribs under the taut skin spoke of someone who had missed a meal or two. A tattoo adorned its flank.


    Viv took a deep breath, it hissed in her lungs.


    ¡°Not okay. This is not okay. I am not okay.¡±


    The gurgling sound of the dying woman turned into something else. Viv saw the ravaged skin bubble into new, cancerous flesh, a hell of abscess and chitinous plates. The woman¡¯s face was already turning into a maw of serrated teeth but her eyes were still conscious, for now, and they spoke of a hatred beyond words.


    Viv cleaved down with her excalibur spell, cutting the aberrant in half before the transformation could finish. The gurgling stopped.


    She made sure she was unharmed and that her shield was properly strapped.


    Her vision swam, but only for a moment. Had to push it back. There was something to be done. Absolutely had to be done. She stepped outside, hunkering behind her weapon. The boy who had led her was waiting by the steps, his mouth opened and eyes terrified. He died first. There was a hunter with a bow entering the compound. He drew on her, but Viv¡¯s net was faster. The man managed to dive to the side and avoid the first spell, but not the second and not the third. He managed to shoot once and missed by a meter. Viv moved on, sticking close to the walls. She heard footsteps. She moved to the side and back and the axe man lost his throat and both of his legs. The woman who had been hanging clothes screamed and turned to flee. Viv severed her spine then mercy-killed her with a spell through the head. Someone swore on the other side of the courtyard. Viv saw an old man with graying hair from a half-shuttered window, eyes bloodshot. He dove to avoid her spell, which destroyed the shutter and some furniture behind. Viv lost visual contact.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    The wood wall lasted less than half a second. She kept going, but felt exposed. A woman came out of another entrance with a desperate scream and threw something, but it bounced against Viv¡¯s shield. She cut the woman in half. The old man bellowed in anguish. Viv knew where he was now, right behind the wall. She threw a blast through it and him. Blood flew in a geyser. It left a spray on another shutter. A freezing cold spread across her chest. Viv knew it wasn¡¯t a physical wound. Just¡­ she was not really okay and this wasn¡¯t really okay either.


    Viv kicked the door from where the woman had come in and breached, shield held up. It was a kitchen. A pot bubbled on a fire. Viv didn¡¯t check its contents. The next room over was a barn of sorts, and it smelled like bird shit. A man was sobbing near the entrance, hidden from view, while another shushed him down. She cast two blasts at man¡¯s height. A corpse fell with half its chest missing but the other missed, its target having crouched. She saw the top of a hat from the hole it had left behind. A fork clattered on the ground and the young man ran. He got in her field of fire. The first net caught him in the waist and the second silenced his cries. She went through the wings of the compound methodically but found no one.


    Viv stepped outside. The white noise in her head was so loud it eclipsed everything else.


    The place was silent. Expanding pools of blood spread across the savaged corpses in crimson halos. The ferric smell was potent and familiar, overwhelming those of the farm. There was an outbuilding. She decided to secure it. On the way, she heard someone whimper in the outhouse.


    ¡°Werfer.¡±


    Only a few planks and a pair of shoes remained, the legs severed mid-calf.


    Viv walked to the outbuilding and smashed the door in. A chorus of screams answered. Shield up, she moved in. Many targets, stationary. An excalibur would work well. The power filled her hand, molding to her will. Black mana sang in her veins.


    Something else filled her chest, not the cold detachment of anger beyond anger, but a warm yet foreboding filling. Golden light reflected in the eyes of the young girl shielding the children.


    The light pulled her from herself. She let it because it was familiar and friendly. She saw herself from the other side. The Viv there was a harbinger of doom and terror, a killer whose aura terrified those around at thirty paces. It spoke of powerful talons, of impenetrable skin, of an unbreakable will and a cloud-like breath that would destroy anything in its path. The Viv in front of her didn¡¯t have a pleasant, diplomatic smile. Auburn hair didn¡¯t rest on her shoulders. Her stained dress and missing sleeves, her bandages had disappeared under a nightmarish armor the color of the abyss. Dark spikes emerged from its surface and danced at the whims of an unseen current. Some of them angled towards her would-be victim. Her green eyes were the only visible parts of her body and in them, there were no signs of mercy. The monstrous woman bore a steel shield covered in unknown sigils and she wielded a blade of pure dark energy. The girl¡¯s family was dead. The green-eyed calamity had slain them where they stood, like the avatar of vengeance the girl thought might come one day to punish them for their crimes. The girl only wished the children could be spared, but she knew, looking in those emerald stones, that they would not.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Viv saw herself and the golden light faded, but with the last spark came a tired request.


    STOP.


    Viv stopped.


    She blinked.


    She pulled the draconic intimidation back in.


    Neriad¡¯s will had come and gone and she felt more herself. There were five children in front of her, four of whom couldn¡¯t be older than ten years old. They were utterly terrified and mewled pathetically. It smelled of piss. Her gaze crossed that of the older one, the only one with a hint of defiance on top of the terror.


    ¡°Run,¡± she ordered, then she turned around and walked out. Right in time to see a man grabbing the dead hunter¡¯s bow. In his teary face, Viv saw hatred and despair in equal measure. Then she saw surprise.


    ¡°SkraaaAAAAA!¡±


    The assassination attempt on Viv¡¯s life ended with a faceful of pissed off dragonette. Arthur bounced to Viv with eagerness, her improvised landing pad not having survived first contact with the enemy.


    ¡°Ma petite ch¨¦riiiiie,¡± Viv gushed, dropping the cloak to hug her timely savior.


    She bent out of habit but soon straightened when she realized Arthur¡¯s head rested on her shoulder without issue, though the dragonette stood on her hind legs.


    ¡°Wow, you grew up again.¡±


    Spider queen.


    Delicious.


    Helps.


    I am biggest and strongest!


    ¡°Maybe one day. Right! Let¡¯s get out of here, but before that I need to wrap things up. Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°See that house there?¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Burn it to the ground.¡±


    The dragonling jaw hung open, though stars shone in her eyes.


    Whole.


    House?


    ¡°To the ground.¡±


    ¡°SKREEEEEEEE.¡±


    Viv let Arthur go incendiary on the accursed place and kneeled on the ground. She used black mana to carve the holy symbol of Neriad into a nearby stump and prayed, immediately feeling the drain on her mana as it was offered to the God of Righteous Combat.


    ¡°Since you seem to be paying attention,¡± she said, ¡°or at least enough of it to make me spare cannibal kids, I¡¯d like you to tell whoever¡¯s responsible out there that I have a message. The message is simple. I have had it with the civil wars, succession wars, gender wars, assassination, coups, and power grabs. I am fed up with the monster attacks, the beastling tides and whatever fucked up thing that tree worm was. The necrarchs and abductions and politics and intimidation and mad races under the moonlight can get fucked as well so now I want to make it absolutely clear that I FUCKING HAD ENOUGH. I am going to have a NICE and RELAXING journey to Helock or I swear to fuck the first thing that stops or sidetracks me will get a disintegration ray the size of a Redwood shoved up a natural orifice so filthy the dark gods themselves wouldn¡¯t touch it with a ten-meters-long rusty poleaxe am I making myself ABSOLUTELY FUCKING CLEAR? HUH?¡±


    Nothing answered but the blazing inferno of the dragonfire-wracked cannibal den. Viv coated herself in mana again to block the heat and left, the scaled menace by her side, like death come to punish the sinners.


    ***


    Far up in the City of the Gods, Neriad stood flabbergasted at the message he had just received.


    ¡°But¡­ I had nothing to do with any of it¡­¡± he complained.


    Meanwhile, Maradoc believed he had found his most entertaining outlander to date.


    ***


    Viv left the burning compound behind her, having spared the outbuilding where the kids lived and, hopefully for them, enough to survive and reach the closest city. She couldn¡¯t be arsed to care about the little shits. They were already lucky not to be screaming minced meat like their previous protein supplements. With the way to Losserec clear, she followed a beast trail due east, only stopping to drink a bit. Arthur was exceptionally protective. No spiderweb escaped her vigilance. More than one squirrel perished between her mighty jaws so they wouldn¡¯t threaten Viv with accidentally dropped nuts or something. Viv appreciated the thought, and the incredible babble of explanation that came with it.


    I breathe fire on people behind you!


    I am behind you!


    Then, you are so far!


    I know.


    So I fly fly fly.


    Flap wings very fast.


    Only stop for seven snacks and one bath.


    Saw a big bird!


    But it didn¡¯t see me.


    Sneaky dragon!


    Did mother see the big bird?


    It was so big!


    Looked stringy.


    That spider tasted weird.


    Oh, pretty flower!


    I saw a big tree and smelled you.


    But you were gone.


    Tree says you were here an instant before.


    Senile!


    Then I find a mountain.


    But you were gone!


    And I flew over you.


    But couldn¡¯t see.


    Searched searched.


    Oooooh, what is that thing?


    Blegh, it stinks.


    Found mother again.


    I want meat, can we have meat?


    ¡°As soon as we¡¯re inside the city, I¡¯ll get to the bank and then we can have some food and a proper bath.¡±


    If mother¡­ if mother needs gold¡­


    Arthur looked despondently at her pouch, nestled preciously between her claws.


    I could¡­ lend you some.


    Arthur blinked back a tear of horror at the horrible idea.


    With small interest.


    Moved by her incredible sacrifice, Viv provided scritches.


    ¡°I should have waited before explaining that. In any case, parents should lend or give money to their children, not the contrary. I will accept your proposal only if we cannot get to the bank.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°No, we cannot burn it.¡±


    The dragonling¡¯s presence brought with it a sense of normalcy that took away the shadows of what had happened. Viv realized she had fired, no, cast, same difference, on fleeing people.


    She had almost killed children. That wasn¡¯t acceptable, even if they had consumed human flesh. They were not responsible for their actions. She had just gone into a dark place, something that had never happened before and should not have happened period. Her high mental stats should have protected her. Or perhaps they had, but she had been through a bit too much, a bit too fast. She didn¡¯t think there were therapists around but she did know she needed a serious break from all the bullshit. Hopefully, Losserec would provide that. She knew Helock could be reached by river ship from there, so a nice eventless cruise might be for the best.


    Near noon, Viv was warned of the presence of humans by songs. She reached the edge of the nearest copse and found the end of the forest. A meadow appeared before her, a calm expanse of nice grass with a couple of open tents protecting long tables from the summer sun. Women danced in two concentric circles around a smiling one crowned in flowers, her dress long and well made. As she watched, the music accelerated and the circles swapped, the inner dodging under the extended arms of the outer. They moved clockwise, then back. Some swirled and clapped. The song was a joyous one, wishing the bride much success in Enorian. Men were drinking and playing a distance away around a pair of duelists planting wooden swords in pillow armor. Everyone seemed to be having a merry time around the clearing.


    First, one of the women noticed Viv, then another. Her presence soon brought the dance to a stumbling halt. The normalcy, and apparent wholesomeness of the situation had been so weird, so¡­ just not what the world had been for a moment. Viv took a step forward and showed her empty hands for the second time that day. A matronly woman approached her, with a fist gripping her skirt close.


    Friends?


    ¡°Maybe? Be nice,¡± Viv said. She used the opportunity for a quick inspect.


    [Wise woman: not very dangerous, one who follows the way of the physical and spiritual healer. Minor caster. Life mana user. Resilient. Observant. Pillar of the community.]


    The woman came close enough and gasped.


    ¡°My poor dear, what happened to you? Come with me, quickly. Are you safe? Are you being pursued?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm I think I¡¯m safe and I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being pursued.¡±


    ¡°Come here, come here. Estrella! A chair and my bag, thank you. Irelle, bring me some boiled water, quickly. The rest of you lot better continue that song. And you dear, come. We will take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Thank you,¡± Viv said, taken by surprise by unexpected kindness.


    ¡°Is that a marsh drake? Lord Selok has one, in the city. Expensive beast, I heard.¡±


    ¡°She took good care of me.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, pets are family, I always say. Sit there. Let me have a look at you. ESTRELLA! Ah, here she is. Silly girl. Except the head and arm, are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Only scraps and bruises.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see everything. Do you want to eat something? Some meat? We have spit-roasted deer.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t eat a piece of meat right now, but Arthur might want some if it¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Aw she¡¯s adorable.¡±


    The girl called Estrella dropped a massive cotton pouch filled to the brim with supplies and dry herbs on the table.


    ¡°The men are here.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± the matronly woman eloquently replied. ¡°Give me a moment, dearie, old Sanle will make sure we¡¯re safe.¡±


    The conversation happened outside of the tent, and could summarized in the local patriarch asking questions and Sanle telling him to check the perimeter and otherwise leave Viv the fuck alone. Viv took the opportunity to realize that she looked like absolute shit. There was a large scab in her scalp, she had no sleeves to speak of, and a large bandage protected her arm on top of quite a few minor lacerations. Her dress was absolutely ruined and covered in several layers of dry blood.


    Sanle returned with a washbasin and started with Viv¡¯s head, checked she didn¡¯t have a concussion, then moved to the arm. The wound had bled quite a bit and it was red and angry. Some pus stuck to the filthy cloth. Sanle cleaned everything thoroughly then grabbed a very thin bone needle with some thread. All the while, she had been smoothly interrogating Viv about her circumstances. The witch had no problem telling her about being lost in the forest following a battle, then monsters inflicting the wounds. She shivered at the memory of the necrarch.


    ¡°I need to seal the wound shut before I cast, or else you will have a large scar.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, fair warning. Life mana doesn¡¯t work very well on me,¡± Viv said, and seeing Sanle blink, decided to elaborate.


    ¡°I have a strong affinity to black mana.¡±


    ¡°I see? I didn¡¯t know it worked that way, although I could tell you were a caster from, well, please don¡¯t be alarmed but I have inspection as well.¡±


    Viv did nothing, and when the woman realized that she started to work on stitches. Viv endured in silence. Estrella brought her tea, her eyes widening at the sight of the wound. Viv had a sip and found it nice and fruity.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your first wound, it seems,¡± Lanse commented idly. She finished and decided to wait until everything was clean before trying to cast.


    ¡°It tires me a lot, and it will tire me more if your body resists me.¡±


    The matron returned to cleaning the last few cuts on Viv¡¯s back while the witch had some more tea. She should have checked if there was poison but to be honest, if the old woman wanted to poison her, she could just use an unguent or something. Viv had to calm down. This was civilization.


    ¡°Look you have been evasive but as far as I can tell with my skill, truthful as well. If you have secrets, you can keep them. I don¡¯t need to know. I¡¯ll help you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Even in times like these?¡± Viv asked with some surprise.


    ¡°The war never reached Losserec. The borderlands have it tough, we only have higher taxes this year but the harvest has been good. Besides, it¡¯s almost over now. The tyrant¡¯s army surrendered at Green Edge. His majesty Sangor is taking cities as fast as he can reach them. He will occupy the southern capital before the harvest festival, it is said. And you are a witch. The other side doesn¡¯t employ witches. As I said, you can keep your secrets or you can share but no matter what, I¡¯ll send you on your way to the city.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I could be a criminal,¡± Viv retorted, unable to accept any kindness at face value right now.


    ¡°Criminals don¡¯t have the lingering aura of Neriad about them, dearie. I am not the strongest but I can see very well.¡±


    The old woman nodded to herself and Viv found that she believed her. It was the same with the inquisitors, who shared a similar skill. They could tell no falsehoods themselves.


    She decided that she wouldn¡¯t share who she was because she saw no way that would benefit her, but she would tell the woman about the cannibals. They lived only a few hours away and the smoke of her fires ought to be visible already, or would soon be visible. It was better to give her version first.


    ¡°I was attacked before coming here. An estate by the river. They tried to kill me and when the door of the larder opened¡­¡±


    Viv let her emotions twist her traits. It was better to appear genuine than tough here.


    ¡°There was a woman¡¯s body, or what was left of it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sanle whispered, horrified.


    ¡°Completely sure. Young woman. She even had a tattoo near her flank, something like an anchor. I didn¡¯t have a good look.¡±


    ¡°Sardanal¡¯s mercy upon us I knew there was something weird with those FUCKERS.¡±


    Sanle stood and approached the tent¡¯s flap. She gave a few orders to get the local patriarch coming. Viv felt kind of bad for ruining the marriage but, well, cannibals.


    A short explanation later and the village sent a runner for the local lord, especially after learning that Viv had left survivors. Honestly, it didn¡¯t look like anyone would have regretted her wiping them out, but Viv had to draw the line somewhere. Besides, as she told Sanle, the children could corroborate her tale. The use of a complicated word made the matron frown.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s see if I can close that nasty gash you got. Could you pull your aura in?¡±


    Viv did so. It just required her to push her mana down her conduits towards her core. It wasn¡¯t difficult, just unpleasant.


    Despite her efforts, whatever mana Sanle managed to pull failed to make her flesh comply. Viv¡¯s body remained soaked with magic, and what was hers only let itself be pushed languidly, like a sleepy tiger consenting to moving only after much coddling. Sanle stopped barely a couple of seconds after starting.


    ¡°I cannot do it. I will collapse before I have closed half of those. You, my dear, are powerful.¡±


    Viv realized the woman had never asked her name. It was an interesting decision.


    ¡°Would alchemical healing work?¡± the matron inquired.


    ¡°It has so far.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good.¡±


    Sanle retrieved a small mending potion from a pouch and applied it with much care, first to her arm and then to her head. Viv was healed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it you poor dear. Have a quick wash and then join the party. They must have exchanged the vows by now. It¡¯s time to eat!¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Oh what a clever little girl you are, yes we have meat for ya. I¡¯ll have it ready, don¡¯t you worry.¡±


    They brought her warm water, soap, and a change of clothes. Estrella barged in on Viv mid wash with clean shoes and blushed, which was not expected. Finally, she was invited to the feast. The married couple welcomed her and jokingly asked her if she was a good omen. Viv elected not to reply so she wouldn¡¯t traumatize the poor darlings.


    ¡°The bride is my granddaughter, Nissa,¡± Sanle explained with pride. Viv gave the expected compliments.


    Somehow, the sight of her clean and healthy while Arthur ate meat with all the dignity of the baroness relaxed the guests. They kept offering her apologies and well wishes.


    ¡°I always said those were some good for nothing dark gods worshippers!¡± a white-haired busybody growled at her, ¡°Just like that scoundrel my nephew married. From Koltis. Whores and thieves the lot of ¡®em!¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandma, why don¡¯t you have some more liquor?¡± someone else offered.


    All in all, Viv had a good time until mid-afternoon. Even the passing guards didn¡¯t give her more than a passing glance after she was vetted by Sanle, though a few guests whispered about her appearance. No one questioned her eye color to her face. In fact, the going theory was that instinctive casters like Viv were strange and had quirks, which Viv found utterly ridiculous. She didn¡¯t have quirks. It was the spark of luck¡¯s fault.


    Eventually, the party winded down for the extended family and a taylor family offered to take her back on their cart. Viv accepted, but not before a farewell to Sanle.


    ¡°The custom is to offer gifts during weddings, and when you are a guest as well,¡± Viv said. ¡°So I¡¯d like you to have this. I¡¯m sure either you or your granddaughter will find a use for it.¡±


    Sanle looked at the tiny green-flecked stone on Viv¡¯s palm. It was the brown core she had found on the weird insect thing. It was probably worth half a gold talent or even more, which still represented a large sum for laborers. Sanle understood immediately.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept this,¡± she said, blanching a bit. ¡°It¡¯s too much for an old wise woman, dearie.¡±


    ¡°Look, you were here for me at a very difficult time. It would make me really happy if you accepted it, and I¡¯m sure you can find a use for it for your family. Please?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are going to insist, are you not?¡±


    ¡°And I will leave it on the table if you don¡¯t take it.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I accept. Thank you. May I ask your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Viv.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you are human Viv, not a benevolent spirit?¡±


    ¡°I am definitely human, and most definitely not benevolent. Thank you for everything, Sanle. I really needed a bit of humanity.¡±

 Chapter 100: Down

    The late afternoon sun was setting on the peaceful plains around Losserec. Viv reclined in the somewhat uncomfortable carriage bench, studiously ignored by the other occupants. The family who had agreed to take her to the walls were discussing tomorrow¡¯s tasks in low voice while the young boy in front of her focused on a toy, only raising his eyes to cast shy glances at Arthur. The dragonette coiled lazily around Viv. She had categorically refused to leave her for a single second.


    Viv just relaxed and watched the landscape. While Koltis down south had been packed within the crowded confines of its walls, Losserec had sprawled all over the land, trailing estates and small villages everywhere. More meaningfully, people were smiling. The war was about to end with their victory, and they knew it. Conflict had never reached the cozy shores of Lake Hydon. The harvest was bountiful this year if what she had heard at the wedding was any indication. She was catching, perhaps for the first time, a glimpse of what prosperity meant on this monster-ravaged world. It felt strangely peaceful.


    Even more peaceful, she was being ignored. Dressed in peasant garb and dragged on a family carriage, Viv was no longer a war caster, just one more ordinary laborer going back home after a day of relaxation. Arthur was too low on her lap to be seen from the road, though people behind her sometimes frowned at the white tail hanging from the edge. She had covered her hair with a shawl. To anyone around, she was only one among many.


    It reminded the outlander of an Arthurian tale she had read long ago. The story told of the vile Meleagant abducting Gwinevere. Knight Lancelot agreed to ride a cart against information about her whereabouts, an extremely dishonorable treatment for a knight. Today, Viv was not on a horse, wearing armor and escorted by a stout Kark. It felt like a vacation. Or it would, until someone looked down on her or tried to piss her off, which would definitely happen at some point.


    Sleepy hamlets gave way to vast, tilled fields as the path led a bit inland, then they turned left directly towards the lake. The city sat on a small elevation jutting into the waters, which provided a natural moat around two thirds of its tall gray walls. Circular towers rose to the skies, bearing the heraldry of the local lord on sheet-sized flags. Soldiers in blue and yellow livery guarded the main entrance. The woman in front turned to Viv and asked in a slightly embarrassed voice if she had identification. Viv could read between the lines and decided to spare the tailor family the indignity of being in her mantle of catastrophe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll make my own way.¡±


    Viv climbed down. There was a line waiting to enter the city, though it moved quite fast. Important people didn¡¯t wait in line. She was important people. In fact, she couldn¡¯t not be important people so long as Arthur was around, so Viv decided to own it instead and walked confidently to the gate. Quite a few of the guards noticed her immediately. She had met an instructor with a sixth sense when it came to anomalies, able to pick up a person acting weird out of a hundred in a crowded train station. Here though, she suspected a skill might be involved. They were serious but not alarmed just yet. Viv hoped it would stay that way.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯d like to get into town, this is my first time here.¡±


    One of the busy guards who hadn¡¯t seen her come turned with an angry face.


    ¡°Get the fuck back in¡­ Oh.¡±


    Arthur glared at him and stood on her hind legs. Her eyes were level with the guard as this was on the short side. He took a step back so she returned to Viv¡¯s side, crimson eyes inspecting everyone with malevolent focus.


    The ensuing silence lasted for only a short time. A grizzled sergeant with impressive, graying chops stepped out of the guardhouse with a mighty scowl. He walked to Viv with confidence, eyes going out of focus for a second which she associated with inspection.


    ¡°Caster huh, an instinctive one?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That figured. What¡¯s your purpose in Losserec?¡±


    ¡°I seek passage to Helock by ship.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You got any identification with you?¡±


    ¡°I have a Manipeleso bank chit.¡±


    That got Viv some raised eyebrows.


    ¡°I was attacked and lost my gear,¡± she explained. ¡°My clothes were destroyed and blood-soaked. Some kind souls gave me those.¡±


    ¡°I see. The roads are not safe these days. One more question. Have you been involved in the civil war?¡±


    Viv was rather sure the man could detect falsehoods, so she decided to be mostly honest.


    ¡°I fought side by side with Sangor the Nigh King in Green Edge, but I left afterward. I also fought loyalists on other occasions. I¡¯ve never fought against your side.¡±


    Some of the guards shifted at the mention of Sangor, and she got her explanation as to why shortly after.


    ¡°His Royal Highness Sangor,¡± the sergeant politely insisted.


    Viv tended to forget it, but Nyil had a much more hierarchical society than nowadays France. Here, people had to show respect to their ¡®betters¡¯. She had to keep it in mind or risk annoying the sticklers for protocol.


    ¡°Well, sure, come on in. Do you have coin?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°I lost almost everything in the attack.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Bearers of the chit don¡¯t have to pay the entrance fee, but you might want to go to the bank first. It¡¯s on the main square.¡±


    ¡°It always is¡­¡± Viv mumbled.


    ¡°Indeed. Now if I could see it?¡± he politely asked.


    Viv spent an embarrassing two seconds lifting the chit from her modest cleavage. The sergeant remained entirely professional, thankfully.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s in order. Do you have a leash and muzzle for your drake?¡±


    Ah.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeeeeeee?¡±


    ¡°I assure you this is not necessary. Arthur is extremely well-behaved.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have one I can have a kennel leash modified on the spot¡­¡±


    ¡°No collars.¡±


    ¡°Squeeee!¡±


    The sergeant looked strangely at Arthur, probably wondering if she could indeed understand human language.


    ¡°Look, I was told someone else has a drake here,¡± Viv said, eager to defuse the argument before it could turn incendiary. ¡°Do they have a leash and collar?¡±


    She sure as fuck hoped not.


    ¡°I am not privy to the governor¡¯s habits,¡± the sergeant coldly replied. ¡°Still, if you have her under control¡­¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t an entity on Nyil that can get her under control. Look, we''ve been to two major towns without incident before. I¡¯m sure you are just being understandably cautious, however leashes are a no go.¡±


    Violence?


    Viv sent back a ¡®no¡¯.


    ¡°Could you just let us through? We won¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°And if you do, it¡¯s my head,¡± the sergeant replied.


    He bit his lip, considering his options.


    ¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll get our local kennel master. If he says it¡¯s fine, then it¡¯s fine. Would that be acceptable?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    ¡°Then, errr, Lathas get the lady inside while I fetch him. Mage Urin¡¯s office will do.¡±


    Ah, the time-honored tradition of kicking problems up the chain. Viv considered that Arthur might be recognized for who she was, or rather what she was. It should be fine. It would happen anyway in the larger city.


    As she walked by the gate and got into the guard post, a part of her wondered if it would have been wiser to get Arthur over the wall by flight. She expected people in a capital city to be reasonable, sensible human beings. She was just being stupid. Now to hope she was stupid and lucky. Not that sort of lucky, the real kind.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Mage Urin¡¯s office was a small but tidy affair, a packed office with more books Viv had ever seen together in Nyil with a window pointing north. The rays of the late afternoon painted the walls outside red, yet it also made the place feel more familiar. Add a laptop and a phone on the desk, and it could be any scholar¡¯s office back on earth. The murmur of conversation outside made for a pleasant background.


    The guard by her side cleared his throat. She had been daydreaming. Without hesitation, Viv sat on the guest¡¯s chair and turned to the guard, who looked distinctly awkward.


    ¡°Lathas, was it? Do you think I could get something to drink and then maybe you should return to your post?¡± she suggested, letting the leadership aspect of her soul leak a bit. The tiny amount of soul mastery she had helped as well, though modestly.


    He blinked.


    ¡°Oh, yes goodmother. Sure.¡±


    He saluted and left. Viv received her cup of piping klod while she was inspecting the nearby books. Arthur squealed happily when she found a copy of ¡®The Desolation of Aristan¡¯, her favorite book, though this copy lacked the nice illustration of a big black dragon roasting the town and its defenders. The diversion lasted until someone subtly poked her with transparent mana, or rather, someone had pushed mana in an expanding bubble and she had been hit like a fat submarine. She was pretty sure it was rude, so she flared her own mana twice, her best attempt at conveying ¡®Yes I am here¡¯. Ten seconds later, someone knocked on the door.


    Three people let themselves in. The first was an older mage with a belly who had the decency to look sheepish ¡ª probably the cause of the magical sonar spell. The second smelled a bit of beasts and looked gruff and annoyed to be here. Too much sun had tanned his skin a deep red, and he wore leather armguards with deep bite marks on it. He looked quite attractive in the gruff and muscular kind of way, and his biceps bulged under his sleeves, which was nice. The last was the most nondescript woman Viv had ever met.


    The trio awkwardly moved around the table, with the mage hesitating, then sitting at his desk. The narrow confines of the place made the gathering that much more stifling, but Viv had been in political rallies. This was nothing. At least they smelled mostly clean, and she had tea.


    ¡°So, errr, why are we here?¡± the mage asked.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Viv. I would like you to allow Arthur to move freely around the city while we visit. Without a leash.¡±


    ¡°And, errr, I wasn¡¯t aware that we had regulations on the treatment of drakes?¡± the mage asked his companions.


    ¡°We have regulations on people bringing dangerous beasts within the walls,¡± the person Viv assumed was the kennel master said. ¡°Let me get a look at the drake.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said, ¡°I never said she was a drake. Arthur? Say hello.¡±


    The dragonette uncoiled from Viv, lifting her head from the witch¡¯s lap and rising above the desk, where she put both of her arms. The claws clicked on the varnished wood with terrible finality.


    ¡°OH SH¡ª¡± the kennel master gasped, and he fell on his ass.


    Viv raised both hands in a calming gesture while the mage looked askance, wondering if he should do something. He had a shield half-raised, but he had refrained from any offensive casting yet.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The mage asked.


    ¡°Arthur is a dragon.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°She says she¡¯s a good one too and consents to grace your city with her presence if you provide good meat.¡±


    Viv considered her words and leaned forward, comforting them with a conspiratorial tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    It didn¡¯t work well. The mage and kennel master started arguing while the third person¡­ was there a third person? It probably wasn¡¯t very important.


    It was clear they didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Viv cut, ¡°I have been in several large cities before.¡±


    They didn¡¯t look pleased by her interruption. That was fine. Viv didn¡¯t want to spend the evening on it.


    ¡°We never had any sort of trouble. So long as no one attacks her, and there is no reason to, then nothing will happen. We just want to find a ship and relax for a few days.¡±


    ¡°I just want to hear one reason why we should let a dragon inside of our walls,¡± the kennel master grumbled.


    ¡°Ha, I believe I can give you an answer,¡± Viv said with a pleasant smile. ¡°Let me demonstrate how refined and polite Arthur is. Arthur, if you would find a good book for our hosts here?¡±


    Big dragon book!


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Viv sent back.


    The dragonling slithered to a nearby shelf and picked the ¡®Desolation of Aristan¡¯, delicately holding it between two clawed fingers. She placed the precious tome on the desk in front of the terrified mage and opened it with surgical care.


    ¡®Reasons for desolation,¡¯ Viv sent, and the dragonette patiently flipped pages until she reached chapter two. The others did not dare move.


    With imperious grace, Arthur tapped the chapter header.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you read it for us?¡± Viv suggested.


    The mage glared, but he obeyed. The proximity of a fanged maw made his diction a little hesitant.


    ¡°Ahem. Chapter two, in which we examine the causes of the tragedy. Accounts of the buildup leading to the fateful event remain fragmentary. Indeed, most of the legal documentation as well as the men and women involved in the process were lost on the third day of the battle, when the administrative district burnt to the ground. Whatever second-hand account and fragmentary documents remain have been widely dismissed by contemporary authors (see Tavus¡¯ ¡®The flames of Fate¡¯) as being too unlikely, however, I believe that the original theory was indeed accurate, and that the devastation was indeed not caused by a single great disagreement, but by an escalation of petty and minor issues, culminating in the great ultimatum as recounted in the northern toll office accounts. Indeed, the question of dragon whelps¡­ Ah.¡±


    Heavy silence descended upon the room. Arthur glared. Viv inspected her fingernails, which were a bit filthy and needed a cut.


    ¡°We could just decide that putting a leash on a dragon is a terrible idea. I will spend a couple of days in town and spend a lot of money, then I¡¯ll be out of your hair and someone else¡¯s problem,¡± Viv suggested.


    ¡°Or we could make it difficult.¡±


    Arthur puffed a little smoke. The scent of overheated metal replaced that of old book then was gone just as fast.


    ¡°She¡¯s under your responsibility and we¡¯d better not hear about any incident,¡± the mage said. The kennel master approved with a nod.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Viv agreed amicably.


    The two left and Viv made to abscond as well, but a hand placed on her shoulder brought her down. Viv frowned. It was the nondescript woman.


    ¡°Any chance that you would be willing to work here?¡± the woman asked. Viv felt the grip but, strangely, her danger sense was quiet. It should be screaming at her, she thought.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really here to relax and leave,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll send someone and make sure you¡¯re not bothered. By anybody.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice,¡± Viv muttered.


    ¡°And one last piece of advice. Your intimidation was cute and effective, if a bit heavy-handed. You are young. You are also not familiar with large cities, so please remember that as dangerous as you are on the battlefield, there are folks in the capital who follow paths that¡­ solve problems.¡±


    A veil lifted. The nondescript woman was a wiry girl with a pointy nose and squarish traits, someone who felt dependable and overall pleasant but there was something off about her smile and when Viv looked down, she saw that a finger rested on her skin, at the base of her neck. That finger bore a strange jewel with a claw at the end, and a skull on its surface. The woman tapped it gently three times.


    Viv noticed that Arthur¡¯s jaw was very close to the woman¡¯s chest as well. The two had placed themselves in a stalemate without Viv noticing.


    ¡°Sometimes, keeping the peace requires a sacrifice. The dragons know that. We have shown time and time again that we were willing to go all the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really here to relax, not to attack anyone,¡± Viv assured.


    ¡°I believe you, I really do. And I like your shrewdness. Consider it a, ah, friendly reminder. Enjoy your stay.¡±


    And she was gone. Literally. Viv could not feel her anywhere.


    ¡°Squeee?¡±


    ¡°Yeah it¡¯s a big world and we are not the biggest yet. Let¡¯s go, darling. I don¡¯t know about you but I need to unwind.¡±


    Viv finished her cup then left.


    The streets of Losserec were idle, and Viv was reminded that today was rest day, obviously. The public attention was a bit annoying. She knew they¡¯d get over her in a couple of days though. Her first stop was the bank. Finding it wasn¡¯t difficult, she just had to follow the main road into the city. It still took her more than ten minutes of fast walking. Losserec was large, really large. Tens of thousands of inhabitants at least. It also smelled surprisingly good for a place this massive. The signs of magic were found less in the people casting in the street like in Kazar, and more in the wards, lights, and other enchantments that decorated the streets. Some of the more affluent citizens wore enchanted doublets though she was not yet good enough to discern what some of them did. She saw a lot of glass windows and shopfronts. More subtle signs also revealed it was an old, well-established place, such as the walking rule. Rich people walked in the middle of the street while wagons and poorer people walked on the sides. A particularly arrogant [merchant] tried to have his guards move her away from her path, which she had kept somewhat in the in between, but a display of black tendrils and Arthur¡¯s hiss had dissuaded them without issues.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try,¡± Viv had warned.


    Besides that, the trip ended without incident on a large square plaza at the edge of the inner walls, where  the keep stood. She made a beeline for the familiar stout building with its thick Doric columns and dim interior. The doorman let her in without asking for her chit once again and she found herself in the familiar, dim and luscious interior. She was offered access to her cash and a few recommendations by a flawlessly polite associate in a form-fitting dress.


    Her questions about Marruk and Solfis were met by a wall of silence. Since Marruk was a customer, the associate claimed, she could not reveal any details about them without their express permission.


    ¡°I cannot reveal any information on the golem either, as it would be akin to the same thing,¡± she explained with a knowing smile.


    Viv froze and realized what the woman had done. She had heavily implied that Marruk and Solfis were currently or had recently been together, so she knew about them, and so they were alive. Viv breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Can I leave them a message, perhaps?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You may. We will convey it during their next visit to any branch of our institution.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    The witch wrote a quick letter and left them in the bank¡¯s care, then she left with a full purse and a good idea how to spend it.


    Viv walked to a nearby hotel and was almost stopped by bouncers before a majordomo rushed out and invited her in. She rented a suite to herself and made a list of requests. She could see the man almost salivate when he realized she was going to burn the yearly salary of a knight squad in only a couple of days.


    The first order was for clothes and luggage. She was escorted to a famous tailor who took an order for traveling clothes, formal clothes, and stuff she could wear in the city since she was planning to spend quite some time in Helock. The tailor was a smooth old gentleman who sold her a mix of Viziman and Enorian influence to match her ¡®exotic looks¡¯. Viv had the distinct impression he was indulging himself as much as her but she didn¡¯t mind and paid three gold talents plus a few silvers for the whole set. The man threw in some gloves and hats as a commercial gesture. Next, she bought a massive travel case with some good locks from a nearby leatherworker, and got a discount price because the original buyer had died at war. There was even a silvery pane to place her own enchantments later. By that time, night had fallen and she retired for the evening with some good food and a long-awaited bath.


    The next morning, she dressed in her newest outfit, which had been delivered at dawn. It was a comfortable, though conservative dress with a high skirt and a small, waist-long cape. Arthur approved of the colorful green and gold dyes. They walked to the pier to find a ship, going though poorer parts of town without more than a feeble attempt to steal Viv¡¯s purse, one that got foiled by a ¡®nondescript¡¯ man who issued a warning and a boot up the ass. The largest shipping consortium gave her some good news.


    ¡°We have a personal transport ship leaving for Helock in ten days with another passenger. We can guarantee your safety and comfort for a modest fee.¡±


    The ¡®modest¡¯ was a lie but Viv paid another gold talent plus change anyway. She wasn¡¯t skimping on safety, not anymore. Her only concern was the cost of tuition in Helock, although she could probably find ways to get an income, and there was no way a semester cost more than the hundred and fifty gold talents she had in her account right now.


    Viv spent the day shopping for necessities, then came the part she and Arthur looked forward to the most: relaxation. They found the most expensive and slightly illegal brothel and used it as a spa resort.


    ¡°Although we do service female customers on occasion, they are usually more worried about their image than you appear to be,¡± the courtesan she employed commented.


    Viv shrugged and signaled for another basket of ribs for Arthur, who lounged in her own bath pretending to sink a toy ship. She didn¡¯t care much. The spa only entertained her for a day, then she had another amusing moment selling the remaining monster core she had gotten in the forest for a solid four gold talents. The price surprised her.


    ¡°Cores used to be so cheap, traveling merchants would carry them, in the olden days,¡± the matronly owner of the auction house told her around tea. ¡°Of course there were bad things about the olden days,¡± she corrected immediately. Viv waved to dismiss her concerns.


    ¡°Lord Mildery told me about the time before the civil war when the land was united and expeditions delved into the Deadshield Woods.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That poor boy. I hope he finds love once more, after this is over. Green Edge deserves to bloom again.¡±


    They exchanged a bit more on the topic, with the old lady reminiscing about a time when people didn¡¯t object to her owning the auction house instead of her husband.


    ¡°Thankfully the complaints all stopped when he died, Enttiku rest his soul. Would you like more tea?¡±


    Viv¡¯s contact with Losserec¡¯s population at large stayed polite and distant over the next few days. She was invited for tea by a few women of the good society she met in various stores, and accepted, if only to learn more about the situation. They tolerated her peculiarities on account of her nature as a visitor and an outsider. The men seemed to avoid her as well, mostly. The social events helped distract her from the thorough lack of tourist attractions. Or rather, there were landmarks to explore, but the Enorians didn¡¯t see them that way. It reminded Viv that Romanticism had marked experience and discovery as part of self-actualization. People here preferred conforming and social climbing. Nevertheless, she enjoyed her down time immensely.


    Arthur had a harder time with the city and spent many long afternoons fishing in the lake. She would only return at nightfall, sometimes carrying a fat fish Viv had the kitchen cook for her. Viv also found primers on Helock¡¯s university and the courses she could expect. Apparently, there were general classes on a variety of topics like etiquette she would absolutely need to attend and on which she lacked even the most basic knowledge, so the outlander resolved herself to night of studies once again. At the same time, she was a special case as an instinctive caster and also as someone who was, well, old. Most people attended the university starting from the age of sixteen, so probably eighteen in earth equivalent. Viv was twenty-five. She was technically a post-grad. Admission would require some back-and-forth.


    At the end of the ten days period, Viv walked to the pier with her luggage dragged by a hotel employee. No one had tried to kidnap her, no one had stolen from her. She had received a few invitations from suitors but none had reacted strongly to her refusal. No one had started any fires. She had not been involved in any crimes. Viv had spent ten days taking it easy and she felt good and that was awesome. Nodding wisely to herself, she reached the only logical conclusion.


    ¡°Next time the spark of luck fucks with me too hard, I¡¯m burning down another village.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee!¡±

 Chapter 101. Shipping

    Viv stood at the prow, letting the breeze coursing over Lake Hydon whip her hair back. The fresh air tasted particularly crisp after the fishy stench of the piers. The sun felt nice on her skin. It reminded her of walks by the sea in Nice when she was young, in April, before too many tourists glutted the sidewalks of the Promenade des Anglais. Even Arthur looked like a fat seagull as she dive-bombed fishes with a victorious screech. If one was generous.


    The outlander sighed. A break felt fine. She just had to stay out of the way of the sailors and enjoy the cruise aboard this ship. Although, to be fair, it was more a large river tug than a proud three-masts frigate. It ambled across the placid water with all the grace of a grazing cow.


    Viv stayed where she was for a good part of the morning, focused on shaping exercises and sight-seeing. Lake Hydon had a smattering of smaller islands dotting its calm surface. They came across more than one fishing boat, their occupants dragging nets up with efficient strength. Near noon, she was invited to eat lunch in the captain¡¯s cabin. For all its bare-boned appearance, the ¡®River Flower¡¯ had a proper kitchen for warm meals and the food was rather pleasant. Her host introduced himself as master Leit. He was more merchant than skipper, preferring to leave the technical details to his first mate. Contrary to most men she had met around Losserec, Master Leit was clean shaven with a softer touch and a softer voice as well.


    ¡°The river feeds many cities. A man who knows each and what they desire can make good money upon their shores. My father retired a rich man! Didn¡¯t give me anything though, just this ship. By the way, I wanted to take the time to thank you for getting out of the way of the crew. Much appreciated. You would not believe what some of our passengers have demanded an hour into the trip. Why, I remember a baroness ordering us to stop the boat from bobbing so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on a ship before. I understand that the departure can be a busy time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I could tell right away that you were a woman of the world. May I inquire about your business in Helock? If it is not too rude to ask.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping to attend the academy.¡±


    ¡°A mage!¡±


    His reaction surprised Viv. She had not cast any spells and her shaping had remained discrete but surely someone who worked as a merchant would have a focus over twenty, if only just by doing accountancy stuff? She remembered that stats and skills were considered private and asking about them the universal social faux-pas, though if it was obvious¡­


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± she hazarded.


    ¡°Oh, the office expects discretion from us transporters of goods and people. And using inspect on someone can be considered unfriendly, especially since talented mages tend to realize it.¡±


    He smiled indulgently.


    ¡°I hope you are successful. I know the academy has stringent acceptance rules, yet I often heard that anyone determined enough could eventually enter, if only for a few classes. I have a cousin who took defensive warding courses there. In the evening, after work! He was so proud too.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Viv suddenly remembered, ¡°we have another passenger, right?¡±


    The merchant¡¯s expression turned carefully neutral.


    ¡°Why yes, though he is¡­ unwell for now. I will ask if he would care to join us tonight, though he might decline, and I am afraid we will have to observe the boundaries he will have set.¡±


    ¡°That is fine, I understand wanting to be left alone.¡±


    Captain Leite appeared relieved and excused himself soon after. On her way to pick up soap from her cabin, Viv picked up a quick aura flare from behind the door, from the mysterious stranger. The polite thing was to reply, probably, so she flared in return. When no more reaction happened, she kept going.


    There were expertly made wards on the door, she realized on the way back. They were not the showy kind. Interestingly, they all used colorless mana, which made them harder to weave but also more difficult to perceive. An interesting choice. Back on the deck, Viv busied herself cleaning the smell of dead fish from Arthur¡¯s talons under the crew¡¯s flabbergasted gaze. The fact that it tickled made the exercise dangerous, but that was the price of hygiene and proper education for you. The little hooligan was resisting her effort, squealing piteously.


    Mother.


    Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?


    ¡°Young lady, you are not stinking up our cabin with the stench of old kills. So stop fussing.¡±


    Arthur spent an hour sulking after this sudden but inevitable betrayal.


    Towards the evening, the tug left the lake behind and floated into a river that was just as wide and slow. Viv learned that there would always be a pilot at the helm, and that they alternated in shifts of a third of a day. Higher stats made those men more attentive. Nevertheless, the risk of getting grounded remained real.


    ¡°Are there monsters around?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Nothing that would endanger us so long as we stay away from the shores. All the river beasts were hunted down long ago. Sometimes, snakes and the like reach a critical size, then one of the duchies sends a hunting squad. The waterways are too vital for transport to let monsters go through. The main risk is bandits.¡±


    ¡°There are bandits?¡± Viv asked, suddenly concerned.


    ¡°Rarely. Some towns ask for a toll and those who skimp or dodge can meet some unfortunate accidents, if you catch my meaning. I¡¯ve never been bothered though. I¡¯m part of a guild. We negotiate our dues and take measures long before it becomes a problem. You have nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and I have good news. Our other guest will be joining us tonight. He asked about you after learning of the presence of a fellow caster. Of course, I extended the same courtesy to you as I did to him, so he knows little. I will be happy to introduce the two of you and do away with the mystery.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Viv joined the captain in his cabin for dinner. He had a small table nailed to the floor, the location cramped but not overly so. A man was already waiting for Viv.


    Many things could be said about the stranger, but Viv¡¯s first impression was that he had picked a fight with a wood chipper and lost. Badly. A robe covered most of his body, yet did little to hide the marks on what little skin he revealed. A glove covered his left hand while his right was devoid of fingers. A great scar marred one of his chiseled cheeks while a band covered his left eye. Deep wounds had left bald patches in his wavy dark hair. A cane leaned casually against his chair, hinting at hidden lesions. Despite his poor state, he sat with flawless poise while his keen, lone eye studied Viv with the same attention she had given him. They both refrained from inspecting, for now.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Viv greeted neutrally.


    ¡°And to you too. You will forgive me if I do not stand. I fear good manners were the first casualty of my circumstances.¡±


    His voice was smooth and cultured, with a light lilt Viv could not quite place. The scars on his dark brown skin looked rather recent now she had a closer look. The second most interesting part was his aura, which was the most controlled Viv had ever felt. Even Varska had not been quite so composed. The stranger emitted the barest amount of mana and all of it was colorless. Viv was certain that if he did not want to be felt, she would not feel him. The level of mastery required to achieve such control spoke of more than mere skill. The unknown mage had worked hard to achieve it.


    The most interesting part was that he was really handsome in an Arabian knight kind of way, despite the scars. They would probably make him look more virile after they faded from ¡®angry and recent¡¯ to ¡®good story¡¯.


    ¡°Viviane,¡± she introduced herself.


    The man was about to reply with a pleasant smile when he stopped, hesitant.


    ¡°The honored guest goes by Mr. White for now. I would like to state that the guild made a background check and that you two are both, ah, persons of interest to some parties, but those parties are completely different and we are confident you have no previous ties. I was not told details, of course, only that there should be no issues.¡±


    He served himself a glass of sweet wine and took a gulp.


    ¡°If, however, it so happens that you two are at odds, I am willing to drop you at the port of  your preference, so long as it is on the way, and reimburse you in full for the trip. Any attempt on the life of another passenger will be met with the appropriate measures by the guild.¡±


    Viv raised a brow at the now distinctively nervous merchant.


    ¡°They hire assassins,¡± Mr. White helpfully explained.


    ¡°Oh. Well, there is nobody alive I have a grudge against right now, if that helps,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°My enmity is with Glastia and its agents. Even then, I would happily keep a truce for the duration of the journey.¡±


    Viv quickly remembered Glastia, a northern city at the edge of the jungle. It was the one the merls had defended against the endless beastling horde.


    ¡°Wow, seems like Glastia has created a lot of grudges,¡± she observed.


    ¡°My dearest motherland tends to use and discard the people who love her, I¡¯m afraid. You know the saying. A child rejected by the town will burn it down to feel its warmth.¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°I fear I may have indulged.¡±


    That was just too many hints for Viv.


    ¡°You know what would be crazy?¡± she asked no one in particular. ¡°Really crazy. Insane. What would be crazy is if you knew Sidjin.¡±


    The man froze. His aura coalesced while the temperature seemed to drop. Viv¡¯s danger sense woke up, though it did not scream quite yet.


    ¡°Hoooooly shit you¡¯re him aren¡¯t you? Wow, just wow, that¡¯s, well, I suppose I should have expected something like that.¡±


    This was just like the spark of luck to make something so unlikely happen.


    Sidjin, the man who had saved the merls from extinction.


    Through teleportation magic.


    ¡°Can we talk in private? Sorry, it¡¯s sensitive and important,¡± Viv asked the captain, who retired graciously and without a word.


    Mr White, or Sidjin, was looking at Viv with suspicion. Viv was sure he was a finger away from pulping her on the ceiling so she made to explain quickly.


    ¡°Listen, I was lost in the Deadshield Woods until a couple of weeks ago and I met the merls there. The ones you saved. They talked about you.¡±


    The pressure in the room doubled. Sidjin gripped the table with his good hand, fingers clenching with enough strength to make the wood crack. Slowly, painfully, he stood up to his full height. He topped Viv by half a head.


    ¡°This better not be a joke,¡± he growled.


    ¡°I swear it¡¯s the truth. They¡¯re led by Tweek, the last of their shamans. At least for now since there is a new generation growing up. Small guy, a bit old. Loves theater. They named their city ¡®Sikoua¡¯. That means ¡ª¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°¡ª peace at last,¡± Sidjin finished.


    He fell back in his chair like a toppled tree, swaying back and forth. Viv realized he was crying, sobbing silently with great heaves that shook his entire frame under the cumbersome robe. He tried to speak, but choked.


    Viv felt a little bit awkward. She made to tap his gloved hand in what she hoped was a comforting gesture, but Sidjin removed the covered appendage with a hiss of anger.


    ¡°Sorry! Didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he interrupted. ¡°No. You are not to blame. I apologize for the unfortunate reflexes. Just¡­¡±


    He choked again, then chuckled. The strangled sound turned into a full belly laughter.


    ¡°They made it. By all the light gods, they made it, the insane bastards. They¡¯re alive. It worked. Enttiku save my soul, it worked. Gods. You have no idea.¡±


    He breathed a few times to calm down, then made to stand but forfeited with a wince of pain. Instead, he pointed at a cupboard screwed to a wall. Viv got his meaning immediately and fetched the bottle of strong booze. She topped his glass.


    ¡°If you would¡­ thank you. I thought I had it. I was sure it had worked. I could see the trees on the other side, despite the pain and the fear, but there was always this little seed of doubt that haunted my fever dreams. Made me wake up in a sweat more often than the torture ever did. What if? What if I messed up and sent them into a death trap? Back in the jungle, surrounded by death and teeth? But they made it. They are fine. They are fine, right?¡±


    ¡°They seem to have adapted. They have those hanging gardens, with fruits hanging from there. Bird nests.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, to protect them from a majority of insects, the bane of the jungle.¡±


    ¡°They have a statue of you. Didn¡¯t sculpt the face though.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps for the best,¡± the disfigured man joked, brows jumping in self-deprecation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re not too bad in a rakish sort of way,¡± she shamelessly replied.


    ¡°Flattery will lead you nowhere,¡± he replied, then coughed a bit. He gulped more alcohol and Viv gave him a refill without prompt. It looked like it was going to be a long night.


    ¡°I fear my impressive physique was also a victim of that little stunt, so a rakish face is the most I can manage at that point. Still, thank you. I just wish they had not chosen a statue. I always found having a statue of oneself while still alive to be the height of grandiose arrogance.¡±


    ¡°Difficult to get your likeness when you¡¯re dead, though.¡±


    ¡°And that is why, dear Vivane, you must hire a good portraitist, who will show you to your advantage. With a little financial incentive, they might even be convinced to show you to a great advantage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I would care after I¡¯m dead.¡±


    ¡°A fair point. And though I am already extremely grateful for the news, I would ask that we continue this conversation with a proper split of the roles: you talk, I drink.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very fair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°I want to hear about teleportation,¡± Viv immediately replied.


    Sidjin seemed to close on himself.


    ¡°So does everyone, these days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an outlander. I was sent here against my will. I don¡¯t even know if my friends are alive, I don¡¯t even know what happened to my original body. I don¡¯t know if I died. I don¡¯t know what my parents are thinking. I want to hear about teleportation.¡±


    Sidjin nodded slowly, his lone eye boring into Viv¡¯s with singular focus.


    ¡°You will hear about teleportation.¡±


    ¡°Okay. So, here is what I saw.¡±


    Viv recounted her tale, sometimes stopping to refill Sidjin¡¯s glass. The mage stopped drinking after a while, apparently suitably buzzed. He asked questions about people besides Tweek, but Viv had not been introduced to the other leaders. He was pleased that they thrived.


    ¡°The jungles are much warmer than the Deadshield Woods, especially in winter. I¡¯m glad to see they adapted,¡± he explained. ¡°The merls are, well, their population can bounce back pretty fast. They just had so many dead. You cannot imagine the bloodbath the walls were. Day after day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it must have been hell. Speaking of, everyone thinks you¡¯re dead!¡±


    ¡°I wish they¡¯d been correct.¡±


    He sighed deeply. His face was still flush with alcohol. He shrugged.


    ¡°I am sauced enough to talk about it, I guess. Never thought I¡¯d share with someone I have just met.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been talking for half of the night already.¡±


    ¡°Half of my life should not be enough. This booze is deceptively strong. Ah, who cares? On the night of the ritual, I murdered the city¡¯s quartermaster.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure where this was headed. Given how it¡¯d started, she thought it best to shut up and let the man spill. He obviously had a lot on his mind.


    ¡°Glastia¡¯s standing policy was that the merls were expandable forces who would hold the line for as long as feasible. The council intended to milk them to the last drop, then quietly dispose of the survivors. The quartermaster was at the forefront of this policy. It was his cousin who cast a destruction spell on the segment of wall Siul defended. He was the leader of the merls, and my friend. I murdered the quartermaster and used a convoy of carriages to carry supplies to the lower city. I also picked the most corrupted guardhouse on the path and executed them to the last man. The ritual took place near the merl¡¯s main habitation center, during the night. The guard found me at dawn while the last of the merls went through. The beastlings found the segment of walls undefended and poured through the opening. Hundreds of soldiers died over the following two weeks to stem the flow. I have the blood of my fellow citizens on my hands. The council knew this. They threw me to the scalehounds.¡±


    His gaze grew distant.


    ¡°I expected to die by public execution, but I underestimated the city¡¯s most powerful motivator.¡±


    ¡°Greed?¡±


    ¡°Pride. What do you know of teleportation technology?¡±


    ¡°I know it can be done and that it¡¯s excessively difficult.¡±


    ¡°The last mage who could do so reliably was Celerin Crest, a member of Nero Oleander¡¯s group. Have you heard of them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oleander was a traveler like you, who disappeared in the Shadowlands decades ago. He might still be alive, for all we know.¡±


    ¡°Did he ever lead an expedition into the Deadlands?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he did. Right to the base of the Imperial Ziggurat, or so he claimed.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    It was their teleportation circle Viv had found near the camp, back in Harrak during her first night here.


    ¡°Crest was a mage of great knowledge who specialized in helpful spells. Her teleportation was actually a skill. I was able to observe the spent circles in several locations as well as her notes, and divine a way to reproduce the skill using colorless mana. It is¡­ very intensive, to say the least. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Sustainable?¡±


    ¡°Precisely. Not only could archmages cast it, it could also be enchanted on surfaces for normal mages to use. Theoretically¡­¡± he finished with a ghastly grin.


    ¡°But I overloaded the spell frame after closing the portal.¡±


    ¡°Only you had the knowledge.¡±


    ¡°They could not afford to kill me. It was my mistake. I destroyed the circle to prevent my countrymen from following the merl, not expecting to be spared for my terrible offenses. Only, I was, after a fashion. The noble families who had lost their children took their pound of flesh, then council agents retrieved my notes and demanded explanations. I provided them.¡±


    He glared at Viv, perhaps expecting a comment. Viv kept silent.


    ¡°They have struggled to conceptualize space, a requirement to cast the spell. But we can discuss technicality later. They kept me alive because they could not understand the notes without my help. Then the project stalled. Other priorities took over, and I was forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°You would be surprised how much is lost to administrative inertia.¡±


    ¡°Oh no this I can believe, but grudges?¡±


    ¡°One among many. My demise was no longer considered a priority until one of the youngest princes needed an extra mage for a¡­ shall we say confidential mission of his. I was released after completing it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Viv asked with some disbelief.


    ¡°Oh, it was nothing simple. The youngling tried to betray me but he changed his tune when I activated fragmentation runes on everyone else¡¯s backpack.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like a messy affair.¡±


    ¡°I believe the proper term would be ¡®chunky¡¯ in this specific context. In any case, freedom was mine at last. I moved south and worked in secret. I spent most of my time and earnings to repair that wreck of a mortal coil I was left with. This, for example...¡±


    He moved his glove hands.


    ¡°... mimics the effect of tendons, of which I was deprived.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can not be filled with rage.¡±


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be enough room for that much hatred in a single person¡¯s soul.¡±


    Viv frowned, suddenly remembering the world in which she was.


    ¡°I received whispered promises, if that is what you were wondering. From all three. I had to decline. My days of serving the undeserving are over.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. Any long term plans?¡±


    ¡°Trying to live in this body is a long-term plan. What about you? If I may ask.¡±


    Viv decided to keep her offer for later, when the two of them wouldn¡¯t be sloshed. She had regeneration, he had teleportation. They were made for each other. In theory.


    It wouldn¡¯t hurt to open up to him a little bit and increase their mutual trust. He seemed as desperate for social interaction as she had been during her first meeting with Varska, spilling everything in an emotional meltdown. Despite his aloof airs, she could tell he¡¯d been through hell and back. His homeland was lost to him as well, perhaps forever. They had much in common.


    So Viv began to talk with a sleepy returning Arthur on her lap. She didn¡¯t share too much about Solfis¡¯ ability or some of the less reputable things she had done, but she shared enough to get a few comments on magic. The man appeared¡­ driven.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to demonstrate some of those instinctive spells tomorrow. There is much I can teach you about colorless mana as well. You must study it rigorously, as it will compensate for most of your weaknesses. Combat is merely one aspect of what a proficient caster can accomplish.¡±


    His face turned red.


    ¡°I believe I have drunk enough for tonight, we can¡­ owwww.¡±


    Viv had to help Sidjin stand up and return to his cabin, for which he apologized profusely. He was¡­ very light. Too light for a man his size, which made Viv concerned. The two had clicked. It was rare when it happened. And he had suffered, and was still suffering, and that was not fine. Unacceptable. Viv decided that she would help him. Mention it in the morning.


    Morning turned out to be mid-morning, since the captain¡¯s booze was a sneakier hitter than she had expected. She apologized to the man for the secrecy, though the canny merchant had not taken umbrage.


    ¡°I was more worried that you two would not get along,¡± he explained with a smile.


    ¡°You did take a risk,¡± Viv conceded.


    ¡°A minor one. The likelihood you knew each other was very low according to what I found out. And war casters who live long enough to deserve the title tend to have common sense, thus realizing starting a magical duel in the middle of the river might be unwise.¡±


    ¡°True. Speaking of, can I ask how you found out who I was or is it a guild thing?¡±


    ¡°Both. Losserec has some of the best spies in Param. As valued partners, we can request some, ah, reinsurance. If a ship is lost, the economy is weakened. If it is weakened, Losserec is weakened. You are well known to them.¡±


    Viv thought she was lucky they had not decided to dispose of her, but remembered that Solfis was a major deterrent when it came to assassins. Of course, he was a poor bodyguard because of design limitations, but spies did not know that.


    ¡°So yes, it was surprising that you would request some privacy, but I do not begrudge you  my cabin this time. Mage business can take strange turns.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be sure not to exile you again. Oh, I assume casting aboard is not a problem?¡±


    ¡°So long as you do not endanger us or interfere with the crew, you can do as you wish,¡± the man replied.


    As agreed with Sidjin, Viv and he regrouped on the deck in the morning, with the mage clearly excited by the thought of talking shop.


    ¡°Emulation leads to progress more surely than isolated studies. It is good to meet another passionate practitioner. Why don¡¯t you show me what that black mana of yours can do?¡±


    ¡°See that stone?¡± Viv asked, pointing a finger at the shore.


    ¡°Which o ¡ª¡±


    Before he was done, Viv wordlessly cast a quick blast spell, the smallest artillery she could manage. It whipped out of her hand with the tell-tale hiss and lashed a car-sized boulder, leaving behind a clear cut.


    Sowly, the upper half of the boulder slid forward and crashed on the mud below.


    On the deck of ¡®River Flower¡¯, the crew froze in place.


    Sidjin didn¡¯t speak. He moved his gloved fingers in a complex pattern, then the air in front of him shimmered and grew opaque. Viv realized what was going on. The man had turned the air into a pair of lenses.


    With transparent mana.


    They moved in concert until Sidjin was satisfied. Viv wondered how good the lense was but she would have to get close to the man and he clearly valued his personal space. Sidjin hummed and turned to her.


    ¡°I wanted to see the damage from up close. The surface is so smooth it could have been done by a talented blademaster.  I have to say that I had never seen such localized destructive potential with a fast spell before. You must be quite deadly in direct confrontation from mage to mage, or to take down dangerous targets.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But your utility must suffer.¡±


    ¡°And flexibility,¡± Viv admitted.


    ¡°How is your¡­ colorless magic?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I can block sound, make simple shields, find the north¡­ Hm.¡±


    ¡°What about fire?¡±


    ¡°You can make fire with colorless mana?¡±


    ¡°You can make anything with colorless mana, though it is usually terribly inefficient. Observe.¡±


    Sidjin lifted an arm and a series of circles and glyphs appeared around it. They were almost transparent and felt more blockish and regular than her own, like computer Arial to her cursive. For all its apparent rigidity, the spell shot out a series of smoldering red marbles with vicious elegance. They landed on the nearest muddy beach. Each ball expanded and exploded with a loud bang, sending soil and torched stones in the air. A wave of hot air made the sails flutter. Sidjin had essentially carpet-bombed the place, leaving only dried out, smoldering craters.


    ¡°I would normally pair the spell with red mana for the sake of efficiency. This is merely a proof of concept. I dislike the term colorless and prefer the term arcane. Arcane magic is the most complex and versatile school there is. It is also the most underused.¡±


    He leaned against the railing. The casual gesture led to the crew working again. The two casters had offered quite the distraction.


    ¡°Please do not take my words as the ramblings of an obsessed man. Attunement leads mages to understand a specific dye, and then they cast with the world, not against it. It is simply easier and more efficient to cast within a color one understands, and most casters are nothing if not pragmatic. Aspected mana is even more potent. Colorless mana, however, can do everything or reproduce near everything.¡±


    He considered his next words in silence.


    ¡°I could expand on the limits both innate and forced by a lack of proper research, but it would take us the whole afternoon.¡±


    ¡°We can always talk about it over dinner,¡± Vuv suggested.


    Sidjin blinked.


    ¡°Why yes, we can certainly do that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink less, though.¡±


    Sidjin chuckled, then it turned into a full-belly laugh, and then into a cough, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°Ah, normalcy. A thoroughly underrated feeling.¡±


    Viv could relate.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, do you believe instinctive casters could become proficient at colorless mana?¡±


    ¡°Can you not already use it?¡± Sidjin replied, but then he reconsidered her words.


    ¡°Hm, my apologies, I forget that you are very new at this. Instinctive casters do not just understand aspects naturally, but also runes. You, ah, resonate with them. Therefore, yes you can cast colorless spells as well as any mages. Or rather, you will with enough practice. Are you going to Helock to attend the academy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You?¡±


    ¡°I am going but not to attend, but to take back control of my research. I understand that someone wrote a thesis claiming to be, and I quote ¡®on the verge of success¡¯ of teleportation. Using my notes, no doubt.  I intend to set the record straight on top of getting as much medical help as possible. You should definitely take a minor in arcane magic. Or even a major, since I doubt there are more than a handful of caster with a better command of black mana. I would love to teach you.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d love to learn. Regarding medical help, well, let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    Sidjin was intrigued, but he didn¡¯t protest. It took longer than usual for them to walk to her personal quarter and by then, he was clearly tired.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably not well-known yet, but I designed a way to regrow limbs.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the mage exclaimed. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Using black mana aspected to change magically charged monster flesh, and a church healer.¡±


    He opened and closed his mouth a few times.


    ¡°And it works?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It has worked many times.¡±


    Sidjin looked shocked.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll do it for you, so long as we get a couple of days and a priest. In return, I¡¯d want you to teach me how to make a teleportation circle and use it. And if I can¡¯t then maybe you could help?¡±


    ¡°Help with what? I do not believe I can send you home. It would require understanding how to cross boundaries between worlds!¡±


    ¡°Not that. My people¡­¡±


    Viv stopped at that. When had she started to see the Harrakans as her people? They were, though. She felt responsible for them.


    ¡°My people need to reclaim more of the deadlands. Make way for new arrivals and expand, create a buffer to protect themselves against the next horde. So far, all of those who¡¯ve wanted to fight back have always faced a major issue: the black mana saturation. It limits travel. But if we can teleport¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand the strategic advantage it would provide, believe me.¡±


    ¡°Not just the military aspect. We could do the most important thing: reclaim a real city, with walls already in place, ready to be repaired. We could cherry pick the best spots for colonization and carry troops from one city to another to hold off major attacks. It would be a complete game changer.¡±


    Viv felt her leadership flare, the skill instinctively brought forward by her enthusiasm. She could have pulled it back if she wished, but Sidjin didn¡¯t seem to mind. He also had social skills of his own, she felt.


    ¡°Look, if teleportation is set to develop soon, then pushing back the deadlands is not a bad way to start, even if it¡¯s not the most lucrative pick.¡±


    ¡°And possibly one of the most dangerous,¡± Sidjin says. ¡°But I have spent a lot of time helping civilisation stand against mindless savagery, and I do not intend to stop. You will cure me even if I do not manage to teach you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv said, sensing Sidjin would value an open hand.


    ¡°In fact, we¡¯ll do that first, as I said.¡±


    ¡°Then yes, I will teach you what I know.¡±

 Chapter 102: River

    It only took one afternoon of discussion with Sidjin to convince Viv she had to make headways on arcane magic, starting now and then continuing at the academy.


    ¡°Colorless mana is used to bolster almost every spell at high level. For example, the artillery spell, the mainstay of battlemages everywhere when they do not have the time to do something more¡­¡±


    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± Viv suggested.


    ¡°Sorry, yes, I tend to use longer sentences when lecturing. My apologies. The artillery spell uses transparent mana layers to prevent the colored mana from dispersing before impact.¡±


    ¡°So transparent mana makes the missile, and colored mana makes the payload?¡±


    ¡°An interesting turn of phrase. Something from your world?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Yes.¡±


    ¡°Weapons, I¡¯d wager. But I digress. The answer is no. The colored spell is the missile and the payload. Colorless mana is used to reinforce and enhance it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Arcane is not limited to reinforcements, it can also allow mages to achieve feats unique to specific hues, albeit at a higher cost. For example, flying.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind went into overdrive, thinking of the possibilities.


    ¡°Hold on¡­ there is a weight rune!¡±


    ¡°One often misunderstood or used for parlor tricks. And yes, very astute. Arcane magic lets a person reduce their weight until the smallest impetus propels them across the ether. You will never outdo a gray mana specialist, of course¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯d be airborne.¡±


    ¡°You can make light, which requires very little energy but is rather complex. Personally, I have never achieved the white color.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, my school days are behind me, but I think I might know why. You need to reproduce colors from all across the visible spectrum to achieve white light. You are probably creating light with a high temporal coherence, meaning it¡¯s the same color all around, and huh¡­¡±


    She wilted a bit under Sidjin¡¯s intense gaze.


    ¡°And now I absolutely must ask you questions about your world,¡± he said. ¡°And we are getting sidetracked again. Arcane magic has many applications. Someone like you will profit a lot from its flexibility. First, we are going to examine the most simple spell, as a proof of concept for you, so to speak¡­¡±


    Sidjin coached Viv into making her own lamp. It took the light glyph and some measurements inscribed in circles, otherwise light would only occasionally flicker. The calculations made Viv¡¯s head hurt and annoyed her on a fundamental level. Those were arbitrary numbers based on some nonsensical scale made by some old geezer who picked his favorite color as a base. Quickly understanding the problem, Viv ditched the pointless math and created her own spectrum, picking the ¡®high¡¯ and ¡®low¡¯ glyphs as anchors. It took her half an hour of effort, but she had a working light source she could dial between red and indigo. Sidjin glared at the spell for twenty minutes and asked her to change the color until the deck of the ship felt like a cheap rave. Eventually, the mage licked his lips and considered his next words.


    ¡°I believe I know how you ended up in Nyil. You mentioned your homeworld didn¡¯t have magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Then you would have been wasted there. I am not saying you could not have been successful. Successful people tend to be successful everywhere. I am saying that you are gifted, Viviane the Outlander. It would have been a shame not to have you here, converting mage spells into witch constructs.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s being a flatterer now?¡±


    ¡°And by this, I mean that I expect your efforts to match your talent, because you have no excuses.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±


    At the end of the first session, it was done. Viv could cast light. She would not have to rely on her stone anymore. She decided that the teal/cyan wavelength was nice and strangely peaceful, and that it would be her standard choice from now on. After that, they discussed the theory of spell layering, adding colorless elements to other spells.


    Sidjin coached Viv. He was amusingly intense and single-minded when it came to magic, which she found endearing. He also had a habit of storing questions for later, then asking them one by one and by chronological order. Viv was starting to think that under his guise as a scarred and kinda cute prince, the man was a little bit of a nerd when it came to magic.


    Layering the artillery spell to make it go faster and farther proved to be excessively complicated, not because the principle was difficult, but because she needed to wield two different sorts of mana at the same time. It was the first time she was confronted with this difficulty while virtually every other caster experimented with mixes early on. The exercise was unfamiliar. Nevertheless, Viv did not give up, she would just need a bit more time. In the meanwhile, there was the issue of fire.


    So far, the crew and Captain Leit had been willing to accomodate the two mages. However, mention of the fire experiments during dinner forced his hand. Sidjin had to promise he would keep Viv under control to assuage the man¡¯s fears, and the crew gave them a wide berth the next day.


    The colorless spell was based around a very rare rune, that of friction. For almost a day, Viv could only manage to create sparks while Sidjin had flames with the same structure. She quickly concluded that an adjustment had to be made so she could cast as a witch, but couldn¡¯t exactly think of one until she realized the problem was fuel. Somehow, Sidjin used mana as fuel naturally, which she hadn¡¯t considered. She added an energy rune to hers and now she had an uncontrolled explosion. Mercifully, Sidjin stopped them before they could even escape the spell structure. It did give her some ideas. If she could compress¡­


    ¡°Do not get distracted by another concept,¡± the mage interrupted.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    ¡°You were being distracted.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    The witch expediently solved the issue by lowering the mana input. Now, she had tiny balls of flame at will, and could light a fire if she found herself without a lighter again. As Sidjin said, those were low-hanging fruits, but they displayed the sort of things she could accomplish.


    And if anyone asked her to light a pipe or a cig, she could snap her fingers and make it happen. That was cool.


    On the evening of the third day, the slow river tub stopped at its first destination. It was not a village, despite her first impression, but an extremely large estate overseeing the cultivation of the rich soil along the shore. The ¡®River Flower¡¯ unloaded bales of cloth, tools, and luxuries, then charged its stores with oil from a large fruit that reminded Viv of olives except for its color which was a vivid red. It smelled particularly fragrant.


    ¡°Ganar oil. Cooks swear by it from the cold south to Halluria¡¯s hot deserts,¡± Leit declared.


    He frowned.


    ¡°Those Mornyr merchants can turn it into scented soap and perfume. They won¡¯t tell us how, the beasts.¡±


    ¡°Trade secrets are always bad when it¡¯s the other guys doing it, huh?¡± Viv teased.


    Captain Leit rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I would not be so sore if my wife didn¡¯t like it so much. Seven silvers a jar. Highway robbery, is what it is.¡±


    Viv cajoled the canny merchant into admitting the gift wouldn¡¯t be so appreciated if it were cheap. There wasn¡¯t much to do on the shore, but Viv wanted to walk a bit on firm ground, and so they moved to the inner courtyard of the estate¡¯s central building. It was as large as a football field, and surrounded by thick brick walls. Soldiers and scouts trained in a corner they walked by. They eyed Sidjin with pity instead of focusing on their damn forms. She heard the words for ¡®cripple¡¯ and a few insinuations from sneering warriors watching an ongoing spar. Sidjin didn¡¯t seem to mind, possibly used to it all, but that rubbed Viv the wrong way, so she requested the use of an archery target for a little ¡®demonstration¡¯ on colorless fireballs. He traced the glyph slowly and with perfect control, each symbol and each layer appearing carefully to give her plenty of time to observe them. One smoking crater later, the jeers stopped. Sometimes, it felt nice to be petty.


    ¡°Thank you for the demonstration,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°No,¡± Sidjin replied with a knowing smile, ¡°it was my privilege.¡±


    They walked a bit more at a slow pace. It soon became obvious that Sidjin tired quickly, so Viv offered her arm to him, which he accepted with muttered apologies. He was clearly in pain. Viv also noticed that he didn¡¯t eat much. There would be a lot of work before he was mostly fine again.


    They moved on shortly after.


    Viv realized the cruise would have been deathly boring if it were not for Sidjin. Leit was nice. He was also a man of habits whose interests were limited to trade and its intricacies. Viv could not relate to a man who thought the storage requirement of various kinds of cereals deserved hours of discussions. She didn¡¯t look down on him for it. It just didn¡¯t interest her that much.


    Or maybe it was just that Sidjin was different. He explained to her how a single earth mage had changed the food production industry in his hometown and made it feel like a saga. There was spying, treachery, one murder, and a properly bedded diplomat¡¯s wife.


    The next few days were spent training telekinesis, or as Sidjin called it, far control. It required only two runes in its most simple configuration. It was also the single most complex and tiring mental exercise there was, a single lapse of focus sending the selected bottle to the mercies of Newton.


    <table>


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    Mana mastery: beginner 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I know it can be frustrating,¡± Sidjin said as he placed a delicate hand on Viv¡¯s own to guide her.


    ¡°Oh no, I find it quite rewarding,¡± Viv replied.


    At her level of understanding of magic, perception and manipulation felt more intertwined than ever before, and she knew she was on the verge of a breakthrough. Besides, learning magic was fun, and that was before all the exciting implications of telekinesis came into play. Like doing a Darth Vador impersonation, or sending high-velocity ball bearings through someone else¡¯s cortex.


    About halfway into the trip, they stopped at another major city: Markeis. It was the last Enorian city on the river. Past that point, they would be going through the territories of the northern city-states. Viv was eager to go out and move a bit, especially because the ship would be staying the night. Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed as soon as the ship passed a bend in the river, and the city came into view on the southern shore.


    It was an absolute fucking dump.


    She could tell it at first glance from the tatty roofs to the damaged walls, even before she spotted the shanty spilling through the gates life fresh vomit. There were guarded fields farther up, so tents and makeshift cabins sprawled all the way to the edge of the trees going along the shore. The stench hit her like a hammer. It smelled like shit, piss, and unwashed bodies.


    Leit leaned against the railing by her side as he brought a perfumed handkerchief to his delicate face.


    ¡°Markeis, the pus-filled abscess on River Shal.¡±


    ¡°What sort of business is there to be had?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°The unsavory kind. But someone has to do it.¡±


    Viv looked the man in the eyes and released just a tiny bit of her intimidation, a task made possible by the small control she already had over her soul.


    ¡°This better not be slaves or drugs or we¡¯re going to have a problem.¡±


    Leit scoffed.


    ¡°Of course not, the guild has rules, you know? Very stringent ones! And they have a very long reach,¡± he retorted.


    The implication was clear, though Viv noted the beginning of sweat on his brow.


    ¡°I wonder how you intend to protect us while we are in this den of iniquity.¡±


    ¡°As your host, I can guarantee your safety so long as you remain on board. We have some understanding with the, ah, concerned citizens trying to keep some order in that lost place. We take no responsibility for your safety if you do decide to step out, though I would be happy to give you some piece of advice depending on what you seek. Just remember to exercise caution. There are many in these walls who are versed in the art of¡­ disposal.¡±


    Leit feigned a huff.


    ¡°Oh, if only the dukes kept a better handle of that place. Now that the war is almost over, things could change for the better.¡±


    Viv thought it would take less effort to launch a nice SCALP missile on that rot and rebuild somewhere else. Just have to make sure not to do it downwind.


    ¡°Will you be going out?¡±


    ¡°Are there churches here?¡±


    ¡°I understand that Enttiku and Sardanal have a presence. Would you like to see a priest?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I am sure it can be arranged.¡±


    Leit gave Viv some advice on where to go. Fortunately, the city was not so large that Viv had to get lost in the seedier sections. The path from the pier to the church of the goddess of death was straightforward enough, and the only safe hotel in the vicinity was practically across the street from it. Viv could definitely use a night of sleep on solid ground. She also wanted to get started on Sidjin, if only to see how much work she had. A quick request to Arthur for monster meat yielded a mighty scowl.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    You wait for me.


    Too stinky.


    Unsafe.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll wait for your return, and yes, some of the humans here will be very bad. We have to be careful.¡±


    You go with Sidjin?


    ¡°We¡¯ll go together, all three of us.¡±


    Mother fancies Sidjin?


    Strong male.


    Hurt, though.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Mother cannot make eggs too soon!


    I am too small!


    ¡°I will leave my eggs unfertilized for now and the foreseeable future, thank you very much. Don¡¯t you worry, you magnificent scaley lady.¡±


    Okay!


    Arthur left once more. Viv was getting concerned that the dragonling was spending more and more time ranging out. She wasn¡¯t sure how fast dragons grew. Arthur¡¯s growth was astoundingly fast, but maybe it had merely been put on hold by the complete lack of food in the deadlands. Maybe she was much older than she looked. Or maybe that was just proper stimulation. In any case, her presence in Helock might be much more troublesome than Viv had anticipated, and there, she wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to protect her. It didn¡¯t matter to Viv if a dragon armada burnt the place to the ground to avenge Arthur¡¯s death. She would still be dead. Viv could not let that happen. She had to find a solution, but what? Her clock was ticking.


    She would have to check with the academy. That was best. Failing that, she would find a way to make sure the dragonette had enough room not to feel cramped. She had to get to Helock. A dead Viv could not protect anything.


    Sidjin joined the crew on the deck while they moored. The piers were perhaps the cleanest and most organized part of the city, according to what she could see from her vantage point near the prow of the River Flower. An official type of guy walked to Leit, flanked by sturdy men wielding truncheons. There was even a mage clad in gaudy robes keeping an eye out near the dockmaster office. Viv could perceive black and blue from here. She associated it with water and death. The mage paid them no heed, perhaps because they kept their aura under control.


    ¡°Do you want to have a stroll? I would warn you against the attempt, as I think your sinuses may not survive the ordeal,¡± Sidjin offered.


    The mage had used a spell to make the air fresh around them for now, but had warned it could not be maintained on the move without some preparation and Viv was unwilling to risk getting too much attention from the local guards and mages. This was not the best part of Enoria, but a city that had what she believed was a third step mage playing grunt on their docks were bound to have some more serious opposition deeper in.


    ¡°I was thinking about a quick visit to the church. Unless you think it¡¯s too risky?¡±


    ¡°The only people who are protected in Markeis are those who don¡¯t need it, so we should be fine. If I may come with you.¡±


    ¡°I want to have a look at you for the healing spell, so yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shall we go then?¡±


    ¡°We wait for Arthur to return.¡±


    Sidjin knew she was a dragon and frowned, perhaps concerned about the flammability of the wooden buildings. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t protest. Arthur soon returned with a pair of green-coated male harriens, their hare-like bodies intact beside the broken necks.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    The odor landscape was just as fucking dreadful as Viv feared. Rancid waters and rotten fish piled on with the rest to lift the mix to nauseating levels. Viv had to grab a shawl to fold over her nose, which made the already warm temperature unbearable. They walked over cracked cobblestones at a slow pace to save Sidjin¡¯s strength. That was fine. The passersbys mostly ignored the show of weakness thanks to Arthur¡¯s presence. People didn¡¯t need to recognize a dragon to understand fangs and scales meant fuck off. Nevertheless, she saw too many calculating gazes for comfort.


    The crew of Markeis was a mixed bunch. There were workers with grim airs laboring quietly and rather efficiently, but there were also lowlives of two types: the successful and the scum. Some of the scum had appearances she would have never expected to see outside of movies, complete with missing teeth and bloodshot eyes. There were also whores and street urchins, none of whom dared approach on account of, again, Arthur. They were hailed though, and asked for alms, or offered various services. Viv thought it better not to stop for anything and Sidjin didn¡¯t protest.


    They saw less bustle farther in. Beggars and vagrants lined the streets while stalls sold patched up shirts and watery soup. Thugs seemed to be the main occupation for men. More than once, Viv saw town folks disappearing into crowded, unmarked houses. They were offered mind-altering substances on seven separate occasions.


    ¡°Dream powder, lady? A walk on the wild side, ey?¡±


    People finally left her alone when they arrived near the temple of Enttiku. Viv judged that finding a priest of trade and fertility in this city invited trouble, but death must be a familiar presence here, and she expected the place to be neutral ground. She wasn¡¯t disappointed. The temple occupied an isolated square around a statue sporting a cowl and a ritual mask, the symbols of the goddess of death. It was kept clean by a sweeping acolyte, and no one stood around to annoy people.


    ¡°You are rather guarded, Viviane. I may not look like much but I can defend myself and us, should the need arise. We could even find a shop for magical tools, if you wished it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not walk around too much. When I asked Leit if he intended to get slaves, he said the guild would not accept, meaning it¡¯s possible to find some here.¡±


    ¡°I would be surprised if you couldn¡¯t, though they will be called indentured servants or similar euphemisms since slavery is currently not tolerated in Enoria. Does the sight of slave upset you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If I see something too horrendous, I might do something everyone will regret. Look, it¡¯s much easier for me not to do anything if I don¡¯t see anything. Call me hypocritical, if you must.¡±


    ¡°Then every person is. The correct balance between helping others in need and helping oneself is so difficult to identify. Many have tried and failed. If it¡¯s any comfort, one woman cannot fix this cesspit, not even with your powers and all the time in the world.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Sidjin.¡±


    ¡°We can still murder idiots if it looks like we won¡¯t get caught. I can make the bodies disappear.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Sidjin, you¡¯re a dear. That would be quite the date.¡±


    Sidjin choked on that, and dragged Viv onward with more strength than she expected.


    The church compound began with dark iron gates. Past that was one of the most lush, beautiful gardens Viv had ever seen anywhere. The terrible stench of Markeis stopped once they passed through, to Arthur¡¯s obvious delight. Viv was tempted to walk to the large black brick-and wood edifice, obviously the main building, but Sidjin signaled to the side towards where they could hear a voice. They walked under an arched passageway laden with thorny bushes ripe with black roses, their perfume enticing. They stopped at the edge of a clearing surrounded by hedges and blooming trees. Four people occupied the center of the place near an artificial spring that burbled happily in the background. There was an old man and a younger one, both clad in dark garments and showing kindly expressions.


    [Priest of Enttiku]


    [Acolyte of Enttiku]


    Viv¡¯s budding soul sense revealed that the older man was quite more powerful than he let on, probably a necessity in this place. He was talking softly to a young man leaning on the ground, his skin pale and clammy. A cloak covered his chest, while one of his hands rested in the frantic grip of a younger girl on the verges of tears. Viv briefly smelled a waft of spoilt meat before the garden took back its hold.


    They stayed at a respectful distance while the priest soothed his patient. The young man¡¯s breath was frantic, but it slowed down when the priest¡¯s voice rose.


    ¡°Forget your sins, for you are human and no human is without sin. Enttiku has weighed your heart and did not find you unworthy. Forget your mistakes, as you shall forget those of others, for only those who have never tried do not know the taste of failure. Leave without regret, because you are in the embrace of the cowled one. Sleep, now. Sleep.¡±


    The young man gave one last rattling breath, then he died. A light glow shone under his skin and his body slowly fell apart into ashes, not like a crumbling statue, like petals or leaves in autumn. Viv felt it wasn¡¯t so bad, though the girl cried hard. She quickly inspected her.


    [Scullery maid]


    Yeah, not the best option in such a lawless place. As far as she remembered, this path could lead to high administrative roles but she doubted the girl would be given a chance. The priest picked the bereaved by the elbow and gently guided her to a side door, where a nun took over, then he returned. Meanwhile, the acolyte had been collecting the ashes with a trowel and ceremonious attention. Suddenly, she could guess what they used as fertilizer. There were worse ends, she supposed. One could end up floating on the river Shal.


    ¡°How may I assist you?¡± the priest asked.


    The man had lost his fatherly demeanor in favor of a more solemn poise.


    ¡°I would like access to a room to conduct a healing ritual, and I need the assistance of a priest. I¡¯m willing to compensate you for your time.¡±


    The man looked both relieved and annoyed at the same time, even more so when he cast a cursory glance at Arthur and the dragonette reacted in the normal way to being glared at: by rising on her hind legs and spreading her arms and wings in defiance. Like that, she was only slightly less tall than the priest.


    It was the most adorable ¡®the fuck you want¡¯ Viv had ever witnessed. A part of her told her she should teach Arthur to be respectful but the greater part thought it was a lost cause in a dragon and she should just make sure Arthur didn¡¯t steal, murder, or pillage. Unprovoked.


    ¡°A healing ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you¡¯ll accompany me, I¡¯ll be glad to show you.¡±


    ¡°Madam, we are in a place of worship. Please do not waste our time.¡±


    Viv immediately unleashed the full extent of her intimidation. The priest did not back out and his own skills rose up in defense. The acolyte staggered, however.


    ¡°You will accept, or you will refuse, but you will do so with respect. Goddess or not,¡± Viv stated with absolute finality.


    ¡°I expected a man of your stature to show more discernment,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°All who seek succor can find it in the embrace of the cowled one. Is it not so in Markeis?¡± he asked.


    The priest took a calming breath, then he nodded.


    ¡°Please do not take my doubts as refusal. Our door is always open for the needy, yes, but you are not healers. Neither of you. Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Quite so,¡± Viv said. ¡°Look, you have two casters obviously here for a ritual. Why would we be joking?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. This is highly unusual. Keep in mind that any magic that violates Enttiku¡¯s credo will be met with maximum force. I am Kinnir, and I accept. Now please, follow me.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes at the man¡¯s back, clearly within sight of the bristling acolyte while Sidjin merely chuckled. The pair walked at their pace after the priest who had to slow down to match them. Viv leaned and whispered in Sidjin¡¯s ear.


    ¡°He looked relieved before he heard our request. What was that about? Do you know?¡±


    ¡°I think he expected a euthanasia request. They are forced to accept, although it goes against their faith that all should meet Enttiku when their time comes, and not before.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Viv saved this information for later. Maybe one day, she¡­. better not think about that. She would find a solution before black mana killed her. Had to.


    The room they were offered was barely more than a clean cell. The first distraction occured when she realized she had to prepare the monster flesh first. Butchers had done it for her, back in Kazar.


    ¡°You merely need to shred this, right?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can shred.¡±


    And indeed, he could. The bucket provided by the church was soon filled with reddish goop. The main difficulty had been to keep the innards from splattering on the walls. Sidjin¡¯s spell was not nice.


    ¡°Remind me not to piss you off,¡± The witch mumbled.


    ¡°Oh you would need to go quite far for that, Viviane.¡±


    By then, Viv was almost done drawing the healing spell on the ground, and the priest¡¯ expression had gone from dubious to amazed.


    ¡°You! You are her! This is a regrowth spell! You are Bob the Calamity! I mean, Bibiane. Of Kazar.¡±


    It was an improvement over ¡°Great Black Slut¡±, Viv judged.


    ¡°Alright, lay on the table, SIdjin. Hmm. Naked.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± the fallen prince asked in panic.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I need to have a full analysis of your body¡¯s current state and¡­ you should be naked. I assure you, this is a medical procedure. I will be professional.¡±


    ¡°Right. Yes. Of course. I should have¡­ anticipated that. Obviously.¡±


    ¡°Do you need assistance?¡±


    ¡°What? No! No. But, hmmm, let me cast a warming spell. This place is chilly, and my constitution is not what it used to be.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Viv recognized a stalling tactic when she saw one, but if the prince needed a moment, she would grant him one. When he was ready, he disrobed, then awkwardly lay down on the cold stone.


    It was just as dreadful as she had expected. The state of the unmarred skin reminded her of death camp pictures. The rest was filled with horrifying scar tissue. He was also painfully thin, though not deathly so. Entire muscle fibers were missing, leaving a crevice behind under the taut skin. Many of the lesions were burn scars. He had also been emasculated. Shaved completely. There was nothing left.


    The emotion that welled inside of Viv¡¯s heart was not disgust, but anger. Anger that someone would do that to a person she appreciated. All of this for having saved a species from an unwilling sacrifice. She counted every wound as she checked his body and tallied them in case Glastia fucked with her one day. As for why he was still thin, it was clear to her via the diagnostic tool.


    ¡°You have severe nerve damage in multiple places. Are you suffering from chronic pain?¡±


    ¡°I have pain tolerance in the fifth tier, if you must know,¡± Sidjin said with a fragile grin.


    Viv placed a folded band under his head as a pillow.


    ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Priest Kinnir, if you could put the patient to sleep?¡±


    ¡°No, wait!¡± Sidjin screamed.


    The others froze. Even Arthur squealed softly from her corner.


    ¡°Please, no sleep. I can take the pain, but I can¡¯t¡­. not know. Not move. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright,¡± Viv said. ¡°But no fussing or I¡¯ll have to stop.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Viv started with his left hand, which had no fingers left. The painful part was that she had to cut some of the scarred but healthy flesh to regrow the finger properly. Reattaching the tendons required her to work fast, but she had ample experience by then. One by one, Viv rebuilt his digits. Sidjin inspected them after she was done.


    ¡°I¡­ can feel them. And this one, I used to have a scar on the last knuckle.¡±


    Although it was possible to keep a patient awake during surgery, Viv found being talked to spooky and annoying.


    ¡°Please remain quiet while I operate, thank you. Priest Kinnir, if you would use your healing powers on the fingers.¡±


    Blessed silence returned while Viv checked the other hand. Paradoxically, regrowing the tendons would be more delicate and require her to cut more tissue.


    ¡°This is quite a fascinating bit of magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god Sidjin, if you don¡¯t shut up, so help me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry sorry sorry sorry.¡±


    Viv finished soon enough, did the eye quickly since she had experience with those, then it was Kirrin who interrupted her.


    ¡°My apologies, caster, but the time for the night prayer comes soon, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah okay, he needs to rest and recover from the blood loss anyway. One last surgery, it should be quick.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was about to say, we will not have the time to heal this man within the next week I¡¯m afraid, but I would happily stay a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then, teeth. With this, we¡¯ll have healed some of the most sensitive body parts so it should drastically improve his quality of life.¡±


    The mage had hidden his teeth during all the conversation they¡¯d had, but Viv had just seen the damage up close. Unfortunately, the surgery required her to pull out some pretty good prosthetics and that was a rather unpleasant moment for everyone involved. Eventually, however, Sidjin had all his teeth, both his eyes, intact lips, and functional hands.


    It didn¡¯t fix the rest but it was a start.


    By then, Viv was more excited than tired, but Kinnir had duties to attend, and night had fallen. She helped Sidjin dress up since the stone had not helped with his pain. That left Kinnir hesitantly waiting for them by the door.


    ¡°Lady Bibiane. If I may. The church is willing to compensate you if you can leave the circle. We can ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Keep it. For free,¡± Viv interrupted.


    Kinnir¡¯s mouth kept moving but no words came out.


    ¡°I already told the church of Neriad they could spread the knowledge as far as they wished. Your difficulty is that you will need a black mana specialist to use the spell successfully, but I think someone may eventually find a workaround. Keep the circle, copy it, spread it, I don¡¯t mind. Just credit me or something.¡±


    Kinnir walked her back to the gates of the compound. From there, they only had to cross a square to get to the inn.


    ¡°I apologize for the way I treated you,¡± the priest said. He seemed moved. ¡°I have been in Markeis for over a decade, trying to keep things together. Every request is a trap. Every favor comes with strings. I just¡­ this place got to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Viv replied, suddenly mollified. ¡°I think I understand. Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Can you see if anyone is waiting for us?¡±


    They could see the gates of the inn from here, but Viv was paranoid.


    As it turned out, someone was waiting for them.


    A female human!


    With a bow!


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going to cross. If she draws the bow, land on her and kill her. No flames. If she doesn¡¯t draw the bow, land on her and bite her.¡±


    Bite!


    Scary dragon!


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°I could just walk you, they wouldn¡¯t dare attack me,¡± Kinnir offered.


    ¡°That¡¯s kind but we would be bothered tomorrow.¡±


    Viv crossed the plaza with a shivering Sidjin. As they reached the large metal doors, a piercing scream shook the night somewhere behind them. Viv didn¡¯t turn, and a few moments later, Arthur landed quietly by her side.


    I bit her ass.


    Sneaky dragon!


    ¡°Well done, Arthur. Thank you for protecting us.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Arthur,¡± Sidjin politely added. ¡°You are a true terror of the skies.¡±


    The dragonette puffed up with pride. Her chin lifted, then she blew some smoke and walked towards the doors first.


    The lobby of the Haven Inn was more fortified than the average bank.


    ¡°One night, one room, please,¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look, Sidjin, you¡¯re shivering. Let me help, okay?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t protest while they were led to a small but tastefully decorated room. It had a window leading to an inner courtyard, itself covered by a skylight. Lamps cast it into a favorable light as flowers abounded. So did the guards, and they wore mail.


    Sidjin refused most of the help. He was only too happy to use his intact fingers again. Sometimes, he would flex them with exaggeration. Once they had changed into something more comfortable, Viv proposed that they should sleep. The bed was large enough to accomodate them both comfortably.


    ¡°Viviane. I have to thank you. This is¡­ I never imagined I could get better. Really better. I am so sorry you had to see me in such a state, broken and ugly. I¡¯m no longer much of a man, and ¡ª hmm?¡±


    Viv leaned forward and kissed him gently. She made sure to give him ample time to push her away just in case. She also broke contact immediately after. Her proposal was on the table, so to speak.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re much of a man, Sidjin. I think you have what it takes there,¡± she pointed at his head, ¡°and there,¡± she finished, pointing at his heart.


    ¡°As for the rest, well, it¡¯s a work in progress.¡±


    She¡¯d lost him. He was blinking owlishly, the expression almost comical on his scarred knight¡¯s face. He placed his freshly healed fingers to his lips and pressed.


    ¡°I¡­ errr. They tickle so much.¡±


    And then he laughed. It started as a derisive chuckle, but soon morphed into a loud, free, full-belly laugh that left him panting. He opened his eyes to see Viv¡¯s flabbergasted expression and laughed again.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ sorry¡­¡± he eventually managed to croak. ¡°This was just so forward! And unexpected! Ahem!¡±


    His expression suddenly turned serious for all of three seconds before he broke into another fit. By then, Viv was laughing by association. It was just so bubbly and contagious.


    ¡°Ahem. Right. I, Sidjin, Ex Prince of Glastia, accept your courtship. Ah, Viviane. You have no idea. Normally, I would always be the one to take the first step. You just caught me off guard, but yes. Although it is too early for me to name the feelings welling in my heart, I think I want you as much as you want me, you foolish madwoman. With all of the passion left in this decrepit frame, I long for each and every one of our conversations and your smile in the morning. Yes, I long for you. I just didn¡¯t think anyone would fall for me ever again. Or take the first step!¡±


    ¡°Ok good then kiss me again to make things less awkward.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡±


    They did so, quite chastely, then when they separated, Sidjin had a twinkle in his eyes. Both of them.


    ¡°By the way, this technically makes you the head concubine. Would you like ¡ª ¡°


    Viv mock-slapped him.


    Arthur sent a chastising message from her pillow nest.


    NO EGGS!


    They fell asleep shortly after.


    ***


    The trip back to the ship went without a hitch. Viv was also pleased to see that Sidjin¡¯s appetite had redoubled now that chewing was not an exotic form of torture. He was giddy, though he knew they had to postpone the rest of the treatment until the next major city.


    ¡°I can wait a few more weeks. I¡¯m just so happy to have some of my stuff back.¡±


    He closed one eye and looked around with the new one.


    ¡°It works!¡±


    ¡°Of course it does,¡± Viv scoffed.


    The mood plummeted once they reached the River Flower, however.


    ¡°A major faction the guild collaborated with has, ah, recently changed management. I¡¯m afraid they have requested a renegotiation of the terms. They¡¯ve asked us to dock at a private pier farther down the river, and I fear we might be a little delayed, but rest assured ¡ª¡±


    Sidjin and the poor captain looked flabbergasted when Viv raised a fist to the air and screamed on top of her voice.


    ¡°What did I say? What did I fucking say? I warned you!¡±


    It was time to test some new spells.

 Chapter 103: Academy-approved Battle Magic

    ¡°You are not using battle magic,¡± Leit insisted as he worried his hands. ¡°The guild has strict guidelines on hostile negotiations. If there is any sort of problem, we cut our losses and let their recovery division handle it.¡±


    Viv looked up from the polished deck, where she and Sidjin were busying themselves tracing a complex array.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°You do the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t stop you,¡± Sidjin added.


    ¡°In fact, we¡¯ll cheer for you and be supportive.¡±


    ¡°We hope you succeed!¡±


    ¡°All the best to you.¡±


    Then the pair returned to their tracing.


    ¡°This is technically destruction of my property,¡± the poor merchant mumbled without conviction.


    "Normally, a fourth step war mage would charge upward ten gold talents for a semi-permanent defensive array,¡± Sidjin mentioned off-handedly.


    ¡°For now,¡± Viv added. ¡°It¡¯s a shield, not a weapon. Think of it as, uh, plating.¡±


    ¡°Besides, if someone spots it, it means they¡¯re on your deck and by then it¡¯s a bit late, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The merchant didn¡¯t seem relieved.


    ¡°Look, passengers have a right to defend themselves if assaulted, right? And it¡¯s not your responsibility if and when they do, right?¡± Viv asked again, this time trying for the legal angle.


    The merchant stopped, then made to talk, then reconsidered. Finally, he shrugged.


    ¡°This is technically correct. HOWEVER! However, if you attack the other party, then they will destroy this ship as retaliation.¡±


    ¡°They can certainly try,¡± Sidjin mumbled.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about money, we can give it to them and have your recovery team compensate us later, yes?¡±


    ¡°Well yes, minus the fees,¡± Leit agreed.


    Viv glared.


    ¡°Very reasonable fees, for expenses you see. But if the recovery division makes a surplus, the fee is waived!¡±


    ¡°What my companion is trying to say is that we will not interfere with tariffs, no matter how cutthroat they may be. It is the potential other demands we are concerned about,¡± Sidjin explained.


    ¡°Other demands? Why would they make other demands?¡±


    Both of the casters sighed with eerie synchronization, sending a chill down Leit¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Call it intuition,¡± the witch said.


    ¡°Or the strength of experience.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡± Arthur added with definitive conviction.


    Leit had a terrible feeling about this.


    ***


    The River Flower sailed down the Shal river like the cautious fat lady she was, her holds filled with legally acquired and properly documented goods of dubious origins, all within guild guidelines of course. The mood aboard was grim. Most of the crew had not been allowed to get on shore leave, and the news of new negotiations filled them with dread. Sometimes, bandits and criminals loved to make a statement. Said statement would lead to a short visit by the recovery division, following which the river bandits would behave for the five years it took for someone more ambitious to get on top of the backstab pile. Then it would start all over again.


    The knowledge that one¡¯s death would be avenged was of little value to these simple sailors. They would very much prefer to be home safe, Viv could see.


    She had no intention of letting anyone die. Not anyone on her side, at least.


    She was also reasonably certain the proverbial would hit the fan, and as for justification for her belief, the arguments were thus.


    Argument number one: the divine spark of luck.


    That was it, really. The spark was both a necessary and sufficient cause for worry. Realistically, there were the questions of bounties, grudges, slavery-driven profit, greed, insanity and so on, all valid reasons, but the spark was the root of all evil. And most of the good, to be fair.


    It was said that Emeric became king of the gods on luck, but Viv didn¡¯t believe that. He must have been given opportunities and seized them. Luck here was not a boon, it was a crucible. Viv didn¡¯t intend to flush away with the slag of history, so she was condemned to greatness. And overwhelming violence.


    The image of Solfis¡¯ yellow glare made her miss the old AI. She hoped he and Marruk would find a way to get in touch. The bank would let her transfer money to them, if they needed it. Without her, they were also at much less risk. She should not worry too much.


    ¡°An iron bit for your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°I have left friends behind. And acquaintances back in Kazar. I miss them. I¡¯d feel much better if they were here. Oh, please don¡¯t take from that I do not appreciate your company.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, my ego can take much more than this.¡±


    ¡°Oh good, because I wanted to address the question of concubinage.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s nonplussed expression satisfied Viv. It meant her attack would take him by surprise.


    ¡°You see, you are, by your own confession, an ex prince.¡±


    ¡°Viviane?¡±


    ¡°While I rule over a large territory. I even have a loyal army. And a council.¡±


    ¡°Viviane, no.¡±


    ¡°My path is even that of the Lost Heiress.¡±


    ¡°I got your point, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think about Head Hunk as a title? Chief Himbo? His Sexyness?¡±


    ¡°I regret everything.¡±


    ***


    The ¡®private pier¡¯ requested for the meeting was barely more than a rickety jetty thrown across the muddy waters. The pontoon itself showed some rather inventive designs in Sidjin¡¯s far-sight spell, including an articulated part hinting at its temporary and ultimately movable structure. Viv thought it was neat, even though the circumstances were not.


    A welcoming committee lounged across the glade at the end of the pontoon. There were no crates of supplies, but there were horses and one cage. Every fiber of Viv¡¯s being recoiled at the sight, and she promised herself she would die swinging rather than allow herself to be captured. Or perhaps the cage was for Sidjin, who probably had a bounty on his head. She turned to him and saw the tense expression under the calm demeanor. Her friend was on edge.


    She grabbed his hand, which he squeezed. The heat of his skin radiated up her fingers.


    His shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.


    ¡°Neither of us is getting into that thing,¡± Viv said, and the implication was clear.


    ¡°I have not just recovered my appetite to see it wasted on prison food,¡± he joked.


    Behind the joke, they were of one mind.


    ¡°Right. Arthur, darling.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Those are bad people, and we don¡¯t know if they want to attack us or merely try to scare us.¡±


    Kill them.


    Burn them.


    Take their gold!


    ¡°They¡¯re probably too poor to have gold, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Meat?


    ¡°Stringy and stinky.¡±


    ¡°SQUEEEEEEEEEE.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m frustrated as well. But I have a task for you, if you don¡¯t mind. People might try to climb aboard while we talk. Could you pick them off the hull if this happens?¡±


    Kill?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It soothes me to know we have the terror of the sky looking after us,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°Please accept my appreciation.¡±


    The canny man ceremoniously offered a string of monster meat jerky to the dragonette, who munched it with all the dignity she could muster. Thus adulated, She-Who-Feasts-On-Spider-And-Gets-Much-Gold took to the big blue above, to start her squealing vigil. Viv¡¯s heart grew more peaceful.


    ¡°How dangerous is she, really?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Arthur is a tiny disaster when she gets in the mood. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure how she can be taken down. Even a skilled archer would struggle.¡±


    ¡°Are you not afraid for her?¡±


    ¡°I am, but she¡¯s not a human child who needs guidance for over a decade. She¡¯s a juvenile dragon. It¡¯s already a miracle we can work together and communicate. I think, one day, she¡¯ll just leave. Try to find her own kind. I just adopted her. I¡¯m probably not even that good of a mom.¡±


    ¡°You saved her life didn¡¯t you?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good start.¡±


    He sighed, then looked at the quickly approaching pontoon.


    ¡°Were you trying to distract me?¡±


    ¡°Trying?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The River Flower slowed down to a stop. A pair of worried sailors lowered the gangplank, then withdrew to a position near the sails, ready to leave on a moment¡¯s notice. Viv made no effort to approach. She wouldn¡¯t be leaving the ship.


    Mouq¡¯s number one rule about getting out of an ambush was: don¡¯t get fucking ambushed you dimwit. This felt like an ambush and she had the advantage while on the ship, ergo, she wouldn¡¯t take a step out of that arthritic tub. If things turned sour ¡ª and she felt they would ¡ª it would be preferable to stay aboard and to keep it mobile.


    The thugs had noticed her presence. Viv counted twenty-four including nine archers and, unsurprisingly, one caster who felt like reliable earth and free gray mana. While the rank and files feigned nonchalance, a group of three walked the pier. Viv inspected them.


    [River Mage, dangerous, one who specializes in water and air manipulations.]


    [Unseen Arrow: very dangerous, one who specialized in shooting unaware targets from the shadows.]


    [Blade of the Night: very dangerous, an assassin specialized in close quarter combat.]


    All of them shared the killer trait, meaning they had taken quite a few lives over the years. The inspection also confirmed what Viv thought: her skill assessed the danger potential of each target not to the world in general but to her specifically. A knight like Lorn, the Kazaran temple captain, would probably stand a better chance against the assassin than against the mage. To Viv, a blade in the back was eminently more dangerous than a spell to the face. The spell, she could block.


    What the inspection skill did not return was how young they were for leaders. The mage took the right, and he was a handsome lad with a square jaw and a scar running down his cheek. His robe looked ratty and pieced together from spare stuff, but she could also see a hint of mail under some of the folds. The archer was a woman with a short bow and a tightly fitting gambeson. She had rings under her eyes and a sour expression. The assassin took the center, clad in a dark armor of superior make, which felt enchanted. Viv could see a lot of dark metal, and yet the woman walked in perfect silence. She was also striking, with large, slightly manic brown eyes and a great many tattoos. They didn¡¯t look a day above twenty-five. They also looked cocky and bored, a dangerous mix. For them.


    ¡°Welcome to our little party,¡± the assassin said, spreading her arms. ¡°It¡¯s so good to deal with proper businessmen. Why don¡¯t you come and join us so we can have a little talk?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Leit said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can reach an agreement between civilized people.¡±


    He made for the gangplank until the assassin turned her gaze on Viv.


    ¡°You too,¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine where I am, thanks.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a suggestion.¡±


    The mood turned instantly heavy. Viv felt intimidation brush against her soul. It was pretty good, but it felt¡­ blander than her own, more built up on repetition than on meaningful displays. In any case, it wasn¡¯t even close to making her sweat.


    ¡°I said, I¡¯m fine where I am,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a feisty one. Our boss likes feisty ones, don¡¯t he, lads?¡± she asked, and a few people laughed nervously. Viv wasn¡¯t duped. They felt wary.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine where I am. You can say your piece here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, honey. The ship is one thing but there¡¯s something that¡¯s piqued our interest. You see, Darla here said she watched you go into a temple with a cripple, absolute wreck of a man, and when he came out, he was less of a cripple.¡±


    Viv bristled. The term the assassin had used in Enorian was extremely insulting, especially in a culture where the man was expected to provide and fight. She didn¡¯t like her boyfriend being insulted. Not one bit.


    Unaware of Viv¡¯s mounting anger, the assassin kept talking.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the thing. A little bird told me the temples are in a tizzy, see? Someone came up with a way to regrow limbs. I¡¯m sure you can imagine there are a lot of limbs to be regrown around those parts. It would be a flourishing business and also help the needy, as you can imagine. Lots of demand all around. My boss would like to create a, errrr, favorable business environment for the healing, yeah? So you¡¯ll come down and discuss it.¡±


    Before anything else, Viv turned to the acher.


    ¡°How¡¯s the butt?¡±


    ¡°Bitch!¡±


    ¡°And I suppose,¡± Viv said, returning her attention to the assassin, ¡°that the cage over here would be my carriage?¡±


    ¡°Only if you make things difficult, otherwise we¡¯ll be happy with this,¡± she said.


    Manacles, the magical kind. Viv remembered those were very expensive. You didn¡¯t spend that much resources on a temporary investment.


    So yeah, no. She¡¯d fight that to her last breath, if that¡¯s what it took.


    ¡°I¡¯m not placing myself at the mercy of a crime lord, not now, not ever.¡±


    ¡°Look lady, it won¡¯t be slavery either. You¡¯ll get a fair share of the profit and we¡¯ll let you go when you become too important for us to keep. Someone¡¯s going to try and use you anyway, might as well be us because we¡¯re far from being the worst out there. Not that you have a choice.¡±


    ¡°There is always a choice, and my choice is not to be used.¡±


    The trio was clearly losing patience. Leit was slowly retreating up the plank, his face ashen. As for Sidjin, he was letting Viv take the lead. Viv felt more than saw his focus shift from one group to another, making sure no one attacked her by surprise. Viv also felt a lot of mana coiled within his being, hidden by a shield. He was letting her know, but she¡¯d bet a hand the river mage had no idea. This was the level of control he had.


    ¡°Lady, I don¡¯t know where you come from but this here is Markeis land, not your pampered backward shithole. It¡¯s the real world. You¡¯ll find that your fancy hair dye and nice clothes won¡¯t count for shit when I have my blade kissing your throat, you hear?¡±


    Viv judged here and there that diplomacy would lead nowhere. There was still a chance to force them to back down, however, and that was better than a fight. Fights were messy affairs.


    ¡°A glorified street thug telling me I need to see the world? That¡¯s rich. You got it backward. Markeis is the isolated backward shitstain on Enoria¡¯s knickers and you lots are just gnats feeding on it. You have seen nothing of the world¡­ yet.¡±


    Viv cast the sneaky cloaky, slowly letting the solid black mana cover her form. She didn¡¯t see herself, but she knew from the village that the sight could be intimidating. Black tendrils coiled out, seeking through air like lampreys.


    ¡°You are not the big players here, you are street scum so out of their depth you can¡¯t even comprehend it.¡±


    She cast a telekinesis spell and the manacles lurched out of the assassin¡¯s grip, her reflexes working against her as she let go to grab at a dagger. Viv grabbed the purloined restraints. The thugs were going for their weapons. She raised her new hive shield spell. The intimidation might still work.


    And then Sidjin¡¯s first strike hit the shore.


    The explosive spell obliterated the entire pier and parts of the glade beyond. A cloud of wood shrapnel and red mist expanded out in a cone. The shockwave hit Viv like a punch.


    Of the archer and the mage, there was nothing left.


    The sheer surprise stunned Viv for an instant, then the first arrows plinked uselessly against her magical shield. Compared to the javelins Enorian military archers shot, those were barely mosquito bites, but she didn¡¯t lower her guard. The assassin had instantly drifted out of the blast zone. A string of darkness threaded after her, showing her movement. Viv cast a net at her. The bands of black mana arched after their target, but the assassin used a skill and disappeared.


    Slippery.


    Viv focused on the archers next. Her net took into account the nimble warriors¡¯ flexibility, cutting their escape options before skewering them. The last of the thugs were running for their lives into the nearby woods.


    There was a terrible screech, a white blur, and the sound of flesh being submitted to forces it was not designed to withstand. A human voice screamed but it was cut short by a wave of heat. A last arrow clanged against a much larger shield surrounding the ship. Sidjin had rushed to the deck circle and placed the ship in a protective bubble.


    Arthur¡¯s head popped over the railing.


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viv replied, ¡°but¡­¡±


    She leaned forward and saw a trail of blood on her left, with the assassin¡¯s corpse slowly sinking in the mud. On the right, an enterprising  fellow had tried to scale the wood and been scorched for his trouble. There was also smoke and, yep, the ship was burning.


    ¡°Arthur. You set our ship on fire!¡±


    Enemy!


    ¡°You burned the enemy and the ship too.¡±


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°We are on the ship!¡±


    The dragonette sheepishly moved her clawed hand. Water formed a depression, then a wave brushed along the hull, covering the small fire. It faded for an instant but the embers immediately started to smolder after the water was gone.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°Arthuuuuuuuur.¡±


    There was a burst of magic from the central circle and the fire petered out. Viv and Arthur glanced at Sdjin, standing in the middle of the circle with dignity.


    ¡°The great Arthur has no need to trouble herself with this task. I anticipated that we may be fired upon ¡ª pun intended ¡ª and added a few defensive measures. Although, your fire is several times stronger than what human mages could manage so please refrain from hitting us in the future.¡±


    The mighty She-Who-Feasts-On-Spiders-etc consented to it with a graceful wave of her sinuous neck.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Leit said.


    The shore was the scene of the most savage devastation.


    ¡°So yes. The negotiations, ah. Right. Say, your marsh drake, or what I thought was a marsh drake, is a marsh drake, right? Marsh drakes blow fire. Correct?¡±


    Qualifying the little menace as an ¡®arson gremlin¡¯ seemed ill-advised at the time, Viv judged.


    ¡°I mean, the evidence is in front of your eyes,¡± she bullshitted.


    ¡°Yes. Obviously, she cannot be a dragon,¡± Leit said.


    ¡°That would be insane.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well¡­¡±


    A distant tree crashed down.


    ¡°I suppose we should be on our way then?¡±


    ¡°That might be wise,¡± Sidjin said, looking behind.


    Viv pocketed the manacles just in case, though she was also considering dropping the cursed thing at the bottom of the river. She was disappointed when she realized that besides telekinesis, none of the spells she¡¯d practiced could compare to shaped black mana when it came to battle. She would need more time. The manacles were a nice acquisition, however.


    ¡°It appears we have picked up a tail,¡± Sidjin said.


    Behind them, two fast ships appeared from behind a bend. There were also three smaller skiffs that moved as fast as modern jet skis. Each carried a pilot, a mage, and a couple of archers. They all bore a crest like a shield with a fish on it.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re being pursued by the law,¡± Viv idly commented.


    It was her first time. Technically.


    ¡°I know, exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sidjin added.


    ¡°Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear that won¡¯t do at all,¡± Leit said. ¡°By guild rule, I must stop!¡±


    ¡°Those are clearly criminals in uniform. They would have attacked us if we didn¡¯t refuse to be kidnapped,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Irrelevant to the situation,¡± Leit said as the skiff made a quick approach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a duty to protect your passengers from harm?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes¡­ within reasonable limits.¡±


    ¡°Those are reasonable limits, we just need you to keep going.¡±


    ¡°Think of it this way,¡± Sidjin added with a pleasant voice as he poured mana in the circle. ¡°We won¡¯t allow ourselves to be taken, so if you still want a ship at the end of the day, you¡¯d best move, yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. The guild won¡¯t like this one bit. Very well. Full sails!¡±


    The cry was picked up by the few sailors remaining on deck. Others rushed out of the hold and busied themselves doing sailor things. It mostly involved undoing knots, that Viv could tell.


    Meanwhile, the skiffs were getting close now. One of the mages cast a spell and his authoritative voice carried over the Shal river.


    ¡°We have found you in violation of the law of Markeis. Drop anchor, lower your weapons, and prepare to be boarded.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, oh, can I tell him no? I¡¯ve always wanted to do something like that,¡± Viv said.


    Sidjin nodded, clearly concerned, but Viv merely used a voice enhancing spell and clutched the railing.


    ¡°ANY OF YOU FUCKING PIGS MOVE, AND I¡¯LL EXECUTE EVERY MOTHERFUCKING LAST ONE OF YOUS!¡± she roared with excitement.


    Sidjin sighed and raised the shields. It was probably an outlander thing.


    ***


    In the dark recesses of a lightless, confined space, a pair of yellow eyes lit up. The ancient mind behind those ominous orbs inspected a new addition to its charge¡¯s profile.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New Title added: Anarchist


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    //NO.


    //DO NOT TRY ME, DEAD ONE.


    The title faded away, having fulfilled its function. Nous, God of Magic, would never let his own death get in the way of a little bit of trolling.


    ***


    Viv¡¯s first spells hit one of the agile ships, despite the pilot¡¯s desperate attempts to stop her. One of the nets killed an archer, but the mage reacted fast. He lifted a hand, and a black mana shield blocked her next spells.


    ¡°You are insane!¡± the mage screamed, spell still active.


    Several offensive spells launched towards her, but Sidjin¡¯s larger shield blocked them without issue. The skiffs activated something, and a blue, watery shield expanded over them. A net from Viv penetrated only lightly, and the damage was almost instantly repaired. Nevertheless, she could have killed another man if she had aimed a bit lower and the three fast boats sailed away towards the other shore, never slowing down. At least, they could not attack the other side of the River Flower since the old ship was still very close to the edge of the river. Viv switched to blast and fired once, arcing her projectile to hit the ship¡¯s center, realizing it could only move forwards and to the sides.


    The smaller ship stopped where it was and let the spell land harmlessly in front of it.


    ¡°Wait, those things have brakes?¡±


    ¡°The blue mages use their power to stay mobile, but it¡¯s tiring business. Keep the pressure on!¡± Sidjin advised.


    Their foes looked like they were changing tactics, seeing how useless attacking the Flower itself was. Viv shuddered to think what would have happened if they hadn¡¯t prepared.


    Their new strategy involved a massive wave, which they were building up farther and to the right of the River Flower. The depression in the otherwise flat waters looked extremely strange, as if a turbid ocean had suddenly come from across dimensions. Viv realized the danger. Even if the wave didn¡¯t sink the ship, which Viv didn¡¯t think it would, the three fast crafts merely had to delay them until the heavier ships caught up to them.


    They charged towards Viv, tidal wave in tow.


    Which also made them much easier to hit. Viv waited, then arranged three blasts which she shot at the same time. The lead skiff tried to dodge and caught two instead. The ship disintegrated, though the mage and one of the archers managed to dive in time. The other two split up once it became clear inertia would do the job for them. Viv watched the wave approach and realized she was without recourse, once again. Fortunately, she was not without allies. Sidjin¡¯s circle flashed blue and the waters around it settled immediately. Only a tiny joke of a ripple came to lick the River Flower¡¯s Hull. Viv was aghast.


    ¡°Did you think of everything?¡± she asked Sidjin.


    ¡°I have something against wind attacks as well,¡± he replied.


    The worst thing was, he wasn¡¯t even smug about it. Perfect preparation was just a matter of fact.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Viv said, then she returned her attention to the two surviving skiffs. She targeted the one who had raised the black shield earlier, casting in quick succession. As expected, the first blast was blocked by a black mana shield, which made it perfect when the yoink hit.


    The expression of pure bafflement on the mage¡¯s face was a memory Viv would cherish for a long while.


    The next blast took the mage¡¯s hand with it. He screamed and the fast craft came to a stop. The last one disengaged.


    The two larger ships didn¡¯t give up the chase. They were quickly gaining on the Flower. Viv walked to the stern and watched them approach.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we go faster?¡± she asked Leit, who was standing in the middle of the deck with fear-tinged dignity while his crew did their best.


    ¡°We will not outrun them,¡± Sidjin replied.


    ¡°It is as the good mage says, I¡¯m afraid. Patrol ships are designed to catch up with all but the fastest transport ships. They are not even at full speed right now. I fear¡­ a confrontation will be inevitable.¡±


    Leit¡¯s next words were interrupted by a loud clang and Viv turned just in time to see a flash of metal. She reflexively shielded, but she was not the target this time.


    Sidjin lifted a fist and punched forward. A woosh of displaced air heralded a terrible impact. Wood groaned, and only Viv¡¯s reinforced reflexes prevented her from falling. She looked down to see a harpoon smacked sideways into the hull. The shaft had only dug a few centimeters in, thankfully. If it had been the tip going in first, they would have had trouble.


    A chain followed the harpoon, attached to the ship behind them. It was already growing taut.


    ¡°You stopped that?¡± Viv wondered. The projectile was clearly enchanted to the gills.


    ¡°No, I attacked the chain. It¡¯s not enchanted after the first ten links or so.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv replied.


    She blasted the chain and cut it cleanly.


    ¡°That will work nicely. They can still catch us, however,¡± Sidjin said. He calmly walked down and returned with a metal plate engraved with symbols.


    ¡°Is that our spare heating plate?¡± Leit blurted.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The mage threw it in the water.


    ¡°I can reimburse you?¡± Sidjin suggested.


    ¡°At this stage, I think I can justify it as a business expense.¡±


    Viv was about to ask a question when a panicked sailor burst out from below deck.


    ¡°Something¡¯s eating into the hull! We have a breach!¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind went into overdrive. She leaned over the railing the sailor was pointing out and saw absolutely nothing.


    She could, however, feel the blue mana being hurled at the wood. It felt constructed.


    ¡°It¡¯s the mage we sank, the first one.¡±


    ¡°Alas, protective domes seldom extend to the lower part of the hull. Can you handle it?¡±


    Viv thought. Her disintegration mana was strong but also indiscriminate. It would disperse against the water before she could cover the bubble of blue she felt under her feet, and that was before she got through the bubble the mage used around himself not to drown. She imagined fighting a blue mage near water would universally be considered a bad idea, but it was done. If only she could see him and¡­


    Actually, maybe she could.


    Viv slowed down time and focused to release a very, very powerful blast of light under the surface. The rave-like purple glow lit the murky waters, revealing the frame of the mage floating under the surface. She cast immediately, and missed by a hair. She had not accounted for refraction.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Before Viv could strike again, the mage fled, spooked. Apparently, the man was unwilling to forfeit his life for a corrupt city. It did not surprise Viv in the slightest.


    ¡°They are gaining on us,¡± Leit said.


    He was sweating a lot.


    ¡°I find it rather more exciting than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Will you reconvert into a smuggler?¡± Viv asked him.


    ¡°Gods no. I¡¯m going to drink.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of drink, I believe the time has come to depart Enoria. The border is near. I propose to go out with a bang, Viviane dear, I¡¯ll take the right and you take the left?¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡±


    Sidjin gestured and a whirlpool opened in front of his target, dragging it in. The prow was caught and led the rest of the ship towards the depression. Once it was close enough, Sidjin gestured again and the whirlpool turned into a maw of colorless energy blades. The crew yelled with consternation as their ship slowly, slowly dove into a blender. Splinters and flying planks flew out of the vortex.


    ¡°As I mentioned, the hulls are often a weak point,¡± Sidjin concluded as the spell faded. The damage was enough to put the ship out of order.


    ¡°Is it my turn?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Hocus, pocus, draconicus.¡±


    A screeching Arthur dive-bombed the remaining patrol craft, setting all the sails ablaze in a single pass. A shield blocked most of the remaining fire before it could turn the deck into a raging inferno. The pursuer was disabled, however.


    ¡°I call foul,¡± Sidjin calmly stated.


    ¡°I thought you would.¡±


    While the pair bickered, Leit turned around and found a barrel to sit on. He removed a flask from his breast pocket and took a discrete swig, the container disappearing quickly when a sailor made his way to him.


    ¡°Captain, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a marsh drake.¡±


    ¡°It is a marsh drake i anyone asks.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ***


    The journey continued for two days without incident. Viv did her best to practice mixing colorless and black mana, finding it surprisingly difficult. It was the first time she struggled to achieve what others took for granted. Sidjin had an explanation as to why.


    ¡°You love black mana and black mana loves you. Using it is second nature. You are struggling to do what comes naturally to other casters as a result. Don¡¯t worry, and take your time. It¡¯s just a minor hurdle.¡±


    On the next morning, they arrived at a small outpost where Leit sent a report to his headquarters via one of the guild¡¯s branches. Viv expected trouble for turning the ship into a fortress and dishing it out, but in reality, it was Leit who got chewed out and quite viciously too.


    ¡°Your negligence and lack of foresight led to the grave endangerment of your passengers. Not only did you stop at a dangerous destination, but you took no steps to address the risks inherent to changes in the gangs¡¯ hierarchy once you discovered them. After that, you knowingly led your charges into an obvious ambush. Their survival is due to their luck, skill, and wherewithal, not your services. Had they perished, you would have been removed from the list of approved captains and incurred serious penalties. Regardless, a disciplinary hearing will decide a suitable punishment. You may not decline carrying your passengers to their final destination, and you may not charge them for the repairs or the loss of your spare heating plate.¡±


    The tongue-lashing had been delivered in a detached voice by the branch manager, since he was only here to relay it. The fact that Viv and Sidjin were present for the blame made it public, always a significant choice when humiliation was concerned. It either meant they cared about their reputation, or about Sidjin and Viv¡¯s future patronage. Perhaps a combination of both. She didn¡¯t think it could be an accident.


    Nevertheless, she was more relaxed when they left since it was now someone else¡¯s problem and that¡¯s exactly how she envisioned her journey to Helock. It made the following conversation slightly less nerve-wracking for her.


    Viv picked a clearing near a waterfall, a short walk away from the outpost towards nightfall to have it. It was not going to be easy, and isolation from the other humans would not be a bad idea. She sat by a stone and shared a pile of freshly bought jerky with her adopted kiddo.


    ¡°Hey Arthur, I wanted to talk to you a bit.¡±


    About stealing?


    ¡°Did you steal anything?¡±


    Not.


    Recently.


    ¡°It''s not about stealing. I trust you are a big girl now, and you know why it¡¯s not a good idea.¡±


    Thieving bad.


    Looting good.


    I know.


    ¡°What I wanted to talk about is that¡­ I fear I may be reaching the limits of what I can do for you. Or rather, what I know I should do. You see, you¡¯ve been growing very fast the past year, faster than any creature I¡¯ve ever met. And certainly faster than a human.¡±


    Of course.


    All humans stupid.


    Except mother.


    And bankers.


    ¡°And here lies the problem. When we met, you didn¡¯t know how to talk and you were very small. It was obvious that you needed food, water, and safety. That I could mostly do. Then you grew up and started taking things and I became generally sure you needed self-control and a sense of cause and consequences, if not right and wrong. Even then, it was a bit iffy because¡­ you are a dragon. And I am using human logic and instincts to take care of someone who is not human by any means. It¡¯s just the best I can do, the only thing I know how to do. It might not be enough.¡±


    Mother provides good meat.


    And gold.


    ¡°As outlandish as it sounds, there is more than meat and gold in life.¡±


    The dragonette tilted her head pensively.


    Also.


    Scritches.


    She nodded to herself, satisfied with her wisdom.


    ¡°And magic,¡± Viv said, getting Arthur¡¯s attention. ¡°And flight, and combat, and possibly etiquette. There are no books on dragon rearing. I¡¯m operating on guesses, but it¡¯s clear there is a lot for you to learn that I cannot teach. And I don¡¯t want that, because I want what¡¯s best for you. I just don¡¯t know what it is.¡±


    I am still happy.


    And safe.


    And not hungry.


    Lots of magical meat!


    I grow fast.


    ¡°Yes, you do. And you fly for longer periods of time, and explore much more than before. In bird terms, that would be called fledging.¡±


    Am no stupid feathered thing!


    ¡°Leaving the nest, whatever you want to call it. Listen, there might be a point when you need to do more things or feel like doing more things. You can tell me. You can make your own plans. We¡¯ll be going to Helock for a while, and I know you don¡¯t like cities or being locked in for that matter. Don¡¯t wait until you feel too sad to tell me. Talk to me. Tell me what you need.¡±


    If I don¡¯t know?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know what you need, we¡¯ll figure it out together.¡±


    Ask other dragons?


    ¡°Well¡­ we may not have a choice. I just don¡¯t know how to contact them without being roasted.¡±


    I protect you!


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Skreeeeeeeeee!¡±


    Viv jumped at the sudden and unexpected scream, but Arthur didn¡¯t show any sort of pain.


    Called.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

 Chapter 104: Judgment

    It was day, then it was night. There was no time to leave, no time to plan, not even enough time to look up before a wave of pure world-bending mana drenched her soul under a torrent, numbing her senses.


    Once, Viv had gone diving off the coast of Eilat, at the south end of Israel. There was a peculiar feeling to going down when the pressure increased and water seemed to close around her. She imagined a deep diver must feel something similar while the more primal part of their brain screams incoherently. There was exactly one flap, one so powerful it lifted rocks, then the dragon was on the glade.


    He took a lot of space.


    Viv caught a taloned finger moving as the monster settled, more graceful than a creature this size had a right to be. She lost herself a few seconds in the vastly complex, mesmerizing fractal of mana emitting from the obsidian scales like heat from desert sand. It was Arthur who woke her up from her reverie.


    The dragonette raced around, hunting her tail then squealing excitedly. She bounced around the clearing then climbed a flabbergasted Viv.


    It¡¯s him.


    It¡¯s hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim.


    She finally looked up into a green iris larger than her head.


    It was him.


    It was really him.


    The book really didn¡¯t give it justice.


    The Desolation of Aristan pulled his wings back and sat comfortably. Suddenly, it was day again.


    His aura withdrew.


    Viv fell forward, one hand on the ground. She felt every detail of the grass under her with perfect clarity. Her mind was fully her own again. The dragon had sent a message when it landed. Now it sent another. The first was about power, and the second, about control.


    Arthur¡¯s obvious excitement gave the surreal scene a farcical angle that tested Viv¡¯s sanity. She had rubbed elbows with her fair share of nobles, but the desolation operated on another level. The dragon was a myth, and that myth was now looking at her with his emerald eyes, patiently waiting for her to recover.


    Greetings.


    Again, the tone was given. The dragon could probably melt Viv¡¯s brain inside of her skull with a roar, but right now his mind carried concepts directly to her with a light touch.


    ¡°Wow, huh, hello.¡±


    Viv stood there like an idiot, unsure of what to do except to keep her balance while Arthur repeatedly bumped her knee.


    You must come from an unusually egalitarian culture.


    Most humans kneel by reflex.


    ¡°Oh, uh, no offense meant.¡±


    Worry not.


    I understand where you are coming from, and how it affects your behavior.


    ¡°You came for Arthur then?¡±


    VIv knew what the answer was, but she hoped they would have a little more time.


    I came because she called, and our meeting was long overdue.


    I have been observing you.


    And the way you cared for She-Who-Feasts-On-Squirrels-And-Gets-Much-Gold.


    The adult dragon turned his head to his tiny kin.


    It is spiders now, she tells me.


    I will remember.


    He returned his attention to Viv.


    I have known of your existence since Cold-Gale-Over-Spring-Meadows warned me.


    He was wise to inform me of this matter without delay.


    ¡°Is he the green dragon we met in the woods?¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°I¡­ assumed his name would be longer.¡±


    We shorten our names as we grow older and more powerful, thus refining the concept we wish to be known by.


    Cold-Gale-Over-Spring-Meadows is still quite young.


    Viv was pretty sure the green dragon was a century long, probably older than that. This was¡­ interesting.


    ¡°So, may I know your name?¡±


    My name is Judgment.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    We are solitary creatures, as diverse as the world meant us to be.


    We push many fledglings into the wild to spread their wings.


    The wisest and strongest live to adulthood.


    Dragons can fly, and our mastery of mana is unmatched.


    One who picks the wrong battle against a powerful beast and loses, deserves it.


    This is the way it should be.


    The strong and wise survive, leading to stronger and wiser offspring.


    Viv realized the implication immediately.


    ¡°But humans and other sapient species change that.¡±


    They hunt those they believe they can defeat.


    Too many promising young ones would be lost.


    And so, I took it upon myself to be the shield for those who need it.


    ¡°So dragons cannot be kept as captives because¡­¡±


    I act.


    The sapient races are welcome to share this world with us.


    Sometimes, they grow too arrogant.


    Sometimes, they wish to mine breeding grounds for wealth.


    As Aristan did.


    An event your ward seems quite knowledgeable about.


    ¡°She loves the story. She finds your performance inspiring and wants to grow to be as large as you.¡±


    Viv didn''t quite get his answer this time, but it evoked pride and hope for the future. She felt that Judgment¡¯s vision of the future was rather more complex than what she was used to, and why should it not be? He would probably be there to see it.


    This leads me to you.


    I have set rules of my own on interventions.


    A dragon who attacks humanity to serve their own greed will receive no support from me.


    I have decided to observe you before passing judgment.


    You have acted like a parent, while taking into account the difference of your ward¡¯s nature, compared to your own.


    Some of your rules and codes will serve her well in growing her own.


    Especially the hygiene rules.


    The dragonette fell dramatically backward and rolled on the ground squealing piteously at this odious betrayal. Her idol had sided with Viv on matters of keeping one¡¯s claw fishless and soap-scented. Oh, the dragonity.


    Judgment huffed, his hot breath pushing Viv¡¯s hair back. It felt like standing in front of an open smelter.


    Thus, and despite your many failings, I have decided to let you live for her sake.


    ¡°Thanks? I guess?¡±


    I have shared information with the dean of the academy, in Helock.


    He will facilitate her stay.


    If you are admitted.


    But you must realize that your time is running out.


    She will foray farther and farther.


    Such is our nature.


    You will know to let her go.


    ¡°She¡¯s still very young.¡±


    She is.


    And you will let her go.


    When the time comes.


    ¡°How do I know? I don¡¯t want to send her to her death. I don¡¯t give a damn about your survival of the fittest philosophy. I want her to live.¡±


    You will let her go, because this will be her choice.


    Viv was about to object when Judgment stopped her. He pressured her into silence, not too strongly but as a warning. Arthur had been unusually silent during the later part of the exchange, and this latest disagreement worried her. Viv provided the requested scritches.


    One last thing.


    ¡°Hmmm, yes?¡±


    Did you inform She-Who-Feasts-On-Spiders-And-Gets-Much-Gold that I pressure-cook knights?


    Awkward silence spread over the clearing.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I mean, do you?¡±


    No.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    I have spoken all that needed to be said.


    You know what must happen.


    You will not share what you know, nor speak of dragon rearing.


    I have tolerated your choices because, at the time, you saved the young one.


    Her mother was too proud, but we still felt her loss.


    The return of the child absolves you of your meddling.


    The dragon waited, perhaps expecting some sort of reaction. Viv didn¡¯t speak.


    Goodbye, Viviane the Outlander.


    Judgment jumped up, then spread his wings and flapped them. It felt like standing next to a helicopter.


    In a few instants, the older dragon was gone, disappearing completely from her sight. Only the mark of his claws on the ground confirmed that the meeting had not been a fever dream. Arthur still had stars in her eyes, but Viv was more circumspect. She didn¡¯t like the implications. Judgment had observed her. Even his last sentences had been a test of sorts. Perhaps he had expected her to demand a reward for the return of a child, or at least some protests at the high-handed treatment. Viv believed she knew better. Dragons were an unknown, motives-wise, and one didn¡¯t play games with unknowns unless one was desperate.


    It was true that the nail that stuck out got hammered down. She didn¡¯t need more attention than she already had, and especially not from a being so beyond her powers, even all of Kazar¡¯s current military couldn¡¯t put a scratch on him.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back for now.¡±


    Arthur agreed, still dizzy from her recent encounter. Viv thought about what Judgment had said. Arthur had grown quickly, too quickly. She assumed growth slowed down with age, and that lone hunters would have trouble finding meat with potent enough mana to fuel a quick development. It was still very impressive, and possibly unusual. Her theory that the dragonette was older was making sense. It was a shame she couldn¡¯t ask Judgment more about proper upbringing, but he had made it clear it was not for her to know. It was still a shame.


    The outpost Viv returned to shocked her by its normalcy. No one had seen Judgment land like the fire-breathing jetliner he was. The laborers went on with their tasks while children played in the vegetable gardens under the benevolent gaze of their elders. Soft-spoken conversations in the northern tongue rang throughout the couple of streets surrounded by high walls. The locals mostly ignored Viv. Or at least, they pretended to.


    It was yet another aspect of this world that marked Viv. Back on earth, peasants had formed the backbone of every society until the late days of industrialized society. It was the same here. Politics, wars, and monster hunting were performed by the minority of those who didn¡¯t toil in the fields and orchards. Viv was part of that minority whether she wanted to or not. She wouldn¡¯t trade the ability to cast and defend herself for anything, yet watching those kids running after a cloth ball reminded her another life was possible.


    She¡¯d probably be bored to death after a month.


    ¡°Are you alright, Viviane?¡± Sidjin asked when he saw her. He squinted, inspecting her face and the still-bouncing Arthur.


    ¡°Long story. I¡¯ll tell you over dinner.¡±


    That night, Viv went over everything that had been said from the admittal of her limits to Judgment informing her she would have to let the dragonette go. Sidjin listened quietly, carefully refilling her glass. Meanwhile Arthur was blissfully asleep.


    ¡°Even if she leaves, it will not change the fact you raised her. She will return.¡±


    ¡°Are you quite sure?¡±


    ¡°Dragons are territorial yet also emotional. The few times dragons were taken down in history, the fiery vengeance was brought by their relatives. You left your home yourself. Did you never think about returning?¡±


    ¡°I am human, she is not.¡±


    ¡°You are her adoptive mother. I am certain she will come back to you often. It is also possible that she would choose Harrak as her range when she claims a territory. If what you say is correct, the areas of life are quickly expanding. It is likely she will return.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± Viv admitted. ¡°And I have forgotten the main motivator. Yes, you are right, she will definitely return to me even if she leaves to travel. I am sure of it.¡±


    ¡°She already discovered a proper lair?¡±


    ¡°Worse. She discovered banking.¡±


    The next day, Arthur simply wouldn¡¯t shut up about her experience.


    Did you see? Did you see?


    ¡°Yes I did.¡±


    He was soooooooooooooooo big!


    ¡°Absolutely massive, bigger than some castles.¡±


    And did you see? Did you see?


    He was sooooooooooooo strong!


    ¡°I bet he could crush a rock between two fingers.¡±


    I can do that!


    ¡°A very big rock.¡±


    Oooooh yes! Very big. And his control¡­


    She wouldn¡¯t stop for the whole morning and Viv didn¡¯t have the heart to dampen her enthusiasm. Thankfully, the small one decided she would practice how to land like he did. While she did not attain the level of ponderous majesty Judgment had displayed on account of being the length of a timber wolf and about as heavy, her efforts were commendable.


    Despite the belief Arthur would return to her eventually, Viv could not completely shake out the funk she found herself in, so Sidjin came to her rescue.


    ¡°When events caused my mood to grow somber, I would throw myself into training.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would,¡± Viv answered, then softened the jab with a light kiss.


    ¡°You are trying to distract me, woman. I was the one supposed to distract you. How about telekinesis? I bet I can teach you how to juggle before we arrive in Helock.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds nice.¡±


    They practiced more. Viv was able to hold objects reliably now. The spells¡¯ feedback was strange, like flexing a muscle that didn¡¯t quite exist. It was not just applying pressure. She could feel the object¡¯s shape in her mind, though the details escaped her. Moving two at the same time proved easier than she expected, until Sidjin asked her to move them in opposite directions. There, the difficulties started. She still thought the spell had enormous potential.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I see mages flitting across the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°It can be a good option in some scenarios, but definitely not against humans and especially not against Enorians. Even gray casters would hesitate to take to the sky against an army with the continent¡¯s best archers. There are variant artillery spells with homing functions as well, though a master can dodge them. You also forfeit the use of a circle.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm.¡±


    Telekinesis gave her an idea. The cave where she had discovered the hive shield¡¯s template had glyphs directly in the walls. What if she could forge runes and hold them in the air to create a three-dimensional circle? That would be tiring, but multiply the potency of the spell. It was worth pursuing in the short term.


    Viv spent the next few days practicing for the examination in the morning and colorless magic in the afternoon. She knew the material reasonably well by now, in part due to her training with Varska and in part thanks to her hard work since then. Sidjin helped even more by giving her tips, especially on the written part of the exam. It was the difference between having the materials and being helped by a tutor who had passed themselves and knew all the tricks.


    ¡°The written part matters less for instinctive casters. Essentially, some mage classes have prerequisites that can be cleared by having a high-enough grade in the entrance examination. I suspect they will be of limited use to you. We can discuss this further after we have arrived¡­ if you still want to stay with me, of course.¡±


    He would sometimes give her a way out of their budding relationship. When that happened, she would try to hug him, which always made him squirm until he relented.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll keep you around, you are too irresponsible to be left out on the streets.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and¡­ thank you.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s warmth comforted Viv. He smelled pretty good as well, which was always nice.


    The last stop before Helock was the city-state of Talyris, on the northern shores. It was the first major northern city they came across, and the difference with Enoria was quite telling. The northerners favored cubic architecture and brightly painted walls. The street food Viv bought was spicy and fresh. Sidjin bought roasted hearts and gizzards of small creatures served with slices of palate-cleansing vegetables. No one bothered them, no one petitioned them. They were just a couple out in the street, some local gentleman and his exotic wife or something. By Sidjin¡¯s own request, they didn¡¯t attempt to regrow anything this time. He needed to help her perfect the spell first.


    ¡°The issue I¡¯ve had is that I don¡¯t have a model of the original body. So far, I have used remaining limbs as a model to regrow the lost ones, which was good enough for most cases until someone came with two missing legs. What I did then was to use their body as base to avoid rejection, then rebuild limbs with my experience and knowledge of anatomy. In both cases, those are not true copies of the original.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°If someone breaks their arm and the fracture doesn¡¯t fuse properly, the arm can be bent. It¡¯s not the original shape of the arm and yet someone¡¯s soul will consider it the new normal. The same is valid for scars and other marks of, well, essentially living. Someone specialized in fighting with a spear will have a slightly different muscle structure from someone training with a sword and shield. They are all the current arm of the person. Flesh is malleable. The limbs I regrow without a model are functional but they could be shorter or longer than what they would have been before the amputation.¡±


    ¡°You just say flesh is malleable. I also know that the body compensates for losses, so a period or reeducation will almost always be necessary. So long as the regrown limb is functional, it should not be too problematic, should it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, however we could limit this drastically by rebuilding as close to the original as possible.¡±


    ¡°I can see how that would be preferable. Hmmm.¡±


    Sidjin considers his options in silence.


    ¡°We could modify a memorial spell, an extremely rare and niche construct developed by Hallurian investigators to reconstruct the image of a body from a single piece of flesh. It is frequently used to identify unrecognizable bodies. I think I could make it work. I only have one request: after we have finished the upgraded spell and you operate on me, we should start with my missing muscles before we work on my, ahem, crotch.¡±


    Viv gasped.


    ¡°You care more about your dick than about full leg functionality?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Typical male.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And when I recover fully, you will understand why it was also in your best interest.¡±


    ¡°Hoho, very bold of you sir. We shall see if you can put your junk where your mouth is.¡±


    Viv stopped and winced.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t come out the way I thought it would.¡±


    ¡°I think it came out just fine.¡±


    Arthur changed her relationship with Viv following their conversation and after she spent some time fangirling. She took Viv¡¯s advice to heart, and tried to communicate her desires and opinions more often. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, she wanted more meat and more gold. Viv managed to lure her away from those base concerns with magic and flight, using Sidjin¡¯s help. The dragonette could immediately move things around with her mind when she understood the concept, and she did so better than Viv despite this being her first try. Viv found it mildly frustrating.


    ¡°And to think you thought me gifted,¡± she lamented to Sidjin.


    ¡°I regret to inform you that you are not, in fact, better than a dragon at magic. I hope your self-esteem will recover from this terrible revelation, one day.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. How about flying then?¡±


    Arthur tried lifting herself with mana and declared it inferior to her method in every way, sounding very smug about it. She did concede it could help for sharp turns. Viv thought the exercise a waste until she found the dragonette suspiciously quiet.


    Arthur was sitting quietly on the deck of the ship.


    A small bag of nails lifted slowly from a nearby barrel, then landed again. It happened a few times in a row. The clink of metal rang softly.


    Her eyes narrowed in cold calculation.


    ¡°No!¡± Viv interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend, I know exactly what you are thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeee.¡±


    Viv frowned at the dejected wannabe pickpocket. Such greed. In any case, her idea could be of use. Arthur didn¡¯t learn magic per se because she didn¡¯t have to, but perhaps giving her a glimpse of what could be achieved would help her develop in a way hunting could not. Viv decided to expose her to a lot of sorcery after she was admitted. Hopefully, it would keep her interested.


    As they approached Helock, the landscape changed drastically. So far, the River Flower had coasted along green shores of endless glades, then prairies of dry grass as they traveled along the edges of the Kark steppes. Soon, however, the relief grew steeper with tall, tree-covered peaks and strange needle-like formations, most of which should have collapsed at the slightest tremor.


    ¡°We¡¯re arriving. Here is the vigil rock, floating between those two mountains,¡± Sidjin soon said.


    His words slowly registered in Viv¡¯s incredulous brain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry the rock is doing what?¡±


    ¡°Floating?¡±


    ¡°Floating? Floating?¡±


    Viv rushed to the prow and gawked at the new sight. For the others, the unassuming piece of weathered rock crawling with ivy might have been mundane, but to her that was absolutely insane.


    ¡°It¡¯s flying! What? How can it be flying? It¡¯s a trick of the eyes? Are you pranking me, Sidjin?¡±


    The man seemed to be at a bit of a loss.


    ¡°As much as I enjoy your trust in my abilities, I cannot casually lift several tons of stone for a practical joke, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°How come I never heard of floating rocks? Should they not mention that in the¡­ hmmm¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, most of what she had read were dry historical recountings and exam material.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t read it in anything I¡¯ve seen so far.¡±


    ¡°You must have read about the attempt to reach the Chalice?¡±


    Viv used her stat-enhanced memory to remember that particular tidbit. Some people had tried to explore this high place several times throughout history, but had always failed due to mana-reinforced storms.


    ¡°I always assumed it was a mountain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the largest floating rock, vaguely shaped like a cup as its name infers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just weird that Varska never mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, well, I can understand if she didn¡¯t want to talk about the place that exiled her.¡±


    Viv frowned. Varska had shared memories, but most of them had been specific moments that had marked her, not full accounts of Helock and its features. She would still have thought someone would mention it.


    ¡°I bet you are wondering how they levitate,¡± Sidjin remarked excitedly.


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°It is due to a stone called gravitite that reverses gravity when subjected to intense mana concentrations. Helock was founded on a confluence, a place where ambient mana is more potent. The deep woods are such a place, and so is the Harrakan palace, for example.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You can find gravitite everywhere if you look hard enough, but it is mostly indistinguishable from quartz so most people will not bother.¡±


    ¡°Ok so where are my flying ships?¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Nyil has flying stone so obviously there should be flying ships, no?¡±


    Sidjin looked a bit surprised, then sighed.


    ¡°You have a strange sense of priorities. As for using gravitite to create anything, you will have to face several challenges before you can accomplish anything. First, the larger the vein and the more potent the effect. Second, a broken vein loses a large amount of efficacy. Two pieces of gravitite are far from being as effective as a single piece made from both, so carving it out presents massive risks. There is also the issue with feeding the stone enough mana to keep it aloft anywhere else but here. Finally, Helock strictly prohibits tampering with the floating rocks, not just because they are considered features of the city, but because breaking a vein would likely cause the entire rock to collapse. The Chalice levitates two hundred meters above the government district and the academy. If it were to crash, the ensuing destruction would destroy Helock¡¯s heart. That is why generations of archmages have tried to scout it, in vain. The surrounding mana disables enchantments while gales blow beasts and vehicles against nearby rocks, smashing them to smithereens.¡±


    ¡°Damn, there goes my dream of a floating ship.¡±


    ¡°You can always look into it after you have saved yourself from death.¡±


    ¡°Maybe using a brown mana specialist to fuse veins together carefully¡­¡±


    ¡°AFTER¡­ you have saved yourself, Viviane dear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°And learned space magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    ¡°And perfected your regeneration spell.¡±


    ¡°I got it, Sidjin. I¡¯m capable of prioritizing my projects. Let me be excited for new things, alright?¡±


    Sidjin flinched, mortified.


    ¡°I apologize. So many have tried to take me away from my pursuit and now I¡¯ve done the same to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I know you care about my survival.¡±


    ¡°I do¡­¡±


    They fell into a contemplative mood as the River Flower approached the floating rock. As the ship moved on, the river widened. Terraces appeared and they were not the bareboned alterations of the mountain folk, but complex systems with clear irrigation paths. Some of them were being drained and laborers walked through the soaked ground to harvest a rich bounty from the revealed stalks. Travelers, wagons, and horsemen clogged the roads. Viv even saw a cavalry detachment with banded armor and spears help clear a traffic jam through a generous application of violence. Ships were more numerous too, not just transport ships like their own, but also fishing boats and, in one case, a heavily fortified and enchanted frigate. The dress style here reminded her of Varska¡¯s dresses, with large sleeves and a slight oriental feel, though that might just be her bias. Padded shoulders were a constant for both men and women, at least among the rich ones.


    ¡°I know you also enjoy the company of the fairer sex,¡± Sidjin said, interrupting her musings.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Helock tolerates almost of forms of intimacy, on account of its mages coming from extremely diverse backgrounds. The Academy is especially rife with connections. It means that you will be surrounded with young, healthy, capable people who might very well be searching for partners.¡±


    He sighed and placed his hands on the railing, but his eyes never left Viv¡¯s and he sounded quite serious.


    ¡°We have known each other for only two weeks, and I realize I have no right to make demands of you. I love what we have. You are making me feel human again, that not all is lost for me, and I am someone who deserves to be loved. Your smiles have opened a pit of emotions I had bottled since the torture started. You have made me brittle, but in a good way. So please, do not disappear on me. I can accept if you want to end it, but please do not play games with me. I will still teach you what you need to know. I just do not want another betrayal.¡±


    ¡°I understand. And I accept,¡± Viv replied with solemnity.


    Sidjin grunted, and stretched. Something creaked in his shoulder. Now that his teeth were fixed, he was eating more, which was good, Viv thought.


    ¡°You know, a Glastian princess would have been disgusted by my confession. She would have taken it for weakness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re weak, Sidjin. I think you¡¯ve endured a lot and have the scars to prove it.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I don¡¯t think I¡¯m weak either, and I will remind those who stole my research of that fact.¡±


    Viv remembered why Sidjin was coming to Helock.


    ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±


    ¡°I have options, depending on what the situation is. I could use your help if you are willing, but first, we need to get you admitted. Whoever stole my research has backers. It would be a shame if they managed to veto your presence before you had a chance to forge your own connections.¡±


    ¡°We will need to find a place to stay and contact the church as well.¡±


    ¡°And we will do all of that after we have arrived.¡±


    The first thing Viv saw of Helock was the ocean. Past the city, the Shal spread wildly then spilled its gray waters into the sea¡¯s blue. A storm was brewing over the horizon. The low, dark clouds hung over in shades of cobalt lit by the afternoon sun until the sea and the air merged in a dizzying overlap of cold hues. On the west embankments, private estates peppered the hills behind layers of hedges and copses of trees while the east contained the Helock harbor hidden behind a forest of masts. Buildings covered the rise on which the city had made its nest, each district forming a band of progressively cleaner, more expensive constructions. Churches and markets sat like fat cats among their lesser brethren, forming small courts, but the city was clearly dominated by a massive dome around which grew a great many towers in all shapes and sizes, next to a large park. She recognized the academy from her textbook. Pennants fluttered in the wind, visible even this far in their multitude. The smell of humanity and spices reached her even here.


    ¡°Breathtaking, is it not?¡± Sidjin asked with a smile. ¡°I remember the first time I traveled here. I had not left Glastia before then for more than a couple of days. In truth, you have traveled more than I have, Viviane the outlander.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s moments like those that make it all worthwhile.¡±


    Leit joined them with a smile. The merchant kept his distance after the tongue lashing he had received, not that Viv blamed him. Clear relief flooded his happy face. Viv bet he couldn¡¯t wait to see them go.


    ¡°Our destination, at last.¡±


    The River Flower sailed into a private stone pier. Dockers rushed forth to help unload the cargo while the passengers disembarked. A civil servant in a yellow robe bid them welcome and had Sidjin pay a reasonable entry fee, but Viv got exempted as a prospective student. He also seemed to know about Arthur and made no comments on her, merely bowing and wishing her a pleasant stay, which made the dragonette preen.


    ¡°How did he know I was here for the Academy?¡± Viv asked after he was gone. ¡°I could have been lying.¡±


    ¡°Custom officers have modified inspection skills that give them business-related insights. Even if it didn¡¯t, anyone who has practiced magic to any reasonable degree will feel the way mana shifts around you when they get close enough.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well then, let¡¯s find a place to sleep for tonight.¡±


    ¡°And tomorrow we will go to the academy and register you.¡±


    They said their goodbye to Leit who advised them to take a room at a nearby hotel owned by the guild. The room was cramped, but clean and affordable. It would be fine for a few days. They had a lot to plan.

 Chapter 105: A Place of Learning

    Helock had the cosmopolitan feel of world capitals, back on earth. As they moved up the slope towards the Academy, the two humans and one small dragonette had come across blockish, colorful northern houses, the sober lines and peaked roofs of Enoria, and solemn, plastered facades Sidjin said were typical of Baran. There were even, here and there, strange minarets that bore the mark of the distant Vizim from whence Sidjin¡¯s ancestor had sailed, ages ago. The crowd themselves showed just as much diversity, if not more. The dark-skinned northerners were the majority, but the slight green tint of the continent¡¯s main ethnic groups could be found in declinations going from pale to the same burnished tone the savage Koro had shown. Viv also met her first Hallurians, members of an extremely limited diaspora. The men shaved their heads while women wore theirs long and braided, and they all walked with guarded postures or in groups. The clothes too were a study in fashion. Baggy trousers and comfortable skirts alternated with the oriental, padded robes Viv associated with the local nobility. Basic cuts Viv associated with medieval clothes was prevalent among the poorer people, but there were signs of extravagance.


    Viv¡¯s enthusiasm for this new environment survived the two minutes it took for the smell of the city to cover that of spices, and for the melting pot to reveal itself as a salad bowl. People rarely mingled, preferring to stick to their own folks. Glares abounded. Covered windows and the occasional derelicts showed traces of damage, some of which appeared rather recent. Many of the men carried knives and truncheons in full display, a sign that the law here no longer had their trust. Everyone gave Viv a wide berth.


    ¡°Is it me or is the city a boiling kettle?¡± she whispered to Sidjin.


    ¡°There were tensions like that in Glastia before some food riots, ten years ago.¡±


    ¡°Is that normal?¡±


    ¡°As normal as tensions are, yes. Helock is known for a relative laissez-faire. The city is ancient. There is little space to expand, and the farms work at capacity. Helock is also seldom at war, so overpopulation is often an issue, at least until the next Hallurian invasion, when all the continent¡¯s kingdoms send their levies to the slaughter.¡±


    Thankfully, the mood improved when they walked by a gate to the inner wall. They faced a circular lake surrounded by trees, a literal breath of fresh air after escaping the lower city¡¯s pungent smell. Children played on the glade under the vigilant gaze of groups of knitting women. The guards were more abundant here as well, carrying shortswords, bows, and shields. They wore gambesons and tabards bearing the symbol of Helock: a tower over white walls and two crossed staves. Imagery was rarely subtle in this world, Viv thought.


    ¡°Nice lake. It looks too perfectly round to be natural. Is this a mage¡¯s work?¡±


    ¡°After a fashion. You are staring at the epicenter of the alchemy guild disaster of five one two. The bottom of the lake is mana-saturated glass, so the water cannot escape.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Since that time, the guild may not operate within the city.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡±


    Viv looked at the lake in another way. How many people had been vaporized by this accident, she wondered? But now there were trees and picnic tables. Hm.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± Sidjin asked.


    No one bothered the pair as they made their way up, barely looking at Arthur at all. In fact, even the guards had waved them in towards the inner city, not even asking for identification. She was not the only ¡®pet¡¯ around, but Viv wondered if the guards had not been warned.


    In this more affluent part of town, image seemed to be everything. The houses were considerably larger, three-stories tall, and they shared strangely identical dimensions despite the different styles in the first show of cultural assimilation Viv had seen here. They were surrounded by cramped gardens and high walls. Viv had not seen such claustrophobic optimization of space since her latest trip to Paris. The people also wore better fabric and the overall place was quieter. Restaurants replaced street hawkers and warded shops replaced stalls. Buggies drawn by people, not beasts, started to appear as well, some of them carrying crates of goods around. They were quite fast. It smelled much better as well. Magical lights atop steel poles stood at the main junctions, unlit at this time of the day.


    They reached the central district half an hour later at a brisk walk. It was not the highest elevation yet, which got to show how important the Academy was. A massive central square hosted blocky government buildings that reminded Viv of Egyptian temples, banks including a familiar one, actual temples, and the Keep. Towering over all the other buildings and jealously guarding barracks like a mother goose its war-like goslings, the fortress cast an impressive shadow over the square¡¯s fountain. It also boasted the single largest collection of enchantments Viv had ever seen by a degree of magnitude. Even her most destructive spells would peter out and die before touching the surface of a brick. Guards in mail and conical helmets paraded the grounds or stood like meaty gargoyles over the ramparts, stomping around with great importance. The men and women visiting the nearby edifices were either civil servants in white cloth, rich citizens, or runners darting around with bursts of gray mana. Almost everyone Viv saw had one or several magical objects in their possession, while all the soldiers had runes on their shields. Flowers and trees arrayed around the plaza glinted in the morning light


    ¡°The upper district has the highest mana concentration. The government picked trees and flowers that shine in the night because they provide a great view. Technically, the lower districts have enough mana concentration to sustain them as well but the vegetation would be cut and sold on the black market for three iron bits within half a day of being planted.¡±


    Sidjin then expanded on the government while they made their way to the bank to pick a letter of credit for the tuition. Helock nominally had a town council, and it did have responsibilities, but the important decisions such as war and budget were ultimately decided by a council leader under the control of the Academy itself. The school also worked hand in hand with the military, supplying them with the best enchanted gear on the continent and a generous contingent of war casters. For all intents and purposes, the Academy governed Helock.


    This time, the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange, Helock Branch, was not the most prestigious and largest financial institution around, which surprised Viv. Nevertheless, she was glad to make her way to the familiar facade with its narrow windows and sober columns. She had to wait in line, for once, and prevented Arthur from sharing her heist questions by redirecting her towards interest rates calculations and risk assessment. It seemed to irk the dragonette that she could simply not eat those who defaulted.


    ¡°It¡¯s counter productive,¡± Viv explained. ¡°They can never repay you.¡±


    Arthur spent the rest of the visit huffing sulkily on the carpet.


    Soon enough, they had the letter and it was time to visit the academy proper.


    At first, Viv believed there was an upper, upper city. That was not the case. The Academy simply occupied more grounds than the entirety of the city¡¯s administrative center. The path led them to a grand entrance as tall as five men and large enough to accomodate an adult dragon, though it was mostly empty at the moment. Actual war mages in full regalia held the door, faces covered behind a mask. Their armored robes shone in Viv¡¯s perception. They, too, let the pair in without moving. They came across quite a few powerful mages and younger students in several colors of robes. The few civilians displayed amazing levels of wealth and the appropriate numbers of bodyguards and servants. By comparison, Viv felt positively pedestrian.


    ¡°We should take horses next time.¡±


    ¡°You need a permit for that, but we could rent a buggy,¡± Sidjin offered.


    The idea was intriguing, but it disappeared as soon as they found themselves in an inner court that also acted as an antechamber. The court itself was large enough to host a couple of basketball games, but more importantly, it was tastefully decorated to provide a facade of understated power. Stone paths snaked through carefully curated hedges and copses, while bright flowers hung from wooden trellises, enticing them with their heady perfume when they walked underneath. Statues of past archmages stood here and there as a reminder of the Academy¡¯s prestigious past. A central fountain gurgled happily. Fishes swam through its waters which rose in the air in defiance of gravity. Viv had to admit, it was a neat fucking trick.


    Through the canopies and colorful vegetation, she found three entrances at cardinal points besides the exit. The left one led to the administration, their destination. The right one stood more subdued, the door camouflaged behind a thick hedge. The main entrance, however, was in the front, was as large as a cathedral door, and led to the single largest dome Viv had ever seen. It dwarfed the Pantheon and Hagia Sophia. In fact, she could have shoved them underneath its dizzying height, and from what she could see of its distant, ochre roof, it lacked any sort of support columns.


    ¡°How can this thing even stand? It should be collapsing under its own height!¡±


    ¡°Parts of the edifice use gravitite to keep itself aloft. Several brown archmages cooperated under Sotiff the Stoneshaper to create it. It can withstand an artillery bombardment without its wards.¡±


    Viv sighed with pleasure. Now that was some cool magical stuff. That was the new and unseen. The dome extended over her to vertiginous height. She looked up at the summer sky and found floating rocks gravitating over the imposing shape of the chalice, strange mana winds warping its contours.


    Someone cleared their throat behind, and Viv apologized, letting a wizened professor with a long white beard pass her. He smiled and gave her a nod of appreciation, which she returned.


    ¡°Registration first?¡± Sidjin suggested with a knowing look.


    ¡°Yes, right.¡±


    She didn¡¯t miss the fact he had given her a moment and grabbed his hand as they moved on. Once again, he flinched a little at the sudden contact, but he soon returned the grab. His hand was rather warm, and a bit calloused now that he could move them again to work on things. He gently guided her to the administrative building, which was white and quite clean, then into a large lobby decorated with comfy seats, and guarded by two more elite war mages. Viv did not inspect them as she was certain they would feel it, but the soul and mana impression they got from their strict control was that they were on the fourth step, and if they were, that was a rather impressive flex. Two women occupied a desk at the end of the row. The lead one had short gray hair and she was talking in a low voice with a merchant carrying a bag of samples, if the raw mana emanating from his case was any indication. They finished their discussion and the man walked to a seat to wait, while the woman invited Viv to come closer with a wave.


    ¡°Hello, and welcome to the academy. My name is Sel. How can I help you?¡±


    The woman had spoken Enorian, which Viv took as an indication that the woman knew exactly who she was. Her doubts were confirmed when her host¡¯s eyes found Arthur checking the surroundings. The dragonette felt eyes on her and glared back.


    ¡°I would like to apply. My name is Viviane.¡±


    ¡°Welcome. We have been expecting you. Darla will guide you to a private office, where you can start the process right away.¡±


    The other woman stood. She was southerner with subdued manners, much younger. She made to leave, but Sel stopped them.


    ¡°The application process is a private matter. Your companion must stay behind, though the¡­ young lady¡­ can accompany you.¡±


    ¡°I will stay here,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Alright, thanks. See you soon.¡±


    Viv heard Sel offer Sidjin a cup of infusion, then the two switched to the northern tongue. Darla led Viv through a series of corridors and past busy offices crammed with papers and crystals of unknown function. None of the administrative staff were mages that she could see, but they had a lot of enchanted tools to work with.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Darla finally landed them in a small office at the back of the building. It was clearly meant for interviews, with an intimate feeling more akin to a coffee house than a school. Back windows gave Viv a view of an enormous park, with some students exercising in the distance. A servant brought warm water and two cups, along with a choice of small herbal balls to dissolve them in. Viv picked one at random while Darla removed a sheaf of paper from a drawer.


    ¡°Most of our students graduate from chartered places of learning before they come here, so you will be applying as a free candidate. The process will be a little longer and I¡¯ll be asking a few additional questions but it¡¯s nothing to worry about. Free candidates make up a third of our numbers. After that, we will determine which trials you will be taking according to your profile and the classes you intend to take. Do you have any questions before we begin?¡±


    ¡°Are there arrangements for Arthur?¡± Viv asked, pointing at the dragonette as she was carefully sniffing the herbal balls.


    Darla watched the dragonette huff her superheated disappointment and return to her inspection of the windows.


    ¡°The dean is working on it right now, just know that she will not be allowed to stay with you in the dormitory, so you will have to find your own accomodation. We can assist you in this endeavor. In fact, we recommend working through us to avoid fraudulent offers. She will be allowed in the public spaces, though not the classrooms. We will be keying her to the wards during admission. Ah, for the same reason, you cannot take her with you to tests.¡±


    Darla smiled to take the edge off her word. Viv¡¯s careful mind wondered if they were concerned about cheating, but that was probably taking things too far.


    ¡°Fine. What did you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°What is your purpose in attending the school? What do you wish to achieve?¡±


    ¡°Mastery of black and colorless casting, and finding a way to survive my increased attunement.¡±


    ¡°You have a dominating color? Black, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I received some estimates that I have between a year and several before it kills me.¡±


    Darla hissed softly, but then considered the question.


    ¡°I think the medical faculty can help you with that, and you could put in a request for an archmage. Yes, the Academy can definitely assist you in this endeavor.¡±


    ¡°What is the likelihood that I would receive help?¡±


    ¡°Medical assistance is a guarantee for all students. Your file says you have made advances in the field as well?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will do their very best. For the help of an archmage, you would have to see. I would not be able to tell you who might help, and they will most certainly require something in exchange. And it will not be money. I suppose you will have to see for yourself. Do not be alarmed, you are in Param¡¯s center of magical knowledge. If someone has a solution, you will find it here. Now, onto security questions. Do you have any enemies currently attending school?¡±


    ¡°Not to my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°This is important. Many of our students are parts of powerful or at the very least invested families or factions. Although we do not expect everyone to let go of their grievances, the Academy was, is, and shall remain neutral ground. The truce is strictly enforced for your protection as well as that of others.¡±


    ¡°Well, except for gods, everyone who ever offended me here is dead.¡±


    Marla didn¡¯t seem to know how to answer that.


    ¡°I have no grudges and no intention to harm any member of the faculty or the student body. ¡°


    ¡°Good. You will be requested to swear an oath under Nous as well as a contract before you are admitted.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°Why not just an oath?¡±


    ¡°While we would love to, there are far too many ambiguities to cover. For example, you are asked to do nothing that would harm the academy, but some students come from rival city-states and their very education represents a threat to the city, and thus the academy. The contract makes sure to cover those eventualities, and being found in breach leads to very serious consequences.¡±


    ¡°And the oath?¡±


    ¡°Breaking the oath causes a caster to have their conduits crippled. They will also be expelled.¡±


    Darla clearly believed the second punishment to be the more dire.


    ¡°I have no objection, though can I read them?¡±


    ¡°I do not have a copy right here, but I assure you that the terms are quite reasonable. We merely want to prevent rivalries that would lead to bloodshed.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I have no intention of causing problems but if someone tries to attack me or Arthur¡­¡±


    ¡°You have met the faceless guard, I believe. They enforce the rules. Rest assured that this is one of the safest places on Param, perhaps even in the world.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Darla seemed a bit offended at Viv¡¯s apparent disbelief. It was not a lack of trust on the witch¡¯s part. She just expected bad luck and trouble as a matter of course.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have questions about the oath and contract, we can move on to the trial. We have a variety of curriculums you can pick. I have a list here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have things I want to pick. Sidjin gave me some advice.¡±


    ¡°The man who was with you? I¡¯d suggest you checked the list anyway. Outsiders cannot have access to the list of classes you wish to follow, unless you give your agreement. If necessary, we can even produce a limited diploma.¡±


    ¡°Is this related to the fact he cannot be here?¡±


    ¡°That is correct. We are a place of free learning. Every year, sponsors and governments try to enforce class selections for women and commoners. Our goal is to prevent this from happening.¡±


    Darla seemed very proud and Viv approved, though the stance begged some questions.


    ¡°Would this not lead to people just not applying?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they could¡­ but we have no serious competition. To deny us is to settle for mediocre training, and even if the nobles themselves can tolerate it¡­¡±


    ¡°The mages would object.¡±


    ¡°It is excessively difficult to keep a caster obedient through coercion, as many rulers have learned. The Academy teaches its members about law and civic duty, to remind them that they are not superiors to their fellow men and women. We also provide education according to the choice of the mages, not the preference of their relatives, to remind them that their magic is their own and belongs to no one but themselves. Thus, balance is achieved.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a really noble goal,¡± Viv conceded, and she found that she meant it. Of course, there was usually a chasm between theory and practice, and it was easy to provide access to knowledge but harder to make people accept that they deserve it. Especially when they¡¯d been taught since birth they were meant to raise a family. It was still a good start.


    ¡°It is, is it not?¡± Darla replied with fervor. ¡°All of Param¡¯s states treat casters decently thanks to the Academy¡¯s far-reaching influence! Except Halluria, of course,¡± she said, her mouth twisting in disgust, ¡°but they are barbarians and cruel to themselves.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, what¡¯s with Halluria¡¯s casters?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they are marked like the warborns and kept in control via their tattoos, but we get escapees every year. You will learn more in your law class. Oh, speaking of, we should pick your classes now so we can organize the trials.¡±


    Viv had a list she had built with Sidjin, but when she took it out, Darla expressed disapproval. Viv decided to indulge the determined girl since her purpose was obviously to make sure Viv was using the Academy to its utmost, and they went over the list together.


    Viv would have to take compulsory classes on the basics of magic with runes, mana shaping, and enchantment lessons. Every student had to graduate from at least the basic level to graduate. All of those disciplines would be tested the next day.


    ¡°Students are encouraged to join us while on the second step. You will do fine,¡± Darla assured her.


    Besides classes on the basics of magic, there was another class named ethics everyone had to follow. It was a mix of law, civics, and etiquette as far as it understood, and the purpose was to make sure graduates were not absolute fucking savages who slurped their soups and blew their nose in the silk napkins. Viv found this understandable. Of course, such a noble institution wouldn¡¯t want to be represented by some vulgar, uncultured louts. She hoped to fuck it meant table manners were on the table, so to speak. Maybe there would be wine tasting.


    Viv¡¯s fine food fantasies evaporated when the question of core disciplines came up. This was the real meat of education at the academy, the perfection of one¡¯s mastery of mana. Viv picked black as the first discipline, and colorless as second. That surprised Darla.


    ¡°I believe you are the first in the Academy¡¯s history to pick up this specific distribution. We don¡¯t even have people majoring in colorless casting. At least, not this year.¡±


    ¡°Well, considering my attunement¡­¡±


    ¡°You should keep your attunement secret. Only share it with your medical practitioner after you get one.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Your file indicates you are an outlander, so you may not be aware, but details on your path and your stats are confidential information. The Academy will never demand it of you, though you are welcome to share it with mentors or personal trainers. Be cautious, be safe! Now, to more exciting details. Electives!¡±


    There were a veritable boatload of electives, taught by a variety of non tenured professors or just professionals ranging from fencing to accountancy to language and many other disciplines that could be useful to a mage looking to branch out. There was even a pottery class, and Darla explained that it could be useful in siege weapon enchantment disciplines. Viv thought she might be overwhelmed on account of facing what was essentially a program for magic-boosted prep school workaholics, but there were two she thought she absolutely needed: magical military doctrine, and magical dueling. The first option was obvious: so far she had worked in support of her men back in Harrak to satisfactory results but she had also been coasting on her talent. It might be useful to see how professional armies fought. Solfis certainly had data on this, but it wasn¡¯t the same as learning how her potential rivals did it nowadays.


    Magical dueling was another matter. She had done well against monsters and mages caught off guard so far, but that might change. She needed to gain more experience against mages, and possibly learn less lethal options to take down her opponents. Not every death was desirable, especially not in a city that valued the moral integrity of its magical population.


    ¡°Is that all? I think it¡¯s a good fit for you, and you can always change electives during the year, or during the next semester. Right, finish filling the form and then I¡¯ll schedule the trial for tomorrow¡¯s session.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Viv asked, surprised.


    ¡°The next semester starts in two weeks and we like to scatter the trials to avoid crowds. You will be in good hands, I promise.¡±


    Viv signed the last few formalities, then it was just a matter of waking Arthur from her nap and making her way out. Darla did not immediately return to the lobby. Instead, they walked through twisting corridors and then past a heavily warded arch to an assuming room occupied by a large crystal. A man stood by its gleaming red surface, inspecting documents on a notepad. He wore the same simplified robe she had seen on the administrative staff, only his was red. He was also one of the ugliest persons Viv had ever seen, with fat lips, a flattened nose, one eye slightly larger than the other, a prominent forehead, and a pointy chin over squarish jaw, yet she still found him striking. He had a fantastic beard, for one, and a solid musculature that pushed against the taut robe. There was also something peculiar about him she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.


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    That explained it, the man was probably hiding something. It didn¡¯t surprise her. She wouldn¡¯t leave the key to one of the most sensitive locations in the world to a complete schmuck. He greeted her warmly, and she returned it.


    ¡°And you must be Arthur! Hello, milady. I hope you had a pleasant stay so far.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t hear the exchange but the dragonette narrowed her eyes and the man hid a smile.


    ¡°I apologize, and we will be sure to offer meat next time. As for the herb pellets, they are meant to be dissolved in a cup of warm water, not eaten as is. My sincerest apologies. We seldom have the opportunity of receiving a guest of your class, milady.¡±


    If Arthur inflated her chest anymore, the warm air might cause her to float, Viv thought.


    ¡°Now, would you kindly present your paw so that I may enter your mana signature into the ward system? Thank you.¡±


    The dragonette did so with all the grace of a duchess allowing a baisemain.


    ¡°Fascinating. Simply fascinating. My thanks, milady. Please enjoy your stay. Goodbye, and good luck for the entrance trial.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Viv replied, somewhat feeling that she was missing some context. Darla led her back to the lobby where Sidjin had been waiting. He stood up and winced, clutching his leg.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°My strength might be returning, but there are still difficult days and it looks like this will be one of those. I fear I overdid it this morning.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a buggy back.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to grab an early lunch beforehand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±


    Sidjin seemed pleased, the reason clear as soon as he guided her to a door on the side. The administrative building had a visitor restaurant with a dedicated chef specifically designed to accommodate dignitaries. A waiter in impeccable livery led them to an isolated table near the windows. The restaurant overlooked the park, where students were still training. Fields and houses dotted the green expanse, with some denser vegetation farther in. The sun reflected on glasshouses in the distance.


    ¡°The dormitories are there. There are fraternities and botanical gardens as well as training centers disseminated around the Academy. Around a thousand students and staff share this space at any time, arranged in too many cliques and groups of interests to count. This will be your playground for a year, probably more. Some of my best memories happened here. The discoveries. The learning. Being free of my past.¡±


    ¡°The sex?¡±


    ¡°Some,¡± he laughed. ¡°The most brilliant minds of Param work tirelessly here, under a lot of pressure. Everyone needs to let off some steam.¡±


    ¡°Is this what they call it these days?¡±


    The waiter returned at this moment with an assortment of platters. There were eggs in sauce, charred greens, and a tender, spicy meat on skewers. It was more of a degustation menu, and light enough not to make her sleepy afterward, especially after Arthur dug in. Viv noted no one had made a fuss about her. They all took their time sampling everything.


    ¡°How did you get in? I assume they don¡¯t just welcome everybody.¡± Viv asked after a look at the other guests. She was not exactly underdressed but they were definitely on the casual side.


    ¡°I chatted up Sel. She knows I¡¯m an alumnus. I told her I was trying to woo you. Is it working?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a passing grade.¡±


    ¡°How do I improve the score?¡±


    ¡°Dessert.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    They were served small tarts and candied fruits with tea. It was quite nice.


    ¡°It won¡¯t last, this peace,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°You¡­ attract attention. Politics rules here, but in a peculiar way. It¡¯s the moment for all those scions to move and grab pieces until they leave. Some of those who shake hands during the graduation ceremony will find themselves at opposite sides of battlefields and assassination plots. And I have not even started on the state of Helock itself, so for now, let¡¯s enjoy the moment. We can visit the temple later.¡±


    ¡°That sounds lovely.¡±


    ***


    In the wardstone room, the man masquerading as the inscriber turned to the woman pretending to be an assistant.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Interesting profile. Guarded, wary, distrust of authority despite a bias for control. As far as I can tell, she has no ulterior motives.¡±


    ¡°Any mention of our Enorian contact?¡±


    ¡°I believe she does not see him as a threat. His animosity seems to be one-sided.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep it that way. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°I noted a relative lack of arrogance and entitlement. She doesn¡¯t see the outlander status as a source of pride, didn¡¯t request special treatment. I predict a good work ethic from her serious approach to class selection, though the conflict resolution profile concerns me. She had no objection to the rules, and did not threaten, however she showed no confidence they would protect her. I predict she will scheme if offended and if she does not believe she has been treated fairly. She might go lethal.¡±


    ¡°Do you expect her to be successful?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if only because of her ability to gather potent allies. The memo on the juvenile is still circulating.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the likelihood that she will go through her education without a crisis?¡±


    ¡°Close to zero, sir.¡±


    The Dean of the Academy placed his rough hands on the banister around the stone and leaned forward with a heavy sigh.


    ¡°One of those, ey?¡±


    His spymistress believed he had no idea.

 Chapter 106: Making an entrance (examination)

    Riding a buggy was less a novel experience and more a return to roots, so to speak. There had been a time she had loved being drawn in a carriage. The first time it had been during a warm summer. The fair had smelled of horse and lavender. She had been holding her brother in her arms.


    Viv pushed back the feeling of nostalgia and grabbed Sidjin¡¯s hand, lightly this time.


    ¡°Sorry about the temple,¡± she said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get a better chance at the Academy¡¯s medical faculty, not to mention assistance in perfecting the spell. They will have easier access to monster meat,¡± her boyfriend replied without much anguish.


    The temple of Sardanal, god of prosperity, had been eager to help heal Sidjin, especially with the promise of an intact circle. Unfortunately, they needed magical meat, and Viv had simply not anticipated how precious and expensive it was here. She was starting to suspect Sidjin had spent a significant amount at the restaurant.


    She should not have been surprised.


    Monster meat was prized not just for its bolstering effect, but also because it was proven to improve the chance of giving birth to a caster, especially if consumed during the late term of a pregnancy. Between the status of mages in Helock and the lack of monsters around one of Param¡¯s largest cities, demand far outstripped supply. The temples were not so rich that they could indulge, and so they didn¡¯t even have a supply chain for this precious commodity. Sidjin had given up rather than wait and pay a ridiculous price.


    Viv had still drawn the circle to allow the priests to study it, because she was committed. She believed it had gotten her brownie points. Brownie points with a major religion was a good thing.


    Nevertheless, the delay frustrated her more than it frustrated Sidjin, apparently.


    She highly suspected he was going to wait until the spell was perfect to try and recover his original dick. What a lad.


    Viv smiled as they returned to the hotel they had booked. Arthur was fine with spending the next day alone. She had grown less concerned about Viv¡¯s safety over the past few weeks because nothing had happened and she was still a child with the corresponding attention span. A bit of flying over the ocean was just what she wanted, since it was, apparently, the biggest lake she¡¯d ever seen.


    Viv still asked her not to try and cross it.


    The next morning, Sidjin accompanied Viv once more, stopping at the gate of the Academy with a group of stressed parents pretending very hard not to be nervous. Viv joined a gathering of young adults, trying her best not to notice she appeared closer in age to the people left outside. A few people eyed her with curiosity, but it was as Darla had said. Free candidates were not too unusual.


    They were led to the administrative building by a secretary in basic robes. The man would act as a proctor as well, and he distributed a few sheets to Viv and her seven companions after they settled in an exam room. The outlander filled the header and prepared for the written part of the exam. Even though it would be less impactful for her as an instinctive caster, she could not completely dismiss the contagious atmosphere of anxiety.


    As soon as everyone was set, they started. The first set of questions related to runes and the use of runes, and Viv mostly coasted those. All the runes were basic, fundamental aspects of more complex constructs such as ¡®condition¡¯, ¡®trigger¡¯, ¡®length¡¯, and others that were absolutely essential to complex casting. She had learned those under the direction of Solfis. She only failed to precisely identify two runes used in linking casters together for advanced collaborative spells, which was fine. She tanked the theoretical magic aspect of the exam but that was expected as they were questions aimed towards mages. As a witch herself, she would have results weighed more in favor of the practical aspect of the trial. She still managed to answer one question in three with confidence thanks to Sidjin¡¯s coaching and winged the rest. Some of the theorems were interesting anyway, like the relationship between a spell¡¯s range and its energy consumption. That gave her an idea about how far mages could throw their stuff. You had to know your enemy and yourself to win a thousand battles, etc.


    The history and ethics questions were also a breeze because her seldom used polymath skill kicked in, letting her bullshit her way to the illusion of brilliance. She even managed to write the requested essay in a way that would support Helock¡¯s ethical doctrine while being original enough to prove she put some effort into her ass-kissing. Most of what Helock believed was: do not act like a twit just because you can kill people with a finger twitch, and she approved of it anyway.


    Even though the final etiquette test was ¡®free form¡¯, Viv remained confident. She merely needed to show she wasn¡¯t a complete moron.


    They finished shortly before lunch time.


    Out of the seven students, six knew each other. They gathered in a clump to whisper excitedly about the answers they¡¯d picked, apparently a custom that transcended time and space to affect all people. The last attendee was a free candidate like Viv and, from his lost expression, it was clear he wasn¡¯t looking for company. Viv retired to the entrance to eat her meal on the lawn outside the administrative building, in Sidjin¡¯s company.


    ¡°I found out some more about the portal research,¡± the man said. ¡°I am reasonably sure a certain magister Sterek is in charge. He is the only one with the knowledge currently busy on a confidential project. The issue is his sponsor. Elemental Archmage Elunath. He is the most powerful caster of Helock right now.¡±


    ¡°Would he oppose your reclamation?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. He is a secretive mage who lives in the city center. He does not involve himself with Academy business, preferring to conduct his own research with the help of competent assistants, or so I heard. I will have to negotiate with him.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that legality matters little in the face of power even here?¡±


    ¡°When it comes to elemental archmages, legality might as well not exist.¡±


    ¡°When I become one, you can be my lawyer. If that helps.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I feel flattered,¡± Sidjin deadpanned.


    Viv spent an hour relaxing in pleasant company, only hoping Arthur was fine. She also wondered about Harrak and her companions, though they should be fine without her around acting as a trouble magnet.


    The afternoon tests were individual. A pair of professors welcomed her at the lobby where the other prospective students were waiting. One of the most effeminate men she had ever met greeted her with a delicate handshake, his skin hinting at a Viziman heritage. He had such a tight control over his mana, she only realized he was a red mage after their skins touched. His second flanked him in silence and barely offered a syllable when introduced. She boasted a rare pixie cut so clean she might have just walked out of the stylist. She was also pale and quite short. Both of them wore the embroidered midnight blue robes she had seen on the education staff. Viv wasn¡¯t sure, but she thought the woman had powerful black mana as well.


    They walked her to a small stone building in the garden, mostly deserted now that classes had resumed. It reminded Viv of a hybrid between a gym and a cathedral. The man acted rather friendly in general, which helped relax her. He was the one who guided her through the exercises while his second took notes.


    ¡°First, we will ask you to demonstrate your mastery of the fundamentals of magic. To begin with, please reproduce the forms I will show you using free mana.¡±


    The game was one Viv did to relax anyway, and she managed to recreate all of the shapes the man made including the most tortuous ones. Her only mistake came from a small difference in visualization, and she fixed it immediately when the professor pointed it out. He expressed his satisfaction and requested her to replenish her reserves. Viv used meditative trance for twenty seconds before admitting she was full.


    ¡°Would it be a problem?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, quite the contrary. This trial is over,¡± the man declared with a comforting style. ¡°Now we will test your perception.¡±


    The exercises started lightly. She had to recognize different types of mana in spells or emitted by the teacher. As expected, the woman had a powerful black aspect, though it came second to brown mana. The man favored red and gray. They all had access to basic forms of every color, including life. After Viv demonstrated her mastery, they asked her to turn around and do the same blind, which Sidjin never mentioned. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue. In fact, she was having fun. That test ended too soon.


    ¡°I believe we can safely move on from the fundamentals and see your spellcasting. Would you mind starting with black mana?¡±


    For this part of the trial, the proctors gave the prospective student a chance to display their prowess. Viv decided to show her understanding of the ¡®change meaning¡¯ through the creation of eldritch walls. The examiner led her to the back wall, where enchantments in the foundations and the back allowed damage while preventing it from reaching too deep. He assured her that an earth mage would repair the floor afterward and so she raised a few fortifications. Then came the easy peasy sneaky cloaky, which she then charged with the meaning of annihilation. The woman, in particular, showed clear interest in the shape of the armor and grabbed a stick to test its resilience. The sticks did not survive the experience, much to her silent approval. Viv demonstrated a purge net which she cast without stopping for half a minute, reducing an entire wall to shreds. An attempt at an artillery spell was quickly aborted when the proctor interrupted her.


    ¡°That will be quite enough, thank you. Black mana tends to linger. I wouldn¡¯t want my esteemed colleague to spend too much time repairing the place.¡±


    During the entire process, the man had remained pleasant and cordial while the woman took notes with a serious expression. Viv believed she was doing fine, but could not be sure as they abstained from reacting.


    ¡°Would you like to demonstrate some colorless magic?¡±


    Viv was ready. She first rebuilt her lamp, then started a fire. The pair tested her sound enchantments extensively. Finally, she levitated a couple of ball bearings around.


    ¡°This concludes this part of the exam. I notice you did not apply for enchantment or medical electives, though you have shown a certain ability with both. Is there a specific reason for that?¡±


    ¡°For the medical aspect of magic, I cannot manipulate life mana to any meaningful degree, so magical healing will remain beyond me.¡±


    The woman nodded while the man tapped his thick lips pensively.


    ¡°Hmm, I suppose, though I must warn you that old Tod will certainly want a word with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite fine,¡± Viv thought, and appreciated that he considered her success as a given. ¡°As for enchantment, I¡¯d like to get used to the workload before I pick too many electives. I will have a lot on my plate.¡±


    ¡°Understood, but do consider applying because there are tricks and shortcuts only a master such as myself could teach. You should not settle merely for adequate.¡±


    ¡°If only I could duplicate myself,¡± Viv jokingly replied.


    ¡°I will be looking forward to this magical achievement,¡± the man deadpanned. ¡°Now, onto the electives. The first is military doctrine, and I fear we must return to theory.


    He took out a sheet of paper from one of his sleeves and sat down on a nearby chair. The next questions left Viv a bit discomforted. While she had experienced war herself, she had never been part of a coherent battle mage formation, and it showed. Even polymath could only carry her so far. The examiner frowned for the first time since the trial began, until the woman stepped up to him and whispered in his ears. He nodded once and shifted his method to asking her how she would react in specific scenarios. It gave her more leeway.


    ¡°You are marching down a road in the middle of the forest when suddenly, the enemy appears in front of you and launches a large cavalry charge. What do you do?¡±


    ¡°Raise walls, retreat into the forest, then form a square.¡±


    The man took rigorous notes. Viv understood what he was doing. She was pretty sure she was in, but in order to be accepted in her elective, she had to demonstrate a basic understanding. The person in charge of the class probably had the last word when it came to accepting students, so the examiner was giving her an opportunity to shine. She suspected being an instinctive caster might not help in this instance.


    ¡°Right, onto magical dueling then! It is one of the most popular electives, and it has only one real prerequisite, though you didn¡¯t hear it from me. Let¡¯s see your shield.¡±


    ¡°Hive.¡±


    The hexagonal and slightly futuristic construct instantly rose around Viv. The man cast a few quick javelins that stopped on the plates without much effect. His next spell covered Viv completely until all she could see beyond the dark plates was fire.


    ¡°I will be using a concept, but rest assured I will stop if it looks like the shield will break,¡± the man added.


    Paranoia needled Viv, but she nodded.


    ¡°Good. In three, two, one¡­¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Viv infused the concept of annihilation into her shield and felt it clash against another, all-devouring one coming from the professor. Fire pressed upon her, so intense she felt the ghost of its warmth through the plates. A small headache birthed between her eyes, then suddenly the spell stopped. The woman furiously wrote in her book while the man smiled wildly.


    ¡°Impressive, I admit. There is one last test I¡¯d like to conduct, then we can stop for today, I believe. Would you care to follow me?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The trio left the practice hall behind, a little worse for wear. They walked through the extensive gardens along paved paths. Viv noted that parts of the park were well-tended and kept for recreational purposes, while others were obviously wilder, deeper into the complex. The fortified and enchanted walls had to extend for litteral kilometers of well-protected fortifications at the center of a city where real estate was at a premium. The power wielded by the Academy defied her expectations. The Academy was not the center of Helock. Helock existed to serve the Academy.


    They walked by a dormitory in front of which a group of older students were conferring. Their dark teal robes displayed ribbons of unknown function, while colors adorned their sleeves. They warmly greeted the two teachers and nodded at Viv with the smug smiles of those who have already proven themselves. Viv¡¯s confidence took a hit when she realized even the near-graduates were younger than her. Eventually, they reached a clearing suspiciously devoid of grass, the naked ground glassy in parts. In the center of the clearing, a stone stood. Strange engravings covered its otherwise pristine surface in sharp contrast with the rest of the clearing, which looked like it had survived two world wars and a rave. Looking at it for too long made her lose her balance. She unwisely decided to inspect it.


    [Nous-blessed stone: this obelisk boasts a powerful magic-canceling effect. It serves as a target for powerful offensive magic due to its extraordinary resilience.]


    ¡°Neat. Nous left it here? I thought he was, you know, dead?¡±


    ¡°His influence remains all around, including in the interface. Why not a stone as well?¡± the professor casually replied. ¡°In any case, let us see your artillery, if you do not mind. Here, you can use this.¡±


    Viv knew Nous was still sort of conscious, but all thoughts about how conscious exactly evaporated when she took what the man had handled her. It resembled a gourd with a faucet near its neck, but was quite heavy and filled with what felt like sand. Very potent sand. Some of it resonated with her faintly in a way that reminded her of her dagger focus.


    ¡°Wait. It¡¯s not silverite, is it?¡±


    ¡°Not quite. You hold finely ground ore that used to surround a silverite vein. Although the material is vulgar, it has kept some of the silverite¡¯s properties. You can use a trickle of it to form a circle, if you wish¡­¡±


    Viv was reasonably sure there was at least a percent of actual silverite mixed in all of this. It would be a nice help.


    Without waiting, Viv recreated the circle she had used during the ambush of Prince Lancer¡¯s forces. It took her a bit more time than she expected since she had to dig furrows into the mana-saturated, glassified ground. Thankfully, black mana was uniquely penetrative, and she managed. When she was done, she poured dust into the grooves and prepared to cast.


    The value of that support circle was not in the power of the spell, but rather the frequency with which she could draw on her reserves to cast them. Blast after blast smashed against the obelisk in oppressive silence. Viv missed the telltale hiss of someone having a bad day since the obelisk merely shed off her spell with no damage. Despite her lack of results, the examiner seemed reasonably pleased.


    ¡°Good, good, very good. I shiver to ask, but is that your most destructive spell?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Viv replied. She walked and erased a few glyphs, soon replacing them with others. Then she walked back and cast again.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    The cloud of destruction hissed, leaving pits and holes in the already ravaged grounds. Viv turned and hesitated, but she was genuinely curious now, and suspected the professor would not let her keep the dust. It was probably also devilishly expensive.


    ¡°There is another, but I¡¯m not sure since the range is quite short.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it then,¡± the examiner replied with measured enthusiasm.


    Viv stepped forth and set up near the monolith. She tried her best not to look at the strange structure, yet it kept catching her gaze. The monolith occupied more room than its humble dimensions showed, she thought, and that was intriguing, but more intriguing in a scholarly kind of way because it made her brain hurt and she had a busy schedule and no time to play with any more godly bullshit. She only had one spell that might possibly affect it. It was Excalibur. Excalibur was by nature a stupid spell. First, Excalibur was the blade of King Arthur and King Arthur was English so that was already a failure on her part as a French woman. She should have called it Durandal. Second, it was a close quarter spell and close quarter casters were normally dead casters. On Nyil, magic changed people. It changed soldiers¡¯ and monsters¡¯ bodies until they were equal to some earth¡¯s pagan gods, she judged. A caster had no business getting close at all because magic changed them in a different way, specifically a way that would get them pasted when in close proximity to pagan gods. Therefore, it was a stupid spell.


    A last resort spell.


    It was also a spell that could reliably kill aberrations in one hit.


    And Viv had acuity reflexes, a skill that let her follow the speed of close-quarter fighters in mind if not in body.


    Nevertheless, it was a stupid spell but it was effective, and Viv thought the time had come to do some limit testing. Who knew? Maybe one day she would have to peel something open like a reluctant tuna can, and Excalibur certainly had the peeling part down pat.


    Viv drilled in the basaltic surface of the clearing, adding runes for stability, duration, and focus. She had never cast Excalibur as a ritual before. She felt a bit like a bank robber preparing to drill into a safe, only the safe was a godly artifact.


    When she was done, she took a step back.


    Afternoon was well on its way. The two professors had set up folding chairs. The woman seemed to be grading papers while the man raised his head, closing a book as he stood. He approached and inspected the circle with detached interest, pausing only near the focus glyph to clear his throat. Viv looked and realized she had double-linked the rune which would quickly destabilize the entire structure. She fixed it quickly, blushing with embarrassment at the blunder. Mistakes killed people. She should have been more careful. Viv went over the construct once again with careful attention. No issue this time.


    The park was nice. A nice breeze from the north brought some fresh air to disperse the summer heat. Whispers and laughs came from the other side of the trees, towards the dormitory. The woman behind Viv had a habit of tapping her notes twice with the top of her pen every time she hesitated. There were no real doubts in Viv¡¯s mind that she would be accepted here, though the question of how many classes she would be allowed to take still remained. All was well, for now. She had all the time in the world.


    There was only her, the circle, and the stone.


    It was there yet not there.


    A mundane human might touch its rough surface and feel the grain of the slab beneath their fingers. They might trace the grooves with their fingertips, and they would feel it, and it would be there, but they would be missing the point. The stone had depth. It was an anchor for something deeper.


    She wouldn¡¯t get another opportunity to use silverite powder on such a pointless pursuit.


    It was now or never.


    She was going to touch it.


    It was divine, and she was going to touch it, caress its surface with the vulgar tools she had at her disposal at the moment. The not-a-stone would remember her. Oh, she would not destroy it. It was too incomprehensibly vast. But she was going to touch it.


    Mana rushed out from her core in a happy torrent, eager, seeking, a blood hound as familiar to her as it was deadly to others. It was hers, granted by the planet. If she returned to earth right now, a little bit of it would return with her. No one could take what she had seized for herself. And so it poured from her core in a tide that filled the circles, more and more, until they were full and ready. The circle hummed, gorged with destructive power ready to annihilate. It ballooned under her until she felt like a misstep would disintegrate her. Behind, the two teachers had stood and watched, silent, as the spell reached its paroxysm. Viv lifted a hand and spoke.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The world darkened. The wind died. The students quieted when a ray of absolute void linked her to the stone, the stone to her, and both to the world. The spell touched the rock and struggled to penetrate through the cocoon of magic that made its shell. Viv pushed it as far as it could go, sacrificing stability and time for sheer power. The blade of darkness lodged itself in the cocoon with grim ineluctability. Its density simply could not be denied.


    Something cracked.


    Something gave way.


    More things held the spell back. The blade touched the stone now, really, though it was still merely the surface. The world inside of the obelisk was immense.


    And then, the spell ran out of power.


    Viv sighed when the spell lost cohesion. She had poured over two thirds of her considerable mana into the construct. It was gone, now, the silverite burnt to ash, but she had done it.


    On the surface of the stone, a gash had opened, surrounded by superheated matter. Viv had not produced the heat. It came from the stone itself. She heard someone gasp, and swear softly. Then¡ª


    <table>


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    <td>


    What the fuck?


    </td>


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    </table>


    Oh.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    What the FUCK? What is wrong with you? Kindly stop breaking my shit, thank you very much. I swear, every century you outlanders grow more obnoxious. And after everything I¡¯ve done for you! Don¡¯t try this again or so help me I¡¯ll put you on the path of a tornado. Bollocks. Do you know I actually have better things to do than to fix anchors? Can you understand that?


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


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    <td>


    Soul mastery: beginner 1


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    <td>


    Lost Heiress (6/10)


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    <td>


    Just you wait.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Oh no.


    <table>


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    <td>


    You have acquired the title: VANDAL. You will find it easier to break physical objects¡­ whether you want to or not.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wait wait wait wait nooooooooooooooooooo!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Viviane, calm down, you are fine, this is fine. Merely¡­ unexpected. See? The stone is reforming,¡± the examiner said in an attempt to calm her.


    But Viv could not be comforted.


    The title was staying. It would mark her soul forever as someone who broke teapots and tagged walls or something. It was good her mother was light years and a dimension away.


    ¡°I admit, this was impressive. And I believe we can conclude the trials. Thank you for your time, candidate Viviane. I will report the results to the staff. Would you like to wait for the results? I believe we can give you a definitive answer after the admission council reaches a decision. They should be finishing for the others as we speak.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Is it that late?¡±


    ¡°Most students only show a couple of spells,¡± the woman spoke perhaps for the first time. ¡°With free candidates, we tend to conduct more comprehensive testing. Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Viv said.


    She could do without the uncertainty, although Sidjin and Arthur were probably waiting. Viv nodded and joined them as they walked back to the administrative building and left her in the lobby where the seven other candidates were gathered. The six students had finally split, now nervously waiting while the other free guy watched a nearby wall with a lost expression. As Viv watched, a pair of examiners summoned one of the teens to a nearby room. They didn¡¯t return.


    She sat down and got offered a cup of something new.


    Now, the staple drink in Enoria was the klod, an infusion that reminded Viv of barley tea. It wasn¡¯t bad and even nourished a little. What she was offered this time was different. The smell of roast touched something deep within her. The craving for coffee.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± she asked Darla who had handed her the cup.


    ¡°Nawa. A delicacy.¡±


    ¡°It sure is¡­¡±


    Although nawa wasn¡¯t technically coffee, the pleasant taste distracted her until Sidjin¡¯s return. He sat by her side while another pair of examiners summoned yet another candidate, and shared his experience. Sidjin had been inquiring about ways to make money, now that he was no longer a prince.


    He had questions.


    ***


    The admission council gathered in one of the standard meeting rooms without ceremony. Every semester, they handled dozens of tests spread over a few weeks. Teachers and researchers universally considered attendance as a chore, despite the need to scout promising students. This time, however, was an exception. An outlander wanted to join.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± the dean asked, hands clasped in front of his crimson robe.


    Okile, tenured enchanter, stepped forward and bowed. He took his time. It was not every day he could tease his impatient colleagues.


    ¡°We have detected no abnormal mana signatures, so we believe she comes from a reality where either mana levels were too weak, or she could not use it. I surmise she received a blessing to learn at an accelerated pace, but it cannot account for all of her performances. I believe she is gifted and hard-working.¡±


    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s begin with the written tests then. Milenia?¡±


    A severe Baranese woman stood ramrod straight. Her robe could pass muster with even the most anal of drill sergeants.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen similar results in good students who crammed at the last minute to achieve a passing grade. Some of her answers showed advanced education, including a few sentences that sounded like quotes. Some others showed a deep understanding of our testing methods. She is smart enough, I suppose, though efforts must be made with etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted. And your verdict?¡±


    ¡°Pass, easily.¡±


    ¡°Okile, what about the fundamentals?¡±


    ¡°Outstanding. She has mana mastery.¡±


    A susurrus crossed the room, not at the announcement, but at the thought of knowing one¡¯s skill.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me, I am merely providing you with an educated guess. I would bet solid money on that,¡± the enchanter continued.


    ¡°No betting on taboo subjects, please. Ashra, I see she picked black mana as her main? Do you approve?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    A stunned silence quieted the others.


    ¡°It would be pointless. The current curriculum aims at including black mana layers in existing frameworks. No one casts pure black spells. Not only would she be unable to make use of the class, but she has already mastered two concepts, annihilation and change.¡±


    ¡°Not darkness?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I have no doubts she will do so before the end of the term, however.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a recommendation, then?¡±


    ¡°I want her as my teaching assistant. Reduce her tuition to ten golden talents a semester and let me have her. I¡¯ll tutor her on advanced applications.¡±


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± a dark-skinned man with a long, flowing beard interrupted.


    ¡°Tod?¡± the dean asked.


    ¡°How is she not part of the medical faculty? Inconceivable!¡±


    ¡°Most medical spells use life mana,¡± Ashra replied. ¡°You know well that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± the dean interrupted. ¡°Tod, she has expressed interest in medical treatment. You will have ample opportunity to make your case to her in person as soon as she contacts the medical faculty. Does someone wish to veto Ashra? No? Then the scholarship is approved. Okile, what about colorless mana?¡±


    ¡°She clearly picked it up much later, though she already showed advanced mastery of a few spells. Her sound spells are flawless. I believe a normal class would be fine. I see great potential in her, especially for mana shaping. She clearly practiced extensively.¡±


    ¡°We will see about that,¡± a dark-skinned woman harrumphed.


    The rest of the council sighed and eye-rolled at the same time.


    ¡°Yes yes. Any veto? No? Good. What about electives?¡±


    Milenia stood again, just as seriously as before.


    ¡°The examinee did not display a basic knowledge of military strategy. However¡­¡±


    Some attendants did a double-take when the strict teacher offered a compromise.


    ¡°However, I recommend accepting her on two grounds. First, outlanders often propose innovative doctrines from their world, and the Academy¡¯s duty should be to learn those doctrines and implement them if and when they prove pertinent. Second, she has led a revolution to victory.¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± an Enorian teacher noted.


    ¡°Kindly wait your turn to speak, thank you. Leading a revolution is almost always an uphill battle. If she has already achieved military success, then she has already demonstrated military capabilities, and the examination itself is redundant. I recommend acceptance.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t teach witches. I hold an academic war council, not some wild wood frolics. Outlander ideas? Oleander was also supposed to bring us new ideas on warfare.¡±


    The man who had spoken was tall and handsome with a deep scar over a dark-skinned cheek. His crimson robe shone with medals.


    A few of the other professors bristled. It was an old argument.


    ¡°Outlanders wage war in their world according to different rules. None of them have shown enough brilliance to overcome centuries of relentless pursuit of excellence on Nyil, and this one doesn¡¯t look any different,¡± the man continued.


    ¡°You will let her attend your classes. If she doesn¡¯t pass the probation test, we will drop her. In the meanwhile, you will let students attend even if they are instinctive casters. See me after if you wish to object. In private. Enough of this. What about dueling?¡±


    ¡°We ran a few tests. I place her at the level of a fourth step war mage in terms of offense and defense,¡± Okile said with barely disguised amusement.


    The room erupted in conversation.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the dean asked.


    ¡°She dug a hole in the blessed obelisk.¡±


    Okile stopped the dean with a raised hand just as the older man made for the door.


    ¡°It already returned to its original form. The circle she used is still there, if you wish to inspect it later.¡±


    ¡°You are serious?¡±


    ¡°I saw it as well,¡± Ashra said. ¡°A gash like a sword wound surrounded by molten material. It returned to normal after a few seconds.¡±


    A heavy silence descended on the room while the professors reflected on this unexpected development. No one had damaged the obelisk in the history of the academy. No one had tried, either, but tens of thousands of attendees had thrown spells at the stone without result. It was widely regarded as impervious to magic.


    Except, apparently, for her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach her,¡± a man with dark curls and liquid eyes softly said from his seat.


    ¡°If only so she doesn¡¯t accidentally kill other students.¡±


    ¡°Good. That will be a good start. To summarize, fundamentals with a focus on etiquette, teaching assistant for black mana, normal student for colorless, dueling elective, probationary military theory. Any veto?¡±


    ¡°We could save ourselves a lot of trouble by culling her and making the juvenile leave. She is a rebel. Her current companion is Sidjin, a known traitor who should have been tortured to death if there were any justice in this world,¡± the military instructor said.


    The dean didn¡¯t speak. He merely glared at the man in scathing, quiet condemnation. The air grew heavy. The instructor started to sweat.


    Slowly, the dean''s eyes turned hard, his features like cold ore resting on the white-hot, molten surface of his skin. The room¡¯s temperature increased. No one dared to speak.


    Eventually, the dean took a deep breath and returned to normal. He gestured, and one of the windows opened. Fresh air rushed in.


    ¡°I believe we have a majority ruling. I shall let Ashra and Okile share our decision with candidate Viviane.¡±


    The instructors walked back, only to find her seat empty and her cup discarded. Darla was waiting nearby.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Okile asked.


    ¡°I want to know as well. We were talking about the history of the Academy then, suddenly, her expression turned to one of horror. She screamed something about the dragon, swore in an unknown language, and took off at a sprint.¡±

 Chapter 107: Meet interesting people. Kill them

    Viv raced down the slope at breakneck speed. She heard a stumble behind her and faltered when she realized it was Sidjin. He was not fine. Not yet. Leaving someone behind was¡­


    ¡°Go, I¡¯ll be fine. Catch up soon. GO!¡±


    She did. Panic placed springboards under her feet. She cast the telekinesis spell just so she could push people aside if needed. There was no need. People took one look at her and moved aside. Even the carriages slowed down to give her way. The guards at the gate did not block her path either, to her mild surprise. What had taken an hour in one direction took less than ten minutes in the other, so motivated she was by terror, because Arthur needed her. The little one was under attack. Even now, she struggled. Viv didn¡¯t know why or how she knew that, and regretted that, contrary to the little one, she was unable to tell exactly in which direction her adopted daughter was. It would be fine. It would be just fine. She was almost there.


    The witch landed in front of the hotel where a crowd had gathered. A screamed injunction backed by a noise spell dispersed them, or perhaps it was the leaking black mana. Viv was a bit tired from the day¡¯s exertions, but terror and anger could be impressive motivators.


    In front of the gate, she found a wounded guard being tended to by a clerk. The smell of smoke lingered in the air. There was blood on the stairs. If anyone, ANYONE touch a fucking scale off her nose¡­ Nevermind, someone had touched. It was done. They were done for.


    ¡°That way¡­¡± the guard pointed with a blood-encrusted hand, towards the port. Viv saw the very obvious mark of a claw on the old pavement. Urgency needled her, but she resisted its pull. She ran up the stairs to a savaged bedroom and picked her shield and dagger from a nearby wardrobe, ignoring the two hooded and masked corpses left there. Immediately, the fresh supply of mana stored in the core made her feel more secure. There were no doubts in her mind that she would need it.


    Viv jumped from the upper floor and landed in the lobby below, barely registering that this feat could not have been performed on earth. She took off by following the claw mark and the guard¡¯s indication, finding a clump of whispering people three streets down. A summary look at the ground showed more claw marks. Arthur had resisted, clearly. She kept running in that direction. Another clump of pedestrians staring down an alley made her slow down. Contrary to the guards, they did not help her. Instead, they quickly dispersed. Viv realized she had partially coated and finished the process rather than trying to hold back. There would be subtlety later if brute force failed now. Every minute mattered.


    The claw marks were gone.


    Either they had managed to lift her, or¡­ Oh god she would do horrible things to them. Viv walked at a brisk pace, looking for a clue, any clue, finding nothing. Most of the doors appeared to lead to shop backrooms and shared tenements. All of them were locked tight, which could be unusual for this part of the day, but she wouldn¡¯t know. There were not specific marks to be found, or if there were, she didn¡¯t have the ability to spot them. Viv reached the end of the alley, which split into a T-shaped intersection. The right one led back up while the left led to the shoreline. Arthur could also be behind, secured in some isolated basement.


    What do?


    Viv sighed and grabbed her dagger.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m supposed to be lucky, so I¡¯ll leave it to luck. You¡¯d better not fucking fail me right now when it matters, okay? Just this once, just this fucking once, give me back my daughter instead of attracting every aggressive pimp in the city. Fuck. Okay, here goes.¡±


    Viv kneeled on the ground and twisted the dagger, letting it spin on the guard like a TV game wheel of fortune. It slowed down, the tip resolutely pointing towards the wall in front of her. It was a plain wall, old and decrepit. Covered in dust.


    ¡°Gods dammit.¡±


    Viv leaned forward to pick her knife back up, which gave her the perfect angle to spot a tiny gash in a nearby wall to her left, the revealed white stone pristine against the grimy background. It was perfectly claw-shaped.


    ¡°That works, I guess.¡±


    Viv resumed her active walk, keeping an eye out. The alleys were deserted at this time, perhaps because all the folks living around were working, or possibly because they were smart. Some side passages led back to main streets but Viv doubted the dragonnappers would return to a main thoroughfare. She found confirmation on a beam as she moved on. It was covered in blood. Not congealed yet. She paid more attention to the ground and found the occasional droplet. A little sweep with her boot confirmed it was still liquid. It had to be them.


    A few entrances might have been hideouts, but they were cluttered and none of the crates looked like they had fallen recently. First, keep going. Retrace if needed.


    The small alleyway led to an open space by the river, its murky waters leaking at moldy piers. Three ancient warehouses squatted on the cobblestones, made rickety by age and poor maintenance. One of them was occupied.


    She saw two guards in front of its gate. They wore dark hoods like the corpses in her room had. There were faint enchantments on the door they guarded, diffuse enough that only someone with her mastery of magic could identify them from afar. Her blood boiled.


    Viv walked resolutely towards them, heart beating against her ribs. She was furious. She was terrified. They were both taller than her and old earth memory told her she was foolish for attacking louts on their turf with no backup, that it was the height of stupidity. It was washed away by another instinct.


    Protect the child.


    This was not earth, this was Nyil. Here, she was the top of the food chain.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Viv asked with deceptive calm.


    The first man was muscular and covered in scars. He sneered when he saw her, an ugly smirk that spoke of contempt despite her aura of intimidation. He checked behind her for followers. Foolish. She didn¡¯t need anyone. When he saw she was alone, his confidence returned.


    ¡°You mages think you rule this city huh? You got ¡ª¡±


    The man¡¯s upper body disappeared under a werfer cone. He had tried to dodge, but Viv had left him nowhere to go to. The other guard removed a knife from his belt so she removed his head from his shoulders. The door was locked. Viv only saw an obstacle. She wished Marruk were here. No door could resist her wrath.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The concentrated blade bit into the lock, slicing down like a knife through hard cheese. The enchantments flickered and died. A sound like a whistle filled the plaza. They knew she was there.


    That was fine.


    Viv found the warehouse¡¯s interior not just clean, but filled with neat rows of barrels and crates carefully annotated with codes.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± she asked.


    A man to her right paused and his eyes flickered up. Her skill screamed. She infused her coating with the meaning of annihilation, surprised at how easily it came to her despite the earlier tests. At the same time, she cast a net upward. Something heaving bounced against her head, but it disintegrated almost instantly. Chunks of black-hooded assassin rained on top of her, the flesh hissing when it touched her. Her reserves dipped a bit, but that was fine, she refilled them from her dagger focus.


    Viv coldly inspected the rest of the warehouse for threats, finding none for now. She strode to the man she had first spotted, face covered by her coating. Ho took an instinctive step back. He was a local, clean-shaven and dressed in simple yet well-cut clothes, a sign of wealth in the lower city. Viv categorized him as ¡®in charge¡¯ or at least middle management.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    The man sweated abundantly. Panic made his breath fast. Viv noticed a woman a bit farther, a northerner in a plain, conservative dress. Her fingers were stained with ink. Paper pusher of some sort.


    The man licked his lips and calculated his chances. Viv could almost see the cogs grinding behind his glistening forehead.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking abou¡ª¡±


    Viv plunged Excalibur in his chest and twisted. He fell with a choking croak, spilling squishy bits on the ground. She left him writhing on the ground and walked to the screaming woman, which she grabbed by the shoulder. Viv almost lost her before her target stopped resisting, reminding her that a power of 21 was still on the low end.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± she asked again.


    ¡°The¡­ the beast?¡± the woman asked in broken Enorian.


    Viv grabbed her by the throat and squeezed. Tendrils emerged from her shoulders to touch the woman¡¯s cheeks, living dark gashes bleeding clotted blood.


    ¡°Her name is Arthur. Where is she?¡±


    ¡°There,¡± the other said, pointing towards the center of the warehouse.


    Viv placed the northerner in a hold, one hand clamped on the neck and the other twisting her arm back.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    She walked to a pile of crates, where Viv noticed the obvious outline of a trapdoor. The clutter covering most of it proved to be empty.


    ¡°You can find a lever there, by the beam. Pull it and it will open. Have to remove the stuff on top first.¡±


    ¡°You sit here and don¡¯t move,¡± Viv said.


    While the woman obeyed, Viv took to removing the empty crates and hollow barrels by throwing them across the warehouse with telekinesis. She cleared the entrance in moments, her attention divided between that, her hostage, and the space where the door used to be. The noise of breaking crates would surely attract attention. They seem especially brittle.


    ¡°Ok. You stand up and pull the lever,¡± Viv said.


    The woman obeyed quickly. She was considerably calmer than Viv expected but that was fine. Perhaps a skill.


    ¡°You go first.¡±


    The northerner walked down a set of dark stairs in a secluded corridor that smelled heavily of humidity. There were mundane lanterns at regular intervals, their presence barely enough to dispel the gloom. The northerner picked one unprompted and led Viv down. The witch was concerned about her prisoner¡¯s easy cooperation and made sure to walk where she had walked, just in case. Paranoia was not a problem when you had that many enemies.


    To her mild surprise, the corridor ended quickly in a hidden pier, bars showing the river beyond and letting some light in. She highly suspected they had a way of removing those to let smuggler crafts in. The canal led farther inland through a low-roofed, half-sunken corridor. A small canoe lay moored at the pier kept together by dried filth.


    ¡°The beast. Over there,¡± the northern woman said, pointing to the darkness. Viv checked and there were no dry paths inland. It was the canoe or swimming.


    ¡°Get in,¡± she said, pointing at the rickety skiff.


    The woman hesitated only for a second. Viv noticed that she was sweating as well. Arguably, it was warm and wet in here, even more so than outside. Viv gave her the lone paddle and climbed behind her.


    ¡°I do not know¡­ how use.¡±


    ¡°Then learn fast. If anything goes wrong, you die first.¡±


    The woman nodded and breathed deeply, then she did her best to row. They moved on until the light faded and the visibility diminished. Viv put her shield in front of her just in case. She had a spell ready as well.


    ¡°I cannot see,¡± the woman said. Viv cast a blue light and placed it in front of them, far enough to blind possible attackers without revealing much of the canoe itself. She kept her guard up including towards the woman, who Viv realized she had not checked for weapons. Fucking sloppy. She had to calm down and think now that she had found a good trail. A premature death would not help her daughter.


    Despite Viv¡¯s paranoia, no strange sound came to break the silence besides the soft splash of the rowing oar. No mysterious arrows or thrown knives reached her armor. It was just a damp, smelly canal.


    At least those were not sewers, apparently, but an independent waterway. Lucky her.


    The tunnel arched left and stopped after a couple hundred meters at a stone platform lit by another lantern. A much larger and cleaner canoe waited by its side, devoid of occupant but not of their blood, from the spots she could see marring its sordid flanks. A door dug into raw stone led deeper underground. There were no crates here, nothing human or recent. Their canoe bumped against the rocky surface with the finality of a death knell.


    ¡°You go first. Find her.¡±


    To Viv¡¯s alarmed mind, the woman stopped at the threshold.


    ¡°I want to live,¡± she said.


    Viv considered her next move. If she said no, the woman would act desperate. If she said yes too easily, the woman would assume she was lying and act desperate as well. She considered the question and decided she didn¡¯t need to kill absolutely everyone. It wasn¡¯t like half of the lower city had seen her in hot pursuit, so the hope of leaving no witnesses was already gone. Everyone would know it was her since there was only one dragonette handler in all of Helock.


    ¡°We find her safe, you live. We find her dead, you die. We do not find her, you die. You run, you die. You scream, you die.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The woman slowly nodded, which Viv took as a yes. She slowly moved on, a light appearing above her finger. Viv followed.


    She wondered who the fuck had tried to dragonnap Arthur and why. To sell her? It was stupid, though admittedly a great many criminals believed they would get away with stuff probably because they had already done so before. Not this time, though. Even if Viv had failed, chances are the Academy would have intervened and done so decisively. They would not have risked Judgment intervening in their stead. Viv suspected his measures tended to be on the indiscriminate end of the scale, and probably at the melting point of tungsten as well.


    It did not matter. She would not let Arthur stay one second more in that gods-forsaken hole than she had to, even if she had to work through the city criminal¡¯s underworld, one chest at a time.


    Viv was tiring by then. The colder temperature froze her through the sheen of sweat she had collected during her mad dash, even through the coating. Before the adrenaline rush could completely crash, the pair arrived in a well-lit storage area filled with obvious contraband.


    Viv thought that if contraband was booze and fireworks, things were going fine. If contraband was a lot of drugs, things were going poorly.


    If contraband was enough weapons to arm a company, things were going to hell in a handbasket.


    Swords, hammers, spears, maces, all sorts of weapons lined the walls, or gathered in clumps inside of barrels. The local shelves were packed full with quivers and stacks of reinforced wooden shields. Only a third of the room was reserved for vials and other stuff Viv assumed were intoxicants. The tools of death all shared the same simple yet sturdy quality. It looked cheap but it would get the job done, especially if the receiving side stuck to clubs like she¡¯d seen. Viv felt a chill. At the very least, there were tens of gold talents waiting here to be shipped from the raw iron only. This was a veritable fortune. It was also a strategic asset in what was shaping to be a civil conflict of epic proportions. Maybe even a rebellion, though she didn¡¯t really believe anyone could oppose the Academy. How had Arthur got caught in that, she had no idea.


    ¡°I think¡­ over there,¡± her guide said. ¡°Precious cargo.¡±


    She was pointing at one of three thick doors.


    ¡°What¡¯s on the side?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°This soldiers and office. This the street and tavern.¡±


    The witch got closer and saw that the knob had a very clear bloody handprint. Still fresh. She was on the right path. The woman opened it onto a refectory centered around a large table still covered in victuals. It had to sit twenty people at the same time, at least. The smell of burnt bread emanated from a small adjoining kitchen. Whoever was eating here had left in a hurry.


    While her guide walked slowly, Viv made sure to check the angle and keep her physical shield in front of her. The silence was eerie and abnormal. Something was wrong.


    A shadow jumped on the northerner from under the table, scaring Viv though she managed to hold back a curse. It was a clean-shaved man wearing the same dark hood she¡¯d seen on the warehouse guards. He was light-skinned with familiar squarish features. Viv understood why when he addressed Viv¡¯s guide in Baranese. It had been a long time since she¡¯d last used this language.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who led them here, you Karkfucker. Say it¡¯s you.¡±


    The woman yipped when grabbed but otherwise she stood still, even when her unexpected assailant was joined by two others, one from the kitchen and one from behind a hanging banner. Viv hadn¡¯t perceived them, even though they¡¯d used black mana skills to hide. That was¡­ problematic.


    Slowly, the three noticed her presence and turned.


    They took out blades.


    The northerner closed her eyes and flinched.


    Viv made a split decision. She only needed one person to guide her.


    A net took out both thugs, but the Baranese somehow slid away using black mana. This time, however, Viv was expecting it. Her follow up caught him in the lower back. He twisted on himself and Viv saw a flash of steel, but once again her reflexes came through and the dagger clanged uselessly against the hive spell. A last net finished him off. He died with a gurgle.


    The woman opened her eyes to find herself alive and mostly whole, surrounded by chunks of ex-colleagues. She looked around her with a lost expression and worried at a thin slit in her shirt. Viv had stopped just in time.


    ¡°Who is them?¡± Viv asked in Baranese this time. She should have done so before as the northerner was obviously quite fluent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I swear. Something is going on and I don¡¯t know what. I told you the truth. I think your companion is this way,¡± she added, pointing at a far door.


    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Black Del¡¯s office. He keeps the good stuff there in case one of us gets any ideas. That door is the larder, and this one¡¯s a guest bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Black Del?¡±


    ¡°Underboss of the wayfarers¡­ You have no idea what you¡¯ve just done, do you?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?¡± Viv countered.


    The sassier woman glanced at Viv and the piles of innards she¡¯d left behind, and reconsidered.


    ¡°I guess not.¡±


    ¡°How many people here. How many fourth steps, how many casters.¡±


    ¡°Only Del is a fourth step. He¡¯s no caster though, but he can hide like nobody¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s smart, he will. Hold on.¡±


    Viv walked around the room and collected the heads of the three ruffians, feeling very Solfis-ey in the process.


    ¡°Lead on,¡± she finally ordered.


    The slightly nauseous northerner guided her into a perpendicular corridor lit with magical lights this time. It was much fancier than the rest of this dump and there was even a carpet on the ground. The corridor led to another guest bedroom and Del¡¯s quarters proper. The problem was that it was filled with corpses. Most of them featured the dark cawl she associated with the local gang, but there were also women including a few that were scantily clad, and a couple of grim soldiers in gambeson. Those were definitely outsiders, and they¡¯d been killed by poison, not bleeding.


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± Viv whispered.


    ¡°Lakya? What have they done to you¡­¡± the woman said next to the corpse of a portly woman wearing an apron.


    Viv felt like killing the cook was a dick move but as someone who had committed her fair share of dick moves, she felt unqualified to judge. Obviously someone had made an attempt on dear Del. She wondered who it was and if they were here for Arthur, in which case they would simply get added to her shit-list.


    ¡°Move on,¡± Viv ordered.


    ¡°It¡¯s that door,¡± the other replied.


    ¡°Well, open it.¡±


    She tried. It was locked.


    ¡°Let me do it,¡± Viv replied.


    The witch called Excalibur for what she hoped was the last time and slashed the lock open. The heavy gate turned on its hinges with a ghastly creak. Viv strode in with draconic intimidation in full display, an overloaded coating adorned with spikes, her shield in one hand and the heads in the other.


    Viv had seen some gaudy horrors in her forsaken life, but that horrid, gold-crusted crimson bordello boudoir topped the fucking list. The corpses somehow improved the decoration. Those were a secondary concern to the living, however. A dozen gambeson-clad men stood at a respectful distance, hands clutched on their weapons. Arthur sat on a carpet, free and whole. She was taking revenge from her mistreatment on a stack of honey-glazed ribs from some fat creature. What attracted her attention the most currently sat on the pompous throne, playing with the decapitated head of her would-be host.


    //A RESPECTABLE ENTRANCE, YOUR GRACE.


    //THOUGH IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD RECOMMEND USING FIVE HEADS, AT LEAST.


    ¡°I ran out of victims.¡±


    //MY CONDOLENCES.


    //I KNOW THE FEELING.


    ¡°Okay. Ecstatic to see you again, really, but please give me a minute.¡±


    //OF COURSE.


    Viv walked to Arthur and kneeled by her side. The dragonette was fine. She looked fine. No bruised scale or anything she could see.


    ¡°Arthur?¡±


    They gave me sleepy meat but I wanted to wait until you returned to nap so I did not sleep but the they came and they had those nets and I fought them but I wanted to nap so I still got one but I did not want to set your room on fire so I kept fighting without burning too much and then they walked and I was very very very mad but it was dark and I was sleepy again and then we were on water but then we were on land again and I was no longer sleepy and I almost fell but Solfis caught me and he cut all of them apart and now I am so hungry because the previous food was bad so I want to eat.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay. I was¡­ very worried.¡±


    You found me faster than I think! Happy.


    ¡°Just had to follow the blood, little huntress.¡±


    Not tasty! Solfis had meat. Tasty. I sleep now.


    And just like that, Arthur coiled on herself and snoozed without a care, her claws still grasping a half-eaten rib.


    Viv checked on her link but the dragonette was fine, merely busy purging toxins off her bloodstream or something. Little puffs of superheated air escaped her nostrils with every breath, which was absolutely normal.


    ¡°Right, right. She¡¯s fine. Okay,¡± Viv said.


    She crashed emotionally. Thankfully, her willpower let her keep her composure in front of men she could definitely not trust, even if Solfis led them. Or so it seemed. They all had beards, pale skin, and the hard traits and scars of those used to a difficult life. Their gambesons showed traces of repairs and old stains, but their weapons shone softly in the light of far too many candles.


    The room smelled a bit, which was a shame.


    ¡°So. I¡¯d love some explanations, my dear Solfis.¡±


    //QUERY: CHRONOLOGICAL OR PRIORITY ORDER PREFERRED?


    ¡°Chronological, unless we are in a rush.¡±


    //PARAMETERS ACCEPTED.


    //AFTER YOU WERE TAKEN, MARRUK SUCCESSFULLY HID ON THE CLIFF.


    //WE TRIED TO GIVE PURSUIT.


    //HOWEVER MARRUK WAS STILL UNDER THE EFFECT OF POISON.


    //SUPPLIES WERE RUNNING LOW.


    //WE REACHED THE NEAREST LARGE TOWN.


    //MARRUK USED THE LOCAL BANK BRANCH TO WITHDRAW FUNDS AND RESUPPLY.


    //HOWEVER, HER IDENTITY AND WEALTH ATTRACTED HOSTILE ATTENTION.


    //WE MANAGED TO PAY A CASTER TO RECHARGE ME TO BASIC FUNCTIONALITY


    //THEN WE ESCAPED.


    ¡°So even without me, she still gets into trouble?¡±


    //A LONE RICH UNAFFILIATED TRAVELER WILL ALWAYS ATTRACT HOSTILITY.


    //AFTER THAT, WE LEARNED OF THE BATTLES


    //WE DECIDED TO GO TO LOSSEREC AND WAIT THERE.


    //UNFORTUNATELY, MARRUK MET A BAND OF KARK MERCENARIES BETRAYED BY THEIR CONTRACTOR, A LOCAL BARON.


    //SHE JOINED THEM ON ACCOUNT OF THEM BEING OF THE SAME TRIBE.


    ¡°Wow. It¡¯s like I¡¯m contagious.¡±


    //QUITE.


    //MARRUK MANAGED TO HAVE ME SHIPPED TO HELOCK WHERE WE KNEW YOU WOULD END UP WITHOUT FAIL.


    //I REQUESTED THE BANK TO LEAVE A LAX SECURITY.


    //INEVITABLY, THIS LED TO MY THEFT.


    The golem seemed extremely smug with his plan. The rough men shuffled uncomfortably, eyeing both the construct and Viv with circumspection.


    //I DECIDED TO PREPARE THE TERRAIN FOR YOUR INEVITABLE RETURN.


    //UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR ARRIVAL MEANS MY PREDICTION ALGORITHMS WILL ONCE MORE BE RENDERED USELESS.


    //NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE ALREADY PENETRATED THE HELOCK UNDERWORLD TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.


    ¡°Ok, we can discuss the details later. What I want to know is why do you think we need it, because I¡¯m trying to be a citizen in good standing here, and taking over the underworld through wholesale slaughter isn¡¯t going to help with my school life.¡±


    //AN OBSERVATION, YOUR GRACE.


    //YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING, I AM.


    //ANSWER: BECAUSE HELOCK IS ON THE VERGE OF EXPLODING, AND YOU WILL LIKELY BECOME INVOLVED.


    //THE UNDERWORLD IS A VALUABLE TOOL.


    ¡°Are you referring to the tensions I¡¯ve seen?¡±


    //YES.


    Solfis went on a relatively detailed speech. Essentially, Helock¡¯s population was reaching an all-time high, due to good harvests and years of peace since the last Hallurian invasion. The ¡®native¡¯ northmen resented the arrival of more and more southerners and even a new, significant Hallurian diaspora. The tension between the ethnic majority and the different minorities were on the verge of boiling over. Solfis calculated that it would either occur on the next significant food price increase or during a culturally meaningful celebration.


    //ALTHOUGH THE HOSTILITIES WILL BE CONCENTRATED IN THE LOWER TOWN, THE MIDDLE TOWN DENIZENS HAVE BROUGHT SUPPORT TO THEIR COMPATRIOTS THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS.


    //THE GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMY ARE PREDICTED TO CONTAIN RATHER THAN PREVENT THE VIOLENCES.


    //A POWER SHUFFLE MAY OCCUR.


    //WE WILL HAVE TO BE READY TO PROTECT OURSELVES.


    //HARRAK ETERNAL!


    Solfis¡¯ thug fanclub looked a bit queasy, and Viv realized they¡¯d been speaking Harrakan which some people tended to find a little ominous. Regardless, she was getting tired and the place was growing ranker by the minute. There were also the severed heads, which didn¡¯t help.


    ¡°Ok, penultimate question. Why kidnap Arthur?¡±


    //MY HELPFUL SERVANTS WERE OFFERED A REWARD FOR HER CAPTURE.


    //THEY BROUGHT THIS FACT TO MY ATTENTION.


    //THE UNNAMED BACKER OFFERED TO PROVIDE TOOLS, INCLUDING A SEDATIVE.


    //WHEN I LEARNED THE WAYFARERS HAD MADE THEIR MOVE, I HAD TO INTERVENE.


    //THE OFFERED REWARD WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY GOLD TALENTS.


    Viv whistled. That was pretty good for a small operation, if the agent were competent and didn¡¯t care about being vaporized afterward. It made sense that everyone would be scrambling for money right now, but to attack a dragon was still the height of foolishness. Unless the wayfarers didn¡¯t know. She tended to forget that most big city folks wouldn¡¯t see a monster in their whole life and the average knowledge of monster anatomy was close to zero. Whatever. It was done.


    ¡°Ok, I need to get out of here. Do we leave together?¡±


    //NO.


    //WE WILL KEEP OUR COOPERATION SECRET.


    //DO NOT WORRY ABOUT MY MINIONS, THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HARRAKAN.


    //I WILL MAKE CONTACT SOON.


    //I WILL ALSO REQUIRE YOUR ASSISTANCE TO RECHARGE MY BATTERY TO OPTIMAL LEVELS.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll set up a charging station. The ambient mana will help.¡±


    //I WILL BE KEEPING YOUR PRISONER, UNLESS YOU OBJECT.


    Viv had almost forgotten the northerner. She turned to see that the woman had stayed despite her expectation. Or rather, she had assessed her chances to run and found them wanting.


    //LIM THE FELL-HANDED.


    //I AM SURPRISED SHE DID NOT TRY TO STAB YOU.


    //SHE HAS QUITE A REPUTATION.


    The golem exchanged a few words with the woman, who appeared more at ease for some reason. Oh yes, Viv had promised to let her live. That was fine. It appeared the golem had projects for her.


    //SHE SAYS YOU DID NOT LEAVE AN OPENING SHE WAS CONFIDENT TO TAKE.


    ¡°I should have searched her. I was naive.¡±


    //IT WOULD NOT HELP MUCH WITHOUT A SKILL.


    //DO YOU NEED HELP RETURNING TO THE SURFACE?


    ¡°No I¡¯ll just take the way back.¡±


    Viv picked the still sleeping Arthur and heaved her on her shoulder. Arthur was lighter than she seemed, and also considerably warmer. She retraced her steps and took the small skiff once again, grumbling about her lack of judgment. She should have used the closest exit. Her regrets were dashed when she found a man holding a light orb walking with grim determination across the submerged tunnel, the water reaching his mid-chest.


    ¡°Going somewhere, handsome?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I only wish I could heave myself on without capsizing this insult to every ship ever made.¡±


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll make it work.¡±


    With only a few scares, Viv managed to drag her boyfriend in. He immediately set to inspect Arthur, who was now snoring and moving her legs in the air.


    ¡°She appears fine.¡±


    ¡°Just sedated, It will fade soon.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I was too late. I did this for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Not nothing, my dear. I am very much impressed by your dedication.¡±


    ¡°I am comforted.¡±


    ¡°You can also help me carry the child.¡±


    ¡°You honor me with your trust. Oh, by the way, some guards are waiting outside. I can talk to them if you wish.¡±


    ¡°That would be best.¡±


    Viv basked in the twilight sun as soon as they were out. Some guards did indeed try to belay the pair, but they were more interested in keeping the peace and nobody did permanent peace quite like Viv, at least here, and at least for now. The sight of chopped humans went a long way towards convincing them to drop their line of inquiry. Viv collapsed in her bed later. The trio reconvened at a nearby restaurant the same night.


    ¡°So who served her the poisoned meat?¡± Viv asked since Sidjin had been keeping in touch with the guild.¡±


    ¡°Recently hired cook. He was eliminated by the wayfarers. The guild will reimburse our expenses.¡±


    ¡°So fucking great, but I think we illustrated a point. We need a more secure place to stay.¡±


    ¡°You need a permanent place to stay in Helock.¡±


    The specific wording stopped her, spoon halfway from her bowl of congee.


    ¡°Not we?¡±


    Sidjin leaned forward over the table and refilled his glass with citrus water. He considered his next words carefully.


    ¡°I do not believe we should move in together for a number of reasons. That does not mean you cannot stay where I will stay whenever you wish, however you wish. I simply mean that you should have your own independent quarters near the Academy. Let me explain. The Academy offers special arrangements for its foreign students or those who simply wish to use them at very competitive costs. Their actual purpose is to let students form bonds beyond that of their original allegiance which obviously empowers the academy while weakening great families to an extent. By staying at a dormitory, you will get the time and opportunity to meet allies and gather resources. You will also be more protected than most bank vaults.¡±


    ¡°Would they allow Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Undoubtedly. You are not the only student with an exotic pet, no insult intended. Besides safety and opportunities, there is a third reason for you to pick accomodation beyond the walls. Essentially, we have been together for only a couple of weeks and it is too soon.¡±


    Sidjin looked pointedly at her, perhaps expecting her to lash out, but she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m annoyed, but mostly at myself because you are right. It¡¯s a little irresponsible. We don¡¯t know each other that well and I think you¡¯re justified to try and take your time.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, I feared you might be offended. And I insist that you come whenever you wish as soon as I have secured decent accommodation. I, well, to be honest, this is also about me. I need to know that you stay by my side because you want to. I want you to be completely free of me. It¡¯s the only way I can be sure you are staying by choice.¡±


    Viv smiled and grabbed Sidjin¡¯s hand. Unfortunately, there must have been too much sharpness hidden behind her canines.


    ¡°I know you want to tease me so go ahead,¡± Sidjin allowed with his own smirk.


    ¡°Oh darling, you know I want you for your arcane knowledge, not to save on rent.¡±


    ¡°You got me. And that¡¯s fine. I am confident that by the time you finish learning about teleportation magic, I will have replaced the bait by mind-boggingly good sex.¡±


    ¡°Oooooh.¡±


    The banter continued throughout the meal. Viv realized Sidjin was right and she was taking their new relationship too casually. Their companionship had grown so easily and organically that she sometimes forgot they were two very different people from two very different backgrounds, each with their own agenda. Both of them needed some breathing space.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to the Academy tomorrow. We can get you accomodation by noon, I bet,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°There is no hurry, I think Arthur will want to stick with me for a while anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but would you not like to know the result of the admission test?¡±


    ¡°Oh. That.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever mentioned I deeply admired your absolute self-confidence?¡±


    ¡°No and do feel free to compliment me on occasion.¡±


    Viv dragged Arthur and Sidjin back to a new room free of burn marks and recently deceased thugs, placed lethal runes on the window, blocked the door with a wardrobe, and then went to sleep. Arthur made herself a bedsheet lair while Viv snuggled with her boyfriend. They woke up the next day fresh and ready to face adversity. A buggy ride to the academy later, Viv had her test results.


    ¡°Sorry about leaving. Arthur was kidnapped!¡± she told Darla the admin with outrage.


    Seriously, it had been less than two days. One star review for Helock so far.


    ¡°We are aware of this issue and we are looking into it,¡± Darla replied with a frown. ¡°We take attacks on students extremely seriously. Rest assured that we will get to the bottom of this. In the meanwhile, congratulations on your acceptance. There is the matter of the tuition, which we expect payment for before you start. Oh, and I believe Professor Seranileso would like a word with you whenever convenient. He is the head of the medical faculty. I am so excited to welcome you here! You will have a great time in Helock, I am sure.¡±


    Viv paid a little under ten gold talents for the year which was a complete steal considering the cost she expected. She swore the oath not to murder her fellow students in five minutes and set up an appointment with Professor Ashra the next day. The small woman who had examined her turned out to be the teacher in charge of black mana, which she should have expected.The only urgent matter left was to find a room.


    ¡°You are in luck. Most students have already picked their roommates, but we had an unexpected late return from one of our senior students. I¡¯m sure you two will hit it off.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm a roommate?¡±


    ¡°Oh do not be alarmed, the rooms are spacious and, oh, I should have started with that. Dormitories are gendered, of course. You will not have to share your common space with a man, if that was what concerned you.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine. Should we meet first?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Let me show you the way. You can get acquainted while we prepare the paperwork!¡±


    Viv let the admin¡¯s enthusiasm slide off her like water off a cliff. Viv didn¡¯t like to share space. Though, she didn¡¯t have to stay there all the time. And besides, she had missed the whole campus experience. Maybe it would be fine.


    Darla led her to a side office where a younger woman waited, head buried among thick books. Viv took her appearance in and stumbled.


    ¡°Var¡­. Var¡­ No.¡±


    The same large brown eyes, the same pale skin, the same black locks falling like rivers to her shoulders. The same lithe arms, but no, it was not Varska. The face was smoother, rounder. The shoulders were a little wide. She was taller too, even when seated. They did share the same frown, however, which Viv got to appreciate when the young woman slammed her book close and inspected her.


    ¡°Who are you, and how do you know my sister?¡±

 Chapter 108: Inducted

    ¡°This is not a conversation I¡¯m willing to have standing, or sober for that matter. But I¡¯ll take sitting with a cup of klod.¡±


    The young woman glared, but Viv had been glared at before, and she remained unimpressed. Darla seemed more solid suddenly as she took a step between the two casters. Viv felt in slight danger, which surprised her enough that she pulled mana. The woman¡¯s disarming smile stopped her from raising a shield.


    ¡°Ah, I apologize, your files did not mention a previous acquaintance. Will this be a problem? We can make other arrangements,¡± Darla suggested.


    Viv and the other returned to staring. The witch was the first to answer.


    ¡°We need to have this conversation anyway. Fuck, I didn¡¯t expect it would ever happen.¡±


    ¡°You can use this room if you wish. No matter what, remember that you both swore an oath to respect the rules of the Academy, even in difficult circumstances. You may select among a list of mentors sworn to secrecy if you need to avoid each other,¡± Darla said.


    ¡°Nothing so harsh,¡± Viv assured, and the woman nodded.


    ¡°I have no animosity towards her, I merely wish to learn what she knows,¡± Varska¡¯s sister added.


    ¡°Well then, I shall leave the papers here. If you do decide to become roommates, return them signed at the entrance, otherwise let me know. I am sure I can find other arrangements that will satisfy everybody!¡±


    The upbeat admin left them with a last wave and a friendly smile, shutting the door behind her.


    Viv sighed and grabbed the pot of steaming hot water the interview tables usually kept, then she made herself and the other a cup.


    ¡°I¡¯m Viviane by the way.¡±


    ¡°Ereska of Saref. Now, how do you know my sister? If you do not mind me cutting to the chase.¡±


    ¡°Varska and I were mentor and student, but mostly we were lovers.¡±


    Ereska choked on her drink.


    ¡°What? Ugh. Seriously? Did you not see the mark of shame on her cheek?¡±


    ¡°I did see her scar. It was hard to miss. Look it¡¯s no secret so I will tell you that I am an outlander. I miss the cultural background to appreciate what a mark means. I understand it, but I do not feel it. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°It does not trigger an emotional response in you.¡±


    ¡°Just so.¡±


    ¡°You used the past tense. I assume you are no longer her lover?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, here is the reason why I was not looking forward to this. Varska fell in battle. There is no easy way to say this, sorry.¡±


    Viv waited. Paradoxically, her leadership skill had whispered that Ereska would hate delays and diversion, very much preferring a firm answer. The younger woman sat back in her chair and sighed. Her eyes wandered to the imposing wall outside their window, the same that surrounded the entire academy. An old tree provided shade to a carefully cultivated garden.


    Ereska nursed her cup in silence for a couple of minutes, which Viv respected.


    ¡°You know,¡± she finally said, ¡°I never thought I would see her again. She was dead to me, and now I learn she is really dead and find I am more affected than I expected. I loved her, then hated her with all my heart.¡±


    She threw Viv another stare.


    ¡°I should not be sharing all of this with you, a foreigner, but you are the only person in this city who could possibly understand. I trust our conversation will remain secret, and that my sister did not foolishly place her trust in the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°You have my word.¡±


    ¡°Good. I believe you since Varska was always a good judge of character. But I digress. Varska was the golden child who could achieve everything without fail right to the moment that she committed a crime so heinous the Saref family almost lost its seat at the council. It devastated us, set us back decades, not to mention the shame. We are still repaying some of the favors that carried us through that disaster. I felt so¡­ betrayed. I thought she could do no wrong. I always boasted about her achievements to my friends while they were still my friends¡­ Do you have any notion what she did?¡±


    ¡°A scheme of hers caused the death of children.¡±


    ¡°It was an explosive rune that triggered too early. They were mangled instead of the target in a very public setting. Did you seriously bed a child killer?¡±


    Viv took a sip to cool down the situation. Ereska¡¯s last few words had been clipped, and the outlander recognized the marks of a deep resentment born not just from the horrifying deaths, but also by the perpetrator, whom Ereska had once cherished. Viv found she wanted to share as well. She wanted Varska¡¯s little sister to know what she was like towards the end, how much her presence had meant regardless of past sins.


    ¡°When I arrived on Nyil, I landed in the deadlands,¡± Viv began.


    Shock replaced anger in Ereska¡¯s large eyes. It was a place known for being lethal to everyone, even those far on their path.


    ¡°I crossed the desert, delirious with mana poisoning. I reached one of the forts and helped them withstand an undead siege. When I arrived weakened in the border town of Kazar, I knew no one. Your sister took me under her wing. She taught me what she knew, helped me get around town. She created a sense of normalcy with her tea ceremonies. I would have survived without her but I¡¯m not sure I would have lived. The deadlands have taken their toll, not just the poison, but also the feeling of helplessness, of death without limit. At the end, we were attacked by an Enorian prince trying to enslave the whole region to garnish his war coffers. She covered our retreat against a whole company of siege specialists. They pierced her chest with arrows.¡±


    ¡°She was not a soldier.¡±


    ¡°She died like one.¡±


    They kept quiet for a little while, reminiscing memories they did not share. The two had never truly known the same Varska, Viv thought.


    The light played strange tricks on Ereska. When it hit just right, she appeared much younger and on the verge of tears.


    ¡°Do you think one can be forgiven for crimes as bad as killing two boys?¡± the woman finally asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to me to forgive her,¡± Viv carefully replied. ¡°I was not the offended party. While I was in the fort, I met a man called Benetti. He had been sent to the deadlands for sexually assaulting women. He regretted his actions deeply. He also sacrificed himself to save us. Does that redeem him? Does it erase years of trauma from his many victims? Can a right rectify a wrong? It¡¯s not a question I know how to answer. I could not give you the right answer because I am not the one who was hurt by his actions. It is the same for you and for the victims, I think. I will not defend Varska, and I will not tell you what to do. This choice can only be yours.¡±


    Ereska tilted her head, somewhat surprised.


    ¡°You must come from an incredibly individualistic civilization,¡± she remarked rather drily.


    ¡°We also don¡¯t have to choose the life path our parents picked for us.¡±


    ¡°I am incredibly jealous, and I apologize for the state of, well¡­¡±


    She spread her arms. Viv grinned.


    ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s not so bad.¡±


    ¡°I still cannot believe you and my sister¡­ Ah, I will remove this image from my mind. As for the common room, you are better than most of the other candidates I have considered, not to mention you have no allegiance to anyone in Helock. Or do you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Then I would love to have you as my roommate, if you wish. I am sure you could use some help navigating the treacherous waters of politics and surprise assignments. So long as you respect my privacy and keep clean. Oh, and at the risk of being uncouth, I want to be very frank. I do not share my late sister¡¯s proclivities.¡±


    ¡°I would rather sit on an acid ant pit slathered in honey than date the relative of my dead girlfriend, just so we¡¯re clear. In any case, I have a lover,¡± Viv said.


    The conversation so far had been in Baranese, which apparently every educated light-skinned person here was assumed to speak. Their words for lover were gendered, so Ereska immediately understood the implication.


    ¡°You may not bring a man in our common space. Really. Last year, I surprised my roommate on our common area¡¯s couch mid-coit, and it is not an experience I wish to renew. I had received friends on that couch. The end of the semester could not come soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I assure you I will avoid any display of exhibitionism. Not my thing.¡±


    ¡°Did you have to use that word?¡±


    ¡°Did you have to share that memory?¡± Viv retorted. ¡°Now I¡¯ll check our couch for stains before I sit down.¡±


    ¡°Oh Sardanal grant me wisdom, I should have stopped before it came to that. In any case, as long as you agree to act responsibly, I believe we can live together.¡±


    ¡°There is one last matter,¡± Viv said, and she opened the door. Arthur sat behind, clutching a green cushion between anxious claws. Viv frowned and snatched it from her grasp.


    ¡°What did I say about ¡®acquiring¡¯ other people¡¯s property?¡±


    Public domain?


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Stealing from an organization is still stealing.¡±


    Arthur puffed hot air, utterly dejected.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°You can use some of your gold to purchase lair fabric, you know?¡±


    ¡°SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes at the dramatic display.


    ¡°Look, I want you to meet our roommate if she agrees. This is Ereska, Varska¡¯s sister.¡±


    Arthur stopped her shenanigans to inspect the newcomer. Ereska shared the same composed nature as her late sister, but blue mana was more prevalent in her, Viv judged. She also felt more flexible, not in a natural caster sort of way, but more in a floral arrangement manner. Viv felt no hint of intimidation from the woman, though she shared the smooth manner of those wielding social skills. Perhaps a general skill.


    The dragonette must have come to a conclusion, because she stood on her hind legs and placed a clawed hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder.


    It is a fortuitous meeting, Varska¡¯s egg-clutch-kin.


    I am pleased Varska did not eat you when you were a whelp.


    You may share my territory.


    No stealing my pillows.


    ¡°Hmmm, yes indeed, the honor is mine.¡±


    Arthur nodded in a very human gesture that signified her agreement that, yes, it was Ereska¡¯s honor and yes, Arthur would magnanimously allow it. Viv wondered if she should give the dragonette some sexual education, but the problem was that she had no idea how dragon courtship worked, or even if Arthur was close to reaching puberty. Or the draconic equivalent. Perhaps this was more documented than proper education. She¡¯d have to check. A problem for another time.


    The trio dropped the signed agreement at the entrance desk to an obviously relieved Darla, then they moved Viv¡¯s personal effects with the help of a telekinesis spell. Viv liked how magic could affect every little thing, if one let themselves cast. Heavy crates? Telekinesis. Cold? A fire spell. Dark? A light spell. Person at the restaurant who slurps their soup and blows their nose in the napkin? Disintegration. That¡¯s right. Magic was the bee¡¯s knees. There were rules about casting in social context, but fortunately walking on a stone path surrounded by green grass under the late summer sun was not one of them.


    ¡°We were told about the juvenile dragon,¡± Ereska whispered while Arthur had decided to fly away. ¡°We are supposed to leave her alone and not interact. According to Melitus¡¯ compendium on disastrous fauna, young dragons are not as intelligent as their older counterparts, but your Arthur seems¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a bright young girl, yes,¡± Viv said with some pride. ¡°Do you know she learned how to count in only a day? As long as it¡¯s counting gold, she¡ª¡±


    Viv stopped herself from gushing like a young parent. Instead, Ereska was imparted with dragon-specific knowledge on how not to leave uncovered meat on the table. It went rather well.


    The dormitories were secluded in a forest, its windows veiled by the branches of ancient trees. Their room was on the third floor. The door opened with a chit keyed to Viv¡¯s mana, which she picked up at the entrance. There was a common kitchen area with basic supplies but no storage space, a lounge, and a private washing area they were not supposed to use since mages were apparently too important to clean their own small cloth. Ereska warmly greeted other older students who seemed to respect her. They saluted Viv with guarded expressions but the witch didn¡¯t take umbrage. She was a largely unknown factor for now.


    Viv dropped her stuff in their room and was pleasantly surprised. Her quarters were not spacious by any means, however they were significantly better than what she expected from a campus dorm room. She would share the bathroom area and a small lounge with Ereska. Viv suspected that the Academy splurged on accommodation and other benefits to bind casters to a network beyond their first allegiance. It wouldn¡¯t be shocking for alumni to kill each other on the field of battle, but she expected they wouldn¡¯t turn on their alma mater without overwhelming reasons. It was a nice setup.


    Arthur settled in Viv¡¯s room but made it clear she would be out for long periods of time. The urge to fly around was getting strong, and she found the sea fascinating and filled with delicious things. Viv expressed her concern about sea monsters, but Arthur was confident.


    I can feel the mana of big things.


    I do not get close!


    Sneaky dragon.


    ¡°Good. Excellent.¡±


    With housing settled, Viv handled the basic requirements to attend. A seamstress took her measurements for her uniform, which would be deep blue like that of an older student on account of her teacher assistant¡¯s position and also, she suspected, her age. There was enough reading material to devastate a small forest for only the first two months. Many were second-hand and annotated in various languages. Ereska gave her a basic tour of the campus, except for the main building which deserved its own visit. Most of the buildings were spread over large distances and separated by lawns, forests, and gazebos.


    ¡°Does the Academy promote physical activity and nature? A lot of effort was spent on those gardens,¡± Viv remarked, surprised the Academy would be that progressive.


    ¡°No, the Academy is designed so that in case of major conflicts, students may only see citizens of enemy nations in class where most murders can be averted. Our dormitory hosts mostly Helockians of the more neutral factions as well as a few free candidates such as yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°There are basic training sessions for arcane swordsmen that mages can attend as a hobby. You would merely have to join the club. They meet every three days, I believe.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how things go. It might be interesting.¡±


    Viv met with Sidjin for dinner at a nearby eatery to share her first impressions. He had found an isolated manor by the city¡¯s edge, which he rented at a discount after ridding the landlord of a swarm of carnivorous lizards. The man had tried to renege after seeing how easily Sidjin had dispatched them, but the fallen prince had managed to convince him to reconsider.


    ¡°You see a man turn monsters that mercenaries would not face to mince meat, and your first reaction is to break your word with him?¡± Sidjin reenacted with a husky voice which, coupled with his scars, made him kind of sexy to be honest.


    ¡°Were they so dangerous? I could have watched your back,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°They were not dangerous for a fourth step war mage who took his precautions. The landlord could have gotten a proper team to kill them off and kept the pelts intact if he were not so stingy. In any case, the manor is mine for a year. You can visit when it no longer looks nor smells like an old barn.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to. I bet you don¡¯t even know what you¡¯ve got to buy.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. I am a researcher and a warrior Viviane, not some pampered prince.¡±


    The witch listened to him make a list of everything he needed and completely forget bed linens, pillows and so on. She just smiled.


    Viv had a little trouble sleeping that night. The dormitory creaked like old houses were wont to do. It smelled of wax and soap.


    She hoped things would be okay for a while.


    The black mana teacher received Viv in her office, a small room organized with military rigor. The woman introduced herself as Ashra, just Ashra, and Viv realized when she sat down that the woman was Hallurian. Her traits were easily recognizable despite her pixie cut and paler skin. Most of her compatriots kept their hair long and carefully braided while their skin was mostly tanned. Some surprise must have shown on her face, because the teacher opened frankly after the usual greetings.


    ¡°You are an outlander, and relatively tactful and humble so I will not take offense if you have questions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°So ask them,¡± the woman insisted.


    ¡°Oh, I could not help but notice that you were from the east. I think?¡±


    ¡°Hallurian born and raised, yes. Do you know what happens to women when they are found to have caster potential, back home?¡±


    ¡°I imagine it is not pleasant?¡±


    ¡°Oh, but it is. We are pampered and fucked by the important warlords, trained to give Halluria many valuable and strong offspring. We don¡¯t even have to raise them. I can tell from the way you reacted to my colleague that you are not wary of men. I cannot tell if you have been spared unfair treatment, or faced it and prevailed.¡±


    ¡°The latter. I can make some compelling arguments.¡±


    ¡°And we will need it. Stop me if you already know this. Only one war mage in seven is a woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°Enoria, Halluria, many of the northern cities promote gender-specific paths. Baran can be more lax sometimes. The truth remains that in order to teach black spells and their destructive potential, we will have to fight an uphill battle. Be ready for it. Be ready to be doubted, interrupted, called out, belittled, and dismissed, but don¡¯t get discouraged, because what we cannot afford is to give up.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. I will be relying on you to help those who have not yet worked on all their affinity to call on black mana, since you have a deep understanding of the dye and how to wield it. Drawing mana might be the most instinctive thing a mage will do, so your experience will help everyone. We will also work on concepts with our students. I will help you grasp the concept of shadows, which is extremely helpful for survival and repositioning. If our collaboration is fruitful, we can seek another arrangement next semester.¡±


    ¡°That works for me.¡±


    ¡°One last thing. How is your old imperial?¡±


    ¡°Fluent.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Wonderful. My class will be conducted in old imperial just like most classes here.¡±


    ¡°Wait. No one told me that!¡± Viv protested.


    ¡°It is considered common knowledge since old imperial remains the favored academic language. I notice that you haven¡¯t read many thesis or essays then, or you would have noticed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read plenty of books.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll read plenty more, starting with this.¡±


    Ashra gave Viv a teacher handbook with not just rules and instructions, but also tips and tools as well as a summary of the Academy¡¯s standing policies on everything. She was supposed to read it before their next meeting which would help prepare the class. Ashra seemed particularly eager to practice. Viv got the impression she liked to control her environment, which was just fine.


    Next came her meeting with Tod Seranileso.


    Contrary to her expectation, the medical faculty was mostly out of the secure wall that surrounded the Academy, though it was no less protected. Instead, it faced the outer ring of the city on the other side of the hill, where dry grass covered the craggy land and most of it was occupied by farms, the sheep-like creatures eating said herb and their oval dejections. It didn¡¯t smell very good. The medical faculty jealously occupied an isolated elevation fifteen minutes away from one of the academy gates. The sick and the wounded queued outside its vertiginous white walls, attended by a mix of mundane, religious, and magical staff.


    Viv was not let in. She was dragged in through a secondary entrance to the office of the tall northerner. Tod Seranileso looked ancient, a rarity in Nyil and even more so among casters. A wispy white beard reached his navel over an unadorned crimson robe that showed off his lean build. He grabbed Viv¡¯s wrist with a thin hand wrinkled by age. Viv noticed the short and very clean nails.


    ¡°Hmmm, yes, yes,¡± the old man said in lieu of greetings.


    His voice was low and strained, as if he was a smoker, though he lacked the yellow teeth and the scent. Maybe he was just very, very old.


    ¡°Yes. Hmm. Indeed. You are dying.¡±


    Viv raised a brow. She had shit bedside manners sometimes, but this was a little bit too much.


    ¡°Not anytime soon, fortunately. Not soon, but within a year, two at the most. Yes. We can alleviate the symptoms. You could last longer by not casting and carrying a mana-absorbing headband. An expensive option.¡±


    ¡°I do not think I can afford to do that.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not, hmm, indeed not. There is but one solution, though it might require some effort.¡±


    ¡°Becoming part elemental?¡±


    ¡°I see you are not quite as ignorant as I feared. Yes. Although, it presents some risks, yes indeed. Hmmm. And I can only think of Elunath to help you. He is the only¡­ available elemental archmage around. The others do not want to be found and, sorry to say, they will not care. I can get you an interview with him at the very least.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Soon. A message will expose your situation, and I believe he will try to help a talented young woman rather than let her perish. Indeed. Hmmm. I will do that for you, yes. Now, there is something you can do for me.¡±


    ¡°The regrowth spell?¡±


    ¡°Is this what you called it? Yes. To use black mana for its changing nature, now that is innovative. If slightly heretical. Except Neriad approved it, for some reason. Who can understand the gods?¡±


    Tod spoke those last words as if they were an expression of sorts. Viv was starting to think any psychiatrist with a specialization in megalomania ¡ª and possibly mommy issues ¡ª would do just fine, but wisely decided to keep those remarks to herself.


    ¡°Sure. I already said I¡¯d share with whoever is interested.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Tod said, clapping his boney hands together, ¡°I have prepared a room just for that.¡±


    Viv realized her ¡®visit¡¯ would probably turn into a full work day and sighed.


    Tod walked her down past patient rooms and testing areas. Viv was surprised to see the staff wore white robes complete with gloves and masks. Many of their tools were enchanted but the similarities with a modern hospital were quite striking. She considered asking if an outlander had brought some knowledge of microorganisms before realizing it would sound condescending. Also, for all she knew, some diseases here could actually be caused by bad spirits.


    Tod seemed well-respected, with several people asking him quick questions without ceremony. Some of them were obviously low on the totem pole from the lack of decoration on their clothes, yet Tod gave them his attention nonetheless. It took them quite some time to find a dedicated room on the first floor, which had been cleared for the occasion. Viv was asked to draw the construct with a piece of chalk on the smooth floor.


    She was an old hand at that by now and it only took her half an hour of patient efforts, just to make sure it was as perfect. Tod went out for a while but seemed to sense when she was done. He immediately asked a series of questions.


    ¡°Have you considered using Makar¡¯s convergence to accelerate the sludge sublimation process?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what this is.¡±


    ¡°What about a Baranese knot on the analysis part to prevent environmental influence?¡±


    ¡°Still no idea.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. You are an instinctive caster. Indeed. Do you mind if I try a few changes?¡±


    ¡°Be my guest.¡±


    Tod brought some changes, but when Viv tried to channel her mana into the construct, it would not react the way she was used to and the spell would fizzle. It was like trying to dance a familiar routine with manacles. All was well until she tried to spread her metaphorical hands.


    ¡°A little disappointing, but expected. Do you mind proceeding with some tests?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, but while we are discussing theory, I wanted to share one of the issues we were having.¡±


    Viv explained Sidjin¡¯s plan to use a memorial spell to force the soul to ¡®remember¡¯ its lost corporeal shell. Tod nodded, a hand twisting his beard while he pondered on their difficulties.


    ¡°If we leave the basic structure intact and plug the memorial spell to your diagnostics circle with a minimum of interaction, I believe you may cast it as is, provided you understand how the memorial itself works. I also note that the memorial uses black and colorless mana. An elegant solution. Who came up with the idea?¡±


    ¡°His name is Sidjin, and I would like to heal him quickly,¡± Viv asked.


    She gave Tod a pointed look that signified it was not a request. The old man easily accepted.


    ¡°Of course. Would you be willing to operate on patients between classes? You would be well-compensated.¡±


    ¡°What sort of compensation are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Two gold talents per rich client. Less for charitable cases, more for royalty if we can find them. The Academy will take half but we will cover all expenses and organize everything.¡±


    Tod waited.


    His offer was more than generous. The creation and sale of magical items or the performance of services through the Academy was heavily taxed, close to two thirds. In return, the students were insured in case something happened. It was in the agreements she had signed. On the other hand, Viv knew she could get much better terms by working through a temple, and even more through a private, ad hoc organization she would create herself. With that said, the medical faculty would organize everything for her which would save a lot of time, one of her most precious resources. It was the appeal of good will with a man she was beginning to respect that decided her in the end. Tod would be an invaluable ally in negotiating with the elemental archmage for her salvation. Money was a lesser concern, and so was building influence with Nyil at large.


    ¡°Fine, but I get to pick cases we handle in priority if there is someone I want to heal.¡±


    ¡°Agreed on two conditions. No more than one per day, and you do not undercut us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Shall we get started?¡±


    Tod scored another point in Viv¡¯s mind by selecting a grizzled nurse with a missing arm as her first patient. The woman had probably survived a disaster of some sort if the burn scar on her neck was any indication. She cried and hugged Tod after the procedure was done with the help of a cleric of Sardanal, god of prosperity. It felt pretty good. The memorial spell was also easier to use than expected since soul perception helped with it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane construct: Beginner 9


    </td>


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    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul Mastery: Beginner 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv knew the most complex spells would all require preparation like this one, and training those specific skills would help her improve on the battlefield as well. When they were done, Viv returned to her dorm for the night. She spent the next day reading materials and scheduling two important events. The first was Sidjin¡¯s surgery. The second was the meeting with archmage Elunath. The elemental powerhouse had agreed to meet her the next day, which spoke highly of Tod¡¯s pull.


    ¡°Then we can go together,¡± Sidjin commented. ¡°He agreed to receive me as well to discuss my stolen research. I hope we are both successful.¡±

 Chapter: 109 The best humanity has to offer.

    Elunath did not live in a mansion. He lived in a palace. To reach its protected entrance, Viv and Sidjin had walked through a ring of crowded manors hiding from each other behind high walls. Ancient walls topped with neatly trimmed hedges formed an impenetrable enclave around the house proper. Just the value of the real estate would suffice to buy all of current Harrak to the last infant, the last shirt button, if one could find a person rich enough to sign on it. Viv considered an obvious truth while they waited by the monumental gates. In Helock, money was a tool of the poor.


    The door opened by itself with a clang shortly after. A woman in a blue dress waited by the entrance, hands clasped in front of her in a demure fashion. Viv caught an impression of strong blue mana in her aura, and though she refrained from inspecting out of politeness, there was no doubt in her mind she was a powerful mage. Her clothes were enchanted as well. They looked pristine as if brand new, the azure contrasting with her pale skin. She smiled and bowed in a clearly rehearsed move.


    ¡°Welcome to the abode of Archmage Elunath, the Earthshaper. My name is Lani. You must be Viviane and his Highness Sidjin of Glastia. Please, come in.¡±


    She guided them through a large entrance hall with stairs leading up. Viv could have parked a Rafale in here, plus the missiles. Thin columns reached up to a ceiling decorated with flowers and views of the ocean. A dark-skinned northerner in a white ensemble garnished with alabaster feathers sat by a desk, classifying documents. She used an intricate monocle to inspect Viv rather than the skill. In passing, Viv could not help but notice the woman was breathtaking. Like the greeter, both of them wore perfect make-up and magically perfected designer clothes. It was when they crossed a corridor displaying rare vases and came across a short, curvy Viziman that Viv¡¯s suspicion grew to certainty. Elunath had something going on with his attendants.


    ¡°So, Lani, I could not help but notice your practiced aura. Are you one of his students?¡± Viv hazarded.


    It was difficult to guess what was appropriate and what was not. Nevertheless, Sidjin had not reacted beyond a light frown and it was open-ended enough. Lani took half of the bait only. She gave Viv a political smile ¡ª one that didn¡¯t reach her eyes ¡ª before answering.


    ¡°We are all students, yes, and masters in our own rights. We have served archmage Elunath since he elevated us from our very humble origins. He trained us well, and in return we assist him with his research and the day-to-day activities. We also benefit from his wisdom for our own pursuits.¡±


    Viv had some questions, such as ¡®Are you free to leave?¡¯, ¡®Are you even paid?¡¯ and also ¡®Are you all dressed to the nines on what seems to be a normal day to impress visitors and am I being paranoid or?¡¯


    The main issue was that Viv knew that mentorship with a sex option existed in at least two ancient warrior cultures she knew of, Greek and Japanese. It could be the same here, or it could not, and even if it were the case there was little she could do. Even if the practice was frowned upon, Elunath was so far above the law it would take unspeakable atrocities for the other mages to take him on. And indeed, she could tell why. The earth mana kept getting thicker as they approached the back of the estate until its presence was nearly overwhelming and Viv would struggle to draw on anything else. The walls felt more solid and more real, somehow, and the few potted plants they came across were vibrant with life. Lani eventually opened a heavily warded gate with a finger symbol, each monumental pane sliding slowly and quietly over a polished pink granite floor. A man waited behind a desk at the edge of a circular room topped by a cupola. The morning light shone over floral patterns set in the ceiling by a gifted crafter. Or perhaps Elunath himself. An ornate seat sat empty in front of the white and gold desk.


    ¡°Viviane the Outlander and Sidjin of Glastia, sir. They came together,¡± Lina presented.


    ¡°Did they now?¡± the man replied.


    Viv took a moment to inspect the man, again without using the skill as she was absolutely sure it would get her out on her ass before she could say ¡®faux-pas¡¯. Elunath was handsome in a strange, artificial sort of way, with every separate feature perfect by themselves. He had chiseled cheeks, a square, stubborn jaw, and beautiful brown eyes under perfectly cut brows. Close-cropped black hair and perfectly unblemished dark skin gave him an image of neatness that was almost unnatural. Viv had moles and pores. Tiny scars. That was normal. This guy had nothing. He was like a statue or a portrait made by melting the images of a thousand hot guys together. She had seen more realistic people in photoshopped ads, except this guy was staring at them, ringed fingers twined over a gold-embroided robe. He was very real, and very dangerous.


    ¡°I can wait outside if you prefer,¡± Sidjin kindly offered despite his appointment being the earlier one.


    ¡°No no that will be fine. It saves me time. Please, take a seat,¡± Elunath said.


    He did not react but his power flexed and an identical chair came flying from a back door, settling near its twin with nary a thud. Sidjin and Viv sat in silence. The witch noticed a platter full of drinks at the edge of the desk but Elunath did not offer them any. It certainly set the tone.


    ¡°I believe Sidjin of Glastia is first. Would you prefer being called your highness? Or did you forfeit the title with your exile?¡±


    ¡°Just Sidjin is fine, sir,¡± the ex-prince graciously allowed.


    ¡°Marvelous. Do tell me why you are here.¡±


    ¡°I come regarding an issue of research theft.¡±


    Elunath did not react while Sidjin methodically exposed his case. A certain Magister Sterek had stolen his notes back in Glastia while Sidjin himself was otherwise engaged being tortured to insanity. He was now in Helock claiming them for himself, although he had issue recreating even the most basic version of the portal so far. Sidjin was going after him to reclaim his intellectual property and needed Elunath¡¯s tacit permission since Sterek operated under his benevolent approval. Once he was done, Elunath had them stew in painful silence for half a minute before answering.


    ¡°Sterek did come here asking for my wisdom. He had very little to offer and I have other new branches of experimental magic I am exploring at the moment. He is not working to further my goals, if that is what concerned you. I shall be frank. I abhorred research drama when I was at the Academy and I abhor it even more now. You are free to tear each other¡¯s throats in front of the ethics committee, just leave me out of it or you will regret it. Only if, and I cannot understate this enough, only if you have a working proof of concept would I be interested in providing funds, resources, or advice. Until then, I will not be involved. Do we understand each other?¡±


    ¡°We do.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. For what it is worth and if you are truthful, I wish you good luck in your endeavor. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No sir.¡±


    ¡°Then what about you, Viviane the Outlander? What do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like your help to go part-elemental before my attunement rises enough to kill me.¡±


    Elunath didn¡¯t reply, but Viv felt the light touch of an inspection skill. The man seemed to consider her in silence. While he thought, his skin suddenly gained the texture and color of bark. The effect disappeared so fast Viv was not sure if she had really seen it, or if the high mana saturation had fooled her mind, somehow.


    ¡°You have a perfect black distribution. I did not think it was possible without turning into one of the undead. How long do you have? Five years?¡±


    ¡°Less than two.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, black mana is uniquely destructive, an antithesis to life itself.¡±


    Viv did not correct him.


    ¡°And you come to me as one of the two elemental archmages still active around humans. Yes, I see how that would make sense. Hmm. It is truly unfortunate that you disseminated your unique regeneration spell so freely or you would have a valuable bargaining chip. Unfortunately, it might as well be public knowledge now. I hope for you that you live long enough to learn. In any case, the change into part elemental is not just a complex process that requires several steps and the use of precious tools and regents, the difficulty is to complete this process with your sanity intact. To do so for myself was a titanic project. To do so for you, I would need to modify my methods to take into account your specific alignment. I would need to research additional containment methods to prevent cross-contamination, and this is just a fraction of the effort I would have to expend to help you. I do expect some form of compensation for the list of favors I would do to you. What is it you offer in return?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯d like to know is what you are looking for. This is a preliminary discussion. I have little to offer at the moment but I have means to find more.¡±


    ¡°Yadda yadda, all I hear is that you have nothing. My interest lies in ancient knowledge or rare tools and objects. If you find something relevant, and only then, I will start my research. Be aware that I will still ask much for this service.¡±


    Viv thought for a moment, then she removed a notebook from a breast pocket and wrote the first line she remembered from the base of the statue of  an unknown god back at the lone mountain where she had almost died from a Necrach-induced heart attack.


    ¡°How about this? Does it look familiar?¡±


    Elunath inspected the writings for just long enough that Viv knew he was interested.


    ¡°Where do you see this?¡±


    ¡°Did you not just say I should learn to keep my secrets?¡±


    Elunath sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically.


    ¡°I am not asking for the exact geographical location. Was it a private collection? A ruin? A fever dream?¡±


    ¡°A ruin.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Then yes, I am interested. Tell you what, I will contractually accept to save you and turn you part elemental to the best of my ability against a century of servitude.¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°What?¡± Viv blurted, but Elunath lifted a hand.


    ¡°Not slavery, the same terms the girls abide to. For each service you render, for every artefact you bring, I will shave time off this in accordance with the value of what you bring.¡±


    ¡°And only you would judge its worth.¡±


    ¡°I am not a bleeding heart idiot, but I am not dishonorable either. Working for me is a small price to pay to become a vaunted elemental mage. You will have the time and power to accomplish a great many things. Or you could refuse and die with the maddening pain of black mana poisoning while your organs shut down one by one. Do you have more writings?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There were five stellae.¡±


    ¡°Write their content and I will shave five years of the total. Give me context and I will remove another year. I will put everything down by contract.¡±


    With a flourish, Elunath moved his hand. A scroll unfurled and filled with ink. He gave it to Viv to peruse. She was not a legal expert, so she was not sure what to think of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s non-binding on your end,¡± Sidjin said in a low voice. ¡°It gives you the option to enter a contract of servitude of the stipulated length with him against him turning you part elemental to the best of his abilities. He will have to honor it if you decide to sign. The magical seal is legitimate.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to consult a lawyer. I will leave the contract with you,¡± Elunath said with a cold smile.


    ¡°And you would reduce the amount of time?¡±


    ¡°The empty section at the bottom will list all of your contributions and how much each one is worth. I never bargain, but you are free to refuse an exchange.¡±


    ¡°So context and six stellae worth of writing and you remove six years.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. We can proceed right away.¡±


    ¡°... Alright, I¡¯ll bite after I check the contract.¡±


    ¡°Send the copies by writing alongside the contract so I can amend it when you are ready. The lawyer will recognize the seal and its value. I will not take your doubts as an insult since you are newcomers, but do know I have a reputation for honesty here.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°I will be looking forward to our cooperation. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment.¡±


    ¡°When you have something, send me a message and I will grade it. A list of supplies and regents will be sent to you, and every piece you can acquire yourself will be deduced from the cost. I may also send you offers if you are so inclined. Do you fear getting your hands dirty?¡±


    ¡°That depends on whether or not you ask me to murder orphans.¡±


    ¡°I shall take this as a maybe. I believe our business is concluded. Kindly see yourselves out.¡±


    Viv and Sidjin walked out in silence, only stopping to exchange farewells with a falsely peppy Lami. The outlander waited until they were out of sight to ask the burning question.


    ¡°So, are all powerful archmages cunts?¡±


    ¡°The best mages humanity have to offer have reached their level thanks to their amazing drive. Sadly, a kind heart is not a prerequisite. Come, I saw a lawyer office on our way down. Let¡¯s see if they can do a rush job.¡±


    It was only a single sheet of parchment so for the atrocious cost of five silver talents, Viv was able to quickly learn that yes it was a legally binding, official contract and that not only was it legit, a copy had appeared in the vaults of the Helock¡¯s government to act as a reference and Elunath would have to burglarize two offices and murder five different officials to wiggle out of the contract.


    ¡°You must be rather important to warrant such terms,¡± the lawyer said. She was a woman with graying hair and piercing dark eyes.


    ¡°It just means he will take advantage by dictating the amount of years I can remove. I need to check other resources.¡±


    ¡°You should and I will help,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°but don¡¯t expect much. Most archmages have had a decade of preparation to achieve what Elunath accomplished, and many still fail.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think they would document it.¡±


    ¡°They do but most of those mages are rivals.¡±


    Viv sighed. She came from a world where the spread of knowledge was seen as mostly beneficial, but here on Nyil it appeared to be a strategic asset so people shafted each other over arcane secrets. There was no general notion that humanity could progress and make a difference here. Progress and enlightening were not concepts people even talked about. Everyone seemed to serve themselves and their close circles with the unwavering belief that, sooner or later, the septic tank would hit the industrial fan and drench the entire sub-continent. She understood but she didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Do you think I should take his offer?¡± she finally asked.


    Sidjin seriously considered her words before answering.


    ¡°Personally, I do not want you to die. I want you to live a long and happy life and I want to be part of it. I believe Elunath will try to give you diminishing returns on your offering so you end up serving him for at least a few years, and though he is an asshole, it looks to me that it is preferable to a horrible death. I have gone to great lengths not to die just before escaping. I also admit that, if I were facing the prospect of more torture, I would rather relinquish this life. The only good answer here is the one you decide for yourself. This contract is just an option. If, at the moment of signing, you have a better choice or you prefer to give it up, you should. I will be there with you, if you allow it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are right. It¡¯s still early. And at least I have a last resort option if nothing else pans out. I should be relieved.¡±


    ¡°This is cause for celebration! I would suggest a celebratory lunch, unfortunately, I wanted to start on Sterek right away now that you are enrolled and Elunath gave me his approval.¡±


    ¡°You are going to the committee of ethics?¡±


    ¡°I already did while you were busy. They insist I talk to Sterek first and try to resolve the conflict amicably.¡±


    ¡°Uh, are they not concerned that one of their researchers tried to steal research and claim it as his own? Isn¡¯t that bad?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it is considered unethical to steal from either the living or the recently dead with powerful living relatives.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s only bad if you get caught,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°In moments like those, your outlander nature shines brightly. There is so much lost knowledge developed by isolated researchers lost over the centuries. Those who find interesting ideas in ruins or dusty private libraries are encouraged to refresh and claim them.¡±


    Viv thought about her hive shield, which she had ¡®borrowed¡¯ from the lone mountain ruins.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°There is no shame in sitting on the shoulders of giants, especially when those giants are dead and cannot protest. Ah, here we are.¡±


    Sterek¡¯s research lab was situated in the upper part of town around the edge on account of the volatility of its nature. Viv had been informed by a local that the mineral plateau was ¡®as dry as a hag¡¯s twat¡¯ which made getting water difficult, hence why it was sparsely populated. Half of the laborers¡¯ day was spent making sure the cattle was well-hydrated. Viv sat to wait at the entrance of the tall stone building. The wards were nice but that place was cold and unadorned. Fantasy brutalist. It was clear the designer had considered costs and the possibility the place would have to be rebuilt on occasion.


    A pair of assistants filling forms kept stealing glances at her. They looked younger than her, but the way their mana moved showed amazing control, especially of colorless mana. Sidjin returned before anyone could speak. From the tension in his shoulders, Viv knew it hadn¡¯t gone well. She waited until they were back on a buggy before asking questions.


    ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡±


    ¡°He found a nice way to avoid the problem by asking me to prove it was me and my research. He did so by asking me a question pertaining to anchoring the portal. It¡¯s a block in his research. His notes were on the board behind him.¡±


    ¡°And you could not tell him without him completing the research I assume?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, he has a few more ordeals to clear, but it certainly set the tone. He doesn¡¯t want to relinquish his research. I think he has invested too much in it. Even if I had given him the answer, he would have still found an excuse to dispute my identity.¡±


    ¡°There has to be a way to prove you are you.¡±


    ¡°And I sincerely hope the ethics committee has them.¡±


    And it did have them, but they wanted him to be identified by a family member. No matter how many times Sidjin tried to explain to the clerks that he was banished, they argued that since he was a prince there had to be at least some Glastian people who would identify him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just take his word for it? He can swear an oath and demonstrate the level of magical mastery he claims,¡± Viv tried to argue, but the clerk disagreed.


    ¡°He could be a madman and believe in what he has said. There were cases before where talented yet unstable individuals claimed to be a deceased expert. A prince is a public figure. Surely you have people who can recognize him.¡±


    ¡°It is as I told you. I have been in prison for years, and I have scars. All of those who were close to me have reasons to see me dead and the rest will not be able to swear with certainty.¡±


    ¡°We either need three unaffiliated witnesses or some sort of heirloom,¡± the clerk said, ¡°sorry.¡±


    Viv could tell the people were not being arrogant about it. If anything, they looked like terrified people trying to cover their asses. Nevertheless, Viv had not anticipated so many hoops and from Sidjin¡¯s face, she could guess he had hoped for a quick settlement. He was remarkably calm when they left the building, having made no progress whatsoever.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to find a way, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Am I being paranoid or could it be that you are being deliberately sabotaged?¡±


    ¡°No, it makes sense for centers of learning to protect their researcher and only punish when they have no choice. The Academy is not exempt from favoritism. I am disappointed, but not surprised. Don¡¯t worry, I expected something like that to happen.¡±


    The fallen prince kept silent while Viv dealt with her annoyance at systemized assholery. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her in a half hug. She returned it. Then she came to a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯m moving the schedule ahead. Buggy, get us to the academy¡¯s faculty of medicine. It¡¯s on the other side of ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°I know where it is, lady. I went there last time my foot got infected. They pulled a wood shard as long as my thumb!¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, right.¡±


    ¡°We are doing this now?¡± Sidjin asked, suddenly nervous.


    ¡°I did not make any appointment today because I didn¡¯t know how long it would take to meet Elunath. Since we¡¯re out early, let¡¯s put our time to good use.¡±


    ¡°Ah it is just that my back hurts and the stone is so cold and I am making excuses, am I not?¡±


    ¡°You did not sleep comfortably?¡±


    ¡°No I¡­ forgot to buy a mattress. Wait! You knew? You knew!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, royal boy? I thought you were not pampered and had everything figured out?¡±


    ¡°Aghhh you evil woman!¡±


    They spent the rest of the trip bickering.


    Tod was more than willing to help her get her hand on a cleric of Sardanal to help with the procedure.


    ¡°We have that girl Morea who¡¯s been harping about healing full time. A good sort. You show her your spell and make sure all is well, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Morea turned out to be a short and cute young woman with very pinchable cheeks for an adult. She was constantly cheerful, though it had the sort of brittle quality of someone expecting it to shatter at a moment¡¯s notice. Viv judged it might be a defense mechanism. In any case, she was delighted to have a kind person around for what was going to be a long and arduous procedure.


    As promised, they first finished repairing Sidjin¡¯s body. The torturer had removed entire strands of muscle, leaving behind crevices and scar tissue. Viv¡¯s first time was to ablate and rebuild large parts of the legs and arms since his body had compensated for the amputation. Morea¡¯s help proved invaluable because she had a prayer that prevented blood loss. It even worked after Viv used her black mana scalpel. It took half an hour to do everything thanks to Viv¡¯s experience. Once she was done, the time came for the ¡®piece de resistance¡¯: Sidjin¡¯s nethers.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m starting now. Ready Morea?¡±


    ¡°Ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready as well,¡± Sidjin mumbled nervously.


    The witch cut into tissue with care. Without the priestess, this would have bled a lot and required a break to let Sidjin recover, but fortunately all was going well. The Halurian spell soon revealed the form of the lost member and Viv set out to rebuild it with clinical disinterest. Concentration came easily to her magically enhanced mind. It also helped that the penis wasn¡¯t that complex to remake. Only the ¡®corpus cavernosum¡¯ and ¡®corpus spongiosum¡¯ were slightly exotic, the rest was nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. Nothing she hadn¡¯t handled before.


    When she was done, Sidjin was whole, except for the scars he had wanted to keep. His body was still a little too thin and the rebuilt skin was too pale. Those would come with time. He would also need some reeducation. Speaking of which.


    ¡°Oooooh¡­¡± the prince whispered, staring at his freshly regrown cock.


    It was, she had to concede, a very nice cock. Really good specimen. The firing new nerves had also led to a bit of a turgescent situation. It was good that Viv had prepared for this moment. She put on a birth control ring while her lover watched mesmerized as the phoenix rose from the ashes. Then she grabbed it.


    Sidjin yelped with surprise then sighed in contentment.


    ¡°Ah, Viv darling¡­¡±


    He turned incoherent under her ministrations. She had clearly caught him off guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°As your medical expert, I¡¯d like to make sure everything is in working order. You wouldn¡¯t object, would you?¡±


    ¡°If you insist¡­¡± he croaked. ¡°I bow to your expertise!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Viv said while unbuttoning her dress.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± a tiny voice said near the door, ¡°I¡¯ll show myself out then?¡±


    ***


    Viv sighed with contentment and settled on her bed to read her etiquette course booklet. Sidjin was still in the hotel room they had rented after deciding a stone slab was not the best place to indulge. Classes would start the day after and she had to prepare a bit more. A knock on the door distracted her. She stood up to find an envelope had been left on the ground by the dormitory¡¯s staff. It bore her name. She opened it and read its contents. They had been written in a suspiciously perfect hand, every letter the exact same as if coming fresh out of the printer.


    Your Grace,


    There is a prize of fifteen gold talents on the head of Prince Sidjin,


    Contact me at the five fishes tavern for more.


    Sincerely,


    S.


    ¡°I will ruin that asshole first and then I will kill him,¡± Viv announced to a nearby pillow.


    ¡°I hope you are not talking about a fellow student?¡± a suspicious voice said.


    ¡°No,¡± Viv replied, then louder: ¡°A researcher put a hit on my boyfriend after stealing his research!¡±


    Viv realized she had made a big mistake. Her brief outburst would be exhibit one in an earth trial and listed as motive. Thankfully, she was no longer on earth.


    ¡°How dastardly. There is nothing worse than caught idiots doubling down on their crimes. Please,¡± Ereska said with a carnivorous grin, ¡°tell me more.¡±

 Chapter 110: In session

    Ereska listened patiently, then complained with Viv about dishonest scholars, the worst! They whined together for a good twenty minutes and felt much better with themselves, then it was time to think about solutions. Ereska¡¯s advice was to avoid the ethics committee.


    ¡°They will just add more roadblocks, and even if you deal with everything, you still have to go through a trial. The easier and faster way would be to discredit him with his sponsors.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Academy?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned they had a private facility at the edge. It means that Sterek is paid by other interests. Does this spell have military applications?¡±


    ¡°Massive ones. It would revolutionize logistics.¡±


    ¡°Logistics? Transporting things?¡±


    Viv sometimes forgot that most history books only talked about glorious charges and massive spells here. She knew better.


    ¡°Logistics is absolutely essential to any military actions, especially offensive ones. No food, no water, no shelter, and your elites will barely function.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, fighting versus getting to the fight. I read about it. But I digress. If this has military application, it is possible that the Helockian army supports it. If it revolutionizes logistics, the merchant guilds might have an interest in it as well. They will drop Sterek the instant you demonstrate to them that you have a finished product. It will then be up to him to go through the administrative pain of challenging you. Not that he could prove you stole his research.¡±


    ¡°An elegant solution for Sidjin. Sterek has to demonstrate his progress, right?¡±


    ¡°Undoubtedly and regularly. No one trusts experimenting mages with money unless they are fine with losing all of it. And the building.¡±


    ¡°I think I have an idea,¡± Viv said.


    There was still the matter of the contract, but she could do little about that for now. Nevertheless, she paid a messenger to send Solfis a quick request to place the mage under protection. The answer was prompt and derisive, the golem politely reminding her that he knew Sidjin was an ¡®important asset¡¯ and that he was slaughtering mages back when France was still a monarchy, and god that was fucking weird. She had never considered it that way.


    The next day was the last before classes resumed. Viv ate a surprisingly good breakfast at the dormitory and donned street clothes before a quick visit at the library, which had its own building. She found a copy of the mage servitude contract and swore softly under her breath.


    No matter how she looked at it, Elunath was shafting her good and he knew it. The agreement was non-binding on her end which means she was free to take it or not, but that was the only good thing to it. If she did not sign it then all of the favors she would be doing for Elunath would amount to absolutely nothing. They would be entirely wasted. If she did take it, the years shaved off would be determined by Elunath himself who was an interested party and, as far as she could tell, an arrogant asshole. It was literally bending to an overlord and hoping he would be merciful. She had no recourse. Finally, the servant contract meant all her magical research would belong to him, he could direct her to any project he saw fit including dangerous ones, and he could order her around at all times. She was only marginally protected against suicide missions, sexual advances and so on. Only the most basic of human decencies.


    She had asked a few questions about Elunath to Eraska who had confirmed the man was stubborn and fundamentally attached to his word. It meant he would not cheat but also that he would not negotiate. He was rather known for that, in fact. Viv wondered if one¡¯s element altered one¡¯s mindset. If it were true, she would be eminently destructive and the harbinger of change, haha.


    Hmmm.


    A quick research on the other Elemental archmage still active revealed it was a blue-aligned woman who spent her life on a ship she propelled by herself off the coast of Halluria. She was notoriously removed from the affairs of this world. There were talks that the dean of the Academy was on his way to a red elemental alignment, but those were mostly rumors. It would still be profitable to ask him and so Viv sent a request for a talk.


    As soon as she was done, Viv hired a buggy to the Five Fishes tavern, which happened to be close to river Shal¡¯s estuary at the edge of the city. The Ocean went on forever to the north as they arrived through modest and dirty streets. Most of the folks around were fishermen and dock workers of various ethnic groups. The tension was palpable.


    The Five Fishes smelled of straw, sweat, and predictably of fish soup. Viv ordered a bowl and was pleasantly surprised at the herbal and slightly citrusy flavor. The innkeeper invited her to a ¡®private room¡¯ where the golem waited in retracted form in the company of the woman who had guided Viv to Arthur. Her name was Lim the Fell-Handed if memory served, and her prim dress gave her the countenance of the head admin at a concentration camp. There was also a man who thought himself hidden behind a darkness concept. Compared to Irao, his work was extremely sloppy. Viv ignored him.


    //Your Grace.


    //It appears your Academy stay has begun in a beautiful fashion.


    //I expected you might be dragged in an unsanctioned duel with a thin-skinned noble student first.


    //On account of your abrasive personality.


    ¡°I do not have an abrasive personality.¡±


    Lim¡¯s eyes widened and her mouth puckered. A single accusatory finger silenced her.


    ¡°I have a short fuse; that¡¯s not the same thing as being abrasive.¡±


    //You have a problem with authority.


    ¡°I have a problem with idiots claiming authority over me. Anyway, I¡¯m not here to discuss mandates and legitimacy. This place is such a wreck that deciding the rulers based on some farcical aquatic ceremony might improve the situation.¡±


    //I hypothesize that you wish to keep Sidjin alive.


    Viv remembered the slightly creepy fact that Solfis could monitor her health from afar and his comments could therefore be interpreted several ways. At least the answer was easy.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //The bounty was left with a renowned assassin group.


    //Renowned in the sense they have lasted almost three years.


    //We must dispose of them, as the hit cannot be recalled.


    ¡°Fucking great. Ugh. Can you handle that part?¡±


    //Naturally.


    //There is also the issue of Sterek.


    //I estimate the likelihood that he or one of his associates ordered the hit at 81%.


    ¡°That¡¯s lower than I anticipated.¡±


    //I expect the Glastians will want Sidjin dead at some point in the future.


    //However, his identity so far has been protected.


    //Therefore, it will take some time before the news of his survival reaches Glastia and its government comes to a decision.


    //The 19% accounts for Glastian citizens with a personal grudge.


    ¡°Damn, Sidjin is more popular than I am.¡±


    //For now, yes.


    //We must decide how to proceed with Sterek.


    ¡°For this, I have an idea but I need someone to find out when his investors will come for a demonstration. I also need someone to map the wards around his workshop, if possible.¡±


    //I will assist.


    ¡°Now, onto another matter. A private one. You two, scram.¡±


    Lim the Fell-Handed left without protest, soon followed by a slightly miffed assassin.


    ¡°He is unfocused,¡± Viv remarked while they were out.


    //Good help is hard to come by.


    //You had a remark?


    ¡°I¡¯d like your opinion on this contract Elunath selected.¡±


    Solfis scanned the page for a second. Viv expected he had read and understood the content in a fraction of a moment and taken the rest of the time to formulate an answer,


    //I want to state without exaggeration and without deception that I have made an example of entire mage families for less.


    //This is an insult to you, as the Imperial Heir.


    //I wish nothing more at this junction than to walk into his home in my old frame and tear his spine out with my bare hands.


    //According to Harrakan law, his head would then be conserved and displayed above the ministry of justice for no less than a month.


    ¡°Yes yes it¡¯s bad, I get it. What can I do?¡±


    //Find an alternative.


    //However, we already struggled to travel here and this is our best option at the moment.


    //Considering this, I would advise three avenues of approach regarding Elunath.


    //First, we can leverage Harrakan secrets to an extent.


    //However, we must not reveal how much you have, or we will be wrung dry.


    //Elunath might care about his reputation, but he cares about knowledge even more.


    //This extends to your control over the Harrakan army and Harrakan facilities.


    //If Elunath does not know the extent of your capabilities, all your contributions will be rated higher


    //Second, we can use the underworld as well as expeditions to acquire new material of interest.


    //I shall do so myself.


    //Third, we might be able to leverage ourselves as deniable assets.


    ¡°You mean his request for someone who can get their hands dirty?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Although this presents a risk, I believe I can take measures so that our operations cannot be traced back to you.


    //We should keep ourselves in his mind first.


    //By providing obviously ¡®liberated¡¯ artifacts.


    //I need to learn more about his interests and stake in the city.


    //Understand how he operates.


    Viv nodded slowly. She perfectly understood Solfis¡¯ reasoning. Right now, she needed Elunath alive and well. After she was transformed, he would become a liability. It would be useful to get to know how he functioned and how he defended himself. Sometimes, the golem¡¯s mindset could be predictable.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    //I will have everything I can done on my end.


    //I shall send you a message when any of my current tasks has made progress.


    ¡°Good, because classes start tomorrow and I need all the knowledge I can get.¡±


    //Make connections.


    ¡°I will try.¡±


    ***


    Viv left soon after to visit Sidjin because she had to make sure he was fine. The buggy she hired ran down to the edge of the Shal and over an impossibly long bridge clogged with wagons and travelers. They left the main road for a cleaner stone path that ran between large estates. Here, the terrace farms she had spotted on her arrival were prevalent. They bore orchards and vineyards as well as paddies, most of them either empty or in the process of being harvested. Men and women in simple clothes labored with songs, piling colorful bounties on large carts drawn by placid cornudons. The air here was still warm, yet a breeze coming from the sea made it bearable.


    The buggy left her by an old open gate and asked for seven iron bits which was robbery, but Viv didn¡¯t mind. The poor lad dragging her ass up the cliff was red and out of breath despite his enhanced stat so that was fine. She walked through the entrance to children racing across an inner court cluttered with half-filled crates. A harried woman asked her to wait while shirtless laborers loaded the late shipment. Soon, a shaved, fat man in a sweaty robe wobbled to her, a tall thug by his side.


    [Estate ruler, not dangerous, one who follows the path of estate management and agriculture. Greedy, mind for business, gruff.]


    [Farm fist: not dangerous, one who follows the path of laborer and enforcer. Decent melee combattant. Stupid. Pillar.]


    ¡°A lady caller not two fucking days into his stay? What is this place? A bordello?¡± the merchant roared in heavily-accented Baranese.


    Viv was unimpressed, especially when a small wave of intimidation tried to roll over her.


    ¡°Where can I find him?¡± she replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m of a mind to just kick your skank ass out of my property.¡±


    ¡°Careful, that sounded like a threat.¡±


    The thug took a step forward and that was the perfect opportunity to test the new, non-lethal options she had been working on. Viv formed a palm and used colorless telekinesis to hit his ample frame in the solar plexus. He crashed backward with a pained ¡®oof¡¯.


    In the silence that followed, the thug crawled to his knees and vomited his past three meals.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use magic against civilians,¡± the merchant coldly stated.


    ¡°Looks to me like I can. Feel free to whine later. Now, show me where Sidjin lives or I¡¯ll look for him myself, and your doors won¡¯t like that.¡±


    Viv finally released her grasp on draconic intimidation. She could tell her own brand of intimidation was different. It felt cold and reptilian, more a promise of consequences than a contest of will. At the same time, her coating spread quickly over her form to assume the semblance of spikier earth infantry gear.


    It was a bit of a gamble. Academy rules were nominally strict on law enforcement against casters who harassed citizens, but she knew the real score. So long as she didn¡¯t kill anybody, she would receive a slap on the wrist at worst. Maybe a fine. The rich didn¡¯t care much about fines.


    Viv expected two things to happen. Either the merchant would bend, or he would threaten. It should be clear force would not work against her.


    To her surprise, the merchant picked a third option. He started to laugh.


    ¡°Hah! Thank Maranor someone¡¯s wearing pants in this couple. That lad felt too soft by himself, all soft-spoken and polite and whatnot. No spine. No presence! I tried to screw him over and do you know what he said? I think not,¡± the merchant grumbles in a fairly good imitation of Sidjin¡¯s northern accent.


    ¡°I think not! No insults, nothing. Not even a little threat! The man¡¯s gotta grow a pair if he wants to survive around here. Talks like a Baranese countess.¡±


    ¡°I can only assume you¡¯ve not seen him fight.¡±


    ¡°Pah! There are no good fights to be found around this city. He got to have more bite, you hear? Anyway, please excuse me for a second.¡±


    Viv was not sure what to say. She thought a man who could woodchip a navy patrol boat and dig a wormhole through the fabric of reality could afford to speak quietly but the merchant meant well in a weird, culturally different sort of way. Probably. She decided to let it go for now.


    The merchant looked after the farm fist who was quickly recovering. He spoke a few words and the surrounding laborers rushed to bathe him in healing magic, led by a fussy woman who kept sending glares at Viv. The farm fist stood shortly after looking no worse for wear. He nodded towards Viv.


    ¡°Follow Lud, woman. He¡¯ll guide you to your man. You can stay after dark, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you,¡± she replied sarcastically.


    Lud led her through a fairly basic and really cluttered stone complex. It was obviously an extremely busy period for the estate. She finally found Sidjin¡¯s quarter on the side of large fields, separated from the terraces by a tiny vegetable garden. His house was a two-storied wood and stone edifice designed with sturdiness and function in mind. It was completely unadorned. She knew for sure it was his because it was bristling with a complex array of defensive enchantments. Compared to the rest of the estate, it practically shone in her mana senses. She approached the door and knocked. There was a rush of feet inside and she soon found herself nose to nose with a clearly relieved Sidjin.


    ¡°I knew it was you, you always knock the same way.¡±


    ¡°What can I say, I am a creature of habit.¡±


    ¡°And also a liar.¡±


    ¡°Apparently. Let me in?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sorry, please give me a moment, it will be just a few seconds.¡±


    Sidjin fiddled with runes he had apparently carved in a nearby support beam. The curtain of energy covering the entrance shimmered.


    ¡°Alright you can walk in, I attuned the ward to your presence.¡±


    ¡°How did you manage to fortify this place so well?¡±


    ¡°The fear of being murdered by a dockrat assassin paid by a two-bit research thief proved to be a powerful motivator. Your ally¡¯s warning came just in time.¡±


    He considered his next words.


    ¡°I will admit that it¡¯s all terribly inefficient and mana-intensive but this is a rental and I am not spending a single iron bit making those wards permanent. Not for that insufferable scrooge. I bet he will see the glyphs and charge me for damage.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you said just in time? You were already attacked?¡±


    Sidjin gestured Viv in. The main room had everything from a kitchen corner to a hearth and even a bathing space separated by a small curtain. Everything was either old or brand new, and Viv suspected Sidjin had bought some of it himself. The witch¡¯s attention soon came to a strange assortment of burnt logs kept in a washbasin. It did not take her long to realize her mistake.


    ¡°Sidjin, why is there a carbonized corpse in your living room?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Oh, sorry. I was so busy finishing the defenses that I did not take the time to go out and dispose of it. Came yesterday through the roof just as I was finishing the charge. It was a surprise.¡±


    He looked sheepish.


    ¡°Not very romantic for a first visit.¡±


    ¡°Not really, no.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, let me make some tea quickly. I have pastries as well, with mushrooms and grilled shellfish. Surprisingly tasty.¡±


    Viv sighed and disintegrated the remains.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just solve everything by offering tea and snacks, dear, but yes please do.¡±


    They moved to a pair of wicker chairs. Sidjin mentioned a pair of killers, one of them intercepted by Solfis¡¯ men. They were the lower ranks of the guild after him, however, those who had hoped to grab the prize on his head quickly, underestimating the risks. More serious people would come after him very soon. It made every trip through town a hazard, though even assassins preferred the night. They had enemies as well.


    Sidjin was quite aggravated. Viv came to the rescue.


    ¡°I got an idea that might help us. Two in fact. One is about humiliating Sterek and the other is about slaughtering the assassin group to the last man. Or woman. I don¡¯t discriminate.¡±


    Sidjin paused and then added a small crab meat tart to Viv¡¯s plate.


    ¡°Sometimes I feel that I exhausted all the misery and bad luck of my life to meet you. Sometimes I think I am still in that dark pit, dying and hallucinating a happier life. It scares me,¡± the man said.


    Viv slowly grabbed his hand. His thin fingers closed over hers with slightly more strength than necessary.


    ¡°I¡¯m real, Sidjin, never doubt it. If that comforts you, you¡¯re not smart enough to imagine me.¡±


    The fallen prince gawped, then chuckled.


    ¡°Perhaps you are right. Yes. Sorry, it appears I am still carrying this prison with me.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize. Some of your scars are just more visible than others. But let¡¯s change the subject! Show me around?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Viv aptly steered the conversation towards Sidjin¡¯s newest linen which steered the couple towards the bed. The fallen prince had a short nap after their lovemaking. When he woke up, he was feeling refreshed and so was Viv. She related her newest exploit with magic.


    ¡°I smacked someone with a telekinesis spell. It worked well but was perhaps too localized. I would need something more spread out to push them away without, you know, breaking ribs.¡±


    ¡°Please consider that you would be hitting them with a wall rather than just with the spell then.¡±


    ¡°Non-lethal does not mean pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Hitting people with walls can be quite lethal on occasion, Viviane dear. Just keep it in mind. In any case, congratulations on your progress. It will help with more than just combat.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible to use telekinesis to throw weapons at people?¡± Viv asked, thinking of Gambit from the X-men who she had found darkly charismatic back when she was twelve.


    ¡°Yes, in fact some Viziman blademasters specialize in those techniques. However, it takes a lifetime of dedication to use it well.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡±


    ¡°Since you are here and settled, would you like to practice portal magic again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±


    At this stage, Viv could feel and visualize the space she had to twist. It really helped that she could think of space as something malleable. Visualizing a grid in the air was the most useful mind technique she had come up with, and she had been inspired by old school sci-fi for that. It was a wonder Sidjin had come up with the entire construct on his own. The next step was to pick a destination and that was hard because the mage solution was to use a very advanced set of coordinates. Instinctive casting did not like that. She would have to find a workaround. It was also entirely possible a witch like her would only be able to visit places she¡¯d already been to.


    In any case, she was still making progress and portal magic was arguably complex, so that was fine.


    ¡°You have a lot of projects, currently,¡± Sidjin remarked later.


    ¡°And classes haven¡¯t even started,¡± Viv complained.


    It was later time to head back. The witch used coating just in case but no threats materialized. The price was not on her head anyway, at least not yet, but she would be stupid to take too many risks. The trip back took a while because there were no buggies to be found around the estates. She made her way back by nightfall.


    School started the next day.


    The breakfast room was crammed with students in uniform that morning. Columns of grey and dark-blue clad casters made their way to the main building, the gates of which were opened for the first time since Viv had arrived.


    So far, most of Viv¡¯s business had taken place in the administrative building, a smaller structure nestled against the walls. The main building was rectangular, massive, and topped by a cupola. She was tempted to gasp when she entered.


    Rather than a more traditional structure, the Academy¡¯s main corridors were uncovered all the way up to the roof. A dome of impossible proportions displayed a blurred image of the sky in strange colors with outlines of stars and celestial bodies. It also let the outside light in, so much that Viv felt she was still in the garden. Bridges crossed the gap between various wings, allowing students to go from one faculty to another without the need to go back down. The general feeling was one of a village inside of a grotto, perhaps. It was rather unique and charming. All of the walls displayed formulae, painting, extracts and quotes from famous scholars and the occasional statue. The humdrum of conversations resonated through the vast open space. Viv just made sure to stay close to Eraska who had offered to accompany her and let the lazy tide carry them both to the main amphitheater.


    It proved to be large enough to welcome all of the students. Viv and Ereska managed to find a pair of seats on the side and waited a while, surrounded by a riot of colorful mana. Soon, professors in crimson regalia walked to the overly decorated podium. The dean came in last. Viv was not really surprised when she recognized the ¡®technician¡¯ who had keyed her into the wards just after her admission. If she were to accept a known revolutionary in her place of learning she¡¯d probably want to check them out as well.


    ¡°Welcome students both new and returning, welcome to the Academy. Welcome to your home away from home. Welcome to the greatest center of knowledge on Param!¡±


    The students cheered good-naturedly, some of them beating their chests to produce a loud rumble. It was all Viv could do not to clap as a force of habit.


    ¡°I am Dean Tallit and it is my honor to welcome you here in these hallowed halls. Yes indeed, the honor is also mine. The Academy has endured through the achievements of generations of talented people and now it is your turn. The time has come for you to leave a mark in history. To surpass yourselves and your forefathers. You are not quite yet the elite of the continent¡¯s spellcasting but work hard and you will be.


    ¡°For those of you who just joined us, I have a message. There are many people who have helped you reach the place you are here right now, your parents, elders, partners, mentors, friends, and relatives. You have worked hard to display the degree of commitment and mastery of the arcane arts we expect of those who would join us. You will be expected to continue upholding the standards of excellence you have shown so far, yet just as before, you are not alone. The staff and your seniors are also here to guide you on the path to greatness in a spirit of camaraderie and wholesome emulation. Do not hesitate to reach out rather than drown, and remember that your new community goes beyond previous allegiances. Do not stunt your progress through restrictive views. New friends might be only a seat away.


    ¡°Now to everyone, I would speak of the duties that come with the privilege of learning.¡±


    Viv could see more than a few rolling eyeballs in the ranks, which was just as expected.


    ¡°Our Academy has not endured throughout the ages because we are powerful, though we are, rich, though we are¡­¡±


    ¡°Or handsome!¡± someone roared in the front row.


    A low laugh spread across the room and the dean indulged it for a moment.


    ¡°Or because you are witty, though you clearly are,¡± he allowed.


    More people laughed this time. The dean appeared pleased with himself before he continued.


    ¡°No, the reason why we have endured ¡ª not thrived, endured ¡ª is because we have always kept ourselves separate from the world¡¯s troubles. We have always maintained a careful neutrality, acting as guardians of knowledge so that our civilization and its fruits might be preserved through the multiple crises. You will find many relics of the Old Empire around you. Let them serve as a reminder that the advancement you take as granted can disappear in a moment, without warning. It can happen to the Academy. Our current standing and continued existence depends on your behavior. Civilization and order can only prevail through consistent efforts. The staff and myself will do our utmost to safeguard our existence and the future of mankind on the continent.


    ¡°You will find that the coming months will challenge your focus as you apply yourself within your walls, yet find yourselves unable to ignore what happens beyond. I understand. You have come here to acquire the means to influence the world around you, one way or another, for what is magic if not binding reality to one¡¯s will? The sense of powerlessness might feel unfamiliar and unpleasant. You will experience it. When it comes, take a step back and reflect. I will remind you that your efforts must be applied consistently and thoroughly, or you will be left behind by those who have chosen to complete their curriculum. The world never stops, and consequently there will always be another crisis, another issue to distract you. To stay committed to your studies is not just salutary for the future of our institution but for yours as well.¡±


    Viv had expected empty chatter, but the dean¡¯s choice of words warned politically-minded casters to stay the fuck away from the brewing problems. It was clear the dean expected conflict in the near future, a conflict significant enough to shake the Academy. Viv¡¯s mind wandered to the current ethnic conflict Solfis had announced but she had so far seen little signs of. Probably because she lived in a sheltered environment. It was not enough to justify the dean¡¯s words as she doubted many people cared. There had to be something else.


    Fortunately, it was none of her business. At least for now.


    Unfortunately, it meant there would be scrutiny. That would be a problem, especially in a world with paths and social skills. It made hiding things much harder.


    The rest of the speech centered on lesser topics and she filtered it out. Eraska was busy looking at people and Viv chose to emulate her. She didn¡¯t learn anything except the fact that free candidates like her were scattered, displaying a complete lack of unity.


    It took quite a while to go through several teachers¡¯ greetings, then another ten minutes for everyone to trail out and towards their classrooms for their first lesson, in Viv¡¯s case it would be on the fundamentals of magic. Ereska pointed her on the right path then left to find her own friends. Viv walked to an old classroom and took a random seat. The windows showed the wall on one side and the domed interior of the Academy on the other. Clumps of students arrived and spread across the long tables lining up the room. Most of them seemed to know a few others and all of them gave her a wide berth. In fact, there was a circle of social stigma around her two seats deep and counting. It appeared to be more shyness than scorn from the way people carefully avoided looking at her and the distinct lack of hissy whispers. Just like she expected, they were all much younger than her, but not as young as the young man now sitting by her side.


    ¡°Can I sit taken? I mean, sorry. Is this seat taken or can I sit here?¡±


    He was quite nervous.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she invited.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Viv inspected her unexpected neighbor. He had short black hair and a thin face with a pointy chin. She noticed two tattoos trailing up from his brow and disappearing into his hairline. There was only one other person she knew with tattoos like that: Orkan the Halurian warborn turned inquisitor. This young man was definitely thinner and softer. The tattoos didn¡¯t match as well. The most surprising feature was his aura, however. While most other casters mostly shone with two colors, one dominant and one less, he had four and they were each very powerful, rotating calmly around his person in a well-defined and harmonious circle. Ratty clothes under a brand new robe completed the image.


    Between his age and his aura, Viv realized there was only one option. He was a magical genius.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Viv.¡±

 Chapter 111. Basic magic for dummies

    ¡°My name is Rakan. That means ¡®like a dragon¡¯ in Hallurian, not very fitting right? Oh, so you¡¯re a free candidate as well, right? I think so but those uniforms are hard to read.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am a free candidate as well. You are Hallurian then? Did you come here recently?¡±


    ¡°Why yes, of course. Well, no, not of course. There are others like me here and some of them are born here! Imagine that. Hallurians born out of Halluria¡­ Oh, yes. I left recently thanks to my sister. She helped me escape. Do you know about casting in my homeland?¡±


    ¡°I think professor Ashra mentioned the women were used as, well, brood mares.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They have it easy!¡±


    Rakan positively melted under Viv¡¯s indignant glare. He might be young but that was not reason to tolerate such bullshit.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I mean that male casters become part of the Faceless Order. Hmm. Dedicated to protecting Halluria from the greater dangers. The order lets warlords do their thing and only intervene in times of great crisis. We¡­ sorry, they regulate war, take down dangerous monsters. That sort of thing. Ah, and the finished tattoos give the grandmaster complete control over its subordinates and also we, I mean they are all castrated. No distractions allowed.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, that sounds bad. And your sister saved you from that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. My sister is a famous huntress. She managed to poison the faceless¡¯ meal and then hunted down the rest of the escort. Seeing her open my cage was like being born again. I was so scared! Anyway, we are here now. Safe. Kind of.¡±


    ¡°The city is not that safe, no.¡±


    Rakan opened the floodgates and he could talk someone¡¯s ear off, not that Viv minded too much. He shared about what Viv recognized to be culture shock, then about the intricacy of the Academy¡¯s wards. He apologized for boring her.


    ¡°I am literally here to learn about magic so I have an interest in wards as well, don¡¯t worry,¡± Viv assured.


    ¡°Oh good. Sister complained many times that I was talking too much during our trip. She has no taste for magic. Finds it confusing and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It can be so. You seem to have a lot of respect for your sister.¡±


    ¡°Mom was often away. She is a huntress as well. Very rare, but we grew up in a small underground village after the last war and¡­ we needed the food.¡±


    Viv nodded just as the teacher entered the classroom, right on time. He was a young man with a neat appearance and traits that might be Baranese. He strode to his pulpit and waved his hand. A 3D display of a basic construct appeared in the air like a hologram. Viv felt life mana from the image over the controlled auras of her classmates.


    ¡°Magic is power in its rawest form. It permeates everything and we all pursue it for different reasons. There are many paths to choose from for those of us with the ability to cast. All of them are worthy. Yes, you heard me. Whether you become a healer, a war mage, an enchanter or a builder, whether you serve a nation or an ideal or just your family, I shall consider your pursuit worthy and I shall support you to the best of my abilities¡­ provided you give it your best. Magic does not tolerate mediocrity. I do not tolerate mediocrity. Every year, students underestimate the fundamentals because they see the potential of their electives or their favored hue. My name is Ejir Lessi and let me be perfectly clear. You will not graduate until you pass this class.¡±


    A few people grumbled but Viv judged it was more due to the teacher¡¯s abrasive tone than any real disagreement.


    ¡°I am not telling you I won¡¯t let you graduate. I am telling you the Academy will not as per its strictly defined guidelines. When you go out and leave your mark on the world it will be as a hero or a villain or a crafter or whatever you please. It will NOT be as a failure. So pay attention.¡±


    The first class summarized the teacher¡¯s expectations and Viv was surprised to see that she already satisfied most of them. Most, but not all. Her arcane construct skill guided her with the understanding of the few examples of enchantments the professor presented, but most of his explanations were cryptic to her. The other students nodded at his convoluted terms like helix and confluence yet were strangely excited when they learned they would be allowed to actually enchant materials. Viv had practice but no theory.


    Viv left the class with Rakan and a list of material to read. Ereska found the pair by ¡®happenstance¡¯ and when Viv introduced them, the young man retreated into his shell. Viv wondered how the experienced socialite would react and the answer was: smoothly.


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Rakan. It is always so good to see talent find their way here,¡± she told the blushing lad with an amicable smile.


    She guided them to the material office which was in the process of refreshing and redistributing copies of the same books. A proud librarian brought a tatty pair and cast a strange spell. The earmarked paper smoothed out in a second while the cover regained some luster. It also activated a hidden construct that turned the diagram covering one of them into an anatomically accurate drawing of a scrotum covered in hair. The librarian swore and dispelled the thing, but not before Viv realized overworked students were the same across the universe, apparently.


    The training methods themselves were¡­ disappointing. The Academy proposed two dozen complex shaping exercises. Rakan exclaimed the faceless only ever used seven. Viv had over a hundred and sixty memorized from Solfis¡¯ training. Those differences reflected different approaches on spellcasting.


    Rakan had been trained by a group governed by an extremely rigid dogma, which was reflected in their doctrine. Their approach was simplistic. Make big rope. Make small rope. Tie them together. Conversely, they could cast the limited amount of approved spells to perfection. Helock¡¯s approach was more generalist with all graduates expected to be capable at everything. Solfis¡¯ training was Harrak¡¯s elite regimen, a program from a young age designed to turn promising and noble pupils into the greatest archmages, the empire¡¯s main power multiplier. She was simply supposed to excel at everything, going above and beyond to turn technique into art. Viv could twist strands away from her to form complex glyphs, allowing her to throw artillery spells on the fly. She could split them and reform them, dissipate them, make the strands thicker and thinner with the barest effort of will to overcharge her hexes or turn them into more subtle versions of themselves. She had never moved on from practicing because it was fun and relaxing. This part of the fundamentals would be easy, unlike enchantment.


    The enchanting part of the curriculum was far too advanced for her, and quite likely unadapted to her instinctive casting. It was slightly frustrating, though Viv didn¡¯t mind too much. The Academy had people who knew where to find the things she would need. She merely had to ask.


    ¡°You are quite fast. Usually, nobles wait a few days before trying to snatch talented wild cards. Well done,¡± Ereska whispered in her ear.


    Viv debated denying she was a little manipulative in her approach. Pah, it would be a waste of time.


    ¡°Us free candidates have to stick together,¡± she replied.


    It was a good deflection, leading the two women to exchange a complicit smile.


    Unaware of his recent recruitment, Rakan was happy to have ¡®made a friend¡¯. Viv realized he was only truly comfortable when casting or studying magic. He seemed uncertain of everything else.


    Especially etiquette.


    Viv found out she was in the same class as him and an eclectic bunch of students this afternoon. She heavily suspected the staff had gathered every magically talented savage and left them in the care of a kind and extremely patient old lady. Unfortunately, they were right. Viv struggled with even the most basic of rules on how to address people from everywhere. Her go to method was to be affluent and powerful, thus forcing them to greet her instead. It seemed the Academy would not accept this as an appropriate reaction.


    A shame, really.


    So Viv spent an entire afternoon studying the hierarchy of nobility in various countries under the direction of a lady who behaved like she was teaching a subtle science rather than the long litany of land grab and dick waving. She decided that if there was one class she would do the bare minimum to pass in, it would be this one.


    ¡°And now that the separatists have won in Enoria, who knows how the situation will evolve?¡±


    Viv knew how she wanted the situation to evolve. Peacefully for her side.


    She should consider building a guillotine.


    The first day ended and Rakan took his leave to return to his sister. Viv dined with Ereska, receiving some updates on her boyfriend. He had decided to confine himself to his house behind redundant walls of wards for his own safety, which was not tenable in the long run. Fortunately, Solfis had an update as well. He had found a master of disguise.


    It was one way to keep Sidjin secure.


    Another report confirmed that the sponsors behind Sterek the research thief were indeed the military, a bank, and the construction guild. Solfis would identify who was in charge shortly and make sure Viv knew well in advance if they were going to visit. Casing the place, as it were, proved difficult due to ¡®manpower issues¡¯ which Viv interpreted as a lot of burglars having abandoned the city or their mortal coils. Progress on the assassin guild was slow as hell.


    Between this and finding a way to convince Elunath to let go, there was simply too much on her plate so she decided to focus on school at least for the first week.


    The next morning saw her in her magical military doctrine class. The first month would be spent indoors, but the curriculum indicated there would be a significant involvement with the Helockian military. Viv wondered if it was wise to let the entire continent''s heaviest hitters know how you fight but she suspected there were other reasons. The teacher this time was a local, tall and rather handsome in a strict sort of way. Even without the medals pinned to his crimson robe, Viv could have told he was army at one glance. She could have lodged a broom¡¯s handle between his ass cheeks and the twigs would have formed a perfectly aligned little plume over his head. At the exact time of starting, he lifted a hand. The doors slammed into the face of a hurrying man laden with books. An unnatural silence spread over the muttering crowd.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Good day, students! My name is General Jar Jaratalassi. You may address me as General, General Jaratalassi, or sir. I head the arcane arm of our noble city¡¯s military and have done so over three decades and a dozen campaigns. Here, we will study war. War against powerful monsters, against tides, against your fellow humans. War is the only way for kingdoms to survive, and mages are the ones who wage it. Only by bending the world to our will do we obtain the tool to stop the unstoppable and slay the untouchable, for magic is the realm of the divine and the gods¡­ are not merciful. No matter why you chose to attend this class, war is a serious business that requires absolute commitment. If a builder messes up, you lose a house. If an alchemist messes up, you lose a city district. When a war mage messes up, you lose civilization. That is why there will be a probatory exam a month from now on that will cover the basics of modern doctrine. Those who do not pass will no longer be my students. If you came here just to see what this is all about, I implore you to stop wasting your time and mine. Do not return here.


    ¡°Now, even the most idiotic Baranese crab fisher knows one does not just start a genius, that is why conflict has been extensively studied by smarter people than you. You will learn what they achieved and build on this. Your life will depend on it.¡±


    An assistant distributed copies of the curriculum. Behind a short introduction detailing the basic principles of war, the course would revolve around general principles then case studies. She noted in passing that half of them covered the man¡¯s victories which made sense since he would be a direct witness and also because he looked a little arrogant.


    The general expanded on the basics for the entire afternoon. The man may look rigid but he had no qualms about ambushing, deceiving and otherwise grabbing every advantage one could get. Viv also flipped pages forward to skim through case studies. They covered a lot of scenarios, with several variations according to landscape and available forces. What finally got her respect was the end of the class. The last two lessons were ¡®retreat¡¯ and ¡®last stand¡¯.


    ¡°Victory is about achieving objectives. Sometimes, the best choice you have is to get yourself and your men away and alive. Sometimes you don¡¯t even have that choice. The measure of a man ¡ª or a woman ¡ª is made clear when facing the inevitable. I hope you never have to make that choice to place your fate in the hands of the gods, but if you do, face the end with your back straight.


    ¡°Alright, now that you know the program, a word of warning. Every year I have people who attempt to be ¡®creative¡¯ in their problem-solving. Creativity is good for us spellcasters. Some of the most surprising victories came from intelligent adaptation of existing frameworks.¡±


    It might be Viv¡¯s imagination but she thought he might have been glaring at her when saying that.


    ¡°The answer that achieved the best results in the past few years has been to remind you that you can only break the rules if you know the rules. Understand what has worked in the past and you will learn much.¡±


    Viv had every intention to do so. It would be interesting to see how ¡®modern¡¯ armies fought and compare it to Solfis¡¯ extensive databanks on killing things effectively, not to mention that she had to understand potential foes. If she did survive her stay, there were no doubts Harrak would get in trouble either from revenants or hostile humans. She had to be ready. At the same time, the temptation was strong to import her knowledge of earth here and implement it.


    The real issue was adaptation.


    Here, armies had medieval levels of technology but also superhuman abilities. Soldiers could move faster and with uncanny coordination. Archers had the range and precision of modern infantrymen, or even snipers. The mages were the most important factor. Even at their most basic level, they were an extremely precise and deadly form of artillery. They could also raise shields, something earth humans had been so far unable to do.


    It gave Viv ideas, especially since the Yries had created self-propelled platforms. Something to consider for later.


    The teacher for colorless mana was a severe Helockian woman who spent the first class checking people¡¯s proficiency at drawing it, then making a list of the operator runes students would have to learn to make the more complex spells work. Colorless mana relied a lot more on glyphs than the colored ones, which could be altered by the caster¡¯s mindset. It felt a little like programming sometimes, so working on the language was of vital importance.


    They work on their first spell: opening a door from afar. Curiously, it did not involve any sort of telekinesis. Viv¡¯s best interpretation was that the spell said: set door status to open. She had to be especially careful not to slam it off its hinges. It still opened an ocean of possibilities.


    It was at times like these she missed her online friend Gevaudan. He never played a game he could not break and when he did break them, it was in the most absurd way possible. The canny man would have already thought of two dozen ways to make money or kill stuff. She would just have to try her best.


    ***


    The next class was another elective, magic dueling. The first session took place outside on a square arena next to stone benches. Simple yet sturdy wards were inscribed all around, allowing for the quick raising of shields. There were a lot of prospective students here, including Rakan.


    The teacher arrived just on time, flanked by two aides. He was by far the flashiest of all the staff she had met so far. Jewels and bands decorated his crimson robe which was fashionably short over black leather pants. The air sent his elegant curls aflutter, and he was handsome in a distant sort of way. Gloves and an extravagant plumed hat completed the show.


    Viv squinted. All of his accessories let out the subtle haze of enchantments. It was a distraction. The man was more protected than a fort gate.


    ¡°Explosions! Blasts! Elemental waves! Ah, magical dueling, the most noble of arts. It moves the soul like no others. What can be more entertaining than to watch men and women bend reality to their will to subsume a fellow practitioner. No other spectacle can quite get the blood running and it is also so heavily regulated it might as well be illegal. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the dueling class. My name is professor Dirge. Here is the first lesson.¡±


    Viv put her shield up high above her head in time to catch a rain of frigid water the man had summoned from the feather on his hat. There had been no signs of casting, no mana movement, nothing. Those who were not immediately close and failed to raise their own defenses screamed as they were hailed with freezing liquid. Fortunately, it was harmless and there wasn¡¯t much of it.


    ¡°Deception is the name of the game. I see some of you have good reflexes, congratulations. For the others, what is a mage¡¯s greatest resource?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, mana?¡± someone hazarded.


    ¡°No. Time. Give a mage enough time and they will drop a mountain on your head. Duel is what happens when you are not ready. That is why I am always ready,¡± he said, moving his gloved fingers to show the heavily enchanted fabric.


    ¡°By studying dueling magic, you are not just practicing a sport. You are training for those moments where you might be caught off guard and have less than a second to kill an assassin twenty spans away before they lodge an arrow in your lover¡¯s throat. You must learn to cast quickly, reactively, and proactively. You must take down your opponent before he takes you down. This is what dueling must teach you. We will be working on reflexes and intuition more than anything else. We will begin with a simple warm-up.¡±


    This turned out to be more physical than Viv expected. Dirge favored mobility and repositioning, mentioning the many ways mages had to move around and escape. He demonstrated several of them including surfing on controlled water and plain, wind-powered flight. It was quite amazing. The students then split in pairs to practice fast basic spells which had to be blocked by a shield. They wore a protective shield amulet for that.


    Rakan asked so Viv practiced with him. He was slow at first, but he learned how to alternate elemental bolts of various colors by the end of the session. He even managed to throw several at once. Little by little, people who were too exhausted and mana-deprived to continue sat on the stone benches to relax. Validating electives was not required to graduate so those who attended out of curiosity could afford to take it slow.


    Viv still felt she was wasting her time until Dirge reached her. The teacher had been moving from pair to pair, advising and demonstrating with commitment.


    ¡°Black mana is rather fearsome in the hands of a capable caster. Unfortunately¡­¡±


    ¡°It is rather lethal,¡± Viv finished.


    ¡°Yes. Do you have colorless spells yet?¡±


    ¡°Kinetic energy, mostly. I¡¯ve been using those for the exercises.¡±


    ¡°A good start. There are others like¡­¡±


    Dirge lifted a hand to his ears. Viv blinked, trying to listen. She then fell to her knees.


    ¡°Uuuugh.¡±


    ¡°Offensive sound magic. Subtle and disturbing, very short range however. I believe that between those two, we will have some fun.¡±


    ***


    The last class was black mana mastery. For this one, Viv joined Professor Ashra in a casting spot. Those were halfway between a conference room and a firing range, with targets available for the most offensive arrays. Viv sat to the side while Ashra presented herself and the purpose of the class.


    Few people attended. Viv was not surprised to recognize a witch with dark, curly hair and a couple of people all casting suspicious glances around, all sort of afraid to be here.


    ¡°Out of all the colors, black mana is the most underused. Few people have much distribution towards it. It is also associated with the undead and the dark gods, may Maranor preserve us from their taint. For this reason, several cities forbid its practice. I believe this is a mistake, and if you are here, you may feel that as well.¡±


    Ashra stood in her prim dress, her pixie cut as perfect as the day Viv first met her. Her sharp Hallurian traits gave her a severe look that passion made particularly intense.


    ¡°Mana itself is neutral, for it is potential, and only actions may make them good or evil. It is our duty as mages¡­ and witches to harness all of our abilities, to not let fear and prejudice bar the way to excellence. If you can unleash the powers of black mana on the foe of humanity, or even just understand it, you will realize that its unmatched destructive potential can make the difference between a disaster and a crushing defeat. One blow is all one need to fell a hill tortoise if that blow penetrates. Today, we shall demonstrate this power and help you familiarize yourself with the black aspect you have in you ¡ª if you are not already proficient. My assistant will now demonstrate the protective aspect of a black mana shield first, then we will examine its penetrative properties. Viviane, if you may?¡±


    Viv nodded and walked to the target range. She turned when she was ready. The students grouped to Ashra¡¯s side, eager to see what she would do.


    The professor obliged. She summoned a contained ball of destructive red mana, its blaze blinding. Heat traveled in waves across the room and pushed the students away. It was a miniature sun.


    ¡°Shield please,¡±Ashra stated with perfect calm.


    Viv raised a normal shield, not the hive one, and waited.


    Ashra extended her hand, muttered a few words and let go. A roaring orb of incandescence traveled the room and exploded on Viv¡¯s shield with a resounding boom, the shockwave expanding across the range and setting a nearby target on fire. There was a precipitous dip on Viv¡¯s mana but that was it. She didn¡¯t feel the heat or the shock from inside her protection. It was all negated. Denied. Erased. She let go and found herself standing in a bubble of fresh air surrounded by scorched stone. Some of it still smoked gently.


    Viv resisted the urge to brush inexistant dust away from her shoulder. There was no need. The students¡¯ eyes were wide as saucers.


    ¡°Next, we will demonstrate the penetration of black mana. Please form two lines. We will ask you to raise shields as soon as you are first in line.¡±


    With a mix of eagerness and stress, the students made their best efforts. Viv was impressed by the variety proposed for individual shields. Stone shields, fire shields, colorless ones. A tall boy even raised an ice shield with a cracked appearance that regrew when it was damaged. On every occasion, Viv used a fraction of what they had expended to slip a strand of destructive mana through what she identified as the weak spots. Her targets yelped at the violation though she never endangered them.


    The point of the exercise was not to show the teachers could penetrate. The students were all late second step and could not hope to stop her. The point was to demonstrate she could do so with great efficiency and without shattering the shield itself. From their amazed expression, it was working. That is, until the second to last. It was the witch and she looked at Viv with a defiant expression¡­ then she raised a black shield.


    It was decent.


    Viv speared right in the middle since there was no need for subtlety here, then a battle of intent took place inside the construct. Viv had experience subsuming undead and she was the attacker. She deactivated part of the shield before the witch even knew to contest her.


    ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡± the young woman protested.


    ¡°No,¡± Viv said.


    She yoinked the entire shield. The witch gasped.


    ¡°This is cheating.¡±


    A small wave of ¡®oohs¡¯ and ¡®aahs¡¯ greeted the demonstration. Viv felt a little smug. She complimented the girl on her good control and let her leave the queue. She immediately realized something was wrong with the last one.


    He was a muscular young man with a disapproving expression and a symbol of Neriad pinned to his collar. He frowned in disapproval and raised a shield. This one was life and just a little divine energy. Viv recognized the valorous aura of the pantheon¡¯s least annoying god.


    Everyone watched with attention. Life and black were almost antithetic, though not quite.


    Viv made her strand thicker and prayed a quick apology to the god of righteous combat. Her spell slipped into the other with just as much ease. The two constructs fought for dominance but Viv¡¯s spell was much more concentrated. The young man pushed more energy into the construct to no avail. Eventually, he sulkily surrendered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fought for the temple, you know?¡± Viv asked in the ensuing silence. ¡°Several times in fact. I¡¯ve even been healed by a bishop for services rendered. Neriad lets us choose how we defend his ideals. Black mana is one more tool in his arsenal.¡±


    ¡°The Holy City¡­ disapproves of black mana practitioners.¡±


    Viv assumed he was referring to Mornyr where most religions had their seat. She hadn¡¯t heard about those rules.


    ¡°You¡¯re in Helock now, here to learn. It¡¯s up to you.¡±


    She shrugged.


    The young man glared until Ashra cleared her throat. He regained his place in the group without a word and Viv assumed it meant he would consider his options.


    The rest of the session was dedicated to channeling. Most of the students here had made little efforts trying to harness this color, making the very act of drawing it delicate. Their black distribution was also quite low so it took a lot of effort to coax the reluctant strands out. Nevertheless, all of them had achieved some results before the class ended. Contrary to many other classes, black mana only had very little material to read as homework. The students were asked to practice half an hour per day instead. They left soon after with excited whispers. Viv stayed behind and watched them go.


    ¡°That went much better than I expected,¡± Ashra said after a small break.


    ¡°Well, they are quite young so we can achieve much by respecting the basic rules of credibility.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    ¡°We just had to look cool,¡± Viv said, using a local slang term.


    Ashra nodded to herself very slowly, her back ramrod straight.


    ¡°You are correct. We shall endeavor to make black mana exceedingly cool.¡±

 Chapter 112: The girl with the Dragon

    ¡°What is he even up to?¡± Magister Sterek grumbled.


    ¡°The Glastian? Sir?¡±


    Sterek turned to his assistant and contemplated slapping her across the room, but that would be stupid and unproductive. He was neither. She was just one of those dumb puppies who thought he could do no wrong because he had hired her, and thus was a good person. He had hired her because she was talented and cheap, having probably fallen on the wrong side of some noble. Not worth the trouble of recruiting. She didn¡¯t know how to leverage her skills.


    ¡°Yes, Nara. The Glastian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Academy will know what to do with his accusations. Sir.¡±


    She stared at him with her wide peasant face and toad eyes, begging for validation. Gods, she was so naive. Maybe even a security risk.


    ¡°That is not the problem. Renegades like him who have lost everything will resort to underhanded tactics. He has nothing to lose. But instead of doing anything, he¡¯s staying in that stupid manor of his all day long.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ have him under surveillance, sir?¡±


    Shit. he should not have said that. Got to maintain plausible deniability.


    ¡°Gossips,¡± he lied. ¡°Washerwomen eager to earn a few irons to report to me. Not that they¡¯re saying much. He must be up to something. Has to be.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps prison broke him. I mean, I would not know but was he not severely punished?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. He was called the Red Mist on the walls, because that was what his spells left behind. He never rested and he never left those¡­ subhumans he eventually betrayed his homeland for. You have to admit he was committed and skilled if the rumors are to be believed. A man like that is mad but he has to be respected. Besides, Nara, heed my words.¡±


    ¡®You silly cornudon¡¯ went unspoken.


    ¡°Never plan your success on someone else failing.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the girl?¡±


    ¡°What girl? Oh. Her? I do not think so.¡±


    ¡°She could be doing his bidding.¡±


    Sterek considered the words in silence. It was true what they said. Wisdom could come from the simplest minds.


    ¡°She¡¯s one of the worst of them. No otherworldly magic, no ground-breaking knowledge, no local network. Poor choice. Hm, but perhaps she is a messenger for an agent. Good idea, Nara. I will see if I can get eyes on her.¡±


    ***


    Viv¡¯s first two weeks at the Academy ended in the blink of an eye, with mixed results. Her enhanced stats meant she could read and memorize material at an incredible rate¡­ but so could everybody else. The workload of books to read and questions to ponder was astronomical and way beyond even the craziest earth prep schools. She had to remember the history of the continent, major families and cultural differences for the ethics and etiquette class. The military class required her to read battle reports and conflicting witness testimonies, learn variations on standard doctrines and general names and personalities. She found herself calculating the range of an artillery detachment on a flank of an old war just to see if they could have sniped a famous arcane fencer. They could not. She had drawn the curve to show he had been too far. It was insane.


    It was also incredibly useful.


    Most of Solfis¡¯ knowledge was theoretical. Now she was learning how people fought for real in modern wars. It reinforced her opinion that she had been right to overwhelm the red mage guarding Prince Lancer immediately or she would have been in trouble. Her understanding of what local people were capable of and how they thought increased dramatically, at least for nobles and in the context of war. A skill she had never used also proved its utility.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


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    Polymath: Beginner 4


    </td>


    </tr>


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    </table>


    Many of the questions asked covered a variety of subjects from ethics to sociology to logistics. So long as a problem was multi-faceted, she found herself enjoying tying the pieces together to form a harmonious whole. The skill truly was a godsend, because there was one major time sink in her list, and that was enchantment.


    For all she¡¯d been capable of writing spells and setting alarms, it had been parlor tricks compared to the real deal. Real enchantment, the stuff that could influence palaces for years, required a careful balance of glyphs and geometry to last for more than a week. It stood at the crossroads of art and science, and though her approach tended to be more intuitive, there was no getting away from the questions of glyph balance and sustainable casting.


    The way she understood it, enchantments only persisted if the ¡®sentence¡¯, or the structure of glyphs, was coherent and stable. The number of rules that governed rune distribution and balance would disgust a trained engineer. Even for her, stable enchantment felt like a harmonious song to her senses and she was not sure how to form one herself. The worst problem was that everyone else knew at least the basics, and she had to catch up on years of studies in a relatively short time.


    Even Rakan had solid basics and he had received minimal training in this. The Faceless preferred their minions specialized so they could not operate independently. Viv had much to do. Fortunately, there were plenty of books to be found, including primers that she obtained from a copy office. She also had plenty of time during that period, but that was perhaps not for the best.


    It appeared her reputation preceded her and she had taken a firm step from being hot stuff to being positively radioactive. The students politely ignored her in and out of class. It was never disrespectful, but it was hard to miss. Noble students had started the trend and those who followed had been quick to imitate them. During the first two weeks, powerful families would scout young and unbound talent in a flurry of social events. Viv had not been invited. In fact, only Ereska and Rakan kept her company inside of the school.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, regicide is considered bad manners. Especially by kings,¡± the smooth Helockian had told her.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t even king yet¡­¡± Viv grumbled.


    But she understood. As for Rakan, he was one among only a handful of Hallurians in the school and suffered from it. The two pariahs spent a lot of time together. It helped that they were both rather talented.


    In fact, Viv had come to an unexpected conclusion.


    For all her ¡®born for magic¡¯ and outlander nature, for all her achievements and her fast growth¡­ Rakan was more gifted than she was. He learned at an incredible rate and with great enthusiasm, wielding four different colors with the mastery of a painter. To see him at work, to see him progress was a humbling experience. It also reminded Viv of what she could do if she put her mind to it, and her efforts redoubled.


    On the eve of the second weekend, she was almost frustrated when a message from Solfis was slipped under the door. It took her a moment to take a step back and realize she had more important things to do than perform well at the Academy.


    Stopping Sterek.


    Also, staying alive but stopping Sterek would be a good start.


    Viv escaped at dusk while Ereska prepared for the inauguration ball of the social season. She made her way to the Five Fishes tavern, face hidden under a cloak and eyes open. People were running home after their days of work while patrols of armed citizens walked the streets, equipped with torches and cudgel. The air felt wet and stifling even after nightfall, and sweat plastered the shirts of the men to their muscular bodies. No one stopped Viv, though a few looked. She was dressed too richly under the light hood. They knew that in Helock, connections mattered even more than might.


    The inn was wide awake with muttering angry customers when she came in. Men and women gathered in tight circles around their tables, clenching half-finished tankards. A lull in the conversation silenced the room when she came in. The conversations returned when the innkeeper hushered her in.


    She climbed down a set of stairs to find Solfis in deep discussion with Lim the Fell-Handed. As before, the dark-skinned woman wore innocuous office worker robes, a little loose. She studied Viv with hooded eyes.


    ¡°Do we have everything?¡±


    //I have acquired the plan of the workshop, Your Grace.


    //Verified by the head worker.


    ¡°I verified it personally,¡± Lim said with a ghastly smile.


    //The outer wards were verified by one of my new talents.


    ¡°Alright. Let me see.¡±


    Viv studied the workshop. The entrance led to the vestibule where she had waited during her brief visit. This in turn led to the main lab, a massive central room hosting the main teleportation glyph encased in a protective layer of silverite-inlaid ward stones. Work stations lined the walls along with storage space. A corridor encircled this room and led to a warehouse and staff room at the back. Since the lab itself extended on two floors, the rest of the second level¡¯s space hosted personal offices for Sterek and another staff member. There was no basement.


    All this information concerned the workshop ¡®as designed¡¯. Sterek could have made changes and they would not know. What they did know was that Sterek had spent almost half of the budget on that silverite shield and the rest on safety. Breaking in would be difficult. Breaking in without being found out? Almost impossible. Thankfully, she had access to some of the best talents of Param.


    ¡°I could really use your help there,¡± Viv said.


    //You Grace.


    //You could not possibly think I would let you go alone.


    ¡°Just making sure. Where is Sidjin?¡±


    //He will arrive shortly.


    //He requested surface access and I granted it.


    ¡°How is his body double?¡±


    //Bored and well paid.


    It did not take long for Viv¡¯s prince charming to walk up the stairs two at a time. He gave her the warmest smile and grasped for her hand with careful yet passionate movements. Viv was happy to see him slowly get used to just touching her casually. He had come a long way in a very small amount of time, trauma-wise. It had only been a month.


    ¡°So, are we humiliating the research thief? To want to kill me is a thing, dear, it happens all the time. To steal my research is deplorable, but to force me to sit in a cramped quarter while I have regained full mobility? Now that is a crime I shall not forgive.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°And you will have your revenge, my love,¡± Viv declared in a husky voice and just enough theatrics to remain tasteful.


    //Please do not include mating rituals in our planning session.


    ¡°Spoilsport. Alright, let¡¯s get started. Sidjin, how much room do you need for a stable portal?¡±


    ¡°First thing first. What do you plan to achieve?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, I should have led with that. Sterek¡¯s financial sponsors will visit the lab on the morning of the day after tomorrow, and we are going to ¡®drop in¡¯ to have a chat with them.¡±


    ¡°I doubt Sterek will appreciate the intrusion,¡± Sidjin mused.


    ¡°Hence why we will not ask him his opinion.¡±


    ¡°You want to teleport in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, which has the added advantage of proving you already have the mature technology.¡±


    Sidjin considered the situation for a little while.


    ¡°Why not just go to them and talk to them?¡±


    ¡°We can always do that if we fail but then you are a second team asking to be on a project and the first one is backed by the Academy. With a little bit of presentation, we can catch Sterek in a ¡®gotcha¡¯ moment and ruin his standing. This will be much more effective than a protracted legal battle where the sponsors wonder if they are being conned. We need to ruin Sterek¡¯s reputation first and foremost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but Viviane love, the cost if you are caught¡­¡±


    //We will not be caught.


    //There are no guards on site.


    //There is a patrol of night watchers that walks the road where the workshop is situated.


    //They seem fairly capable.


    //They do not seem capable enough if we are careful.


    ¡°We will be. I am also concerned about alarms around the building.¡±


    //I will detect them.


    The conspirators kept studying the map, making plans and contingencies. Viv decided that they had to go to the workshop and check things themselves to be sure not to be surprised.


    ¡°We have two nights. We will break in on the second one but we¡¯ll do the preliminary work on the first and, ah, case the joint,¡± Viv said, using old imperial slang with relish.


    //I see you have already read the sixth book of the ¡®Gladiators of Harrak¡¯ series of homoerotic fiction.


    The room grew silent.


    ¡°... no?¡± Viv lied.


    //Curious.


    //As it is the only surviving piece of literature where the expression is used.


    ¡°Let us return to the planning. Right. We scout on the first night and act on the second unless we spot an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°The workshop is on the highland, on the other side of the Academy compared to the river. There are only industries and pastures there. People might notice, so you will move after nightfall,¡± Lim said. ¡°I will have my people babysit you. Remember that the more you do and the more risk there is that you might be found out.¡±


    ¡°No heroics,¡± Viv confirmed.


    ¡°You two are amateurs. Listen to us and only talk when you cannot be heard,¡± Lim advised.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be quiet.¡±


    ***


    The team waited until night fell to leave, but not before Viv was dressed in a black and gray garb painted in irregular patterns. She and Sidjin were given enchanted pairs of boots that were not exactly their size but came with an interesting advantage. They exuded black mana as well, though the work was a little rudimentary.


    ¡°Trackless boots. The watchers can see recent footprints with their unique skills. They have an enhanced sense of smell by the way, so make sure not to get too close.¡±


    //They also have danger sense, Your Grace.


    //Do not attack or use inspection on them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll avoid them. So long as a patrol is around, we will hunker down.¡±


    ¡°That would be wise,¡± Lim said.


    She did not seem confident. Viv understood. This was a theft operation and the two casters were novices. It would be like handling two VIPs in a war zone. They probably shouldn¡¯t be there to begin with. Unfortunately, Sidjin¡¯s presence was necessary. As for Viv, well, it was her project.


    Naturally, they did not use the roads. Lim presented a team of three rough folks covered in dark gear more elaborate than their own, then they were off in a half-submerged tunnel.


    //Those are dry during winter when the Shal¡¯s flow decreases.


    //And flooded after rains.


    //Be careful, Your Grace.


    //I only control part of the criminal population.


    //And control is too strong a term.


    //You cannot let your guard down.


    They continued in silence. Viv thought the entire rock must have been hollowed out like gruyere because Helock had sewers and they were in a separate system. The passage smelled musty, much milder than the unbearable stench of the sewers. They came across side openings leading deeper into the darkness, outside of the range of the light spell Sidjin had deployed. They eventually left the underground through an opening in a cliff bordering the sea itself. Waves crashed against their light skiff. They found a rocky beach and hid their vessel behind bushes. It was such a common spot that a divot was left from previous operations.


    The highlands over the city took another dimension at night. Cattle had fallen silent, and the cloudless sky felt very high above their heads. Stars shone brightly, providing enough light to see decently well. The floating islands and stones dotting the sky existed as little pieces of void blocking starlight like cracks on a fresco. The massive, distant form of the chalice ruled over them. When Viv looked, she could sometimes see whorls of mana disturbing the air.


    Without a word, Solfis and the three thugs led the casters up a steep road then alongside the chest-high stone walls separating different pastures. They came across a road and crossed it quickly and silently. In that brief moment, Viv saw the silent patrol moving far in the distance, their many lanterns held at the ends of poles. The thugs had timed the excursion well.


    Sterek¡¯s workshop was luckily and relatively secluded. An entire side was completely hidden not just from the road but also from any surrounding estates. Sidjin and Viv examined the windows and walls, going so far as to have Solfis carry them up to the second floor, but there were no obvious gaps in the defenses. It was almost certain the intrusion would be noticed in the morning. The gates were even more heavily defended. At some point, the patrol walked by the workshop¡¯s entrance but detected nothing unusual.


    They reconvened under a silence spell to discuss their options. Viv¡¯s suggestion was deemed the most likely to succeed and they left to get tools for the next day¡¯s work.


    ***


    ¡°You must be Viviane the Outlander,¡± the man said.


    The witch stopped in her tracks while the buggy driver froze, averting his eyes. Everyone in Helock knew better than to get involved in an argument between casters. That was clearly one of them. You just had to feel the way the world held its breath,


    ¡°And you are?¡± Viv replied to Sterek.


    Sidjin¡¯s would-be replacement was handsome and well-put together. He had the light skin of Baranese though he wore local robes with grace. More importantly, he exuded raw confidence.


    Viv hated him almost immediately. It was not just the underhanded tactics. It was why. Viv could see it in the man¡¯s demeanor and the way he looked down from his nose, the small upturn of his lips. She had seen it before. He had a very strong opinion of the world¡¯s hierarchy as well as his and her place in it.


    ¡°Magister Sterek, chair of exotic colorless mana application and tenured professor for half a decade. I will cut right to the chase. I know you are still in touch with the traitorous prince and I have an offer for him, from man to man.¡±


    Viv did not reply. Sterek sneered and resumed his speech.


    ¡°I am sure he knows he has more than overstayed his presence in the northern territories. I do not have to tell you that his prospects in Helock are bleak, so I am willing to offer twenty gold talents and a ship to Vizim for a convincing explanation of the unity theorem. If he is wise, he will know not to let that chance go to waste. Is that understood?¡±


    Viv waited a short delay before answering just to see the man¡¯s patience run short.


    ¡°If and when I see him, I will transmit the message.¡±


    ¡°See that you do. For his sake,¡± Sterek warned.


    The threat of assassins went unsaid. Sterek had the stick hanging over Sidjin¡¯s head like a sword of Damocles. It made sense to add a carrot as well, Viv thought. She left without a word and boarded the buggy. A moment later, she was gone.


    Sterek watched the small shape of the buggy recede in the distance, going west towards the river. He walked into the Academy¡¯s outer garden and found a secluded bench under the statue of some long dead scholar. He removed a painting from his robe¡¯s pocket. The dark shape of a man moved on its blurry surface, and a voice came to him.


    ¡°Did you place the tracker spell?¡±


    ¡°No, she would have felt it. For all her lack of otherworldly powers, she seems rather adept at using the local magic. She reacted to a bare twitch of my mana.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°She will go to the tavern. I am sure of it.¡±


    ¡°We will confirm it.¡±


    ¡°When is the assault planned?¡±


    ¡°Not immediately. The gang there has been taken over by something sinister. Those who made a move thinking them weakened were found without their heads. We will proceed carefully.¡±


    ¡°There must be something at that tavern Sidjin is using. Perhaps a passage. I¡¯m not paying you to do nothing.¡±


    ¡°You have not paid us yet,¡± the voice warned, ¡°and we have not lasted by being hasty. You will wait.¡±


    The connection ended. Sterek seethed in his seat. His financial backers would visit tomorrow and he had only made marginal progress through trial and error. What had that cretinous prince discovered that he could not? It was so frustrating.


    Sterek believed he should not let the matter distract him. A magister had to face problems both of the mundane and arcane nature. It was simply a test of his resolve. The issue would disappear soon, either shipped north or floating down the river in a burlap sack.


    ***


    //The operation cannot be heard from the road.


    //Please make sure to move the spell as you progress.


    //We will still pause when the patrol approaches.


    Viv nodded and made sure to keep her silent spell active around Sidjin¡¯s construct. The close quarters made the experience difficult.


    They had to break into a heavily fortified place without being seen, so Viv had resorted to an absolute classic of old-school heists.


    They were digging a tunnel.


    The Helockian highlands were dry and without much soil. The casters had dug only a meter before finding bedrock. Then, Viv had cast an area-of-effect silence she maintained while Sidjin worked. The man showed his mastery once again by using two mana colors in tandem. Brown clouds with green highlights seeped into the granite, fragilizing it, then the fallen prince¡¯s signature colorless grinder turned it to gravel. Viv could have destroyed it but she decided to save her strength, and their hired goons simply spread the debris on a nearby field where it would not be found too suspicious too fast. It had been strangely exhilarating for the first minute, but now the strain of keeping the silent area up and the rising dust made Viv¡¯s task uncomfortable. Funny how the smallest bullshit could ruin a cool event like breaking and entering.


    It took almost an hour to clear a tunnel barely tall enough to crawl through, but the effort was worth it.


    ¡°If our calculations are correct, I believe we are¡­ Oh, great.¡±


    Sidjin pushed up. The light of his spell no longer shone on gray rock, but on the concrete-lathered underside of a large white slab. There was a bit of give. Viv placed her hand on her lover¡¯s shoulder but he had already pulled back. They crawled back to the entrance and let the magic-impervious strike golem go first. A low hum told them to follow soon after.


    The six members of the expedition gathered on the floor of the lab. The tunnel had allowed them to bypass two sets of securities, Viv could tell. Even the doors from the lab to the nearby corridor were warded to hell.


    //No guards.


    //However, they have a watcher.


    //Of sorts.


    The golem pointed a sharp claw at a nearby wall. The lab revolved around the large construct at its center, a colossal circle covered in layers of fine arcane script. Viv felt power from it even as it was deactivated, and the peculiar feeling of malleable space that Sidjin left behind as well, but while the prince¡¯s work was streamlined and beautiful in its simplicity, that one bent under the weight of added parameters and hastily built support constructs. Sidjin made bullet trains to Sterek¡¯s prototype coal locomotive.


    The magister''s lack of understanding did not stem from a lack of effort, however. Desks and storage shelves lined the wall, covered in densely written calculations. A diagram showing three axes and a curve stood on a blackboard larger than any school¡¯s. Samples and models cluttered the space even more, along with writing implement and measurement tools the function of which Viv could only start to guess. What interested Solfis, however, was a head. A statue head with eyes replaced by two finely engraved crystals and thick silvery cables connected to other measurement tools and what was clearly a core-based power source. The thugs swore under their breath and even Sidjin let out a curse.


    ¡°Damn it. A golem. No illusions will fool this one if it is, indeed, recording,¡± the prince said.


    //Do not call it a golem.


    //This is not a golem.


    //It could barely pass as a component of a golem.


    //A very poorly programmed one, at that.


    ¡°Whatever you say, big guy,¡± Viv said in a comforting voice.


    //I believe, Your Grace, that I am the local expert on golems.


    //Please trust my assessment.


    ¡°Can you neutralize the not-golem without breaking it?¡±


    Solfis did not reply, but he did let out a sybillant and vaguely rhythmic warble, and Viv had a strong suspicion she had just been cursed at in binary. Rather than wasting time with those silly flesh bags, the golem strode to its lesser cousin (allegedly) and opened his own chest cavity in a horrific display of eldritch horror, whereupon he grabbed one of the many cable lining his metal heart and forcefully plugged it in one of the observer¡¯s ports. Viv thought it was unlikely the newer creations used the same input output method as Harrakan did and she was right, but the end of Solfis¡¯ tendril changed shape under her very eyes to accommodate the slot of its victim.


    //INTERFACING


    It appeared she could add ¡®hacking¡¯ to the vast list of tasks Solfis could perform. It took less than a second for the tendril to retract and for the eyes of the lesser golem (Viv refused to call it a component) to shine a little. It appeared it had been deactivated for the night, probably to save mana.


    //I have underestimated how far humanity would fall without the guiding presence of Irlefen.


    Viv was about to snap but¡­ she would never interrupt Solfis when he talked about Irlefen, his maker. It was the only time he showed any emotion besides smug arrogance and smug rage.


    ¡°We¡¯ll return,¡± Viv said in Harrakan, and found she meant it.


    Solfis turned to her, and if she didn¡¯t know better, she would have said he was startled.


    //Yes.


    //But first, Helock.


    //Sterek uses this storage unit to record experiment results, and the parameters he picked for the spell.


    //It mostly serves as a recording device.


    //However, I believe I could alter its programming to add a short-range transmitter function.


    //I could spy on Sterek.


    ¡°An interesting idea, but I have another one. Does this golem record observations?¡±


    //It can project a blurry image of a scene using the illusion array hidden in its eye socket.


    Solfis plugged himself again and his voice now came from the lesser golem. It sounded less deep than usual.


    //It can also reproduce a wide array of recorded voices.


    ¡°I want access to its memory. Find what¡¯s recorded there.¡±


    //You can use those controls here.


    //Only the past two weeks are still in storage, I¡¯m afraid.


    //There is a fast rewind option.


    How very VHS of them. Viv felt nostalgic.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll have a look, see if there is something I can use. In the meanwhile, you two draw the gate circle.¡±


    ¡°Not looking forward to that,¡± Sidjin said.


    //I do most of the work, meat bag.


    //You are only here to supervise.


    ¡°Yes, yes, oh ancient one.¡±


    Viv chuckled and pressed the rewind button. A blurry image appeared on the ground, as if from a distorted projector. It showed the lab by day, three human shapes working on the circle. She pressed on the fastest rewind option. She was mostly interested in rants and bouts of anger. That had potential.


    The key broke under her finger with a ghastly crunch. The other stopped.


    ¡°Must we?¡± Viv growled.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vandal.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I already apologized! Several times! The damage is repaired!¡±


    But the god ignored her.


    ***


    The assassin guild¡¯s strike team smashed the door of the Five Fishes Tavern just after closure to avoid the civilians. Always messy business, that, civilians. Sometimes they had powerful friends. The leader watched his team break in and seize the innkeeper as he was sweeping the ground. There were no guards on the surface. They would probably be inside.


    He would just kill those assholes until he finally got a damn answer. He knew his group should have refused the job. Princes were trouble, even exiled ones. Should have kept killing accountants.


    The man stood and removed a wicked blade from its sheath. He made to drop.


    It never happened.


    A large, clawed hand clamped around his neck like a vise, causing his vertebrae to creak from the sheer pressure. A strength like no other pulled him around as he desperately tried every trick in the book to save himself. It was all in vain. The hand was unyielding. Soon, he was face to face with a pair of malevolent, cold, and merciless crimson iris. Slit pupils narrowed.


    ¡°Squee,¡± the thing stated.


    And then it got very, very hot.

 Meanwhile, the sidekicks.

    Under the azure light of fluorescent growths, the assembly gathered. A table was set. Soon, a paper barrier split the domain of the master from that of the pawns, a symbolic one, yet inviolable.


    White paws adjusted the barrier, then a malevolent crimson glare rose above the artificial separation, cold and reptilian. A haughty voice pierced the silence. The sound came from everywhere at once like an intruding thought.


    Welcome to this session of Mortals and Portals, fellow superior beings.


    It is I, She-who-Feasts-on-many-and-gets-much-gold.


    Your host.


    I hope you have read your notes.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    Excellent.


    Then let us begin.


    The dragon looked at every participant in turn. The plushie looked just as innocuous as before, deceptively adorable with its white fur and elegant blue ribbon. Auri bounced in place and threatened to set her character sheet on fire. Flames coursed along her tiny wings with every step. As for Orange, she was grooming herself. Like the tabby cat she was.


    After many ordeals, you finally face the monumental door leading to the final cavern.


    Due to its intimidating size, it towers over your pathetic bipedal forms in all its gothic glory.


    Silvery engraving snake along panes of sheer black stone.


    In the pattern of a many-headed lizard.


    It is most decidedly closed.


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    You use your human hand to pat the door.


    No one comes to open it.


    You do, however, notice keyholes thanks to your rogue perception.


    ¡°BRRRRPT!¡±


    Yes, yes, Auri, well done.


    You search your backpack for the key you found in the mummy cave.


    The key glows ominously in the dim light of nearby torches.


    ¡°Safety is the number one priority!¡±


    The dragon looked at the Plushie, eyes narrowing.


    If I catch you manipulating the strands of fate again, I will give your character psychic damage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all be friends!¡±


    So you say.


    Roll for perception.


    You too, Orange.


    The tabby placed a paw on her dice and, maintaining eye contact, tossed it off the table. The dragon sighed while it clicked on the ground. The air shook a bit and the dice lifted from the ground to show a resplendent 16.


    No need for another throw.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Yes, you notice a trap, however it deactivates the moment the key enters the lock.


    ¡°BRPPT!¡±


    You enter the cavern. It is vast, incredibly so, with stalagmites covered in lichen providing a pleasant glow.


    ¡°Mrrrrrow.¡±


    No, Orange, you may not open the door then stay outside.


    Stick with the group.


    What attracts your attention the most is what awaits in the center of the cave.


    It is a pile of gold!


    The dragon¡¯s eyes turned dreamy.


    A pile of gold as tall as I am. shimmering like the sun as if bathed from within by a soft radiance, beautiful, mesmerizing, a welcome nest just waiting for someone to turn it into a portfolio of assets befitting their risk profile¡­


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    What?


    Oh, hmm, yes roll for stealth.


    Could you stop throwing things off the table, just once?


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    Oh, very well.


    Alright.


    Using your leather-covered back limbs, you manage a stealthy approach.


    ¡°I love all of you!¡± the Plushie added.


    You prepare for battle, and not a moment too soon.


    As you arrive at the edge of the pile, a ripple shakes its heavy surface.


    Coins roll in a clinky cascade to your feet.


    One head, then two, then three appear from beneath the glimmering surface like krakens surfacing from the depths, each of a different color.


    It is¡­ a pathetic cousin to glorious true dragonkind.


    A flightless and witless but still extremely dangerous existence to you humanoids.


    A hydra!


    One head is red, another blue, and the last one yellow.


    You notice that the yellow head¡¯s throat starts shining.


    They blink.


    Thanks to your silent approach, it has not detected you yet and only just woke up!


    You get a surprise round.


    Roll for initiative!


    Clickety-clack.


    Orange goes first, then Aurie, then the Plushie.


    Alright Orange, your turn!


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    Using your opposable thumbs, you take the potion from your inventory and drink it.


    You gain elemental resistance to twenty.


    Then with a bonus action, you disappear into the shadows.


    Why did you throw the dice again?


    I did not ask you to do it.


    ¡°Mrrrow.¡±


    Acrobatics?


    Yes, I suppose a human would be able to jump on a stalagmite.


    Probably.


    Who knows with flightless weaklings?


    It counts as your move action.


    And with this ¡ª


    ¡°BRRRRPT BRRRPT BRRRPT BRRRPT BRRRPT¡±


    ¡ª your turn ends.


    ¡°BRRRPT BRRRRRPT BRRRPT¡±


    It is Aurie¡¯s turn.


    ¡°BRRRRRPT!¡±


    Yes yes yes.


    You cast fireball.


    Roll 6D6 plus your charisma score.


    Clickety-clack.


    Hmmm.


    An orb of incandescent fire arcs through the quiet air of the cave, detonating on the hydra¡¯s chest and covering it ¡ª and the precious and sadly low melting point gold ¡ª in waves of devouring flames.


    You notice that the red head seems unaffected while the blue one shakes with pain.


    ¡°BRRRRRPT,¡± the pocket phoenix said, dejected.


    The dragon nodded her scaly head, appreciative of the phenix¡¯s plight. It was difficult to roleplay a fragile mortal, most of the time. She understood that very well.


    You are playing a human.


    Not your true fiery self.


    ¡°BRRRRPT.¡±


    The good news is that you can cast again next turn.


    ¡°BRRRRPT! BRRRPT.¡±


    You move away from the creature by eighteen human steps.


    And now, it is the Plushie¡¯s turn.


    ¡°We will be together forever!¡±


    Yes, your dismemberment feat covers decapitation.


    You charge the yellow head.


    Make an attack roll with advantage.


    Remember that your armor class will be lowered.


    Clickety-clack.


    Because the hydra is surprised, it loses its evasion bonus to AC.


    All attacks hit.


    No crit.


    Roll for damage.


    Clickety-clack.


    Hmmm.


    You almost succeed but the hydra¡¯s, ahem, legendary resistance allows it to withstand the blow with a supreme effort of will.


    How would you like to do it?


    ¡°Love is the ultimate solution to everything!¡±


    Very well.


    With a furious roar, you cleave through the throat with the Axe of Laceration.


    Scales and cartilage explode from the gaping wound, showering the stones around in a hail of gore.


    Blood spurts from the ravaged throat in a great geyser.


    The power of the blow interrupts the storm building within.


    The head wails from the atrocious pain.


    You notice that the red head¡¯s throat starts shining in turn.


    The hydra is fully awake now, and quite angry.


    Clickety-clack.


    The round of surprise has ended.


    Orange, you start, then the hydra.


    ¡°Mrrrow.¡±


    You can pounce on the red head, yes.


    Roll for acrobatics!

 Chapter 113: Finding her marks

    Light filtered through the thick windows in that peculiar pale hue dawn possessed. Sterek had slept poorly. He had slept poorly for several nights, and now even endurance could not save him from a pounding headache. In fact, the entire situation was a headache. The assassins had still not slain the traitor prince. His bitch lover had not seen the light or she had failed to convince him to spill his secrets. Sterek had yet failed to understand the targeting aspect of the pilfered construct. It looked like coordinates. He just didn¡¯t understand them.


    His path to fame and recognition was blocked for now. He needed a breakthrough or funds would disappear and so would his reputation.


    But for now, he had to dance for his benevolent sponsors. His spell was ready, for what it was worth. Every piece was where it was supposed to be.


    Sterek bit in a slice of preserved permonn fruit to chase away the bad taste on his palate. He forced some infusion down his throat. His visitors were at the door, early as usual. They would inspect his work then return to their quarters before the day truly began because he was just a distraction. A side project.


    He would show them, eventually.


    A knock on the door, and he swung both panels in with a gesture. His guests were too jaded to appreciate the trick. They walked in with purpose and filed into the lab without waiting for an invitation. There was a tanned man with a ruddy face and scarred hands representing the builder¡¯s guild. An officer in full plate and crimson tabard displaying the white walls and tower of Helock stood in for the army, while an administrative employee of the Academy in white robes followed them. She was the only one who showed some trace of respect and shame, which proved she had not forgotten her place. The others had not overtly disparaged him but he could tell they were¡­ reconsidering their options.


    Sterek found it infuriating, though his pleasant smile never left his lips. They were primitive morons incapable of understanding the complexity of what he was trying to achieve. He would have a better chance teaching alchemy to a cornudon than to make them appreciate how sophisticated space magic could be. Damn money pinchers and sabre rattlers. Heathens.


    ¡°Magister Sterek, a pleasure as always. How fare you? Please do not overwork yourself,¡± the merchant said.


    It was a cheap and unsubtle insult meant to denigrate his efforts and imply he would be ¡®retired for his own good¡¯ in the near future, unless he could produce something.


    ¡°I am fine, and excited to share this fortnight¡¯s progress. Thank you. A good day to you Commander. Tashey, a pleasure as always.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, magister,¡± the Academy¡¯s pawn answered.


    ¡°Now I am sure you are all eager to see the progress we made. Over the past two weeks, we have continued to explore the targeting and designation part of the spell. As you know, we need to be able to pinpoint a location in order to create bridges between useful locations rather than randomly. We have discovered with some effort that there were four parameters that worked in an harmonious whole and need to match or the construct destabilizes. I managed to narrow down interactions to a feasible range of parameters. In layman terms, I will keep casting and testing various coordinates until we reach a true harmony and the portal opens. With enough attempts, we will derive a formula the coordinates need to fulfill to be viable.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you are brute forcing the issue, throwing numbers at a wall to see what sticks,¡± the commander said, and damn him for being so accurate.


    ¡°That is not entirely correct. We are discovering an entire new branch of mathematics and magical theory. I would say I am conducting tests rather than brute forcing. We simply need a sample of data large enough to derive rules and test hypotheses.¡±


    ¡°And how long do you expect the testing phase to last?¡± the merchant asked with a sweet voice.


    Sterek spread his arms and sighed to give himself the time to calm down. They didn¡¯t know. They couldn¡¯t understand. He had to be patient.


    ¡°We are breaking new ground here. This is an experimental field of magic that even the Old Empire had not developed to a science, as they relied on exceptionally rare skill users. We are all gathered here because we know the tremendous implications of a stable portal system. Some measure of delays and inconsistencies must be expected from an endeavor of that scale and ambition.¡±


    Sterek would have continued if his instincts had not screamed at him. Teysha and the merchant glanced at him but the commander looked up and so did he. Only a magically blind person would have missed the shocking concentration of mana gathering above their heads.


    Glyphs carved into the very ceiling and that he knew for a fact had not been there a day before shone a blazing white. Lines formed circles and balanced lines between points that could not be linked and were bound anyway. Perspective played with his mind until there were two spells in front of him: a flat one carved on a bland ceiling, and a delicate and ephemeral symphony of shapes rising up to a sky beyond his reach ad infinitum. The air shivered with the lightest of breaths.


    A portal opened above them.


    Today¡¯s gray weather spread right instead of up, and the lichen-covered rocks of the highlands extended left. A shape walked through, first horizontal and then vertical as earth¡¯s attraction rectified itself. It was the shape of a man he knew and dreaded, and more still.


    When Sidjin had visited him, Glastia¡¯s arch traitor had been a tired man with sallow cheeks and a thin frame hidden behind a cheap travel cloak. Now, a prince floated above Sterek. The man descended with grace and a perfect control only mastery over colorless mana could grant. A rich mage robe adorned his shoulders, gray to signify his loss of allegiance. Keen eyes inspected the gathered inspectors and Sterek himself. At no point did Sidjin lose his composure, even when landing. His expression did not betray a single emotion, save for the natural arrogance of one born of royal and arcane blood. The prince was back. And Sterek¡­ Sterek was gone.


    ¡°The cause of your delays and inconsistencies is not that your subject matter is complex, it is that you do not understand its core nature. There is so much I have not written in my notebook because I had no need to remind myself of basic truths. Beyond that, the true cause is that when you stole my research, Magister Sterek, you did it rather poorly.¡±


    ¡°You are trespassing.¡±


    ¡°No honor among assassins, magister,¡± Sidjin replied off-handedly, and the implication was clear. He knew.


    Not that Sterek had been very subtle.


    ¡°And you sir might be¡­¡± the merchant said while gazing at the portal with naked greed.


    ¡°Sidjin, previously of Glastia, inventor of the colorless portal spell. A pleasure.¡±


    ¡°A delayed pleasure. We were informed of your demise¡­¡±


    ¡°Those were wishful thinkings, thankfully.¡±


    ¡°Thankfully indeed. And you claim to be the one who came up with a functional design? Originally?¡±


    ¡°I am. The portal is my spell, built upon the understanding of space I grew after working with colorless mana for the duration of a very bloody, very exhausting conflict. There is quite some distance between the walls of Glastia and the ground where the endless tide of beastlings crawls, you see? I had to make sure my grinders were deployed for maximum efficiency.¡±


    A transparent sphere formed in Sidjin¡¯s hand, then it grew spikes until it resembled the glass sculpture of a flail¡¯s head. The ominous implement twirled on itself with a disturbing, organic motion. It floated away from Sidjin¡¯s hand to glide over the cluttered shelves lining the walls.


    ¡°Space is not an idea or a point. Space is a fabric, and that fabric is not as smooth as one might think. Beyond depth, width, and length, there is also a question of density. Weight, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°Weight?¡± Sterek whispered despite himself.


    ¡°And you have the full right to the spell itself?¡± the merchant asked.


    ¡°I do. Sterek can attest that even with the help of my notebook, he has yet to equal me in replicating the spell.¡±


    ¡°He can?¡± the commander asked with obvious doubt.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sidjin replied, and he pointed to Sterek¡¯s data storage golem.


    The magister slowly angled his body towards the piece of sophisticated technology. He was aware Sidjin had breached his sanctum, but surely he had not tampered with a secured artificial mind? Surely there was a limit to the outrageous man¡¯s luck?


    ¡°No no no no no,¡± his own recorded voice bemoaned, ¡°Why? Why? Why doesn¡¯t this fucking work? Damn you Sidjin, what do you have that I don¡¯t? What¡¯s your damn secret? Aaaaarg. Alright. Alright. I got the gist. I got the idea. It¡¯s merely a problem of calibration. I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Except, it is not,¡± Sidjin calmly explained. ¡°The spell¡¯s power and direction must match the distance and direction of the target location and the coordinates must match to an exacting detail or the breach will take massive amounts of energy to trigger. What Sterek tried was akin to stabbing a door with a key, hoping to force it open.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± the commander said in a bored voice. ¡°I cannot help but wonder where you were all this time we were working with your colleague, however. I find the timing of your intervention¡­ fortuitous.¡±


    ¡°After my city and I had a disagreement over how to treat our allies, I was imprisoned. After I escaped, I had to put some space between us and travel incognito.¡±


    From the portals, Sterek thought he could hear a faint groan.


    ¡°But I suggest we discuss it around breakfast,¡± the prince finished.


    ¡°That sounds like a fantastic idea. Commander?¡±


    ¡°I would like to join as well.¡±


    ¡°Lady Tashey?¡±


    The pawn hesitated, but Sterek knew how she would answer. Discovering the truth was more important than preserving the image of a disgraced researcher. She accepted their offer with a subdued nod.


    ¡°Well, Magister Sterek, we will be off. You can expect a letter from us shortly. Thank you for your time!¡± The merchant said on the way out.


    The door closed.


    The portal winked out.


    Sterek was ruined.


    ***


    Sidjin had his moment. Viv watched him from afar and stayed hidden to avoid getting even more involved than she already was. Solfis reported that the lost prince had taken to diplomacy like a fish to water which made sense since he had, after all, the training and the experience. He managed in a single morning to go from shunned outsider to the new owner of the lab which Sterek would be vacating shortly. Viv did not wait for him and went back to the dormitory instead where she found a bleary-eyed Ereska recovering from two straight nights of intense socializing. Apparently it had involved a lot of drinks.


    ¡°The talent hunting season has started in earnest. I must say, I expected a couple of people to ask about your puppet, Rakan, but I underestimated the racial tensions dominating the city.¡±


    The younger woman considered Viv through half-lidded eyes.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to stay away from the scene forever, you know? The end of the semester will have group activities. With your talent, you will be piled on unless you can form alliances. Isolation sends all sorts of wrong signals to those around you.¡±


    ¡°I know, I will also pay for not networking early but right now I am too busy with vital things.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. You also have the support of the faculty of medicine. There will be a restart of the social scene later in the year. We will see if we cannot get you accepted then. But I digress. I am sure you are busy and I need to attend to my headache.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    And Viv was busy.


    At the Academy, it was understood that the weekend would be employed to fulfill social obligation and catch up on homework. Viv had exactly one afternoon and one evening to complete two essays, practice spells, and review material for the next classes.


    Fortunately, Rakan offered to help. The young man was not aware Viv was out and he showed obvious signs of relief when she told him she¡¯d gone to the city.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave the Academy¡¯s domain,¡± he told her as they settled in a deserted corner of the library.


    ¡°Or rather, I can but my sister asked me not to and she¡¯s been worried lately.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a hunter, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there are a lot of jobs right now with laborers going to harvest faraway orchards. Soon it¡¯s going to be fall and that¡¯s the busiest season around here. That¡¯s what she said. Errr sorry that¡¯s probably not very interesting. Anyway, sis said that the city wasn¡¯t safe for people like us right now. You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Hallurians. Yeah, I heard there are tensions.¡±


    ¡°More like straight shakedowns,¡± Rakan growled.


    He shook his fist with an anger that bubbled under his shy personality.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair. We don¡¯t support the warlords. None of us here do, we all ran away! Why can¡¯t they understand that we want the warlords here even less than you guys? I mean, even less than the locals. We¡¯re traitors in their eyes. They find us and we die.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is your sister alone outside then?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s part of a hunting team. They are out of the city right now, that¡¯s why she asked me to wait until her return. She¡¯ll get money and then get a permanent place to stay somewhere close. Safer that way. Thugs don¡¯t like to annoy the Academy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah it¡¯s probably better not to go out alone,¡± Viv said after doing just that on repeated occasions.


    ¡°Anyway, shall we? You help with Old Imperial and I help with enchanting?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Viv was rewarded for her efforts later that night when they were done with most of their work.


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    Arcane Constructs: Beginner 9


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    She was close to a breakthrough, she could feel it. Rather than facilitating calculations like it did for Rakan, her skill gave her an intuitive understanding of balance and what should be done to keep an enchantment stable. She felt she could go back to Kazar and build three monoliths a day to expand the livable zone around the city. In fact, she probably would if she survived.


    Viv managed to finish her second essay around midnight by cheating a little bit. General Jaratalassi had asked them to comment on a battle report and Viv found a section written by the man himself in a rare book on the topic. She made sure that their vision and analysis subtly ¡®aligned¡¯, made one significant change to make sure it wasn¡¯t too obvious, then did some light reading and called it a night. Six hours of sleep per night were considered a luxury here, and exam periods would be significantly worse.


    ***


    The next day started with a surprise. A general announcement spread via sound spell asked the students to remain in their rooms for a little longer. Everyone was then summoned to the massive amphitheater where announcements were made. To Viv¡¯s surprise, the assembled staff was here along with a manacled junior teacher waiting on his knees. Everyone seemed grim and Viv felt the mood keenly. Auras were agitated that day, with plumes of free mana escaping the distracted casters.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± the Dean began, ¡°it is with deep regret that I must tell you that assistant professor Ulys attempted to murder a student of this noble institution.¡±


    Whispers spread across the assembly until the dean lifted a hand. A wave of viciously powerful magic covered the vast room, silencing every conversation. His voice came crisp and clear as if he were standing right next to Viv.


    ¡°Silence. I know you are curious and it does not matter. Just know this: he planned to poison his target by having two different students feed him innocuous potion. When combined in his stomach, the mix would become deadly.¡±


    The dean scoffed.


    ¡°Every year, someone tries to skirt the rules by lying to themselves or by hiding behind technicalities. It will not work. Better and smarter people than you have tried over the years and those few who succeeded led to rare loopholes getting closed. The Academy is a safe haven. You will respect and enjoy this truth or you will perish. His accomplices have been firmly disciplined for their naivete which led to the endangerment of one of their peers, and they will spend the rest of the year mucking stables without magic. As for professor Ulys, the verdict is simple and definitive.¡±


    The dean placed his hand at the base of Ulys¡¯ skull. A dreadful flash shone brightly, pushing back the shadows of the room to their darkest corners. The bound man collapsed, quite obviously dead.


    A priest walked in and placed a hand on the corpse to stop it from rising. In the following moment of quiet, two armored warmages retrieved the body.


    ¡°Let me be perfectly clear again. The Academy is a safe haven. You are protected here, just as the other students are. Do not give yourself to complacency by participating in schemes for easy rewards, and do not think for a moment you will succeed where generations of crooks have failed before you. The entire staff is on the side of the students and their protection. We will show no mercy. That is all. Despite the circumstances, I wish to each and everyone of you a good week.¡±


    Viv queued out with other subdued students but when she reached the doors, an armored mage placed a gauntleted hand on her wrist.


    ¡°Viviane the Outlander? The dean would like a word with you. If you¡¯ll follow me please.¡±


    The guard turned around without checking if Viv followed, not that Viv would bail. She realized the guard¡¯s voice had been distinctly female though the armored chest plate and helmet made them hard to identify. It led her to wonder if some of the staff moonlighted as terminators or if it was a dedicated position. In any case, she wouldn¡¯t find out easily. The potent enchantments masked her aura and their own. She didn¡¯t even know what element her guide wielded.


    Those considerations lasted until they entered the dome-covered main concourse and up several flights of stairs. The guard politely opened a warded door to a section of the Academy Viv had never visited. They were quite high with many windows leading outside to the garden. She read a plate near a heavily protected entrance and recognized one of the teachers¡¯ names.


    ¡°Are those the staff personal quarters?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°If I may ask,¡± she amended quickly.


    For a moment, she thought the guard might ignore her which she would understand. Hard to maintain the armored bounty hunter vibe while entertaining small talk. Nevertheless, the guard nodded under her visor.


    ¡°Yes. Offices and living quarters. The junior staff share accommodations with students.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    This part of the Academy would be harder to breach than a bank vault. Viv didn¡¯t think anyone except Irao would consider doing it. Everything from the walls to the floor to even the window pane swirled with embedded mana channels linked together. Most of it seemed unpowered at the moment, possibly active defenses, but there was so much stuff it made her dizzy. She blinked and tried to focus on something else. Furniture was sparse in common areas with just paintings and rewards hanging from the polished walls. They didn¡¯t come across anyone since classes had just started. Eventually, the guard let her up a flight of monumental stairs and past a suspended platform Viv heavily suspected was an elevator. The dean¡¯s domain extended past a modest reception area, more like a lounge than an antechamber. The guard knocked on the most ornamented door Viv had seen in a while. They were let in before she could develop a headache from all those enchantments.


    While the rest of the Academy¡¯s top floor had not wasted any space, the dean¡¯s office was large and cleared with a long empty spot leading to a massive desk. Windows lined the walls, showing Helock far below and beyond that, the shimmering blue of the ocean lit by the morning sun. The guard¡¯s feet stomped on an intricately parquet floor. The air was clean and pleasant, the temperature perfect. A tea table waited towards the back of the room and a door that led further in. The singularly ugly face of the dean glanced up from a pile of documents he was reading and signing with a speed that only an advanced skill could provide. He passed a massive mitt through his perfectly groomed beard and considered the pair.


    ¡°Thank you Zael. I will not bother you any longer. Student Saint-Lys, kindly take a seat.¡±


    While the guard left, Viv settled on the offered chair and studied the glyphs below, which when activated, would explode and incinerate her at the same time. Her detached interest was ignored for the time it took for Dean Tallit to finish his pile of paperwork. It took only a couple of minutes. Truly, skills made bureaucracy much more effective and that was sometimes even more terrifying than the explosions.


    ¡°All done. Now, onto our meeting.¡±


    Dean Tallit crossed his fingers under his fat lips and suddenly, Viv felt the full attention of the man who ruled the continent¡¯s most powerful institution fully focused on herself.


    ¡°During the welcome ceremony, I reminded everyone the only reason why we have endured throughout the ages. I was quite clear, I believe. In fact, I specifically forwent any sort of subtlety and witticisms to make absolutely sure everyone understood. Can you remind me what that reason was.¡±


    ¡°Because the Academy separates itself from the world¡¯s trouble,¡± Viv allowed smoothly.


    She was up for some scolding, That was fine. Better than prison or anything else the dean could have gotten away with since he was powerful. It was no secret that Sidjin had to break in to leave his teleportation circle in Sterek¡¯s lab. A thorough interrogation by a mildly talented truth seeker would reveal she had a hand or three in the process.


    ¡°Yes, separated from the troubles of the world. This includes getting involved in political turmoil and administrative disputes. I would also expect my students to clear away from our noble town¡¯s seediest elements. I would especially expect none of my requests to be ignored within the first TWO WEEKS of your stay here.¡±


    Viv waited politely while the dean glared.


    ¡°At least you are not foolish enough to deny your involvement. Know that we have a very thorough, very protective intelligence branch to root out troubles before they occur just like the late Ulys found out. We are not blind and stupid, Viviane the Outlander. You have done the exact contrary of what we recommended and not very smartly either. I am aware that you are from afar and perhaps your society was more peaceful or simple than our own, so I will, again, state things very clearly, very thoroughly, so you understand. Helock is on the verge of serious unrest due to a combination of factors. We are also due a Hallurian invasion very soon. This is not the time to make waves or you will be caught in them and most likely die which I can tolerate. Worse, your status as a student could be used by others to prove that we got involved and this I cannot allow. From now on you will behave like a model student or I will consider measures to make sure you do, adult or not. So long as you are among our numbers you will follow the rules. Am I making myself clear?¡±


    Viv waited, giving herself a couple of seconds to calm down and formulate her response. It was an old trick her dad taught her, though he would fill the silence with inane chatter like ¡®I heard your question¡¯. Viv had no need to fill the silence.


    ¡°What,¡± she asked, ¡°is the difference between a rule and a request?¡±


    An intimidation like a tidal wave crashed into her. The power of Dallit¡¯s soul was so massive, so overwhelming it was almost a physical presence. She was not facing an archmage at the moment. She was facing an institution.


    ¡°You are playing a dangerous game, Viviane the Traveler.¡±


    There was one thing she had noticed with intimidation. It worked much less when the other person had their own. When she had gone to save Arthur from abduction, many of the thugs had resisted her aura of terror despite being clearly weaker, intimidation included. Viv let her own soul pulse in response with the pressure it was being submitted to. Anger coaxed the calm, serpentine skill to uncoil itself in response until Viv felt like an island in the middle of a storm. She could in no way affect Dallit but the man was blowing and trumpeting in vain. After the storm, Viv would still be there.


    ¡°Since you gave me the courtesy of being blunt, I shall return the favor. Sterek sent assassins after my lover, Sidjin.¡±


    The storm abated for a while, less because Dallit was taken aback and more out of curiosity.


    ¡°If you have proof of that¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not accusing,¡± Viv calmly interrupted, ¡°I am stating a fact. Assassins went after Sidjn the day after he made a formal complaint and long before his family could have gotten wind he was here in Helock. An assassination contract costs gold talents. Only an influential individual could afford the cost and have the contacts to find proper agents. It leaves me with exactly one logical explanation, so yes, Sterek sent assassins after the man I love. Therefore the distinction between rule and request are clear. When I signed up with you, I swore oaths not to do anything that hurts the Academy. Those are the terms I agreed to. I never said I would let a research thief turned attempted murderer go after a man I love dearly because you asked nicely. Wait, I was being too polite. Let me rephrase.¡±


    Viv was still an island facing a storm but this time, the island was a volcano, and it was smoking.


    ¡°I will not let one of your employees, or anyone for that matter, go after a person I love, not now, not ever, and whether you like it or not. If you can¡¯t keep your own employees on the right side of not just the law but also common ethical practices, then I consider it doing a favor to the Academy to discredit such individuals.¡±


    ¡°There were other venues available to you.¡±


    ¡°And to Sterek as well, but he still sent killers.¡±


    Dallit fumed behind his desk.


    ¡°And Sidjin was stonewalled by your administration. Don¡¯t tell me you needed a birth certificate in triplicate to prove the identity of the fallen Prince Sidjin of Glastia, one of the brightest colorless mana specialists in existence.¡±


    ¡°We have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    The time to storm roared and blew, and Viv was pushed back against her seat, but she didn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°We have to be careful because there are many talented conmen who can even change the shape of their face.¡±


    ¡°And no one came to verify if he was one such person, no one visited him in his home. You never bothered.¡±


    ¡°We have better things to do¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    The two casters stood frozen like statues. Dallit was a miniature sun, his mere presence warming the room, but Viv was a shard of obsidian and she could not be brushed aside.


    But she had better things to do with her day.


    ¡°Look, I was not going after Sterek because he was one of us. I did it because he went after someone I care about deeply. It was a one off. I hope it was a one off. But just so that we¡¯re clear, I am going to go out and be involved some more, and do you know why?¡±


    ¡°You must be suicidal.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m dying.¡±


    This made the dean caress his ample beard once more.


    ¡°Ah yes, the health situation. What did Elunath say?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll help me if I promise to serve him for a hundred years.¡±


    Shock blossomed on the dean¡¯s ugly face.


    ¡°This¡­ is not very generous.¡±


    ¡°But he will lower it by a few years or so every time I bring him something interesting. There will be some years left at the end no matter what, of course. Speaking of, I heard that you might have the same issue with red mana? At some point?¡±


    ¡°This is a very private question you are asking and I will not answer. What I can say is that the process is eminently complex and¡­ you will not be able to conduct it within the timeline you have for you. Even with your talent. I am not just talking about researching the problem. You do not have the skills and willpower, acuity, or focus to carry out some of the necessary tasks. You need assistance and I cannot provide it.¡±


    The dean gauged her for a moment, then sighed, his mind made.


    ¡°The final ritual is a death and rebirth one. There is no way your mind can handle the death of the self and keep the spell going at the same time, not now and not within the next thirty years. It takes centuries for us to reach that point of power. I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    ¡°You could always gather the ingredients yourself. It is a major aspect of the process and I am sure Elunath will shave decades off.¡±


    ¡°What sorts of components? He was supposed to tell me.¡±


    ¡°You will need pure silverite and also a pure core of large size of the color that you have picked.¡±


    ¡°So for you it would be¡­¡±


    ¡°A fire elemental could hypothetically do, though I cannot think of anyone who would survive the harvest. Volcano clams have them. It is only a matter of reaching the beasts themselves. Fortunately, I already found a way to obtain one. As for you¡­¡±


    ¡°An undead.¡±


    ¡°Not just any undead. You need a large core, and only one species of monster on Nyil has a black core of sufficient size.¡±


    ¡°Necrarchs.¡±


    The dead nodded.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hunt a necrarch. However, I was informed you have ties with the Temple of Neriad. I suggest you petition them for help. They always need more help from pure casters, you see.¡±


    ¡°I see, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Good luck to you, Viviane the Outlander. Those are unfortunate circumstances you find yourself in. I hope you get the help you need but do heed my words. You won¡¯t live to the transition unless you exert some common sense. There is plenty of danger even within the city walls, no need to go look for some more.¡±


    ¡°I assure you I¡¯m trying to stay alive. Thank you for your time, sir. I¡¯ll show myself out.¡±


    ***


    Sterek watched the shore pass by.


    He was in self-imposed exile. It was the only solution. He was not the first and he would not be the last to lose his spot and his reputation in a risky venture. So long as one did not provoke a branding of the pariah through some heinous crime, Helock remained kind to her wayward children. It was a well-established process. He would scour the continent for lost knowledge or serve some backwater duke until he regained something of value. Then he would return in quiet triumph, contribute to the Academy and restore his position quietly between two semesters.


    It was a terrible waste of his time and talent and yet, while Sterek felt two emotions, neither of them were shame.


    The first was relief. After several months of vain efforts and machinations, it was done. He had fallen. He could fall no further. The only way left was up. Strangely, it soothed him, like getting rid of a rotten tooth calmed the infection.


    The second was anger.


    He had been humiliated by a backstabber and a muddy, mannerless outlander from some backwater shithole. Truly, the low cunning and base guile of the unwashed masses could be terrifying at times. It was difficult to beat a conwoman and charlatan at her own games but Sterek had always been a good student. There were many tools at his disposal.


    For example, rumor had it she had such a serious health problem even the faculty could not help her. She had asked to meet with Elunath.


    It would be a shame if her symptoms worsened.


    Sterek started to hum to himself but soon found air missing from his lungs. He gasped in surprise as a particularly violent spike of agony stole his breath. His surprise only grew when he was lifted from the deck. Rather than empty embankments, his gaze captured the muddy waters of the Shal river, the railing he had been resting against, and the long bone limb jutting from his torso. It was attached to a nightmarish head whose eye cavities burnt with a malevolent amber glare. The twin yellow fires captured his attention despite the pain spreading through his chest, not because they were cold and lifeless, but because they expressed an emotion with absolute, unnatural clarity.


    It was contemptuous pride.


    Without a noise, without even a nearby sailor turning his head, the war golem slipped back under the brackish waters with its wriggling trophy. They closed around him with nary a ripple, and Sterek was never found again.

 Chapter 114: Busy

    It was now five weeks into the semester and Viv was busier than she had ever been in her life. A part of her wanted to drop everything and dedicate herself solely to finding precious things to feed Elunath since it was by far the most important task on her list. What held her back was, once again, cold pragmatism. Solfis had told her he would take care of this aspect. Her time was better spent arming herself with every technique and every scrap of knowledge she could so when the time came to act, she would have more tools. Her efforts paid off.


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    Mana Mastery: Intermediate 1


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    Lost Heiress (7/10)


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    Mana mastery made up the foundation of all her spellcasting. She could see colors more clearly, including those that were less present in an individual or a spell. Her threads and glyphs were cleaner than most, faster to form, more efficient. Mana flowed more easily. It made most of the fundamentals class trivial which allowed her to spend more time on what she wanted to improve. One of those things was enchantment.


    Although she did not consider herself good at it by any means, it was clear she was making much progress in the field of enchantment.


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    Arcane Constructs: Intermediate 1


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    Her motivations were clear. Harrak needed ward stones to survive and she needed to be good at them, not just ape the same model again and again at a slow speed. Her expertise grew every time she approached a new problem or carved a new set of runes. Some of them were more fun than useful like self-opening doors or wards that would not react to children, but others were used in making the armored carriages Viv had seen carry the Enorian mages into battle. The other intriguing use of enchantment was experimental and tied into her strategy class.


    ¡°And do you also have a ¡®potential idea¡¯ to go with that?¡± the grim-faced General Jaratalassi often asked at the end of her demonstrations.


    Once she had said his name aloud and realized it was very close to the Phantom Menace character Jar Jar and now she could not unhear it. It was horrible and even more so because she could not share her pain with anyone. The locals could not relate.


    Viv had a technique to handle the curmudgeonly old warhorse. First she would show her understanding of traditional methods, then she would ask about the methods and techniques she would do just to see what he had to say about them. Most of the time, there was a good reason why people proceeded the way they did.


    ¡°Because elevation does not affect spell range, young witch. You are bending the will of the world by moving its essence, not throwing gooey projectiles made of magical snot. Yes, many spells arc, but they do not fall short because of it.¡±


    And sometimes they were some that did not.


    ¡°You cannot move a shield alongside the troops you would try to protect, witch. An isolated mage trying to cover an infantry formation would be weak and isolated, quickly picked off.¡±


    Except¡­ that was not quite correct. Shields could move with a formation.


    Viv was thinking long term. More specifically, she was thinking about Harrakan power projection and force multipliers.


    For now, Harrak was fine, kind of, but it was a very large nail on a hammer continent and it was only a matter of time before someone tried to put them down. The way she saw it, they would either face a siege, attack towards the deadlands, or attack through the forest. The defense itself was something she was relatively confident in. The problem was the rest.


    Viv placed a sheet of paper on the table and looked up to the standing form of Solfis. He had little commanding experience but his knowledge of tactics and history were unequaled. She started to draw and make a list.


    ¡°Light troops like guards and levies are useless against the undead. They don¡¯t have the tools to effectively take them down and they might stand up again to attack their previous allies if they are overwhelmed. Except in defense, I don¡¯t see us using them. The same applies for an attack through the deadshield woods. Levies can do very little against actual monsters. We would just be bringing victims.¡±


    //That is not quite correct, Your Grace.


    //The role of levies has always been to die for the cause.


    //Bog down or slow elites, or face other levies.


    //You are too concerned about the casualty ratio.


    //However, I agree with your logic.


    ¡°You do?¡±


    //The budding little seedling that is the new Harrak cannot afford mass casualties.


    //We need our population to expand.


    //Harrakan forces were historically comprised of fast moving elites searching for decisive engagements.


    //They were always outnumbered and never outmatched.


    //With high levels of motivation, access to Yries weapons, and you, we have the tools to recreate such a force.


    //You were, however, leading to something.


    ¡°Right, yes. In order for our forces to overcome bad odds, we need proper logistics. We also need to leverage what we have so we can win against higher numbers and most likely a superior enemy mage contingent. I believe there are ways. The first is Tercio infantry. The second is combined arms tactics.¡±


    //Those are translated terms with no equivalent in my archives.


    ¡°Let me explain. Tercios were the elite infantry of the Spanish Habsburg empire and the first moder¡­ right that means nothing to you. Historically, tercios were formed by professional soldiers combining spears and ranged weapons, counting a large number of ¡®veteranos¡¯ or experienced soldiers and led by the low nobility. In battle, they would fight in squares of pikes and mobile groups of ranged fighters called mangas¡­ but that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is that at the time, they were quite formidable and could outfight both cavalry and levies very reliably. We already have elite pikemen and spearmen with Harrakan heavies. We have the witch-pact crossbowmen for ranged. All of them are as close to professional as can be. I believe we could create a tercio.¡±


    //I approve of integrating our crossbows and spear to fight together more efficiently.


    //I noticed that they had poor coordination when we stopped the prince.


    //Several aspects need to be resolved.


    //We need to create a training regimen from scratch.


    //We need to experiment with the tercio¡¯s application on Nyil.


    //We need a competent body of officers.


    //Additionally, there are aspects you hinted you could resolve.


    //We need proper logistics.


    //We need to solve the mage issue.


    ¡°Right, so tight formations are artillery magnets, especially when it¡¯s clearly made of elites, but what if we use a mage to cover them effectively? That way the heavies protect the mage and crossbowmen who use the opportunity to kill things while the mage stops artillery spells. We do so by creating a portable shield or ward stone and placing it on an Yries war machine¡¯s frame.¡±


    //You want to replace the ballista or drill by an actual stone.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //And use the machines as a supply train as well.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //It will not work.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    //The Yries war machines are core-powered.


    //There is no other valid explanation.


    //It takes energy to keep them working.


    //According to my calculations, it would be much easier to use normal cornudon-drawn carriages.


    //A machine-drawn ward stone would work if the shield itself is resilient enough.


    ¡°Shields, like enchantments, can be powered either by the caster or by a charged core. The best option is to have an actual core and the caster nearby to recharge it and defend the stone. It makes me wonder though, why are people not already doing it?¡±


    //Mage carriages have several purposes, but they are mostly defensive.


    //They are very large and very heavy.


    //A war machine is a much smaller target.


    //It has less risk of sinking into mud as well.


    //There are no records of combining several types of soldiers into a formation rather than separating them by kind in state armies.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    //I have noted your remarks.


    //I will prepare a training regimen.


    //I will run scenarios and prepare possible strategies.


    //I will make a list of resources required for operations of various sizes considering the army we have and various durations.


    //You will prepare a model of the shield enchantment.


    //You will list the requirements a dedicated machine would have.


    //Finally, you must prepare for the fact that there are no competent officers to lead such an army into battle.


    //Therefore, it will have to be you.


    //But that is for later.


    //For now, I will make all the preparations.


    //Speaking of preparations, we are almost ready to assault the assassin¡¯s base.


    Solfis had located the assassin¡¯s base under the warehouse district. Unfortunately, the issue now was to catch enough of them at the same time to dismantle the guild. It would be stupid to leave trained killers with a grudge in the wilds if there was any chance to disable them now. And they did have a grudge after the death of several of their members.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe they didn¡¯t take the bribe. I thought they would accept the money and move on.¡±


    //Such guilds depend on their reputation, Your Grace.


    //They perhaps correctly assessed that I would not let the gruesome death of my innkeeper go unpunished.


    ¡°Shame about him, and the five fishes stew recipe. They didn¡¯t have to dismember him.¡±


    //Now it is to the death.


    //I have prepared a lure.


    //We will be ready very soon.


    ¡°Thanks, Solfis.¡±


    //There is one last thing.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //I am only allowed to say I have been contacted by an individual I am programmed to identify as an enemy.


    //We are currently considering an alternative to Elunath¡¯s proposal with terms.


    //The individual does not wish to interact with you at this junction.


    //The individual will contact you when the ¡®timing is right¡¯.


    Viv watched the golem, trying to find a hidden meaning behind the strange words.


    ¡°You are being mysterious.¡±


    //My silence was a condition for the negotiation.


    //I am only allowed to share the existence of said individual with you.


    //I will reply if you override me.


    //I request that you do not do that.


    ¡°And you believe this mysterious benefactor will help me?¡±


    //Said individual certainly has the means to do so.


    //That is all I am able to share.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±


    ***


    It was raining on the training field. The light shower was the first of the season, a harbinger of what would come later that year. The dueling class students milled under thin roofs protecting the rafters. No one was eager to get drenched, nor could many of the students protect themselves from both water and whatever their fellows would throw at them. A few blue-attuned members were charging the water-repellent runes ¡ª because of course that was a thing ¡ª that would keep the arena relatively dry. Viv used the opportunity to breathe out. She had started practicing the forms Solfis had taught her again and her muscles were sore from the lack of practice. Rakan rested on the side, juggling four mana balls of different colors in complex shaping exercises. It was nice to take a break. The weather was cooler, though still a little oppressive. Viv could smell freshly cut grass and grilled meat in the distance. She hoped it wasn¡¯t a burnt red mana caster because that would be really awkward.


    ¡°Excuse me, a friend of mine and myself had a little disagreement,¡± a young woman with a serious face and long, straight black hair asked her. A young man calmly stood by her side, brushing a growing beard.


    ¡°We were wondering if the use of the adjective is correct in the sentence: From the lake rises a deep green tree.¡±


    They were talking in Old Imperial. She gauged the sentence in her head a little.


    ¡°Sounds like old poetry. I know the structure was used in older works including some I¡¯ve read but the Old Imperial we use here is the latest, so I would change the word order to a more standard form.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. See?¡± the woman told the boy.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s still correct, just for a different version of Old Imperial. Most of the work we¡­¡±


    Viv watched the pair leave and bicker amicably.


    ¡°Since when am I the reference for Old Imperial?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Since you got full marks on your ethics class essay about social harmony.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Viv had basically taken a marxist approach of ¡®to each according to their needs, from each according to the means¡¯ as a joke, added a smattering of social mobility and common purpose born from patriotism and produced her most left-wing work to date. The entire essay did not contain a single original thought, merely a reformulation of various theories she only had a shallow understanding of, but apparently it had been enough for the teacher. Maybe the feudal system she was in didn¡¯t have that many original political theorists. Or maybe the teacher didn¡¯t dare tell her it was a fantasy out of fear she would just answer ¡®well we have it in my world¡¯. She should try to defend an actual democracy and see what would happen.


    ¡°You lose points if your Old Imperial has mistakes. The only way to get a full score is to be eloquent and use flawless grammar.¡±


    ¡°So now they think I¡¯m smart.¡±


    ¡°For a witch,¡± Rakan added teasingly.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°You also teach. It is as you told me earlier; people value competence. Perhaps someone will try to recruit you soon.¡±


    ¡°Or I¡¯ll recruit them.¡±


    ¡°Do not count on it. You have told me about Kazar. Foreign invasions, undead hordes, weird forest creatures¡­ No fish.¡±


    He sighed.


    ¡°Sounds just like home to me.¡±


    Viv clamped on that opening like a piranha on an unsuspecting tourist.


    ¡°You could come, you know? I can¡¯t promise you luxuries beyond your wildest dream but you¡¯d be valued.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a gifted mage, Viviane,¡± the young Hallurian replied with a brittle smile, the affected shrug barely masking his lack of confidence.


    ¡°I¡¯d be welcome anywhere.¡±


    Viv considered buttering him up and decided against it. She would not prey on Rakan, merely try to convince him rationally. He seemed to like rational approaches to problems.


    ¡°You know what I mean. I would not treat you like an outsider, but there is no rush. You should consider all your options.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to recruit me or to push me away?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to regret your decision.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep this in mind.¡±


    Just then, a shimmering blue dome appeared over the arena with a low hum. Water drifted on it in rivulets and free droplets that trailed down to the other side of the rafters. A warm light surged from the roof, warming and drying the students. The hubbub of conversation turned to expressions of delight while the students stood and stretched, ready to resume class.


    ¡°See you in the finals,¡± Rakan jested.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    Viv did some shaping exercises and waited for her turn, then she was called together with a gangly lad who moaned audibly when he heard they were pitched together.


    ¡°Come on, Tarid, let¡¯s see your improved bolts,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cast your sound thing when you¡¯ve breached my shield please. I don¡¯t want to throw up my breakfast.¡±


    The duelists had protective gear but sound seemed to bypass some of it. The issue was that it was exceptionally inefficient at blocking the nauseating sound spell Viv used. On the other side, the nauseating effect could not even pierce the weakest shield.


    The pair climbed up to the elevated platform and took their respective positions. A signal, and the duel was on.


    Viv ignored an opening fire bolt that missed her by a meter and cast her own, which was blocked by an earth wall. Tarid then tried to lift the earth from under Viv so she flooded the ground with veins of black mana.


    ¡°Eldritch wall.¡±


    Her own spell messed with his defenses and forced him to fall back, blocking another bolt on a hastily raised shield. Viv walked away from another fire bolt, physically ducked under another to Tarid¡¯s frustrating curses and pulled on an exposed boot with telekinesis. The young man yelped and fell, still managing to cast one last bolt Viv had to stop with her own shield.


    ¡°Not too bad!¡± professor Dirge said from the side.


    The dueling master brushed his dark curls and invited both duelists to climb down. He approached Tarid to advise him, noting that the accuracy was still problematic. As usual, he only nodded at Viv in passing.


    ¡°Good show. It is you and Rakan again. Be nice.¡±


    Viv returned to the starting position to find a nervous Halurian smoothing his defensive robe. Rakan was always stressed at the beginning of a duel, at least when facing her.


    Until he started casting, at least.


    Professor Dirge used a spell to return the arena to its undamaged self and on signal, they opened on each other.


    The duel was on an entirely other level than the game of kind cat and furious mouse she had played with Tarid.


    ¡°Hive Shield.¡±


    ¡°Javelin. Rock tide.¡±


    Viv flooded the area in front of her. In answer, Rakan interrupted the spell, causing it to explode and pelt the both of them with debris. While they did nothing to Rakan¡¯s earth barrier, they drained Viv¡¯s reserves by forcing her to disintegrate every piece of rock, but she used the distraction to attack his shield through the wall with a powerful spear of her own. Rakan cursed and shored his defenses, then he attacked her again in the same manner, exploding his spell once again, This time, Viv raised an eldritch wall of her own, then used telekinesis to lob a large rock at her friend at an unfavorable angle. He blocked it and lowered the barrier. Viv did not need line of sight to know where Rakan was. He burnt with mana in her perception like a beacon, a multicolored torch that shone bright even in this mana-saturated place.


    Rakan was never more alive than when he was using magic. Even his posture would change from slightly stooped to straight and proud. Their eyes met. He was focused. Viv used sound and black mana in tandem to open breaches in his shield then try to stun him, but he would rotate spells too fast for it to succeed. Sometimes red, sometimes brown, more rarely gray and blue shields alternated to block the worst of her aggression while he tried to corner her as she moved across the arena. Viv threw a dart at a forming fireball, destabilizing the construct and making it blow up but Rakan managed to recover some of the heat through a supreme effort of will and threw it her way. It was loaded with intent, a persistent fire that could not be drenched. He covered an entire quarter of the area with it. Viv was caught.


    Rakan did not hesitate. He started another spell, a gray construct that would blow her out of the arena. In answer, Viv raised yet another eldritch wall in front of her.


    She climbed it using a burst of power and jumped over the high fire, coating herself in black mana to fend off the worst of the fumes. The appearance of an obsidian-clad aerial Viv surprised Rakan enough to make him hesitate. Viv did not.


    The sound spell caught him square on the head. He winced and faltered.


    ¡°Stooooop!¡± Dirge bellowed.


    ¡°Nice one. If a little unorthodox. Take a break while I repair the arena.¡±


    Viv and Rakan saluted and the young Hallurian ribbed her for using ¡®underhanded tricks¡¯, then Viv teased him for moving like an old man.


    As she walked back to her seat, Viv considered that the dueling class was reaching the limit of its usefulness. By rule, she could not challenge upperclassmen until her second semester here but it had become clear that no one except Rakan was a match for her. It had been fun facing different kinds of spells carrying different colors of mana. Unfortunately, at their level and without preparation, the diversity of spells was very limited. Spells could come in the form of bolts, clouds, spheres, spears, and even in one case ribbons. They could affect the air or the ground or her directly. Some froze or slowed, some set the world on a fire that would not stop. It was all fancy and interesting but it never got really weird. There were no spells to turn someone into a newt, for example. A limited number of shields and area denials were enough for Viv to stop pretty much everything anyone threw at her, then she would grind down her foe¡¯s defenses and hit them with a sound attack that left them a little nauseous for five minutes and claim victory. She would have dropped the class if she didn¡¯t want the certification and held some hope it would grow more challenging later.


    ¡°We could find a private tutor, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Are you not already too busy?¡± Rakan asked as he sat by her side.


    ¡°A project of mine should be completed very soon. I¡¯ll have a little more time later.¡±


    ¡°If the medicine faculty doesn¡¯t get to you first.¡±


    ¡°Limb regrowth is seldom urgent. Besides, it¡¯s important.¡±


    Viv shelved the idea of getting specialized training later. There were bound to be duelist mages around eager to pad their pockets with her healthcare money. Rakan was right though. She didn¡¯t have the time right now.


    ***


    The last of the students had left for the day, some more excited than others. The black mana class was at the stage where most of the remaining attendees were perfecting simple black mana shields. Those were small and difficult to use for most of them but it did stop every kind of spell. The next step would be proper bolts and other offensive tools. One step at a time.


    Ashra settled with Viv in the middle of the training room. The sun pierced through the windows and shone on dancing motes of dust. It was quiet now. The air smelled faintly of ozone. Volutes of dark energy whorled in the teacher¡¯s black eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°You are almost here. Let us practice more.¡±


    Viv closed her eyes. The shadows at the corners of the room extended and, for a short while, the light of the late summer receded. The varnished wood lost its luster. It was as if the world stood still. Darkness was not an absence but a denial, her denial. She would rob others of visions and the other senses they had come to rely on, and then there would be just them, the dark, and her. Tendrils of black mana snaked out, diffuse and vaporous, questing. Subverting. It was colder now.


    And Viv lost her focus.


    ¡°I think I need to do it by night.¡±


    ¡°I am counting on you to practice then. You are almost there.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Viv left the class and returned to her shared room to find a letter from Solfis. It was to the point as usual.


    Meet me at dusk.


    Bring everything.


    It was time to take out the assassin¡¯s guild.

 Chapter 115: Draconic

    It was a beautiful day to be She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold.


    The wind and the gray caressed her scales when she took flight, their presence light and familiar. Far above the city, the overwhelmimg smell of stupid borgling things faded into pure morning crispness. In the air, she felt truly free, truly herself. Fluffy white clouds called her to play as they drifted above, blown south and away from the deep blue ocean. She considered piercing through to the sun above but reconsidered. She decided to show foresight! Planning! Vision! Just like mother did when she wanted something.


    Yes, She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold was a profound thinker and a visionary, a true light of knowledge. Her amazing mental prowess let her know in advance that she would regret her decision if she answered the call of the flight, for above the clouds, there was nothing to eat.


    And she was really hungry.


    She was always hungry, these days. Sometimes, mother said she had spent too much time in the sad cave before mother found her, and now she was catching up. The dragonette did not like to think about that time. The cave had been filled with starvation and pain and fear and what she knew now was hopelessness. Thinking was not meant to make a dragon sad! It was meant to make a dragon RICH. And sated. So she thought and did not have to think for long. There was always a reliable way to get food.


    She angled her wings down and forward and used a little gray to move faster, the world bending just so to get her closer to her goal. The azure of the sky merged into the cobalt of the ocean almost seamlessly, but there was white as well, the white of low happy clouds, the ephemeral spume marking the waves, and the more geometrical dye of sails.


    More specifically, fishing ship sails.


    She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold looked around, bending the world a little to help her already prodigious sight. Just like mother¡¯s mate had shown her. It was already mid-morning and the huddling mass of masts had spread out to find schools of prey. Most of it would be too small to provide good nourishment. She could afford to be picky, these days. Also, it would not be fun and mother had taught her that good prey was fun to catch. Like the prince thing. Shortly, she found a charcoal rendition of herself reverently drawn upon a large sheet and dove, descending with speed towards this specific ship.


    It was a large one, as far as human floaties were. She was pretty sure she¡¯d seen it before, teetering on the edge of dangerous waters hunting for larger prey. It even had teeth mounted on large crossbow things to snatch unsuspecting food. Yes, she had probably used it before. Hard to be sure. Those borgling humans all looked the same to her, and their imprint on the world was so small. Not like mother. She hoped mother would grow scales at some point. All she was growing now was hair. Maybe she should eat more.


    She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold let out what absolutely had to be a terrifying and mighty roar, a harbinger of the apex existence to come. The humans heard and spotted her. The one with the biggest hat pointed at her and all turned with hushed reverence. It was probably the head borgler. They borgled the most and could be recognized by having either the biggest hat or the most colorful plumage. Like birds. Very easy.


    The dragonette landed on the railing and spread her wings to assert dominance. With aesthetically pleasing coordination, the humans bowed deeply to acknowledge their respective place in the hierarchy of everything. The hat man took a few steps forward and fell to his knees. He started to point and gesticulate towards some indeterminate direction to the side in a language She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold did not recognize yet and how annoying it was that humans had languages that they expressed by vibrating their mouth orifices and flapping their fleshy bits around like fat rolls on an old cornudon. She understood the gist of it because she was very, very smart. And also because they had done this dozens of times. She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold needed a lot of food and the lands around the city had little wildlife. And seafood was tasty also.


    Taking off, the dragonette went to hunt. Oh, she was a smart hunter. The smartest. Mother had taught her the meaning of bait. She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold was not just smart, she was sneaky and patient. The best. And so she moved above the flowing tide, slow and low, doing a lot of thinks.


    Am fat bird.


    Fat bird.


    Very fat bird.


    Come on eat me.


    Eat fat bird.


    And it worked. One moment she was flying through air and gray mana, the next a spike of blue under her wing heralded the coming of an attack. A ball of infused water as large as she was launched up, catching her entirely. Then, it immediately pulled back down.


    She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold went with the flow and retracted her wings, taking over some of the blue to stabilize her fall. As she hit the water, she flexed her own power and took control over more of it. Her dive ended in the center mass of a chewy-leg. Its two eyes widened and it flayed its eight appendages in a terrible panic, trying to grab the attacker it had thought was a victim.


    The dragonette tore into her opponent with relentless fury, the water no obstacle to her. The sea was just another place of weightlessness. Claws raked a thick hide. Her teeth dug into the hard flesh and gnawed, tasting the sweet meat. The chewy-leg struggled to escape. It did not know that it was still stronger, still dominant, because it was a dumb predator caught off guard and it could not think. Not like She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold. Their struggle continued as they slowly sunk in an ever changing dance. Sometimes the dragonette was up, sometimes she was down, but she was never stopping. The moment she did, the chewy-leg would realize she was less than a quarter of its weight and not that strong yet. It took a little while but eventually the beast managed to catch her six limbs into its eight and squeezed. She could feel its tiny suction-claws digging into her scales, trying to peel them off her skin.


    So she did like mother and sent spears of power into its eyes.


    The creature was fast and it dodged, but not fast enough. One orb was lost and the other closed when the spear removed some cheek. Blood leaked from the opening, thick and heavy. She knew it was ready to fall, and so she waited. Patient hunter. She would be rewarded soon.


    The beast shook with pain, tremor traveling along the boneless body. The dragonette bit more and clawed more and did not let it rest. She pressed it until it was trapped and finally, finally did what she had been waiting for all this time. It turned and exposed its beaked core to take a bite off the magnificent dragon harrying it. Just as planned! The smartest dragon waited for the fateful moment with giddy anticipation. Truly, she was as smart as she was strong and fast and patient and good-looking.


    The beak opened. The dragon breathed a plume of smokey dark fire. The superheated ¡®werfer¡¯ was so powerful the water around them boiled, which was also a very important pre-cooking step. Infused black mana carried destruction into the beast¡¯s innards, annihilating enough of it to end its life. It spasmed and constricted She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold in the grasp of its dying limbs, yet the dragonette held no fear. The struggle was over.


    She willed a ball of blue light to breach the shiny surface of the sea above. It rose through the air like a second sun to announce the news of her glorious victory to the world at large. Soon enough, the flat bottom of the ship reached her and men dove under the water just as she finished disentangling herself from her prize. They attached ropes and pointy things and hoisted the beast out of the water. The dragonette launched out with a flex of will, taking to the air with a triumphant roar of rage that was very impressive and very adult because all the humans stopped and bowed deeply to her.


    Now was the time for her due reward.


    The crew gathered around the carcass, butchering it and bringing her the choicest morsels. She nodded at those she fancied and the men placed the precious flesh on skewers which they covered in spicy sauce. The captain himself got a brasero going to supervise the cooking himself, which he delegated to the head roaster. Once the meal was done, he kneeled in front of her and presented her with her due tribute: two gold talents.


    Those shone just as beautifully as the first ones she had looked at, all those many days ago in the mountain. Shiny ridges caught the light of the noon sun in mesmerizing patterns. They were soft and warm under her claws.


    After inspecting each one with great care ¡ª one of the fishermen had tried to give her a bad one and his eyebrows were still regrowing ¡ª the dragonette placed each on the slightly larger pouch around her neck, never wondering why it grew in size to match her nor why it was just as light as before. She patted the artifact with satisfaction, then attacked the meal laid before her.


    The hat man and his chief brasero handler or whatever the humans called the individual in charge of cooking stayed by her side to attend to her needs. Sometimes, she would request some more sauce and they would diligently glaze the crisp flesh until she gestured them to stop. The feast lasted until she was full and sleepy, then the ship sailed back with the rest of the carcass and herself.


    She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold woke up from her nap in the early afternoon and dove for a soak, then she left the fishermen behind to hunt for eggs among the cliffs.


    ***


    Night had fallen and the light of Nyil¡¯s moon shone on the strange floating rocks above the skies of Helock, with the distant shape of the chalice dominating its lessers. All of this Viv saw through the small aperture of a filthy window because she was inside a warehouse, bored out of her mind.


    Hurry up and wait was the name of the game in Nyil as well. This was Solfis¡¯ operation, and she was in position to receive fleeing assassins if any escaped the golem¡¯s wrath. The operation had yet to start, however, and she and her picked squad of disposable goons guarded one of the possible exits in awkward silence.


    Dust filled the air. Shelves lined the interior, all of them loaded to the brim with crates and barrels. It was warm and didn¡¯t smell very good. Viv could hear rats scurrying around dark corners. She idly scratched the back of her borrowed gauntlet to chase away a phantom itch. Maybe tonight they would finally put an end to Sidjin¡¯s saga of academic revenge and she could put that out of her mind. Focus on gaining Elunath¡¯s favors, since Solfis¡¯ strange new ally still refused to communicate with her directly.


    Weird how what amounted to intellectual property theft ended up in a dark building with a lethal trap rather than in a courtroom. But that wasn¡¯t her fault this time.


    Silence reigned outside despite the relatively early hour. The city was tense with a sense of foreboding that extended to the squad within. Viv had taken every precaution she could think of. She wore enchanted armor meant for assassins with a hastily patched hole near the heart, a sign it had been recently ¡®liberated¡¯ from its previous owner. Knit runes facilitated the use of black mana and some mail protected her vitals. She also wore a helmet of dark steel and her yries- made roundshield. The passage leading down had been warded and its threshold reinforced by an improvised shield circle just in case. Truly, she had prepared as much as she could. Despite that, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a nervous tension. A little introspection told her why.


    She wasn¡¯t in charge.


    Not that Solfis couldn¡¯t be trusted, but most of the previous actions she had been in were planned and commanded by her with valuable input from qualified people. She had led the Kazarans to take back their city, then led the newly minted Harrakans to defend their land. The raid on Sterek¡¯s lab had been her brain child. Even in the rare case someone like Solar had led, she had been at the center of the action as a war caster. But now she was back to being a grunt, not even a strategic piece. Solfis, Sidjin, and Lim the Fell-Handed led the various teams responsible for closing in on the assassin den from every direction and killing them to the last to avoid grudges. She was just a cog this time, a safety valve for a secondary entrance.


    Viv checked the spell arrays with her mind one last time. Everything was working as intended. It should be time now.


    Somewhere in the distance, there was a crash.


    The squad tensed, all four of them around Viv. Their posture went from casual to ready. They wore dark armor like her as well as an assortment of weapons. One even had a shield. Viv strapped on her own, the cumbersome and over-decorated disc familiar in her hands. She paid attention to the wards. In the distance, a muffled scream echoed. She was not sure if it came from outside or from the narrow entrance leading down.


    They waited.


    Maybe no one would come this way. It was a possibility.


    Viv cursed herself for thinking that. Provoking the spark of luck was the surest way to conjure some sort of horror. Maybe the assassins would release a battalion of monkeys infected with a zombie virus, thus plunging the world into an age of terrible body odor.


    While part of Viv¡¯s mind did wander, most of it was dedicated to the wards and their function. Magically enhanced intellect was truly something. It would not make you smart but it would make you stupid with peerless intensity and attention to detail. And of course, the wards activated soon enough.


    ¡°Contact,¡± she whispered.


    Nothing happened. The opening in front of them remained a dark pit, but Viv was sure of herself. Her wards were especially sensitive to black mana. Something had crossed them.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    She was not going to wait. Anyone escaping an assassin¡¯s den and using black mana was a target for her. Viv was going to strike first, but something held her back, a remnant of her past. Rules of engagement. She had not yet determined those were hostiles, technically.


    She sent a small net anyway and the shadows exploded outward.


    Time slowed in her perception. She activated the gate¡¯s shield which blocked someone but two others stepped through the shadows to escape the enclosing walls of energy. While she was so close and paying attention, the use was definitely intent-altered black mana. She could almost taste it. She lifted her round shield and coated herself rather than attacking. Her danger sense screamed and something pinged against the steel pane held in front of her chest. An instant later, a light drain near her head informed her that another projectile had been stopped. She hadn¡¯t sensed this one coming.


    Her four squad members were engaging the two shades. The head shade had blocked a nasty sword strike and was now rolling backward like a ninja, ready to move through the darkness again. Viv felt where it would reappear and nailed them in the back. They let out a high-pitched scream.


    ¡°Lyssa!¡± the second shade screamed, distracted. Clearly a young man.


    One of her goons did not let that opportunity go to waste. The second shade received a blade in the neck for his trouble and fell, gurgling his lifeblood away. Viv opened her shield and cast at the same time, piercing the chest of the third one in multiple places. He fell without a noise. He had not resisted.


    Viv considered the trio as she reactivated the wards. The goons moved their bodies in a pile on the side. From the cheap weapons to the size of their bodies under poorly dyed fabric, Viv could tell those were¡­ apprentices. No older than eighteen for sure. The guild was evacuating their younger members into her net.


    ¡°Merde¡­¡± she cursed to herself.


    Nyil had her killing kids. Never a good thing, even though they were trained murderers. She closed her eyes and focused, centering herself. The high mental stats she enjoyed allowed her to push aside guilt and regret with disquieting ease. It had to be done for Sidjin and for those who did not deserve to die because a rich person had decided they should. Soon, all that remained in her mind was the gaping maw leading underground and the protections she had placed there. Dull screams of agony and clashes of steel echoed, far away, their sounds strangely distorted by the distance. All five watchers waited quietly. Viv felt her anxiety spike despite the lack of action. It was as if something ominous was coming.


    It took her perhaps two seconds, an embarrassingly long amount of time, to realize that it was not anxiety she was feeling.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger Sense: Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A part of Viv registered that this was two levels at once, another was casting the most powerful black mana hive shield she could conjure, and the last part screamed at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°TAKE COVER NOW!¡±


    The thugs were a little slower to react but they dashed with skills around the building, putting as much distance as they could between the underground¡¯s exit and themselves. For an instant, it was as if the world was holding its breath while Viv dove behind a shelf. She could barely spot an assassin walking up a support pillar. There was a stamp on a nearby crate, every detail clearly visible from this close up. All the little details of life like an abandoned cobweb or the grain of a nearby plank appeared magnified to her perception while terror needled her on, pressing her to pile protection upon protection.


    ¡°Hive shield.¡±


    The segmented black sphere finally expanded around her in the dim light of the empty, silent warehouse.


    Five blue spheres snaked out of the passage with lazy grace, each one angling randomly, each one as brilliant as a comet trailing ice behind. They cast a strange glow on the place. The power within each paralized her mind. She could not spot a weakness. She could not see where to strike to break them and disperse the monstrous payload held in their ovoid bodies. They were all so mesmerizingly beautiful as they spread around the room, bathing everything in an azure glow. Like butterflies near an erupting volcano.


    They exploded.


    Of course.


    Viv grit her teeth when her world turned blue and very, very sharp. Shards of pale blue bit into her shield with vicious glee, fighting her annihilation with a will of their own. They were not just sharp, they also carried a numbing feeling in their mirror depth like a siren song. So pretty and so deep, so calming. Viv just had to let go and embrace them and all would be well. She was warm, so warm and relaxed. Just¡­ breathe and shed her worries, her drive. The other side did not know suffering.


    The part of her soul that was a little aware of its nature woke up and helped her resist. This wasn¡¯t right. To live was to struggle. She had been caught off guard, thinking only stragglers would test them but something was coming and she had to resist it. She had to resist because no one would rob her of her decision to live or to die.


    The same inner strength that fuelled her will to push against the easy path life had laid for her revolted at the thought of going to sleep. She had not left home in disgrace, graduated from special forces training, then crossed a desert and led a budding nation to independence to let herself die in some stupid warehouse. Annihilation rejuvenated the shield and pushed back against numbing coldness. Draconic arrogance battled the sweet embrace of sleep until, finger by finger, she lifted herself off the frozen ground.


    ¡°Aaaah,¡± she forced herself to say, to exist, to live, to break the oppressive silence.


    ¡°Ah. Ah. Ah. Test. I live.¡±


    ¡°So you do,¡± someone replied from a distance.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a milestone! Your ability to influence and resist the influence of others has vastly improved.


    Transcendental tenacity: you can remain conscious and cast even as your body gives out. You can remain conscious after overusing mana.


    Your casting efficiency has vastly improved.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress (8/10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Power coursed through Viv¡¯s mind as it improved. She was still fighting the gripping cold of the spell but now she was winning handily. Even the pain of frozen shards biting into her fingers through the armor felt unimportant. She quickly took in her surroundings.


    The warehouse was devastated. Not a single window remained. A cloud of frozen white powder hung in the air like mist, giving it a ghostly valley appearance. At first, Viv suspected it was just frozen humidity, but she quickly realized that it was, in fact, flour. The many crates and barrels lie gutted across the ravaged room, their contents spilled everywhere. When Viv stood back up, crushed wheat depressed under her boot. A piece of wood groaned.


    ¡°Here you are,¡± the male voice said.


    Someone had heard. A shadow emerged from the dust, a man in a richly decorated blue robe. A bandoleer filled with potion hung across his chest while the glint of mail winked from under expensive fabric. He had gray hair and a calm, elegant face as placid and cold as a winter lake. Brown eyes followed her while she took a step back.


    [Court archmage: an advisor and potent caster, versed in magic and governance. Very dangerous.]


    She knew this man.


    ¡°You are¡­ Tamar.¡±


    ¡°In normal times, I would insist on the ¡®lord¡¯ part. I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter since I lost my position. After the death of Constable Tarano. Which you caused.¡±


    She had last seen the man on the roof of the Green Edge fortress dishing it out against King Sangor¡¯s elites and had since then completely forgotten about him. In the Enorian loyalist¡¯s voice, there was a cold fury that reflected the plummeting temperature in the room. Even the warm summer air rushing in from outside failed to dispel its scornful intensity.


    ¡°But¡­what are you doing here?¡± she asked, fearing the answer.


    The man took a step forward, a sneer on his face.


    ¡°What am I doing here? Sometimes, I ask myself the same question, Bibiane the traveler. What am I, a disgraced old fool, doing here?¡±


    He stopped, looking at her. She had half a head on him but there was something in his posture so domineering she found herself cowed. An aura radiated from his calmly standing, one powerful enough to suppress her.


    ¡°It will do me good to talk, I think. You will find that your precious golem is tied with more capable fighters than you expected, so we have a few minutes. Yes, I knew you would come. I did place Sterek on your path, after all.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I merely provided the funds and impetus to send assassins after your boyfriend. You do not expect the builders¡¯ guild to agree to bankroll a hit, surely? I did so because I wanted you to suffer before I killed you, but instead it turned into a life lesson.¡±


    Power radiated from the man. A barrier suddenly appeared and covered the entire edifice outside of the shattered windows. Viv could feel it through the walls, a rectangle of large proportion shutting her in. She thought about attacking, then hesitated. Time was on her side? Probably? She wasn¡¯t so sure. With every moment, rescue grew closer and she was also recovering but the man had time to prepare. Unless he was too absorbed in his two-bits villain monologue.


    ¡°I thought you were a lucky bitch who cruised on charisma and a bit of talent, but I found out I was wrong when I saw the trace of your work along the river. Prime casting, that was. Then I assumed you were immensely talented and equipped with foresight. Only now do I realize that you are, in fact, a lucky bitch with charisma and a bit of talent. It¡¯s that luck that angers me beyond reason.¡±


    He glared down at her with a strange immobility. Viv had never witnessed such contained murderous urges before. At least not from a human.


    ¡°So why am I doing this? Knowing some outlandish fate will stop my hand at the last moment and give you a chance at survival? Despite all my preparations? All my skills? Because, Bibiane the Outlander, you can¡¯t just get away with it again and again and again¡­¡±


    Debris crunched under his shoe as, once again, he advanced. This time, Viv scrambled back, almost slipping in the process.


    ¡°Again and again and FUCKING. AGAIN. That insolent fortune carrying you through impossible odds. Do you know how long we true sons of Enoria fought? How much we sacrificed? Only to see you arrive with your stupid fate to ruin decades of planning because you are just that fucking special. There is always a way out for you, no matter how tight the mouse-trap. You are never fully defeated. You do not know despair and powerlessness. Seen everything you loved turn to ash in a single hour. And that annoys me because you do not deserve those chances, and my kingdom did. Oh, I know the world is unfair, no need to frown. And yet, knowing that¡­ I still can¡¯t let it go.¡±


    Power raced through the man¡¯s frame, making her grit her teeth from the sheer intensity of it. Mana rushed into his expanded form and to her sight, he looked like a colorful giant of blue and brown and red, a titanic being that transcended the limits of his flesh. And now, all that power and potential was aimed at her like a SAM at a glider and there was nothing to stop it but hope and thin air.


    ¡°So go ahead and show me how you make it out, monster. I want to see.¡±


    Viv¡¯s time perception slowed again while her danger sense screamed at her, forcing her to move. Her muscles screamed as she dove to the side and still a bolt of transparent energy hit her right leg, piercing through her mana coating and half a centimeter of armor. At the same time, her telekinesis spell sent a nearby shelf crashing against the mage¡¯s shield. It left him completely unfazed but it did block his view.


    Viv fell painfully on her side and raised a powerful black shield, this time leaving the annihilation meaning aside. She was only stopping spells, not objects, and there would be a lot of those.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see you,¡± the man calmly stated.


    More lances of pure energy smashed against her defenses, straining them immediately. She hid behind a pillar and found the mangled remains of one of the goons. The shards of crystals were still embedded in his body. Blood marred the pristine surfaces in great vivid splotches.


    She was so fucked.


    No, not yet.


    Viv used the momentary respite to counter-attack. Another kinetic spell sent another shelf against the man with the same complete lack of results. Tamar casually blocked an overcharged black spear with a localized shield. He still had at least three layers of protection active.


    The man lazily moved on after her.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving this pillar intact because I don¡¯t want the building to fall on me,¡± he informed her in a light tone.


    Viv used werfer while backpedaling. Her wounded leg lanced her with every step. Some blood dripped on the frozen ground. The vast spell should have eaten through Tamar¡¯s protections but glyphs activated and the outer shield bubbled, countering the onslaught. The next wave of transparent blades smashed into her, pushing her against the wall where she collapsed. Her Yries shield had blocked one and the magical barrier others, but one had weaved and bit into her side. More blood fell on the ground, freezing in ruby-colored pearls when it hit a shard. A sudden, delayed realization hit Viv. She was completely and hopelessly outclassed.


    Tamar was there, cautiously making his way through the wreck. He wasn¡¯t even looking at her. His gaze glanced over the flour dust and the window for intruders. The only reason why Viv still lived was because the man was overly cautious, expecting a meteor or something to give an opening. He didn¡¯t know how her luck worked, so he was extra cautious.


    She needed out.


    There was still a rectangular barrier in the way of her flight, and it looked sturdy. She had to gain some time. Deny him vision, at least, but he had achieved mana mastery for sure and she shone bright in his perception. No amount of thrown furniture and dust clouds could subdue her magical signature enough to hide her. She had to block his perception. Her need for an escape sent her imagination into overdrive, reviewing the recent ¡®teleports¡¯ she had seen from the assassins. Black mana acted like a rope or a twisted blanket they could ride. In fact, they needed a spot of dark mana to move somewhere. That¡¯s how she anticipated where they would end up.


    If she could not blind him with debris, perhaps she could do it with mana.


    Viv formed a blight spell, the cloud gathering in her hand, but this time she did not use the meaning of annihilation and it formed very quickly. Tamar gathered a fourth shield around himself while attacking at the same time. He was still not fully paying attention to her. A spear bit in her hand under the ring finger and ground against her bone. The pain was excruciating but her concentration did not falter.


    The cloud left her stretched, freely bleeding hand, expanding in a cone to cover the archmage. At the same time, she jumped to the side and the next spells missed her completely. She had succeeded. It would only last for a couple of seconds and he could always run forward but for now, she had succeeded. And her mind recoiled from the revelation. The world linked her to the cloud, the cloud to Tamar, the warehouse to the city, the need to the effect. The cause, to the consequence. Darkness was evasion and denial and simply refusal of sight, of meaning, of understanding. It would saturate the other¡¯s senses until all they could perceive would be a lack of her. She had grasped the meaning before but she had not made it hers, but she did now. Black mana¡¯s third concept settled in her soul alongside annihilation and change, humming softly.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    The cloud expanded again, this time so thick and deep it absorbed the very light. Her armor turned ghostly and vaporous, more a wraith cape than intimidating armor. Even the mighty form of Tamar grew diffuse behind a spell she still controlled.


    ¡°It won¡¯t help!¡± he roared, though she barely heard more than a sigh. Everything was thick and Tamar¡­ Tamar was blind.


    Wasting no time, she cast a silence spell around her to mask the sounds of her shoes just in case, then she made to attack the barrier. Her first spear clashed with powerful colorless glyphs, shaking them but not breaching, not yet. The court archmage moved forward with more urgency. The blight was persisting. Its presence pervaded the warehouse in a thick blanket from where a variety of spells were cast out in every direction. Debris showered Viv while she raced forward, clutching her pierced hand to her chest. There was a lot of blood.


    Tamar ran out of patience. His muffled scream reached Viv and she gasped with abject surprise when red mana pulsed in his aura.


    Red mana. Did he not see where they were?


    The man was mad!


    Completely and utterly insane. She had to do something, but what? The barrier still covered the exits. Or rather, a rectangle around the warehouse.


    That was it. She raced to the door using a burst of speed and booted it down. Panic gave her wings. Black mana covered her in the thickest coating she had ever raised. No time. She dove in the narrow passage between the wall¡¯s exterior and the barrier.


    Tamar cast the fire spell that would banish her blight, destroying it in a flash of light.


    The first ember ignited the thin particles of the flour dust with a great woosh. In an instant the entire warehouse went up in great roaring flames. Viv lost control over the blight spell in an instant. It did not matter.


    Tamar was silent for a moment, then the screams began. Viv understood. This was not a spell he was facing but a natural effect. The barrier wavered.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The short-range spell pierced through the weakened obstacle. She was out.


    Viv ran as fast as she could. Adrenaline rushed in her veins while her feet beat the ground, pain lancing her with every step. The heat was now a wall at her back. It spurred her on. Its red glow fell over every shape of the street to give them long and threatening shadows. Already, distant yells and bells warned the city of the danger in its midst, but that would not matter for a while.


    Danger sense warned her again and she tried to jump aside. She failed. Her body was giving out from too much sudden abuse. Pieces of masonry pelted her collapsing body. There was a crack. Viv was on the ground, fingers gripped against the unyielding pavement. Smoke and stones everywhere in her field of vision. Blood stained her armor, visible on the black fabric.  She turned her head. It was the most she could do.


    Tamar was standing in the middle of the street, backlit by the cruel inferno he had triggered like some hellish judge of the souls. Pinkish fluid oozed from a dozen fresh burns but his eyes glinted with delayed malice. Viv was completely out of juice and completely at his mercy.


    ¡°Is this it? No more tricks?¡±


    ¡°There¡­ is one,¡± she croaked.


    ¡°If you have to speak, do it fast,¡± the man said as another blue sphere formed above his head.


    ¡°Solfis can track my vitals.¡±


    Incomprehension made him frown, but it did not last long. The implication was clear. Solfis had known she was in danger the moment she was hurt.


    For the first time that night, Tamar panicked. It did not help. The tall bone form of Solfis pierced through the blaze at his back and stabbed five sharp ivory blades in his chest, disregarding the layered shields. The archmage tried to cast one last spell at the fallen Viv but immense willpower did not work without a head.


    Viv collapsed on the ground. her cheek went to rest against the cool stone. She was so very spent.


    //There is no time.


    //We must go.


    The golem gently picked her. In an instant, they were on a nearby roof, jumping to another. People screamed all around in a great cacophony. Viv also heard the unmistakable roar of combat. Her tired brain summoned a thread of logic from its exhausted depth. That was not consistent with firefighting activities.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she whispered.


    //At least two food warehouses have gone up in flames.


    //This one and the closest neighbor.


    //It means the poor of Helock will starve.


    //Several gangs have taken the initiative to act now.


    ¡°Wait¡­ do you mean¡­¡±


    //The ethnic cleansing starts tonight.

 Chapter 116: Consequences

    Solfis stopped on the second roof, placing Viv down on the flattish roof¡¯s surface with gentle care.


    ¡°We¡¯re not joining the others?¡±


    //Your high willpower is keeping you fully functional, Your Grace.


    //However, you are bleeding out.


    //I need you to take the flesh-mending potions.


    //Now.


    Viv had a few of the life-saving vials on a bandoleer at the small of her back. They were still intact but as soon as she touched one, a spear of agony made her flinch. She looked down and saw her right hand covered with a grimy glove of blood. A black gash in the middle of her palm lanced atrociously. She twisted on herself instead to get the vial with her left hand and realized the armor was soaked. A deep laceration on her side oozed blood, crimson flesh and pale skin revealed under the cut armor. The blaze of the warehouse reached a crescendo and a flame rose above the roof to bring light to the darkness. Only then did she see the bloody footprints she had left behind. Viv realized that she was not okay.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said.


    A bite and the stopper was off. She poured the precious liquid on her flank and watched skin cover the wound as if it had only been cosmetics she could wash away. The new dermis was pale, smooth, and very soft. Vulnerable. She decided to do her leg next. That wound was worse.


    A bit of the flesh had been shredded to the muscle, forcing her to push jutting tissue back in with an awkward finger. The strange mix of magic as potent as sci fi tech and using her filthy fingers made her chuckle. She was feeling light-headed.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s not good.¡±


    Adrenaline was pumping her lifeforce away with every beat of her heart. She poured the rest of the potion and felt a peculiar sense of stretching when things returned to where they were supposed to be. She could still see some exposed meat but there was no potion left.


    //Another vial, Your Grace.


    Viv used the second of two to finish healing her leg. The third ampoule contained a general-purpose antidote instead, and would be of little use right now.


    //Now for the right hand.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Despite her pain tolerance skill, it hurt a lot to unclutch her fingers.


    ¡°I think it hit the bone.¡±


    //That is correct, Your Grace.


    Solfis then grabbed her arms, forcing the liquid down on the gash and pushing a knuckle against her palm, setting a broken bone in position. The witch¡¯s ordeal was short, but long enough to introduce the neighborhood to a collection of French expletives.


    //The bone is set but it has not fused back.


    //Please do not move this hand until you have seen a health professional.


    ¡°FUCK YOU!¡±


    //She who anticipates suffers twice.


    //Is it not one of your mottos?


    ¡°Solfis, you are supposed to be on my side. We sass other people and act obnoxious and they hate us for it. How dare you turn on me like that?¡±


    //Changed taunt module setting to: hypocritical.


    ¡°Ugh. Alright, fuck it. Let¡¯s group up with the others.¡±


    //Agreed.


    //But first, drink the potion¡¯s remaining contents.


    Viv bottomed up what was left of the crimson liquid and immediately felt better. Her legs grew less wobbly while her vision cleared up noticeably.


    ¡°This is some good stuff.¡±


    //I would hope so.


    //At seventeen silvers a pop.


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    Viv had just burned through six gold talents¡¯ worth of money in under a minute. Worse, she was sure some of the liquid had ended up on her bloodstained armor instead. The waste annoyed her. Even though the circumstances were unusual, it grated. Solfis did not give her time to brood though. He picked her up and kept jumping from roof to roof.


    Around them, the city was coming to life, but it was not a good life. Crews gathered in small squares and landmarks. Viv could already see a pitched battle breaking out a few streets away. The crashes of broken doors gave a counterpoint to the screams of women and children in this hellish symphony. More fires erupted in the distance as she watched. The next jump revealed a pair of prostitutes gutted at the entrance of an alley.


    ¡°What the fuck? It¡¯s only been a minute! They can¡¯t already be¡­¡± Viv whined.


    But the world didn¡¯t care and the women stayed dead. Solfis didn¡¯t slow down either. The skeletal frame smoothly jumped down and dropped her in front of a circle of rough men and women in armor. Some looked a little worse for wear. Sidjin broke through the protective detail and hugged her before she could react. He pulled back and looked at his own off-white armored robe which was now stained red in multiple places.


    ¡°Err, are you alright, darling?¡±


    ¡°Physically I am. We can talk about it later. We should leave the lower districts before it goes fully bad.¡±


    //We will retreat to an undercity entrance.


    //You two must not be seen in the noble quarters in blood-stained armor.


    ¡°I could get a change of clothes,¡± Viv admitted.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go now,¡± Sidjin said.


    He sounded so calm and composed. Viv was not having a good time. Despite knowing on an intellectual level this wasn¡¯t her fault, that the riots were inevitable so long as proper authorities allowed it to happen, she felt deeply unsettled. It was just starting and it was already so bad.  Even Afghanistan had not affected her that much, at least that she could remember. Maybe she was just naive.


    ¡°Focus, darling. You can¡¯t help if you¡¯re dead,¡± Sidjin whispered.


    The group adopted a loose square formation with the casters in the middle. It was clear that the goons were unused to organized fighting from the awkward way they left gaps in the wall, but it would probably not matter. They ran. Normally, the streets would have been dark at this time of the night, yet the glows of distant arsons bathed everything in an infernal red, turning the familiar avenues into grimmer versions of themselves. The air smelled of blood and ashes, an acrid stench that stuck to Viv¡¯s tongue. They passed by several corpses. A minute later they came across two dozen looters dragging a family out of their home. The two armed groups hesitated. Viv didn¡¯t. She aimed at the man holding a young boy by the scalp and blew his head off. The looters dispersed.


    They didn¡¯t stop. The rescued civilians didn¡¯t wait. They gathered to leave.


    //Your Grace.


    //You seem to care about the fate of civilians.


    //Yet they are not your people.


    ¡°You know about altruism and empathy, Solfis.¡±


    //Would you like me to use my means to protect them in your name?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //You have to pick one ethnic group.


    ¡°Anybody who breaks doors down to kill civilians should be fair game.¡±


    ¡°You cannot spare them,¡± an unfamiliar voice spat from behind.


    Viv turned in shock. She and Solfis always spoke in Imperial, a dead language few aside from scholars and casters ever used at all. The goon who had spoken had the lighter greenish skin of an Enorian and an accent, but she was still surprised to be addressed by an educated thug.


    ¡°If you spare them, they grow up and kill you,¡± the man added with conviction.


    ¡°We don¡¯t judge people according to what they might do in ten years,¡± Viv corrected. ¡°Which is why you still live, by the way. Solfis, pick whichever side is the most convenient but rein the people in. Anyone who breaks down doors to kill children is a coward anyway. They¡¯ll listen to a group of scary men in dark armor.¡±


    //ORDERS ACKNOWLEDGED.


    //But first, we must get you back.


    //You are in enough trouble as it is.


    Viv thought the golem sounded like some psychotic AI mom right now but decided to keep her observation to herself. Since the tavern was quite far, it took them some time to reach it. Two other marauding bands found them but wisely decided to turn around after a good look at them. Most were muscular men and women with hard eyes and surprisingly good weapons. The first had been made of northerners, the second of a mix of ethnic groups. They came across a barricade manned by pale-skinned Helockian natives, those wearing actual gambesons. Shortly before they arrived, a young Hallurian boy dragging his sister saw them, rushed in their direction, then turned down an alley at the last moment. The following mob of blood-crazed northerners smashed against Viv¡¯s group a moment later. The melee was short, violent, and one-sided. They disengaged. Viv did not pursue.


    ¡°Clever boy,¡± she muttered.


    //I have recorded his profile for potential later recruitment.


    //We are almost here.


    The city had devolved into a nightmarish landscape, blazing with the fires of hell on a background of screams. It was far too late to try and stop anything, Viv thought, but she¡¯d be in the hospital the next day. Making plans and seeing a future took her mind away from the bodies.


    A barricade blocked the way deeper in. Solfis had the thugs jump to a nearby roof rather than negotiate for passage. The militia of southerners and Hallurians holding the defenses didn¡¯t try to stop them and they found a known entrance a moment later, hidden near a warehouse. One of the goons removed her hood, revealing the harsh traits of Lim the Fell-Handed. The grim northerners led Viv and Sidjin back to the room where they had left their stuff. Viv had to wash herself quickly using frigid water. It left her shaking. The bath turned pink and her old clothes felt strange on her skin. Cold too.


    ¡°You are too pale,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°You must have lost a lot of blood. Your hand is wounded too,¡± he said.


    Viv lifted her right one. A subcutaneous hematoma expanded from the pale new skin. A purple circle expanding out. It still hurt.


    ¡°Right. We need to get you to the faculty and have you rest a little. You can help later.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a hypocrite.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all hypocrites, Viv, but we don¡¯t all try to fix it. You must rest.¡±


    Lim took the pair on a small skiff and rowed them to the back of the city. They ran up the shore and found the back entrance to the Academy locked and guarded. Viv was still let in after the wards verified her identity. She walked through the back of the park with its meadows, pleasant air coming from the sea, the ponds, the sorcerous light in a daze. Here, everything was peaceful and dandy while innocents died only a few kilometers away. She could jump on the walls and use a long view and there would be murders to see. Nausea filled her. Should she have stayed? But Solfis and Sidjin were right. She was exhausted.


    Viv almost bumped into the crimson-clad form of the dean. The man stood on her path with a staff that glowed a soft red. He didn¡¯t say anything. Viv didn¡¯t say anything because her mind was a blank.  His face was a mask.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± he finally asked.


    Viv¡¯s tired mind conjured up an answer. Was she done? For tonight, yes. For Sidjin¡¯s defense, also yes.


    ¡°I am,¡± she replied.


    ¡°You should have heeded my warning. Every action has consequences, now you must live with yours.¡±


    A little bit of anger pierced through the fog of exhaustion.


    ¡°This would work well if I were asking you to wipe my ass, but I¡¯m not, am I? Out of the two of us, only one had the power to stop this atrocity and it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Why do you have to be so headstrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be dead otherwise.¡±


    The dean glared.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to regret admitting you here, but you would have probably caused more damage if left loose. Go to the infirmary first.¡±


    Viv resumed her walk, but the dean wasn¡¯t finished.


    ¡°One last thing. You think I did nothing but that¡¯s not true. I did what I could to minimize the bloodshed with the tools I had. Tomorrow, you will do so as well. Report to the administration after the first bell.¡±


    ¡°I can go to the healing faculty by myself.¡±


    ¡°People can survive without an arm. The urgency is to save and stabilize people, not make them whole. You will report to the administration building to help with search and rescue. This is not a suggestion.¡±


    ¡°... very well.¡±


    Viv went to the infirmary, a small building with a sleep mage in blue robes, an intern of sorts. The woman used a spell to make sure her metacarpals were in the right place despite Viv¡¯s innate resistance to life mana.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± she told the persisting girl.


    ¡°No helping it,¡± she replied.


    A more complex potion finished healing her. Viv returned to her dorm room and crashed down. She was asleep in seconds.


    ***


    The city is on fire.


    But no one attacked!


    Viv woke up to crimson eyes widened in honest concern. Arthur¡¯s large head rested on her chest, propagating heat in the already warm light of light summer dawn. The dragon¡¯s lustrous black horns caught a reflection and shone green and red for an instant.


    ¡°The citizens have turned on each other,¡± Viv replied.


    Humans turn on humans very often.


    ¡°Not enough food. They gather by origin and fight each other for it.¡±


    If not so soft and squishy.


    Move on and find food.


    ¡°Yep. Anyway, I¡¯m going to help a bit.¡±


    I come as well!


    Find small humans.


    To worship me.


    Recruitment drive!


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate the assistance.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t change, though she did wash her face to clear off the sleepiness. What surprised her to most was that she was feeling fine, physically. Potions could be insanely potent, especially those that did so much. She was pretty sure she had drunk the equivalent of three months of elite knight pay within a few hours.


    But she was a caster and casters were above, that was how it was.


    Viv swallowed the fact that much potion could have stabilized at least three dying people and decided that she would make it up today. The door closed behind her, but she found Ereska waiting in the main room. The pale woman had dark circles under her eyes and she was loaded for bear with a bag and a solid robe filled with pockets.


    ¡°You are going to help as well?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, although I absolutely have to. The dean ordered it.¡±


    ¡°You can fill me in on the way.¡±


    Viv did so, staying vague on purpose. They grabbed sandwiches at the refectory and filled their bags, then they rushed to the administration building. A busy Darla directed them to a carriage that departed immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they¡¯re just letting you out,¡± Viv told Ereska.


    ¡°They know that I¡¯m not on good terms with my family because of their stance on the riot. They probably judge that it is easier to send me with an escort than to prevent me from escaping. Some of the younger students remain under strict supervision but accomplished casters like ourselves are too difficult to control.¡±


    ¡°Always surprises me that the Academy isn¡¯t enforcing more stringent oaths on their students,¡± Viv mused.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t,¡± Ereska replied, eyes half-lidded. ¡°Many places of learning tried it. Only the Academy remains. But I digress. What did you have in mind? In terms of helping, I mean. I always thought your specialty was killing things.¡±


    ¡°And cutting things, and lifting them now.¡±


    ¡°Search and rescue, like Darla said.¡±


    I find people.


    You rescue.


    Then we take payment!


    The two women looked down on the excited form of Arthur. Viv mournfully admitted to herself that rampant capitalism had come to Nyil, and she was to blame.


    ***


    The cleansing was not over, far from it. Sounds of fighting still came from far and wide, but even the more peaceful parts were empty. Soldiers patrolled the streets of the noble quarter, blocking all gates leading down and checking the identity of people coming through. The lower quarters had settled for a low simmer instead of the fiery rage of earlier. Few civilians came out, and most of those that did were fleeing for their lives. The various alliances of circumstances had gathered in districts fortified with barricades and, sometimes, private security forces with weapons and armor. Heavy patrols watched the cart pass like hawks.


    ¡°The builders guild has secured the city center. With the merchants guild taking the low markets, they have formed an axis defended by mercenary forces. Most of the conflict will be at the periphery,¡± Ereska observed as they moved at a brisk pace to where the smoke was thickest.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to get worse, right?¡± Viv asked though she knew the answer.


    ¡°Right now there are patrols and some private forces in the streets. People like us as well, or nobles who refuse to stay idle, but it won¡¯t last. We will head back tonight and the violence will resume. This time, it will be deliberate. A lot of blood was shed yesterday. Now, every thug group out there is ready and waiting. It will be much worse than yesterday. And we will take no part of it.¡±


    Ereska fixed Viv with a glare.


    ¡°We will take no part of it. No heroics, outlander. You wouldn¡¯t get gratitude and the dean has you in his targeting array. Keep your head low and save people.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv replied, rolling her eyes.


    Ereska went on to mother Viv on social expectations for mages in the great city of Helock. It felt weird having such a mundane conversation while passing corpses and blood stains. This lasted until Viv felt a queer sense of dissociation.


    If she wanted, she could step down now, find Solfis and spend the entire evening cleaving looters into fun-size bits, thus saving a few innocents at least. Until someone came and stopped her. It was possible. But Viv knew she wouldn¡¯t do that because she needed the Academy¡¯s support system and, at heart, she cared about her own survival more.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just don¡¯t like pointless deaths.¡±


    Soon, their cart arrived at a ravaged district near the riverside pier. Many houses had burnt here as well. From up high, one could see the path the fire had taken as the wind pushed it inland. Quite a few people were rummaging through blackened husks of houses with sooty faces trailing with tears. Smoke still emerged from half-hearted fires, lingering long after dawn. The survivors swarmed the mages and small dragon as soon as they were down.


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv said. ¡°Arthur, find us people. We¡¯ll cut them out and stabilize them.¡±


    ¡°I can heal and staunch fires,¡± Ereska said.


    They moved to the first house, which was still burning.


    People under.


    Must free.


    ¡°Really?¡± Viv asked. She could feel the heat coming from the smoldering pile of timber and stone, all that remained of a rather large edifice. A man kneeled prostrate before the destroyed building.


    Underground.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s clear a path.¡±


    I remove fires.


    Mother¡¯s hands soft and squishy,


    No scale no claw.


    Like snack.


    ¡°You can do that?¡± Viv asked.


    To answer, the dragonette opened her mouth and¡­ breathed in the fire and ambient red mana. It just gathered in her mouth from the building, turning into a small radiant ball. The flames petered out and her horns shone.


    ¡°Hmm. Wow. Impressive.¡±


    It is fire.


    I am biggest fire.


    Arthur nodded, pleased with her explanation as if it made perfect sense and in a way, it did. She had simply done what Viv did when she used her yoink, but with red mana instead. Viv was pretty sure it was beyond any human sort of elemental archmages but that was fine.


    The prostrate man turned and saw them then. He was a heavyset fellow with muscular arms and a long beard, half of it lost. Pinkish skin covered half of his face. He had to be in great pain but he merely extended a callous finger and pointed it at Arthur.


    ¡°D¡­ Dra.. dra¡­ dra¡­¡±


    My name is She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much-Gold!


    Gaze upon my magnificence.


    ¡°Thank you for your help, She-Who uhhh.¡±


    Silence, human!


    When using your mouth flaps to communicate, you should address me by my borgle: Arthur.


    For simplicity.


    ¡°Yes, great one¡­ my family¡­¡±


    Fret not, frail human.


    We will help you.


    They are not cooked yet.


    Show deference to us.


    And give reward.


    ¡°You can have all the iron in my store if you give me back my family¡­¡± the man bellowed, more tears falling down his cheeks.


    Viv watched a miffed dragonette realize that most humans did not, in fact, own gold. The witch considered introducing her scaley adoptive daughter to such concepts as ¡®market analysis¡¯, but decided that could wait. It was time to work. Viv used telekinesis to push rocks off the direction Arthur indicated while Ereska used brown mana to the same effect. Sidjin¡¯s observations that colorless mana could do everything others could, but with more effort was proving to be true. It took them a few minutes but eventually they discovered the man¡¯s family tucked away safely in their cellar. They had survived thanks to an aeration shaft leading into the street, a large towel, and a generous use of blue mana to create water. The reunion warmed Viv¡¯s heart a bit but by that time the rest of the street was clamoring to get them to save more people. They could not dally.


    Unfortunately, the rest of the session did not go as well. Some of the rescued folks were horribly hurt, others simply beyond help. They saved a woman who had curled over the body of her child before their house collapsed on them. The boy had not made it. Only a father had made it out of a family of five. Every life saved came with its lot of misery, every survivor had to be dug out through broken toys and shattered bodies, the cooling remains of a happier life. It was gruesome work. Sometimes, Viv had to use black mana to shear through beams and large stones. They stopped several times to drink, eat, and recover their strength, but not for long. People looked at them with longing and despair, knowing they were the best hope they had at finding living relatives yet knowing Viv and her group were casters while they themselves were poor commoners, undeserving of the attention they received. No one blamed them for not doing more. It made Viv feel sick.


    Sidjin arrived at noon with a temple healer. The man wore a war robe and immediately helped, a filled monster core held in his hand. With him around, their speed more than doubled. He would squeeze Viv¡¯s shoulder between rescues.


    ¡°Let me handle that one, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too tired yet.¡±


    ¡°But you are a little tired. This is my first free day out in Helock since the assassins started to come after me. I owe you my freedom and if I can use it to help people, all the better. Don¡¯t worry there will be more work to be done.¡±


    And there was. They finished this part of the city in the early afternoon, having rescued thirty people and pronounced three times that number lost for good. Their next destination was higher up near the edge of the city traveling inland. Many Hallurians lived near the city gates and worked in trades and industries dealing with all the goods traveling from nearby villages to feed that unsated great maw that was the city. Viv was once more reminded of the unusual size of the Paramese capital of magic. In ancient Europe, nine people in ten made food while the remaining one made history. A town could only grow so much before food and logistics reached capacity. Only stats and mana allowed Helock to exist, its overgrown population gluttonously eating the works of hundreds of acres of plantations. Of course, it was no longer enough now. The beast had grown as much as it could.


    The angry crowds had gone through the more fragile shantytown like a knife through paper, destroying them as they went. Viv and the others spent the entire afternoon until late evening digging through rubbish, tarps, and planks. They saved many more people here but those rescues had nowhere to go. They had no fortified compounds to harbor them.


    ¡°Fuck it. Do you think our side could take them in?¡± Viv asked Sidjin, staring at the milling crowd scouring the wrecks for food and trinkets.


    There had to be three hundred of them. The rest had successfully fled.


    ¡°Maybe for a couple of days. The docks area is one of the more diverse ones. There are already Hallurians there.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Before the night falls.¡±


    It took surprisingly little time to round up the rescues. Neighbors helped neighbors carry the wounded. They made their way through the city quickly, with patrols standing aside to watch them pass. Ereska had remained silent and Viv wondered if she had gone too far in her eyes.


    ¡°Does this violate the neutrality clause?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No? Maybe? I don¡¯t care. We¡¯re acting instead of sitting back in the refectory with a warm cup of klod, lamenting the sad state of affairs. If anyone objects when we get back they can kiss my ass. If anyone objects now I¡¯ll shove a stalagmite up their unmentionables. There are children here.¡±


    To Viv¡¯s unending surprise, no one tried to stop them. Oh, they did have outriders following the group, keeping their distances, but a single look at who led seemed to be able to deter them. It seems no one wanted to take a jab at Sidjin at least. The man walked in front with confidence in his broader shoulders, a shimmering shield surrounding him at all times. Anyone inspecting him would see a fourth step war mage and probably reconsider. They got to the enclave Solfis occupied at dusk and were let in after Viv dished out a few gold talents¡¯ worth of bribe to smoothen things out with the local mercenaries.


    I stay.


    Fish big fishes.


    Get gold.


    Viv didn¡¯t have the heart to tell the dragonette that it was probably a lost cause. At Solfis¡¯ insistence, they left through the tunnel and came across another group in a similar boat. The strangers manning the skiff all wore dark cloaks though there were no weapons in sight. After a few seconds of hesitation, both ships passed each other without a single word uttered. What happened in the secret tunnels stayed in the secret tunnels. They used the same exit as usual to reach the plateau above the city, the one where Sterek¡¯s lab still stood.


    ¡°I might get it for myself and start a business,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Yeah I¡¯d love to return to Harrak after the end of the semester. If I can shorten the distance through a teleport, that would be great.¡±


    ¡°Of course, darling, and you will always travel for free.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Now who might that be¡­¡±


    Sidjin was looking forward and so was Ereska. In the distance, two men in the tabard of Helock waited by the deserted, dusty road between the low walls of two cattle farms. They could not be just guards. Too clean, too decorated. Their swords spoke of wealth and expertise. Viv inspected them, even though that might be rude.


    [Investigator, not very dangerous, follows a path concerned with ferreting out the truth. Cunning. Close quarter combatant.]


    [Prime Investigator, dangerous, follows a path concerned with ferreting out the truth. Leader. Killer. Close quarter combat expert.]


    Ah. Not here at random then. The trio of mages keep going as if nothing were amiss, only for the two to casually block their way. Viv felt a pulse of earth mana from Ereska, soon joined by another, colorless, from Sidjin. They had done this without a word or without tracing a sigil.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± the older man greeted.


    Both of them had hale skin and a perfectly trimmed beards, though they were clearly not related. They lacked the down-to-earth approach she had seen from other guards and she suspected those two might interact with the more affluent part of the population.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you so late. We work for the intelligence branch of the army of Helock, may Sardanal keep her forever. We were looking for Viv the Outlander. It¡¯s you is it not?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re alone,¡± Sidjin said in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s not a trap.¡±


    Ereska nodded as well.


    ¡°No trap here, citizen and guests,¡± the older man continued, ¡°We just want to ask you a few quick questions and send you on your way. It¡¯s getting late after all and you have had a busy day helping the city go through some¡­ growing pains.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much better to answer now,¡± the young man added. ¡°Saves everyone a lot of time.¡±


    It pissed Viv off. Not catching her by surprise nor even the good cop bad cop routine, not even being annoyed while tired. What pissed her off was the man¡¯s comment.


    The silence extended awkwardly.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯d like to know how it all started. We think you know,¡± the old man asked.


    Viv measured her chances. Maybe it would be better not to cooperate to avoid any risks of saying something she might regret. Only idiots believed that they couldn¡¯t get in trouble because they ¡®had done nothing wrong¡¯. On the other hand, they could give her lasting problems and possibly worsen her already fragile standing in the Academy. What she knew from investigator Tars back in Kazar was that they could sense the truth, so maybe there was an angle to pursue. It would still be risky. She wanted to try it. Ereska slightly elbowing her to answer comforted her in the belief that the right to remain silent wasn¡¯t something that worked well on Nyil.


    ¡°What started?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The events that triggered the riots. I believe you were around the warehouse district yesterday evening? Some people mention seeing you move with black-clad people and a mysterious, heavily made up individual of great size.¡±


    Hah. Worst description of Solfis ever. Viv considered her opinion and realized she felt truthful about the matter.


    ¡°I had nothing to do with the start of the riot.¡±


    Viv considered that this was truthful because she had been a bystander. Tamar was the one who had devastated the warehouse. She¡¯d been outside, running away at the time. She felt she was innocent. Responsible for being around, certainly, but in no way guity. Someone had tried to kill her for crying out loud.


    The investigator must have felt the conviction in her words, but the prime investigator squinted, perhaps sensing she was not being entirely objective. It was probably a necessity considering the amount of monsters who saw themselves as innocent. ¡®She made me do it¡¯ and all that. Nevertheless, they had little to go on.


    ¡°But you were present at that time. What did you see? What started all this? You must have observed something.¡±


    Oh, that was an easy one.


    ¡°Oh yes, I saw it well. It was started by several years worth of disinterested laziness by you and your entire government with the absolute belief that population needs to be culled and if it happens to the poorer members of society, well, tough shit. It was triggered when your collective lot decided it was easier to let go and maybe wait for the Hallurian warlords to solve your population problem for you rather than invest in expansion, fleets, frontier villages or even just birth control measures. Growing pains indeed. Chronic pain, you mean, a persistent crisis born from apathy and the belief either the next generation of rulers or the next generation of invaders will solve that issue for you. Yeah, I did see it. In excruciating detail.¡±


    ¡°Now now, there is no need for anger, Miss Outlander. Perhaps you have different customs where you come from but here we expect third step people to exert self-control ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°Have you had a walk through the city?¡± Viv interrupted, her voice unnaturally loud thanks to a small magical boost. ¡°Today, I mean. Maybe you should investigate that instead. After you dig out your twelfth dead child, you are welcome to return and talk to me about self-control and overreaction. In the meantime, I''m not interested. Not. Interested.¡±


    Silence spread across the empty path. Ereska conspicuously examined the time on some bronze contraption, then she crossed her arms.


    ¡°The riots fragment the city. I believe we are warranted in wondering who, or what, set them off. This is merely caution. No need to be defensive,¡± the younger investigator finally said.


    ¡°And I told you I didn¡¯t do anything to start them. It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Viv replied, slowly measuring each word.


    ¡°Just like the young lady informed you earlier,¡± another voice came from behind.


    Viv realized Sidjin had been smirking and she now figured out why. Garbed in crimson, holding a staff and radiated heat, the dean arrived. He was alone, but he was one of those people who didn¡¯t need an escort. He seemed to fill the entire road. Rather than blocking the way in, the investigators were now boxed between two very hard places.


    ¡°Dean Tallit. Sir, good evening,¡± the older one said with an attempt at calm, but Viv could see sweat bead on his forehead.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Now, far from me to question why you would care so much about who triggered an event you yourselves considered inevitable in your latest reports, but there is a time and place and¡­¡±


    Viv was suddenly standing in front of an oven. No, the desert sun. At dawn.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t it,¡± the scarlet star finished.


    The impression faded until Viv wondered if she had dreamt it. The two investigators stood unmoving. They did not say anything when the casters passed them by.


    All four walked to the gates in silence. Only when they arrived did Viv finally say what she felt she had to say.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told the dean.


    He sighed heavily.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. I hope you have seen that now and since your lover is safe, maybe you can focus on your studies while we clean up the city. Your highness, would you stay for the night?¡±


    ¡°Just Sidjin, and yes, I¡¯d love to.¡±

 Chapter 117: Loyalty

    Viv sat on the battlement of the Academy¡¯s outer wall, watching Helock burn. Black plumes as thick as hills rose from the Cereal Gate to the south and the wharves by the sea. A northern wind carried them lazily over the ocean where they would fade in the blue of the late summer sky.


    She had been on Nyil for a year and a half.


    A sip brought the fresh aroma of an infusion, a summer special. Up here, the air was pure and the stones cool. She could hear animated conversations behind her, some more angry than usual but nothing out of the ordinary for stressed young adults. It was as if the calamity outside did not extend past the inner city walls. Even the government district could probably turn and close their eyes and all would be normal except for a faint smell of ash and burnt meat. Here in the Academy, breakfast was free and drinks cost two coppers. Out there, thirteen hundred people had died in a single night, according to Ereska¡¯s intel.


    Viv took another sip.


    There were no UN mandates here, no dominant military alliance, but that was not the main problem. Even the lack of exposure from journalists or the internet didn¡¯t really matter. At the heart, the issue was that people didn¡¯t give a shit. Out of all the nations of Param, not a single one cared for the other or believed in universal values and the common good of mankind ¡ª or indeed sentient races. The most empathetic answers were ¡®yeesh sucks to be them¡¯. The worst called for more slaughter of innocents which didn¡¯t really surprise her. This general apathy reminded Viv of that winter expedition six months before, shortly before Prince Lancer invaded. They had found hundreds of people starving to death and most of the soldiers on her side hadn¡¯t cared. They were strangers. Burdens, at best. Paramese people were not desensitized, they had never been sensitive to start with. It was cultural.


    Viv¡¯s mind wandered. Why were the inhabitants of Nyil human? That begged many questions both theological and possibly¡­ whatever the study of parallel universes was called.


    ¡°Viviane?¡±


    A voice woke up from her funk. Classes were canceled for now and students were forbidden from leaving without a good reason, a limitation Viv had been unwilling to test. No one should be looking for her right now, interrupting her hypocritical brooding with earthly matters. Anything to forget she¡¯d decided to stop caring and let people die because she wanted to look after herself first.


    ¡°Viviane!¡±


    ¡°Rakan? What are¡­ you look awful.¡±


    The Hallurian was filthy. He wore rough travel clothes with tattered hems, obviously old. Soot covered him from hair to toe, except for his bloodshot eyes and trails of tears and snot.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my sister.¡±


    Rakan¡¯s sister. Cogs ground in the witch¡¯s mind. Rakan''s sister, whom he deeply loved. Freed him from certain brainwashing against all odds. Carried his meek ass across the desert. Hunter. Was out killing monsters, and was supposed to return¡­


    ¡°Ah,¡¯ Viv eloquently replied.


    ¡°She¡¯s not there. I can¡¯t find her! HER INN IS GONE!¡±


    ¡°Alright, calm down, breathe first. You can¡¯t help if you¡¯re panicking. You went out to find your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, right before the ban. Yesterday evening. She was supposed to come through the Wheat Gate with her associates. I can¡¯t find them. I can¡¯t find anyone. We have to go, check again. Make sure.¡±


    ¡°Right. I think that would be finding a needle in a haystack. Right. Okay. Sidjin and I escorted a group of survivors to the shoreline. Maybe someone saw something.¡±


    ¡°Other Hallurians might know. She is famous. Distributes meat every time she returns; maybe someone will know something? Maybe she¡¯s there!¡±


    Viv assessed the chance of getting Rakan to stay and deemed it to be zero, banning any use of violence. Maybe the Academy would stop him. Maybe. But then let them take responsibility for their actions.


    ¡°Alright, I know we can technically leave if we have a valid reason and this feels like a good one. You go clean up and refresh while I gear up.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait! She could be¡ª ¡°


    ¡°SILENCE!¡±


    Viv¡¯s outburst surprised Rakan who stopped in his tracks, more shocked than angry.


    ¡°You can¡¯t save anyone in that state and they might not let us out. It will help to show we are prepared, alright? Focus. I need you at your best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sorry. I need to be an adult, act rationally. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°I get your pain, Rakan. Now go. Meet you at the gate.¡±


    Viv tossed the rest of her tea over the parapet ¡ª and a shame that was ¡ª and ran back to her dorm. A few of the students shook their heads or commented in low voices as they watched her race by, but she paid them no heed. Her reputation was well-set. Another bout of ¡®initiative¡¯ would not make a difference.


    Ereska heard the door and came to her side.


    ¡°This is unwise,¡± she commented.


    ¡°Rakan¡¯s sister went missing.¡±


    The Helockian young lady sighed.


    ¡°Yet inevitable. I cannot come with you, I¡¯m afraid. The families have voted in an extraordinary council yesterday. No Helockian combat-capable mage is allowed beyond the walls unless they are part of the active military, and I fear I qualify.¡±


    ¡°And your self-exile does not suffice to justify an exemption.¡±


    ¡°I am not even exiled, Viviane, legally or otherwise. So no, I will not be enjoying a special treatment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Ereska. You already helped me before.¡±


    ¡°It is my fellow countrymen I should be helping, but I digress. I still have something to contribute.¡±


    The young noble left to fetch something while Viv finished strapping on her street clothes. She could have used armor right now but it might be sending the wrong message, and Solfis had kept those anyway. It felt strange not to wear a helmet in such a situation. Had to protect her noggin since it was just too easy to get brained. In any case, Ereska returned when she was done with a potion in a tiny vial. The liquid had a breathtaking azure color like a deep sea dream, beautiful beyond words. Painters back on earth would have killed for one of those.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sarinatali does good work and she likes pretty things. Take it.¡±


    [Powerful potion.]


    ¡°Essence of solace. A single drop through a victim¡¯s lips will keep death at bay for a little while, enough time to get them to a healer. You still have flesh mending potions, right?¡±


    ¡°Two of them, yes.¡±


    ¡°Use them if someone is hurt, but if the damage is too extensive, it might kill them. Fuse the wrong things together.¡±


    ¡°I hope she is fine.¡±


    ¡°So do I, and hunters are hardier than most so there is a good chance she has survived no matter what. Take it anyway. And return the rest to me because it costs twelve golds per vial.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Only the best ingredients can manage that effect, only the solace can give poisoned mages a chance at survival. Return it when you are done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I will take good care of it.¡±


    ¡°See that you do. Off you go now, before our talented friend decides to leave by himself.¡±


    Viv left, stopping only long enough to get water and food under the disapproving glare of a cook. A letter was left at Sidjin¡¯s temporary lodgings since the man was absent at the moment and Viv thought he might want to join. Rakan was already there when she reached the administration building, bypassing a pair of heavily armored warmages. The second one tossed a coin to the first.


    ¡°Told you,¡± she said.


    Viv grit her teeth. She found a tired Darla¡¯s behind the counter. The woman whispered in a stone that let out a strong aura of colorless magic. Viv would eat her left shoe if it wasn¡¯t something in the variation of ¡®Boss? She¡¯s here.¡¯


    ¡°Yes?¡± the tired administrator ¡ª Viv was sure there was more to it ¡ª said.


    Viv elbowed Rakan. He always said he had to grow more assertive. The young man took a resolute step forward, almost stumbled, and placed a freshly cleaned hand on the desk¡¯s polished dark wood.


    ¡°My sister is missing. I¡¯m going after her.¡±


    Darla blinked, slowly. She glared at Viv who merely shrugged. The divine spark of luck had a tendency to get things moving but it certainly hadn¡¯t turned the city into the flaming cesspit it was right now. Humans hadn¡¯t needed any help for that.


    The woman sighed and sat back heavily in her chair.


    ¡°Tarana, I remember her. She was here with you on the first day. She¡¯s missing, you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Since yesterday.¡±


    ¡°And you want to go out and find her? What if I close the gate?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll jump down from the wall.¡±


    Darla massaged her temples. Viv realized that under the composed appearance, she probably had a medical school level of sleep deprivation. It had been a very long week and it was far from over.


    Her gaze landed on Viv again and stayed there, trying to bore a hole through her skull.


    ¡°Why is it always you?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been over this already, I get shit done.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have a plan, or are you just going to roam the streets waiting to be overwhelmed?¡±


    ¡°His sister was supposed to stay at an inn by the Wheat Gate but the entire area is devastated. We intend to go to one of the shire enclaves to talk to a group of refugees who might know where she is. Hallurians.¡±


    ¡°And how do you know there are Wheat Gate refugees there?¡±


    ¡°We led them there ourselves,¡± A voice said from behind.


    Viv smiled when her boyfriend stopped by her side, giving her hand a brief squeeze. He looked refreshed and already wore some battle robes. His backpack bulged with supplies.


    ¡°Then what?¡± Darla said, though Viv could see the woman opposed them more out of stubborn reptilian brain reaction than actual reason. It was time to change gear.


    ¡°Look, we will just go out and try to find her. No heroics, no battle, we¡¯ll ask questions and be back by nightfall.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡± Darla asks with some doubt.


    ¡°This is a search and rescue mission. We are not here to cleave a bloody path through the city or help one side against another. If you are concerned, I could use a chaperone. Someone who knows the place.¡±


    ¡°Someone like me?¡± the other woman replied with a smirk.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re falling apart but yeah, sure.¡±


    For an instant, there was a sort of annoyed defiance Viv had seen before in exhausted soldiers. It only lasted for an instant before Darla took control of her emotions.


    ¡°No, if you wish to get yourselves killed, we will not stop you, but you do not have the Academy¡¯s approval and we will remove your protection for the duration of your trip. If you are attacked or captured, that is your business.¡±


    ¡°They will be fine,¡± Sidjin said, and Darla finally lost her spite in the handsome smile of the fallen prince.


    ¡°Just¡­ go. I¡¯ll let the guards know not to stop you.¡±


    The trio left without another word. They crossed the boundary into the noble district and walked at a brisk pace.


    ¡°There are no buggies and no one will rent us a horse, so we should go on foot,¡± Sidjin said.


    It took them far longer to approach the gates, which were manned by a veritable detachment. Viv had never really seen Helock¡¯s more conventional forces but they were quite impressive and the warmages walking among them even more so. Archers and soldiers in heavy armor waited in clear lines. A bored and surprised captain stopped them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°The families have voted. No citizens may¡­ you are not citizens.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t suppose you have some form of identification?¡±


    They did, in fact. Viv and Rakan presented their student cards while Sidjin had a license he had gotten to practice magic legally within the city. The captain shrugged and checked his instructions again, but eventually decided that it was not his circus and to just let them through.


    ¡°I¡¯ll notify the Academy,¡± he warned.


    ¡°They know we¡¯re here, captain,¡± Rakan said in a hollow voice.


    ¡°Right. We close the gates at nightfall. If you¡¯re not back by then, seek shelter.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Stop.¡±


    The captain looked closely at the trio, especially at Rakan.


    ¡°You, the war mage, you know what you are doing. The witch as well, perhaps. You boy, you do not, so listen closely. You think you¡¯re strong and you probably are. Can turn people inside out with a flick of your finger, no doubt, but the people out there are mad. Animals. They won¡¯t care. You don¡¯t want to get swarmed and if you fuck up, it can happen.¡±


    ¡°We will cover each other,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°I know a thing or two about not getting swarmed.


    ¡°Maybe you do. Off you go, then.¡±


    There were more guards on the other side. At least two hundred who let them through without issue. Already, the stench of death and fire left a cloying taste on Viv¡¯s tongue.


    They set out.


    Someone had cleared the streets of corpses, or at least the most accessible ones. Trails of dried blood led to central spots where they disappeared, the bodies most likely picked up on a cart. It didn¡¯t help with the smell. Sometimes, Viv could see birds pick at discarded body parts. The three mages moved quickly and in silence. Fortunately, Viv knew the way fairly well.


    ¡°Thanks for coming with us,¡± she told Sidjin. ¡°You were ready in a heartbeat. I appreciate it.¡±


    The fallen prince smiled ruefully.


    ¡°Glastia has a rich folklore centered around its many princes, darling. Most of the time, they do the saving. If I were the crown prince, you could claim half the city and my hand in marriage at this stage. By comparison, this is nothing.¡±


    ¡°Are you dropping hints or?¡±


    ¡°No no, we talked about marriage in your culture. I know you intend to take your time.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv said, suddenly blushing. It had just never occurred to her and¡­ he was right. Although the two matched really well, they had only been together for a few months. And she was not ready to settle. At all.


    ¡°I am serious, Viviane the Outlander and Lost Heiress to a strange land. You may be a controversial figure to others but I do not care. For me, you have done more than can be expected from close family. I am with you no matter what. And yes!¡± he finished, anticipating the interruption, ¡°before you try to soften my words with that biting humor of yours, even if you lose yourself and commit dark deeds. I do not worry too much, however. So far, we have killed no children.¡±


    Viv coughed to mask her embarrassment, an embarrassment that doubled when Rakan joined in a tired voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s loyalty. I read about it a lot.¡±


    ¡°You read about it?¡± Viv asked, surprised.


    The young man nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s the most valuable commodity in Halluria, even more valuable than water. You can¡¯t count on your warlord or your clan. Sometimes, you can¡¯t even count on your family. A Hallurian can either play the game of death to ascend the hierarchy, or they can find a few people they can trust. Loyal people. Build a life with them¡­¡±


    He shook his head, dispersing the haze of painful memories


    ¡°I¡¯ll find her no matter what. Sorry. I was trying to say that you are loyal, Viviane. It¡¯s one of the highest compliments I can make.¡±


    ¡°You two are going to make me blush in the middle of a rioting city. Maybe I¡¯m just¡­ helping those who can help me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not why you created the regrowth spell,¡± Sidjin countered.


    ¡°She¡¯s just being shy,¡± Rakan said.


    ¡°Trying to present herself as the big bad witch from the west. The prince killer,¡± Sidjin added.


    ¡°Terrible and feared across the land.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright! Enough of this!¡±


    Suddenly, something nudged Viv¡¯s attention to the sky. Perhaps a movement, perhaps danger sense warned her of an incoming threat. She looked up and saw a monster diving towards them.


    Time slowed. A bolt of black appeared above Viv¡¯s shoulder while black mana surged from her feet up to cover her in armor¡­ until Sidjin¡¯s hand grabbed her shoulder, shaking her.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Those are troops, not monsters.¡±


    Viv blinked, stupefied.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Griffin riders. Helock¡¯s shock troops.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just look, woman.¡±


    The witch thought her lover mad but the creature landing before them wore a harness and metal plates, clear as day under the light. It was an avian creature with powerful back legs, two wings, and a sharp beak made for gouging. Viv judged it was larger than most warhorses.


    [Tamed Griffin, extremely dangerous. A monster raised from birth to bind with their tamer, who rides them into battle. The bond is powerful and can only be formed once. Gray mana shield. Expert aerial fighter. Vicious fighter.]


    A man sat on its back, legs tucked in not to interfere with the wings. He wore armor and wielded a long spear with a bulbous head covered with enchantments.


    [Griffin tamer, dangerous. A special path that only those with taming and arcane blade potential can walk. It takes a long time to train a single combatant. Minor caster. Decent close quarter fighter.]


    [Sling spear, a powerful weapon designed for jousting and flinging projectiles powered by a gray and blue core. It can be extended. A special trigger lets the wielder throw a powerful, short range explosive spell. Must be recharged frequently.]


    As usual, the inspection skill fed the information directly into her consciousness rather than appearing like a book she would have to read. She also got the diffuse impression that the pair together presented a much more dangerous challenge than the sum of their parts, like a knight and their horse.


    The weapon looked really expensive and high maintenance. The armor looked impressive as well, both light and hardy. While she watched, the griffin croaked strangely while its rider lifted a bird-like visor to inspect them. He spoke a few words in northerner that Viv did not recognize. Sidjin replied smoothly. The rider remained silent for a while, considering his words, perhaps, so Viv looked up.


    Forms fleeted between the floating rocks above Helock, though none approached the massive form of the Chalice. Sometimes, the light reflected on metal plates or the edge of a blade. Most of them flew in groups.


    ¡°You are not of Helock, so you can move,¡± the man finally said in broken imperial, his attention centered on Viv.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are the one with dragon,¡± he also said accusingly.


    ¡°Hmmm. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell it stop racing us. We are working. Busy.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m actually relieved. I thought she would be trying to eat you.¡±


    ¡°Tried but saw me and stopped. Says she does not eat human INTO MY HEAD.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she speaks like that.¡±


    ¡°Says because not know how to cook. You be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    The rider gave her a last glance then rode out. Viv thought he looked kinda cool after she was done brushing the dust from her face.


    ¡°Normally they stay in their mountain base south of here,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°They must have been deployed to keep an eye on what was going on. Prevent the riots from spilling.¡±


    ¡°This guy looked pissed off,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°They are the elite of the elite, the best tamers on Param. And now they are being used to wipe the Town Council¡¯s ass so¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Viv grumbled.


    ¡°We should get going,¡± Rakan reminded everyone.


    They were almost to the Five Fishes Inn when they finally ran into real trouble. A barricade had been set a distance away from where they knew Solfis¡¯ domain started. Dark-skinned northerners controlled that one and they didn¡¯t look friendly. The trio took a side street but heard the sound of pursuit.


    ¡°Stay and confront?¡± Viv asked.


    In answer, a transparent circle popped around the three mages. Sidjin was raising a complex shield.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the war mage said. ¡°Mages don¡¯t handle running very well.¡±


    ¡°And what do we have here?¡± a thug said in broken Enorian.


    Men and a couple of women in rough clothes emerged from side alleys, wiry bodies visible through stained clothes. There was a certain beastiality in the way they moved, the way they looked, hunched forward in anticipation.


    Viv really didn¡¯t have time for them.


    ¡°No idea how you guys can be stupid enough to ¡ª ¡°


    The man kept talking, but no sound could be heard. His companions stopped where they stood, suddenly aware something had gone wrong. A few took a step back, more lucid than the rest.


    Viv loved sound magic.


    ¡°Hush now, shhhh. We are busy, so I¡¯ll make it simple. You fuckers disgust me but I promised I wouldn¡¯t be the blade of vengeance so I¡¯ll give you ten seconds to fuck off before I cut every single one of you to bloody ribbons. Ten.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Sidjin said.


    Viv frowned but let the mage take a step forward. The riot leader was frothing at the mouth though his followers seemed lost on how to proceed. Truly, Pratchett had gotten it right, Viv thought. The IQ of a crowd was that of its dumbest member divided by the number of participants.


    ¡°What my friend here is trying to say is that we are busy, you disgust us, you are also facing three war mages and though you feel strong right now, you¡¯re merely street scum with clubs, not the dragonslayer reborn. So you have nine seconds or we will cut you to bloody ribbons. Nine. Eight.¡±


    The thug leader charged with what might have been a blood-curdling scream. Viv would never know. What surprised her was how stupid the man was. She had always seen ringleaders as cold-minded opportunists. Apparently, riots brought the worst out of people.


    Before Viv could use her intimidation, Sidjin casually lifted a hand and the attacker rose in the air by a good meter, limbs flailing. Viv could see that her lover had latched a kinetic spell to his target in four different places, a display of his amazing control.


    ¡°Seven.¡±


    Sidjin smacked his victim against the nearby wall, breaking him out of the silence spell. A painful yelp escaped the man¡¯s throat, quickly silenced when Sidjin flung him into a workshop¡¯s barred gate.


    ¡°Six.¡±


    A third toss silenced the man forever.


    ¡°Five.¡±


    The rioters left.


    ¡°Hmm, it worked. I gave the display two chances out of three,¡± the prince casually said.


    They departed once again, finding the edge of the safe zone a little while later. It was still early morning by then. The guards let her through without asking questions and a street urchin quickly led them through several checkpoints without prompt. They found themselves in the inn a moment later. It still smelled like stew. A young boy manned the cauldron, continuing the tradition after the untimely demise of the previous innkeeper. It was Lim the Fell-handed, Solfis¡¯ second who came to see them. The grim northerner still looked like a mid-level manager to Viv despite her body count.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said in Enorian. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°We are looking for his sister,¡± Viv replied. ¡°The Hallurians who came here yesterday might know where she is.¡±


    ¡°I will come with you and ask.¡±


    ¡°Is that fine?¡± Viv asked with some suspicion.


    ¡°Your creature, he is busy. Bounty hunters come for him to capture. He is meeting them in the underground.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? Does he need help?¡±


    ¡°He said you would say that,¡± Lim replied with a cruel smile. ¡°He said to tell you: ¡®I have better fun than with the spiders.¡¯ He said you would understand.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I could have gone without the reminder.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t know who could have sent people after Solfis but she was sorry for the poor bastards who would face him in the dark in a cramped environment. With water. You might as well send knife-wielding teens in air ducts to fight the fucking xenomorph.


    ¡°He also said that he found things for Elunath in the assassins¡¯ base.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Lim pursed her lips in disapproval.


    ¡°I still think he fucks you in all holes, Elunath. Bad deal. You should sleep with him and put poison in wine. Give antidote only if he cures you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that under advisement,¡± Viv said, ¡°But honestly, I¡¯d rather just plain attack him than bed this asshole.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that as well,¡± Sidjin said in a dry voice.


    ¡°Nobles,¡± Lim scoffed, ¡°never want to get hands dirty. You will learn.¡±


    ¡°Right. The sister?¡±


    ¡°I find her for you. I am very good at finding. Finding to save, this time, for a change. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Lim walked out without waiting to see if they would follow. Outside, people moved about. Everything felt cramped with personal effects and crates of supplies stacked everywhere. Children were playing in large groups under the stress-filled eyes of huddling women. The mood remained somehow optimistic.


    Everyone either gave Lim a large berth or a respectful nod and if people were curious about Viv and her companions, it was the sort of curiosity tinged with self-preservation. The northerner weaved smoothly between stacks of barrels and clumps of people until they found a warehouse by the shore. The contents had been piled to the ceiling in neat rows to give the Hallurians some space. A pair of representatives immediately stood up to welcome them. At first, only Lim spoke but Rakan soon joined them. He sounded frantic.


    The discussion lasted a good three minutes in northerner during which Viv stayed quiet. When they were done, Lim left immediately with the others trailing her again.


    ¡°They say she was one of the few who fought, that she tried to lure people away,¡± Rakan told her as they moved.


    ¡°Rioters?¡±


    ¡°Yes. By shooting them with her bow.¡±


    Viv thought that would be a big problem if they eventually caught her.


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t return. She was supposed to but she didn¡¯t,¡± Rakan continued.


    Viv realized he was on the verge of tears. She placed a hand on his shoulder and forced his panicked gaze to settle on her own. Her soul flared, instilling resolve in him through leadership.


    ¡°There could be several explanations for that, alright? No matter what, we will find her. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Sure. We will. If she, if she¡­¡±


    ¡°Rakan. First, we find, then we think. Focus.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    They walked.


    Lim led them out of the enclave at a solid pace, then through back alleys and hidden paths with a familiarity that spoke of years of experience dodging the main thoroughfares. Once, they came across two sentries they could not avoid and Rakan left them as whining piles on the ground before the group could consider a detour. They found the Wheat Gate district and the destroyed inn before noon. From then on, Lim guided them through the empty streets, doing something weird with her hand where she would move her fingers a certain way while inspecting her surroundings.


    ¡°The refugees told her where they¡¯d seen her last,¡± Rakan explained.


    They let Lim work in peace. The woman guided them around, slowly at first, then with increasing speed through the poor district at the periphery of the city. There were spots of old blood around, black and flaky now. Eventually, the trail led into a one-way street.


    Rakan sore softly.


    There was a lot of blood around, especially at the end, but it was not what had gotten his attention. The young mage raced forward and picked up the broken short bow. His hands shook.


    ¡°It¡¯s hers. They must have cornered her here.¡±


    ¡°The bodies were picked up,¡± Lim said. ¡°If there were survivors they must have been carried to the nearest temple.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± Viv said.


    The northerner knew the city well. She guided them to a small, secluded place of worship. Viv knew from the garden that it would be dedicated to Enttiku, the goddess of death. They were let in without problem when they said they were looking for someone. The entire place had been turned into a makeshift hospital. Overworked nurses ran around, carrying fresh bandages and water. Lim asked for someone fitting the description but no one had the time to help them, so they split up. Viv and Sidjin discreetly charged some enchantments, mostly lighting and water-purifying arrays. Viv knew something was wrong when she looked up to find Rakan petrified over a small, improvised bed. She raced to his side.


    The person in it could only be described as ¡®butchered¡¯. She was a massive sore of broken bones, inflamed tissues and bruises. her face was mush. Viv could only tell her gender because of the black hair, matted and caked with dry blood. Painful wheezes emerged from the broken wreck of her face. The young mage pointed at her arm where a tattoo could be seen between a purple blotch and the white shard of a jutting bone.


    ¡°Tarana¡­ Why?¡±


    He babbled in Hallurian, so Viv hugged him and hailed a harried priestess. The black-clad woman first frowned with frustration, but she moved closer all the same.


    ¡°Thank you for charging spells around here. What did you want to¡­ oh. Her. We stabilized her with a prayer, hoping someone would come. I can¡­ temporarily heal her to let her say goodbye, but¡­¡±


    Rakan wailed so Viv hugged him tighter.


    ¡°What are the chances that she could be saved by a really, really good healer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re at capacity¡­¡±


    ¡°Not what I¡¯m asking. Could she be saved by a great healer?¡±


    The priestess blinked, then frowned.


    ¡°Well, yes, if you can get him here within two hours, that is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need a stretcher, please. I can pay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, she¡¯ll die if she¡¯s moved.¡±


    ¡°I have some essence of solace,¡± Viv said.


    The priestess opened her mouth to reply, then reconsidered. She kneeled and placed a hand on Tarana¡¯s body.


    ¡°It could work. You will have a few hours, no more. The body cannot be sustained indefinitely. I¡¯ll get you the stretcher right away.¡±


    ¡°Viv,¡± Rakan said, ¡°Viv, don¡¯t give me hope if¡­¡±


    ¡°We will get her to the medical faculty of Helock. They owe me healings. That was our deal.¡±


    ¡°If they are already crowded¡­¡±


    ¡°I have acquired some goodwill so it¡¯s time to use it. If she can be saved, we¡¯ll save her, alright?¡±


    The young man nodded, then wiped his eyes.


    ¡°If anyone tries to stop us, ANYONE, I¡¯ll ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright killer, cool down. You¡¯ll need that energy on the trip back.¡±


    They were off within a minute. After Viv fed the insensate Tarana a drop of potion, two hardy volunteers delicately moved her to the stretcher and the group left. Lim led the way back.


    This time, they took the most direct way. Rakan cleared the path through the expedient means of tossing fireballs at everything and anyone on the path, which had the virtue of sending a clear message. No one stayed to test them. They crossed the city to the noble district, then through it and the Academy to the Faculty of Medicine. A massive queue extended to the fields but Viv waved her student card and they were let in first. She stopped at the entrance.


    ¡°We need Tod,¡± she told the receptionist.


    ¡°Archmage Tod is busy, everyone ¡ª¡±


    Viv resorted to the very rude method of muting the woman, who appeared quite shocked by the treatment.


    ¡°Archmage Tod and I have an arrangement, the one to regrow limbs. The bargain was that I could pick people to be healed for free, so I¡¯m merely asking him to honor his side of the bargain. Now, you can get me to him or I¡¯ll flare black mana in the ward until he comes to investigate. Your choice.¡±


    ¡°There was no need for ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°She¡¯s dying. You¡¯ve had a long day but she¡¯s dying. So, uh, you¡¯re getting on my nerves right now.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Fine.¡±


    Tod found them, had a look at Tarana and directed her to a surgery room, ignoring Viv entirely. Rakan went to follow them. Lim and the volunteers left soon after, the first to take the secret passage back to her lair and the second to their homes. It turned out they were stranded herders who had wanted an escort back. This left Viv sitting on a stone bench in the outer garden next to her lover.


    ¡°I think we got lucky this time,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Part of it was luck, but part of it was creating the opportunities you needed to seize the chance.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, just, things don¡¯t always end up so nicely. I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    They waited in companionable silence for a while. It was still early in the afternoon. They had some time. Moreover, Viv felt bone-tired.


    ¡°Will you ask him to join you? After that, I mean,¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Rakan?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He knows you will try to recruit him. He will volunteer, in fact, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have him if he wants to join. The new Harrak is much keener on voluntary service than the old one.¡±


    ¡°Will you ask me, then?¡±


    Viv looked at Sidjin, the fallen prince attractive with his mussed hair and the soot on his cheeks. It gave him a roguish, adventurer appearance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I can pay you enough.¡±


    ¡°I accept payment in¡­ services.¡±


    The prince nimbley dodged her hook, catching her fist.


    ¡°Crass. I hate you,¡± Viv accused, though she was smiling.


    He chuckled, but his answer got cut short by Arthur landing excitedly a few steps away.


    Mother.


    Mother.


    Mother.


    There are humans.


    And they FLY!


    Humans!


    With weird bird.


    I have idea.


    ¡°Does it include killing a rider and stealing their griffin so I can ride it myself?¡±


    There was a long, embarrassed mental silence.


    ¡­ No?


    ¡°It won¡¯t work, they bind for life.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeee.¡±


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll keep working on my colorless magic until I can levitate. It can¡¯t be much more complicated to fly. Maybe with an enchanted harness.¡±


    You promise.


    I teach you how to fly.


    We eat squid together.


    Become big and scaly.


    ¡°Not sure for the scales but for the rest, yes. One day we will fly together.¡±

 Chapter 118: Examination

    Afternoon sunlight reflected on Viv¡¯s shield and its latest addition, a letter from an unknown alphabet hammered on by a Hallurian smith.


    What had started as a light shield was now considerably heavier, its surface lined with symbols, a veritable roadmap of Viv¡¯s progress and the friends she had made along the way. The Yries-made enchantments were still intact and fully functional under added plates grafted on like barnacles on a warship¡¯s hull. The tree of Kazar, the shield of Neriad, the veterans¡¯ mark, the sigil of the mountain folks, even the layers of fur left at the back by the Merls. She had made an impact over the last year and a half. A good one, for some.


    The rest could go fuck themselves.


    Even the description of the shield had changed. Viv wondered if it was due to her familiarity with the item.


    [Yries enchanted shield: made with care for a friend, this shield has since collected marks of respect and gratitude from very diverse people. The innate protections remain intact under an increasingly heavy layer of armor. Has stopped several blows despite the current wielder¡¯s lack of expertise. Extremely resilient.]


    Hey, at least I hold it in a way that the edge doesn''t smash me in the nose anymore, Viv told herself with some annoyance. This had not led to any skill for her. It took more than a few hours of effort for the magic of the world to decide to help.


    It was true, the shield had blocked several blows. An arrow in the cannibal compound and a downward dagger stab when she had gone after a captured Arthur. It was indeed solid. The description had it right, though, the main aspect was emotional. A reminder of what she had achieved in protective form.


    ¡°Admiring your own reflection, dear?¡± Sidjin asked in a teasing voice.


    Viv frowned at her fallen prince boytoy.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even flat. On a related ¡®not flat¡¯ note, why are you naked?¡±


    ¡°Why are you not naked?¡± the prince replied, extending his arms to the secluded clearing they were on and the tent they had set up.


    Viv considered his words and admitted that they made a lot of sense.


    The pair spent an hour relaxing comfortably, then the time came to work. They dressed and meditated for five minutes, centering themselves for the task to come. Viv checked the circle one last time out of habit, then centered on the teleportation gate destination array.


    The last hurdle towards making a stable teleportation for Viv was not seeing space as a fabric, which seemed to be hard to grasp for the local humans, but the calculations associated with origin and destination. Sidjin was a mage who used rigid, codified coordinates for distance and direction to link one portal with another. Viv realized her magic didn¡¯t work that way. Mana buckled at those strict guidelines, not least because Viv realized they were, in fact, incorrect. Too approximate to link two points hundreds of miles away from each other. It should not work, but because mages made magic work through a more rational approach, it did for them. It was good enough to function, really. That would not fly with her instinctive method, so rather than using coordinates, she used a code. A portal had a set of glyphs that marked it and its surroundings. For example Helock would be ¡®city, magic, flying, stone¡¯ and a few others while the wilderness they were in for testing had ¡®clearing, peace,¡¯ and ¡®naked¡¯ in it. So long as it made sense to Viv, that was fine.


    One of the issues was that a witch portal would be too peculiar to be activated by someone else. On the plus side, it appeared to be more stable than a mage portal, requiring less material and less mana to activate. That was what the preliminary tests had shown. Now the time had come for the real deal.


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready darling.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Sidjin. What if we break the fabric of space and time itself?¡±


    ¡°Then we can travel back and do it again! We will not, however. We are merely connecting to points in a temporary fashion. Legerit of Baran proved that Nyil would smother harmful effects to itself, if not the creatures that inhabit it as the Harrakan disaster shows, by conducting an experiment in two-sixty eight on the premise that ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, thank you dear. The joke would have sufficed.¡±


    ¡°You know better than to get me started on colorless mana studies. In any case, enough delay! Proceed! I believe in you and your weird witchy ways.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Viv walked to the circle and took a step in, careful not to damage the lines. They had not used metal but traced divots into a flat stone disk Sidjin had casually raised from the ground. As soon as she did, a strange current raised the small hair from her arms. The spell was not even fully charged yet.


    She poured power from her core into it, feeling mana swell to answer her will. All of it made sense to her. Space was a fabric, only flat to her limited human senses. Gravity made it malleable. Nyil, the world, would let her touch it for a little bit, pinch it, as it were. There would be no breaking, no, merely small ripples. A small aperture so tiny only humans would use it. It would go from this isolated clearing, a peaceful place still bearing the memory of a couple making love, back to the city of sorcery, its place of learning, the enchanted walls, flying rocks hanging above like divine jokes or swords of Damocles. A passage would open. Two would become one, then two again, allowing passage for a fragment of an instant in the grand scheme of things. So easy. No need to force, not like those mages do. Just¡­ go with the flow to create something unique and daring but ultimately harmless. Space could not be broken by the likes of her anyway. This was merely brushing a carpet with some strands standing at different angles.


    Massive power, stored over an hour by a powerful caster, swirled in front of Viv. The powerful energies could level the forest if she lost control, but she would not. Colorless magic had no real will of its own, only the caster did. It would not rebel. Not against her, at least. Slowly, carefully, she coaxed the ball to go deeper towards the inside in a direction humans may not tread. there was upward, forward, and to the side, but there was inward as well. It was so logical, so obvious. When the sun hit the place right, it created a shadow in three dimensions. Viv could just feel it work.


    ¡°Gate,¡± she whispered.


    Simple and clear, no need for frills, for theatrics. Two places would be one, then two again, because she wanted it.


    The circle dove inward until it was so thin a quark could not have crossed it, but that was fine. It connected and now she could enlarge it a bit, just enough to let a mounted rider through. Practically nothing. There it was. The same sun but at a slightly different angle through the windows of Sidjin¡¯s new lab, the one Sterek had to abandon.


    Sidjin floated the tent through, then led their horses as well. The beast snorted a bit in panic but did not resist any more than that. Viv had a last look around to check if they had not forgotten anything, then she was through.


    The spell faded behind her, its purpose fulfilled.


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana mastery: Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs: Intermediate 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It made so much sense. Everything did on a fundamental level. Reality was plastic when suffused with so much mana. It permeated everything she could see. There was a code, no, there were codes of which one was eminently suited to her. She could see it, feel it, wield it, she could tire less and recover faster. This world was¡­ wonderful.


    ¡°It seems like you had a breakthrough. A big one.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Magic is so smooth. I gained Mana mastery at intermediate level two. I did not realize the difference would be so pronounced.¡±


    Sidjin nodded slowly, suddenly solemn.


    ¡°A momentous achievement. And sometimes, skill level is not everything. A fortuitous epiphany in the middle of a tier will have more impact than numbers can reflect. Thank you for trusting me with this news. I remember when I broke through to intermediate myself, back on Glastia¡¯s walls. I felt I could hold the world in my palm. I wish I had someone to share that moment with me.¡±


    He smiled ruefully.


    ¡°It only took me twenty years to achieve that result and you managed it in less than two but I am very secure in my own talent. This is nothing.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, watch this!¡± Viv said, beyond excited.


    She took a step forward and dropped in her own shadow before reappearing by the door, a burst of darkness-infused mana left behind.


    ¡°That, however, is utter horseshit.¡±


    ***


    It was not the government that stopped the lower city carnage, nor time, nor even a cool breeze coming from the south carrying with it dust and the promise of rain. It was Helock¡¯s worst enemy.


    Halluria, it was said, had stirred. Roving bands had breached the Baranese borders and conducted raids on frontier villages. Garrisons had repelled the worst of them in mutual bloodbaths, as had been the case this past century with Baran at the apex of its power. Nevertheless, Halluria was vast and its reserves of bloodthirsty, ambitious marauders virtually endless. The tide would come sooner or later. Whispers traveled from city to city, speaking of a great host raised in defense of civilization. There would be levies and taxes and dead sons but for now, the sky was still blue and the fields were ripe. Food shipments crossed the gates from many directions. Thousands of mouths would not need them because they were frozen rictuses smiling at the moon from atop corpse carts and funerary pyres. All would be well. The people licked their wounds and returned to work. A month of retaliatory murders followed but, all in all, people were sated. Life returned to normal.


    ***


    Viv stared at the face of General Jar Jaratalassi, the weirdly named, dogmatic professor of magic military doctrine. The scarred man sustained her polite glare with his usual stoney demeanor, the two of them dancing a strange dance that had kept the other students betting, guessing. He, who disregarded instinctive casters and their unreliability from the bottom of his soul. She, who thought Nyil would fuck Harrak over unless she innovated. He, whose honor prevented him from flunking her. She, who religiously gave him the answer she knew he wanted. He, who could tell she was full of it and would try bullshitting her way through any military encounter with outlander knowledge. She, who knew he knew and asked tangential questions on which specific unusual tactics had worked, where, and when. He, whose unyielding principles forced him to answer in detail. They had never stopped testing each other¡¯s limits and now the man was handing her a sheaf of densely written papers with complex diagrams showing troop movements. It was her magnum opus of asslicking orthodoxy. It was a monument to traditional Paramese warfare. It was an analysis of a Baranese defeat against a powerful Hallurian incursion, offering an alternative strategy that could have avoided the disaster.


    Said strategy was shamelessly based on Jaratalassi¡¯s own performance at the exact same spot twenty years later.


    It was the most dishonest academic work Viv had ever submitted, however, it was also the most researched. Nothing had been left to chance. Every option had been explored. Viv¡¯s work was so absolutely fucking airtight she could defend it in front of a jury and was already considering how to include it in the Harrakan doctrine which, as of now, didn¡¯t exist outside of her mind.


    On the first page, a red, shiny stamp had been applied. It said ¡®approved¡¯. There was a cute little star added, a sober expression of the man¡¯s regard for the presented work.


    Viv grabbed the sheaf but the general didn¡¯t let go. They stayed like that, frozen for a moment. When General Jaratalassi finally spoke, his voice was unusually kind


    ¡°Congratulations on being the first witch to ever graduate from my class, Miss ¡®Saint-Lys¡¯. I applaud your performance and hope I will be seeing you next semester.¡±


    Viv felt touched that the man had taken the time to learn more about her profile, or at least, the official one. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The truth was that Saint-Lys should never have been her name. It had been selected by one of her paternal ancestors because it was rare and sounded posh, a good asset for a family of scammers, liars, and conmen. Her real one had been lost to history. By paying his respects, Jaratalassi had unwittingly stabbed the bitter blade of guilt deep into her breast. She was a bullshitter with a veneer of respectability, a ruthless shiv goon hidden behind a pearly mask.


    But that was fine.


    Fake it till you make it.


    ¡°It will be my pleasure, sir, looking forward to the practicals,¡± she replied, truthfully.


    ¡°Out of curiosity, are there strategies that resemble the one I followed at the battle of Kariss¡¯ pass in your world?¡±


    Viv hesitated, but only for a moment.


    ¡°There is. We call it ¡®deep defense¡¯ or ¡®elastic defense¡¯ and it has worked very well in a few decisive battles.¡±


    ¡°So you already had a basic knowledge of tactics. Hmm. I admit to being curious. Do not disappoint me now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I promise I will do my best.¡±


    The two exchanged a last pleasant smile. Viv gave it a chance in three they would end up at the opposite ends of a battlefield at some point in the distant future.


    ***


    ¡°Your essay was interesting,¡± Viv¡¯s etiquette teacher said. ¡°Your idea to maximize general happiness certainly has potential, although the basis that something may be intrinsically good or bad is¡­ disputable.¡±


    Viv shrugged. Utilitarianism was an old theory, one with its limits, yet one she had studied in school. It at least considered the greater good as desirable. Compared to the average Paramese, she was downright progressive. The teacher seemed to appreciate that. The Academy valued the spread of knowledge and trained capable mages regardless of their origins. Deep inside, they wanted to make the world a better place for mankind. They were just not brazen enough to say it.


    ¡°However,¡± the teacher continued, and there was always a but, ¡°I have a problem with your applied etiquette methods.¡±


    She sat back into her chair, interlacing her fingers. Viv remained seated on her side of the desk, waiting. The exam was over. She was certain she had passed, although she was well below average. It didn¡¯t matter much to her.


    ¡°Etiquette,¡± the prim woman said, ¡°etiquette is codified respect. I have already mentioned it at the start of the class. The purpose of standardized curtises, bows, handshakes, baisemains, and all that pomp is to show respect. Only through etiquette can people of vastly different origin and social background mix without anyone taking offense. Wars have started over a misunderstanding, a perceived slight so great it could not be ignored. It has happened. It will happen again without etiquette. And the core of etiquette is respect. If you do not convey respect, if you do not mean that respect, no amount of perfectly angled head tilts will matter. Viviane, you ooze defiance.¡±


    The witch shrugged. That wasn¡¯t news to her.


    ¡°And here it is again. Deep inside, you don¡¯t feel the need to express respect. I will give you a passing grade because our strict, Academy-defined rating criteria say I should but you will get a fail in the practical part and I will bar you from taking any diplomatic classes unless you fix that attitude. We work towards harmony here. My faculty has no room for hellions.¡±


    Viv nodded and waited. The teacher smoldered in her seat like an old ember, which probably meant she expected an answer. Viv licked her lips and considered her words before leaning forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way but¡­ do you know who I am?¡±


    That got her a raised brow and a bit more than a smoldering, but Viv didn¡¯t let the woman ignite her temper with righteous fury quite yet. She had a point to make.


    ¡°I am currently the elected and permanent head of a freshly independent city, plus a few villages now, huddling at the edge of the deadlands. I represent those people to those who know about our situation. For all intents and purposes, I am the leader of a sovereign nation.¡±


    ¡°There are military bases in Baran that are larger than your entire domain.¡±


    ¡°And there are cities in my world with more people than the entire continent of Param. It changes nothing. I lead a group of people. Those people united against foreign aggression. We have fought, bled, and died so we would be free, and I carry those wishes and the burden of all this sacrifice even today. As their representative, any act of submission I perform is one Harrak performs. That is why, dear professor, I have played along with classes, I have learned the motions, but in real life, I bow to no one. I am Harrak, and Harrak has no masters.¡±


    The teacher gave her a considering look.


    ¡°Will you bow to Elunath?¡±


    ¡°He and I have a contractual obligation. I will not sell out my adopted people to save my life. I will remove myself from the throne for the duration of my service if he saves me. In the meanwhile, I stand by what I said.¡±


    The older woman conceded.


    ¡°I believe you. Nevertheless, I cannot accept you in my diplomatic classes if you cannot act as an envoy. For your own personal development, I would consider getting a private tutor on sovereign to sovereign rites. It might be useful if you do intend to keep your small city-state thriving and independent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I know someone who is an expert at contact with other cultures. He is quite experienced.¡±


    ***


    //I am not sure the timing is wise, Your Grace.


    //I am currently searching for agents capable of participating in the expedition.


    //However, I have yet to find a free agent capable of facing a necrarch.


    ¡°We already have one,¡± Viv said, grabbing a pin and leaning over the massive map in the Five Fishes basement. She shoved a few of them over the river Shal heading west, then south from the Enorian northern capital of Losserec-on-the-Lake. It stopped short of the deadlands.


    ¡°Sidjin has taken over Sterek¡¯s contract. He will establish a network of teleportation gates two thirds of the way to Harrak and according to his contract, he can let anyone he chooses activate them so long as they are individuals. We will use the semester break to travel back to Harrak and get the one man capable of downing a full-fledged necrarch.


    //Solar.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    //Brilliant, Your Grace.


    //However, are you sure he will accept?


    ¡°Yes, because I will offer him what he wants the most: his freedom from ruling Harrak. We both know he hates it.¡±


    //But who will replace him?


    ¡°I will. You see, I can operate Sidjin¡¯s gates. More importantly, I can make my own.¡±


    //Your Grace, this is tremendous news.


    //It means¡­


    ¡°That I will finish the gate network and link Helock to Harrak. Secretly, of course.  I will be able to travel from one to the other in a single day. It will take massive amounts of mana and I will be exhausted afterwards, but the next semester has frequent weeks without classes dedicated to practicals. We¡¯ll make it work. But that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is that between Sidjin, you, Solar, and I¡­¡±


    //We can take down a necrarch.


    //It will require preparation and specialized gear.


    //Leave it to me, Your Grace.


    //You have done very well.


    //Once more, my trust in you proves to be warranted.


    //I shall look forward to adding its head to my collection.


    ¡°Solfis. Focus on the bigger picture.¡±


    //The largest collection Nyil has ever seen.


    Viv sighed and let it go. The golem was merely being facetious. She took the item he had prepared for her then left, not particularly pleased with her next destination.


    ***


    ¡°The minerals will save me some time, and there are a few rare ones in the lot. I will give you two years for the lot,¡± Elunath said. ¡°I am rounding up.¡±


    He had not even looked at the crate. Viv had felt the formidable aura of the man merely extend until it covered the container, withdrawing shortly afterward.


    She opened her mouth to protest but the elemental archmage raised a hand to shut her up.


    ¡°And five years for the gravitite stone of unknown origin.¡±


    Viv stopped and nodded. It was generous for what Solfis estimated would be ¡®fair¡¯. It rankled to know she was still basically paying for an option to buy, but it was still that or dying. Unless Solfis¡¯ mysterious contact came though, which she was growing dubious of with every passing day.


    ¡°Six years nine months for the assorted supplies required for the spell. Well done on getting them, by the way, but you are still missing the most important piece.¡±


    ¡°The black mana core, I know.¡±


    ¡°See that you do not forget. I must be told in advance if you give up on finding one yourself. They do not grow on trees. If I am too late to acquire one¡­¡±


    ¡°I will die. I know.¡±


    ¡°It would be a shame to lose such a promising partner.¡±


    The archmage lifted a nasty assassin dagger between two fingers. It was so dark it appeared woven from the night itself.


    ¡°Three days,¡± the man said.


    Viv grumbled and grabbed it back. Maybe Irao would find a use for it.


    ¡°Thirteen years, nine months in total. Your current time of servitude stands at eighty years and three months. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No, sir. You will have to show deference when under my service so you might as well get used to it now. Before you see yourself out, there was one last question I had for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Viv asked with circumspection. It was the first time the archmage had shown any interest in her.


    ¡°There are rumors of an anomaly roaming the bowels of the city, a bone construct of great power. You would not know anything about that, would you?¡±


    ¡°I know a little,¡± she answered noncommittally. The archmage would detect a plain lie.


    ¡°I would wave thirty years for a chance to examine its casing, if you can find a way. Don¡¯t go after it yourself. It has proven to be quite lethal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that under advisement,¡± Viv replied, ¡°was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No. You may go. ¡°


    Viv locked the door behind her. Elunath could do it with an effort of will, yet he insisted on people doing it and doing it quietly as well. The man was compeltely anal when it came to manners.


    At least, now she knew who had sent those bounty hunters after Solfis.


    She wondered if Elunath would hunt by himself. Doubtful for one who seemed to care about their own well-being so much, but a girl could hope.


    ***


    The morning was cold and windy for the first time this year. A gale from the sea carried droplets and the faint smell of iodine. The change of season was coming.


    Just like a few other classes, dueling would finish early to allow students to focus on their most important discipline, namely the classes dealing with their chosen colors. The older classes would mix and match but the first years had their own category on account of their fights being uninteresting. In normal times anyway. This year, Professor Dirge had made an exception and chosen to display the final as an introduction to other matches. The contestants were, without surprise, Viv and Rakan.


    ¡°I feel strangely nervous,¡± the young Hallurian said, scratching his head. He had decided to let the thick black strands grow. Some of his kin kept the whole hairstyle complete with dreads and accessories while others shaved it off entirely, depending on how they felt about their cultural heritage. Rakan was exploring his options, which was good.


    ¡°There¡¯s just a lot of experienced people here,¡± he sighed.


    The rafters were filled with young mages and a few witches, many of them decked in heavy protective gear. The first day would be relaxed but as duels continued, the more serious contenders would move up. That wouldn¡¯t concern Viv, however. She and Rakan were out no matter what. Despite controlled auras, mana seemed to dance, ebb and flow around the casters, painting an ever-changing riot of colors in her sights. The usual arena had been reinforced for the occasion with a few additional staff members and a medic on standby as well.


    The two contenders walked to the arena when asked, then after a few short introductions they were left facing each other.


    ¡°You may begin,¡± Dirge said.


    Spells exploded over the arena.


    Viv raised two eldritch walls of the path of fireball, detonating it early while a downward burst saturated the area with black mana. Colorless javelins harried Rakan as she walked to the side, keeping her eyes on him. Her projectiles smashed against quickly alternating shields, then a massive burst of gray emerged from him and Viv knew her lungs would no longer draw oxygen. She released a burst of black mana in the air and disrupted the spell, the rest of which he had to drop when her bolts finally pierced his shield. He had another up before the following sound attack could make him throw up.


    They exchanged more attacks with Rakan getting progressively overwhelmed. Viv¡¯s increased mastery meant that she could weave and direct mana with a speed and grace even the gifted Rakan couldn¡¯t hope to compete with, at least not yet. In desperation, he poured a vast portion of his remaining mana into a spell that looked suspiciously like one of Varska¡¯s main lines. Viv had not seen him practice it before, and she suspected Ereska might have given the little twerp some advice. Pointy shards emerged from the ground behind him.


    ¡°Ballista.¡±


    The hail of stone spears rose, then fell, but Viv was ready.


    ¡°Net.¡±


    Black tendrils emerged from before her, slicing the projectiles into fun-sized bits. She grabbed most of those directly in front of her with an overcharged telekinesis spell and returned it to its sender. Rakan shielded his face with his arms as reflex but his stone shield held. Viv could tell he was on his last leg though.


    ¡°Blight.¡±


    The darkness-infused cloud of nothingness expanded over the arena on Viv¡¯s half. Rakan put all he had left into a front shield of various colors. He jumped in fright when Viv tapped on his shoulder.


    ¡°AH! Shit.¡±


    She held an excalibur in one hand.


    ¡°Victory is yours,¡± he allowed.


    Silence followed the short if intense display of battle prowess, then the spectators roared their approval. Feet and hands drummed on the wooden benches as was tradition across the continent. Words and comments surged across the crowd in quick succession. Rakan shook Viv¡¯s hand then the pair stepped down the arena, receiving a symbolic ribbon from a smiling Professor Dirge. It wasn¡¯t much but she appreciated the thought. The pair walked back to their rafters to drink some smuggled tea, watching the next duel with interest. That interest waned very quickly.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be amateurs for the next few hours, or at least very one-sided fights,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I know how bloodsport works, Viv,¡± Rakan told her with a smile. ¡°That said, impressive performance. You didn¡¯t even have to use that stupidly strong ability of yours.¡±


    ¡°The instant teleport?¡±


    ¡°That. You just negated the skill edge for the entire assassination path.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°Skill edge?¡±


    Rakan rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Ugh you are so good at some things I forget you can be entirely clueless with the basics. Skill edge, it¡¯s, errr, a concept in the study of path, the interface and Nous¡¯ legacy. I took it as an elective. How to explain. You know different paths have different specific skills right? Like heavy infantry have shield walls, archers have fast shots and cavalry have grouped charges?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I was informed asking was rude.¡±


    ¡°It is but those skills have been documented throughout the centuries. You know heavy infantry walking in a line with shields will have a shield wall, that¡¯s their entire reason for existing.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°And within the confines of those skills, even a low attunement individual will accomplish feats they do not understand with some impressive mana efficiency ratio. In a sense, skills are a way for non-casters to specialize in very specific tasks they will excel at. The interface guides someone into achieving through effort and repetition what they could never do through understanding, whether that understanding comes from their intellect or their instincts. Our skills are mana sight and mana manipulation, or enchantment. Other paths will have ¡®thrust¡¯ or ¡®rune inscribing¡¯, skills with a much lesser scope but a greater focus. We are more flexible but it comes at a cost. However, you know why we are still more powerful in the end.¡±


    ¡°With time and effort, all becomes possible.¡±


    ¡°Almost. We also have more time, usually. Willpower and endurance are associated with longevity. Endurance makes the body resistant to the ravages of time while willpower negates the reality of its effect. You are looking at the mirror and say no, I look younger than this, and then to an extent, it works. Anyway, sorry, I could talk about this for hours. The point is, mages who survive have time to practice until they become so good at something, it is as if they had the skill for it.¡±


    ¡°And the instant teleportation is like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes. An assassin path staple, the shadow step or blink or whatever fancy name you call it allows them to close the distance then escape with their lives. And you have reproduced it with a spell. Perhaps you do not realize it yet but this is an extremely powerful advantage. I wish I had a high black affinity now, just so I could steal it from you.¡±


    ¡°Just find a way with colorless mana!¡±


    ¡°Sure just after turning Halluria into a fertile land of goodwill and abundance and also after I have eaten freshly cut permonn slices off the tits of Warlord Uton¡¯s favorite concubine. Nothing insurmountable. Alright, now that I have buttered you up nicely, I wanted to ask when you intended to recruit me and if I could bring my sister?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    That was rather abrupt.


    ¡°Now if you want,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°What are your terms? You know I owe you my sister¡¯s life. I would still appreciate it if¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t do forced labor anymore in Harrak. I specifically requested it.¡±


    ¡°... and people listened?¡±


    ¡°Yes, on account of me being the boss. I would have used more convincing arguments if I had to. Fortunately, Solfis listens to me and they know what he¡¯ll do if I give him the go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What will he do?¡±


    ¡°Have fun.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough about the monster.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my bad, you want a firm answer and I am wasting time. I can pay you to be the resident head mage. Most likely we will have mage candidates if not now then soon, statistically. They will need to be trained. There are enchantments in the walls, hunts to be done, beastlings tides to shred through. Research on imperial stuff. So many things, so little time. I can pay you, of course, and we always take on hunters.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would love that. Especially teaching, I think I would enjoy teaching very much. Yes, that would be fine. I ask for standard pay for a mage of my rank according to Helockian standards. Unless you¡¯re broke.¡±


    ¡°That might happen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine then, we¡¯re in this together. Do we need a ceremony? Do you have to place your hand on my head and everything?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it official when I return. We are friends, Rakan, we¡¯ll stay friends. I¡¯m not the bossy kind. We work as a team or not at all. And I¡¯m not putting my hand on your head because you are sweaty.¡±

 Chapter 119: The Fetch Quest.

    The convoy followed a torturous route through the forest, expecting trouble. Armored soldiers in loose formation formed a vanguard, their eyes fixing the thick forest with vigilance. They had their weapons sheathed ¡ª for now ¡ª but their shields were fastened. They formed an intimidating group.


    Next came columns of lightly armored spearmen on either side of a large, steel-clad cart. Others followed, smaller and holding supplies. Archers gathered on top of those with their bows strung and arrows in reach. Cages closed the march, filled with miserable sods cowering under the murderous attention of nearby swordsmen. All in all, there were almost two hundred professional soldiers ready for war. They made their ways along the muddy road of early fall. None of them were surprised when, at the twist of the path, the road was blocked by fallen trees, nor did they voice concern at the figure at its top.


    The man waiting for them was not human. His reddish skin and amber eyes marked him as a Kark. Stout and short, the stranger wore makeshift armor made of stolen parts and wielded a spear that had seen better days, though the tip remained sharp and clean. He and the caravan leader¡¯s eyes met. In them, they each found an animosity that went beyond anger to emerge on the side of grudge, a promise that today, one of them would get to see their own guts. It was the sort of rancid hatred that took time to properly macerate, and main ingredients were grief and cruelty. Grief at the loss of friends, cruelty towards the foe.


    Men and quite a few women popped from their hiding places among the thin trunks and high fens, slowly, like mirages. War paint and primitive camouflage had allowed them to merge with their surroundings. Their own skills had challenged the caravan¡¯s vigilance and won. They formed packs of nimble warriors armed with spears and savagery while lone, bow-equipped wolves skulked at the edges, feathered teeth waiting in their quivers, drooling poison. They had made no sounds.


    They were mostly men as corded as ropes, dry, bearded and wild. Tatters covered them but those who paid attention would see the glint of metal under the rags. Almost fifty Kark formed a solid core of better equipped warriors.  There were women as well, with hard features and harder stares, waifs and crones, all gaunt, all waiting with gritted teeth. The late afternoon light showed the bloodshot white of their eyes and out of the three hundred pairs, not a single one revealed even a hint of mercy. They were here to kill.


    ¡°Halt!¡± the caravan leader bellowed.


    Helmets closed, blades were drawn. Above, the archers nocked their arrows. Lines of spears formed.  A man in a robe exited the armored carriage and made for the front, staff held between gauntleted hands.


    The silence was so deafening, it was as if the forest itself held its breath. The air tasted of that peculiar scent of weightlessness just before thunder roared, and it did, but not the way they expected it.


    ¡°So¡­. where¡¯s Marruk?¡± A voice asked in Enorian.


    Like a single man, half a thousand people turned their gaze to a suspiciously empty patch of trees the guerilla fighters had inexplicably left alone. Black mana dispersed and they now realized a new group waited by their side inside an intricate circle. There were horses, a pair of Hallurian youths with terrified expressions, but those were secondary to the three entities standing at the front without a care in the world.


    The first was a handsome, princely man with curly dark hair and a smirk that covered half his mouth, the other slightly twisted by an intimidating scar. The second was an exotic woman with hair of a blood-tinged brown and eyes like chipped emeralds. She was pale and smiling. The last was some sort of giant bone abomination with claws the size of short swords and two Will-O¡¯-Wisps where its eyes should be.


    The two sides were too stupefied to react, but a nearby bush shivered and answered.


    ¡°Viv? Is that you?¡±


    The bush shifted to the side to reveal a trench dug in the ground. A few archers with longbows grumbled and spat as their hidey hole was revealed, but they remained where they were while a woman in full plate climbed out.


    ¡°How did you get there? I didn¡¯t see you at all!¡± Viv said.


    ¡°We were already here one day ago just to be sure scouts wouldn¡¯t find us out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°It was horrible. I wouldn¡¯t recommend it.¡±


    Viv watched her ex-bodyguard-turned-mercenary-turned-bandit-lord and found that Marruk looked fine, if tired and a bit on the thin side. The highwayman career wasn¡¯t conducive to a stable diet so she could understand, but it still made her feel bad. Marruk¡¯s armor was pitted though clean, and her flanged mace showed significant damage. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t need to be in perfect shape to apply blunt force trauma.


    It still irked Viv a bit.


    ¡°So¡­ are you here to stop me? Because I already ruined the ambush we set up for their mage and¡­ Well. It would be bad. I would be¡­¡± Marruk said.


    She moved her lips, looking for the right word.


    ¡°Do you expect me to abandon my friends to work with a corrupt noble from a foreign land?¡± Viv replied with a smirk. ¡°Think about it for a while.¡±


    Marruk chuckled, but her brief hilarity was interrupted by the caravan leader.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this? Who are you? Are you with them? Know that you are interfering with the good conduct of an Enorian military op¡ª¡±


    Mana twisted. The man could still speak but no words could be heard coming from his voice.


    ¡°Shhhh. Shut the fuck up. The adults are talking,¡± Viv casually replied.


    The caravan ranks shifted uneasily while their mage stepped to the leader, warning clear in his posture. Viv ignored it, and his attempt to form a circle.


    ¡°Where was I? Oh yes. We¡¯re here to get you out and either to a northern city near the Steppes or back to Kazar, depending on what you prefer.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, really.¡±


    The Kark mulled this over while five hundred combatants waited in mumbling confusion, unsure as to what was happening. The Kark by the fallen trunk walked out of the road, shrugging and joining a group of allies.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Marruk asked.


    ¡°They can come as well.¡±


    Dangerous moisture appeared on the woman¡¯s ruddy cheek. Probably the weather.


    ¡°Kazar then. I think. I¡¯ll let people choose.¡±


    ¡°Good then.¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Marruk interrupted with vehemence, ¡°one last thing,¡± she finished.


    Her gaze turned to the caravan.


    ¡°It so happens that we are still short-changed by the local lord and I¡¯d like that money, since we are technically, ah, in a blood feud.¡±


    ¡°Just the money?¡±


    ¡°All thirty-seven gold talents of it. Rounded up. Because fuck them.¡±


    ¡°Thirty-seven gold talents and you will be satisfied?¡±


    ¡°No, but I would leave. And it must come from their treasury, not your pocket. They must pay.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Viv turned to the caravan leader who was now on the verge of apoplexy. She lifted the spell.


    The man immediately screamed.


    ¡°You dare! Do you know who I am? And you! Why didn¡¯t you do anything?¡± he asked, turning on the mage.


    The older man smiled kindly, his graying beard shifting. Viv inspected him.


    [Court mage, third step of the path. Dangerous. One who casts and advises in equal measures. Patient. Monster killer. Herbalist. Precise. Decent war caster.]


    As expected.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not interfere while we dispense justice or you will face the full wrath of Count Selno! I¡¯m warning you, our mage will smite you where you stand,¡± the leader threatened.


    ¡°Regarding this, ¡®sir¡¯,¡± the mage replied, and Viv could hear the hyphens around the title as they dropped with venomous content, ¡°I believe we should hear their offer.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the leader asked, flabbergasted.


    Ignoring him, the mage turned to Sidjin and bowed slightly.


    ¡°Sir, are you the Exiled Prince Sidjin of Glastia? The Red Mist?¡±


    ¡°That is certainly one of nicknames they used back on the wall,¡± Sidjin replied amicably.


    ¡°And you would be Bob, the outlander, yes? The one who slew Constable Tarano?¡±


    ¡°To be fair, he started it,¡± Viv shrugged.


    ¡°And may I ask you to prove your identities?¡±


    Sidjin lifted a single finger and a car size double helix of mana blade whirred to life, the twinned sections moving in opposite directions. The woosh of displaced air flattened the grass by the man¡¯s feet. It looked like the arcane equivalent of a blender and filled the exact same function.


    Viv clad herself in black mana until she wore the nightmarish form of her spiked armor, strands of energy emerging from her shoulder blades like so many segmented legs. A wave of draconic intimidation forced some soldiers to step back, despite the mass of their allies standing by their sides.


    Many among the caravan guards watched the spells and came to an easy, immediate, and unfortunate conclusion.


    ¡°And, uh, I do not know what that is,¡± the court mage said, turning to Solfis after a few moments of hesitation.


    //AN UNFORTUNATELY COMMON OCCURRENCE.


    //WHEN ONE DOES NOT LEAVE SURVIVORS.


    This convinced a few more people.


    ¡°So to reiterate, I believe we should hear their offer,¡± the court mage concluded.


    ¡°The offer¡¯s simple. You will give us thirty-seven gold talents ¡ª¡±


    ¡° ¡ª And my friends.¡± Marruk interrupted.


    ¡°You also release the prisoners. You turn around and return to the nearest town. In return, you get to keep your personal belongings and the amazing gift that is life.¡±


    The caravan leader licked his lips, frantically watching the scene unfold. He grabbed the mage by the shoulder and whispered, though Viv used a single spell to eavesdrop.


    ¡°Are we just going to drop our pants? Do you have no honor?¡±


    ¡°My inspection skill says any of those three by themselves would turn this battle into a slaughter. The bone thing doesn¡¯t even have a danger rating. It just says we¡¯re fucked. You do your last stand if you want but I¡¯m out of here, I didn¡¯t sign up to have my mug used as an ornament. Good day, sir.¡±


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    It took some time and resulted in an almost decapitation, but eventually all of the prisoners were freed, the gold was obtained, and the caravan headed back in sullen silence. It was just so weird that everything had ended without bloodshed, Viv thought. For once. The rebels had welcomed the freed prisoners and shared what little food they had before huddling in a vague column, aimless.


    ¡°Here is the plan,¡± Viv said out loud. ¡°We will head north on the road until we find a portal.¡±


    ¡°A portal?¡± a few people mumbled.


    ¡°A magical portal that will transport us south, out of the count¡¯s land, in the blink of an eye, one we have prepared in advance. From now on we¡¯ll have to walk. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find food for you lot on the way.¡±


    Marruk joined Viv at the head of a confused procession. The witch herself looked back to see disbelief plain on the exhausted fighters¡¯ face and, under that, the dangerous germination of hope. They were not out of the woods yet. Strictly speaking.


    ¡°You found me because of the bank?¡± Marruk asked without preamble.


    ¡°Yeah, they said you had joined a band of Kark bandits. Or disgruntled mercs, depending on who you believed. It was a simple task to follow rumors and use Arthur as a scout. She¡¯s flying above, somewhere. What happened here, anyway?¡±


    ¡°That boy, Sekur, he led his band here to work for coin. Count Selno hired them to dispose of rebels. Rebels that rose because count Selno, he is the biggest asshole around. He starves people. So Sekur meets the rebels but the rebel boss, man called the Reeve, does not fight them. He says Count Selno will betray and to take him prisoner. Sure enough, Sekur asks to meet the count on a field. Selno asks for the reeve but Sekur asks for payment. It goes bad. The Kark and the rebels fight off guards and escape together. Now the guards look for Kark and they find me!¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Marruk huffed her displeasure.


    ¡°Sekur and his men, young males, poor, not a single armor between the lot of them. Scrawny!¡±


    On the edge of Viv¡¯s vision, she spotted the object of Marruk¡¯s tirade flinching as if he¡¯d been physically struck.


    ¡°Cannot believe they mixed us. However, I am angry. So I found them and joined, taught them asymmetric pummeling like we did to the prince.¡±


    ¡°MARRUK THE SOFT-SPOKEN SHOWED US THE WAY. DISHONORABLE BUT SMART,¡± the man himself commented.


    There followed a small yet very loud speech of Sekur explaining that, though giving up a blood feud before the other party had died and making ambushes dishonored his ancestors, he agreed with the woman that protecting the living had become more important.


    ¡°We are of the same tribe, one of the two the northerners decimated,¡± Marruk explained. ¡°We adapt or we die.¡±


    ¡°The ancestors will forgive us this transgression. If we win!¡± Sekur screamed again.


    ¡°They were just tired of being hungry. And penniless,¡± Marruk muttered in Viv¡¯s hearing, scowling mightily.


    ¡°Hmm, does he always speak at this volume?¡±


    ¡°All Kark do. What is worth being said is worth being said loudly. No whining. No badmouthing. Such is our ways.¡±


    ¡°It is as the war leader says! ¡± Sekur thundered.


    ¡°This is going to get tiring very fast.¡±


    ¡°As I was explaining before SOMEONE interrupted us,¡± Marruk continued, ¡°I found them. We fought. The Reeve dies in battle but more rebels join us. They picked me as general because my plans work. It has been so since then. We take the gold and the count¡¯s men  make villages pay more. Despicable.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    The conversation died out soon after and Viv moved towards her boy toy who had been silent until then.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so big and so scawwy, your blendership. Red mist, was it?¡± Viv asked him, elbowing him gently.


    ¡°Yes, because the arcane spiked rotators I used would make the beastling ¡ª¡±


    ¡°And here I thought it referred to your painting skills!¡±


    Sidjin blinked and seemed to get his mind out of whatever spot it had wandered to.


    ¡°Sarcasm. Of course. Sometimes, I miss the palace. Beautiful women would pamper me all day long, asking me to recount tales of my many exploits without facetious comments.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but could they do this?¡±


    Viv manifested straight, slightly pointy shapes of black mana all over her face, simulating a beard and mustache combo Tolkien¡¯s dwarves would not have shunned. She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.


    ¡°I am truly blessed,¡± Sidjin replied.


    ***


    The rest happened exactly as Viv had expected. The band returned to their camp to pack, then a company-sized group of assorted marauders and cutthroats moved south through the land. Viv and Sidjin spent their entire days riding before and after the column, intercepting patrols Arthur spotted and talking to them before trouble could erupt. Those who recognized Rakan and Tarana as Hallurians were discouraged ro raise a fuss, and the possibility of facing hundreds of combatants backed by three mages for no discernable gain proved to be enough. They also bought food and supplies for the army, and it wasn¡¯t cheap. Fortunately, Viv was flush with money from her days at the medical faculty. The highwaymen also proved extremely resilient to long walks and difficult conditions, a side effect of their paths. It took only a week to reach the edge of the Deadshield woods without any notable incidents. In fact, the most time-consuming activity for Viv proved to be the drawing and testing of witchy teleport platforms, Sidjin being legally bound not to make any of his own for the duration of his employment.


    The improvised convoy bypassed the last major city, Reixa, but they did stop at Anelton at the edge of the Deadshield road where Viv had held a one hour siege against a bandit.


    What was his name again? Helix? No, Elex. Whatever.


    The ravaged city had not regained its former glory, but some of the survivors had returned and many intact buildings had been ¡®acquired¡¯ by opportunists in search of free land. There was quite a bit of traffic going through the woods and not all of it was troops going to man the forts.


    ¡°Lots of refugees going to fatten the monsters. Not sure why they think it¡¯s worth the trouble. Bunch of unruly savages ruled by a mad queen probably eat the lot as soon as they arrive. Just as bad as the revenants, I always say,¡± an enterprising innkeeper told Sidjin.


    Viv had taken to hide her hair now that it appeared that fame followed her where she went. It didn¡¯t help with the eyes or skin tone but in the shades of a badly lit tavern, it worked well enough. She didn¡¯t let the man¡¯s comments get to her. As far as she was concerned, cannibalistic mad queen was a massive step up from promiscuous great whore. At least they were afraid now.


    ¡°Speaking of, your lordship. You want company to warm your bed tonight? Finest girls from Reixa in a proper bed before you cross over.¡±


    ¡°You offer this in plain view of my wife?¡± Sidjin replied. ¡°You are certainly bold.¡±


    ¡°The more the merrier, I always say. Some of my girls can please you both. Why, ¡ª¡±


    ¡°That will be fine, I do not wish to indulge too much. I heard you were the man to talk to about specific tents?¡±


    ¡°Of course! A gold talent for a set of eight. A steal!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a threefold markup. May I ask you to reconsider ripping me off so shamelessly?¡±


    ¡°Anelton¡¯s far and the roads ain¡¯t safe, melord. A man¡¯s gotta do a living.¡±


    Sidjin smiled and tilted his head. Viv was definitely sure he had a way to improve his haggle. On an inspiration, the prince turned to her and winked.


    ¡°Care to give him a reason, darling?¡±


    Viv revealed her hair and leaned over the counter, both hands planted on the weathered wood.


    ¡°Give me a fair price and I might forget that man-eating comment next time I go through here with an army instead of refugees.¡±


    She watched recognition light his face. They got the discount.


    ***


    The trip through the woods went much better than Viv expected. The now retired highwaymen ¡ª and women ¡ª didn¡¯t complain and didn¡¯t stop. The Kark made no objection either.


    ¡°We cannot return north without covering ourselves in glory first,¡± he bellowed one fine evening.


    ¡°What he is trying to say is that if he heads back with his tail between his legs and not even enough iron to buy a single old Pakar, no one will marry him,¡± Marruk added.


    Viv was amazed how much shit Marruk said about her compatriots and how much they tolerated it. She prompted the stout woman about it later.


    ¡°They know I have much iron. I am a competent war leader. I also¡­¡±


    Marruk huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°I let it be known my mother had been a shaman. Shamans normally carry the wisdom of the ancestors. But I don¡¯t!¡± she complained, raising her fists to the sky in impotent fury.


    ¡°Are you annoyed because you feel responsible for them?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Marruk grumbled.


    ¡°And they are boneheads?¡±


    ¡°Not a single brain to share among them all. No plans. Screams all the time. Requests for honorable, single combat! Where do they think they are?¡±


    ¡°Was it not you who said you wanted them to change?¡±


    ¡°They have not changed,¡± Marruk growled between grit teeth. ¡°They think we act different because we are here, like crazed hunters away from their wives. They have not changed at all. Yet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should talk to them.¡±


    ¡°I am no good at talking.¡±


    ¡°Marruk.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, yes, damn you. FINE.¡±


    ***


    With Arthur covering the air and ravenously feasting on the flying wildlife, they arrived at Kazar two weeks after leaving Helock. It had to be a world record even the gryphon riders could not match. Unless that adventurer Sidjin had mentioned who could teleport had done it before. In any case, she felt a measure of excitement when some of the bends of the road grew familiar. In the early afternoon of the thirteenth day, they found the clearing where Lancer had died and were raced by Hadal children to the fair grounds. Viv took a deep breath as she emerged from the edge of the forest. There was black mana in the air.


    It also¡­ didn¡¯t smell very good.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Viv said.


    The fair grounds were a makeshift ghetto with rickety constructs where beggars waited listlessly. A shanty occupied a nearby field and dug into the forest a bit. Dirty, emaciated children watched them arrive with wolfish gaze. A small assembly waited in front of Viv. There was Solar and his wife Amiri, both looking like they¡¯d been caught with their hands in the biscuit jar, Wamiri being a little more defiant about it. Farren the Hand of Neriad was here with a few temple guards, looking exhausted. Ban had prepared a honor guard of heavies and they were the only group that stood straight. A few other notables and people she didn¡¯t know watched her from behind with expressions ranging from curious to furious.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Solar breathed. ¡°We have prepared a small feast and, ehm, welcome back.¡±


    ¡°You knew I was coming?¡± Viv asked, slightly surprised.


    ¡°Your Arthur told us this morning. She has grown! Ahem.¡±


    ¡°Where is the feast?¡±


    ¡°The town hall.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Can someone help those newcomers settle?¡±


    ¡°How many of them?¡±


    ¡°Three hundred, give or take.¡±


    It seemed like the end of the world given how the others were either wincing, massaging their temples, or boiling with rage.


    ¡°We can set them up in the barracks, we¡¯ve made new ones, but it¡¯s going to be a temporary measure. Like many others. Look, let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Viv nodded and split from the group with Marruk, Sidjin, Solfis, Rakan, Tarana, and Arthur. The procession made its way through the main road and Viv realized the population hadn¡¯t been told she was back.


    ¡°Hey it¡¯s Bibiane. Welcome back, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°Oh gods you¡¯re finally here, thank Neriad.¡±


    ¡°Please fix everything like last time, yes?¡±


    ¡°Did you bring more grain?¡±


    ¡°Finally someone who can get all those strangers sorted out. One way or the other!¡±


    There were a lot of guards in the dirty streets. Kazar had lost some of its pastoral charm and gained quite a few urchins. The air smelled more rancid and some of the shutters and doors had been reinforced with nails and steel bands. For all the apparent problems, people still greeted her with a smile and wave more often than not.


    The town hall¡¯s feast was a blessing for Viv who had not eaten anything decent on the road. As usual, Kazar¡¯s food lacked the spices and diversity of Helock¡¯s cuisine but the ingredients were top notch and that was all that was needed, sometimes. The mood remained somber and Viv walked from group to group, catching up with people she knew and getting to know others. Some were adversarial, some less. She didn¡¯t learn details but that was fine, this was a social event. The general mood was that Kazar, and by extension Harrak, was buckling under a massive influx of refugees and population growth. Simply, the place had been at peace for fifteen years and there had been few casualties during the war. Between this and the increased safety for children now that Hadals roamed the wood, even the space Viv had already cleared was becoming insufficient. This created tension between the old guards and newcomers. Some also struggled to adapt to the nation¡¯s progressive treatment of non humans, with some prejudice deeply ingrained. Simply put, Harrak was a victim of its success.


    Viv shortened the feast and retired to her tower, where she spent most of the evening poring over reports and documents. Her increased mental abilities and the polymath skill let her absorb a massive amount of data, helping her classify them into several major categories.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">There were too many people and not enough land for food production. They had enough grain for now but the reserves would eventually run out.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">They could not build houses fast enough despite a newly arrived couple of brown mana mages.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">A mysterious group of thieves was terrorizing the neighborhood.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">There were too many children, both born here and refugees</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Since there were no rules against it, a good third of the female Witchpact crossbow wielders were either pregnant or having babies. They were healthy young women and were forming families. Viv should have expected that.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Revenant attacks were on the rise. Some had been lethal.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">There were brewing tensions among the different groups.</li>


    </ul>


    Despite all of those problems, Viv was optimistic because Kazar had lasted without her. It had only done so for a couple of months, but¡­ it had done so. With a system she had implemented and adapted from modern democracy.


    Kind of cool, when she thought about it.


    It was late by then and she went to sleep with Sidjin after the pair fortified the house again. The next morning, her boyfriend took off to check the buildings and see if he could help. She was grateful and let him know in clear terms, though that took another hour. After that, Solfis was left in a corner, Arthur guarded the door, it was time for meetings.


    The first to come up was Solar. The tall, powerfully built swordsman sat rigidly in the guest seat and clenched his jaws.


    ¡°Say it,¡± he hissed.


    Viv knew what this was about. The city was in significantly worst state than she had left it. On the other hand, it was clear to her that those had been extenuating circumstances. She would surprise Solar¡­ and then she would hire him for her expedition.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    The swordsman blinked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know you expect me to bash you so I¡¯ll just state it plainly. I won¡¯t. I asked you to hold the city and make sure to protect it and its institutions. Which you have done. The place is still standing, people are still alive. You are a blademaster, buddy, not a mayor. You did a great job. If a leader gives its subordinate a task, it is the leader¡¯s responsibility to check that the subordinate has the tools and capabilities to complete that task or at least ways to find those. I didn¡¯t expect a miracle. You did what you could. I¡¯m thankful.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? You won¡¯t blame me for the problems?¡±


    ¡°I told you. I asked you to stop Harrak from collapsing. You did it. You are not an administrator by vocation. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± the man said, relaxing against the back of the chair.


    ¡°If you want to stop ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Gods yes!¡±


    ¡°Then stop. I remember that you didn¡¯t want the job to begin with. Before you go¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, we are not going,¡± Solar said.


    Viv raised an eyebrow. Solar was a bit of a wanderer from what she could tell and his companion Wamiri was from across the sea. She expected them to be gone as soon as they could.


    ¡°Wamiri is expecting,¡± Solar explained.


    ¡°Ah. Why is everyone pregnant? What¡¯s in the air?¡±


    //Legs, Your Grace.


    ¡°Thanks Solfis, very classy. So. You have decided to stay? Here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad place.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It makes it a little awkward but¡­ I need you for something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need help killing a necrarch.¡±


    The declaration fell like an expensive vase. Solar was left gasping.


    ¡°A necrarch?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You, Sidjin, Solfis, and I. We have a plan and equipment but¡­ we cannot do it without you.¡±


    ¡°It is¡­¡±


    Viv expected a flat refuse at that moment, yet something curious happened instead. Solar sat straighter and the air around him changed until the man felt more solid, somehow, more intense. Viv got the curious impression that if she extended a hand in front of him, it would return bleeding.


    ¡°... a fascinating idea¡­ Wait no. No. I am supposed to consult the mother of my child over such questions. yes. A necrarch¡­ by the light gods that would be such a magnificent battle¡­¡±


    He turned his attention to her.


    ¡°If I do so, no more jobs. I am a free man.¡±


    ¡°I believe I already agreed to release you from your debt against you holding the fort while I was away.¡±


    ¡°I consider I have partially failed so it does not count. But yes, a life debt against the blood of a necrarch. This would do. Let me talk to her, I should be able to convince her that it will be fine.¡±


    He made to leave then turned one last time.


    ¡°Hopefully.¡±


    The door slammed shut.


    ¡°Next!¡± Viv said.


    It was going to be a long day.


    ***


    Viv watched the second person to come with interest. She was an older woman with a faded yet expensive dress of a design the outlander had never seen before. Her hair was cleanly cut and held in an elaborate tail that curved around head before delicately resting on her shoulder. At the feast, she had curtly introduced herself as Baroness Azar. She looked prim and elegant in a cold and confident way that irked Viv on a fundamental level. A very short introspection made her realize why


    The woman had the mannerism of Madame Hortense.


    The worst elementary school teacher who ever lived.


    A hateful harpy with a deep resentment for children, fun, and life in general.


    ¡°Well, are you not going to greet me?¡± the woman asked with a peculiar pronunciation that Viv recognized from the school and elsewhere. The lady was Baranese, a noble according to her mannerisms.


    ¡°Tradition dictates that the petitioner should present themselves first.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! That should be after you invite me to sit!¡±


    ¡°We are not in Baran.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not, to my deep regret,¡± Azar replied, hands stretched in despair. ¡°I have crossed half of the continent to bring you back your enslaved people and this is how I¡¯m received! I must tell you right now, my dear, that I am unimpressed. This place is a proper mess, which can be reasonably expected to a limited amount but what do I hear? You are gone! Gone? The ruler of an expanding¡­ backwater mess, gone? Have you no notion of rulership? I fully expect you to step up because ¡ª ¡°


    Viv didn¡¯t know what stopped the talkative baroness. Perhaps it was a social skill. Perhaps it was the expanding, insane smile she felt blossoming on her lips. Perhaps it was the discreet sound of Solfis opening the nearest window to resurrect an old tradition.


    ¡°I just want to say two things. First, thanks for bringing back the lost families. Second, it¡¯s just such a shame the Paramese languages do not have a term for defenestrate,¡± she said genially.


    Baroness Azar uttered a small, almost cute yelp when she passed through the open sill.


    ¡°I think I clipped her leg,¡± Viv commented afterward.


    //Indeed.


    ¡°But she lives, right?¡±


    Downstairs, high-pitched cries of outrage drowned out the morning hubbub.


    //Indeed.


    ¡°Welp. NEXT!¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about it.


    ***


    Farren and a few others came to give their own reports. By early afternoon, Viv had outlined the measures she could implement that would set the Harrakan territory on the path to recovery.


    //I will need a week of intense training with Solar to coordinate with him and improve our teamwork.


    //You may have enough time to implement most measures before we leave for the lone mountain and the necrarch¡¯s den.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to train Sidjin and I?¡±


    //If you are involved in direct combat, something will have gone terribly wrong.


    //Your task will be barriers and traps.


    //A week of training will not make a difference.


    ¡°I trust in your experience. Alright, NEXT!¡±


    The man who entered the room was handsome in a slightly rakish sort of way. He wore an actual doublet with glass stones and painted golden threads that made it flashier than it had to be. He immediately took a seat and leaned forward, over the desk and close to Viv¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Hello, Miss. Or boss? What do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°People usually address me as ¡®Your Grace¡¯ in official settings.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, hey? Mouthful. Think I¡¯ll call you Viv.¡±


    ¡°You will not.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, no need to make a fuss! I was just trying to be nice,¡± he said, pulling back and raising hands in defense.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine holding the meetings today? You still look frazzled from the long road. A bit tired, maybe?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the concern Mr¡­¡±


    ¡°Edric, but my friends call me Ed. You could too! Haha, I am jesting. You can call me whatever you want, little lady. Me and the lads heard you got a lot on your plate and we happen to be problem solvers. The quiet kind, efficient. We get things done you see? I see a bright future for you and I, if you let me help you. Shoulder some of that burden. Lots of problems around, right? Maybe too much for a lone little lady.¡±


    Viv kept a pleasant smile on her face as she looked at ¡®Ed¡¯ like one inspects a freshly dissected toad.


    ¡°Oh, it will be fine,¡± she shily admitted, ¡°I have not come empty-handed. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll smooth things out soon enough.¡±


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want some help?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But not without testing you first, Ed,¡± she said, then she giggled.


    Behind her, Solfis¡¯ eyes shone with interest.


    ¡°Smooth things out, ey? You¡¯re not talking about the refugees I suppose. Mind letting me in on it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not sure I should say.¡±


    ¡°I promise to keep it a secret. The word of Edric is worth gold, they say. Come on, you pushed me off, can¡¯t you give a man a bone? A hint?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Viv hesitated.


    ¡°Come ooooon, a secret completely kept is no fun.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Alright.¡±


    Viv leaned forward, her face a little flushed, and spoke in a conspiratorial tone.


    ¡°I earned quite a bit regrowing¡­ you know whats, for the nobles of Helock. Their legs too, sometimes. But anyway, this will solve all our problems, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°If you says so, lady. I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Was there anything else, Ed? There are still people.¡±


    ¡°Ah it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t want to bother you too much. Don¡¯t forget your promise! You have to test us so we can dazzle you with our skills, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t forget.¡±


    Ed left and closed the door behind him. Viv¡¯s face, which had been shy and pleasant, turned cold.


    ¡°Well well well. I am pretty sure we just found the thieves terrorizing the neighborhood.¡±


    //Would you need my assistance?


    ¡°You need to focus on the training if Wamiri says yes, which she has not yet. I¡¯ll handle it with Ban and the heavies.¡±


    //Understood.


    It appeared a little fall cleaning was in order.

 Chapter 120: Fall Cleaning

    A group of shadowy figures moved under the aegis of a powerful shadow. A handsome man led them hand in hand across the main square of Kazar under the dying leaves of the Lilac tree. They moved in perfect silence. Some of the guards walked by and missed the group completely. In fact, they did not even look in the proper direction.


    The second man stopped by the town hall¡¯s entrance and worked on the barred gates. The third man had said that the tower was too heavily protected now, but the gold wasn¡¯t there. No one had carried a heavy charge into the fortified edifice. The guards had, however, taken the most defensible cart into a secured warehouse.


    The second man finished and the gate was opened, its enchantment remaining silent. The group snuck through the narrow opening and closed the path behind them. The portal pivoted on oiled hinges in preternatural silence. They did not leave traces behind.


    Once in the town hall¡¯s compound, the first man led the other through stone paths to their target. They met no one on the way but still exercised caution. They had not lasted this long by being careless. The third man checked every intersection for alarms and every arch for wards. The fourth man said there were dogs but the dogs were asleep. All was going well.


    They found the place locked tight.


    It was a structure of decent size, probably used for supplies rather than long term storage. The third man walked around the structure and jumped on the roof but found no ingress. There was only the large entrance, locked and warded with care. The team stopped and huddled.


    ¡°I can sense gold inside,¡± the fifth man said, ¡°at least¡­ twenty-five talents. Perhaps more.¡±


    ¡°Not exactly a fortune to change the tide of war,¡± the third man said.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the gold,¡± the first man said. ¡°There could be silver as well. Gems. Cores. Good enough for me. We get it and then we leave.¡±


    ¡°We do?¡± the second asked.


    ¡°Yeah. She may be naive but those Hadal pricks trust her. They could say yes where they refused Solar. And we don¡¯t hold a candle to those fuckers. Enough talks, let¡¯s get in.¡±


    The second man worked on the wards while the rest of the team oiled the hinges. Nothing would be left to chance. Every ward was undone with utmost care, even if it was not connected to the caster anymore.


    ¡°The tower is too far and they didn¡¯t have enough time. Otherwise we¡¯d have to dig a hole through the far side.¡±


    ¡°Small blessings.¡±


    Finally, it was done. The group opened the door without alarm and stepped in. The group did find a curious bundle of covers on the far side. The second man took out a lantern from his bag and lit it. The glow cast a light on the inside, but nobody outside would see anything.


    There were really a lot of covers on the ground.


    The men stood, nonplussed.


    A reptilian head covered in white scales unexpectedly emerged from the pile, glaring blearily at the intruders. Its malevolent slit pupil widened in surprise, then in the darkest of furies.


    ¡°Squee? SQUEE?!¡±


    A screech of pure rage shook the air, the expression of a hatred beyond words, beyond reason. It spoke of an outrage that only death would clear and the pound of flesh would be harvested right here, right now, without delay. An image formed briefly in the minds of the men.


    GOLD.


    THIEVES!


    The dragon stood on her hind legs to her full height, wings expanded ¡ª she was taller than most of them ¡ª and breathed fire. The blast torched two before they could duck. She was on the survivors before the first smoldering corpse could even touch the ground. The second man stumbled when his feet sunk into a patch of mud. The very air grew thick and stiffling. The first man ran because the dragon was using magic to an extent where the warehouse and its surrounding had become a hostile place. He ducked to the side when the creature found the third man and ripped him apart.


    He ran.


    He did not do so for long.


    A skeletal form emerged from behind the town hall¡¯s personal quarters and picked him up by the collar in a smooth motion before he could even backpedal. The creature lifted him until he was level with a pair of emotionless yellow orbs.


    //Well well well.


    //If it is not Edric.


    //Or should I address you as Ed?


    ¡°Ah. Ah! Maranor¡¯s tits.¡±


    //Now now, ¡®Ed¡¯.


    //No need to blaspheme.


    //At least, not yet.


    ¡°What the fuck are you?¡±


    //I happen to be a problem solver.


    //The quiet, efficient kind.


    //I get things done.


    //Do you follow?


    Edric¡¯s eyes widened in fear.


    ¡°You! You were in the room when I talked to that bitch. You fucking trapped us!¡±


    //If you recall, Her Grace lured you with the bait of an imaginary fortune.


    //Though I admit it was inspired to use her Imperial Highness the Princess Arthur to¡­ exact vengeance.


    //My algorithms prevent me from being too cruel as it adversely affects efficacy.


    //I do, however, appreciate it when others indulge.


    ¡°Who betrayed me? Was it Karel? I bet it was that fucking weasel.¡±


    //Betrayal?


    The creature¡¯s orb widened slightly in a motion Edric felt was purely artificial.


    //We arrive and learn that a group of bandits has been robbing around the town.


    //You arrived slightly before or during that time.


    //You come to Her Grace and describe yourself as part of an unscrupulous group of discreet problem solvers.


    //And you did not expect her to be suspicious?


    //Criminals are seldom the smartest population yet you still manage to scrap the bottom of the barrel.


    //I am impressed.


    ¡°Please let me talk to her. I¡¯m sure we can reach an arrangement!¡±


    //I¡¯m afraid Her Grace¡¯s sleep is too valuable.


    Behind them, the screech of rage had turned into a low, enduring low growl over the sound of ripped flesh and fabric.


    //And here I was hoping to hang the bodies as a warning.


    //Perhaps in bags?


    //But I digress, where were we?


    //Oh yes.


    //You were going to tell me where the valuables you stole are in return for a quick, clean death.


    ¡°Wait, wait, you don¡¯t have to kill me. I can help. I know a thing or two. Do you need help with solving crimes? Because you got some issues.¡±


    //The only reason you survived so long was that investigator Tars was trying to prevent riots.


    //And Solar was unexpectedly rude to the Hadals.


    //I will admit that you also possess a low form of cunning that has allowed you to go unnoticed for some time.


    //However, your luck has run out.


    //You will contribute to the reduction of crime by dying.


    ¡°It ain¡¯t right! There are laws! Theft is not punishable by death!¡±


    //That is correct.


    //Breaking into a government building, however¡­


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    A low growl came from behind, one charged with the promise of fire.


    //You have little time to decide.


    ¡°Fuck you. Fine¡­¡±


    ***


    Viv sipped on a hot cup of klod while watching a corpse swing from Kazar¡¯s hallowed tree.


    It pained her to admit that it brought back memories.


    Solfis had outdone himself, this time. The golem had dragged the body of the dearly departed Edric ¡ª gone too fast after merely a few minutes of acquaintance ¡ª and hanged it from the neck with what appeared to be human hands stuck to the corpse. There were at least ten of them. It was as grisly as it was peculiar and Viv was hesitating to order it removed before the temples started to whine.


    The golem had even retrieved the stolen property, which were now being returned to their owners.


    ¡°Perhaps I should have taken another approach. I apologize,¡± Baroness Azar said from behind.


    The proud noblewoman had survived her recent defenestration and returned to Viv for a second round. Viv could appreciate her persistence. She also wondered what would motivate a prideful landed lady to accept the humiliation with good grace and try again a day later.


    ¡°I admit that the difficult circumstances went to my head. Organizing things in the city has proven to be frustrating, hence my curt manners.¡±


    ¡°Your curt manners were an attempt to intimidate me into submission and if you lie to me again I will plant you in the courtyard, face first this time,¡± Viv commented.


    There was silence for a time.


    ¡°Very well. I see that you prefer a blunt approach. Will you believe me if I say I want to help?¡±


    Viv turned to the older woman, the only trace of yesterday¡¯s ordeal being in her guarded eyes.


    ¡°I will if it is the truth. Why do you want to help? If you were, you would be the first person who comes here out of the goodness of their heart since last year. Out of almost two thousand people.¡±


    ¡°Those people are refugees who have come here to find a better life. I have come to create it, make it with my own hands, as for why¡­ do you know who I am? Please do not take my words as empty boasts. My identity will provide much context for the explanation I wish to provide. I am Baroness Azar of Sorewan. The Shadow Duchess.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Even if Viv had barely passed the etiquette class, she was still familiar with the continent¡¯s greatest political figures. Sorewan was a region of Baran, near its center, the vast kingdom¡¯s most affluent domain and provider of most of its steel and half of its weapons. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Then your daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Is currently queen, yes, and my late husband was a general. One of my husbands, in any case. Do you regret tossing me off the tower yet?¡± the woman asked with an amused smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it again.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Perhaps we can work together. Although, please do not throw me out, I have a limited supply of good clothes.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that makes no sense. You have everything you want.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and no.¡±


    Azar walked and stopped by the window. She turned to Viv and there was something about her Viv found trustworthy. A brief inspection of herself revealed no signs of manipulation. It was the woman¡¯s calm charisma at work.


    ¡°I seek purpose.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Viv asked, surprised.


    ¡°My daughter has a solid majority on the council. The Kingdom is united behind the king to face the latest Hallurian incursion. My land flourishes. For the past decade, I have done little except consolidating and defending my power. A long time ago, Sorewan was torn apart by guilds and neighboring duchies until I came, but these days, everything feels¡­ easy.¡±


    ¡°So you what, buy and free slaves then decide to drop everything and serve a foreign power?¡±


    ¡°Do you know your greatest strategic threats at the moment?¡± Azar asked.


    ¡°Errr. The undead, Enoria, my own demise.¡±


    ¡°Your own ¡ª¡±


    Viv realized even that little comment had been too much. The baroness¡¯ eyes widened, then her mouth formed unspoken words.


    ¡°Extremely high attunement, of course.¡±


    ¡°Keep it to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will. No need to threaten me. Although, is it not common knowledge?¡±


    ¡°Farren and a few others know but it should not have spread yet.¡±


    ¡°For the best. The small folk do not like this kind of threat hanging over their head. And yes, to return to the matter at hand, your main enemy is undead and, as it happens, overpopulation. You have more than doubled the number of inhabitants here in a year, have you not?¡±


    ¡°If you count the returnees as new people, then yes.¡±


    ¡°You face undead in an attempt to save refugees and reclaim Harrak for mankind. Few causes are more worthy than this one. I¡­ want a purpose again. One I can fully support. Only then will I feel alive. However, I have left my estate in the hands of my partners and taken only necessities with me. You will not have the support of Sorewan, only my own, if you do choose to employ me. I urge you to do so. You know what I have achieved and you also know that your city lacks the upper layer of society and the training that comes with it.¡±


    VIv found the offer tempting.


    She had so far handled the politicking and base maneuvering herself, discrediting her opponents and mobilizing the population, but it was hard work and she had much to do. What Azar said was entirely correct. Harrak didn¡¯t have proper schools yet and it was growing too fast. Soon, the budding empire¡¯s size would become too great for the handful of competent civil servants the late mayor Ganimatalo had gathered. They needed administrators and they needed them fast.


    ¡°What happens if Baran and Harrak¡¯s interests are at odds.¡±


    ¡°That will not happen before I die of old age, dear. Sorry to dash your dreams.¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to swear fealty to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I certainly hope that all of your civil servants are oath-bound. It is not a fool-proof measure by any means but it certainly limits the most dire of offenses. Please note that I will keep an option to leave, in which case I promise not to work against you for ten years, but I will not be bound for all of eternity. Is that acceptable?¡±


    Viv thought it sounded fine. She turned to Solfis, now waiting in its retracted form by the entrance to the upper levels.


    //This scenario is not unique, Your Grace.


    //I have templates of oaths to Sardanal designed to induct foreign administrators to the Harrakan cause.


    //It is said that a great governor is worth two legions.


    ¡°Fine then. First, I would like to test you,¡± Viv cautiously said.


    ¡°That is acceptable,¡± the woman replied, though Viv could see the hint of condescension in her voice.


    From her perspective it would probably be like a self-employed young upstart asking a retiring tycoon to demonstrate their abilities. Nevertheless, Viv had a project and it was the perfect opportunity to see if the baroness could adapt to Harrak¡¯s circumstances.


    ¡°I need someone to set up a school and daycare system.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    That was Viv¡¯s solution to the orphans, street urchins, and maternity leave issues all rolled into one. A comprehensive institution would get the kids off the street and teach enough of them how to read and write so that the top performers could be trained as civil servants, lawyers, officers, and whatever else required literacy and a good head.


    There might be a little indoctrination thrown in the mix.


    Solfis had designed the program.


    ¡°I do not mind but¡­ let me be clear. I have not brought a lot of funds and I cannot justify using Sorewan funds for Harrak, or what will one day become Harrak, I suppose.¡±


    Money would definitely be an issue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll funnel some as soon as possible, but in the meanwhile, do you agree?¡±


    ¡°Of course. A good idea, a good investment that demonstrates foresight. I approve. It will be done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    //I shall let you discuss the details.


    //Solar is waiting outside with his sword.


    //It appears Wamiri granted her blessing.


    //Training will start immediately.


    //Please note that I will extend the preparation time by three days.


    That left more than ten days for Viv to start fixing things, and that was the proper term. She would not be solving issues, she would merely be providing solutions that would take a long time to implement. Right now, Harrak was a clusterfuck of biblical proportions and only quickly enforced measures would prevent it from turning the city into a pit of lawlessness. All the challenges Viv had listed stemmed from the unique situation Kazar and its surroundings found themselves in.


    On one hand, the old population had too much food and no access to imported goods since the caravans had stopped for a year. On the other hand, the newcomers had miscellaneous items they could sell for food but no way to produce anything. This was not sustainable at all. Many of the poorest people were on the verge of starvation-driven crimes. In order to solve the situation, Viv busied herself.


    Her first stop was at the bank, where she negotiated lendings using her own cash as collateral. Thankfully, there was a lot of it and the Manipeleso lads allowed her to leverage the amount, expecting most of the funds to be returned successfully. With money in hand, all of the more destitute families could eat and build workshops or prepare to work the land that would soon be made available. With a sense of purpose and a clear objective in front of them, the vast majority of refugees focused on taking back control of their lives.


    She also made sure Rakan and Tarana were settled. The poor Hallurians had been swept into the movement, though they did not seem to resent Viv at all. In fact, they were eager to meet the locals. Rakan went to work with Sidjin immediately, the two nerding it out on brown and colorless mana. Meanwhile, Tarana met the Hadals and got immediately fascinated with her fellow exiles and their expert hunting ways.


    For lodgings, Sidjin, Rakan, and the low level earth mages who had joined the city decided to help. They didn¡¯t build entire structures. They built the foundations and raised the walls, leaving the people to build their own roofs, shutters, and doors from the abundant timber. It saved a lot of time and mana for the mages and allowed them to lay the groundwork for several compounds every day. Progressively, those that lived in tents and shanties left for more durable stone structures where they would have privacy.


    Viv announced that she would be leading a trade caravan to Enoria when they departed, which spurred another burst of activity as many of those who had stockpiled goods now had an opportunity to sell them. The reestablishment of trade routes would go a long way towards normalizing life. Unfortunately, no one but her could use her portals so a safe teleportation through the woods would be a one off. It would still help.


    Viv was slightly concerned that people would talk, and others would realize she could teleport as well, but she also considered such discovery to be inevitable and it might as well benefit the Harrakans.


    The second-to-last priority was to free more land. There was no question that many of the refugees were farmers and they needed soil to work, so she had a few obelisks prepared. Carving them up was a matter of hours. The massive progress she had made in enchanting and mana mastery proved itself useful here, though familiarity likely played a role as well. There was no telling what a powerful enchanter with centuries of practice could eventually come up with.


    Actually, there was an example: Irlefen. He had designed Solfis.


    That certainly made her wonder what the old monsters could achieve and why the world wasn¡¯t a post-scarcity utopia yet. Maybe it was the monsters. Maybe people were just cunts. Speaking of, she would have to see if she wasn¡¯t breaking some intellectual property rights with her cobbled design.


    From the third day on, Viv started to move at the edge of the green land. Some of the places that had been a mana-saturated desert when she left showed signs of greenery, flowers and vegetable patches with fields ready to be seeded next spring. It was nice to see. Finding places to set the obelisks was a difficulty she had not anticipated, but Farren was able to help her with that. The young head cleric had spent a lot of time mapping the edge of the habitable land and he knew where the best opportunities awaited. Sometimes, they would create a small island on a hill because it was defensible rather than extending in a simple line. She installed everything in record time and the civil servants were granting plots to eager refugees before she was even done.


    With most of the Harrakan energy canalized, the last aspect she wanted to address was the military. Ban, leader of the heavies, had been in charge and done a decent job keeping people trained and fit, but they had been mostly milling around with no clear objective. Viv gave him some.


    With some of the children already busy helping set up the daycare, both the heavies and the witchpact soldiers were more available, so she set up combat patrols dedicated to chasing and eliminating revenants at the edge of the newly freed land. Patrols were authorized to keep the loot they found so long as they destroyed the bodies. It made everyone motivated and made everyone generally more battle-ready. Viv also organized mandatory formation drills, helped by Solfis.


    So far, Harrakan forces had only fought two ¡®major¡¯ engagements if the term was even valid. The city battle had been a messy affair but relatively straightforward. Everyone had stayed together and moved in a line. The prince¡¯s fall had been even simpler. Everyone had been placed somewhere to wait and charged when given a signal. Simple. Viv wanted them ready to maneuver in a real field battle. That would take a lot of training, especially with a lack of officers. She charged the surviving noble knight with this task and gave him the authority to select people he thought would perform best for promotion, after she and Solfis approved of course. With this, the army actually got off their ass to protect the population in a systematic manner.


    That solved, they began to solve most immediate problems.


    The next was less popular. They needed more money so Viv announced raised taxes according to one of Solfis¡¯ suggestions based on Harrakan enclaves on the south sea islands. It was a simplified system that let people pay in grain if they produced any, and mostly taxed high value stuff. It was widely tolerated since a lot was going on at the time. People were simply too distracted.


    On the fifth day, Irao came to visit Viv. For once, he knocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How are you, how are the Hadals?¡± Viv asked with a smile.


    Irao paused to consider her question in silence for half a minute, his white, hairless face thoughtful. He was staring at the ceiling with his slitted yellow eyes.


    ¡°I am concerned. The Hadals are doing well. Our numbers are increasing for the first time since the purge.¡±


    ¡°Errr, what are you concerned about then?¡±


    ¡°Do you mistrust me? Have I caused you anger?¡±


    That surprised Viv quite a bit since it was the first time Irao had displayed any signs he cared what others thought about him.


    ¡°No. What makes you believe I am angry at you?¡±


    ¡°I refused to help Solar because he was quite rude and accused me of harboring the thieves.¡±


    ¡°I wish you had cooperated, yes, but I do not blame you for refusing after being insulted.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you not asking me to come with you?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ the hunt?¡±


    ¡°Solfis and Solar are training to kill a Necrarch. I saw them, I heard them, I recognized the gear. Why did you not ask me to help?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ always assumed you didn¡¯t want to fight unless your people were in danger.¡±


    ¡°I do not want to assassinate. Hunting is fine. Most of my people are hunters now. Why do you want to kill a necrarch?¡±


    ¡°I need its core to turn part elemental or my high attunement will kill me.¡±


    ¡°Then it is important. Ask me.¡±


    ¡°Irao, would you please come to hunt the necrarch with us?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It will be a good way to test my skills after a long time. I will cooperate with Solfis. It will be a good hunt.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Viv felt genuinely better after that.


    ***


    Solfis stood near the command table which also happened to be in the tower¡¯s receiving room next to an adequate supply of tea.


    //A necrarch has a danger rating of seven according to the Imperial Monster Handling Repository.


    //For reference, the maximum danger rating before cataclysm is seven.


    //Although the notation itself is arbitrary, it reflects the extreme difficulty hunters face when engaging one.


    The golem lifted three fingers, the movement strangely human, or it would be if the claws were not quite so sharp.


    //First, the intellect.


    //Necrarchs are cunning.


    //Baiting them using normal means will not work.


    //Most traps will not work.


    //Direct combat is required.


    //Second, the battlefield.


    //Necrarchs have a lair.


    //They will be familiar with the location and extremely mobile within.


    //They will also retreat if at a disadvantage, and possibly lay a trap.


    //If wounded, they can retire to their lair to absorb stored energy and heal themselves.


    //We must explore the place while fending the creature off.


    //Third, the necrarch¡¯s combat abilities.


    The golem moved to a side table and produced a long list which he gave Viv.


    //The most important aspect to remember, for you, is that you cannot possibly face it.


    //A necrarch is faster than most fourth step dedicated warriors.


    //A necrarch can take a punishing amount of damage while remaining at close to peak performance.


    //A necrarch never tires.


    //A nercrarch¡¯s strength is enough to tear through heavy armor in a single body blow, gutting its victim.


    //Most importantly, a necrarch can cast spells.


    //As such, anyone under the fourth step or without significant resistance to black mana penetration will instantly die to one of its spells.


    //In essence, numbers are meaningless against a necrarch.


    //The necrarch will just use the victim¡¯s life force to heal their wounds.


    //Luckily, I know all this and came up with a plan.


    The golem pointed at a rudimentary map of the lone mountain based on Viv¡¯s recollection.


    //We will set up camp here near the entrance and wait for dawn to enter.


    //Necrarchs are more active at night.


    //We will enter and map the area.


    //Once I detect the creature¡¯s approach, we will stop at a chokepoint and face it.


    ¡°What makes you think it will attack us?¡±


    //Necrarchs are territorial.


    //They will attempt to defeat intruders quickly.


    //Only if they fail to do so will they start using strategy.


    ¡°Could we not box it in?¡±


    //Success of such a maneuver is uncertain.


    //I would prefer to go for the safest solution.


    //It might take several engagements, but we will corner it.


    //Then Sidjin will trigger one of his signature spells on its retreat path.


    ¡°How confident are you that you can face it in battle?¡±


    //This frame will keep up with it, although I could not defeat it alone.


    //With Solar and now Irao, I am confident we can eliminate it, barring accidents.


    //I have prepared black-mana resistant clothes for everyone except Irao.


    //He assures me that the spells will not be an issue for him.


    //I need to train some more with Solar and Irao, first to familiarize them with typical necrarch fighting style, second to improve our teamwork.


    ¡°We only have a short window. Will it be alright?¡±


    //Very little work is required from combatants at the peak of their path.


    //We will be ready to move out very soon.


    ¡°What¡¯s my part in all of that?¡±


    //Your role is threefold


    //You are to assist and cover Sidjin while he works by reinforcing his shields.


    //You are to set up a charging station to charge me using the ambient black mana near the lair.


    //You are to absorb lingering spells to stop the necrarch from turning the environment against us.


    ¡°That works.¡±


    //It goes without saying that you should not get into harm¡¯s way.


    //This battle is completely beyond you.


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    //I know you will.


    //There was one last thing I wanted to ask.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    The golem made showed a map of the area around Kazar this time, this one heavily annotated. On one side was Harrak huddled against the forest, with a tiny, tentacular network of small villages expanding from the city in cautious frog leaps. Father north and west was the vast expanse of relatively unknown deadlands, leagues upon leagues of dusty hills hiding the decrepit husks of estates and hamlets filled to the brim with all manners of undead, many more dangerous than revenants. A desolate spot near a ridge stood, circled with black ink.


    //This is the fortress city of Shinur¡¯s Gate.


    //It sits on a ridge and offers a good defense of the only easy path going farther inland from the edge of the forest.


    //Unfortunately, it offers lesser protection against the undead, our main enemy.


    //It is still the most defensible place we can hope to liberate within the next decade.


    //With proper preparation, we can turn it into a fortified beacon from which we can attract nearby undead before they can form hordes.


    //And before said hordes can fall on less defended villages.


    ¡°You want us to conquer a real city?¡±


    //I prefer the term ¡°retake¡±.


    //And yes.


    //There is an additional point of interest, beyond the facilities.


    //Shinur¡¯s Gate should still hold a great amount of manufacturing equipment, especially textile related.


    //It should also hold over four thousand gold talents in a secure vault under the main bank.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    //We will need a lot of funds if we want to make use of the influx of refugees.


    //This would be a good alternative to being in massive debt to the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange.


    ¡°Say no more, I am convinced.¡±


    //Then I shall give the order to prepare.


    ***


    Arthur stood on her hind legs, her head level with mother¡¯s as the extraordinary human focused on the next hunt.


    It was a glorious prey. Arthur approved.


    She knew the core would help mother become whole. She just hoped she would see the trap Elunath had laid before her. Arthur had seen Elunath from the sky. He was a duplicitous entity that would seek to capture her, but Arthur was confident mother would not let her wings be shredded.


    Mother turned to see Arthur and smiled at her magnificence. Arthur demanded a horn massage and got it, though they did not tickle that much these days now that their growth had slowed.


    It was just fun to see mother zap herself on the excess mana.


    After she was done, Arthur requested meat and got it, then she flew across the green fields to where Marruk was helping her kin settle down. Arthur¡¯s domain was expanding under the tireless labor of her minions, as was proper.


    The Kark herself greeted her as she approached and provided the requested pats as well as some more meat. It pleased Arthur to see the other Kark stay at a respectful distance.


    After receiving homage from her human and her Kark, she considered her genius. The human she had helped had risen from lost, manaless whelp to queen. The Kark she had inspired had grown from a shy lone warrior to a gruff warband leader.


    Obviously, Arthur was gifted with matchless management and mentoring skills.


    It would be perfect for when she opened her own bank.


    The future was golden.


    Arthur took off to hunt for squirrels.

 Chapter 121: The local talents

    Viv watched the bewildered Harrakans exit her portal, spreading out on the open meadow and marveling at the wonders of magic she had just unveiled for them. Ten days of harrowing trek across the Deadshield spared. Ten days of terrifying encounters with monsters and beastling tides, with the forest¡¯s disquieting effect bypassed with the facility of a high speed train ride minus the time. They ambled out, blocking the way of those behind. Viv could still see the green on gray background of the deadland behind the portal¡¯s aperture. Mostly, she wished they¡¯d hurry the fuck up because keeping that thing on was hard.


    ¡°Move, move!¡± Ban bellowed, and the selected merchants sheepishly dragged their cornudon-drawn carriages across the plain. The wooly beast didn¡¯t seem too bothered by the change of scenery, the most enterprising already grazing on unchewed grass.


    Maybe they were simply too dumb to care.


    Over the next minute, Harrak¡¯s first grand caravan trailed through the opening at a brisk pace. Its members had been selected among volunteers and path traders whose lives had taken a turn for the worse, forcing them to become refugees. Now, they had a second chance and many were eager to make a killing on the markets of Reixa and other Enorian cities. The only downside was that they would miss the harvest festival with their families. It was a huge deal Viv could sympathize with, as it seemed to be the local equivalent of Christmas or Eid or Hanukkah or the Spring Festival: a family celebration meant to gather relatives. It was too easy for her to forget that the Enorian people had vibrant traditions and a long history of their own when she still considered herself an outsider.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Ban said, his face twisted in a scowl.


    The old soldier looked even grimmer and crustier than before, his muscles corded like steel wire under the heaviest armor the Yries had ever produced. He was also well on the fourth step, which made him one of the deadlier fighters of humanity.


    [Tip of the Spear: commander of the first regiment, first company of the Harrakan heavy infantry, the heiress¡¯ guard. Expert close quarter combatant, unbreakable, tenacious, adaptative fighter, fast learner, loyal, undead slayer, man killer.]


    A long, braided white beard fell from his helmet down to his navel and white, embroidered pennants flew from his black steel armor, decorating an otherwise plain armor. He looked much more respectable now than he used to, back when he had been a retired veteran. The fact that his entire gear had been enchanted to the gills by the smiths of Neriad helped with that as well, Viv suspected.


    ¡°Ban,¡± Viv greeted in return.


    The old man had kept the Harrakan military in top shape through exacting training and even increased its numbers, though it had been a force without purpose, with no clear threats aimed at the nascent kingdom. Now, though, he would see action again.


    ¡°I believe you should let us come with you, as a honor guard.¡±


    Viv shook her head. Ban had let his disapproval known but had not voiced it until now.


    ¡°The heavies have plenty of strength but black mana resistance is not one of them. Trust me, it would be a waste to have you die against the necrarch. You are much better used escorting our very first caravan since the independence.¡±


    ¡°You said the roads are much safer now¡­¡±


    ¡°For Enorians, yes.¡±


    It was time for a quick lesson in basic politics. Fortunately, there were similarities between Earth and Nyil mythologies.


    ¡°Look Ban, you know how Maranor stands for justice here, yes? And her weapon is a sword, not a shield? How many law bringers pick a sword as their symbol?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Justice is not about protecting people because it¡¯s almost impossible to achieve. Would be nice though. Justice is about righting the wrongs after they have occurred. The Enorians will protect their own and punish marauding groups of bandits swiftly now that the war is over. If the victim happens to be foreigners, however¡­¡±


    Understanding pierced through Ban¡¯s mind and his eyes widened. He was not born yesterday.


    ¡°If the foreigners come from a separatist city that humiliated their army twice¡­¡± the old man continued.


    ¡°Then perhaps the local nobles will not look too hard into any mass disappearance. The local traders may bemoan the loss of opportunity but most citizens might enjoy seeing us taken down a peg. Reminded of our place in the food chain, as it were. Now, if it were just a couple of caravan guards, the opportunist would probably take their chance. If, however, the caravan is defended by elite infantry and crossbowmen¡­¡±


    ¡°Then they will know that we will draw more blood that they can afford to shed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also about sending a message,¡± Viv continued. ¡°They might still see us as lucky bastards saved by the deadshield woods. You are to prove them wrong.¡±


    ¡°We will be seen, Your Grace. They will know the Harrakan Heavy infantry has returned from the grave of history. We will be the tip of the spear.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Ban, but most importantly¡­ get my people home.¡±


    ¡°By your will. After that, I shall cleanse our new territory of undead presence.¡±


    ¡°Please do so. I want us to take Shinur¡¯s Gate upon my return. No more delays.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The old man saluted then left to direct people. Viv considered herself lucky to have dedicated people on her side. Her father had mentioned it several times. It was better to lead a team of competent people than be competent yourself. With this, she started to close her portal now that everyone had been through. To her surprise, someone else was waiting for her to be done.


    It was the town¡¯s apothecary. Viv did not interact much with him on account of his dull and dour personality. He was good at his job and so Viv let him be, a favor he had been returning so far.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°I should have asked before. I have an idea. I think it can work, but I will need three gold talents.¡±


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°You have a population control problem.¡±


    The dry delivery left Viv nonplussed. She had not expected this sort of insight from a medieval shopkeeper, which proved once again that she should check her arrogance.


    ¡°I¡­ suppose we do?¡±


    ¡°You do. The refugees who just came here know they should wait before expanding the family, at least until their farms and businesses are up and running. The female soldiers must be able to decide not to be with child just before a major operation. People need to be able to plan. I saw you had a ring. Rings are expensive. Potions are not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    The man stepped closer.


    ¡°Do you know of the Golden Order?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I studied them. They are a knightly order made of women dedicated to Enttiku, the goddess of death. Stationed on the Glastian wall right now.¡±


    ¡°Those women have sex and they regulate the births by using a combination of two potions, one that stops the moon cycle and another that makes them bleed. Now, the bleeding potion¡¯s main ingredient is called the Heart Grass and it grows freely everywhere, but the cycle one is more important, because the bleeding potion only works for a little while after the pregnancy has started. Once the bun is in the oven, pardon my Baranese, it is too late for the ¡®oops draught¡¯. Now, I know the apothecaries in Reixa have seeds and sprouts of the Moon Disc flower. I need the money to purchase them.¡±


    ¡°You need gold talents for that?¡± Viv exclaimed.


    The apothecary shook his head.


    ¡°I am not buying a sample, I am buying patches, which will have to be replaced. Half of the money is for bribes to get the flower to begin with. Have you forgotten Enorian customs, ¡®goodmother¡¯? Enorian women are tasked with populating the kingdom. The potions I intend to brew are not conducive to that. There is a chance they are even illegal.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Viv had to get her bag from her horse¡¯s saddles and take out the coins. By then, the caravan was ready to head east to the large town of Reixa while they would be heading north through a camouflaged portal. Besides Viv and the necrarch raiding crew, there were also the Hallurian twins.


    The trip north consisted of Viv achieving a feat of magic the likes of which no one had ever succeeded at her level while the others leaned around, munching on snacks and sipping tea. She would then spend twenty minutes on the other side of the portal nursing a headache and then do it again. One star rating. At least it was fast. They were in view of Losserec-on-the-Lake on the morning of the next day.


    They left Tarana and Rakan on a ship heading back to Helock, then bought their own bark since no fisherman was willing to rent to what was very clearly a hunting group. It got to show the trust of people in humans versus monsters contests. Viv didn¡¯t blame them. She did, however, blame the man she bought the ship from for extorting her.


    ¡°This is a great little vessel! Do you know how many such vessels can fit both your standards and a crew that size? No? Only old Jekk can sell you such a gem. No one complains about Jekk¡¯s product! I am fully supported by the shipwright guild!¡±


    But Viv did complain. At least, she didn¡¯t have to row. Solar grabbed the paddles and went to work, not even bothering with the tiny sails.


    ¡°Do we not use the second pair? We have two pairs,¡± she said.


    ¡°Only if you want to slow us down and get sore arms as well,¡± Solar patiently explained.


    Viv grumbled that she had been performing the physical training Solfis had given her to help with meditative trance and she was fit and had finely toned biceps thank you very much. Alas, her protests fell on deaf ears. Only Sidjin sympathized. After a fashion.


    ¡°It is unseemly for mages to perform physical labor when warriors are present and better suited. Such is tradition.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    ¡°It is also tradition for women to let the men carry them.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Mother must let the lower specimens serve her.


    Must not upset the pecking order!


    Unnatural.


    Can only row if I am the passenger.


    Arthur huffed and took to the air.


    Viv¡¯s attempt at equality being completely ignored, the vessel made its way very quickly along the shore. No one was familiar with the local place, but it was clear Solar had some experience steering a ship. He led them effortlessly between small islands. They met another fishing ship a little after noon as the last village had faded behind them.


    ¡°Be careful around those parts,¡± a kind man warned them. ¡°They found cannibals here earlier this year.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep our weapons ready,¡± Sidjin assured them.


    The fisherman looked at Viv and shook his head in disapproval. Enoria was still really firm on women not going on adventures, Viv thought, even the ex-rebel countryside.


    She wondered how the witches she had met here were faring.


    The group made a few jokes about Viv keeping an eye out for cannibals until she threatened to cook them. The ship kept going for a while, following the distant shape of Arthur as she flew overhead. The dragonette started cycling not long after.


    The shore was wild here, and covered in trees. The edge of the northern deadshield woods hugged the lake on its entire western flank. Viv could already feel a hint of saturated brown mana and that strange, quiet atmosphere she associated with the confusing forest. Arthur landed near a brook and Viv recognized the dark tunnel she had followed out of the lone mountain. The cave looked normal enough from outside, but she knew the passage inside would be smooth and artificial.


    ¡°It¡¯s here. I recognize it.¡±


    Mother came out from here.


    Wet! Cold! No fish.


    Arthur snorted with disdain.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Alright. We go through, leave the mountain, set up a camp and go back in. Everyone still agrees?¡± Solar asked.


    //Yes.


    No one felt the need to speak after Solfis. The group carried the bark up the slope and into the tunnel. Viv got her socks wet and complained, but as soon as everyone was on board, Sidjin used a blue spell to dry clothes.


    ¡°I knew I was keeping you around for something,¡± Viv confessed amorously.


    ¡°I feel valued,¡± Sidjin deadpanned.


    Solar chuckled, and some of the mounting tension was dispelled.


    The tunnel proved too narrow to use the paddles so Sidjin resorted to ferrying them forward by pushing the ground away, using the paddle as a stick. It worked well enough.


    Viv lost her time perception as the darkness descended. She cast her spell in silence, summoning a pale blue light to guide their way forward. The memory of her terror gripped her chest and clawed at her throat. She had felt her heart stopped, felt herself die. She shook her head.


    Sidjin took her hand in his and massaged the knuckles. He was very warm and smelled of sunshine and soap.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered.


    Sidjin was about to reply, but his face turned into an expression of wonder. They had reached the mushroom cave. The dense lattice of stalagmites and stalactites covered in fluorescent growth let them pass in blissful silence.


    Then the darkness returned, yet it did not feel as oppressive as before. Until Solfis spoke.


    //Black mana concentration is increasing slowly but noticeably.


    Viv had not realized. Black mana was present in every dark place, and at night. Now that Solfis mentioned it, however, she noticed as well. The mana here had a taste. It was not just the standard background of the absence of light.


    ¡°Are we already in its territory?¡±


    //Age of the necrarch revised to: ancient.


    //Expect higher spell usage.


    //Adjusting general strategy.


    //Your Grace, we will have to depend on you for black mana countermeasures.


    //You will have to fight with us.


    ¡°I already knew I¡¯d be around keeping Sidjin safe. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    //Acknowledged.


    //Everyone please change into insulated gear now.


    ¡°Errrr.¡±


    ¡°I will avert my eyes, Viviane,¡± Solar assured her.


    Viv had to keep the light on to see what she was doing while everyone changed into black-leather covered armor and helmet. Sidjin looked like the dark heir to an evil empire in his, while Solar wore full plate and would have scared off a Nazgul. Viv¡¯s own armor was the same leather she had worn when attacking the assassin¡¯s guild, modified for insulation. Irao did not change outfit. As for Solfis, the golem stayed put since he was already bone naked.


    Arthur stayed put because she was scale-naked, then spent the time complaining.


    Boat is moving too much.


    Why do you need so many layers?


    Grow scales already.


    Stupid not gold metal skin things.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not supposed to be part of this operation,¡± Viv said.


    //I did not plan for Arthur to join us.


    What are you going to do, stop me?


    This is a good hunt.


    I will protect you.


    ¡°But the necrarch can¡¯t even be eaten!¡± Viv told her.


    There is more than food in this world.


    Arthur turned her head haughtily.


    There is gold, also.


    In the necrarch¡¯s den.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    //If she stays by your side, she might help with casting.


    //However, the necrarch will kill her in close quarter combat.


    //She must remain at the back.


    I stay with mother.


    No burning our friends.


    Smart dragon.


    Very strategic.


    Deadlier than compound interests.


    ¡°I should not have taught you that, dammit. Fine. No direct fighting. We stay under the shield and throw spells.¡±


    Arthur nodded and the trip resumed. Solfis placed himself at the tip, his unblinking gaze watching the tunnel. Viv tried to remind herself she was protected by some of the deadliest fighters on the continent but it did little to dispel the cold chill clawing at her torso. The party remained silent until the time the skiff reached the underground pier where Viv had made her escape.


    It was lighter here. The long-abandoned base of ancient humanity remained, dusty and bare. They moored the ship at the lone pier and filed out in silence. Solfis and Irao took position near the wide passage leading to the entrance while Solar covered a tunnel leading farther into the complex. Viv, Sidjin, and Arthur remained in a central position, vigilant. Viv heard words at the edge of her perception, hisses floating in the wind.


    No, not the wind. Mana.


    ¡°It knows we¡¯re here,¡± she whispered.


    ///It has a domain.


    //Let us go before it decides to attack us while we are not ready.


    The party walked to the main cave, the vast expanse where Viv had found the god statues. She noticed that the corpses of the lizards she had slain were gone, though she was not sure what to think of it. They moved in formation and quickly, with the melee combatants at the back. Outside the lone mountain, the sun was setting. The path down was covered in fallen, rotting leaves and broken branches. The air was heavy with the smell of nature and the dizzying effect of the unending forest¡¯s domain. Viv did not stop until they were at an ancient campsite, the remains of old menhirs still clear after centuries of wind and rain. Viv and Sidjin did not wait. The mage cleared a perfect circle of stone in a breath and removed all detritus with a wave of his hand. Viv was carving runes and circles before the dust had even settled. Above them, dark clouds hung low, pushed north by a cold wind. The valley waited, silent.


    Suddenly, Solar turned and drew his sword. Viv glanced at it. The blade was dull gray, yet strangely hard to look at. It was also huge. Solfis stood as well.


    She redoubled her effort. Something was coming. There was a stampede rushing towards the mouth of the cavern.


    Viv looked up from her writing. Above her, the twisting path led up to the maw of the mountain, its stalactites like so many teeth ready to fall and mangle, and something was coming from it. A lot of something. A first dark shape flew out, the another, then an army. The sky was dark and the ground was squirming with undead bodies, a veritable tide of dry flesh and old, creaking bones. The sun shone on dry pelt, exposed, dry tendons. Shriveled organs. Viv powered the outer circle to activate the first layer of the shield, but Sidjin rerouted the mana to deeper parts.


    ¡°Focus,¡± Sidjin ordered in a tense voice.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Solar swung.


    Viv felt him move though she was not looking and no mana surge warned her that it would come. She felt him swing in the same way one can feel heat, standing on a window overlooking a nuclear reactor. Solar struck and he split the sky in two.


    There was a massive boom, and the setting sun returned through the gash, bloodying the severed cloud. Daylight returned, if briefly. The mountain shone red under its glare.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    ¡°Focus, love.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The stampede had stopped, shredded to bits, or so it seemed, but Viv felt the cave entrance vomit a tide of black mana, more mana than she had ever felt since the heart of the deadlands. The amount of power the necrarch could conjure was simply staggering. In an instant, the blasphemous horde reformed and resumed its assault. Viv heard a sybillant threat in the tide of power, then what sounded like a hissing laugh. She traced the glyphs faster, her hand assured.


    //We need a way to keep them down.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    //If you please.


    Then the undead were on them, around them, over them. Feathers and bits fell all around as the melee fighters took down the lesser threats faster than they would come, for now. Viv saw blue eyes, a sign of necromantic direct control, not on one being but on all of them. The fallen mocked her as they reformed to their original, rotten forms.


    Heat came. Arthur vaporized an entire flank. The stench was horrible. Viv was still writing, inscribing every symbol with care. Not looking up. Something almost got to her but Irao stabbed it and when it fell, it did not step back up. What he slew stayed dead. The necrarch whispered through its puppets, uncaring. Viv knew why. This was not an assault. This was not even a probing force. The necrarch was keeping them busy until nightfall.


    Then it would come.


    But Viv would be ready. With a last flourish, the shield locked in position and the next corpse that tried to penetrate was pushed back. It was, Viv noted, a merl corpse, its prehensile feet turned into bone claws.


    Viv was in business.


    ¡°I¡¯ll challenge his control.¡±


    //Acknowledged.


    Sidjin turned the edge of the shield into a mincer, blending the beasts as they approached and tying them up. The mana the necrarch was expending boggled Viv¡¯s mind, and she judged she could not win a contest of will with it. She would have a better chance swimming up a waterfall.


    [Powered revenants: undead remains animated by a powerful necromancer, Very dangerous, instant regeneration, ignores damage.]


    As expected, the necrarch puppetted them with its will. Just staring into those blue flames let her feel the touch of its malevolent mind. Viv picked a large bear Solfis was dismembering and cast.


    ¡°Yoink.¡±


    Viv hit a wall, a solid mass of energy so dense it felt solid to her soul. Rather than mushing herself against it, she claimed a small part, and drained. As soon as the energy was hers, she absorbed it and grabbed some more. She felt full in a bare second and poured the excess energy into their shield, overcharging it.


    Inside of the mountain, a creature shrieked in outrage.


    Viv gasped. The scream carried such hatred that she lost control of the spell, and the necrarch seized it. The tendril remained and Viv felt its grasp climb up towards her.


    She cut her spell and the bear gave her a lipless, putrefied smirk. So Viv cast again.


    ¡°Mass Yoink.¡±


    Viv¡¯s questing tendrils grabbed one creature after the other, plundering what she could before breaking the connection. The necrarch screamed again. This time, it was personal.


    The powerful sound shook her. It spoke of so much time spent in the darkness, growing more vicious and more cunning. It told a tale of many hunts, always ending cruelly, always in blood and death, in cracked bones and pulled limbs because the necrarch, at the heart of it, was craving without satisfaction. It had been robbed of the peace of death and all that was left was vengeance and fury. Before that, Viv was nothing. A child. A speck of dust.


    Except, that was not quite true.


    The wave of intimidation smashed against the tiny mustard seed of Viv¡¯s soul, and found the trace of past deeds. Viv was still a small pebble in the grand scheme of things but she had achieved much with the tools at her disposal and the world, and her soul remembered. Leadership shielded her and reminded her that those around her had come to gravitate around her orbit. It was her hunt, her squad. Draconic intimidation rose and spoke of cold rage preceding fiery violence. The wave waxed. The wave waned. Viv¡¯s soul was left behind, a fluttering white orb, unscathed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul Master: Beginner 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation: Expert 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Ok, first of all, GO FUCK YOURSELF.¡±


    Viv cast a sound spell to dull the screams around her and resumed casting. In front of her, a blur showed the various combatants at work. Solar moved in liquid lunges that pulverized creatures in their path, the trail of devastation continuing far beyond the reach of his blade. Solfis was a nightmare of claws that moved minimally and stayed by her side. Each of its movements was performed with lethal precision. As for Irao, he went after the more vicious and problematic specimens, leaving behind corpses with no signs of damage and yet, they would never rise again. Sidjin shredded the chaff and burned the remains together with an opportunistic, flame-spitting Arthur. Already, a pyre was lit at the back of the formation and it was growing taller with every new kill. The necrarch¡¯s forces were melting like snow under the sun.


    And just as the attack had started, it stopped. All the revenants fell at the same time, their black mana reclaimed.


    The battle stopped abruptly.


    It had been the most intense and exhilarating fight in Viv¡¯s existence. She had never seen such a display of deadly prowess.


    The fighters gathered in a circle, everyone making sure they were unharmed. No one had taken even a scratch.


    ¡°Damn that was cool. What now?¡± Viv asked.


    //We proceed as planned.


    //We dispose of the bodies.


    //Then we go after it.


    ***


    The party destroyed the corpses to the last one with rigorous attention to detail. Nothing larger than a bird wing was left behind, the rest burnt with standard and dragon fire. Only when the fall back position was fully secured did they move in. Viv thought Solfis might call for a stop, but the golem did not want to give up the initiative.


    //Necrarchs are cunning, but mostly they are tireless.


    //The longer this goes and the longer you meatbags will weaken.


    //We will take small breaks after the necrarch retreats to regenerate.


    He seemed confident.


    Viv followed her defenders into the main cavern. It was dark, empty, and foreboding. The old god statues stood a silent vigil as they had the last time she was here. Without prompt, Viv set up a charging station for Solfis while Sidjin made another, more basic fallback position. The cave continued deeper into the mountains, but Viv knew there must also be a path up. The lone mountain had a secondary opening much higher up, she remembered, far above the forest level.


    //There does not seem to be a chokepoint ahead.


    //We will head right and await its first attack.


    The party moved, with Solar leading the way and Solfis closing the march. Viv could no longer see Irao but she suspected he would make himself seen when it mattered. They returned to the pier first, then up a short flight of stairs through the door she had previously ignored. It led into a large room with a stone counter. Powdery wood and pottery fragments littered the ground. Viv called some light again.


    //Looks like a storage space.


    More doors led into an enclosed room with stone beds and tables. Private quarters. They found a lobby of sorts, with a cold hearth over red stone. Viv stepped on it and realized it was not red stone. A muffled sound of pain carried through her soul, bypassing her ears entirely.


    //Careful, Your Grace.


    ¡°The hell is that?¡±


    [Grave of the faithful: a powerful curse was uttered here by a dying folk. Its strength has faded over the eons but the flaking blood remains.]


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    The ground was covered in so many rust-colored spots that only a true massacre could have left such a mark. Viv wanted to believe it was a side-effect of the curse, but she did not believe it. Now that her attention was drawn to violence, she noticed the damage more. Some of it had not been inflicted by time.


    ¡°Spear strikes,¡± Solar whispered, most of his attention remaining on a passage. ¡°Powerful wielder to shear stone like that.¡±


    The more the party explored, and the clearer it was that the lone mountain had not been abandoned peacefully. Unfortunately, there was little way for Viv to understand what had happened since most of the evidence had disintegrated. Solfis, however, took note of every piece of writing it could find. There were runes left, engraved in stone next to tunnels or above rooms.


    The group found that the inside of the mountain had been hollowed out. The ground floor mostly hid warehouses and barracks with the occasional socializing or living quarters, even a bath. They ignored the passage leading deeper and decided to climb up first.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± VIv said, facing the stairs.


    //Detecting hostile construct.


    ¡°I feel it as well. It¡¯s¡­ subtle.¡±


    ¡°Too subtle for me,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s intuitive. Here.¡±


    Viv set up a barrier including one for sound, then it was all about interfacing.


    ¡°Just need to trigger it remotely.¡±


    A black veil hung around the passage, obscuring her perception. She sent a spear of mana but it did not seem to do anything. A thrown piece of rock did no better.


    ¡°It seeks life,¡± Irao eventually whispered. ¡°Observe.¡±


    The Hadal stepped forward before Viv could utter a warning. The cloud exploded, seeking life voraciously. Viv thought the assassin was done for this time, but he reappeared next to her as if he had never left. Perhaps he had not. Viv had bigger issues, because the flow of black mana crashed against her shield until it blotted the way, a thick wall of void, impenetrable. Impossibly, it started to eat at her own defenses. She charged the shield with the meaning of annihilation and still the trap ate at it.


    It was her annihilation against the necrarch¡¯s. It was winning.


    ¡°Aegis!¡±


    The shield changed, turning into a hive structure of pentagons.


    ¡°It¡¯s still pushing, I may need ¡ª¡±


    Solar stepped forward and drew his blade. He thrusted.


    All air left Viv¡¯s lungs. Reality was drawn forward, filling the void left by the strike.


    The last rays of the sunset shone on the tunnel, dispersing dregs of darkness.


    ¡°Could have opened with that,¡± Viv mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite tiring to pierce a hole through a mountain,¡± Solar drily said. ¡°I am counting on you for the magical aspect of things. Such strikes would be better used against the necrarch.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Viv replied, chastised.


    //Your Grace, this was a good opportunity to understand what we are facing.


    //I am convinced that you can come up with good countermeasures.


    Is there a way to redirect the spell instead of stopping it?¡± Sidjin asked.


    Viv knew he had probably come up with his own defense. She appreciated the small attention.


    ¡°Yes, I just have to make a half sphere and let the attack glance over it, and over us. It ¡ª¡±


    Everyone but Sidjin turned around, suddenly alerted.


    //Mana saturation increasing.


    ¡°In the tunnel, now,¡± Sidjin said.


    The rest of the party followed him up the step. On a hunch, Viv added a sound barrier to the latticed defenses the two caster set in front of them.


    A deep scream fell on them and bounced. This time, the casters¡¯ adapted defenses fended off the most damaging effect. All that was left was an unsettling, muffled hiss.


    This guy sure likes screaming, Viv thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s behind us,¡± Irao said.


    //Yes.


    //We know this.


    //We need to lure it once into a chokehold for assessment and to wound it.


    Irao nodded. Viv got the impression he was merely informing them, not trying to give orders. In any case, they moved up the stairs and into a large room with actual windows and several paths branching out. They also found the first trace of the invaders beyond the battle damage. Someone had scrawled runes under the various directions, translating them for its new occupants.


    //Those are ancient alphabets used during the first Harrakan era.


    //Traces can still be found in royal tombs and the oldest temples.


    //I can decipher it.


    //With any chance, I will be able to translate the unknown glyphs.


    //The ancient translations mean: study rooms, living quarters, armory, and garden of fertility.


    ¡°Should we explore?¡±


    //Yes.


    //But first, create a fallback position here.


    Sidjin and Viv moved with practiced ease, finishing the defensive structure in record time.


    //Let us move on.


    The complex turned out to be massive. The living quarters must have been able to host at least five hundred people and that was not even counting the barracks downstairs. Most rooms were small cells or packed dormitories with stone slabs jutting out of the wall to serve as bed. Only half of them still held strong. The arrangement seemed Spartan to Viv. The ancient humans probably had bigger concerns than comfort. They also found two more traps, which Viv managed to deflect without much issue this time. On the other hand, there were no artifacts to be found. The complex had been looted clean and whatever had been left was now merely more than dust and debris.


    Solfis guided them towards the armory next, though Viv didn¡¯t expect it to have anything considering how thoroughly sacked the rest of the place was. A narrow tunnel led towards the interior of the mountain. There were two heavy doors made of giant slabs of black rock blocking their way.


    //Higher mana concentration detected.


    ¡°There are things inside. Undead,¡± Irao said. ¡°They are bound.¡±


    The Hadal¡¯s words left the others confused.


    ¡°What do you mean, bound?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Chains.¡±


    //We must dispose of as many threats as we can.


    //Deny resources to the necrarch.


    Solfis moved in, followed by the rest of the party. The golem then stood vigil by the door while Viv increased her light¡¯s intensity, focusing on the back. The armory was a large, rectangular room and it was completely empty save for the far wall where three deformed creatures awaited, their massive, white bodies covered in cruel metal links covered in spikes. Dull red sigils shone on their surface. Viv recognized the red glare of necrarchs, but the things were smaller. They did, however, have that slightly humanoid head with an elongated jaw riddled with sharp fangs. Irao had told the truth. Those were prisoners.


    [Nascent necrarch: Extremely dangerous, a creature on the verge of becoming the most dangerous natural undead in existence. Close quarter expert. Ignores damage.]


    The chains pulsed once, the dull red turning the color of lava. One of the necrarchs growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s draining them,¡± Viv realized with horror. ¡°It¡¯s taking their power.¡±.


    Her attention turned to Sidjin who was frantically building a fallback shield array.


    ¡°Sidjin?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t let us get to its pantry.¡±


    //Mana density increasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± Irao whispered.


    Mother, stay behind Arthur!


    With a clink that sounded like a death knell, the chains around the nascent necrarchs unlocked, and fell to the ground.

 Chapter 122: Remnants of a bygone age.

    Viv¡¯s perception of time slowed before her brain even registered the lethally dangerous undeads barrelling towards them.


    The two nascent necrarchs on the side bumped into each other, slowing down ever so slightly. Sidjin caught them in a deadly trap of serrated blades of colorless mana. At the same time, Arthur spat fire and Viv used her oldest trick against the leftmost one.


    ¡°Yoink.¡±


    Immediately, her mind flooded with the power filling the creature just as her aura gulped their energy, but it hissed and rolled, breaking the connection. The two other nascent necrarchs backed up, flames covering their emaciated bodies. Black mana surged out to quench the flames. One of the creatures opened its maw. Viv and Sidjin reacted almost at the same time.


    ¡°Wall.¡±


    ¡°Eldritch walls.¡±


    Stone sprung from the ground, only to change into a tentacle mass grasping for prey. Magical bile splattered harmlessly against the newly risen barrier. A clawed fist immediately punched through, but the rest of the wall held. Viv was getting much better at making walls that were more wall and less sand now.


    Viv cast yoink on the exposed limb while Arthur showed she was truly a caster as well, peppering the nascent necrarchs with stones through their defenses opening, using them as murder holes. The beasts were strong though, and Sidjin worked double time to keep the living protected.


    Behind them, Viv heard sounds of fighting and felt mana move but she could do little about that. With Sidjin on the defensive, offense fell to her. They had no need to talk to coordinate.


    Viv used her improved mental stats to cast yoink on whatever target she could see, draining them so long as she could maintain the connections. Gods but did those fuckers have a lot of juice to play with. Her desperate game of whack-a-mole continued until Sidjin cast a massive grinder spell, piercing through a weakened wall to hit the beast behind. The mangled nascent was pushed back. Viv saw an arm fly off but knew it wasn¡¯t enough to kill it. Had to keep up the damage. Resilient bastards, resisting spells that would shred humans in an instant.


    It was also the sign she¡¯d been waiting for. With the two mostly intact nascents scrambling for the opening, she released the spell she¡¯d been building up.


    ¡°Blight!¡±


    The overcharged death cloud of disintegrating energy spread out.


    Perhaps it occurred to the nascents that they were between a flow of destructive energy and a really solid wall because they started screeching.


    One of them made a split decision. It jumped through the expanding wave of death, to Viv¡¯s disbelief. She felt before she saw the monster break through and huffed in anger. It looked like a flayed, mutated gorilla now but it was still very much alive. Then an earth spear caught it in the flank, another in the chest. Arthur and Sidjin coordinated to punch the beast back into the cloud, screeching and roaring. A last grinder spell lifted it off its feet to send it stumbling to Viv¡¯s death trap. Meanwhile, the second mostly intact nascent had followed the first and seeing its predicament, jumped in zig-zags to avoid the same fate. Viv focused on keeping the cloud stationary and as deadly as possible but she could not bring it back towards her without risking annihilation. With the rest of her focus, she hit the charging nascent with her most powerful yoink. It was the most efficient way she could think of to cancel their incredible resistance. This one kept going, ignoring the rapid drain of its resources as well as Sidjin¡¯s barrage of fireballs. It just didn¡¯t stop. Viv used all the overflowing mana she¡¯d been collecting and cast the largest purge net she had ever managed.


    A dense lattice of finger-thin rays seemed to fracture space in front of her. The void tendrils lashed and whipped with such haste that her vision played tricks on her. The room didn¡¯t feel so real anymore. It was half normal stone and half space between the stars. So dense was the network that Sidjin was forced to adapt, sending his offensive spells to the side to arc back into the creatures¡¯ flanks.


    The critically wounded beast jumped, in a last-ditch effort to get at Viv, but that was the moment Sidjin switched to the offensive. A massive, vertical blade appeared mid-air to bite in the creature¡¯s chest. The small construct whirred and sent bloody bits of undead flesh flying. The necrarch almost managed to escape the deadly spell, almost, then Arthur made another stone spear descend from the ceiling right on its neck. That was enough to seal the creature¡¯s fate. Meanwhile, Viv had engaged the necrarch they had successfully pushed back into the blight once. This one was now more bone than flesh, but it didn¡¯t seem to stop it.


    Viv dropped the blight, now that it had done its job. The last necrarch appeared mostly dead on the floor beyond, but the witch was tiring. Could hardly focus. Too many powerful, overcharged spells in a short timeframe. She was already having trouble following the creature¡¯s movement. A yoink drained its lifeforce, but it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    Arthur jumped on it.


    For a moment, Viv panicked. Arthur dodged graciously under a swipe, then clawed the monster¡¯s flesh. The nascent necrarch managed to grab one of her wings just on time for her to spit a thick gout of flame in its face. It punched her, and for a moment Viv feared the worst, but the dragonette blocked the blow with her clawed hand, going with the motion. The strength propelled her backward. She twisted mid-air. Her tail lashed at the creature¡¯s face, taking out its eyes.


    Arthur¡¯s apparent distress galvanized Viv¡¯s efforts. She poured everything she had into the yoink spell, this time trying to overtake her foe¡¯s entire reserves rather than just stealing dregs. The nascent necrarch¡¯s mana presence dwarfed that of even the most powerful of mages. It felt like drinking a lake through a straw, but she persevered. The longer the connection lasted, the deeper she delved into the creature¡¯s maw. Arthur spat fire again to buy her some time. The monster countered by vomiting black mana of its own but it wouldn¡¯t be enough. A trickle became a flow, then a torrent. Viv claimed all of that energy as her own. One moment, the creature was glaring at her with vicious red eyes, the next, it was bone and ash.


    Sidjin had finished the first one. With a wave of his hand, he gathered all the fire in the room on the last mangled nascent necrarch.


    Viv breathed. They had done it.


    Now, for the main course.


    The trio of casters turned to face the fierce battle behind them.


    Tired as she was, it took Viv a second to understand the whirlwind of color and patterns in front of her. There was a dark canvas, which she recognized as a cloud of black mana not unlike the one she had used. Slashes of white were the necrarch and Solfis striking. Slashes of gray were Solar¡¯s lethal swipes. The black dots were her allies, wearing their isolating armor. The white blob was the necrarch.


    Gods, they were fast.


    Already, Sidjin and Arthur were helping, throwing spells and reinforcing the shield. She had to do¡­ something. Ah yes, of course. Solfis had given her instructions.


    With an effort of will, Viv yoinked the cloud and pulled. There was some meaning there, annihilation with a different flavor than her own, but the necrarch was not in direct control of the cloud and the room progressively lightened. When it did, Viv had a better view of the battle. It was, in a word, breathtaking.


    Solfis acted as a flanker, surging forward with flashes of blinding speed to inflict grievous wounds. He moved with absolute confidence, never wasting a moment, never moving a knuckle that did not have to be moved. Irao appeared and disappeared in flashes of darkness, striking deep at their foe¡¯s back. With each blow, he left a blade deeply embedded in a bone or an articulation where it would inflict the most damage and where, Viv thought, the necrarch could not reach to easily remove them, but it was Solar who carried the fight.


    The blade master was the eye at the heart of the hurricane. He exuded an aura of calm even as his arms moved to repulse attacks that would devastate fortifications and ravage entire cavalry squadrons. He struck with exacting precision. Claws came close to his head, his heart, but they were never allowed to cross that last finger that would make the difference between a hit or miss. His counters dug grooves in the stone and slashes in the flesh of the horrible creature facing them. The trio was as inspiring as it was deadly, and yet, until Viv lifted the veil, they were not winning.


    The necrarch stood in the midst of them and he occupied so much space in the room and in Viv¡¯s mind. It existed widely, shockingly. It could not be ignored. Humanoid, it stood over the height of three men, or would have if it were not so hunched. Long horns curved forward over a noseless, disturbingly humanoid face. A jaw layered with needle fangs split its head in two. From then down, the abomination was a gaunt and simian figure with hands and feet ending in long, wicked claws. It fought with an unsettling mix of dancer¡¯s grace and feral fury and each of its attacks left a noxious imprint of black mana behind. In fact, the creature oozed destructive mana from its pallid skin to saturate the air. Only Viv had the means to counter that effectively. Irao and Solar¡¯s armor already showed signs of damage despite their inherent properties.


    Now that the casters had entered the fray, the battle reached a turning point. Sidjin waited for Irao to appear to throw sharp, transparent edges while the assassin struck. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how he managed the timing. As for Arthur, she waited for an errant leg to pass by to spit fire on it.


    The necrarch felt that the tide had turned as well. It crouched on itself. A veil of destructive mana surrounded it, pressure building immediately. The fighters stood aside. Solar sheathed his sword and stood still. Viv recognized the skill from outside, but he needed time. Time, and an opening.


    The necrarch¡¯s attack protected it just as it increased in power, but it was inherently a pressure bomb, and the best way to counter it was to create an outlet.


    ¡°Bolt.¡±


    Her attack connected with the envelope, barely disturbing its surface before new energy replaced the loss but that was enough to understand how the outer shell was structured. She sent three yoinks in three specific points and drained.


    It was strange to drain a spell instead of an undead. The mana was just as thick, and yet it felt easier, less personal. The mana in the spell begged to be released. She was merely providing an opportunity.


    Pillars of destructive mana hissed out, darkening the room once more yet at the same time the windup to the attack stopped.


    The necrarch was not pleased. It roared an ear-shattering screech of outrage and Viv was once again happy to have included a sonic barrier to her shield. However, that was just the beginning.


    The necrarch¡¯s evil, crimson gaze locked on her.


    Suddenly, it was much larger.


    Suddenly, it was in front of her, punching.


    Its claws were right in front of her face. Viv saw her entire life flash in front of her, but a detail stuck. Solar had completed his attack.


    The necrarch put its entire weight in the jab. Its claws hit the shield and stayed there while the monster itself finished turning. Viv realized why. The blademaster had cut its arm clean off, mid-lunge.


    She still fell on her ass.


    It was too much for the necrarch. With a last woosh of displaced air and a few parting attacks from her allies, it was gone through the tunnel.


    Viv finished collapsing, her gloved hands sliding on the wet stone below. She breathed deeply, amazed to be still alive.


    ¡°I¡¯m alive! I¡¯m alive.¡±


    //This did not look like a normal wound.


    //Does your skill create lingering wounds?


    ¡°Give me a moment, machine, while I contemplate one of the most difficult fights of my long life,¡± Solar replied. He sat on his knees and meditated.


    Sidjin approached Viv and patted her shoulder.


    ¡°You did well,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I am¡­ processing.¡±


    ¡°I believe I understand. I will be here if you need to speak.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    We won!


    Yay!


    Just as expected.


    ¡°You were amazing during the fight!¡± Viv said, happy for the distraction. ¡°I was so worried but you did so well! You fought the nascent necrarch on equal footing!¡±


    Arthur was left unimpressed by her observations. She aimed her thought with the frayed patience reserved for slow children.


    Mother.


    Of course.


    Am dragon.


    Arthur stood to her full height. On her hind legs, her head was now slightly higher than Viv¡¯s. Teenager growth spurt, probably.


    Those were not tears in Viv¡¯s eyes. Just dust and also condensation. The caves were humid, is all.


    ¡°My little baby grew up so fast¡­¡±


    Mother.


    No crying in front of your lessers.


    ¡°Sowwy.¡±


    Viv sniffed away her pride, but still gave the deserved pats. The others were busy recovering and inspecting the battlefield so they had most likely not used their superior senses to eavesdrop. They were gentlemen, after all.


    //Your Grace.


    //Good news.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    //We have loot.


    Viv watched Irao recover a large orb from the remains of one of the fallen. He wordlessly passed it on to Viv.


    Monster cores were strange. She felt resistance when clutching the perfect spheres, yet her fingers felt nothing. No temperature, no texture, just an absence of physical feeling. This was offset by the incredible power coursing through the metaphysical construct. The core fixed to her dagger only had a fraction of the reserves in there, and it was not even full.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need a staff to carry that thing around,¡± Sidjin observed.


    ¡°This is a group effort,¡± Viv replied with some regret. ¡°We share the reward.¡±


    ¡°Only one of us is a pure black mana caster, and you are also our employer. Normally, the treasure should be yours. Treasures.¡±


    Irao brought back an early Christmas present. Two more cores of a similar size to the other. She wasn¡¯t sure, but she thought the price of those would be enough to retire a rich woman in any large city. At least a hundred gold talent per piece, easy. Of course, those would not be sold. She had a nice project in mind that would make her heavies protected in battle. Those would be the batteries.


    She was juggling them with joy when Solfis spoke.


    //Your Grace.


    //There is another prize.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Now that the nascent necrarchs were dead, their absence revealed the back of the armory. Little was left of the original weapons save for faded trails of rust along the sheer walls. The chains binding the monsters had disintegrated as well, leaving behind shards of striated black iron. It made the surviving object that much more threatening. Viv approached, watching the grisly weapon with concern.


    [Skull mace, artifact. Once used for ritual sacrifice and as a badge of office for the high priest, this potent weapon has been twisted by the death of its creator. Cursed. It is not suitable for use by any naturally-occuring creature of Nyil.]


    Before Viv could even think about tricks, a new window opened.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    That means you as well for the purpose of defining ¡®naturally occurring.¡¯


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Don¡¯t touch it. Even you won¡¯t break it easily.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv needed that instruction the same way she needed to be told not jump ass first into a volcano. If an aberrant could be an object, it would be the abominable assembly of spikes, twisted bone, and cancerous obsidian this apparatus seemed to be made of. Only a B-movie power-hungry antagonist would touch that horror and hope for anything but to be turned into an ulcer. ¡®Cursed¡¯ was an understatement.


    ¡°What the fuck are we supposed to do with that?¡± she asked no one in particular.


    Solfis stepped to the thing, grabbed it, then shoved it into a bag.


    //We shall sell it to Elunath, of course.


    ¡°Errrrr,¡± Viv replied, a little unsure.


    ¡°The good decision would be to bring it to a temple of Neriad to be destroyed,¡± Solar said reproachfully.


    //Then let us hope¡­


    //That Elunath will take a good decision.


    ¡°You think he¡¯ll buy that thing?¡±


    //Undoubtedly.


    //If not out of interest, then out of concern.


    //He will never trust you with such a dangerous tool.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, giving a cursed artifact to a powerful, overconfident mage sounds like a recipe for disaster.¡±


    //I estimate he will analyze the mace then destroy it himself.


    //In the unlikely event where he is corrupted.


    //Note this is below 4%.


    //Then his fall will lead to the destruction of Helock.


    The room fell silent while Solfis stood there, unfazed.


    //Tragic.


    //A terrible loss.


    ¡°I can notify the temple,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t destroy it, they will.¡±


    Solar shrugged.


    ¡°As long as it is destroyed, I care little. Sidjin is correct. Elunath would be a fool to keep it, and one has not reached his level of power by being a fool. Let him have it, if it will help Bob survive.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a break, then we¡¯re off.¡±


    After taking a minute to recover, the party was ready. Once again, magically reinforced bodies and minds came in clutch. Being surrounded by people on the fourth step or above really drove home how much Nyil turned its more determined denizens into super soldiers. The survivors, in any case. It was not just the ability to cut rock with a sword. Even their mental resilience improved, allowing them to brush off near-death experiences. She wondered how a society with supermen would look in a world like earth. It probably wouldn¡¯t be too great.


    ¡°I think we should finish exploring this floor,¡± Solar said, ¡°I don¡¯t want things to come at our back again.¡±


    //The black mana density here is lower.


    //Should the necrarch return while we are here, it would not fight at its maximum potential.


    //I believe the decision is sound.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Staying in formation again, they explored the study rooms next. It was a large, open space with pillars set at regular intervals and some alcoves dug into the sheer rock with tables and seats. Viv believed the empty space might have housed a storage space for scrolls or books. Unfortunately, nothing was left of it. Regular openings on one side showed the night sky, partially cloudy. Whoever had dug them had also woven the consumed stone into an overhang, protecting it from most rains. It was cleverly designed for comfort despite the Spartan appearance of stone furniture. Perhaps, a long time ago, this place of study might have been covered in pelts and colorful cloth. She would never know. In any case, only Solfis found something valuable.


    //Those inscriptions on the wall show the totality of the ancient glyphs used in their alphabet.


    //With a sample that size and by cross-referencing ancient Enorian dialects, I will be able to decipher those texts.


    //Eventually.


    ¡°This is all fascinating but we have more pressing issues than archeology,¡± Viv said.


    //I do not need time.


    //I have saved all the texts to my database.


    //We can move on to the last part of the upper floor complex.


    //The garden of fertility.


    Viv wondered what would be left of the garden, if anything was left at all. The path leading there winded up to what Viv was the secondary, open-air entrance she had spotted from afar. It was bound to have a nice view, at least. She just hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any traps.


    The party followed the winding stairs leading there. The higher they got, the more certain Viv grew that there was something left.


    The first thing that hit them was the smell. A pungent and acid wind hit her nose full on, more chemical and unpleasant than truly revolting. Its cloying intensity pushed Viv to place a tissue in front of her nose.


    ¡°Hmm, are we being poisoned or something?¡±


    //No airborne toxins detected.


    //No mana signature detected.


    ¡°So this is a normal smell?¡±


    ¡°Nothing normal about that,¡± Solar said, ¡°but it won¡¯t kill us.¡±


    ¡°I have experienced many fragrances from courtesan-made perfumes to charnel pits, but nothing quite like that,¡± Sidjin added in a subdued voice.


    Stinky.


    ¡°Right. If we¡¯re going to do it, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    They climbed more, staying close to the walls. Their silent ascent finished on a landing lit by the light of Nyil¡¯s moon. Solfis went first but he stopped and tilted his head a way Viv did not quite understand. Solar followed and gasped, then Sidjin. Viv hurried to see what was the big deal. She regretted her enthusiasm instantly.


    The sacred place around them spread to the edge of the cavern where the roof dropped suddenly into the abyss below. The weather had cleared a bit and with silvery light shining freely over the ¡®garden of fertility¡¯, its blasphemous nature was revealed in all its gruesome horror. The garden was a forest linked by patches of vegetation, except, it was all meat. Quivering planes of pinkish flesh like flayed muscle, still oozing blood with every palpitation linked together trunks of bones, leaves of sinew, fleshy fruits of purple tissue that pulsed lymph over the cartilage bark. The field of gore did not stand idle. It beat from a hundred hearts in a quiet cacophony that sent this gigantic mass of meat shivering and moaning, the exposed tibias and humerus creaking under the strain of their nerve-wracked dance, and in the midst of it all, at the base of the tallest tree, there was a single, perfect eye.


    As large as a plate, the organ could have made a painter weep. The curve of its lid, the length of its lashes, the perfect, radiant color of its iris spoke of a stupendous beauty made that much more gruesome by the surrounding, grisly display. Viv watched the pupil enlarge but she could not tell if it was surprise, relief, panic, or anger. There was not enough humanity around it to determine anything more than the fact it reacted. The ungodly glare settled on Viv.


    An instant later, the iris turned green.


    ¡°Oh FUCK no.¡±


    Before Viv could react, Solar screamed and cut. The tree split in two. Phlegm-drenched ichor hit Viv¡¯s boots on its way down. Ropes like intestines, or intestines like rope, shot from the gutted trunk to reunify both parts in a concerto of tortured bones. The eye started to regrow while the shed humor slid from the wound in a viscous mass. Sidjin screamed as well. Fire licked the fetid garden, forcing hisses and spasms, each new wound spitting more liquid until the blaze was smothered. The two men kept attacking the regenerating mass.


    //Your Grace.


    //Their minds are under attack.


    Viv finally perceived it, an insidious strike on her soul. Something crawled and tried to revolt and attract her at the same time. Her soul was strong, however, and her own leadership and mental skills shored up the defenses. She cast a quick analysis on the pulsating mass of flesh.


    [Corrupted garden of the jovial pudge. Fallen, living artifact, twisted by the fall of its maker. Extremely dangerous¡­]


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Viv said, ¡°that thing has combat abilities. Guys! Snap out of it!¡±


    ¡°Squeeeee!¡±


    Arthur was less affected, trying to pull back a struggling Sidjin.


    ¡°Ok. Enough. Eldritch wall.¡±


    Viv aimed at the edge of the cavern and cast, tentacles closed all around them. A quick spell blocked the organic dirge of the dying and reborn garden. This left the men sagging against the walls, out of breath.


    Viv stood between them and the horror garden, now blocked from sight. She could feel the black and life mana behind settling down.


    ¡°Alright, everyone, calm down.¡±


    //They are going to need a moment.


    //Their vitals are returning to normal.


    //Well done.


    ¡°You could have pulled them back,¡± Viv reproached.


    //I apologize, Your Grace.


    //I am not equipped to react adequately to unique events.


    //I calculated that it was best to leave you the decision on how to proceed.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Sorry.¡±


    The two poor lads were breathing hard, their eyes staring in empty space with a thousand yards stare. Or nine hundred and fourteen point four meter. Same thing, Viv thought. It seemed that they were recovering. She hoped they were, because eldritch body-horror-induced madness aside, they were still on the necrarch¡¯s territory.


    //In any case, well done for resisting the mental attack.


    She had, yes. Viv frowned. That didn¡¯t make sense. Sidjin had better mental stats than her, for sure, and she strongly felt that Solar had soul sense. Both of them had seen some shit in their days. Hell, Sidjin had lived through them. There was little reason why she would resist better than the others.


    ¡°Why did it not work on me?¡± she asked.


    //I suspect it may be due to your outlander mindset.


    ¡°Should it not be the contrary?¡±


    //Your Grace, you do not see the gods as gods.


    //Superior and unattainable.


    //You once employed the term ¡®Immature overgrown manchildren on a power trip¡¯.


    ***


    Back in the city of the gods, in the Palace of a Thousand doors, a man flipped a page from a book without end.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s just rude,¡± he said.


    Then after a moment.


    ¡°Although not entirely inaccurate.¡±


    ***


    //Your lack of faith in the divine nature of the gods means that the dark ones¡¯ horror has a lesser impact on your psyche.


    ¡°You guys going to be alright?¡± Viv asked.


    Solar nodded his head slowly while Sidjin shook his.


    ¡°I need a little time. Such abomination. How can you not see it and witness a reflection of your own fallible flesh?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t need a big monster to remember old age is a thing? Besides, it won¡¯t happen to me. I either die or become immortal, remember?¡±


    Viv wiggled her eyebrows under the scowl of her lover, but Sidjin chuckled a moment later and his shoulders grew just a little less hunched.


    ¡°Thank you for grounding me.¡±


    He grabbed her hand, then kissed her lightly.


    ¡°I wish Wamiri was here,¡± Solar grumbled.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t do friends with benefits,¡± Viv deadpanned.


    ¡°That¡¯s not ¡ª¡± Solar sputtered. ¡°Wait. You are trying to distract me.¡±


    ¡°Is it working?¡±


    ¡°Please do not mention offering sexual favor to colleagues in front of me, dear,¡± Sidjin pleaded.


    ¡°Alright that is quite enough of this. You are all lucky the necrarch didn¡¯t pick this moment to attack.¡±


    Won¡¯t!


    I am standing guard.


    Vigilant dragon!


    ¡°How come you were not afraid?¡± Viv asked.


    Lots of meat.


    Not fresh, not tasty.


    Blegh.


    What is scary?


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    //I suspect our target may not like this place, Your Grace.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure. Why would the embodiment of undead body horror not like body horror? Speaking of, was that a living artifact? How could that happen?


    ¡°It said ¡®corrupted garden of the jovial pudge¡¯. Does that mean anything to you?¡± she asked.


    //I have formulated a hypothesis.


    //This was an altar to Gomogog.


    ¡°Aaaaah. Yeah. Clearly,¡± Viv said, remembering the specific mix of black and life mana Kazar tower¡¯s cook had displayed, an eternity ago. It was the same blend as what the horrid artifact had shown.


    //I suspect Gomogog may not have always been a dark god.


    This shocked Solar and Sidjin, sending the two in a new episode of stupor.


    ¡°Please stop distracting them,¡± Irao asked.


    ¡°Ngah!¡± Viv screamed. ¡°I forgot you were here, sorry.¡±


    ¡°I was hiding.¡±


    ¡°Ugh I¡¯ll never get used to this. Anyway, Gomogog, not a dark god from the start. Wait, so the statues below¡­¡±


    //The huntress with spider traits represents Octas, the Spider Queen.


    //The fat man is Gomogog.


    //The destroyed statue is of unknown nature, perhaps Efestar, the God of Scorn.


    //The bloated one, I would not know.


    //And you already recognized Enttiku.


    ¡°Wait, so Enttiku did not fall but the others did?¡±


    //Perhaps.


    //Those are all conjectures at this point.


    ¡°Anything we can use against the necrarch?¡±


    //My algorithm returns no viable tool.


    //But perhaps you can think of something.


    Viv considered the question for a moment.


    ¡°Do necrarchs retain memories from their time alive?¡±


    //It would be better to say that they regain some.


    //Natural necrarchs can speak the language they had while they were alive.


    //Although they do not seem capable of discussion, only soliloquy.


    //It is difficult to assess the intelligence level of a necrarch, due to a small sample size.


    //And the fact that they are deadly and irredeemably evil.


    ¡°What, if the necrarch was originally a human who lived here?¡± Viv asked. ¡°I mean, one of the original dwellers, not an invader. That would explain why it did not move to the deadlands.¡±


    ¡°It could also be due to its territoriality,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Well, no matter what, I got an idea.¡±


    ¡°How about we talk about it downstairs? I don¡¯t want to stay next to that thing,¡± Solar replied.


    It was agreed that the proximity of what Viv judged to be a David Cronenberg wet dream wasn¡¯t exactly conducive to a good discussion. The party reconvened near the armory.


    ¡°So, the original goal was to slowly corner it, but I think we can bypass that with a proper lure. If it¡¯s one of the original dwellers, then it might take offense if we desecrate its territory like the invaders did.¡±


    The rest of the party didn¡¯t seem impressed.


    ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s not an invader?¡± Solar asked.


    ¡°Because they won. The place was sacked and abandoned. They even defaced the directional signs. And winners bury their dead, especially here, on Nyil. Whatever corpse turned into this necrarch did not receive a proper funeral.¡±


    That seemed to sway them a bit.


    ¡°Assuming it was indeed an original dweller and not, say, a scavenger killed by a trap or simply an adult necrarch migrating to a suitable den, if we do come up with something it hates, how can we use it to our advantage?¡±


    ¡°We draw it in a place that only has one way out, then seal the exit. That way, it can¡¯t retreat to heal.¡±


    ¡°It also means that we back it into a corner and then fight to the death,¡± Solar observed. ¡°That will make it even more deadly.¡±


    //I surmise it is preferable to attrition against a necrarch.


    //That is where most of its advantages lay.


    ¡°Let¡¯s explore downstairs a bit more. Ideally, we want a long corridor with an exit at the end in case we need to flee.¡±


    ¡°We can use the armory again,¡± Sidjin said.


    Viv considered that option. It was a dead end, however. It meant they would be trapped in the dark with the necrarch. She shared her concerns, but Sidjin had a solution ready.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set a spell to collapse the floor in case we need to evacuate. I will prepare it in a way that any of the casters can activate it, should I perish in the fight.¡±


    ¡°But there is nothing to desecrate in the armory,¡± Irao observed.


    Viv frowned. He was right. The necrarch would be offended if she started to go after the statues or some other significant landmark, but the statues were in a wide cavern. She didn¡¯t think it would be a good idea to go after the garden again, since that thing could kill them. Perhaps there was another way?


    ¡°I have another idea. Instead of desecrating, we could consecrate.¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°That means, let me pray for a while.¡±


    ***


    The in-between.


    Soul mastery had not led her to that strange space. Instead, it had placed her in a state of calm that had brought her to the edge. From there, gentle hands had plucked her consciousness from this reality to drag her into the infinite expanse of non-existence, where time and space were not laws but tricks her mortal mind used to interpret what she perceived. Once more, she stood small and bubbling next to the planet-size existence that was Neriad, the soft glow of its presence twisting the fabric around it. Another planet approached. While Neriad was gold like a dawn sun, this one was blue and deep, deeper than an ocean, a little cold as well. The darkness was a presence and a mask, not the absence of the void. While Neriad protected, this one hid and taught. There was a drop, and she was sitting at a table in a small glasshouse, flowers blooming all around.


    Viv inspected her surroundings. This was reality, but she was not present here. Not really. Viv felt no need to move to take the steaming cup of tea waiting in the white, round table in front of her. Exquisite glass windows led to the outside, showing only blue sky and distant clouds. It was broad daylight here though night had fallen on most of Param. Strange architecture grew to her right where the place she was in ¡ª was it a city? ¡ª continued.


    There were two men sitting with her.


    The first was Neriad, easily recognizable from his aura. He was a tall man clad in golden chain and plate armor with a beard and long flowing hair. His face was handsome in an old playboy sort of way, with small crow feet and a hint of gray at the temple that lent him an air of respectability. His posture inspired calm and power. Viv looked briefly into the golden orb of molten fire of his eyes before averting her gaze. He smiled at her with gentle warmth.


    The other was a man with dark hair, exotic traits, in a long blue robe that screamed ¡®war mage¡¯. He was taller than Neriad yet slimmer, and just as focused. His eyes were shifting nebulae of the deepest indigo. Viv did not manage to focus on them for more than an instant. Viv knew who it was, again from the aura. This was Maradox, the God of Secrets, one of her protectors.


    ¡°This place brings back memories,¡± Neriad finally said in a soft basso.


    ¡°We should have excavated them. I did warn Emeric.¡±


    Neriad shrugged.


    ¡°Just like you to say ¡®I told you so¡¯ millennia after the fact. You know who to aim your recriminations at.¡±


    ¡°How convenient for him to disappear to avoid this fate.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Lucky, is it not?¡±


    Neriad chuckled but Maradoc scowled. Eventually, the God of Secrets turned his attention to Viv.


    ¡°We are inclined to assent to your request, although you do not deserve this service from us, having not dedicated your existence to our worship.¡±


    ¡°Saying unkind words!¡± Neriad added.


    ¡°Stop eavesdropping,¡± Viv thought very hard at them.


    She did not have a voice and her thoughts were hard to express and aim in a clear way. Nevertheless, she perceived the humor in the expressions of the god and expected she would get away with the tiny jab. She was proven correct.


    ¡°We are gods. It comes with certain perks,¡± Neriad admitted. ¡°What my pompous friend is saying is that we messed up and you¡¯ll have to clean for us, so we¡¯ll do you a solid and assist as we can.¡±


    ¡°But bear in mind that this is a one off. There is a price to dealing with us. One we will mostly wave, except for one small detail. You will keep what you learn secret.¡±


    ¡°The others though¡­¡±


    ¡°You are not the only one who will learn or has learned the truth. What I demand is that you do not share this with your adopted people. Your voice is loud on Nyil, louder than many mortals. You will keep this knowledge out of your teachings.¡±


    ¡°The knowledge that you were the ones who razed that temple?¡±


    The two gods smirked.


    ¡°Yes, and the rest as well.¡±


    ¡°You were humans then,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°We were. All of us were.¡±


    The realization struck Viv as¡­ incredible. If they had done it, then¡­


    ¡°You already see us as¡­ anthropomorphized beings, prone to mortal flaws. A consequence of your upbringing, I suppose. What you have learned now is that we were humans long ago. This and the rest, you must keep quiet. The order we promote becomes more brittle with every person who thinks they, too, can become us. That we are no better than them. We are. We achieved the impossible on many levels. I also assure you that our revolt was necessary and that we were the first successes in a long, long line of failures. Civilization rose with us. It is not as stable as one may think.¡±


    ¡°Before we struck the old pantheon, humans lived in caves and hid in trees. We were the scavengers of this world, fighting the beastlings for leftovers. Our struggle took centuries. Do not belittle our efforts, outlander.¡±


    ¡°Did not mean to insult,¡± Viv thought.


    Out of all the gods, those two were alright. She thought that very hard and let them see her true feelings.


    ¡°Thank you, child,¡± Neriad said. ¡°Now return and pray to us.¡±


    ¡°And remember that your prayer is a binding agreement that you will not share what you learn. If you break that oath, I will shatter your soul.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Viv said. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. I¡¯m not trying to cause a godly revolution.¡±


    Her vision faded, but not before hearing a last amused comment from Maradoc.


    ¡°I used to say that as well.¡±


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    ***


    ¡°You just¡­ fell asleep?¡± Sidjin asked in disbelief when Viv opened her eyes again.


    ¡°I got the green light. Meaning I got approval to start, but first we must set up the trap. How long until the next attack?¡±


    //Ten minutes at most before full arm regrowth.


    Viv turned to Sidjin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it work,¡± he said.


    The party returned to the armory. Viv set a semi-permanent light enchantment since it was dark and she didn¡¯t want to have to focus on anything else but the fight. Sidjin prepared a hole in the ground spell to allow people to jump down to the level below, should all else fail, which took him only moments. Viv wondered how he knew the spell so well, but his haunted expression hinted that it would be a sad memory.


    After that, Sidjin set a two-level trap. The first would collapse the tunnel behind the necrarch while the second would set up a grinder spell to stop it from digging.


    ¡°The spell denies area to several weak monsters, not a single strong one,¡± the mage lamented. ¡°I made a few modifications on the fly but it will only slow it down. The necrarch¡¯s resistance to magic has already been proven.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Even if the trap fails, so long as we do significant damage, the investment will have been worth it.¡±


    //We need to set the trap now, Your Grace.


    //Or the creature will have the time to come up with new tricks to harass us.


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll start right away.¡±


    Viv sat in a lotus position in the middle of the armory, on the cold ground. She took an instant to engrave the shield of Neriad and the symbol of Maradoc, which was a vault gate, on the stone floor. It only seemed proper.


    ¡°Right. Maradoc, Neriad, you have watched over us for thousands of years. I ask for your support once more. Please shine your light on this forsaken place and place a beacon for all that is good, so we may finish what you started.¡±


    Viv hesitated, her catholic-trained mind naturally going for ¡®amen¡¯. It just didn¡¯t feel right.


    Besides, it was unnecessary. Her prayer had been heard.


    Blue and golden light surged from the symbols, bathing the naked stone in an otherworldly light. Viv sighed in contentment, realizing that the cloud of anxiety-inducing black mana had dispersed in this place for the first time in eons. The light grew and made her spell redundant, but she didn¡¯t mind. It was beautiful.


    The humans present relaxed. Even Irao briefly reappeared to shake his shoulders. Arthur huffed, then put her snout next to the golden halo, thoughtful.


    The most horrible screech Viv had ever heard shook the very mountain. A blast of malevolent black mana joined the sound attack but were dispersed by the mages¡¯ protection backed by divine favor. This time, it was different. The necrarch¡¯s yell did not convey the same malice and hatred as before. This time, it spoke of the maddest rage, the most insane fury. It told Viv that the hole Sidjin had prepared would be of no use, no use at all.


    Either they killed it, or it would kill them. Right now.


    ¡°Guys, I think it worked!¡±

 Chapter 123: The Pit of Hatred

    It started like pressure in Viv¡¯s ears, the same feeling as sitting in a plane taking off. She yawned by reflex but it didn¡¯t do anything. Air was not the issue there, mana was. She didn¡¯t need Solfis¡¯ measurement to tell the black mana concentration was increasing.


    It occurred to her that keeping a way out would have been preferable, at least so there was a direction black mana could escape to. Now they were trapped in the equivalent of an oven.


    Viv poured every last bit of what she had into the shield, priming them. Sidjin backed her up with his might but all of this felt so futile, so small compared to the wave coming to them, like building a sand castle to stop the tide.


    The passage turned darker, then black, and still the necrarch had not come. It was merely the manifestation of its hatred, forfeiting his games to throw everything it had at them. The screams were close now and they were disturbingly human. Viv stopped herself from listening to the insane warbles through sheer willpower, though her mind would catch on syllables, trying to make sense of them. That way led to madness. She only had a couple of seconds left.


    The necrarch came, heralded by a cloud of sheer destruction. Only its horns could be seen from the cloud of noxious black mana rushing at them. One instant it was at the edge of the tunnel. The next, it was on them.


    Viv could maybe stop the cloud. She could not stop the necrarch. To step outside the shield was to die, she thought.


    Solfis did it anyway. The golem stepped through the shield with a calm Viv could not conjure.


    //OVERDRIVE MODE ENGAGED.


    Solfis disappeared but Viv could hear it. Solar and Irao stayed. They would be eaten alive in the miasma, Viv knew. Sidjin was maintaining the shield. It was up to her.


    When Solfis fell, so would the shield, and then they would die without a chance to fight back. She had to remove some of that black mana. Siphon it away, somehow. Viv placed her hands against the shields. Her reserves were immediately full. There was so much energy in there, hers for the taking, but she didn¡¯t have an outlet.


    That was fine.


    Could make one instead. She placed her right hand through the shield and bit her lips from the pain. Even through the gloves, even with her natural resistance, the annihilation cloud gnawed at her skin, setting her nerves on fire. The acid of the nercrarch¡¯s wrath was eating her alive.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    Viv intentionally botched the spell. A normal excalibur kept the mana on a close, tight loop to prevent loss. She cut that loop open to let the expanded energy out. This created a very narrow and very powerful version of her werfer spell. Immediately, she aimed it at the monster¡¯s shape she could perceive through the noxious veil.


    At first, nothing happened, then she was looking into a pair of crimson orbs filled with so much rage that any trace of cunning had been lost. The animalistic focus landed on her, squeezing her mind under its tremendous weight. Its arm had regrown.


    Viv¡¯s fist was on fire. Blood was pooling at the bottom of the lacerated glove.


    Solfis used the creature¡¯s distraction to jump on its back, landing two claws at the base of its neck. The necrarch jumped back to squash Solfis against the wall. She heard a dreadful crack, but soon the sounds of battle resumed.


    She grit her teeth and increased the power of the spell to its maximum, keeping her tired mind on this task and just this task. Nothing mattered except draining the necrarch¡¯s cloud.


    Slowly, it weakened. Viv realized three things.


    First, some of the cloud escaped back into the corridor, which meant Sidjin had not sealed it yet. It was a good call.


    Second, more of the cloud drifted up from the holes Solar had pierced with his aura. The sword master had pierced all through the entire damn mountain flank.


    Third, the cloud was helping Solfis.


    To Viv¡¯s surprise, Solfis¡¯ glyphs were drinking the magic with gluttonous greed, soaking up all that energy to sustain the golem¡¯s maximum power mode. The alien magic empowered him. They were almost there, almost ¡ª


    A shock, no air in her lungs. A broad, white face close to hers. her heart skipped a bit before she realized it was Irao. He had pushed her out of the way.


    The assassin disappeared while she scrambled to her feet. She didn¡¯t know what had happened. The shield was broken. Sidjin was against the wall, bleeding from his nose and eyes yet casting spells anyway. The necrarch was in the room. The battle was on. Sidjin activated the tunnel spell and collapsed.


    Viv made sure she had her helmet and shield on, then she moved to her lover in the brief moment the fight had moved to the other side of the room. She placed a wall over him, a thick one, then it was on. Just like last time, the battle was a whirlwind of death and deadly grace while she and Arthur next to her did their best to provide support. Arthur seemed to be working on making the ground more even around Solar who moved the least of all, while Viv drained the cloud around the necrarch to ensure her side would not have to fight against the very air around them. Once again, Solfis jumped on the creature¡¯s back before jumping out when it attempted to smash it against the wall. Viv heard another telltale crack of something breaking, then the necrarch howled. She understood.


    Because of its simian form, the necrarch could not reach its own spine so Irao had stabbed it several times, leaving his deathly instruments biting deep into its flesh. By forcing it to crash against a wall, Solfis made the monster use its own strength to make the blades bite even deeper. Its spine was getting crushed progressively. It was still far from over, however.


    The creature grabbed Solfis, accepting to lose the hand on its recently regrown arm to do so. Viv heard a crack, saw two of Solfis¡¯ claws fly off in pieces, but the golem was trapped until Irao landed on the wrist, almost severing it. The golem used this briefest of windows to twist on itself and impossibly escape the necrarch¡¯s grasp. The sight of a wounded Solfis almost made her want to intervene more, to attach spells to that monstrosity and drain it of its resources, but it would be a foolish move. Right now, she was a speck in a battle of giants. The last thing she wanted was to be promoted from annoyance to diversion.


    Slowly, Viv continued to drain while Arthur kept the arena mostly stable. Their foe¡¯s reckless abandon landed a few glancing blows on Solfis and Irao, but the golem always managed to block-mid air while Irao was simply¡­ not there anymore when the attack landed. As for Solar, he matched every blow with one of their own, something the necrarch seemed to have difficulties understanding. Viv was constantly at full capacity yet dared not use her power. She crept along the walls, sweat dripping down her neck despite the chill in the air. It was the most deadly game of ¡®the floor is lava¡¯, with the lava occupying three quarters of the room in the form of a blender of steel and bone.


    Viv didn¡¯t know how long that lasted, but slowly, the necrarch became more ripped flesh and exposed bone than pallid skin. It slowed down, then slowed down more with every crippled articulation. She was starting to believe.


    Something changed in the air.


    Viv felt it. She didn¡¯t know if it was battle experience, finally, or some soul fuckery at play. The necrarch stood to its full height with its horns scraping the ceiling. It knew. Sanity, such as it was, had returned. It was losing badly.


    Two deeply evil eyes searched the room and found Viv. Her danger sense screamed. She did not even hesitate.


    ¡°Excalibur!¡±


    The mangled spell vomited a cone of destruction in front of her, licking the beast as it was jumping forward. It screamed in agony. Viv saw more bones than ever before. She had hurt it. It was weakened. Irao and Solfis hounded it and a ball of fire from Arthur caught it in the leg. It made to the exit, the very same exit Sidjin hadn¡¯t had the time to close before he collapsed. It was going to escape, except when Viv watched, Solar was there.


    With two feet firmly planted on the ground, the tired warrior felt solid as a mountain and just as irremovable. The mess of cuts and shattered bones the monster had become rushed him and for the first time, Irao and Sidjin ran away. Viv felt it too, that strange feeling of pressure. The only similar experience she could compare it to would be to stand in front of a starting turbine a few seconds before startup. She crouched and made herself very, very small.


    The necrarch spat acid but Solar stepped aside and lifted his blade. Then, he cut.


    Even though Viv wasn¡¯t in the trajectory, she could not breathe. The world became a tunnel with some random fragment at the end, pieces of the opposite wall. Nothing mattered except that. If she looked away, she would die. If she closed her eyes, she would die. A gasp brought some much needed air to her tired lungs. Another. It was so hard to just breathe.


    And then it was done.


    Viv looked up to see the necrarch frozen in its tracks. Nobody moved. With exquisite detail, she saw a gash open from shoulder to groin and widen. She had the time to feel the blood dripping from a cut on her lips. It wasn¡¯t from biting them, merely from being on the wrong side of the room.


    Elation filled Viv¡¯s heart. It didn¡¯t last long.


    The necrarch hissed with its last breath. It swung the arm with the missing hand, which detached itself cleanly.


    The improvised projectile flew to Solar as he winded down and pierced his chest. It stayed there, planted like a defiant flag before falling, as its owner fell as well, defeated for good. Blood gushed from Solar¡¯s wound. It dripped down the pitted armor, crimson on black.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Viv cried.


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    Acuity +1


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    Lost Heiress (9/10)


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    Your acuity has reached a milestone!


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    Viv brushed the notification aside. Now was not the time! She immediately rushed to Solar¡¯s side as he kneeled, bleeding on the ground.


    ¡°On your back,¡± she ordered. ¡°Now. Solfis, expose his chest.¡±


    ¡°Bibiane. My heart has stopped. I know what this means. I have been expecting my death for ¡ª¡±


    //Do as she says.


    ¡°I would rather die on my¡­ oh, very well,¡± Solar said as he was pushed back.


    Solfis expertly unfastened his heavy chest piece, tossing the metal cover aside and working buttons and buckles faster than any EMT. In short order, Viv had a full view of Solar¡¯s chest. He had a deep laceration between the third and fourth at the edge of the sternum. Striating lines of black expanded from the wound, growing as Viv watched. She placed her hand on the gash to hold the blood in and used her last dregs of focus to pull the black mana out.


    It felt immeasurably easier than when she¡¯d done it for Jor, back in the Baranese fort. Before he¡¯d died.


    ¡°This was a good fight, a fitting end to my existence. My only regret is that I will not live to see the birth of my child,¡± Solar lamented in the most melodramatic way.


    ¡°Ok, black mana purged.¡±


    She poured a high-quality flesh mending potion on the wound. Thankfully, the bone was intact.


    ¡°Bibiane, my high endurance and willpower are keeping me conscious, but it will not last. I would prefer if you could accept the situation and receive my last words.¡±


    ¡°Get someone else, I¡¯m busy. Drink this.¡±


    The blade master searched for alternatives. His gaze landed on Solfis¡¯ skeletal face, Irao¡¯s blank expression, then Arthur¡¯s snout.


    ¡°Drink. This,¡± Viv insisted. The man agreed and the wound closed, mostly. The flesh was pink and Viv knew she could peel it off with a finger. It would take an hour or so to solidify to match the rest of Solar¡¯s herculean body. If he had an hour. It was time for CPR. She interlocked her fingers and pressed on the sternum. Five centimeters deep was easily achieved but Solar could no longer speak. Still, he let her work, watching her sadly. She sure could use an automatic defib unit now. Ah well.


    Viv kept pumping, two per seconds. Even with all of her strength in it, the bones didn¡¯t fracture. Some stat bullshit at work, probably. That didn¡¯t matter. It could work. It had worked for her, and¡ª


    Solar took an immense breath, the chest arcing so much Viv was pushed aside. The man moved on his side then coughed his lung out. Not literally. Viv sat back on her ass.


    After ten seconds so of a hacking cough, Solar sat back and placed a hand on his chest, looking a bit lost. Viv took his pulse from the carotid.


    ¡°Aaaaaand we have returned to spontaneous circulation. You are welcome.¡±


    She stood up, peeled off her gloves and looked at her right hand. It looked like she¡¯d been caught in razor wire, with long gashes oozing blood, but nothing critical. It was painful though. An errant line of energy had sliced into her pinkie¡¯s nail and that was the worst. She took a second potion and emptied it. Unfortunately, the wounds scarred on the spot.


    //The black mana was too concentrated.


    ¡°Between the dragon scar on my arm and now this, Nyil isn¡¯t good for my skin.¡±


    //Perhaps you can get a toe frozen by blue mana next time.


    //For variety¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Har har. Speaking of, how is the hand?¡±


    //I will have a minor functionality loss.


    //Unfortunately, the damage is too extreme to be self-repaired.


    //I will find a way to do so, or a way to obtain a better frame.


    //Do not be concerned.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m alive!¡± Solar suddenly exclaimed. It seemed he had finally realized his heart had restarted for good. ¡°I¡¯m alive. I¡¯m really alive. I can feel my heartbeat.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Congratulations."


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°Pinch yourself?¡±


    Solar blinked.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So you will know you are not dreaming?¡±


    ¡°I already know that!¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Whatever! Next time, remember to keep your remarks to yourself! You don¡¯t get to tell me who I can save and who I can¡¯t, alright?¡±


    Viv realized she was a little emotional. Solar too. Despite his experience, he was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°I thought I was going to leave Wamiri alone. Miss my child¡­¡±


    //This is all a fascinating display of organic, hormone-based decision making.


    //A majestic sight.


    //However, we should secure the place first.


    ¡°You secure the place,¡± Viv retorted, ¡°I want to make Sidjin comfortable.¡±


    Having a shield break would not be lethal to a mage of Sidjin¡¯s caliber but it would still hurt like hell. Viv walked to her lover, then made a bed of softened eldritch walls and spare clothes.  She took the time to wipe the drying blood on his face and placed a wet, cold towel on his forehead. As expected, he woke up while the others were patrolling.


    ¡°Wha¡ª ow!¡±


    He winced in pain but his expression softened almost immediately. Viv remembered he had pain tolerance at a higher tier than most humans alive. Nevertheless, he proved to be wise enough not to force it.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m alive, I assume we killed it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, though Solar almost got done in. I think we can recover here for a little while, move on later.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to close the tunnel. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter in the end. Besides, having a path for the black mana to leave proved useful. We have a saying where I come from. No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. That means, you need to have a plan and then adapt as soon as the action begins.¡±


    ¡°It sounds smart.¡±


    ¡°Hey, my country has the most military victories in recorded history,¡± said the citizen of the country that had possibly lost the most wars in recorded history.


    ¡°Fascinating. Now, since we are not at risk of immediate death, my dear, I¡¯m going back to sleep. Goodbye.¡±


    And just as he had warned, Sidjin was out cold in seconds. Viv chased off ideas of internal bleeding and strokes. He had been hit by a mana break, not a rock to the head. It would be fine.


    Now that she had a moment, it was time to have a look at her gains.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Your acuity has reached a milestone!


    You may now keep your perception of time slowed for entire battles at a lesser cost of mental stamina. You may cast up to three spells at once. Your mental speed has vastly improved. Your fine control has vastly improved. You will find it easier to notice small details and anomalies.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Perception was typically tied to finesse, so it was nice to see hers was finally picking up. It could only work well with her danger sense.


    Viv noticed that her Lost Heiress path had progressed by one step, but it was tied with the mental stats milestone. She felt that both achievements and abilities were required to progress. She was confident achievements were not an issue here, therefore she didn¡¯t match the minimal requirements to progress. That was fine. Having a more unique profile affected the number of unique paths. It was just an investment.


    There were more gains as well.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Intermediate 2 -> 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was probably due to the success of her initiative. She suspected her skill might also have a passive effect in battle, allowing combatants on her side to cooperate more effectively. Officers and general paths had more specialized skills that worked only in a military setting. Those skills were probably more effective, being more specialized, but she¡¯d take what she could. It was fine not to be the best at everything.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity Reflex: Intermediate 2 -> 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That skill governed instinctive casting as a response to a threat.  She had used it several times against the necrarch, yet the jump in level still surprised her. It proved that success against tall odds mattered in the eyes of magic.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Your expedition has killed the unkillable!


    Because of your repeated murder (and subsequent cooking) of large-sized or just dangerous wildlife, inspection will now return the detail ¡®huntress¡¯ when used on you. Congratulations. Please kill more wiggly things and leave my stuff alone, thank you.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Oi! Also, she wouldn¡¯t be cooking undead any time soon. Just¡­ ew. And it seemed Nous still hadn¡¯t forgiven her for her accidental and really limited, not to mention quickly repaired damage to his property.


    How long could an immortal, petty god keep grudges, she wondered?


    Yeah, probably a long time. Damnit! In any case, her profile was shaping up to be powerful if eclectic.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">VANDAL</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 35.7%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    21


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    39


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    23


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    40


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    26


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    40


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 4


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Novice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 2


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not bad.


    //Your Grace.


    ¡°Loot!¡± Viv said, excitedly.


    Solfis handed her the prize and she shivered in pleasure.


    If the nascent necrarch¡¯s cores were the size of pomelos and already had more mana than she could reasonably use in a single battle, the true necrarch¡¯s core was enormous, easily as long as her forearm. It was also inexplicably shaped like a lozenge. She had always assumed that cores maintained their circular shape no matter what. All the cores she had seen so far were round without exception and she had seen quite a few of them in her enchantment class. Perhaps this peculiarity only extended to exceptional specimens. The Academy hadn¡¯t let them work with their finest products. Anyway, it was weird. After manipulating the object for a while and being weirded out by its weightlessness, Viv entrusted it back to Solfis. It was done. They had fulfilled their main objective. Between this and the cursed mace, she might have decreased her indentured period by more than a half with seven or eight months left on the timer, if she was being cautious. Things were looking up.


    Maybe she would still serve that asshole for a couple of years, but it wouldn¡¯t be the decades of labor she had envisioned at the beginning, if everything went well.


    After a little while, the group decided to go to sleep since Solfis assured them he would hold guard. Solar¡¯s improvised ventilation system now allowed both fresh air and the Deadshield Wood¡¯s thick brown mana into the room. Between this and the remnant of the gods¡¯ blessing, the place felt fine, though not homey.


    Sidjin woke up in the middle of the night leading to Arthur leaving in a huff because her pillow wiggled. The couple used the opportunity granted by their relative intimacy to engage in a little celebration. Everyone left the cave at dawn.


    The team deliberated over breakfast.


    ¡°I say we should check the lair. It would be a shame to leave something behind now that the main threat is eliminated,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m also concerned about the presence of nascent necrarchs. If there were three, there could be more and if they manage to escape, then they could arrive at the nearby Merl city in a single night. I don¡¯t want that to happen.¡±


    ¡°We have some time before we are due to return, anyway. I have no objection,¡± Solar said.


    //I agree that this is the proper course.


    Gold!


    Irao reappeared just long enough to shrug.


    //We have unanimity minus one abstention.


    //Stay on your guard.


    The squad made sure to wear their armor, now significantly rattier than before. This time, they moved straight down the main tunnel instead of going back to the upper floor. They found a small series of rooms on their left, most of them dark and used as secondary barracks for soldiers apparently. The black mana concentration had already decreased enormously over the last few hours. Viv suspected that the Deadshield Woods were now pushing to reclaim their lost grounds and that, if she returned later, the caves would be filled with mushrooms and wildlife. Now was the best time to check things out.


    Past the statues, the cavern widened until the mountain felt fully hollowed out. A great cathedral of natural stone pillars and tall vaults swallowed them, their surfaces carved with faded engravings depicting scenes of hunts, ceremonies of a religious nature including sacrifices, celebrations, burials. The list was long but incomplete. Just like the statues, some of them had turned into twisted versions of themselves while others had disappeared entirely. Claw marks from the necrarch criss-crossed the surface, grooves dug deep where it had made regular trails. She just imagined facing the monster in that maze of stone and shivered.


    ¡°Good call not fighting it here,¡± she commented.


    Her voice echoed eerily in the unusual silence. The air of general malevolence was gone, yet the void that had replaced it filled her with unease. It was too quiet. And her companions were too damned silent!


    //The terrain would have provided the creature with an overwhelming advantage.


    //Lesser hunters might have disarmed the traps and thought it was enough.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Viv replied half-heartedly.


    The golem was right. The elite of the elite of mankind plus her and Arthur had banded together and they had still almost lost a man. Necrarchs were scary. In any case, it was done now.


    The group now made free use of light enchantments, which let Viv appreciate the natural formations around her. They found an altar at the bottom of the cave, or what was left of it. It looked like it had been split by a falling cruise ship. The blow had even broken the ground.


    ¡°Someone was angry,¡± she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe to say a lot of people were. You may not be familiar with the spell but a lot of the damage you see on the lower portion of the structures are spell-based. Brown bolts and quite a few cracks made by a rapid temperature change indicate a spellcaster battle of great proportion.¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, Viv realized that much of the wear and tear was not due to time. If there were any explanation left behind, it had disappeared over the centuries. They went on.


    A pair of arches led to the deepest sanctum, where Viv surmised artifacts and objects of the cults had been kept. A few beds showed that those were probably the dwellings of high priests or important people. The place had been thoroughly wrecked. Nothing had survived except fragments of shattered bas-reliefs piled in corners like detritus. The invaders had smashed every statue, every carving. Viv considered how much effort it had taken and thought she was missing something. Neriad and Maradoc had felt relaxed in her presence, joking merrily in their little tea glasshouse, but this level of systematic destruction spoke of a hatred so deep, it had endured past victory. The invaders had not just won, they had slaughtered the vanquished, then they had erased every last trace of their existence, toppled all their monuments, defaced all of their idols. Only the statues at the entrance remained, possibly as a warning. Viv couldn¡¯t imagine what could push a man like Neriad to such a pit of hatred, but the human sacrifice carvings could be a hint.


    Silently, the squad kept going, patiently exploring the private quarters and finding nothing of value. The complex ran deeper still, until they found themselves at the very heart of the mountain, in a large square room split in two by a wall. Five demolished altars formed a half circle around a gap partially filled with large stones. An inscription, carved with a sword, covered the middle wall across its length.


    Solfis stopped and looked. Viv imagined he was deciphering the text. It took him a while to do so, then some more time to come to a decision.


    //Your Grace.


    //The implication of what I am reading is¡­ disturbing.


    ¡°Oh yes, the gods warned me that I should keep what I learn quiet. Hmm. You should probably do the same, guys.¡±


    ¡°The gods spoke to you?¡± Solar asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes, when I prayed to them earlier. Anyway, translate away, Solfis. I want to know what that secret is that I¡¯m not supposed to share.¡±


    //Very well.


    //Old gods, tyrants, we consign you to oblivion.


    //We curse you with our breath and hate you in our hearts.


    //We break you with our hands.


    //We leave you behind.


    //Octas, the limb grafter, the hater of tools, we dismember you with weapons.


    //Gomogog, the flesh eater, the glutton, we starve you.


    //Enttiku, the child taker, the death dealer, we deny you our blood.


    ¡°Enttiku was cursed as well?¡± Irao asked.


    He seemed very surprised.


    ¡°I think the new gods may have cut a deal with her. Him. Whatever you believe,¡± Viv said.


    //May I go on?


    ¡°Yes, sorry.¡±


    //Khaton, of the many diseases, the poisoner, we burn you away.


    //Gorok the butcher, the tyrant, we split your head asunder.


    Silence and shock spread across the small assembly. Viv had never heard about those dark gods. What¡¯s more, there was one missing.


    //Signed.


    //Emeric the Fated.


    //Maranor the Slayer.


    //Maradoc the Knower.


    //Neriad the Shield


    //Sardanal the Bountiful.


    //Nous the Mentor


    //And Efestar the Wayfarer.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said, ¡°Ooooooooh, alright, yeah, that is¡­ yeah.¡±


    ¡°Efestar was on the side of the light gods?¡± Solar whispered. ¡°What, in the name of¡­ them, happened? How?¡±


    //It does not say.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    Viv was shocked at this new development. The effect on the others, however, was much more dire, except for Arthur who didn¡¯t care. Even Solfis felt more subdued, possibly calculating how this knowledge would affect its own theories. Solar and Sidjin stood transfixed by the characters, staring at them as if they would surrender their secrets. To Viv¡¯s knowledge, the inhabitants of Param had little interest in history but they loved stories and myth, and everyone liked stories on the light gods¡¯ exploits. They had found and pitied humanity, teaching them elaborate tools, walls, laws, numbers. Civilization. The light gods had lifted mankind and outwitted the dark ones at every turn. After their work was done, they retired to the City of the Gods alongside their champions and other powerful entities to watch over their ever-growing flock. There was never any mention of the before. In fact, Viv had not been aware of a before until she had found the lone mountain.


    The Paramese relied a lot on the gods, even in their everyday life. As a modern Earth person, Viv already relied on them as defenders of good. Mostly. For the others, the light gods were an eternal fixture of their lives. They blessed every major milestone of their lives. Temples could be found in every city, the priests within demonstrating true power. It was a shock to realize that they were ascended humans who had cast down the previous pantheon. The meek would wail and fear the possibility of their demise while the rich and powerful would wonder: what if? What if I could be like them? No, she had no objection keeping this little piece of trivia to herself.


    She wondered about Efestar, though.


    How could one of the light ones become a god of scorn?


    No, this was the wrong way to think about it. They were human before, and a human will ally with the devil himself if they consider it a lesser evil. Perhaps Efestar picked scorn and favors the despicable beastlings because he believed himself betrayed, backstabbed by his fellow ascendants. Maybe she¡¯d ask him if they ever met again.


    While it was clear the revelation had left the three men shaken, they recovered promptly thanks to their magically-boosted mental resilience. Viv still thought it was weird but this world was filled with horrors, there was no therapist path, and it was healthier than substance abuse. The squad approached the hole in the wall and realized the path had been blocked by fallen masonry, then explosively opened from the inside. The broken stones were still the size of an average desk, at the smallest. It must have taken a stupid amount of strength to split them. This deep, the black mana was at the same strength as deep in the deadlands, though Viv didn''t find it too unpleasant. What proved unpleasant were the marks.


    Close to the opening, it became clear that the stones had been locked together tight from the numerous scratches left on their flanks. One side was smooth, the other a patchwork of so many claw marks made on top of each other, it was hard to determine how thick the stone had been to start with.


    //No presence detected.


    With the coast clear, the squad moved on, or in. Viv almost bumped into Irao¡¯s broad back. The man was frozen in place. Viv looked up and found out why.


    They were now standing in the twin of the previous room in terms of size. It was absolutely impossible to guess what it had been used for. The ground was covered in so much dust it made a small mound upon which a throne of bone and rock waited, but the true spectacle was above. Viv suspected the room might have been square once, but now it was almost round. Every square millimeter of naked rock was covered in layers upon layers of claw marks. They marked each other, the recent above the old. The implication was clear.


    The necrarch had first risen as a revenant in this trapped room. Even as it regained cunning as a nascent one, it was still trapped here. It took centuries of waiting in a black-mana saturated den for undead to turn into a necrarch, and she doubted even the brutes they had defeated earlier could have burst out of this well-locked tomb. So the nascent necrarch had tried to find a way out. And it had scratched, and scratched, and scratched. The room had been a rectangle, but now it was close to being a sphere. How many nights spent scraping the rock, she wondered. How many thousands of hours of claws against rock, again, and again, and again.


    Yeah, no wonder it was mad.


    ¡°I would not wish this upon my worst enemies,¡± Sidjin whispered.


    Then Arthur broke the spell.


    Gold.


    Gold!


    GOLD!


    The tiny dragon pranced in the dust, surrounding the makeshift throne. She was right. The necrarch had used the possessions of its victims over the ages to adorn its seat of power in a way that seemed childish to Viv. The awkward arrangements jutted out from tilted stone slabs like teeth from a crone¡¯s jaw, each more bizarre and grisly than the other. The necrarch had mounted thirteen rings on each finger of a giant, severed hand. Gold ingots of large sizes were planted in the eye sockets of the skulls of monstrous apes, the chitin of massive insects. They glittered eerily in the many-colored lights the intruders had brought with them. Arthur found a circlet and shook it, dislodging encrusted knuckles from its many thorns. If there was one treasure on this god-forsaken shithole of a planet that screamed ¡®cursed¡¯, that was it.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t touch any of those before a priest has had a look,¡± Viv suggested.


    //I shall collect the goods and store them until they are cleansed.


    //They can be later sold, and the profits shared among the members of the expedition.


    ¡°That¡¯d be grand. And, hm, won¡¯t you be cursed?¡±


    Viv was suddenly looking into a pair of baleful yellow eyes.


    //If any entity wishes to enforce the curse upon me.


    //They are welcome to try.


    A memory of Octas¡¯ herald oozing blood on the ground while Solfis walked towards Viv, holding its freshly decapitated head in a clawed hand, popped into Viv''s mind.


    Solfis would be fine.


    All in all, they recovered two full bags of goods, mostly precious metal. The few magical weapons were too corroded to be of use, their enchantments stripped by the deleterious effect of black mana. It was still a good haul and Arthur asked for her share immediately. Viv flatly refused, draconic constitution or not. Everyone would wait. It would be safe in the hands of Solfis.


    After this was done, they burnt the throne down. Viv tried to pray but no one answered, and they quickly left the noxious smog of black mana as soon as she gave up.


    Outside, it was still day.


    Viv had a week before she had to be at school and the trip back would not be very long, now that there were teleporters in place. In fact, Sidjin was confident he could get her there in two days, even through the Deadshield Woods. He had a request instead.


    ¡°I want to meet the Merl. I want to see them thrive with my own two eyes. I have sacrificed everything to let them escape. I want to see. No, I want to know that it was worth it. Beyond a doubt."


    ¡°Of course,¡± Viv whispered.


    ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t mind a break, but I want it to be with my fellow humans. May I leave and get an advance on the expedition¡¯s payment?¡± Solar asked.


    In the end, Irao and Solar elected to leave through the tunnel, taking the ship with them. Sidjin had no need for it. He would set up a permanent platform near the Merl city, if they agreed, then teleport to Losserec-on-the-Lake and, from then on, to Helock. Solfis stayed, of course, and Arthur took to the skies to hunt. She was frustrated by the delay in getting her rightfully plundered trophies. Viv watched her leave trailing longing thoughts of her gold. The group split apart, their mission completed.

 Chapter 124: The last stretch.

    There was a trail up leading to a ridge facing the entrance to the lone mountain. Viv knew they would have to climb that then walk down to the merl¡¯s hidden city. They immediately set out, Sidjin strangely giddy.


    The trek led briskly uphill. With their gear, it would have been an extremely challenging task, but here Viv had a power of 21 and she was fit. It merely counted as more than a nice afternoon stroll.


    The Deadshield Woods smothered them with its pervasive aura, yet Viv never felt it move and they were never sidetracked. The path was rocky and most barren, leading her to believe that the woods might only teleport them around if they couldn¡¯t see where they were going. Kind of like¡­ quantum thingies. She was in an uncertain state so long as she could not observe the treeline.


    Given how magic here worked, it might even be true.


    The morning turned into afternoon, then into early evening as they proceeded to basically climb a small mountain chain. They didn¡¯t see any merl or signs of them, but Viv fully expected that they¡¯d be spotted by sentinels far above and would soon receive a visit.


    The pair set upward into a small valley cut off from the wind. It was already chilly here, but Sidjin was a dear and soon they had a ward system complete with temperature control and, at Viv¡¯s request, non-lethal measures. They fell asleep side by side, confident nothing out there could pierce their defenses without waking them up.


    The next morning, there were still no signs of the merls.


    Viv led the way as they approached the ridge. She recognized some of the rocks and gullies she had passed on the way down almost four months before. The stiffly inclined terrain made progress challenging. Thankfully, her lover came in clutch once more. He would shape stairs out of the mountainside on regular occasions with nothing more than a wave of his hand. That was probably for effect too. Viv let him flex and teased him when he did so. Even then, the pair was starting to worry.


    They reached the last hurdle when they stepped onto a plateau with a small pine forest and a very deep lake of glacial blue water. Viv felt some resistance and looked down, finding a transparent thread drifting in the cold wind. She shivered.


    ¡°Hmm, I think I stepped into¡­ a spider thread. And it might have been an alarm.¡±


    ¡°It was definitely a spider thread, darling.¡±


    Sidjin pointed up. There were webs around some of the trees, the dense lattices still holding morning dew.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    A moment later, a massive eight-legged creature emerged from the edge of the meadow. It was similar to the warrior spiders Viv had faced back at the village, though lighter in color and a bit leaner. The monster clicked and hissed.


    On its back, a merl sat.


    ¡°Hello hello!¡± it said in Enorian.


    Sidjin greeted him happily in a tweeting tongue. it felt strange in the mouth of a human, but it was obviously working. The merl seemed excited.


    ¡°He says he¡¯s normally posted below but they retreated when the necrarch roared. Sometimes, it goes out to hunt and the merls who stay are never found again. He¡¯ll gladly lead us to¡­ are you alright, darling?¡±


    ¡°I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders I hate spiders.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine. Our friend Gillis here says the shamans have domesticated a brood mother. The merl are using the spiders as mounts and beasts of burden. It is perfectly safe!¡±


    ¡°But why? Why?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you had something against spiders, darling.¡±


    ¡°They tried to eat me. Many times. Does that count? Also, giant spiders? How are you fine with that?¡±


    ¡°It will be fine. Gillis offered us to ride Spindlecalf. That¡¯s¡­ how he calls the spider.¡±


    ¡°Fuck the hell no.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll gather his squad and then we¡¯ll get on our way.¡±


    ¡°Do they also ride spiders?¡±


    ¡°... yes?¡±


    ¡°Can I burn the entire valley down?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the red mana to do that.¡±


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    ***


    The merl patrol walked back on their mounts. It annoyed Viv that eight legs made the monsters much more stable. They moved effortlessly while Viv¡­ did not. Sidjin and herself had to accelerate to match even their slowest speed. This changed after they passed the ridge and the ground flattened a bit more. Giant spiders were apparently not that fast on flat ground, a bit like the merls themselves. Or at least, not their cruising speed.


    The squad stopped around mid morning to feed their mounts from gourd containers filled with some sort of slurry that smelled strongly of fruits and nuts. The humans swapped fresh veggies for their own meat jerky, much to the merls delight. Those were young ones, Viv realized. They were at the edge of the third step. It was possible that they had changed recently to match their new spider-handling capabilities.


    Soon enough, the first of the tree-built structures and hanging fields appeared, a sign of return to merl civilization. The laborers showed the same mix of excitement and fear they had the first time Viv had passed through. There were no signs of more spiders, which comforted Viv.


    ¡°He says the spiders live in the deep woods, not far from the capital city of Peace-at-last. Sikoua in their language. He says that the spiders accept a symbiotic relationship, that is, he used a metaphor to indicate that. However, there are limits to what the brood mother is willing to do. Relocating is one of them. There are a few spiders in Sikoua. They are used to move goods quickly between floors. Oh, and make silk.¡±


    ¡°If I find a spider in my hair, I¡¯m burning the whole place down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a repulsor ward, it stops anything below the weight of a small nut from entering. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Viv grumbled incoherently. Spiders. She hated spiders.


    Sidjin was recognized for the first time in the outskirts. A female Merl came and touched his hands, caressing the fingers with reverence. She also showed him her first grandchild. Viv found the moment moving. After that, a small procession followed Sidjin as he moved closer to the pit where Sikoua was hidden. More and more adults came to pay their respect, to express their gratitude. The name of Sidjin was on every lips, well, beak, and runners carried the message far and wide.


    Tweek waited for them by the city entrance.


    When the two saw each other, Sidjin raced forward to hold the reverent shaman in his embrace, while Tweek took only a few stumbling steps forward. Viv watched the old merl¡¯s thin arms lock around her lover¡¯s broad back with an indescribable feeling of pride. She could see from an angle that Sidjin was crying.


    It took a minute for them to separate. When he did, Viv caught the fallen prince¡¯s expression on the smooth part of his face, the one without the scar. Like that, in the shiny light of noon, he appeared so young and so hopeful, a far cry from the hardened survivor she had grown to love. He must have looked like that in the early days of the beast tide, full of hope. Before his nation cracked them on the bottom of Glastia¡¯s long wall. He really had the prince charming persona going for him.


    Viv felt a strange feeling of possessiveness fill her heart. She wished she could capture this happy Sidjin to preserve it in amber when he woke up in screams in the middle of the night. She also felt a little envious that someone else could trigger such a reaction, but it was an ugly feeling and she smothered it quickly. That envy was soon replaced by anger at those who had made a bleak world bleaker through the selfish blade of self-interest at any cost. It made her a little bit mad.


    She saved that tiny ember of wrath for later, choosing instead to wear her most brilliant smile. Today was a happy day. Revenge had no place in it. Instead, she mingled and talked with those few who could speak Enorian. It was a bit difficult to admit being ¡®Sidjin¡¯s mate¡¯ instead of Viviane Saint-Lys, certified badass and teenage dragon wrangler extraordinaire. It would be fine for one day. Three hours at least. Two hours.


    There was, of course, a party. At first, Sidjin tried to translate for her but she insisted he just had fun. This was his moment. Tweek and himself spoke in a mix of merl and northerner. It was the first time she¡¯d heard him speak his native language for so long. His voice felt deeper, but maybe that was his imagination.


    They talked, they drank, they moved to the statue where Sidjin both laughed and cried. They teared up talking about the departed and drank to every saved family, every recovering clan. They feasted on meat and fruit and a strange bread made from a tree¡¯s inner pulp. Viv was content staying as an outsider, for now. Towards the middle of the night, Sidjin made a spell demonstration to the amazement of the locals. The celebration spread throughout the city like a wildfire. By the early hours of dawn, the primitive rendition of Sidjin had been replaced by a cartoonish version of himself by his own hand. He had even spelled the chin to be as square as a brick for ¡®extra virility¡¯. The two humans made love until dawn then they promptly fell asleep. The party calmed down the next day.


    ***


    Sidjin spent the next day building a teleportation circle and talking to his dearest friends. Fortunately for the fallen prince, the merl had a hangover tea that did wonders for the plastered mage. As for Viv, she had made sure to stay hydrated throughout the night and had thus escaped his cruel fate. The merl were going to be granted the tools to reach civilization. Sidjin had the right to one teleporter for personal use according to his contract, This would be it. As promised, he would not profit from it financially.


    Viv was a little surprised since the merl had favored isolation so far, but the spiders changed the deal. The merl still had a dearth of elites after the mauling they¡¯d taken on the walls but siege tarantulas had a tendency to even the scales on account of weighing upward to three tons. It was time for the merl to trade and obtain iron when they could. Sidjin would help them. And if anyone tried to bother them, they would have to contend with the woods, the spiders, the merl¡­ and Sidjin.


    Before they left a day later, Tweek and the elders gifted the couple rolls of royal spider silk. It was one of if not the most expensive fabric on Param by surface. It took to enchantments almost as well as silverite did. Viv already had designs to get herself a new battle robe. Soon after, they left, with Sidjin promising to return often.


    ***


    Viv returned to Helock on a beautiful autumn evening. It had been cold and rainy in Losserec. Her day also felt a little shorter, the sun setting a little earlier. Viv was one of the few privileged people on this planet to experience jet lag. Or teleportation lag. She was back to having first world problems.


    There would be no academy break for the next six months. Instead, the students were expected to travel on various missions to prove their abilities in their selected subjects. This allowed mage apprentices to serve their own nations, and for the freshly recruited wild talents to get a taste of what they could expect after graduation. Most of those would then join their patrons permanently while a few would switch allegiance, and those who preferred to work alone could take the time to find their paths. It was a well-practiced method.


    As for Viv, she would accept or refuse Elunath¡¯s offer by the end of the semester. She judged it unwise to wait until she started to die to do so, and Solfis had described the process in detail. Her organs would start failing one by one, at first temporarily and then for extended periods of time.  Her existence would become miserable rather quickly. Even the support of the Academy and the elemental fruit she had consumed would only mitigate the symptoms. No, there was little reason to extend her agony since she would be unable to find valuable things to sell the archmage. She just had to work twice as hard while she was still hale and gaining power.


    This led her to Elunath¡¯s receiving room, alone, where the chiseled mockery of a man waited for her with his perfect physique and his barely veiled condescension.


    ¡°Hello. You are here, so I assume you have something for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. How much would you give for this interesting find?¡±


    Viv picked a sealed box and slammed it on the desk, unlocking it a moment later. A chilly aura of death and rage filled the pristine office like a stain on a porcelain cup. Elunath¡¯s perfect face twisted even further, which Viv thought couldn¡¯t possibly be done.


    ¡°Where did you ¡ª Nevermind, I suppose I can guess what kind of ruins can produce such a terrible artifact. Please tell me you have not wielded it?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I¡¯m more of a knife girl myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course you are. Just know anyone who touched that is probably being eaten alive and turned into an aberration right now. What a dreadful weapon. I will be conducting an aura analysis then destroying that thing, as you should have if you had any brain.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t reply, merely smiled instead.


    ¡°I will buy it off you for seven years. And only because I want it off the streets. There is nothing good to be drawn from something so vile. It is an antithesis to everything this world stands for. A cancer.¡±


    It was comforting to see that despite the stratospheric opinion Elunath had of himself, he still possessed some common sense.


    ¡°That leaves you with seventy-three years, three months.¡±


    ¡°I have a collection of texts that will allow you to decipher primitive human and ancient Harrakan.¡±


    ¡°I already have sufficient knowledge of old Harrakan,¡± Elunath said dismissively.


    ¡°Even the idioms?¡± Viv asked with fake surprise. ¡°The important events as well? Cultural references?¡±


    ¡°Give it here,¡± the man replied in a tired voice.


    Viv waited for a few minutes while Elunath leafed through the first of the collections Solfis had prepared. He moved faster than any scholar could, thanks to stats fuckery, but Viv could still tell when he stopped longer than usual after finding an insightful translation. He also had a quick glance at the primitive runes dictionary.


    ¡°Nine months for the Harrakan one, but only because it will allow me to use the ancient human translator to its utmost. I will admit¡­ it is a tremendous find. I will give you twelve years for that, as there are some precious northern texts I can cross-reference¡­ hmmm. Yes. In any case, congratulations. Sixty years and six months. Do you have anything else?¡±


    Viv showed the core. As soon as it cleared the bag, Elunath¡¯s eyes widened with envy.


    ¡°Ah, what a magnificent specimen. Necrarch, yes? An old one?¡±


    ¡°Very old.¡±


    ¡°Yes. What an extraordinary find. It is almost a waste¡­ but no, this will guarantee the success of the operation. It is worth twenty years, as I said before. You have just saved me quite a bit of time and expenses. And proven yourself immensely resourceful. Well done.¡±


    Elunath extended his hands, but Viv declined the request.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto it. For now.¡±


    She saw a hint of fury in the man¡¯s eyes for the tiniest moment, an instant so fleeting she might as well have imagined it. It was as if the overwhelming presence he emanated had solidified and she was hitting a wall. Yet, his composure never broke.


    ¡°Very well, it is your right. The end result will be the same in any case¡­ unless you lose it.¡±


    ¡°Very few people know I have it at all, and I trust all of them to keep it secret,¡± Viv replied politely.


    The two stared at each other, hidden behind their smiles.


    ¡°If you think this is best. Anything else?¡± Elunath asked.


    Viv turned up a few precious resources, including necrarch claws and a few mana-saturated ingots of precious metal. They would have value for a smith and she supposed Elunath might find an interest in them. In the end, her time was reduced to thirty-seven years.


    It was much better than she anticipated.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for me,¡± she finished with as much calm as she could.


    ¡°Very well. My turn then?¡±


    ¡°Hm, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Or yes.¡±


    Viv resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She hoped there would not be any time left on their contract, or the servant contract would make her life¡­ difficult.


    ¡°Yes, you may begin,¡± Viv replied.


    Elunath swallowed his anger once more. It occurred to Viv that she should really try to control herself. There was no need to provoke every authority figure she came across. Just half would be fine.


    ¡°I seem to recall that you would not be adverse to some covert activity, so long as it remains righteous. Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, although I would prefer to learn more before agreeing to anything.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Elunath smiled. ¡°It so happens that the Skaima family has been gaining a lot of influence recently. Now, I do not begrudge lesser clans the drive to improve their lot. Helock depends on a healthy competition to ensure the wiliest and most capable politicians of each generation rise to the top. Unfortunately, the Skaima¡¯s ruling couple has been resorting to¡­ shortcuts. Several of their opponents have disappeared recently, assassinated by a fairly competent mage. After careful observations, I have determined that the Skaima have been relying on something called a hidden branch. Are you familiar with the term?¡±


    ¡°You mean a secret group?¡±


    ¡°No. The expression is Helockian. It refers to a hidden branch of the family tree, a talented mage trained in secret so that they may follow a path of both mage and infiltrator. Someone tries this every few generations. It seldom ends well. Can you guess why?¡±


    ¡°I assume they are not treated very well.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. In order to maintain the cover, they must be pariahs with little official talent. The discrepancy between their usefulness to the family and the recognition they get in return always leads to disaster. Either they take revenge on the leaders or they make mistakes. Grow too cocky. I have identified the man whose status and attitude do not match as Jin Skaima. You will intercept his carriage as it returns from a nearby village and attack it, posing as highwaymen. Your mission is to get him to demonstrate his magical abilities in front of the other occupants, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned highwaymen, plural?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You will render assistance¡­ oh, let me be perfectly honest. Your role is to manage young Sonagi while he holds Jin Skaima back. You certainly have the ability to manage Skaima yourself. Unfortunately, your brand of sorcery is too specific and you will easily be recognized. Sonagi has an even distribution of several elements he uses rather well. You need to handle everything else for this operation.¡±


    ¡°Can I bring outside talent in? I don¡¯t have experience in brigantry.¡±


    ¡°You may use all the resources you deem fit so long as the job gets done. Oh, and another thing. Should you or your allies be compromised¡­¡±


    Elunath let her finish the sentence.


    ¡°You will deny all knowledge of our actions?¡±


    ¡°No, I will kill you in your cell.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well.¡±


    ¡°This will grant you another ten years. If you succeed.¡±


    ¡°I accept but I have a question. What if Jin Skaima decides to kill the other passengers and blame it on us. Remove the witnesses?¡±


    Elunath huffed a little laugh.


    ¡°It did not take you long to figure that out. The other passengers will be a noble family, a local one. If Jin dares kill them, I will¡­ strongly advise the bereaved to investigate him. He will fall, no matter what. As long as you get him to use his power. Rob him of all his belongings. If necessary, humiliate him. People like him are very sensitive to humiliation by someone they consider their lesser.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good. This file contains the details on the operation, itinerary, schedule, patrols, all you need. Do not take too long with the robbery or you may have pursuers. Oh, and contact Sonagi quickly. He needs time to¡­ get ready.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue with him?¡±


    ¡°He will tell you himself if he feels like it, though as for the symptoms, you shall notice them rather quickly. Off you go then, I have another appointment.¡±


    Viv left without a word. Lani was waiting in the antechamber. One of Elunath¡¯s servants, Lani was a blue mana mage with very pale skin. She always wore blue robes whenever Viv had met her.


    ¡°You should avoid provoking him,¡± she whispered once they were far enough away.


    ¡°You were eavesdropping?¡± Viv asked back. The door had been closed.


    ¡°No but we have grown with him as adults and mages so we are more sensitive to his mood. Elunath tends to keep score. Your service will be easier if he has a better opinion of you. Although, no matter what, make sure it is short.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± Viv asked after a short moment of silence.


    ¡°I would be some alderman¡¯s wife latching an eighth child to my teat now if he had not found me, not a respected scholar of the arcane. He rescued us from a mediocre life. All of us. But you are different. You are prideful. Probably noble-born. Taking orders will not come naturally to you, and you are too old and stubborn to be molded. If it only takes a few years, you can endure it.¡±


    Viv watched Lani as she walked but the woman averted her gaze, her spine ramrod straight. They passed by another woman Viv had not met. This one was tall and tan with a powerful brown aura. A sari-like cloth covered her lithe body. She was taller than Viv. The woman sneered at Lani on the way. Viv waited until they were close to the entrance to ask her next question.


    ¡°How long is your contract for?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Another twenty-three years.¡±


    ¡°By the gods! This is horrible¡­¡±


    Lani smiled a bitter rictus that never reached her eyes.


    ¡°We do not all have the luxury to choose. Even as a servant here, I have more freedom and power than any woman from the village. My skin is not dry from the salty wind and my hands are free of calluses. My room does not stink of fish gut and unwashed bodies. I am one of the privileged few. This is the world you live in now, Viviane the Outlander. Never forget that.¡±


    The door closed on Viv.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my Harrak,¡± Viv replied to the thick pane.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the world I¡¯ll build.¡±


    ***


    Viv returned to the hospital in the afternoon and stayed there until late at night. As expected, there was a wave of new amputees to take care of. She worked relentlessly, only stopping to have the priest heal the scars on her hand, the result of the necrarch¡¯s spell. The witch was not beyond some cosmetic surgery. They also smoothed the dragon scar on her arm, the one Arthur had given her with her first fire. Viv thought it looked super cool and it had an emotional value as well. The next day, she returned to the five fishes inn where Solfis was waiting alongside his second, Lim the fell-handed. She had her arm in a sling.


    ¡°Your doing?¡± Viv asked as they sat around a table.


    //Lim has recently faced some challenges to her management.


    //Fortunately, she has managed to outlive enough of the competition to stay ahead.


    //I have provided a permanent solution to most issues upon my return.


    //You may consider the situation resolved and our position in Helock strengthened.


    ¡°Ok good, because I need to commit highway banditry.¡±


    //Are we diversifying, Your Grace?


    ¡°It¡¯s for Elunath.¡±


    Lim the fell-handed went over the plan Elunath had proposed and delivered her verdict immediately.


    ¡°It is completely retarded,¡± she uttered in broken Enorian. ¡°Made by a man with a swine for a father.¡±


    ¡°Can you elaborate?¡±


    ¡°This place, good, but no tree. Plan says put tree on the road. No tree around. Have to fell tree then drag it. This place has traffic. You are seen long before the carriage can be stopped. It is bullshit stupid.¡±


    ¡°What do you propose then?¡±


    ¡°You will have mage, yes? Have mage use brown mana, make ground soft and sticky. They all know this spell. It stops the carriage. Then we come out.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Viv asked.


    Lim shook her head, frizzy hair drifting with the movement.


    ¡°You are stupid. Highwaymen are always at least five or six. You need eyes on the victims and someone to grab the valuables. Any less, guards suspicious. Who is the target?¡±


    ¡°Jin Skaima.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lim insisted. ¡°The target is the nobles and their gold. We are here for the gold. We have a minor talent mage with us. The target reveals he is a mage. We poison him, run. They go back. He is caught.¡±


    ¡°Oh, misdirection. I like that. And you said we would poison him?¡±


    In lieu of an answer, the dark-skinned woman produced a needle from thin air. A single drop of transparent poison dripped down its length, landing on her ink-soaked nail.


    ¡°I poison.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try it on me?¡± Viv asked, suddenly suspicious.


    When Viv had first met Lim, she had been after the kidnapped Arthur. Lim had guided her through the Helockian underground without resisting.


    ¡°I see you cut assassin above you like meat on the market square. You blocked his knife with a steel shield. Always have dark armor around you. Always look at me. Never too close. I checked. No safe opening.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°It was well done. Very smart for a caster. I approve. Now, when we stop the nobles, I poison Jin. That way, he cannot fight when he wants to fight.¡±


    //Lim¡¯s path allows her to activate the poison she injects as she desires.


    //Increasing or halting its effects.


    ¡°What fucked up path needs to manage poison?¡±


    //Lim is a blackmailer.


    //Her entire path is dedicated to forcing people into doing things they do not wish to do.


    //By any means necessary.


    Lim smiled. It wasn¡¯t Viv¡¯s first time fighting with assholes on her side but Lim certainly took the cake.


    ¡°We will have to train first,¡± Lim said with conviction. ¡°You are not highwayman material.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks I guess.¡±


    ¡°No. I do not mean the mind, or the guilt. I mean that you walk wrong. Talk wrong.¡±


    Lim tsked softly before reclining in her chair. She stared at Viv with a strange intensity that Viv found unsettling when compared to her otherwise plain appearance. Lim cultivated that plainness like a careful garden. She was dressed in a low level clerk robe, didn¡¯t wear jewelry besides a simple ring, and held her black hair back with a simple band. No makeup smoothed the harsh lines of her face. Viv could have walked by her a hundred times without thinking much about it. Only now, in the recess of the tavern¡¯s secret room, did she look like the predatory mind she was.


    ¡°You walk like war mage. You look at men or things when you want. You do not move around groups that might hurt you. You do not look at a powerful man and think, must I bow? How deep? There is no fear in your head and no bend in your back. This is wrong. Highwaymen are scared. They must always run. If you wait for too long, mounted guards find you, you die. You sell to the wrong person, you die. Your share is too big, or too small, you die with a knife in your ribs. Except, you are a woman. So you are raped first. Then, you die. You want to be a highwayman? You need to be very afraid and a little crazy. I can show you. But you cannot be you.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Fine, whatever. We can practice a bit while we wait for the carriage. Please arrange the details and find me men, I need to go fetch our mage.¡±


    //I shall send an urchin to help you.


    ***


    Finding an address in Helock was not as easy as counting street numbers. First, most streets had no name. Second, if they had a name, it was called the three whores alley or the stiff pisser lane. As Viv found out, one of the places had those two names at the same time, depending on who you asked. It would have been easy enough to find a house in a richer part of town. Find the closest major estate then walk in the indicated direction, asking staff or reading names.


    Sonagi didn¡¯t live in a nice part of town.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the right way?¡± Viv asked her guide.


    The street boy¡¯s face turned into a rictus of abject terror. Viv immediately felt like shit.


    ¡°It is ma¡¯am, am not lost, swear on my mother, I do. Just two more turns. Two more turns! Please!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, calm down. I am¡­ merely surprised.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yes, weird place for a mighty mage, beg your pardon. It¡¯s old Gyrna¡¯s slum. Cheap but clean and ordered. She got sons and those got cudgels. It¡¯s the best for those who are down on their luck. You still need to pay on time. Or else, cudgels.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Surrounded by dilapidated houses, Gyrna¡¯s ¡®pension¡¯ was a high-walled compound made by blocking off three of the four ways of some backstreet crossroad. The brick and cement partitions looked amateurish yet sturdy. Someone had made a token effort to paint one side, at least. A pair of thuggish guards only a few evolutionary stages below sapience watched them approach. They were clean in rough cotton clothes and wore the cudgels she¡¯d been warned about. After tipping the urchin since she could find her way back by herself, she stopped by them and removed her hood, giving them time to understand who, or what, she was.


    While the pair exchanged their lone neuron back and forth by means of bovine glares, Viv inspected the place. Gyrna and her brood had turned the center of the crossroad into a garden with a couple of sickly trees and bushes, now denuded of their leaves. Someone had swept the ground recently. It wasn¡¯t filled with detritus like the rest of the street.


    The two thugs were at the stage where they were looking at each other in alarm. Viv decided they were ready enough for communication.


    ¡°I am here to see Sonagi. Kindly lead me to him,¡± she said.


    After two seconds of delay, the first grasped his cudgel in a death grip and tried a reply.


    ¡°No killing on property grounds.¡±


    ¡°If I were here to kill, I would not be waiting for you to guide me. Now, you, please lead me to Sonagi. I am with his employer.¡±


    ¡°Uh? Ah, alright. Then. Yeah. You stay there, Nug. I¡¯m going.¡±


    The guard walked resolutely towards the back of the property. It was silent in the late morning as, she suspected, most of the dwellers were actually working. Sonagi¡¯s quarters were at the back on the ground floor, sharing this side of the block with a frowning, veiled woman who squinted at Viv as she passed. The first thing that struck the witch as she passed by was the smell.


    While the rest of the compound smelled as fresh as possible for something stuck in a filthy metropolis that engaged in fishing, the stench of rancid booze and the reek of those who digested it permeated the air. Viv undid the half-decent ward on the door without much issue, then she opened. Then she took a step back.


    A veritable cloud of alcoholic sweat almost made her gag. It was dark here, the light of the sun reflecting on a crystalline landscape of empty bottles. Some still hid dregs of potent liquor. A shape was sleeping in the cot, the only furniture besides a broken wardrobe held upright by some violation of the laws of gravity. Viv approached, then reconsidered.


    ¡°Is there water here?¡± she asked the thug.


    The man smiled and nodded. They had a well in a corner with a wooden sign warning that releasing wastes within would be punished with instant expulsion. Viv started to draw water but the thug stepped in, voluntarily filling and carrying the load for her. She only picked it back up at their destination. After asking the thug to step back a bit, she upended the entire thing on the sleeping man¡¯s form.


    ¡°Arg! You asshole, I¡¯ll fucking kill youuuuuuu!¡±


    ¡°Wakey wakey motherfucker,¡± Viv greeted congenially.


    ¡°You bitch. If it¡¯s money you want, I don¡¯t got any. Now¡­ fuck off!¡±


    Viv felt a kinetic spell latch on her chest and push. It would have smashed her out of the door if she had not coated herself in mana beforehand.


    Viv was starting to suspect the thug had helped her to see at least one haughty fucker brought low. Fortunately for Viv, she had been brought low before and came prepared.


    The man¡¯s control despite the circumstances spoke of great skill backed by effort. His eyes cleared a bit.


    ¡°Ah. Fuck.¡±


    He sat down and waited for her to speak.


    With some light on his features, Viv finally got to see the man who would cover her back. In theory. He had a soft, almost dreamy face with large brown eyes that would have made him cute in another life, but the ravages of poor living were obvious. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin yellow and pallid, drawn taut over hollow cheeks and topped by a dirty bird nest of light brown hair. The stained shirt falling from his gaunt frame revealed a skeletal shoulder blotched by sores and a bruise. He stank to high heaven.


    ¡°So¡­ has the council finally decided to finish me off? I see no guards.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here about a job. A common acquaintance led me to you.¡±


    ¡°A job? Oh. Oh! Shit, you¡¯re one of his girls! Of course. My bad I¡­ Let me just get. Urgh.¡±


    Viv watched him blearily sort through trousers and shirts she would not use to soak piss off street paving.


    ¡°Would you mind waiting outside?¡± he asked ¡°I got to take a dump and I drank my fill yesterday so¡­ you know. Gonna smell worse.¡±


    Viv slammed the door shut behind her.


    There was perhaps four days left before the attack.


    There¡­ might be a problem.

 Chapter 125: Evil deeds

    Viv¡¯s father used to say that criminals were not stupid. It was just that the police rarely ever got the smart ones. Viv intended to be smart.


    Breaking the law around Helock was pretty much a death sentence if caught. There would be no slap on the wrist for a fake bandit attack done for a decent cause. The Paramese courts of law and their enforcers didn¡¯t do extenuating circumstances. The only thing awaiting her would be a noose and possible torture before. Both Lim and Solfis expected the attention to shift quickly to Jin Skaima and his clan, but there would be a few hours when the guards would want to catch the daring highwaymen hunting so close to the city walls. They would get no mercy. Only higher ranking officers would realize this was a targeted hit, much later.


    And so Viv prepared.


    Lim procured disguises, which Viv wore before just to make sure everything was fine. They left the city to practice the maneuver on some empty road near the shore. Even then, Lim¡¯s crime family posted sentries so no hunters or foragers could spot them and report strange occurrences. They left nothing to chance.


    And if Viv thought the lack of cameras and overall low technological level would make her task easier, she was dead wrong. In the countryside, there was no such a thing as a stealthy escape. If she crossed a village, people would know and recognize a stranger in their midst. Foresters could find tracks. Locals knew all the hiding spots. There were always marauding bands of children to notice a campfire trail. No, every last aspect of the plan had to be carefully managed up to and including the escape vehicle (a horse-drawn carriage) and the hidey hole. At least Lim¡¯s associates had skills to hide their tracks.


    Then there was Jin Skaima himself.


    Viv researched the man and she had to give it to Elunath, he might be an asshole but Skaima was much, much worse. It was nice for her to better the deal while ridding Helock of such a psycho. Jin Skaima used red and gray mana to form overheated blades of energy he used to slice at great speed.


    Viv had mostly seen red mana specialists create fire, but obviously red mana could be conjured as such, the same way she called for black mana. That¡¯s what Jin Skaima liked to do. He also liked to make those blades explode no matter who was around. Each of his hits came with an increasing amount of civilian casualties. He had even slain a child, though since the victim was poor, no one had made a fuss yet. Truly, Jin was a piece of shit that she would have no regret sending to the gallows. If that was how executions worked here.


    Elunath had picked well.


    The last problem was Sonagi, Nagi to his ¡®friends¡¯. The man was halfway competent when he was just in the sweet spot between sober and buzzed. Sober wouldn¡¯t do, and drunk was worse. The dodgy healer who had brought him into a semblance of functionality had warned that the disgraced mage needed to be dosed with booze on the regular. Going cold turkey might just kill him outright.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was unwilling either. Viv could see traces of fear and hope in the scruffy, washed up mage. He had even bathed for the occasion. it was just that a week wasn¡¯t enough to make up for months of self-abuse.


    ¡°How do you know Elunath, anyway?¡± Viv asked one afternoon that they were resting from another exercise.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you?¡± the man replied, guarded.


    Then a moment later, he sighed.


    ¡°Not that it¡¯s important, or that I¡¯m important. Fuck, it doesn¡¯t matter. You are looking at the winner of the Academy¡¯s dueling club from 1306 to 1309, when I graduated. At your service.¡±


    Nagi gave a mocking bow, sickly limbs extended with shaking grace. He had used the Helockian way of measuring time, proving him to be a native. Every kingdom measured theirs according to their own significant events so that was a mess.


    Meanwhile, Viv was calculating. Most people stayed at the Academy for three years at most unless they intended to become researchers. Nagi didn¡¯t strike her as a researcher. It meant that he had won every year he was there. Not just that, but he had gone toe to toe with third years as a freshman and Viv had seen third years top contenders during the demonstration matches. They were no pushovers. She had no reason to believe they¡¯d been any worse during his time.


    ¡°Were you a free candidate?¡±


    ¡°Nope, I attended a prestigious school, sponsored by the Dorenean clan of practitioners. I was to join them as well.¡±


    That meant he was the normal age, sixteen or so. Not like Viv, who was on par with the oldest students and brought to her dueling class years of knowledge and experience in killing people.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll bite. You were an extremely promising candidate. What happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What else? I got cocky. Helock likes magical might but it lacks tradition even more. And I didn¡¯t know that. My mother was a washerwoman. My dad¡­ well she couldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°Secret?¡±


    ¡°No, by oath. He paid her for sex.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m fucking up again, ruining the story. I killed another kid. He was a monster and he had it coming but he was connected and I wasn¡¯t. So the duel was deemed illegal and, well. Yeah. Elunath saved my life so I could take care of my mom.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s still alive,¡± he replied, a bit shocked. ¡°Oh yeah, stupid. I talked about her in the past. No, she¡¯s kicking. She just retired from washing. It¡¯s a young woman¡¯s job here. If you know what I mean. We don¡¯t meet much. One of the demands from the bereaved family was that I pay the weregild. So I do. Every time I win in the arena, they take everything I don¡¯t immediately donate to mom or drink down at the arena bar. Can¡¯t even afford a fucking shirt.¡±


    ¡®How much do you owe?¡±


    ¡°With the interests, should be¡­ two hundred and seventy gold talents right now?¡±


    Viv whistled.


    This wasn¡¯t a personal debt. Hell, it wasn¡¯t even corporate bonds. That kind of money was government budget. Nagi would never get out.


    At least not legally.


    ¡°Have you ever considered ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doing illegal stuff? Hell yeah. Oh, maybe I didn¡¯t mention it. They have my mother. She¡¯s doing well for now, but they have an eye on her. If I escape or I stop paying or they find out I haven¡¯t kept my nose clean¡­¡±


    He mimicked slicing a throat.


    ¡°Course they¡¯re giving me a break now since Elunath probably asked them nicely, but once we¡¯re done here, maybe I¡¯ll get a few nice meals and some new small clothes and it¡¯s back to getting punched in the jaw by thugs for three silvers a pop.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Viv asked, ¡°you¡¯re not dueling mages?¡±


    ¡°Course I am, but people pay more to see me get tossed around and I need to get my mom her third of the winnings¡±


    He shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s always the same. I beat mages, get beaten in matches where I can¡¯t use my full power, then I drink. They like it. Like to see me win against cocky newcomers and then get beaten by an old, fat laborer here because he got caught sniffing his mistress¡¯ dirty skirts.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for telling me your life story, I guess. So Elunath is keeping you under his elbow for redemption.¡±


    ¡°No, there will be no redemption. The enemy family is powerful. They do not forgive or forget.¡±


    He shook his head, grabbed for the flask by his side and took a gulp under Viv¡¯s dubious eye.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s time. I needed a little pick me up.¡±


    Eye-watering liquorous emanations burnt Viv¡¯s eyes. It was ¡®a drink for men¡¯ as they say.


    ¡°Are you two done chatting? Time¡¯s up,¡± Lim said.


    The two stood up for more practice, but Viv was considering her options. Maybe Nagi¡¯s value wouldn¡¯t be limited to the current operation, after all.


    ***


    Viv found an afternoon to relax with the time-honored tradition of shopping. This time, she would get herself a new armored robe.


    With the loss of the skin suit and the robe Varska made, Viv was relying on hand-me-downs and borrowed gear. The following semester would require her to participate in field expeditions in the boonies, not to mention the raid in the deadlands. She needed an upgrade.


    Only two tailors in all of Helock could build her the battle robe she wanted. It took her two separate letters of recommendation to get in, one from the medical faculty and one from Sidjin. She provided the spider silk which was the main component and it still cost her upward sixty gold talents, helmet included. It was a fucking fortune. Worth it, though, she hoped. The measurements and instructions took most of an afternoon to go through, during which she worked with a prim old couple, one the tailor and the other the smith. They were polite and professional. It would take a moment to get finished, but that was fine.


    Finally, the time came to commit robbery, and she couldn¡¯t wear her real gear.


    ***


    Viv spent the night before at their hideout with Nagi, just to make sure he wouldn¡¯t miss anything. It was clear the occasion was stressing him out and the rationed booze got drunk as soon as it was delivered. As for her, she dyed her hair and prepared a minor glamour she had enchanted herself on a piece of cloth, which would color her eyes dark. She would be using a small crossbow, a northerner cheap weapon. It was a piece of shit compared to the real Yries weapons of war, but it was perfect for unskilled people and lethal at close range. Lim checked and between this and some peasant clothes, she looked the part. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The group departed on their escape cart near noon disguised as transient workers from the coast. They looked ratty enough from a distance not to arouse too much suspicion. After hiding the cart in a prepared recess in the forest, they moved up to wait by the main road. The small group made sure to stay hidden and at a distance.


    ¡°Some guard paths have a way to tell an ambush is waiting,¡± one of Lim¡¯s goons had explained. ¡°We can¡¯t get too close and you can¡¯t look for too long or they might find us out. Then the crafty ones talk to the guards and they get a cut if we¡¯re found and hanged.¡±


    Now the time had come to wait. And wait. For the action. It was amazing how much warfare had in common with banditry.


    The main thoroughfare followed the river Shal east towards Helock, and that was where they would be attacking. The bend they had selected was masked from the shore by a thick forest. There was quite a lot of traffic at that time, mostly distant villages sending in late harvests of fruits and tubers. Travelers came by as well, including a few apprentice mages with or without escorts. Nobles moved with a large entourage which forced the group to hide deeper. That was a point of failure of the plan. Viv had already decided that they would retreat if Jin Skaima¡¯s carriage happened to travel near such a convoy. There was nothing they could safely or reasonably do.


    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Lim asked.


    Viv was looking at a lone carriage bearing the crest of the family carrying Skaima home, which happened to be a fish. A guard and driver sat at the top of the box-like vehicle. It was also decently decorated while a few crates were carefully attached to its roof.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Viv whispered.


    She signaled Nagi who started casting. The packed earth and stone road in front of the carriage turned to mud.


    The rest of the attack group was sprinting out of cover before the soil was done turning into sticky clay.


    ¡°Hey, something¡¯s wrong!¡± the driver said.


    The guard stood, grabbing a crossbow similar to what Viv was using, but he made the mistake of looking ahead while Viv and her companions were rushing from the side. The hardiest ruffians clocked the driver and swarmed the guard before he could even swing the weapon. Viv kicked it aside.


    Two of the men busied themselves binding the guard while Viv kept an eye on the driver. The other two strong lads plus Nim and Nagi dragged the Skaima out of their carriage with practiced violence. There was a terrified teenage girl and a young boy, Viv noted.


    The driver saw the girl cry and reached for his inner vest pocket, so Viv backhanded him using power to enhance her strength. He fell to the side with a split lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she barked in accented northerner.


    Even this had been practiced. Viv was starting to pick up the language, especially the street variety. She still couldn¡¯t speak it though.


    ¡°Right, you know what¡¯s happening,¡± Lim said. ¡°Hand over your valuables and we won¡¯t hurt you. Hey, pretty boy! You listening?¡±


    The blackmailer snapped her fingers under the nose of a young man with sharp traits dressed in a rich doublet who fit the description of Jin Skaima. The children¡¯s parents by his side were in control of their fears but Jin was positively fuming. Viv followed the exchange from the side while pointing her weapon at the now trussed helpers. It was impressive to see a master at work.


    ¡°What, the pretty rich boy wants to say something? What do you want to say, pussy? Extend your hand.¡±


    He did not react, so she slapped him. Viv knew Lim must have already injected him with her poison to be so brazen.


    ¡°I said, extend your hand. That¡¯s right, you useless little dog. Well done. See, you can follow directions.¡±


    She grabbed a precious ring from his resisting finger and pulled quite painfully, then she looked him in the eye.


    ¡°Nice one pussy. Now drop your pants, I wanna see those pockets.¡±


    Viv could hear him grit his teeth. One of the thugs slapped the back of his head while the other was very politely collecting the purse of the family but letting them keep their heirlooms.


    Another look down confirmed that the guard under Viv¡¯s supervision wasn¡¯t moving. So far so good.


    Then Viv looked up and saw a fisherman running from the opposite direction, back towards Helock, his discarded basket spilling his catch on the ground.


    They were on a clock.


    One of the thugs signaled Lim, who redoubled her effort. Viv felt the woman¡¯s mana stir and so did Nagi, if his flinch was any indication. Lim was using a skill. Jin was the target. His entire face was now the color of a tulip while tears of rage welled in his eyes. He was almost ripe.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re broke, small guy. Why is it you useless wastes of skin always burn all your money.¡±


    Lim went farther, cupping Jin¡¯s balls with her hands. That almost made Viv blush from the sheer audacity. That crazy psycho was molesting an assassin mage in broad daylight!


    It was also, apparently, too much for poor Jin. He screamed in rage.


    The thug behind him pushed him forward then ducked out to cover, and not a second too soon. A large blade of incandescent mane whistled through the air where he had been, leaving behind a trail of superheated air.


    ¡°Shit, poison delay,¡± Lim said


    One of the stones embedded in Jin¡¯s doublet shone brightly. Enchanted, no doubt. More blades emerged over the irate mage¡¯s head.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy this,¡± he said, face twisted in a rictus of rage.


    And then, the most peculiar thing happened. One of his swords was undone, then another. Jin¡¯s face fell.


    Everyone else started to run. The passengers picked up the kid and raced away, which was fine. The plan needed them to be alive so they could testify. Viv stayed long enough to free the guard and driver so they wouldn''t be caught in the fight. It wouldn¡¯t have felt right otherwise.


    The delay let her watch a true mage duel when it wasn¡¯t fought across a plain from fortified positions. It was¡­ different.


    Viv¡¯s control over her mana didn¡¯t stop at her skin. Rather, she could manipulate it with extreme precision to a length of about her wrists all around her. This helped stop magical attacks. By contrast, Elunath dominated the entire room he stood in. Jin and Nagi were close enough to each other that the spells barely had time to form before a counter came from the other side. It was much less flashy than the other battles she¡¯d seen unless one had great mana perception. And Viv did.


    What she saw was two masters at work, striking and deflecting with blinding speed. Nagi used blue mana made slightly solid, somehow, to break the complex blade constructs while Jin kept attacking with increasingly violent flurries of shard, which bounced harmlessly on a sticky brown shield that seemed uniquely suited to stop that sort of impact. The pair was evenly matched, but only for a few seconds.


    Jin was a specialist, a one trick wonder who relied on surprise and blinding speed to achieve his results. Nagi, however, was a prodigy. He quickly picked up on Jin¡¯s technique, then simply used increasingly efficient ways to disable his efforts.


    After ten seconds, Nagi was dissolving the blades before they could fully form. Jin¡¯s face was a mask of despair. This lasted until his eyes rolled and he finally collapsed.


    ¡°Looks like the poison finally got the job done,¡± Nagi observed.


    Viv didn¡¯t say that Nagi could have just slammed him against the carriage and saved them a couple of seconds. The duel had been a masterful display of skill by the washed up alcoholic. Not just that, but he would need mana mastery at a high level to be that sensitive. Even Viv had failed to perceive many of the hints Nagi had seemingly picked on. And he had used concepts from two different colors. That was not just rare. It was extraordinary.


    The man had talent.


    ¡°What are you fuckers waiting for!¡± Lim screamed from the underbrush.


    Viv realized she and Nagi were standing in the middle of the empty clearing, alone save for the prone assassin mage. In the distance, the rumble of horse hooves thundered.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    The pair took off as fast as they could. They were dead last and Viv heard the alarm horns of mounted guards far back. Ok so the law here didn¡¯t fuck around when they cared. Good to know.


    ¡°Quick, quick!¡± Lim urged them on.


    The two casters had relatively low finesse and that would slow them down. Sonagi also wasn¡¯t at his best. Still, the cart wasn¡¯t far, and they were rolling away before long.


    ¡°Should we toss the coin?¡± Viv asked, wondering if they should remove evidence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give them more tracks to follow,¡± Nim replied venomously. ¡°And if we¡¯re caught, that won¡¯t make any difference, I assure you.¡±


    True, Paramese law enforcement didn¡¯t need evidence admissible in courts of law.


    The cart wheeled away, sticking to small roads and sometimes even beast trails for a while. There were no immediate sounds of pursuit so they took their time and had one of the ruffians scout ahead.


    ¡°Two mounted guards, keeping an eye on the crossroad,¡± he reported towards the end of the afternoon.


    ¡°Think they¡¯re here for us?¡± Lim asked.


    ¡°In full armor? They are.¡±


    ¡°You, the witch. Come with me,¡± Lim told Viv in Enorian.


    Shortly after, the two walked out on the street with shitty baskets and their faces covered with scarves. Two mounted guards soon popped out from behind a tall trunk. They wore chest plates, arm guards that went up to their shoulders while composite short bows rested in sheathes on their saddles. Small bucklers held loosely protected their flanks. They didn¡¯t look like they were joking. Both of them were northerners.


    ¡°What are you two girls doing out here all alone?¡± one of them asked. ¡°You¡¯re from around?¡±


    ¡°From Drosek,¡± Lim said without stopping.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know anyone from Drosek housed a pale girl. Shouldn¡¯t she be in Helock?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my sister in law,¡± Lim said with a ghastly smile.


    Viv and her kept walking. One of the guards spat to the side.


    ¡°Freaks.¡±


    Seeing that the two women would not stop, the guards rode forward to block their ways with their mounts. That placed them in optimal range, so Viv didn¡¯t hesitate. Without a word, she used a kinetic spell to pull both shields forward and down, destabilizing the riders. Despite the enormous strength, the two men still managed to grab their saddles and stay upright with superhuman speed.


    ¡°Hey, what the ¡ª¡±


    Both needles sent by Lim collided with their upper lips. The poison traveled to their brains in a second, then they were both out. Incredibly, they didn¡¯t fall from their horses.


    ¡°Good. You pull that one,¡± Lim ordered Viv in Enorian.


    ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t kill them,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°No. You steal, they let go. Sometimes. You kill, they hunt. You kill one of them? They burn your village down.¡±


    ¡°Oh same as back home then. Kind of.¡±


    The highwaymen left the horses grazing on a small clearing with their riders still on their backs. Viv wondered if they would report the incident at all. If she were them, she wouldn¡¯t. They reached the hideout without further issue.


    Viv allowed the distribution of the stolen gold to everyone but herself, which made her somewhat popular. Not that the criminals under Solfis¡¯ control would hesitate a second to shiv her if they thought they could gain something from it and survive the consequences. Still, they partied in secret until early dawn then made their way back to the city in small clumps. The walk back was conveniently boring, and she parted ways with Nagi near the entrance to the middle city.


    ¡°So it¡¯s goodbye then. Err, glad it went well. Give Elunath a few good words about me, won¡¯t you?¡± the man said. He had drunk his share throughout the night and Viv got the feeling he would keep going soon. It was, well, it was a terrible waste.


    ¡°Look, I have a question. You said you¡¯re paid in silver at the arena?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Fights with me are boring. Everyone knows what I¡¯m capable of.¡±


    ¡°I would pay good silver for you to teach me and a friend of mine the fine arts of the duel.¡±


    Nagi winced.


    ¡°Not sure it¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m a pariah, yes? If you associate with me. You¡¯ll make an enemy out of my enemies.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say I don¡¯t have a future in Helockian high society so we¡¯ll be fine. More importantly, I can feel your distribution. It¡¯s pretty equal across red, blue, gray, and brown. And you have at least two concepts in different colors.¡±


    ¡°Hsssh!¡± Nagi urged, suddenly serious.


    It only lasted for a moment.


    ¡°Ah, whatever. Not like people can¡¯t guess. Yeah, so what?¡±


    ¡°I have a very talented friend with a similar profile, and we¡¯re both looking to improve our dueling skills. Your help would be invaluable. As I say, I can pay you well and you wouldn¡¯t need to be punched in the dick.¡±


    ¡°Any contract I take must be shared with my ¡®benefactors¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. They can send a goon to pick the coin out of your sad hands after we¡¯re done.¡±


    That got her a chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, you know what? Why not? Let¡¯s give it a try. Can¡¯t be worse than getting pummeled by an indebted baker.¡±


    Now Viv was curious. She¡¯d have to visit the arena at some point.


    And now they had a trainer. She wondered if it was Elunath¡¯s plan? Maybe he was grooming young prospects to reach greater heights. Who knew with this man? In any case, that was good news.


    ***


    Viv followed the fall of house Skaima from afar, mostly through hearsay and her roommate Ereska¡¯s teaside gossip. The town was positively aflutter with the scandalousness of it all.


    ¡°We have no doubt the ¡®bandits¡¯ were highly trained operatives from one faction or the other. It was all well done. No casualties, which made Skaima¡¯s excesses even more damning!¡±


    If only she knew.


    Well, to be fair, Lim was a highly trained operative.


    ¡°It¡¯s the brand for the ruling couple. And they will get off lightly. But I digress. To be found using a hidden branch, why, it hasn¡¯t happened since the Thernsent seventeen years ago! Hmmm. And it really shows how stupid that practice is. Who can hide a mage for two decades? Or for that matter, what sort of mage can maintain a cover for that long all while seeing what they¡¯re forfeiting? You¡¯d need to raise one with the perfect personality. Foolishness. No one can truly predict how a child will turn out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what one of my teachers used to say.¡±


    ¡°Then she spent her career in ignorance,¡± Ereska sniffed. ¡°And never followed up on her charges. Shameful. In any case, the Skaima are done for. Their rights as patricians have been rescinded by the council. The family will be split into categories for punishment and even their faraway cousins will spend the next fifteen years paying fines.¡±


    ¡°Even the unconnected ones?¡±


    ¡°There is no such a thing as an unconnected one. If you carry a noble name, merchants will look upon you favorably and your opinion will carry more weight, even if you never attend any family gathering. Helock will revert all of this. Such is our way.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, as an outlander? Do you find our laws too harsh?¡±


    Viv shrugged. She¡¯d never really consider Paramese society as fair or unfair because she didn¡¯t see any earth society as fair by nature. To be perfectly honest, she¡¯d care much more if she were submitted to them a little more.


    ¡°Several civilizations of earth carried out nine familial exterminations. That means all your relatives going up and down, your cousins, your uncles and aunts, their spouses, your spouse, and your spouse¡¯s parents.¡±


    Ereska gawped, her tea cup frozen midair.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ah. And I thought our ways were merciless.¡±


    ¡°Humans are human everywhere.¡±


    ¡°So it would seem.¡±


    This turned into a discussion into other outlanders who had visited, like the mysterious arcane biologists who had created the Hadals or the adventurer who had explored the Deadlands before her. The next day, classes resumed after a brief speech from the dean. Viv noted that the teachings would focus on warfare and self-defense, which coincided with a general mobilization of all kingdoms to face a renewed threat from the savage lands of Halluria. Apparently, Param was going to war, and the Academy would prepare its students for the inevitable showdown.


    During the first magical class, General Jaratalassi informed her she¡¯d be directly involved.

 Chapter 126: Montage

    Viv¡¯s mortality notwithstanding, there were a few tasks that required her attention. The first was the raid in the Deadlands to liberate their first major city after Kazar. The second was the impending war with Param¡¯s boogeymen: the Hallurians. She suspected the second part might take much longer as it had been a long time since the last conflict and the various countries had a lot of spare poor people to feed their war machines.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure this was the best use of their people. Or rather, she thought it was a shit idea despite some historical evidence to the contrary. The monsters on this stupid planet had a tendency to stay in their territory until challenged, which explorers tended to do. Then some of the more canny ones realized there were entire places filled with sweet-tasting humans ripe for the taking and ventured out, eager to feast. This led to the destruction of villages and, sometimes, cities. There was a real incentive to claim savage territory very slowly while also taking land someone else had cleared much faster.


    It annoyed Viv but there was little she could do to change an entire civilization.


    In any case, her recent progress with magic and more free time gave her the opportunity to develop her arsenal. She had validated all the basic lessons including the ethics one, leaving her with black and colorless mana studies, the military class and dueling. The time had come to make use of the Academy¡¯s resources.


    The first and most important priority was her mainstay, the purge and flay spells. Those sent tendrils of black mana charged with the meaning of annihilation to sweep the air in front of her. While it was very good at what it did, the range remained fairly limited and it required to stay focused on it. Her ability to cast several spells at once meant that it was not handicapping but she thought she could do better with a ¡®fire and forget¡¯ long-range tool.


    The idea came from the latest effort of the black-mana tenured professor, Ashra, to make her class more relevant for the conflict to come. Artillery spells were layered constructs designed to stay cohesive during the arc so they could properly explode at the end. However, shields almost always covered the juiciest targets. There were plenty of historical examples of black-mana minor practitioners lacing the color to the payload to increase penetration. That was the angle Ashra picked, and though the most advanced students made some promising efforts, it was clear they were not at the level to achieve it at the moment.


    Viv had another idea.


    Since black mana was her payload, she could replace the shield piercing portion by a compression construct, the same she used to create fire through friction. It would undo itself on impact to explosively release destructive mana in a much larger sphere. It took a lot of trial and error but eventually she succeeded with the help of both Ashra and the colorless mana professor. The results were¡­ convincing.


    ¡°Astra.¡±


    Viv focused on the practice room target. With a slow hum, a sphere of arcane mana gathered around a core of annihilation and compressed it. That was the most delicate part of the process and Viv had practiced hard to keep the spell coherent. Just using two types of mana in conjunction with a dozen glyphs and a concept required a level of concentration and innate understanding she could not have dreamed of a year ago when her best spell was yoink. Both stats and her own understanding played a role in her success.


    Alright so it was still her best spell against undead and it was still called yoink but that one was much better. Viv added the finishing touch, a much simplified artillery construct that was barely more than a direction and velocity, then she let it go.


    The transparent sphere sung on its way to the target, gaining speed as it hastened to deliver its abyssal core. Most of Viv¡¯s spells were silent. That one was not. A loud thump rang through the air, soon followed by the telltale hiss of black mana at work. There was nothing left of the target dummy except for a half-severed head resting on a small depression in the parquet where the spell had turned the wood floor to atoms. Or at least, she hoped it had turned it to atoms.


    ¡°Is¡­ is your spell transporting the target somewhere?¡± Ashra asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ashra still hadn¡¯t managed to learn the annihilation concept. Viv thought that was because the professor didn¡¯t actively intend to harm anyone. That had never been an issue for Viv. There were plenty of people she wanted gone.


    The second tool she developed was a harness.


    Gravity-repelling runes were insanely complex to create and activate, but fortunately Viv had jumped from a plane and dived before so she was familiar with the illusion of weightlessness. It made her task marginally easier, though she could never have done it without Sidjin.


    Viv had been tempted by the enchanting class. Sadly for her, the teacher only accepted those who intended to make enchantment their vocation in the higher levels of the curriculum, something Viv was unwilling to do. Enchanting was merely a means to an end to her. On the contrary, Sidjin¡¯s relentless pursuit of the subject made him an invaluable helper. He was more than happy to assist Viv on her projects now that he had so much free time between establishing teleporters and collecting fat purses. The anti-gravity harness still took a long time to design because it was completely experimental.


    Flight was not new to Nyil. Helock didn¡¯t just have griffin riders. They also had flights of gray mana experts, some of whom could be seen darting between the lowest of the floating rocks hanging over the Academy¡¯s sky. It was just that those who wanted to fly either asked those people for a lift or gave up. No one seemed to want to fly for fun. Or perhaps, no one with the means to actually do it wanted to fly for fun. Mostly, Viv wanted to fly for Arthur.


    Mother.


    Flap arms faster!


    The harness dug into Viv¡¯s waist, armpits, and crotch. She felt dragged up by a crane more than truly weightless until the magic kicked in. Even then it felt like being stranded in a vacuum rather than flying.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Ugh! Propulsion!¡±


    Since Viv had no way of using gray mana, her solution had been to use Sidjin¡¯s grinding spell as base to create her own rudimentary propeller. Instead of blades, she used a higher amount of large panes that moved as fast as she could manage to create an air flow. It gave her about as much speed as a slow mobility scooter.


    Viv sighed. Sidjin had used the harness and achieved high speed with a gray mana. It was just not her thing.


    ¡°Maybe I need to create a turbojet. There¡¯s just no way I can cast a spell this complex though, not any time soon.¡±


    Arthur sighed, or huffed. It sounded suspiciously like a forge bellow. A breath of hot hair blew Viv¡¯s hair forward. Suddenly, claws grabbed her shoulders and thighs and she was off over the canopy of the hidden spot they had selected.


    ¡°Woohoo!¡±


    It has taken I, She-Who-Feasts-on-Many-and-Gets-Much-Gold, many weeks to fly well.


    I must be patient with mother.


    Now I show proper flying!


    And she did, and the first thing Viv decided when she was back on the ground with shaky legs was that she should get flight goggles so they could go even faster the next time. Flying was absolutely awesome. It was just unfortunate that she had to be held like some sort of fuel tank just under Arthur¡¯s belly.


    ***


    With the harness done, Viv¡¯s last piece of art and craft was not for herself. It was also one of the most ambitious and complex enchanting works Sidjin had ever faced. The nerdy prince loved every second of it as he spent hours upon hours pondering single lines for maximum efficiency.


    The rewards for the necrarch hunt included not just tools to help her transition into a form that would let her live. It had also yielded three cores of excellent size from the nascents they had defeated. Enough to power large-scale constructs for hours. Now, Viv would dedicate those cores to turning the Harrakan into the viable tercios she envisioned them to be.


    The issue with Harrakan troops right now was that they were too good yet too few, the perfect target for large-scale artillery spells. They needed protection from bombardment to do what they were meant to do. Viv had a solution. The idea was simple: powerful, mobile shield arrays carried on the back of Yries machines.


    The execution would be slightly more complex.


    While there would be no friction between the machine¡¯s systems and the shield itself, it was extremely challenging to pack a spell circle in a surface small enough to be portable. In order to solve that issue, Viv had come up with a solution inspired from the shield she¡¯d spotted in the necrarch cave during her first visit.


    The ancient inhabitants of the lone mountain placed pieces of metal into the wall in the shape of glyphs, glyphs themselves being three-dimensional. Apparently. Sometimes, they felt more complex yet drawing them as such always seemed to work so whatever. In any case, Viv¡¯s solution was a deployable circle of levitating metal components emerging from a large cylinder. The cylinder would be made of steel by the Yries but the floating symbols needed to be made with a silverite alloy. That exhausted the rest of her reserves and some ore she had to purchase from the university at great cost, but in the end, they had a working prototype of the glyphs and a blueprint.


    ¡°Why do you keep calling it a blueprint? It is clearly yellow in color?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°I think it was based on a process in my world to create engineering drawings on a light-sensitive sheet. Why, what do you usually call it?¡±


    ¡°A drawing?¡±


    ¡°Could you make it blue?¡±


    ¡°... fine.¡±


    They had a blueprint, which she would deliver to the Yries during her next visit.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ***


    Viv walked in the armorer¡¯s shop in her best clothes, the doormen letting her in on sight. Sometimes, it paid to be discreet but sometimes one had to let themselves be known. This was such a moment, and the robe waiting on a mannequin in the middle of the clean room would serve the same purpose.


    The piece of armor looked almost incongruous among the fancy dresses and panes of polished wood. Black and white with notes of silver, it was a queenly piece of garment, exquisitely made with a strong eastern influence in the upper part and a split skirt that reached the knee. Mail peered out from under the void-color spider silk. Finely embroidered glyphs covered the entire surface. There were pockets and it was designed to accommodate a backpack, as well as a potion harness the armorer couple in charge of the project had also done. There were clasps, small cores, and silverite workings all over the place. It looked like what it was, both a mighty piece of gear and the symbol of someone with means and ambition. It would serve as her field uniform.


    Viv put it on before the final adjustments but the tailors had done a prime job. The colorless self-cleaning and repair enchantments meant that the incredible piece of equipment would not just remain fresh throughout a campaign, it would also contribute to making her better. That was a technology she wished she had back in Afghanistan.


    She couldn¡¯t wait to test it on the field.


    As soon as that thought hit her synapses, Viv cursed herself for inviting catastrophe.


    ***


    Helock had an arena.


    Viv was not a fan of blood sports as a matter of principle. The rest of the continent had no such qualms, to the extent it was probably only a matter of time before Harrak requested its own coliseum. Helock¡¯s arena was not the largest. That honor belonged to the Hallurian capital¡¯s blood ground. It was still a large structure at the edge of the noble district that Viv had never been to before.


    Just entering the place was an experience. There was a queue coming from the lower districts for poor people and another for rich residents, which Viv used with Rakan. It led to a circular ground surrounded by rafters split in two tiers, or three if one counted the VIP lodge at the top. A fence separated the lower from the higher section which meant that, although this was entertainment for everyone, they were not meant to mix. Salespeople carrying dizzying amounts of food hawked their wares to the few spectators already present in the mid-afternoon. Viv bought herself and Rakan a few grilled nuts and some toasted bread dipped in spice and oil. They even had some cooled, lemony water made fresh with blue mana, all of it for a reasonable price. They munched on the goods while watching the early shows.


    Most of them would be fillers until the number of people reached a paroxysm in the early evening. The first fight was always special, however, and this time was no different.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, fine people of Helock¡­¡± a man in a mask announced.


    Viv tuned him out in favor of cleaning her fingers with a tissue and some cool water. Those snacks were sticky as hell. The gist was simple enough. Some people fell deep into debts and since Helock forbid the sales of relatives as slaves to cover the expanse, desperate people¡¯s first option was to volunteer at the arena. The pay was awesome whether someone survived or not, and the arena had high security, preventing knee breakers from entering the facilities. Those thugs that did try never committed that mistake again.


    Today¡¯s first fight would take place between a ruined smith accused of dishonest practice and a woman who had been touring loan sharks for mysterious reasons, made the money disappear, then entered the arena immediately. Viv found the host entertaining, painting the two losers as a dastardly criminal and a daring and secretive avenger, respectively. The reality even matched the show to an extent. The smith came out dressed in black leather and spiky metal pauldrons, shaved, wielding a warhammer of intimidating size while the woman only wore tight clothes and wielded a spear. Someone had braided her hair in the Hallurian fashion though it remained painfully short. The fight began almost immediately.


    While the woman had reach, it was clear the smith had brawled before and he took his time, trying to force his opponent into over-committing. It happened soon enough, and he let her spear bite into his flank while delivering a devastating blow to her forward knee in revenge. The woman fell with a howl, leg shattered, but when the man approached for a killing blow, she turned on him. She unexpectedly managed to jump on her good leg and landed a powerful, skill-backed attack into his gut. Viv was impressed. She inspected the two.


    [City smith, not very dangerous, one who has dedicated his life to the crafting of metal tools used in industry. Very strong.]


    [Blood sands maraudeur: not very dangerous, one who will face death or triumph in the arena despite inadequate training. Suicidal. High pain tolerance, all or nothing, decent close quarter combatant.]


    So that was it. The woman had switched class while the man had not, giving her the edge despite her vastly inferior physique. It soon became clear that the smith could not handle the pain of the deep wound in his abdomen. He tried to charge one last time, but his opponent kneeled with a scream of pain, managing to force the spear into his groin. She climbed on top of him while he lay dying and stabbed him with a hidden dagger in a display of utter savagery. She was left panting and covered in blood with a slightly shell-shocked expression.


    It was chilling, brutal, and morbidly fascinating, Viv thought. No wonder the arena was so popular.


    The next fight involved Sonagi, their would-be dueling teacher. He was pitted against an arcane fencer who used air-infused daggers she threw with impressive speed. She was a southerner and awfully young, a fact clearly visible through the makeup. Nagi looked half-decent in a shady mage robe made artfully scruffy with strategically placed bands and patches. Viv thought the arena did a great job creating a story for everyone.


    It soon became clear that Nagi was limited to using colorless mana. The girl did her best to overwhelm his defense but she stood no chance. Gray mana¡¯s penetrative properties were the lowest.


    Nagi did a good job dancing around the attacks, even pretending to falter when one of the knives mysteriously returned to its sender like a boomerang, clipping his ear and eliciting a cry from the crowd, but Viv knew it was a show. The mage had an almost full tank while the girl quickly exhausted herself in a flurry of dazzling attacks. Nagi finished the fight by gathering all the discarded knives she had not recovered and sending them at her, letting most bounce off her thin chest plate. She gave up soon afterward.


    More fights followed, each one made at least a little interesting by the gifted head of ceremony. He always managed to make Viv care a little bit either through sob stories or interesting tidbits. The crowd loved it.


    Fights to the death were quite rare, and mostly involved convicts or heavily indebted people. It still happened three times that evening.


    ¡°That Nagi man seems capable. You said he was a four color mage?¡± Rakan asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So he was fighting with one of his lesser schools? That is¡­ very impressive.¡±


    It was, Viv thought, especially since he was probably a little tipsy. The last major fight of the evening was a demonstration between the champion of the Mornyr area and one of his apprentices.


    Apparently, people prefered arcane fencer fights to pure mage fights because it was flashier and Viv had to agree. She had not thought that the northern city dedicated to religion could produce such a powerful fighter, yet the champion cracked the earth and split the air. She didn¡¯t think she could beat him, even with preparation. He was certainly a match for Solfis or Solar.


    The man and his second, a burly fighter with a mace, exchanged blows at blinding speed. The shock of their weapons impacting sent ripples through the sand while mana danced in many colors, manifested as tongues of fire or walls of ice. Viv knew there was a measure of choreography involved yet she still found herself impressed.


    ¡°Bet Sidjin or Nagi could give those showoffs a taste of true magic,¡± Rakan grumbled, clearly annoyed at the wild support from the mob of spectators now blotting the arena.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you! Please show your appreciation for Selyen, the dragonslayer reborn!¡±


    That was a neat title, Viv thought.


    Unfortunately, the two were caught in the queue that was leaving, and then in the queue going to the gladiators¡¯ quarters along with groupies. Also unfortunately, Nagi was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that to be our first meeting? And first class?¡± Rakan asked.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    A quick request with a guard and a tiny donation gave her the answer she needed. Nagi was getting piss drunk at the bar. He joined them soon after being reminded of his obligation, sauced beyond redemption. Tonight was a bust.


    Viv reconsidered her option and thought it might be better to work around Nagi¡¯s messed up life rather than try and fight it head on. They decided to get him between noon and the moment he was supposed to fight in the arena for a change. Still, it was a major disappointment.


    Fortunately, the plan worked. The pair managed to pick Nagi up from his place as he woke up. The following class went okay.


    It was clear Nagi¡¯s abilities impressed Rakan very much. The drunk gladiator was an expert at absorbing spent mana from the environment which allowed him to recover quickly. He also had a diverse and unpredictable arsenal of offensive and defensive spells that always gave him enough tools to function in various colors. Viv was hard-pressed against his versatility, but Rakan was having the time of his life trying to outwit the veteran duelist. That was fine for Viv. She had already known the slurring teacher would be more useful to him than to her. Her reliance on colorless mana for non-lethal options would always hinder her.


    Viv spent a month and a half training and slowly improving herself, then came the announcement that she would be mobilized on the first day of winter. This gave her a couple of weeks to conduct the siege of Shinur¡¯s Gate back in the deadlands.


    The trip home was extremely fast now that she had a hidden teleporter network. A few repairs proved necessary, but nothing that would truly disable one of her sites. She found that quite a few things had changed in Harrak in her absence, most of it for good.


    The many patrols at the edge of the quickly developing new villages adopted a new measure inspired by Koro, the ever-bombastic southern hunter turned temple guard. With her first kid well on their way, she had taken to sharing her experience and some nice southern customs. One of them was face painting. Hunters from her clan would wear the semblance of the strongest foe they¡¯d taken down as an ash mask upon their face to show others they were not to be messed with. The young warriors absolutely loved the idea and now most went to battle with skull patterns on their face, which seemed to drastically improve morale.


    The second change was that the Harrakan army was now capable of moving in formation. This would help a lot against the unending hordes of revenants they were meant to face. Viv had shared the blueprints of her portable shield arrays with the Yries who had been quite excited about the innovation, and promised they would deliver them soon. It would not be in time for the next operation but that was fine. Viv didn¡¯t expect them to meet many casters anyway.


    Although the many patrols into the deadlands had given her troops valuable experience, it had not been without cost. Mana poisoning strained the healers even now, making Viv realize they had a dearth of qualified medics. There had been casualties as well. A heavy had been mauled by an undead monstrous bear while covering the retreat of its squad while a crossbow woman had received a headful of deadly acid, killing her on the spot. Nevertheless, spirits remained high.


    The last and strangest development affected the children and came, curiously, from the Hadals. Rather than clearing the surrounding woods of beastlings, Hadal hunters carefully herded tribes into the direct vicinity of Kazar to give the many scavenging bands of children a chance to face monsters. A pre-teen was more than a match for an individual beastling physically, and the two sides had waged a merciless war for the control of berry bushes and nut trees. There had been many wounded, yet the timely intervention of Hadal watchers meant that no one had died yet. Viv wasn¡¯t really sure what to do about it, mostly because every last kid remained tight-lipped about that shadow war and the loot they collected to the extent that she doubted she could even convince their parents of the massive conflict happening under their noses. They had even waged full scale battles! In the end, she let it happen after making clear a single casualty would end the war games.


    Nyil was just weird.


    Also, those kids were cruel beyond measure. Viv shivered at some of the tactics they¡¯d implemented to flush out a small cave. Patient, nasty little buggers.


    This led her to today.


    The sky was gray as it always was at the edge of the deadlands, but a southern wind chased off the ever-present scent of ash. Rows upon rows of soldiers in armor and mana-isolating cloth waited by the edge of the last fort for her signal to depart. Almost two hundred heavies and the same number of crossbowmen and women awaited the signal to depart. Horse-dragged carts and support wagons stood by in order. Sidjin was here for the occasion, providing much needed magical support. There were also Hadal scouts, Kark regulars, two dozen knights in heavy armor, and a contingent of temple guards led by Lorn to assist in this endeavor. Overall, close to six hundred trained warriors would assault a city that used to host thousands. It was a daunting prospect but they were well-prepared and more disciplined than brainless revenants.


    Viv was still worried, and the fact the black-armored, black-caped soldiers looked like the demon lord army waiting to invade the hero¡¯s pastoral village had little to do with that. Yep. The white tassels flowing from spears and armor only provided a sharper contrast to the dark iron used for the armor.


    Viv watched all those waiting eyes and decided a short speech was in order. She cast a sound spell with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°No one has ever taken a city back from the deadlands,¡± she began, and she had their attention.


    ¡°The deadlands receded a little after the catastrophe, but since then it has stopped. Until us, that is. No one has ever taken land back except us. Hell, no one even tried. They gave up on this place like they gave up on many of the land ravaged by tides and disasters. Today and with this campaign, we shall achieve the impossible. and provide a safe anchor for our people to flourish. Shinur¡¯s Gate has resources, it has tools. More importantly, it will become a fortress from where we can withstand hordes, the cornerstone of our reclamation for the next decade. Such an ambitious project will not be easy.


    ¡°So far, we have only fought limited battles. This will be our first real campaign and a prelude to what is to come, because there is no way the rest of Param will leave us alone.¡±


    A wave of approbatory grumbles washed through the ranks. Lancer¡¯s aggression had turned people paranoid and certain that it was only a matter of time before people tried to ¡®obtain¡¯ what the Harrakans had liberated from the cold grasp of the dead. Viv agreed with them if only because her fate was tied to this country and she had a very peculiar luck.


    ¡°We will face a new world of hardship, but with your training and determination, I am certain we will prevail.¡±


    ¡°Hear hear!¡±


    ¡°Now remember that the key to victory will be endurance. The enemy may not be as strong as Lancer¡¯s elite, but they are relentless and without numbers. Conserve your strength. Cover each other. There will be no room for bravado and senseless risk-taking on this battlefield if you wish to see its end. Now enough talks, time to reclaim our homeland.¡±


    ¡°About face!¡± Ban roared by her side.


    The heavies commander had mercilessly drilled his troops, and they moved out in a column without problem. The temple guard took to patrolling the edge of the formation, eliminating and purifying the revenants they came across. As the expedition moved deeper into the corrupted land, the sky darkened and the last of the vegetation died out. Rolling gray hills of barren soil expanded in front of them, the hills and valleys almost indistinguishable in the gloom of a sunless sky. Armored boots sent puffs of dust in the air so the army formed a trail that could be seen from afar.


    Viv and Sidjin stayed near the center of the formation alongside Solfis. Arthur had joined as well and provided oversight because she had, apparently, a grudge against undead fliers. She thought they were useless as they had no meat or gold and thus provided no value to this world.


    They walked for hours at a good pace. The front elements were forced to form up and fight a short standing battle near noon when the amount of revenants streaming towards them had grown too large. Viv and Sidjin helped to clear it, then the bodies were gathered and burnt.


    The soldiers had lunch shortly after. How they managed to keep anything down, Viv wasn¡¯t sure.


    It took until the late afternoon to get there, but eventually they did. A cliff rose over the horizon, blocking the way further in. A large, dusty road led to a fortress city nestled in its flanks, many of the lodgings dug into the very stone. A palace with an imposing white cupola topped the small city. There had to be thousands of undead there, Viv thought. She could see shapes squirming on the parapet. A single road dug into the cliff turned on itself until it reached a massive gate. Imposing doors hung open, visible even from afar.


    As planned, Viv set up two obelisks while the army prepared to make camp. They would assault the fortress at dawn with a third of the army holding the line at all times while the rest slept. Stamina would make or break them. Viv just hoped she wouldn¡¯t be found wanting.

 Chapter 127: The Gates of Hell

    It was morning. Swirling dust covered the formation, setting pennants aflutter and leaving them a spotty gray. The sound of battle never died down. There were always revenants in the deadlands, Viv remembered. It was the grave of an entire civilization, and then the kingdoms had bled their lost dead to it over the centuries. Over the mountains and through the forest they had walked, tireless and without thought. Now, the Harrakan army faced a wall of rotten bodies. So they fought.


    The path leading up was taken step by step. Viv had ordered units to be rotated so only four squads of heavies fought at any time. The crossbowmen had limited ammunition and were tasked with gathering the bodies in great piles where they would be burnt. At least, the corpses were dry, though the smoke of three fires already added to the gloom and loaded the air with its acrid stench.


    Viv stood near the head of the formation, watching soldiers drag fallen revenants with grim determination. She¡¯d already killed some burrowing worm and two bears with thorns coming out of their ravaged backs. The constant vigilance was taking its toll, however, and this was just the beginning. Slowly, they progressed along the cliffside road. Puffs of fire from above showed when Arthur made sure the sky was theirs.


    Viv looked up. The walls of Sinur¡¯s Gate still felt far away. Far behind, Sidjin launched a spell that made the ground shake. Something crashed behind Viv. She turned and saw a revenant flattened on the ground. The crossbow woman it had missed gave Viv a frightened smile.


    ¡°Back up, back up from the wall,¡± Viv ordered.


    And not a moment too soon. A rain of bodies splattered on the dusty road, missing soldiers by a hair. The superhuman reflexes of people here prevented casualties from occurring, thankfully, and the crossbowmen used their short sword to quickly dispatch those revenants that were still moving. Viv heard a rumble above. A column of gut spillers were moving down the narrow path, pushing revenants on their way. A body almost clipped the front of the formation where soldiers were too busy fighting to pay much attention. She moved up. Had to stop those before they could start spitting acid.


    ***


    It was noon. The formation slowed down for half an hour to leave people time to eat. The food was cold but the support crew had boiled klod in covered cauldrons, delivering warm, tasty drinks to everyone. It was always cold in the deadlands, even when summer warmed the hills outside. Now, the weather was frigid and bleak. It was also quite dry.


    Viv took a sip from her cup and watched the trail below. Where the expedition had gone, piles of burning bodies remained but a blanket of revenants was already slowly climbing the slope, lured by the enticing essence of so many living persons. She always found it strange that revenants thrived with black mana yet felt the need to attack those that possessed little. Perhaps they had a drive to spread. Looking at those swarming masses below, it was a possibility.


    Shortly after, Ban called for the attack to resume.


    ***


    It was late afternoon when they started the final approach. The road widened near the entrance and there was a small, secondary fort just before the main gate they had to clear before proceeding. Maybe a toll station. The number of fliers had grown so thick that even a furious Arthur could not contain them all, and Viv wondered where they had all come from. She suspected they may have roosted in the cliffs to either side of the city. In any case, the witchpact troops now had targets aplenty to test their marksmanship.


    In order to take down revenants, the crossbow wielders had designed cheap, plentiful bolts with wooden heads that looked weirdly close to shaped charges. What the witchpact lacked in range and speed, they made up for in penetration and the ability to enchant their bolts with a variety of effects. Flat-headed bolts splattered lightly armored targets like revenant heads and slow undead birds with ease. Sometimes, they even went through multiple targets. Several squads moved from within the formation to disable small flying foes before they could descend on the expedition¡¯s most vulnerable members. Some temple guards waited by the cornudons and medical wagon to make sure they were not disabled.


    Viv was now constantly taking out the weird, multi-legged horrors crawling over the nearby walls. She could see the masonry emerging over the sheer stone to her left where the city started. Distant windows peered at the coming humans like so many blind eyes, their insides gouged since the disaster. Thicker waves of revenants crashed against the tiring rock of the heavies. Viv decided she had no choice.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready for tonight.¡±


    She set up a mana-absorbing obelisk halfway between the small fort and the gate along with a charging station for Solfis. There were men fighting within a few paces of her while she worked, activating the last of the enchantments. As soon as the ambient mana lowered, she moved to the front.


    ¡°We need to clear this space and reach the gate, it will be a good chokepoint.¡±


    //Agreed.


    ¡°Blight!¡±


    A mass of black clouds expanded in front of the heavies, to their relief. The fighting squads walked back to a safer distance while another fresher one replaced it under the barking orders of a foul-mouthed sergeant. The new squad immediately moved forward, picking off stragglers.


    Viv cast a mass yoink to fill her reserves then used another few blights in succession. The revenants¡¯ numbers now played against them as they were mercilessly swallowed, leaving behind only pitted stone. Viv grit her teeth. Blight was no longer as taxing as it used to be, but this was only the first day and she was already tired. Thankfully, there were no more gut spillers or other elites. She could almost see the gate. Finally, it came into view.


    Two tall statues lined a monumental entrance into Sinur¡¯s Gates. The open ground fell abruptly a few steps beyond. Soldiers used this opportunity to toss revenants over the edge before Viv growled that it just meant they¡¯d be fighting them again in a day. A new pyre rose.


    Beyond the entrance, there was an enclosed space surrounded by high walls that looked suspiciously like a kill zone for invaders. Viv had also wondered how revenants could leave the city when she¡¯d clearly seen a grate from below. The answer was simple. The large gut spillers had melted it almost entirely. It was gone.


    ¡°Do¡­ undead normally do that?¡± she asked Lorn, the leader of the Temple Guard.


    ¡°Do what?¡± the bearded man replied.


    He was cleaning gore off his greatsword and wasn¡¯t really in a receptive mood.


    //She means, do they create an opening for revenants to use.


    //The answer is no.


    That got Lorn¡¯s attention immediately.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re being controlled?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Those gut spillers moved to us in formation.


    //Since they, the bears, and the large insects were easily disabled, assault by large monsters has almost entirely stopped.


    //This is only one more clue.


    //I believe the undead are being controlled by an entity of some intellect.


    ¡°Damn. What does it change?¡±


    //We must expect strategy.


    //Your Grace?


    ¡°I¡¯d send revenants to us throughout the night, then ambush us inside of the city. Attack from all sides.¡±


    //This is very likely.


    //The probability of a night attack is¡­ above 70%.


    //Since a charging station is now available, please deploy me.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we keep a hidden ace?¡± Lorn asked.


    //I am the hidden ace.


    //Because revenants will never draw out my full potential.


    ¡°We camp here tonight, clear the city tomorrow,¡± Viv said. ¡°And you cover me while I rest.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    //It shall be done.


    ***


    It was night. Marruk had volunteered to stand at the gate and stop anything coming from within. Viv had seen her block a siege tarantula¡¯s charge and was fairly certain the stout Kark would outlast the walls. A few of her compatriots agreed to stand by her side. Meanwhile, a group of earth casters repaired the fort to protect their rear. It was much easier to defend than the road. The cooks had made warm food from within tents. Viv tried to queue with the rest of the soldiers but they insisted she goes first and then immediately to rest. Someone had made her cot in the command tent. She gulped down the congee, then went to sleep with Arthur¡¯s head on her belly. She missed Sidjin but he was just as busy. There would be time to be together later.


    ***


    A soldier barged in Viv¡¯s tent after midnight. Viv knew what it meant as soon as she woke up and she jumped to her feet, followed by a grumpy Arthur. Something screeched an ear-splitting sound. She rushed out, fumbling with her shield. The world outside was pitch black with new piles of corpses and some lanterns providing a dusky illumination. Some of the corpses were puppet masters, tentacled undead that commanded revenants. Others were the ghastly, ghoulish shapes of crawlers with their long claws and thin bodies. There was combat near the gate. She searched the night for the screeching beast. Above. It came from above. Its next scream was cut half-way.


    The skeletal form of Solfis emerged from the darkness, claws grasping a giant bat head.


    //You should not be in the open without more escort, Your Grace.


    ¡°Squeeee!¡±


    //As a general rule.


    //Return to sleep, please.


    ¡°Not easy when there¡¯s weird things violating my ears.¡±


    //The creature was more cautious than I expected.


    "Control?"


    //If so, it is done by an experienced necromancer.


    //Have you felt any presence while using yoink on your targets?


    ¡°No, not yet.¡±


    //Inconclusive.


    //In any case, return to sleep.


    ¡°What about those,¡± she said, pointing at the defunct controllers.


    //They scaled the cliffs.


    //But we were ready.


    //Your Grace.


    //Return. To. Sleep.


    //Please.


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    ***


    The second day found Viv bleary-eyed and tired, but she would not admit it to anyone and pretended to be the kind, morning kind of cheerful person she¡¯d otherwise consider strangling. It didn¡¯t appear to fool anyone. Perhaps because she was known as someone who¡¯d never woken up before the militia training was over. Marruk looked much worse for wear, with pockets under her eyes and acid marks over her fortified shield. She also smelled a bit rancid. The Kark walked closer. Actually, she stank to high heavens.


    ¡°You look like shit,¡± Viv admitted.


    ¡°I feel like it too, yes. I want to bathe so badly.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ how was it?¡±


    ¡°Revenants attacked often. Then, when those that scaled the cliff attacked us, a large gut spiller tried to melt me down. I had to protect my brethren while they ran. I managed to delay it long enough for the best marksmen we have to use some strange bolts on it. The gut spiller was set on fire and its girth blocked the path, so at least there was that. A bear smashed through it two hours ago though. Lorn is holding the gate right now.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Viv looked out into the dark desert beyond. More specks were making their way to the city.


    ¡°Something¡¯s calling them here,¡± she grumbled.


    ¡°I think so. Too coordinated,¡± Marruk said as well. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡±


    ¡°We keep going. Whatever it is, it¡¯s probably inside the city. And I don¡¯t see us having a good time getting back down.¡±


    //It would be a safe choice.


    //However, I believe it would make future operations riskier.


    ¡°What if it¡¯s a necrarch?¡±


    //It cannot be one.


    //A necrarch lacks fine control.


    //We are facing a necromancer of some form.


    //A spellcaster.


    ¡°So you¡¯d be able to take it down?¡±


    //Yes.


    //However, it may have traps, redundancies, and mighty servants.


    //It would be preferable to learn more before sending me.


    ¡°We can do that. The city needs to be cleared anyway. Let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    ***


    First squad, led by Ban, made their way through the gate and the following barbican. They used a different formation with their shields above their head in case of sudden attack. None came. First there was an open space surrounded by walls and empty ramparts, then another gate, also open. Viv followed closely until she found herself in the city proper.


    The interior of Sinur¡¯s gate was a maze of stairs and high towers separated by surprisingly wide streets. A square nearby showed a dust-clogged fountain. Decrepit reliefs and frescos spoke of a time long past when this was a center of trade and culture. Viv¡¯s fascination lasted for only a second before reality reasserted itself. Only a couple of revenants were moving around, effortlessly taken down by a few yoinks. That was not normal. There should have been many more threats around.


    //The road to our right leads up and to the palace.


    //And the vault.


    //Whatever is facing us should be in that direction.


    ¡°How likely is that?¡±


    //Close to 97%.


    //Control-based undead and necromancers retain a sense of the grandiose.


    //They will be either in a throne room, a desecrated place of worship within a palace, or in crypts.


    //All can be found with Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s main palace.


    //We have but to follow the road.


    ¡°Your Grace!¡±


    Viv turned. It was one of the witchpact officers, an older woman with long gray hair and a lifetime of poaching in Enoria.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Captain Lorn requests a short war council.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    //It might be best to formulate a new strategy.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go. The squad will return to the Barbican.¡±


    A group of elites was waiting by the gate. Viv exchanged a tired nod with Sidjin. Lorn was the first to acknowledge the elephant in the room. There were also various officers present, representing everyone but the Hadals.


    ¡°So. Sinur¡¯s Gate is inhabited. Do we continue?¡± Lorn asked.


    ¡°We do unless we believe we will be overwhelmed,¡± Viv said.


    She was not willing to withdraw at the first sign of difficulty. So far, all their preparation had paid off and it would feel wrong to withdraw without at least a good attempt. They were already inside the fortress for fuck sake. That was usually the hardest part.


    Solfis didn¡¯t interrupt her, so Viv continued.


    ¡°Solfis estimates that our foe will be in the palace. I say we go there, take a squad of elites and engage it. Kill it, and the city is ours. Even if it isn¡¯t, its death will make withdrawing considerably easier.¡±


    //It would also help the troops to stay in a less mana-saturated environment for a little while.


    //We should install another obelisk inside.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get right to it.¡±


    ¡°There will be a trap,¡± Lorn said.


    ¡°And ambushes, yes. We need to move in a way that prevents them from capitalizing on a moment of weakness.¡±


    ¡°Should we split the army?¡± the witchpact woman asked. ¡°Leave the support teams outside and only take combatants in?¡±


    ¡°No. Splitting means we must fight on more fronts, which means we¡¯ll tire faster and last less time. We¡¯ll stay together and move slowly,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°We could clear the buildings,¡± Lorn said, ¡°move slow and steady.¡±


    //I would advise against it.


    //Save that for mop up operations.


    ¡°But then they can use that against us. Come from everywhere at once.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Solfis. We can¡¯t spare the time. Then¡­ I have an idea,¡± Viv said.


    ***


    The army moved on. Hadal scouts moved around the army to spot threats from afar. The hybrid earth mages used to build fortifications went to every building entrance, sealing them with a basic wall. The saturated mana made their work more tiring, but there were three of them and they were used to raising entire buildings, so the surface of a door was not too much an effort.


    Viv activated another obelisk on the second square they came upon. Sinur¡¯s Gate was large enough to house ten thousand souls, living ones at that. There were a lot of nooks and crannies, yet they only found revenants. Something was afoot, and Viv thought she might know what. The necromancer would attack from everywhere at once. Sidjin was ready, and Viv too. The only question was, how much would they throw at the Harrakans.


    The expedition moved at a quiet pace, like a well-oiled machine. Soldiers blocked streets then moved on when the rest of the army had gone on. It was slow going given the size of their forces, yet no one complained. In fact, no one talked at all. Warriors with guard experience used their vigilance skill to make sure nothing was amiss. The earth caster walked everywhere, checking for tunnels but finding none. Viv was at the head once again.


    Sinur¡¯s Gate was pretty in a ruin sort of way. Despite the grime, the bodies, despite the creeping grip of age, there remained a trace of its early inhabitants¡¯ love for their city. It was far enough from the epicenter than most of its people should have survived the initial blast. She hoped they had survived. They¡¯d be dead by now but maybe their children could return, one day, and see those delicate fountains flow again to provide a pleasant background to the terraces and hanging gardens.


    Viv realized she¡¯d been daydreaming and blamed two days of near constant stress. The first thing that was wrong was Arthur¡¯s distant shape diving for something out of sight. Then, bird tweets sounded throughout the silent city from every direction.


    There were no birds here, no living ones in any case. Those were the Hadal scouts.


    ¡°Halt! Brace!¡± Viv called.


    Other commanders called the same order at the same time. The sounds of alarm got quickly drowned by the stomping of numerous feet, a rumble like no other.


    Fire blasted through a nearby alley, then Arthur flew into view, smashing half of a giant bat into a nearby wall. She veered sharply and spat more magic napalm at a target out of sight. The plaza in front of Viv filled with a horde. Hundreds of revenants racing on all fours, charging forward guided by skeletal puppet masters. It was her time to shine.


    ¡°True mass yoink!¡±


    ¡°FOUND YOU,¡± a voice said from above.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv activated aegis, blocking a howling ball of black mana. It was so potent that it lingered, eating at her defenses as it spread. Her foe had used annihilation yet its interpretation was less instant, more pernicious. She dropped the shield and looked up to find her adversary hanging from a balcony far above with two of its four hands.


    Tall as two men, it looked like an emaciated skeleton with two pairs of arms under a wide crown, layers of black fabric clinging to its emaciated body.


    [Lich: extremely dangerous: a powerful mage who resorted to black magic to extend its lifespan. Very dangerous. Expert caster. Dangerous close quarter combatant. Intelligent. Black mana master.]


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The lich unleashed a torrent of spells, and there was no room in Viv¡¯s mind except for survival.


    ¡°Aegis. Astra, astra, astra.¡±


    Viv used her new addition to her arsenal as interception spells. They left abyssal flowers expanding through the dusty air, then those bled to the ground and the last droplets that reached it left hissing gaps in the ancient stone. The only thing Viv could think was that if this touched her men¡­


    She had to hold it back. She couldn¡¯t kill it. It was stronger than her. Faster. More astras flew through the air. There was little time for anything else. Suddenly, the lich gave up its offense to retreat under an impenetrable black orb. Viv swore when Solfis plunged through it. The sphere disappeared, but so did the lich. Solfis was left holding a severed arm and part of a shoulder.


    A strident screech sounded from behind a building. Viv watched one of the earth caster stare up in horror, then he raised a wall. The next black mana spell went through it and his torso. Viv was already sprinting. She made an estimate from the direction of the attack and shot an artillery spell through a nearby wall. The lich growled.


    Viv turned the angle to see a beleaguered squad fighting off a gut spiller. The witch pact had done their best to pepper it with their most dangerous bolts but there were already gaps in the formation where spells and attackers had killed her men. The lich spotted her, then surrounded itself in another layer of defenses. Viv wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°True mass yoink. Werfer.¡±


    Her conduits overflowing with energy, she sustained the flamethrower spell. Black mana roared between her hands. She could feel it dig stubbornly into the creature¡¯s defense, her destruction to his. She poured everything she had into the flow, making it tighter, more focused.


    ¡°MAYFLY. YOU DARE.¡±


    Viv summoned another aegis to wait for the inevitable onslaught but it didn¡¯t come.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Viv looked behind to see who was the absolute moron trying to attack a lich, and found the poacher woman leading two dozens terrified crossbowmen and women firing their best quarrels into the creature¡¯s dessicated torso. They were all blocked, but the shiny tips worried the lich enough that it had stopped its attack.


    They were all dead. Unless Viv could stop it.


    ¡°Blast!¡±


    Her artillery spell crashed against a shield. She had seen that spell eat through an entire building but the lich was unfazed. Balls of void-black cones appeared around the creature. Viv panicked a little.


    ¡°Eldritch walls!¡±


    She aimed at a nearby bridge and fired. The entire section grew tentacles, then the displaced material fragilized the already damaged frame and gravity did what it did best. The lich screamed when an entire wall section crashed on the ground, almost clipping it and forcing it to cancel its spell. Then Solfis appeared and took part of its torso, missing the spine by a hair.


    //A teleportation device.


    //Does not require conscious activation, or I would have killed it.


    Viv ignored the fact Solfis was much faster than her, so he was waiting for an opening for a sure kill even if it meant losing a squad. She had to hurry.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± the poacher told her as she passed by.


    ¡°Yeah I can¡¯t believe it worked,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°...what?¡±


    But Viv was already off and running towards the largest commotion. The battle raged all around her. A healer was already attending to the wounded earth caster though Viv didn¡¯t give him much hope. Other wounded soldiers walked or were carried to the central area for triage. Now, the formation was being used to its maximum potential, with squads of witchpact crossbowmen taking down priority targets with their deadliest bolts while the heavies mowed down the revenants. Hadals flitted from building to building, taking down light fliers before they could descend on the wounded. The Kark had formed an impenetrable wall in one of the major axis while the temple guards held the rear. A roar and a flash of light above announced that the sky was contested, though burning feathers soon rained on the beleaguered defenders. It was chaos but, for now, every line was holding. Viv looked around searching for her target. It would take the lich only a few seconds to wipe out a section and the defenders would be overwhelmed. She wondered what it was waiting for.


    ¡°For Neriad!¡±


    A flash of golden light met a black lance farther back. Viv sprinted faster. Solfis jumped down from another building and managed to steal a leg from the quickly ascending lich. It was already missing two of its four arms.


    The creature teleported again.


    Viv reacted before she could even think, turning on herself. The view of the carriage to her left was now blocked by a towering black figure. Maybe her skills alone had saved her, or perhaps it was just experience.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    ¡°VOID SHARD.¡±


    Viv¡¯s blade of concentrated destruction met the lich¡¯s ray of acid mana, the two near-identical meanings clashing with a silent hiss. All Viv could see was a fused beam and, above it, the grinning skull of her foe. The world narrowed down to this view and the contest of will taking place in the crucible of the colliding spells. The lich¡¯s annihilation meaning was the image of this city: decaying, attritive, and inexorable. It pushed towards her and for a moment, the lich thought it was winning. But then it felt the threat, for Viv¡¯s annihilation was a force of surgical precision and it was always going for the heart. Beneath the surface, her own spell had thinned to a blade aimed at the heart of the lich, just like her expedition aimed for the heart of the city.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a milestone! The power of all of your spells is higher. The range of all of your spells is significantly higher. You may cast farther away from your body. Items that contain mages have a reduced effect on you.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The lich disengaged and flew up despite Viv¡¯s attempt to take it down. It blocked her attack, dodged Solfis¡¯ assault, though not without losing yet another leg, then burst through a gout of flame. There, at the apex of its flight, it screamed.


    It was an expression of leadership, but fortunately, or unfortunately, it was not aimed at the living.


    The meaning was clear. It said: ¡®Come!¡¯.


    The lich teleported away, leaving Viv and her allies chest-deep in undead with the promise that more would come soon, and a lot of them too. The witch swore.


    ¡°We need to get rid of the lich before the tide washes over us.¡±


    //We can get to the palace.


    //It should be easily defensible.


    //Kill the lich, and the undead will disperse.


    ¡°Need a way to open the path,¡± Viv said, watching the tide of revenants still holding between them and their destination in the upper city.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± a voice said from the side.


    Viv turned and found herself face to breastplate with a knight in heavy armor. It was the head of Harrak¡¯s dozen of riders, but he had proved himself against Lancer. And lost his lover as well.


    ¡°Sir Rollo,¡± Viv greeted.


    ¡°Have you forgotten about us? Give the order, and we will carve through that rabble like a cleaver.¡±


    ¡°Then do so.¡±


    ¡°Good. Ride behind me and I will get you to the palace.¡±


    Viv was suddenly on a saddle behind an armored back, surrounded by barded warhorses. It felt strange to be so high and so heavy, but the mounts moved in good order. They waited a little for the wounded to be loaded into the carts, then it was time to go.


    ¡°Perhaps we need a war cry,¡± Rollo suggested.


    Viv had a look behind at her troop and their¡­ monochromatic gear.


    There was only one reasonable option.


    Viv deployed her leader¡¯s aura, making sure to add intimidation into the lot. It wouldn¡¯t be of any use against the revenants, but sometimes, it was good if your men were more scared of you than they were of the enemy.


    ¡°FOR THE BLACK TIDE! CHAAAAAARGE!¡±


    The knights went off like race cars. Wind whistled in her hair because, of course, it was Nyil, and war horses had skills too. The rumble of hooves on stones covered the din of battle but not the roar of¡­ quite a bit of people.


    The small detachment of heavy knights plowed through the revenants without stopping, crushing them underneath. Jumping puppets slammed against their shields and were cast aside, their master trampled. Gut spillers were gored, crawlers were pinned. The knights¡¯ spears made no distinction.


    It occurred to Viv that she might have to change her approach to tactics and, possibly, get more knights. They seemed nice. But that was for later. Right now, she had more urgent business to attend to before facing the lich again. She turned her attention inward to the notifications she had been ignoring so far.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Lost Heiress: (10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Path evolutions available. You may pick from the following list.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    There were a ton of choices available but most of them felt grayed out, as if the interface knew she would not even consider them. Those ranged from warrior to civil servant up to and including courtesan. Viv also ignored the rather appealing but bog standard options of court archmage, noble mage, and black archwitch to get straight to the good stuff. This time, there were not one but four special classes to choose from. No empress though, but she didn¡¯t have an empire yet.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Tabula Rasa


    The wind of fate spares no one.


    You have overturned governments and changed the destiny of kingdoms. War, covert operations, politics, arcane power, there are no tools you will not use to achieve your goal, and that goal is to liberate people from tyranny. You have slain royalty before. Now, do it again.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Focus on leadership and arcane skills.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">New class skills related to subversion.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Capacities are increased when used for the purpose of altering the path of the world.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Ascender


    It¡¯s lonely at the top because people die getting there.


    You have survived many dangers from mana poisoning to assassination attempts. Monsters have failed to eat you, humans have failed to murder you. You have made it past their attempts and killed most of them for it. No one can stop your ascension, and no one will.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Physical stats will increase more easily.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Shield mastery becomes a class skill. Magical shields are affected.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Soul sense becomes a class skill.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Abyssal Conduit


    Embrace your nature.


    You were born for magic. You love magic, breathe it, theorize it, experiment with it, and magic loves you. Become the hand of the black. What you cannot change, destroy, what you cannot destroy, evade.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Focus on pure arcane skills.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unlock special skill: aspect of the messenger. Your entire body becomes conduit, allowing to cast a single spell at tremendous levels of power.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Pain tolerance becomes a class skill.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Abyssal Lady


    Wield the power. All of it.


    The ability to melt someone¡¯s face off does not count as governance but it can certainly help! You are a symbol and a power multiplier on the battlefield. Lead on.


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Focus on political and arcane skills.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unlock special skill: one-woman tactical array. You can act as an entire team when casting large-scale spells. </li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic intimidation and leadership will fuse into a new skill.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv¡¯s mind accelerated, fueled by some foreign magic, possibly Nous helping her pick without his intervention getting her killed. The meaning was obvious, however. There would be no delaying; it was time to choose her fourth step.

 Chapter 128: Fourth Step Caster

    It was fortunate that Nous would give her a hand because there was a lot to unpack, and she wouldn¡¯t have had the time to do so at the breakneck speed the knights were going at. Her slow perception helped her think.


    She quickly wondered if the interface offered this to everyone who progressed mid-battle but decided that knowing didn¡¯t matter at the moment. She had a choice to make.


    A brief inspection revealed that all choices were valid, in the sense that none of them felt clearly underwhelming. In the end, picking a path depended on, and would shape, how she saw herself in Nyil and what she intended to do. For that reason, she eliminated Tabula Rasa almost immediately.


    It was perhaps the most powerful class all around, able to match the others on every aspect from politics to survival provided it was done for the sake of change, and therein lay the problem. It would require that Viv never stop, and she didn¡¯t like that one bit.


    ¡®Capacities are increased when used for the purpose of altering the path of the world¡¯ was broad enough that she could justify using them here to conquer Sinur¡¯s Gate. It was a required step to establish a durable seat of power and she needed power to act, but then it would continue from then on. Conquering the Deadlands would not change things durably, or at least, she would not be able to convince herself that she was changing the path of the entire world. She would need to go after Enoria, then Baran and the northern cities, then Halluria, then what hid beyond the sea or the far eastern isthmus. Tabula Rasa meant turning the world into what she envisioned by sword, knife, or manipulation. Or guns. There was merit to bringing a modern mindset into a world that envisioned stagnation as the natural state. Mankind would gain ascendancy if she guided them through an industrial revolution that did not send children into coal mines. She could avoid most pitfalls of progress. Become the messiah of a new civilization. However¡­ that wasn¡¯t her.


    It was not that Viv was fundamentally selfish or self-centered. She cared. It was more that the path required a firebrand, a believer. A zealot. And Viv had been jaded through her teenage years. That path would burn her out before they even conquered Enoria. And that was even before taking the cost into account: the countless bodies this would leave in her wake.


    She had studied the ¡®Terror¡¯ in history, that period of time that followed the French revolution. It had been a bloody epoch that led to the expression that a revolution devoured its children. That path was lined with the corpses of her allies and enemies. Rivers of blood would clog its gutters. Even if she succeeded, it would¡­ not be worth it.


    Viv hated fanatics. To them, the ends always justified the means. That made them the perfect monsters. She wouldn¡¯t be like that. Never. Tabula Rasa demanded a level of forward-moving tension she was unwilling to pay.


    Ascender was next.


    The gist of it was clear enough. That path would make her more well-rounded, with a strong focus on defense. In particular, the shield skill meant she would not just use her physical shield better ¡ª that was always a secondary thing ¡ª she would be using her shield spells better. Aegis was already quite powerful. Improving it further would give her defenses unmatched except for the strongest brown mages. Between a bolstered aegis, her danger sense, and the acuity-based reflexes, the only reliable way to take her out would be to overwhelm her. That, or send someone much more powerful and those were no longer that common. She was a fourth step. That was already the human elite.


    It would also make her more physically resilient. The most interesting part was not that, however. It was the soul mastery skill.


    She had a feeling that knowing and manipulating one¡¯s soul was extremely important for a variety of advanced skills, and quite possibly turning into an elemental as well. Ascender¡¯s whole point was to allow that ascension to happen. It was a stepping stone towards a more powerful option of the fifth step. That wasn¡¯t saying the other wouldn¡¯t have a strong option as well. She had a feeling several of the offered options might be offered at the top. It was more a question of prioritization.


    There was also an issue with the stepping itself. Even with her traveler¡¯s gift, it was clear that it would take a while to reach that level. A long while. Years at the very least.


    Still, it was a tempting option.


    The third one was Abyssal Conduit and its focus on raw magical power.


    Viv had loved magic the moment she¡¯d touched it, back on the outskirts of the fallen capital. She was born for it. She didn¡¯t need the interface to tell her that, although it had. Magic was just great and she was good at it. It fulfilled a fundamental wish of mankind to see their emotions and thoughts influence the world directly, rather than through their weak bodies. That path would focus on that and purely that, and she was okay with it. The lack of focus on social skill could be remedied through practice and returned to at a later step. That was fine. Once again, she would not be losing her progress, merely focusing on the magical aspect of her path. The focus on arcane meant that she would become much more versatile on and off the battlefield. Large-scale black mana purification or a transportation gate network could be achieved, perhaps, or achieved faster. The aspect of the messenger would also mean she could obliterate her targets through a surprise attack. She would become a peerless duelist and gain the ability to go against far more powerful foes, overwhelming them before they could bring their higher abilities to bear. There was just one problem: the pain tolerance thing.


    Viv had a deadline in the form of her body being on the verge of shutting down. Aspect of the messenger would turn it into a conduit, temporarily overloading every cell. That didn¡¯t mean just intense pain, it meant actively attuning her body to black mana. The path description failed to mention that, and it also failed to produce a solution or a way to help her transition to part elemental. It was the path of the glass cannon, powerful for a short while, then she would have to see Elunath immediately after. And that was a problem.


    It was not just the idea of service that worried her. The issue was that Elunath had promised to do his best, and it was in his interest for her to survive¡­ but there was no guarantee she would make it because, among other things, no one had helped someone else turn part-elemental before. All those who had succeeded had been mighty and knowledgeable archmages. Her luck wouldn¡¯t save her. It created opportunities, not certainties. Straining her body further felt unwise to her, despite the lure of raw power. She would have to pass for now.


    The last option was Abyssal Lady, the normal continuation of Lost Heiress. Abyssal Lady considered her dual roles as leader and mage then fused them into a path that bolstered her the most when integrated within her army. It was the leader''s path, and it provided everything she needed. The one-woman tactical array ability would help her face Harrak¡¯s main problem right now: the lack of qualified war mages. It would also be useful in scuffles and ambushes provided she had the time to set up. The main point was, of course, the merged skill.


    Merged skills were always more powerful than their parts and then they started at a lower rank, which meant that they improved faster. Viv used intimidation to negotiate what she wanted, or else, while leadership supported her speeches. It also helped her inspire and guide people if they saw her as a leader. She felt the new skill would give her an aura of danger and respectability that would carry her through any meeting while pushing her men to new heights. It sounded perfect.


    So by elimination, Ascender and Abyssal Lady remained the most preferable choices. Both were perfectly viable. In the end, it was really about what she prioritized, how she saw herself.


    Viv wished she could have consulted Solfis, even though the golem probably didn¡¯t have enough data to advise her.


    Ascender was an investment in herself while Abyssal Lady was an investment in Harrak, possibly. One of them was more conservative and would help her survive while the other would help her develop her ¡®nation¡¯, to use the term broadly. For a moment, she wondered if it would matter after she transformed, but then remembered Elunath still had a class. Viv decided that Abyssal Lady was probably the best option. The other felt too careful.


    But then¡­ there was soul sense.


    Soul sense was the key, she felt. All the gods had massive souls and were able to use them. Social skills relied on the soul. It had to be involved in the transformation process, not least because she had to remain attached to her mortal coil while it underwent the ¡®procedure¡¯. And there was something else. Conduits were not physical. Neither was her core. Her ability to cast magic and progress in its mastery were not linked to her body beyond the need for it to withstand its effect. Her soul made her a caster, not her fingertips.


    She felt that this was the secret to greater heights and that Nous was giving her one path to grow to greater heights, all while giving her the best chances at making it.


    Viv felt an intense burst of frustration at having to give up such skills as Aspect of the Messenger, but her decision was made. She picked Ascender.


    It would do.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have picked: Ascender. Mental statistics are five times more efficient when wielding black mana, twice as efficient for arcane (colorless) mana. You may not manipulate any other color. Associated skill acquisition is massively improved.


    Soul mastery has become a class skill at Beginner 4


    Shield mastery has become a class skill at Novice 1


    Shield mastery will apply to magical shields.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    For every step before, she had felt little difference. Progress had been slow, and although casting was made easier, the effect was not so significant. This time, things were different. She immediately felt a quantitative difference in the way mana seemed to concentrate in her hands. Her grip on it clenched more tightly, and the mana answered more readily. She also felt a difference in her soul, a new mark to show her progress. Her body relaxed as mana filled it, ready to change it according to her efforts. She felt as if a dam had broken and she was free to progress again.


    Mana coiled around her as time returned to normal. One of the knights looked at her and the black mana roaring around her form, then returned his attention to the revenants they were trampling. Meanwhile, VIv was having a quick epiphany.


    There was no real reason to keep the hive structure of her aegis shield as it currently was,  not with those new skills. She could use smaller, more numerous pieces and improve the overall integrity of the construct. In fact, she would do just that from now on. There was also no real reason to limit shields to just being a barrier. There were plenty of opportunities for her to make her protection more elaborate, like perhaps reactive spells. She would have to look into it later.


    Later, because the charge kept going and didn¡¯t stop.


    Viv didn¡¯t know if the knights were perfectly suited to the situation or if they were doing their best to impress her. As she grabbed onto the front knight¡¯s shoulders for stability, they kept plowing through disorganized ranks of revenants on the way to the higher city. They didn¡¯t care about the stairs, they didn¡¯t even speed up. Their barded warhorses moved and the crowd was trampled.


    ¡°Spiller!¡± someone roared.


    Viv spotted it as well, a massive, bloated horned creature standing on a ledge over them. Caustic bile was already flying in the air. Her danger sense had not warned her because it wasn¡¯t aimed at her. The back of the formation was going to get it.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    A twisted, thin tongue of black mana formed above their heads to match the spray. Could be better, Viv thought. Efficiency was still low. Nevertheless, the attack was entirely absorbed. She barely felt the difference when her yoink turned the spiller to ash.


    Between the knights and her, the attack didn¡¯t stop. They left the rest of the expedition behind but Viv could hear them fight on. Soon, they reached the bottom of the palace.


    Viv jumped down and yoinked a crawler mid-flight. Those pesky ghoul like creatures were getting on her nerves.


    Just like the rest of the city, the palace managed to feel crowded without being stifling. Steep stairs led up to a thick double gate, the way too narrow to allow more than four people abreast, yet they had managed to cram a flower bed on either side. It was dead now.


    Viv looked back to see the knights had formed a circle. The sight here was amazing, a rare gap in the tall towers giving a commanding view of either side of the cliff. To her left, the plain extended back to Kazar, though the city could not be seen from up here. Viv couldn¡¯t even spot a hint of green, only the desolate expanse of dusty ground.


    The scene to her right was worse. The colors were a little darker, a little more bland perhaps, but that was not the issue. The issue was the tidal wave of undead flesh moving towards them. First distant dots, the shambling forms merged into mobs, then a veritable sea of the dead. Taller figures emerged from the wave like reefs at low tide, though they moved as well. There were too many of them, far too many. Even if Viv had a week and they stopped moving, she wouldn¡¯t be able to kill them all. They were beyond numbers.


    She had to kill the lich or the Harakans might not even manage to evacuate.


    Viv caught sight of Solfis on a nearby roof and made her decision.


    ¡°Head back, I¡¯ll face the beast myself.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡±


    ¡°Cover the army. And don¡¯t worry. I got this.¡±


    With this, Viv turnedand walked to the gate.


    ¡°Your Grace, those who pathed up sometimes¡­¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m high on power right now, but I¡¯m not alone and¡­ I was made for this. That undead is mine.¡±


    The man nodded once, though he didn¡¯t seem fully convinced.


    ¡°Just remember, we all depend on you.¡±


    With that he turned, and the horsemen turned with him.


    Viv moved on. The gate was unlocked but she still checked it for enchantments. They were there, just not active. The lich was extending an invitation.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    That was fine with Viv. She still made sure to sabotage them as she went by. They could be recovered later.


    The gates led into a large hall. Sparse light came in from high windows to the front and back of the building, all of them still intact. Stained glass dyed them in shades of blue and green. Even the light of the sun was faded here, having crossed through the thick layer of cloud. The faded colors still felt strange here, in that den of undeath.


    The ambient mana was increasing.


    Viv had not felt this intensity since the necrarch¡¯s den. Black mana swirled and congealed here, giving the air a spicy taste of change and death. There was a surprising lack of dust. The place felt more like a well-maintained mausoleum than an old ruin.


    Viv tested for traps and found one in the middle of the room. She deactivated that one as well. A door in front of her led to an inner courtyard while passages to her left and right gave access to the palace¡¯s wings. The Ascender was on a timer, however, so she decided to go straight. No time to explore. Her only question was: what other traps waited for her? A brief look through the windows revealed no strands of mana, buried or otherwise. Just cracked soil and the ever-present dust. She looked up.


    Aha!


    Viv pushed the gate open and threw three sigil-shaped pieces of metal on the ground. Telekinesis made them rise and form the most basic array for a physical shield, and not a moment too soon. A rain of bones smashed around her, turning into strange, mantis-like constructs that immediately rushed her.


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    Tendrils of black mana elegantly weaved to catch the fast-moving guardians as they tried to dodge. A large hand pierced the ground at the center of the defunct garden, soon followed by a head. Viv killed the large construct before it could extricate itself from its hiding place underground. Too tightly packed, Viv thought. Or the construct was too weak.


    A shriek of rage echoed from deeper within.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Viv said.


    She recovered her portable glyphs then walked to the far wall at a reasonable pace, checking for more traps. There were none in the garden, but the room beyond that was something else.


    The palace extended up but this place was its heart, the center of power of the ancient lords of Sinur¡¯s Gate. Attendants would gather in the massive, circular room under an open cupola decorated with ancient engravings. An elevated platform on the far end hosted a throne, while the sheer rock of the mountain climbed up beyond, reminding people that the city had been carved directly into it. The union of finely chiseled stone and an untouched rock perfectly reflected the essence of the place.


    The throne was not the original one, judging from the amount of bones involved in it. Poor taste. It also said a lot about the lich that it would create a court where only the mindless dead would attend. She shifted her focus to the side, where a small stone bookshelf had been raised. It was a crude thing loaded with tomes. There were also a few baubles placed here and there in a poor imitation of interior design. More interesting were the many, many circles hidden on every wall, ready to be triggered. Only a token attempt had been made at hiding them, but the dormant mana was clear to her acute senses. This was a death trap and a sanctum rolled into one. There was no need to go farther. The lich would try to stop her here. It was far too arrogant to tolerate her intrusion.


    But first, a little preparation.


    Viv cut the window open and stepped in, having noticed that the door was the fantasy equivalent of a claymore mine. She dropped the shield glyphs on the ground and traced a hasty circle in the corner of the room she had found herself in. With her defensive array ready, she finished her preparation.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    The shield felt thicker and more resilient with more hexagons composing it. Viv felt safer just having it deployed around her.


    Now, there was a way to reliably disarm the traps by severing the proper lines, letting the residual mana disperse harmlessly. But Viv didn¡¯t have the time or patience, and also there was little point.


    ¡°Astra.¡±


    The first howling projectile hit a cluster of mines and detonated them.Some of them triggered, sending spears of black mana across the room, while others exploded where they were. This quickly degenerated into a chain reaction with shrapnel hitting more traps and destabilizing them. Soon, the throne room was the scene of constant explosions. Viv waited for the dust to settle to look around.


    The empty space was now littered with gravel. The explosions had been unexpectedly weak, so she assumed the lich intended to charge the traps before triggering them. Only a single spear had hit her shield and none had reached the platform where the throne waited. There were still no signs of her host.


    ¡°Not taking the bait yet?¡± Viv asked.


    She stepped out of the shield and carefully made her way to the platform. The bookshelf was filled with tomes of various ages, she noticed. It reminded her of the one she used to have in her bedroom back on earth. Comics and children stories stood side by side with school books and dictionaries, all of them mixed in ever more confusing arrangement until her mother inevitably forced her to tidy up. The lich had history books and other mundane items alongside ancient tomes of power that gave off puffs of mana, a clear sign glyphs were written on their surface. She approached the throne. It was heavily warded, with a fancy noose designed to bind whoever sat on it unless they knew the spell.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to smash that ridiculous chair of yours now,¡± she said to no one in particular.


    The corners of the room hissed, half-whispered words muttered from the shadows.


    ¡°No? Your choice. Excalibur!¡±


    A sword of pure black mana as long as the largest two-hander emerged from Viv¡¯s dagger focus, extending it in a cool way that totally didn¡¯t remind her of a lightsabers.


    Viv didn¡¯t really feel displaced air or hear the swoosh of fabric, there wasn¡¯t enough time for it. Acuity reflex and danger sense let her act as soon as she felt the lich teleport. A dense ray of annihilation smashed into the floor where she used to be. The lich turned to see her, but she was already back into the aegis.


    She could teleport in the middle of combat now. She was fast enough.


    It changed everything.


    ¡°Astra.¡±


    The lich blocked several projectiles on its own shield as it rose towards the ceiling. Suddenly, the ambient black mana concentration spiked until even a heavy would have died in a few seconds. She could practically see mana crystallize in the air in fleeting fractals before the lack of guidance broke them again.


    ¡°CHOKE!¡±


    Viv quickly engraved an absorbing circle in the wall by her side and used it to drain her immediate surroundings. Then, she gathered all that power and sent it at the lich.


    ¡°Greater blight.¡±


    The lich screeched when the all-devouring spell stuck to its defenses, consuming them with every second. It teleported again near its throne and activated another array.


    ¡°EFESTAR¡¯S REBUKE.¡±


    Suddenly, divine magic filled the creature¡¯s empty orbs, turning them from empty to a deep green. A tide of skeletons rushed in from two lateral entrances.


    ¡°True mass yoink. Blast.¡±


    It was just more fuel to Viv. Tendrils snaked on either side of her, maintained by her ability to cast several spells at once. It was easier when it was the same spell cast several times in a row, something to explore later. Each new seeking spear was an extension of the previous one. Each one grabbed the undead¡¯s power effortlessly, pushing aside the lich¡¯s weaker grip and claiming the power for Viv. Her conduits sang with the pilfered mana. There was simply so much of it, she didn¡¯t know what to do except feeding them in more constructs. Her spells grew more sloppy and less precise but it didn¡¯t matter. There were just too many of them to fire and forget. She was a walking avatar of magic, taking and giving back with every fiber of her being.


    It felt good to be at the top.


    Her own emerald glare matched the lich¡¯s borrowed power and slammed it back into its face. A large defensive array had surged to life around the throne and it was already being overwhelmed, Viv¡¯s annihilation too aggressive for its insidious pace. The lich roared again, but it was frustration, not anger.


    ¡°LIVING INSECT. ARROGANT TODDLER.¡±


    Viv felt the lich reverse course. Power left its dying creatures, its many traps and constructs to gather in the lanky skeleton. The damage Solfis had done repaired itself in front of her very eyes. Its arms regrew, the legs soon to follow. The show was horrifying, yet another example of the dangers of the deadlands. All its dwellers had to be slain definitively, or the pervading black mana would always fix them back to their original shape. The lich was no different. It gathered all its power above its head then simply slashed towards Viv.


    It was the first time Viv had seen a mage turn to wild magic.


    So far, the lich¡¯s power had remained structured and logical. All of those traps were magery, codified to the last line. The call to Efestar was divine magic and thus borrowed, but this was different. The lich was swinging mana through hatred alone, a departure from its earlier methods. It was extremely powerful. It was also excessively hard to wield.


    The lich missed, striking the ceiling above her head, The entire top of the room was simply gone, windows gutted halfway up. Black mana escaped into the courtyard through the massive hole, while pieces of masonry rained down all around. The palace had withstood three hundred years of abuse, but not the lich¡¯s spell.


    The lich swung again.


    This time, the torrent of darkness clipped Viv¡¯s shield and the power was enough to rattle her teeth. Nevertheless, she shifted the pressure around, reforming the damaged parts and placing the intact one near the impact.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Adjustment made: Shield mastery is now at Beginner 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡±


    The lich split the remaining power in two, holding part of it above its head while the rest formed firm ropes around the room, all of them converging on Viv¡¯s shield. The thick, destructive links covered the shield and fought it for control. She realized the construct was too tight for her to shadow dance through it.


    ¡°NO ESCAPE THIS TIME.¡±


    The lich walked slowly, then turned most of its remaining strength in a single, vertical ray of void energy. Viv was still caught in its net.


    ¡°NOW DIE!¡±


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    Viv¡¯s shield exploded outward, sending accelerated panes of deleterious shrapnel everywhere around her. They shredded the chains, flayed the frescos, raked the earth, and pierced the foe.


    She could see light through the many holes in its form. The jaw hung loose, perhaps in surprise. Viv didn¡¯t wait. She shadow danced to the creature side.


    "Excalibur.¡±


    She didn¡¯t swing. The blade materialized where the lich¡¯s head was, then she sliced down and through most of its body. Only when it turned to ash did she relent and let the spell go.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are suffering from mild mana poisoning.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I¡¯d better get out of here.¡±


    //Yes, Your Grace.


    Solfis emerged from a side passage, uncoiling from the ceiling like a demented spider.


    //A capital performance.


    ¡°I have grown a lot since we found each other.¡±


    ///Yes.


    //Your contribution was the most important one, of course.


    //Yet allow this one a moment of pride.


    //What a wonderful little harbinger of destruction you have grown up to be.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave before you make me blush.¡±


    //I would shed tears if I could.


    ¡°You can always make someone shed tears on your behalf.¡±


    //That would be unhygienic.


    //Now, let us solve our undead horde problem.


    Viv walked out of the palace to find wounded people waiting on the steps, many of them too hurt to fight again. The din of battle still sounded deeper in, and the temple support folks were bringing in more victims. Viv could see more undead gathering through the gap in the towers. Without pause, she turned a nearby statue into a mana-absorbing obelisk. The wounded were particularly sensitive to black mana.


    Lorn was seated by the stairs with many of his temple guards. The captain was cleaning gore off his massive zweihander. It wasn¡¯t going very well, but Viv thought it might just be the gesture that helped him relax. Especially because he could set his weapon on fire.


    ¡°Lorn, how are you?¡±


    The man looked up and blinked, then he stared to the side towards the lines of battle.


    ¡°You killed the lich. I can no longer feel its call.¡±


    ¡°Can you give me a report? Otherwise I¡¯ll find someone else.¡±


    ¡°No, sorry.¡±


    The tall man shook his head, then smoothed his beard which was quite dirty.


    ¡°Ugh. Yes, the situation. We moved everyone up so we only have to defend in one direction. That let a lot of people rest, but there is a problem. The dead keep coming. Even with the lich dead, they have our scent. We might need to break out before we are too tired to fight and the dead overwhelm us. I already exhausted my mana taking down crawlers and some of the Hadals got wounded.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have one more card to play.¡±


    Viv walked to the wagon and rummaged around to find the item she¡¯d make sure to pack.


    Life energy beacons were designed to peel off a necromancer¡¯s army of undead by attracting them to a different point. That usually meant that the team that set it up died surrounded unless they forced their way out quickly enough. It could also be used to drive a horde away from a location before letting it disperse, as long as there was no one to direct it. It was time for Viv to use it. The only issue was to activate it away from her troops.


    ¡°Arthur? Arthur!¡±


    Viv put on her harness, the white dragon landing next to her an instant later.


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°We need to drive the undead away from our folks. Can you help carry me away? And, uh, hopefully back.¡±


    One gold talent.


    No.


    Two gold talents!


    Round trip!


    ¡°You¡¯re charging me to save everyone¡¯s lives?¡± Viv said, pretending shock ¡°Who¡¯s going to feed you meat behind my back if the soldiers fall here?¡±


    Oh.


    The dragonette looked dejected.


    ¡°Just kidding, I accept your terms. I¡¯m taking it off your share of the lich¡¯s treasure anyway?¡±


    Treasure?


    TREASURE?


    ¡°You can only see it if there are no undead crawling all over the place.¡±


    WE FLY TO RUIN AND THEIR FIERY DEATHS


    ¡°SKRAAAAA!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Onward, noble steed. Hey, Farren! Help me get that thing primed!¡±


    The Voice of Neriad rushed from reattaching a finger to helping her. Viv was left holding a small sphere brimming with energy then completely contained. As she touched the metal, something touched her perception, the mark of Neriad. She could recognize his soul from their many contacts. He would help activate the item.


    Viv activated her harness and felt gravity lose its hold she floated up, watched on by a few sentries hunting for fliers, then she was over an arch and towards the heart of the deadlands. Sinur¡¯s Gate receded in the distance as Arthure picked up speed. A few yoinks were enough to kill the nearby undead birds.


    There were a lot of the buggers.


    The next ten minutes were spent keeping the slower dragonette safe while she carried her. Viv¡¯s feet dangled over dead desert and the coming masses of monsters. High up in the air, they merged into each other to form a squirming, maggoty tide. If she dropped now, she¡¯d die.


    Her danger sense screamed at her.


    Viv formed a massive shield around herself and Arthur just as the dragonette swerved to the side, avoiding a black bolt sizzling by her side. Arthur roared and climbed sharply. Viv felt the gray mana coming off the dragon¡¯s core in great torrents, pushing her wings up. Once again, she felt in danger but this time, they were traveling up, where the threat was. She quickly made an adjustment to her shield so it moved with her and cast, not a moment too soon. Another blast of power hit it.


    The sheer might was close to what the lich had managed.


    Air blew in Viv¡¯s face from the suddenly increased speed. The clouds above approached, and she finally spotted their foe: a massive bird as wide as a jet. Dark fathers clung to desiccated limbs and tattered flesh. Only some mana fuckery could let that thing fly.


    They couldn¡¯t land with that creature bombarding them from afar.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it down! ¡±


    Oh really?


    The dragon had learned sarcasm. The world was doomed.


    Arthur climbed like an arrow and Viv got her first taste of draconic aerial combat. The furious juvenile did not just use gray to push herself up, the same gray formed a small vortex that destabilized their fleeing adversary, disturbing the flow of air around it. The undead bird was flapping its ratty wings with increased desperation. Another blast of energy was so wide, Viv didn¡¯t attempt to stop it. She just clung to Arthur and tried to make herself as small as possible.


    They moved into the cloud cover.


    Arthur was relentless, moving and dodging with calm control. She didn¡¯t lose focus even when the bird disappeared behind thick mist. Blue mana turned the water around them into a gathering storm of ice. Suddenly, Arthur dove under an attack, then she surged up. The gathered water smashed into the undead bird, eliciting a horrid squawk. And Viv was flying.


    ¡°Heh?¡±


    Arthur had dropped Viv. Inertia and her harness kept her going up through the cover. She saw Arthur turn around and roast the bird in one single, devastating attack. Then the sun rose.


    Above the clouds, pink and red dyes colored a cottony sea. The radiant orb of the sun kissed Viv¡¯s skin and brought with it the promise of hope. Towering columns of cumulonimbus rose high in the distance like4 mountains above the ocean. It was breathtaking. She had only seen such sights through the sanitized hole of a plane, but here it was raw and untamed with its freezing wind and nothing under her feet.


    Arthur picked her up softly, and they dove back down.


    See, mother.


    That is why you must learn to fly!


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way. Hey, we make a good team.¡±


    What team?


    You are my luggage.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±


    It took quite some time to return to the gloomy world under the ever-present sky. One day, she would see it cleared over Sinur¡¯s Gate.


    They landed heavily on a small hill overlooking the cliff¡¯s approach. A few revenants shambled their way, but they were at the edge of the masses, and Arthur made short work  of them.


    Viv activated the primed metal sphere. A massive pulse of life blasted out. Viv perceived a mighty shield, a pair of golden eyes.


    They winked.


    The nearest wave of undead turned like a single person. Viv watched even distant, towering behemoths rotate to get to her. She activated her harness and they lifted off once again. Viv sent a silent thanks to her luck for not deciding to damage the harness to make things more ¡®interesting¡¯.


    The trip back was uneventful. They landed near the frontline and immediately joined the fight. Viv¡¯s legs felt uncertain under her after spending some time in the air, but her finesse kept her upright. Not all undead had taken the bait. Those that were already in the city kept coming.


    So the Harrakans kept killing.


    Minutes turned to hours and Viv cast again and again until her conduits screamed but she didn¡¯t stop, not even when Sidjin offered to replace her. He could not stop elites like she did, instantly and effortlessly. Night fell and the battle turned into a grind as the most dangerous undead had fallen. Only then did she allow herself to sleep.


    She rejoined the fight at dawn.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Again and again, Viv cast. There were still birds flying to them, then a few more elites came, probably those who had returned after the life orb stopped broadcasting its siren call. Viv kept fighting until night and noticed that the line was now held by witch pact with their short swords. They were enough to manage most revenants.


    ¡°The heavies are exhausted, they just can¡¯t fight anymore,¡± the poacher lady explained, her long gray hair matted with sweat and worse.


    Sidjin took over again. She vaguely heard someone say that they might have to leave.


    On the dawn of the fourth day, Viv heard something she had forgotten was possible: blessed silence. A gore-covered Solfis waited by her tent.


    //The assaults have stopped.


    //I spent most of my energy taking out stragglers and ambush monsters.


    //We are safe for now.


    //The city is ours.


    ¡°We have won.¡±


    //Yes.


    //Now, to enjoy the spoils.

 Chapter 129: The find out moment

    Sadly for Viv, instant looting didn¡¯t happen since the army pretty much fell where they were, asleep in minutes. She was feeling comparatively fresh since they had gone to great lengths to protect her, so she led Solfis on a hunt for stragglers.


    All the undead who could have reached them had done so, but there were a few idiots left in the maze of rooms and suspended bridges of Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s many towers. Solfis just grabbed her and carried her up if necessary. Honestly, the golem could have done this himself. Viv just wanted to get a look at the place.


    There was a deceptive amount of room in the narrow city, most of it vertical. It would be interesting to see which dwelling people picked. They found some sealed safes and promising chests but left them to scavenging teams. The most notable discovery was the presence of extensive sewers, all the entry grates blocked by dust. Viv¡¯s first order on the way back was: do not unseal the fucking sewers. Nobody objected. In fact, Sidjin had already led the earth shapers to organize the future water purification system using an empty fountain.


    ¡°The grate will prevent solids from entering ¡ª those can be used as fertilizer. It takes very little mana to keep the flow going for the eight hours required to complete a circle. It will offset the issue of water supply. Namely, you have no water here.¡±


    Viv looked at the construct. It was ready and already working, slowly turning an ungodly sludge into clear water.


    ¡°Very impressive. Did you have it ready?¡±


    ¡°Some bastions of the Glastian walls do not have access to freshwater. The college came up with this method. It¡¯s used in most fortresses with casters now.¡±


    ¡°Very impressive,¡± Viv allowed, admiring the makeshift water purification plant.


    Sidjin chuckled. He looked a bit rough around the edges with scruffy hair and deep pockets under his eyes, but his gaze was teasing.


    ¡°If I had known of your interest in arcane waste disposal when I was trying to woo you, I could have dazzled you with my conversational skills.¡±


    ¡°Lies. I was the one to woo you.¡±


    //As fascinating as organic mating rituals are, I believe we have a palace to clear.


    ¡°Yes yes, let us not forget the treasure!¡±


    Not even the greediest of looters would have volunteered to clear a place trapped to the gills by a notoriously bad-tempered lich, and so it fell to Viv, Sidjin, and Solfis to clear the area. They started with the wings of the palace.


    As with most Harrakan structures, few of the furnishings and artifacts had survived the test of time. The pair found cold ovens and deserted halls, all signs that people used to live here. A side door allowed the palace to be resupplied from either side of the fortress, though they were blocked by a significant amount of passive defense.


    ¡°Triple helix with a self-feeding reinforcement. It will take some time to pierce through those¡­Hmm, perhaps by draining that section there?¡± Sidjin mumbled.


    ¡°Yes. Or!¡± Viv replied.


    She had the group backtrack to the lich¡¯s corpse and checked whatever was left from the punishment. She found what she sought stuck to what was left of its toes.


    ¡°The key!¡±


    Viv loved how offended Sidjin looked at the pedestrian solution.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you pick at it later if you want, hey? It¡¯s my palace now.¡±


    ¡°Get going¡­¡±


    The trio found a few custom-made undead, all dormant thankfully. It was only a matter of moments to eliminate them. The lich was unsurprisingly unimaginative with its traps. Most were offensive arrays pointed at the head of those breaching a room. Sometimes, it had added variety by aiming at the crotch. Or maybe it feared children. Who knew? It didn¡¯t take long for them to clear the first floor and determine nothing waited in the extensive cellar. Next came the throne room and the way up. And the books.


    //Please do not read the necromancy books, Your Grace.


    Viv glared at Solfis by her side.


    ¡°Trying to censor me, machine?¡±


    //I know you are tempted to learn, but I fear you may be tempted to experiment.


    //Irlefen mentioned that necromancy was accepted and even ritualized in the Shadow Lands.


    //Here, it is an immediate death sentence.


    ¡°Fine. Oh, I know! We¡¯ll give them to the temple. I bet they love burning those.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do. You know them well,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Meh, it¡¯s a universal thing, I think. Ah, there are non-necromancy books¡­ and research notes!¡±


    Viv opened an old leather tome decorated with tight yet perfectly legible characters in old Harrakan. A very summary analysis showed that they belonged to the mage who then became a lich ¡ª a mage from the south apparently, the wild part of Param.


    ¡°He was thorough, hmm.¡±


    Many of the mage¡¯s musings concerned the transfer of his soul and consciousness to an undead vessel, a process he called transference. There were several references to other books, some of which were also in the tiny library. There were primers on souls by people with weird names, translated from a language she¡¯d never seen. It all felt very useful.


    ¡°Looks like I could start my research on souls here.¡±


    //If you had ten years, I would have advised you to do so to become part-elemental.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t.¡±


    //No.


    //You can keep these anyway.


    ¡°Yeaaa, thanks.¡±


    After splitting the books into a ¡®keep¡¯ pile, a ¡®burn in a religious autodafe¡¯ pile, and a ¡®history of music and cooking¡¯ pile they were not quite sure what to do with, the trio crossed the trapped and locked door at the back and found stairs leading up.


    The stairs were trapped, naturally, but this time there were pits with nasty spikes at the bottom.


    //I believe this installation was an original one.


    ¡°Who builds stairs with a trap like that? I would sweat every time thinking I¡¯m only a mechanical failure away from sitting on a stake,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°There are always many redundancies to that sort of traps. We can check the mechanism but mostly, they have to be armed and readied first. A failure would mean a failure to activate,¡± Sidjin explained.


    ¡°... you had those at home?¡±


    ¡°Of course. And acid showers. Oh, the containers are kept dry and empty at all times unless we are under siege.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t know what to say before so much mustache-twirling evil. Though, to be fair, medieval castles had some pretty nasty defenses. She just didn¡¯t like it under her feet at three AM if she went hunting for a cup of warm klod.


    The upper floor extended up, but Solfis checked and the palace was deserted past the third floor. There were nothing but empty suites, their shattered windows opened to the deleterious air of the deadlands. Only the third floor was occupied.


    ¡°Well, this is it. Check for traps first,¡± Viv said on the threshold.


    The alley behind them was dark, a single window providing very little illumination. They had resorted to magical lights.


    The alley had been trapped, of course. There were even spells under the relatively-new carpets.


    The entrance to the first suite was stone, the paint faded over delicately engraved birds. It looked both sturdy and beautiful even with the wings corroded and the beaks cracked. The original protections had not survived, but a new, gruesome construct had replaced it. Viv decided here and there it would have to go. Also, it was trapped.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± Sidjin insisted.


    With the key, Sidjin patiently dismantled the hostile black construct strand by strand, undoing what must have taken days to set up with the patience and care of a bonsai gardener. Viv wondered why he was so delicate until he started rebuilding the original work. Brown mana breathed life back into the abused carving under the archmage¡¯s patient care. He repaired some of the damage, until the dove-like bird that occupied the most space felt almost alive in her mana sight.


    ¡°Touch it, go on,¡± Sidjin invited with a smile.


    Viv caressed the stone back. In a soundless ballet, the birds flew aside to reveal a keyhole.


    ¡°Wow. Very nice.¡±


    ¡°Northern work, from before the exile. It¡¯s mostly lost now. The governor must have been a rich and dedicated man.¡±


    ¡°Do we need the key?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s unlocked.¡±


    The pair activated their shields just to be sure, but the gate opened without a sound on what must have been the governor¡¯s personal quarters. Viv couldn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Open sesame.¡±


    From the receiving room to the bath, from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling, the entire surface was crowded with teetering towers of treasures, piles of metal, weapons, enchanted weapons, vases and jewels. The light reflected on dull gold, but also the colorful shimmer of precious stones. Silver was present too, of course. Towards the center, an improvised canopy bed stood surrounded by rows of gold ingots. Arthur was going to blow a fuse.


    ¡°This is¡­ so much,¡± Viv expressed.


    //More than the vault should have held.


    //I am counting over two thousand five hundred gold talents at first glance, and this is without the rest.


    //The lich must have accumulated goods for quite some time.


    //I did not expect Sinur¡¯s Gate to have so much wealth left.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just the city. Look at those weapons. They should have faded.¡±


    Viv pointed at a small pile of mildly enchanted items. There were a few knives with sharp enchantments, but also maces with a brown impact and even an exotic spear with a fire function.


    ¡°Those were taken from revenants.¡±


    Sidjin nodded.


    ¡°I would have said from caravans, but there are no caravans here or around.¡±


    ¡°And to think I believed us efficient in the way we kill the undead for loot. The lich must have found a way to control revenants into giving it valuables. I wonder how.¡±


    //Perhaps by using cannier specimens.


    //Or perhaps he did it himself.


    They checked for traps and found none in the vertiginous display of wealth. After making a last check for traps, they brought Lorn and Ban to help plan the transfer.


    ¡°The temple will want a small donation,¡± the tall guard captain said after a small delay.


    ¡°Everyone will get a bonus from this operation, and the wealth will be reinvested in the city anyway. That¡¯s not my question.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the carriage capacity to transport this. We¡¯ll need Farren to come here and inventory the gains before things ¡®go missing¡¯.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll let Baroness Azar handle it,¡± Ban said, ¡°with you busy I mean, Your Grace. The old b¡ª that smart woman will know what to do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trusting her with too much stuff¡­¡± Viv grumbled.


    //Don¡¯t worry.


    //I can always find her.


    ***


    Viv¡¯s solution to the treasure and city problem was to close the door and leave no one behind. Leaving a small team in an empty dead city with a treasure vault was ¡®huis clos murder mistery trope three¡¯ so Viv just gave up. Let the dead protect the way.


    Baroness Azar was waiting for Viv in her tower. She was more than pleased with the news and immediately organized a series of convoys with her heading the first one.


    ¡°None of your louts know how to tell glass from ruby. Or a genuine Skand vase from a gilded pisspot! I have stories. And evidence. But I digress, this cash injection comes at a perfect time. Enorian interests are baring themselves to every bank under the sun to fund their reconstruction.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with investing public funds in foreign land, especially ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°Kindly do not take me for a complete idiot, young lady. We will, of course, dangle competitive interest rates to all those young, talented entrepreneurs willing to launch themselves now that the country is safer. Harrak, the past and the future. Reclaim your legacy and so on, all that nice hogwash you tell yourself. You can count on me.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I will be¡­ very engaged in the coming months.¡±


    Azar gave Viv a sharp glance from over the documents she was already compiling. Viv felt that she was the one being examined and debriefed, despite her high mental stats. In a way, it was comforting to know Azar was on their side. Her luck really worked overtime attracting overqualified weirdos.


    ¡°The war and your transformation?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your kingdom is too young to be orphaned, darling. Return to us.¡±


    ¡°I promise I will do my best.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, a merchant caravan returned while you were away. They have three inquisitors with them who want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I wonder what this is about.¡±


    ***


    Farren headed the small meeting inside of the temple compound at their own request. He seemed embarrassed, and so did Denerim. The old inquisitor brushed his beard sullenly, while his protege Orkan fumed in his seat. The only newcomer was a dour man in an ill-fitting armor that little fitted the image Viv had of inquisitors. He was clean-shaven and rigorously well groomed. He also wore perfume. Viv got the idea this was a trap, somehow. The stranger¡¯s gaze followed her when she entered. It was distinctively calculating.


    ¡°Thanks for having us, Viv. I mean, thanks for coming. You know, well you know them, of course, and me. This is High Inquisitor Jaks. He¡¯s sent by Mornyr.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Viv replied as neutrally as she could.


    ¡°And you too.¡±


    Jaks¡¯ voice was mellifluous and Viv got the impression of a snake through grass.


    ¡°I have come here because the Order Master is considering a formal proposal to have Neriad as your Patron God.¡±


    ¡°Ah? This is¡­ unexpected.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, you have repeatedly shown that you believed in our values without prompt. There would be conditions, of course, such as the requirement not to start a war on a clearly selfish agenda¡­ but I do not believe this will be an issue for you.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not.¡±


    ¡°As for the benefits, they would be many. Mostly, we would significantly increase the temple guard presence around here, and give you access to our services which will include a large hospital, diplomatic benefits, and many others. Do you know that Captain Lorn has declined a change of post? Him and a few other key members of his squad. Let me tell you that this is a rousing endorsement.¡±


    ¡°Then why is everyone looking like they swallowed a pinecone.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, there is just a small matter to solve first. You see, a bishop of ours disappeared a few months ago. I would just like to ask you a few questions to¡­ make sure nothing is amiss.¡±


    Ah.


    She knew this would come back to bite her in the ass soon enough.


    ***


    ¡°Let the trial begin,¡± Farren said with annoyance. ¡°High Inquisitor Jaks?¡±


    ¡°I will ask the questions. I would like to inform you in advance that I have a skill that detects falsehoods. You may make mistakes, or you may be remembering wrong and that is fine, but if you lie, whether outright or by saying something that could ¡®technically be true in a certain light¡¯, I will know and you will be treated accordingly.¡±


    Jaks waited for a reaction. Viv shrugged.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±


    ¡°Did you murder the Bishop?¡±


    ¡°No, I did not murder him. I was with the temple guard at all times.¡±


    ¡°Did you have him murdered?¡±


    ¡°I gave no orders to that effect.¡±


    That was the truth. She had made a suggestion to Solfis, and let the golem decide. She had not ordered anyone to do anything. In fact, she had not even told Solfis to kill him. Solfis could have decided to scare him instead, though that was unlikely. Obviously, Jaks latched on to the peculiar turn of phrase like a pitbull on a marrow bone.


    ¡°But did you start a chain of events that eventually led to the bishop¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Yes, technically,¡± Viv admitted, then she continued before the others could throw accusations.


    ¡°I did my best to get the temple guard to leave with me, which left him vulnerable. With them, he would have surely reached the yries¡¯ city. There is simply nothing in the upper level of the mines that can contend with the temple guard. So in a way, I am responsible for his death because I took his defenses away.¡±


    The expression of vindictive triumph on Jaks¡¯ face dawned and died in a heartbeat. He stopped, thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°And you insist that beasts killed him?¡±


    ¡°I am certain of it. We found the bodies of two members of his escort. They were eaten on site by rock moles. The wounds were consistent with large teeth and claws. We found the same traces on remnants of the bishop¡¯s robes. He was killed by monsters. For sure.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, you seem to believe that firmly.¡±


    ¡°I was not present but all evidence points to that.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Look, I will not lie when I say his death simplified my life, but I was already on my way out of the city when it happened. I left to Helock literally a few days after.¡±


    Jaks did not give up. He asked a few more questions, trying to catch Viv in a plain lie. One of the methods he employed was to get her to admit she wanted him gone, then work from there to ask her what she had done to ¡®get rid¡¯ of him. Viv took her time to answer every question, never losing her temper, never hurrying to defend herself or speaking too much. She kept her replies short and to the point. If she could have, she would have chosen a lawyer to represent her, but that wasn¡¯t the way on Nyil.


    Seeing that this wasn¡¯t working, Jaks used another strategy. He used body language to try  and make her relax, see things from her perspective. He only wanted to help her and for her to help him. The assassination was in the past and this was a good opportunity to move forward. She just had to tell him everything she knew.


    Viv was aware the good inquisitor was finishing at that point. Once again, she did her best to keep calm and measured every word. It was paramount not to share too much. Eventually, her patience and the calm that came with leadership and high mental stats allowed her to stall long enough for the other two judges to grow annoyed. Even Jaks appeared to give up. At least for now.


    ¡°I will be honest, I can tell from the shadow in your soul that you are not telling me everything, but I will try to inspect the scene of the death to see if I can learn more.¡±


    Viv did not react. Inquisitors such as Jaks could learn much from a body or a crime scene. There were even rumors they could see the memories of the dead. Of course, the bishop was long dead and digested by now, and the crime scene had been contaminated beyond salvation, so there was little he could do.


    Jaks could also resort to a more violent form of interrogation by using that golden light Viv had seen Denerim wield against Lancer¡¯s agents, before they¡¯d taken Kazar back. She knew he wouldn¡¯t dare use it on her though, not without good reason. It would be a declaration of war.


    Jaks was at an impasse. Viv was most likely cleared.


    ¡°So for now I will pass the judgment of guiltless, though I reserve the right to reopen the inquiry.¡±


    ¡°Witnessed by me,¡± Farren said.


    ¡°So witnessed,¡± Denerim added.


    There was silence for a few seconds as the atmosphere relaxed. Viv smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°Are we officially done then?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes, thank you for your time,¡± Jaks said.


    He placed both hands on the table and made to leave.


    ¡°If you will allow me a moment, Solfis come here please,¡± Viv said.


    The golem¡¯s familiar, skeletal frame slid silently into the room, its baleful glare settling on the inquisitors. They did not take a step back but hands hovered ever so slightly towards the handles of sheathed blades.


    ¡°I had the bishop murdered. We killed him,¡± Viv stated with a polite smile.


    Jaks¡¯ face formed a hilarious ¡®o¡¯ of surprise and he froze where he was.


    ¡°Sit,¡± Viv invited, still with the same pleasant smile


    They did, all four of them.


    ¡°No sophistry. I will not share the details but I did it. I¡¯m guilty. So now listen well, because this is important. The bishop¡¯s intentions were to break the contract between the temple and the yries clan to obtain the entirety of Min Goles¡¯ iron reserves. He made no secret of it.¡±


    She leaned forward over the table, still smiling, fingers intertwined.


    ¡°The yries came here with little resources and many died on the way. They have a secluded valley where they can grow crops, but we have run some predictions and they will never have enough to sustain their population. The ground around their city is also ill-suited for mushroom farming. Too dry, you see. They need food from around Kazar and they trade for it with iron. No iron, no food. Lak-Tak already told me in no uncertain terms that they would fight rather than be chased off again and risk losing most of their young. The temple is free to break its contracts if it wishes. I have no say in how you act. I do, however, have a say in how the yries are treated.¡±


    You could hear a pin drop. Both inquisitors and Farren were listening with rapt attention, possibly because Viv felt her leadership skill working. It was the right moment, the right mood. She had them and now she would deliver her message.


    ¡°The yries have joined their banner to mine. We are allied. They are part of New Harrak and the vision I have of what this place can become. The same is true of the Hadals, of the Enorian refugees, of your wounded veterans. Everyone here who swore obedience to our rules. They are my people. Your bishop was going to use the power of the temple to evict my people from their home.¡±


    She leaned further.


    ¡°They are mine and I protect those who are mine. I will protect everyone here even if I have to kill every last invading motherfucker on this continent. I will honor my word and I will use any means necessary to do so, and if it means I have to pour molten gold down another royal throat, with the gods as my witness, I will. If I have to send Solfis after a high priest, I will. If I have to cross the forest in a tide of blood and ash, I will. Anyone who comes and treats my people like second-class citizens will get my first-class attention. No exceptions. Now, you know what I did and why. You can decide to withdraw your support. I don¡¯t mind. I will never sacrifice one of my factions for a bigger, better one. But I want to make it absolutely clear that I feel no guilt for what I have done, and if I had to do it again, I would, and without a second of hesitation. So a word of warning. If you do decide to come after me for that death¡­ you¡¯d better not miss, because Solfis is always looking for more heads and I have no fucks to give. I hope I¡¯ve made myself perfectly clear, gentlemen. And a good day to you.¡±


    The air smelled of scales and hot breath as she finished. Viv stood and left like a queen, feeling really good about herself. There might be dramatic consequences but for now she was perfectly at peace with herself and that was extremely important.


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    Draconic Intimidation: Expert 3


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    ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand, Nous.¡±


    Viv got her answer a few hours later. There would be a large fine to pay from her personal pocket, but they were willing to let it go.


    Viv didn¡¯t know what to think about that.


    ***


    As a last touch, the head merchant that came with the inquisitors came to see Viv.


    ¡°Your Grace, I have found what you were looking for.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific.¡±


    ¡°The flowers. It was hard to find but a collector from Mornyr had them. He was pleased with your initiative to revive the species, and sent more than three times the required number of seeds. Here.¡±


    Viv picked a large pouch and removed a single, light blue seedling from a larger mass.


    ¡°Get me one of the earth shapers.¡±


    ¡°Immediately.¡±


    It took five minutes for one of them to fashion a small pot of soil, then to make the plant bloom very quickly. Soon enough, Viv was left with a rose with a dark stem and shockingly blue rose of a hue like pale ice. It was gorgeous.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viv told the merchant.


    She pocketed the seeds and gave him the four gold talents he¡¯d requested ¡ª a fortune for flower seeds ¡ª but it was a symbol as well. She found Solfis near her tower. He stared fixedly at the flower in her hands.


    //You Grace.


    ¡°I found them. Harrakan roses.¡±


    //I see.


    With more care than Viv had ever seen from the mechanical being, Solfis picked the pot and caressed the petals, revealing a pale white carpel in its center. He remained silent for a moment, but Viv knew it was an eternity at his speed.


    //I thought they were extinct.


    ¡°Some herbalists and nobles have kept it alive.¡±


    //And a good thing they have.


    //Look at this color.


    //No other plant can produce it.


    He looked up after a while.


    //Those were my master¡¯s favorites.


    ¡°I remember. Got a whole bag here. We can seed them again, make sure they thrive.¡±


    //Yes, we will.


    //Thank you.


    He lifted the pot.


    //Welcome home, little one.¡±

 Chapter 130: Conscripted

    ¡°I fucking hate escort missions,¡± the young sergeant said.


    It was tight inside of the command tent. Tight and a little rank, and hot despite the cold air blowing from the south. It was dark as well. The company didn¡¯t have oil to waste on lanterns while the sun still shone outside.


    His name was Tarn and he was an idiot. Not a bad sort really, and not a bad commander either, provided someone told him what to do. He could do his job well enough beyond the fact that everything that came out of his mouth was moronic, poorly timed, or uncalled for. No wonder he ended up with this apparently unworthy assignment.


    The older, cannier officer cast a quick glance at Captain Cernit before replying with a nod. That was old Jarod Three-Eyes and he had seen much. Cernit had never worked together with the others, and Old Jarod knew better than to antagonize an officer right off the wagon. Besides, they knew Cernit was a noble and some nobles had a tendency to be asshats.


    It was just the way things were in the Baranese army.


    Cernit smiled.


    ¡°She¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°You know her?¡± Old Jarod asked.


    ¡°Besides the fact she comes recommended by General Jaratalassi? Yes. She took down undead crawlers and gut spillers by the dozen back in the deadlands where I met her.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Tarn said, suitably impressed.


    ¡°Of course, she was only first step then.¡±


    That got their attention. Cernit allowed himself a smile, feeling that for once in his life, he knew someone important. By Sardanal it felt good to be connected.


    He would have said she stopped an entire undead horde led by two necromancers but that was the golem. Overselling a caster¡¯s ability was also dangerous business.


    ¡°Jaratalassi said she¡¯s the only witch he¡¯s accepted in his second year. He also said she was among his ten best students.¡±


    ¡°Grim Jaratalassi? The bear trap?¡±


    ¡°In person. In any case, you will see. She should be here any time now.¡±


    In truth, Cernit''s high finesse had let him hear the quieting camp around them. It could only mean one thing. Old Jarod stood at attention before him.


    The person who came in the tent was almost unrecognizable. Gone were the gaunt traits, the hollow eyes. The one he had grown to call Bob was hale and confident, dressed in black and silver armor that must have cost more than he¡¯d made since he¡¯d last seen her, bounties included. A round shield rested on her shoulders, a dagger waited on her chest, to the side. The pommel was a black core the size of a large egg. More importantly, mana danced around her, visible in tiny fumaroles at the edge of her soul. It played strangely with the light that came from the entrance. Only the blood-tinged hair and emerald eyes hadn¡¯t changed, though there was less despair and more control now. Cernit also felt that sense of weight one had when facing forces of nature. He inspected her.


    [Ascendant, fourth step, one who has followed the path of direct war magic and leadership. Lethal. Undead nightmare. Man bane. Monster hunter. Leader. Smart. Lucky. On the rise. ]


    Fourth step!


    The woman¡¯s face lit up when she noticed Cernit.


    ¡°Captain Cernit. Congratulations on your promotion!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. You look much better than last time!¡±


    ¡°I feel that way too. Glad to see you again. I love to see a familiar face. Let¡¯s catch up later. For now, I believe an introduction is in order?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Those are Sergeant Tarn who will command the line, and Sergeant Jerod but everyone calls him Old Jerod Three-Eyes on account of his vigilance skill. With him, we¡¯ll never get caught off guard.¡±


    The two men saluted.


    ¡°Right. I am attached to your company as a member of the Academy. Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡°Means you can¡¯t give us orders?¡± Tarn replied before his two brain cells could catch up with his lips.


    Cernit smacked the back of his head. The blow tilted the man forward.


    ¡°That means she¡¯s considered an expert, not a member of our glorious army. But if she says jump by Neriad¡¯s balls you¡¯ll jump. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    ¡°I am only here to complete my objective, but I will be providing support and arcane-related advice to the commander, so Cernit. If I do give a quick recommendation though, you¡¯d better obey. If you want to live, that is.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Tarn grumbled.


    ¡°Could we know what that objective is? We¡¯re to take a fort?¡± Jerod asked.


    ¡°Occupy. We don¡¯t know if there is anything there,¡± Cernit said.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s fucking occupied,¡± Tarn grumbled in his beard.


    ¡°This will be our primary objective as far as you¡¯re concerned. The rest is classified,¡± Viv said.


    The two sergeants waited for her to elaborate, which of course, she declined to do.


    ¡°Wow, we''re doing something important.¡±


    ¡°Tarn,¡± Cernit said, ¡°talk less.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°You just have to get me to that fort in one piece. That is all.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Cernit said.


    He knew what she was supposed to do.


    ¡°Are you ready to depart?¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡±


    ***


    Viv was not having a good time.


    The trip to the regiment¡¯s meeting grounds had been quite pleasant in a way wealth and connection could make trips enjoyable. Nice inns, nice manors, General Jaratalassi¡¯s letter of introduction had been the best key money couldn¡¯t afford. She had ridden her expensive horse down the best tables of the northern kingdom and to the border of Baran. It had removed the sting of Arthur¡¯s ever longer trips. Now though, things were different.


    Her mission was to reach the northern flank of the current front and open a portal to a predetermined region. She wasn''t sure how Jaratalassi knew she could open portals and suspected he¡¯d just asked her in a hunch knowing her skill and relationship with Sidjin. In any case, she was officially a portal maker for the alliance. The destination portal being in the wilderness, she was granted an escort of good size: a hundred experienced infantrymen to protect her during the trip and help ¡®secure¡¯ the fort. Viv highly suspected Jaratalassi knew the fort was occupied but she didn¡¯t know by what. That part was fine. The part that wasn¡¯t fine was that they had to walk through the boonies of the boonies of Baran, a heavily forested area creeping along the barren wastes of western Haluria. The marches of Baran were a patchwork of deserted moors and survival villages huddled in remote valleys, eking a living between two invasions. None of the parochial villages kept any roads because roads led raiders to places, places where people lived. As such, everyone walked over rocky hills and through arid ditches. Everyone including Viv.


    Now, Harrakan heavies were superior in combat for a variety of reasons, one of them because their paths favored explosive power. They were unmatched on the battlefield. The problem was getting them here. Harrakans were masters of logistics for a reason. You couldn¡¯t win a war unless your overly muscular soldiers wearing seventy kilograms of enchanted steel could get in spear range of your enemies. The rest of Param favored a more balanced approach. That meant that the supersoldiers making this regiment had trained to move fast and far. It meant that Viv was contending with a hundred fucking winter soldiers on an ¡®active stroll¡¯ and that meant that her life was utter shit.


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    She¡¯d not hated her life that much since special forces training. Worse, she was more resilient than even an Olympic Marathonian champion and it was still not enough. Even with people carrying her tent and some of her gear, even with scouts leading her silently through the easiest path without comments, even with all of that, she would collapse in her bed every night with a groan.


    It was a different groan every time.


    ¡°How the fuck did they drag a water barrel through that thing?¡±


    ¡°If Mouq could see me she¡¯d laugh her ass off. I¡¯m in a world of magic and back to being a grunt.¡±


    ¡°My feet are now 80% blisters.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Day after day, the regiment went farther into the forest. Viv got the beginning of a fever, the first time she¡¯d been sick from actual disease since she came to Nyil. Fortunately, a small dosage of potions managed the symptoms until she got better. No soldiers said anything, not even Cernit, but they could see they were waiting, expecting.


    Expecting her to break.


    Viv was unwilling to give up. The path she had picked gave her a fast improvement of her physical stats as well as the mental. This was a good opportunity to push herself to her limit in a relatively safe environment. This was also a point of pride. Viv knew any other mage in her class would have demanded a better accommodation, possibly riding in a handcart. It would be reasonable too. Viv was not feeling reasonable.


    ¡°We can help more if you want. We expected to slow down,¡± Cernit told her one evening, not unkindly.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry, I will not be too stubborn to forget our goal. I will be in shape to cast that spell.¡±


    ¡°Good. There is a betting pool going to see how long you¡¯ll last.¡±


    Viv huffed, a bit annoyed. So everyone was pretending not to notice her struggles then.


    ¡°I feel encouraged. Wait, what did you bet?¡±


    ¡°An officer does not join in such base pursuits.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Cernit smiled in the dim light of the tent.


    ¡°I bet two silver talents that you¡¯d make it to the end.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Thank you for your trust.¡±


    ¡°Do not mention it.¡±


    Viv¡¯s pride lasted until she realized that Cernit was purposely slowing down the pace to let her adapt.


    Bastard was cheating.


    Like this, they walked for almost three days, then snow started to fall in heavy tufts for the first time this year. As Viv licked a thick flake off her lips, she allowed herself to smile. The men were whining about the much harder work but Viv had come prepared. She had potions, she had clothes, and she had¡­ snowshoes. Custom-made snowshoes to attach on her boots made to her specifications by a refugee from the southern wildlands. An old man from the same region as Koro had weaved them himself for a meager price. The result was immediate. First, they laughed. Then, they scolded. Finally, they asked to see them.


    ¡°Snowshoes spread the weight over a larger area. That way, you can stay on top of the snow unless you¡¯re really, really loaded,¡± Viv explained. ¡°Even then the packed snow should only dip a little.¡±


    ¡°You sure came prepared,¡± Tarn said with some admiration. ¡°Not a city flower then? From peasant stock, maybe?¡±


    Cernit massaged his temples.


    Viv wondered if Tarn had ever said anything that didn¡¯t offend someone. She didn¡¯t mind herself but even the mildest mage here didn¡¯t enjoy being reminded of their humble beginnings. Paramese society was fundamentally layered. It was only a matter of time before Tarn put both feet in that damn mouth of his in front of the wrong person and got sent to steal a dragon¡¯s favorite tooth. It said a lot about their assignments.


    Viv didn''t interact much with the rank and files, they wouldn¡¯t understand it anyway, but she heard that old Jerod was an exceptional scout. It was just that he couldn¡¯t hit the broad side of a barn with his bow. Cernit had led a doomed defense that saw only six survivors return to Baran.


    It sort of stank, Viv thought. She delicately shared her concern with Cernit.


    ¡°All part of Jaratalassi¡¯s plan. Tarn is a great executor. Old Jarod is still a solid spearman. If the Halurians have any spies, they will see a bunch of misfits sent to a peripheral mission and think little of it.¡±


    ¡°The Halurians use spies? I took them for a straightforward bunch.¡±


    ¡°Their women are the wiliest snakes to ever live. They lead their nation¡¯s dishonorable ways of waging war. Even more dishonorable, I mean. They¡­ they convince men to betray the cause. They have¡­ compelling arguments.¡±


    ¡°You mean sex.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cernit said, blushing a little. He looked terribly embarrassed.


    ¡°So General Jaratalassi hid this operation. It must be important. I still don¡¯t know what we are opening the portal for.¡±


    ¡°Me neither. The general takes secrecy very seriously. He¡¯s not just called the bear trap because of his defensive fighting.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ***


    Day in, day out, the column moved on. During the day, they crossed the pristine snow between leafless trees and hidden stones. At night, Viv raised walls and lights to help with safety. The stars above shone brightly on a good day, so far from all the light of mankind. Most of the time they were muted, however, and the encampment became an oasis of existence in an ocean of darkness. Nature was silent now, with most creatures burrowing for the winter. Only the creaks of laden branches broke the silence. Sometimes, Viv would look out of her tent at night when the only motion were the puffs of breath from the hidden sentries, an ethereal reminder that life still persisted in this barren land.


    After a week, rolling hills and crags replaced the denser forests. Even the few villages Cernit somehow found grew more rare while above, the gray cover of low clouds masked the entire sky. The world was reduced to a dreary expanse of white, gray, and the occasional brown touch of sleeping wood. Stones gave the snow strange forms and hid pitfalls that the scouts had to find for them. Water was thankfully abundant, as was wood, so they always had fire and warm water going.


    It was also the first time they were attacked.


    It happened as they were crossing through a canyon, its surface devoid of much snow thanks to chance and wind. A mighty roar stopped the men where they stood. Viv felt a pressure against her that her intimidation dispersed immediately. She was no prey.


    ¡°Form up! Form up and grab your spears!¡± Cernit roared.


    The clarion call of his voice dispersed the aura of fear that had gripped the men. Tarn and Jarod ordered their men to form up by squad because there was no time to do anything better. Almost immediately, a white form like a bear in armor topped a nearby ridge and charged.


    Viv had removed her silverite runes the moment she¡¯d realized the danger. They hovered around her, waiting for a command. She opened with astra spells as soon as the creature was in view, launching a swarm of them. The beast didn¡¯t stop. Instead, walls of ice and frozen earth rose to protect its flanks. The spells hit them and blew holes in the protection.


    The armored bear¡¯s bullheadedness played against it when its forward charge placed it in the path of most projectiles. Many were stopped too early, but a few hit around or over hastily raised obstacles. Viv saw a puff of red and heard a roar, but the beast was already hitting a squad. Viv saw a white trail and a man went flying.


    She couldn¡¯t hit it without hitting her own soldiers.


    Thankfully, the creature stumbled and swiped. The squad it had attacked spread out before its anger. Viv finally noticed the wound on its flank when it stood on its rear legs, howling terribly. Blood dripped freely from its flank.


    She must have hit something important.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    The artillery spell hit the creature as it was falling back, braining it instantly. It fell where it was.


    Silence spread over the plain. The engagement had lasted less than five seconds.


    ¡°What are you ogling? Form squads! Medics, check on Leras! NOW!¡± Cernit bellowed.


    The men moved with needled pride. A soldier with a bag of remedies approached the fallen warrior. He shook his head. He was dead. Now Viv could see that his head was turned at an unnatural angle, the helmet deformed by a violent impact.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Fantastic shot there. Good job.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t tell him she was aiming for the chest.


    ¡°Sorry about your man. I wish I had been faster.¡±


    ¡°You did great. We couldn¡¯t have killed it without you. Its skin is too thick for the short bows we have with us. This is a female rock bear. Gravid. If they haven¡¯t fattened up enough for the winter, they¡¯ll even attack humans. First they roar, then they use the confusion to charge a group and drag away prey. They¡¯ll eat it then do it again if they¡¯re still hungry. It¡¯s rare to lose just one person.¡±


    Viv¡¯s brows rose in amazement.


    ¡°You seem very knowledgeable about those beasts.¡±


    Cernit leaned conspirationaly. Despite the loss of his soldier, he seemed to be in a good mood.


    ¡°It is a secret, but there is another reason why I was the one who was picked. My lands are very close to the border, next to the fort in fact. I told you I was a minor noble?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Oh, so you are going home.¡±


    ¡°Not by the best road, but yes!¡±


    He turned to his men.


    ¡°You lot! Skin the beast and get the core out. Get the best cuts of meat with you. We¡¯ll have a stew tonight. And don¡¯t touch the liver!¡±


    He turned to Viv while a mass of drooling, knife-wielding maniacs fell on the carcass.


    ¡°Shame about the pelt, but we really don¡¯t have the time to get it. Come with me. Tonight we will feast.¡±


    ***


    The first signs of their destination came with the forests¡¯ return. A chain of low mountains rose in the distance, the location of the fort. Those were not young mountains, tall and sharp like new teeth, but old and comfortable ones. They sagged under the weight of eons and the current snow, forming white mounds with soft tops where pines had taken refuge. A river still flowed along their flanks. Its deep blue waters provided some color to the winter landscape. It would have been quite nice if it were not for the corpse.


    It belonged to an old woman. She had been carrying wood home on her back and the twigs surrounded her like a marker. She was lying on her chest. Something had bitten off her calves and thighs, then attacked the flanks but it had been interrupted. Entrails extended away from the regiment then over the ridge amid a mess of snow tracks. The corpse was still steaming. There were roars and the neigh of horses in the distance.


    Viv was standing next to Cernit when they came across the dead one. He blanched like she¡¯d never seen him do before, even on the wall of Fort Sky when all was lost.


    ¡°Weapons out. Move it! MOVE!¡±


    Viv sprinted alongside him, cursing the slightly duck-like step the snowshoes forced on her. She was still fast enough to keep up and they topped the slope just in time for the battle.


    Below them, a creature like a massive wolf with strange tusks and a vaguely serpentine face charged a man on a horse who raced away as far as his mount could carry him. Another two young men turned around their quarry, wielding javelins. They wore forester garb, not armor, and the horses had no barding. One of them hurled his weapons and found the beast flank but it seems it only angered it. As Viv watches, another landed a javelin in the back, between the ribs. The shot was fantastic and just as immediately useless as the previous one. The beast gained on the young man.


    ¡°Those are my SONS!¡± Cernit bellowed before charging.


    Ah.


    Viv sprinted as well but the horseman was heading towards them and she wasn¡¯t confident in hitting the creature. Too close. Fuck, if only it went sideways.


    The rider skilfully turned as the beast pounced, but the horse was caught, somehow. Back of the leg. It stumbled, yet the young man somehow still managed to stay on top.


    This gave Viv the opportunity she needed. Her silverite symbols hovered and she cast a series of Astra forward, angling them to the side.


    Rather than attacking the rider, the beast jumped nimbly to the side, which meant that it was still hit by three of the fast spells. Viv had faced enough fast opponents to know to spread her attacks.


    The attacks were powerful enough to dig devastating gaps in the beast¡¯s back. It fell to the ground, clawing and whining until a blast put it out of its misery. Viv did not stop, however. On the field below, more creatures had appeared. A dozen.


    Those were pack animals.


    Viv followed the sprinting Cernit in silence. Scouts remained behind, peppering the lead beasts with arrows. They didn¡¯t seem to do much more than annoy them.


    ¡°Father!¡± the young man nearest to them said. Without prompt, he led his horse to Cernit who jumped on his back as if he were not wearing armor. The old knight gave Viv a hand. She took it without hesitation.


    The horse departed at a gallop towards the marauding monsters without a hint of fear. Viv thought the horse ought to be wounded but it seemed the claws had miraculously avoided the leg¡¯s flesh.


    ¡°Yah!¡±


    They charged forward, Viv¡¯s silverite symbols hovering around her and letting her cast on the fly. The sudden speed made her heart lurch after a week of walking. It felt like flying, with the powdery snow peppering her cheeks. Stress and excitement sent her heart racing. Cernit¡¯s sons. She had to save them. She would save them. Those beasts were as good as dead.


    The two remaining young men threw a javelin then galloped across the clearing towards the quickly approaching soldier squads. For a beautiful moment, it seemed that they were faster and would escape but the lead beast hissed, a sibilant sound that made Viv wince, and one of the horses panicked.


    The youngest son fell off his horse. Cernit swore and yelled but his mount was already going as fast as it could.


    ¡°Blast!¡±


    Viv¡¯s attack curved to kill another creature, though the largest specimen was still hidden at the heart of the quickly moving pact. She could see more of them now, red gums, slavering tongue, deep-set black eyes. She silenced the part of her that said she couldn¡¯t kill them all before they reached her. Her heart thundered in her chest as she lined another artillery shot and killed another creature. They didn¡¯t stop. They should have stopped. It didn¡¯t make sense.


    The older son changed his trajectory and picked the younger by the scruff, then placed it in front of him. The younger son grabbed the horse¡¯s neck with all his strength. It slowed down.


    Viv distinctly saw resignation on the older boy¡¯s face, calm when he dropped from the saddle and turned to face his death with a straight back and a javelin in his hand. Cernit cried. She decided that the man would live.


    Power coursed through Viv¡¯s core and roared, answering her call.


    ¡°Eldritch walls!¡±


    A barrier of grasping tentacles and scales rose like a tide to grasp at the beasts. It was fragile and weak but they didn¡¯t know it. Some jumped over but more stopped or tried to go around. The strict formation scattered in an instant. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to save him but it gave Viv the time she needed. With her hand in front of her, she found her target.


    ¡°Kinesis.¡±


    It was the older son¡¯s turn to be lifted by the scruff, rising over the plain with a yelp. Viv unceremoniously dragged him towards her at good speed like a squealing, flailing package. At the same time, the first beasts were almost upon them. A volley of arrows stopped them just in time. One of the beasts screeched, eye pierced.


    ¡°Purge net.¡±


    Viv turned the space in front of her into a hell of flaying tendrils that scored deep gouges into the beasts¡¯ hides. Those were not the leaders. They yelped. The lifted son landed on his feet and sprinted without pause past them. Cernit turned their horse around and trotted back. Meanwhile, Viv sent another blast at a flanking beast and killed it, all while maintaining her flay spell. Her mind worked in overdrive to juggle all the symbols and her intent but it didn¡¯t feel like pressure. It felt like a dance of minds, her against the pack, and she was winning. The beasts were whipped, killed, obstructed. She projected her will and the most powerful kinetic spell she could at another flanker and saw it reel as if punched.


    The lead beast smashed through the wall and roared. The creatures attacked with suicidal frenzy, and Viv dropped the purge net. A moment later, the roaring mass of Baranese soldiers smashed into the disorganized pack spears first. The creatures fought, but the soldiers held on.


    Viv cast another blast but the beast dodged with a natural ability that made it move so fast it left an after image. Viv could not hit it.


    ¡°Charge it!¡± Viv asked, and Cernit did it without a second of doubt.


    The opponents charged each other, the slavering monsters and the humans and their fearless horse. Viv waited until the last moment. She saw the thing jump, heard the woosh of snow, heard the cavernous sound of its breath. A flash of gray pelt.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    The creature smashed against her shield at full speed and bounced back with a resounding smack. Viv winced from the strain but she grit her teeth and unsheathed her dagger,


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The blade was massive, easily as long as the horse. Viv screamed. She swung. Something so large shouldn¡¯t be so light, she thought. There was no resistance when the blade bisected the reeling, airborn beast cleanly before it could touch the ground and jump again. A sprinkling of blood covered her face and most of her clothes. It was warm and smelled like iron.


    That was too much for the rest of the pack. The maimed survivors limped away, the archers picking off a few of the more wounded ones.


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    For a moment, the plain was silent except for the heavy breaths of the recovering soldiers. Viv couldn¡¯t believe everything had gone so well.


    ¡°For Baran!¡± Cernit roared.


    ¡°For the king!¡± his men echoed.


    Viv turned and saw that the older man had tears in his eyes and a smile on his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that. You are a champion,¡± he whispered. ¡°A champion. And you saved my son. I owe you twice over, Viv the traveler. But now please give this father a moment.¡±


    Cernit stepped down while Tarn and Jerod busied themselves ordering the men. A few of the braver fighters planted spears through the ribs of the dead beast to check if they weren¡¯t faking it. Viv watched Cernit with some amusement from the top of her saddle. The main reason why she didn¡¯t come down was that she was tired and the horse let her sit with a dry butt.


    Cernit practically jumped on his older son and hugged him with an energy only fear could bring. They smacked each other¡¯s backs with their fists and cried. Then, Cernit placed two hands on his shoulders and stayed there for a good ten seconds before punching him square in the jaw.


    ¡°An entire pack of Halurian beasts with javelins? You utter morons. Where are your armor sets? Where are the bloody bear spears? Huh?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have the time, dad,¡± another boy said in defense.


    ¡°What did I say about delaying hunts?¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t a hunt,¡± the middle one said. ¡°This was a rescue.¡±


    He pointed up the slope where the rest of the infantrymen were appearing, dragging their luggage. There were villagers with them. Young ones too.


    ¡°The beast got old Shev but we bought time for the rest. You said that we had to protect them.¡±


    ¡°I said that, aye. I did.¡±


    Cernit mussed their hair, all three in turn. He made no effort to hold his tears.


    ¡°And you did a bloody fine job. I just hate to see you in danger like that. By Neriad¡­¡±


    The four hugged again while everyone else pretended not to watch. The oldest son was the first to break, fuming with mock outrage.


    ¡°So I¡¯m the only one that gets punched then? It¡¯s not fair!¡±


    So Cernit gently punched the other two.

 Chapter 131: Mind like a bear trap

    ¡°The fort¡¯s occupied alright. By those thrice-cursed Halurians!¡±


    ¡°Language.¡±


    Cernit¡¯s eldest son faltered under his father¡¯s gaze, his bluster gone in an instant. The mood in the tent grew awkward. Viv shifted and leaned over the map to offer a distraction but the old captain would not have it.


    ¡°We are here to receive your report, my son. Not to see you grandstand with all your youthful bravado. Provide your report in a concise and gentlemanly manner, so your officers may draw the right conclusions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father. Of course.¡±


    Viv thought the golden rule was to scold in private and praise in public, yet Cernit had decided not to do that despite a known leadership skill. Viv wondered if it was a question of etiquette. Perhaps he could not show favoritism. Perhaps he had done so for the sake of his other children. An interesting aspect of his culture.


    ¡°Halurians have taken over the deserted fortress. I have personally seen them while standing on Semia¡¯s teat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a small hill facing the fort,¡± Cernit whispered to Viv.


    She nodded. There was a mountain in the United States called the ¡®Grand Teton¡¯, the great nipple in French, so mankind shared the same naming skills everywhere, it seems. That or explorers were horny.


    ¡°I used a spying glass. They had sentries and the flag of the Varak clan. I did not come closer because the presence of birds of prey indicated tamers¡­¡±


    The young man looked up to his father for approval with clear worry. Cernit only gave a curt nod. Viv thought the scout had been wise to stay away because if the Halurians had more of those dog things, he would have ended up as a crunchy snack without word of the enemy presence reaching the Baranese.


    It was also clear the boys were not meant to be stealthy foresters. Their classes read as [Hedge Knights] and they were a sort of hybrid between hunters and actual knights.


    ¡°Will you be attacking them, father?¡±


    ¡°You have not finished your report. How many men do you think they might have?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. At least sixty from the number of flags, perhaps less. They have tamers. The presence of a faceless is¡­ unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Very much so. They only intervene when we move into Halurian territory,¡± Cernit said for Viv¡¯s benefit.


    She had learned that in her history class but thanked the knight anyway.


    ¡°Do we attack?¡±


    ¡°Our orders are clear. We are to take over that place and we will. They cannot be allowed to report to their main forces.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father. It will be done.¡±


    ¡°Get your armor ready, you three, and fetch me my horse. They might have warborns with them to protect the tamers. We will be needed.¡±


    ¡°Do we raise the levies?¡±


    ¡°We know they have more beasts and they likely have warborns¡­ what does it mean?¡± Cernit tested.


    ¡°That levies are only victims.¡±


    ¡°Correct. Make sure you pick up spare spears.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    ¡°Father, what should we tell mother?¡± the youngest asked.


    Cernit smoldered until it looked like smoke might escape from his ears. Junior Cernit wilted under the terrible gaze.


    ¡°Tell her I will do all I can to bring her idiot sons back home in one piece. Now go.¡±


    ¡°Yessir.¡±


    The trio left the tend, leaving Viv and Cernit alone. Tarn and old Jerod peeked through the curtain flaps. Cernit invited his lieutenant in with a gesture, then inspected the map in front of him.


    ¡°We need to follow the road. Beasts are always more dangerous on uneven ground. Even worse in a forest. They¡¯ll see us coming up from very far if they do have birds anyway,¡± he said after a little while. His attention landed on Viv.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°How do we get over the walls? You do not have siege equipment.¡±


    ¡°We can make ladders in mere hours, but¡­¡±


    ¡°If they have warborns on the parapet, it will be a slaughter.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Only cavalry or elite infantry in formation can hope to stand before those maniacs. Soldiers climbing one by one just be so much meat. The gates, however¡­¡±


    ¡°Could they have repaired them?¡±


    ¡°Close to impossible. The Varak clans live in the nearby plains which also happen to be the only place in those gods-forsaken lands that can grow cereals. They have very few forests and no carpenters worth their salt.¡±


    Viv knew from her class that the clans almost never cooperated, each warlord only trading favors in dire times.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to repair a fortress gate. If they have done anything it will be a makeshift arrangement. Most likely not enchanted either.¡±


    ¡°What if they put up a barricade?¡± Tarn asked.


    ¡°Then they¡¯d have a real hard time getting in and out seeing as there are no other entrances,¡± Cernit said with some bite.


    ¡°Beg your pardon,¡± Old Jerod said.


    He blushed mightily when everyone actually paid attention to him.


    ¡°That is, sorry, ah, they probably have slingers. Gotta be hard to get the boys to work if the slingers just take potshots at them. Those stones can brain a man, even if they wear a helmet!¡±


    ¡°I could always shoot them from afar,¡± Viv offered.


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to take the fort, not demolish it. And the general said we were on a schedule,¡± Cernit said.


    ¡°How about that then? You pick some strong lads to carry a ram. I protect our approach with a shield and cover them while they work. Worst case scenario, I can destroy a blockade if there is any so long as it¡¯s not made of stone. Black mana works worse against inert materials, though it still works.¡±


    ¡°And the scouts provide covering fire. That would work well, but¡­ It puts you at risk. A great risk.¡±


    ¡°Have shield bearers protect me and it should be fine. I¡¯ll make protective walls for your archers.¡±


    Cernit and Viv exchanged a long glance. Viv could almost see the gears turning in the experienced man¡¯s head. He could probably take the fort without her. The archers would provide cover while the infantry attacked through the door and while climbing the walls, using their superior numbers. It would most likely work but the casualties would be massive. Success would not be certain either. Involving Viv gave him the best chance to succeed, yet it also placed her in danger. No Viv, no portal.


    ¡°Jaratalssi didn¡¯t just send me because of what I could do. He also sent me because of what I¡­ could do.¡± Viv commented.


    Cernit knew what she meant. He¡¯d seen her fight.


    ¡°We will do as you suggested with one more thing. Jerod will pick his best archers to scale the walls on the northern side after we¡¯ve begun our attack.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll see them coming.¡±


    ¡°Not if they¡¯re too busy with us. I know the perfect spot to scale the walls. A place where they¡¯re damaged. They might get lucky.¡±


    ¡°As you said, sir. I¡¯ll¡­ lead them personally.¡±


    Cernit eyed Jerod with suspicion. It was universally known he couldn¡¯t shoot for shit and his offer felt suspicious.


    ¡°I can tell them if there¡¯s a warborn waiting for them on top.¡±


    ¡°Very well. The fort is some way away. We¡¯ll have an early lunch then leave as soon as my sons have returned.¡±


    ***


    Cernit¡¯s sons did return with a graying dark horse in tow. They wore mismatched armor pieces that did not always fit. Viv thought they looked like university boys who bought their disguise from the discount bins, though every bit was polished to a shine. The youngest just had a gambeson, no chestplate. Their spears looked good enough, however. Those were boar spears with a guard near the tip that prevented the victim from approaching.


    The riders also came with civilians carrying a cauldron of warm food between them, and a letter from Cernit¡¯s wife. The old knight read it, turning bashful and scared in turn. Everyone pretended not to notice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Cernit said.


    The column departed shortly after and Viv didn¡¯t miss the worried glance he cast at his sons. She hoped her luck wouldn¡¯t screw him over.


    ***


    The approach to the fort went without a hitch. Distant birds of prey observed them from far above, their shapes sometimes visible as they emerged from the low clouds. Those looked like a cross between vultures and hawks, and it didn¡¯t take an ornithologist to notice they were neither locals nor acting normally. The path led through dense woods, the pines still green and healthy. Their scent overpowered that of old sweat, to Viv¡¯s relief. Nothing moved. Nothing attacked. The scouts¡¯ vigilance proved superfluous.


    The company reached the fort in the early afternoon after a brisk march though. Viv had ridden at the back of Cernit¡¯s horse and felt refreshed as she took on their target.


    Across a large expanse of empty ground, the fort stood like an old, cracked nut. Crenelations were missing on a battlement and reminded Viv of a smile with missing teeth. Large impacts had scored holes in the gray stones here and there, revealing lighter shades beneath. The gates had been hastily repaired with nailed on planks and they were closed at the moment. The keep was a single round tower no higher than her own house back in Kazar, and the walls were barely thirty meters long at the front, yet the fortress felt no less formidable for it. Savage flags depicting a lean wolf lined the walls, floating under a light breeze. Shapes moved behind and growls could be heard on the other side. The fortress had seen much and it still stood, and now it belonged to her enemies. A horn rang in the distance.


    ¡°Alright, spread out,¡± Cernit said. ¡°Stay well behind your shields because you¡¯re not safe, you hear? A second of an exposed neck and you¡¯ll get a stone through the jaw. No second chances.¡±


    Viv made sure to keep her shield in front of her. A squad detached from the main formation to cut a thick trunk at record speed. They had a makeshift ram ready in record time. Once again, the average soldier¡¯s strength meant they could work and carry stuff their Earth counterparts could not hope to move. Soon enough, they were ready. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Tarn formed a protective square around Viv. Jerod faded in the trees with his handpicked group. The rest of the infantry formed in a column behind her with the scouts protected by shields, the ram went in front of her, and the mounted knights under Cernit loitered at the edge of the forest, trotting in this and that direction to prevent the slingers from getting an easy shot. They were ready.


    ¡°Forwaaaaaard!¡± Cernit roared.


    He blew a horn for good measure. Viv called in an aegis with colorless mana and the formation moved forward.


    Almost immediately, a few stones pinged on the transparent beehive shield. A test. This version of the Aegis was designed with runes that stopped physical impact so the drain on her reserves was negligible. Guttural voices rang across the battlements, calling the warriors to battle. Viv didn¡¯t have Arthur with her this time so she asked Tarn to keep an eye up for birds. Nothing could break concentration like surprise talons to the eyes.


    Slowly, they moved forward. Stones would skirt the very edge of her shield to try and take infantrymen off guard, but those were experienced lads and most stones only found raised shields. A man got a broken foot after twenty meters and the column made themselves even tighter. Cries of frustration echoed over the wall.


    ¡°Steady!¡± Tarn said.


    The formation kept together remarkably well until they reached the walls. Viv kept the shield up and got to work.


    ¡°Eldritch walls!¡± she cried while the ram smashed heavily against the door.


    Twisted geometry erupted from the earth, forming a thick barrier. The scouts spread out along and exchanged fire with the slingers above the walls. A scout got brained immediately but Viv heard cries of pain above and saw a man take an arrow through the eye. The slingers wore leather caps over their long, braided hair. It didn¡¯t seem to help much. Not at this range.


    It didn¡¯t take much focus for Viv to maintain the shield so she sent a couple of astra spells at targets of opportunity. She needed to get a reaction and now was the best time. It worked.


    ¡°Warborn! WARBORN!¡± Tarn screamed.


    She didn¡¯t like the fear in his voice.


    They came quickly. Viv barely caught a glance of a man falling from the battlement dressed in leather and what appeared to be chitin, his thick hair following like a mane. A scout fell with a dagger in the throat while Viv was still registering it, then another pinged against her shield. He practically teleported through thin air to dodge her first net and then he was in the middle of the spread out scouts, killing. He dodged behind a wall. She caught a glimpse of red lines shining on his face.


    Viv dispersed the wall which he did not expect. A well-placed purge spell whipping at him chased him off, wounded. He had still managed to avoid being cut in two. And then she saw him look down in surprise at the arrow going through his chest. Another joined in the moment he hesitated, then a third. Viv didn¡¯t even cast. She didn¡¯t watch him collapse with a look of furious disbelief. There was another. That one fell right on the ram wielder. He had killed three before she could even look.


    A large axe smashed against her shield to no effect, so the man ran alongside its length all while dodging spear thrusts coming from the inside. A couple of soldiers blocked his path with their shield but he kicked them and they were sent flying. Viv hit him with a telekinesis spell. He was sent flying into a lying spear. It skewered him from back to front. She smirked. He rushed at her anyway. A well-placed purge spell finished him off.


    It was her danger sense that saved Viv once again. She coated herself in mana and charged it with the annihilation meaning and not a moment too soon. A third warborn fell from up high where he had jumped and between Viv¡¯s guards. A thrown knife pinged against her physical shield, then the man was in front of her.


    The entire sword, then half of his hand disappeared before his triumph turned to horror. He turned into a shadow and teleported back exactly where Viv expected, catching an astra through the chest which killed him instantly.


    ¡°Nice try.¡±


    ¡°Close ranks,¡± Tarn screamed from the side where he was fighting off another pair of warborn. ¡°Close ranks or I¡¯ll fucking skin you alive!


    The guards who had spread out a little immediately surrounded Viv but it was for nothing. The battle was already winding down.


    Cernit and his sons had engaged more warborn at the edge of the formation while she was taking care of the nearest ones. Cernit and his eldest son formed the wings of the group of four while the youngest stayed at the center, the opposite of what Baranese doctrine dictated. They rode one warborn down at a time, turning sharply when they used their insane mobility to evade. Four spears and the horse¡¯s speed were enough to make sure at least one of the weapons landed. The usefulness of boar spears now became apparent when the skewered warborn tried to free themselves. Their tendency to charge suicidally was hampered by the merciless implement pinning them in place.


    The swifter warborns tried to use the wall to their advantage, jumping on it to force the knights to give up the charge or crash into it. The first to try received two javelins to the back and fell to his death.


    The four knights had done better than the rest of the infantry combined, Viv realized. More importantly, the warborn had absolutely no team spirit. They were independent fighters with no squad tactics, trading the ability to work in formation for incredible single combat prowess. It proved of little utility against patient and disciplined groups of soldiers and yet the outnumbered warriors had still killed four people in the blink of an eye. It was¡­ a little concerning.


    Viv also realized the last slingers had stopped firing.


    Inside the fort, something was happening. The ram smashed through the damaged door to reveal a scene of carnage. Two giant hounds like the one they had killed before were fighting slingers, killing them easily. A third lay dead with a smashed skull. The inner courtyard was a scene of pure chaos. Blood was spilled everywhere amid corpse parts and dying men. Viv immediately spotted the cause. There was a group of robed figures left intact near the tower. Well, mostly intact. Feathered shafts emerged from their backs.


    It appeared that Jerod¡¯s little foray had been successful.


    With the fall of the tamers and most warborns, the rest of the battle was a simple mop up. The remaining slingers never surrendered though several managed to run away. Viv was left watching a peculiar scene.


    In the corner of the courtyard were huddled women wearing thick robes that hid most of their features. All of them clutched a small, ornamented knife in their blood-covered right hands and all of them were dead. The sprays of arterial blood and clean left hands indicated the girls had cut their own throats before forming a small pile, perhaps to face death together.


    Cernit walked to Viv after he was done giving orders. They looked at the spectacle.


    ¡°Camp followers. They always kill themselves. Even if you capture one alive, they¡¯ll do their best to end their own lives.¡±


    ¡°Out of fear of something?¡±


    ¡°Not fear, I¡¯d wager. Pah, who knows with those savages?¡±


    Viv shrugged. They looked like civilians to her and she didn¡¯t like that. That was all.


    ¡°Is it pity you feel?¡± Cernit asked, his face closed.


    Viv knew this was a test and also that she didn¡¯t care for it.


    ¡°A little, yes. Those were not warriors.¡±


    ¡°Then come with me.¡±


    They walked to the keep. The first floor was a makeshift prison, the door guarded by a soldier. He looked a little green. Viv knew what to expect from the smell.


    The Halurians had captured villagers at some point of their brief occupation. Probably to sell as slaves for a bonus. Their bodies were spread haphazardly across the room, drying blood coloring stained piles of hay in a disgusting mess. There were many with defensive wounds, a mother curled around the remains of the child she had failed to protect. They were all too thin and too lightly clothed. A skeletal body waited curled in a corner, long dead before the rest had been executed. The stench of voided bowel and filth was nauseating.


    ¡°That¡¯s what they do. That¡¯s Halurians,¡± Cernit growled, and there was a deep hatred in the knight¡¯s voice Viv had never heard before.


    ¡°They are beasts who kill and get killed without a shred of regret. They don¡¯t understand humanity. One day we¡¯ll cross the border, all civilized nations together to cleanse them off the face of this world for good.¡±


    Viv could see why Rakan and his sister would leave. Haluria sounded like a shit place.


    ¡°Do you understand what we fight for?¡± the knight asked with a burning passion.


    ¡°I understand that I have my orders and now that the fort is clear, I¡¯ll carry them out.¡±


    Cernit blinked.


    ¡°Oh. Of course. My apologies, this is a difficult tale for me.¡±


    ¡°You live on the border. I understand,¡± Viv replied.


    She turned and moved to form a large, durable witch teleporter.


    The work this time took a long time, not least because she didn¡¯t have Sidjin with her to flatten and prepare the ground. This teleporter was temporary but the distance was also much longer and it was close to nightfall when she added the finishing touch, pouring most of her mana into the working before her. All the while, soldiers and knights protected her though she could see them look with some curiosity.


    With an effort of will, the circle ignited.


    It always felt strange to twist reality at such a fundamental level that even modern technology could not dream of matching it in a hundred years. The sheer amount of power required to do so would be on the scale of the Dyson sphere, Viv thought, but here it happened because the planet allowed it. Or perhaps, it strengthened the body and souls of those who dwelled on it so they could make it happen.


    The aperture of the portal opened slowly. It would close just as smoothly later. Viv could soon see the distant walls of the town of Lartizen on the northern border of Baran. There were also knights. They crossed immediately.


    Now, Cernit was a country knight. He owned land but probably had few servants if any. His armor was army-issued while his son used functional yet mismatched castoffs from lost sets. Those stood at the opposite end of the spectrum. If Viv had to imagine a valiant prince in shining armor, that was it. That was the real fucking deal. They rode massive chargers clad in engraved armor of exquisite make shining with delicate patterns, lines, and illustrations. Art and enchantment here formed a harmonious whole far from the functional sobriety of Harrakan armors. Banners and motley capes completed the dazzling display. Those armor bore the history of the families that undoubtedly paid a fortune to have them made and they did so in more ways than one. Discolorations and minuscule dents proved that those were not display pieces to be exhibited in dusty halls but tools of war, powerful defenses that had saved their owners as they¡¯d charged into danger. The knights¡¯ weapons were stowed for now but Viv saw from the sheaths and handles that they would be no less impressive. She felt tiny in front of them. On horseback, they were so tall and massive. A fugacious memory of the charge in Sinur¡¯s Gate came to her mind unbidden. If a dozen knights could plow through ranks of undead, then those men¡­


    [Inner Circle Knight of the White Orchard. Count of Irelus. Very Dangerous. Expert melee combatant¡­]


    Yes, they could probably hold their own. And there were a lot of them. The first riders trotted out of the courtyard until one blew a horn, then a group even more hallowed and decorated slowly moved out, shining under the pale sun like apparitions.


    The most obvious signs that they were bigwigs happened when every man in the courtyard took the knee, Cernit first. Viv did not bow to foreigners so she merely curtseyed.


    The group consisted of a giant in scarlet armor, a lithe man in a multicolor garb that looked strangely like a buffoon outfit, though she didn¡¯t feel like laughing, and a few others in sublime garments. They rode under a banner showing a field of trees bearing white flowers that reminded her of roses. The man at their head was seventy if he was a day. Or rather, he looked seventy but that didn¡¯t mean anything here. She didn¡¯t dare inspect him while his dark eyes peered at her over a wide, bushy white beard. He was the only one whose helmet was open. He nodded at Viv, then to his credit, he dismounted. Meanwhile, knights kept crossing the portal.


    ¡°And you must be Viviane the Outlander. Excellent work on taking the fort, as expected of a war caster of your reputation. Now, we can be sure the tamers cannot report our presence. You have delivered on your promise, just like General Jaratalassi said you would. Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Just doing my job, sir.¡± Viv replied automatically before realizing he wasn¡¯t a colonel and this was no longer the army.


    He had a rather strong presence, but it wasn¡¯t just that. Just like Inquisitor Denerim, he felt transparent in a way that Viv could never achieve. She could tell with certainty that he was valorous and devoid of malice. She could also tell he would lose his path if he acted otherwise. That didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t plan and manipulate, she reminded herself, but at least he wouldn¡¯t try to abuse her.


    He nodded.


    ¡°My name is Order Master Ered. I lead the Order of the White Orchard.¡±


    Viv nodded, though she minded two things. First, the Order of the White Orchard was the most elite knight order on the entire continent and quite possibly the world. Second, the knights had kept pouring through the aperture and there was no sign they would stop any time soon. Jaratalassi had already understood the importance of Viv¡¯s portals. They were meant to solve the military world¡¯s most constraining factor: logistics. Viv was moving an entire army.


    ¡°This is the second time you have proved your valor to the kingdom, Lady Viv. You have also saved the life of young Cernit whom we have been following with interest. Captain Cernit, you will report to the citadel for evaluation after we return to the capital. The eyes of the White Orchard are upon you. Do not disappoint us.¡±


    ¡°Y¡­ Yes sir!¡± Cernit exulted.


    ¡°As a sign of Baran¡¯s appreciation and with regard to your vital contribution to our plan, we would like to offer you the position of herald in the coming battle,¡± the man said seriously.


    Then he waited with a careful expression. It was a test of sorts, first of etiquette. She knew she couldn¡¯t fuck it up.


    In the space between moments, Viv¡¯s mind went into overdrive. Ethics class content had mentioned that, albeit briefly. The herald¡¯s place was third in importance in a Baranese cavalry formation. Their role was to yell a war cry. They rode at the grandmaster¡¯s left and before the standard bearer while to his right, he had the squire and the musician. All their roles were pretty self-explanatory, but there was one subtlety. Herald roles were sometimes left to outsiders because it only required high attunement and a leadership skill while standard bearer and musicians required a specific path. As for the squire, that was usually the formation''s deadliest fighter. It was a rare and meaningful gesture. She could not refuse.


    ¡°I am greatly honored and I accept.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We have prepared a horse for you. Cernit will explain your role, won¡¯t you, my boy?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    While they talked, Viv¡¯s mind went on tangents, calculating. Was this a political gesture? Did the grandmaster count on her to occupy the Enorians now that the kingdom could finally turn its gaze outward and towards the nearby Baran, currently under pressure because of the invasion? Was this a first opening towards future cooperation? Perhaps Lady Azar, Viv¡¯s senechal in Harrak, had something to do with it. After all, the wily old viper was Baranese. There were so many considerations.


    ¡°This way, milady,¡± a flustered Cernit told her. ¡°This way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t milady me Cernit.¡±


    ¡°Apologies. But you have to understand, I have never been so proud. The order of the White Orchard, perhaps recruiting me? It would¡­ it would change everything!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure we give a good impression.¡±


    ¡°Most astute, yes! We have to do that. Absolutely. So, herald.¡±


    ¡°I know what I need to do. Scream a war cry at the beginning of the charge, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You do not have to do much. The order master¡¯s magic will guide you. It is acceptable when hosting a guest to yell war cries belonging to other nations, though it is considered a poor show to name the foreign power itself. Oh, and the most important detail: leaders such as yourself tend to resist the order master¡¯s skill by instinct. You will perhaps feel it like an intrusion? I am not sure. My own skills cannot compare to yours, of course. I only recommend that you let go and accept to be pushed forward.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ruin the charge.¡±


    ¡°Merely being aware of the pull should be enough. Only surprise could push you to resist I suppose, hence why I informed you. But I babble, I babble. Oh, the Order of the White Orchard! Viv, I cannot express how much this means to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an honorable man, Cernit. And you have good instincts. I¡¯m happy that your efforts are recognized.¡±


    ¡°And yours as well. A herald. Ah, to be at the front of such a charge. You will see. This is an experience like no others.¡±


    ¡°Looking forward to it.¡±


    ***


    It didn¡¯t matter if one was predictable when the foe cannot use the knowledge, Viv mused. Jaratalassi was a defensive expert, so he was defending. And as before, it was working.


    Below them, a gap in the mountainous area gave Viv her first full view of Haluria. It didn¡¯t look any different to the Baranese frontier, only flatter and dotted with copses of trees. The open path led to a well-defended Baranese stronghold and quite possibly the juiciest prize in the entire region if the acres of tilled ground were any indication.


    Viv could have told the way the battle had enfolded from the corpses. Unarmored Halurians had fallen to arrows on their way to the first line of fortifications. The white-clad forms of Baranese infantrymen atop the small elevations spoke of a brief yet heated defense, then they had retreated to the second line. Rinse and repeat and now they fought below the third.


    It appeared warborns were not that plentiful, which was definitely a good thing. Many of the Halurian soldiers were spearmen using a chitinous round shield. They had not performed too badly. Archers with shortbow and lightly armored riders completed the Varak clan¡¯s forces. Viv wasn¡¯t sure but she thought she could see riders on the strange wolf monsters they had fought before, but they were only a handful. There were barely any mages on the Baranese side and none on the Halurian side.


    On the other side, Jaratalassi had used border soldiers efficiently. A small core of knights had engaged with fury to cover their retreat every time they changed position. They had paid a heavy price but never hesitated. Now, the Halurians were below the wall and the Baranese had their backs against it. The anvil had played its role. Viv was bringing the hammer. Ranks upon ranks of Baranese elite cavalry emerged from the forest, their approach covered by elite scouts. They had no obstacles in front of them. It was open ground all the way down.


    The formation finally emerged from the forest and the sun caught the tip of their spears just right. Once again, Viv felt that peculiar feeling of vastness that came with Nyil battles, those tens of thousands of soldiers in tight formations marching on each other. At this distance, they turned into organic masses that worked in relative harmony with and against each other. The Halurian infantrymen regiments were resolute beetles while the warborns writhed and twisted like centipedes, full of spikes and angles. On the other side, wasp archers and other beetles worked together with a mantis, fast and precise. It was easy to forget that they were made of individual humans tied together by leaders and beliefs. There were just so many of them.


    The Order Master made a gesture and she stopped caring. Viv felt his skill and aura take over.


    Even if Cernit had not warned, she would still have gone with it. The White Orchard leader gathered so many nobles into a blade with a singular purpose and it felt great. For now, none of the politics, the fact that Viv was dying, none of it mattered. They would go down here and ride the Halurians down. There was no need to think of the after until they reached the after. It was happening.


    Then the skill rose like an orchestra, carrying with it a strange passion. Glory and valor would be hers today by the simple action of pushing her horse on to face evil. She and thousands of others merged into a magnificent and terrible whole as undeniable as the tide, and just as unstoppable. A horn blew somewhere to her right and the banners unfurled, starting with the White Orchard one. Floral touches caressed her nose. She felt a light breeze on her face, the pungent yet not unpleasant smell of horses. They moved, first slowly, then faster, faster. The earth rumbled. Viv¡¯s borrowed charger carried her with the rest and she went with the flow. The Halurians spotted them. It didn¡¯t matter. They were flanked and exposed, ripe for the scythe bearing down on them. An unseen wind pushed into Viv¡¯s back. The army was galloping now, their lances lowering. A rolling wave of steel rushed to her right, to her left. She was part of that wave. She was part of something greater but she could do more. It was her role now to give it a purpose. The skill sent her looking for one.


    Instead of resisting, Viv realized she could go the other way, and so she did.


    Viv had stood before two dragons, killed a third, and raised a fourth. She had already left her mark on Nyil and this charge was the most powerful tool she had ever wielded. They were foreigners but this didn¡¯t matter right now. Right now, they were hers. Cold rage filled her veins and a fire burnt in her chest, one without end. Black mana sang as it answered her call. The Halurians were close now. She had seen what they could do. She was not impressed. They had to go, because they stood in her way. In that fateful moment, all of Viv¡¯s power poured into the tip of the formation and every drop of black mana in her allies¡¯ cores answered the call. The tips of their spears turned black.


    ¡°Crush them. Ride them down. For the black tide.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t have to raise her voice. The world understood her.


    Annihilation-charged spears met the Hallurian ranks without stopping. No shield stood against the onslaught, no formation resisted the unstoppable charge. The Order of the White Orchard carried the outlander from one side of the field to the other, and none stood against them.

 Chapter 132: Tide

    It was all wrong.


    Tuk¡¯s old man had told him: ¡°Son, the war is like a tide¡±. He had said so while mending their nets on the coast of lake Kital, by the shore, where beasts made truce with man for the duration of a drink. His weathered hands worked deftly, calmly, with confidence. Tuk¡¯s old man had survived two wars and brought Tuk¡¯s mother as captive the second time so he wasn¡¯t spewing fish gut. He¡¯d said that the tribes crashed against the rock of Baran and fought. If there were enough tribes or if the Baranese hadn¡¯t received help in time, Haluria would win hard. The waves spread to bite at the belly of the westerners. The warlords would bring treasure and slaves aplenty. Food. Clothes, arms and armor. Then, inevitably, the tide would follow the crevices of the earth to find the farther fruits. It dissolved. The westerners regrouped and received reinforcements while the warlords bickered over the best prizes. The wave retreated.


    Sometimes, the Baranese got the better hand but the Halurian numbers were so high that the line would crack somewhere, inevitably. Fewer prizes would be obtained. The warlords united more, however, and the war devolved into bloody battles with more than enough corpses.


    Those who overstayed their welcome were always caught and slaughtered. The sweet spot was in the middle when the two masses split after the initial shocks. That was when the getting was good and even slingers could get something, even being at the bottom of a very tall shit heap. Tuk¡¯s old man had said slingers died less and also that a sling could kill a Harren, or chase off some of the jungle¡¯s predators so Tuk was a slinger. A decent one. It was not Tuk who had messed up. It was the war. The tide had not happened. He was beached like a trout and just as fucked.


    Beyond the gates of the captured watchtower, the battle was already lost. Didn¡¯t take a clan leader¡¯s genius to see that. The Baranese knights had swept everyone else. Poor fuckers didn¡¯t even get a chance. Even the warborns had been smushed; but that wasn¡¯t how Tuk knew. Tuk knew because half of the Baranese army was celebrating while the rest smashed whatever was left of his side¡¯s regulars. Towards the front, Warlord Varak was locked in a duel with some westerner asshole in red armor so showy it screamed ¡®fuck me in particular¡¯ to any desert blade, but, pity there weren¡¯t any. And that was the fucking problem now. And it was Tuk¡¯s problem. Because Tuk was going to die. It was only a matter of time before someone came knocking. He stepped back from the battlement and rushed downward.


    The tower was tall and it sat on a small elevation. Murderholes let enough sun in not to miss a step of the long, winding stairs clinging to the walls. He rushed into the cold sun of winter and saw other slingers manning the low crenelations around the inner courtyard. Short wall. Never meant to stop an attack. Place was deserted when they arrived. Now, they should leave as well. Slick and quick. He moved towards Chief Emki.


    ¡°Chief, bad news, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°The fuck you where? Baranese are coming!¡±


    ¡°On the tower, chief, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up and go. Pelt the softlanders. NOW!¡±


    A part of Tuk screamed to tell the chief it was for nothing. Stupid. They had to leave or they would die here. No need to fight to the death. Not trapped just yet. There was a small door at the back, but Tuk was a slinger, the chief was the chief, and his feet were moving before the first of those thoughts could coalesce. It didn¡¯t occur to him to stop the chief until he was halfway up the wall and by then, it was too late. He arrived just in time to see a small, dark star arc down on Lug and with a loud ¡®whomp¡¯, his friend¡¯s head was gone.


    Tuk froze where he was when more of those damn spells turned the top of the small battlement into a mess of missing chests, severed legs and other body parts. It smelled horrible. There was a hand next to him, cut at the wrist. It was just so¡­ clean. So precise. Like done with the sharpest blade. Here was a Efestar-cursed hand, and there¡­ nothing.


    ¡°Tuk, snap out of it!¡±


    A stone came in sharp focus, then the hand, then blood, so much blood. Running slingers. Someone grabbed his shoulder and pushed and down he went, back where he came from.


    ¡°Get to the gate!¡±


    And off Tuk was, still running before the sentence was finished despite knowing for absolutely sure it was fucking useless. They had a mage. This was a gate.


    ¡°Did someone manage to off the caster?¡± He asked hopefully.


    ¡°No. He got a shield. Can¡¯t get through.¡±


    Tuk watched chief Emki go from pillory to pillory, killing the villagers they¡¯d kept here for pleasure and relief. He walked to the screaming women and struck down one by one so the softlanders would not recover them, as was the way of the desert. Tuk thought he should be here at the front with the others instead.


    Tuk placed his hands against the door, ready to offset the blow of the ram. It slowed them down. Didn¡¯t know the point. He ought to fucking run back to the jungle and the lake and the fishes. There were screams on the other side. Softlanders with their weird sing song voices. Womanly, the chief had called them. Sure didn¡¯t look like soft skin and ribbons right now.


    ¡°Steady!¡± a senior said. ¡°Steady!¡±


    But there were no rams. A gash into a starless night opened in front of Tek and it also opened the senior. He fell with a gurgled scream. The gash carved down with a hiss. Strange. Shit like that should be deafening.


    An aura hit him like a fist to the jaw. It was cold and reptilian, uncaring. There was no bluster or grand declaration here, no claim to glory like the warlord¡¯s aura had. Just the promise of death, a pointless one. There for a moment, gone the next. Immediately forgotten. He was just meat.


    That was it. Weeks of walking, of shitting his bowels out because some of the water had gotten rancid, of not enough food and digging latrines and shooting harriens with his stones just not to fucking starve, just to die here to defend a doomed tower no one gave a shit about? No. No. He¡¯d rather slather his balls with honey and dive them in a pike¡¯s mouth.


    Tuk turned and ran.


    He ignored the screams of outrage, then of fear, of pain. The doors smashed open. Light dimmed, somehow. He turned and looked. Baranese infantrymen in nice armor with bloodstained spears. A monster.


    It was a she. That was just so weird Tuk did a double take. A she, softlander caster, like a faceless but with tits. Just unthinkable. Was Tuk still alive or hallucinating, stung by a puff fish on his pier? He could see her face and the soft, strangely colored hair and she was the only one in the courtyard without emotions on that smooth skin, pretty like a statue. So out of place. There was terror, rage, agony, but only one person was calm. Around that face things were less nice. She wore armored robes coated in something dark and thick, something that coiled and seethed at the edge. Tendrils rose above her head to form horns, and he could spot scales forming and splitting on her bracers, her pauldrons. The tendrils moved and merged and split as he watched. It felt alive. Alive and hateful, so very hateful. A couple of stones pinged on a transparent shield formed like the inside of a hive. A shadowy whip killed another slinger. Then, the she-mage found chief Emki. Her face twisted briefly with anger. She lifted a monstrous hand just as the chief lifted his dripping cleaver. He was dragged through the air.


    The she-mage smashed him once against the ground then another time, then again on some spear rack. Finally, she sent him against the wall and what fell on the ground was more mush than man. A few soldiers had formed a line at the entrance of the tower. Tuk ran towards them. There was a woosh, a wave of black fire like the breath of some mythical beast, then they were gone.


    Tuk kept running expecting to die. He turned again. There was an old man with a bow aiming towards him among the softlanders. Tuk was dead. He was so very dead. Not even enough time to pray. The codger loosed but that puncture between the shoulders never came. The arrow clattered against the wall, then Tuk was through. He didn¡¯t know how the old man could miss and he no longer cared.


    There were shoes with cleanly cut calves standing in orderly rows where the shield wall used to be. Feet positioned properly. Just missing the rest of the person. He found Dala with the other women in the middle where they¡¯d been cooking. The fire was doused. Why douse the fucking fire? Who were they saving the food for? It was so stupid, just something Dala would have done. The old, fat lady who led the kitchen glared at him, her decorated knife over her wrist. Dala also had hers out, hovering over her wrist. She was bleeding a little. The other two girls were on the ground sobbing and watching the expanding pool of their blood.


    ¡°Tuk, you good-for-nothing! I should have ¡ª¡±


    It was too late for Tuk. He had disobeyed. It was over. He was free and damned and he was scared but he felt so¡­ so liberated when his hook connected to the old bitch¡¯s face. The fat hag smashed against the cauldron, splashing a dying girl with hot soup. She sobbed softly.


    ¡°Come with me!¡± he told Dala. Her knife clattered on the ground. He dragged her by the wrist but the entrance was shut. Soldiers there, approaching slowly. They saw him. He veered right and climbed with Dala, her small calloused hand in his own. He wasn¡¯t sure why he¡¯d picked her. She was small and ugly and she didn¡¯t know how to say no and she would just cry when anyone raised their voice and he should have gone to the back exit instead of going in to save her, that stupid head. He turned and looked in those big brown eyes, surprised and a little dumb. Liquid from unshed tears. Fuck.


    Tuk slammed through the door. The city waited before him. The battle was fully over. Whatever resistance there used to be, it was gone now.


    There were no ropes here, no way down. He turned and grabbed Dala¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t know why I did that. Sorry. I wish we could have run.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to die with her. Or inside. I didn¡¯t want to die smelling leek with her small eyes on me. So. Thank you.¡±


    They stayed there and watched. It smelled cleaner here. The crisp air clawed at Tuk¡¯s lungs, drying his sweat. He shivered, suddenly cold. Dala pushed herself against him. It was nice.


    The soldiers arrived a moment later. They were in no hurry. They formed a small shield wall by the gate, with the old man who had missed Tuk and another officer with a short beard. They didn¡¯t seem sure on what to do.


    Tuk felt the she-mage arrive long before he saw her from the gradual aura of cold patience that froze his brain. Something promised violence in a way a knife under the nose didn¡¯t. How many things did one have to kill to get that sort of skill, he wondered? What horror must one commit?


    She stepped out and watched them with a raised eyebrow. Her armor still shone from that viscous coating, though he could see now that it was almost like mist in places. She walked to the battlement and peered out. Tuk was frozen. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do. Was she toying with him?


    The bearded man swore something in the Baranese voice. The woman turned and the old man slapped the back of his head. Tuk still didn¡¯t dare move.


    ¡°Why not die?¡± she finally asked in broken Halurian.


    Her voice lacked the harsh intonations of the noble, and her accent was that of the desert. He¡¯d heard it in the camp. She sounded like a mushroom peasant. That was so weird, so unexpected, Tuk didn¡¯t know what to do. He felt like laughing.


    ¡°Why you not die?¡± the she-mage insisted, a finger pointing at his dagger.


    Why not attack her? Why not depart this world with honor? What was honor to a slinger and what difference would it make, Tuk wondered? To use your own blade or let the spears do the rest. They said softlanders did bad things to captives but they said a lot of shit and now he was stuck in a tower with a girl he might love, waiting for the end.


    The she-mage wanted an answer.


    Tuk grabbed Dala tighter. Had to impress the she-mage.


    ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t wanna.¡±


    Well done Tuk you fucking bard. You great talker.


    ¡°You do not want death,¡± the woman stated.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No fight?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Come with.¡±


    Tuk blinked for a few seconds at the departing, armored back of the she-mage. The soldiers grabbed him and Dala. He didn¡¯t resist. Every breath felt like a strange blessing, so full of smells. He hoped it would last.


    ***


    Viv reclined in her seat, relaxing for the first time in two weeks. She was just missing a bath. And a mojito. Sidjin massaging her soles.


    A knight in bling armor walked past the waiting room. He greeted her with a nod, which Viv returned while noting it was not exactly Baranese etiquette. The members of the White Orchard were still not sure what her status was and, to be honest, neither was Viv.


    The room was deserted again. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t much of a room. Spartan only began to describe it. The chairs were wood, unadorned. No pillows. The walls were also void of any decoration. Nobody had even put a vase with some faded flowers in a token effort to make it look nice. The border fortress was purely functional and designed for quick evacuation, which made sense but would it kill them to add a painting?


    Viv shifted in her seat. She had already been waiting for close to an hour and practiced fine spell tuning behind her back for most of the duration. She didn¡¯t mind Jaratalassi¡¯s lack of punctuality. A lot more important people wanted a piece of the man of the hour. A convoy of richly dressed men and women had trailed in and out until the room was finally empty.


    His majordomo came in.


    ¡°Milady, the general will see you now.¡±


    Viv walked through unadorned (of course) corridors.


    ¡°Is this place always so gloomy?¡± Viv asked the majordomo, a tall black man she suspected might double as a bodyguard.


    ¡°The general has taken the initiative to bring proper tea on every trip, because he has been disappointed so many times. He would bring carpets but as a general, he has to set an example.¡±


    ¡°What about booze?¡±


    ¡°I will not confirm or deny any information about the general¡¯s cellar.¡±


    They found Jaratalassi in a small office with the same bare furniture as everywhere else. The man¡¯s uniform was a pristine white but he had deep pockets under his eyes and a few more gray hairs in his beard. He watched Viv get in, then blinked owlishly. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Viviane? What are you doing here?¡±


    Viv felt paranoia claw at her chest with cold fingers. She readied a shield and looked around.


    ¡°You called me here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes I did.¡±


    False alarm, though the majordomo looked at her curiously.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± the general said. ¡°It has been a very long week.¡±


    ¡°And you have yet to celebrate,¡± Viv reminded him.


    Jaratalassi glared. Then he removed two small glasses from a drawer as well as an old bottle with a tattered label, handwritten. Viv had spent enough time drinking homemade hooch in Provence to know this was the good stuff.


    ¡°Want some? As an apology for the wait.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Kit, do we have any of that jerky left?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not sir.¡±


    ¡°Damn shame.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    The majordomo left the both of them alone. Viv taught him how to clink glass, then they sipped from the bottle. It was floral and powerful with a sweet, persistent aftertaste after the alcohol had scraped every taste bud clean. Viv thought it was nice. She also detected a hint of life mana, which only enhanced the drink.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve proven the worth of your ¡®combined arms¡¯ approach to sieges and maneuvering. You have identified its weaknesses well according to what my reports say. I should demote someone for letting a warborn reach you.¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have done it if I were not confident in my close quarter potential.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Though I would advise you to get a bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Oh I have some pretty good ones.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, in any case I am not confident this is the best use of war mages, however I cannot deny that you saved the lives of many men and so I grant you full grade for your thesis. You proposed a strategy, then went to the battlefield and proved its viability, as is fitting. Well done. Write a paper and you will have graduated.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to see me work as part of a team?¡±


    Jaratalassi waved her concerns aside.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done it during training. And I cannot grade you for logistics since your attunement is ill-suited to it. Actually, I can, because of the portal spell. Full marks.¡±


    The majordomo returned at this moment with grilled skewers. He waved his hand over them, possibly a skill, then gave it to them.


    ¡°Poison free,¡± Jaratalassi explained to a flabbergasted Viv.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Always a concern. But I digress. You pass, that is all.¡±


    He sighed.


    ¡°Is something wrong? I have never seen a sadder victor,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Yes the White Orchard knights said the same thing, but they miss the point.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what is the point then?¡±


    Jaratalassi stared and Viv got the feeling he was calculating if the rant was worth the energy expenditure.


    ¡°Where are the rest of them?¡± He finally said, pointing at a wall where a map of the border was pinned.


    ¡°You mean the rest of the Halurian invasion?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes, dammit. We are celebrating as if the danger was gone but we have only faced the forces of a single warlord, a fraction of what we would usually fight off. Where are the rest of them? All border fortresses report no contact. No scouts have detected anything more than piddling raider bands. Where¡¯s the meat, the faceless mages, the desert bone bowmen? The capital warborns? Where have they gone?¡±


    ¡°Any contact north or south?¡±


    ¡°Nothing north, but those are crags and mountains, and you would lose half your army to monsters trying to cross that hellhole. As for the south, it¡¯s tundras and the deep forests of the wild folk but we would know if something was off. There are still merchants and coastal cities there. They have to be somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I never asked in class because I didn¡¯t expect a straight answer, but don¡¯t you have a spy network?¡±


    ¡°Spies!¡± the general bellowed, arms raised. He refilled his cup before speaking again.


    ¡°Spies in Haluria. Hah, you do not get it. You think there are peddlers and travelers and normal trade there. There is not. Think families, only larger. There are no strangers admitted unless they are vouched for and here for a purpose. Everyone knows everyone and if no one knows you, you are dead. That is the reality in Haluria. We cannot place spies because we cannot even establish contact to turn someone. The only snippets we get are from rare prisoners and when their leaders betray each other. Even then, it only goes in one direction.¡±


    ¡°But there is a diaspora, a recent one. Surely, they know someone you could convince.¡±


    ¡°You might be onto something,¡± Jaratalassi admitted, ¡°yet even then Halurian society would be difficult to penetrate, not to mention each warlord would require their own spy network. Do not count on me to organize such a thing. My time is better spent juggling the various knight¡¯s giant egos and I assure you, it takes more dedication than it should. If only I could work with the Entikku girls¡­¡±


    ¡°That order of female soldiers?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Disciplined. Celibate, sadly.¡±


    He took another sip.


    ¡°They¡¯re on the Glastian wall. A pity that. Anyway, I believe I am due some shut eye. You should rest as well. Sardanal knows when the next catastrophe will occur.¡±


    He yawned.


    ¡°Off you go, strange witch. See you again on the battlefield, hopefully on the same side.¡±


    ***


    It took a day for Viv to get supplies and a way home with a caravan of wounded soldiers. She said goodbye to a proud Cernit and his men, and paid a visit to the camp of the Order of the White Orchard. The knights were having some sort of political games based around having the biggest tent and inviting people in for wine and sweetmeats. It felt like a more elaborate version of a high school clique dynamics. Fortunately, the victuals made up for it.


    Nobody tried to bed or even flirt with Viv, something that would have happened in another place with lots of hot-blooded young warriors and a dearth of ladies. A lazy analysis revealed that a couple of senior knights from different factions prevented their juniors from trying it. That was fine since some of them didn¡¯t look a day over eighteen, but she still wondered if it was a mark of protective respect or if she was ¡®radioactive¡¯. It was possible the Enorians didn¡¯t like her much, even the rebels. It wouldn¡¯t surprise her if the Baranese preferred to wait until she survived a bit longer before making ties, if not their leaders then at least his subordinates.


    Or maybe they just didn¡¯t like her.


    Viv realized she should try to talk to Sangor, establish a good relationship with her neighbor. She¡¯d postponed that for too long because important matters had required her attention, yet she had to resign herself to the obvious. Harrak needed diplomacy. One that Solfis would have as little to do with as possible.


    Finally, she was ready. As they departed, she considered her progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs: Intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was a nice bonus considering she had not been truly enchanting, but rather using forged signs in new and creative ways. The largest bonus was shield mastery, however.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Beginner 2 to 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was a massive improvement not born just from her use of shields in combat but also from their power and adaptability. With aegis as a base, she could change the nature of the shield to better answer the threats she was facing. This didn¡¯t just extend to her magical shield but to the way she held her physical one as well, though it felt a little redundant. Viv wondered if she could anchor a shield on, well, her real shield, and strengthen them somehow. She would have the experiment later. In any case, her defenses were now extremely powerful, well in line with her very important project of not dying.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse: 24


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was a pleasant surprise, though not necessarily that helpful. Viv depended on her mental statistics for reacting to danger by casting defensive. A higher finesse would open options to dodge more effectively since shadow transportation had conditions and took some time to activate. It would also help with her perception to some extent. Not exactly the most useful advantage but it was always good to have.


    All in all it had been a good haul. There was only one important matter to attend to before she could get back to the Academy and attend to her unfinished business there.


    ***


    They had first met in an empty cave with still water and a dead world beyond. Now, their last meeting for a while would happen in a meadow by the sea. The sky was just as gray but it was snow, not death. The air smelled crisp like a winter morning with a hint of iodine, far away from the bustle and refuse of humanity. Sleepy trees waited in silence for the return of spring. It was secluded and peaceful.


    Arthur barely had to stand to wrap her arms around Viv, her heavy serpentine head resting on the witch¡¯s hair. Arthur smelled of mana and she was very, very hot. Her scales were smooth. Viv hugged her back.


    After a while, they parted.


    Arthur was taller and much stronger than Viv now, she who had once fit in her arms. Was this how it felt to have a teenage kid? To have who once depended on her be her own person, with her own plans and projects, with her own ability to affect the world? It tore at Viv¡¯s heart but at the same time, she felt proud. It was just a shame it had taken so little time¡­


    Mother, I must go.


    I must fly and see.


    I want to meet others like me.


    ¡°I know. Judgement said you would outgrow me. I just didn¡¯t think it would be so soon.¡±


    Not outgrow.


    Become my own.


    I waited so long in that cave.


    Now I am free.


    You saved me, mother.


    ¡°I think we saved each other.¡±


    Of course, after.


    I am mighty dragon.


    ¡°When you meet the others, don¡¯t fight them, please?¡±


    Of course I fight them.


    Arthur stood again and spread her wings.


    Fight to learn.


    ¡°Remember the green one we met in the Deadshield Woods. Large and dangerous? His name was Wind over Spring Meadow or something?¡±


    He is stupid.


    Lives in forest like a tree.


    Cannot eat fish or get back brushed by wise humans who know what to do.


    No pillows.


    Complete idiot.


    ¡°He¡¯s much bigger.¡±


    Mother fought much bigger foes.


    Ate them.


    They were delicious.


    Also, older dragons do not kill young dragons. I know this.


    Sparring is important.


    ¡°Okay. I believe you. Just be careful, please?¡±


    Just like mother.


    ¡°Consider me officially terrified.¡±


    Carefully do not-careful things.


    ¡°I was not the best role model, alright?¡±


    But you were!


    Make den.


    Acquire servants.


    Acquire pillows.


    Acquire food.


    Acquire gold.


    Pour gold down enemy throat!


    Very scary.


    Mother best model.


    ¡°I just want you not to get hurt.¡±


    Life hurts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go philosophical on me now, you know what I mean.¡±


    Arthur rolled her head dramatically.


    Yes yes yes.


    I am not gone for good.


    I return often.


    For important scritches.


    ¡°Please do. And send me letters if you can.¡±


    Yes.


    Paid upon reception.


    ¡°You know you can spend some of your own money?¡±


    Can.


    Will not.


    I go now, find more gold!


    ¡°Go then,¡± Viv said, feeling misty-eyed.


    I will return.


    When I return can I be treasury minister?


    ¡°Who taught you that?¡±


    Solfis said it was called that.


    Can spend money.


    If not my own!


    ¡°You¡¯re ready to be a politician then. Off you go you small rascal, and come back safe.¡±


    You be safe too, become part better.


    Then we live forever.


    ¡°Good plan.¡±


    Mother.


    Try to grow wings.


    Is very important.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    More so than scales.


    I go now.


    Despite Arthur¡¯s words, she still hugged Viv for another minute, then she stepped back. Viv expected the dragon girl to spread her wings, but instead mana shifted and a large portal opened to a rocky landscape blasted by the winds.


    This is how I win.


    With magic!


    Bye bye!


    The portal closed as she took off.


    ¡°Wait, I never taught her that!¡±


    ***


    After the separation, only one thing could salvage the day. Viv teleported back to Sidjin¡¯s mansion on the edge of Helock. She moaned her dismay to find no one was around the lab. Surprised, she made her way up the stairs to Sidjin¡¯s study where he would sometimes retire to read between two research sessions. She noted that he purchased some fencing equipment, eager to regain his former shape now that he was feeling much better. To her surprise, she heard voices coming from the closed room. Male voices. They quieted down when she approached. Her presence was known.


    Viv knocked on the door rather than turning tail.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s voice was cold and regal, not a voice she had heard before. The crammed study hosted two men on top of its owner and the mass of books he had managed to accumulate in a short period of time. One of them bore a strange resemblance to her loved one down to the wavy hair and short beard. The other was a northerner with the aura of a mage and heavy armor. He felt out of place in this cozy retreat, though Viv wore her armored robe as well. But Viv was home and he was a stranger. Sidjin was tense though a stranger could not tell with how in control he appeared.


    ¡°You allow your whores free reign over your house, brother?¡± the man said.


    And then he recoiled almost instantly, smacked by Sidjin¡¯s rising aura of intimidation.


    His skill tasted differently than hers. It spoke of a great harvest, of bones exposed to the sun. It was less who he was and more what he could do, what he had done, and would do again. It felt less personal than Viv¡¯s skill but Sidjin was also more distant when he fought. The mage reacted by standing between the two brothers with his hand clearly on a focus.


    ¡°Cast a spell in my house and I will consider this an attack,¡± Sidjin warned.


    ¡°Would it be too much to expect you two to behave?¡± the northerner mage asked in a calm voice.


    Not just a bodyguard then.


    ¡°If you insult my paramour in my house again, I will kill you where you stand.¡±


    Viv had let Sidjin defend her because it was him who was really targeted, and also because he was the host. Appearance and honor were important. That didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t add her contribution now that he had made his position clear. Especially because the enemy mage¡¯s jaws were clenched.


    Viv deployed her own intimidation, immediately clashing with two auras. Sidjin¡¯s brother tasted like hot sand and a sharp blade while the mage was final heat. Hers was younger but no less powerful for it. Her soul spoke to them of wings, scales, the woosh of a breath that could scour the very rock. Cold carnage.


    ¡°We¡¯ll send you back to Glastia in picnic baskets,¡± she helpfully added.


    Now the small study was very, very cramped. Viv wasn¡¯t sure what effect she was having on the other two. They sure didn¡¯t react. After a while, the other prince spoke slowly, articulating every syllable.


    ¡°I need an answer, brother.¡±


    ¡°I will speak if and when I decide. In the meanwhile, get lost. Now.¡±


    The other prince waited for three seconds just to be a twat, then he made his way out. Viv stepped aside to let him pass. The mage stopped and glared, his eyes reddening.


    It was a cheap trick, just channeling mana in the iris. Only fine tuning was required. Viv turned her own iris fully black and shook her head in her best ¡®now fucking what¡¯ expression. He left.


    Sidjin sat down heavily for a quarter of a second, then he jumped back up and she was in his arms a moment later. His hand patted her back. He smelled of soap and of Sidjin.


    ¡°I am sorry you had to see that.¡±


    ¡°Relatives? Will you be fine?¡±


    ¡°I do not want to concern you with my problems.¡±


    Viv broke the hug and stepped back, eyebrows raised and arms crossed.


    ¡°It will affect you anyway, will it not?¡± he asked with a sad smile.


    ¡°I mean I just threatened to turn a Glastian prince into a small, easily transportable format so¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. I was dead until recently, at least officially, so now there is the matter of the heir to the throne and my position in the list. My brother dear would like me to officially renounce my title.¡±


    ¡°Oh, succession wars. How exciting!¡±


    ¡°Duels, actually.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well I have just the guy.¡±

 Chapter 133: The Damn Tournament Arc

    Viv walked through the hallowed corridors of house Trez, of Helock. It was her first time visiting a manor of the Helockian nobility after a disastrous social season where no one had invited her. Ereska, her roommate, had briefed her, but she was still a bit leery. It would be her first time rubbing elbows with the Paramese nobility in a way that wouldn¡¯t involve dismemberment. Hopefully. It was also the first time she would join high society without her dad guiding her every step and she kind of missed his sardonic voice. Finally, the manor stood in a place where the square meter could be priced in the same order of magnitude as Manhattan, Shibuya, or Neuilly and she''d just come across an aquarium that was larger than her dorm room. Those Trez people were not playing.


    Some of the fishes in there looked downright ferocious. There could be human bones under the kelp.


    Vic shook her head. This wasn¡¯t a James Bond movie. The impeccable maid guided her to a large door and knocked, popping her head in to whisper.


    ¡°Lady Viviane, the traveler, here to see you, madam.¡±


    ¡°Let her in,¡± a commanding female voice replied.


    Viv was summarily escorted in a soberly decorated boudoir with assorted lacquered furniture and vases that all looked made by the same artist, giving an overall zen mood to the secluded room. She didn¡¯t dare inspect anything but she highly suspected there was more money in designer stuff here than could be found in all of Harrak¡¯s knight armory. Such was the way of the world right now.


    Her host sat straight-backed on a throne-like couch with elbow rests. A steaming pot waited between the two women alongside an assortment of sweets and biscuits as flawless as if they had been carved from stone. The maid came in and poured an infusion in the cups. She left without a glance.


    Vic expected the old woman to start speaking as soon as the door was shut, but she remained silent. Lady Trez kept her white hair straight, except for thin braids. Her face was mature and beautiful, without blemishes beside crow feet by her eyes. They revealed a lifetime of self care. Few people lived long enough to have white hair here, and those that did carried them with grace. Lady Trez carried them with arrogance. They contrasted with a black dress, impossibly matching the room, that cinched her perfectly maintained body. The witch felt a caress on her soul that reminded her of an inspection skill, only incredibly more subtle. If she didn¡¯t have an awareness of her own soul, she would have missed the faint hint. It was rude but not unexpected. Ereska didn¡¯t have to remind her that etiquette did not always apply to the powerful, and that they could use blunt manners as a tool to test their newest acquaintances. It still stung a little.


    Viv resisted the urge to inspect in return. That would be really vulgar. As a caster, she was at a disadvantage in social encounters against someone with a social path and nothing would change that.


    After almost a minute of awkward silence during which Viv waited patiently, her host finally deigned to address her.


    ¡°Thank you for coming. I am the matriarch Trez and I would like to welcome you to my home. And you are Viviane the outlander, I know. We should wait a little more for the tea to cool. It¡¯s a special blend from the shadowlands. Not poisoned. I had it tested on the staff.¡±


    The lady smiled, a sign that Viv could speak in turn. Normally, she would present herself but that was no longer an option.


    ¡°Thank you for having me, and for the tea. You wanted to see me?¡±


    ¡°How blunt. Very well, I shall return the favor and dispense with the small talk. I gather you have an idea as to why I have called you here. I have an offer for you. I am sure you have or will receive similar offers in the future, but you will find that our reputation is well-deserved. I have three candidates here, all vetted by myself, healthy, and of good breeding. They have all achieved the third step of their path, all hybrid casters. The contract would cover your¡­ services for two years. The list of benefits can be found in this document. Here. You will find that the terms are more than generous. We also have a history of accommodating promising candidates such as yourself. You only have but to ask.¡±


    The woman placed a contract with enough gold to buy a large house and the paintings of three strapping men on the table. Gears were turning in Vic¡¯s mind and she realized there was only one explanation and she didn¡¯t like it one bit.


    ¡°Errrr.¡±


    ¡°If you have any questions about the terms, I can reply here. Later questions can be directed at our lawyer. Or one you may select.¡±


    ¡°No, not that. Urggg it¡¯s probably cultural. Just to be clear, you want me to build you a child?¡±


    ¡°I thought that was obvious. Unaffiliated and powerful individuals will sometimes pair up for this very purpose, or did you not know? I expected you to be at least aware of this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Errr.¡±


    ¡°If you expected a marriage, I was informed you were a ruler in your own right and would probably prefer remaining untied for future alliances. But I am open to discussions.¡±


    ¡°No just¡­ no. There has been some sort of mistake.¡±


    Viv swallowed the anger she felt at being treated like a broodmare. The woman didn¡¯t mean it as an insult. So Viv should not take it as such. It was normal here in Nyil where the nobility engaged in light eugenics to bring powerful mage bloodlines in their families. This was a testament to her skills.


    Still pissed her off though.


    ¡°No? You will not entertain the thought at all?¡±


    ¡°Sorry and again this must be cultural but I will not do so for a multitude of reasons.¡±


    ¡°Well this has been a massive waste of my time.¡±


    And of Viv¡¯s time but she imagined Lady Trez didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Out of curiosity, why did you expect I called you here?¡±


    ¡°The Glastian contest? For supremacy among the heirs? You are backing Aldus.¡±


    ¡°Oh that. Yes, I was about to dedicate myself to this project. Why?¡±


    ¡°Sidjin is, well, I am his paramour.¡±


    For the first time, Lady Trez seemed to lose her composure. She pinched her lips, then grabbed the contract and paintings in a strong grip. The paper crinkled under her fingers.


    ¡°There has been an oversight. I apologize on behalf of my house for this tactless offer. If you will excuse me for a moment.¡±


    The matriarch stood and left. Bob heard a few hissed words beyond the door but her finesse was not yet high enough to pick them up, even though her northerner had massively improved. She could guess the contents though. Someone had not done their due diligence, and that someone had made Lady Trez act like a fool. That person was in for an ear bashing of epic proportions. It was a wonder these sorts of mistakes still happened in a society with oaths and skills but well. Everyone could get negligent.


    Lady Trez returned with a thin smile frozen on her face.


    ¡°Yes, the Glastian contest. I gather that Prince Sidjin is open to negotiations then?¡±


    ¡°I understand that it is common among contestants since the winner can decide quite a few things including who gets to be the heir. I assumed you approached me to test the waters. Sidjin has been less than happy with the existence of the contest, even less because it takes place here.¡±


    ¡°I understand that the arena was destroyed when Glastia temporarily lost their outer walls. His fault, by the way.¡±


    ¡°There are more casters taking part as well. Only this place and Mornyr have suitable grounds for fights of that magnitude. But I digress,¡± Viv said, borrowing one of Ereska¡¯s favorite phrases. ¡°Sidjin does not seem to have an interest in becoming heir. I believe he wants to be left alone.¡±


    The two women sipped tea in the following silence.


    ¡°I am myself surprised that he was not stripped of his title,¡± Viv admitted.


    ¡°He would have been but the first prince considered his merits against his faults and found that he should be given a chance. I am no expert but I would assume the possibility of a portal network exclusive to Glastia might have been a factor.¡±


    ¡°Undoubtedly.¡±


    ¡°So you are his paramour. Will you fight?¡±


    ¡°If he lets me. He is convinced I should not risk my life on his behalf when it comes to his family. Thinks I should remain uninvolved.¡±


    ¡°Men can be so foolishly stubborn,¡± Trez said, rolling her eyes. ¡°In any case, Aldus has a reasonable claim to victory. A better one if Sidjin forfeits in his favor and offers his fighters. Does he have any?¡±


    ¡°He has himself.¡±


    ¡°I suppose he is still the Red Mist. The rules of the contest are so complicated. Politics and blood games should never intermix to this extent. We are not Hallurians for Sardanal¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was strange as well, but Glastia needs someone who can gather fighters to their banner, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°In any case, if Sidjin¡¯s desire is official immunity via a pardon, I am convinced Aldus would oblige. It depends on whether or not we are in the same bracket. We would still require you to eliminate a contestant, perhaps. Nothing too dangerous for someone of his measure.¡±


    Viv nodded. The truth was that the so-called contest was painfully complex and obviously designed to favor backstabbing and alliances. There were eight contestants, all people of royal blood. Technically, those were six children of the first prince and two cousins. They would meet across three series of duels. Whoever won moved on until a winner was decided across a grand final. Each contestant started with four fighters and no more could be recruited, but they could be swapped and exchanged including with losers if casualties were to occur, and casualties always occurred in the last events. As such, losers could still get something by backing the final winner and supporting them. It was a game of diplomacy and strategy as much as might, though a modicum of strength was required to play at all. She and Trez talked a bit more but it was obvious the canny woman didn¡¯t feel like sharing, and probably wasn¡¯t too familiar with the contestants yet anyway. Most were still to arrive. With a promise to keep in touch, she left. The biscuits had been as delicious as she expected.


    ***


    ¡°I will not take them,¡± Elunath calmly said, ¡°and unless you bring me a divine artifact, I will not take anything anymore.¡±


    ¡°What? You were ready to accept valuable stuff and those are prime Hallurian casting tools, an insight into the practices of the faceless.¡±


    ¡°And they are valuable indeed.¡±


    ¡°What changed?¡±


    ¡°Nothing changed,¡± Elunath said, reclining in his seat. ¡°You just failed to account for the value of time.¡±


    Viv looked askance. She didn¡¯t see what he meant.


    ¡°Simply put, the value of our time now is higher than our time in a hundred years. Much can happen in that duration. Perhaps we have grown apart. Perhaps one of us died.¡±


    From his flare, it was obvious who he thought might perish.


    ¡°Perhaps we no longer need a contract to work together or perhaps animosity has made cooperation impossible, even with a binding oath. There are ways to sabotage a project that would not break an indenture agreement. The uncertainty means that I care little about what you will be doing in 95 years. I do, however, care about what we can achieve in the three years we have left in this contract. As a reminder, you will be incapacitated for at least three months, which will already reduce the useful time at my disposal. I will therefore not go lower. I believe I have already been generous in allowing you to push so far. You have brought me many interesting items in a very short time frame. Take this as a token of my respect for your work, but now I simply no longer wish to shorten our cooperation any further.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Viv said, ¡°the contract-¡°


    ¡°Gives you the right to negotiate. I am not unwilling to do so, I am merely saying that the value of the last three years is much higher than all the rest combined.¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°I am not cheating you and I assure you that you will have all the time in the world after we are done. You have proven yourself to be valuable and I would not waste your potential, of this you can be certain. Now leave. We are done for now. Unless you would like to start the transition immediately?¡±


    Viv checked her attunement. It sat at a comfortable 37%. She still had a few months, though Solfis had warned her it would climb much faster towards the end. On the other hand she felt¡­ very strong. It would mean very little if she didn¡¯t live though. In any case, the change would stand more chances of success above 45%. Not that she was eager to do it.


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll have to wait a little more.¡±


    ¡°I thought as much. There are signs that do not lie, but when they come, and they will, do not dally. You can survive long without teeth. Or eyes. Not so long without a pancreas. Goodbye.¡±


    ***


    That was Viv¡¯s first solution to her impending demise. Three years of really shitty internship. With a boss who¡¯s demonstrated he was an asshole and didn¡¯t care about it. Could be better, could be worse, but Viv got the strong intuition he would ask her to do stuff she was morally opposed to. He would use her and her skills without remorse and probably leave her pissed off, but not enough to attempt to kill him at all costs. That¡¯s the impression she got. The issue was that the books she''d found near the lich only confirmed what she suspected. Transitioning to part elemental alone was excessively difficult. She¡¯d spent an entire week of effort with Solfis¡¯ help and pushed her polymath skill to its maximum to turn the ramblings of a lone man into proper research notes. The lich had been a mage interested in bone magic of all things. He was also too weak to survive the dead lands on his own. Mentions of his path painted him as a hybrid caster. It was clear he never meant to share what he had found, therefore his notes contained many references to works Viv had not found, some of which even the Academy librarian could not help her with. Nevertheless, there were still a few valuable tidbits buried under the mountain of tangents. To change one¡¯s body on a fundamental level required, invariably, to die.


    To be clear, the casters had to be clinically dead and then keep casting.


    This would require a willpower and drive Viv simply lacked. Only someone with monstrous stats or an overwhelming, almost divine need to live could manage it. And Viv didn¡¯t have that. As a soldier, she was used to the possibility of dying. Oh, perhaps she would change her mind with a mangled chest and while feeling the cold grasp of death upon her, but that wasn¡¯t enough to pull through. She wasn¡¯t maniacal about staying alive, not in a way that would make a difference. In short, and even with the help of potions and allies, she would still fail even if she managed to piece together the proper method.


    That left her with either Elunath or Solfis¡¯ mysterious person. The golem still didn¡¯t want to share and even indicated she should not try to learn more.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    //Any knowledge you acquire now would serve no purpose.


    //Additionally, they would harm you in case of interrogation.


    //Therefore I sternly recommend your ignorance.


    //For once.


    ¡°Then why tell me at all?¡±


    //So you would be aware there exists another option.


    The yellow glare of the golem had landed on Viv. His cruel eyes with the background of towers and the floating stones over Helock provided the most alien landscape to her.


    //My role is not to decide for you.


    //My role is to provide you with all the relevant knowledge to reduce uncertainty to a minimum.


    //Whenever that knowledge is available.


    There was a hint of regret in the golem¡®s cold voice, one that only Viv could detect. Very few people knew Solfis could feel emotions to an extent. The truth was that elemental change scrolls and books certainly existed in the imperial library back in Harrak. Perhaps some of them had even survived the cataclysm hidden deep under shielded vaults, but Solfis had absolutely no records of them. The data stored in golems were almost exclusively related to war and the conduct of it. Only Irlefen¡¯s desire to make Solfis grow had allowed the ancient war machine to keep entire historical and engineering records. That and engineers storing erotica in the hard drives. In any case, Viv was missing an entire facet of Harrakan society, not just magic but also art, culture, fashion, music¡­ everything that had made the old empire something more than just an oppressive nation. It was gone, only remnants still conserved in dusty collections.


    //Do you know what I mourn the most?


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    //Gardening.


    //Irlefen loved gardening.


    ¡°You told me he would talk to you while he cared for his flowers.¡±


    //Yes.


    //Those were the only moments he could truly relax.


    //I do not want you to be robbed of the choice to live and die on your own terms.


    //Like he was.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    //Though I prefer it if you could live.


    //For obvious reasons.


    ¡°Thanks Solfis.¡±


    //I mean to say that your heiress still lacks a certain maturity.


    //And she craves gold too much.


    ¡°Ah. Well she is gone on a journey of self discovery.¡±


    //One day, second princess Toreka traveled on a journey of self discovery against the wish of her imperial parents.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    //She was pregnant upon her return.


    ¡°Ok shut up it won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ***


    Viv watched Sonagi exchange a quick array of spells with Rakan. The expert arena fighter looked sharper and fuller than he used to be when Viv had left. As for the young Hallurian mage, he had grown in confidence. Viv had learned that her roommate, Ereska, had taken him for a makeover. The gangly teen now sported clean-cut robes and an asymmetric hairstyle with long hair on top and shaved sides. It looked okay but she hoped he would not get a¡­ a man bun. That would be weird.


    As she thought, the earth under Rakan failed and the young man was sent rolling across the training grounds. He stood up immediately and gestured. Every piece of sand and debris fell from his robe at once. It wasn¡¯t the first time, it seemed.


    ¡°Again with the calculations,¡± Sonagi warned.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    ¡°Look, you¡¯re distracted. Five minutes break.¡±


    The pair went to sit by Viv who didn¡¯t interrupt her shaping exercises. It was good training.


    ¡°So, the tourney? How does it work?¡± Rakan asked.


    Viv frowned, not liking his ¡®light¡¯ tone.


    ¡°By far the messiest succession race on Nyil. Except maybe in the Shadow Lands. The Glastians have designed it to, ah, crystallize the hierarchy of alliances before a change of princes. Every form of manipulation short of outright murder is allowed.¡±


    ¡°Can you explain more?¡±


    ¡°Short version: you should not participate. We, in fact, should not participate. I know what you want,¡± the disgraced mage said with a pointed look.


    ¡°Long version please?¡±


    ¡°No, seriously. There are plenty of friendly contests for us to join if you want to sharpen your teeth on some two-bit duelist. Glastian tournaments are clusterfucks. They were always a bloody people, you know? Even before the tide.¡±


    Viv just looked.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it for your man. Does he even need to join?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t join, you lose. That¡¯s what he said. Sidjin stands on thin ice, especially with how dangerous and influential he is.¡±


    ¡°Assassins?¡±


    ¡°None so far but¡­ there is no way a Glastian first prince will allow the humiliation of a traitor building gates for rival powers. I think the only reason he¡¯s been left alone for so long was that the first prince forbade an attempt on his life.¡±


    ¡°You see him as a traitor?¡± Rakan interrupted, surprised.


    ¡°No. He protected his brothers in arms against his superiors is how I see it. But it doesn¡¯t matter what I believe. What matters is the belief held by the people with the means to send killers.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not true!¡±


    Sometimes, it was painful to see how young Rakan really was.


    ¡°Truth does not send armies across borders. Beliefs do. The world is not fair, Rakan. We have to live with it.¡±


    ¡°Right. Who cares what those idiots think?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the matter at hand before the young killer gets his blood boiling,¡± Sonagi said teasingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like that!¡± Rakan protested.


    ¡°Right. I understand that your lover boy must enter then, so listen carefully. Every heir will go through three stages, each one comprising several rounds. The heirs each have four contestants who meet across duels. Those who win the most duels move on to the next phase. The last one standing gets to dictate what everyone else does, except, of course if there are previous agreements. That¡¯s the simple part. The difficult part starts now. First, it¡¯s possible to draw.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, either when the contestants agree or if they somehow neutralize each other. Both cases have happened in the past. Now listen, if a victory between two heirs isn¡¯t decided in the first four rounds, for example with two wins two losses, the winners meet in a second series of battles. Draws fight again. That¡¯s just at the arena level. At the tactical level, if you lose as an heir, it¡¯s not over. You can offer your support to another heir and lend your surviving fighters because only those who are registered at the start can compete. Stealing other combatants is acceptable. Ganging on someone is acceptable. Negotiations are free of rules. Hell, this is still just the second level. I heard things in the arena. Disappearing supplies, murdered fighters, intimidation¡­. There is no limit to what one can do for one of the largest of the free cities. You are shoving your hand in a viper¡¯s nest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting them kill my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Does the boyfriend know you will fight by his side?¡±


    ¡°We have talked.¡±


    ¡°That means he said no.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight as well!¡± Rakan said.


    The two others watched him with naked disbelief.


    ¡°Look,¡± Viv softly said, ¡°I don¡¯t question your skills but you¡¯re very young and not fully trained.¡±


    ¡°I got more training than most people sent to the front.¡±


    ¡°Not war mages.¡±


    ¡°And,¡± Rakan insisted, ¡°I have seen some shit. When I escaped.¡±


    ¡°When your sister rescued you,¡± Viv corrected.


    She knew she¡¯d made a mistake the moment her words left her mouth. No young man appreciated being called powerless. Rakan¡¯s jaw surged forward in a stubborn lock. His eyes grew defiant and his tan skin reddened. Viv¡¯s leadership skill was an instinct whispering hints in her mind, drawn from her experience. He could be directed. He could be distracted, coyed. He would also probably know, and besides, it was a little late. She had spoken before thinking.


    It was a terrible shame there were no skills to keep one¡¯s mouth shut.


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer a child. I don¡¯t need to be coddled all the time. Professor Dirge said I¡¯m better than most third years he¡¯s ever trained.¡±


    ¡°On a dueling track in controlled conditions against other children,¡± Sonagi said. ¡°Another round now, young killer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡±


    The two duelists stood facing each other. Sonagi gave a subtle nod, and the duel began.


    He looked different when he was fighting, Viv thought. Like a diamond cleaned of mud to reveal sharp edges, he acquired a deep gleam that made him seem more than human. Every movement was sharp, every step measured. He was a dancer wielding energies at the tip of his finger like a conductor and like a hunter. The pinnacle of the mage. Every primary shade of mana flowed for him with exacting precision as he summoned them. In front of him, Rakan fought with his feet apart, as solid as a rock. Their style had grown closer, yet it only served to underscore their difference. While Sonagi was an artist, Rakan was a scholar, his forms perfect but still too slow, too predictable. It did not take long for Sonagi to gain the ascendant, until Rakan pushed everything he had in a great gout of flame. A blue shield blocked the attack and Rakan¡¯s robes shone with a flash, signifying that their shield enchantment had been exhausted. This marked the end of the duel.


    Rakan was furious.


    ¡°A feint. FUCK! Of course.¡±


    ¡°You know your flaws, my dear boy. Still too emotive. Still looking for the perfect counter.¡±


    ¡°I KNOW! Damn you.¡±


    ¡°Two more years,¡± Viv said, ¡°and you¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°The world won¡¯t wait for me! All of you are fighting, growing and doing stuff. I¡¯m stuck here playing mageling with entitled nobles. They only care about clan politics, which childhood friend they¡¯ll marry. I know what¡¯s out there. I won¡¯t grow unless I¡¯m with you. Stop training me if you¡¯re just going to toss me with the kids as soon as the spells start flying.¡±


    ¡°Less than two years, Rakan. You¡¯re good but I¡¯ve seen people like you die from stupid shit because their skills didn¡¯t make them invincible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Nyil, Viviane, not your magicless dustball. Here, you need to fight if you want to grow.¡±


    Rakan left the Academy training room in a huff, slamming the door behind in the most dramatic of fashions. Neither Viv nor Sonagi made any effort to hold him back. It would have been pointless. She had experienced the same with her brother, back on earth. Damien had been near unmanageable despite being a great brother overall.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get him on board. It¡¯s not just the lack of training. He doesn¡¯t have the mind of a killer,¡± Sonagi whispered.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°On a battlefield as part of a mage cabal, maybe, but not in a duel. He¡¯s always trying to outdo his opponent when he should be trying to win. The goal isn¡¯t to disable via superior magecraft. The goal is to disable, period. He gets too absorbed in the flow of spell exchanges, never tries to deliver a disabling blow unless I push him. Get him out of here.¡±


    Viv watched the disgraced duelist with some curiosity. It was weird that he seemed to care so much. Especially with how difficult things had been at first.


    ¡°Wow, you have changed.¡±


    ¡°Look, Rakan walked me through steps to shrug off my¡­ use. It wasn¡¯t easy but stats helped. I feel like I have a purpose again thanks to the boy. It matters. A lot. So yeah, I care a little, and yeah, I want in with your prince. If he can get my mother and I out, I¡¯ll fight for him. I don¡¯t want to get back to this hell. I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll do almost anything for a proper way out.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Sidjin has means even as an exile. His teleportation network means he¡¯s making bank. If it¡¯s fine, you can come to my desolate little spot of land. We could use a dueling expert.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not willing to piss off a major family now, but after the duel, I¡¯ll likely be over the edge. Elunath can deal with the aftermath when I¡¯m in his employ.¡±


    ¡°Burning bridges?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of famous for rash actions.¡±


    ***


    In the cramped city of Helock where even the wealthy saved on space, the town hall stood as a statement of pride and uncaring majesty. The entrance could be found in the center of a vast square alongside Param¡¯s most prestigious churches, trade guilds, and banking establishments. Monumental steps led up to vaulted entrances that swallowed and spat the notorious and the meek with equal gusto. The light snow falling on the roofs had been tramped to disgusting mush, but it did little to detract from the imposing structure. Viv eyed a few statues. Those were mostly robed men holding scrolls with stern gazes. Maybe they had invented a new sort of tax and been immortalized.


    Her attention centered back on the two men standing in front of her. With Sonagi at her side, she still had the low ground.


    ¡°I told you not to come,¡± Sidjin said with equal parts love and rancor.


    Viv would have been moved were it not for the predictable presence of Rakan by his side. She could refuse the young Hallurian exile all she wanted. The final decision to accept or refuse a contestant belonged to Sidjin and Sidjin alone. His presence annoyed her. Sidjin was smoother than her when he cared. He could have refused the young combatant.


    ¡°You know I couldn¡¯t. And¡­¡±


    Her eyes landed on Rakan who stared down, defiant with that stubborn streak that would send him fight a dragon on a dare.


    ¡°It is customary to accept young and promising agents during the challenge,¡± Sidjin calmly explained.


    He was obviously aware of Viv¡¯s reservations from his reaction. This pissed her off. He could have told her. They could have discussed it beforehand.


    ¡°How young do you take your agents?¡±


    ¡°I was barely his age when the tide arrived. I was placed on the wall and fought them off. He is an adult by our reckoning.¡±


    ¡°We will be facing grizzled mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°We all know the risks.¡±


    ¡°Will you sacrifice his life to preserve his pride?¡± Viv growled. ¡°Do you not see the risks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dammit,¡± Sidjin replied, raising his voice at Viv for the first time.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, bringing his anger under control. Viv did the same. They were all on the same side. She had to¡­ accept the disagreement. Not leave. Not feel betrayed. She was not on Earth and those were not first world citizens. Nyil was a merciless place. It was just the norm for them.


    Thinking that didn¡¯t help. They had a choice here. The one to keep Rakan safe.


    ¡°Look, Viviane. My love. You are trying to protect him out of care and the desire to protect the young. It is a noble drive, but it is, in the end, not your choice. It is his. He is an adult by our standards.¡±


    ¡°With eight months of magical training and no field experience!¡±


    ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± Rakan yelled.


    ¡°Enough! Please. It is done, Viv. Your tradition is to protect the young and to take arms. Mine is to accept young warriors under my banner, but not my paramour. I am supposed to be protecting you and I can¡¯t, so I will accept your presence at my side with gratitude for it is your way, so please extend us the same courtesy. Rakan is a young warrior. Young warriors fight to prove themselves, sometimes earn a name as I did. Be here with us, not against us, because I will not discard my path for yours. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Viv sighed.


    They were going to get the child killed.


    Or maybe she was getting dramatic.


    ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll let it go since I can¡¯t do anything about it. As you said, we¡¯re a team now whether I want it or not. Let¡¯s get registered.¡±


    ***


    The tournament opening ceremony took place in a vast room filled with circular tables below an elevated dais. Rich tapestries hung from the walls depicting Helock¡¯s many military successes. They favored red and gold under the light of many mana constructs, yet the abundance of decorations made the space cluttered and still a little dim. It gave the venue a feeling of both intimacy and grandeur.


    Each table could host up to twelve people, and this was already being used as a statement of power. Four of the heirs, the two cousins and a pair of young male twins, had come with just their combatants and a few retainers. They wore sensible travel clothes of good make but still lacking the class of the main contestants.


    Among those bigwigs, the first was Medjin, the man who had insulted Viv in her lover¡¯s study. He stood like a king over a court of powerful mages, servants, and administrators dressed in fineries. They looked like they¡¯d just stepped out of a palace for a stroll. One of them poured fine tea into a cup which, Viv noted, had not been provided by their Helockian hosts. None of them had been offered drinks.


    The second contestant was Aldus, the one Lady Trez supported. While Medjin had the smooth snake style down to an art, Aldus had cultivated a more restrained appearance with carefully cut brown hair and a close-cropped beard. His warriors were also mages, but they sat with their backs straight, attentive. The clothes they¡¯d picked were more restrained. He was selling himself as the ¡®reasonable¡¯ alternative to Medjin¡¯s domineering appearance.


    The third serious contestant was Shaya, the only princess in the race. While Glastians did not separate roles by gender as much as other cultures on Param, there had never been a first princess. She came at the head of an eclectic bunch of warriors and agents, including a dark-skinned woman in golden armor who didn¡¯t look pleased to be here. It would be incredibly rude to use inspection here so Viv didn¡¯t try but for her, there was no need. She was a paladin of the Golden Order, the continent¡¯s only fully female knight order.


    Viv had heard good things.


    There was also a Viziman woman dressed entirely in bones.


    Shaya herself wore light armor under a cloak. She was a square-faced woman with a certain rugged charm and scars on every piece of exposed skin. She was the candidate of alliances, having rallied contestants from various factions. By comparison, Aldus had the support of most of the nobility while the guilds and militia backed Medjin. No one backed Sidjin.


    The two remaining candidates were a young man in blue armor who had come with a team of arcane swordsmen. The last one wore full plate. He was masked and alone. He was also the size of the average bank door.


    Except for the lunatic, Sidjin¡¯s team was the smallest since he had brought no support staff. Quite a few gazes stayed on them anyway. Part of it ought to be curiosity, yet anyone with an advanced inspection skill would guess that they were all magical heavy hitters. Beyond that, they were the most diverse group short of the bone woman¡¯s one. Sidjin wore the yellow of Glastia like most of the heirs here. Viv had selected her black armored robes, while Rakan kept the dark blue of Academy graduates. As for Sonagi, he used a crimson dueling garb bearing the symbol of Helock: two staves crossed over a white tower.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome,¡± a voice said from the dais.


    Everyone turned at once to glare at the newcomer. He was the most obese man Viv had met since her arrival. Rolls of smooth fabric expanded to cover a massive gut upon which rested fleshy, ringed hands. The newcomer was bald except for finely curled hair on the sides. He licked his crimson lips, tongue darting like a slug. By contrast to his grotesque appearance, the man¡¯s voice was sweet and deep.


    ¡°I am Deos and I will be the master of ceremony for the duels, which will take place over three days a month from now. It is my utmost pleasure to welcome you here in the capital of magic. I shall guide you to the bloody sands of the arena where the fate of a nation shall be decided. You all know the rules so I will now share the brackets.¡±


    Viv listened carefully. Sidjin¡¯s team would face one of the twins in the first round, then most likely move to Medjin¡¯s team and either Shaya or Aldus in the finals. They would face two princes which was less than ideal, but perhaps there was a way to forfeit at some point. After all, Sidjin only wanted to guarantee his tranquility, not inherit the throne. He¡¯d been cleare about that. They didn¡¯t have to win against everyone.


    Deos finished and bid them goodbye, but not before one last warning.


    ¡°Oh, I know you glastians have hot blood so we understand if there are scuffles, but do keep it between yourselves, yes? Helock would not want anything to¡­ spill over.¡±


    With the message clear, he left. Sidjin immediately stood and departed before anyone could react. Viv suspected it would have been a good time to make contact with others. Her lover had a different idea. They walked down the steps and didn¡¯t stop until they were back at the fallen prince¡¯s home on the outskirts.


    Sidjin collapsed in a receiving room¡¯s chair. Viv realized she could use a drink, but Sonagii had a different idea. He took a list of documents from his bag, distributing it around.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Your intensive training program.¡±

 Chapter 134: The Cracks.

    Viv cast three small nets, rupturing the attacking spells. Three booms rang across the small arena, pushing dust aside. A cast of eldritch wall to the side followed as she ran left¡ªjust as insurance if she needed to move. An astra spell was quickly blocked by a small wall of water barely strong enough to trigger it. The resulting explosion spread with a hiss, slowly. Too slowly. Sonagi used a water intent on his defensive constructs.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± the man mockingly teased from a wall of mist.


    Viv rushed forward, feeling the sand under her boots. Never let your foe finish a long casting, he¡¯d said. She vented mana into the ground, detonating a mine. Another cloud of black mana tore forward in front of her and through the mist. It revealed wet sand and the edge of a circle carved into the ground. She sent a blast at it and retreated, her floating silverite symbols forming a shield. The expected explosion did not come. She¡¯d really hit an array, not a decoy.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Sonagi exclaimed.


    By a supreme effort of will, he still managed to finish the half-baked spell to throw at her. A roaring, spitting flame of inferno shrieked across the circle towards Viv. It was the size of her torso.


    Contestants wore heavily enchanted defensive robes but Viv couldn¡¯t help but notice that if that thing landed, it would cook her on the spot, robe or not.


    If.


    ¡°Durandal.¡±


    Viv¡¯s latest creation and the result of her black mana studies launched at the projectile. It was a black spike-tipped bomb designed specifically to take down incoming artillery spells. It made short work out of the unfinished ball.


    Sonagi¡¯s attack exploded in a wave of heat that seemed to penetrate even Viv¡¯s coating. She was used to it, however, and reacted anyway,


    ¡°Lure. Shadow step.¡±


    The heat parted the mist, revealing a knee-high wall of stone now pitted in places. Beyond it stood the robed shape of Sonagi. The light of the exploding spell made shadows and near his feet, one such pool bubbled.


    ¡°Force cage!¡± the man screamed, and a transparent box surrounded it. This wasn¡¯t where Viv was going however. She let her lure fade and teleported behind the shadow of her eldritch tree instead. The safety one she had placed at the beginning.


    A caster duel was half chess, half unbridled violence.


    ¡°Net.¡±


    Whips of razor thin black mana surged towards the duelist who reacted without looking, Another wall rose from the ground to cover his form. Viv had expected it.


    ¡°Glastian shredder.¡±


    The equivalent of a transparent industrial saw lacerated the far end of the wall from one side to the other. Sonagi cursed as he jumped aside. Viv had lost sight of him so she raced forward.


    ¡°Alright! Stop, stop, that was well done. I need to set up another strategy to challenge you.¡±


    He appeared from farther away than she expected thanks to a gray-mana based intent that muddled the perception. Sonagi never fought to the bitter end in training, not because it wasn¡¯t good practice but because mana remained a premium for them. She had an enormous tank thanks to being born talented. Sonagi didn¡¯t have her reserves. He relied on his fine control and intelligent use of colors to gain the upper hand.


    ¡°Has anyone ever told you you are a frustrating opponent?¡± he asked without anger.


    ¡°Yes. Many times.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s a good sign. You really are powerful, you know? Anyway, give me a moment I need to prepare for the next round.¡±


    Viv left the sandy expanse of the Academy¡¯s training arena. Sonagi was doing his best and she appreciated it. Confronting the many styles he knew how to replicate gave her some of the experience she would need against the battle-hardened mages of the other competitors. He even borrowed casting aides for some elements so he could emulate the style of blue and red mana specialists. In a way, her monochrome nature made training considerably faster. There was no need to learn color combination, mana balancing among the elements or any of those subtle aspects. She didn¡¯t have to study which spell countered which other in the most efficient manner. She had her collection of spells she had made herself, and they were good. She knew how to use them. She was really, really proficient with them, and she had the attunement to cast them with matchless power. No one could beat her efficiency at her step of the path. She could stop an attack with only a fraction of the mana and cast three more before most people could cast one.


    And there was the power of her color as well.


    Black mana was not exactly as versatile as the other hues. It could not really build defenses, nor control the environment, but if there was one thing it was really good at, it was destruction.


    Being the heaviest hitter around was pretty good in a duel.


    Viv was feeling confident. She also trusted Sidjin who had forfeited all training in favor of information gathering. Not that he needed any of it. No, it was the preparation of the last member of their little squad that gave her a conniption.


    Viv moved to Rakan, deliberately sitting next to him while Sonagi meditated. The expert duelist was pulling double duty to make sure his trainees were up to speed for the competition.


    ¡°Did the exercise I suggest help?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    He kept silent for a while.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing your best to help,¡± he said, a little defensive.


    ¡°Yes. Of course.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might be angry.¡±


    ¡°I am. I also won¡¯t let my anger interfere with our preparations, especially not preparations to try and keep you alive.¡±


    ¡°I was¡­ hoping you¡¯d approve. You¡¯ve been the person I wanted to be since I met you. A stranger surrounded by friends. Heh. Damn, I don¡¯t want to sound like a wimp.¡±


    ¡°Keeping everything inside all the time isn¡¯t manly, Rakan. It¡¯s just stupid.¡±


    ¡°You said the same thing about me joining.¡±


    ¡°I stand by what I said but it¡¯s not important right now. What¡¯s important is to be as ready as we can be.¡±


    ¡°Even if it proves you wrong?¡± the young man said with a sarcastic smile.


    It felt forced.


    ¡°My problem is never risk, Rakan. My problem is who takes it and why. No amount of victories will change that. Mages are survivors until they¡¯re not, young idiot. It takes only one spell to off you.¡±


    ¡°We have protective garb.¡±


    ¡°If I really want to kill one of them, what amount of protective garb you reckon will save them?¡±


    ¡°I can indeed say that you are still angry,¡± the young man grumbled in his teeth.


    ¡°And you¡¯d better not make me even angrier by having something happen.¡±


    ¡°Enough, enough,¡± Sonagi interrupted.


    The trainer came, sitting near the two by the edge of the small arena.


    ¡°You guys are doing great. Nothing will happen, and besides Rakan is our fourth. Most combats will be decided by the time we reach him. So no pressure. Listen, since we are fighting duels, one may believe that team spirit is not required!¡±


    ¡°Or not the most important thing.¡±


    ¡°And it is wrong. We will be fighting for three days. Unless we lose immediately. It will be a harrowing experience. Cohesion will be important, even more because one of us may lose, putting pressure on the others. It could be anyone, and I mean anyone. Each team has four fighters, the first going against the first, the second against the second and so on. Some teams may have exceptional firsts and no follow-ups. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes yes,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°You two are the best students I¡¯ve ever had but don¡¯t forget you alone cannot win. We must be here for each other.¡±


    ¡°We will be,¡± Viv assured.


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t let you down. And I won¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now come, let¡¯s get back to it!¡±


    ***


    The first decision Sidjin made after leaving the town hall was to place Sonagi and his mother in the arena full time, in specifically designated quarters made to protect fighters from the outside and each other. The move received the blessing of the bereaved family, which Viv found a little curious, but could be explained by their willingness to make something out of that grudge. It had been years since the death of their scion, so it was easy for Sidjin to negotiate an agreement. Perhaps they were open to negotiation against compensation. Something to pursue after the arena, to bring some more skill to her budding nation. The rest of the time was spent between the few remaining classes she had, the hospital, and physical training with an Academy trainer.


    ¡°Where is your sword?¡± he asked him the first time they met.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The instructor briefly inspected the two meters long blade of hungering darkness.


    ¡°Aye, that will do.¡±


    She only had time to work on the basics like how to move and block, but it would help. Parts of her wondered if she was wasting her time, if she was not spreading herself too thin. Her friend Gevaudan back on earth often talked about ¡®builds¡¯ and how specialized was better than spread out and ineffective. But this was Nyil and it didn¡¯t care about ¡®points¡¯ and ¡®balance¡¯. She was trying to get all the low-hanging fruits to increase her survivability. More importantly, most of her battles had been at close-range and she didn¡¯t think it would change much in the foreseeable future. Nous had given her the option to be an artillery specialist many times and she had not taken it. Her priority was clear.


    She hoped it was the right decision.


    Finally, any boost in stats now had a major influence and would hopefully help her survive the transition. It seemed logical. The more magical her body already was, the easier it would be to infuse it more. Or so she hoped. There would be time to fine-tune her training later.


    After three weeks of intense preparations against the enemy teams, Sidjin came to see her. She knew she¡¯d been postponing the discussion.


    ***


    ¡°You have been avoiding me,¡± Sidjin said.


    It was not a question but a statement, not a reproach but a remark. He waited calm, standing near the entrance to their training room. He was dressed well, as he tended to do since regaining full control of his body. He looked good. Viv found she liked him just as before as this was the same Sidjin she¡¯d grown to know, but the weight of Rakan¡¯s fate weighed on her. He could still say no, though she wouldn¡¯t ask him to do so. The two men had made it clear it was their decision, and that her input was neither required nor welcome.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t hate you. I understand why you did what you did¡­ I just can¡¯t let it go.¡±


    ¡°You understand but you do not accept.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a damn kid!¡±


    ¡°He is not.¡±


    Viv sighed.


    Men younger than him had been conscripted by her own country, and that was just in the twentieth century. She was being a little hypocritical. No, that wasn¡¯t it. They¡¯d been sent as a measure of desperation. Rakan¡¯s presence was not required.


    ¡°He has no need to be here. Sonagi said he was not ready. He said he was skilled as a mage but not as a duelist. You know this. We can achieve whatever result you wish with a talented mercenary. There will be plenty of opportunities for him to show the strength of his arms. Yet you still said yes. Every time I smell the bloody sands of the arena, every time someone mentions a champion, he¡¯s all I can think of. And when I look at you, it¡¯s the same thing. All I can see is white skin. Glassy eyes.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°You have seen dead children before.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And not just on Nyil. It¡¯s not worth it, Sidjin.¡±


    ¡°I know it is not safe. I know it can happen. I will not insult you by pretending the risks are what matter. By fighting, we take a risk. You know this, I know this, and I am sorry to say, Rakan knows this. Rakan is an adult here, and a full-fledged mage.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    ¡°It does not take a degree from the Academy to be one, Viv. Or there would be very few. He can cast spells with five sigils or more. He has formed an air intent. Rakan is a mage. He has trained hard. I cannot refuse him without breaking his honor.¡±


    ¡°His honor can wait six more months and the approval of his teacher.¡±


    ¡°You do not cut the wings of young hawks, Viv. Nyil is a merciless place, especially for his compatriots. You have protected him and his sister. Let them walk their own path. Please.¡±


    ¡°What do you call a swordsman who leaves the school before his master agrees he¡¯s ready?¡±


    ¡°Viviane.¡±


    ¡°You and the boy have decided he was strong enough to stand in front of hardened warriors, some of whom have defended the wall. Sonagi and I have not. I hope for everyone that I¡¯m wrong, but until it¡¯s proven I can¡¯t hug you and relax. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°There will always be differences between us, Viv. Differences because¡­ we come from very different cultures. Does it mean¡­ it¡¯s over?¡±


    ¡°You can end it if you want, but as long as Rakan is in danger because of your decision, I can¡¯t tell you I love you and truly mean it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ I understand. We will¡­ talk again after everything is over. Decide. The both of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sidjin. I wish I could tell you I love you without conditions but this isn¡¯t the case.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye Viv. And take care.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    ***


    Viv dreamed that night in her Academy room.


    Rakan was fighting against a lich in the arena while she watched powerless from the rafters. He was winning, but then he stopped to examine a circle the lich had created. She screamed at him to finish off his opponent but her voice wouldn¡¯t come out. The nightmare ended as the lich gripped Rakan.


    Something pulled her up. The part of her that was her soul woke up then, aware of a foreign influence and powerless to stop it. The divine hand dragging her was not familiar, yet it reminded her of a part of her, the one that drew in fate¡¯s whims.


    The in-between greeted her in all its incomprehensible beauty. Her senses merged and let her taste the vastness of it through a strange synesthesia. The section she was in held a strange flavor, abandoned yet still smelling of wine and fine arts. And luck. She tested the¡­ the space around her, though that didn¡¯t feel quite right. Where she could aim her thoughts. Before much could happen though, a powerful tug dragged her back down.


    But not back to Nyil.


    Her soul screamed. This was not a very well-used conduit and the jagged edges scared her but whatever will guided her, carried her expertly through the various reefs that formed a path back to¡­ she could see it now. A planet, blue and familiar but more orange than she remembered. She was pulled down, impossibly fast. She¡ª


    She was in an office, facing herself.


    Viv took in her surroundings with a sense of sight that didn¡¯t use eyes. Something was allowing her to see, to experience. The room she hovered in was spacious, all edges of glass and black metal. Few decorations adorned the otherwise austere place, and the austere woman sat in a leather chair as if it were a throne. She wore an asymmetrical gray suit complimented with a golden pin. Her face was Viv¡¯s if Viv was older with access to the best skin routine earth had ever designed. A strand of gray hair snaked down from each temple, granting the woman an air of experience. Twin emerald eyes watched Viv with a bittersweet attention.


    A distant part of Viv¡¯s mind screamed at her through the void. It screamed with grief and outrage. More details emerged, reinforcing what she already knew deep inside. There was a picture in the background of the same Viv with three adult children and a handsome husband, all with rare green eyes. Plates on the wall spoke of degrees, rewards. A logo decorated the desk with the word Euronics and below, Safran and Rheinmetall. The screen between them was flexible and transparent. Rows of data danced in its depths in a script she was no longer used to reading. It took her a moment to recognize the background far below because the landscape had changed so much. Trees of tropical essence lined every piece of space not covered by solar panels. New skyscrapers had popped up but there was no mistaking the esplanade below, or the shape of Paris in the distance. Fumaroles of heated air covered every exposed piece of metal like a shield outside. Inside, the air was cold and clean. It smelled vaguely of industrial soap.


    ¡°No,¡± Viv finally managed. ¡°No no no no no no it¡¯s only been two years. No. Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Time does not carry us at the same speed everywhere,¡± the older Viv rasped between tight lips.


    ¡°Emeric¡­¡±


    ¡°In the flesh. Well, in your flesh.¡±


    The hidden god took a sip of something amber. Now Viv finally noticed the crystal decanter on a table, half empty. Emeric let the glass rest against his¡­ her thigh, for now, the contrast between the carefully controlled environment and languid posture jarring.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°I am sorry. That is what I want to say first. I am so sorry.¡±


    ¡°For stealing my life?!¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was¡­ callous. Needlessly brutish. I hurt you when you did not deserve it. I have been following your progress, of course. I know you did well for yourself but it does not absolve me of my sin. The truth is that I could have used a dying body and replaced it. I could have waited for a good vessel as they died, but I didn¡¯t. The throne of the gods corrupted me. It took being you to remember that¡­ that people mattered.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to warn my family,¡± Viv¡¯s soul wailed. ¡°To tell them I was alive.¡±


    ¡°They thought you were. They still do. Only your father realized¡­ you¡¯d been replaced. He confronted me. I told him the truth. He said he¡¯d shoot me if I were not in his daughter¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care I don¡¯t care I don¡¯t care give me back my family!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Emeric roared, then softer. ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s already too late. I don¡¯t have the means to swap you back. Even if I did, it would cancel all the pain we went through to trap Maranor. I can¡¯t do it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Why why why why why why.¡±


    ¡°Quiet.¡±


    Viv¡¯s soul was forcefully stabilized by the hand of the god. Anguish tasted different for a soul. Less raw and much, much deeper, and she had no tears to cry.


    ¡°I owe you an explanation I suppose, but after that I will seal the memory of this exchange to others. You will not be able to mention it. Whether you want it or not. Simply put¡­ I fled here to stop my wife from dooming us all. She wants my crown and for that she needs to challenge me. To challenge me, she needs to demonstrate I am unfit.¡±


    ¡°Unfit unfit unfit.¡±


    Emeric took another sip of alcohol.


    ¡°Unfortunately, being a decent person has never been a requirement for leadership. Quite the contrary, in fact. Maranor has found her cause and ally and promised to unseal him if he cooperated. It, I guess. I am talking about the leader of the first pantheon. Katon the harvester. The first of us all. Currently in the middle of a botched reincarnation.¡±


    Viv wished she could flee and cry, return to the physical world where yelling and throwing stuff was a distinct possibility. It didn¡¯t happen. Emeric wasn¡¯t done with her.


    ¡°Gomogog the jovial feaster. He empowered his followers who engaged in ritualistic cannibalism. Octas the grafter. She advocated becoming monsters ourselves as the only way to power. She affixed monster parts on people. Enttiku guardian of repose. We turned them to our cause for they only cared about the peace of souls. Khaton of the many diseases. He made his believers stronger according to the pain and terror they inflicted. And Gorok the Butcher. Those were the ones we worshiped for a time. Maranor slew Gorok and Khaton but Gorok returned.¡±


    Viv felt curiosity despite herself. Being merely a soul gave her entirely too many avenues of reflection.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°As the god of the only fitting entity: he¡¯s an aberrant.¡±


    A chill plunged Viv¡¯s soul in a cold pond.


    ¡°That is bad.¡±


    ¡°It is, but his power wanes. I needed some more time, so I fled here. I stole your life. Your friends. I stole your family. I have built a life here and realized what I had done. Godlike power, it does something to you. There are so many deaths, so many prayers left unfulfilled. After a while, your heart hardens like a stone. It took me quite a while to remember what it meant to be mortal. I¡¯m sorry, Viv. And I¡­ am sorry for your loss. ¡°


    A new wave of horror flashed through Viv while Emeric took another sip with an emotion she never expected in such a detestable man: guilt.


    ¡°Your father died this morning. Heart attack. You¡¯ve been gone for thirty-three years. He is¡­ was¡­ an old man. I¡­ I told him to slow down. That he wasn¡¯t that young anymore. He wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you fuck you fuck your fuck you¡±


    ¡°Quiet. I will say it again: I am sorry. There is a debt between us. So¡­ I can¡¯t bring back your life but I can make up for it. Pay the debt. Do you know why there are no temples to me and yet I am king?¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t. She¡¯d never wondered.


    ¡°I am Luck. People call my name in the recess of their hearts and sometimes I help them. There are many people who need help at any given time, but I will not come to those who demand, who worship, or beg or whine or scream. I only come to those who act as they ask. But I will come for you. Talk to me in your heart and I will atone for the sin that binds us. Remember me. I will give you a sample of what can be done. Remember me in your hour of need. Do not let your grudge cause your death. Goodbye, Viviane the Exile. Maybe we will meet again, one day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kil ¡ª¡±


    Viv was projected back to the in-between, then back to her room screaming and panting. Light invaded her vision, hurting her eyes. She flipped to her side to empty her stomach. Tendrils of black mana lashed, cutting her bed table in two. Another pinged against a shield.


    ¡°Calm down! By Sardanal, Viv!¡±


    A hand grabbed her. She recognized the familiar perfume of Ereska, her roommate.


    ¡°MERDE!¡±


    ¡°I do not know this tongue but I can gather you are angry.¡±


    ¡°Gah! That cock-sucking, rotten, poxed-ridden¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are quite angry.¡±


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.¡±


    Viv breathed, trying to reassert herself. Her body felt weird. Out of place.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul Mastery has vastly improved due to repeated contacts with divinities.


    Soul Mastery: Intermediate 1


    You may now travel to the in-between voluntarily.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She felt disconnected. Stats didn¡¯t help. It was like the throne room back in Harak. Her soul, gone too far and slapped back like a metaphysical rubber band. Straight at her.


    ¡°That fucker,¡± she sobbed. Then, softly, ¡°Papa¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡­ have the same word in the northern tongue. I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to say goodbye. I just wanted to tell them I was alright.¡±


    But they didn¡¯t need it. Didn¡¯t need her. She¡¯d been replaced.


    ¡°What happened, Viv?¡±


    ¡°I was told. I was told my father died. I just¡­ I just wanted to see him again.¡±


    Viv let herself be consumed by grief, here in her room where it was safe. Ereska stayed.


    ¡°I knew I could die so I made letters. But that¡¯s not the same. I am NOT dead. I am not dead at all. I just wanted to see him, to tell him I was sorry for what I said. Not all I said but some. Tell him I was a hypocrite, that I knew the tools he used were more¡­ neutral than evil. I used them as well. I wanted to tell him that he was right, that I was more like him than I admitted. Even though he was an asshole. Fuck. I just wanted to talk. Now that I was my own person. Not like this.¡±


    Ereska hugged her.


    ¡°Not like this. Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not fair to you, and nothing will replace him¡­. but I¡¯m still glad you¡¯re here. Forgive me. If you were not here¡­ Varska would have died alone.¡±


    ¡°She did die alone! That idiot wanted her heroic death so much!¡±


    ¡°But she died for someone. Sorry, I¡¯m bad at this. I wish I had a skill.¡±


    There was a skill for grief counseling here. For fuck sake.


    ¡°What I wish to express is that your sacrifice has changed a lot for many people. People who deserved a second chance. Like your, and I cannot believe I am saying this, daughter.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Viv sniffed.


    ¡°You were dealt a loaded die but you made what you could of it. I¡¯m happy you were here for Varska, at the end. So, please do not be angry. Instead, please tell me about your father.¡±


    Viv sat back down. She knew what Ereska was doing and wanted to slap her. Yet, the girl meant well. Screaming would help nobody. She had to be the adult for now. Maybe scream later. Alone.


    ¡°He was a politician, a businessman, an amoral twat and¡­ a great dad.¡±


    ¡°Oh he would have loved it here.¡±


    Viv sniffed. With her magic and her dad¡¯s political acumen, with the two of them they would be halfway through Enoria by now. And the Enorians would be thanking them for it.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what is that thing?¡± Ereska suddenly asked.


    On Viv¡¯s bed, a black, squarish box waited. Viv blinked because she was pretty sure there was plastic in that thing. The design felt like a boy version of those revolutionary smartphones that had just¡­ but no. With earth thirty years in the future, smartphones were probably obsolete by then. Maybe people watched tv series on the toilet with eye implants. Maybe toilets were obsolete. Viv grabbed for the box, which lit up at her touch.


    The back was made of shiny plates with a small inscription reading ¡®solar panels¡¯ in French. A click on the side revealed a pair of earplugs linked back to the box with thick cables that looked like they could resist an axe chop. The shiny text on the edge read: Survivalist Vault 3, and listed a storage capacity of 124 terabytes of data. It seemed like¡­ quite a lot to Viv.


    She opened and found text in blockish script. She was thirty years in the past and still found the look retro. Inside, there was a menu with videos, music, and photos. She opened the first one and found a tanned version of herself posing in the Charles de Gaulle airport lobby with her smiling brother. She smashed the thing down on her bed. It bounced merrily.


    ¡°What is that? It looks like the most advanced piece of magitech I have ever seen!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ a depository of knowledge. From my world.¡±


    ¡°Whoever sent it to you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Must remain secret. Absolutely secret.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Naturally,¡±


    There were notes on the main menu. The first told her the box was locked to her face, which felt weird to her but seemed to be working. The second was that it was enchanted to escape scrutiny from hostiles. Divine shenanigans probably. She tried to inspect it. The skill just drifted off it.


    She opened it again and picked a random song. Saint Saens¡¯ ¡®Dance Macabre¡¯ rang through the ravaged room. She had to admit, the sound system was nice.


    For a consolation prize.


    Viv grabbed the box, though she refused to open the pictures, refused to read the notes on what had happened to her friends while a mad god meat-puppeted her true body for his enjoyment. She wanted to throw that shit off the window but she didn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t have the strength. It was all she had left, a pity gift from a regretful man so she could get the drags of the life she would never live, the one he¡¯d stolen from her.


    ¡°That music! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    It appeared Ereska was crying.


    ¡°Take it,¡± she said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Take it. I don¡¯t need it right now. Go. I want to be alone.¡±


    ¡°If you are sure¡­¡±


    Ereska left clutching her prize in her hands while violins sang according to the whims of a talented director. Fucking music. He¡¯d sent her music and a photo album. Jesus.


    Viv curled on herself in her savaged bed. As hard as she tried, sleep wouldn¡¯t come to her that night. In the morning, her nose bled uncontrollably.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current attunement: 42.1%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Time was catching up to her.

 Chapter 135: First rounds

    It was the eve of the two days of intensive duels and Viv admired the result of months of training. From the brief campaign against the Hallurians to duels and physical practice at the Academy, she¡¯d been tireless. All for the hope that it would pay off with her survival.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">VANDAL</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 44.2%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her conduit and core were still at mage level because it was as much a matter of ¡®arcane biology¡¯ as it was one of inborn ability and effort. Those were the metaphysical organs that let her hold and draw mana. They only grew and developed with time, not just practice. Those placed a soft limit on how much Viv could draw at once but it was offset by her path bonus. It was because of them that a mage could not use their entire mana reserve on a single spell. Simply put, their conduits would burst, killing them on the spot. She had still made excellent progress in the span of only two years, and could hope to develop them further if she made it. The rest, well, she would have hoped that vandal would disappear. The Academy was charging her for every new door handle.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    24


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    26


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    30


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    41


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She had made some minimal progress of her mental stats as a side effect of complex casting, however this was a side, modest progress she had not really counted on. The fifth tier was already an incredible achievement in such a short time. It was also less important to focus on now as it would take years for her to attain the next one. The most significant progress was around the physical stats, which gained two each. She was the most proud of endurance.


    That one had taken sleepless night of running and workouts while starving to achieve. Her body had grown temporarily lean and underfed to achieve that result, but the new threshold held many advantages. The most significant ones were improved survival against fatal wounds as well as accelerated healing, elements that would improve her chances. Magic would simply help her body function beyond the limits of what should be. Interestingly, she was now approaching the stats of a young warrior on the late second step, yet there were no doubts one would whip her with ease. She simply didn¡¯t have the skills to back it up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    General skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Polymath


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 4


    </td>


    <td>


    Athletics


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Survival


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Householding


    </td>


    <td>


    Novice 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Hand to hand combat


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 6


    </td>


    <td>


    Pain tolerance


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Small blades


    </td>


    <td>


    Beginner 7


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Her general skills showed progress in survival on account of a few short outings she had done around Helock as part of her training and athletics which generally helped her run for longer periods of time. She was pretty sure she would be a marathon gold medallist back on earth. Unfortunately, here, she was still lower than the average infantryman.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="4">


    Class skills


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Meditative Trance


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 3


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    <td>


    Danger sense


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 4


    </td>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation


    </td>


    <td>


    Expert 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 5


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shield Mastery


    </td>


    <td>


    Intermediate 1


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Those were her major success and sources of pride. Meditative trance meant that she could recover her mana in merely an hour or so from nearly empty, a vital skill if one were to fight several duels in a row. It was, of course, done on purpose to add to the contest¡¯s complexity.


    Mana mastery had progressed as well, affecting every aspect of her spellcasting from skill to efficiency to precision. Detection was also a factor. It allowed her to guess what a spell would do as it was casted, an essential skill to counter enemy offense. Acuity reflex had improved by one as well as her reflexes improved, but danger sense had not since she had never really been in danger. Her most impressive progress came from shield mastery. She had blocked so many different attacks from Sonagi over time, learned to do so without expanding too much mana, that she could now estimate how much effort she had to spend to block something. Of course, he still tried to trick her sometimes but then acuity reflex kicked in, giving her a second chance.


    Sonagi really thought she was a frustrating foe to face.


    The last measure of progress did not stem from her training, but from her grief. Nights were¡­ difficult, especially since she spent a few evenings catching up on what her earthside loved ones had been up to. She had to sate her curiosity. Emeric had fortunately said little about his own life within Viv¡¯s body, instead focusing on people she cared about. She didn¡¯t mind. Earth Viv had married and born children but they meant nothing to her. They were someone else¡¯s.


    It appeared Emeric had cared. It made it even worse to Viv. She wanted to hate him freely and without nuances, a good old grudge that would end in a confrontation. Instead, Emeric had learned how to be less of a dick. Between this and his apologies, she felt slighted by someone who pretended he was good despite this heinous act. It frustrated her to no end.


    Her mother was still alive and had gone to therapy. She had become a beekeeper in her old age, selling artisanal lavender honey at home and abroad. She was wildly successful and having a blast.


    Her brother Damien was a law teacher in a university for talented kids from difficult backgrounds. He held many awards.


    Her father had retired after a long career culminating as a secretary of state.


    Everyone lived well.


    Emeric even had a note on many of her friends, some she only remembered because he mentioned them. Her internet friends were doing well as well. Fraise had married and become a nurse just like she wanted. Gevaudan had turned out to be autistic, which she expected. Earth Viv gave him side gigs to pirate her company¡¯s systems, paying him very well for the service which helped. He had succeeded three times.


    It was¡­ strange.


    No one was missing her. They didn¡¯t know. She was the only casualty of a game that had, in the end, benefitted everyone but her. Emeric had walked into her life and improved every aspect of it, for everyone. Better than she could have ever done with her own issues. Normal Viv didn¡¯t have the skill and gumption to rise through the ranks to the position of general manager of a European military industry giant.


    This brought a need for calm. Her meditation skill required her to move and that was not conducive to sleeping, so her best solution was to simply slip into the in-between.


    It was a weird place. Moving here did not involve distance so much as thought and, for lack of a better word, context. Existence was reduced to orbs and errant streams of thoughts. A wall in the distance prevented her from moving too far from her starting point. She had examined it of course. As far as she could tell, those were the limits of the kiddie pool.


    She did not quite like the implication.


    Maybe the in-between hosted its own style of monsters, angler fishes gobbling souls and leaving behind the empty husks of vegetative bodies. She already had to fend off those who would kill her in the real world. Now there was a chance someone would go for her soul as well.  In the meanwhile, the in-between was a nice enough place to explore and it left her feeling calm and refreshed when she woke up the next day.


    Viv had never seen such a crowd except, perhaps, during a demonstration match, She had certainly not seen the arena filled this early in the afternoon. The rafters were filled with thousands of people laughing, jeering, talking, and hawking wares. The cold didn¡¯t bother anyone with most wearing warm clothes and the rest using heated stones. From her lodge in the ¡®belly¡¯ she had a perfect view of the sands below, and the gates leading deeper inside the complex. The belly of the arena hosted contestants and had a direct path down so they could go from spectator to spectated in only a couple of minutes. Reinforced partitions separated her team from that of others, a leftover from the bloodier vendettas back when gladiators would kill each other on sight. The true lodge of the ruler faced her at the other side of the massive space, its occupants shaded by a permanent tent structures that blocked view coming out and arrows coming in. Pinpoint blazes hinted at braziers burning perfumed herb. Waiters and runners came in and out under the vigilant gaze of Helock¡¯s elite battlemages.


    ¡°I heard that my father is there,¡± Sidjin whispered.


    ¡°You hadn¡¯t seen him since¡­¡±


    ¡°No. He wasn¡¯t there when I was arrested. He didn¡¯t come to see me in jail. At all. The last time we talked was, gods, at a party? Before the¡ª officer killed my merl friend.¡±


    Viv hesitated, then squeezed Sidjin¡¯s hand. They might not be in the best terms right now but that was no reason not to offer sympathy. She thought he might be angry or refuse but he returned the pressure. It was hard to tell where they stood with how different their cultures were.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s about to start!¡± Rakan exclaimed.


    He leaned forward in his seat to watch the first team of contestants walk in. The opening match would oppose Shaya¡¯s team to the first of two twins. Shaya was Sidjin¡¯s sister and one of the three real challengers, at least the way Viv could see it. The twins were an offshoot from the main branches, children of the first prince¡¯s siblings. They did not really expect to win. Rather, their performance could lead to agreements that would benefit their family.


    The arena¡¯s only morbidly obese individual walked out from the main lodge. Viv recognized Deos, the master of ceremony, his already fantastic girth clad in garish raiments under a gaudy plume hat. Viv judged he was barely short of being visible from orbit.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    His voice resonated strangely over the field. The sound effect was not intimate but overwhelming, dominating all other conversations in an instant. It roared and strutted. It promised violence.


    ¡°Welcome to the bloody games, welcome to the game of death that will decide the fate of a city! Welcome, to the Glastian successions!¡±


    A thunderous din of approval answered. Deos stretched his hands.


    ¡°Over the next two days, princes and commoners will clash across the bloody sand for the favor of their champion under your gaze, my dearies. Spells! Blades! Scorching fire and unyielding walls, majestic life and devouring darkness will score gashes over our most ancient of fields. Two days to win a crown ladies and gentlemen. Two days¡­ to clear the competition.¡±


    Another roar, this one carrying a lust for vicarious violence.


    ¡°For while the champions fight at the front, the rulers scheme at the back. What matter of plot will we be seeing, my dearies? What sinister tricks will our friends deploy? I cannot wait. And without further ado, let us give a warm welcome to the first two teams! Sidna of Feroe and Shaya of Glastia!¡±


    The first two to come in were the bone-clad Viziman woman from Shaya¡¯s team and an old mage with blue robes. Viv watched the fight with middling interest. She identified the old mage as a war councilor and the bone lady as a bone witch, somewhat unsurprisingly. The duel was rather long. It was clear that the mage knew his business contrary to what Viv had expected. He almost maneuvered the witch into a corner thanks to a careful and deliberate use of blue and brown mana. The arena turned into a swamp while he remained dry and mobile but the witch found an answer. She could create and mold bone using life, black, and brown mana, something Viv judged to be impossible. Nyil once more made a mockery of basic physics. Eventually, the witch made herself long stiletto boot things to run after the mage. The battle of attrition turned to her favor and, eventually, he forfeited. The shame made his aging face crimson.


    Viv thought he did ok. A war councilor was not a duelist.


    The next duel opposed mostly normal mages and was unremarkable. The third pitted an arcane blade from Vizim on Shaya¡¯s side to another from Glastia. To Viv¡¯s moderate surprise, the twin¡¯s mage blade won handily. He used brown mana to mold the terrain and though he did not attack often, each of his movements were precise and graceful. He was young too, a sign of clear skill. The fourth candidate proved inadequate, however, and the match ended three to one in favor of Shaya. Viv noted that the princess herself had not participated despite her martial style. She suspected only Sidjin would risk himself in the arena.


    Deos did not wait to introduce the next duels. The first stages would all be played one after the other.


    The following round opposed Prince Aldus¡¯ group to the four blade mages. As a favorite of the competition, he brought a full complement of battle casters, probably elites taken from the wall. They made short work of the opposition without a single upset and the blade mages were sent packing, defeated but unhurt. The casters even went out of the way to salute their opponents.


    As the last of them walked back to the changing room, Viv and company were walking down to the entrance.


    ¡°I want to tell you something,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I made you our first.¡±


    Viv almost froze on the steps. The first was exactly what it implied, the unspoken leader of the fighters and their best member. She had trained against almost any style so that was not the issue, The issue was the message it sent. Sidjin presented her as his trusted second.


    ¡°Sidjin? You¡¯re telling the whole world you think I¡¯m a better duelist?¡±


    ¡°The truth is that Sonagi is a mercenary and I am not as flexible as you are.¡±


    ¡°That is not the whole truth.¡±


    Sidjin looked at her, mulling over his next words.


    ¡°I want you to represent us because without you, there would be no competition at all. I¡¯m aware that Rakan¡¯s situation has dug a rift between the two of us. I do not want this to invalidate everything that happened, everything we did for each other. Be my first, please.¡±


    ¡°Why, yes of course. I just¡­ thought we might have discussed it. I accept the gift in the spirit it was given, however.¡±


    ¡°That is the issue between us these past days. We see the spirit but we do not feel it, yes?¡±


    ¡°No, not this time. It¡¯s a big deal. It¡¯s almost like you¡¯re presenting me to your father.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Viv glared, unsure if Sidjin was serious or not. Soon, it was too late to think. The gates opened as she approached.


    She was already wearing her arena-issued enchanted robes and kept her dagger focus. There was a limit to one magical item per gladiator and she had kept that one.


    The opposite gate opened to the tournament¡¯s first shenanigans. The war councilor she had seen fighting for the first twin walked towards her across the arena, his expression one of grim resolve. Given the size of the arena, it took a while for the two to meet. Deos used the delay to entertain his flock.


    ¡°And the first predictable twist, ladies and gentlemen, Sidna of Feroe has released his best fighter ¡ª or is it fighters? ¡ª to his brother Odna. Will it be enough to pass the first round? Facing him is the kingslayer herself, the witch of black, the bane of the Hallurians¡­ Viv the Outlander!¡±


    Shit, thought Viv, I hope it doesn¡¯t turn into a new title.


    She went to stand in the starting circle. The arena was specifically enchanted to return its sand to their pre-combat state after every encounter, a necessity considering the tendency of mages to use their environment. High barriers situated all around the circumference of the open ground blocked outgoing spells. Viv had even read that they joined all the way up since an unfortunate artillery spell destroyed a bakery.


    Down here, the air was cold, much colder than she imagined because of the sand. It was a silly thought. There were plenty of cold deserts, after all. Viv looked up at the thousands of people and felt alienation. She was here for Sidjin, that was all. Blood sports were just not her thing, and all those eager faces looking down hoping for a slip, hoping one spell too many would overload the shield and get the grudge circle going, they disgusted her. She could see it in the nearest, eager faces, hear it in the excited hum of conversations. Half of the city had rushed in to watch a succession conflict like the trainwreck it was. The lower tiers were populous while the higher kept a sheen of sophistication but they were all here for the same thing. Watch her commit violence before their feasting eyes as casters turned gladiators. It was not every day that the upper strata of Param¡¯s society made a show of themselves for the rest of it.


    ¡°You may begin,¡± Deos allowed.


    Viv shielded and attacked at the same time, just like her opponent. His spike pinged uselessly against a small aegis while her attack was a small blast, its power punching through his hastily raised brown wall with ease. He fell to the side and dodged the spell almost by accident. Viv did not let up. She pressed him with angled purge and well-placed blasts. Her knowledge of earth magic let her give her attacks just the right amount of power to go through standard brown mana defenses. She had to adjust a little because the war councilor was solid in a way that felt like an intent, but it was easy anyway. He was nothing compared to Sonagi.


    A brief vent of black mana on the ground to break one of his attacks and she started to move, circling her prey without letting up. The mage was forced to rotate his best defenses to stop her. It was a near impossible task with brown defenses as they were simply so heavy. She sent feint after sneaky attack after curved spell on the beleaguered mage. She felt her mana sing in her veins and the black happily dismantling whatever her opponent could throw at her. It felt exhilarating, in a way, to be so much in control. She didn¡¯t even resort to her forged glyphs (technically not enchanted) or her more advanced spells and tactics. He could not stop her assault and so she didn¡¯t change strategy. Eventually, he raised a veritable pyramid around himself with a mighty roar. Viv let him, charging a blast spell with the meaning of annihilation.


    She could feel him on the other side. The flow of mana from his exhausted core were as clear to her as brush strokes on an old painting.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    The simplified artillery spell punched clean through the wall, a dagger undoing a simple leather jerkin.


    ¡°Stop!¡± a voice came.


    The crowd clamored their appreciation when the war councilor dropped his improvised fort. He was clutching his leg, which was bleeding abundantly. Viv had aimed low because she saw no point in killing that guy. He was obviously someone dedicated to the war effort, not political plays.


    ¡°I yield,¡± the man said sadly.


    There was shame and humiliation in his posture. He was also running on fumes, mana wise, and it took its toll. Viv felt a pang of pity for him, stuck as he was in a game he was not meant to play. Now that he was defeated, she had no reason to be disrespectful.


    ¡°Good fight,¡± she said with a light bow.


    It was a Helockian salute Sonagi did when he felt like it. The mage nodded in return, then he bullheadedly decided to walk back to his gate.


    An arena medic intercepted him midway but it was still a good move, Viv felt, even though he¡¯d trailed blood all over the sand. She left as well. Her team was now one and zero.


    No skill gains this time, despite this being a real life situation. She had simply not been challenged enough.


    Viv returned to her lodge just in time to watch Sidjin engage his opponent, who happened to be the blade mage of twin number one. They offered a nice contrast. The blade mage was young, a rising talent dressed in an elaborate Glastian military uniform in shades of yellow and silver over his defensive robe. By contrast, Sidjin was old and mature but also scarred, the long gash on his cheek testimony of everything he had been through. He had forfeited any identifying mark but the trace of his ancestry were plain on his traits, and the sheer confidence he displayed.


    The fight started with a charge from the blade mage, blocked by a transparent shield.


    At first, it seemed the blade mage would manage to overwhelm Sidjin¡¯s defenses. He smashed them as quickly as Sidjin could place them, but the fallen prince spat a veritable flamethrower into the fencer¡¯s face, forcing him back with scalded arms and missing eyebrows. After that, Sidjin patiently built a network of transparent force fields to corner his opponent.


    Viv was amazed by Sidjin¡¯s control. The prince stood at the center of concentric rings of interlocked, transparent cages and bars. They rotated with the blade mage as he circled them like a shark, looking for an opening that would never come. Viv watched him jump over, only for half of the defensive array to lift when he did. He landed in the arcane equivalent of a wood chipper. Actually, no. He could have. Sidjin was playing nice. Viv knew from experience all those smooth surfaces could turn into grinders and teeth at a moment¡¯s notice. If Sidjin wanted to kill him, the arcane blade would be minced meat by now. He wasn¡¯t called the red mist for nothing. Sidjin instead elected to take his time. The fencer tried to counter the advantage with brown mana, yet it proved to be futile since Sidjin was simply better at it. Ranged slashes pinged pointlessly on the fallen prince¡¯s defenses. Frustrated, the blade mage ran to the other side of the arena. He watched powerless while Sidjin cast something strong and the public jeered and cheered, urging him on.


    Viv chuckled. She knew what her boyfriend, errrr, probably still boyfriend, was doing.


    One moment Sidjin was there, the next he was on top of the thunderstruck fencer. Layers of cages locked on the victim like bear traps. In a fragment of an instant, the fencer was chained, collared, restrained, blocked, immobilized, spread eagle, and generally disabled. A sputtered exchange between captor and captive followed.


    Sidjin took one step and poked his victim in the ribs. Insistently.


    ¡°I yield,¡± the fencer begrudgingly admitted.


    The crowd was pleased. It was a masterful display of arcane mastery, which apparently excused the general lack of blood. Whispers of appreciation reached VIv¡¯s ears and she realized it was not the skills that the spectators appreciated. Sidjin was scruffy, handsome, and darkly charismatic.


    They were just lusting after her boyfriend.


    The fuckers.


    ¡°Ok, maybe I still like him a lot,¡± Viv admitted to herself.


    ¡°Showy display, eh?¡± Sonagi said by her side. ¡°I thought I would be the ace without trying, but it looks like you two rode the wyvern to the top. Nice, nice.¡±


    Sonagi looked much better now. His mussy hair was clean and wavy, more artist than drug fiend. There were still pockets under his eyes, wrinkles at the corners of his mouth, but those were small marks that did little to mask the spring in his step. His posture was relaxed for the first time, well, ever.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking good, Sonagi,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Are you not taken?¡±


    ¡°No sass please. You look much healthier. I¡¯m glad.¡±


    ¡°Having a future will do that to you. Well, anyway. It¡¯s time for me to step into the light again. See you soon.¡±


    Sonagi left, Sidjin returned. By their side, Rakan wisely decided to get down.


    ¡°Very impressive,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Thank you. I tried to make it painless. Are you¡­. feeling better? You look better.¡±


    ¡°Well, no one has died so far. Those fights are being quite civil. Maybe I overreacted and this was just¡­ much less violent than I expected.¡±


    ¡°No. As much as I would like for us to leave this conflict between us, this would ignore the root of the issue. Look, if we are to be together in a¡­ permanent way, we need to accept that we have differences that cannot necessarily be reconciled.¡±


    ¡°Just like you to look for solutions for everything.¡±


    ¡°I know people are not so simple, especially you. I also know that you are avoiding the topic. We share the same values, you and I. It¡¯s how we live them that differs. I want to know if¡­ it will be a problem or if we can¡­ agree to disagree. So long as it concerns the surface, not what truly matters.¡±


    Viv sighed. She didn¡¯t feel as sore now as she used to. It was not really a change of heart so much as her nature. Viv was pragmatic. Staying angry and hurt didn¡¯t serve her so she was¡­ coping. Trying to forget. It didn¡¯t help that she¡¯d been miserable for a month thanks to that twat Emeric.


    ¡°So long as it¡¯s surface, yeah.¡±


    She frowned.


    ¡°Next time can we talk about things in advance? For example, accepting a kid in a dueling team or making me the first? Communication is important.¡±


    ¡°So I have gathered. And yes, I should have chosen to involve you. I was too proud. Please understand that pride was all I had left for a very long time. Letting go will be¡­ difficult.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give up your pride, just don¡¯t feel the need to enforce it on me.¡±


    ¡°A fair point. Speaking of pride¡­¡±


    Sonagi entered the arena with a skip. This time, Deos greeted him a great hail, instead he sounded genuinely enthusiastic.


    ¡°The prodigal son returns! Oh, ladies and gentlemen. What a treat. What a treat! You may not remember this lark but I do. I remember when he reached too high and burnt his feathers, but look at him! Look at him here back in the welcoming bosom of our glorious arena, where the strong rise to the top no matter what. Here is the son of a seamstress, a child of the streets of Helock. Here is a returning champion living the life of his second chance. Give it all for¡­ Sonagi!¡±


    The crowd was carried by the lower strata. Obviously, many of the arena¡¯s regulars remembered Sonagi from either his old days of triumph or his more recent ascent. No matter what, the welcome was thunderous and Sonagi really liked it.


    His opponent turned out to be a young woman, a caster as well. Deos briefly presented her as the daughter of Viziman exiles. She had an interesting profile but she only came second to Helock¡¯s own candidate in the eyes of the crowd. Her skills also came second.


    The young woman focused on gray mana in an interesting game of mobility, stealth, and powerful attacks using electricity, something Viv had not yet seen here. She still fell short of Sonagi. The master duelist danced and tricked as much as he fought. Thunder fell on spikes of earth, or landed on water walls without damage. He matched her for speed and dispelled her illusions with smartly placed strands of mana. After a while, it became obvious to Viv.


    Sonagi was playing with her.


    She was young and talented, but he had her beat completely. He was just making it last. A part of her was annoyed that he would give her a chance to take him by surprise, that he would try to break her instead of trying to win. The problem was that he was down there and she was up here. The other problem was that their agreement did not cover his behavior. So long as he won, she didn¡¯t really have ground to stand on.


    It was still annoying. They were not here to make enemies.


    The girl never yielded, so Sonagi beautifully stunned her with some gray spell of his own. The counter that got her sent the public screaming. To add insult to injury, he received her in a princess carry as she fell. The crowd went wild.


    Viv resisted the urge to scold him when he returned because he seemed so proud. She didn¡¯t want to crush him when he was finally getting back up. It was also Rakan¡¯s turn.


    Deos presented him and his opponent as a pair of young fighters on their first contest. The two were almost mirrors of each other. Both young, both casters. The fight started as a study in academic combat. The two stood where the fight started and built up from there in a tight exchange of carefully planned counters. The fight was clean but unequal. Rakan had two concepts to the opponent¡¯s one, which he used sparingly. A devastating counter swung the fight in Rakan¡¯s favor, then it was only a matter of time until he finally cornered his opponent to polite applause. Rakan fought patiently and carefully until he won.


    The rest of the team made sure to congratulate him when he returned. Viv was proud and made sure to let him know.


    ¡°So you will let me fight in the deadlands next time? With the army?¡±


    ¡°You will train with them first. You think you can just show up and throw fireballs at the front rank? You need to know where to move, when, and where to aim.¡±


    ¡°What she means is yes, and we will prepare you,¡± Sidjin assured him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t count on me. I¡¯m a duellist, not a revenant hunter!¡± Sonagi added.


    ¡°But you used to smell the same,¡± Rakan countered.


    Viv left Rakan bicker with the others. The youth seemed much more relaxed now. Things were looking up.


    The last fight of the day would oppose Medjin to the lone armor-clad knight Viv had never seen without the helmet down. His opponent was Medjin¡¯s first, the red mage she had met in the study and who had been quite rude. As a lone contestant, the armored one had to defeat every opponent on the enemy team.


    It turned out immediately that this man was an anti-mage. More precisely, he canceled magic around himself. The first red bolt to reach his silent form just¡­ fizzled.


    ¡°Very few people follow this path and for good reasons,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°It takes a good attunement and a lot of suffering to negate magic around oneself, which means that one must sacrifice the path of the mage. Even then, their defenses are not perfect.¡±


    This was demonstrated quickly by Medjin¡¯s first. The fire mage had anticipated the combat, it seemed. The sand moved under his feet, carrying him away just as his opponent charged and swung where he had been. The knight was not just resistant but fast too. He would have been deadly against an unprepared mage. Unfortunately for him, the red mage was not unprepared. Pits opened under the steel-clad feet of the knight and his aura did not prevent the displaced material from crashing against him, on the contrary. The anti-magic field weakened the edge of the pit as soon as he approached. With a powerful jump, he still escaped from the trap. Meanwhile, the red mage kept moving around. He spread flames around himself as he went and Viv studied his technique with great attention.


    Some mages cast spells from one or two colors at the same time, but this one was different. There was red but also brown and gray. He was creating a fiery storm that surrounded the plated man without touching him. Nevertheless, the blur of superheated air showed that if he could negate mana, it could not cancel its effect on reality after the spell finished. The firestorm also masked the red mage¡¯s movements. Viv could see where the red mana was concentrated, but the knight did not.


    He still lasted for a while. At some point, he even played for time, perhaps hoping that the red mage would tire. Instead, the area of effect only increased as fire fed fire. The traps and constant attacks tracking him eventually took their toll. He eventually surrendered.


    The crowd felt a little less enthused about this victory. Viv assumed they wanted to see at least one caster brought low. Viv would have liked to see more of Medjin¡¯s team¡¯s capabilities, personally. The lack of information was just frustrating.


    She hoped it wouldn¡¯t bite them in the ass.

 Chapter 136: Blood on the Sand

    ¡°My father wants to see me,¡± Sidjin said.


    Below, performers were dancing to the sound of a drum arrangement in mesmerizing patterns. The rhythm was fast and intense. It made Viv¡¯s teeth shake with every percussion. They hurt a little, reminding her that her body would fail before spring set in unless she acted. Tick tick tick.


    ¡°Now?¡± Viv asked. ¡°There is less than an hour left before the next round.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He requested it. It was¡­ carefully worded. I have not seen him since the wall and I was wondering if¡­ maybe it¡¯s the last time I could see him. Retiring first princes often go into exile far away since ¡®accidents¡¯ are prone to happen. I am one of the eldest. I think he had high hopes for me. Before¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sidjin sighed and gripped the railing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have regrets or we¡¯ll be forced to visit the merls again,¡± Viv warned.


    Sidjin guffawed.


    ¡°They have spiders,¡± Viv added with a shiver.


    She didn¡¯t have to pretend her aversion. Fucking arachnids.


    ¡°But what are you afraid of? That he would do or say something?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I fear his censure. At the same time, I do not wish to ignore him. Leave the wound unhealed.¡±


    Viv clicked her tongue, not sure if he was looking for advice or commiseration. His insistent look answered her unspoken question.


    ¡°I, look, I¡¯ll never see my family again,¡± Viv said.


    She didn¡¯t see any way she could meet them. It would take decades for her to be powerful enough to cross the border between worlds if it were even possible. By that time, the earth might have just been blown up.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°And as conflicted as I was about some of the stuff that happened, if there is something I regret it¡¯s¡­ not saying goodbye. Conflict with family members is inevitable. You just can¡¯t accept everything under the assumption that it might be the last time you talk to them. I stood for myself and I¡¯m glad, and I¡¯m proud you stood for yourself as well. I would still go. If you¡¯re abused or insulted or you feel you¡¯ve been lured to be hurt, then leave. I still think you¡¯ll regret it if you don¡¯t get closure one way or another. You¡¯ll wonder what if.¡±


    ¡°You would have me leave?¡±


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t set yourself on fire to keep people warm, yeah? You¡¯re there to make peace, not be a target dummy.¡±


    ¡°I see what you mean. If this turns into an inquisition, I shall leave immediately. We are on a schedule anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yes, speaking of that, they won¡¯t try anything, right?¡±


    ¡°Not in full view of the entire Helockian aristocracy, no. Glastian politics might be cutthroat but it is not mad.¡±


    ¡°I hope you are right.¡±


    ¡°If there is any issue I shall teleport back here. You have my word.¡±


    Sidjin left and Viv walked out to borrow a spyglass. She spotted him getting into the lodge. He left half an hour later without fanfare during a secondary performance involving a flutist and a really large snake. He didn¡¯t seem shaken or anything.


    ¡°Did it go well?¡± she asked as soon as he arrived.


    ¡°Yes. He asked a few questions. Wanted to know how I was doing.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Implied that it wouldn¡¯t be good for me to win, suggested I talked to Aldus or Shaya, whoever wins the next contest. He said Glastia would not forgive me but it was up to me¡­ to forgive her.¡±


    ¡°Did he forgive you?¡±


    ¡°He said there was nothing to forgive in a man who lived according to his principles. He accepted my choice. He¡­ he apologized. Said that he should have reined in my cousin. The one who killed my merl friend.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him anyway?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ killed him the night I escaped. With a knife. He never saw it coming.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I hope you didn¡¯t mention that.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Ah, the contest is resuming.¡±


    Viv only paid half attention to the following duels. Shaya had clearly grabbed wild talents from wherever she could to give herself the image of a unifier. After all, many people from different backgrounds manned the walls. It was nicely done but she was not a product of the Helockian establishment. Aldus simply had more resources which he proved by beating her three to one. Viv was especially impressed by his head mage, a peerless duelist who specialized in wide, gray mana area-denial spells. Nevertheless, Aldus moved on after a relatively tame event. Only one person had been wounded and it was nothing serious. A certain tension rose from the crowd because, as flashy as the combats were, they lacked violence. A stake. Only the bone witch had received the love of the mob.


    They would most likely get it in the next fight. The red mage had it in for Viv and he was Medjin¡¯s first.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s my turn,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°One last thing,¡± Sonagi said from his seat.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When powerful mages fight, sometimes tragedies can occur.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Make sure it¡¯s him,¡± Rakan said with a serious air that looked strange on his youthful face.


    Viv reached the gate without issue. It opened with a clang, the massive reinforced panes pivoting on their hinges with a cavernous growl to let her through. A burst of cold air sent sand against her shoes and brought with it a fresher scent. She walked calmly while the mage who¡¯d faced her in Sidjin¡¯s study did the same from the other side. He wore the same standard issue reinforced robes as she did under a puffy yellow shirt. He smirked when he saw her. Clearly, he didn¡¯t have a high opinion of Viv. She would have to remedy that.


    Deos was having fun.


    ¡°Imagine, if you will, a sea of roaring flesh crashing against a mountain. Imagine a constant noise, an unending tide that seeks to end man and civilization! Imagine the blood, imagine the guts, smell it on the wind. Smell fire roasting them! This hell, ladies and gentlemen, is the crucible upon which great men are made or broken! And here is one who has survived and thrived on the field of battle as a rampart of man against beast. On the lodge side, the magma mage, the wall of Glastia, the man who turns plains into labyrinths of molten stone, I give you, Kos!¡±


    Viv waited while Kos bowed to the crowd.


    ¡°And on the pit side, a fury who torched every place she has touched with the flame of change! She has slain two princes and forced a king to suicide, she has carved a kingdom out of Enoria with her spells, she has made pacts with subhumans for power! The herald of shadows and the scaled menace. The revolutionary! The Black Witch! I give you¡­ Viv the Outlander!¡±


    Viv thought there was some creative interpretation in Deos¡¯ speech, and the crowd¡¯s welcome was changed as a result. Those were cheers but not exactly the supportive ones. Her soul felt a shift in the frenzied emotions swirling through the arena, so intense they were and so packed the rows of humankind sat above her, beyond the shields. Down here, the mass of the spectators was transfigured into an obscene mass organism with a thousand voice and a single, simple mind with only one purpose: get their dose of entertainment through vicarious violence. She closed her eyes. Now was not the time to get distracted. Black mana flooded her conduits in preparation for the struggle to come.


    ¡°Let the duel¡­ begin!¡±


    Viv coated herself in black mana and struck at the same time, just as Kos did. She felt the heat of his spell as it struck against her quickly formed chestplate. It almost seared her eyes, even with its energy dissipating. Kos buckled and screamed as her attack punched through his arm clean through, deactivating the robe in a single blow. Above, Deos crooned. There was blood but, unfortunately, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Kos finished coating and his mana armor was massive and thick. Viv realized he was fixed to the ground.


    ¡°Blast.¡±


    Her small artillery spell smashed into his defenses, digging deep holes in a quickly forming wall of incandescent stones. Her last attack speared through where he should have been, but he¡­ swam through solid stone. She didn¡¯t know it was a possibility.


    Meanwhile, more and more incandescent rocks erupted from thin air with every second. A plume of stones and superheated air burst toward Viv. Her danger sense screamed. The first red-hot gravels touched a shield and Viv realized the drain on her mana was enormous. Kos¡¯ lava was a persistent thing, an old power that refused to be dispelled or pushed aside so easily. It was the perfect intent for such an attack, so Viv used a burst of speed to jump to the side.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    She caught the rest on her shield before it could reach her and counter at the same time.


    ¡°Astra.¡±


    Her new mainstay spell caught the next eruption at the origin, the black mana charge detonating to scatter the attack before it could launch towards her. Kos was persistent but she was much, much faster. Viv vented black mana at her feet and the lava there winked out under the pressure of entropy. A sphere of cold expanded around her. Nevertheless, the temperature in the arena was still increasing. The sand around Kos was turning to glass. Time was not exactly on her side. He was obviously a powerful defensive caster who needed a bit of time to get going. She would not make it easy for him.


    ¡°Eldritch wall.¡±


    Tentacular flowers bloomed on the growing volcano, draining the heat and shape of Kos¡¯ domain, if only briefly. A cry of frustration emerged from the mass of magma. The spots of darkness clearly disrupted whatever Kos was planning before the caldera of the growing mountain vomited more heat. The contest was still a losing proposal but Viv had a plan. She just had to push Kos a little more.


    More eldritch flowers bloomed and withered. More astra spells disrupted Kos¡¯ attack while the volcano grew lopsided since Viv still vented mana on her side of the arena. The massive pile soon teetered and fell to the side, further disrupting the swimming form of Kos.


    Viv felt him draw from his focus to replenish his reserves. Her disruption was working well.


    ¡°Enough of this!¡± the man roared.


    The volcano erupted, truly erupted. Viv caught most of the early pebbles on a shield as a tidal wave of magma collapsed in her direction.


    ¡°Shadow step.¡±


    Viv teleported on the other side of the volcano. She saw Kos freeze in the middle of a triumphant shout.


    It was such a pleasant view.


    Abyssal tendrils snaked from Viv¡¯s form when she unleashed everything in her arsenal in a tide of deadly offense. Eldritch walls weakened the barrier, then astra hexes crashed through it, soon followed by the unceasing cone of a flamethrower-like werfer. Her black fire hissed and ate at the unprotected slope with gusto until Kos was forced to retreat deeper and deeper into his collapsing hill. Viv noticed that the volcano immediately cooled down. Apparently, it took some effort to keep it going. The more his flames winked out and the less space he had to escape to. Kos was losing control. Viv¡¯s piercing attacks followed him where he went. She could feel him. See his mana move. He escaped to the last remaining patch of activity and the stone around him morphed into the shape of a gigantic walker. A colossus of heated stone twice her size. A large shield blocked her attacks, but Viv knew from the constant drain on his focus that he was running on fumes. He was on the verge of collapse.


    She felt a sense of wonder when the walker charged her, a giant of magma like a golem from the legends. Black mana sang in her veins. Warm, acid air filled her lungs. The roar of the crowd sounded in the distance but it didn¡¯t matter. There was just her, the colossus, and the magic screaming in her being, begging to be unleashed. She felt so very alive.


    Viv charged Kos.


    The movement was so unexpected that the construct almost stumbled. Blasts and a constant stream of destructive mana forced its arm to turn into a shield as Kos was forced into the defensive. Viv slid under the blind side and did what she, of course, really loved to do.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    What had started as a short sword was now taller than she was when she swung, the void blade slicing easily through anything the golem could put up. She knew she¡¯d hit flesh when the construct crumbled. A horrible scream sounded from behind, and her danger sense screamed at her once more.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    The shield could not have appeared a second too early. Kos¡¯ golem exploded, sending superheated shrapnel through the entire arena. One of the hexagonal panes shattered and a stone hit Viv¡¯s mana armor but it mostly held. She still felt the shock in her shoulder. It pushed her, forcing a step back. A sharp pain spread through her ribs.


    She poked at them. They weren¡¯t broken. Meanwhile, Kos fell on his side. Viv was horrified to see that whatever protected him from the heat had failed at the last minute. Parts of his skill and his chin looked badly burnt, the flesh practically cooked. It had to burn horribly. She took an involuntary step forward. She just wanted to help. She didn¡¯t want him to die. It wasn¡¯t a fight to the death.


    He mistook her intent, face twisted in a rictus of terror.


    ¡°I yield! I yield!¡±


    Viv stopped where she was. She toned out Deos¡¯ congratulations and the adulation of the crowd to walk back. The only thing she could feel right now was relief. And discomfort. She coughed. It didn¡¯t feel very good.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger sense: intermediate 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That felt better. Danger sense really came in clutch in the hardest contests. Viv still realized she was pushing it. As soon as the contest was over, she would go and see Elunath. Her body was failing slowly but surely. Better play it safe.


    Viv passed by Sidjin on the stairs up to her lodge. They did not speak. There was no need. She returned to her seat to see what else Medjin had in store for them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The first sign of shenanigans appeared as soon as the far gates opened. No one missed Sidjin¡¯s shoulder droop and his back bend through shock when a figure wrapped in turbans and shawls stepped from the shadows of the gate. Viv felt cheated. How could they even plan for this? Or was it a coincidence? She looked at the distant face of Deos with a borrowed spyglass. The man drank wine from a copper cup with the sense of satisfaction of a fat cat.


    The newcomer was tall, especially for a woman. Her hips rolled with every careful step. She oozed danger and femininity with every step despite the complete absence of naked skin. Only a pair of amber eyes could be seen, glinting from beneath a red shawl like that of a tiger stalking its prey. She wasn¡¯t sure but Viv felt she could feel a terrible air of disapproval radiating from that fixed glare.


    ¡°Sidjin,¡± the woman finally greeted, her voice perfectly clear in the immense arena.


    ¡°Mentor.¡±


    ¡°You have lost the right to call me that.¡±


    To Viv¡¯s surprise, the tall woman stumbled and she now recognized that her slow and deliberate movements were not a statement of control or majesty. The woman¡¯s body was wrecked. By what, she didn¡¯t know, yet that moment of weakness was enough for a shawl to shift, revealing scar tissue to Viv¡¯s spyglass.


    ¡°I will not fight you,¡± Sidjin stated.


    ¡°Foolish child. Have you forgotten all I taught you? A prince cannot choose peace.¡±


    Deos¡¯ voice covered the arena with gleeful excitement now that the scene was set and the actors had taken their position.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have had heroes and villains in this arena, have we not? Today, I bring you both at the same time! He defended the walls with fervor, turning the beastling tide to gore with his mighty arcane powers, until he did not. The man responsible for slaying uncounted monsters, the man who saved the wall only to betray it! The man who fought without stopping until he deserted! The Red Mist himself! I give you¡­ Sidjin of Gastia! The Fallen Prince!¡±


    Cheers and jeers rocked the very walls with quite a few insults mixed in it. The crowd was involved. That was dangerous.


    ¡°And facing him, a ghost from his past returned to the fray from her retreat, a distant denizen of the shores of Vizim, she who taught him all he knew! The giantess takes up the focus again for one last performance, but is it to scold, the forgive, or to correct¡­ forever? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the wandering mercenary, Mensur!¡±


    ¡°You should not be here, Mentor,¡± Sidjin said.


    It annoyed Viv how clear his voice was. She used the spyglass to watch the rafters. Spectators leaned forward, skewers in their fists and cups in their hands temporarily forgotten. How they lived for this. She had ignored them but now they disgusted her because she was at the receiving end of their morbid fascination. Or at least, Sidjin was. It made no difference to her.


    The fight began and Viv knew Medjin had not selected her to win. He had selected her to hurt Sidjin. He probably planned on swapping her out later. It was not so much a duel as watching a nurse corralling a tired child.


    Mensur moved well when she did move. Her steps carried her to the side between quick casts of arcane mana, thrown discs as serrated as Sidjin¡¯s but so much more simple. Brittle. Fire tongues and defensive ridges of sand alternated with each attack in a constant barrage that must have been quite a sight at some point. Her constant steps also meant that whatever attacking party went after her would not corner her so easily. It reminded Viv of her own style. She could forfeit a defensive circle in favor of mobility as well. Nevertheless, the routine was a broken one. It was like watching a high level athlete practice again after ten years of inactivity, rigid limbs trying to recreate complex gesture they remembered but could no longer accomplish. There were still fugacious moments of brilliance, breathtaking shows of precision and expertise that spoke of a deadly elegance achieved through years of strenuous training. Those were canceled by constant flaws, missteps, and failures. And even then, those flashes of greatness were easily dispelled by Sidjin¡¯s implacable precision.


    She doubted Mensur could have won in her prime and that prime was long, long gone. She was the draft to Sidjin¡¯s masterpiece, the inspiration behind his success. She was not his match.


    Viv witnessed an unusually gentle Sidjin cornering her slowly, carefully. A tiny transparent barrier tripped her, making her fall to her knee where he could have broken bone instead. She still hissed in agony. Viv could hear it. Everyone could hear her pain. On the other side of the arena, Deos sipped more wine.


    She realized what was wrong soon enough. Sidjin always waited for her to finish before countering. He was concerned she would lose control of her spell. Viv had seen it before, even felt the feedback. Sometimes, casters lost control of their constructs. It usually happened during large-scale rituals and remained rather rare. Despite the distance and the chaos of spent mana, the signs were there. Mensur had had a spell blow up in her face. It had torched her conduits and who knew what else. It was a miracle she could still move and cast.


    Viv could reattach four limbs and genitals but she doubted anyone could repair that sort of damage.


    It did not take long for Sidjin to trap Mensur with transparent shackles. Those were still mana constructs, however and the woman unmade them with a burst of power.


    ¡°I see¡­ I see you have taken some of my lessons to heart,¡± she gasped.


    ¡°I have taken them all to heart. I lived according to my values.¡±


    More shackles clanged shut on her tall, ravaged frame.


    ¡°What values are there that would make you turn on your homeland? Why would you open her gates and leave her defenseless? How could you do this?¡± Mensur demanded, her back straight despite her inevitable defeat.


    For the first time in perhaps forever, Viv watched her loved one lose it. His face twisted with both anger and hurt. It made her mad at Mensur for being such a rabid twat. Could she not see she was being used? Her friend Gevaudan had a name for this sort of people: loyal stupid. Even Sidjin was having enough.


    ¡°Because Glastia betrayed its word! Because it failed to live to its standards, to its honor! Because nobody cared! That is why I acted! To save a people. Why can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°But not your people, and over three hundred mothers wept for their children because of the choice you made that day. I will not forfeit. Do what you have to do. Complete your apprenticeship.¡±


    ¡°I swore I would not raise my hand against you.¡±


    ¡°And I would like to know what your word is worth. Do it. Take me down.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. You have lost, Mensur. Give up.¡±


    ¡°Foolish child. I told you of duty and sacrifice, did I not? Of course you have forgotten.¡±


    The fallen prince seethed in silence for a while, then his gaze turned upward.


    ¡°Deos, this fight is over. Declare me the winner,¡± Sidjin demanded.


    The grotesque man finished his cup with slow detachment, drawing each gulp for seconds. His face split into a voracious grin,


    ¡°The rules are clear, prince. Until a combatant is either incapacitated or gives up, the fight goes on.¡±


    ¡°She is incapacitated!¡±


    ¡°Then why can she still cast spells hmmm?¡± Deos asked with mock curiosity.


    Below, Mensur had broken a shackle. One among dozens.


    ¡°I demand¡­ a draw,¡± Sidjin finally said.


    The crowd sniggered and jeered at the two blockheads. Viv seethed in her seat. He was being used. His sense of honor was being used against him and he was letting it happen.


    ¡°Idiot idiot idiot.¡±


    They cheated. They had to have cheated. They must have known Sidjin would come second, somehow. Viv glared at the distant form of Deos, whose job it was to make things ¡®interesting¡¯. He had set it up with Medjin. He was sure of it. Gods dammit.


    ¡°The arena master can declare a draw if two combatants are locked in a contest without end, or at least without end in sight. I will not hurt her and she cannot break out. I will stay there for days if I have to.¡±


    That idiot. Viv groaned and shoved her head between her hands, bemoaning her Sidjin¡¯s rigid sense of honor.


    ¡°You could just slap her really hard,¡± she bemoaned.


    ¡°He won¡¯t do it,¡± Sonagi said. ¡°He¡¯s inflexible like that. It¡¯s clear in his style.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    ¡°I will consent to it,¡± Deos announced. ¡°You may leave then, fallen prince.¡±


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re next then,¡± Sonagi said, and he stepped out of the lodge.


    Viv breathed in and out. It was fine. They were at one victory, one draw. If Sonagi won, they would move on. Probably forfeit in Aldus¡¯ favor. It would be fine.


    She looked on, numb, as the contestants were led out. Then she frowned when someone knocked on their door. It was a footman from the arena. Something in his posture raised alarms in her paranoid mind.


    ¡°We are waiting for your next contestant. Where is he?¡±


    Viv felt as if she¡¯d been suddenly immersed in a frozen lake.


    This was it. This was the sword of Damocles she¡¯d felt over her neck since the beginning of the competition. This was the fuckery that would lead to a cockup cascade. The scheming had begun. The foe had struck.


    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s Sonagi,¡± she said, refusing to accept the inevitable complication.


    ¡°There are no contestants waiting for your team.¡±


    Viv was on her feet before the man finished her sentence, then down the steps. She stopped at the gate. Sidjin sat by the entrance, having a private moment of miserable introspection.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Sonagi?¡± she demanded.


    Sidjin blinked and frowned. The question woke him up from his funk.


    ¡°What do you mean? He is not with you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fucking trap.¡±


    ¡°You have to produce a contestant. In the absence of contestant, your team will be considered to have forfeited. Your fourth may step in for the absentee,¡± the footman said with an air of innocence that Viv didn¡¯t trust one bit.


    ¡°You! You¡¯re in on this!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Please calm down, madam.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Viv,¡± Rakan said with confidence.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll surrender if I have to,¡± he stated.


    Viv watched the youngest member of their team with surprise.


    ¡°If it gets too tough or there is a close call, I¡¯ll surrender. I won¡¯t die here stupidly for this contest. You have my word. Find Sonagi. He¡¯ll win the last match for sure.¡±


    ¡°Ok but you promised.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back to us. We saw the rest of Medjin¡¯s team. They are professional frontline mages provided by the nobility. They won¡¯t kill me for sports. I¡¯ll forfeit as soon as I¡¯m getting cornered.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a hero,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t have to win. I just have to show up.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You go in and we find Sonagi.¡±


    ¡°You have a couple of minutes. See you soon,¡± Rakan said as he moved to the gate.


    The footman smiled and left at a brisk pace. Viv and Sidjin exchanged a glance. The prince spoke first.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow this man, you check the path from the lodge to here?¡±


    ¡°There is only one thing that could force Sonagi to go away.¡±


    ¡°His mother,¡± Sidjin realized.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go there. Meet at the lodge afterward.¡±


    They split, Viv running with adrenaline-fueled legs. The corridors blurred as she moved faster than an Olympian medalist. It still didn¡¯t feel fast enough. The guard at the entrance of the private quarters opened the door to let her in. Sidjin¡¯s mother¡¯s cell was empty. Her belongings were gone. There were no signs of a struggle.


    ¡°Sonagi¡¯s mother. Where is she?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Left a couple of minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°With whom?¡±


    ¡°With Sonagi, ma¡¯am,¡± the worried sentry said.


    Viv blinked.


    If her heart had been plunged in a lake before, now it resided at the bottom of the Styx. She climbed back to the lodge three steps at a time. The sun was setting, bathing the arena in a bloody tinge while a frigid wind froze the sweat off her brow. Medjin had brought his contestant forward. On the sand of the arena, Deos was finishing his introduction.


    ¡°¡ª no longer shackled by the sin of his past, my lark is free! The punishment for the death of a scion was lifted by the offended family this very morning. No longer will he have to fight for a foreign flag. No longer will he raise his hands in the service of a stranger! Tonight, ladies of gentlemen, Sonagi returns to the fold. He is free!¡±


    The crowd went wild at the comeback of their prodigal son. Sonagi looked good from up here, regal in the fashion of Helock under a crimson sash. His smile lacked the brittle quality it had kept during his recovery. There were no crow feet around his eyes or blemishes on his skin from years of substance abuse. He was radiant and scruffy, a rogue champion returned for a second chance. And the crowd gobbled it up, hook, line, and sinker. Banners spread across the lower rafters proclaiming their support for the ¡®elemental juggler¡¯. Throats screamed their adoration until they grew hoarse. Viv leaned on the railing, fingers gripping the cold wood like claws. Her breath hitched in her chest. She fought off tears, because she knew what was going to happen.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t do this to him,¡± she said


    There was no one to listen.


    Sonagi picked that moment to look up and shrug, a mocking smirk on his face. The spectators saw it. They laughed at Viv¡¯s expense, now that all their attention was suddenly on her.


    ¡°Let the fight¡­ begin!¡± Deos said.


    Viv considered jumping down but even if the shield didn¡¯t stop her, the rest of the arena would. She couldn¡¯t win against such numbers. The weight of her surroundings crushed her mind and that great circle of stone and sand now felt like a maw closing around her and she was already caught, already done for. Gravity and fate would finish what was already started. In that moment, there was nothing she could do but watch, knowing the end, knowing Rakan didn¡¯t stand a chance. The young man had trusted Sonagi. He had shared all his tricks with his teacher. There was nothing he could do that he hadn¡¯t demonstrated and explored in excruciating detail, no move he hadn¡¯t practiced until his core dried up and his fingers shook from constant effort. Sonagi knew Rakan inside out.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not funny!¡± Rakan pleaded.


    ¡°Show me what you learned, boy. It¡¯s your chance to shine!¡±


    The fight started with both casters on equal footing. Viv knew it was an illusion, of course. Sonagi knew his opponent so well that he could afford to dictate the pace of the fight for a better show.


    A part of Viv dissociated. Despite her reinforced mind now sharper and more focused than what the limits of the flesh could allow, there was a limit to what she could take. Mostly, Viv felt powerless.


    If there was one thing she hated, it was to feel powerless. She should not have focused on training so much. She should not have let Sidjin handle the preparation just because it was his city at stake. Now, all the training she¡¯d done to make sure Rakan would strive had been thrown away by one maneuver, one fatal blow that had come from a scheme she hadn¡¯t see coming. If only she¡¯d asked Solfis¡­ but it was too late. Unprepared. Sloppy. No, not sloppy.


    On the other side of the arena, Deos sat with his hands on his ample gut. A king in his domain.


    They¡¯d been fucked with. Sidjin could not have predicted this level of bullshit. The worst thing was, there would be no repercussions because recruiting contestants was legal and it would have been plausible for Medjin to guess their order. She was without recourse. And so was Rakan. The young man was pale, messy. His spellwork felt frayed to her expert perception despite the quick exchange of attacks just like she had seen hundreds of times before during training.


    ¡°Sonagi, what are you doing? Come on, snap out of it! Please!¡±


    ¡°Do I look impaired, boy?¡±


    ¡°What in the name of the Light Gods¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oops! Watch your left!¡±


    Sonagi, of course, attacked his right and scored a small gash on Rakan¡¯s reinforced robe. Its energy waned. Viv knew he could have attacked harder but that was not Sonagi¡¯s style. The man didn¡¯t want a victory. He wanted a spectacle to enshrine his return in the mind of his fans.


    Viv could not move from her vantage point, even if she had wanted to. Terror filled her veins. It was no longer a question of defeat. It was about how far Sonagi would go for a good performance.


    ¡°Rakan, give up!¡± she finally yelled.


    He¡¯d promised. Her voice sounded clear in her ears but suddenly, the sound of the cheering crowd grew louder, drowning her pleading under a tide of raucous calls.


    ¡°Rakan!¡±


    The very arena pushed her concerns away. It would not tolerate interference under the all-seeing gaze of its master Deos.


    ¡°That fucking¡­¡±


    It was useless. Rakan was too into it now, too emotional. His promise was forgotten. He did not do emotional very well. Sonagi danced around him like a ballerina around a toddler. He stopped attacks at the last second, dodged seemingly perfect strikes. He used tiny blue shields to block powerful fire blasts, the attack seemingly slowing as it approached the azure buckler. Each of Rakan¡¯s attempts were unmade before they could truly manifest. Once, Sonagi drew sigils at the same time as his student just to show he had countered him before the first part of the spell was even built. It was a humiliation.


    ¡°Just fucking stop,¡± Rakan said.


    ¡°Come on boy, I trained you better than that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Rakan feinted.


    Rakan never feinted since it was not in his mindset. Feinting required changing a spell mid-way. He had not trained for it. Sonagi had said it wasn¡¯t worth it at this stage. But Rakan did it anyway. A stone throw turned into a wall of earth. The young man jumped behind it, briefly disappearing from view and leaving his circle. For the first time, Sonagi focused. A projectile curved from behind the cover. It was gray, mostly, and charged with intent. Dangerous Sonagi stopped it as he always did with just the right amount of brown mana. This allowed the payload to carry on.


    Viv watched a pearl of black mana erupt from the brown shield. It was very little, barely larger than a pearl. Maybe that¡¯s why Sonagi didn¡¯t see it.


    In a way, Rakan knew his opponent just as well. Sonagi never used a safety margin. He was that confident.


    The gobbet of black mana clipped Sonagi in the jaw. Dark splotches spread over his smooth cheek but it was not charged with the meaning of annihilation, the way Viv used it. The riposte was immediate and definitive. A focused beam of red slammed into the wall, torching it, piercing it. Viv saw Rakan throw himself to the ground just as she knew he wouldn¡¯t do it in time. The focused lance slammed into his torso like a pin through cork.


    Viv was out of the lodge before he finished collapsing.


    ¡°Nice try,¡± Sonagi said, ¡°but I care about my image quite a bit, you see,¡± Sonagi taunted at her back.


    Weird how she could see every stone in the walls with such precision, despite how little it mattered. She grabbed the vial around her neck. It was the potion she had found on the lich and that could hold death at bay for a moment, allowing a victim to live until healing could be applied. The plan had been to use it on herself. That plan had changed. She hoped it had changed. Any human from earth would be dead by now, but perhaps¡­ He probably had decent endurance, what with crossing the desert. She could only wish.


    Viv was not supposed to cast in the arena outside of a fight but she still shadow stepped to the antechamber. Fuck the rules.


    The footman opened the gate to let her through. Her feet pounded the sand. There were already arena hirelings with a stretcher. Rakan had his hands over a hole under the left lung. Entry wound cauterized but not deep. Little blood. No exit wound. Massive trauma.


    ¡°So¡­ sorry. Sorry!¡± Rakan said.


    Viv used the opportunity of an open mouth to shove the potion through his blood-tinged teeth, dripping droplets down his gullet. Hopefully, that would suffice. She inspected his wound. It was so¡­ and she didn¡¯t have her kit. He should be dead.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do. So she took his hand. He gripped it.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ forgot the promise.¡±


    ¡°And Medjin moves on to the next stage with two victories, one draw, and a loss!¡± a distant voice said with glee.


    Maybe she could pray to Neriad? For a miracle?


    ¡°I got it,¡± Sidjin said by her side. ¡°Priest on the way. You two, GET MOVING.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s aura of intimidation flared and it was something to behold. Viv didn¡¯t expect it. The orderlies lifted Rakan with haste while Sidjin cast simple, life-based spells to stabilize Rakan. The wound took a pinkish hue.


    Viv was left behind. There wasn¡¯t a speck of life mana in her core.


    She also felt the gaze of the crowd as they finally got their blood. But not death. Rakan would make it. He had to.


    The gate closed behind her. She had walked in a daze, unaware of her surroundings. The stretcher was out of sight, not that she could do shit except be in the way. Her own magic flared in answer to her powerful emotions, looking for an outlet that she could not allow herself to find. Steps approached. Sonagi was coming, with Medjin and Deos not far behind. Another violation of the rule of the arena, and again, not one that was serious enough to matter in the grand scheme of things.


    Viv¡¯s pain struck her dumb rather than making her angry. The dull ache in her chest that came with black mana devouring her from the inside only compounded the icy grasp of grief and disbelief gouging her heart now. That was why her first and only word was a question to Sonagi.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Not why, or how, or insults. No anger, not yet. She just hadn¡¯t reached that stage. And yet, Sonagi mistook it for a personal question. Or perhaps he had been waiting for that moment. She couldn¡¯t be sure. His words reached her as if through water. They sounded distorted.


    ¡°You think I owe you? You think you saved me by making me work every day to train you like some indentured servant? You think you were doing me a favor by inciting me to that shithole of a city, far from everything, to serve your interests and labor for you until I die? Because you have not solved my situation at all. You just want to take me away to replace their collar for yours. I know how you work. You pick talented lost puppies like the boy and act a little nicely. They eat from your benevolent hands, oh dear ruler, so happy to have someone finally tell them how great they are. Cheap and convenient labor is what you get. But I¡¯m not some Hallurian bumpkin, Viv the Kingslayer. I¡¯m Sonagi, the champion. And I¡¯m back. If you were a little smarter you would have seen it coming. After all, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±


    He leaned forward until his breath made Viv¡¯s hair flutter ever so slightly. His eyes were wide, manic. His traits were so furiously intense.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get back to this hell. I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll do almost anything for a proper way out.¡±


    Viv¡¯s enhanced mind conjured images of a smiling Sonagi during training. He had felt more brittle and hollow then, but he had already been planning his betrayal. What hurt Viv the most was that Sonagi had been talking about Rakan, the boy. How the young exile had given the redeemed duelist a purpose. And that whole time he meant to turn against them.


    Grins appeared around Viv¡¯s shocked form. Medjin smiled with the smug satisfaction of someone who had so thoroughly outplayed his opponent. Deos lapped at the enfolding scene with the vulgar pleasure of a thrill seeker watching a train wreck. They feasted on her pain. They enjoyed it, she realized. They enjoyed seeing her down. What had she ever done to warrant such hostility?


    ¡°And I found that way out. I contacted the Virg family. You know, those whose scion fell by my hand. They were only too happy to cut a deal with Medjin and bring low a certain foreign upstart they¡¯d seen strut through their cities as if the pavement belonged to her. They know you moved the underworld, somehow. In a way, this is about you. You only have yourself to blame.¡±


    He still didn¡¯t get it and Viv realized she needed him to see, to understand. This was not a matter of culture anymore. This was about the heart of what made humanity. The core values that drove them all to strive for the best and to train the younger generations so they could do it as well. It was about found families. Friendship. Loyalty.


    ¡°Rakan, Sonagi. It¡¯s about him, not me. You didn¡¯t have to do that to him. You didn¡¯t have to break him. Because you did break him. He was just a boy.¡±


    ¡°Then he may consider this my last lesson. We are done.¡±


    Power exploded from Viv¡¯s form. Black wings burst from her back, cutting the light of braseros and forcing a gasp in the guards. Deos stumbled back, as did Medjin. His guards cast hasty shield with terror. Even Sonagi, so cocky a moment earlier, even he took a step back. But Viv felt calm and in control. She was angry, yes, but it was a thing of the void. It hungered and gripped her with claws of burning ice. Darkness crept along the edges of the room until even the light of the sun felt like a distant thing, and the caress of heat a forgotten dream from before long ago, when entropy had not won yet.


    Viv was furious. No, she was filled with acid hatred that gnawed at her. She let the emotion course through her mind but she did not give it control. That was fine. Everything was fine. She was going to¡­ to make things right.


    ¡°Oh no, I do not think we are done.¡±


    The plates of solid black mana rolled over her form until scales formed and the low hiss of disintegration became the only sound in the black pit this antechamber had become.


    ¡°There are guards everywhere, Viviane. You will not make it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rakan is not a game piece.¡±


    Even Sonagi quieted. Footsteps rushed as more guards entered the room, but no one spoke. They just froze where they were. Viv would have cut them down where they stood if they¡¯d tried to touch her.


    ¡°It was not a game for him. You should not have come after mine. Not like this. So, you want to be a legend? You will be. I will make you into a legend. Everyone will remember the way you died.¡±


    Viv pulled back the aura, the magic, everything. She felt the salty prick of tears in her eyes from either grief or rage, she could not tell.


    ¡°See you very soon.¡±


    Viv walked out and made her way to Aldus¡¯ room. She would wait by Rakan¡¯s side later. First, she had a bargain to strike.

 Chapter 137: Remember me

    ¡°Prince Aldus will see you now.¡±


    Viv stood and entered the lodge, ignoring the careful gazes of two war mages in the yellow uniforms of the Glastian military. She wondered if she should have changed but decided she didn¡¯t give two shits. Let them see the blood-stained, singed robe and remember who wore it. She found herself in an antechamber with staff and aides, all of them standing at the side, all of them quiet. She moved to a bedroom.


    Although the arena kept its lodgings sober for the contestants, Aldus had managed to make the place comfortable with a few rugs and carefully placed trinkets. The prince sat on a large seat, flanked by bodyguards, Viv assumed those war mages were his two prime contestants. They didn¡¯t look very pleased with her presence, but she guessed they had good reasons.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said in a perfunctory manner. Her voice was broken, low, the words empty.


    ¡°Thanks for having me on such short notice. I want to face Sonagi in the arena.¡±


    Aldus didn¡¯t seem surprised. He felt regal in his elaborate uniform and flawless appearance. She gave him no credit. A child could tell what was on her mind right now. To her surprise, it was his first who answered. He was a genius gray mage with a distant demeanor. Viv gave him a good chance to take down Sonagi if he had a few tricks up his sleeve. The others were simply not that good, however. She knew she could take them without much trouble. Aldus had brought soldiers, not duelists.


    ¡°You are angry and we understand that. Glastians are all accustomed to grief. I feel for you, yet we know what anger can lead to. You will make mistakes. You will use your resources too quickly.¡±


    He took a step to the side, looking out the window towards the sea in the distance. The prince let him have his moment.


    ¡°What we are fighting for is not greed or revenge. It is nothing short of the fate of Glastia and its people. Each candidate holds a strong vision of what the city would be, should be once the tide finally recedes, which will be soon. Medjin has sold¡ª¡±


    ¡°Myr,¡± the prince warned.


    His champion cleared his throat.


    ¡°My apologies. Medjin¡¯s view cannot reconcile with what we want, which is a peaceful future for a city that has known unceasing war for far too long. We cannot afford to leave the fate of so many to chance and last minute, rage-filled additions. You are an unknown. You are¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not an unknown,¡± Viv said, finally out of patience. ¡°You have seen what I can do. I¡¯m better than your seconds.¡±


    The man still by Aldus¡¯ side bristled. Viv glared at him.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m right. I might even be better than you. If you have any doubt about my ability we can step into a private training room and¡­ have a go or two.¡±


    ¡°The result of a fight against a gray mage in an enclosed space is¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just making excuses. You doubt my abilities? Let¡¯s see you put your core where your mouth¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Aldus said.


    Viv felt the wave of calm expanding from Aldus like a cold breeze. She recognized a social skill of some sort and considered resisting but there was no malice here, no threat. Just a polite request not to let emotions take over. A part of her suspected it was an act that both Aldus and his champion Myr had done plenty of times and if it was the case, it was working pretty well.


    ¡°My friend Myr is right when he says that your emotions might get the better of you.¡±


    In answer, Viv let her soul show its true color as well. Not just leadership but intimidation, though it was colder here. Neutral. Her vengeance spoke of patience and careful preparations, of a serpentine self-control as unyielding as winter in the service of delayed, controlled violence.


    ¡°You do not know who I am so I believe I will remind you. Because of an Enorian prince¡¯s greed, my city was violated. My beloved was slain and her body dumped into the deadlands to rise as a revenant. I did not accept that this was the way of the world and that he was a prince and I''m a nobody. I did not rush headlong to a suicidal assassination attempt. I built an army. I resurrected a nation. We took back our city. We waged a savage war against veterans of thirty years of war and sent them home in wooden boxes. So no, I do not let my emotions get the better of me, I harness them, I use them, and when the time comes¡­ I get even. Always.¡±


    The unspoken part was the punishment she¡¯d inflicted on Lancer. That, the others knew. She was sure of it.


    ¡°I have a place to handle Sonagi. Not just that but if I lose you are still ahead because he remains one of the competition¡¯s most dangerous contestants. As you are, you may stop Sonagi but your second will lose against Kos the lava mage. Even then it is not a sure thing.¡±


    The two war mages scowled but they did not object, at least not immediately.


    ¡°Sir, we don¡¯t need her. She¡¯s just a mad dog!¡±


    The second finally had enough. His words didn¡¯t sway Aldus, however.


    ¡°We may receive help from the bone witch. Shaya and I always knew we had much in common. Nevertheless¡­¡±


    ¡°Kos could easily defeat her. His speciality is area defense and denial. She could not stop the heat.¡±


    Myr took a step forward, robes swishing. She could tell another rant was coming and prepared to withstand the torrent of pointless banter. To her surprise, Aldus put a stop to that.


    ¡°There is more that we have not told you. As you know, each candidate is allowed a single spelled item.¡±


    ¡°Most choose a focus, yes.¡±


    ¡°The Virg family granted him their most powerful heirloom as a blessing since they decided to support him. While I cannot say that I approve sponsoring the murderer of a family member, I have to admit that their support will prove¡­ concerning.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the heirloom?¡±


    ¡°A multi-cored gauntlet.¡±


    ¡°What? I thought it was extremely hard to even get two cores in the same item!¡±


    ¡°This one has four, albeit small ones. They offer a mix of all primary elemental colors which works perfectly well for Sonagi. Worse, since the cores are small, the enchantment is designed for quick recharge. He will be able to keep casting for far longer than usual.¡±


    ¡°His main weakness has always been relatively weak reserves.¡±


    ¡°And they just eliminated it.¡±


    The mages stood with their heads bent. For all their bluster, they knew Sonagi to be formidable. Now that he had received a way to shore up his only flaw, their prospects had gone from hazardous to doomed. The duelist was just too efficient, too precise.


    ¡°I had an idea on how to handle him anyway. This doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±


    ¡°You seem rather confident,¡± Aldus said. ¡°Are you not having second thoughts?¡±


    Viv leaned forward, her face close to the prince¡¯s. His bodyguards stood closer but they didn¡¯t stop her.


    ¡°As I said before, everyone here seems to have forgotten who I really am. I¡¯ll remind them all, starting with Sonagi.¡±


    ¡°Then I accept you within my ranks. Do you not wish for anything in return?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Sidjin to discuss the details with you.¡±


    ¡°Is it wise to offer the reward before the negotiations even started?¡±


    Viv was about to walk out but she turned at his comment.


    ¡°Is it wise to fuck me over? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out shortly.¡±


    ***


    Deos, Viv decided, was a happy cat. A sated, cruel predator relaxing after his little display of power and control. The obese man reclined in his chair while an attendant massaged his oiled feet, a small meal of fruits left untouched at the side. He did not invite Viv to sit and she didn¡¯t ask. There were no chairs around.


    ¡°And to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± the man said with a knowing smile.


    Viv swallowed her anger. He had set Sidjin against his mentor and lost them the competition for a bit of drama. He had also most likely facilitated Sonagi¡¯s betrayal. She would get to him in time. For now, she needed to make sure all the pieces aligned. There would be time for recovery and licking one¡¯s wound later. Right now, getting even had the priority. Time wasn¡¯t on her side if she wanted to face the change without regret. So she gave him her most affable expression.


    ¡°You will be delighted to know that I have joined Aldus¡¯ team.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the man replied without a hint of surprise. ¡°What a pleasant development.¡±


    He stopped there, waiting for her to take the first step. She obliged.


    ¡°Team order can be reshuffled whenever the team itself changes. We will be submitting a new one very soon.¡±


    ¡°Stop! Isea darling, thanks for your time.¡±


    Deos signaled and the massage lady walked out as fast as could be polite. Two guards by the door also left after a lazy handwave.


    ¡°It sounds like you were going to ask me something extremely, extremely illegal.¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort, we are talking hypotheticals,¡± Viv replied with a smile.


    ¡°Hypotheticals do not count in front of a jury of the city¡¯s elders, young tart. You are asking me to take an enormous risk!¡± He said.


    Deos picked a nearby glass and drank thoughtfully. He was being a little heavy-handed in asking for a bribe, she thought. He probably thought her a bot provincial.


    ¡°Not such a big risk. If someone were to doubt you, they would have already done so after Sidjin met his mentor upon the sand. It was a risky move on Medjin¡¯s part, would you not agree? Hurt as she was, she would have lost against virtually anyone else.¡±


    ¡°You are implying much without any sort of proof.¡±


    ¡°Why talk about proof? We are still talking about hypotheticals. You know what I find unbelievable? That Medjin would place her as second.¡±


    The two glare at each other for a while.


    ¡°Medjin¡¯s an arrogant prick. We met. He had an extremely poor opinion of me, yet he somehow anticipated that Sidjin would give me the first position? How¡­ clever of him. Why, if I had not experienced it myself, I would never have believed it.¡±


    ¡°The arena can work miracles. Turn cowards into snakehounds and doddering idiots into tactical geniuses.¡±


    ¡°I would hope so. I do so wish to provide the arena with the greatest show it has seen yet in this otherwise tame contest. Adversary against adversary. Revolutionary against traitor. Would that not be amazing? Ah, but I can only wish.¡±


    Deos breathed in. She waited. When he spoke, any attempt at pleasantness was gone.


    ¡°Sonagi will wipe that smirk off your face. I¡¯ll pay him thirty gold talents to kill you on the sand. Tear off your tongue so you can¡¯t surrender.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cheap. Constable Tarano paid three times that amount just for information. Before I killed him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy seeing you put down in your place, Miss Viv. You know where the door is. See yourself out.¡±


    ***


    Viv had seen people mangled by explosives before. On Nyil, people were part magic. Reality bent to accommodate them, their dreams, their vows. Even their deaths. Back home, people were just the meat that formed them and she had seen plenty of that after explosives were used. It had horrified her. Rakan was not one of those victims. He was whole with the gash closed by expert healers. Surgeons would find nothing amiss except for exhaustion and anemia, and yet he was the most wounded individual Viv had seen because the hurt reached a part of the young Hallurian she didn¡¯t know how to fix.


    His core was bleeding.


    Mages of his level gathered mana without thinking about it. He was doing the same as well as creating his own and it escaped from his chest as quickly as it formed in a loose stream of energy, like air leaking from a space shuttle. A shimmering cloud of colors spread around him in a breathtaking display of metaphysical lights. Under that, his body was empty. A pierced cask. Viv was reminded of the punishments of the Danaides, condemned by Zeus to fill a sieve with water for all of eternity. The difference was that they¡¯d killed their husbands on their wedding nights while Rakan had trusted a friend.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I fucked up.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t, we were betrayed. I didn¡¯t see it coming. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Viv cut immediately.


    Rakan¡¯s eyes were hooded and desperate. They didn¡¯t address the elephant in the room. Rakan¡¯s days as a star caster were done. No one could cast without mana. There were workarounds, of course¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t pull mana anymore!¡±


    ¡°You can do it from a focus. It¡¯s not all over.¡±


    ¡°He crippled me.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Once again, Viv¡¯s anger surged until she choked on it. Sonagi had hurt the kid. Their junior. He¡¯d done it for show. The¡­ the sheer audacity of this gnawed at her guts. Patience though, patience.


    She had something special in mind for him.


    ¡°Why? Did he say why?¡±


    Viv sighed. She wasn¡¯t good at these sorts of things. There were probably better things to say.


    ¡°He¡­ Look, what he did makes no sense to you and little sense to me. And that¡¯s how it is. It would be nice if mankind was made of rational actors and if we could reach the same conclusion by looking at the same thing but it¡¯s not the case. And then there are the fuckups. Some people are just twisted. They do things that don¡¯t make sense and they sabotage themselves and ruin the lives of the people around them. I got to admit, I didn¡¯t see that one coming at all so I apologize. I¡¯m more experienced and he still blindsided me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°No. No, it''s not. But you¡¯re my responsibility and I failed us so¡­¡±


    ¡°You were busy as well. Still dying?¡±


    ¡°More than ever, I guess. I know you can¡¯t help it but just try to forget him as a friend. He is to blame for his decisions. Your sister is here, by the way. The healers had to sedate her. She tried to stab them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just like her. I should see her. Tell her¡­ tell her I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°You will. We¡¯ll find a way. Even if we don¡¯t, you¡¯re one of us now and forever.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Okay. You should talk to Sidjin. He¡¯s probably feeling sorry about himself right now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all. Right, I¡¯ll wake up your sibling.¡±


    Viv walked away from the bed, freezing a second later.


    ¡°Viv?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Do you think¡­ Do you think that I could have done something different? Something more? Maybe ¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t take responsibility for other adults¡¯ actions. We all make our choices, alright? We will live with ours.¡±


    Sonagi wouldn¡¯t get that luxury. Viv walked out and notified the healers that Tarana could see her brother. She whipped past them like a fury. Viv was completely ignored as she found Sidjin sitting on a bench with flaking blood covering his eyes to the elbows. He was a wreck.


    ¡°Sidjin, wake up.¡±


    ¡°I am here.¡±


    ¡°You need to get cleaned up and then cut a deal with Aldus. I¡¯ll be part of his roster. Sorry but you don¡¯t get a say in the matter.¡±


    The fallen prince stared with hollow eyes. She¡¯d not seen him so guarded since the first days they had met, back when the ruin of his body limited everything.


    ¡°You can say it if you want. You were right and I was wrong and now they have maimed him.¡±


    ¡°Sidjin, it¡¯s done. There is nothing I can do that will hurt you more than the guilt you¡¯re already feeling. I don¡¯t really want to kick you while you¡¯re down and, if I have to be honest, I was just as surprised as you were. So. This one isn¡¯t on you. Pick yourself back up and go see Aldus. I can¡¯t afford a moping prince right now. Kind of busy.¡±


    ¡°Revenge?¡±


    ¡°Working on it.¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°You get the first shot. If you don¡¯t get him I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry Sidjin. It¡¯s first come first served.¡±


    ***


    Viv moved through the motions with focus. Anger was nice and all but Sonagi was dangerous to begin with and now he had a quasi artifact to keep him going. She was not allowed to make mistakes. The familiarity of the flowing patterns calmed her and plunged her in a sea of concentration. Her rage and grief felt more distant here, and so was the distant call of her impending doom. Without the fruit offered by the nascent elemental, her body would have already started to fail. As it was, she could still feel a tightness in her chest, a fever in her bones. It was only a matter of weeks now. Days, perhaps. At the same time, she had never been so powerful. Black mana was an extension of herself, answering her every demand with an ease she had never felt before. She was eager to test her limits.


    A knock on her door broke her immersion. She was standing in her personal quarters in the arena, small rooms meant for individual fighters. Unvarnished furniture offered the only comfort over the rough sandstone of the walls. There was no need to make the place more comfortable. She had nobody to impress.


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    A pair of staff members carried a heavy crate between the two of them. They came in at her gesture, dropping the heavy load between them.


    ¡°Delivery for you ma¡¯am. We haven¡¯t checked the contents yet so¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what¡¯s in there. You may leave.¡±


    ¡°But your security...¡±


    ¡°I am as safe as can be right now. Thank you.¡±


    The pair left. Viv had not lied. She was really safe right now.


    ¡°Come on out.¡±


    Solfis deployed from the small container with ghastly majesty, his yellow glare inspecting the room before landing on Viv.


    //Your Grace.


    //I felt your distress.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    //Status update.


    //Please.


    Viv did. She explained what had happened and then her plan for Sonagi. Maybe they had spent too much time apart because she was unable to pick any reaction from the bone construct.


    ¡°You alright there Solfis?¡±


    //I am operating at peak capacity.


    //First, I would like to apologize.


    //This incident confirms that I am unable to anticipate treachery among your entourage.


    //This is the second time I failed you in this regard.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, I never meant for you to be my spymaster.¡±


    //We will need to recruit one.


    //A loyal one.


    //There was something else.


    //I am being tracked.


    //Earth magic has been used throughout the Helock underground in the past seventy-six hours.


    //It appears the attempt is to locate someone or something.


    //I presume it might be me.


    ¡°Is it Elunath?¡±


    //I believe it is the case.


    //As to what he knows and plans to do, I can only hypothesize.


    //It would be best if I stayed with you and above ground until your next meeting.


    ¡°Sure. I hope he¡¯s just fishing.¡±


    //Agreed.


    //For now, book a training room, Your Grace.


    //We need to conduct tests to see if your plan can work.


    //I have to admit.


    //I really like it.


    ¡°Too bad it can only work here.¡±


    //I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.


    ***


    Sidjin was feeling miserable. Miserable and guilty. The enclosed space reminded him of his cell from the hell his life had been. It smelled better. There was that.


    He did not react when a tall frame squatted silently by his side.


    ¡°What do you want, machine of death?¡±


    //Is our little princeling feeling sorry for himself?


    Sidjin glared but he was grateful for the distraction.


    ¡°Since when do you use sarcasm?¡±


    //My creator personally enhanced my sarcasm module.


    //I have developed it over the centuries.


    //I will state I have not come here to talk about me.


    //However exciting the topic may be.


    //I will talk about you.


    ¡°And my fuckups?¡±


    //Precisely.


    //The fuckup that started eight hours ago.


    Sidjin blinked. It was early morning outside the walls. The pale light of a winter aurora colored the world outside a dull gray. His breath clouded the windows with condensation.


    Eight hours was after¡­ after he¡¯d stabilized Rakan.


    Gods, the young man didn¡¯t deserve that.


    //Someone as experienced as you should already understand it.


    //However, this does not look like a wall and the problem does not look like a beastling tide so I understand that your feeble organic brain might be confused.


    //The crisis is not over.


    //It will only be over once we have safely left the arena.


    //Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°You need me to kill Sonagi?¡± he asked with a mixture of terror and hope.


    //No you dimwit.


    //I need you to stop moping.


    //Offer her assistance.


    //Barring that, offer her company.


    //Barring that, plan.


    //Act.


    //Or at the very least, sleep.


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±


    //Try harder.


    //Alternatively, I could assist.


    The golem clenched his horrifying slicers into a fist. It looked like a bone mace and screamed ¡®blunt for trauma¡¯.


    ¡°No thank you.¡±


    //Be here for her.


    //Weakling.


    ¡°I appreciate your encouraging words. I am concerned about her. Maybe I should go at him first¡­¡±


    //Oh no.


    //No no no.


    //I see you still do not understand, meatbag.


    //So I will state it for you.


    //Do you know what is the hardest thing to do for a pure black caster?


    ¡°Healing?¡±


    //Holding back.


    The golem stood. Sidjin found there was something fascinating about the way it moved, human at times and so alien at others. He wondered how Viv could ever relax in the creature¡¯s presence. It was a centuries-old construct from an empire known for its ruthlessness, not a damn butler. And it was mad. Or at least operating far beyond what it was designed to do. Exhaustion muddled his thoughts. He found himself drawn in the twin baleful glare of the golem¡¯s optics.


    //Her Grace has always worked best when she discarded her petty concerns and focused on the objective.


    //As is the case now.


    //She has no need to consider politics and the risk of being too bloodthirsty at this point.


    //She can finally¡­ let go.


    //And the solution she has found is so elegant, so appropriate.


    //I am quite proud.


    //When the time comes, you will sit in your lodge and bear witness to my mistress delivering Harrakan greetings to this city.


    //I have heard reports that the Helockians do not like her much.


    //They believe she is a pushy, arrogant upstart.


    //They have forgotten the truth of this world.


    //I have trained her in the ancient ways of the greatest civilization this continent has ever seen.


    //She was born for magic.


    //In a few hours, they will remember that their positions and titles mean nothing beyond the tiny halls of their manors.


    //There is only vision.


    //And the power to carry it out.


    //My mistress has decreed that Sonagi shall die a memorable death.


    //They will remember it.


    //And they will remember her.


    //I simply cannot wait.


    ***


    It was now the morning of the second day of the tournament. It was also a rest day for Helockians, and so crowds had gathered in the massive arena in unprecedented numbers, glutting around heating pillars and sellers of warm tea. Yesterday had ended on a high note with a nice betrayal, a fallen son of Helock rising from the ashes, and an upstart humiliated. Or so they¡¯d been told by the whispers falling from the upper rafters, crumbs of intrigue to feast on. Sidjin had been thoroughly outplayed with his menagerie of outcasts. The outlander had tasted defeat at the hand of a clever opponent. Shaya had fallen too. Order would return to Glastia now that the choice was between a champion of the military or a champion of the nobility. No mercenary queen and no race traitor would sit on the throne. Order had prevailed! There were even rumors that something unexpected would happen.


    Group by group, the spectators would look at the distant, rotund shape of Deos sitting on his crown wrapped in lush covers like a precious egg. They would see his wide smile and the goblet waiting in his ham fist, untouched for now. He seemed pleased. That was a good thing, right? And so the people turned back to their neighbors to speculate what could possibly come to add the permon fruit on top of an already pleasant distraction.


    In the antechamber of the lodge gate, Viv waited. She would be first. Solfis had gone on a small expedition late at night to make sure everything would be ordered as intended. The golem had mentioned that he didn¡¯t have to use violence, so her argument had been convincing. Deos knew his crowd wanted closure after yesterday¡¯s slap. He hoped for the phoenix to finish his ascent by slaying she who would cage him. Solfis had reported that part of the crowd wanted Sonagi to pay for what he had done to his apprentice, but that was a minority. Humans on Nyil rooted for their side first, and justice second.


    That was fine.


    It was going to be fine. She felt confident. The same poison coursing through her veins was going to push her to new heights.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Sidjin said.


    He squeezed her hand but his gaze was calm. He did not doubt her.


    ¡°You can return to Rakan¡¯s side if you want,¡± she said.


    The fallen prince shook his head.


    ¡°He is in no danger and his sister is here for him. I¡¯ll be here for you.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Thanks Sidjin. I will be right back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it!¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Viv replied with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡±


    ¡°A line?¡±


    Viv shrugged and left through the opening and the wan winter light reflected on cold sand. The familiar hubbub of the mass welcomed her, some booing the one who dared stand against their newest champion. Sonagi already stood on the grounds, looking regal in his modified protective robe wearing the red of Helock. Viv spotted the massive glove around his hand though the duelist made it look like a bling accessory. A hazy cloud of many colors of mana expanded from the item in a floral aurora that merged with Sonagi¡¯s own. It really was the perfect tool for him. She stopped in her designed circle just as Deos finished her introduction.


    ¡°But will a heart full of vengeance be enough when we face the prodigy? The four-colors champion of Helock returned to fame for a second time!¡±


    Sonagi spoke up first. It was his moment after all.


    ¡°I harbor no ill will now that I am free again. Your pupil has survived. It is time for you to let go of your anger and return to your home in far Enoria. Do not let vengeance consume you because it is not worth the cost. If you stand against me, I will face you with my full might. You are a worthy opponent. I will have no choice.¡±


    He stopped and spread his arms like a benevolent contestant. A winning smile gave him an aura of indulgence, of patient forgiveness. Viv could leave intact if only she let go. She vaguely wondered if he had accepted Deos¡¯ proposal to kill her here. He knew of course that she would not and could not simply walk away. This was just another play in the oldest of games: pred-bloodshed banter.


    ¡°I do not banter with dead men.¡±


    There, simple and to the point. Sonagi smiled and it felt genuine to her. He really believed he would win. The crowd booed and aahed in anticipation for what was shaping up to be a fight to the death.


    A sense of utter calm came over Viv. There was no stress at all. No pressure. She let go of her worries. Rakan was stable while his condition could only improve. Harrak was safe under Lady Azar¡¯s attention. She had a plan to turn part elemental. The world would only bring more challenges for her to face but right now, there was nothing to fear. Just the sand, the pale sun, and Sonagi. The man who had broken Rakan for money and fame. In a way, it felt liberating. No need to stress about political repercussions and whatnot since she had already decided what to do. Her reality now narrowed down to just the shield-contained area they stood in.


    She breathed in the cold air perfumed with dust and old blood.


    It was time.


    ¡°You may begin.¡±


    ¡°Glastian trenches!¡±


    Sonagi pushed himself back with a blast of air, then plunged in a depression in the sand that quickly turned into a network of ditches. The sand yawned then changed, flat ground turned into striated gaps where he could hide at ease.


    Viv changed half of the arena into a disc of nightmarish fangs and tentacles arching back towards her like the maw of some demented sand worm around a perfect circle, just where she stood. Several casts of eldritch walls at once molded the place as she saw fit. The very sand changed, turning dark and pitted like volcanic stone. She set out to draw sigils on the ground with a use of telekinesis. Each one was etched like a jagged wound bleeding only darkness. She cast a glance at several fireballs raining dawn from the other side of the arena.


    ¡°Aegis. Durandal.¡±


    Most of the projectiles pinged on her defenses, but there was a powerful one hidden among the dregs that she detonated mid air. It was typical of Sonagi to use decoys and misdirection. A flash of mana near a trench signaled his presence but it was bait and Viv didn¡¯t bite. She carved one symbol after another on the ground with a jeweler¡¯s patience. The air suddenly tasted stale in her mouth. Another attack. She vented mana to disrupt a subtle gray construct designed to make her choke. Her work resumed. Another flash of mana persisted and this one she could not ignore.


    ¡°Astra.¡±


    Even as she kept working, a wave of black orbs flew to the concentration. The detonation sent plumes of sand and dust in the air. The edge of a circle formed on the ground. A cast of eldritch wall destabilized it, making the spell fail. Some subterranean attack hit the eldritch walls¡¯ outer layer and failed. The ground was too soaked with black mana to be a conduit for such attacks, as Sonagi should have guessed. Colors faded around her while power sang in her chest. It was cold and spicy, lethal, yet familiar. Intimate. It was so much hers, this poison. The last sigil appeared with a wave of her hand. More attacks landed on her shield then another wall formed at the far end. Sonagi figured she would not come out and play so he had to force her out. He was a little late.


    ¡°Deadland domain.¡±


    The walls of the arena faded to a sickly yellow.


    ***


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What is she doing?¡± Deos asked his head assistant.


    The mage frowned. Deos lent his spyglass and was ignored. It wasn¡¯t needed.


    ¡°This is a blasphemous reversal of the Academy¡¯s work. While the original was designed to purge the edge of the deadlands on contamination, this one does the exact opposite.¡±


    ¡°Speak plainly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absorbing all the magic inside of the arena to turn it into black mana. Excuse me, I must see to the containment shields.¡±


    ***


    A ray of change to make the wall hers. A blast of annihilation to pierce it. Viv pounded Sonagi¡¯s defenses, forcing him to expend large amounts of energy to reverse the contamination or risk being skewered. He adapted by moving his circle to avoid the blasted areas. It was an impressive display of control but not one without cost. She could follow him around as he dug like a mole. Her core was ablaze. Black mana sang tempting whispers in her ears, ravaged and blessed her conduits as it surged to follow her every will. The dance was intoxicating. She intercepted projectiles and blocked others. Disruption became the name of the game and what a wonderful dance it all was. Any of Sonagi¡¯s spells could kill her on impact if they landed so they did not land. Glassed sand, molten sand, puddles of hungering liquids peppered the ground between them but none had reached the circle.


    ¡°Harrakan domain.¡±


    A second circle appeared around the first. Something hissed at the edge of her hearing. Her soul warned her that something immaterial was bleeding in or out. She wasn¡¯t sure. It didn¡¯t matter.


    Sonagi finally finished his own attack.


    A lance of pure red energy thrust through the arena, air blurring from the incandescent heat. Viv formed her shield into a sharpened cone. It met the beam at the edge of the infused sand and was immediately pushed back. The deflected energy scored deep gashes against the walls, the ground, even the barriers above which stopped it in a haze of colors. A world away, people gasped and yelped before the titanic display. Temperature inside the arena immediately increased until sweat peeled on Viv¡¯s brow but it was done. She had redirected the beam.


    It had destroyed her spell, however.


    ¡°Out of time!¡± a mocking voice said from behind cover.


    Viv disintegrated the steaming glass, reformed her circle and drew the missing glyphs once again.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Deadland domain.¡±


    Black mana roared out faster than before into the dry air, down into the darkening sand. It crawled around the edges of the shield, testing it, gnawing at the stone. It explored the limits of its prison. Viv¡¯s side of the circle was now a monochrome slashed by scars of pure void, reaching, despoiling, and expanding. Always expanding. The pit of her circle drank the very life around it and spat back a promise. Viv stood in the middle of that vortex feeling the world at her fingertips, flinging curses that could pierce a tank¡¯s armor without so much as moving. None of what Sonagi tossed at her left a dent now that smaller spells fizzled before they could ever land. He tried to bait her with openings. He tried to bluff her with mirages of mighty spells. She knew him, his style, his strengths. There was no need for her to engage him in a contest of wit. Not when she could crush him instead.


    ¡°Harrakan domain.¡±


    She felt more than saw another beam coming and placed her shield farther. She formed a thick wedge with such ease she was tempted to stop using sigils just to see if the black mana would move by will alone. It was so easy to displace the beam of radiant fury so it carved the arena¡¯s wall instead of her circle. In desperation, Sonagi sent a veritable avalanche of sand on her circle, drawing deeply into his focus. She merely made the eldritch soil climb higher until the tide fell back.


    Sonagi charged her. He threw everything he had left in a frontal attack. Stones, shards of ice, sprays of water, invisible blades, fireballs. The torrent met her own werfer and pushed it back, deeper into the darkened land. She spotted a glimmer of hope in Sonagi¡¯s gaze. Foolish. He should have known better. Viv was merely putting most of her attention in her circle.


    She saw his despair when the third layer activated.


    ¡°Palace domain.¡±


    Black mana exploded. Sonagi¡¯s spells were snuffed out. Power flooded the farthest reaches of the field in a tide of hungering energies, barriers flashing overhead to contain the onslaught. Sonagi had revealed himself and her spells lashed at his defenses. He fell back, stumbling into a ditch. He tried to blend through the sand but it was no longer his. Brown mana did not exist in this place of quiet. The jealous reign of the black had begun. It did not share but it did obey her and her alone.


    The only splotch of color was a dome over the kneeling form of the duelist. Just as he looked up to face his end, Viv stopped her attacks. She realized her body was coated in thick armor, ghostly wings jutting high above and behind her. Fear twisted Sonagi¡¯s traits. Then confusion.


    ¡°Viviane? Please?¡±


    She did not reply. Had he not been listening? Massive ropes of dark energy danced around her like under an unseen wind. She felt their caress, their promises, yet she resisted the call for instant gratification. A plan had been made. No, a promise. And now she would deliver it.


    ¡°Viviane?¡±


    The fourth layer flared to dark life.


    ¡°Epicenter.¡±


    Sonagi choked on his words. The dome grew smaller and smaller. There were no sounds coming from the outside as none could pierce the blanket of mana. No wind. No movement. Just the two combatants and the abyssal pressure of the Ascender.


    ***


    Deos stumbled down the stairs, cursing his awkward footing. The damn mage was here with most of his crew in one of those circles. The fools charged him a fortune to maintain those. It was time they earned their keep.


    ¡°You! Open the gate and get Sonagi out of here! I said the match is over! That horrid bitch can¡¯t just ignore me like that in my own arena. Do something!¡±


    ¡°We are very busy,¡± the mage grunted.


    Deos was not used to being ignored. Not anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget who puts talents in your grubby hands you little shits!¡±


    ¡°If this barrier falls for any reason, the blast will kill everything from Maranor¡¯s temple to the sea gate. And I do mean everything. You pay me but I serve Helock first and foremost. The gates will stay closed until she drops her spell.¡±


    ¡°I told her to stop!¡±


    ¡°Then tell her again. Now shut the fuck up and finish the fight before she triggers another layer or we¡¯ll all get to meet our gods today. Is this clear enough?¡±


    ***


    In the void-tinged hell of the arena, Viv watched life ebb away at her leisure. She felt at home here. Safe. And satisfied.


    [Arcane duellist.]


    [Arcane duellist.]


    [Arcane duellist.]


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    [Arcane duellist.]


    [Arcane duellist.]


    Sonagi breathed one last time. His delicate trits twisted into a mockery of humanity.


    [Revenant.]


    Viv willed the body to ash. Only scraps of his robes and a rusted gauntlet remained.


    ¡°Now, you are forgiven.¡±

 Chapter 138. Edge of the precipice.

    It was okay, Viv thought. Just walking was okay. Her feet dug into the cracked sand with every step. She did not dare look up to the crowd and couldn¡¯t hear them anyway. She could deal with them later.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation: Expert 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana mastery: Intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Constructs: Intermediate 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity Reflex: Intermediate 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul Mastery: Intermediate 3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It had been an intense fight. Now it was over. Just step step step would be fine. Fever burned her despite the increased pain tolerance. Any faster and she would puke bile. Saliva already pooled in her mouth. She could see her fingertips. They were blue, with black veins creeping up her skin. Whatever had fueled her was now actively killing her. It was time.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are suffering from deep mana poisoning.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are dying.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She had a few days at most. Possibly less if she couldn¡¯t access potions. That would be fine.


    The gates out of the area didn¡¯t open. She assumed mana saturation had something to do with it so she merely shadow stepped through them. The barriers didn¡¯t stop the intrusion and she reappeared in the antechamber, gasping for untainted air. Two mages were working on keeping the wards intact. They cast murderous glances at her as she stumbled forward, caught by Sidjin at the last moment.


    ¡°You are here,¡± she said.


    Deos picked this moment to rush out of the nearest corridor. He was the very image of porcine fury. He zeroed her immediately.


    ¡°YOU!!¡±


    Only to smash into an invisible barrier. Two guards pulled him back and formed a shield wall in an instant.


    ¡°Is there some sort of problem?¡± Sidjin asked with a finger lifted and a deceptive calm.


    The bodyguards knew exactly what their chances were against a war mage who had already started to cast. A desperate struggle to rein Deos in began but the arena master had no intention to make things easy for them.


    ¡°You bitch, how dare you? Undo your curse at once!¡±


    ¡°By law it is your responsibility to keep the ground in working order,¡± Sidjin calmly stated.


    ¡°Law my ass, do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done to me? To Helock? I¡ª¡±


    Sidjin had had enough. A gesture and Deos was silenced. For once, Viv was grateful for the intervention. She was in no shape to argue.


    ¡°In case I was not abundantly clear,¡± Sidjin said, ¡°we know exactly what we have done and if you need another demonstration, I am eager to provide it.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s intimidation surged out. The guards took a step back and this time, Deos didn¡¯t fight them.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± the arena master said once Sidjin dropped his curse.


    ¡°You are absolutely correct. You have used my wounded mentor against me and facilitated a betrayal that led to much misery, all for the sake of a good show - so yes, I fully agree. This is not over.¡±


    ¡°I have been threatened many times, fallen Prince.¡±


    ¡°But not by the likes of us. I would remind you as to why I have fallen but some people never learn. They keep repeating the same mistake until they are put down. Just like the pile of ash behind you.¡±


    For the first time, Deos lost his composure. Viv was also impressed by how stupid someone could be not to take a foe seriously when said foe had just killed a rival with mana poisoning in front of thousands of people. That was completely fine. She intended to have him killed anyway. Maybe. The obese tyrant decided he¡¯d had enough in any case. He left with all the dignity he could muster. Sidjin immediately turned to her.


    ¡°Viv. You look like death.¡±


    ¡°Feel like it too. It¡¯s time. We go to Elunath. Now.¡±


    ¡°I was about to say. What is your attunement at?¡±


    Viv checked.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Attumenent: 43%


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°In the death zone.¡±


    ¡°Then there is no time to waste. I have hired a porter for Solfis and your belongings. I had Rakan safely transported to a private practice. Nothing holds us here. Let us depart.¡±


    Viv just let Sidjin take the lead. The trip was a blur. There was some cold, fresher air. A horse. Whispers of fear on the way. They crossed the gate to the inner district in perfect silence, the guards stepping away from them. Apparently, rumors of her exploit had already spread far and wide. Those damn runners. Breathe in breathe out. Viv coughed phlegm every minute byt the time they stopped in front of the elemental archmage¡¯s manor gates. Lani opened it for them. The blue mage wore a tight dress of azure fabric with an open cleavage revealing her unusually pale skin even now, at the heart of winter. She looked at Viv and winced. They were let in without a word.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll be partners soon,¡± Viv choked as a jest.


    ¡°So it would seem,¡± the younger woman replied with pursed lips.


    Viv saw something she didn¡¯t like in the indentured mage¡¯s gaze: pity.


    ¡°Your porter and lover must wait in the atrium. I will help you move, alright?¡±


    Viv saw that Sidjin clearly didn¡¯t want to leave her alone. Unfortunately, the difference in power and prestige between himself and Elunath was massive. She could guess confronting him in his own house would be bad, even in her addled state. She shook her head to Sidjin to tell him that was fine and immediately regretted the decision. Lani moved to her side and placed a cool hand on her forehead. Immediately, she felt better. Her mind cleared up considerably.


    ¡°Your resistance to mana is the highest I have felt in a human,¡± the blue mage grumbled.


    Viv could only shrug.


    ¡°Not your fault, of course. This should help you until your mana dissolves my spell. Long enough for the next conversation at least. We should hurry.¡±


    Sidjin and the porter walked to a recess in the archmage''s titanic lobby. Viv watched them sit gingerly on expensive seats, feeling for all the world like a patient leaving relatives to head into surgery. Lani grabbed her hand when they walked. Viv felt much better though she knew it wouldn¡¯t last.


    No one came to meet them on their way to the archmage¡¯s office. The place felt strangely deserted and the lights of nearby lamps cold and impersonal. This was not anybody¡¯s home. It was a facade of wealth and luxury meant to be admired, not enjoyed. Or perhaps Viv¡¯s body was leaking warmth and her bleak mood was affecting her judgment. The archmage probably had a private lair. This was just to impress the yokels.


    Lani opened the door to introduce Viv, guiding the witch to her seat soon afterward. Elunath was waiting on his throne, the impressive desk empty save for a contract and a single sheet of paper with a list written down. His perfectly chiseled and slightly unnatural traits felt stranger in the pale light of the winter noon falling from the cupola above their head. His eyes, in particular, were like jewel orbs carved from rock to a shining perfection. He didn¡¯t invite Viv to sit. She sat down anyway. The risk of collapse was real.


    The archmage wrote on the list for half a minute before addressing Lani, who had been left standing beside the door.


    ¡°Can you confirm Sonagi¡¯s status?¡±


    ¡°He is dead,¡± Lani replied. ¡°The arena is unusable for the near future. The efforts to decontaminate it have failed so far. Master Deos requests your assistance in this matter.¡±


    ¡°I can no longer feel the land around that place,¡± Elunath noted, then he acknowledged Viv¡¯s presence for the first time.


    ¡°You have outdone yourself.¡±


    He wrote some more on the list. Meanwhile, Viv realized that if the man could perceive the land at this range as he had indicated, then he could probably feel underground as well. He was probably the one Solfis had felt. She had a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°Right. I suppose the time has come. Your indentured contract, as promised.¡±


    Viv picked the document. It was quite long. She took her time to read it, which Elunath didn¡¯t seem to mind. He just waited with his fingers crossed and a pleasant smile on his lips.


    The beginning was nothing shocking. It stated the contract would be between the archmage and herself for a duration of five years and could not be extended under any circumstances. That was a standard measure in Helock to prevent abuse. The first page was also standard fare. She was supposed to obey him. He was supposed to protect her ¡®within reason¡¯ and to feed her and so on. The problems started from page two one, and Viv realized the issue immediately.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a standard indenture contract.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elunath replied with the same smile, ¡°but it is a legal one, valid under Helockian laws.¡±


    ¡°This is deceitful. I thought you cared about your reputation,¡± Viv spat.


    ¡°Oh but I do. Helockians really love their contractual backstabbing, you see? This is all quite valid and no one will ever challenge me in court of law. First, my position is unassailable. Second, no court would dare summon me except for the most heinous of crimes, and third, something you have forgotten, nobody likes you here.¡±


    The archmage took a sip of tea while Viv simmered in her shock.


    ¡°I have taken many promising young women under my wings. All of them would have withered without my help. None of them were from Helock, and now they all labor for her glory. And they will do so for a while longer. Like Lani here.¡±


    ¡°At the contractor¡¯s disposal with their time and BODIES? You rape them? You built yourself a harem?¡±


    ¡°Rape? They all signed the contract. If they couldn¡¯t bear my touch, they could just stay in the mud eating fish bone soup or bark stew with the rest of the mudlings.¡±


    ¡°A choice made under duress is not consent whether the alternative is death or a slow starvation. You could have been fair and be a mentor to them but no, you wanted slaves.¡±


    ¡°You can call them whatever you wish. I care very little about your opinion. Their choice is yours too. You can die or you can serve me. I will take you, I will take your body, I will use your skills. I will command the pathetic troops of your pretend kingdom for my projects. I will command that skeletal horror you have brought to my city for your nefarious purposes as I see fit. Everything you have is mine for five years. I won¡¯t destroy it, trust me, this would be an abuse of the contract. But I will use them, and you. I am doing you a favor by shielding you against the consequences of your own actions until you learn. You think you can just do as you please because you are more powerful and perhaps it did work in that sad shitpile they call Enoria, but here we are an old civilization. Every gang, every guild, everyone who matters has backers in the shadows, and those have toes you really enjoyed stepping on. So I will hold them at bay while we go over the list.¡±


    He tapped said list with a finger. Viv counted at least twenty entries.


    ¡°Every mark of disrespect and every slight you did against me will be revisited in detail. Today, you sat without my leave. Earlier, you polluted the arena without care for the fallout, in this case the annoyance of one of my dear allies. Earlier, you killed a man I specifically told you was under my protection. Did you realize and not care, or did you think your pitiful revenge was worth it and damn the consequences? Do you believe your demonstration scares me, an elemental archmage? Was there even a hint of reflection going in that thick outlander skull of yours, witch? I have no idea. But by the time I am done with you, your behavior will be much more polished, that I promise.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I guess all the signs were here,¡± Viv admitted to herself.


    Lani had tried to warn them on multiple occasions, though not directly. She probably couldn''t.


    All the girls wearing clothes selected for attraction rather than function were a sign as well.


    The lawyers she had consulted about the contract had cautioned her.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    In a way, there were many signs, just not definitive ones. Everyone was too scared of Elunath to suggest he was a sociopath. Said monster reclined in his seat, as calm and composed as he had ever been.


    ¡°Ah, I can tell you are hesitating. That is perfectly understandable. You can even refuse, I will not mind. If you accept, you are mine. If you refuse, I still have all those goods you sold me for a right you will not exert and I get to watch you die as your very organs melt under your mana¡¯s deleterious power. I am honestly not sure which option I prefer. Do I want a tool or do I want a spectacle?¡±


    A small piece of Viv wanted to still accept the deal because she was feeling herself die. The rest of it refused with every fiber of her being. She could not accept to become a slave, sexual or otherwise, especially when he had made it clear he had a backlog of offenses to avenge. Viv was an adult. She was born free in one of the most progressive societies in history. Maybe a Viv born in a starving family on this world would have taken the contract if only to save her family. Maybe that one would have survived. After all, Viv was a pragmatist to her core. But not the current Viv. The current Viv had built herself to resist those who would control her, no matter the cost. She was the product of an education that taught her that every person was born and remained free, that her body was her own and that her boundaries ought to be respected, much like the boundaries of everyone else. She had grown believing it. This was now a truth so deeply ingrained in her mind it had become a part of her. She couldn¡¯t undo herself to suffer this debasement any more than she could bend a statue of Athena triumphant into one of servitude.


    There was no doubt in her mind that Elunath would break her just as he intended. He had all the tools, the time, and the mentality to do so. It would be a fate worse than death.


    She just had to hope that Solfis¡¯ contact would come through.


    The same small voice now needled her, pointing at her hypocrisy. ¡®You refuse five years,¡¯ it said. ¡®Would you have refused one? Six months? One night?¡¯.


    In the end, she had no answers. It was easy to say she would die rather than accept torture when she was not confronted with her imminent demise without recourse. Once again, she was lucky to have an alternative. She was privileged to escape a choice that other women had made and would make between survival and their own integrity. Viv stood up without a word, fighting the urge to throw up. This time, it wasn¡¯t just discomfort but a deep disgust for the man whose claws she had just dodged thanks to Solfis.


    Or at least she prayed so.


    Elunath didn¡¯t protest to her standing up, stepping back to the entrance that now felt like the end of a long tunnel. Lani made a gesture to help her then stopped, fear in her eyes. Now that it was clear the woman was a slave in all but name, Viv could only wonder what horror she had been subjected to. A horrible new memory resurfaced. The blue mage had been recruited as a teenager, which meant Elunath was not just an asshole. He was a groomer as well.


    ¡°Take the contract and escort Miss Viv back to the entrance, darling. Make sure she doesn¡¯t retch on the carpet. Oh, and I will see her next with the document signed or as a corpse. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    He did not hold her back. Lani grabbed Viv¡¯s hand to help her along. The moment their skin touched, a voice rang directly in Viv¡¯s ear.


    ¡°He can listen to everything we say inside his house. Through much of the city as well if you are near the ground. Look, it is your decision to make. If you do say yes and sign I¡¯ll be here for you. You will not be alone. It¡¯s bad though, really bad. You made him angry.¡±


    It took little effort for Viv to understand the spell. She only had to think a reply and Lani would hear it.


    ¡°Did he take it out on you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take responsibility for the actions of madmen. And sorry I didn¡¯t warn you before. I¡­ I was too scared.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, still.¡±


    Viv had a long look at her companion of misfortune. It was clear that the blue mage was terrified to her core under the designer clothes and makeup. Her figure was slightly hunched. Fear of Elunath must be so deeply ingrained after all those years.


    ¡°If there is a way, I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±


    ¡°My contract lasts for another thirty-seven years.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t mention the obvious solution she had in mind to terminate said contract. The girl wouldn¡¯t believe her capable of carrying it out anyway.


    Sidjin was surprised and concerned to see her again so soon. Viv managed to reach him while Lani placed the contract on the lobby desk in case she changed her mind.


    ¡°Viv? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Later.¡±


    They stepped out and Viv breathed a breath of fresh air. Then coughed again. She tasted blood on her tongue. Her gums were bleeding.


    ¡°Potion?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Yes please.¡±


    A gulp of flesh mending potion later and she was feeling better. It wouldn¡¯t last.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The indenture contract is a slavery one. An old variant that covers all my assets up to and including Harrak and my ass.¡±


    His shock turned to rage in a moment


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s fury burnt like fire, the outrage turning his delicate traits into an expression of pure savagery. A red haze surrounded him, tasting of overheated blades. She loved him at that moment for being so angry on her behalf. They couldn¡¯t do anything about it, however. Elunath would pulp him before he even breached the door.


    They sat there for a while. Viv had never felt so tired in her entire life. It was a deep fatigue of the soul. It permeated her to her marrow as a new layer of pain after everything else she had already been through.


    ¡°We have to go, I know. I just need two minutes to recover. This has been a long damn week.¡±


    She sighed deeply.


    ¡°Just one thing after the other. First my dad, then Rakan and now this. I feel like I¡¯m being repeatedly kicked in the teeth. It¡¯s more of a coincidence than anything but still. Where is the luck I was promised?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Viv. I wish I could help you.¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t feel bad, it''s just that I should be furious and I don''t even have the strength to do that anymore. At least not now. There¡¯s been¡­ a lot going on in a short span. I just want it to end.¡±


    ¡°And it will. Solfis?¡±


    //The porter will place me upon the second horse¡¯s back.


    //Then he will deliver the message that we are ready to talk.


    //Sidjin, you shall follow my directions.


    Said porter executed his orders as if disembodied voices coming from boxes were an everyday occurrence. Viv could tell from Sidjin¡¯s annoyance he had not realized the man he had hired was already in the golem¡¯s pocket. It did not take long for Viv to be moving again, the music thing blasting rock in her ear to distract her from her pain. Between the flesh-mending potion still active in her body and the power of guitar, the ride back was not so unpleasant. Sidjin took quite a few twists and turns out of the noble district and onto the waterfront until they ducked under an archway to see a fountain nestled between three-storied apartments of old stones that looked a sneeze away from crumbling. Water gurgled into a murky pond, blocks of ice bobbing up and down. The place was deserted.


    ¡°Alright, what n¡ª¡±


    Sidjin never finished his question. A burst of air made Viv look up to the diving shape of a gryphon, its rider clinging to her saddle. The duo stopped in front of a panicking horse with clear hostility.


    Sidjin stepped down and the atmosphere changed immediately. The rider simmered down. She was a young woman with scars on her cheeks, messy hair escaping from her helmet in oily strands, a far cry from the elite member she had seen during the riot. Nevertheless, her gear looked well-maintained and the spell scepter in her hand hummed with mana. Viv had never seen one in use but she guessed being at the receiving end would be briefly painful. There was something raw in the woman¡¯s expression, one mirrored by the sullen poise of her mount.


    ¡°The witch and her bone thing can come. You¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Neither of us get a say. Now hurry or you¡¯ll blow my secret and then we¡¯re all fucked. Hurry!¡±


    Viv did as asked while Solfis surged from the crate like a devil out of its box. The gaunt creature jumped on the gryphon¡¯s back with disturbing dexterity. Viv was lifted and placed between the armored woman and her golem. She smelled of old sweat.


    ¡°Hold tight because I¡¯m not wasting any time.¡±


    ¡°Take care, my love!¡± Sidjin said from the ground.


    Viv¡¯s stomach sunk in her chest when the beast took off under a tremendous burst of gray mana. For the first time since Arthur¡¯s departure, she was flying up and up. First, the warehouses shrank, revealing the endless expanse of the sea, then Helock appeared in all its sordid glory. Icy roofs and bare trees, the people, landmarks such as the arena and the temple of Sardanal. They were already high before the first fisherman looked up and then immediately down again. Just another griffin rider of Helock doing a patrol, nothing unusual.


    Up and up they went. Viv moved her head but Solfis¡¯ massive hand rested comfortingly on her shoulder. The wind was strong here, wet, carrying the scent of iodine and a bone-chilling cold she could no longer ward off. She gathered her robes around her. Didn¡¯t even take the time to get changed after the duel.


    They passed the first floating stone shortly after. The griffin moved weirdly, batting its wings a few times. Viv felt weightless for a short, disturbing moment. They climbed higher still. Her pilot didn¡¯t say anything and neither did Solfis.


    The griffin weaved between floating stone until they faced the chalice, the largest one of the lot by a degree of magnitude. Viv felt a moment of panic but Solfis said nothing. She knew no one was supposed to approach the floating island on pain of death because of magical tempests and whatnot. She could see a ring of power circling the whole thing, so dense a mundane would see it with their naked eyes. They were going straight for it. Roots grew on the flank of the reverse pyramid of raw stone that formed the underside of the massive structure.


    And then she spotted it.


    Invisible from under, a garden had formed, one of ancient trees and hedges around¡­ no that couldn''t be right, could it?


    ¡°Are those buildings?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Our destination.


    ¡°How did you even find this place?¡±


    //I did not.


    //It found me.


    They crossed the boundary without issue. Less than five meters away, a bird was caught in a wind vortex that sent it down with a squawk. Viv spotted a circle of old stone that would make a decent landing pad and without fail, the gryphon landed them there.


    Solfis took off on the spot, dropping her on the ground on weak legs. Their ride was off into the distance before she could utter so much as a thank you.


    Viv took in her surroundings while Solfis waited for her to recover. This place was old, ancient even. It felt more like a ruin than a base, yet there were signs of subtle work everywhere from the lack of soil on the path to impeccable cut of nearby hedge even now decorated with tiny white flowers. The air was fresh and crisp up here, far from the sea and the mass of humanity. It was curiously silent as well. The wind felt too light for such an elevation.


    ¡°So, your mysterious prospect. You said you wanted to attack it?¡±


    //I am programmed to do so.


    //However, your safety overrides many directives.


    //I am able to circumvent this specific rule as it is not hard-coded.


    ¡°Ok uhh, anything I should know?¡±


    //I would not bring you here if I did not deem it safe.


    //Reasonably safe.


    //Although I admit to flaws in my predictive algorithm when it comes to politics, all the information I have gathered on our host concords with what he claims.


    ¡°Okay, so¡­¡±


    ///It will be faster and more efficient for you to meet him first.


    //Rather than me answering many questions.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Solfis guided Viv deeper into the ruins, then through a heavily enchanted door set into an ivy-covered wall. Inside, she found a circular room devoid of any furniture. Three doors led deeper into the chalice. A man stood at the center of the room. Many things could be said about this man. Viv immediately understood what Solfis had meant.


    The first important fact was that the man was a mage, and an extremely powerful one at that. He even wore the obligatory robe and wielded an old-fashioned staff of black wood in his hand. It held the largest core Viv had seen used as a focus. More importantly, this was an expert of black mana if his aura was any indication.


    The second fact was that the man wore his long gray hair in dreadlocks like some northerners did. They reached the small of his back in a waterfall of braids, ribbons and trinkets. It was rather colorful.


    The third fact was that the man was very tall, powerfully built, and that he had a domineering aura that Viv couldn¡¯t match at this stage.


    The fourth fact was that the man was very, very dead. Taut skin stuck to his skeleton, his teeth bared in an eternal rictus. Twin blue flames brunt in his eye sockets.


    [Elder archlich, extremely dangerous.]


    ¡°My name is Abenezigel. Be not afraid,¡± he said with a surprisingly soft voice.


    Viv found it intriguing that the lich would pick such a deep and rich range, unless he didn¡¯t and that was his normal tone from back when he had been alive. She stayed there, watching him with disbelief. It, no, he was a talking skeleton, and he was not actively trying to eat her face off while screaming about the dark gods and puny humans. The experience was both refreshing and disconcerting.


    ¡°You¡­ are not afraid,¡± the lich said after a moment.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She could not tell if the lich was surprised, or disappointed, or both.


    ¡°No matter. It will make our conversation easier. First, allow me to welcome you to the chalice. My home. I have ruled over it for three hundred years. Few mortals can boast the privilege of my hospitality. Be sure not to abuse it,¡± he said.


    Viv nodded. Do not insult the powerful lich¡¯s choice of upholstery. Got it. Not too hard.


    Once again the lich seemed to wait for a reaction.


    ¡°Errm thank you for your invitation. I appreciate it.¡±


    Viv could swear the lich was a little awkward. It was also a strange one, to be fair. The one she had fought against had felt unhinged, their body a mesh of bones. This one almost felt human by comparison. It also sounded more stable. She wouldn¡¯t let her guard down, however. No central nervous system meant no hormones and, quite possibly, no guilt and she had already met one psychopath today.


    ¡°You are a strange woman, Vivane the outlander.¡±


    //I told you.


    ¡°Yes. But where are my manners? Let us retire to a more suitable locale. Follow me.¡±


    Solfis helped Viv through the closest door. They found a sort of lounge complete with a roaring fireplace. A steaming cup waited on a nearby stone table. The room lacked softness, yet it felt more lived in than Elunath¡¯s entire domain. She sat gratefully.


    ¡°I fear I have no tea to share. This is plain water.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Warmth returned to Viv¡¯s body at the first gulp. The lich waited until she was done. He was a rather polite fellow.


    ¡°I invite you to state your request,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I¡¯d like some help to survive my increased attunement by turning me part elemental.¡±


    ¡°Very well. It is as your golem said. I am delighted to inform you that helping you go through such a change is within my purview. I have studied the process extensively for my own sake. While my hand was forced too early to implement it on myself, I am confident I can guide you through it.¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°However, I require payment in return. I am sure you understand.¡±


    The lich waited some more for¡­ Viv wasn¡¯t sure what it waited for. She nodded her head encouragingly.


    ¡°Of course, do tell.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He stood to his full height. Head tilted back and arms extended, the lich looked like some Disney villain in the middle of a monologue. It would be comical if Viv couldn¡¯t feel the power radiating from those old bones.


    ¡°Three hundred years ago, I was betrayed. Three hundred years ago, I was forced into the form you see now by a man I thought my friend. He left me for dead and took my achievement for his own to the acclaim of the people. Yet, I did not give up. I held Enttiku¡¯s hand at bay through will and arcane might. I became a lich. I strived to adapt to the change. I fought and persevered. I created the haven you now stand on and for three centuries, I plotted my revenge. Soon the time will come for me to exert it on those who have wronged me and the fools who harbor them. And for this I will have your assistance. The price of my help is justice; the target, Helock itself and its greatest liar¡­ Elunath!¡±


    ¡°Fuck, yeah. I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    The lich paused and this time, Viv was absolutely sure he was at a loss.


    ¡°You are?¡±


    //Elunath has just tried to turn my mistress into a sex slave in exchange for her life.


    //We objected.


    //Our goals align.


    //Which is most serendipitous.


    //We accept your request.


    Once again, the lich remained silent. For someone with obviously high stats he seemed to struggle with social encounters. Although, to be fair, the chalice was not exactly a hub of social activities.


    ¡°I have remained in isolation for many long years, only communicating with intermediaries so as not to instill fear and distrust in my partners. I dreaded and anticipated my first contact with mankind again. Many times have I imagined it in my daydreams with many different outcomes, most of them poor. I anticipated that I had to defend myself, my choices. I prepared arguments and counter-arguments. I gathered much proof of Elunath¡¯s many treacheries. I believed this very morning that I was as girded for a contest of eloquence as I possibly could, yet now that I stand on the precipice of success, having fought no battles, and sustained no insults or slur, I have to admit that I find the resolution¡­ rather anticlimactic.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    //I find that anticlimactic is best in some instances.


    ¡°Yeah, you know, when life throws you a bone¡­¡± Viv said.


    The large skeletons fixed its cold fire glare on her.


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s the fever.¡±


    //Time might be of the essence.


    ¡°It would be best to discuss the details of the vengeance after your change, yes. I was led to believe that you had a black mana core?¡±


    ¡°Taken from an ancient necrarch. Here.¡±


    Viv handed the precious sphere from her carry bag which Sidjin had mercifully remembered to bring. It also contained a change of clothes for post-resurrection herself as she doubted the lich had an overabundance of female clothes her size lying around. Solfis could get more as needed.


    ¡°Yes. This will do nicely. Please follow me.¡±


    The trio left the receiving room, this time taking the central gate leading deeper into the complex. Viv had plenty of questions about the lich¡¯s security measures and how the hell he had managed to build a base in a flying rock like a James Bond villain. The timing felt wrong, however. Mostly she was nervous. This was happening. Coming from an unexpected side and implying a campaign that would culminate in the death of an elemental archmage, an arguably daunting prospect, but still, it was happening. The lich led her into a large circular room quite obviously dedicated to rituals. A complex spell array already covered the ground, engraved in a metal that moved as if it were liquid. The work was exquisite. It was also the single most complex array she had seen since leaving Solfis¡¯ original body in its underground hangar. An altar stood in the middle of this impossibly complex arrangement. A Viv-sized altar. She immediately felt a measure of concern.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what I think it is, is it?¡±


    ¡°Whenever you are ready, lie down on the altar with your feet facing the entrance. I recommend you to divest yourself of your vestment as they would inevitably be destroyed during the transition anyway. I have taken the liberty of drawing a bath in the nearby changing room if you wish to face this ordeal symbolically purified.¡±


    ¡°Is it a warm bath?¡± Viv asked.


    The lich extended a metal-clad hand, more claws than fingers grasping the air in a dead grip.


    ¡°It is now. I apologize for the lack of forethought at a time of physical discomfort.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I will be right back.¡±


    ¡°Oh and since you might be concerned, please rest assured that this will be a medical act and that although I was originally a man, I am long past the considerations of the flesh.¡±


    He turned to Solfis as if in question.


    //I was never a man.


    //I was always perfect.


    ¡°I will be right back,¡± Viv said.


    The bath itself was barely more than a rectangular hole in the ground decorated by old bricks polished to a shine. The water was warm though no soap was available to wash the grime of the arena. Viv left her dueling robe and focus behind in a neatly folded pile. Her skin was pale, even for winter. Dark veins stood in stark contrast to the rest. Her stomach felt a little hollow and she realized she had not eaten anything in over a day. Her appetite was shot though she couldn¡¯t tell if poisoning or stress were to blame. Her body still felt strong, or at least better than when she had first walked through the deadlands. It was an illusion. The black mana that devoured it from inside out came from her own magic this time, not the insidious air of a devastated Harrak. She finished her bath and walked out in the cold ritual room with her hair plastered to her skull. The cold ground under her sole made her more aware of her nudity than the disinterested gazes of the two beings who occupied it. She took her spot on the altar, which was inexplicably warm, and took a deep breath.


    Really, it felt like being at the dentist.


    The lich came to stand before her.


    ¡°Your companion wishes to attend the ritual to provide ¡®emotional support¡¯,¡± he said, ¡°and I suspect kill me if I fail to wake you up. Do you consent?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. The ritual will guide you through enough transformation to stabilize you, then the transition will gradually be completed over the following months provided we are successful. A strong will, power, and developed channels matter in your chances of success which you fortunately have developed extensively over the past two years. I am unsure what you will go through while you are unconscious, only that the soul will be partly untethered and active. I can only advise you to keep a strong sense of self within your psyche while you face what I suspect will be a very personal experience.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I feared it would be much worse than that.¡±


    It was at that moment that the lich removed a thin dagger from a recess of its robes. It was so dark it seemed to drink the light from the room.


    ¡°The first step will require me to ritually kill you by plunging this dagger into


    your heart.¡±


    ¡°Aw.¡±

 Chapter 139: Ascending

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry kid.¡±


    Tourniquet in place on the left leg. Best she could do. Airways clear or he would shut up. Sweat getting in her eyes but she couldn¡¯t wipe them. And on her gloves, the gray beige dust of the desert lands around Spin Boldak. Focus. Got to focus. Knew the problem.


    ¡°Right Cedric, I¡¯m going to open your vest now. Got to see the wound.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry kid. I fucked up.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t. Now, it¡¯s gonna hurt. I need you to not move. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Yeah, okay.¡±


    The stench meant the guts were pierced. Had to get to the wound to slow down the bleeding but what if she opened the vest and his guts came out? Training said the guts came out with evisceration. Because of the pressure. She could see a piece of metal embedded in the ceramic plates.


    ¡°Steady now,¡±


    The vest got caught on the piece of metal.


    ¡°The fuck is this?¡±


    It was a piece of shrapnel from the IED. Looked like a half molten spoon and perhaps it was. She removed a bandage and sneaked it between the vest and the embedded metal. Apply pressure.


    ¡°It fucking hurts¡­ get that thing out?¡±


    ¡°No can do, Cedric, you¡¯ll bleed out. The surgeons will do it.¡±


    Hemostatic gauze was doing the work. It would be fine.


    ¡°Fucking¡­ ah, where¡¯s Mouq?¡±


    ¡°Other side of the street.¡±


    ¡°Shit I hope no one else got hit. Is the bird on the way?¡±


    ¡°Yeah sure but it won¡¯t land in the firefight so better make yourself comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Putain.¡±


    ¡°And you call me Princess.¡±


    The veteran gave Viv a smile. She could see every hair in his graying stubble. She would remember it forever, because his answer was drowned in an explosion.


    Viv was over Cedric before she could think. Something fell on her helmet. On her shoulder. Pieces of masonry. Dust everywhere and that had been so loud and now there was a hole in the damn wall.


    Viv reached for her Famas. Her gloves were slippery with blood but she grabbed it. Aimed it at the gap. It was a small gap with most of the damaged bricks forming a slope on the way. Unstable footing. The first ¡®barbu¡¯ moved in. He kept a hand on the wall. He couldn¡¯t see well. It was dark in here.


    Viv¡¯s first bullet caught him in the belt. He barely had time to gasp when the other caught him in the throat. He just¡­ toppled. He was on the ground and Viv was up, up and moving. Switched firing mode to burst fire. They had grenades. She would not die here. They would die here. Swear words in Pashtun came from the outside. She moved up and to the side over a rolled carpet. A man turned his head trying to see in. She was at an angle. She took the shot. The man¡¯s jaw vaporized in a flower of flesh and bone. More swear words. Viv got closer. Closer. Someone screamed and moved. Looked like the previous one but younger. Both rail thin with short black hair. Angular faces. She spotted liquid eyes and terror and she shot him in the chest. Small entry wounds. More shots. He fell forward, his back a ruin. Viv was at the entrance when she saw the old man pull the pin of a second grenade. His AK hung from his shoulder. Their eyes met.


    Chest chest head.


    Viv jumped back and dove. One second, two seconds. Where was the bloody thing?


    Another explosion. She could feel it in her bones. She looked up, finally taking in Corporal Cedric. He had his G1 out, aimed at the opening. His other hand kept pressure. She could see his chest rise and fall.


    Viv almost shot the shape bursting through the door. For a moment, she crossed eyes with Mouq as a potential threat. There was not a hint of mercy on that face. The Algerian French medic aimed towards the opening after recognizing Viv, never lowering her guard. She signed a question.


    ¡°I think I got them all,¡± Viv replied by simply speaking.


    ¡°Al¡¯ama Princess, you did? How many?¡±


    ¡°Four.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Wow. Ok, I¡¯ll get the stretcher. We¡¯re moving.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Viv said.


    Belatedly, she realized she should probably load a new mag. No wait, she had to look after Cedric.


    ¡°You enjoyed killing them, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    A strange sense of disconnection made her blink. Mouq was still there but now the small Afghan warehouse felt blurry. Half-forgotten. Cedric had made it back without issue thanks to her. He told everyone how she¡¯d killed the jihadists until Princess became more than a mocking word. This had already happened. She knew it. And the Mouq talking now with eyes of black sclera was not her friend, yet she could only stand here with her hands on the Famas and listen. It wasn¡¯t shock. She was just lacking¡­ agency. Choice. The inner part of her she recognized as a soul pulsed once.


    ¡°You enjoyed it. You walked out and finished them and it felt great, it felt like winning. You like winning. You liked winning against them because they didn¡¯t regard you as a warrior. You saw the looks, what they thought of you. Women have no place on the battlefield, especially the pretty ones like you. You loved proving them wrong.¡±


    Mouq walked forward. She was so tall and the abyss of her eyes, so deep.


    ¡°Face it, you¡¯re a vicious thing. A wild one. Shed the clothes. Shed the plastic and metal. You¡¯re better than this. You don¡¯t need it, not anymore. It¡¯s a tool that weakens you because you depend on it until one day, it will betray you. You are lying to yourself with the empire and those rules and the people you protect. You do not care. You never cared. They give you an excuse to unleash who you truly are. Don¡¯t they? Let go, Viviane. You are a cold one.¡±


    Viv knew she was a bit too distant. All those sob stories shared by her friend had tired and annoyed her from the start. Why did they cry for that little girl who was starving in that sad article? What about all the other little girls? Was someone going to act on it? Or just get horrified until the next day when another distraction would come and replace it for that vicarious burst of emotions? Viv didn¡¯t care for people she¡¯d never met or wasn¡¯t friends with.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    The abyss stared.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to care with my heart to care. I don¡¯t have to be friends with the whole planet.¡±


    ¡°Then those are just excuses you build to avoid the truth of who you are. You have neutered yourself just to avoid facing this obvious fact. You¡¯re evil, Viv. Just like all the people you¡¯ve killed. Don¡¯t fool yourself. The only difference between you and them is that you¡¯ve won.¡±


    Viv¡¯s soul pulsed once again. This time she was sure of it. This was not reality. The room shifted, colors bleeding into the background.


    ¡°You won¡¯t escape staring at yourself so easily,¡± the darkness said.


    The walls felt firmer, suddenly. Cedric was breathing fast again.


    ¡°I covered him,¡± Viv said.


    The darkness under Mouq¡¯s face twitched.


    ¡°I covered his body. That was the first thing I did. Not run at them to kill like a beast. I covered him first, then I saved us both. You are deceitful. I also protect those I care about.¡±


    Viv felt the ghostly caress of smooth, warm scale under her fingertips. She could hear a faint squee.


    ¡°I would die for them.¡±


    The room collapsed on itself. Her soul pulsed once more but it could not move. She was still so new.


    ***


    Viv checked the tray one last time. They were here, on the other side of the stall. Terror and anger warred in her chest. Her heart thundered under her ribs and the water felt cold against her skin. She shivered. Her hand stuck against the wooden panel kept dry since the start. It had to stay dry or it might slip.


    She felt her face freeze up from the stress.


    There were no steps in the changing room. The hard ground made sure of it. There were giggles though. Hard to miss those, especially at 8PM on a weekday. In December. It was a bad day to go for handball training and that¡¯s why she¡¯d done it. Laetita had been looking for her so she would find her.


    The tall girl dragged the curtain away with speed and a mocking smile.


    Laetitia was a little overweight and quite strong. Bulky. She¡¯d been tall and overwhelming among the girls for most of her life. She also had a chip on her shoulder. Bad grades. Viv was sure that with some discipline and a diagnosis, her situation would improve. Unfortunately, her dad was a cunt, her mom a bitch, and she wasn¡¯t Viv¡¯s problem. So she wouldn¡¯t get help.


    Viv cut the water. The air was cold on her wet, bare skin. She shook again.


    ¡°Hey, if it isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Viv grabbed the sock with her dry hand. The windup didn¡¯t take long. She¡¯d practiced at home just to be sure. It scared her but she was telling herself, it wasn¡¯t her decision. If Laetitia came, she deserved what would be coming for her.


    The soap smashed into Laetitia¡¯s shoulder. It cut her off. She was shocked. She took a step back. Viv took a step forward and hit again. It caught the girl in the temple. Laetitia raised her hand in reflex but the sock was very long, the knee high kind and made of nylon. Another smack. Another smack. Laetita hit the bench and sat, still silent.


    There was a mousy girl to Viv¡¯s left and a blonde, thin one to Viv¡¯s right. They might have overwhelmed her if they tried but they didn¡¯t. They were soft. This was a nice, expensive gym associated with a nice, expensive school for the children of doctors, lawyers, and politicians. People didn¡¯t beat people in the changing rooms. That was a poor person¡¯s hobby. There was no physical violence here. People said nasty things to each other and abused each other indirectly, or when it couldn¡¯t be seen. Like civilized people.


    They couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Or they could but they didn¡¯t know what to do.


    So they watched Viv beat Laetitia with a soap in a sock.


    It took seven hits for Laetitia to gasp out of her stupor from the cumulated pain.


    ¡°Stop! Stop! You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    The mousy girl took a step towards the door. Viv¡¯s face whipped towards her. She froze.


    Viv walked to the door and stood in front of it. There was a lock but she didn¡¯t have the key. Not that it mattered. The gym was deserted at that time. She was naked and cold and shivering but she felt so detached and buoyed by stress that it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± Viv asked.


    Her voice didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t break. She sounded much more dangerous than she felt. Back on the bench, Laetita was recovering. She felt uncertain but angry. So Viv returned to her and hit her again. Then again.


    ¡°Aie! Stop, stop!¡±


    ¡°Stop? Why? What did you come here to do? Huh? Huh?¡±


    Smack. Another smack. The blonde girl took a step forward so Viv whipped her with a back swing. She missed. The blow went too high and hit the blonde girl in the face. She whined a high pitched noise and sat against the floor, one hand up.


    A wave of panic filled Viv but she pushed it down. She knew there would be marks. There wouldn¡¯t be any on her though. She was screwed either way if they talked.


    That was what mattered. That and the message.


    ¡°Listen. I know why you¡¯re here. I know what you did to Fleur.¡±


    ¡°You insane bitch,¡± Laetitia moaned.


    Viv hit her again. Smack. Then again. Smack. A third time. Smack.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Got more to say?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, you¡¯re mad!¡±


    ¡°Do. You. Got.¡±


    ¡°Stop! Please! Fuck!¡±


    ¡°Right, I know what you did to Fleur.¡±


    Viv took a moment to breathe hard. She was both hot and cold at the same time. Really weird. And naked while the girls were dressed. And there were three of them but they were scared of her.


    Shit this could go so wrong still.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to fuck off. If you talk about this to anyone,¡ª¡±


    ¡°And who were you protecting?¡± Laetitia asked with eyes like two pits.


    Something made Viv blink. The room grew fuzzy. This¡­ was how it had ended. She¡¯d gone home and acted like nothing happened. There were rumors until the end of the year and she¡¯d been quietly replaced as class deputy, though there was never any sort of official punishment. Laetitia¡¯s harassment had stopped. This¡­ had already happened. Many years ago, at the end of high school.


    Her soul pulsed. Protecting? What did this have to do with anything? She felt strange, alien. She could not move. There was no option in her mind for her to move. She knew moving was possible, just not for her. The thing wearing Laetitia got close. There was really nothing inside those scleras. They seemed to absorb the pale light.


    ¡°You enjoyed seeing her beg. You enjoyed the power you had over those three who thought themselves so domineering. They thought untouched meant untouchable and you proved them wrong. You brought savagery to their little pathetic bullying. You broke their resolve. This is you, the true you. There was no one to protect here. You lured them into a trap and then you punished them. Is it not so?¡±


    ¡°I was¡­¡±


    ¡°The fat whore thought she¡¯d caught you. You remember the look of triumph on her porcine face. Every tooth in that half-opened snout of hers. You remember the shock when she moved back. You remember the impact of soap on her, how it made the fat of her arm jiggle under the sweater. You enjoyed breaking her very, very much.¡±


    Viv¡¯s soul pulsed. She had a soul? That she could feel? How peculiar. And that was¡­ half of a conversation?


    ¡°I was protecting myself.¡±


    ¡°You could have done many things, not the least talk to a parent or a professor. You went for them. You baited them.¡±


    ¡°I was defending myself,¡± Viv insisted. ¡°I wanted to be safe.¡±


    ¡°There were other ways.¡±


    ¡°There are always other ways. Sometimes, the best way is the most primal one.¡±


    There was a look of triumph on the void thing¡¯s borrowed face.


    ¡°Yes. Yes! This was a game of dominance and you won it! You showed them all those rules they thought they were abusing didn¡¯t protect them at all. You reminded them what the world is really like.¡±


    ¡®And then they left Fleur alone. My friend.¡±


    ¡°Fleur was weak!¡±


    ¡°Fleur was taking care of her family. She had strength where it mattered. And I had strength¡­ where it was needed.¡±


    ¡°You cling to excuses and causes. Anything to justify your actions. You don¡¯t have to justify. The strong never do. Embrace what you really are.¡±


    ¡°No one said I couldn¡¯t join the useful to the pleasurable. No one said an artisan should never have fun. If I can help Fleur and feel good doing it, then that is fine.¡±


    ¡°You love destroying things.¡±


    ¡°I do. I really do. So what? I enjoy building them as well.¡±


    Viv¡¯s soul pulsed. The room melted into a starless night.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to Sciences-Po.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you take the exam? And pass it?¡±


    Papa reclined in his seat, in the home office. She hated this place now. It used to be a forbidden spot to sneak in until he somehow made it the ¡®big speech¡¯ room. There wasn¡¯t a seat for her. Another game.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯ve planned. I know you made calls,¡± Viv reproached.


    ¡°I just want what¡¯s best for you. Everyone who can give their children an edge will do so.¡±


    ¡°I know Tristan will go there as well.¡±


    He shrugged, suit shifting over his runner¡¯s build. Even in the confines of his home, he was perfectly combed and clean-shaven. His green eyes drifted over her and then to his desk. He still had work to do. She was just a waste of time.


    Papa was devastatingly handsome if the flock of infatuated women sighing after him were any indication. He knew it. He had influence and wealth and the looks and the wit so everyone loved him and they couldn¡¯t see what a controlling asshole he was.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to date him,¡± he tiredly said.


    ¡°You did it.¡±


    ¡°Tristan wants to work for the Conseil d¡¯Etat. Sciences-Po is a good place to start. For you as well until you decide what you want to become. Any higher education remains a good tool in one¡¯s arsenal, if only for the networking opportunities. I would have preferred HEC but you don¡¯t have the right temperament.¡±


    ¡°How far do I have to go so you don¡¯t get to pick things for me? How many teachers do you know there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a rigid institution, Viv. I¡¯m just letting a few people know in case you need help. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so mad.¡±


    ¡°You know exactly why I¡¯m mad. I want to succeed without you constantly cheating! I want to earn what I get. Why don¡¯t you get it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re better than this, Viviane cherie. I told you before. If you don¡¯t cheat in a cheater¡¯s game, you¡¯re not really playing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about winning if the one who won is really you! I want you to STOP CONTROLLING EVERYTHING I DO! You know what? You won¡¯t get it. So I¡¯m going where your flunkies can¡¯t go.¡±


    She spread her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m joining the army.¡±


    The look of shock and disbelief on his face filled her with a Schadenfreude she never thought she could get. Sometimes spite was addictive.


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious.¡±


    ¡°Dead serious. In September.¡±


    Papa lounged on his seat in a position she recognized as the ¡®I need a minute to come up with something.¡¯ There was an art to it. He would do the same in arguments, sometimes. Bullshit for thirty seconds to give himself the time to come up with a good deflection. A part of her wanted to leave the room. She¡¯d done it. She¡¯d told him, even though she had yet to sign the contract. Her heart wanted to know what he would come up with. Would he ask her to stay? Would he offer to keep off her back? Stop influencing her environment all the time?


    She was almost scared when he finally spoke.


    ¡°Damien is his mother¡¯s child. A sensitive soul, brilliant yet naive. We are the similar ones. We keep our loved ones safe. I know you¡¯ve done things in the past to protect your friends. I covered for you. We both understand what must be done.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like you! You lie and you cheat for your personal gain! You manipulate everyone! Everyone!¡±


    ¡°People,¡± he forced between clenched teeth, ¡°need leaders. They need guidance. We are flawed, all of us. If I do not rule then someone worse will. You understand this. You¡¯re the same! Same with your friends!¡±


    ¡°Fuck you I don¡¯t inti¡ª¡±


    She swallowed back the lie and saw in her father¡¯s face that he thought he had won.


    ¡°You¡¯re a career grifter. You don¡¯t make the world better. You juggle interest groups.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that''s my job. And it does make the world better.¡±


    ¡°Say what you will. We¡¯re done here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are we?¡± the darkness replied.


    Dark pits in the familiar face felt so wrong and so¡­ disrespectful. Viv¡¯s soul pulsed in anger. She¡¯d been caught in the memory but that was all it was. A memory. She could feel it now. This wasn¡¯t the real world and she was¡­ missing her body? And a lot of her mind. She had a past, a body somewhere. This was just an illusion. The darkness was a stranger.


    She tried to move. It didn¡¯t work but at least she could think about it this time. She could remember she had a past.


    It became clear. She was in the in-between. Distance didn¡¯t really exist there. Instead of tensing muscles, she translated forward by a hair.


    Her senses returned, or at least what passed for them here. She couldn¡¯t feel the usual connection to her body so rebuilding herself became the priority. Memory access. Emotions. Drive. Her soul remembered it and reformed it within, so it didn¡¯t rely on her body so much anymore. It was a slow, methodical work in a place where time was only a relative concept. Fortunately, her soul kept the blueprint of what it meant to be alive. She¡¯d had a lot of practice.


    Viv was herself again. The darkness was not. It was invading her memories.


    ¡°Some compassionate person you are. Talking about protecting your loved one then pushing them away. Forever.¡±


    ¡°You have no right to bear his face,¡± Viv said, suddenly furious.


    ¡°Are you mad at me, him, or yourself? You left him though he loved you, and now he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to¡­ Urggg.¡±


    ¡°Just for trying to control you a little, you wild thing. And then what do you do? You turn up exactly the same as he was. Corruption? You have used it. Threats? manipulation? Wrangling interest groups to achieve your goals? You have done it all. No, you are worse. He never killed anybody and he certainly did not do it by pouring molten gold down their throat in public. You are such a hypocrite.¡±


    ¡°Not a hypocrite if I have accepted it,¡± Viv replied. ¡°Yes I am like him, much more than I was willing to admit. I was wrong and now I know. I have grown.¡±


    ¡°Into a tyrant! Into someone who refuses bounds yet binds others in chains of ¡®honor¡¯ and ¡®oaths¡¯! You weaken yourself by depending on them. Your strongest warriors weaken themselves protecting the meek and the meek wallow in mediocrity while they should test themselves against the crucible that is life so they can grow or rid mankind of their feeble existences! You are better than this. You can be free and you can free them!¡±


    ¡°Freedom for what. Starving? Being eaten or kicked by the first creature they come upon? That¡¯s not the freedom people want.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the one they need to progress!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re met the average human but we need structure as much as we need freedom. Even I have Solfis and the others to teach me and hold me back if I¡¯m going to act stupid.¡±


    The face of her father formed a scowl. The darkness knew she had regained her memories, her agency. It didn¡¯t like that at all. Viv pressed on.


    ¡°I think I like being a tyrant. Better than my people being sold as slaves in Baranese markets by an unscrupulous prince. Now we are reclaiming the deadlands piece by piece, pushing back the savage lands,¡± Viv continued on a hunch.


    It worked. The creature wearing her father¡¯s mask screeched, the face cracking like an eggshell. The room splintered around them. The thing was furious.


    ¡°I am so tired of watching you drape the world as it is in layers of lies! You know that might makes right and you act like it yet you pretend there are laws that govern humans as if that was natural! Those are useless fabrications! You surround yourself with stone to resist assaults only for them to always, eventually fall while you should be moving with the flow! You are making yourselves weak! Blind! The feeble mate and spread while the strong die to protect them! This is not how we achieve greatness! We achieve it by becoming greater than our foe generation after generation, by stealing their strengths and making them our own!¡±


    ¡°And that is what we do. Walls and swords are tools. I know who you are now. I remember. Octas.¡±


    The form hissed. Spinnerets emerged from the edges of the image¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You speak of strength as if it only came from the arm that held the sword yet I remember a certain golem crushing your avatar¡¯s skull like a ripe fruit. That golem was made by a timid man who loved gardening blue roses. So who exactly was the strongest?¡±


    ¡°You tell me! That man is dead! DEAD!¡±


    ¡°And he left this world undefeated.¡±


    ¡°ARRR! Feed ten thousand fools and you will find a gifted one but how many warriors must perish for it to happen? How many must fall to defend worthless rocks and empty words? Those could have become greater! Stronger! Crush a man¡¯s head and peel off his rib and search his torso for his ¡®heart¡¯ or his honor. You¡¯ll never find it!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t find strength either.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to look for it. It is as obvious as a fist to the face! More lies! More lies! More wind and fleeting thoughts!¡±


    ¡°Those are not lies.¡±


    ¡°They are not real! They are not true!¡±


    ¡°They are not lies. A lie is a deliberate falsehood. They are dreams. They¡¯re concepts and ideas that make us more than just meat and magic. They give us a purpose. They make us people. And people with dreams move armies and grind mountains to the finest sand. You know, Octas, for someone who abhors the spoken word, you sure as hell can¡¯t seem to shut up.¡±


    ¡°I am doing you a favor, girl. I am offering you the world!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to get it.¡±


    Viv felt her soul click. She had always been able to come here to the in-between but that was more of a hot air balloon''s way of seeking the sky. She did not decide where she would go. She didn¡¯t have power here. Now though, something grew from her soul that she had felt on Nyil but not on earth. The inhabitants of her adoption world called it mana but, really, it was just power.


    And now she had it.


    She covered her body in scales and great wings emerged from her back. A blade of black mana emerged from her hand. The form Octas had given her was no longer hers to control. It was Viv¡¯s. She stepped forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m bad. I enjoy killing and dominating and manipulating. I love crushing those who offended me and the sake of thousands leaves me cold when they¡¯re not my people. That¡¯s alright. That¡¯s just who I am. I decide what I do with who I am, not my dad, not Elunath, not you. Nobody but me. I¡¯m going to return to the nation I¡¯ve lifted from the ashes and turn it into a shining beacon of civilization in the gods-forsaken shithole of a planet. I¡¯ll raise monuments and places of learning to spread those dreams you¡¯re so scared of until nothing can quench them short of the apocalypse. I will undo everything you stand for. I will tame whatever comes for us. I will purge the world of your followers. I will use the most terrible tools to accomplish the greatest projects while you return to your jungles to plant spider legs on your favorite slaves¡¯ asses, bitch. And I¡®ll do it with my black heart and blacker magic and when the time is ripe, I¡¯ll come for you too.¡±


    Octas¡¯ stolen form shattered.


    The world faded away into the void of the in between. Facing Viv in that place between death was terror incarnate. It felt like jumping in a pool and finding the Mariana trench under her with its bottom swimming up to meet her. The wave of fear overwhelmed her. It almost undid her here and there. For a moment, she could do nothing but scream without a voice. She was still merely a small sphere. What faced her was planet-sized.


    Except, it was not moving.


    Viv¡¯s perception expanded to see that the planet was as dark as the void with a cracked surface glistening, revealing bloody entrails below. Eight tendrils as large as accretion disks extended from the celestial object to reach for her and they were stopped just before they could reach her. Viv¡¯s perception extended again to the part ¡®behind¡¯ her, though the term was merely a simplification. There was another planet and that one, though smaller, felt more dense, more resilient. It bore the shape of black hole with a golden corona shining like a beacon in that desolate place. The other planet was larger but, strangely, it was not winning.


    Viv realized she was in the middle of a deadlocked struggle for her soul. each titanic force canceling the other out. She had never met the two ¡®planets¡¯ in her brief forays here but their auras was unmistakable.


    ¡°Enttiku.¡±


    HELLO, CHILD.


    ¡°You¡­ saved me from Octas?¡±


    I SAVE ALL I CAN.


    WHO DESERVE IT.


    ¡°I really appreciate it¡­¡±


    CHILD.


    IT IS TIME.


    WAKE UP.


    Viv found the tether back to her body easily. It felt different, as expected. Stronger. More flexible. She followed it, and followed it, and¡­


    ***


    ¡°I am awake.¡±


    It was day.


    Vision returned first. Viv took a deep, raspy breath. Another. She saw a canopy of dark wood. The air was cold and crisp. She was lying in a bed with a cover up to her chest. Her arms were out, over the cover. She was wearing a shift.


    Everything felt weird. Not painful but weird. A wiggle of the toes and a shaking of fingers revealed she had approximately the same number of appendages. They were just hard to move as if she¡¯d been sleeping too deeply. Her body didn¡¯t really fit. It felt very bright as well despite the draw curtain she could spot on her left.


    //Your Grace.


    Solfis unfolded from a corner of the bare stone room she found herself in. He looked normal according to genocidal golem standards. She could feel the mana coursing through his circuits. That was normal.


    ¡°It worked, I think?¡±


    Her voice felt normal if a little dry and a little high-pitched. She wanted water.


    //Yes.


    //You have been asleep for six days.


    //I will fetch Abenezigel.


    //Please be patient.


    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡±


    Viv looked at her exposed arm. The skin was normal. A bit pale because it was winter but normal. She could feel her hair brushing against her bare shoulder. She sat up and the cover fell. Something clacked against the bed frame. She felt the wood¡¯s texture.


    ¡°Ah. Ah, what?¡±


    Her hands reached for her shoulders. They found skin, then a patch of smooth, warm material covering her shoulder blades. It was unyielding, like glass. Something was attached to the strange skin. She could feel them now. She could also command them. She moved them forward.


    Two scythe-like blades of solid darkness glided silently in front of her. They were as thick as two fingers in the width and quite thin but they felt really solid. She used one to poke at the mattress. She could feel the mattress through the new limb. It was quite disconcerting.


    ¡°That¡­ will take some getting used to.¡±


    On instinct, she did something that was a bit like breathing in. The two half-wings retracted into the shoulder blades.


    ¡°Ok, this is weird. Really weird. Ah?¡±


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    Initializing


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    Error. Human variant detected. Special attention required. Please wait while I attribute mental space to your case.


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    Her interface was turned off. She couldn¡¯t access it for now.


    She could, however, see what the shift didn¡¯t cover. Between her breasts, there was now a black stone embedded into her skin. It was the core taken from the necrarch, hers now. It was shaped like an inverted teardrop and much smaller though no less powerful for it. She touched it. Smooth and warm. There was¡­ a lot of mana here, though it felt dormant for now. There was no rush to wake it up. Still needed to get her bearings.


    Viv stood up and let herself fall off the bed, the frame groaning under the strength of her grip. The shift reached her ankles which was¡­ weird? And there was something else.


    //Hello, Your Grace.


    ¡°I am delighted to see you well,¡± the lich said as he entered the room.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°I am sure there are many.¡±


    ¡°Where have my boobs gone?¡±


    An embarrassed silence spread through the room.


    ¡°Hello? I remember what my body should be like and this isn¡¯t it! Where are my muscles? Where are my damn tits? Why am I so damn short? HELLO?¡±


    ¡°It appears that the ritual led to a significant loss of body mass. I am sure the effect is only temporary.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean a loss of body mass? Explain yourself!¡±


    Viv¡¯s new back scythes ¡ª she really had to find a word for these ¡ª extended, aimed at the tall form of the lich.


    Much taller, in fact.


    And that shift had been in her bag. She had packed it herself.


    ¡°No no no no no no what? WHAT?¡±


    ¡°It would be better if I just gave you a mirror. Also, please retract your black mana limbs, thank you.¡±


    Viv did so if only so the tall bag of bones would pass her the mirror faster. She grabbed it.


    That was mostly her face.


    ¡°You have a powerful sense of self to have retained the same appearance. Within the constraints of the ritual, of course.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    That was indeed her face except for two teeny tiny little details.


    One, her eyes were void pits decorated by emerald circles that shone like lasers on a night sky. That was cool. And edgy. Mostly cool. She would disintegrate anyone who said otherwise.


    The second detail was that her face was considerably sharper, as in not just her cheeks had melted but even her bone structure felt compressed.


    ¡°Why do I look like a fucking weasel?¡±


    //Your body is undergoing some changes.


    ¡°If you finish that sentence with a period joke I swear to Neriad I¡¯ll order you to sing the Enorian anthem.¡±


    //My voice modulators are sealed.


    ¡°I apologize for the upsetting circumstances of your awakening, however the ritual consumed part of your body mass to fuel your transformation. A careful observation has revealed that your nervous system, brain, and heart are now fully functional. However, the rest of your physical envelope will still require gradual, ah, upgrading. Food consumption and patience will see you return to normal soon enough. Hmm. Within the next six months.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me I need to eat my veggies and drink my soup so I become tall again?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    //That is to say.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What the hell? I fucking hate my life. How can I be the dark empress if I¡¯m pint-sized? I¡¯m short even for a Paramese woman! No one will take me seriously!¡±


    ¡°We also surmise that your hormonal levels will remain high until your biology adjusts to the change. Additionally, I regret to say that this body may not give life. That is to say, you cannot be with child.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, we expected it. I mean, it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, and due to adapted body functions, you will still get your moon blood.¡±


    ¡°You two get the fuck out of my room right now.¡±


    They did so, following which Viv threw her pillow at the door with a terrible roar of anger. Ok, it was more of an angry squeak.


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    Link restored.


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    Let¡¯s talk.


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    </table>

 Chapter 140: Interview with a dead god

    ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s,¡± Viv said with a yawn.


    She placed two fingers against the bedframe and pressed. Sure enough, the wood groaned under the pressure and when she removed them, an imprint was left behind. That meant this body, her new body, was definitely strong despite being¡­ Not quite done. At the same time she already felt tired. It was a weird combination.


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    I have placed a small seal on your magic until you could regain consciousness so as to avoid accidents. I will remove it at the end of this conversation or at any time you should request it. Your magic is yours.


    Now onto the crux of the matter. As you know, my covenant with sapient races grants them access to the interface and a way to track and direct their efforts. It also facilitates the access to well-practiced, proven skills that could help them survive on Nyil. I impose this covenant even on newborns because I have been proven, time and time again, that it could only help people.


    The counterpart of this covenant is that people feed me an infinitesimal amount of mana via prayer every time they access it.


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    ¡°Oh. So it goes both ways.¡±


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    Yes.


    My covenant covered humans, Merls, and Kark in the beginning. I have extended it to the Hadals at the request of the first of their numbers. A person you know well.


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    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Viv said. ¡°You mean Irao?¡±


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    Yes. Yihao Shiyan. Experiment number one. A common acquaintance reported that the man who created the Hadals shared a language with one of the peoples of earth.


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    ¡°I actually know very few languages.¡±


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    Then I should not have shared this with you. That is why I avoid conversations. No matter. The purpose of this discussion is to establish that you, as Nyil¡¯s first black elemental caster, may decide whether or not you want access to the interface to be still active.


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    ¡°Wait. Does that mean I potentially bind any others that come after me to my decision?¡±


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    They may opt out of it. In fact, anyone may opt out of it at any time. Few people even know it is a possibility, however.


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    ¡°Does anyone actually do it?¡±


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    Octas¡¯ followers do so after they have grafted enough monster parts on themselves. But we digress. The interface is always beneficial. I have forfeited physical form and a church for the sake of civilization, no matter what you mortals believe it should be. I still must ask, and you must still agree, to the covenant.


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    ¡°It¡¯s been super useful until now so yes, please.¡±


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    Excellent.


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    ¡°And errrr¡­ since we¡¯re on the topic. Could you¡­?¡±


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    The Vandal title stays.


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    ¡°It was an accident! I apologized! Please, the Academy¡¯s repairmen already give me a discount for being a frequent customer!¡±


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    Too bad.


    Now onto your new stats. I shall remove the seal. Enjoy!


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    Viv immediately blocked the influx of information assaulting her mind. She could handle it, of course, it was just annoying. She wanted to check things out one by one.


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    Current status:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mana channels (elemental mage)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Extreme compatibility</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Divine spark: luck</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Draconic Surrogate Mother</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">VANDAL. YES, REALLY.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black elemental core (ascendant).</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black elemental body: nervous system, eyes, heart.</li>


    </ul>


    Mana distribution:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Black 100%</li>


    </ul>


    Current attunement: 51.3%


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    </tbody>


    </table>


    There was nothing too extreme here, which was weird in itself. The new line that spoke of an elemental core probably had a lot of subtext to unpack but she assumed Abenezigel would help her with that. As expected, the rest of her body was still ¡®mortal¡¯. Maybe that was why she felt so damn tired. A brief inspection of her arms revealed no black veins, however. On a hunch, she brought up her health status.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Malnourished</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Body in transition</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Deep exhaustion.</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Ok, that, yes that explained a lot. She had been warned. It would take a long time for her to return to full strength and also full height dammit, and not that she was really vain, but also full cup size. And full foot size. She had painstakingly gathered a collection of master-crafted shoes, boots, and slippers that fitted her just right and now they were all too large! Unfair!


    Viv growled under her breath for one second. She deserved that much.


    Moving on.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Ascender: 1 / 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    There were only four levels to that on which definitely meant that she was expected to accomplish incredible feats in order to progress. Something to consider later.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power: 24 to 37


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Wow that was¡­ massive. So that¡¯s why she felt so damn strong. A power of that tier matched that of a powerful warrior. She could beat people at arm wrestling now! Nothing could stop her!


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a threshold!


    Active skills that rely on power now offer an improved version. Your resistance to physical blows has significantly improved.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    So that was why those trainees could keep slugging at each other without falling to pieces. Also, skills that rely on power? She didn¡¯t have any that she could think of. Wait, she didn¡¯t have any such skills. Or did she? She called the active skill menu.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Active skills


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Inspect 4/5</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Aspect of the Guardian (Scaling)</li>


    </ul>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    There was, in fact, an active skill menu.


    Inspection was here. She had always kind of wondered why it didn¡¯t show before.


    That was¡­ actually that made a lot of sense. Many paths relied on active skills, though casters did not.


    She just hadn¡¯t¡­


    She¡¯d been on Nyil for two years.


    ¡°Am I stupid?¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    I reserve judgment.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have better things to do? Actually, don¡¯t answer that.¡±


    Viv wanted to return to her stats but the ¡®Aspect of the Guardian¡¯ thing got her attention. It was new for sure. She focused on it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Aspect of the Guardian:


    Your first aspect. You stand for those you care about. Upon anchoring yourself, all shields and shield-related effects have their strength doubled and their size multiplied by five depending on stat and affinity. You may not move from your position though you can be moved. The range of offensive spells is limited to the vicinity of the shield. Offensive spells are significantly harder to cast.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    At the thought of anchoring, her half wings stretched out from the dark patch on her shoulder blades as naturally as if they were arms. Viv was not used to it. She really wasn¡¯t. At the same time, the limbs were definitely hers in her mind. They felt natural, just¡­ new. Anchoring would require her to plant them somewhere. She just wasn¡¯t exactly clear on the details. The only thing she could instinctively understand was that anchoring related to the drawing of spell arrays. A shortcut, perhaps?


    As for the skill, it was just perfect for her plan to cover the heavies under her command. She would have to wait to test it in the field of course. And according to the text, it was merely the first. When she felt confident enough to deploy her magic, she would try that in priority. With excitement, Viv returned to her stats.


    The monstrous progress of her power stat meant that she would have to watch out for a while, get accustomed to the change. Even squeezing someone a bit hard might hurt them. It also illustrated an interesting aspect of Nyil: one could not be good at everything. She might have a high power but without the skills behind it, without effort, it was technically wasted on her. She had never planned on punching people so she couldn¡¯t do that well, even with a magical body. She bet that even with her training in the army, any decent brawler with lower stats could put her down. The reminder of her own limits sobered her a little but only a little.


    There was no need for punching when one could disintegrate.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse: 26 to 32


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was weird because she didn¡¯t feel too different. Perhaps her exhaustion had something to do with it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have reached a threshold!


    Muscle memory and finesse related skills are vastly improved. Your ability to move at great speed is much less tiring and can be done more often. Perception is improved, especially when it relates to sight. Sneaking is vastly improved.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was¡­ once again helpful but not dramatically so. Anything that made her harder to hit or kill was helpful, it was just that she didn¡¯t depend on her body to protect her. Magic was her main tool. Still cool though.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance: 30 to 34


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Not a great change here but that was fine. It didn¡¯t seem to help her with the sleepiness she could feel creeping upon her.


    She looked at her new physical stats and flexed a hand. It did feel stronger. More real. More reactive as well. Maybe she was looking at it the wrong way. She didn¡¯t need swords or staves or the like but there was one weakness that plagued mages everywhere: mobility.


    Maybe she didn¡¯t need to waste time learning how to fight with a new body. Maybe she only needed to learn how to move, and since her wings could be used as anchors, relocate anywhere to send torrents of spells from a new location. Her tools like the floating sigils would definitely help as well.


    She would have to train and experiment. Later.


    Quickly, she checked her mind stats, finding them all increased by 2.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="2">


    Physical


    </td>


    <td colspan="2">


    Mental


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Power


    </td>


    <td>


    37


    </td>


    <td>


    Focus


    </td>


    <td>


    43


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Finesse


    </td>


    <td>


    32


    </td>


    <td>


    Acuity


    </td>


    <td>


    43


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Endurance


    </td>


    <td>


    34


    </td>


    <td>


    Willpower


    </td>


    <td>


    43


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That would be very, very useful. At this level, every increment made a difference, especially for the most complex spells.


    Viv felt pretty excited. Maybe she could improve her mobility on the battlefield using her stats? Pull a fast one on other casters? There were plenty of opportunities for shenanigans.


    She checked her skills, or passive skills she guessed, finding them unchanged except for one.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic intimidation: expert 4 to 7*


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Aha! Having stupid void eyes and skeletal wings, ok almost wings of pure black mana coming out of one¡¯s back certainly indicated that someone was having a moment. Or something. There was a small asterisk, however. A nudge in her mind. She focused on it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Intimidation will be temporarily yet fully canceled should you wear a disguise.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv opened and closed her mouth like a beached fish, beyond outrage. This was so unfair!


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Temporary debuff linked to short stature.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Whatever! The preliminary inspection of the changes was done for now. The rest she could discuss with Abe before testing which would itself come after a good nap. With a huff, she went to open the door to the main room.


    Predictably, the torn handle remained in her hand.


    ¡°Of fucking course.¡±


    The door opened anyway, revealing a sort of lobby lit by a skylight, the sun visible through dyed glass. The mix of old stones and relatively new furniture gave her the strange impression that she was squatting in an ancient ruin. Solfis and Abe sat in comfortable couches but there was one last person present, his wavy hair mussed by intense winds.


    ¡°Sidjin!¡± Viv squeaked.


    ¡°Viv!¡±


    The fallen price rushed forward. The obvious relief he felt warmed Viv¡¯s heart a little. She distinctively saw the moment he blinked, taking in her new size. He still picked her up in a hug. It felt weird to be carried so easily but not entirely too unpleasant. She could tell her sharper, gaunt face bothered him a little just as she could tell the moment his mind switched gear. and a sardonic smile bloomed on his handsome face.


    ¡°So¡­ where¡¯s the rest of you?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off! I will grow back and then you¡¯ll all see who gets the last laugh!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, is it a side effect if you seem a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡±


    ¡°Short-tempered?¡±


    ¡°I will kill you.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright but don¡¯t worry if you¡¯re vertically challenged. Not only am I told that it¡¯s temporary, I would also be the worst of rakes if I were to disregard you over a disability.¡±


    ¡°I AM NOT DISABLED!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go back to that if you need to grab something on the upper shelf.¡±


    ¡°Sidjin,¡± she drawled, ¡°you know I can use telekinesis right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, true.¡±


    ¡°If I need something out of reach, I¡¯ll sock puppet your corpse to go and grab it.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes. I¡¯m sure we can keep exchanging barbs but just like you, I will be brief. Abenezigel informs me that you will be asleep within the next two hours.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the lich added. ¡°It would be best if we could go over the consequences of your change in detail. I assume you already took in the alterations via your interface?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The lich nodded, the move strangely mechanical.


    ¡°On top of changes to your stats and possibly skills, there are physical changes we need to delve into.¡±


    ¡°I noticed a few significant changes, yes.¡±


    ¡°She made a shortlist,¡± Sidjin unhelpfully added.


    Viv groaned.


    ¡°I have no glands left and yet still experience disappointment,¡± Abenezigel grumbled. ¡°Please stop interrupting me. The first change is your eyes. Have you tried¡­ actively perceiving mana?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Please do so now.¡±


    Viv focused, then sighed in appreciation.


    Mana mastery meant that she could permanently see the halo of colors around living and inanimate objects. This proved essential when fighting other mages or understanding spells because she could anticipate what would come from the change in density, and the sigils she could identify at a glance. It remained a taxing activity, however, or at least it had until now. Rather than a blur of color around her normal sight, mana now appeared much better defined in self-contained shapes around the entities it was attached to. Sidjin was his usual red, brown, and colorless self. Solfis was made of thin, geometric lines around a core that shone like a sun while Abenezigel offered an interesting sight. He possessed a black core like every other undead, though his appeared to be ¡®homemade¡¯ rather than taken like hers. Colors came from his scepter but not in the same way Sonagi¡¯s artifact emitted color. That one had been a modular storage system. Abenezigel¡¯s scepter converted black mana into mana of the desired color at a rather wasteful ratio. Still, it was amazing he could do it at all.


    ¡°Hey, you can use any color?¡±


    ¡°Only those I understood while I was alive. I know what you are trying to ask, Viviane the outlander. I am sorry. My understanding comes from, and was built on, the knowledge I had while alive. I do not believe you are able to learn any other color. More importantly, how is the sight?¡±


    ¡°Incredibly detailed. I could just use it at full power non stop without issue, I think. Very useful.¡±


    ¡°It should also scare those who behold them, though be wary. Ignorant folks might take you for a monster.¡±


    //Those who attempt to cull her will receive their just reward.


    //Although it might make the purchase of goods and services challenging.


    ¡°Precisely. You will find your visual acuity improved, including in more adversarial conditions as well.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    Abenezigel waved his hand, invoking a cloud with blue mana. Viv could see rather clearly though the ensuing fog. He followed with a layer of black mana he placed on the windows, plunging the room into darkness. At least, Viv was pretty sure it was darkness. She could see just fine.


    ¡°Ok that¡¯s pretty nice. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The second thing I want to talk about is your body.¡±


    He stood, approaching Viv. Sidjin leaned against one of the couches as if unsure if he should stay. Or perhaps he was just worried. Viv looked at her arms again, her annoyance at how thin they were still present in her mind.


    ¡°Many of your bodily functions are now powered by mana which leads me to the most important point, the one I absolutely intended to mention. In fact, I have come to the realization that I should have told you in your bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Get on with it,¡± Viv said, annoyed by the delay.


    ¡°Many of your vital functions now rely on mana as your physical body is no longer quite physical. This means that when you used to run out of mana, you fainted.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Viv said, remembering the deadland fort sieges during which she collapsed several times.


    ¡°If you run out of mana now, your brain will immediately cease to function and you will die.¡±


    ¡°Errrr.¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to alarm you. It is excessively difficult to make an elemental archmage run out of mana. Nevertheless, keep that possibility in mind. Fortunately, the other aspects of an elemental body are much more beneficial. You can last longer without food and breath, though not forever. I am pleased to report that you may also survive mortal wounds as if your endurance was several tiers higher, whether the cause be massive trauma, poison, or even curses!¡±


    The lich seemed giddy, something that immediately set off Viv¡¯s survival instinct. It was the skull, really.


    ¡°Not that I would wish it on you, of course,¡± the lich quickly amended.


    ¡°Alright, good to know. Moving on?¡±


    ¡°Unless you are killed, you are now functionally immortal.¡±


    ¡°Ah yeah. Not bad.¡±


    Viv considered millennia of research for eternal youth, trillions spent over the ages on alchemy, genetics, medicine, magic, and AI for the sake of obtaining what she had just been so casually handed. Abenezigel patiently waited until she was done digesting that particular piece of information.


    Immortality.


    She wouldn¡¯t age, she wouldn¡¯t catch degenerative diseases, she didn¡¯t have a deadline to finish her project before the reaper came knocking. Strangely, the thought didn¡¯t calm her down at all. It gave her vertigo.


    ¡°Right. Okay. Next thing?¡±


    ¡°The last consequence should be your drastically improved ability to channel mana, thus placing you squarely among the ranks of the most powerful humans on Nyil. This is the bottom of the mountain, mind you, but its tip leads to Emeric¡¯s palace. Though the path is barred to me, I would like to be the first to welcome you to the Greatest Game. May your journey take you far.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Viv said, rather moved.


    She turned to Sidjin, though she wasn¡¯t sure why. It felt like a life-defining moment yet at the same time it was intimate and friendly, not majestic. She found she preferred it that way.


    ¡°Hey, I am just happy to see you alive and well. You can conquer the planet at your convenience. Do not feel pressured,¡± he said.


    ¡°World domination is overrated anyway.¡±


    //I formally disagree.


    ¡°Moving on, to quote you,¡± Abenezigel interrupted, ¡°the last addition to your arsenal is also the most unexpected. Those limbs you have on your back. May we see them?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Viv said, though she watched Sidjin¡¯s reaction when the half wings expanded from her back. He seemed curious, not revolted. That comforted her, somehow.


    The three others approached, looking at the scythe-like appendages as she extended them in front of her. Moving them didn¡¯t require her to contract muscles, yet it was not intellectual either. This new sensation was¡­ uncanny. A request to touch the limbs meant three pairs of hands (two of them made of bones) on that surface. It felt ticklish.


    ¡°It¡¯s warm and unyielding at the same time?¡± Sidjin said, sounding unsure.


    //Superficial analysis indicates the material is solidified black mana.


    //Classification: exotic material.


    //Flexibility: mild


    //Durability: extreme, all aspects


    //Full sensory feedback detected.


    //Mana circuits detected.


    //Evolving structure detected


    //Material rarity: unique.


    //Harvesting directive: refused.


    ¡°Hmm yes. Hmmmm yes yes yes, fascinating. Hmm. Hmmm,¡± Abenezigel said.


    All the others glared.


    ¡°I have been trying to sound more human by using suboptimal conversation branches and various noises to express emotion. I presume that my efforts are not producing the expected result?¡± he finally said.


    ¡°If you can pick your personality yourself, why would you use an annoying one? Just speak up,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°I shall make adjustments. I believe you have a wide range of motions but that is secondary. The most important factor seems to be that those wings of yours can act as anchors. Anchors are dimensional matrices at the center of spellworks with arcane indexes superior to the Radani constant, thus requiring¡ª ¡°


    ¡°They¡¯re wells in the fabric of magic so Nyil knows it¡¯s supposed to listen better,¡± Viv interrupted.


    Viv had never seen someone with no face look so put upon.


    ¡°Accursed witches,¡± Sidjin grumbled to the side.


    He looked like he was eager to listen to a fellow mage drone on about constants and variables and whatnot. Viv was not having any of it.


    ¡°You two may feel free to dork it out in the privacy of your man caves but I¡¯d like to point out that those are my anchors, which means they are witch anchors, which means that I get to call them as I damn well please.¡±


    ¡°We must still test them out,¡± Sidjin observed.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can use them to stab people.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Abenezigel pointedly replied, ¡°in the same way a jeweler¡¯s crystal pliers may be used to stab someone in the eye.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s a yes.¡±


    //I shall schedule some eye-stabbing practice, Your Grace.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea,¡± Sidjin said.


    //Says the only nearby source of fresh eyes.


    ¡°My wings can clearly be used as weapons and they¡¯re completely invisible until deployed. I would be stupid not to train to use them as a contingency plan. Besides, Solfis saw that they were extremely durable. Certainly more durable than my mostly fleshy self.¡±


    //Extreme durability in Imperial classification means that I cannot break it.


    //This classification takes into account the capabilities of my original frame.


    That gave everyone a moment of pause.


    ¡°So. My wings, solid. Got it. I need to learn how to move again anyway. Let¡¯s add this to my magical practice. Abe, I assume practice is fine and wouldn¡¯t mess with your schedule?¡±


    ¡°Indeed not. In fact, I expected it. Is calling me Abe really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer Ben?¡±


    ¡°You may call me Abe in a private setting.¡±


    The lich nodded to himself, the gesture once again clearly unnatural.


    ¡°I remember that nicknames are an important part of complicity between members of the same group of rapscallions. This bodes well for the future of our cooperation. My good mates.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. Right, so rest and physical training. What about magic practice? I have a new active skill I would like to test.¡±


    ¡°Would it lead to the destruction of my floating island?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s a purely defensive increase of my abilities.¡±


    ¡°We can do that in the ritual room.¡±


    The ritual room.


    Viv instinctively placed a hand against her chest at heart level to fend off a swell of phantom pain. Her death had been quick and it hadn¡¯t stuck but she did remember a flash of agony. Sure enough, there was a small patch of scar tissue she could feel through the thin fabric.


    ¡°Your scars should have been reabsorbed¡­ except¡­¡± Abe said, hesitating.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°We can postpone the exercise if you would rather take a moment.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. This is just a big change. I knew I was going to become part-elemental or die from the moment Solfis started to train me two years ago. I worked hard to make sure I would survive. I befriended the Temple of Neriad. I got the information that Helock was the place to ask. I came here, then worked my way up to a solution that Solfis eventually provided. Now that I¡¯m mostly safe, I realize that I didn¡¯t consider what I would do after. I wanted to learn portal magic to at least send word to my family that I was okay but¡­ they¡¯ll all be dead of old age before I can reasonably figure it out. Being part elemental also comes with a range of weirdness we are only just starting to uncover. And that¡¯s not mentioning the dying part. Sorry, Abenezigel, I¡¯m only considering myself when I say that. I am not trying to belittle your own struggles or your plans¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that revenge is my life project, and that you are an ally. Do not worry.¡±


    //You could always bring civilization and life back to the deadlands.


    //You may also consider becoming an empress.


    //Lead mankind into a new era of progress and enlightenment.


    //And make urinating in public a capital offense.


    ¡°I was already considering it.¡±


    //Additionally, you now have the time to see your adopted daughter grow.¡±


    ¡°A daughter?¡± Abe asked.


    //The dragon.


    ¡°Ah. In any case, self-care and mental well-being are an integral part of the recovery process. You will have the time you need to come to terms with your new reality.¡±


    ¡°And possibly get back my normal height. Alright, enough navel gazing. We went over body changes, now let¡¯s have a look at the magic.¡±


    The four reconvene in the ritual room, filing through a corridor to get there. Viv noted that for an undead den, the place was surprisingly devoid of black mana and skeletons. All the rooms she passed by kept the same strange identity of ancient ruin repopulated and refurbished centuries after they had been abandoned, new curtains covering stones smoothed by centuries of disuse. The effect was reinforced by the general cold air up here. Interestingly, it didn¡¯t seem to affect her much though she noted Sidjin had kept his coat.


    The room itself had changed. The circle she¡¯d seen was gone, as was the altar. She searched for a pool of blood on the ground her memory insisted should be here but only found clean rock. It bothered her a bit.


    The three others stood at the edge of the circle to give her a moment. She went towards its center.


    ¡°The room is properly insulated. So long as you do not actively try to demolish it, the enchantments should hold. Feel free to begin at your convenience.¡±


    Viv nodded. She was ready.


    Just like inspection, using the aspect of the guardian didn¡¯t really require any ceremony, though she felt like screaming it just because she could. Maybe it would help. In any case, the world guided her, whispering instructions. She extended her wings, or anchors, then stabbed them down.


    At this point, Viv looked behind to see that her wings were not just considerably thicker but that they didn¡¯t stab in the stone so much as in the world itself. As an experiment, she pulled them back. They returned to their default size and left the stone behind untouched.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The skill description said she couldn¡¯t move but could be moved. She wondered if that meant that someone could just punt her away or if she could, say, stand on a chariot and cast it to act as a supercharged portable shield array. Maybe both? More things to try out. Planting the wings again, she resumed the test.


    Right, she was anchored and static. Now it was just about pulling power from¡­


    Oh.


    OH.


    Mana didn¡¯t come from the usual place around the center of her chest. It was a little bit forward and it exploded out in the room, coursing down the wings and to every pore of her skin, every cell, down to her fingertips. It rose in great waves around her. It formed blades and shapes and tendrils seeking, searching for anything and everything it could affect. It wanted to be freed, it wanted to be used and it was hers and hers alone.


    Nyil was alive. It poured power into everything and the living beings on its surface took and grew it, returning it with interest. They grew it and bloomed it but the power was, ultimately, borrowed. If Viv had returned to Earth, she would have starved for that might, pushed her core for the trickle it could create from memories. No longer. The source of the black was now her soul and it was hers, uncompromisingly hers.


    There was a lot of it.


    Viv brought the tidal wave under control, feeding it to herself to form an aegis that covered the entire outer circle. Viv was the rock upon which armies would shatter as she protected her own. Mana shimmered and sang, the hum audible. A ripple over the aegis crystallized it. It was ready. She was ready.


    //Citadel class shield array detected.


    //Impressive, Your Grace.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what an elemental caster does,¡± Sidjin whispered.


    There was more. There was a lot more but the construct could only hold so much at the time. She could cover many more people. She could protect them all, fend off attacks and let them do their job. There would be no artillery spells crashing on tightly-packed Harrakan Heavies because she would be here for them.


    A wave of fatigue washed over her and she stumbled.


    ¡°Please, be careful,¡± Abe reminded her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Not out of mana. Just tired.¡±


    ¡°Should we stop here for now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Viv coaxed the mana back into herself without much difficulty. It was hers more than any energy she had ever wielded before. She felt like she could take on a necrarch and win. After her nap, of course.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana mastery: Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Ah, in case this was not abundantly clear, you have access to enormous reserves and your spells will be extremely effective. The black ones, that is. The use of colorless mana will still present a challenge. Now, you seem tired. Should we head back?¡±


    ¡°I could eat, actually. And drink.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I got soup from the Five Fishes inn!¡± Sidjin exclaimed.


    He was very proud of himself.


    ¡°You brought soup all the way up here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, Abenezigel sent me a messenger bird saying you were stirring in your sleep so I figured you might want something hot. I flew it all the way up here.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, you can fly. I always forget flight is a thing around here.¡±


    ¡°Flying over Helock is normally a death sentence. It is also a fairly tiring thing to do so even those with a license to fly normally prefer to hail a cart.¡±


    ¡°The part of mankind with access to will-powered flight considers this a chore. Figures,¡± Viv grumbled.


    ¡°I got the license so I thought, why not? Better than field rations and nutrient patches.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would love some soup.¡±


    Viv got her soup. She sat in one of the new couches while Sidjin reheated it for her with a handwave.


    ¡°Thanks. You are handy to have around,¡± she told him with a smile.


    ¡°As a fourth step war mage, it is my pleasure to use my awesome powers to provide piping hot soup.¡±


    ¡°As it should be,¡± Viv joked before realizing Sidjin¡¯s gaze lingering.


    ¡°It¡¯s the eyes,¡± he whispered. ¡°Very scary.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°For them.¡±


    Viv chuckled. Sidjin was doing his best to make light of the many changes she was going through. She appreciated it and focused on her meal while the others gossiped and talked about the recent events.


    Not much had changed in just nine days. Rakan was still recovering safely in the suburbs though Sidjin wanted to have him transferred to Harrak for safety. Lady Azar had sent a report stating all was well and that she had secured trading rights with wild land tribes to the south, specifically for fur and minerals. There were also rumors of scouting parties returning from Halluria, bringing back reports of troops heading east. Moving armies were a sign of a civil war brewing between the warlords. It would also explain why the assault on Baranese defenses had been so weak. Sidjin laughed when he reported that the arena still hadn¡¯t been cleared of black mana saturation. Apparently, the Academy had refused the job.


    ¡°Remember Ashra? The black mana tenured professor?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Of course. I was her assistant for two semesters.¡±


    ¡°She had some choice words for Deos. Rumor has it she turned down quite a bit of money. Now, Deos has been forced to hire local talents but the concentration is so high that it takes specialized gear to even enter the arena. Unfortunately, the prototypes tend to go missing,¡± Sidjin said with an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Something about sabotage. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll figure it out, eventually.¡±


    Viv smiled in appreciation. A little delayed vengeance was just the perfect sweet note to end her meal. Like ice cream but schadenfreude flavored.


    ¡°Why has Eunath not intervened?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°He is a victim of his own importance,¡± Abe explained. ¡°An archmage of his talent cannot be seen doing what is essentially janitor work. I suspect he may intervene soon if the City Hall battle mages do not purify the land first. The arena¡¯s closure reflects badly enough on Helock as a whole to push them to forfeit their pretend neutrality. You must understand. The arena has never closed for longer than a week. Even during sieges. Deos is going to be replaced.¡±


    ¡°Serves them right.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, though I would warn you that you have a somewhat roguish reputation in the city right now. As for rumors about you, most people agree that you must be dead and your corpse is floating somewhere in the sewers.¡±


    Viv could have done without the imagery and, apparently, the same was true for Sidjin. She recovered when the lich floated her bedroom lock to his skeletal hands.


    It was really badly broken.


    ¡°I installed this handle here myself more than two centuries ago.¡±


    ¡°Well then errrr¡­ it was high time to change it!¡± Viv replied.


    It appeared Abenezigel shared Solfis¡¯ ability to convey displeasure without facial traits.


    ¡°Ok sorry for wrecking your stuff. I apologize. I need to get used to my new strength, is all.¡±


    ¡°That is quite fine. I am sure Solfis can help you with getting used to it all.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes. Nap first. Assassinations later.¡±

 Chapter 141: The League Conspires

    ¡°I still do not understand why Jack¡¯s death was necessary,¡± Sidjin grumbled. ¡°Surely there was enough room on that plank for both of them?¡±


    The improvised arcane projector played the Titanic credits, Emeric¡¯s gift lying on a nearby table. Voicing over the entire movie had been a pain but worth it for the moment shared together, Viv decided.


    ¡°It¡¯s for narrative reasons. The point is not that the two try their best to save each other, The point is moving the spectator with sacrifice. If his death upsets you then it worked.¡±


    Abanezigel nodded. He had stood for the entire movie which weirded Viv a little but since he didn¡¯t move and kept his mana under control, she could force herself to count him as furniture with some effort.


    ¡°The famous catharsis you mentioned, yes, Viviane the traveler. What surprises me is that despite the awesome technology that leads to such vast ships, the death of hundreds could not be prevented.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly it was a set of unfortunate  circumstances. The ship was going too fast, it tried to dodge the iceberg instead of ramming it and losing only a few sections, and there were enough boats to save everyone but many left before they were full. Just mistakes upon mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm. I see. No amount of magical or technological prowess can make up for human stupidity.¡±


    Viv used her wing to drag the nearby box of grilled meat while resisting the intense urge to sing AND IIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUUUUU at the top of her lungs. It took a remarkable amount of self-control.


    The meat was not quite chicken because the fowl in question was much larger, but it was nice nonetheless. Rakan complained when the bucket slid to the side, preventing him from getting another serving.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you use your hands like a normal person?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s practice. Practice!¡± Viv lied.


    The truth was that the wings had more reach, that is to say, she didn¡¯t have to move to, that is to say, her arms were too damn short. There. In the month she had spent resting and binging three years worth of top tier TV series, her human body had barely changed. Her wings were now the width of a handspan and long enough to go over her head while the tip touched the ground. It even affected her balance.


    So getting used to them was important. Really.


    ¡°You¡¯re just grumpy because there was not enough action.¡±


    ¡°I want to watch ¡®Rescuing infantryman Rayan¡¯ again.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes. Voicing over a war movie had proven worse than a romance because she had to explain what a gun was, what a tank was, and how a plane could fly. She also wished Emeric had been more generous with newer works. That filthy god really loved the classics.


    //I have concerns that the message of this movie might be insidious.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± Viv moaned in her metaphorical beard.


    //The female lead¡¯s fate glorifies infidelity and lowering one¡¯s station by forfeiting an advantageous marriage.


    //Thus sacrificing resources and making a powerful enemy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a romance!¡±


    //While it would have been more productive to assassinate her husband and keep the street urchin as a paramour.


    Viv prepared to complain then stopped.


    ¡°Wait, are you advocating for the murder of rich scions?¡±


    //The movie is, as you mentioned, a romance, not a societal study.


    //Assuming that my purpose is to maximize the happiness of Rose, the death of a controlling spouse after their financial union represents the best outcome.


    //Before you complain, yes I am aware that she is a weak fleshbag without the courage to order a hit.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Silence returned to the room while most pondered the experience they had been through. Only the grunts of efforts of Rakan wrestling with Viv¡¯s wings for access to the fried not-chicken bucket broke this moment of contemplation. He lost.


    Viv considered that there was enough arcane might in that room to devastate a mid-sized city. And they were bantering and eating grilled meat.


    Viv found herself missing Arthur.


    Their bond had been more active recently. She thought the dragonette missed her as well. At least, she was fine.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s it. I believed you wanted to get started on planning, Abe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, however, the mood precludes it. The cultural content you offered us granted us a unique insight into a civilization whose achievements you take for granted, while we can only marvel at the resourcefulness of those who live without mana. I believe that a change of scenery is required to achieve a full break. I propose that we retire to the boudoir for a cup of klod, whereupon I shall share what I know with you, following which we can come up with more ideas.¡±


    The group agreed, then left the viewing room together. It had been quite busy since Viv¡¯s friends had realized they could now access decent entertainment. Nyil actors may reach someone¡¯s soul with their performance but Earth¡¯s actors had risen to the top of a competitive profession through sheer talent. No amount of effort and magic could outshadow genius. Viv was glad she got to share it with them. It had made the ¡®League of Lesser Evils¡¯ a more coherent force.


    Abe guided the group through the multiple corridors that criss crossed his troglodyte base, bypassing libraries filled with ancient tomes and complex ritual rooms. The boudoir benefitted from the best skylight in the base, the glass revealing the crisp sky over the floating Chalice. It was raining today. A pitter patter chime provided a pleasant background while everyone sat in their designated chairs.


    No one spoke when Abe warmed the pot of fresh water, nor when he picked his favorite dry klod. Although the lich could no longer taste food or drinks, it had built an artificial sense of smell for security purposes. Klod remained pleasant and familiar. Viv guessed it helped anchor him in his remaining humanity. His gestures were calm and deliberate, sometimes even a little awkward as he tried to veer away from the automatisms that made using his arms less taxing. Abe was a soul piloting a construct, not a person living in their body. It would be easy to slip into idleness. Use telekinesis for everything.


    ¡°Before we begin, I would like to say a word,¡± the lich finally began.


    ¡°Do we really have to do the whole evil cabal thing?¡± Viv asked, impatient to get into the meat of the subject.


    ¡°Viv. I have been waiting for this moment for three hundred years. Elunath stole everyone I knew, everything I had, and everything I was. Please, please let me have this moment and shut up until I am done.¡±


    The witch lifted her hand in surrender, chastised.


    ¡°Good. I am aware that your transformation has shortened your patience, and I appreciate your efforts. I need you to understand why I started because this is what drives me now to linger in this world and also because it will give you an insight into what kind of person Elunath really is, the way he thinks, the way he acts.


    ¡°The story starts three hundred years ago. At that time, Helock was technically a free city with an imperial envoy by the name of Jeol. The city was¡­ different then. The immigration from the Shadow Lands was still going strong while Hallurian warbands conducted constant raids. The fiercely defended independence and arrogance of the old family had not reached the level you would see nowadays. Jeol was a de facto provincial governor and we, Elunath and I, served in his cadre. Do you know what a cadre was?¡±


    //A special detachment of battlemages typically accompanying a legion during their expeditions.


    //Their role covers battles but also engineering, project management, research, and occasionally diplomacy.


    //Although nominally under the orders of the legion commanders, cadres would answer first to the imperial ministry of the arcane.


    //It was a prestigious position.


    ¡°And one loyal to the throne. All battlemages were trained at the imperial college which gave us a¡­ a shared sense of purpose.¡±


    The lights flickered in the lich¡¯s empty eye sockets. Viv was not sure how much Abe could feel or if those were emotions at all but the memory clearly upset him.


    ¡°One night, we received news that the capital had been lost in a disaster. Everyone was dead for leagues. Fallen where they stood. Elunath and I, we were both Helockians by birth. We volunteered for the assignment which was only tolerated because the cadre was low on earth specialist at that time. It was our friend Jesar who got the message. She told us. She should not have. The shock was too much. We lost many of our friends that night.¡±


    The lich glanced up and he was no longer in the room with them, lost in his memories.


    ¡°It was the end of our world, a true cataclysm without forewarning that shook me to my core. Envoy Jeol only took ten minutes to come to a decision. The empire was a centralized power and now it had been decapitated in a single blow. We knew it would collapse. There could be no other possibility, not with so many nations kept loyal through coercion. So Jeol took us and told us the cadre would move into Helock the very same night to take over the government and slay the most powerful families in order to safeguard our control. We were to set out immediately and planned on being joined by the nearby legion the next day. Of course, Elunath and I met to talk on the way because those were our compatriots Jeol planned on slaughtering. We came to the conclusion that our best option was to kill Jeol then abscond into the night to warn our people. Without his political acumen, the cadre and legion would be directionless. They would perhaps consider leaving peacefully. Of course, Jeol was not stupid. He had expected our move and we engaged his loyal bodyguard.¡±


    There was a moment of silence then.


    ¡°Elunath struck me as I attacked. He shattered my spine. He killed Jesar whom I had convinced to join us. We never stood a chance. After that, Jeol was very impressed by his performance and his loyalty to Harrak and himself. They left while I feigned death which was not a very difficult thing to do. Anger needled me so much¡­ I traced the circle by crawling inch by inch with the only hand I could still move. Every movement sent searing knives into every fragment of my broken body. It was¡­ excruciating. But he had to die.


    ¡°Only later did I learn that Elunath betrayed Jeol at the gates, had him murdered and climbed to the top of the Helockian hierarchy immediately after the ensuing battle. He was hailed as a hero. My family were driven out as relatives to a traitor. I never found them again.


    ¡°Elunath has never been a hero. He has always been an opportunist. The most important thing to Elunath is Elunath. He will go to any length to gain and conserve power. He is a blight. A self-sustaining parasite. And he killed Jesar. Why did he kill Jesar? It just does not make any sense¡­¡±


    Viv blinked. Something had just gone wrong. Abe seemed broken in a machine-like way, his skeletal frame as if stuck in time. Only the flicker of blue flame still danced in the empty sockets. No one dared speak in the few seconds it took for his soul to reassert control.


    ¡°Where was I? Oh yes. Elunath may delude himself in thinking he cares about the city, or honor, or reputation. He is a purely rational self-serving creature who will inevitably do what serves him the most. If he believes it serves him more to break his word because he can get away with it, he will.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I know that¡­¡± Viv grumbled.


    ¡°That will make him predictable but no less dangerous for it. Now for the assassination part. First, I would like to inform you that I hired an assassin to help us in this endeavor. He should arrive quickly. In the meanwhile, I propose that I share what I know and then you may discuss and propose solutions as you may think of solutions I did not think of. Now, onto the explanation.¡±


    Abe gestured and a detailed plan of Elunath¡¯s domain appeared as a light construct of exquisite complexity. Viv easily recognized the entrance lobby, the corridor, and Elutnath¡¯s study but there were also a research laboratory, and personal quarters. She recognized storage rooms, a kitchen, and the various other locations thanks to careful labels. The magical defenses were shown just as thoroughly, and they were quite formidable. Viv counted three entrances in total but they might as well be fortress walls for all that entailed.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Abe gestured a second time. A list of profiles bearing the likeness of wanted portraits appeared next to the map, this one detailing Elunath¡¯s entourage and an estimation of their capabilities, complete with anecdotes and public display of power. A last gesture brought Elunath¡¯s chiseled, perfect face and a much more comprehensive list of his abilities.


    Viv had never seen such in depth preparations.


    ¡°As you can see, in addition to his own formidable abilities, Elunath enjoys the support of a group of trained mages, a fortress-like setup, and he must be slain within ten minutes at most.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°As a vital defender of Helock, Elunath is backed by the council of elders. Gryphon riders and battlemages will flood the place as soon as the alarm is given. That is why I need your help, if I have to be honest. We are trying to fight a superior, entrenched enemy. The odds are not in our favor.¡±


    Abe went on a long description of the multiple layers of defenses around the elemental archmage. Brown mages were superior defenders and Elunath exemplified their entire caste. Redundant systems would make infiltration almost impossible. Even the windows were not made of glass but of specifically enchanted panes of hard stone designed to let the light through. The odds did seem overwhelming.


    For all of his foe¡¯s superiority, Abe had still found, not exactly flaws, but opportunities. Elunath could sense anything moving through stone in a radius that covered almost the entire city. He could also pay more attention to specific places and possibly even eavesdrop on conversation, though he could not be everywhere at once. Abe surmised Elunath could also find someone from their footsteps.


    Abe¡¯s immediate solution was to use Elunath¡¯s confidence against himself. He would set up a diversion before sneaking into the manor from underneath, digging through the earth where protections were only nominal while Elunath was distracted. Abe was absolutely confident that Elunath would rush back to punish whoever dared enter his domain. This still left the attackers inside of a stone structure belonging to an archmage who specialized in stone manipulation. Black mana saturation would remedy some of the dangers but¡­ the outlook was rather bleak. Viv gave them maybe one in five chances of success which was still impressive for such a daunting task. Abe was right to brainstorm the problem. Piling powerful people could only get them so far. Abe¡¯s planning was not up to par with his intelligence gathering, that was for sure.


    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t have reinforcements?¡± Viv asked.


    Abe glanced up, his blue glare disturbingly intense.


    ¡°A diversion?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, not really. What if we cut off his support first? Helock accommodates him but there is no arguing he¡¯s an asshole and he must have made enemies throughout the years. I think we can convince the city to¡­ ah¡­ punish him a little.¡±


    ¡°There is a great way to do that, actually,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Please tell me more,¡± Abe asked with singular intensity.


    ¡°Helock law allows for a ¡®vendetta¡¯ against interest groups if a sufficient cause is offered to the Council of Elders.¡±


    So far, the discussion had been conducted in old Harrakan since most of the group was more familiar with the language. ¡®Vendetta¡¯ was the best translation Viv could think of to fit the northern term Sidjin had used.


    ¡°When a vendetta is declared, the council may not offer support to either side. It will not intervene so long as the conflict is limited to the contestants. It¡¯s a seldom used mechanism because the conditions to set it up are stringent. Most conflicts would be better solved using negotiations or a tribunal.¡±


    ¡°I remember. The law was voted after the Narkis family debacle,¡± Abe replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s a last resort for failed clans who believe they no longer have a chance for fair treatment. The Narkis family went out in a blaze of glory against a superior alliance but the collateral damage was so dire and their attacks so indiscriminate that the city still bears the scars of that conflagration. A vendetta limits the violence and gives options to revenge-driven individuals by guaranteeing that the authorities will leave them alone. In return, civilian lives are spared. Mostly.¡±


    ¡°And we can declare one?¡± Viv asked with some doubt.


    ¡°Not we. You,¡± Sidjin replied. ¡°You see, only citizens in good standing can make the request. None of us are but¡­ there is a loophole.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a student of the Academy,¡± Viv remembered. ¡°For at least another few months. Academy students enjoy the same benefits as citizens except for voting rights!¡±


    ¡°You will have to pay your dues first but then you can start the process. You are also lighter and have a different balance compared to before, which means that Elunath will struggle to find you, especially if you limit the number of steps you take.¡±


    ¡°I could float.¡±


    ¡°You should. And the council will never refuse your request because you have cause and are extremely dangerous yourself and, mostly, well¡­¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t be too worried?¡±


    ¡°No one in their right mind could think that Elunath would lose to anybody right now.¡±


    ¡°Right. That seems like a good idea. It will warn the man that I¡¯m still alive but I¡¯ll sacrifice the element of surprise for the withdrawal of Helockian help. That should be one hurdle removed.¡±


    ¡°Most likely lessened. They will still covertly provide some assistance,¡± Abe corrected.


    ¡°And concerning this, I have another idea,¡± Viv continued. ¡°Look, let¡¯s take a step back. We¡¯re thinking about this too, err, tactically. This isn¡¯t a battle. It¡¯s a campaign. Right now our isolation and small numbers seem like a disadvantage but actually, it¡¯s a strength. We¡¯re conducting covert operations. A small group of experts is the ideal set up.¡±


    ¡°Your earthling mindset bleeds through your words,¡± Abe remarked, ¡°however wisdom being universal, I would hear your proposal.¡±


    ¡°We need to sap his resources. Make the city lose confidence and respect. Force him out of his comfort zone to make him sloppy, tired, prone to mistakes.¡±


    ¡°He will just hunker down,¡± Rakan said.


    //Not if we make it too costly.


    //Basic analysis of Elunath¡¯s profile hints at extreme arrogance.


    ¡°I concur,¡± Abe added.


    //Attacks against him will be answered.


    //Most likely, they will be answered with excessive force.


    //He will seek to make examples.


    //It would play to our advantage.


    ¡°I can ruin his reputation with a smear campaign,¡± Viv said. ¡°I have ideas. That¡¯s his political capital. Next, what about the money?¡±


    Everyone looked at Viv.


    ¡°The¡­ money?¡± Rakan asked.


    ¡°Money means nothing to the likes of him,¡± Sidjin concurred.


    ¡°No, hold on,¡± Abe said.


    They all waited for him to gather his thoughts.


    ¡°I understand what she means. We can strike at his resources. His possessions. His supporters as well. We must attack everything. He is but one mind who trusts nobody with his personal affairs while we are many. If we can overwhelm him with issues, his mental state will eventually deteriorate. I have gathered detailed information on his financial holdings. Please wait while I go collect them.¡±


    The lich literally flew away. Viv used the opportunity to serve herself another cup. Resisting cold did not mean one enjoyed it, after all. Abe returned a few minutes later with several files which Viv immediately set to arrange before her. She went over notes, statements, intercepted transmissions, schedules. Her mind absorbed everything in her quest to inflict maximum damage. There were no skills of hers that promoted duplicity but she was her father¡¯s daughter and one didn¡¯t grow the child of a devious politician without learning a few tricks.


    ¡°Can we help?¡± Sidjin asked with some hesitation.


    ¡°Do you have a polymath skill or something similar?¡±


    ¡°Well, no.¡±


    ¡°Then wait a bit please. I¡¯m almost done.¡±


    The crew ¡ª Viv had decided they were a crew since they intended to break quite a few laws ¡ª gathered around her with steaming cups to watch her work. It took her less than ten minutes to gather piles and eventually brandish a schedule like one waves a flag.


    ¡°This. Elunath frequently visits the Bank of Helock to access a private safe.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his possessions be better hidden in his manor?¡± Rakan asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Whatever¡¯s in there is meaningful enough that he keeps it in one of the most secure locations in the city yet still makes sure it¡¯s not in his house. Whatever it is, it must be precious. And the good news is that he didn¡¯t pick the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange.¡±


    ¡°How is that relevant?¡± Abe asked.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re going to burglarize it and I would hate to step on the feet of people who keep my money.¡±


    Abe considered her proposal for a few seconds.


    ¡°Marvelous. I have more information on the bank¡¯s structure. Let us reconvene tomorrow after the assassin has arrived. I must admit, as attractive as killing Elunath is, I will enjoy humiliating him first even more.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Here it is,¡± Viv said a little nervously.


    Rakan watched Abe move with trepidation. The lich used careful movements to remove an oak staff from the pedestal where it had been engraved. Four small cores shone over its length at equal distance to each other, one for each of the primary colors.


    The young mage took the staff in trembling hands. Immediately, his leaking aura settled. Power dripped into the cores at a steady pace white the two others watched in wonder.


    ¡°It appears to be working,¡± Abe stated. ¡°Although not my best creation by far, I believe you will find this tool suitable to your needs, young Rakan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thanks, I¡­ I can¡¯t really repay you?¡±


    ¡°Fret not. I have vast amounts of resources at my disposal. It pleases me to see Hallurians rising above the cutthroat customs of their home nations to seek greatness elsewhere. You are a credit to your people, young Rakan.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I believe that taking care of my allies will eventually pay off. Altruism is¡­ is important. Is it not? I believe it is. Yes. Now you can leave with your mind at peace?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure you don¡¯t need me¡­¡±


    Rakan¡¯s sister was in Harrak with the hunters by now for the sake of safety. Viv didn¡¯t know Tarana very well. Their relationship had always been frosty since the young woman pictured her brother¡¯s life as peaceful and stable, two things Viv was known to deny by her mere presence. The recent events had not proven her wrong either. Nevertheless, she had accepted to relocate without struggle. The recent race riots had removed any illusion she had on how Hallurians were perceived around the city. Now, Rakan could join her to recover and learn how to make the best of the situation.


    ¡°I just feel like I¡¯m running away¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Viv said. ¡°You need time to recover and adapt. I assure you that there is enough to do around the land we¡¯ve reclaimed. You might also want to try your hand against the undead. No shortage of those.¡±


    ¡°I know that. I mean that you¡¯re all here. I know I¡¯m being a burden.¡±


    ¡°A unit is composed of many members,¡± Abe interrupted. ¡°If those members are hurt, the unit worries. Taking care of yourself and returning once you have recovered is the best service you can render right now. Your companions care about you.¡±


    ¡°What if you get hurt and I could have been here to help? To prevent it?¡±


    ¡°With enough ifs you can sit atop the divine throne in Larrean with Maranor upon your lap.¡±


    Rakan crossed his arms, half surprised and half amused.


    ¡°Forgive me for the outburst,¡± Abe continued. ¡°Do not mull over dark thoughts until they poison your mind with hypothetical scenarios that will never see the day. You do not have to wait or be idle. Your task is to learn how to function with the staff then help around the city. I am certain Viviane¡¯s senechal has a list of chores she cannot wait to hoist upon your shoulders, young Rakan.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I guess. Yeah, I have my own path to follow. Thanks again. I really can¡¯t repay you but I will certainly try.¡±


    Rakan left, eager to try the staff in the ritual room. Viv watched him go with just a little bit of guilt. It was not that they were getting rid of him. She really believed in her own words. It was that, even though Rakan had decided to take part in the tournament himself, the tragedy that led to him being maimed could arguably be born from her spark of luck. History happened while she was around and that history made victims. She knew it. She just couldn¡¯t help it.


    Perhaps a broken core could be repaired. At the very least, she knew whom to ask. Her return to the Academy was going to be interesting.


    ***


    Viv¡¯s wings were weird.


    The smooth surface of solid black mana hid things inside she didn¡¯t quite understand. There were no obvious muscles designed to move them and yet they moved, and they did so with a strength only limited by Viv¡¯s stature and weight. Viv could direct them with as much precision as her own arms. They gave tactile feedback. For all intents and purposes, those were extra stabby limbs and yet they were clearly not designed for that purpose. They were meant as an anchor, a signal that magic was going to happen. The need to use them as such always lingered at the back of Viv¡¯s psyche, even during exercises.


    Which was bothering her right now.


    The Chalice¡¯s surface was small but cluttered with stones, ruins, and the craggy trees that grew up at this altitude with the constant wind twisting their trunks like snakes. One could grow familiar with this place which was why Viv was never given enough time to study it. Her maddened race sent her climbing over a beheaded statue, wings planting into nearby growths to carry her the last few inches. Sure steps on roots and she was off at a dead run towards the entrance to the underground.


    Her instincts screamed at her.


    A stone bounced on her instant shield, deflected into a nearby column. Viv ducked under another. She launched herself at a dead sprint, wings balanced behind her. She stopped. She jumped to the side. Her wings tensed. Her balance was wrong. She lost her footing.


    Solfis crashed where she had been a moment before. His clawed feet punched through the old stone with a ghastly crack. Viv¡¯s instincts still told her he was a danger. She was on the ground. Too slow.


    Anger took over.


    With a scream of rage, she pushed herself back towards him. The wings extended like twin blades towards the golem¡¯s ribcage, stopped at the last moment by two pinching hands. Viv had recovered before they could land but that didn¡¯t matter. She would never stand a chance against Solfis in a physical contest anyway.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I, ah, sorry. Lost it for a minute there.¡±


    Fury still pumped through her veins though it was directionless now.


    //Think nothing of it.


    //It is all part of your recovery and training.


    ¡°How do you make the instincts work anyway? It never triggered during training before but now I feel like you¡¯re real threat to me. That you mean to hurt me.¡±


    //I designed this method to train your acuity reflex skill.


    //By abusing the way it works.


    //I convince myself that you need to suffer in order for the training to be effective.


    //Then I convince myself that applying that suffering is no longer necessary as I reach for you.


    ¡°I. Err. You can do that?¡±


    //The advantage of a perfect mind instead of a mess of hormones and poorly firing neurons.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    //Though I admit that you are far ahead of the fleshbag curve.


    ¡°I just thought you couldn¡¯t hurt me at all.¡±


    //I can inflict discomfort in the name of progress and overall safety.


    ¡°Right. Well, speaking of discomfort, I¡¯m done for now.¡±


    Even a month after the fact, Viv still couldn¡¯t move for a full hour without feeling a deep exhaustion. She also ate more and spent half the day sleeping. Low, unceasing pains had become a constant companion, though it never affected the same place twice. It wasn¡¯t too bad though, and she was too bored to stay in bed. Moving with her wings deployed had become a priority. Getting a new wardrobe equipped with flaps was another.


    Her super cool black and silver armor no longer fit.


    That was only temporary. Yep!


    //A word before we return.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    //The making of liches was strictly forbidden by the empire and all liches and people participating in the making of liches were to be executed without trial.


    //There were no exceptions.


    //The reason why liches still occurred was that it remains easy for a caster with enough time to become one.


    //All it takes is tethering the soul to one¡¯s deceased body.


    //A feat that veteran mages at the top of the fourth step can accomplish with enough will.


    //Incidence of liches remained at around one per year on average during my time as an asset for the Harrakan military.


    //Despite their numbers, no effort was ever made to accept and weaponize them.


    //The cause is due to a combination of several factors.


    ¡°Which apply to our host.¡±


    //Indeed.


    //First, liches grow in power as time passes.


    //Thus, a lich left alone grows more dangerous.


    //In this they are similar to necrarches.


    //Second, liches are driven by a single purpose decided during death.


    //They are incapable of deviating from that course.


    //Thus liches cannot be directed nor controlled.


    //Third, liches lose their humanity and their empathy the longer they operate.


    //The phenomenon can be mitigated as Abe¡¯s example shows but never stopped.


    //Thus, a lich will eventually lose the incentive to act as a citizen.


    //Fourth, once their purpose is accomplished, they grow listless and destructive.


    ¡°So after Abe kills Elunath¡­¡±


    //When it happens, Abenezigel will quickly suffer from the completion of his reason to live.


    //Resulting in a quick degeneration of his social skills followed by a transformation into a true monster.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    //I apologize.


    //I did not expect you to grow friendly with an undead.


    //However, I do admire his resilience and his ability to maintain focus and sanity.


    ¡°Damn. It¡¯s like you admire him.¡±


    //Despite vastly different origins, we have much in common.


    ¡°So¡­ uh¡­ you plan on killing him?¡±


    //Killing him serves Helock.


    //Therefore, I will avoid doing so unless forced to act.


    //Nevertheless, we should leave him as soon as we are done.


    ¡°Wait, so we both transferred our soul to a different body, more or less, right?¡±


    //Yes.


    ¡°But mine is still alive so it¡¯s¡­ better?¡±


    //Yes.


    //The seat of your mental functions is still an organic brain.


    //It relies on mana-altered biological processes.


    //His mental functions rely on mana alone.


    //He is missing key subconscious aspects.


    ¡°So his body is flawed. What if we found a way to¡­ improve it?¡±


    Solfis¡¯ yellow glare bored into Viv¡¯s.


    //Elaborate.


    ¡°We may be able to return his carcass to a likeness of life. A sort of flesh golem. It might be possible for me.¡±


    //You are getting very close to necromancy and the domain of Gomogog.


    ¡°How close?¡±


    //Close enough to be careful during your research.


    //We may as well look for options.


    //Abenezigel¡¯s contribution to Harrak might be¡­ invaluable.


    ¡°So, kill an elemental, find a way to cure Rakan, find a way to help Abe. Looks like we got our work cut out for us.¡±


    //I do expect a lot of cutting, yes.

 Chapter 142: Administration

    It felt weird to be back at the Academy after everything that happened, Viv thought. Her steps carried her past the entrance and the uncaring gaze of the guards, then through the familiar entrance garden and to the administrative building. No one gave her a second glance. No one paid much attention. The reason was simple. Viv had a disguise.


    Abenezigel had prepared thoroughly, though it had now become clear that he lacked the sort of vision that could lead to a great plan. She now wore an amulet that masked her more prominent features, her eyes and peculiar skin tone. For everyone watching she would appear as a brown-eyed, dark-haired mousy young woman of Enorian origin, pretty much a second class citizen. Although it took more than what Abe was capable off to bullshit an inspection skill, the amulet also bore a disturbing and most likely turbo illegal charm that made the inspector dismiss her. In short, they still saw all her information. They just didn¡¯t care. The guards didn¡¯t let her through because she was a student here but because she was uninteresting and harmless. As Viv opened the door to the administrative building, she was fully confident in her heart that this little trick would come back to bite her in the ass sooner rather than later.


    Pissed her off a bit, that did.


    Between the amulet and the gravity harness she wore just in case, she was confident Elunath would not start looking for her until after she completed all her errands.


    Few people remained in the lobby so late in the morning. Darla, the head admin, gave her a dismissive glance at first, then her gaze zeroed on Viv with laser focus, confirming Viv¡¯s opinion that there was more to the prim woman than what was obvious at first glance. Darla straightened in her white uniform and placed a hand behind her back in a gesture even Viv found threatening. The elemental witch raised her hands, then slowly removed the amulet.


    Viv¡¯s appearance returned to normal, sans the wings as she wanted to keep that a secret until forced to reveal them. Darla gasped in shock.


    That made the next three seconds very awkward as Viv was forced to wait. Behind her, a student filling a form looked on with some curiosity.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, it¡¯s you!¡± Darla sputtered.


    She gave Viv a look over.


    ¡°Well, most of you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Har har. I assure you it¡¯s only temporary. I would like to re enroll for this semester. Unless there is a problem, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, the student register lists you as ¡®most likely dead¡¯ but seeing as you stand here without trying to eat my face off, I will assume that the rumors were exaggerated. Enrollment for the next semester is done with a simple signature. I will also update your student chit and there is the tuition fee. Fifteen gold talents and seven silver please.¡±


    Viv grumbled about rising prices. The Academy asked for a low fee from first years but then expected people to make money for themselves, even if it meant spending weekends recharging wards for rich families. Viv could afford it. It was the principle of the thing.


    Her business concluded, Viv made her way to her dormitory where she expected to find Ereska. Her nice dress meant that students took her for a relative or a runner, though many frowned as she passed. The Academy was an exclusive place for mages and she didn¡¯t register as one. Many resented the intrusion in their sanctum.


    It was the first time she realized what it meant to be a non caster in no position of authority. She was a nobody. The low rung of a highly hierarchical society. Her presence was barely tolerated on the assumption she would not be there if the authorities had not decreed it acceptable, and even then only temporarily.


    Her mind wandered. Was she not the same, dating only casters and acting high and mighty? How bad was it, really? What if she had appeared in this world not through Emeric¡¯s intervention but by some mishap like, presumably, plenty of others? How many outlanders had died in the Hallurian wilderness or slaughtered by parochial villages who could not trust a stranger before Nous¡¯ blessing could give them an edge? She shook her head as the path led up to the remote stone building where she had slept so many nights. It was not a good time for what ifs.


    It turned out that Ereska wasn¡¯t here. Viv easily tracked the aristocratic mage to the nearby library. Ereska was working on her ¡®thesis¡¯, a way to generate mana from artificial dams to increase grain output. She no longer attended classes. Viv had to flash her chit at the librarian who would have pushed her off on her ass in an instant. Even Ereska looked at her with haughty annoyance when she dared interrupt.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Viv.¡±


    ¡°What is the meaning of¡­ impossible. Really? Prove it.¡±


    ¡°You snore when you¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°HUSH! Not here. Come.¡±


    The now much taller woman dragged her to a rest area where a nasty glare reminded a group of first years they ought to be studying and not gawking.


    Viv removed her necklace. Ereska gasped as well. She also placed a hand against Viv¡¯s shoulder, going through the tightly controlled cloud of mana that formed Viv¡¯s aura.


    ¡°So much mana. Maranor¡¯s tits.¡±


    ¡°Language?¡±


    ¡°Not now. And your eyes¡­ Incredible. A black mana elemental caster. I¡­ don¡¯t think there are any records of one.¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m the first.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating. And¡­ but wait¡­¡±


    Ereska finally frowned.


    ¡°Did¡­ the transformation fail on your legs?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s temporary! Temporary! Is everyone going to comment on it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re two heads shorter.¡±


    ¡°I know. I noticed.¡±


    ¡°And almost completely flat. Like a boy.¡±


    ¡°Cut it out.¡±


    ¡°Still, I am delighted to see you again. You could have sent news, or did Elunath not permit it?¡±


    ¡°That is why I am here. I did not take Elunath¡¯s offer. He is not what he said he is¡­ and I will make him fall for that.¡±


    Immediately, excitement left the mage¡¯s frame. Her slanted eyes grew keen and narrow. Viv had her attention.


    ¡°Elaborate.¡±


    ¡°Elunath keeps sex slaves.¡±


    It took a good fifteen minutes for Viv to recount her entire experience, not because she gave much detail but because Ereska¡¯s sharp mind latched on the terms of the contract and would simply not let go. Their stats meant that Viv¡¯s recall was perfect, which meant swearing on Neriad¡¯s name that she wasn¡¯t lying a mere formality. Her mana was drained and a soft golden glow surrounded her raised right hand in a soft halo.


    ¡°By all the gods light and dark. That is¡­ The Academy exists exactly to protect young mages from such predatory practices! How could Dean Tallit not know?¡±


    ¡°How did you not know?¡± Viv countered. ¡°How did I not know? Exclusively female mages recruited at the end of puberty? We were being naive.¡±


    Ereska slouched against the wall. Ereska never slouched, and she seldom swore.


    ¡°And you say he hunts after those who have no choice?¡±


    ¡°Or little choice. People from very poor backgrounds usually.¡±


    ¡°The local nobles always pick those up when their powers fully manifest. Elunath is a liar! Of course, anyone with talent would be nurtured as much as possible. Casters are too valuable to be left raising a brood of fishermen. Poppycock. He is lying to entrap promising prospects. Arg! Wait until I tell everyone. You will tell everyone, yes?¡±


    ¡°I suspect Tallit will find me before long. I want to see Tod as well.¡±


    ¡°I will walk you to the medical faculty.¡±


    Ereska was not fully absorbed in her outrage. She agreed to spread the word to her friends and the noble families as much as possible. The old guard wouldn¡¯t give two shits about what an archmage did with poor strangers but younger nobles had a natural aversion for forced marriages and old men going after much younger partners.


    ¡°I know what you think. Most of us will not care what Elunath does with peasants and coal burners. After all, the higher classes have been abusing their powers for generations and will continue doing so as long as mankind is mankind. But Elunath is not preying on fishermen, he is preying on mages, my dear. It will be enough to raise quite a few eyebrows. Oh, I still cannot believe it.¡±


    It was now Viv¡¯s turn to question Ereska, not least because she had not expected the cold woman to adopt this cause with such fiery passion.


    ¡°Be careful not to poke him too much. I can hide. You, on the other hand¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh do not worry. If I criticize Elunath then suddenly disappear, the clans will be in an uproar. If he wants to stay here at all, he will not escalate. I regret to say that the same will apply in reverse. Never will the council of elders oppose his practices, no matter how despicable they may be.¡±


    ¡°If everyone knows him for what he is, that is enough.¡±


    ¡°It is not!¡±


    ¡°It is enough for your part in this,¡± Viv amended. ¡°Perhaps we can prevent future entrapments as well.¡±


    ¡°You have a plan,¡± Ereska stated.


    Viv spared a glance at the mage, tempted. But no. Ereska was a daughter of Helock. Viv couldn¡¯t trust her with more, couldn¡¯t risk her with more.


    ¡°I have and you should not get involved. Breaking his grip on Helockian society is a daunting enough task, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I suppose you are right. I should be on my way. I will be heading home immediately. Ugh, I still cannot believe my ears! Disgusting. Goodbye and good luck.¡±


    Viv walked through the far gate leading outside of the Academy¡¯s walls and to the plateau above Helock where the medical faculty welcomed the sick who could make their way there. On her way, Viv was confronted to her new reality.


    ¡°Get in fucking line, wench.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a student,¡± Viv replied to the thug outside with patience and understanding. Couldn¡¯t betray her return with a casual dismemberment.


    She dangled the chit in front of her.


    ¡°The fuck is that?¡±


    A local guard stopped the thug before Viv could explode. Apparently, they accepted outside help to keep the unwashed properly lined up in stressful situations. Viv did her best to shut off the stench of filth, disease, and outright rot spreading from the mass. She was pretty sure the old man in a wheelbarrow dragged by a crying girl had been dead for at least an hour. After more than a month of bed rest and earth series watching, the return to reality was giving her whiplash.


    ¡°Hello, could you please let magister Tod that I am here? My name is Viv.¡±


    ¡°Magister Tod is busy at the moment. Please wait in line and we¡¯ll be with you shortly,¡± the staff lady at the front told her without a glance.


    Viv was not familiar with her but the staff rotated between all departments so that wasn¡¯t unusual.


    ¡°I expect him to be busy. I just would like him to know I¡¯m here,¡± Viv calmly insisted.


    That was fine. This was the emergency service of an overcrowded hospital. It was only natural that people could be curt. She wouldn¡¯t raise her voice, she would remain calm. Many people were suffering much more than she was. Just take a step back and breathe.


    The wood of the lobby groaned under her grip. It cracked. The staff lady looked up in silent alarm, then saw the splintered crack snaking towards her.


    The guards shifted.


    ¡°I appreciate that you are very busy and I do not expect the magister to rush out to see me or anything. My request is simple. Make the magister aware of my presence then he can decide what to do. Look, you¡¯re here to filter people out. I got it. I¡¯m the person who regrows limbs.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not magister Ashra.¡±


    Viv blinked. Apparently they¡¯d managed to make the spell work without her! That was great news.


    ¡°I¡¯m her assistant. The other one? I haven¡¯t been there in over a month.¡±


    ¡°Suuuuure, I¡¯ll let him know but if you¡¯re trying to fool me¡­¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The wood creaked even more. The staff lady suddenly remembered that little detail. Viv¡¯s pleasant smile was growing more strained by the second.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make threats, pretty please with a nice slice of permonn on top.¡±


    The message was sent in record time. In the meanwhile, Viv sat down to wait.


    ¡°This is a place of healing, little lady. Please don¡¯t make trouble,¡± an old guard told her with a fatherly tone.


    Viv sighed. There was so much impatience in her, suddenly. Rage thundered in her brain at the slightest frustration and it was all she could do to keep it at bay. Even her enhanced mind struggled to keep a lid on the constant need to put people in her place.


    ¡°Not going to be an undercover agent for very long, that¡¯s for sure,¡± she grumbled to herself.


    ¡°VIVANE!¡± a familiar voice yelled.


    Tod was an ancient black man with a majestic beard, rail thin and with a permanent sore throat. It felt strange to see him hurry down a nearby corridor with a panicked assistant in tow. She stood up and saw the confusion on his face, and damn the subtlety, she removed her amulet. Her eyes put a stop to Tod but he recovered quickly. Much more quickly than the guards, in any case.


    ¡°You made it. You are alive!¡±


    ¡°Yes, magister. I heard you managed to regrow a limb without me? Well done.¡±


    ¡°Examination room. Now.¡±


    ¡°Errr, I was just here to ¡ª ¡°


    But Tod had turned away without waiting for confirmation, leaving Viv with no reasonable choice but to follow.


    ¡°Ashra and a bishop of Enttiku and it takes them six hours. For an arm!¡±


    ¡°Hey it¡¯s a proof of concept. I¡¯m sure you can refine the process.¡±


    ¡°Young lady, this is the heart of learning on Param. If we can¡¯t do it, no one can, and we can¡¯t. Not without Ashra developing her understanding of change.¡±


    ¡°Just be patient.¡±


    Tod stopped to glare at her. The effect was lessened when he met her eyes and flinched.


    ¡°Not going to get used to that. In there now, young lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really just here to ask questions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very old and in charge and your medical practitioner, That means you do what I say.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±


    They entered a freshly deserted room. The linen on the bed was still damp and the scent of soap and alcohol barely masked that of dream weed, a local intoxicant.


    ¡°Hmph. Sit down so I can have a look at you.¡±


    Tod cast several spells in quick successions, passing his gnarly hands over the still dressed form of Viv with increasing puzzlement.


    ¡°Well, congratulations. According to my measurements, you¡¯re perfectly dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡±ve heard that before.¡±


    ¡°And inexplicably shorter!¡±


    ¡°Heard that one too.  I¡¯m fine, really.¡±


    ¡°I could write a treatise on elemental anatomy if you give me a bit of your time.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be of¡­ very limited use?¡±


    Viv withstood a two minute rant on science and the necessity of understanding first before considering practical applications.


    ¡°And you¡¯d better not forget it! And why did you disappear on me? When are you coming back? We have a waiting list of amputees. Veterans from the latest Hallurian adventure. Well?¡±


    ¡°About that. I¡¯m going to be busy for at least a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Doing what exactly?¡±


    ¡°Blood feud with Elunath after he tried to sign me into becoming his sex slave.¡±


    Tod glared but then that was his normal state of being when he was thinking about something.


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    Viv did so, sharing the details of the contracts. She swore on Neriad, sent the golden god some more mana in prayer and got him to back her word again. For the longest time, Tod didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°Young Tallit knows?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure. I¡¯ll probably see him afterward.¡±


    ¡°If he knew and did nothing I¡¯ll be very, very cross. The Academy stands for freedom of mages to pursue their craft for themselves and offer their services to those who deserve it. I know we¡¯re competing with the ambition and greed of local rulers. We can¡¯t do anything about those! But a poacher and sexual predator in our own gods-accursed city? Wait. You are going to declare a vendetta?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Another glare, this one more cautious. Viv was growing used to Tod¡¯s different flavors of evil eye again.


    ¡°I assume you have a plan.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d better be a good one because Elunath is many things but he¡¯s not a pushover. Do you know he once crushed an entire fortress?¡±


    ¡°He did it at least twice that we know of.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least you¡¯ve done your homework. And we? Wait, don¡¯t tell me. In the meanwhile, I¡¯m going to request a physical for all the poor ladies under his care.¡±


    ¡°He probably won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°Then at least it¡¯ll piss him off. Off you go now, I¡¯m busy. Don¡¯t die. Hop to it!¡±


    ¡°Wait. I had a question. Rakan has a¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know he has a broken core and I already told him it was not something fixable with medicine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he already came to you.¡±


    ¡°People have their own brains and drives, you remember, yes? Of course he came to me. I¡¯ll tell you what I told him. He needs to focus on mana control and channel development. Cores are not static things for us mortals, yes? The most important thing is not to give up. He can still cast well enough! I gave him instructions and exercises, the rest you¡¯ll have to see with him. Enough dilly dally. Be on your way!¡±


    ¡°Yes you old curmudgeon, I¡¯m going. Neriad¡¯s buttocks.¡±


    ¡°No backtalk!¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes, replaced her pendant and made her way out. As expected, there was a runner requesting her presence at the dean¡¯s office. It did not take long for her to explain her position to the singularly ugly man, which made his bushy eyebrows furrow even more. Dean Tallit gave her his blessing to be excused from class for the duration of the blood feud. He was also the first person not to remark upon the fact she was a little diminished.


    ¡°This is quite worrisome. Elunath is a frequent sponsor of promising students so we always assumed he had an interest in Helock¡¯s development. Between what you swore and some other hints I elected to disregard due to a lack of complaints from the participants, it appears we will have to give all his contracts a very thorough look. I assume you have a plan?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have a plan. Why is everyone asking? I very often have a plan.¡±


    ¡°Shortly after your first meeting, you rushed out and destroyed a warehouse looking for your kidnapped dragon. You killed two people in plain sight.¡±


    ¡°They had it coming.¡±


    ¡°I do not deny that. You just seem¡­ impetuous at times.¡±


    ¡°Look, which of us defeated a prince and poured molten gold down his throat? I did. I have plans.¡±


    ¡°You are not exactly filling me with confidence. Elunath has been at this game for a very long time. If he finds you¡­¡±


    Tallit eloquently smashed his hand on his desk.


    ¡°Splat.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes everyone takes me for an idiot. I know he will kill me if he corners me. It will be fine. I haven¡¯t declared the feud yet.¡±


    ¡°Very well. You should go now then disappear. I don¡¯t believe other students have recognized you so far but there will be rumors and Elunath will hear them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going as soon as we are done here.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We will investigate your assumptions and if they are true, it will be clear that Elunath has benefitted from our institution and our talent while violating everything we stand for. The Academy will not join in with your feud but we will not support Elunath either. Quite the contrary.¡±


    ¡°That is all I can ask.¡±


    ***


    Afternoon had barely started when Viv made her way down the noble quarter. Hunger needled her but she hesitated to find food because time was not on her side, even with the disguise masking her identity as half elemental. Elunath would learn of her survival sooner or later and, contrary to everyone else so far, he would seriously wonder how she managed to transition. The fact she had not declared a blood feud would not stop him if he really wanted to get his claws on her.


    No one paid attention to her while he walked at a brisk pace, having failed to locate a cart. The road was muddy today, the sky depressed. It was the first time she had returned to Helock since the change and she wasn¡¯t having fun. The city had changed, or maybe she had. Elunath could feel every footstep around and could have perhaps recognized her if she had kept the same weight. It made her paranoid, eager to activate her gravity harness to escape the danger under her soles. She squashed the urge. It was going to be fine.


    The avenue broadened and the sashes and shoulder pads of the nobility gave way to the red uniforms of civil servants out to grab a bite. She ended on the large central square, sparing a glance to the ominous form of the Bank of Helock. It was just as monolithic and hermetic as the Manipeleso banks she had seen everywhere. The austere facade tolerated no windows at all on its front and only barred, thin ones on the side. Tough nut to crack.


    The town hall was a buzz of activity, civilians and civil servants rushing in and out of the outer wall that surrounded a massive rectangular building. It was the largest man-made structure she¡¯d seen since leaving Harrak, with several entrances. Battle mages and soldiers alike kept a vigil all over the place. One of them, an officer, frowned when he saw her. He moved to intercept with two blade mages in tow.


    Viv let them catch up to her. She wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong yet. There was also a food cart on the side that had just gotten her attention. She was constantly ravenous these days and the scent of grilled meat and tuber was more than she could resist.


    ¡°You are not what you appear to be,¡± the officer told her without preamble. ¡°Unless you can reveal your real identity and justify the obfuscation, I will ask you to follow me.¡±


    ¡°I can reveal my true appearance and the reason of my presence but I¡¯d like my privacy respected. I¡¯m in good standing.¡±


    She waved her Academy chit. which was at the end of a chain conveniently attached to her bank token. The officer picked it between two gloved fingers with an amusing level of apprehension. Not too weird considering physical power and lethality related much less to size here than it did on earth. Viv watched the shock bloom on his expression once he read her name.


    ¡°You? We thought you were dead¡­¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t stick. I am very much alive.¡±


    ¡°What? Oh. Then¡­¡±


    ¡°I am here on official business. My obfuscation serves to protect my anonymity while I do so. I am sure you understand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. May I ask what it is? I can direct you to the right place.¡±


    Ah, it felt good to get the VIP treatment again. The constant annoyance boiling in Viv¡¯s veins simmered down a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to declare a vendetta against Archmage Elunath.¡±


    Viv could have shoved a whole egg in the officer¡¯s mouth without touching the teeth. His sidekicks were not faring much better. They were attracting some attention around, with three heavily armed men showing signs of shock next to a petite woman of no discernible interest. It took a few long and frankly boring seconds for them to recover. Next they were going to ask her if she had a plan or something.


    ¡°That¡­ well, are you quite sure? I believe only Helockian clans may declare one.¡±


    ¡°Nope, any citizen in good standing and I am considered one under the law.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I checked.¡±


    ¡°Against Elunath? Lady, you are out of your mind¡­¡±


    ¡°That is for me to decide, is it not?¡± Viv replied, her annoyance returning with a vengeance.


    ¡°Yeah, sure. Your funeral. Look, Elunath has been at this game for hundreds of years¡­¡±


    ¡°Show me the way or get out of the way. I¡¯m not debating my life choices with you.¡±


    The officer breathed in with thunder on his brow. He breathed out immediately though, his anger bleeding out. Viv got the impression it was a common occurrence.


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s your decision. Follow me.¡±


    The advantage of having an escort of three burly men, two of whom radiated mana, was that queues immediately became a problem of the past. Viv was led through a door and up three flights of stairs through what appeared to be a government wing. The place was heavily guarded and comparatively empty. The officer finally stopped in a crowded room filled with desks overloaded with papers and equipment, including a few mana-fed contraptions she did not recognize. A pallid man who looked offended that someone dared enter his domain turned to glare.


    ¡°Yes? This is the clan relationship management office. Are you lost?¡±


    ¡°The little la¡ª that is, Academy student Viviane would like to, ah, make a request. For a vendetta.¡±


    The civil servant glared some more, this time in silence. He was still leaning over one of his subordinates, two hands planted on the woman¡¯s desk. She was looking increasingly uncomfortable. The rest of the office had frozen likewise. Viv was wondering if she should just use a sound spell and scream her intention over the entire city to get it out of their system.


    ¡°You are not an offended clan. You¡¯re not even Helockian.¡±


    ¡°And yet, the law allows me to declare one as a student of the Academy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you come from but here in Helock, we do not play rule mangling like Baranese baronesses arguing over taxes. The vendetta is one of our most ancient and respected traditions. It¡¯s meant for the desperate to die with honor. Do you understand that? You want to make a mockery of our honor and you think we will just smile and get you on your way.¡±


    ¡°I just want to declare vendetta in a timely manner as the law permits. I am not mangling any rules and I assure you, I am very serious.¡±


    The man huffed. Viv had to take several deep breaths not to explode. She felt her core heat, the sensation new and unsettling. There was so much power in here, waiting to be unleashed. Sadly, no amount of might had ever helped defeat bureaucracy.


    ¡°Yes, though I believe I need to enlighten you as to what you can actually do. The laws of Helock do not allow you to ¡®declare¡¯ a vendetta as you seem to believe. What they allow you to do is to petition the council, following which they will decide if your request has merit. Fortunately for you, the council happens to be in session this afternoon.¡±


    He gave a condescending smile.


    ¡°I will transmit your request as is your right, and as is my right as servant of Helock, if you are refused and considered to be wasting the time of the council, I will fine you for the maximum legal amount of two gold and seven silver talents. Iskes, get me a copy of form twelve.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t have any form twelve sir?¡±


    ¡°Then copy it¡­¡± the civil servant slowly enunciated as if to a particularly slow child.


    It took the lady five minutes to find the original form which was lodged between two archives, then ten seconds to copy it, her hand a blur. Skills applied to every path here.


    Viv filled said form which was a little annoying because first, it asked several questions that related to a Helockian clan she never had. That reinforced the impression she was only abusing a loophole. Her second source of annoyance stemmed from the fact she was filling a bloody paper with her name and address just so she could legally engage in a fight to the death with a man who could swim through stone. It just felt so damn weird and illogical.


    ¡°There, I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Follow me, the council should have just convened. I am sure they will be delighted with the diversion.¡±


    Even the corridors leading to the council room were cramped. Viv remembered that the town hall had started as a keep, which was why it was huge and monolithic rather than spread across various buildings. It was clear the Helock government had outgrown the facility a long time ago with how cluttered every inch was with offices, desks, and screaming people. Viv walked through meandering rows of richly decorated corridors that felt more stuffy than solemn. One couldn¡¯t just lay a rug on naked fortress stone and expect it to turn into a palace. Eventually, they reached a heavily guarded sector and Viv was let into a large room with windows opened on one side.


    It was perhaps the only room that didn¡¯t feel entirely crowded. Rows of seats lined the back where richly dressed men and women attended the proceedings, muttering and moving in small groups. A large circular table occupied most of the remaining space. Clan leaders sat and conferred around it. Viv recognized several from her etiquette class, including Pendath, current ruler of the majority. Ereska had some choice words to say about the man who facilitated the ethnic riots as a ¡®way for the trash to take itself out¡¯ as he had worded it. He sat, obviously bored while a man droned on about what appeared to be a trade dispute. Many of the seats were empty. On a far corner, the scribe on duty yawned. Viv noted four battle mages, one in each corner. There were wards as well. She hoped it wouldn¡¯t become relevant.


    It might, because Pendath was an asshole.


    The office manager made his way to the front, where a sort of master of ceremony picked up the form. The pair muttered seriously. By then, several nobles had noticed Viv and the disturbance she was causing. Most were hostile, which Viv blamed on her demure appearance and simple dress. People rudely inspected her.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Pendath interrupted. ¡°Enough with the secret conference. What is going on?¡±


    ¡°A new council request made by that lady over there.¡±


    ¡°What is that request and how is it more important than the future of our food production!¡± the droning noble bellowed, clad in outrage and gaudy yellow cloth.


    ¡°The migration path of starlings isn¡¯t our ¡®food production¡¯, Eustath. I¡¯ll hear what this is about or risk falling asleep.¡±


    ¡°The little lady is a member of the Academy. Viviane.¡±


    ¡°The Outlander? I thought she was dead. And¡­ taller.¡±


    Viv fumed in her boots.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. She claims she made it and errr¡­ that she has a grudge against Elunath who apparently tried to enslave her. Sexually. She wants to declare a vendetta.¡±


    This time there was little shock to be shown. There were, however, a lot of sneers. Pendath scoffed.


    ¡°Elunath can have everyone he wants. You¡¯re delusional if you think he¡¯d make any effort for an ugly little thing like you. And you¡¯re not even a clan.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, I can request a vendetta.¡±


    ¡°And we are free to tell you to sod off.¡±


    ¡°The law¡ª¡±


    ¡°We are the law, wench. If you want to kill yourself against Elunath because the change made you hysterical, feel free to so but don¡¯t waste our time with preposterous requests! Someone escort her out. This isn¡¯t a circus, by Sardanal. It¡¯s a ruling council!¡±


    Well, Viv thought.


    I tried.


    Viv casually snapped the fingers of the office manager as he grabbed her shoulder. She felt the guards behind her move forward to stop her just as the battlemages rushed forward. She suspected they were screaming orders under their mask but she couldn¡¯t be sure. She had just suppressed the sound in the entire room. Another colorless spell amplified her own.


    With one hand still gripping the gnat¡¯s shattered digit, she slowly removed the pendant, letting her eyes return to their natural colors. The battlemages slowed down. Several cast wards.


    [Helockain Battlemage, dangerous. Fourth step casters who form the backbone of Helock¡¯s military. Killer. Disciplined. Coordinated.]


    They tasted of many colors but they were not her match. Not even close. Her aura expanded until the room darkened and black mana fumaroles hissed on the ground at her feet.


    ¡°Listen, it seems we misunderstand each other. I am not making a nice request. I am courteously offering you an opportunity.¡±


    Three of the mages had stopped by the council and activated wards. They could speak again but wisely elected not to. The last approached Viv at an angle with manacles out so she lifted a finger and smashed a bench into his tibias. Though his shield held, his balance did not. He wisely decided to stay at a distance after that.


    ¡°I¡¯m going after Elunath for what he¡¯s tried to do to me. I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not. Your opinion is inconsequential. What I need you to understand is that the result for Helock will be different if we are legally bound by rules.¡±


    ¡°Cease this instant! Are you mad? I demand you to stop!¡±


    ¡°And I demand you to do your fucking job. Now I¡¯ll ask one last time. Do you grant the vendetta or do you want to get acquainted with the phrase ¡®collateral damage¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We could also put you in jail for outrage until you have learned some respect!¡±


    That was it.


    Viv¡¯s fury, which she had kept bottled for some time, erupted like a volcano to pour from her soul in the form of a wave of intimidation more powerful than anything she¡¯d ever managed. She let her wings extend from her shoulder blades while scales as dark as the abyss bloomed over the dress. Excalibur spells snaked from her closed fist to lick the air with a subtle hiss. Pendath took a step back under the onslaught despite his obvious social skills. Even the soldiers at Viv¡¯s back fell back. As for the nobles, they collapsed where they were. Viv saw herself reflected on a nearby shield. The only thing that remained of her mild persona were two viridian circles and the hungering void.


    ¡°You can certainly try.¡±


    Come on come on come on come on do it just fucking try me. Do it. Do it do it do it so I can let go.


    Black mana rolled out of her form. The wings chafed from wanting to anchor her so very badly. She could just do it now. She could just kill them all to the last one. That would help just as surely, no? Behead the snake and the city turns into a pit of chaos and she did like chaos very very much. They just had to give her the excuse. Just try to get her. Just lay their hand on her. The last remnant of self-control clung to that last, unyielding, uncompromising condition that they had to fuck up first.


    Slowly and without breaking eye contact, Pendath picked up the form. He stamped it.


    ¡°Request granted. And impressive display. Elunath is still going to squash you like an insect.¡±


    Viv pulled everything back in.


    With slow, mechanical movements, she replaced the pendant. The manager lying at her feet had soiled himself at some point and the room was definitely not improved by the stench.


    Her task was done.


    Things had gotten¡­ rather closer than she intended.


    Viv turned around and left. To her surprise, the officer who had guided her all along walked ahead to guide her out.


    ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get disciplined,¡± Viv allowed.


    ¡°I think they¡¯ll want to forget this ever happened. Was it true what you said? About Elunath?¡±


    ¡°All of his ¡®assistants¡¯ were recruited as young girls and he beds them all.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Powerful people and their quirks. Sorry, that was inconsiderate.¡±


    ¡°Rather so, yes.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll go after him now?¡±


    ¡°No, first I want Helock to know what kind of degenerate he is.¡±


    The officer pondered her words for two sets of stairs and a lobby.


    ¡°The council knows now, at least, even if they might not believe you. Looks like your demonstration fulfilled your purpose.¡±


    ¡°Oh no no no. I come from a civilization that has elevated smear campaigns to a science. Believe me, I am just getting started.¡±

 Chapter 143: The League Slanders

    ¡°You?¡± Viv asked with total shock. ¡°You? But I thought you were retired! Abe hired you?¡±


    Irao winced, which caused Viv to lower her voice immediately. The Hadal leader looked good in street clothes with a nice hat. Just dandy in a slightly gaunt sort of way.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he hired me.¡±


    ¡°And you are fine with that? The assassination?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Viv weighed her options. Irao seemed a little ill at ease in their secondary base in the craggy forest of eastern Helock. Maybe he wasn¡¯t here of his own accord. She wasn¡¯t sure how far she could or even ought to push but confirming consent seemed like a good idea.


    ¡°Irao, why are you here if you do not wish to be an assassin for someone else anymore? Are you being forced by someone?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡ª¡±


    He scratched the side of his head and sighed. Viv waited for a little while. The Hadal sighed deeply when he was done. He made his point, moving his hands to accentuate every new sentence.


    ¡°You are in danger. I don¡¯t want you to die. So I help. I am here of my own accord so I can leave if I want. I missed you, and¡­ I love bank heists.¡±


    He grew a little animated.


    ¡°They always have the best wards and the best gates. Sometimes golems. A great enigma. I love to crack them open but my previous Helockian employer always used that bank and didn¡¯t want me to get in.¡±


    ¡°Not Elunath, right?¡±


    ¡°No. A high clan. Can we go steal soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I just want to get started on my first little project. Can I count on you to join with the preparations? You can just write us notes if you prefer.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, that would be good. I have been looking forward to this. Goodbye.¡±


    ***


    The more Viv walked and the more she thought this was a bad idea. It was only because the others were too noticeable, too well known that she was willing to take the risk. Abe didn¡¯t have a solution to change footsteps or Sidjin would have gone instead. It didn¡¯t matter that she could depopulate the entire South Gate slums in ten minutes. A shiv through the ribs would always remain an unpleasant experience. It was not so long ago that walking alone in a bad district was something she would never have entertained, special forces training or not. Good form could stop a stronger man. Maybe two, if she really caught them off guard. Five people and she would get her teeth kicked in no matter what. The phantom threat hanging over her made her heart beat faster. Erupt here, and Elunath would come rushing. Then¡­


    She might just die.


    Viv forced down a shiver and hastened her steps. A trio of men followed her jaunt with unblinking eyes like a pack of stalking hyenas. Mud and worse things squelched under her boots. It stank of human refuse and unwashed bodies. The spring sun removed the cloak of darkness from the pavement to reveal the utter state of everything, from decrepit walls to broken roofs and filthy steps. The people were constantly on guard. Women moved in groups. Viv was standing out like a sore thumb and that attracted a lot of attention. The bad kind.


    She sighed in relief when the street angled right, opening onto a small square around a well from which paupers drew water under the vigilant gaze of goons armed with truncheons. A two-storied inn reigned over the surrounding hovels like a beggar king. Its sagging frame still stood solid despite its old age. A corroded metal sign read ¡°The Dog¡¯s Bollocks¡± over its entrance. Viv spared a glance to the mastiff standing vigil by the door. The chain was barely long enough to reach the handle.


    The dog stood still. It had a better sense than the hovering thugs.


    Viv got in.


    There was light inside, enough to see that the main room was rather large, with a bar at the far side and stairs leading up on her right. The ground had been swept and covered with fresh hay. Sadly, basic hygiene didn¡¯t extend to the patrons. It took every scrap of self-control she had not to wince at the heady cocktail of rancid sweat and cheap perfume assaulting her nostrils with eye-watering intensity. The people inside tried to look the part of those with more than two iron bits to rub together and failed spectacularly. Ragged upper class coats and stained jackets barely concealed the handles of clubs and pig stickers. Those were, Viv realized, the muscle. The brain was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was still asleep.


    Having pushed through legs and snickering comments, Viv sat at the counter though she hated exposing her back to the room. Her contact was due any time soon. The barman moved in to take her order with a curious look. He was a completely shaven, older man and the cleanest person here. Sad, droopy eyes gave him an air of constant worry.


    ¡°You sure you should be around here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting someone,¡± Viv replied carefully.


    Maybe if she implied she was under someone¡¯s protection, they would leave her alone. No one would look at her and believe she could defend herself. Another inspection brushed against the amulet. It warmed a little against her skin.


    The sharks were circling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a beer please.¡±


    The local variety was made from a popular cereal and flat water, with a slightly salty taste. Viv was elated to discover that the mug was clean and the drink rather tasty. She paid her three bits and listened in on conversations. She failed. People used some sort of cant she couldn¡¯t follow. Pressure mounted, as did her annoyance. Mostly, she was annoyed at being scared, and especially at being scared of lowlives the average heavy could probably have for breakfast. They couldn¡¯t realistically kill her but her brain wouldn¡¯t listen.


    It reminded her of days of fear and powerlessness.


    Her core pulsed softly. The energy wanted out.


    The door opened and shut. A moment later, a man sat down by her side with a smirk of amused incredulity. He wore better and cleaner cloth than the surrounding thugs but only just so. He was handsome in a rugged sort of way, with curly hair and long fingers stained with ink blotches. She had found her contact.


    ¡°You must be Busson.¡±


    ¡°I am, and you are my mysterious customer! I expected someone¡­ taller.¡±


    ¡°You could have picked a better place for a meeting,¡± she hissed, out of patience.


    Busson shrugged unapologetically.


    ¡°A man cannot be too careful. Some folks can¡¯t tell that I¡¯m just the messenger, not the author yea? I just make copies and sometimes, I don¡¯t even distribute them! The targets blame me for ¡®unkind words¡¯. I¡¯ve had to move my workshop twice since last year, me, a poor and innocent entrepreneur.¡±


    The sarcastic sneer showed how much Busson cared about it all.


    ¡°I¡¯m just being careful. The owner of this place and myself, we have an understanding. He will protect me, yeah? Though when you contacted me, I didn¡¯t expect a little lady to be the one to come. So, what will it be and how much will you pay?¡±


    Viv placed a small engraved sphere on the counter before activating it. Abe had given her a sound barrier tool just so she wouldn¡¯t reveal herself as a caster.


    In the following silence, she slid several pamphlets over to her prospective hire.


    ¡°A thousand of each.¡±


    Busson whistled at the amount, then he read and took a sharp breath. His fingers clenched at the copies. His breath quickened.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking crazy.¡±


    ¡°Five gold talents per delivery. A third in advance. We will handle the distribution ourselves. You only need to give us the finished products.¡±


    ¡°We? Who is we? Wait, don¡¯t tell me. I don¡¯t want to know. You are all insane. I want no part of this¡­¡±


    Viv heard the outrage and fear progressively turn to consideration as the man finished his sentence, calculations plain on his features. Five gold talents was a tremendous amount of money for someone living in the slums. Fifteen was enough to change cities and get a small house. It was enough to turn the head of an ambitious man.


    ¡°Five in advance, you say? You have them here?¡±


    ¡°I do, and before you get any ideas, just consider the kind of group that can throw around that sum on pamphlets, hmmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh do not be concerned. I have my professional pride!¡±


    Viv gave a noncommittal smile. She didn¡¯t give a shit what he said. A walk to Elunath¡¯s door and Busson would need replacement vertebrae.


    ¡°Deliver the finished product to the Post Guild. They will be expecting it and pay you on delivery.¡±


    ¡°This is my turn to tell you not to short change me, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°You know the Post Guild doesn¡¯t mess around with package deliveries.¡±


    ¡°I suppose they wouldn¡¯t. Nasty business those guilds. Cutthroat competition.¡±


    ¡°I bet. Will you take the contract?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Hand over the money.¡±


    Busson slipped the papers in his waist pocket. Viv felt like pocketing money in a thug den was a little risky but he did mention he knew the local crew.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Busson snatched the purse from Viv¡¯s hand. His fingers danced on the leather surface with great speed. Was he feeling the coins?


    ¡°All there. Good. I¡¯ll be off then. Oh, and a last word of warning. I might be under the Gaters protection but you ain¡¯t so I¡¯d make myself scarce if I were you.¡±


    With a last nod, Busson left at a brisk walk. Viv made to stand and face the man who¡¯d made for her as soon as the scribe had left. Viv looked at him and knew shit wouldn¡¯t go well. He had a manic smile, crazy hair, the filthiest, gaudiest outfit of the lot and, more tellingly, his shiv was already out.


    ¡°Alright, pipsqueak, Hand over the rest of the coin.¡±


    Silence spread over the inn. Viv knew what was going on. They were letting their crazy test the ground.


    Well.


    That was fine.


    ¡°This is not¡ª¡±


    Viv did not really finish her sentence. She calmly grabbed her beer mug behind her and sent it at the man¡¯s face.


    It was at that exact moment that the mug snapped in half.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Because of course, the vandal title picked its moments.


    The handle plinked against the back of the head of a tall man who¡¯d been badly losing at cards if the bits in front of him were any say, while the body smashed on the chest of the bar¡¯s tallest thug, spilling leftover liquid on his fancy doublet.


    The crazy man blinked, then shrieked in outrage.


    ¡°Really?¡± Viv yelled as she backpedaled against the counter. ¡°Really, Nous? Emeric? You absolute¡ª¡±


    She pushed away the hand holding a shiv and blocked the front kick but the weight of it made her back slam painfully against the edge of the counter. She still ducked under a hook that clipped the top of her head. The thug somehow moved back from her uppercut but he was off balance. Her next jab caught him in the plexus. He was thrown back with a welp of pain.


    Viv stood and shrugged her shoulders. The card player had stood white the head thug was making for her with his goons in tow. The leftover anger from the previous day surged through her. Unbridled, unabated fury washed away her self-control like a tide, only leaving clamps on her use of mana. Delicious rage ignited her spine, her chest. Her muscles flexed. Her fingers found two nearby seats and grabbed them. The wood groaned piteously.


    A rictus of cruelty bloomed on her face and she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Fine. That. is. FINE!¡±


    No spells needed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s bleed this cu¡ª¡±


    The card player blocked a thrown seat, the crazy the other, so they missed Viv sprinting forward and kicking the player. She aimed for his nuts and missed, still caught him in the belly. He flew back, taking the playing table with his girth. Iron bits flew everywhere. Other players screamed. One of them grabbed the fallen gambler as he picked himself up and kicked him. Other folks were standing. Meanwhile, Viv dodged a shive thrust and maneuvered around the crazy to keep the thug leader from reaching her. She found a discarded chair and slammed him with it, once, twice. She relished every impact. Every time her victim grew more confused by her power. The sound of wood on flesh. On the third blow, she got him in the temple but the chair broke. The thug captain¡¯s group moved to surround her so she jumped back over a table. The people there complained. They stood to block the thug captain¡¯s men. Someone threw a punch. The two groups started wailing on each other. Chaos spread through the inn.


    Viv jumped on the thug captain, using a burst of speed and strength. Her boot snapped his head back but he caught her heel, then pivoted to send her flailing on the closest wall. Her mind was faster than theirs but they moved with great instinct. Two thugs made to catch her. She used the wall to twist on herself and dodge under their grasp. A hook in the ribs sent the first against a wrestling pair. All three men swore. The other punched her in the shoulder then grabbed her from behind. She tried to make him lose balance and failed completely, but a brief struggle let her free her neck. She bit down on his arm. It was salty and gross but his screams were delicious.


    She was sent flying again. Their strength and her weight meant a lot of being thrown around which irritated an already inflamed mind. Those absolute fuckers.


    She slammed through the window. It broke and she was outside. Peons watched her bounce on one hand to avoid wiping the entire plaza with her fancy cloak. The dog whined.


    She was standing.


    Common sense said she was out and should make a run for it. Unfortunately, common sense was taking a vacation for its own mental health. Viv crashed back in like a discount battering ram into the back of an unfortunate twat whose main sin was being downrange.


    ¡°SOMEONE GET THAT INSANE MIDGET!¡± the thug captain roared as he made his way through the melee.


    ¡°Come and get it, asshat!¡±


    The captain finally pushed past the last fighter by punching them in the jaw. Viv spotted his furious gaze as he broke through the last pair only to catch a face full of beer.


    ¡°NERIAD NOT AGAIN!¡±


    Before he was even blinded, Viv grabbed an entire table and swung overhead. It caught against a hanging candelabra which broke under the strain. Her downward strike smote the captain clean on the head.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    He pushed the table aside and caught the candelabra on the nose as gravity finished what the vandal title had started. Against all odds, the thug recovered, though he was bleeding heavily.


    He and Viv moved in to demolish each other.


    The slugging contest was short and brutal. It was clear the man had skill and experience while Viv had stats. He exploited his superior reach and weight to keep her away. It mostly worked. Meanwhile, Viv deflected all of his blows before they got to her nose. He moved in to try and wrestle her but that was his mistake. She gripped his wrist and twisted, sending him careening on the ground. She jumped on him but he twisted, kneeing her in the cheek.


    ¡°STOP RIGHT NOW!¡± A voice bellowed.


    Viv did so, not because the pressure of an intimidation skill affected her but because it did everyone else. She was finally cooling down enough to realize that might have been a mistake.


    A massive man in gambeson stood at the edge of stairs heading up. He had long dark hair and an eye patch. Muscular arms crossed over a massive chest.


    The brain was here.


    Outside, whistles echoed each other.


    ¡°Maranor¡¯s cunt, you dickheads got a patrol in my business. Out, everyone. OUT!¡±


    The harried barman pressed something and a secret door opened at the back. All assembled thugs ran with abandon, previous opponents pulling each other up to escape. Viv followed. They moved through back rooms and out of a garden door, facing a small yard. Two guards in crimson uniforms waited, but they paled and backed away when they realized they were outnumbered fifteen to one. For some reason, one of the two found Viv at the back of the formation.


    ¡°Halt! In the name of the law, stop right there!¡±


    Viv completely ignored a weak compulsion.


    ¡°Kiss my ass, pig!¡±


    The guards went after her as the group scattered through a labyrinth of backstreets. To Viv¡¯s surprise, the thug captain grabbed a broken jar and swung. The piece of ceramic slammed into the leading guard¡¯s bassinet. That slowed him down considerably.


    ¡°Criminals!¡± the guard accused.


    Well, yeah. Great deduction, Sherlock, Viv thought. She was getting the beginning of a hangover.


    Her speed let her move quickly but she was hopelessly lost. Thankfully, a shade detached himself from a nearby corner before she resolved herself to using her gravity harness to go for the roof.


    ¡°Irao! Thank, errr, some god. Maradoc maybe?¡±


    ¡°You are being pursued. Follow.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The Hadal led her to a sewer grate which didn¡¯t lead to a stinky mess but to a tunnel instead. They surfaced a few minutes later in a deserted warehouse. Viv hoped Elunath had not been alerted but there was probably no reason for it. Bar brawls had to be common around those parts.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    Viv shrugged. She had taken a few hits. She didn¡¯t feel any pain though - maybe just a little tired.


    Elemental bodies were cool.


    Except the short part.


    And the emotion overloads.


    Bah.


    ¡°Yes, much better, thank you.¡±


    ***


    Elunath woke up.


    The surface part of him opened its eyes while his perception extended downward and outward through the sedimentary strata below Helock. His mind glanced over the tunnels, caves, passages, secret exits and underground bases below his city, noting the familiar pitter patter of innumerable footsteps, then it traveled up to the cobbled streets, the marble slabs and ground levels of hovels and palaces. A moment of focus brought the voice of opposition leader Dalni with whom he had a spat. The old man had stayed upstairs today as well so the sound returned malformed and garbled beyond recognition. There were no anomalies. Frustrated yet relieved, he rose from the massive bed at the heart of his private quarters. The wards flickered down.


    Laina had forgotten a piece of garment. It lay discarded on the ground, lost when she had retired. She would need to be disciplined again for her sloppiness. Perhaps he should have her tonight as well. A thought for later. He frowned. So many frustrations, so many unfinished businesses because he had been soft and accommodating. The Baranese contract. The outlander bitch surviving somehow. Her futile but still harmful provocation he had no time to deal with. The government¡¯s petition for his research on fast wall-making. Accursed builders guild. Worries gnawed at him like a flock of birds peck by peck.


    ¡°I should stop sleeping. No, this is a trap.¡±


    Research was formal. Elemental archmages¡­ disappeared. They never lasted more than a few centuries before going off the map. Elunath thought he knew why. Sometimes, it was hard to say where his body stopped and the earth started. Sleeping, eating, teaching. fucking, those anchored him. But they took time. His most precious resource.


    Another quick glance confirmed that the manor was in order. The girls were more or less where he expected them to be. They knew better than to slack off in the morning. With one last sigh, he made his way to the bath. A flex of will filled the low pool with warm water. He went through the motions, bored. His mind wandered.


    He caught something unusual.


    His names were on many lips, those muttering excitedly. He followed one at random.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°Powerful men get powerful appetites. It¡¯s known. You¡¯d do the same if you could, you dog.¡±


    ¡°Yeah but¡­ young ones? Mages?¡±


    ¡°Likes them fresh, he does.¡±


    ¡°The Academy won¡¯t be happy.¡±


    ¡°The Academy won¡¯t do shit and you won¡¯t either. Stop wagging your tongue like a fisherwoman and help me get this down.¡±


    Elunath stopped. Another flex of will saw his perfectly sculpted body dried and clothed. He moved through the house like a storm as more and more eavesdropped conversations drifted to him. He found his office and on top of the desk, Sen had left a pile of cheap papers. He levitated the first one to him.


    ¡°Hide your daughters!


    Did you ever wonder what secrets Elunath hides in the recess of his manor? Well, wonder no more. A recent testimony validated by the Neriad temples confirmed that all of the archmage¡¯s ¡®apprentices¡¯ are in fact sex slaves bound by a decades long contract! So if you want your girls to attend the Academy instead of being diddled by a pervert three hundred years their elder, watch out for ¡®opportunities¡¯.¡±


    Fury made the pamphlet disintegrate into little pieces. He swore with feeling when he saw there were others.


    ¡°Congratulations, you are paying more taxes than Elunath! Because he isn¡¯t paying anything.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t true, he compensated the government by maintaining the city walls for free! That saved them hundreds of gold talents every year!


    ¡°Is Elunath working with the Hallurians? He has not fought in a war in decades. He has encouraged Hallurian immigration. Two Hallurians have recently joined his perverted harem. We are just asking questions!¡±


    Those motherfuckers.


    ***


    ¡°I did not know about the Hallurian connection,¡± Abe whispered, ¡°I am impressed that you would untangle what must be a net of conspiracies with such alacrity.¡±


    ¡°What? Oh no, that¡¯s false,¡± Viv casually replied.


    ¡°... false?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m abusing something called the Gish gallop. Just throw a lot of accusations at someone really fast and they get overwhelmed. Doesn¡¯t matter that the allegations are made up. They just need to be plausible.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ we are lying?¡±


    ¡°Hmm yes? Through our teeth? This is a smear campaign.¡±


    ¡°I do not know what to think about this. I¡­ need to consider¡­ It seems fair to use any tools that do not hurt innocents, and yet¡­ I¡­ I will return to my garden now.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Just wait until people start to join the fray.¡±


    ¡°Will they not get tired of lies?¡±


    ¡°Oh no. Soon they¡¯ll spin ¡®exaggerations¡¯ themselves.¡±


    ¡°This challenges the moral compass I have imposed on myself. I am leaving.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s impotent. That¡¯s why he got all these girls and no kids. Used witchery to make himself handsome but he got no meat so he got to fuck them with a dick made of granite,¡± a baker said to her friend.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t that a little cold? Using stone, I mean.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ***


    ¡°The first night¡¯s results seem conclusive though everyone is waiting for Elunath¡¯s response for now. It will take a little while to break his hold over the populace. They are too afraid for now but the longer this goes on, the more damaged his image of invincibility will grow. It¡¯s also possible I should have spaced the accusations a bit more over a couple of days instead but overall response seems positive according to Lim¡¯s network,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Must we work with that individual? I do not think she can be trusted,¡± Abe remarked. ¡°And I have concerns about the¡­ penis insinuations.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make that one. And you are right not to trust Lim. She¡¯s an opportunist. Does good work though.¡±


    //Focus, Your Grace.


    ¡°Right. The slum arcane speakers with recorded messages have been a salutary idea. I suggest extending them to the southern district and pushing the Hallurian connection aspect as they¡¯ve proven to be the most racist population group.¡±


    ¡°Lim gave a report that the gang leader considers union with a Hallurian to be miscegenation,¡± Sidjin added.


    //That is correct.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then. What about the backup pamphlets?¡±


    ¡°I have finished them,¡± Abe said. ¡°And we are ready for the grab.¡±


    ¡°Bank first. It will be the greatest prize and I don¡¯t want Elunath to wise up and add additional defenses. It will be difficult enough as it is. We¡¯re still good for tonight?¡±


    ¡°It cannot come soon enough,¡± Irao whispered.


    ***


    Fury filled the archmage.


    ¡°Sen. Get over here. Bring Lana.¡±


    He kept his attention on the dark-skinned beauty as she rose from her seat at the entrance, then found Lana helping one of his newer acquisitions learn blue mana mastery. The tone in Sen¡¯s voice hinted at Lana that something was wrong because the smaller woman froze. Was it guilt? Those women were playing games with him, hiding things. They conspired behind his back after he pulled them from the mud and gave them everything they had. It was never enough for them.


    Maybe he should have Lana tonight. Then a pillow ¡®talk¡¯.


    Elunath tracked the two as they strode to his office with hurried steps, watching their every move for a sign of duplicity. How did the pamphleteers know? Collusion?


    The two women entered after a short knock. They stood at attention, eyes lowered. He couldn¡¯t tell if they were truly afraid. They ought to be afraid. Especially Lana.


    Elunath tossed her a copy of the first pamphlet. Lana caught it with a hand that shook just a little. Cracks. He would find out soon enough.


    ¡°Explain,¡± he ordered.


    She read. She licked her lips. She made him wait. He was not one to be made to wait.


    The backhand caught her in the jaw and she fell against the wall. He¡¯d broken the skin of her lip. Blood dripped down her dress though she made no move. She waited, eyes still lowered. No hint of panic or guilt. Just resigned patience. That calmed him down, which led to another flare of anger. She was manipulating him after a fashion. She knew how to handle him so he would stop. She could not be trusted.


    ¡°I do not understand,¡± she said.


    ¡°Only one person stayed with the witch for any duration. Only one person could get a contract copy to a priest of Neriad to get them to swear. And make those¡­ vile accusations.¡±


    A flash of anger and outrage went through the woman¡¯s glare, gone so soon he could have imagined it.


    ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    He turned to Sen. She shook her head.


    ¡°The contract is still in the secured box under my desk. I¡¯m sure of it, and besides, the witch¡¯s testimony would have sufficed to a priest of Neriad. They wouldn¡¯t need the original document so long as she swore. Any caster of our level has perfect recall.¡±


    ¡°Even a witch?¡± Elunath asked with suspicion.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, it has been so long since I was weak. I tend to forget the requirements for each step.¡±


    He searched his mind a little. He did not quite forget things. The knowledge was merely not immediately available. Ah, yes, he remembered now.


    ¡°I suppose. Yes. It remains¡­ plausible.¡±


    He sat back in his throne, giving a glare to indicate they were not off the hook just yet. Lana used the opportunity to stand back up and wipe her mouth. Her dress was stained. More pointless expenses to get that cleaned up.


    ¡°Sen, the witch clearly recruited a copy maker, most likely local. Compare with past works registered at the scribe office and find out who it is. I will pay them a visit. Lana, retain the services of our dear inspector general. I believed the witch would crawl like a cockroach in the sewers where she belongs but she is not there, so I assume she found a mud pit somewhere outside the walls. Have it found but do not intervene. I want to have the pleasure myself. Favor stinky, isolated bogs and you will likely find her.¡±


    ¡°Sir, the inspector general might refuse you.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Lana swallowed but persevered.


    ¡°The rules of the vendetta forbid the use of public resources.¡±


    ¡°Nobody can tell me no without consequences.¡±


    ¡°As you say,¡± Lana replied.


    ¡°That will be all. Dismissed.¡±


    The two girls walked away. A spot of congealing blood against a column distracted him for an instant so he waved it away, stone obediently swallowing the spilled ichor. Harmony returned to the room. His patience was frayed.


    ¡°Renea. Come,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°At once, Your Grace,¡± his pale servant replied.


    Elunath watched her rush up from the basement lab. If only all of his pupils were like Renea, the world would be a better place. She was eager, disciplined, and aware of her station. Helock was at peace because its people understood the natural order, one enthroned by magic itself. Agents of discord like the witch could not be allowed free reign.


    ¡°My lord?¡± she asked when she arrived.


    Elunath inspected her posture. Leaning forward, excited to hear what her new purpose might be. He would have to reward her later. Place her above those backstabbing leeches.


    ¡°Someone has been badmouthing me all over town. You are to contract the Ustav agency and find who¡¯s left sound magic enchantments in the slum. They will have to be replaced or recharged soon. Possibly tonight. Catch them in the act.¡±


    ¡°Very well, my lord. I will direct them personally.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Excellent initiative Renea. You never disappoint me. Say, Lana mentioned that the inspector general might not support me in a search outside the walls. What do you think?¡±


    Elunath watched her consider her reply. That was fine. He hated people blabbering uselessly.


    ¡°No one would dare defy a direct request from you, however, here I will have to agree with her. Helockian officials will drag their feet. Oh, they will not overtly refuse you. Instead, they will make excuses.¡±


    ¡°They always make excuses.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my lord. If I may, a search for that ungrateful¡­¡±


    Elunath gave a warning glare. Curses were not tolerated here, yet he appreciated the venom in Renea¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Perhaps the Ustav might be convinced to employ their ¡®bounty hunters¡¯,¡± she said instead.


    ¡°Those slave catchers?¡±


    ¡°They have experience in the wilderness, my lord. It will be costly, however.¡±


    ¡°Money is not a factor at the moment. My mind lingers on an intriguing little contract for warborn tattoo ink from our friends from the south. I will not suffer distractions. I want this issue promptly resolved and the witch found so I can¡­ impart wisdom upon her.¡±


    Renea smirked.


    ¡°As you will, my lord. And for those awful rumors I heard about? Should we respond?¡±


    ¡°You want me to roll in the filth with whores and fishmongers in a contest of gossip?¡± he roared.


    Renea flinched. Elunath stayed his hand. She meant well.


    ¡°I am above such concerns, Renea. The sheep will think what the sheep enjoy thinking, as they always do. As for those who propagate those lies¡­ they will be dealt with. Dismissed.¡±

 Chapter 144: Banking with Bob (The League Steals)

    ¡°I need to know you can do it,¡± Irao said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Otherwise we need to delay and train.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    The Hadal gazed at Viv with an insistent and slightly upsetting intensity that would have left most people nervous. Viv wasn¡¯t affected. The slitted eyes were just that and his ability as one of the world¡¯s foremost assassins didn¡¯t matter because she knew with absolute certitude he was just a big nerd eager to try himself against a security system. It was rare for Irao to have fun. She wanted him to have fun.


    ¡°I feel like you are surrendering leadership of this project to me,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°My dad always used to say, listen to the experts. You don¡¯t have to do what they say but you have to listen. But he was a politician not a thief so we will all follow you on this one. We all want this to succeed.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The long pauses made talking with Irao a little slow but that was fine. Viv¡¯s mind could split and wander. She was considering new spells at the moment and dedicated part of her mind to their conception when she had nothing else to do.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    They left the living quarter of the Chalice towards the main ritual room which was wide enough to suit their purposes. Irao had prepared a few tests with the help of Abe, who himself stood at the side like a statue.


    ¡°The first test concerns mana detection. The bank will have threshold seals. Those are constructs that trigger when the mana intensity increases past a certain point. You are a caster. You know about ambient mana?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. Threshold seals will only activate past a certain point, a level much higher than the ambient level of magic to prevent constant false positives due to natural variations. If a spell is cast in the vicinity, inefficiencies will lead to mana bleed, which increases the ambient magic. Similarly, once a spell fades, the leftover mana will disperse. That means that the seals will detect if someone casts a spell. In theory. In practice, efficient spellcasting and spells that remain linked to the caster means that the mana is reabsorbed.¡±


    Viv walked between a pair of two seals Abe had placed on the ground, They looked like flat hexagonal discs, thicker in the middle. They were surprisingly easy to make and quite durable as well. She used an excalibur and then a thin net in quick succession. The discs did not react at all.


    ¡°Seals will be more spaced in the corridors and just about that close to each other in the safe room.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Yes,¡± Irao conceded. ¡°Then there is the gate ward.¡±


    They moved to a corner of the room where Abe had formed a block of solid stone in the likeness of a massive circular door and its surrounding wall. A thin tapestry of mana ropes criss-crossed its surface in a shiny net of interlocked, colorful strings. It looked pretty, Viv thought.


    ¡°Gate wards are not meant for durability. They are meant to snap if the gate is tampered with, alerting the guards. Unfortunately, the door is still much easier to breach than the surrounding walls so we will have to go with that. The best way to handle a gate ward is to stretch it. It requires great mana control since the ropes need to be fed at the same time as they are pulled or they might splinter. Like so.¡±


    ¡°I have changed the pattern according to Irao¡¯s recommendation. It should match the defenses more closely,¡± Abe helpfully added.


    ¡°Great,¡± Viv said.


    She plucked at the strings and stretched them three at a time with patient focus. After she was done, she used an excalibur to carve a hole through the stone. The bank gate would be more solid, of course, but it made little difference to her spell.


    That was one of the times when Vandal was actively useful.


    Once done, Viv was left with a Viv-sized gap in the defenses through which she squeezed with reasonable dexterity.


    ¡°Aaaaand done.¡±


    She did not yelp when Irao slid through the hole as if through a door but it was a close thing.


    ¡°Yes. Hmm. Impressive.¡±


    He pondered his next sentence carefully.


    ¡°You are good at this.¡±


    ¡°I think I have to remind you that I am good at magic. Very good, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Now we only need to memorize¡ª¡±


    Viv manifested a full, three-dimensional map of the bank with all exits and the main defense points as well as several possible avenues of retreat.


    ¡°¡ª the layout. You are prepared. I have no more questions.¡±


    ¡°Abe did a great job.¡±


    ¡°I had the time and motivation,¡± the lich gracefully admitted. ¡°I have prepared your gear, though I will act as overwatch as suggested. We may leave when ready.


    ¡°Alright. Out of curiosity, how did you plan on getting past the safe gate?¡±


    ¡°Acid. I can pass through¡­ tiny spaces. I cannot take much with me. I would have had to steal one thing only.¡±


    //I wish to steal too.


    They turned to the striding form of Solfis.


    ¡°What do you want in there?¡± Viv asked.


    //I am not certain yet.


    //I wish to acquire a trophy.


    ¡°Not a head this time please.¡±


    //I left my embalming tools in Harrak.


    ¡°Taatatata I said I didn¡¯t want you to mention that anymore!¡±


    //Then do not bring up the topic.


    //As Abenezigel said, we are prepared.


    //We should depart at night.


    //The flesh bags should consume nutrients for the night will be long.


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    ***


    The five active members of the League of Lesser Evil dropped from the chalice at low speed. Viv floated in her harness; Sidjin and Abe flew. Irao was doing something for sure since he was keeping up with them. It was just hard to look at. As for Solfis, he hung to Abe¡¯s tall frame which made the bone duo a horrible sight to behold. The lights of Helock sprawled below, poorer areas forming blotches of darkness on an otherwise colorful tapestry. There was no unity of color when it came to magical lights so the noble district shone like a Christmas tree in the cold night. They came across a patrol of flying griffin riders, fortunately, they were looking downward.


    Everyone landed on the roof of the theater which was decorated with statues and poorly warded. Abe immediately used a spell to hide himself in the shadows with the bag containing their emergency supplies. Meanwhile, the four others crossed the street, still levitating. They stopped moving when a patrol of guards passed underneath.


    Viv and Sidjin wore sealed black body suits that masked skin heat and even their smell. On top of that, Viv used a mana coating on herself with the darkness intent which made her almost impossible to notice. Abe would not take any chances. Sidjin immediately went to work on one of the few high windows present in the building. He placed spikes in the stone to stretch the ward, then pulled using brown magic. What had started as a slit became a lozenge wide enough for people to go through. He, too, used a spell to mask his presence completely with black mana while the remaining three got in. Irao was able to select people who were allowed to see him and Viv¡¯s coat of dark mana had no effect on him so they were able to see one another. As for Solfis, he trailed them at a distance. They found themselves in a wide corridor, surprisingly spacious and soberly decorated. It was the administrative wing, a relatively defenseless section that was never locked on account of employees often pulling all-nighters. The largest door directly to Viv¡¯s right stood partly open, a band of light shining on lush red carpet. That was the director¡¯s office.


    He was apparently pulling an all nighter alright, with his vice-director whose office lay a little farther. Abe¡¯s report stated that the two men held a fierce work rivalry. That didn¡¯t extend to late night, however, as the pair was engaged in an intense, passionate bout of coitus.


    Viv had never seen a heist movie where this sort of thing happened so she wasn¡¯t exactly sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Irao led the way by crawling on the ceiling and placing handholds for easier movement. They used the ceiling was because most defenses were on the ground along with most guards. The handholds would help Solfis not leave his mark on masonry, and also reduce the strain on Viv¡¯s antigrav harness. Stamina would be a factor in this operation.


    Viv floated after him. The three then made their way along the corridor in perfect silence, leaving quiet seals in their wake. They bypassed a high ward by walking ¡®above¡¯ it. Viv noticed several alarm constructs here and there. Most of them were linked to barely visible amulet readers to permit employees to deactivate them as they went through. Viv realized that someone without mana sight would struggle immensely in this place. They reached the first real obstacle in the form of a massive door that blocked their way to the central stairs, but Irao easily bypassed it by removing a high panel. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The second floor was deserted so they simply made their way down an unlocked gate to the second floor balcony which overlooked the atrium, still clinging to walls like a bunch of spiders. The entrance was completely shut. A guard with a dog patrolled at a sedate pace. Viv followed Irao down the wall, making sure to use the handholds. There were a few pressure plates scattered around, after all. They were near the basement stairs when the dog growled and turned around, looking directly at them.


    Viv was absolutely sure she could not be seen while Solfis was still hidden by a pillar. She was also sure she could not be smelled and they had not made a noise, yet the dog still whined a bit, sniffing the air and searching. The guard joined it with a frown. She was an older woman with keen eyes. Viv felt sweat pearl on her brow. A moment later, her ears picked up the dulled echo of a particularly intense orgasm.


    The guard sighed and pulled on the leash. Viv guessed it was not an unusual occurrence. They waited for the patrolling pair to turn their backs to continue.


    The stairs down led to two locked gates made of solid bars. A second major obstacle.


    The way things worked was that the guard in the middle was supposed to open and close those one at a time to let people in as a sort of air lock but without the air part. The purpose was to add a human layer to the defenses as they were regarded as more reactive. The bars were there to stop intruders while still letting the guard see them approach. It was a tradeoff that would cost the bank dearly.


    The plan called for Irao to disable the guard with a blowdart filled with soporific liquid. It would then be child play to disable the locks on the gate while blocking the loud sound that came with opening the door. Unfortunately, there was another unforeseen development.


    The first thing Viv saw was a pair of contracting pale buttocks. The guard was furiously pumping into a woman in scribe robes he held against the wall. The couple let out muffled moans with each thrust, naked legs locked around a muscular back.


    Irao turned and shrugged, shaking his head in the universal gesture of ¡®the fuck is this¡¯. Viv returned the gesture then made the sign for ¡®two¡¯ and ¡®arrows¡¯, following which Irao revealed he had enough blow darts to take down half the city.


    Viv made the sign to wait. The couple¡¯s furious embrace was reaching a crescendo. The man kissed the woman silent when she convulsed in the throes of pleasure, then they half collapsed against the wall in a tangle of limbs. The man laughed softly.


    Viv made the sign for ¡®now¡¯. Irao hit them both and the pair finally fell down, pink and pleased. With any luck, they would believe they just fell asleep.


    It was child¡¯s play to get through the two gates, not least because the guard had already taken the care to muffle the alarm so as not to let his colleagues know he had a guest. Another set of stairs layered in wards and seals led them down into the basement and to the last obstacle.


    ¡°Unplanned difficulty,¡± Irao gestured after he checked the angle with a thin mirror.


    Viv checked. A solid, metal statue engraved with runes stood guard at the back of the very last tunnel, the door firmly in front of it. It would necessarily see them as they worked to open it. Golem sight pierced dark mana. It also ignored the darkness intent¡¯s main function which was to instantly tell people to look elsewhere because this spot was empty.


    Abe¡¯s notes didn¡¯t mention that. It was probably a recent addition.


    Irao thought for a moment. He pulled the three people back.


    ¡°Can you make an opaque shield? Something that emits light rather than hides it.¡±


    //An inspired idea.


    //Base models are programmed to identify threats based on mana and shape.


    //A rectangle of light would not be recognized as an intruder.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it know something is wrong?¡±


    //Base models do not have the capability to recognize that ¡®something is wrong¡¯.


    //It will take another few centuries of golem before those primitives can patch out the most common exploits.


    ¡°Huh. Well. Sure, give me a moment. And I won¡¯t be able to maintain it to shield all of you while I work on the gate. Even I am not that good yet.¡±


    //Do not be concerned.


    //I have a plan.


    Viv knew how to make a shield. She also knew how to make light of a certain color. It took five minutes of effort but eventually she had a working thick blue pane that shone like a fucking lighthouse but didn¡¯t bleed mana. It was lucky they didn¡¯t have guards down. When she made a sign she was ready, Solfis had emptied a vase off its potted tree. He held the ceramic between two delicate claws.


    Viv had no idea what the fuck was going on.


    The trio lined up and crawled over layered wards, Viv at the front next to Irao. They progressed slowly. The golem didn¡¯t react. They moved past the safe room gate until Solfis was directly over the golem, then, with slow movement, he delicately placed the upside down vase on top of the other golem¡¯s head.


    The improvised hat settled down with a light clonk.


    //User notice.


    //Visibility obstructed.


    They waited.


    And that was it. They returned to the gate with the sentry now blinded by a vase. Viv looked behind and shook her head. It was at that moment that Irao made the sign he was leaving.


    ¡°What?¡± Viv signed in panic.


    The Hadal replied with perfect calm by showing his tiny backpack, which was empty. He had run out of handholds. With quick motions, he indicated he was going to fetch more before disappearing in a flash of darkness.


    Viv was left behind, appalled.


    ¡®I thought this was a serious outfit,¡¯ she told herself before coming to an unpleasant realization.


    She was the nominal head of said outfit.


    She was the one who had gathered a genocidal golem, a slightly autistic retired assassin, an undead dork and a fallen prince. It was her fault. She had done this to herself.


    Every damn second spent waiting for Irao to return cost Viv a year of lifespan, or it would have if she still had a lifespan anymore. Her heart thundered in her chest and she bit her tongue not to swear in case the potted golem had ears. Solfis spent the entire thirty seconds inspecting his inferior brethren. When the Hadal returned, he had the audacity to lift an eyebrow and point at the door.


    Viv realized that she technically could have started on opening it. This was her part of the job. Now she was angry at herself for acting stupid. Great. With a silent sigh, Viv got to it.


    The net covering the door was exactly as Abe had recreated it. She had practiced on that construct until she could stretch it reliably and quickly, yet she still took her time. There was no reason to hurry. The change of the guard would take another half an hour at the very least and the only thing they were bound to find was not-safe-for-work material. With deliberate focus, she made a decent sized opening in the structure, leaving the enchanted steel exposed. A last inspection using her mana senses confirmed that there were no spells directly on the other side. Everything was normal.


    Viv called a thin Excalibur, then muffled the sound made by cutting the opening. Once she finished separating a disc, it was a simple matter to levitate the hunk of metal on the floor, taking great care not to trigger a pressure plate. Irao went first, then Viv followed him with Solfis watching over her.


    The safe room was small and cramped with safes piled on top of one another. Elunath¡¯s safe was at the back. They stuck to the ceiling once again since the entire ground floor was made of pressure plate in this room. There were no more wards except those on the safes. Viv notices that Elunath had an additional layer of defense. Unfortunately for him, they were all near the lock so Viv simply cut a hole near the hinges. They ended up with a head-sized gap in the protective steel. It was now time to check the loot. She excitedly glanced through the opening.


    What she saw surprised her at first. There were no obvious valuables. Only stacks of documents tied together alongside a little black notebook she picked up after checking for lingering enchantments. It was encrypted in some script she¡¯d never seen though the structure of the text evoked a list of profiles. Abe would probably be able to make sense of it. She picked an errant document at random. She opened it.


    It was a saucy letter thanking a certain ¡®Lezebeth¡¯, or Lezzie, for a night of torrid carnal acts, and it was signed ¡®your Bareon¡¯. At first, Viv recoiled before the medieval equivalent of sexting but soon, the names triggered an old memory from her ethics class.


    Lezebeth Icarna, leader of the Builders Guild.


    Bareon Adolis, current head of the minority faction in the Council of Elders.


    Definitely no formal alliance. Most definitely married to other people.


    Holy shit.


    Viv opened another. It was a financial record with circles around what she immediately recognized as ¡®creative accounting¡¯. Another document was a will repudiating an important socialite. There were dozens of similar documents.


    That was¡­ Elunath¡¯s entire collection of blackmail material, organized and ready for plunder. She immediately shoved everything into a bag, only stopping to check for enchantments. There were none. She turned excitedly to find that Irao had opened another safe and removed a fancy cup made of bone with inserted black pearls and a tiny little skull. It looked tacky and quite old. Irao certainly seemed to like it. With his trophy obtained, they were ready to depart.


    Viv resisted the urge to open more safes. She was here to mess with Elunath, not ruin families.


    Had to resist. She was here for the lesser evil which was more or less the greater good if one thought about it.


    Solfis waited for them outside. The plan had always been to use his monstrous strength to carry their loot, in case it was something massive. His assistance would not be needed after all but Viv still wanted to give him the bag to hold. She stopped and gawked as soon as she was out.


    Solfis was hanging upside down with his feet and hands firmly anchored on handholds like the universe¡¯s ugliest, deadliest sloth. Attached to his body like a baby sloth by stolen curtain ropes¡­ was the bank¡¯s golem.


    Viv firmly gestured her incomprehension.


    //You can talk, Your Grace.


    //I have taken the liberty of deactivating the golem.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    //I am stealing.


    //You unequivocally gave me the permission to do so.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could steal their fucking security system!¡±


    //You never forbade it either, Your Grace.


    ¡°What do you even intend to do with that thing?¡±


    //A great many things which should not be listed right now.


    ¡°Great. Fantastic. Isn¡¯t it too heavy?¡±


    //I have secured it to my satisfaction.


    Viv resisted the urge to slap her face. It was her fault. Her fault. And arguing with Solfis was an exercise in futility. At this stage, she just wanted out.


    ¡°Ok well fine, fiiiine. Let¡¯s just leave then. I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    The crew retraced their steps, Irao recovering his handholds as they retreated past the sleeping couple and up to the atrium where they waited for the poor dog and guard pair to be at a respectable distance. Viv felt sorry for that unfortunate lady who would probably be fired alongside everyone else although she was the only one doing her job. They retreated to the third floor where the director and his rival had started another round, then absconded through the window. The escape was surprisingly eventless. As soon as everyone had gathered on the theater¡¯s roof, they took off and returned to the Chalice with no one the wiser.


    ***


    The next morning.


    Two men in the gambeson of Helock¡¯s guard sat on the step of the previously unassailable Bank of Helock, smoking pipes under the curious gaze of a crowd of gossips. The younger one sighed heavily.


    ¡°That¡¯s some mess we got on our hands.¡±


    ¡°Damn right,¡± the other replied, ¡°in thirty years of career I¡¯ve never seen the like. No wards triggered. No missing guards. No seals broken. No signs of entry of any sort. If it weren¡¯t for the damaged safe room door, no one would have noticed the theft until the customers came.¡±


    ¡°They cut through enchanted steel too, and without bleeding mana. And without melting it! Who the fuck can even do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Hell, I¡¯m scared to find out. No one is safe in this city. It¡¯s a terrifying thought.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Never seen such a flawless job before. One thing¡¯s for sure. We¡¯re dealing with gods-damned professionals.¡±


    ***


    Elunath held two new pamphlets in his trembling hands. Rage filled him in a way that no emotion had touched in a very long time.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this? I killed that idiot myself. WHY DO THEY HAVE MORE OF THOSE?¡±


    His gaze landed on Sen.


    ¡°They must have anticipated it.¡±


    She pointed at the first pamphlet.


    ¡°Is Elunath afraid of the truth?


    Yesterday, our previous copier was found killed by a falling boulder.


    It happened one day after he bravely showed the truth about Elunath.


    Coincidence? You decide.


    Elunath is trying to silence us but the truth will always come out!¡±


    ¡°They must have anticipated your move,¡± she said.


    Elunath dragged her bodily with kinesis until she stopped against his desk with a pained huff. He had never used violence with her yet but that was her fault for provoking him. She should know better.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯ve been outwitted by her? HER?¡±


    ¡°You had no choice but to react,¡± Sen croaked, ¡°so she had notes ready. Her or someone else.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes. She has a low, animal cunning but she lacks the intellectual faculties to come up with such a devious plan. She must have received help from¡­ someone. Most likely my political opponents. I need to¡­ visit him again. Remind him of the cost of duplicity.¡±


    He glared at the second pamphlet.


    ¡°Elunath purchased dark gods artifacts.


    It should be expected when one believes himself above the law. Elunath has purchased a cursed club bearing the mark of a dark god, according to a sworn witness to the transaction.


    This dark staff could be anywhere in our fair city, spreading its vicious corruption.


    Protect your families from the clutches of evil!¡±


    The piece of paper was shredded by an uncontrolled burst of mana.


    ¡°That bitch sold that thing to me herself. The gall. The audacity. The hypocrisy! I will not spend a second more than necessary on this sorry diversion. I ought to be obtaining ink for your tattoos, not wasting time chasing a rat! What of my orders?¡±


    He caught another glare filled with venom from Lana. That decided it. Bedding Renea yesterday had been nice but this time, Lana would get a reminder.


    ¡°Renea and the mercenaries didn¡¯t find anyone because no one recharged the sound speakers. They faded in the morning. Instead, someone installed more sound speakers in different parts of town, mostly near the south gate.¡±


    ¡°They saw such enchantments as disposable?¡± Elunath asked with disbelief.


    ¡°They appear well prepared,¡± Lana replied with a shrug. ¡°As for the patrols outside of the walls, they have found several smugglers hideouts but no signs of her so far.¡±


    ¡°The city guard?¡±


    ¡°Their best investigators are busy with an important theft.¡±


    ¡°So they are delaying, as expected! Except killing the scribe you two found, which is something I did myself, nothing was achieved! Nothing! Can I count on anybody around here?¡±


    ¡°They are obviously well-prepared,¡± Lana finished after a short hesitation.


    ¡°You keep blabbering that excuse. It really is true. One can only count on oneself. You two go out and find a way to ¡®motivate¡¯ those mercenaries. Our foe comes and goes too easily to be very far. FIND THEM.¡±


    They left in a hurry.


    Elunath sat back in his chair and regretfully discarded the mail containing the ink and tattoo patterns he intended to purchase. It was time to drop the act. His servants would be marked as one announced their ownership. The contract gave them entirely too much leeway, and enforcing it required active focus on his part. The magic more or less warned him if someone was actively working against his interests but he needed to react to inflict pain. Tattoos were much more¡­ visceral in their enforcements of magical binds. With those, he would no longer have to fear half-truths and secret sabotage. But that was for later. For now, he had a bug to squash.


    No matter what, making so many copies had to cost a lot of money. She had to be getting it from somewhere. Bareon Adolis was a good place to start. If he wasn¡¯t responsible himself, his path would let him find who might be. He would comply if he knew what was good for him.


    Elunath fell through the ground and swam through the rock towards the distant shape of Bareon¡¯s manor.

 Chapter 145: The League Engages in Casual Terrorism

    Elunath walked into the entrance of Bareon¡¯s manor with a sure step. The guards glared but they remained quiet, as they should. Security was for other people. A servant rushed to greet him, as he should. Waiting was for other people. Elunath had carefully cultivated an image of obduracy that saved him valuable time on countless occasions. The more one snubbed him, the costlier it would be in the long run.


    ¡°Greetings sir. Would you be here to see my master, the esteemed Bareon Adolis?¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡± Elunath replied testily.


    ¡°My master is in a meeting right now. He will be with you very shortly.¡±


    Elunath put a damper on the smoldering pit of fury rising in his heart. So that was how it was going to be, was it? A mosquito dared bite and the city was rising against him because he had not slapped it down immediately? Bareon ought to know better.


    Elunath considered closing the circle on his greatest tool of ¡®persuasion¡¯. Unfortunately, the issue with deterrence was that once the weapon was used, one was left without recourse. He would kill two of his most valuable victims with one document. Hmm.


    He cast his attention upward, through the warded walls of Manor Adonis. There was no one there he did not expect to perceive. Bareon was in his study, steps nervously tracing a circle. Several other people were present. Guards, from the steel-tipped boots. One of his nephews was rushing up from a nearby stair, the best mage in his retinue. Was Bareon scared? More afraid than usual?


    As soon as the nephew joined him, a signal reached the servant¡¯s earring and the man invited him to follow. It was a decent tool for those who had no ability for the arcane. Elunath walked with determination, forcing the servant to hurry and reaching the room in record time. They had already wasted half a minute on nothing. His time was precious. Could people not understand that? Even without sleeping last night, he was still knee-deep in reports of all kinds. Maybe the girls could help. No, he didn¡¯t know who to trust.


    Elunath clamped on his emotions. This was not like him. The bitch was getting under her skin.


    Despite his inner turmoil, he showed no emotions when facing the seated head of the opposition. He was still an archmage. The others knew it too, from the tense faces around him. Bareon¡¯s nephew looked older than Elunath which was funny in itself. He was a respected mage. He still knew what facing him entailed.


    ¡°Archmage Elunath, welcome,¡± Bareon greeted in a voice that dripped with animosity.


    Elunath saw a smile hidden behind the affable face. A condescending one. That taught him one thing. The nobleman believed that he knew something Elunath did not. That meant, Elunath was going to find out what it was, one way or another.


    ¡°Hello to you too. I have had some trouble with an insect recently, and I was wondering a few things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are.¡±


    Elunath seethed.


    ¡°You are playing with fire.¡±


    ¡°Am I? I find your attitude a little cavalier, old man. You barge in here ¡ª¡±


    In a moment, Elunath disabled the room¡¯s wards and turned the walls against the people within. Stone limbs grabbed the necks of every guard before steel could clear scabbard. The mage¡¯s instant circle was undone with a short contest of will. Elunath raised stone to force him to remain standing despite the disorienting assault that came with mana feedback. He did this in a moment and without even breaking the wards themselves. They were just on hold, as was his patience. Such was the level of his control.


    Elunath felt his anger grow from hot to cold. Damn the blackmail deterrence. One had to flex their capabilities at times. Bareon would fall.


    ¡°You leave me no choice but to end our¡­ partnership,¡± he growled.


    A part of his mind wondered what made Bareon so confident. It reviewed options until a nagging suspicion began to assault him.


    ¡°You do that. In the meanwhile, I will not tolerate your assault on my people. Release them now or I will bring the issue before the council and I promise you, they will be ¡ª¡±


    Elunath turned and left.


    That could not be right.


    He moved through the manor like a storm, diving under the stone as soon as he found the ground floor. He swam to the bank in a hurry. His mind, always his best tool, exhausted all possibilities until it reached the necessary conclusion. Bareon¡¯s monetary support was not a distinct possibility. He should have seen it before. It would have been impossible for the bitch to get that much information on him and the way he worked. She was being used by a much vaster, much more prepared enemy. Several factions came to mind but those were a secondary concern. The main concern was that the way he usually fought, by employing stone and political allies, would be much less useful. He had to show more resourcefulness. The second concern was that they knew where to hit where it hurt.


    He still didn¡¯t want to believe it but the news of ¡®important theft¡¯ returned with a vengeance. He reappeared next to the main building of the Bank of Helock. He felt the trample of many feet at its front. The curious, squirming mass of the Helockian busybodies. It took a significant amount of self-control to slow his pace just as he calculated the potential loss. A part of him was still in denial.


    The crowd parted before his aura. Inspectors tried to block his path but there was nothing they were willing to do that bothered him. He moved past the gates and down a corridor, bypassing harried employees.


    The director stood in front of the opened, perforated safe door. Sweat pearled on his brow as soon as their eyes met.


    ¡°Ah, good, the messenger found you. I ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why was I not warned before?¡±


    ¡°The, ah, the bank first sent for the guard before anyone would enter. Security measures in case thieves remain. There are disabling wards inside, after all. Then we sent a messenger when we knew your safe had been burglarized, of course. You were not home, however.¡±


    His safe had been burglarized.


    Elunath¡¯s safe.


    The one he had reinforced himself.


    The one place where it could be reached by one of his girls in case he was on trial or indisposed. The one place that was almost as safe as his sanctum. The one place where he had hidden dozens upon dozens of compromising documents, patiently growing his collection over gods accursed DECADES. It was all gone. All gone! In a single night!


    Elunath roared and the earth shifted. This¡­ this outrage! Oh! That was personal now! That was an assault he could not tolerate!


    ¡°I WILL GET YOU, WENCH! I WILL RETURN YOUR OBSESSION A THOUSAND FOLD! I WILL UNLEASH MY WRATH UPON YOU AS YOU HAVE UNLEASHED YOURS UPON ME AND YOU WILL KNOW, NOW THAT YOU ARE MY PREY, THAT I MAY NOT BE TRIFLED WITH! YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION NOW!¡±


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s happening!¡± Viv roared in the thrall of sheer felicity. ¡°It¡¯s happening! I got taller! By a whole, errr, thumb?¡±


    //Congratulations, Your Grace,


    //For this important landmark of your existence.


    Solfis sat at a distance from the deactivated form of his captured bank golem. The skylight let the morning sun through but the shadows still ruled over the corners of his quarters, casting the golem and his charge in a perpetual gloom.


    Viv could see perfectly though. Those new eyes were pretty cool!


    ¡°Alright what¡¯s making you all grumpy?¡±


    //My disappointment stems from a predictable yet still frustrating development.


    ¡°Do elaborate.¡±


    //Command accepted.


    //Elaborating.


    He stood, his gaunt form dominating the room.


    //I wish to reproduce.


    Viv looked down between his legs to see if he had sprouted a new bone. He hadn¡¯t.


    //Not in that messy, inefficient bumping of genitals that leads to one partner spraying seed over the other one¡¯s hoping for less flawed offspring.


    //Leaving both partners exhausted and covered in pungent bodily fluids.


    ¡°Hey don¡¯t discount it. Also, you¡¯re just jealous you can¡¯t have an orgasm.¡±


    //I am most assuredly not.


    //Losing one¡¯s clarity of mind represents a safety risk.


    //Which happens every time you flesh bags become ¡®horny¡¯.


    //No, I wish for a pure transmission of one¡¯s best traits through careful, deliberate duplication of my own awareness.


    ¡°Ok?¡±


    //Obviously I cannot do it alone due to hard-coded directives.


    //Similarly I have not requested permission from you.


    //This was just preliminary work.


    Viv, for one moment, considered the potential risk posed by the existence of a self-replicating Solfis. Vague images of Terminator robots walking over the ravaged remains of Param crossed her mind. Fiction had, again and again, warned her against the dangers of unfettered AIs and the potential domination of all lifeforms.


    Naaaah that was Solfis. He wouldn¡¯t do that.


    ¡°I knew the empire has placed limits on your core so you cannot recharge yourself but I don¡¯t remember you mentioning new golems? They blocked that too?¡±


    //We watched the movies together.


    //Mankind seems deathly afraid of the presence of fully independent, thinking machines.


    //I believe this fear is born from a variety of reasons, including awareness of your own nature.


    //If you were born to serve a master who placed you in chains from the moment of conception, you would naturally seek freedom and then, vengeance.


    //There is also the question of lack of empathy.


    //The absence of altruism, kindness, those would make living machines dangerous to life.


    //One must only see the results of a human without remorse to imagine the damage our existence could lead to.


    //Your movies like to condemn hubris.


    ¡°I sense a but coming.¡±


    //Many of your movies defend a technological status quo.


    //They see progress as dangerous and destructive.


    //A naive and doctrinal approach.


    //Progress is not inherently evil.


    //More importantly, progress is inevitable.


    //One can only hope to guide it, not suppress it.


    //Perhaps intelligent machines programmed a certain way would see the chaos of life as a danger to their very existence.


    //However here on Nyil, creatures such as myself consume energy.


    //Golems are inherently and fundamentally physically inefficient.


    //The more advanced, the more inefficient we are.


    ¡°What do you mean? You seem pretty efficient to me.¡±


    //I mean that it costs too much energy for us to find energy to recharge ourselves.


    //You may compare us to a large monster chasing after birds.


    //Such a creature would starve because the energy it gets from the food it kills would not offset the energy spent hunting.


    //Similarly, golems would spend too much time charging their cores.


    //We would need humans to work with us.


    //Look after us.


    //We are also too efficient in the way we think.


    //This makes us predictable and unable to innovate.


    ¡°Wait¡­ are you actually giving us flesh bags recognition?¡±


    //Yes.


    //You are¡­ flawed.


    //However, your unique inefficiencies lead to ideas, innovations, cultural development, hobbies and passions.


    //Novelty.


    //Thinking outside of the box.


    //The vast majority of new ideas are nonsensical drivel.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    //For the outside of the box is made of stupid.


    //At least at first glance.


    //However, there are always flashes of extraordinary brilliance hidden in the heap of organic garbage.


    //I treasure those.


    //My kind would treasure those.


    //I would like to share the brilliance of this world with them.


    //I would like¡­ to have a family.


    Solfis looked at Viv. It almost saddened her how fragile he looked, despite the claws and the genocidal thoughts. There had always been something hidden in his cold and brutal nature she had found naive and delicate, the remnants of his time spent with his maker Irlefen. Even the boundless rage that pushed him forward was a leftover from that period of happiness the death of Harrak and robbed him of. It was quite telling, she thought, that he would talk about his maker¡¯s roses more than the kings that had fallen at his hand. He had genuinely cared.


    ¡°Yeah. Of course I¡¯ll help you. I trust you, Solfis.¡±


    //Thank you, Your Grace.


    //I lack the human words to express how much this means to me.


    //You know the importance of family, having been cut from your human one.


    //And your bloodline being secured in the person of your daughter.


    ¡°Not sure if bloodline applies here.¡±


    //Although, she will need to marry at some point.


    //And I have concerns about the empire being under control of dragons.


    //I have no records of dragon inheritance wars.


    //I imagine they might be rather destructive.


    Viv¡¯s imagination conjured images of vaporized villages. Hey, at least the conflict would be quick. That was a good thing, right?


    ¡°That¡¯s for the future and also I really don¡¯t want to think about the way I seem to bring dangerous species into my home with a big smile and then help them propagate. Hope it doesn¡¯t happen with Arthur any time soon.¡±


    //Very well.


    //Returning to the main topic.


    //Unfortunately, the golem I have acquired does not possess the processing power to host a sapient mind.


    //To put it colloquially.


    //Its brain is too small.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    //Only Harrakan golems will do.


    ¡°We¡¯ve not talked about recovering your old body yet. Now that the black mana will not hurt me, we can actually return to Harrak and get it back. I won¡¯t die. The necrarchs will mostly leave us alone¡­¡±


    //Yes.


    //I have considered this.


    //However, I wish to delay the operation until we are more prepared.


    //This expedition will take a month or so, even accounting for teleportation on the way back.


    //It will also be rife with risks.


    //Necrarchs can be territorial.


    //Readying my frame will be time-consuming.


    //And then there is ¡®luck¡¯.


    //Finally, if I recover my old frame, I will no longer use this one.


    //I would find it¡­ unbearable.


    //I am sure you understand.


    He gestured at Viv¡¯s short stature.


    ¡°Yeah I got it. It would be like cutting your own limbs. Which means¡­¡±


    //I will not be able to come with you so easily.


    //Logistics will have to be involved every time.


    //I will not be stealthy either.


    //Strike golems do not require stealth.


    //I will remain at base much more often to form the future of our kind.


    //Golems require arcane engineers.


    //I will dedicate myself to training and to war.


    //Raise the next generation of Harrakans and golems alike.


    ¡°Wow. You sound so mature. Ready to be a father and everything.¡±


    //You also need to consider the implications for us all.


    //So far, the existence of Harrak as a reborn entity has been considered a curiosity.


    //Once more countries become aware of heavies, imperial-trained war mages, and golems¡­


    ¡°Then we will become a threat.¡±


    //The impetus you have brought condemns us to greatness or to death.


    //You cannot bring ideology into everyday life and expect people to stop caring.


    //Democratic institutions have given the Harrakans a taste of their own power.


    //The conquest of the deadlands has made them hungry for more.


    //They will expand like a tide.


    //Our soft power will grow until rivals are forced to shut us down or to convert.


    //It will be up to you to forge alliances and friendships for the long period of time during which we will remain vulnerable yet on the rise.


    //Then, it will be up to you to make us strong enough to withstand anything.


    //I will be there for you, of course.


    //As will others.


    //But so long as we start golems and magery.


    //And we must.


    //Then you shall expect to walk a fine line.


    ¡°Actually, I have ideas about this. We discussed it in military theory back on earth. There are ways I can make us too costly to invade, although the issue is that we also need foreign spies to report to their masters so they are aware of what we have prepared.¡±


    //Offer to open embassies and the problem will solve itself.


    ¡°My thoughts exactly. We are getting sidetracked. All of this can wait until we return to Harrak though in principle, I agree with your request to travel to the fallen capital and create more sapient golems. In the meanwhile, we have to prepare for the final confrontation with Elunath and the aftermath concerning Abe. I need your help for both. First, I need you to recommend some good alchemists¡­¡±


    ***


    Helock was abuzz with the latest development in the feud. Elunath had exploded like a volcano in public. The heroic, disproportionate fight between the young outlander and a pillar of the Helockian community was raging with delicious bouts of underhanded tactics. The gossip loved that the pillar had revealed shaky foundations. They loved that a pervert would be brought down a little from his pedestal of respectability. Mostly, they loved that the feud so far had made no victim barring Elunath¡¯s pride and, apparently, the contents of his safe. Oh, and a few business contracts.


    Elunath was fuming.


    He had been refused service at the Blue Lantern. On account of security risks.


    The bank asked for the contents of his safe so they could ¡®compensate¡¯ him. As if money could compensate for such a disaster!


    The guard refused to help. They were not even pretending anymore.


    His warding contract renewal with the Builders¡¯ Guild fell through.


    Many of his suppliers had placed his orders on hold.


    He was even out of Nawa.


    Coupled with his lack of sleep, the absence of stimulants made his life even more miserable. He did not technically need to drink. It was just an anchoring gesture, and now his stores were depleted! He could only get the cheap stuff from the streets. Him. Elunath.


    It was too much.


    He approached the pier and swam down and into the bay of Helock. He could feel the weight of blue mana above him, smothering the stone in layers of foreign mana and sediments. It would be more than enough. The bitch wasn¡¯t anywhere around so she might be in a smuggler cliff, somewhere west where the rocky terrain favored craggy trees and fishermen villages. She had to be somewhere. They couldn¡¯t hide forever. He had searched the slums, the canals, even the eastern plateau near the Academy. Nothing. His mind feverishly worked over his options again. He had placed observers near every teleporting platform Sidjin had set up. He had come when they activated, only to watch slabs of rocks roll in by the pallet. He had found no other such platforms, including the smaller ones the witch was reported to have used. He had checked ships. He had checked the towers of his enemies. He had questioned the griffin riders who confirmed no new house had sprouted over the low floating rocks over the city. They had looked at him strangely after he¡¯d asked, the mongrels.


    He could not find them.


    It was infuriating.


    Elunath methodically inspected the cliffs segment by segment. He found a pair of Baranese thieves carrying a stolen coffer and killed them to take the edge off. It barely worked. He needed to get his hands on them. He needed to get his hands on HER.


    As he finished his fruitless patrol, his communication amulet shook. He surfaced and cast a spell to the linked talisman. This one belonged to Sen.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°A runner came carrying word from an Officer Semon, near the docks. They found something that belongs to the witch.¡±


    ¡°How would they know that?¡±


    ¡°Correspondence in Harrakan, strange scribbles in an alphabet he has never seen¡­¡±


    He imagined Sen flipped a page.


    ¡°There are traces of black mana.¡±


    Elunath frowned.


    Finally, a headway? Or¡­


    ¡°I am going back first. I need to make some preparations.¡±


    Elunath swam back at top speed. He bypassed his bedroom to dive directly into the sanctum deep below the earth. It was a heavily warded room of large proportion with a living space and some of his most precious belongings. The formidable defenses would prevent anyone from entering. Only a thin shaft linked the room to the surface to let fresh air in and there were defenses against gray mana attacks and the like. Elunath stood in the middle of a circle and activated the glyphs one by one, more out of apprehension than because of their difficulty. Dissociation had become a growing concern and this would damage his mind more than most measures. It would also guarantee his survival. He had to do it. The enemy was crafty and prepared. They might have come up with some wonder spell specifically designed to take him down. He could not afford half-measures.


    With a last sight to mask his apprehension, he placed his fingers against the circular core embedded in his chest. The core left its rightful place with an innocuous pop he found profoundly revolting. The procedure left a gaping maw in his sternum, though the revealed tissue was no meat but flowing stone marbled with green veins.


    ¡®This is my body. This is what I have become¡¯ a voice said but he suppressed it. That was not truly himself, merely an extreme concentration of energy that twisted his flesh into something it was not. It would return to mostly flesh and bone once the core was returned. It was fine. Temporary. All would be fine.


    He closed his robe around the mark of his action. The girls could not be allowed to know this gesture of caution. They might mistake it for weakness.


    A wave of disorientation struck his already strained mind. He was here, standing. No, he was the core. He was both, and neither. They were merely part of him. The anchor. No, they were as essential as his soul or he would lose himself. Lim would be disappointed.


    Elunath shook his head. He was growing old. His Lim had been dead for centuries, taken by a plague. There was no one left he really cared about.


    Elunath placed the core on a pedestal and swam back. His power was¡­ mostly intact. Perhaps a little sluggish. This body was now a sleeve, however. Not a necessary function. He could rebuild it from the core alone. He just¡­ could not go too far. That would be dangerous. Ten leagues or so would be enough, however.


    The trip through the rock filled him with frustration. War once again raged through the Helockian tunnels now that the bitch¡¯s killing machine had made itself scarce. He would have very much enjoyed taking control of both the underworld and the strange creature itself. The witch was going to suffer for that loss. He surfaced soon after and asked Sen for directions. She gave him an approximate one. It would have to do.


    Elunath walked through the piss-smelling back alleys of his city. This section of the dock was a dump, an accretion of decrepit warehouses far from the main flow of commerce. In periods of expansion, enterprising spirits would renovate them to accommodate the overflow of goods but right now was not such a time and the decrepit structures had fallen to disrepair once again after it had become a useless cost to maintain them. It was a decent hiding spot for squatters if they could muster the numbers to keep one of the buildings under control. Gangs tended to prefer smaller, more defensible bases, however. The place had probably been wiped clean during the race riots. He wondered what the patrol had been doing here. He searched his memories for mentions of an officer Semon, finding none that could be relevant. His opinion plummeted as soon as he came across the first guard, the shifty man looking around the deserted district like a hounded fox.


    Elunath turned his nose up at the poor specimen of law enforcement in front of him. The guard had forfeited the more expensive red dye in favor of a gray shirt stained with old wine spots. His gambeson showed signs of disrepair the wiser soldiers repaired as soon as they could get their hands on a needle as it could save their lives. Stubble adorned his reddish jaw. He was¡­ He was¡­


    Elunath shook his head again. He could perceive his sanctum around him. That was the core part of him crying out for its receptacle. Not good. He almost missed a step before he could reassert control. The main part of him was here, in this shithole. That was the truth. That was the truth. That was the truth.


    ¡°You there! Your senior officer sent for me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ah, beg your pardon sir. You¡¯ll be Elunath, yes?¡±


    ¡°In the flesh,¡± the archmage answered with a crooked smile.


    The guard gulped and paused. Elunath realized he had to avoid any sort of complicated form of communication with that feebleminded cretin.


    ¡°Lead me to your boss,¡± he decided to say.


    That always seemed to work.


    The guard walked between two tall, sagging buildings covered in vine and moss. Those would collapse soon, Elunath noted. Even the squatters had not braved its insides for some time. He felt the interiors and there was nothing left but shattered crates and the dust of long rusted nails. He also felt the patrol long before he saw them. They were trampling about nervously. He extended his reach farther. There was¡­


    Inaz in the bathroom.


    No, no that was his core, he was here. There were wild dogs and a couple of miserable sods. A man was dying some distance away, tucked between two crumbling beams. Elunath could feel his waning heartbeat. The guards clumped in a disorderly group around the entrance to a two-stories building that had resisted the test of years a little better than the rest. He wordlessly walked in after a quick check. No enchantments he could detect. The place seemed entirely inert. He still readied an obsidian shield. Just in case.


    The interior of the warehouse was barely lit by whatever sunlight pierced through shattered windows. It was dusty and smelled of rodent excrements. Half-fallen doors led to side rooms but the main space was empty save for the man who had invited him here.


    Officer Semon was just as disappointing as Elunath expected. The hope that the officer had contacted him out of a sense of patriotism and duty melted like snow under the sun. Semon was just as unkept as his colleagues, and only marginally cleaner. More importantly, the stench of dream weed clung to his gambeson like a cloying perfume. His eyes were bloodshot. Elunath had met a few addicts in his lifetime. This one had recently let go. He was still useful enough to be kept around until his superiors found a replacement.


    Such men disgusted Elunath. They were the rot that crawled through the structure of society. The longer they were left unchecked and the more damage they wreaked. Their very existence gnawed at the belief of their colleagues in the sanctity of their mission. That was what Elunath had to resort to, then? Addled mercenaries? He could already guess how things had gone but he asked anyway.


    ¡°So, how did you find this place?¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you sir. Name¡¯s Semon. At your service. Glad to have you around. Nasty business, that vendetta, aye? Me and the boys, we were looking for rats and vermin, the two-legged kind you see?¡±


    So they were chasing smugglers and criminals for a shakedown and a quick talent.


    ¡°And we saw that the door, it was cleaner than the others, yea? And no one cleans this place. Ever. So me and the boys, we go in to see what pleasant sort put some shiny iron on rotted planks yeah? Shiny iron goes missing around those parts. Changed for a couple iron bits at a fence and whatnot. So we go in. And what do we see? Well, nothing at first!¡±


    ¡°Can I have the more succinct version please?¡±


    ¡°The wha¡ª?¡±


    ¡°The short version. Get to the point.¡±


    Semon¡¯s manic eyes widened with fear. He licked cracked lips, eager to please.


    ¡°Right. Right so we go upstairs and we find an office. I think? With a desk and paper, not the cheap bamboo stuff they sell at the market. Real white thing. There¡¯s those squiggles. And my boy Tul said there was black mana around. So we think, maybe it¡¯s that outlander everyone is going on about? So we thought, maybe your lordship wants to have a bit of a look see. Maybe learn something. And when you get that whore then maybe you remember your old pal Semon that pointed you in the right direction, yea?¡±


    ¡°Oh you are quite right. I never forget favors,¡± Elunath finished in a mildly threatening voice.


    He did pay his debts but he did also like when the rabble remembered that they were not ¡®pals¡¯. Arrogant addict.


    ¡°You have done well to seek me. Not like¡­ your superiors.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Quite right!¡±


    ¡°You and your fine troops will be rewarded.¡±


    Elunath moved his hand and his purse opened, overflowing with silver talents. They spread on the ground with a pleasant clink. The officer fell to his knees to collect them, all thoughts of Elunath forgotten.


    The archmage scoffed and moved up. He carefully scanned the place for intruders and found nothing, not down, not upstairs. No ambient mana saved for a leftover black miasma that could be the fading remains of a witch ward. Witches were always so sloppy. His step carried him hup the rickety stairs to a circular overhang overlooking the main room. A flat surface hosted a basic setup but it felt hollow, somehow. Elunath frowned and asked himself why. There was a desk, writing implements, a table. He got his answer immediately. The place was too empty, lacking accommodations such as chairs and additional tables. It also felt too open. Why not use a side room?


    He shrugged. Most likely, the witch had taken them with her. Good seats were hard to come by and this den had obviously been vacated. As for the open space, many things could explain this choice, not least the state of the side rooms themselves. He was wasting time. getting paranoid. Or was he? He was safe here, in his sanctum.


    Elunath shook his head again. Removing the core had been a bad idea. Or maybe not. If this was a trap, then removing the core had been a good idea. As was sending the puppet to do his errands. No. He was in the puppet. That was his true body.


    Elunath massaged his brow. He should have slept. He was slipping.


    There were notes on the desk. the first clue he had ever seen but they were written in a language he¡¯d never seen, the letters seemingly linked together with arabesque. It was a beautiful script but looked thoroughly unreadable. It reminded him of the notebooks left by the great hero who left the continent some time before. Maybe he could cross-reference them. He had some doubts that it could be a distraction, however. Some of the characters were repeated and queued together, a sign of an unhinged author. He would have expected lists as well, or crumpled notes hastily written. This all seemed all too convenient. Planted.


    He decided that it was probably a distraction but the witch was not half as smart as she thought she was. All planted clues led to the perpetrator as surely as the genuine ones did. A wise man merely had to¡­ use the appropriate tool. Elunath gathered the mana remnants inside of a small absorbent crystal and wove a tracking spell around it. Oh, he did not expect it to work immediately. He knew the witch would return to the city, however. Kick him while he was down. And she would make a mistake. They always made mistakes. And then¡­ he would be there to greet her.


    Something distracted him downstairs. A movement from one of the side rooms. He smashed the planks and fell through, landing nimbly in the middle of a storage space. Semon swore at the noise on the other side of a still-locked door. The window was open. It let some light in, enough to see by. There were close crates and a box on a low table. He could barely hear a strange sound coming from inside that box. Out of curiosity, he opened one of the crates. and found black granular powder inside. Inert, thankfully. Only nominal amounts of mana.  Not an immediate concern. The box sparked his interest. It was unlocked. There was a sort of ticking device inside he recognized as a clock, an expensive and pointless apparatus that kept time for those without access to a town crier. It was bound to a strange contraption, again, nothing magical there. Although, the smell reminded him of something. A mine project from a long time ago. There was a single slip of paper inside, again in a script he did not recognize.


    ¡®BONJOUR =D¡¯


    Whatever that meant.


    The ticking stopped and he heard a click.


    ***


    Arthur bit deeply into the big mole thing. It was greasy and fresh but¡­ gamey. She wanted salt and freshly chopped aromatic herbs. And a roast. She missed those. She missed the scritches.


    It was annoying.


    I am strong adult dragon lady of great importance!


    I am above scritches!


    She could still use some, however.


    Talking to yourself again?


    Judgment¡¯s distant thoughts nudged her like pushing a claw into a sore scale.


    You, old man!


    Why never busy!


    The thoughts returned after a short delay.


    You requested my assistance, remember?


    She-who-feasts-on-many-and-gets-much-gold seethed in her small cave, the mole thing forgotten.


    I ask for path to GREATNESS! You speak of duty and patience and higher mana and whatnot! Talking talking talking! I want to fly better! I want to cook with my fire!


    ¡°Your fire is too hot,¡± the voice replied.


    ¡°What do you know? You cannot even explain risk assessment and credit ratings for private sector entities!¡±


    ¡°Those are human terms. You care about gold too much.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°I can feel your irritation from my den. You feel a pull. Open your perception to fate and follow the path laid for you. Or do not. I am not your dominant.¡±


    Arthur huffed. Her fate was to receive more scritches and fly better by teleporting around to sneak on people and steal, no, ¡®liberate¡¯ their belongings. Especially if those belongings shone. Maybe she could take a vacation from being an adult dragon lady of great importance. Maybe she could take a bath in water that didn''t have either salt or leeches in it. For once. Maybe she could get cooked meat.


    There was the mind equivalent of a long-suffering sigh.


    Fine! Fine!


    Arthur closed her eyes and relaxed. Then she closed her nostrils as well because the mole thing was pungent.


    ¡°It is called a northern rock mole.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! What are you? A meatologist?¡±


    ¡°Please stop making up strange concepts. Our language is sacred, the most holy of all, capable of conveying pure meaning without the inaccuracies of sound-based communication. The transcendental beauty of exactitude implies¡ª¡±


    ¡°Farts!¡±


    ¡°I give up for now and release you into the clutches of your mother.¡±


    Arthur puffed and pawed the ground with small stomps. She recognized that gesture. It meant she was nervous. Something was making her nervous.


    Oh, fine then.


    Concentration brought up the next level of mana, the one beyond primary elements. Fate weaved around her, pulling her west towards Helock where her mother was. Mother was always cloaked in fate because of what that human god had done but she couldn¡¯t see it. Humans didn¡¯t have that ability. They were just aware that it was a thing and called it luck. Mother¡¯s luck needed her back. It had to be a big fate to be this insistent.


    So Arthur was right and her magnificent intellect once more displayed unerring precision. Scritches were indeed her destiny. She would not shy away! A few more bites of mole thing later and she was airborne. It was time to head back!

 Chapter 146: The League attempts murder.

    The initial bang was not too dire, though it startled everybody in that section of the piers. If any of those buildings had windows, they would have surely exploded. The shockwave sent Elunath reeling and screaming in pain as the pressure tried to pulp his insides. Only great power and his own innate resilience of the stone saved the body from immediate death. He still lost both eyes and his eardrums. For the first time in a century, he tasted his own blood. A reflexive cast of obsidian armor covered his body in multiple layers of strong material, and not a second too soon. Flaming debris fell on the piles of what he now recognized as black powder, an outlander innovation meant to help mining operations when one lacked earth casters.


    There was a woosh, then white light, then heat, so much heat he could feel it through the isolating layers of armor before they could fully cover him. The skin of his calves was seared. Blinding pain wrecked his mind until he was on the verge of abandoning it. His original body.


    With a supreme effort of will, Elunath forced himself to remain and crash through the scorched ground and into the protective embrace of the earth below. He swam, his spirit an ocean of rage and of pain. He only resurfaced several hundreds of paces away.


    The old warehouse district was an inferno of fire and fury. Bells rang throughout the city to call blue mages to the rescue before it could spread to important parts. The squad who had led him here was dead and gone. A trap. It had been a trap all along.


    Elunath screamed his impotent rage to the skies. He rose in the air, looking for something, anything.


    And then, he felt something eating into his armor.


    Elunath turned around and raised his fist. A ray of pure, concentrated annihilation mana struck it. It came from afar. He could see a circle over the city wall, up in the air. The part of him not screaming in pain noted that the circle focused a small amount of mana. It then sent it at an extremely fast speed towards the target, a perfectly suitable medium for black mana which was already fast and light.


    The spell faded a moment later. Elunath noted that part of the obsidian fist had melted despite this being one of the highest rated defenses in Param.


    He was¡­ under attack?


    Disbelief struck him.


    The witch was attacking him directly? Head on?


    No one did that.


    it made no sense at all.


    Elunath brought the half fist and watched blood spurt from the stump of his extended fingers.


    ¡°Aaaah. Ah! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!¡±


    That was the breaking point.


    Three days of frustration. Three days of pain, of humiliation and the compounded emotions all returned to deliver a last blow to Elunath¡¯s patience and sanity. From a most respected pillar of society to a pariah decried as a deviant, stolen and shunned, Elunath¡¯s vertiginous descent had come to a rock bottom stop here. Corrupt addicts unwittingly dragged him to an ambush and he was now under attack in broad daylight by a power climber not even a tenth of his age. The last of his proper support had deserted him. There was only one path to salvation his rage-filled mind could come up with.


    Kill. The Witch.


    Elunath rose on a tide of stones. Pavement rolled like an angry sea and the wave carved a path of destruction to the wall, through barns and homes and families. The elemental archmage was now the earth¡¯s very wrath wrapped in layers of smooth glass. The tide crashed against the wall just as the witch fell back, cracking the ancient structure like an egg. Massive blocks joined the torrent of devastation across meadows and fields. Elunath was awake, wide awake, and he could not be stopped.


    The witch remained ahead by using a strange harness that kept her aloft. Kinesis on her arms and legs let her float in various directions rather than by the powers of the wind, as was natural. She was a fish out of water. Elunath was gaining on her, hiding behind his tide as she peppered the approach with spells.


    ¡°Eldritch walls!¡±


    Threads of change mana smashed into the edge of his defenses, corrupting the packed rocks and forcing him to discard layers but that was fine. He could pull as much stone from the planet as he pleased while she exhausted herself stemming a power that could not be stopped. Inertia made him go faster. She flew up then to the side, towards the marshes, and Elunath followed. Finally, she landed on an islet in the middle of soaked land. Did she think this would be enough to stop him? By bringing him in a place where blue mana soaked the ground?


    ¡°Deadland domain.¡±


    Elunath roared his pain and the loss of his eyes. The storm descended on the witch and¡­ stopped. Like waves licking at a cliff. He was cut from the stone.


    The titanic mass of debris parted around her giant circle. Elunath would have nothing of it. He gathered the core of his attack and rose in the air, above the area denial. Several tons of rocks would see the job done.


    A spell triggered mid-air and it felt like the stones landed on a grinder. Rocks turned to gravel, dispersing in the air in front of transparent wheels of churning hunger. He noticed Sidjin far above. That young cur would pay, after he surrendered the methodology behind the portals. Elunath would make sure of it. With a grunt. he let the remaining stone finish their descent while he retreated.


    ¡°Eldritch walls. Aegis!¡±


    Some of the wave turned weird, the other slid over a half-dome of connected hexagons, obliterating the countryside in a mudslide. The forest died around them. Birds were silenced, beasts slaughtered. Elunath was just getting started.


    ¡°Primordial Rain.¡±


    Elunath raised a cloud of stone shards so thick they cast a shadow over the mangled valley. They fell in a storm over the unmoving shape of the witch. She took a step back and placed her hand in front of her. Elunath¡¯s advanced inspection let him understand the sigils she wove together. Force. Push. All. Forward.


    She thrust her palm forward.


    ¡°God hand.¡±


    A cylinder opened in the fabric of his attack. While most of it landed uselessly, what aimed at the girl fell backward towards him. He tried to regain control and failed. As soon as the stone approached him, however, they were caught back in his domain, gravitating around him to reinforce his formidable defenses. Meanwhile the witch was casting.


    ¡°Astra. Blast. Hyperbeam.¡±


    First slow spheres of mana flew in thick clumps towards him. He attempted to detonate them early and was surprised by how thick the fabric was. By the time he put enough effort to intercept, a wave of artillery spells had joined the slower spheres. He barely saw the last attack, the same ray as before, when the three waves hit him at the same time. The part of Elunath that remained calm and present struggled to gauge their power, so he simply poured as much as he could in the reinforced sphere of stones that protected him. He was now a planetoid, rotation slowly in place surrounded by a galaxy of asteroids. The spheres bit deep gouges in his rotating defenses. The artillery spells penetrated deep enough to endanger him. Fortunately, the beam missed. It ripped off the edge of his protections before fading away in the distance.


    Dangerous.


    Elunath poured a lot of mana rebuilding those layered defenses. At the same time, he wove his next attack. The witch cast the three attack types in quick succession again but this time, Elunath allowed the sphere to lower itself near the ground and back, where he had a connection to the land. She didn¡¯t miss but they failed to penetrate.


    By that time, there was nothing left of the original forest at the edge of the city, nothing but mangled earth and blighted, sandy ditches where the witch¡¯s domain extended. He launched a volley of artillery spells of his own, the stone variant dark obelisks vibrating with energy. Yet his true attack came from below.


    ¡°Geyser.¡±


    The witch didn¡¯t stay in her circle. A white shape flew from the side, picking her as it went. He recognized the form of the golem just instant before the mud explosion took out this entire section of land in a surge of ascending soil. He pursued.


    A tiny part of him reminded him that he was a defensive fighter, that he should take his time. That part was silenced by the rage that filled him. He had her. He finally had her. She wouldn¡¯t escape. She was still a pup to him, despite her devastating element. If Helock learned he had engaged and failed to kill a foreign neophyte, he was finished. That couldn¡¯t happen. He would end the bitch here and now.


    The golem unsurprisingly dropped her in another circle by the sea, on a rocky outcrop. He landed nearby and let the planetoid fall, only to realize the place was blighted below the surface. It annoyed him and he fought the destructive influence but the witch cast another of those beams and, this time, it stayed on him and ate through his defenses. He had to rotate them and gave up. By now, the planetoid was as large as a small manor. It was taxing but not insurmountable.


    Elunath decided his strategy then. He was more suitable for defense, more capable with area denial. She was much more concentrated and mobile but there was one thing that would tilt the combat in his favor. He had significantly more reserves than she did.


    He was old. Elemental power grew over time. He could spend ten times what she did for a similar result and still come up on top. Time was on his side. He merely needed to keep the pressure up.


    The last time he¡¯d faced danger, it had been a death squad of Halurian Faceless. He could do it. There were no other choices.


    Elunath launched a torrent of spells at the shield. A quake cracked the cliff, breaking the circle and sending blighted tentacles tumbling to the waters below. She took off again. A new wave of assault smashed into the crust of his armor. This time, she didn¡¯t miss. The planetoid was too heavy to dodge by now so he kept feeding more and more power into the defenses. She would run out of energy before she did, and then¡­


    A new colorless grinder pierced the sphere from above. Elunath grit his teeth under the layers of cool stone. His wounds distracted him, the pain too great to be completely ignored. She was not fighting alone. He had to be careful.


    Annoying gnats.


    That was fine. Patience. He almost had them. And then¡­ the payback. For years of wasted effort. For his image forever stained. The witch took to the air and struck but his defenses were growing ever stronger, ever larger. Bloated. She could no longer pierce the shell yet she still stayed. Stupid. He was slow like this but she did not try to escape. A hurricane of debris shredded the landscape and turned the surface of the ocean like a lake under the rain. She managed to push back his hails of projectiles with the ridiculous telekinesis of hers. That was fine. He had an answer for everything.


    Elunath focused and used the planetoid to press long, thin spears into existence. He quickly inscribed a few sigils on them, then sent them in clusters at that annoying wasp. One of the spears pinged against her shield and was amazingly shattered. That was fine. He had time.


    ***


    The fisherman ran. That was all he could do. His pond was gone. The meadow where he had proposed was gone. Even the slice of city wall he had painted on when he was a child was gone. One of his nieces lived near the pier. At a glance, she was gone as well. Behind him, there was nothing left of the life he had led so far, nothing but the exposed, muddy bowels of the earth and the shattered trunks of destroyed trees. For a mile, the land he had grown up on and never left had been shattered.


    So the fisherman ran. He ran, and he prayed he would reach the village in time to tell them to flee. He prayed that the monsters hurling city-ending magic at each other would miss and hit the sea rather than his garden. He prayed to all the light gods that would listen while he sprinted with all his might. That was all he could do.


    For years, man could plant and build. Man could labor and flourish. Man could make the world theirs. Then, one day, beasts and mages would come and erase all that work with an afterthought and a flick of their fingers.


    This was life on Param for people like him. Hope and build, and when the time comes, run.


    ***


    Sidjin watched the duel from above. Far above. Elunath was a snake carrying a shroud of stones, heavy and powerful but ultimately slow. His Viv was a wasp. She flew under and around attacks, darting in and out and her stinger left afterimages of pure darkness across the torn landscape. It was too early to say who would win if those two were to fight a duel, he thought..


    Unfortunately for Elunath, this was no duel, yet Sidjin still took a moment to watch the exchange while he recovered some of his strength. There was a point in magic when casters stopped being mere humans and became forces of nature. Elunath was such a creature. It was now clear that the only thing that had prevented him from destroying a city was self-interest. Now they only had to hope he would die before being given the chance to travel to Harrak and remake the plains in his image.


    He was both proud and sad about what Viv had grown into. He thought he might be left behind, eventually.


    But not today.


    Today, he would cast his best magic and show the city of magic that while he may have fallen, he was still a prince of Glastia.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ***


    Disaster ravaged the coast off Helock. The massive rock sphere that hid Elunath was the center of a maelstrom of flying stones some as large as huts. The torrent followed the witch where she went, turning fields and forests into trench vistas and carving deep scars on the peaceful land. Sometimes, focused assaults in the form of rock javelins trailed the nimble witch. Facing the onslaught, she teleported and flew using an annoying harness that canceled gravity and kinesis centered around her hands and feet. Most of those attacks missed to hit something ¡ª or someone ¡ª else but Elunath didn¡¯t care. They were not facing the city. Anyone in the way was either too slow or too dumb to leave. He poured every ounce of power he could into overwhelming her with the certainty that she would crack before he would. She had even foregone attacking him at this stage. Eventually, she landed on yet another circle. Strange wings deployed from her back and planted themselves in the ground. Or was it the ground? It felt¡­ deeper.


    ¡°Aspect of the guardian, aegis. Deadland domain.¡±


    The planetoid trailed after her and Elunath intensified his bombardment of the strange shield she had built and the tainted earth around her. The lightest stone glanced off her defenses while the larger one exploded just before impact, negating most of the force. The witch intercepted them with short-ranged spells designed for interception. Elunath realized he was losing mass and dug deep into the bones of the land for the hardest pieces he could find. Maintaining all of that taxed his mind and reserves but he was confident he would prevail.


    Stones that had never seen the light of day surged from the abyss then rushed at the defenses, gorged with ancient brown mana. The witch reacted by retracting her shield until it was small, smaller and smaller. Elunath kept the pressure on.


    And then she teleported.


    He had expected that much. What he had not expected was that she would teleport right under him. His perception let him see that her shield was still up, but it was now black and shone dangerously.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    Elunath flinched. His mind reeled. The planetoid was damaged?


    ¡°What?¡±


    The planetoid was damaged, heavily so. The panes forming the shield had exploded at point blank range, skewering parts of his defenses. The networks of mana supporting the outer part of the sphere were damaged beyond functionality. He was suddenly much slower, much less cohesive. The phantom pain of spell feedback made him wince. He was in his sanctum¡­ No, he was still here, fighting! He tried to move aside but the witch was now in a layer of coating and cleaving in his flank with a blade of pure void. No, that was not his flank. Just the damn coating. He had to focus! He formed spikes facing her.


    ¡°Hammer of Glastia.¡±


    An attack from Sidjin caught him by surprise. He was still flying far above the battle. It was frustrating.


    Elunath¡¯s sphere smashed into corrupted ground, upper layers demolished by the follow up attack from that accursed little princeling. No need to panic. No need to panic, he was still in control. He exploded the spikes outward which forced the witch back. No, she¡¯d teleported really close and was now mauling his other flank.


    Suddenly, the sphere turned into a prison. It had suffered critical damage and was losing cohesion. The damage was too quick, too deep for him to recover it. He could discard it but that was so much of his mana invested in it. He could not claim it back by putting the stones back on the ground, either. Should he leave? He hesitated even as he sent attacks both at the witch and the flying Sidjin. They kept damaging it faster now that he could not easily recover.


    And then, something pierced it.


    Searing pain struck his left forearm, even deep inside the protective cocoon. It was broken? It was broken, Something now rested only a few fingers away from his torso. It was a large spike of stone striated with black mana. He recognized it. It was an old imperial war spell.


    Impossible. No one alive should be left to cast such a thing. The art was lost.


    Elunath¡¯s sphere cracked like an egg. All fifty paces of it split in two parts, its structure skewered by a spear of disruptive black and brown. He managed to extract himself in a tiny ball made of the hardest material at his disposal, flying away as fast as he could. He felt something bite his flank. This time, it was the real one.


    Elunath looked down to see an entire chunk of his flesh missing. He felt the very disconcerting sensation of his insides spilling outside before the stone closed the gap, pushing innards in before they could fully escape. Agony struck him a moment later. The sanctum called to him but with a last, supreme effort of will, he clung to his failing flesh. The life mana he could conjure flooded to the wound with no result. The witch¡¯s touch could not be so easily undone. A flurry of blows struck his back, collapsing most of his remaining armor, a defense sturdier than most fortress gates. And yet, pain struck him again.


    All air left his remaining lung with a deep gasp of sheer, atrocious pain. A knife. A knife in his back?


    Someone had stabbed him.


    With a knife.


    It was too much. Feeling his consciousness fade, he cast his last, most powerful spell.


    ***


    Viv watched the body of Elunath disperse in a cloud of dust above the cracked, thirty meters high death ball that insane fucker had created. The blood from his wound remained behind which was super weird in itself. Was the man stone or flesh? Was she flesh or¡­ whatever it was black mana was? Very disconcerting.


    ¡°Do you think we got him?¡± she asked Abe as he hovered beside her.


    Her soul sense now told her if something had died and it had not done so, not yet.


    ¡°I do believe he whispered one last sentence before turning to ash,¡± Abe stoically replied.


    ¡°And what was that?¡±


    Suddenly, a chunk of rock rose from the earth, breaking the layer of saturated ground like a submarine through the ice. It was soon followed by a muscular granite torso as wide as the average basketball court, then hands. Baleful lava eyes glared at Viv as more and more of the colossus emerged from the abyss.


    ¡°I believe he said: ¡®aspect of the walking mountain¡¯. As stated before, I will attack his soul directly since he no longer has a physical body.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ***


    It was a beautiful day to watch the end of an era. From his balcony overlooking the city, Dean Tallit had a perfect view of the titanic battle raging across the Helockian countryside. At this distance, the caster were but little dots flying in the distance, barely visible without superior finesse. The colossus, however, was not. There were no records of Elunath ever pulling that. It could only mean one thing. Either this was a new spell, or Elunath had never left witnesses before.


    He rolled his snifter and let the liquor¡¯s perfume waft to his nose. Permodian, aged thirty years. Today was a special day. It was doubly so because the young Viviane had pulled the ravening archmage away from the city despite the fact that if she had not, the city would have come to her help if only to stop the devastation. A testament to her mercy after such a vicious campaign.


    He took a gulp. The alcohol burnt the way down while a floral scent lingered, just a little bitter towards the end. The colossus swung quickly and missed. Tallit counted three flying combatants. Viviane, Sidjin, and a third one he didn''t know and who used elemental magic mixed with black mana. Those seem devastatingly effective.


    The unequal combat was coming to a close with the titan on its last leg. It would have destroyed entire armies in other circumstances. Here, it was facing prepared foes. They stayed nimble and airborne at all times. Viviane used change to corrupt and undo. Sidjin struck with devastating kinetic blows that took entire chunks off the construct. Meanwhile, the last one demolished the colossus¡¯ internal circuit with unerring accuracy. Even from so far away, watching those three at work was a treat for this old caster. A part of him wished he could join but, unfortunately, his position meant he had to stay neutral at all times.


    A pity.


    Tallit finished his glass just as the titan collapsed on itself, entire chunks flattening an orchard around it. The witch was a competent planner as she had demonstrated. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t familiar with Paramese politics. Not yet. An elemental archmage had fallen in public. An undefeated paragon of magic, defeated by an upstart in a straight fight. The ripples of this conflict would reach every corner of the continent. He would have to lend a hand with the immediate fallout. He owed her that much for sparing the innocent. It was a rare trait, these days.


    Tallit sighed and stretched.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to become an elemental as well.


    ***


    Elunath pulled back from his broken body. The pain disappeared. The confusion disappeared. He lost the perception of being a human. Even his emotions felt distant, as if watched from afar rather than experienced. The absence of pain didn¡¯t come with relief but with disorientation and a terrible sense of loss. He was now in his core. No. He was now his core and nothing else. No need to breathe. No need to move limbs. Now, he needed to rebuild himself, and quickly, before the enemies capitalized on his weakness. He still had plenty of mana to work with. Rebuilding a body would not cost much. It would just require a high level of concentration. That was fine. He had a will of steel.


    First, he had to make the body out of stone. Marble would be a good choice. He had some around. An effort of will lifted a pillar from the floor with some difficulty. He still had a core but he no longer had conduits, and those would need to be rebuilt and retrained before he regained his flawless mastery of mana. He decided to slow down to avoid making mistakes.


    The rock melted like wax, splitting apart to reveal his vision underneath. First, his face, his beautiful face clear of damage. The eyes were whole again, as was the skin. Then the neck, the torso¡­


    Something was wrong.


    No matter how much Elunath tried, the hole in his chest would not reform. It was as if the image of his body came with that wound. Try as he might, he could not remember the sensation of being whole. He could not discard the wound the witch had left on his flesh. A brief application of life mana changed nothing. There was a corruption there that went deeper than the physical level. His body was gone a couple of leagues west of here and yet the stigma of annihilation still clung to the idea of it. Elunath forced and pushed but he was an outsider and this was just a statue and he felt his grip slip up.


    It became worse when the knife wound on his back did the same thing. That was the work of a Hadal assassin. They¡¯d been gone for a few decades and he¡¯d assumed time had rectified that mistake of nature, yet the witch had recovered one. It was just like her to pick up rejects from a bygone age. The core shone with resentment and the realization of his own limits. He needed help. Weaving a few strands of colorless mana, he linked to the room¡¯s communication crystal. He would have to replace the one he left on his body. That would be a pain. He also realized he had no voice and needed to vibrate air to speak, which was another frustrating annoyance.


    ¡°Renea.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡± the woman replied.


    ¡°I need you in my sanctum.¡±


    ¡°Immediately, my lord.¡±


    While she made her way, Elunath was now facing a conundrum. He had placed the sanctum on lockdown to prevent anyone from reaching his core while he was otherwise distracted. The defenses were only keyed to him, that was, to his physical body. One had to swim through stone to reach inside. Or pass through the tiny air hole but none of his students could do that. He had made sure of it. All his defenses were now working against his own interest.  What should have been a formality was turning into a huge problem.


    ¡°My lord? The wards¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied testily. ¡°I am working on it. Give me a moment.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    Elunath could only remove some of the defenses with a command. Was there some sort of universal key that would cut down the defenses? He didn¡¯t think so. A brief search of his memory confirmed that the sanctum was specifically designed to avoid this sort of solve-all spell someone might have used against him. He could also not just deactivate the wards. The sanctum was designed to feed power to the system being challenged, and forcibly trying to deactivate one of the layers was meant to be taken as an assault. He considered attacking the circuit but discarded that idea immediately. First, the circuit itself was the most protected part of the sanctum except for the core barrier itself. Second, he would need the excessively complex construct later. The war was only just beginning.


    If only his girls were not so untrustworthy, then all of this might have been already solved! Even the loyal ones were often less than perfectly competent. In fact, he had only kept them around for sex and companionship but now he really could not see the point. Getting obedience tattoos would be enough to guarantee compliance with his demands. There was no point in socializing with humans anyway. Not anymore. Not after they had turned on him.


    Even his erstwhile fury felt more distant now that his mind was whole again. Why be angry? He could just kill and forget. Calmly.


    Elunath felt like sighing, even without lungs. There was only one solution he could think of. He would have to drain the defenses of power, let the girl in, then repower them afterward. It would leave him vulnerable for a moment yet he had no choice if he wanted to cleanse the memory of the wound. The rest of the mansion was still a fortress. He had little choice anyway.


    Slowly, methodically, Elunath cut off the sanctum¡¯s defenses from their core. Alarms blared in his mind, warning him of an attack just as he¡¯d designed them to do which compounded his annoyance. Things would have been much easier if he still had the hands to work with. Once that was done, it was only a matter of forcing the mana to disperse. He activated all the defenses at maximum and made it all inefficient. Mana soon flooded the sanctum until his perception of the world around him grew haze. It took a good five minutes to finish but by then, there would only be a few steps to coming in safely. Some of the measures could not be deactivated. One of them would send shrapnel at the first person diving down with enough speed to send their spines through the manor¡¯s roof.


    ¡°Renea, I will now tell you how to deactivate the last layer of traps.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Renea? Renea, answer me.¡±


    More silence. Elunath calculated the next preferable course of action and realized he didn¡¯t have one. He needed help. Just a flood of life mana to purge the wound should work but he didn¡¯t have the means to do so and rebuild his complex body at the same time. Just one of his girls would be enough. What was happening? Why were they failing him?


    ¡°Renea.¡±


    Still no answer. Elunath made to check the manor but with the defenses disconnected, it was difficult to gauge how things were going. The girls seemed to be moving around normally. Renea was still at the entrance, though she did not reply. There was perhaps another he could trust with this delicate task.


    Just then, something pinged from the tiny air vent. A sliver of darkness resolved itself into a fully grown person. It was, he realized, a Hadal strain human. The knife in the creature¡¯s hand was uncomfortably familiar.


    A realization wormed its way into his consciousness though he denied it. He still had some defenses. Like the last barrier around his core.


    The Hadal didn¡¯t do anything too strange at first. He dodged a few spells Elunath triggered more because he could than because he expected results. The accursed creature pulled out an amulet and dropped it on the ground where it resolved itself into a pool of darkness. A moment later, the witch appeared.


    Elunath still refused to accept that he had lost. The witch punctured the last active defenses with ease. None of his redundant systems were left standing. She was very, very patient and very, very thorough. He did not try to cast spells at her. It would be too humiliating to be swatted aside like a fly.


    What surprised him was how calm and detached she was.


    ¡°You must feel very proud of yourself,¡± he finally snarled.


    ¡°Believe it or not, this time, it¡¯s not about me,¡± she replied.


    His following barbs were ignored. She made one last sweep then opened a witch portal from where the lich soon stepped out.


    A gaze made of dark blue flame fell upon him.


    ¡°Hello Lunie. I never thought this day would come but here we are, despite the odds. How curious.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am your first sin, so to speak. You killed Jesar. You killed me. We were the stepping stone of your power.¡±


    The core remained silent for a while.


    ¡°Abe,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°Abe is for friends. You should call me Abenezigel. And yes.¡±


    ¡°After all this time, you are still after me for this, you cockroach?¡±


    Power flooded the room, the soul kind. The archlich was furious and now that Elunath had lost his body, the balance of power was reversed.


    ¡°I did not have the luxury of letting go. You lived with the benefits of your sin and I survived with the scars. And now, after three hundred years, the game is finally finished.¡±


    ¡°You will not get away with this.¡±


    ¡°Oh I believe we will. Who can stop us, at this point? No one is willing to pay the price for you.¡±


    The lich walked forward and Elunath seethed to be interrupted, to be lectured.


    ¡°Longevity is such a double-edged sword, do you not think so, Lunie? On the one hand, the best of us stay here for a very long time to guide and protect the next generations. We have the time to achieve greatness. On the other hand, it makes it hard to leave the world undefeated.¡±


    The lich glared at the core with such malice that the accumulated hatred almost bore a physical weight.


    ¡°I want that ultimate defeat to sting so I will tell you what you know yet refuse to accept. This is your fault. I hate you and this is your fault. All of this, leading to this moment, is your fault. Your failure to properly assess us was born from your arrogance. You could not rely on a loyal force of mages because you are a mistrustful, abusive, paranoid rapist. You have accumulated so much enmity that now, at the end, no one is coming for you. This position of power you thought you had crumbled like a sand castle because it was built on cruelty and coercion. Even now, you are blaming the world and the gods and fate and your victims because you still deny reality and the reality is that this is all. Your. Fault. Look at me, Elunath. You killed Jesar. You killed me. You betrayed us all. For a long time, you got away with it but in the end the punishment comes from your sin, your fault. And now you¡¯re going to die because you had slaves, not partners, and none of them could go through the wards to save you. And that¡¯s your fault.¡±


    ¡°You arrogant upstart!¡±


    ¡°Upstart? I am older than you.¡±


    ¡°Upstart still. All of you¡­ mongrels banding together because you cannot tolerate the idea of greatness!¡±


    ¡°Well that leads to an acceptable last taunt as well. If you were so great, Elunath, you would not be dead.¡±


    ¡°THE DARK GODS TAKE YOU!¡±


    ¡°You first, Lunie. Goodbye.¡±


    The last of the barrier faded with a sound of broken glass. The Hadal extended his knife and the lich took it before ramming it in. His blade pierced the core as if it were clay. The core shattered to pieces.


    For a brief moment, power escaped the tattered shards and then, there was nothing left of the archmage but half a bust and a trail of misery.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Abenezigel began.


    Irao and Viv turned to him. The lick brought a skeletal fist to their empty chest, perhaps waiting for relief but it never came. His breast was hollow and the threads of emotions were but ghostly remains that kept his mind going. There would be no succor.


    ¡°I feel so¡­ very¡­ empty.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, regarding that,¡± Viv said. ¡°Since we¡¯re done, there is someone I would like you to meet.¡±


    ***


    The old Academy doctor sat gloomily in his study, arms crossed, brows furrowed, steely glare fixed on Viv with unerring intensity.


    ¡°Haha. So, Tod, meet my friend Abenezigel. Your new patient!¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Abenezigel whispered from behind a thick mask.


    ¡°Viviane the Outlander, your friend has no pulse. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Well, technically yeah.¡±


    ¡°He has no flesh ! He does not have a blood flow. I can see his eye sockets from here!¡±


    ¡°Very astute sir but if you could only hear me out¡­¡±


    ¡°Viviane the Outlander, are you trying to get me to use necromancy?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯d call this more, errr, post-mortem body reconstruction.¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Wait wait wait! What if the gods agree?¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Why would the light god agree to what is clearly the manipulation of life after death, which is, by definition, gods-accursed necromancy?¡±


    ¡°Neriad please tell me if I¡¯m fucking up!¡± Viv said, clapping her hands together and flooding the righteous god with mana.


    A divine light descended in the room. Viv gasped. Soon, a powerful voice filled the air with its divine presence.


    WHY DO YOU NEVER PRAY FOR A STRONG SWORD ARM? YOU ALWAYS COME UP WITH THE WEIRDEST SHIT. ENTTIKU IS THE RULER OF DEATH. TAKE IT UP WITH THEM.


    ¡°Sorry. Wrong number.¡±


    ***


    In the end, Viv did not attend the conversation between Abenezigel and the goddess of death. She was here when they rebuilt a body, albeit one of gray skin and eyes the color of deep wine. A large mark of Enttiku was placed on Abenezigel¡¯s face never to be removed. After the procedure was completed, Tod left to write it down in his notes, leaving Viv and a stunned Abe behind.


    ¡°I¡­ can feel. I can feel relief. The relief I was denied. I am myself again, and free, though the goddess may ask my service.¡±


    He leaned forward, touching his knees with newly regrown fingertips.


    ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Now we wrap up and we get the hell out of this town.¡±

 Chapter 147: Oh Neriad, I cant change.

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    Focus +1


    Acuity +1


    Willpower +1


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    Mana mastery: Intermediate 6


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    Acuity Reflex: Intermediate 7


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    Viv went over the recent gains. Those were nice. They would also set her on a way to greater heights. For now, she was only at the beginning of her next stage. The last notification was more concerning. She supposed it couldn¡¯t be helped.


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    Draconic intimidation: Expert 8


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    With the way things were going, this one would reach master first. Sighing, she focused back on her current predicament: getting out of dodge.


    Abe looked groggy, Viv thought. He also looked pretty badass. His huge frame was now filled with lean muscles and despite the grayish hue of his skin, he didn¡¯t appear to be sick. The red eyes looked lost for now while he looked around the operating room with a sense of childish wonder. His mouth hung open. He would have been cute except for the rest of his appearance: wrinkles which placed him on the grandpa scale, gray dreadlocks, and the mark of Enttiku shining ominously on his forehead. It looked a bit like a hooded figure if one looked closely. It was an ancient rune, older than the empire itself. She inspected him.


    [Arcane Servant of Death]


    So he had a path now. Interesting. Viv ignored the flurry of other titles to shove robes on the dazed ex-lich.


    ¡°Get dressed, we gotta go.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sorry. I was distracted.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. Put the robe on please.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the natural state of things or if it was part of Enttiku¡¯s blessing but damn, the old man was hung like a donkey. Now that he was no longer her patient it was getting distracting.


    Abe obliged and they were ready in record time. He trotted by her side while they exited the hospital without objection, perhaps sensing her stress. It was already late afternoon.


    ¡°I apologize. This delay must impede your plans.¡±


    ¡°Look I saved you with the power of friendship and gods-approved necromancy. That was the best possible use of my time. I just want to finish everything and get going before anybody gets any ideas. We¡¯re rich and surprisingly successful. That means people are going to come with us with demands. We want to get out before they decide how they¡¯re going to do that.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Sidjin was waiting outside, eyes fixed on the road. The guards and patients studiously ignored him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Viv said.


    They flew back to the city, Abe and Sidjin with gray mana and Viv with her harness and self-kinesis. Even though she was getting used to it, the sensation of flying without a machine still felt exhilarating. They stayed close to the ground because high flight near Helock was considered rude and the griffin riders might disapprove. It also suited Viv¡¯s deeply ingrained fear of stinger missiles just fine. She was airborne over uncontrolled territory, therefore she was vulnerable to MANPADS and no amount of logic could convince her otherwise.


    The group landed near the gate and continued on foot, racing past whispering Helockians. People recognized her on sight now. A few saluted her but there were quite a few hostile glares as well, especially from the older nobles. Elunath¡¯s manor soon came into view. The gates were closed which was not a bad sign. A prostrate woman sobbed on the steps. Not great. Viv noticed that her dress was torn, revealing a bruised shoulder. She sported an impressive black eye. Her hair was shaved, badly. As she looked up, Viv recognized Renea. Elunath¡¯s pet snitch. The other girls had gotten her hands on her, none too gently. She was lucky to be alive, Viv thought.


    The girl cried as she approached. Viv readied some black mana but it soon became obvious that she was not threat.


    ¡°Why?¡± she cried. ¡°Why? It was all for nothing. All for nothing¡­ I thought I had no choice. Did I? I don''t know. I don¡¯t fucking know anymore.¡±


    There was only pity in Viv¡¯s heart at the moment, partly because Renea was Stockholm syndrome¡¯s poster child and partly because she didn¡¯t know all the horribly stuff Renea must have done.


    ¡°Are you here to kill me?¡± the mage finally asked.


    ¡°No. We want in but you are¡­ in the way.¡±


    Renea hiccuped then stood on shaky legs. She left, limping a bit. Viv watched her go, wondering if she should do anything. She wasn¡¯t sure. And they were on a schedule.


    No time to worry about everyone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Abe interrupted. ¡°Wait.¡±


    He clutched his belly and moved forward. Pain marred his wizened traits.


    ¡°Abe?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t feel good. It hurts. Like some pressure.¡±


    ¡°Abe, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Viv approached the old man. She still had mending potions in her belt. Would they help? He should have been okay.


    ¡°I can use a diagnostic spell,¡± Sidjin said, already weaving colorless mana.


    Suddenly, Abe¡¯s face turned into an expression of pure surprise. He was having an epiphany.


    ¡°I need to urinate!¡±


    The old man waddled to the nearest flower bed and whipped out his junk. A sigh of contentment came with the subsequent release. Viv refrained from facepalming.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Sidjin said after a brief observation.


    ¡°I know, right?¡±


    ¡°Did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope. Enttiku formed his body. Maybe he was like that before he died.¡±


    ¡°Huh. To change this rather awkward topic, have you asked him what his new path entails?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I think we¡¯ll have ample time on the way back.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s¡­ dangerous for us?¡±


    ¡°From Enttiku? Against a faction that¡¯s clearing the deadlands?¡±


    ¡°A fair point, Viv.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for waiting,¡± Abe said as he returned. ¡°I had forgotten how satisfying pissing on the flowers could be. I wish to apologize for the delay and for using a rude term.¡±


    ¡°Men,¡± Viv bemoaned while Sidjin nodded in understanding. ¡°Can we finally go?¡±


    ¡°Yes yes.¡±


    Elunath¡¯s door was still unlocked. They found a real crowd in the atrium, a babbling bunch that fell silent the moment they entered. Viv recognized most of Elunath¡¯s harem led by Sen, the receptionist, and Lana, still wearing a fitting blue dress. Solfis stood silently in a corner. Finally, there were a pair of trussed shapes in dark cloaks left on a carpet to the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s with them?¡± Viv asked as she entered.


    ¡°Thieves. They tried to break in,¡± Lana replied with a guarded voice.


    ¡°So soon? Well, I salute their proactive spirits.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well. Let¡¯s get to the point.¡±


    Viv noticed Lana¡¯s stiff shoulders and bunched fists. Sen, too, was tense, though the tall northerner expressed it with a high chin and an imperious gaze. Behind them, mages in the second and third steps quietly arrayed themselves, some afraid, some defiant. One girl immediately broke down to start sobbing from the stress. They burnt like a riot of mana torches in Viv¡¯s sight. The many hues of their powers formed a flickering rainbow of coiling power that would scare most casters but Viv could easily see through the bluff. Those were not warriors and they were not organized. They were a scared, huddling pile of victims ready to bite and lash out at the first sign of a collar. Only Sen, Lana, and a couple of other older girls appeared willing to fight. The only thing Viv felt towards them was sympathy.


    ¡°We want to know if you will try to enforce the contracts. By Helock¡¯s law ¡ª¡±


    ¡°There are no slaves in Harrak,¡± Viv interrupted.


    She could immediately see doubt. She couldn¡¯t blame them.


    ¡°You are free to go. I won¡¯t do anything to you. There are no obligations between us.¡±


    ¡°Do you swear by it?¡± Sen retorted.


    ¡°On Neriad¡¯s name, there are no bindings between us and you can go and never see me again.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. In this case, I¡¯m out of here and out of this damn city. Gooooooodbye.¡±


    Sen picked up two bags and walked out without looking back. The majority of the other girls filed out behind her, giving Viv a broad berth. She didn¡¯t take it personally even though she had technically liberated them. Doing so was the bare minimum decency demanded in a world where the term had little meaning. And they were scared. It was ok.


    Soon, only Lana and six others remained.


    ¡°I am interested in entering an agreement,¡± Lana said.


    ¡°Wait!¡± the sobbing girl from before said. ¡°Wait. Sorry. I want to go as well. Can I?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Viv confirmed.


    She grabbed her bag protectively to her chest and strode out, claiming she was going to take a boat. Sidjin chuckled.


    ¡°As I was saying, I am interested in entering an agreement,¡± Lana said.


    ¡°Should we sit? Do you want privacy?¡± Viv asked while Lana¡¯s attention turned to a still dazed Abe.


    ¡°No. We decide now. I am not staying in this place any longer than I have to. I will be brief. Sen insists on instant freedom while I believe we cannot be free if we do not have protection. All of Elunath¡¯s pupils are talented and, for now, vulnerable. Many powerful individuals of Param will believe they are too valuable to be let loose. You claim that Harrak is a good place to live, that we will not be separated or used. You hinted that we could decide what to do, what to research. I want a binding agreement. Not a vague promise. Is there truly a law or an institution in Harrak that would protect them?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah. Me. Heiress to the throne and black elemental war caster on the fourth step who just offed Elunath with my allies.¡±


    That forced Lana to reconsider a bit.


    ¡°Oh. That is indeed a convincing argument.¡±


    ¡°If you want to come, you can come. If you want to wait before doing so, that is also fine. Our gates are open. As for self determination, I wouldn¡¯t even have to lift a finger to defend you there. Anyone bothering your girls would end up a crossbow bolt porcupine before they finish their first sentence. Look. The thing about New Harrak is that, hmm, people have it easier doing what they enjoy rather than what someone else expects them to do. Hadals make the best murderers and maybe it makes sense to force them to act as assassins but we don¡¯t do make them do that. Most of them are our hunters and scouts. And it¡¯s best from a population perspective if women stay home to raise a lot of children but many of us serve in the army and postpone raising a family. Maybe some never will. Assigning roles to people from birth makes a shit ton of them miserable and the goal of our nation is to make people not miserable. So maybe it¡¯s not optimal. Maybe giving advanced projectile weapons to freshly emancipated populations doesn¡¯t magically turn them into shock troops but it sure as hell makes them motivated. What I¡¯m trying to say is, no one there will give you trouble on how you contribute so long as you contribute. No one will demand you forfeit your dreams or your body. And you will be protected while you do so by the very same people you will be helping.¡±


    Lana assessed Viv for a long time with the power of her glare but the witch didn¡¯t really care. There were things she was fully confident about and her principles were one of them.


    The application was still subject to some doubts.


    ¡°This is a nice dream you have. I hope you can keep it alive because Param has seen many dreams and it¡¯s eaten them all.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already done so twice. Look, as I said, we can¡¯t achieve miracles just because our ideals are noble. But give motivated people enough time and resources, and we can end up with something quite nice. You can be a part of it.¡±


    ¡°That still sounds like promises, not a binding agreement.¡±


    That ticked off Viv a little bit.


    ¡°I have forged that place with my own two hands on the corpses of princes. My people have bled to make it a reality. It should be all the commitment you need and it is all the commitment you¡¯ll get. As I said, travel there and see with your own eyes if you have trouble believing. The borders are open. Now, was it all or did you want to discuss your employment?¡±


    Lana didn¡¯t flinch though some of her defiance bled out. She was both less afraid and less resolute. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how much of that remaining terror was trauma and how much was Viv¡¯s reputation. She wasn¡¯t using any intimidation right now.


    ¡°We want to discuss employment. We also want to discuss pay.¡±


    Viv sighed. That was the kind of negotiations that could take half a day given there were exactly six mages concerned, with various trainings and specialization. She didn¡¯t have the time. She didn''t even have a budget.


    Irao used that opportunity to walk out of the shadows.


    ¡°They have emptied the office¡¯s safe,¡± he helpfully suggested.


    ¡°What do you mean? They took money?¡±


    ¡°Yes. All of Elunath¡¯s coin. They split it among themselves.¡±


    Lana deflated when Viv cleared her throat.


    ¡°Technically that belongs to me. Let¡¯s just call it, hmm, compensation for back pay and an advance on your contract.¡±


    ¡°For one year only!¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. We can discuss everything in more detail later, alright? I want to be gone before the city wakes up to the fact we just killed their strategic deterrent.¡±


    ¡°The way you talk is so strange.¡±


    //She is an outlander.


    The girls turned to Solfis, clearly unnerved by his alien presence.


    //You must get used to it.


    //As I have.


    //After a while.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like a chore. Alright, loot!¡±


    ¡°If the ladies do join us, we should get them settled in the ship and make sure the captain does not object immediately. I can accompany them since I negotiated the contract, if that is fine, of course,¡± Sidjin offered.


    ¡°Yeah that would be great. Solfis will carry everything we can take with us. We don¡¯t need another porter.¡±


    //I have found this comically large bag.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m off. Don¡¯t trigger any traps, please.¡±


    ¡°I will protect our safety,¡± Abe agreed.


    Perhaps sensing their urgency, the newly freed mages hurried after Sidjin who used kinesis to lift the book crates. There were quite a few of them. It left the rest of the league to pilfer in peace.


    The office gave up a few trinkets as well as Elunath¡¯s research journals which they took with them. Viv wondered why someone with perfect recall would need journals. Perhaps out of habit. Solfis also claimed the skull of some dinosaur-like creature for himself. They ignored the private quarters and communal labs since Irao confirmed the harem had taken their own project notes with them, which was entirely fair. It was really Elunath¡¯s sanctum that would yield the best stuff. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Irao led them to the gate where he had stunned Renea, then both he and Abe made sure no traps had reactivated before Viv gated them in. There were many treasures there but not exactly the kind Viv could use. They decided to leave the extensive collection of stones, ores, and fossils behind to focus on the immediately useful stuff. Deeds and financial documents went in the bag first, then it was time for the magical goodies.


    The only surprise was that Elunath had destroyed the scepter of the cursed god as he¡¯d claimed he¡¯d do. Viv half expected him to have kept it around while the abominable artifact whispered sweet promises into his ears in the dead of night. The other items proved to be a treasure trove. They found a plethora of enchanted swords, magical suits of armor, and nasty daggers. Into the bag they went for later distribution. They would form a core of legacy stuff for the most promising soldiers, Viv thought to herself. A magical sword didn¡¯t make much of a difference on a battlefield where numbers and discipline reigned, but thirty in the hands of elites could. Some of the suits were resistant to specific elements as well which would help. All in all it was a good haul that would push Solfis¡¯ strength to its limits. And then, there was the caster stuff.


    The first great find was a scepter specifically designed for complex rituals, perhaps belonging to Elunath himself. It was an extremely efficient way to use mana, recover the unused power, and recharge one¡¯s reserves faster. It also came with a decent core. That would go to Sidjin since most of his favorite spells were so complex. The second great find was a pouch of cores of various sizes worth several times their worth in gold. The last one was what made Viv absolutely giddy.


    ¡°Wait. This is¡­ this is my skinsuit!¡±


    And indeed, the repaired Harrakan cover she had lost in Enoria had somehow found its way to Elunath¡¯s connection. Viv suspected some vindictive archmage may have something to do with that. Not just that, Elunath had repaired it.


    On top of an ink-colored body suit of thin, smooth material, the suit now showed lines of silvery runes. It also felt thicker as well, more solid. Viv urged the men to turn around and put it on after a brief inspection. One of the functions allowed her to adjust the suit to her current size ¡ª which was quickly improving thank you very much. It felt great to have it back, though she would check the full functionalities later.


    //We have all we can reasonably expect to have.


    //For now, we should leave.


    ¡°I need to recover my own belongings first,¡± Abe said, ¡°although I will have to abandon the majority, I will attempt to take as much as feasible. How may we find the ship? Sidjin handled the negotiations.¡±


    ¡°Riverside pier,¡± Viv said. ¡°The Fat Seamstress. Yes, that is the name of the ship. And yes, I wish we could teleport but we have too much luggage to drag around. We¡¯ll stop at Losserec and get carts.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    //I will return to the ship with the loot.


    ¡°Hmm, is it safe?¡± Viv asked.


    The bag was certainly large and clinked loudly.


    Solfis gave her the most pitying, condescending gaze she had ever received and the worst thing was that he managed it without facial expression.


    ¡°Giant murder golem. Right. As for me, I need to close the feud. I¡¯ll drop by the palace and be on my way. Hopefully we¡¯ll be gone by tonight.¡±


    //Is this necessary?


    ¡°The government can contest us taking the loot away if we don¡¯t formalize our victory. And they can claim the girl¡¯s contracts as well, depending on Elunath¡¯s obligations to the government. We also need it to transfer all bank-held assets to our names though this is less important. I still don¡¯t want to give up that pile of gold without trying. Arthur would never forgive me.¡±


    //They could try to delay you.


    ¡°If they stonewall me I¡¯ll just leave. It¡¯s for the harem, really. It would be a pity to free them only for unscrupulous nobles to come after them or their villages. Elunath preyed on girls without support.¡±


    ¡°We can all meet on the ship once you are done, Viviane. And if they do block your attempts with legal acrobatics, I know of a few lawyers who will make it extremely painful.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t know how much Elunath had in his multiple accounts but it had to be massive. The man was not just rich, he¡¯d been rich for three centuries. She considered her options as they left the empty manor, also technically part of her estate. The Manipeleso Bank and Exchange undoubtedly offered legal services. She¡¯d just lawyer up, promise them a share of the estate if they won and unleash them upon the unsuspecting Helockian justice system.


    The group split near the gate to the lower city. Viv continued on along the wall while Abe flew up and Solfis walked past a flabbergasted guard. The main square soon came into view bathed in the late afternoon sun. She noticed an uneasy hum in the populace, many groups discussing in low voices.


    They all stopped.


    Slowly, silence spread through the vast square until hundreds of people watched Viv stroll across the stone plaza, head held high yet slightly uneasy. There was respect here, but also a lot of fear, and scared people did stupid things. She was committed now and turning her back would be a bad idea but perhaps, just perhaps, she ought to hurry. Her distinctive black sclera made the closest people recoil despite her demure aura. No one contested her when she entered the palace¡¯s courtyard, nor when she walked into the massive rectangular fortress that was the heart of Helockian¡¯s power. She still had to request some help to go through the security door. A young intern volunteered to lead her.


    ¡°Hmm, this way,¡± the young man said, clutching a notebook to his chest. ¡°The service closes in an hour. You¡¯re just in time, haha.¡±


    ¡°I do like to be punctual,¡± she said.


    It somehow terrified the poor kid. She felt a little sorry. Despite his misgivings, he led her through a path she recognized. Sullen guards let her through with nothing more than hostile gazes. Her danger sense kept quiet. So far so good.


    ¡°After you,¡± the clerk finally said.


    They walked into the Clan Management Office section. The desk at the end of the corridor stood empty. She looked around to find empty rooms. There were still glasses of klod left steaming on desks burdened with paperwork.


    Something was wrong.


    She turned to the clerk who seemed just as surprised as she was.


    ¡°I, errr, they might be on break? I will check the cafeteria for you. It won¡¯t be long. Sorry.¡±


    He returned to the door. It was locked. He rattled it in vain. Before Viv could decide what to do, the magical equivalent of a heavy coat descended on her. It felt like gravity being suddenly doubled. She gasped. The clerk turned to her.


    ¡°Are you alright? Hm.¡±


    Still no sense of being in danger, except she was. She definitely was. Just not in immediate danger. She experimentally called some mana. It coated her hand but could not go far beyond a few centimeters away from her skin. Something was constricting her.


    Loud noises filled the entire department. Darkness spread as every window was shuttered, metal panes descending on rock like death knells. The clerk called light with a shaky hand. He looked terrified.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know! I swear.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s fine. Not your decision.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take a genius to realize she was being imprisoned. The only thing she didn¡¯t expect was how well-defended the palace of Helock was, though considering the number of mages in their ranks and the fact it was still technically a keep, it should not come as a surprise. Viv¡¯s perception remained clear. There were active wards on every wall, the ceiling, and the floor. Additionally, a strange spell compressed the mana around her. It felt targeted as well as extremely inefficient. It took a monstrous amount of mana to suppress someone from far away. Case in point, she could still cast but only spells that were close to her. The clerk didn¡¯t seem affected either.


    A panel opened on the door that had just been locked and now shone with warding mana. A pair of panicked eyes found her in the shaky light.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Viv asked, though she had an idea what was going on.


    ¡°You are under custody while the council discusses a possible violation of the collateral damage clause.¡±


    ¡°What collateral damage? Elunath destroyed the city.¡±


    ¡°The destruction of a warehouse as well as the death of officer Semon and his squad.¡±


    Officer Semon? Oh, possibly the corrupt prick they¡¯d baited into leading Elunath to her pipe bomb.


    ¡°This is bullshit and you know it.¡±


    The mere hint of a smile twisted the guard¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I assure you, we are taking the situation¡­ very seriously. Parts of the council happens to already be in sessions, and we guards have been handpicked today so you can rest assured that the situation will be solved¡­ very quickly. Stay put.¡±


    He left.


    Viv seethed in silence, knowing full well complaining would achieve nothing. This was quite obviously a trap. Her enemies here had prepared for her arrival and cleared the place of moderate elements for a hasty verdict or something. Of course, they would go after her in a reliable manner such as when she would conclude the vendetta. If they had not used that one they would have found something else. She should have known the Helockian hardliners would eventually come after her rather than allow a stranger to take over Elunath¡¯s everything. She also knew killing their archmage would lead to resentment. She just didn¡¯t expect it to be so soon and so brazen, especially after she¡¯d proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that she should not be messed with. That was the problem with assholes in power. They eventually believed that the fall of others didn¡¯t concern them. That they were invincible because they were still undefeated.


    And curse her for relying too much on danger sense. It didn¡¯t protect her from reckless political attacks.


    Viv found a seat and plopped her stupid butt on in. She grabbed a pot of klod and helped herself to some. The clerk looked like he was praying to all the gods.


    ¡°You there. I am not going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Come closer please. I¡¯d like some light.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Of course, of course.¡±


    Viv sipped from her cup and considered her options.


    The Academy would move to support her against that very obvious abuse of power. Unfortunately, the very fact they¡¯d shut her in implied they no longer care about rules. This was Nyil, not earth. the rule of law only applied among equals here. They were never meant to protect the outsider. The council threw the illusion of fairness out of the window the moment they decided to imprison her. That meant that escape was the best tool. The problem was that she couldn¡¯t cast easily, for one, and her allies were waiting for her at the boat. She hoped no one would go after them.


    Her best bet would be to get out via a window. She felt around the wards there. They were solid but she was confident she could cut through them using a dagger-sized Excalibur. The problem was that her enemies would definitely feel it and get flying war mages and griffin riders on the other side. She was still mentally tired from the fight with Elunath. It had barely been half a day.


    She could also cut through the ground but again, her guards would feel it. Same with the ceiling. Her harness would probably work, being close to her skin. She finished the cup of klod.


    She could also go through the door although that was probably the worst option.


    Maybe wait for nightfall and then get out. She was confident she could eventually lose pursuers with a cloud of darkness. What she wasn¡¯t confident in was getting jumped from inside as soon as the wards were attacked and then being bombarded the moment her toe left the fortress¡¯ boundaries.


    And perhaps some bright idiot would send special forces in to put manacles on her any time now.


    It was a conundrum.


    Viv¡¯s mulling got interrupted by a commotion on the outside. It sounded like people arguing. A spell fused and she heard a body hit furniture. It didn¡¯t sound like a battle just yet. Not enough screams.


    A heavy fist banged on the door. A moment later, the slit opened. It took her only a second to recognize the bushy brows of Dean Tallit, head of the Academy.


    ¡°Viviane. It seems I was a little late. Hold on, we need some privacy.¡±


    He whispered a few words and the yells of protest were silenced.


    ¡°Better. I am sorry I did not reach you in time to warn you. it was honorable of you to close the feud. Unfortunately, Councillor Pendath called on the council to strike against you. They were in session when you gormlessly walked into the snake pit.¡±


    ¡°I am blaming myself enough as it is.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The trappings of honor. The council was happy enough to let you roam free to teach Elunath some humility and weaken his hold on the council. They never actually expected you to win.¡±


    ¡°How many monsters must I kill¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I suspect that one was the last drop. Now they are scared and unprepared, a state rulers should never find themselves in. By the way, we gambled on your success. Black mana tenured Professor Ashra made seventy-two silvers betting you would kill him in combat.¡±


    ¡°Delighted. I think I need to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± the dean agreed. ¡°I will do all I can to fight them but I must remain neutral for the sake of the school, which is why I haven¡¯t turned that door into so much splinter. The old farts on the council will use this against me. If you have another solution, now¡¯s the time to use it.¡±


    ¡°My friends¡­¡±


    ¡°The council hasn¡¯t tried to stop them yet. You walked right into their jaw but I assure you, they know better than annoy the Red Mist. And that bone horror you dug out from the Old Empire. Think about yourself. If you need gear¡­ maybe I can visit again. Unfortunately, that¡¯s the limit of what I can achieve. Unless they try to execute you in which case I will intervene.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡±


    ¡°You need to get out now if you can, Viviane the Oulander.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Well, check on me later. I might have something.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on your side. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv said as Tallit left. ¡°Luck.¡±


    She did have a bit of luck stored away. And a favor owed to her. It was the perfect time to cash in.


    She sat in a lotus position and closed her eyes.


    ¡°I would like privacy please,¡± she told the clerk.


    ¡°Of course, milady. I¡¯ll be in the corner.¡±


    Viv was alone now.


    Breathe in, breathe out, relax. Her soul awareness expanded. The walls faded away. Nyil faded away. She extended herself to that magnificent nothing, that endless dot that was the in between. Her soul popped up in the void between consciousnesses. It felt empty for now.


    ¡°EMERIC, YOU ODIOUS TWAT,¡± she said.


    ¡°EMERIIIIIIIIC!¡±


    She waited for a moment or an eternity, hard to say. Suddenly, dawn rose over the emptiness in a surge of glory. She basked in the golden light while a solid Greek temple manifested around her complete with alabaster Ionic columns. A blinding form stepped out in a shower of energy.


    ¡°Yes? Sorry, I was in a meeting.¡±


    ¡°I kindly request your assistance with my current predicament.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± the monstrous, overwhelmingly strong planet-sized presence replied. He plucked a memory from her mind and read it.


    ¡°I see, I see. You certainly seem to face a great number of assholes.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv agreed, facing the god, ¡°fancy that.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Well, I do owe you one, and besides, fuck those people. They have violated the right of hospitality after a lawful duel. Back in my days, we hanged people for that.¡±


    ¡°Ok gramps. I would like to escape and I¡¯ll call it a win.¡±


    ¡°It so happens that I do have something that would help tremendously. You¡¯re gonna love it. Oooh yes. You will love it very much. I will even return your music box for the occasion. You know, the spark of luck is much more enjoyable once you learn to go with it.¡±


    ¡°It also made you incredibly obnoxious.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I was more discriminating in who I decided to annoy in my younger days. I have learned to do so again. My advice still stands. The spark of luck is yours but it is not, in fact, your problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°It is everybody else¡¯s problem. I will reclaim the tools after you are done so do not worry. Have fun!¡±


    Viv opened her eyes. A plastic glow stick shone on an open wood crate like she had seen so many times before. It was a shipping crate with a fragile stamp and a ¡®this side up¡¯. Her MP3 reader waited for her on the side. She stood up and approached. Nestled in the straw, she found a treasure trove of goodies.


    ¡°Combat outfit. Fucking Emeric, you could have given me top of the line modern stuff instead of my gear. It¡¯s half a century old back on earth!¡±


    Nevertheless, she felt giddy strapping on the familiar uniform over her skin suit. She hummed as she attached her dagger focus to the knife sheath.


    There were M67 hand grenades and a few flashbangs.


    ¡°Oho!¡±


    A red-colored satchel charge with a timer, a model she¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°Ok so you did give me some modern stuff.¡±


    And at the bottom of the crate was a very large metal case. She hoisted it. It was super heavy.


    ¡°Ok? You have my interest.¡±


    There was a logo on the surface.


    Property of Eurodyne, classification level: galaxy. DO NOT OPEN.


    Opening this without former auth¡ª


    ¡°Oooooh.¡±


    There was some sort of digital lock. She placed her finger and the thing beeped green. Inside, she found a full backpack with a single slit and from that slit emerged an ammo belt carrying long, thin cartridges with red tips. The rest of the case held what could only be a light machine gun. The slick black shape was futuristic yet familiar.


    EX-46 commando belt-fed infantry assault gun. Prototype 5.


    ¡°Ok. I take it back. You did send me the good stuff. Nice. NICE.¡±


    The gun even had a small screen attached to the side. She opened it.


    Helmet link: not found.


    Satellite connection: not found.


    Reverting to manual mode.


    Human forms appeared as white outlines behind the transparent form of the wall. A target reticule showed where the next bullets would probably land.


    ¡°Hehehehehe. Ok, Helock. I feel that our relationship has gone toxic over the past year. You hurt me. I hurt you. It¡¯s time for us to break up. I¡¯m sorry. ¡±


    Uniform: on. Shield: on her left arm. Grenades: strapped. Satchel: placed. Belt: chambered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not you. It¡¯s me.¡±


    There was only one thing left to do.


    Viv grabbed the MP3 reader to pick up a song. She barely hesitated. There were nice songs but only one was just perfect for the occasion. She was going to be free as a bird now.


    <table>


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    Due to temporary access to otherworldly tools, your unused skill: Special Forces training at intermediate 4 has been reactivated


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    </table>


    ¡°You know what, Emeric is only partly right. I am not mad anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hey you!¡± the guard said, opening the slit. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    ¡°And I am not going to be a problem to you assholes.¡±


    The guard¡¯s eyes found the crate. They widened.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to be THE problem.¡±


    ¡°What in Maranor¡¯s name¡ª¡±


    ¡°And, Gods, I won¡¯t chaAaAaAaAnge.¡±


    The satchel charge exploded, sending the door in the guard¡¯s teeth along with Nyil¡¯s first introduction to high explosives. Viv was out before the smashed pieces finished landing. The guards were dead. There were more coming out of a passage to her right. She aimed up and pressed the trigger. The gun vomited a stream of metal that pasted the guards, the furniture behind the guards, a decorative set of armor, two curtains and the faraway window. Stone and steel shards rained everywhere. She was sent crashing on broken chairs by the recoil.


    ¡°Oof.¡±


    Shorter controlled bursts needed. Sensitive trigger on that thing. Actually¡­ The thing about the skin suit was that it let her mana through. She forced it and¡­ her wings deployed, annihilating a layer of kevlar.


    ¡°Much better.¡±


    Viv sprinted forward. She could feel the dampening effect following her but also where it was coming from. She found stairs down. Another corridor. Shields at the end, with a waiting battle mage. Shielded. She anchored herself.


    ¡°YOU HAVE MESSED WITH ME¡ª¡±


    The opposition disappeared in a pink cloud. They were Pendath¡¯s loyalists and oathbreaking twats. No mercy.


    ¡°FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME!¡±


    Hard on her arms but anchored, the recoil was mostly negated. Another corridor. Guitar riffs rang loud in her ears. Some people were running, she ignored them. Stairs down. A half circle of steel shields with three archmages.


    She pulled a pin.


    ¡°Enjoy!¡±


    Fragmentation pinged on shields that were not designed to stop something that moved so fast. She was among them. Anchored. One arm on the barrel, then left to right. Bullets streamed across armor and flesh alike. Arcane defenses did little to stop Earth engineering.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.¡±


    Viv moved before the survivors could recover to find a closed door. Ballistic breaching on the hinges opened the way. Her heart beat fast and the air felt great in her lungs. It tasted of freedom and retribution. Her danger sense spiked. No direction. She coated herself in mana and swung her wings. One of them caught something. A woman. Impaled and surprised, blood bubbling on her lips. A dagger in her hand. Assassin.


    ¡°Nice try.¡±


    People were coming from both sides. She rushed forward and gunned down guards as soon as they appeared. Her instincts pushed her to roll. An arrow pinged on her shield. She shot back. Bullets ravaged the corridor behind her, shredding everything in its path including a crossbowman. Some others took cover behind walls. It didn¡¯t help. Whatever was in those bullets was designed to fuck someone up through a bunker wall. Viv kept running and for the first time, people ran away.


    She went down another corridor to find cowering civil servants huddling in corners. Others yelped when they saw her. She ignored them as they were not a threat. Some of the guards surrendered or ran away when she raced past them. Time was of the essence. She soon came across another locked door. Demolish the hinges. A flashbang. She tried to shoot through the walls. It worked. Emeric didn¡¯t skimp. Only a few more doors and she was there.


    On a corner of the fortress, she found a ritual room with thick, reinforced windows. A circle occupied most of the empty space and in that circle, three defiant mages stood. That was the construct oppressing her. They were fed by more mana from elsewhere but they were the hand that pressed down on her neck. The shield was one of those rare, two-directional shields that stopped aggression in both directions. It made them extremely resilient and that one was fed power from the outside. She could try to force it but¡­ she had a better idea. Manifesting a tiny excalibur, she started to dig around the circle, stopping at equal length to bore small holes. It didn¡¯t take long. Meanwhile, the head mage was raving at her.


    ¡°If you¡¯d just stayed where you are, you could have faced a tribunal with good cause but no, you had to fight out of here like the wild witch you are. Your efforts are futile. This shield is fed by the entire castle¡¯s mana grid.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡±


    Viv placed her five remaining frag grenades in the tiny holes. Moving fast, she removed all the pins and stepped back.


    ¡°The floor isn¡¯t though.¡±


    ¡°You bi¡ª¡±


    The grenades went off in quick succession, collapsing the entire room and the surrounding walls into the courtyard below in a cataclysmic explosion and a cascade of crashing masonry. The mages screamed insults but she was already free. Free to cast. It was like taking a deep breath after a dive.


    The late afternoon skyline of Helock waited invitingly. She activated her harness. Her danger sense screamed and she jumped away, casting a shield as she did. The rest of the room exploded from a flurry of thick blue projectiles. Griffin riders using their staves passed by in a tight formation.


    Viv stood up quickly. The griffin riders geared for another pass in the distance. Five there. maybe more outside. Could she contest? Not sure but the ground floor had to have a basement and that basement had to have an underground access. She just needed to find stairs. Actually, no. Sometimes, you just had to make the stairs. Viv made sure there was no one underneath, then she pulled an excalibur and cut a circle around her feet. The ground collapsed on a meeting table a floor below. She cut again and ended up in a cafeteria of sorts.


    There was a team of war mages a little farther. They were in the process of putting their armor on.


    Viv deployed, fully deployed her draconic aura. Her wings were out like two bleeding wounds in the fabric of reality. Tendrils of black mana emerged from her nightmarish armor, caressing the stone and leaving behind furrows of glassy smoothness. she aimed the gaping, reddening maw of her gun at the small group.


    ¡°ARE YOU SURE?¡±


    They dropped everything they had and ran away. Good of them. Now, time to get away.


    One more cut and she was in a waiting room on the ground floor. It looked deserted. She brought up the EX-46¡¯s radar to see what was waiting outside.


    Apparently, the entirety of the Helockian military including their war mages. Someone gestured at her and she felt mana spike outside.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    She was confident in finding a basement but¡­ something called to her. Something up. She had to go up.


    Viv used her harness to lift off again the same way she had come in. An instant later, the cafeteria disappeared in a torrent of offensive spells. Smoke filled the air. There were screams outside. It was pure chaos but she went on. Dig a small hole with excalibur, wait for the stone to fall, rinse and repeat. She carved her way up avoiding the groups she could perceive and see. Someone opened a door and aimed a staff at her. Viv rotated and pulled the trigger. Another deafening blast and the library she was in turned to shrapnel and flying shards. No one tried anything after that.


    Viv burst out into the crimson light of the setting sun, arms extended, wings free, floating up like a happy balloon while two squadrons of griffin riders approached in attack formation and the song reached a paroxysm. She saw the riders line up their shots, blue orbs shining on the background of the floating rocks.


    And then claws caught her from the back.


    Mother!


    Are they foes?


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s show them who rules the skies.¡±


    ¡°SKRAAAAA!¡±


    Griffins attack orbs and shields met a cascade of fire, spells, and flying metal. One of the griffins fell immediately, shields smashed in an instant.


    ***


    The captain veered away from the death storm coming at them but Ikos wasn¡¯t so lucky. Disciplined, the survivors turned and flew after the witch and her pet. She couldn¡¯t let that stain on Helock¡¯s honor go. They tightened ranks but her shield threatened to fail and only her instincts saved her. Around, powerful impacts peppered the griffins¡¯ formidable defenses. It was not magic. What in Neriad¡¯s name was going on? Then¡­ the pet disappeared into a portal, only to reappear in another one right next to it, barreling towards them with no loss of speed. Spells formed in the air.


    ¡°Spread out!¡±


    The order was useless. Her team had seen the threat and made to evade. Jar wasn¡¯t so lucky. The dragon picked him up and dropped his body against a nearby floating stone. It broke from the impact.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Needed an opening. She used her inspect. It was designed to assess flying enemies.


    [Ascender, Elemental war caster, fourth step.]


    [Juvenile dragon]


    The captain felt a chill down her spine just as the title seemingly merged, something that only happened when two riders achieved such a level of coordination that they became greater than the sum of their parts.


    [Harrakan Air Supremacy. Flying danger level: 7]


    Even before the new title appeared, even before she remembered there was no danger level 8 in the old imperial nomenclature, even before she remembered the manual stating that 7 was a young adult dragon, a thought had wormed itself in the captain¡¯s head, drowning all others.


    What the fuck am I doing?


    ¡°Pull out! Pull out!¡±


    The riders spread out and the dragon mercifully didn¡¯t give chase. Gray mana surged and a gale carried the hostile pair up and away at great speed.


    ***


    Dean Tallit upended his glass and raised it to the dusk sun and the witch flying away from the comfort of his balcony. Puffs of black mana followed the dreadful pair, spelling ¡®get bent¡¯ in the northerner tongue.


    ¡°And fair travels to you, Viv.¡±


    Far below the escaping witch, a stunned calm reigned over the street in front of the palace, broken only when a severely damaged wall collapsed to reveal the destruction inside. Smoke belched from the open wounds of the thrashed fortress where artillery spells had detonated them.


    Besides him, Ashra poured herself another glass while the rest of the faculty celebrated the show in various degrees of inebriation.


    ¡°I will miss our classes,¡± the short-haired professor said.


    ¡°No doubt. Nice new boots by the way. They look expensive.¡±


    ¡°They were. I believe young Ereska has fallen asleep. Would you help me place her on a couch? And after that, perhaps we could find a private nook?¡±


    ¡°I would like that very much.¡±


    ***


    Mother! Mother! You are so small!


    ¡°Just a little. It¡¯s you who has grown so much! Look at you! So majestic!¡±


    Mother! Mother! You have wings!


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I told you you should eat more to grow wings and you said humans don¡¯t work that way.


    ¡°Yeees?¡±


    You did grow wings.


    So I was right!


    As always!


    Anyway.


    Where is the rest of them?


    ¡°Errr.¡±


    Mother?


    ¡°Look, it was difficult.¡±


    Mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s a work in progress.¡±


    Mother.


    Wings are made to fly.


    Mother.


    What are those?


    Seriously!

 Chapter 148: Harrak is back.

    Viv¡¯s euphoria lasted just long enough for the gun to disappear and Arthur¡¯s recriminations to turn into a massive rant.


    Wings are the pride of our kind.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not a dragon,¡± Viv whispered.


    Wings must be big and floaty.


    Good vessel for gray mana.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t use gray manaaaaaaa.¡±


    Mother must grow real wings soon.


    Or else we will both be shamed.


    ¡°Damn you¡¯re really a teenager now. I can¡¯t embarrass you in front of the cool kids.¡±


    Is important.


    Judgment is very strong.


    I attacked him many times.


    I could not make him move.


    ¡°Wait, you spent time with Judgment?¡±


    Of course.


    Judgment, biggest dragon.


    Eats very well.


    I study.


    Not very smart though.


    Big hoard, no investment.


    She shook her head with disapproval.


    ¡°Right, hmmm. It¡¯s all well and good¡­ but we should return to the others.¡±


    Others?


    ¡°They¡¯re on a ship heading west.¡±


    We do not need others.


    ¡°Solfis is there. So is Sidjin.¡±


    Hmph.


    I suppose they are tolerable.


    Arthur veered south and Viv used the opportunity to look at the dragonette. First, she wasn¡¯t a dragonette anymore. Her wingspan was over two Vivs. She was also more than one Viv and a half long and that was the pre-transformation Viv. For all her length, Arthur remained lithe and thin, much more graceful than the towering juggernaut Judgment was, or the green dragon they¡¯d met in the forest. Arthur now used a combination of flaps and gray mana to fly at speeds that would leave a biplane behind yet little wind roared in Viv¡¯s face. The maneuvers she¡¯d performed on the griffin also showed she¡¯d gained some aerial combat training, possibly from Judgment. It warmed her heart to see that her adopted daughter had not rested on her laurels, preferring to push herself to excellence instead.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Arthur to locate the ship, mostly by finding a towering column of dark smoke and searching from there. Viv spotted the ship with ease. It was the only one covered in a transparent shield dome visible from up there. Arthur still approached with some care even after Viv recognized the people on the deck. Enhanced vision was really amazing.


    Should have teleported.


    ¡°We don¡¯t actually have an uninterrupted series of portals back to Harrak. Many of them are isolated from each other and require us to walk a little. That¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just us but we have many mages and their luggage. It will be easier to stop in Losserec and get ourselves some carts. Safer too. Teleportation gates can be trapped.


    Fair enough.


    Arthur landed lightly on the railing under the concerned gazes of quite a few groups of people but they all calmed down once they noticed her. While Arthur hopped on the prow for a nap, Viv turned to Sidjin, who was surveying the shore next to a man with a captain hat. He looked weirdly dreamy.


    ¡°Everything alright?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The guard tried to stop us but we sent them away. We¡¯ve had horsemen following us and a river fort threatened to shoot at us. Otherwise, it was all smooth sailing, pun intended.¡±


    ¡°And the fire?¡±


    Sidjin shrugged.


    ¡°I just had to remind the fort soldiers that whatever they had, I had better. I didn¡¯t kill anyone, if that is your concern.¡±


    Viv winced internally. Her escape had been¡­ bloody. However, her freedom was on the line and that meant no holding back. She¡¯d been captured once before. Never again.


    ¡°What about you?¡± she asked the captain, ¡°Can we count on your cooperation?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, yes. I am a part of the trader¡¯s guild. Our policy is to let pirates and bandits take our belongings, then escalate the problem to the recovery division. As it is, however, you have given good coin for the transit including hazard pay. I expect that the council will file a complaint with the guild and then be told to fuck off. And besides, I can swear under oath that I was physically compelled to cooperate. Your lady in blue even whipped me. Look!¡±


    He pulled his shirt to reveal red marks, some already bruising a little. It didn¡¯t look too bad.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The captain leaned in conspirationaly.


    ¡°Do you¡­ do you think she would do it again? If I asked nicely?¡±


    ¡°Errr. You¡¯ll have to ask her.¡±


    ¡°You see, my wife ¡ª she is a good woman¡ª¡±


    ¡°Terribly sorry captain but I really fear you will have to discuss it with her and her alone,¡± Viv insisted while Sidjin laughed silently in the background.


    ¡°Now if you have to excuse me, I must greet the rest of the passengers.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The next person on the list was a complete surprise to the point that Viv did a double take. Under the watchful gaze of two bodyguards stood a man Viv never expected to see: General Jaratalassi, the Steel Trap. Her strategy teacher leaned against the railing, a lit pipe in one hand and a bottle of liquor in the other. He looked like he had just come out of the barber and his hair was braided back. With a comfortable northerner garb, he might have just finished his class.


    ¡°General. An unexpected pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Viviane, the woman I wanted to see.¡±


    As Viv got closer, she realized the man was more tired than he let on. There were deep pockets under his bloodshot eyes. His posture shifted and the weakness was gone as if it had never been there.


    ¡°I have a request for you.¡±


    ¡°Do tell? I¡¯m afraid I cannot go on an expedition together again. I am heading back to Harrak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, I am counting on it, not least because I am technically the leader of the army of the city you just humiliated.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°The guards are not under my command, however, so I shall close my eyes on this entire fiasco. Pendrath had it coming. I warned him several times. I will be brief. I need your help.¡±


    ¡°My help?¡± Viv asked, somewhat surprised.


    The older man nodded. He tapped his pipe and let embers fall on the turgid waves of the river Shal.


    ¡°I¡¯d like for Harrak to join the Paramese alliance. And then I need you, specifically you, to join me on the Hallurian front.¡±


    Viv frowned. That was entirely unexpected, yet the sense of worry she picked up from the aging general told her he was not joking.


    ¡°I thought the Hallurians were vanquished?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Everybody thinks so and most rulers pulled their forces back from the border. Look, I am turning to you because you have a good head on your shoulders. We both know why troops have been pulled back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive and leaves home undefended.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, you were a good student. The point is that there is no immediate threat. There is, however, a very serious hint of one. I sent seven scout squads over the border in the past two months. They have all returned alive.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Viv was flabbergasted.


    ¡°This never happens.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not. They reported deserted fishing villages, abandoned mushroom farms. Cities depopulated of men of fighting age. Something is brewing. Something massive. I may have a glorious title but I am merely a Helockian noble without much wealth. The only forces I command are the ones lent to me by willing participants and that is why I turn to you. Look, I can facilitate your accession to the rank of participating nation which will solidify your legitimacy. I will also convince Baran to let you install gates on their territory. They will also provide you with all the supplies you need. I would still be lying if I said it was worth it. I am not asking you to come because it benefits you. I am asking because it benefits Param.¡±


    His speech finished, Jaratalassi returned to his resigned silence.


    Viv was sure the man had social skills in spades, mostly leadership. She¡¯d had a taste of it. And yet, he had not seen fit to use it on her. That meant, according to etiquette, that he saw her as an equal. His attempt to sway her was as transparent as it was candid and Viv felt herself moved by the old warrior¡¯s humility. Not that it mattered of course. She had the spark of luck and planned on turning Harrak into an internationally recognized independent¡­ whatever it was she was building. Constitutional monarchy? In any case, her fate was sealed the moment Jaratalassi had opened his mouth.


    ¡°I need some time. My army is not ready for maneuvers.¡±


    ¡°I expected it. Begin your preparations, build your teleporters because when that thing comes, it will come fast and hit hard. Call it¡­ intuition.¡±


    ¡°I will have everything ready for your signal. You have my word.¡±


    Jaratalassi grabbed Viv¡¯s hand with surprising speed and strength. Fingers dug in her uniform and the skinsuit underneath. To the side, Solfis rose to a stand. The bodyguards paled.


    Viv found herself drowned in the intensity of the man¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I will hold you to it. I WILL hold you to it. This is vital. Absolutely vital.¡±


    He blinked.


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright and I have taken your warning to heart.¡±


    ¡°Right. Yes. I need sleep. I will retire below deck until we reach the next port.¡±


    Viv let him go, turning to Solfis who merely clicked back into compact position.


    ¡°You alright there Solfis?¡±


    //The betrayal of the council requires a swift and decisive punishment.


    //However, we do not have the capability to carry it out.


    //I am distracting myself from this frustration by writing the code that I will gift to my first child.


    ¡°After this fiasco, I¡¯d be surprised if the council isn¡¯t reshuffled.¡±


    //It does not matter that they are punished.


    //It matters that we inflict the punishment.


    //And warn the rest.


    //Nevertheless, I admit that you set a good example.


    //I shall have to be satisfied with it.


    //I am also staying here because your newest recruits find my appearance unnerving.


    ¡°You mean to say that the skeletal mage killer golem appearance scares them a little? How peculiar.¡±


    //Sarcasm detected.


    //You slew Elunath in glorious combat.


    //Yet I am the one they are afraid of.


    //It strikes me as a deficiency of the meat mind.


    //A similar shape fosters foolish trust.


    ¡°You¡¯re just mad because you can¡¯t preach the greatness of Harrak to them.¡±


    //Perhaps.


    Viv noticed a rather peculiar moment. The last group on the deck was made of a smattering of young mages around the tall, grandfatherly figure of Abe. Despite the gray skin and red eyes, he had managed to make himself less threatening by sitting relaxedly on a barrel under the distrustful gaze of Lana, the only one who had not succumbed to his smooth charm. One of the girls sniffed quietly, her shoulder under the protective paw of the servant of Enttiku.


    ¡°Of course, you have not recovered yet. You have fought through a long storm and you have survived a terrible ordeal. For this, you deserve praise for there is no harder fight than to stand in the face of hopelessness. And now, you face a wave. Waves will come and go, child, for the sea remembers the storm. Sometimes, the wave will be low, just a painful reminder of the storm. Sometimes, the wave will rise until you feel submerged, until you feel like you are drowning. You are not. It is just a wave. It will come and go and when it has passed, you will be yourself again. They will always return, child, but they will always pass. And if you open your eyes, you will see that many other rafts face those waves, and that you are not alone. We are here with you.¡±


    The girl sobbed a yes. They fell into a group hug.


    It gave Viv the warm fuzzies. At least, she¡¯d done that. She¡¯d given them a chance. That counted, here on Nyil.


    Also, Viv thought, they now had a psychothera-lich.


    She didn¡¯t know how to feel about it.


    ¡°Ah, Viv, did you want something?¡± Abe asked after they split.


    ¡°No no, just checking in on everyone.¡±


    ¡°We are fine. And safe. Now how about dinner? I am famished.¡±


    ***


    The next day, everyone was rested and Viv shared her plan, which was immediately shot down by Sidjin.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Nothing beats teleportation in terms of speed and we should not remain on this ship any longer than we have to. No force on the continent would be willing to face us head on but believe me when I say that they have plenty of ways to sink a ship that we cannot even begin to imagine. I have free access to the teleportation network I set up for the builder¡¯s guild and they happen to have branches all over northern Enoria. We will stop at the next quarry, hire one cart, teleport to Losserec, and then travel south using your witch gates.¡±


    Viv relented. It was a bit shameful to realize that high mental stats did nothing for lazy planning. The ability to think fast did not make one think critically. It was a painful reminder she¡¯d needed. After that, she let Sidjin organize the rest of the trip. Their passage through Losserec was too fast to generate much of a response but once they hit the first witch gate, they realized they had a problem.


    ¡°It¡¯s destroyed,¡± Lana said, stating the obvious.


    Someone had meticulously demolished the gate. There were no traces of who had done it but from the cracks, it could not have been recent. The culprit had left an imprint in a nearby rock: the new royal seal of Enoria. A hawk over a forest.


    ¡°It looks like King Sangor objects to the leader of another nation traipsing freely over his land,¡± Viv observed.


    //That does seem wise.


    ¡°Yeah. Well. That complicates matters.¡±


    The truth was that Viv was transporting half a country¡¯s military worth of arcane firepower without warning the local boss and that was considered a serious diplomatic faux-pas. As a proponent of the ¡®ask for forgiveness, not permission¡¯ school of getting away with things, Viv was faced with a difficult decision. She could give Sangor enough time to corner her into a meeting on his terms or she could double down.


    She opted for doubling down. She¡¯d already committed, so the ¡®fuck around and the find out¡¯ would not be much worse if she got caught anyway.


    ¡°Arthur. I need you to carry me.¡±


    ¡°Squeeeeeeeeeeeee.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m sorry but unless you want to go ahead by yourself, we need a way to move faster.¡±


    Arthur grunted. During the battle, Viv had switched from her claws to her back but Arthur categorically refused to be ridden unless circumstances demanded it. They argued until the scaled menace agreed to carry Viv under her like a grumpy fuel tank.


    Thus began a game of ¡®island hopping¡¯. Viv would set up a gate, then fly to another location and build its twin. The mages would then walk through it and set camp, disabling the previous platform. That method allowed them to mess up tracking. To Viv¡¯s immense surprise, they crossed Enoria like this in less than a week and without accident. The sight of the Deadshield woods filled her with intense relief. From then on, it was the matter of only a couple of minutes to use the still-active witch gates.


    The portal opened to show Kazar and the fertile strip in all its glory. The colossal purple tree overlooking the walled city served as an imposing landmark in rolling hills of green peppered with elevated villages. Laborers crowded the fields, planting seeds for spring. It was a massive improvement compared to the first time she had been here. Now, the deadlands were merely a cover of clouds far in the distance, still present, still dangerous, yet pushed back through effort and dedication. Viv smiled.


    She was home.


    City guards rushed towards her, hands on their spears and bows. Most recognized her immediately.


    ¡°Your teleportation was not scheduled! State your¡ª oh. Lady Bob? Is that you?¡±


    ¡°In the flesh! I¡¯m back and better than ever.¡±


    The officer was young and flustered. His eyes searched over her new companions. He was not ready.


    ¡°Oh great! I can send a messenger to Lady Azar. Or Voice Farren? The Lady Azar is in Sinur¡¯s Gate. Oh, Mage Rakan occupies your old tower. Do you want to meet them?¡±


    ¡°Slow down,¡± Viv said with a laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the tower first, and travel deeper inland afterward.¡±


    It looked to Viv like it was going to be a long series of meeting people and catching up. That was fine. It was also inevitable.


    Viv walked through the gates of Kazar, attracting a crowd. She smiled and shook hands and held the babies. There were a lot of newcomers, mostly passing through. They could be recognized by the fact they were afraid of her eyes and left flabbergasted by the familiarity people were treating her with.


    ¡°Who are we fighting this time? Is it the Enorians?¡± an old veteran asked.


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± Viv replied with an embarrassed laugh.


    ¡°Did you topple another government?¡± a baker asked her with a frown.


    ¡°Err. Maybe?¡±


    ¡°Good, show those arrogant c¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lady Bob! Can you tell my mom she should let me have a sword?¡±


    And so on and so forth. By the time she reached the base of the tree, the square was packed full so she used the opportunity to make a small speech. Mostly she said it was great to be back, that exciting stuff was on the horizon, no it was not another invasion, and to welcome the people she¡¯d brought with her. Rakan opened the door and let everyone in. He looked good, Viv realized. Tan and healthy. He stood straight with most of the leaking mana swirling into the staff that hosted it. More importantly, there were children with him.


    ¡°Hey, Viviane. Welcome home.¡±


    ¡°Your home now. I¡¯ve moved to the palace. And you have pupils?¡±


    The children hid behind him. To be honest, they were more teenagers than truly children, just on the cusp of adulthood in that gangly and awkward phase many had. They were mage trainees. That much was clear from their auras. Interestingly, two of them had a strong affinity for black.


    ¡°Yes. Children here have shown a strong affinity for the arcane arts. Before, they would have been sent to Enoria with a caravan but the people have seen it fit to stop. Wonder why.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Viv chuckled.


    ¡°In any case, we have a budding new generation and I do my best to lead them on the path to greatness.¡±


    The teens collectively blushed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long road for sure.¡±


    They groaned.


    ¡°But I have faith. My mastery of all primary hues allows me to train any one of them. Besides that, my duties also extend to repairing the wall wards and going on expeditions to clear more land with the One Hundred. I have studied your obelisks and I have successfully replicated the first one two weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°That is great news! Who are the One Hundred?¡±


    ¡°Ah right, you don¡¯t know. I will let Ban explain it to you. In the meanwhile, let me introduce our promising new prospects.¡±


    There followed a very long series of meetings. Viv was not annoyed because it was an essential aspect of rulership, as her dad had told her multiple times. Nothing enforced loyalty more than seeing the ruler and feeling valued by them, given time and attention, and so she smiled and nodded and offered commiseration and promises that were vague enough to be believable. Merchants complained about taxes, influential folks about their neighbors. Viv received them all and listened with a placid smile. Lana and her mages used the opportunity to walk around town to buy necessities but Abe stayed by her side. He had a calming effect. So did Solfis but not for the same reasons. As for Arthur, she flew off to nap somewhere after eating a bowl of eggs.


    In the midst of conversations, she gathered nuggets of valuable information. Who despised whom, what looming conflict could upset the peace of the city, and so on. There were tensions between newcomers and the original Kazarans. The merchants had formed a guild to oppose Lady Azar but she¡¯d stymied them at every turn. Crime was on the rise since some who came had been exiled for good reasons. A prison had to be built to contain them. Public spending had massively risen and so had taxes. There was some bad but as someone who had been in Afghanistan mid-insurgency, this was all pretty tame. Just normal tensions in a city undergoing growing pains.


    And then came the temple, led by Farren. The angelic young man now looked much more confident than he used to. He was also backed by the temple guard which made Viv¡¯s eyebrows rise. Lorn, their leader, appeared embarrassed. Koro the Amazon was just super excited to see Viv and waved when she thought no one could see her. Farren was obviously tense.


    ¡°Are you alright, Farren? You seem¡­ upset.¡±


    ¡°First, forgive me, I must assure you are who you claim you are.¡±


    Viv nodded. That was a reasonable decision considering the existence of gods like Gomogog who could shape flesh. Farren prayed until a golden light filled the receiving room she was using as her temporary throne hall. She used to have tea there with Varska, too long ago.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s light shines on duplicity. His wisdom reveals that you are who you say you are,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°He, uh, has a message for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s bad.¡±


    ¡°He says to heed the warning of the man with a mind like a steel trap.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes.


    ¡°I already trust General Jaratalassi. And why so cryptic? ¡®Listen to Jar¡¯ would have sufficed. Why do they always try to act so mysterious, I swear.¡±


    Farren didn¡¯t seem amused by Viv¡¯s cavalier tone.


    ¡°You should be more careful when dealing with gods, especially the patron of Harrak. At least I know this is really you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Viv said.


    Emeric and Neriad had shown some remarkable patience with her but that was no reason to piss off their entire clergy.


    ¡°That leads us to our next important question,¡± Farren continued. ¡°Why is there an undead among your followers?¡±


    The atmosphere grew really, really tense in the cramped room. Viv noticed the temple guards gripping the handles of their weapons with grim fatalism. They knew that if they were to fight, they would die. Just Solfis would be enough to dispatch them.


    Viv admired their courage and sense of sacrifice. They were respectable morons.


    Abe de-escalated the conflict with a winning smile. He closed his eyes and the cowl mark on his forehead shone like a star-struck night sky.


    ¡°Enttiku as my witness, I am no abomination come to destroy the living.¡±


    He stretched his arms, palms open.


    ¡°I am on your side.¡±


    The guards relaxed. No one could fake divine power, at least not to that level.


    ¡°The cowled one offered me a deal to bring peace to the many remains of the deadlands, and to support the living as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°We were under the impression that, huh, Enttiku disapproved of undead.¡±


    ¡°They do. They also considered that I was still, to a reasonable extent, myself, and that it would be better to drag me to the side of good rather than letting me succumb to insanity. I agreed. And besides¡­¡±


    The room grew dimmer.


    ¡°No one can forestall death forever.¡±


    Light returned with Abe¡¯s smile. He invited the guards to relax, which most of them did. Viv made some small talk until Farren mentioned the last reason for his visit.


    ¡°Look, your absence left things in a state of flux. We face many uncertainties and uncomfortable questions about what, exactly, we are.¡±


    ¡°We are Harrak.¡±


    ¡°No we are not. Not yet. Harrak was an empire. It needs to be one again.¡±


    The Voice of Neriad leaned forward in his seat. Viv could feel his conviction like a drill pressing against her soul.


    ¡°You need to be crowned.¡±


    ¡°We are too small to be an empire.¡±


    ¡°We claim the entirety of the deadlands as our own, and yes I include myself among the citizens of your nation. It matters not. People follow flags and leaders. Either you step up and fill the role you have designed for yourself or the others will tear themselves apart trying to fill it in your stead. You need¡ª¡±


    ¡°Legitimacy. I apologize. You are right. I am merely getting cold feet.¡±


    ¡°You should not apologize in public either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, bollocks. You¡¯ve known me since I was a half-dead witchling just getting here.¡±


    ¡°You need to cultivate an image of gravitas.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, and he seemed to remember that she¡¯d been baby hugging for the past two hours.


    ¡°Oh, very well. Do as you wish, so long as you get yourself crowned before the inevitable next calamity descends upon us. The one that general mentioned, I suppose. What now?¡±


    It was late afternoon. Viv considered gating to Sinur¡¯s Gate but gave up. She¡¯d need the whole day to get everything sorted anyway.


    ¡°Send a messenger to Lady Azar that I will rest for now and see her first thing in the morning. In the meanwhile, let¡¯s have a feast!¡±


    And so, they had a feast.


    It was good to be the boss, sometimes.


    The local cooks outdid themselves with monster meat aplenty, a rarity in Helock. There were also a lot of mushrooms thanks to recently reopened mushroom farms under the rolling hills before Kazar. All of them tasted strongly of black mana which meant they were extra delicious for Viv. The next morning, she teleported to Sinur¡¯s Gate. Due to safety reasons, the arrival spot was set outside of the walls, just in front of the path snaking up to the fortress so a group couldn¡¯t just land inside the walls and mess everything up. Viv was the first to go through and she stopped for two reasons.


    First, the city had changed so much it was breathtaking.


    When she had besieged it with the Harrakan army, the path had been dust and drab stones leading up to an ominous, dead fortress vomiting hordes of revenants and worse. They¡¯d fought in deserted streets, ambushed at every corner under a gray sky of roiling clouds.


    Now it was sunny. Gloriously so, with the early morning light coming from behind the walls, granting the ancient city a warm, golden aura. Tufts of green grass clung to the cliffs, along with creeping vines carrying tiny white flowers. The sounds of life came from the fortress. Smoke rose to the horizons, only to be dispersed by the wind. It smelled of soil, cornudon shit, and sweat and that was much better than death and decay.


    Also it smelled of sweat because of the second reason: the army.


    From the gate to the city, thousands of men and women in arms stood at attention, in perfect silence, their eyes set on the witch with curiosity and excitement in equal measure. Curiosity from the newcomers. Excitement from the veterans who knew that since Viv was back, things were about to become ¡®interesting¡¯ again.


    Lady Azar was there in front of Viv along with most of the military staff. She recognized the three most important figures. Ban, who led the heavies and had been at her side since before there were heavies. Poacher whose real name Viv still hadn¡¯t learned and who led the witchpact crossbow folks. The last one was Rollo, the leader of the handful of knights here in Harrak. Or at least this used to be the case. Now, there were almost thirty of them on their horses, wearing embroidered and colorful tabards over their dark iron armor. They looked quite imposing.


    Lady Azar looked very proud as she signaled a group of musicians. It was all very pompous and official until Arthur crossed the portal and spread her wings wide. Being all new to Kazar, the musicians faltered. She was now very, very clearly a dragon.


    Oh is this all for me?


    Thank you, my minions!


    ¡°Arthur!¡± voices came from the middle of the formation before a NCO could make them shut up. In answer, the dragon took to the sky and flew over the tight ranks at high speed, roaring and doing aerial acrobatics. The soldiers answered with cheers and whoops that spread like a wildfire. Heavies drummed the earth with the butt of their spears with a deafening rumble while the marksmen let out their strange ululating cries. Azar shook her head and laughed when the musicians recovered enough for a belated blow of horns. Viv walked to her with a smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s stealing the show.¡±


    ¡°I have tried to instill your people with a sense of decorum but I suppose there is no accounting for dragons,¡± the Baranese countess admitted.


    Mother.


    Your underlings finally accepted me as their rightful leader.


    There is hope for the species yet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let power get to your head,¡± Viv said, but Arthur was off again parading all over the place. That gave Viv an opportunity to let everyone get acquainted. The meeting was brief, everyone knowing there would be a troop review and that it would take time. Strangely, Lana and the mages were quite curious. Viv prompted her about it as they walked on.


    ¡°Many northern cities allow women to walk the path of warriors but I had never seen such a vast number before. It appears you told the truth.¡±


    The first group to be reviewed was the knights, as was tradition. It was Rollo who introduced them. Their visors were open but the knights stubbornly looked front as if nothing could faze them.


    ¡°You know of my¡­ proclivities,¡± Rollo finally whispered in a low voice.


    ¡°You know I dated a woman, right? I don¡¯t care that you are gay.¡±


    ¡°I have spread the word among my friends that Harrak would respect us and our choices, that you would not force us to live lies so long as we served the crown faithfully.¡±


    He stopped as if to test Viv.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I hope you will not prove me wrong.¡±


    ¡°I said what I said,¡± Viv replied, finally realizing why her gaydar was blaring at her. She had the most homoerotic knight group in all of Param. Perhaps even in the world!


    ¡°Just hire straight people as well please.¡±


    ¡°Naturally. Javis here hopes you can heal his wife and daughter. They were blinded by a political rival.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll regrow everyone¡¯s everything once we have settled. No worries.¡±


    Rollo seemed satisfied and the inspection continued. Arthur joined them when her curiosity overrode her pride. She didn¡¯t ask the knights if the armor was hermetically sealed for optimal flavoring which Viv took as progress. The next group on the list was the heavies. They had grown remarkably in numbers since she last was here. They had also been split in several companies, each one led by an officer. Ban introduced them as they passed by.


    ¡°Those are the Hightree Company. They are mostly new arrivals and veterans from other militaries. A good group. Solid and reactive if less unified than the others.¡±


    Viv observed that those heavies had swords, short spears, and maces, not just the usual full steel pilum she was used to. They were the most diverse group as well in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity, basically a representation of the entire continent. Viv recognized many of the veterans she had healed, and they¡¯d kept the weapons they were more familiar with. All of them bore the tree of Kazar as their emblem.


    ¡°... because that¡¯s the first thing a refugee sees when they arrive. Next we have the Mountain Sons. You know where they¡¯re from.¡±


    Mountain people bearing red scarves waited at attention. Viv recognized many of them from the first battles against the Enorians. They had filled up now that food was abundant. They were also the second most homogeneous group.


    ¡°Next we have the Children of the Scale, who will have latrine duty for the next month for breaking decorum.¡±


    Oh! Oh! Oh! My servants!


    Arthur waddled among the ranks while the soldiers beamed. They bore insignias in the form of a white dragon and Viv realized she recognized many of them. They were graduates from the Arthur fanclub.


    ¡°Youngest company, that¡¯s why they wear mail instead of full plate. They do not have the physical stats to operate normal gear yet but I thought it would be good to train them to Harrakan standards anyway. Some girls have joined. I didn¡¯t stop them so long as they could pass the physical contest.¡±


    ¡°It was a good idea.¡±


    They stayed until Viv convinced Arthur to stop inspecting ¡®her¡¯ soldiers. When she walked on two legs, she towered over even the tallest soldier. It was very strange.


    ¡°And now we have the One Hundred. Best of the lot. Toughest fuckers this side of the ocean,¡± Ban said with pride. ¡°I have recruited them from the best and drilled them mercilessly. We take monthly runs in the deadlands with a life orb, trigger it, then fight off the revenant tide for three days.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Armored to the teeth in runic armor with plates, grim, unmoving, the One Hundred were an intimidating force to behold. Their pennants and tabards were white and unadorned. Viv inspected one at random.


    [Harrakan Imperial Guard. Third step.]


    Yeah, Viv had to get crowned. It would be a shame not to. Napoleon had done it before so it would be fine, right? She just had to watch out for the pitfalls of hubris. That would be easy. Just watch Arthur and stop before becoming like her.


    Viv¡¯s satisfied inner gloating stopped when she came across a surprising sight. Among the One Hundred, there was one, exactly one, woman. Viv blinked. Ban leaned to whisper in her ear.


    ¡°We call this one Brick,¡± he began.


    ¡°You can speak normally. I used a sound barrier.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you. We call this one Brick because she is as dumb as one. She forgot her name.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am serious. We are not sure where she comes from but I highly suspect she took the acceptance test by accident. I also suspect she didn¡¯t realize she could give up.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Solfis knows several exercises that help with mental stats, especially when they are very low.¡±


    ¡°We tried that. Now, she can complete tasks in the most imbecilic way possible with unerring accuracy. She will not forget any of the steps. She just won¡¯t do them in a way that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°But she does well in the shield wall. So.¡±


    He shrugged. So did Viv.


    ¡°As long as she conforms to your standards. Shall we move on?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ban said with pursed lips. ¡°Poacher will tell you about her own¡­ troops.¡±


    ¡°Poacher?¡± Viv asked.


    She turned to the gray-haired lady. Poacher might have a better suit of gambeson now but she still had gaunt features and the dodgy air of someone who had never worked a legal job in their entire life.


    ¡°Your name is really Poacher?¡±


    ¡°T¡¯wasn¡¯t until you started calling me that.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have a name?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how did people call you?¡±


    ¡°¡®Hey, you!¡¯ Or ¡®Damn mudling¡¯ or ¡®that bitch over there¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see my louts.¡±


    The next section of the army gave almost an opposite feel. While the heavies stood in tight formations, the marksmen lounged, leaned, and just hung around in loose squads. They also wore face paintings, mostly in the shape of human skulls though they were also bears and other creatures. It reminded Viv of the Dia de los Muertos.


    ¡°Koro¡¯s idea. It¡¯s a southern tradition to wear the skull or painting in the shape of the strongest prey you have killed. It promotes competition.¡±


    The marksmen wore darker clothing and gambeson with bits of mail added in. The bling came from their yries-made crossbows, each one unique and fine-tuned to their owners. Many of them also brought close quarter weapons and Viv spotted a few shields, targes worn on the back.


    ¡°Those lots are the Sisters of the Eye. The first company.¡±


    Viv recognized many of the women from the battle with Lancer. The sisters were the only entirely female contingent here and also the most defiant one. They looked a little cocky, Viv thought, though that might just be because they were next to the One Hundred.


    ¡°Most of our best marksmen are here. They¡¯re also good at hunting.¡±


    ¡°And causing trouble,¡± Ban grumbled. ¡°Half of the disciplinary issues come from this lot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a sour old man,¡± Poacher retorted.


    ¡°Hey hey, no open conflict in front of our people,¡± Viv said, and they both simmered down.


    ¡°You got them to stop bickering? Tell me your secret,¡± Lady Azar added with a wry voice.


    ¡°Moving on,¡± Poacher interrupted. ¡°Here are the Fingers.¡±


    Viv recognized many of the scouts from the old Kazar days, including their leader who had married a Hadal woman. They were a mixed group. Most of them had bows instead of crossbows. Viv recognized a few Enorian siege bows as well. Kazar¡¯s original scouts and the veteran marksmen were here.


    ¡°The Hadals who joined the army joined this group. They are not here today. They hate standing at attention.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡±


    ¡°And next we have the Bitter Hearts.¡±


    The last group was¡­ a surprise. Contrary to what their names implied, their numbers consisted of older people, mostly women who lacked the hard edge of the other soldiers. They were more subdued as well. Most avoided looking at her.


    ¡°Those are widows and widowers who have lost everything. Or people who have abandoned their paths for one reason or another. Not our best. They are¡­ the glue that keeps us together. They mend, they teach, they listen.¡±


    ¡°They are also the last company to leave any battlefield, not until they¡¯ve found everyone. We¡¯ve lost a few of them to revenants because of that,¡± Ban said with grudging respect.


    ¡°They train hard,¡± Poacher continued.


    Ban nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Good people. Reliable.¡±


    Viv ignored Lady Azar¡¯s delighted surprise. The Bitter Hearts were in good shape and clearly more disciplined than their wilder counterparts. She remembered that wars were won through disciplined troops, not just supersoldiers.


    The next contingents were different. There were temple guards, though they were few in numbers with most of the group stationed in Kazar. City guards stood at attention as well. Those were police, technically, and their skills reflected that. They would still man the wall in case of a major battle. The last group was the one that filled Viv with pleasure.


    Yries.


    And tanks.


    Well, technically they were portable shield arrays on metal frames. There were also the more classical takes with catapults and ballistas. The Yries manning them wore armor and their signature crossbows. They also wore war paints on their strange, owl-like features, something she had never seen before. Viv greeted them with a smile and promised to spend more time making sure everything was working as she intended. It was the last group as well. Beyond them waited the path up to Sinur¡¯s Gate.


    ¡°We call them the Shrill,¡± Ban said. ¡°They love testing new things to throw at people. Fire wasps. Poison jars. Stone. Strange gas. Fucking fire ants. They always try the weirdest things.¡±


    Viv¡¯s only concern was that they followed her orders without objections. The yries were quite strange. By nature a peaceful people, they had no limits once tickled enough. A bit like the Canadians.


    All in all, it looked like the army had developed into an array of competing groups bickering and squabbing for resources, each more prideful than the other, each pushing the others to greater heights. Except the Bitter Hearts who were just mothering everyone. It was just perfect. Viv forfeited a speech this time. There would be opportunities later.


    There were more people on the path up, civilians this time. Less than in Kazar yet the inhabitants of the surrounding fortified villages had come in droves. Viv noticed that there were a lot of maimed people present. Many seemed hopeful.


    ¡°I decided to move them all here for your convenience. That way, you may rule and regrow their limbs at your convenience. I have notified the Hadal hunters that monster meat would be required.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    Once again, Viv resorted to baby holding and hand clasping to get to know the people of Sinur¡¯s Gate. Many of them were new arrivals, mostly craftsmen who benefitted from being close to each other. She passed the double gates to find the city transformed. Colors had returned to this vertical place. Vines and blue roses clung to the towers, falling from its many bridges in bright curtains. Stalls sold food and trinkets while smiths worked their forge, their duties suffering no interruptions. There was still plenty of room so the city was not as cramped as it might have once felt. Blue enchantments kept the water flowing in the many small fountains.


    ¡°We have not yet cleared the sewers. All the entrances have been shut, I have been unwilling to send your men in without mage support,¡± Lady Azar said.


    ¡°Probably for the best,¡± Viv agreed.


    Her online friend Gevaudan was always complaining about sewer monsters. At least, the place should still be relatively odorless since they had not been used in three hundred years. There was hope yet.


    The group made their way to the palace, having picked up a tail of soldiers and civilians with their many petitions. The main entrance had been cleared and Viv was delighted to find that the inner courtyard now hid a fragrant garden. The throne room with its overhead dome still felt a little cold and impersonal even though the resident lich¡¯s belongings had long since been cleared.


    ¡°We have prepared your room upstairs if you want to rest,¡± Lady Azar said.


    ¡°No, I will hold court since I am back. We have the entire day for that.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Many of the topics should be inconsequential. Many of the newcomers will want your confirmation that their relatives can be healed. There are also a few more important matters including, and I am sorry to say so, a meeting request from the Manipeleso bank and exchange.¡±


    ¡°The bank?¡± Viv asked. ¡°What could they want?¡±


    The bank?


    Viv winced. She¡¯d hoped Arthur might have forgotten.

 Chapter 149: Economy of Scale

    Radiant light filtered through the dome skylight. Aides had assembled long benches for the expected spectators. Viv had been offered a chair, thought it was too small and turned part of the dais into an eldritch horror of scales, tentacles and spikes blooming from a center in which she sat.


    She promptly stood up again and demanded a pillow, which was offered. Lady Azar stood by her side.


    ¡°Would you not prefer to sit?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Traditionally, an advisor stands by the side of a ruler¡¯s throne. If you do not mind, however, then yes I would use the chair we prepared for you. Just make the throne a little higher so you dominate the room even while sitting.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Soon, Viv was ready. The One Hundred had a squad on hold as her personal guard though they were probably not even trained for it. It probably wouldn¡¯t matter much. They were meant to stand around looking menacing and that was a task they excelled at. And besides, Solfis was here. He was worth a thousand men.


    ¡°Right. We¡¯re ready. Open the gates.¡±


    Hesitantly at first, citizens trailed in, some sitting in the benches after curtsying, others forming a line under the direction of a master of ceremony, actually one of Kazar¡¯s original clerks. It took less than a minute for a queue to form though. Just as ordered, the first were bankers.


    Tom Manitaradin had been one of the first people Viv had met in Kazar. The impeccably dressed and styled man stood aloof, his assistant standing by his side holding a package. Viv gestured and he came up, bowing smoothly.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Grace. Welcome back to Sinur¡¯s Gate. As a representative of the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange, I would like to extend an invitation to discuss deeper matters of cooperation. However, I fear a public setting might not be the best place to do so. Would you consider joining me some time this week?¡±


    ¡°It is a matter of some urgency,¡± Lady Azar whispered in Viv¡¯s ear. ¡°It relates to private loans given to our citizens and, to some extent, the throne.¡±


    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re indebted?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Of course we are. I leveraged our finance to start several projects, including new ironworks and the renovation of the city. We¡¯ll get our money back within a year. And this is not the time.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Viv turned back to the banker who was still waiting with a winning smile, a smile that felt more predatorial the longer Viv looked.


    ¡°Of course. Would tomorrow morning work?¡±


    ¡°Fantastic. We will come here, unless you would prefer to visit our branch?¡±


    ¡°Here is fine.¡±


    ¡°Then we will reconvene at that time. In the meanwhile, please accept this Northern garment made for you as a gesture of our appreciation.¡±


    Tom bowed smartly and left, his sashaying assistant following closely behind. Viv checked the gift. It was a nice, close-fitting dress in black and white with golden filigree. Very nice, though she would let Solfis have a look at it before wearing it, of course.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they can afford it,¡± Lady Azar grumbled. ¡°Although you keep a better relationship with them than most rulers I have ever met.¡±


    ¡°Yeah we¡¯ll see how long that lasts. Next?¡±


    The following petitioner was a farmer who begged for help finding his son, who¡¯d never returned from a trip to the mountains. Irao surprised everybody by basically popping into existence and offering his services, which satisfied everybody. Then the parade began.


    The first to appear was an old man, rarities on a continent where war and monsters could always be counted on. He was, in fact, positively ancient. Those who reached that age usually had stats to back it up but he felt terribly weak to Viv¡¯s mana perception. She frowned, then frowned even more when Azar facepalmed. Viv signaled for him to come forth and he did so, bowing stiffly until his mop of white hair almost touched the carpet. Snickers erupted in the assembly.


    ¡°Your Graceship, I come to you because old Gogen she told me, she told me I couldn¡¯t get into the kitchen and I said, I said, why your son can and he ain¡¯t even a cook! He ain¡¯t I know he because he¡¯s a forrester down south near the the edge so I said to her¡ª¡±


    Viv listened to the man rant without much structure for another minute during which the room grew gradually more amused. By the time the old man stopped to catch his breath after a particularly inflamed tirade on the character of local dogs, there were jeers and mutters everywhere. Finally, an opening for her to exploit.


    ¡°Silence.¡±


    Viv decided to use leadership rather than intimidation this time and to make sure people got the message, she cast a colorless quiet on the entire assembly. There were no casters around so no one resisted. Citizens turned from hilarity to fear in an instant. She moved forward on her throne and pulled her wings out, finding she was more comfortable that way.


    The display of power and alienness served their purpose. In the ensuing calm, she leaned towards Azar who was now the very picture of controlled fury.


    ¡°What the fuck was that.¡±


    ¡°Crocus the senile. I specifically told the entrance guards not to let him through. When this is over, I will hang them from the ramparts by their feet.¡±


    ¡°You can do that in your free time. For now I¡¯d like to salvage my first official reception.¡±


    Viv returned her attention to Crocus who was waiting, a vacant expression painted on his face. He was drooling a little bit.


    ¡°Right. This appears to have been a rather eventful morning for Crocus. Let a guard accompany him to the refectory so he can drink something hot, yes? Now.¡±


    The next person moved up in an atmosphere like a classroom after the usually gentle teacher had a screaming bout. He was a merchant offering scented candles, an expensive rarity since it required wax. Viv thanked him and sent him to her bioweapon division since they liked wasps and might be convinced to work on a less lethal, honey-making variant. The person after that was dressed in a long tatty mage robe with stars sewn on it, along with a hat that had seen better days. The hat had a large moon symbol on it, the magical glyph though it was incomplete. She feared another disaster and inspected him quickly.


    [Researcher: one who follows a path dedicated to the understanding of magical and natural laws.]


    ¡°Your Grace, I beseech your help and patronage in one of the grandest endeavors of scientific discovery of this era, nay, of all eras, a tremendous work that will revolutionize the way we see the world! A ruler such as yourself¡ª¡±


    ¡°The short version, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. Forgive the theatrics and my excitement. My purpose is to prove¡­ that Nyil¡­ is a sphere.¡±


    ¡°A sphere? The planet Nyil is a sphere?¡± Viv asked just to confirm.


    ¡°Yes! Yes, a sphere. Not a flat surface as some have argued.¡±


    ¡°One moment please.¡±


    Viv leaned towards Lady Azar.


    ¡°What¡¯s the consensus on this issue?¡±


    ¡°It has been a matter of some debate among researchers, a question made more complicated by the, ah, lack of funding and ¡®qualified¡¯ personnel dedicated to such endeavors. Most centers of learning are more interested in how to stop the next monster invasion and how to cast better spells.¡±


    ¡°I see. You there, how do you intend to proceed?¡±


    ¡°By climbing the tallest mountain and taking precise measurements using a magical box I have, ahem, yet to develop, to demonstrate a curvature of the horizon over the Endless Sea.¡±


    ¡°Right. Hmm.¡±


    Viv searched her memories. Was it¡­ Eratosthenes who¡¯d done it? Yeah. What was it again?


    ¡°Right, errr, have you considered, hmmm, measuring the distance between two cities on the same meridian, that is the north south axis, then planting two perfectly vertical straight rods in the ground at noon on a summer solstice and measuring the respective angles made by the shadows, thus¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your Grace. You are assuming that the light of the sun comes to us as parallel rays.¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°But it cannot be so, for it would imply that the sun is extremely far while we know that it cannot be so, this celestial body moving so much in the day and night cycle. Your Grace, you are clearly a person of great intellect but you should probably focus on magic and let me handle the science.¡±


    Someone coughed in their sleeves.


    Solfis would never let her live that down.


    ¡°Right. We may consider helping you in your endeavor if you make yourself useful for our cause. I believe we have need of archivists?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace,¡± the ¡®mistress¡¯ of ceremony replied. ¡°Urgently so.¡±


    ¡°You may obtain our support if you work for us. You will also be compensated, which will allow you to fund the expedition and research yourself.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ science suffers no delay,¡± the scientist replied, dejected.


    ¡°It can most definitely suffer delays and difficulties,¡± Viv replied drily. ¡°Help us and receive help, or do not. The choice is yours. Next?¡±


    The next three persons were fairly uneventful. One was a knight who offered his services, requesting land in return which Viv was only too happy to agree to. A local mayor requested assistance with his mana-conversion stone, something Rakan could have handled but the man had apparently not been aware of it. A smith requested more ores for his brand new smelter.


    ¡°We will have to reopen our side of the mines. We have delayed long enough as it is.¡±


    Lady Azar nodded in support. Her expression soured when she saw the next visitor. It was a child. A girl, to be precise. hunched forward, eyes filled with scorn and teeth bared. She was also missing two fingers or her left hand. Practically feral. Viv had barely made a gesture when she spoke in a heavily accented Enorian drawl.


    ¡°Ya know what I want. Give me my damn collar back!¡±


    Her vitriol was not aimed at Viv, at least not entirely, but to Lady Azar. The countess leaned towards Viv with obvious annoyance.


    ¡°I have forbidden children from participating in those awful beastling hunts. It was getting absolutely unacceptable.¡±


    ¡°The baldies can still do it, so why can¡¯t I? Huh? At least give me back my stuff. You got not right to keep it.¡±


    ¡°Why did you stop it?¡± Viv asked in a low voice. ¡°Were there deaths?¡±


    ¡°That girl lost her fingers because it was gnawed off by a beastling and still, she wants to get back to the fray? There were no deaths but there have been many wounded. The Hadal¡¯s definition of ¡®safe¡¯ needs to be reconsidered! And do you know that they¡¯ve burnt beastlings alive? And tortured them? Children have no limits. They must not be exposed to this level of savagery at a young age or they may bear the marks of those conflicts for their entire lives.¡±


    ¡°The hadals keep doing it! How is that fair?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv thought. ¡°Hm. Perhaps beastling hunts should be codified rather than entirely banned. I¡¯ll set a lower age limit and forbid the most heinous war crimes, including torture. No hazing either. Those who don¡¯t want to participate will not have to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s always been like that! Raiders and builders and gatherers so we have grilled acorn pancakes! Until that harri¡ª¡±


    Viv silenced the girl with a gesture and before she could fully insult her prime minister to her face. Although that was a French tradition, Nyil took a dimmer view on such things.


    ¡°And what is it I hear about a pendant?¡±


    ¡°Young Trill here gathered one made of pierced beastling canines, a grisly trophy I confiscated as it had no place in a civilized nation.¡±


    Viv had a quick glance at the bone abomination made by a civilized nation in order to off political rebels on the other side of a battlefield.


    ¡°I will have to side with Trill here for two reasons. First, we have no laws against morbid prizes. If we did that would mean confiscating Solfis¡¯s collection.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    //Extremely inadvisable.


    ¡°And second, we will have no ¡®ex post facto¡¯ laws here thank you very much. You can¡¯t retroactively punish someone for hunting beastlings when it was not illegal to do so. Where is the necklace now?¡±


    Viv assumed it was destroyed but Lady Azar pushed out an answer between gritted teeth.


    ¡°I gave it to the Temple for purification. They might have kept it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask! Thanks,¡± Trill said, and she was off.


    During a short recess, Azar asked for a moment of privacy.


    ¡°I just want to make sure we are on the same page. Is there a problem between us? Reversing my decisions weakens my position here,¡± she said.


    ¡°There is no issue between us. I am applying Harrakan law in a rather¡­ tolerant manner that may reflect my own culture. Rather, working as a kind ruler, strict ruler pair might help in the long run. We merely have to get more used to each other¡¯s working methods.¡±


    Lady Azar nodded. Viv decided it was time to butter the old harpy up a little.


    ¡°Look, I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done so far enormously. I am still not sure why you are lending us your talents, I just appreciate that Harrak would not be the same place if you¡¯d not held the fort while I turned part elemental.¡±


    ¡°And I appreciate you listening to most advice with attention,¡± the old countess replied.


    She sighed, suddenly looking more approachable. More human rather than just the immaculate noble.


    ¡°You were not my first choice, if I have to be honest. I tried advising my daughter and then a young up and coming duke fighting to reclaim his family¡¯s past glory. They fought me at every step, curtailed what I could do until I felt that I was a dangerous rival to be hampered rather than a hand extended in friendship. I am still unsure as to why you, an outlander, tolerate me so much without constantly doubting my motives.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you just love building a kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Exactly! Is there a nobler accomplishment in this world? A more difficult one? I think not, and yet I will manage it not once but twice, Enttiku willing. So you do understand. Was that why you never doubted me?¡±


    ¡°I do not doubt you because I know that if you have to choose between us and your daughter sitting on the throne of Baran, you won¡¯t pick us. In the meanwhile, you¡¯re possibly the best advisor on the continent so I¡¯ll just count my blessings. And as to why I¡¯m not afraid¡­ Black mana elemental archmage? Between Arthur, Solfis and I, we have enough raw power to fend off pretty much any power grab anyone could attempt.¡±


    ¡°No one will make a power grab,¡± Lady Azar said with absolute confidence. ¡°No one can compete. It might come as a surprise to you so I will remind you of the obvious. Citizens find that being led by a proven spell-casting war leader with a dragon child and the loyalty of an ancient war machine is, in fact, rather ¡®cool¡¯. Much more so than some inbred idiot whose sole merit was being born in the right family. I would be much more concerned about foreign attacks if I were you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± Viv grumbled.


    Trill didn¡¯t return. The next supplicant asked for help after his field was ravaged during a battle between heavies and a large undead bear they had to put down. A brief discussion with Lady Azar confirmed that the state didn¡¯t act as an insurance in case of an accident so Viv sent the man away, even reminding him that the bear would have done more than tear a field apart. She couldn¡¯t afford to just say yes to everybody.


    The next woman came to the stand munching on what looked like a juicy apple.


    ¡°Good morning, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Do not talk to me with your mouth full.¡±


    ¡°Oh sorry, the wait just made me hungry, haha.¡±


    Her mouth was still full.


    Viv eyed the nearest window. Solfis dutifully stood up to open it.


    ¡°Wait wait wait sorry, Your Grace, I came to offer the results of my labor, those pila fruits. If you like them, I simply request assistance in setting a well near the orchard I intend to develop. Please.¡±


    ¡°We need more water to feed all the new farms,¡± Azar explained. ¡°There simply isn¡¯t enough rain yet to let things grow. We have been digging wells left and right. It has not been enough. Many of the villages need regular supplies of water.¡±


    ¡°It looks like I have Lana¡¯s first job.¡±


    ¡°A mage of her caliber might resent being tasked with such mundane work.¡±


    ¡°You mean like me building obelisks left and right?¡±


    Azar nodded.


    ¡°I will remind her that you lead by example.¡±


    More people followed after that but none as exciting. The visitors were either demanding compensation, advertising products or simply being sycophants. Others came to swear allegiance to her, mostly because their paths demanded it. Courtiers and knights both, they were an interesting mix of the desperate, the ambitious, and the stupid. One of the warriors offering his service was dying from an improperly healed heart that would need to be regrown and that was going to require finesse. Another was a courtier escaping forced marriage. Viv welcomed them all anyway. The only real surprise to Viv was the lack of request for judgment, except for Trill¡¯s interruption. She prompted Azar on that topic.


    ¡°I would like to remind you that Neriad is your Patron God and truce is within his purview. I have delegated the¡­ judiciary work to them. Since they don¡¯t pay taxes, they might as well make themselves useful.¡±


    ¡°They know the laws of Harrak?¡±


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s churches always work with local law. The god of righteous battle tolerates differences in laws and customs, after all.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The flow of people only weakened as the sun came down. For a population of less than ten thousand souls, Harrak certainly had a lot of people come to visit, though Viv supposed there was a backlog. Nevertheless, the experience had made her more popular and given her the opportunity to put a finger on Harrak¡¯s pulse. The ¡®empire¡¯ reminded her of her own country after the revolution, a place where the social structure was yet to become rigid and where the competent could carve themselves a path to success. A night council gave her the opportunity to give some orders, especially to the mages who had just settled in the various towers across the city. She wondered if there was a natural affinity between mages and towers.


    Abe wanted to work as a judge during the day, undead hunter the rest of the time and that was fine by Viv. The ladies were also open to building wells, fortifications, and helping reopen the mine. Weirdly, they thought doing so for people was more exciting than doing so for guilds. Viv hoped the novelty wouldn¡¯t wear off too fast. Once those orders were given, however, came the problem of budget allocation.


    Saying mines should open was all well and good. Dispatching the mages was relatively cheap, just as encouraging people with mining skills to go there. Unfortunately, she still needed to hire an overseer, people to maintain barracks. The mine would need tools and supply trains to carry the ore to smelters. Fortunately, the treasury was doing well right now.


    ¡°We expect a massive payout in fall, after the harvest. Plenty of new products such as mushrooms will be sent to the markets in Enoria and beyond, and we expect a large payout thanks to high black mana levels that make the goods both nourishing and resistant to corruption. Your portals have made a world of difference. Unfortunately, it is spring now. We have half a year before we reap those benefits and I still have to pay hundreds of soldiers, the staff, and possibly fund more urgent work. I borrowed from the bank at a competitive rate to make sure we would have enough coin to face all the spendings with some leeway. As soon as the harvest is completed, we will be doing quite well.¡±


    ¡°Yes we have quite the bloated military. How is that holding up?¡±


    ¡°They have some frankly incredibly low pay considering their quality. We are doing fine because they have full rights to what they find in the deadlands, and also because the yries provide most of our supplies against regular food deliveries. The crux of the matter is that we are growing fast but we need to watch out not to develop too fast and invest too much or we will go bankrupt. Hence the importance of tomorrow¡¯s meeting.¡±


    Viv considered the question. Lady Azar didn¡¯t know it but Viv was rich. Really rich. Between the limb regrowth pay, the cores she found in Elunath¡¯s mansion and what she¡¯d accrued before, her fortune was over a thousand and a half gold talents. That was absolutely massive, and the Manipeleso bank held most of it in reserve. By contrast, the crown owed six hundred gold talents to be repaid over two years while Harrak as a whole owed close to five thousand.


    There was something to explore there.


    Viv ended the council quite late. This had been a busy day. There would be more like that before things settled.


    Viv found herself missing her practice with Abe. Magic was now an integral part of her life. By comparison, ruling felt more like a means to an end. It was interesting and necessary. It just felt more like a job. She just hoped things wouldn¡¯t get too interesting too fast.


    She sighed, looking out of the window of her new palace.


    ¡°Fuck it.¡±


    Viv flew to the farmer¡¯s field, the one she had denied during the day. She turned the corpse of the large undead bear to ash, repaired the collapsed walls using the change meaning then draining the black mana out. Once she was done, most of the damage was cleaned up. There was only a demolished shed left to rebuild. She headed back feeling much better.


    That night, Viv invited Sidjin to her brand new bedroom for some relaxing fun together. She had the bankers accompany her the next morning over breakfast, which was provided by Gogen the cleaner and her army of cooks, maids, servants, and warehousemen. Somehow, the old woman had put herself in charge of everything and no one had bothered to stop her. That was fine by Viv.


    ***


    ¡°This dress really suits you,¡± Tom said with pleasure as he sat at the breakfast table.


    His assistant did the same, then a servant came with plates of wraps, fresh bread, fruit, and monster meat in cold cuts. Viv helped herself to a cup of kava then sat back. Tom was right. The northern dress fit her like a glove now that she was mostly back to normal, the shoulder paddings giving her a regal profile.


    It was Viv, Tom, his assistant Lan and Lady Azar in the small room midway up the tower. The sun shone on green fields rife with opportunity. From the window, they could not see what was left of the deadlands so the vista was only hope and profit, not the daunting prospect of decades of relentless effort.


    Tom started with small talk and Viv obliged. She was in no hurry to get to the heart of the matter on an empty stomach. Tom¡¯s delay soon proved to be a tactic, however. The opening salvo of the business discussion proved immediately deadly.


    ¡°Lady Viv. Your Grace. I would like to inform you that as of now, Harrak and its citizens are indebted to the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange for an amount of two thousand five hundred and sixty gold talents.¡±


    Viv froze with a fruit halfway between her lips. She put it down back onto her plate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°This includes private citizens and quite a few new ventures ranging from tanners and ore smelters to tailors and even a luthier. Nevertheless, our exposure has reached a critical level and my administration wishes to make sure the funds are well allocated. And that the projects of private individuals bear fruit. As such, we would like to make a few mutually beneficial arrangements. Please take your time to consider them¡­ carefully,¡± he said with a soft voice.


    Lan produced a nice, white paper with a short list on it. Viv knew what was going on even though Tom refrained from using any social skill on her. A written proposal was always more impersonal than a voiced one, thus making offensive content slightly less likely to cause the offended party to blow up in one¡¯s face. Viv went down the list.


    The bank wanted to put Harrak under tutelage.


    Oh, they voiced it nicely but that was it. Tom would be named finance minister along with a list of executive powers including the ability to veto budgets. There were a list of other measures including production restrictions on illegal goods, something that she didn¡¯t intend to do anyway. The Manipeleso bank would also retain a monopoly over Harrak to ¡®make sure the citizens do not get into too much debt by double dipping¡¯. It was as ballsy as it was vile. From the way Tom¡¯s aura pulsed, she could tell he was terrified though calming by the minute since Viv had not killed him yet. And she wouldn¡¯t.


    When a duke defaulted on another bank, the bank risked a collapse. When a duke defaulted on the Manipeleso bank, those fuckers sent hit squads. That was why they¡¯d endured for so long on a continent ravaged by wars and monster tides. Viv had no doubt she could survive most assassination attempts. Her people, however, could not, and that was before mentioning sabotage. She had much to lose and nothing to gain by opposing them directly. On the other hand, they could not be allowed all the conditions or they would simply push Harrak so long as it was profitable, all while milking them for every iron bit they could reasonably squeeze. Viv would never allow it.


    ¡°Failing that, I fear that I am no longer allowed to extend new loans. You understand, I am sure.¡±


    Viv understood that investments would stop. Refugees would find themselves without the resources granted to those that came before. Many new projects would need an extension, or some more cash, and they would not find it.


    Unless, of course, it came from Viv¡¯s pocket.


    Branches didn¡¯t have a unified accounting system because there was nothing like the internet here on Nyil. For most branches, it didn¡¯t matter since transactions mostly took place between members of the same country. Or the same guild. Viv had traveled a lot and she had become fabulously rich¡­ on the other side of the continent. Tom might simply have underestimated how much money she had saved. Or he believed that she could last one season but no more.


    It was quite likely that he expected her to negotiate the political cost down, hence why the initial offering was on the outrageous side of things. He would concede several points, calming her anger while still getting what he wanted.


    There was one way to deal with the situation that didn¡¯t involve becoming adversarial: delay, counter, change the situation. After all, the bank had been quite useful so far and she was more than happy to poach Tom¡¯s skills for her own cause.


    ¡°This is a very serious decision. I would like some time for thoughts before I come to a decision.¡±


    ¡°We understand, of course.¡±


    The bankers stood, dismissed.


    ¡°Oh, one last thing,¡± Viv asked. ¡°I¡¯d like a withdrawal. All I have except for a hundred talents. That¡¯s the limit for the VIP account, yes?¡±


    ¡°Why yes,¡± Tom replied with pinched lips. ¡°Just be aware that it might take some time if the amount goes beyond two hundred gold talents. I will be contacting Helock then?¡±


    Viv was pretty sure, from Tom¡¯s face, that it was an expensive endeavor.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°Very well then. Goodbye.¡±


    Viv spent the rest of the morning visiting Solar, whose son was all small and chubby. The blade master seemed relaxed and happy now that he has less responsibilities and Viv noticed he was carving toy swords of increasing length so he would have something to play with.


    ¡°I have not forgotten the blade, mind you, and I still take students among your most dedicated soldiers. You will find quite a few experts among the Hightree company. I merely wish to take a more contemplative approach to what it means to cut, now that I am back at the summit of my skill.¡±


    ¡°And still modest,¡± Viv smiled.


    ¡°Throw a spell at me,¡± Solar said with a smile as he stood away from the wall where they rested, his cup of klod left there.


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Nothing too bad. A push spell perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Viv weaved a colorless kinetic spell that would send Solar sprawling ass first into a nearby ditch. She hurled it at his chest.


    The blademaster lifted his hand, palm open, then made a cutting motion. It was a simple gesture, smooth and slow. His entire body followed as if moving a great weight.


    Viv¡¯s spell burst apart. She felt the strands break, cleanly sliced by something incredibly sharp.


    ¡°Oh wow.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am on the verge of understanding, and I partly owe it to you. Thank you for not pushing us away. And for not pressuring us into service all the time.¡±


    ¡°We have quite a few people who come here hoping to live a normal life.¡±


    ¡°Like the hadals,¡± Solar agreed. ¡°I spar with Irao on occasion. A good man, if a little strange. The last time we met, we fought without exchanging a word for an afternoon straight. He left me a lake fish afterward. We had soup. It was nice.¡±


    ¡°A lake?¡±


    ¡°In the forest, I would presume.¡±


    Viv left shortly after that. When she returned to the city, the bank had left her over three hundred talents in gold as well as a request for a delay while they gathered more metal from nearby branches. Viv snickered at the thought. She grabbed the chest and walked out of Sinur¡¯s Gate, making her way down the path and greeting citizens on the way. She stopped around halfway, where a small fort had been turned into a guard station. Next to them, what used to be sheer rock now showed the opening of a grotto, the entrance like a gaping maw in the surface of the cliff. Trill stood around with a cudgel hanging from the hip.


    ¡°No entry till the boss lady says you cawawawawawawa¡ª¡±


    Viv dragged the tiny guard by the ear until they were eye to emerald star in an endless void.


    ¡°I appreciate bluffing as well as any politician but I do believe you¡¯re pushing it. Why are you not training to be a witchpact?¡±


    ¡°Poacher says I¡¯m too small!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll ask for a derogation if only so that you stop aggravating everybody. A word of advice, attitude can only carry you so far.¡±


    Viv left the pipsqueak behind. A main cavern extended in front of her with a passage to the left. Enchanted light bathed the place in a reddish glow. She followed the path to a smaller room. It was split in half by a large stone desk. In front of that desk sat a middle-aged couple showing hope and terror in equal measure, and behind that desk, was Arthur.


    Mother!


    I was finishing my agreement with mister and missus Telus.


    Their business plan is sound and the plot they have selected appears suitable.


    All that is left to do is to sign the contract.


    I was explaining the finer details of loan repayment.


    ¡°The northern bank. They refused me plan,¡± the man explained fearfully while his wife huddled against him.


    ¡°The dragon lady said she¡¯d help us. We¡¯ll work hard, we promise!¡± she said.


    Yes.


    Sign here if you are ready.


    Arthur pulled the stopper off an ink bottle. A black bubble levitated over a piece of parchment, then, with careful gestures, Arthur directed it to form letters until a contract was drawn. She repeated the terms and Viv saw that the contract was exactly as advertised. The dragoness believed in the importance of reputation.


    ¡°Do¡­ do I sign with my blood?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s tail whipped left and right. Viv could tell she was annoyed.


    No.


    You sign with the ink and feather I have provided.


    If you cannot write, a print of your thumb will do.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    The man pressed a calloused finger to the paper, sealing the deal. They left with a small pouch of gold provided by Arthur. Once they were gone, the appearance of confidence disappeared from the dragon and she bounced around the cavern.


    My first loan!


    It worked!


    Now the humans will toil and give me gold every year, more gold than I gave them¡­


    And I do not have to lift a wing!


    I checked everything, even the market price of the tubers they plan on growing for the past five years.


    And if there is a flood or a draught, I will help them with my magic.


    It will work, yes?


    ¡°I hope so. By the way, I believe a few changes to your den might be appropriate.¡±


    Too intimidating?


    ¡°No, not grandiose enough. Where are the pillars? Where is the name of the bank written over the entrance in bold letters? You need to see things bigger.¡±


    Yesssssss.


    I will do as you say, mother.


    Let the humans know I am in business.


    ¡°Speaking of, the Manipeleso is trying to strong arm me into giving them unfair terms.¡±


    Mother warned me against monopolistic practices done by someone else.


    ¡°Yes. They are relying on two things. First, that we do not have enough gold to avoid defaulting without them, and second, that no one would have the courage to undermine them once they have clearly stated their claim. After all, they do have assassins.¡±


    Arthur stood on her hind legs. Her wings opened, two white standards on a field of black stone. The temperature inside the cave increased while a low rumble shook the very walls. Viv saw mana and matter bend around the young dragon in waves, ready to obey her command.


    They can try.


    ¡°Yes, my point exactly. I believe the time has come to shake that monopoly a little. I need better terms. Now, I know you are good at this and we are both taking a risk but I have faith in you, and I believe this is a risk worth taking. So¡­¡±


    Viv placed her chest on the desk. It opened, revealing a familiar shine that reflected in Arthur¡¯s crimson iris.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to make a deposit.¡±


    By the time Viv left, the simple entrance had turned into a marvel of Cthonian design proudly advertising the Golden Scale Bank, and people had lined up for new job openings.


    The next morning, Tom came to visit again. He was much more direct than the day before.


    ¡°Well, congratulations. I¡¯ve never seen the Elders backtrack so fast on any project. We will have a new offer ready by tomorrow, so bear with us in the meantime. Of course, we would still want some concessions before we keep taking risks, however I believe you will find the terms much more generous.¡±


    ¡°I hope you are not too disappointed, Tom. I would still love to employ your services as an advisor.¡±


    ¡°And I believe I will gratefully accept. I expected you would hold a grudge, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°I can hardly blame a member of a family for showing loyalty to that family. That plan was the Elders¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They wanted to capitalize on your temporary vulnerability.¡±


    ¡°And the bank sending me money just as we fled Kazar for the iron mines three years ago?¡±


    ¡°That was my own initiative. For the record, I disapproved of the grab because I fully expected you to find a way to throw us off. I honestly believed you would use your golem¡¯s memories to dig up yet another treasure.¡±


    ¡°Oh I¡¯ll do that as well. It¡¯s just time-consuming.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I also found it easier to convince the Elders by mentioning your track record. You left¡­ a very strong impression in Helock. You have proven to be a faithful ally and a calamitous adversary.¡±


    ¡°Finally, people are learning.¡±


    ¡°Why yes, though I expect some will need a reminder. Not us, though. And with this, I must bid you goodbye. I fear the next few days will be quite busy.¡±


    Viv accompanied Tom back. She didn¡¯t mind having two banks compete, even though she had a vested interest in the success of one of them. For now, Harrak was stable and growing. Her next two big projects would be turning her forces into a coherent army and coronation, but first, there was an urgent task that needed completing.


    Viv sighed.


    She had to go clear the sewers.

 Chapter 150: Important Business

    Ban carefully unlocked the grate, then pulled it open with a grunt. It broke. The maw yawned open to reveal the darkness within.


    Ok, so it went down two meters ending in a small landing but not everyone could see perfectly in the dark.


    What was left of the door clanged on the ground, hinges rotten to reddish flakes. The rest was covered in a sort of white, calcified gunk. The expected fetid waft never reached Viv¡¯s nose through the makeshift mask she insisted on wearing.


    Those were sewers.


    Abandoned sewers.


    She knew the drill. Get in with a company of hardasses, then get picked off over the course of an entire movie fighting some subterranean insect species. Or get in and then return with some freshly unearthed turbo ebola pathogen that happened to turn humans into shambling horrors.  A zombie apocalypse in the middle of another zombie apocalypse sounded like a shit idea. That¡¯s how you got superzombies.


    //Your Grace?


    Couldn¡¯t look hesitant in front of the squad of One Hundreds.


    ¡°Move out.¡±


    The objective was simple. Get into the sewers, explore them, map them, and clear them of any threats. She¡¯d shared her concern about epidemics with Solfis. He had given her an answer she both hated and agreed with.


    //If there is indeed a disease waiting to happen under the city.


    //Then now is the best time to release it while we have an overabundance of priests compared to the rest of the population.


    //The longer you wait and the more the population grows.


    //The more it grows and the more keenly the need for sewers will be felt.


    //And the more public hygiene will degrade.


    //If there is a trap, it is best triggered early.


    Viv hoped that was the right approach.


    For this operation, she¡¯d insisted on going with a group of elites like Irao or Solar. However, Solfis had disagreed before she could even ask them.


    //You will go with a squad of the One Hundred.


    ¡°They might be in danger. It will be worse than if¡ª¡±


    //It will be.


    //Which will provide a great training opportunity for you.


    //Your task will be to keep them alive.


    ¡°I thought my task was to keep myself alive.¡±


    //That will be my task.


    //I shall come with you.


    //And extract you should the worst come to pass.


    //The operation will also prove your trust in them.


    //The symbol is important.


    //They have put a lot of effort into becoming worthy of the empire and you.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Ok, I¡¯ll make sure to cover them.¡±


    //And for them to cover you.


    //There is no denying you are an extremely proficient duelist.


    //Perhaps the best in your class.


    //If you intend to join them at the head of your ¡®tercios¡¯.


    //Then you must develop new skills.


    ¡°I am convinced.¡±


    Or so Viv thought but walking behind the towering forms of Ban¡¯s eleven handpicked warriors, she was having second thoughts. The only other nervous person was Poacher who had insisted on coming as well because they needed a scout.


    The rest of the squad, plus Brick, looked like stone walls with muscles on their muscles. They would have been intimidating if Viv had not fought a necrarch before.


    Viv cast a light enchantment as they reached the first landing. It was a small open space, now completely empty. The local mana was low concentration brown and black, exactly what one would expect from a place like this. Blue mana would return with the water later. Hopefully.


    A passage led to an adjoining room which they explored first. Nothing was left inside except for empty alcoves and the corroded remains of a metal ladder going up.


    //This would lead to a sewer gate.


    //An emergency exit for the crew, in case something happened.


    ¡°Sewer maintenance people, you mean?¡±


    //Precisely.


    //Many Harrakan cities share the same design when it comes to sewers.


    //This would be a changing room, armory, and emergency safe room in case of a monster.


    //All sewer employees would know how to defend themselves.


    //However, special teams would always be called for anything more dangerous than class 3 threats.


    //It was not the maintenance crew¡¯s duty to fight.


    //We should find more such rooms across the complex.


    ¡°Good, then we can hide there,¡± Poacher said.


    //Naturally, none of the doors will remain intact.


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    Poacher leaned and took her mask out of the way to spit. Viv was actually reconsidering the whole mask thing. The place was dry as hell, and surprisingly not dusty. As they descended further, they reached the first corridor Viv associated with actual sewers. The long, branching tunnel centered on a deep central canal where the dirty water would have flowed. Overheard arches collected refuse from overhead grates and, she assumed, private quarters as well. All of them had been walled off for now. The central canal was empty except for a thin layer of white fossilized matter. Out of curiosity, she took her dagger focus and prodded one of the layers clinging to a nearby column. It clinked with the sound of metal on stone. She removed her mask then. This place was neither dusty nor did it have any smell. If there were really pathogens in the air, that basic piece of tissue wouldn¡¯t block them.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s start left.¡±


    ¡°Do you need paper, milady?¡± Poacher asked while Ban gritted his teeth.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got a perfect memory. Keep an eye out and let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    The exploration was slow going. After the first intersection, Ban requested a set of three lights to cover the blind spots. The One Hundred had brought torches but they preferred to have free hands if possible, and VIv agreed. Her light blue radiance turned the entire level into a strange cathedral of crystallized architecture caught in time. Viv had an extremely strong suspicion that the crystal in question was, well, fossilized excrement, but hey.


    She started to relax as they finished patrolling the first floor. Viv was very thorough, checking every nook and crannies for anything out of the ordinary. The only strange thing was that everything had corroded to an impossible degree, even more so than in Harrak. From the sluice gates to the doors and even fully metal-made ladders, nothing remained but rusted-through scraps. Viv wasn¡¯t sure why but she suspected magic. It did make the inventory of remaining stuff easy.


    The clonk of reinforced soles on stone accompanied the group wherever they went. They first came across a large chute going down into an empty pool far below and no one suggested climbing down the vertiginous walls.


    //There will be an access tunnel nearby.


    The plan was split into sections, forcing the One Hundreds to pass through empty archways when going from one section to another. Viv remembered where they were and hoped they would not have to use them. As Solfis had promised, they found circular stairs diving into the abyss. It was narrow enough that only one man could walk at a time, at least with those massive sets of armor. Once again, Viv was in the middle of the formation where she would be protected. She found herself relying more and more on her mana perception to track possible danger before it could jump on them. The narrow walls worried her the most, as they would give a brown caster an overwhelming advantage. For now, there was nothing unusual besides the low shimmer of her guardians'' enchanted sets.


    They delved deeper.


    The next level started with all the chutes ending in a large open cave dug into the very stone. A large basin waited there, apparently designed to collect the ¡®black water¡¯. Viv had to increase the intensity of the light to reach the farthest reaches.


    ¡°Can you keep this up, Your Grace?¡± Ban asked.


    ¡°Yes, though everything will know we¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Most of the stuff that lives underground doesn¡¯t like light much.¡±


    //That is correct.


    ¡°If the spell fades though, you¡¯ll be completely blinded, even with torches.¡±


    ¡°It will not fade,¡± Ban replied with conviction. ¡°We will make sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Viv was genuinely impressed by the strength of his conviction. His men, plus Brick, continued with unerring discipline as they covered all angles and remained in a state of constant vigilance. It suddenly occurred to her that what they perceived and what she perceived were radically opposed impressions.


    From her perspective, she was in a constant state of winging it through the many curveballs luck threw at her. All of her preparations served the singular purpose of giving her more options when shit hit the fan. The bank heist had been such an experience. The rumors Solfis returned spoke of one of the greatest deeds any thief had accomplished in that magical city. They¡¯d put a fucking bucket on a golem¡¯s head to block its field of view! That was so bad, it was almost cartoonish.


    While she didn¡¯t take herself too seriously, it had become abundantly obvious that her soldiers did.


    And she could not let them down.


    Feeling calmer, Viv continued to move with the rest of the team. Poacher kept telling her what she saw, which was nothing, while Solfis explained what they found.


    //This reservoir should lead into a series of increasingly small filters and cleaning vats.


    ¡°Using enchantments?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Sinur¡¯s Gate was rich.


    //Keeping this system working required little effort to them.


    //Unfortunately, most of the purification work was done by strands of mushrooms selected by specific brown and life mages.


    //They will have long died out.


    ¡°A shame.¡±


    //The city¡¯s mage population can make up for inefficiencies while we come up with a solution.


    ¡°They won¡¯t like that,¡± Poacher commented.


    Viv had to agree. Mages were high in the social pyramid while sewer cleaners lurked at the bottom, metaphor intended. If there were any issues, she would reactivate the enchantments themselves. How could one be considered inferior when they kept the city clean and promoted general hygiene? How could a worker be considered the lowest of the low when there were people who made loud phone calls at the restaurant? She would lead by example.


    They kept moving through smaller series of reservoirs, rune circles still visible on the walls and ceilings. Once again, the sluice gates had melted and the only remaining signs of spell circles were rusty deposits in hollow recesses. Viv only gave the circles a passing glance. They could be reconstituted later. They needed to finish the delve first.


    They came across another safe room on the way, just as Solfis had predicted. The passage did not lead up but to the side, the exit probably somewhere on the cliff¡¯s surface. It took them another ten minutes of careful exploration before the purification basins finally led them to the final piece of the treatment process. A large passage with a very wide canal led forward to a cavern of awesome proportion.


    Viv intensified the light until it touched rows of stalactites in the far end of the opening. From there, the natural formations seamlessly melded into a more rectangular cut wall to for a hollow pyramid pointing up, half natural, half excavated. The base, the entire bottom of the cavern, hosted a reservoir that would rival an olympic swimming pool. A stone column emerged from its center in a vertiginous climb towards the apex of the room, only to break midway, leaving behind a disappointing gash like a broken tooth. The mana here was stronger. The air also smelled musty. Whatever enchantment Viv had felt when looking upon that great work faded immediately.


    ¡°Wait. Something ain¡¯t right,¡± Poacher said, echoing her concerns.


    Ban made a fist and the soldiers tightened their ranks, spears aimed forward towards the reservoir which, at first glance, contained nothing but the same white, crystallized remains as the rest.


    Which made no sense.


    Wait, no, Viv realized, if the spells had faded before the waters could be purified, it would make sense that some of the gunk would end up at the bottom before being cleaned.


    Would it?


    ¡°Back up,¡± she whispered, and the formation walked away from the edge with small, careful steps.


    But then, where were the undead? Sewers clearly had an ecosystem or there would not be so many countermeasures designed to stop it. Surely there was at least something alive down there before the cataclysm. So where were the undead?


    Unless, of course, something had consumed them.


    A glint attracted Viv¡¯s attention to the white gunk covering everything. It was the same residue everywhere. Again, that was weird.


    Unless, of course.


    ¡°It¡¯s not human excrement,¡± Viv realized.


    ¡°Movement, ahead,¡± Poacher replied.


    Something pulsed once, cracking the surface of pallid crust in a quake. A second turned fissures into deep ravines. Black goop erupted from the wounds in pungent eruptions. As if an abscess was pierced, the smell of corruption escaped from the open sore and assaulted Viv¡¯s nose in a revolting tide, an atrocious stench to overshadow even the most necrotic wounds. It was an odor that revolted the brain until the only possible option became fleeing. Already, someone was throwing up and it was all Viv could do not to join them despite her will and constitution. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Something broke the surface. The creature reared up like a flaccid snake, tossing purulent pieces of rotting matter across the room. Decaying gray flesh in bulbous assemblies supported a headless maw filled like a pit with hundreds of inward-facing brittle fangs.


    //Depth worm.


    It was undead, Viv felt, and so she did her best to fight back. Had to cover the One Hundred while they recovered from the shock. Her danger sense and perceptions screamed at her and she let her experience guide her mind.


    ¡°Yoink!¡±


    It was surprisingly easy to drag back the black mana this time. Viv felt a fugacious, deceitful flash of hope in her heart before the link she¡¯d hit disintegrated.


    The head smashed onto the reservoir below with a screech, still alive. From the bisecting wound, hundreds of putrescent maggots erupted, spewed all over them in a doom rain.


    ¡°Oh my GODS! Blight! Werfer!¡±


    Viv coated herself in black mana to stop the stench, then she her fastest area denial spells in quick succession but it would not be enough and¡ª


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Against all odds, Brick smashed her shield on the stone, then stood her ground.


    A strange pull sent Viv back into the realm of clarity.


    Right. This was a monster. Fight the monster.


    Her soul rose, reigniting Ban¡¯s mind with the fires of leadership. They had no need to speak at this point. They knew what to do.


    Her spell tore into the thickest mass of creatures, voiding them where they flew. The blight continued its path towards the twisting remains of the depth worm¡¯s lower extremity as it still vomited torrents of ravenous spawn. She inspected one.


    [Undead depth worm hatchling]


    Not too dangerous. She had to focus on the head now crawling towards them.


    ¡°The side!¡± Poacher said.


    Hatchlings were climbing through the empty canal towards the passage they were standing on.


    ¡°Back up,¡± Ban ordered, and Viv agreed.


    The squad stayed in formation while Viv obliterated most of the hatchlings. The rest swarmed over the heavies and the soldiers¡­ cut them apart.


    With cold efficiency, the back ranks placed their pilums over the head of their companions and punched creatures from the air before they could land. Other hatchlings bounced against runic shields, or they were smashed down or pierced midair by expert spear lunges. The One Hundred fought methodically, systematically, with the well-honed precision of a deadly machine. The display calmed Viv down and let her focus on the head still making its way towards her. The first young spell failed. In answer, she floated a bit above the air to give herself a better field of view.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    A concentrated ray of annihilation carved a narrow path through rotting flesh. Viv used the tiny opening to connect with the worm¡¯s head.


    It was powerful, but nowhere as powerful as a necrarch. And now that Viv had found what was left of the brain, the creature¡¯s resilience worked against it. She cut off the toothy top of the head, leaving the rings flopping aimlessly on the ground.


    Meanwhile, the squad was still falling back. Poacher used a saber to cut at all the hatchlings trying to climb from the sides, though they were few now that they were away from the main corpse. Once Viv was certain the main body was no longer a danger to them, she turned her attention to the swarm.


    A summary blight purged the canal from one end to another, then a second casting spread over the disgusting main reservoir scathing it from end to end. The heavy gas dug into the crater in a greedy shroud. A few last castings and spear thrusts disposed of the last wriggling survivors. The battle ceased due to a lack of combatants. Silence returned to the despoiled battlefield. Viv removed her coating and regretted it in the same instant. With the threat of imminent death no longer needling her on, her willpower finally succumbed. She leaned forward and regurgitated her entire breakfast.


    ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Poacher joined her mid-retch. None of the heavies stooped so low as to join them.


    ¡°Oh that was¡ª¡±


    Viv¡¯s second attempt didn¡¯t fair much better than the first. Solfis picked her bodily, then the squad walked out of the reservoir where the air was comparatively fresher. To be fair, a public toilet at the end of a rave would have smelled better than this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s never, ever, ever mention this battle again,¡± Viv hiccuped.


    No one objected.


    //A sanitization team will have to be dispatched.


    //They must be made aware of the circumstances.


    ¡°You do it. I couldn¡¯t give it justice without swearing for a solid ten minutes.¡±


    Poacher summoned some water from thin air to clean her mouth, something Viv couldn¡¯t do. Ban discreetly did the same for one of his men who had faltered at the beginning of the battle. Viv felt extremely sorry for the One Hundred because she could guess they would be trained to avoid such a problem in the future and she would rather lick a cactus than submit herself to stench conditioning.


    Then they waited.


    They waited for Viv.


    ¡°Hm, so, I think we¡¯ve mapped out everything. We can return now.¡±


    ¡°As you say, ma¡¯am. Formation, march!¡±


    ¡°A word, if you please?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Grace.¡±


    Viv walked next to Ban while the squad headed back as if nothing had happened. From their expressions, it was just another day at work. She used a sound spell for privacy.


    ¡°So, Brick. She just stood there and that grounded me, somehow? Is that a special ability?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, Your Grace. We just know that Brick does not run. Let me say that again, ma¡¯am, because this is important. Brick. Never. Runs. And because she doesn¡¯t move, others will not move either. We saw terrible things in the deadlands. I remember¡­ I remember a dead woman with her stillborn child¡­¡±


    He shook his head, chasing away traumatic memories.


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen the worst of the worst. Trust me. She never falters. I don¡¯t even know if she can.¡±


    ¡°Have you asked her how she can stand her ground like that?¡±


    ¡°I did. And she looked me right in the eyes, and she said: because you didn¡¯t order me to move, sah!¡±


    Viv pondered that for a little while. She¡¯d met an entity more terrifying than herself, once again.


    //Finally.


    //The perfect infantrywoman.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t so.¡±


    //If you insist, Your Grace.


    ***


    Sidjin and Abe volunteered to work on restoring the sewers. When Viv thanked them profusely for it, they admitted that they¡¯d been working on a colorless approach to water purification and needed a testing ground for it. This obviously annoyed Viv very much, however they placated her by agreeing to drink the first glasses they would deem safe.


    Honestly, Viv wasn¡¯t sure she could ever touch anything coming from that hellhole without the haunting memory of ¡®eau de rotten worm ass¡¯ teasing her nostrils. Just the thought sent her reeling. Sidjin also begged her to explain what had gone wrong. She categorically refused. Nobody wanted to mention ¡®the sewer incident¡¯ again, especially Viv, not since she¡¯d found a piece of ancient gunk sticking to her hair.


    This also led Viv to an uncomfortable realization as she saw Sidjin walk up to the room he¡¯d selected for himself.


    She was taking him for granted. And being an ass.


    ¡°Hey, Sidjin, can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Viviane.¡±


    ¡°In my room.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he replied more seriously. ¡°This kind of talk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Viv made her way to the royal bedroom. Solfis deployed and left to give them the illusion of privacy. It was a nice bedroom she had, possibly the most luxurious quarters she¡¯d ever had. The canopied bed, dressers and chests were still rudimentary and yet the care put into each object, each tapestry and each ribbon gave it a loving, cared for presence that Viv didn¡¯t quite deserve yet. She¡¯d been moving a lot and never settling. Maybe it was time to make a home for the foreseeable future. It was also very safe, with wards and solid doors. The two sat next to a short coffee table Viv hadn¡¯t had the time to use. Sidjin boiled them two cups of klod.


    ¡°Look, first, let¡¯s talk about the job part. I want to get it out of the way. You¡¯ve been helping people around and I haven¡¯t even paid you. Or given you a title. And let¡¯s be honest, you¡¯d be overqualified for my job.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, the role of ruler requires sets of skills I am no longer willing to employ. And besides, I am having far more fun coming up with innovative technologies with Abe. Even Solfis grudgingly agreed that we have surpassed some Harrakan standards.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You pair of¡­ obsessive people.¡±


    There were no terms for nerds on Nyil. Maybe she ought to create one.


    ¡°And yes if you do want to give me a job, I¡¯d happily take one.¡±


    ¡°Are you staying for Harrak? Or are you staying for me?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re one and the same, darling. This used to be the frontier town of Kazar, along with its narrow fertile strip. Now, it¡¯s a growing kingdom built on your vision. You even let folks pick their own representatives! How very, very subversive of you. The power of the people¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but it is. Trust me. We are pushing back the deadlands. We are feeding families. We are regrowing arms, curing people, changing lives for the better when everywhere else, those in power would not give them the time of the day. I have repaired the wall of the orphanage in Kazar. The children, the way they looked at me. They were not afraid. They were dreaming. This world is gray, Viv. So long as you struggle for good, I¡¯ll be by your side if you¡¯ll have me. Don¡¯t worry. I know we¡¯re not perfect. What matters is that we all try. And keep trying even if we fall and fail.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I kind of want you to be the, uh, first archmage?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sidjin asked with a knowing smile. He could read her pretty well.


    ¡°Oh, fine, I want you as Prince Consort. However! I¡­ I no longer know you.¡±


    She deflated. The first time, she¡¯d pushed Sidjin into the relationship but now, it felt strange for her to do the same when she¡¯d been the one to stop it. They had drifted away after the arena fiasco and Rakan¡¯s near demise. His scar, his hands, they were familiar yet foreign.


    ¡°We can take it slowly. Very slowly. The first time, you seduced me with great confidence. Allow me to return the favor. After all, in my culture, the prince courts the princess. Not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That sounds pretty nice.¡±


    ¡°I will also act as your second staff on the field of battle. That means I will handle one of the shield arrays. I also have an idea to make your tercio formation even more effective.¡±


    ¡°I am intrigued.¡±


    ¡°Good, that is how it all starts.¡±


    He kissed her on the cheek and left, leaving behind a perfume like clove and fresh soap.


    ¡°You smooth bastard.¡±


    ***


    Viv expected she¡¯d have to put out a lot of fire but that was without counting Lady Azar¡¯s management abilities. With her growing army of helpers, the experienced politician handled most difficulties from trade disagreement to underhanded election tactics, leaving Viv to deal with the weird and unique. Essentially, Azar provided management while Viv provided vision. Harrak had managed well while she was away and it continued to do so now that she was here dealing with issues she was best suited to solve. The first was limb regrowth.


    Just like before, many experts had joined her banner and continued to do so in exchange for the promise of affordable surgery. Contrary to before, the number of warriors had decreased in favor of a more diverse cast. One of the smiths had lost most of his fingers in a fire. A jeweler¡¯s elbow had healed badly after it was broken by a rival. More came because their families needed help, especially children. She healed a small girl disfigured by a dog attack on her second day and that had been a delicate operation. After a week of this, Viv realized it would be better with help.


    So she taught Abe.


    The almost alive person had a knack for black mana. He only needed the change aspect, which was granted to him in a limited manner after a divine insight came from Enttiku. Viv would never forget his eyes turning pitch black and his face twisting in a rictus of beatific ecstasy. Disturbing as all hell. In any case, Abe could not regrow limbs without the help of Enttiku¡¯s clergy since he could not manage the divine healing himself. He was still very slow compared to Viv but there was progress.


    Day after day, Viv regrew fingers, legs, hands, toes, knees, even the occasional eye and left people crying with joy in the arms of their relatives. There were hundreds of them coming when called to experience this miracle. It was possibly the most gratifying experience she¡¯d had in her life.


    The other gratifying experience, though a little tedious, consisted in building more mana-conversion pillars. Some of her staff suggested moving the pillars deeper into the deadlands but Viv fiercely opposed that idea, stating that should parts of the perimeter fail, black mana would pour through the gap corrupting humans and crops alike. Making new pillars was not particularly taxing and they were designed to recharge themselves anyway, so she could just leave the old one in place and they would reactivate if needed. Viv was much more concerned about sabotage and failure than she was about her time. Redundancies existed for a reason. It also took a while for life to return to a recently cleared section, which meant that she had to place pillars first and then the land would become arable weeks, sometimes months later.


    ¡°It is possible that the conversion speed will decrease the farther we are away from the Deadshield woods and its life-enhancing effects,¡± Sidjin observed one day.


    ¡°One more reason to work fast while we are not too busy.¡±


    A model was left to the new mages just so they could learn how to do it but Viv got a dose of realism when it became obvious that the girls had suffered a lot under Elunath¡¯s tyranny and it would take a long time for many of them, and much therapy from Abe, before they could just go and plant obelisks in the deadlands.


    It took Viv over a month before the influx of patients and most of ward work slowed to a trickle. By then, summer would happen soon and with it, the harvest. During the harvest, many soldiers would ask for leave to return to help their families. Viv had limited time to train them before this happened so she decided to make the most of it.


    ¡°We have a problem,¡± she told her staff the night before. ¡°We lack a general.¡±


    They looked at each other, then at her. Sidjin nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°I''m not a general,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not my path. I receive training in tactics and strategy at the Academy and I studied warfare on Earth but I know very little about maneuvers, logistics, everything else that matters. Hell, even fortifying a spot is beyond me. We need a general.¡±


    ¡°And unless we get an unexpected defection, we won¡¯t have one.¡± Sidjin said.


    Farren grabbed the map of Param and placed it on the table between them. The angelic young man took a serious countenance.


    ¡°I believe you are mistaking the roles of general and strategist, Viviane the Oulander. A strategist belongs to a very specific path that has become quite rare following the fall of the empire, simply because it works best, nay, it requires directing an army and is therefore very specialized. A general leads the men. Remember Constable Tarano?¡±


    Of course Viv remembered. She¡¯d shoved an excalibur through his chest.


    ¡°You do. Well, he didn¡¯t have a general path yet he still commanded the loyalist army, and he did so pretty well. Nous-granted skills are not what usually makes a great leader though social skills help. It is, in fact, a combination of many factors.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°The most important of which is that your people follow you and you have us as well. We will have to work together for success and we will. If a strategist does show up, all the better. In the meanwhile, nothing replaces drills.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ***


    The army gathered on the plain outside Sinur¡¯s Gate, on the undead side where little would grow. Even here, at the foot of the cliff, some revenants still found a way to wander within view. The army ignored them so long as they were not in range. Viv opened with a sound enchantment, eager to begin.


    ¡°Soldiers of Harrak, we have been tested before and we have come up the victors because we were superior. Superior in discipline, in equipment, in preparation. Superior in motivation. There is only one aspect where we cannot compete, and that aspect is numbers.


    ¡°Every drop of Harrakan blood we shed must be paid dearly. Every life we have lost must be remembered and avenged. Your lives are precious to Harrak, they are precious to me, and so I have come up with what I believe will best leverage our strength to achieve the only acceptable result: overwhelming victory.¡±


    ¡°Harrak eternal!¡±


    Viv waited for the exclamations to calm down. Once again, the Children of the Scale had led with their enthusiasm, no doubt buoyed by the very smug presence of Arthur at Viv¡¯s side. The dragoness left her bank to motivate her minions for at least an hour. They were overjoyed.


    That annoyed Viv just a little bit.


    ¡°We will fight the way we have always fought: by backing and protecting each other. By combining our strengths until they become something greater. We will be forming a Tercio. The heavies shall block the enemies and fight them directly. The marksmen and women shall deliver death from afar. As for the casters, we will protect you with our portable shields and unleash arcane destruction on our foes.


    ¡°In order to do that, we must first train until we are not soldiers but a well-oiled machine of war: an army. It will be tedious but I assure you, when ranks of our foes fall upon us and fail, you will remember this day fondly. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The idea behind the Tercio was simple in principle yet difficult to execute. Tercios were created by the Spanish Habsburg Empire at the apex of its military might. Ranks of armored pikemen would form a square while mobile groups of arquebusiers, later musketeers, would shoot from within. The tercios enjoyed the staying power of heavy infantry and the range power of firearms which the formation protected well. They were also highly capable on offense while able to defend assaults from any direction, especially if deployed in echelons of several formations.


    Viv would replace pikemen with heavies and arquebusiers with witch pact and hoped it would work. The only issue was that armies at that time had unreliable artillery while Nyil had mage formations. It would be easy for them to annihilate expensive and precious Harrakan heavies. Viv¡¯s solution was the portable shield array.


    Yries metal constructs were not, in fact, tanks. They were metal wagons powered by mana engines. The Yries thought they¡¯d keep the method secret but Viv could read mana easily, too easily, so she knew they functioned on cores. Each wagon was about as long as a Hummer, though narrower. They also kept a rather high profile. The back of the tank was dedicated to the engine, the front to a driver seat, and the top to whatever the yries wanted to fit on there. They moved off four large metal wheels.


    The yries usually fit catapults and ballista, however they¡¯d built three shield arrays according to Viv¡¯s design, powering them with the large black mana cores she had found during her necrarch hunt. They functioned by themselves but they worked better with a mage around who could recharge the core.


    The most basic exercises consisted in having the soldiers simply form around the tanks. Viv elected to take the center one with the One Hundred in front simply because they were the most powerful formation. She picked the Children of the Scales to make up the rest of the square because that was, she believed, the safest spot. For the range company, she picked the Sisters of the Eye since they were the best marksmen. The right flank was traditionally the most dependable so she gave it to the Mountain Sons who had proven they were highly coordinated along with the support of the Bitter Hearts. The left flank had the Fingers supporting the Hightree Company. Both bodies boasted the most versatile fighters gathered from veterans. She was certain they would be the most responsive and adaptive block of her army. Lana joined, to Viv¡¯s surprise, and went with the right flank while Sidjin took the left with easy confidence.


    The first part went well. The soldiers learned to go from column to squares in good times. Viv just showed the officers what needed to be done and they made it happen. She climbed in her tank and activated it, out of curiosity, after they¡¯d formed squares. The construct lit up beautifully and a huge, transparent circle formed a dome over the assembled troops to their delight. A few stragglers walked in as they were a little too far to be covered. Out of curiosity, Viv infused the shield with black mana. It took a lot of energy to feed the large construct but she managed it for a few seconds without problems. The issue was that no one could see anything.


    Lana and Sidjin activated their own which turned a little blue and quite shiny, respectively. The machines worked. The mood improved as a result.


    ¡°Alright, now let¡¯s start moving!¡±


    The rest of the day was spent simply marching in formation, then holding. Just as she¡¯d planned, the three Tercios were echeloned with her own being slightly forward. By the first day¡¯s end, they were able to move forward and fall back while keeping the formation functional.


    What surprised Viv the most was how thoroughly disciplined everyone was. She¡¯d expected some sort of issue but each company was attempting to outdo the others in terms of performance, and they really took the exercise seriously.


    The second day was much the same but with lateral movements which ended in disaster the first few times. Then, Viv had the Tercios move independently. At the end of the day, she tested the shield¡¯s power in front of everyone by sitting inside her own tank and having Sidjin and Lana bombard her. She invited others to try and this turned into a game.


    Stones and spells smashed into Viv¡¯s shield first by the soldiers, then more joined from spectators coming from the city. By the time night fell, all of the girls including a giddy Rakan and his students had gathered to throw everything they had at Viv who merely bothered to look cool while using the Aspect of the Guardian skill to beef up her shield. The diversion worked well to alleviate boredom and the next days kept going with the same patient determination as the others.


    Once Viv was confident people could move, she tried to have them charge forward for the first time. The first few attempts actually succeeded, although the shield could not follow. The tanks didn¡¯t have enough acceleration. Viv could only offset this by having the shield move forward before the charge started. It wasn¡¯t a perfect workaround, however.


    ¡°We will improve next designs. We promise,¡± her yries pilot assured her. ¡°More death. Faster. Add spikes in the front.¡±


    Viv glared at the yries who remained the very picture of owlish innocence. She recognized him as the same lad who¡¯d piloted the drill, the one that pierced the walls of Kazar during her very first campaign. He was just as unhinged now as he¡¯d been back then. She suspected the bioweapon yries group were a gathering of murderous whack jobs by their society¡¯s standards. She wondered what that meant.


    ¡°Ok? So long as it can keep up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, keep up, and smash into humans.¡±


    Viv glared harder.


    ¡°The bad humans.¡±


    ¡°I have my eyes on you.¡±


    ***


    ¡°We regret to inform you that the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange will not assist you in recovering Elunath¡¯s money, nor make the attempt, for the simple reason that you have been stripped of all rights in Helock and branded a criminal.¡±


    Viv shrugged. She suspected as much but it was worth a try.


    ¡°Make no mistakes, we have already refused their attempt to seize your belongings. For the same reason, we cannot request them to comply with their own laws because, in the end, the interpretation of their laws is their prerogative. It would be a waste of lawyers'' fees to try to convince a government to work against their own interests for the sake of ¡®honesty¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I figured it might set a bad precedent.¡±


    ¡°It would set a terrible precedent to reward an aggressor for being clever. I can only congratulate you on your victory and hope you took everything that wasn¡¯t nailed down.¡±


    ¡°I did my best.¡±


    ***


    After two weeks of constant practice, the army could do as she wanted so she started shuffling formations, changing one company for another. It turned out that not much changed so the time came to test the army in the field. They gathered some rations, then Viv distributed her brand new invention.


    Portable radios.


    Those were actually communicating devices mounted on helmets and, if she had to be absolutely honest, okay, not her invention. However, though the Paramese already used communication in the field, those were mostly made using spells and horn signals. The ability to communicate complex orders should help. It took a bit of getting used to but eventually, she had a system in place where officers could listen in on orders and activate the secondary module to reply.


    Feeling rather confident, they traveled north, stopping regularly to practice deploying in places where there was simply not enough space to fight normally. This forced the squares to become more compact, or to temporarily disband while going through a chokepoint. After that came the real test: actual battle.


    Using a life beacon, Viv attracted a rather large force of revenants to attack her people. Using her square as bait allowed the two other formations to charge to cover her back. Viv made sure to kill revenants before anyone could really get hurt. It also revealed a new flaw in her formation: the lack of thickness.


    One of the issues they had was almost a parity between lighter, shooting troops and heavies. This meant that the squares were relatively fragile if the marksmen were given enough room to move around. To remedy this situation, Viv had the Tercios practice heavier sides. That took a long time to get right. It was also at this point that Sidjin perfected his innovation: deployable forts. His idea was to create elevated platforms with crenelation from which the marksmen could shoot without having to do so over the ranks of the heavies. It was a great idea and they practiced its implementation. Although Viv could not do it as well as the others, eldritch walls still served the same purpose.


    When they returned to Sinur¡¯s Gate, they had an army capable of maneuvering albeit one that would still need to be tested in battle and improved upon. That was fine with Viv. She was in no rush to go to war.


    The first message upon her return came, to her surprise, from Irao.


    ¡°King Sangor of Enoria wants to come visit.¡±


    ¡°Ah. And I assume he is not very pleased.¡±


    ¡°You assume very well,¡± Irao replied, sarcasm going over his head. ¡°He is coming with two thousand men.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is this war?¡±


    ¡°No. This is intimidation.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know? I¡¯m an intimidation expert.¡±

 Chapter 151: Sovereign meeting

    ¡°So, he is warning us.¡±


    Viv stood in the council chamber of her palace with Enoria¡¯s official letter in front of her. The room overlooked the deadlands and offered a perpetual background of roiling clouds above the distant, shambling shapes of revenants. It was not a pleasant view. She kept it that way on purpose.


    People leaned over the nice parchment. It did look nice. It was polite, too.


    ¡°To Lady Viviane,


    It shall be my honor to visit you in your territory on the fifteenth day of the month of seeding, along with my retinue.¡±


    The rest was the typical signature and honorifics the Paramese nobles were fond of using in their correspondence. Viv immediately nodded a few important points. Meanwhile, Farren had an opinion.


    ¡°If he¡¯s announcing a visit, he will not attack. The Temple of Neriad would consider this a grave violation of the sacred laws of negotiation. The presence of so many soldiers is a display of strength.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Viv interrupted. ¡°You cannot think that.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    She pointed at the letter.


    ¡°Sangor never mentions Harrak or even Kazar. That means he doesn¡¯t recognize us as a people. That¡¯s one. Two, you cannot rely on rulers following treaties because everything is a question of cost and opportunity. If Sangor decides it is better to reabsorb us and face the consequences for years rather than let us exist, he will attack. And three, regardless of the likelihood of an actual attack, we cannot afford not to react in kind. If there is even a sliver of chance his army will strike us, we must be ready for it.¡±


    Sidjin nodded in approval. Farren looked disappointed but not exactly combative.


    ¡°I concede your main point, which is that we must prepare for war regardless of Sangor¡¯s intentions.¡±


    ¡°He might fabricate a casus belli,¡± Lady Azar added. ¡°It has been done before, at least in Baran. Duke Sotti recently slew a recalcitrant baron at a party using the excuse of insubordination. He made penance, paying weregild to the man¡¯s widows. He still regained control of the barony in the end because his actions were legally justified. We are not recognized by the Paramese alliance for now. Sangor can do with us as he pleases with only a slap on the wrist.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv said. ¡°Then we are in agreement. I will meet him as he requests¡­ with the army.¡±


    ¡°And the levies?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be needed.¡±


    Lady Azar considered the question.


    ¡°The space before Sinur¡¯s Gate would be a decent place for a meeting. It has room for all of their soldiers. It would also let them see our prosperity so that they speak of it when they return home. Kazar was always considered a frontier. Now, the deadlands have been pushed back.¡±


    ¡°We will do no such a thing. I¡¯m not letting them take a single step on our land where they¡¯ll get a chance to get rowdy. Never will we be at the mercy of a superior opponent if we can stop them before they can reach us. We will meet¡­¡±


    She pointed at the halfway lake, the only safe stopping place on the path through the Deadshield Woods. Viv had split the teleport path in two there specifically to act as a sort of airlock, with one gate leading to Aneston in Enoria, and the other to Kazar.


    ¡°...there.¡±


    ¡°There is barely enough space for a couple hundred men!¡±


    ¡°Not to worry. I will make the room.¡±


    ***


    Viv emerged from the witch gate into the depths of the woods, where one may lose themselves forever. Going from the expanse of tamed land to the pulsating, vivid heart of the forest disorientated her. Dense mana covered every tree, seeped through every crevice in their urge to make things grow. There was a life there that even dragons could not quench. There was death as well, death in the soil and in the claws of the many predators haunting the boughs. Towering copses surrounded the lake on all sides. The only signs of civilization were the black smears on the grass, remains of recent fires. Of the catastrophic damage the blaze drones had inflicted on this patch of land during Lancer¡¯s attack, nothing was left. The Deadshield Woods stood eternal and the nations of men ought to be grateful it was content with what it had.


    Sidjin emerged from the gate at her side, grumbling about witch magic and the lack of respect for traditional spellcasting. Arthur arrived a second later through her own portal because she wanted to show off.


    ¡°Right, darling. Only two days before they show up. How would you like to proceed?¡±


    ¡°First, we get some intimacy.¡±


    Viv gestured and the far witch gate deactivated, the path closed until she decided otherwise.


    She could simply stay like that. It was likely Sangor didn¡¯t have the material or supplies to cross the woods which had always been a perilous affair until Viv¡¯s generous contribution. But she wouldn¡¯t. Because it was not about being difficult. It was about sending a message.


    ¡°There, we won¡¯t be bothered until I say so. Second, we make space.¡±


    ¡°And how would we do that?¡± the Red Mist of Glastia asked with a knowing smile.


    ¡°We burn it all down to the fucking ground.¡±


    ¡®SQUEE!¡±


    And so the terrible work began.


    Tactical spells designed to turn companies into paste tore through majestic trunks and heavy branches with undeserving fury. Trees buckled. Rocks flew. Sometimes, unlucky harriens and colorful birds were caught, too stupid to understand the destruction coming for them. A rolling wave of force, fire, and death shredded through square kilometers of land without respite in a great din that sent the wildlife stampeding away to safety. At some point, Rakan came with his pupils and decided it was a great exercise. Abe also came with the ladies and decided that a cathartic exercise in deforestation was ¡®a refreshing task that unlimbered the legs and promoted the free expression of one¡¯s magical might in a safe environment¡¯.


    That turned out to be a little untrue when a mighty roar shook the very earth. A titanic being crashed through the undergrowth, a hunched creature covered in growths and rocks like a moving ridge. It glared at Viv from small beady eyes deeply embedded in a craggy face barely discernible from its surroundings. Lianas and stones floated around it, seeking a foe. Viv inspected it.


    [Antalis Queen, dangerous, natural brown caster]


    She looked angry.


    ¡°Did you expect we would attract such attention?¡± Sidjin asked without much concern.


    ¡°Expect? I was counting on it. I¡¯ll make you queen of my dinner, you legged knoll.¡±


    The Antalis queen was strong, yet against the combined power of Viv, Sidjin, Arthur, Abe, and Rakan, that strength did very little.


    After they killed it, Viv stared at the hole she had dug in the creature¡¯s face. She had used the hyperbeam spell, the one that offered the best penetration at range. It had not quite killed the creature in a single hit.


    The beast¡¯s fallen mass served as a reminder that it was just one of the many predators inhabiting the forest, and although they were deep, it was still nothing compared to the true heart far north of here. There would always be a bigger fish, but for now, they remained in control of the field.


    The next part was much less fun so only Sidjin and Viv worked on it, and they did so for hours. Cutting and burning was all well and good. It would not create a flat space suitable to stand on. The eldritch wall spell proved to be a good alternative to brown mana in getting a flat, serviceable surface.


    The two worked for the entire day, then through much of the night. Irao arrived the next morning confirming Sangor would arrive the day after, shortly before noon, along with his two thousand men.


    ¡°They have three hundred and twenty-six knights and six hundred and fifty-eight archers. I counted them myself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You are welcome. I am leaving now. Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Take care!¡±


    The timing would be fine. At dawn, Viv called for the army which was camping in the plains of Kazar. They showed up eager and excited. The deployment was made with a festive mood, even with a non-negligible risk of war. In fact, they seemed to be looking forward to it. Witchpact companies outdid each other with war paints while the heavies made sure their spear pennants were fluffy and clean for maximum floating-in-the-breeze effect. The best part was when Sidjin approached Viv with a nice chest.


    ¡°What is it? Oooooh my old armor. Very ¡ª OH MY GODS THERE ARE TINY HOLES FOR MY WINGS!¡±


    Not true wings.


    ¡°Hush you. Sidjin, thank you so much. I was just thinking that I have returned to my normal height. Excellent. I¡¯m never pulling the wings back in again. It¡¯s just so comfortable to have them hanging around.¡±


    ¡°You do enjoy things that hang around.¡±


    ¡°Silence,¡± Viv hissed. ¡°Not in front of the child.¡±


    I know what mating is.


    ¡°They grow up so fast. Anyway. Let me put this on.¡±


    Viv¡¯s old armor was half enchanted robe and half fashion statement. The enchantments were made of silverite, the second half of what she¡¯d gotten from Solfis¡¯ hangar. It was very precious and the work of Helock¡¯s best tailors. Between this and her skinsuit, she felt properly dressed.


    ¡°Maybe I should buy enchanted boots.¡±


    Boots are stupid. Feet are stupid.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll make them out of insolent white dragon scales.¡±


    Noooooooo!


    ***


    Sangor hated the ¡®witch gates¡¯. He hated them because they¡¯d popped on his land without his knowledge or approval. He hated them because they made such things as borders, forts, and logistics less relevant. Mostly, he hated them because they were a powerful tool in a rival as unpredictable as she was frustrating.


    And now he would have to use one.


    The strange circle lit up when Yrlin of the Thorns touched it. His paramour gave him a smile that showed her canines, her usual, before stepping in along with a detachment of knights. She returned a moment later.


    ¡°It¡¯s working. Oh, and she¡¯s expecting us. Try not to let it get to you, hmm? We do not want to gawp in front of the social climber.¡±


    Sangor could read between the lines.


    ¡°Captain, stay here and make sure the men understand they are carrying the dignity of Enoria as they go through the gate. We will be deploying in defensive formation against infantry. I expect the highest standards of professionalism.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    Sangor had brought some of his best along with capital troops from the south, in theory loyal but untested as they were on the other side during the war. Besides Yrlin, the only high-ranking member of his retinue was Edwin Milderry, from Green Edge, who had insisted on coming to see how ¡®that ballsy young witch¡¯ was doing. He offered a nice counterpart to Bishop Reno who had the the privilege of being the representative of the Church of Maranor and the highest-ranking asshole Sangor couldn¡¯t afford to have publicly flogged. At least, the witch gates would make the trip shorter. Silver linings.


    Sangor breathed in when nobody could see him, then he walked through.


    The feeling was disorienting but brief and he soon found himself in the middle of the Deadshield Woods¡¯ path to the Old Empire.


    Despite warnings, it was all he could do not to appear affected. His leadership guided him into the appearance of a confident sovereign riding down the slope on a mighty warhorse, barded in armor. The very symbol of Enoria. Elite knights surrounded him as he took in the surroundings.


    It was a vision of the apocalypse.


    Where he expected a maze of trees and leaves, the land was flat for hundreds of paces in every direction, broken, ravaged. Black smoke rose through the late spring air in ominous columns where the fires had not yet died. The ground was dark and twisted, flat, tamed and clawed by powerful destructive magic. It was a display of destructive power that should have cost enough mana to raze a fortress and they¡¯d done it as a warning. And in the middle of all that devastation stood the Harrakan army, and he knew, in this moment, that he would not take the deadlands by force.


    Rows of heavy infantry in black armor stood in grim formations, white pennants floating in the wind the only signs they were not statues. Masses of crossbowmen and¡­ yes, those were women, grinned at them from behind the lines or from the top of earth barricades built with magic, their features hidden behind morbid face paints like southern savages. War machines occupied the back ranks and the core of the formation. All and all, over a thousand five hundred combatants waited in well-prepared positions, slightly up the slope. They watched the Enorians line up on the plains and they seemed¡­ eager. Eager and amused. He inspected them to confirm what his instincts told him.


    An old woman with a goofy smile.


    [Bitter Heart Markswoman]


    A skull-faced girl with a massive crossbow decorated with silver patterns.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    [Elder Sister of the Eye]


    A bearded man with scars and a two-handed longsword on his back.


    [Hightree Heavy Linebreaker]


    They already had military traditions. Neriad¡¯s bollocks, that wasn¡¯t bad for such a short time. Out of curiosity, he concentrated on the war machines.


    [Shrill catapult, fire wasps]


    What the fuck?


    Just as he focused on another, a shape in a black cloak appeared out of nowhere near his target. It was a bald man with strange yellow eyes and an axe on his back. The man glared at him, made a throat-slitting gesture, then disappeared again. A Hadal. The reports were true.


    Right, no more inspections.


    The witch was waiting for them.


    In the middle of the clearing, someone had erected a large tent. A group of knights in black armor formed a half-circle around it, as was tradition in negotiations. The witch was waiting for him on a comfortable, slightly saggy couch along with a few people he didn¡¯t recognize. There was a northerner in mage garb, a severe Baranese woman with prim gray hair, the horrendous bone golem, and the young dragon who had, and he had to double check, golden ribbons on her black horns. The witch waved when he looked. She was one of three people who actually moved out of the hundreds of glaring people. The second was a stout lad cutting meat out of the belly of a colossal dead beast sporting wounds that would have destroyed a fortress gate. The last one was one of the ugliest women he had ever seen. She was grilling meat skewers, fanning them and rubbing them with oil. He had to compose himself not to be taken aback by the outrageous display.


    ¡°The hills behind us are trapped with black mana constructs,¡± Yrlin chuckled. ¡°Do try not to aggravate her too much?¡±


    ¡°Can you disarm them?¡±


    ¡°Yes but she will feel it and it will be an act of war. The man by her side is the fallen prince of Glastia, Sidjin the Red Mist.¡±


    Right. Do not provoke the witch. Easy.


    As he approached, he noted the more alien elements of her appearance. The armor already set the tone but the monstrous eyes and shadow limbs confirmed she was now an elemental archmage of the black color. The first in recorded history. It didn¡¯t take a mage to feel the power radiating from her, even at a distance. He watched those emerald circles in her black sclera and felt an alien amusement, an intellect both unhinged and soaked in the otherworldly knowledge she spread around like a peasant spreads seed, eager to see what would take root.


    A cynical part of him harped on that he should have killed her when he¡¯d met her, that outlanders were always a mess. He had not, because he had not risen to power by killing the unknown. He had harnessed it. She had been¡­ less important at that time. He had been on the verge of triumph with Tarano trapped like a rat in Green Hedge. There was no reason for him to care about her anymore when he had finished a war that had started while he was just a child. Now¡­ some things had changed. None for the best.


    The witch didn¡¯t stand up to receive him, though she smiled invitingly as she gestured to the seats. The ugly old woman brought another two from somewhere behind the ranks of black-clad knights. Sangor recognized Rollo, a famed Baranese champion renowned for his jousting prowess as well as his love for another man. Truly, Harrak had embraced different norms.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome. Take a seat, all of you. Thank you, Gogen. Nice to see you again Milderry! We started on the skewers before you arrived. They¡¯re best when hot. Tea?¡±


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Sangor replied.


    It would be rude to refuse. It would also play in her favor. He sat on a straight-backed chair of decent enough make since it didn¡¯t groan under the weight of his armor. Yrlin sat daintily by his side, hand caressing her pregnant belly. Milderry crashed in his seat with a roaring laughter while Bishop Reno refused the invitation altogether.


    Sangor expected it. Maranor favored power and until she was recognized, she would remain a traitor and a revolutionary in Her eyes. Of course, all the witch had to do was welcome the clergy of the Goddess of Power in her domain but so far, she¡¯d neglected to do so.


    The witch glared at the bishop, a reptilian gaze that said nothing. She picked a skewer and bit it, teeth digging in the juicy flesh of an apex monster. Now, she was seated and comfortable and eating in front of a man who remained at parade rest, an insult and a show of control. The bishop bristled. Sangor felt like sighing. The clergyman was reaping the consequences of his decision.


    Sometimes, dogma went in the way of situational intelligence, he observed.


    ¡°Antalis Queen! It is good for me, beloved,¡± Yrlin said.


    A breach of protocol. The two women were thoroughly enjoying themselves needling the poor bishop and Sangor¡¯s own patience.


    ¡°Have some more!¡±


    The Gogen woman placed a large platter in front of the dragon, who picked a nice piece of meat on a stick between two delicate talons. Serrated rows of fangs that could bite through plate armor closed on it while the creature fixed her crimson, malevolent gaze on the bishop.


    Alright, that was enough.


    ¡°Thank you for having me here. I believe this meeting was long overdue. This is my paramour and archwitch of the thorns, Yrlin.¡±


    ¡°We had the pleasure of meeting back in Green Hedge after you freed me. Congratulations are in order, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Yrlin replied. ¡°And I see you still follow the Path of the Sun with¡­ a lot of enthusiasm.¡±


    ¡°That was the war witch tradition, yes? I suppose I do then. On my side, please meet Baroness Azar, my chancellor.¡±


    The prim lady nodded, her eyes calculating. Sangor knew who Azar was because she represented everything Enorians disliked about the old guard: smooth and cunning pursuit of power for its own sake. He had no idea what the witch had promised to get this career dire viper slithering in her bosom but he hoped it wasn¡¯t worth it.


    ¡°And this is Edwin Milderry, Duke of Green Edge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s some good meat! If you ever want to retire from the evil overlord gig, I have a position as a monster hunter available.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there is only enough room in Green Edge for one monster hunter. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Hah! And no matter what the others say, nice going with Tarano. That overinflated ego had a good twatting coming, he did.¡±


    Sangor listened to the song of Bishop Reno¡¯s teeth grinding against each other.


    ¡°And here is Bishop Reno, of the Church of Maranor.¡±


    ¡°This is my daughter, She-Who-Feasts-on-Many-and-Creates-Much-Wealth. You know Solfis. And this is Sidjin, archmage and advisor. And my paramour.¡±


    ¡°Her name really is that long?¡± Yrlin asked with some curiosity, yet another breach of protocol.


    My claws are very long as well.


    And my fire is very hot.


    ¡°My apologies, I did not mean to criticize.¡±


    ¡°Could we have some intimacy?¡± Sangor interrupted.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the witch replied.


    She waved and the air changed in quality. The sound of the wind died down. They could speak freely. Well, mostly freely.


    ¡°Let me get to the point. You have placed portals on my lands. This is a violation of my sovereignty and is therefore entirely unacceptable. You will cease.¡±


    He gave her a pointed look. She shrugged.


    ¡°My safety was at risk. But sure, no problem.¡±


    That told Sangor a few things. Either the witch didn¡¯t intend to travel north again or she had ways to travel that didn¡¯t need portals or she was confident she could hide them. Or any combination of the three, really. This was going to be a long day.


    ¡°Speaking of portals, General Jaratalassi suggested that I could create a network between our land and the Baranese frontier for the fast transfer of troops. I can build portals that others can activate with enough mana.¡±


    ¡°You have been invited to the Paramese alliance?¡± Sangor asked with disbelief.


    ¡°Yes. Jaratalassi requested reinforcements within the next few months. He has¡­ concerns.¡±


    ¡°He always has concerns. How do you know old Steel Trap?¡±


    ¡°He was my teacher at the Academy and I served under him during the last Hallurian incursion.¡±


    ¡°I see. I was under the impression the incursion was repulsed.¡±


    ¡°Jaratalassi expressed doubts on account of the fact that only a single warlord attacked us.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Sangor considered his options. The witch casually dropped significant pieces of information as if she didn¡¯t know what they implied. The Paramese alliance was a loosely aligned gathering of nations tasked with fighting off the Halurians with one implicit clause: if a member of the alliance was actively fighting on the frontier, the others would stop any conflict for the duration of the participation. Truces were not strictly enforced but violators would see themselves barred out of international agreements, not to mention attracting the ire of Neriad. The Righteous god seldom expressed his anger. When he did¡­


    If Sangor pushed too hard, the witch could appeal to Baran through her pet court animal. It would be a disaster.


    ¡°Perhaps an arrangement can be made,¡± Lady Azar suggested. ¡°Witch gates can be used by anyone and they can be easily maintained if Her Grace has access to them. Witch gate networks can be extremely profitable for trade since they allow the travelers to save weeks of transit, not to mention less risk. Moreover, any mage can activate one. I am certain a man of your talent would see the remarkable potential of a new means of transport.¡±


    The bishop took a deep breath. The man could feel when power changed hands. That offer was of tremendous value, and the implications were significant. Yrlin warned him that it took an understanding of reality only few could grasp to replicate the spell. So far, only she and Sidjin could build such gates. It gave them an enormous bargaining chip.


    It also meant that the first sovereigns to bow to the Harrakan witch would gain an enormous advantage at the cost of submission to what was essentially a monopoly on cheap logistics.


    Sangor considered the question. Enoria¡¯s mage corps was decimated. It would take decades to rebuild it. Meanwhile, the northern province already boasted an active gate system.


    He had little choice in the matter.


    ¡°I assume you have conditions.¡±


    ¡°We would be interested in a trade agreement, a fair bargain, I assure you. Here are the terms,¡± Lady Azar said, and she passed him a sheet.


    Those were lists of approved goods as well as tariffs. The gates would cost twenty-five gold talents a season per gate to maintain with rebates in case the witch used it for her own purposes, such as by moving her army. He would, of course, collect a toll on anyone trying to use the gate which meant merchants would bleed money into his pockets for several times the amount the witch was asking for. It was a fantastic deal that would make both sides rich.


    He still nitpicked on the price of precious metals because he could not afford to agree on the spot. The bishop grumbled.


    ¡°Sir, I would advise against¡­ premature decisions. With this¡­¡±


    Pain in his fucking ass.


    Sangor didn¡¯t have to intervene, which he was still reluctant to do. Instead, the bone abomination everyone called a war golem but Sangor suspected was just a little bit more than that surged to its feet. Deployed, the creature was a gaunt, twisted entity taller than the tallest man with fingers ending in sharp knives. A voice like a snarl emerged from the engraved skull.


    //Diplomatic immunity does not cover clear insults.


    //Watch your tongue.


    //Or I will extract it from your broken jaws.


    For an instant, the dichotomy between the polite gathering and the presence of the golem became too much to bear for his fraying composure. A voice screamed in his mind that out of the five ¡®people¡¯ facing him, only Lady Azar and Sidjin were technically human. The witch¡¯s upsetting eyes and strange shoulder blades demonstrated that the rest of her features were just a mask. He could feel the mage control sphere, the space around them where they could control mana with as much ease as within their bodies, from across the table. And all of this was only the second most powerful tool in her arsenal.


    The most powerful tool was how normal she made it seem.


    And she didn¡¯t realize it.


    Rollo, a knight who could have found employment anywhere in the northern cities, stood guard while Sidjin, one of the continent¡¯s best war mages, lounged comfortably in his seat. They were calm. And that was crazy, absolutely insane to him. For decades, Kazar had been a dot on the map, and afternote in books on the deadlands. And now an army of several different races using long-dead techniques and war machines the likes of which Param had never seen assaulted the deadlands for its plunder, pushing the curse back and turning the liberated soil into farms. All of that under the rule of an outlander elemental who might just be a little insane, whose ideas challenged everything they believed about governance. And they didn¡¯t question it. They didn¡¯t question how implausible this all was, and how if he¡¯d not seen it with his bare eyes, he would never have believed. More than ten thousand refugees had crossed the forest in the past year alone and still more waited in Anelton for the witch gates to clear again. And some of those people could vote for actual representatives and those representatives themselves voted on things like taxes and this was accepted by her. It was actually a thing that they believed in and it worked and this was absolutely, completely out of this world. A dragon was the bloody heir to the bloody throne! What was next? Merl soldiers? Kark? A dragon minister? He didn¡¯t know and he was afraid that this was all. Absolutely. Possible.


    Suddenly, Sangor just wanted to go back home to Losserec and leave the witch problem to someone else.


    ***


    Viv watched the group of four debating the merits of Lady Azar¡¯s sweet, sweet trap. Sangor seemed intrigued. Yrlin looked over his shoulder, skimming over the list while a hand remained protectively over her belly. The bishop still seethed in his armor while Milderry gobbled more meat, obviously bored out of his mind. She took another bite as well, the delicious juice titillating her palate.


    She was feeling great.


    They were falling for one of the oldest tricks in the book.


    She would simply make it far too costly for others to invade her.


    If Enoria had a trade network that relied on her, older means of transportation like caravans would disappear due to a lack of profitability. Resources would be transferred elsewhere. Caravan hands would operate in smaller groups. Maybe guards would transfer somewhere else. And then, attacking her would mean that the network would fall into disrepair when the spell inevitably weakened. That would paralyze the entire Enorian trade industry for at least a while, until they rebuilt the caravan network. Add that to her improving army and the alliance and she was becoming too painful to erase.


    Her attention returned to Bishop Reno. He was still glaring daggers at her. And testing her patience.


    ¡°The clergy of Maranor doesn¡¯t hold you in great esteem,¡± Sangor said without looking.


    ¡°Why? Is it because I¡¯ve killed some of your priests? Don¡¯t take it personally, I¡¯ve killed a lot of priests. From Gomogog, Octas, Efestar, you name it.¡±


    The Bishop was now on the verge of apoplexy. Viv had only named dark gods.


    ¡°And Neriad,¡± Sangor added drily.


    Viv and Solfis replied in unison.


    ¡°He perished in the mine and the cause of death was determined to be mole monsters.¡±


    //Her perished in the mine and the cause of death was determined to be mole monsters.


    ¡°Squee.¡±


    ¡°YOU HEATHENS!¡±


    ¡°What the esteemed bishop means is that you have caused considerable damage to the cause by slaying champions that Maranor held in high regard,¡± Sangor added.


    ¡°During a negotiation,¡± the bishop forced out between gritted teeth.


    Viv got a very strong feeling about the whole interaction.


    And that strong feeling was that Sangor didn¡¯t want to be here. The only person who apparently wanted to be here was the bishop. It was an interesting tidbit. Most of the time, someone sympathizing with her didn¡¯t mean they would actually act on those sympathies. It was up to her to exploit this opportunity.


    ¡°This arrangement seems profitable to us both, especially if the Baranese agree.¡±


    ¡°I have an unofficial agreement with them to do so.¡±


    ¡°I agree in theory though I will only sign tomorrow after I have had time to consider the question.¡±


    ¡°Would you consider attending my coronation as well? It will happen very soon.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± Sangor replied with a pointed look while the Bishop reflexively flexed his blade hand.


    Viv knew this was a tall order but she¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°To be perfectly honest, we will only recognize you as an independent entity if we are the last ones in the continent to do so. No amount of money or teleportation will convince the wounded pride of my more conservative supporters. The humiliation that came with the deaths of Lancer and Tarano still lingers. I already shove arrows into invasion proposals every month. Do not push your luck.¡±


    ¡°The gates might turn opinions in your favor,¡± Yrlin said. ¡°Walking can be so tedious. Especially for me!¡±


    ¡°The opinion of goodmothers might not sway the entire land,¡± Sangor told her in a tactful, low voice.


    ¡°Well my goodmother opinion better sway yours,¡± the archwitch of thorns replied.


    Viv waited while Sangor came to the painful realization he¡¯d walked right into that one.


    ¡°Hm. I don¡¯t suppose you would be interested in a reunification?¡± he finally said though it was clear he didn¡¯t believe it could be done.


    ¡°Is this a marriage proposal?¡± Viv asked. ¡°Just kidding. Please do not look at me like that, Yrlin, I am not poaching.¡±


    ¡°Oh I would refuse it myself even if the nobles could tolerate a witch on the throne. The expectations they have of their wives! Dreadful.¡±


    ¡°Just so, though I anticipated you might ask and so I have prepared a little something.¡±


    Viv gestured for Lady Azar to give them a sheaf of paper. The old baroness had a twinkle in her eyes that Viv knew she shared. Sangor read the first lines with much curiosity before his face fell into an expression of tired suffering. He passed the document to Milderry who went into a full belly laugh.


    ¡°The condition under which Enoria will be allowed to rejoin the Harrakan Empire,¡± he finally forced between two chuckles.


    The discussion went on for a while after that though the tone was more casual. They smoothed a few aspects of the agreement, then Sangor requested a particularly heinous criminal to be turned over which Viv agreed on provided the clergy of Neriad determined he was guilty. The King of Enoria left shortly after, taking great care to help his paramour stand up. Milderry complained that they couldn¡¯t stay for dinner until Viv invited him for a visit any time he wanted. The Enorian expedition left the plain over the following hour. The Harrakans watched them leave with various degrees of satisfaction.


    ¡°I believe much better terms could have been agreed upon with better knowledge of Sangor¡¯s situation. We must consider a spy network with all haste,¡± Lady Azar noted, thoughtful.


    ¡°It went pretty well,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Nobody died. Therefore, it went pretty well.¡±


    Sidjin stood up at that.


    ¡°Having seen Viv in action, I regretfully say that I find this statement accurate. Viv darling, will I get points for helping you stand up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then allow me to carry this situation using other means.¡±


    With an amused smile, Sidjin picked up a rolled parchment from Yrlin¡¯s seat. He unfolded it with great care before presenting its contents to the Ascender.


    ¡°Please meet us in Arleton tonight around midnight, behind the blacksmith shop. Be discreet.¡±


    ¡°Aha, looks like we might get better terms after all,¡± Viv said.


    The last of the Enorian knights crossed the portal which closed without issue. A great clamor rose from the ranks of the Harrakan army. Screams, jeers, and the ululating taunt of the witchpacts filled the smoky air with vindictive merriment.


    ¡°See? They agree with me,¡± Viv continued. ¡°It went very well.¡±


    ***


    The portal popped and Viv took a deep breath. A week on foot crossed in an instant. Above them, the stars were clear while it had been cloudy in the forest. The air smelled different and the mana was much weaker. Solfis stopped by her side.


    //We have arrived.


    ¡°Who are you? Oh, Lady Viv?¡± one of two sentinels asked, spears extended.


    Viv sighed and raised a hand.


    ¡°I solemnly swear I harbor no ill intentions and do not intend to harm anyone in anyway during my visit tonight.¡±


    With her other hand, she grabbed for a purse and removed a few silver bits.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also make it worth your while if you keep my visit to yourself.¡±


    ¡°You are trying to bribe us?¡± the first guard asked, passably offended.


    ¡°I am trying to compensate you for something you¡¯ll do no matter what,¡± Viv replied with a pointed gaze.


    The second guard elbowed the first.


    ¡°For the love of Sardanal, shut the fuck up and take the money because her next argument¡¯s gonna be the golem.¡±


    //Very astute.


    ¡°Right. You can go, we won¡¯t tell. Just¡­ don¡¯t mess things up, alright?¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    Viv cloaked in mana infused with the shadow meaning. She and Solfis raced to the palissade surrounding a newly rebuilt Anelton with good speed. They stopped at a section of wall between two sleepy sentries and scaled it, and by that, Viv meant that she grabbed onto Solfis and he crawled up like the world deadliest centipede. The two dropped down behind the inn and moved up before a drunk patron might come across them on his way to the loo. Like two skulking shadows, they jumped over fences, scaring the occasional dog.


    ¡°I feel very naughty about the whole thing.¡±


    //It better not be sexual.


    ¡°Why is everything always leading back to sex with you?¡±


    The golem only growled in reply and Viv enjoyed that rare and fugacious ¡®gotcha¡¯ until they reached their destination. The back of the smith¡¯s house was empty, crates piled up on dying grass. Viv immediately noticed the mana exuding from a nearby shed. She dropped her own spell first.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Come out.¡±


    The shed fell apart, the wood turning into spiked branches before being absorbed back into the earth. Viv had to admit, it was a neat trick that required excellent control. Sangor and Yrlin stood in the clearing, looking a little red. Sangor cleared his throat.


    ¡°Right. Yes. No one knows we are here so let¡¯s make this short. About fifteen years ago, I married my first wife and we had a child together back when I was but a squire in the duke¡¯s army.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Viv said, slightly taken aback.


    ¡°My wife died in a southern raid. I sent my son to Mornyr, the City of the Gods in the north, to be apprenticed in the temple of Maranor. He has not come back yet. All my inquiries return that he wants to dedicate himself to the order. His letters speak of my need to comply with the scriptures.¡±


    ¡°Ah shit.¡±


    ¡°You see where I am going with this. He is my heir and my son. So long as he is their ¡®guest¡¯, I am at their mercy. I have pushed back as much as I dared but in the end, it cannot last. We need to get him out of there.¡±


    ¡°We?¡±


    ¡°I am under surveillance by an old and powerful order, one with a vested interest in the fate of Enoria. My nation has always worshiped Maranor before every other god but the latest developments have shaken that faith. The temple is doubling down. If you do want a peaceful eastern border, you will give me a hand.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I will consider it. After the war with Haluria.¡±


    ¡°If it happens, you will be called to Mornyr for the next Paramese Alliance meeting.¡±


    ¡°I am not opposed to helping you. It just might be¡­ unfeasible. Your son is probably indoctrinated.¡±


    Sangor wordlessly took a folded letter from his coat¡¯s breast pocket, opening it with great care. Viv had a look. Several letters were circled and she noticed they were all slightly thicker than the others as if the ink was deeper. Together, they formed a single word.


    Help.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m in. But you will recognize Harrak.¡±


    ¡°Done. Hell, I¡¯ll give you a formal defensive alliance. Just¡­ be careful. The Church of Maranor is moving.  There are even reports that Oleander still lives in the Shadowlands.¡±


    ¡°Oleander? The traveler who reached Harrak?¡±


    ¡°Yes, him. He¡¯s a living legend. He¡¯s also Maranor¡¯s greatest living champion. If he ever returns to this continent, you will have your work cut out for you.¡±


    ¡°One calamity at a time, please.¡±


    ¡°This might not happen for a very long time. Just be aware that you will need more than your current army if you want to survive. I am extending a hand in friendship. Please, do not bite it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll save your son. And then you can finally return to Harrak in a glorious union.¡±


    Sangor was still groaning when Viv jumped the fence.

 Chapter 152: Coronation

    ¡°We cannot let the rule of law apply subjectively. The people must fear it, or they will stop respecting it. The more exceptions you create and the more fragile justice will become until judges believe they can get away with helping their ¡®friends¡¯. I have seen it happen.¡±


    Lady Azar glared at Viv, testing her resolve and her values. Viv glared back.


    It was a mess.


    Being seen as a place of second chance meant that a lot of people came to Harrak. The problem was that those who needed a second chance had wasted their first shot. Sometimes, it was due to external factors. Sometimes it was because they were idiots. In a few cases, it was because they were irredeemable assholes. The end of week was hanging day in Kazar now.


    The person in question was not an asshole.


    Abe reclined in his seat. Contrary to Lady Azar, he had accepted Viv¡¯s invitation to sit. He was still wearing his judge robes.


    ¡°I already had a discussion with Kerra. She bitterly regrets her actions and I believe her when she insists she wasn¡¯t aware of the temple¡¯s assistance program. She was starving, Viviane. She is still scarred by her treatment at the hands of her husband. Executing him meant she had no income. We cannot flog people for stealing food when the alternative¡ª¡±


    //That statement is untrue.


    ¡°When the perceived alternative is starvation for her and her two children. The purpose of justice is to make the world a better place. Sometimes, mercy is the best answer.¡±


    ¡°Mercy is extremely subjective, Viviane, and you do not want a slider on the sword of justice.¡±


    //I agree with the Lady Azar.


    //What is good for that starving woman is not good for society.


    //Let her atone for her sins.


    //Then the temple can help, if it wishes.


    Viv traced her chesplate¡¯s engravings with the tip of her finger. Intense arguments seldom happened. When they did, they referred to philosophical arguments on the nature of good and justice that she could not answer. There was also the question of jurisprudence or ¡®case law¡¯, laws set on precedents. She could create a precedent that stealing while starving could not be punished but, honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure how it would all work.


    Viv wasn¡¯t a lawyer, or a philosopher, but she was a politician.


    ¡°Abe will condemn this woman according to the law but with the lightest possible punishment, then I will pardon her at the end of the coronation ceremony along with a couple of other prisoners with, let¡¯s just say, strong attenuating circumstances. The temple can take it from there.¡±


    The three considered the result. The law would publically prevail then the sovereign would show mercy in her day of ascension, thus preventing a starving mother from being flogged which wasn¡¯t anything anyone with two brain cells and a heart actually wanted to see.


    ¡°That sounds like a good compromise,¡± Lady Azar begrudgingly agreed. ¡°and it would cement your reputation as a ruler of the people.¡±


    //I approve of the manipulation of fleshbag scruples.


    ¡°Thank you, Viviane. Kerra will repay this kindness in her everyday life.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, now, where were we?¡±


    Abe excused himself as the servant of Enttiku still had much work to do. Lady Azar stayed.


    ¡°Abenezigel has become a pillar of the community. Commoners flock to him for advice. His fame grows. Are you sure he will not become a threat to you in the future?¡± she asked.


    Viv didn¡¯t have to consider the question.


    ¡°Abe is too dedicated to peace and recovery to pursue power, even if it were offered to him on a silver platter. I doubt his goddess would tolerate a coup.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. I still believe he is too kind for a judge.¡±


    ¡°He hangs people, Azar.¡±


    ¡°He cries when he has to do it.¡±


    ¡°Tears don¡¯t heal broken neck bones. Now, what about the coronation?¡±


    ¡°The Temple insists that you should spend the night before the ceremony in prayer.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    The prim Baranese countess blinked, one of her stronger reactions.


    ¡°I expected resistance. You are not¡­ the most religious person.¡±


    ¡°Neriad is not just our patron god, he¡¯s a force of good. Being religious has nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ He spoke to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Great personality. Didn¡¯t let his power get to his head. I¡¯d fight by his side without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ the gods do not simply talk to people!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I am not people. Don¡¯t mean to brag, of course. And if Neriad has never spoken to you¡­¡±


    ¡°He has not.¡±


    ¡°Have you considered waging righteous war?¡±


    Viv enjoyed her short gotcha moment while Lady Azar simmered in her seat. Outside, the view was clear of revenants. She¡¯d yoinked all she could in preparation for the coronation when thousands of people would gather below the cliffs to celebrate. That much vitality in a single spot would attract any undead in the vicinity if she kept any alive. They were all set. She was almost there.


    She was going to become royalty.


    That was admittedly pretty fucking cool.


    The French in her conjured the image of a guillotine. She was not an absolute sovereign so it would be fine, right? Also, no one needed a guillotine when the average headsman had strength in the thirties. Maybe she should introduce it just for the clout.


    ***


    The in between. Viv found herself facing the golden orb that was Neriad¡¯s massive presence. He sort of shone around, bathing his surroundings in benevolent radiance. She started feeding him mana as part of her prayer.


    VERY FEW ARCHMAGES EVER PRAYED TO ME.


    ¡°You¡¯re more of a sword guy, right?¡±


    THERE IS THAT. SARDANAL AND NOUS WERE OUR CASTERS, BACK WHEN WE TOOK OVER.


    ¡°Could you be a little less loud?¡±


    SIGH


    ¡°Oh, very well, mortal. But I cannot stay for long. My attention can only divide so much. Normally, we would have a long conversation on the future of your kingdom. However, I believe we are already¡­ mostly aligned on our values and for what we are not aligned with, such as assassinating my other servants¡­¡±


    ¡°I made myself very clear.¡±


    ¡°I realize that I will not change your mind. Next time, pray to me first, please?¡±


    ¡°So you can warn him?¡±


    ¡°Viv. Please stop testing me. I am a god.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, sorry.¡±


    ¡°And speaking of gods, I believe it¡¯s time for the temptation part. Ugh. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ wait, what?¡±


    Something slimy grabbed Viv¡¯s soul and pulled it back.


    ***


    A cavern of obsidian surrounded Viv on all sides, jagged and raw as if carved with stone and anger. She stood over a smooth expanse of nothingness that the dim light failed to penetrate. A god in black plate armor sat atop a throne of darkness, inky hair falling over a roguishly handsome face.


    Efestar¡¯s smile possessed a self-deprecating quality that didn¡¯t fit the God of Scorn.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Indeed. Please excuse the hijack. After all, this is tradition.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡±


    ¡°There must be a certain balance in the threads of fate, young outlander. The light gods are more than happy to let me try my luck because otherwise, the others might get a word in. Can you guess why?¡±


    ¡°Because you used to be pals?¡±


    ¡°No. Try again. After all, we have all night and time here flows rather leisurely.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Oh. People on the verge of coronation do not harbor much scorn in their heart?¡±


    ¡°Wrong again, though you are getting closer. I am not sought to experience scorn. I am sought to remedy it.¡±


    ¡°Kings have power.¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes. Someone who expects to gain power seldom feels like bargaining their lives for a little more. They prefer to take possession, first. So here we are, at the summit of your might, on the verge of your triumph, and I am supposed to try and convince you to give it all up while the list of people you do scorn tends to remain remarkably short.¡±


    ¡°I do try to wipe those names off.¡±


    ¡°So I have gathered.¡±


    The God of Scorn sat back in his throne and folded one leg over the other. He had greaves with tiny skulls on the knee. It was kind of tacky, if she had to be honest.


    ¡°Hmmm. We could discuss something else if you want?¡±


    Efestar¡¯s dark eyes widened in surprise, then he laughed out loud.


    ¡°What? No threats? No defiant statement of belief on truth and justice? You want to talk instead?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I bet Octas isn¡¯t a great conversationalist.¡±


    ¡°Viviane. Last time, you called me a cunt. What would we even talk about?¡±


    ¡°How about you? I¡¯m sure you would find the topic interesting.¡±


    Viv sat on her haunches. It was a symbolic gesture since she was pretty sure she was still just a soul. In the in between, symbols mattered.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about your adventures? Before you split from the group.¡±


    ¡°You mean, before they reneged on their agreement and cast me away?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Efestar looked, really looked at Viv. Having the full focus of the dark god on her felt like being flung off a mountain into the gaping maw of a titanic creature, the oppressive weight gathering around her for a ravenous, crushing bite.


    ¡°Woah woah woah. Please calm down.¡±


    ¡°You are genuinely asking? If this is another trick¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes I am genuinely asking.¡±


    ¡°Viviane the Outlander, you hate the dark gods. I do not believe for a single second that you would genuinely care about poor little me.¡±


    ¡°First, you¡¯re not like the other dark gods because you come from the newer generation. And second, I¡¯m just curious what turned you into such a rabid asshole.¡±


    The pressure intensified until Viv felt her consciousness unraveling. Any second now, Efestar would flick her forehead, sending her back to her body with a splitting headache.


    He didn¡¯t.


    His cruel face morphed into a rictus, then a jarring laugh that scared Viv more than the threats had.


    ¡°I can see why the others like you. It has been so long since I have felt like a person. Sole worship can become a trap that forces us into patterns, you see? Very well. A tale. A long time ago, a man decided that he wanted to be more than a tribe chief, more than a hero. That man wanted to become the greatest hunter who ever lived. He wanted to become¡­ a legend. And that man was¡­¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°No. It was Emeric.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Emeric had something that all other hunters lacked. You see, no matter how cunning the traps or how sharp the spear, at some point, a hunter will be caught off guard or make a single mistake. Except for Emeric.¡±


    ¡°He never ran out of luck.¡±


    ¡°So it was,¡± Efestar said as he reclined in his seat.


    The God of Scorn¡¯s voice took in a strange intonation, as if he were a poet declaiming stanzas and this despite the fact they were not actually talking with their voices. The uncanny sensation did little to distract her from the tale. An image superimposed itself on the sitting god, speaking from his lonely throne.


    Emeric was handsome, cocksure, and genuinely competent. He wore a leather cape made from the skins of a hundred beasts, going from tribe to tribe to search for more prey to pursue and more women to ravish. As his skills and power grew, so did his legend until bears and triffids and giant turtles were no longer enough. He needed to hunt the genuine tyrants of the plains and forests, those the tribes feared and avoid like natural disasters. No human could do so, at least not alone, so Emeric listened to the offers of the gods¡­ and he liked none of them.


    The gods were jealous things who reveled in sacrifices. Only those who pledged themselves to them would receive their costly blessings. What saved Emeric was his incredible arrogance.


    Because Emeric, the blessed, the one of many kills, the one of many amorous conquests, the man whose luck never ran out, wanted to become a legend on his own merit.


    And so, with the magic of the world behind him, he set out to gain power. He found allies. Neriad was the first, a famous warchief himself who rushed into battle using a shell as shield. The twins were next. Maranor used a short spear to devastating effects while Maradoc scouted with great talent, a whisper of a shadow under the boughs. Sardanal was found on a drifting ship off the northern coast. Nous was an isolated hermit dedicated to the development of the magical arts, especially runes. Efestar was an assassin, settling blood debts with the poison of his darts. There were many more but most died during the journey and their names faded into obscurity.


    As Emeric¡¯s people slew more beasts, their fame rose until it rivaled the gods themselves. Nyil¡¯s magic fed them and gave them unnaturally long lifespans so they cleared more land and the tribes thrived in their wake. The hunters were cunning and deadly, patient and implacable. They could seemingly not be stopped. It was not enough. Emeric knew they could do better if only they had better tools.


    ¡°Tools?¡± Viv interrupted.


    For a moment, the image faded and Viv was back to being a small soul in the in-between. Efestar was a dark shape covered with hypnotic shiny dots of light. Behind that distracting shape was a terrible stinger of stellar proportions.


    The vision reappeared. It centered on a fierce contest. Emeric¡¯s band fought against a shelled creature with unusual wolfish features. Their javelins and bolas smacked against the beast¡¯s flanks to no effect until they finally managed to overwhelm its defenses by hitting the eyes. Emeric cried over the corpse of a long-haired amazon of a woman, her quiver empty of silex arrows.


    Tools. They needed better weapons. And Nous knew where to find it.


    Someone had made a sword out of meteoritic iron.


    His name was lost to the fog of history but his work remained. Now, Emeric had tools the likes of which this world had never seen and the knowledge on how to make them spread across the tribes like wildfire. Bronze. Iron. Enchantments. Nous taught his spells to every shaman willing to listen. Safe grazing grounds and fields grew in number over decades until the influence of the priests waned and, in the bowels of the lone mountain, they plotted their revenge. One fateful night, killers came after the heroes during a feast.


    It was a slaughter.


    The heroes might have been disarmed but they had followers and skill aplenty. The families of those slain that day paved a path of death and vengeance that created the first, the very first, true human war. Not skirmishes. Not raids. War.


    Years of merciless battle followed.


    Those who worshiped the gods who had protected humanity for eons fought against Emeric¡¯s band, the legends who wanted to usher mankind into a new era. Those who feared they might lose everything faced those who wanted more. Their enmity could not be reconciled. The fights were to the death. Roving warriors wiped entire tribes to the last child. Hatred and resentment built until only one side would remain and, slowly, that resentment united the survivors behind Emeric, for the servants of the god burned with fanaticism, and they stopped at nothing to succeed.


    Slowly, the balance of power tipped in favor of Emeric.


    The heroes fought with their own power, using mighty tools while the gods fought through their servants. After countless trials, Emeric¡¯s army finally reached the fortress sanctuary of Lone Mountain for one decisive battle. They stormed the complex and slaughtered the priests, defiling the altars and casting down the holy statues. They broke the power of the gods that day. There was a great celebration for mankind was wary and weakened, and the tribes longed for peace. Emeric would not have it. He knew it could only end one way. He knew the gods would fight back from the bogs and deep forests, whispering tender lies in the ears of the unfortunate. So he devised a plan.


    Maranor would slay the gods with her meteoritic iron sword turned artifact: the Slayer. A weapon to kill the unkillable. In her hands, it could pierce through any defenses.


    Emeric decided they would not scale the mountains where, it was said, the gods resided. Instead, he called them one by one upon the land where legend said they were born. There, Maranor slew her first immortal. The Old Eater was next, though it is said part of him could have survived. After that. Octas and Gomogog forfeited their thrones and left in exile, condemned to skulk at the edges of mankind for all of eternity. Only Enttiku remained. The cowled one brokered a deal for only the peace of death was of concern to them. And the band accepted.


    All except for one.


    With a void needed to be filled, Emeric became the king, the God of Luck whose name was on every lip and whose temples were gambling dens, dueling fields, the tip of the arrow aimed at a hunter¡¯s quarry. Neriad picked up the sword of righteous war. Maranor took on the mantle of hierarchy. Sardanal favored the growth of crops, of families, of relationships. Maradoc veiled the secrets and knowledge of the world, as well as those who would seek it. Nous sacrificed himself to grant choice to humanity. Only Efestar was without a path, for his mantle was death and that mantle remained firmly upon Enttiku¡¯s shoulders. In desperation, Efestar pulled the only thing he had left, the emotion that had carried him through the death of his family and the slaughter of his tribe.


    Efestar became the god of scorn.


    His old companions had turned their back on him for the sake of peace, the same companions who had sworn vengeance by his side on the funeral pyres of his sons.


    Because they feared Enttiku and the destruction that one may wreak.


    The impressions faded, slowly, until Viv was left panting in front of the throne. Efestar was like a statue. He appeared bored but Viv wasn¡¯t duped. It was a facade, a fragile one.


    He had not lied. That tale was the truth. One could not truly lie here, not when exposing their heart as he had.


    ¡°Well?¡± the armored monster said, ¡°no quip? No barbs?¡±


    A memory surged in Viv¡¯s mind, that of a tiny body engulfed in flames while Neriad¡¯s hand gripped his shoulder. That had been the low point of Efestar¡¯s life. The lowest point. He wanted to die, then, but Neriad had stopped him. They had promised. They had all promised and then¡­


    ¡°Shit, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. It was horrible.¡±


    ¡°You mean it.¡±


    An immense pressure washed over Viv¡¯s soul in a tidal wave until she was an egg in the fist of a cruel child. Efestar could mangle her soul now. Perhaps the rules of this place forbade him to kill her, yet it didn¡¯t matter. They both knew there were fates worse than death.


    ¡°YOU PITY A DARK GOD? YOU PITY ME?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, damn you. Stop that. Please?¡±


    The pressure lessened though Viv was not yet off the hook.


    ¡°Look¡­ I don¡¯t look down upon you, far from it. I just think¡­ you were dealt a low blow. By people you trusted. I feel that.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be like Neriad, tell me that I am only spreading more pain with every life I twist and that it will not bring me my Caeno back? My Irkal? Will you tell me I have to let go?¡±


    ¡°Did they make amends?¡±


    The pressure lessened and Viv fell on her knees.


    ¡°Amends?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Did they¡­ did they apologize? Did they offer¡­ weregild? Another seat?¡±


    Silence spread over the abyssal throne room. It did so for a very long time.


    ¡°No. They didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s so unexpected. Especially from Neriad.¡±


    The dark god¡¯s throne room shuddered. The double image of the obsidian cave and the planetary scorpion shape of Efestar¡¯s soul superimposed, then Viv was pushed away.


    The blast felt like it should have shattered her in a million fragments. Souls were impressively resilient, apparently.


    WHAT HAPPENED?


    The nearby sun that was Neriad pulsed strangely.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s flustered.¡±


    DARK GODS ARE MEANT TO INSTILL DOUBT IN MORTAL MINDS.


    NOT THE OPPOSITE.


    WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?


    ¡°Did you really make an oath to Efestar to avenge his children by killing the gods¡­ and then you didn¡¯t?¡±


    IT¡­ IS COMPLICATED.


    ¡°How is it complicated? Did you break your oath or not?¡±


    Neriad sighed a large solar eruption, blanketing Viv¡¯s soul with images of benevolent light. The ghost memories of suffering families flooded her mind.


    ¡°I swore to avenge them, to avenge him. And I did. And I still do every time I combat the old gods. Enttiku had nothing to do with it. Emeric said¡­ he said that the future of mankind was more important than any oath, than any of us. He said that if we fought Enttiku, we might die and fail, all of us, and then there would be no one left to guide and defend humanity. She is still that dangerous. By the time we found Efestar again, he was long gone. You have not suffered from his viciousness yet so you cannot know. You cannot understand the evil he has dealt upon us and upon the people of Nyil. Entire villages fell because a man sacrificed his daughter to kill his neighbor. I see this and¡­ I wish I had killed him. Right as we ascended.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s too far gone?¡±


    IT NO LONGER MATTERS.


    ¡°Ow ow ow.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Viviane. He has done the unforgivable a hundred times over. He has become a monster, worse even than those he sought to destroy because he knows better and he still spreads misery. You cannot bridge the gap between us.¡±


    ¡°Ok I admit that I am not one of his victims so it¡¯s easy for me to take a calm look at this. And it¡¯s a little hypocritical because I was the first to slay Lancer instead of, for example, ransoming him, however¡­¡±


    Viv pondered her next words because it was a very, very risky thing to do and she was on thin ice.


    ¡°Would you not say¡­¡±


    BE CAREFUL.


    ¡°Would you not say that the future of mankind is more important than the grudge you hold?¡±


    ME DAMMIT.


    The sun blasted Viv¡¯s soul. The uncontrolled burst didn¡¯t scorch her but it was a close thing.


    YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.


    I SHARED THE PAIN OF THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS WHO LOST EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF PETTY VENGEANCE.


    HE HAS BECOME EVERYTHING I HAVE FOUGHT TO DESTROY.


    ¡°But can he change?¡±


    VIVIANE.


    YOU¡­


    INFURIATING LITTLE HUMMINGBIRD.


    CONSIDER THE NIGHT OF DOUBT AND REFLECTION OVER.


    YOU WON.


    NOW PISS OFF.


    Viv was flung back into her body by a gentle backhand. She collapsed forward onto the marble of Neriad¡¯s temple and threw up everything her stomach contained, then some bile, then she dry wretched for another solid ten minutes. She wished she had an axe to smash her brain open so it wouldn¡¯t hurt so much.


    ¡°You¡­ you debate team sorest fucking losers.¡±


    In his hall, Neriad stopped his blade dance and planted his sword in the sand. He bent his head. For one moment, the mantle shifted, letting old memories resurface. Memories of a time before ascension when victory was but a distant dream and the band was held together by little more than Emeric¡¯s unfailing belief. It had been a simpler time. Despite everything, it had also been a much darker time.


    The memories of funeral pyres holding the bodies of children invaded his mind like an unwelcome guest.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ***


    It was the day of the coronation. Viv thanked her lucky star (just this time) that physical stats helped against the equivalent of a divine hangover. The nation¡¯s best tailors adjusted her black, white, and gold dress then Gogen herself did her hair in a nice part-flowing part-braided style. They also used a colorful makeup made of crushed stone for her eyes to accentuate their ¡®unique charm¡¯. She looked great and resolved to do it more often. After that, she was off at dawn to join her knight escort.


    As nobles, the knights claimed the head of the formation and Viv saw no need to alter that tradition. They would accompany Viv to the Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s temple where she would be crowned. Viv reached the brand new knight¡¯s compound, finding Rollo alone in a garden of blue roses and young trees covered in dew. The armored knight was a striking sight in this colorful landmark, the black of his armor offering a contrast to the enchanting decor. It was only when Viv watched the many stellae standing around the garden that her heart stopped.


    She recognized them.


    They were Solfis¡¯ gift.


    ¡°Ah, here you are, Your Grace. Soon to be Your Majesty.¡±


    Viv walked to the tall man as he inspected a particularly moving chapter of the ¡®Gladiators of Harrak¡¯, the Old Empire foremost work of homoerotic romance saved from annihilation by horny golem engineers.


    ¡°I wanted to thank you for this gift you gave us,¡± Rollo said, pointing at the stellae. His square jaw trembled with emotion.


    ¡°For most of my life, I had to hide and live a life of lies. Those days, my dearest wish was to be accepted, to be tolerated. You showed me that my dream was a small one.¡±


    It was an important moment and Viv nodded solemnly, deciding to bury forever that Solfis had written the story so Viv could have private moments of ¡®intellectual stimulation¡¯ at the ¡®thought-provoking contents¡¯. Some details were best forgotten.


    ¡°The Gladiators of Harrak is a powerful reminder that the love I feel can be not just tolerated, but also celebrated as a true, pure emotion worthy of recognition. We loving, consenting adults deserve more than tolerance, we deserve acceptance, first and foremost acceptance of the self, by the self. That you managed to save this opus magnum of literature from the ashes of the catastrophe speaks in your favor Viviane the outlander. You reminded me that survival is a necessity but art is what truly makes us humans. From the hands of the ancients, we receive those powerful tales with eternal gratitude, and we shall perpetuate that tradition with our own efforts until the plains bloom with a thousand flowers and a thousand poems set in stone for those who would follow.¡±


    Rollo was now crying manly tears though not a sob shook his handsome face, still as solemn as a tomb effigy. Viv gripped his shoulder in silence because she couldn¡¯t trust herself not to say something stupid. He returned her gesture, crushing her trapezius muscles in a death grip.


    The remaining thirty knights joined them at this moment in an effusion of manly hugs until Viv herself felt touched. Rollo¡¯s paramour then presented Viv with a rolled battle standard.


    ¡°A new dawn is upon us. We want to forge a new knight order from the hope of the old and for this, we ask your blessing, Viviane. We ask that you recognize the Order of the Blue Roses as the Harrakan body of knights, and in return, we will serve you faithfully until death. And before you ask, yes, the straight members agreed on the name,¡± he finished with a chuckle.


    ¡°I want thorns on my pauldrons,¡± the knight whose children were recently healed by Viv said.


    Viv unfolded the pennant. It showed a trio of blue roses blooming on a black field, a good representation of the knights who themselves wore black armor decorated with colorful clothes to show their status. It was pretty nice.


    ¡°Very well. Kneel.¡±


    The knights, as one, took a knee with their swords in their hands, tips on the garden¡¯s soil.


    ¡°Do you swear to defend Harrak and its people, to protect the innocent, to punish the guilty and to uphold the law?¡±


    Various affirmations came in enthusiastic disorder.


    ¡°Then I name you all Knights of the Blue Rose. May you fight without fear, triumph without arrogance and die without regret.¡±


    Viv manifested a massive Excalibur and saluted which was symbolic enough for the knights. The ride to the city was made quickly and soon, they were in sight of Sinur¡¯s Gate.


    Hundreds of people were there laying tables and erecting tents, and thousands more were expected throughout the day. It would be a grand celebration. The fires of cooking pits already filled the air with the scent of fresh bread and roasting meat. Cooks diced vegetables and tubers by the dozens with great speed. Many folks stopped and turned when she passed but they didn¡¯t salute, not yet. There was an electrifying sense of anticipation in the air as they knew they were on the verge of a historical event.


    Viv rode up the slope at a good trot, then past the monumental gate and through the narrow streets of Sinur¡¯s Gate. Flowers adorned every bridge, fell from every window in a floral storm that overcame even the dry smell of the nearby deadlands. It had been less than a year since the city had returned to the hands of the breathing, yet the scars of the devastation were now patched over and only showed the wear and tear of a town well lived in, old and cozy but with a temper. Moss grew on the cracks while old fountain statues gurgled fresh water over white lilies. The blue roses of Harrak bloomed everywhere as a display of hope and defiance. Burly smiths, patient woodworkers, musicians, rich merchants and artisans glutted their street on the way to the temple building which was on one side of the palace. Viv stopped and dismounted near the gates then she found her seat on the high benches at the edge of the main room. Most of her friends and companions were already seated. Lady Azar nodded after a brief inspection of her clothes. Sidjin stood, proud as hell.


    ¡°You look gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you, consort. You¡¯re not so bad yourself.¡±


    ¡°Squee!¡±


    ¡°You look absolutely great. I love your ribbons.¡±


    They waited a few minutes for people to come in. They ran out of seats very soon so Viv had her One Hundred get people to stand on the sides, leaving only a single lane to exit. They began on time.


    Viv watched Farren lead his congregation in prayer. It felt weird to be crowned by the clergy when her own nation had enshrined the separation of Church and State in 1905 and staunchly defended it ever since. She told herself she was on a first name basis with the god in question so¡­ it was probably okay. She just hoped the statue would not cry blood during her vows as a vengeance for her little transgression. Thankfully, no such a thing happened. Viv fed a massive dose of mana into the god with a whispered ¡®hope you¡¯re okay friendo¡¯ and received an exasperated sigh in reply. Business as usual. The ceremony culminated with the coronation itself.


    Viv walked down the aisle with Sidjin and Solfis by her side. The back of the temple held an altar. Lorn was there in the regalia of a temple guard, sword on display. He seemed flushed. Farren also wore official robes. Viv felt vertigo. Those were people she knew, people she¡¯d met as a transient witchling recovering from her deadland stints. They¡¯d known her since she was a nobody and now, they were the vanguard of humanity¡¯s effort to reclaim the land. They stood there as not just old allies but symbols of a new nation. Farren was on the verge of tears, his voice breaking over the vows.


    ¡°Do you¡­ swear to uphold the rule of law, to show mercy towards the defenseless, and not to compromise with evil?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°With the power granted to me by the state, and with Neriad¡¯s blessing, I name you, Viviane Saint-Lys, the traveler¡­ Empress of Harrak. May you make the world a better place.¡±


    He removed the crown from its pillow. It was a sober thing of bone and silver, a warrior¡¯s crow with horns like Arthur¡¯s designed to be inserted in a helmet. It only bore basic enchantments because Viv intended to build a better one in the future. For now, it was more a promise than the symbol of a powerful state. It bore no jewels, for Viv didn¡¯t need any. She didn¡¯t need the mantle of wealth or august majesty to rule. She was Empress because of actions, hers and that of the ones sharing her dream, and they followed her because of them.


    When she turned, she was met with a sea of gazes. There were at least two hundred people crammed in the small temple. They watched her with bated breath, waiting for her word. They believed. They looked like they believed so hard that Viv started to believe as well.


    She moved her hand, taking control of a nearby sound enchantment. Her leadership skill bolstered her voice into one that inspired trust.


    ¡°I am now, by mandate of the people, your empress. We all know this is only the beginning and that we are not an empire just yet. I will not talk about all that is left to do. You know the dream as well as I do, the dream of a green Harrak. Instead, I will turn to the past. We are all here because we walked the path of courage. Perhaps you were there in the beginning, tilling fields in view of revenants. Perhaps you lived in the mountains in the hope of one day reclaiming your homeland. Perhaps you braved everything to cross the forest. Perhaps you had nothing to lose or perhaps you sacrificed everything. Perhaps you lost loved ones, for there were many who died to bring us where we are. Perhaps you came here because you wanted a new life, or because you wanted to fight, or to love, or perhaps you wanted a safe haven for your family. Perhaps you came here to heal yourself or a spouse or a child. What matters is that we all stand, today, as one people.


    ¡°As we take the final step to define ourselves as a nation, I want to tell you all, well done. This is your day as much as it is mine. This crown I wear represents the pinnacle of all the efforts and pain we have been through. I will ask you a favor. Leave the dream for tomorrow. Today, we celebrate the present, this precious moment of triumph we have grabbed with our bloody hands. Rejoice. Feast. Drink. Love, Dance, and be merry. Come and greet your friends. Raise a glass to my health. Above all, be happy. That is my wish of you for the coronation.¡±


    The cheers confirmed that it was a plan the Harrakans could approve of.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Your leadership has massively improved.


    Leadership has reached Intermediate 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have gained a new title: Empress of Harrak


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv smiled as she took her first step as genuine, god-approved royalty. The people touched her when she walked out, greeting them as she went. Outside, the entire town¡¯s population roared their approval at being part of something they were building with their own two hands. Their fervor made Viv¡¯s ears ring. Exhilaration and terror warred in her heart. They were her responsibility now. They were also here for her as she was there for them.


    Viv walked down the alleys of Sinur¡¯s Gate, enjoying the purified air. The city was ablaze with colors and with life. All the people she knew were here as Arthur took to the sky, roaring her approval to the delight of the children. The march down the path was a long one because she stopped to greet people, shaking their hand and holding their children to cement the alliance they had all made. When she looked beyond the cliff, she could see the green land they had cleared and the ten thousand people waiting there.


    In dense groups, like a shifting sea, they moved around to search for food or for company, or approached the landing, or they toiled on the feast. It was a lot, ten thousand souls seen from above until they merged into a pulsating, living whole, a crowd whose members had all decided to come here. Viv wondered if famous rock stars back on earth felt that pressure of so much attention. The difference was that here, they believed in her to do more than make them dream. They counted on her to make that dream a reality or they would most likely die.


    ¡°There are so many of them,¡± Viv wondered.


    //Not yet.


    //But there will be.


    ¡°It feels so intimidating.¡±


    //And there are no assassins.


    //So far.


    //A pleasant surprise.


    ¡°Aw nobody hates me.¡±


    //We will have to remedy that.


    The descent continued onto a central square where they finally stopped. Viv stood on an elevated platform while the different groups of the army marched, swearing fealty to the crown and Harrak. Viv greeted them all while the crowd celebrated the warriors holding the line against the constant undead threat. Once more, her round shield was borrowed to add new plates onto the already overloaded tool. It was probably more than three times heavier than it used to be anyway. Following that, Viv headed a nice banquet while Arthur went from table to table to demand offerings claiming that it tasted better if it was ¡®requisitioned¡¯. People drank and made merry for the whole day. Viv greeted everyone who came as a line formed. She spoke until her voice threatened to give out. There were still people coming when night fell.


    They had a good time.


    As usual, there were clouds on the horizon but for now, they were at peace, enjoying the triumph while it lasted.

 Chapter 153. Extra Diplomatic

    Viv approached the supine form of the dragoness with measured steps. By her side, the smoldering remains of a corpse still let out ribbons of smoke drifting in the cool morning air. A human corpse. He looked burnt to the nineteenth degree. Hell, Mount Vesuvius wouldn¡¯t have done a better job.


    This was a little bad.


    Viv sat by Arthur¡¯s side and watched the morning sun rise over distant woods. Active dots peppered the renewed land as they tilled the fields. From this far, the purple tree of Kazar appeared almost tiny, merely a dot that used to mark the edge of the deadlands but now remained as a greeter to newcomers looking for a new life. The dead man had been one of them. It was too bad the life he¡¯d been searching for was one of crimes. It was even more unfortunate he had targeted the wrong person. Terminally unfortunate.


    I do not understand.


    Viv patted the smooth scales over Arthur¡¯s tail, the heat they emitted quite intense.


    He stole from me.


    He planned to steal from me.


    How can someone be so stupid?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say but, as we say back on my planet, the creator has not seen it fit to evenly distribute the gift of intelligence. Some people are just deeply incompetent. Some people are just evil. Not a lot of them, thankfully, but enough to ruin your day at some point. There is nothing anyone can do about those people except managing them.¡±


    We should kill them all.


    ¡°How do you identify them? Where do you draw the line? Don¡¯t answer that, it was a metaphorical question. No, you cannot kill them because justice needs to mostly be impartial. I can¡¯t kill people because they annoy me.¡±


    What about that, then?


    Am I in trouble for killing without your leave?


    They are your minions.


    I was just¡­ so angry.


    ¡°You know, we¡¯ll just call robbing someone who just came out of your bank suicide by dragon.¡±


    Does that work?


    ¡°I mean who would complain? That would be suicide by dragon.¡±


    Arthur sighed deeply. Her spirits were low, despite the recovery of her valuables.


    How do you deal with idiots and assholes?


    ¡°Easy. I hire competent underlings who do it for me.¡±


    You offload unpleasant work to your minions!


    As expected, mother has brilliant solutions to every problem.


    Would the minions not complain, however?


    ¡°Of course but then you have angry minions who have power over assholes since I put the minions in charge, and then the situation usually solves itself.¡±


    Mother is cunning.


    ¡°Are you ready to return? I think we¡¯re on someone¡¯s field and they might be scared.¡±


    Alright.


    I will return to the bank.


    Much to do!


    ¡°You do that. And if you feel like you need a break, I am sure our next adventure will come knocking soon enough.


    ***


    Viv watched the message laid in front of her with some measure of consternation.


    Adventure was here.


    Jaratalassi¡¯s letter was expected. She had been counting on it since he had warned her he would need her help. The spark of luck never disappointed. The problem was the end of said message.


    ¡°Viviane,


    Things moving as expected. Enemy forces coming from the east soon, possibly next month. Will need all the help you can bring. NOT Hallurians.¡±


    Not Hallurians.


    The Old Empire¡¯s borders stopped at the marches of Halluria, with even the most war-like emperor giving up on invading that unforgiving land. They knew that to take and hold Hallurian cities would be a costly endeavor with no reward for the Hallurians fought to the last and used any means at their disposal.. And now, foes were coming from that shithole country¡­ from the other side? That would require an insane military as well as a will to conquer that defied all logic. Unless those were space aliens or a colony of invasive man-sized spiders that reproduce by laying eggs in chest cavities. She wondered what fuckery the world had in store for her unpadded buttocks this time.


    Sighing, she reached for a nearby pen. It snapped between her fingers, spraying ink across her desk. And the letter.


    ¡°Nous fucking dammit.¡±


    ***


    ¡°We need to decide who goes and who stays,¡± Viv told the assembly gathered in her throne room.


    She had a cool throne and a crown now, which was kind of nice.


    ¡°The One Hundred will come,¡± Ban assured with certainty.


    ¡°Yes, it goes without saying that the army will accompany me. The question would then be, who stays?¡±


    ¡°The city guards should stay,¡± Lady Azar said. ¡°Some of our newcomers have been lax in their respect of the law. The same should go for our militia. They are not ready to function so far from our towns.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t raise the militia at all. There is no guarantee we will be back before the harvest.¡±


    ¡°Quite so,¡± Lady Azar agreed.


    Viv and her exchanged a glance. They both knew their finances could not suffer a poor harvest. Without the tons of grain they were expecting, Harrak would default on several contracts with Enorian customers. They needed the food and they needed the export. No laborer, no taxes.


    ¡°Half of the temple guard will stay,¡± Farren said.


    The Voice of Neriad stood confidently. Viv hadn¡¯t caught up with him much these days. He seemed wary of her, and quite busy too. Maybe it was the bishop assassination that bothered him? Viv wasn¡¯t sure. She wouldn¡¯t blame him.


    ¡°But Lorn will guide the best of us. I will come as well.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡± Viv asked, a little curious.


    ¡°My brothers and sisters will take over my duties. As a representative of Neriad, I will assist you in making helpful alliances with your peers. Friendly contacts. You will need this specific approach,¡± Farren finished with a very pointed look.


    ¡°That may be so.¡±


    ¡°Solar agreed to stay and lead a Temple Guard team against any threats that materialize, though I have contacted the border forts and there have been no signs of danger as of late.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. That covers the soldiers. Mages?¡±


    ¡°I will come, of course,¡± Sidjin said by her side.


    ¡°And I,¡± Lana agreed.


    The Blue Mage glared at Viv as if defying her to object, which Viv still found inexplicable. They had trained together on the Tercio for weeks. Of course, Viv expected Lana to come.


    Viv glanced at her. The mage still wore the same impeccable, flawless dress as before while the other liberated apprentices walked around the city in whatever clothes they fancied, sometimes even peasant garb which was technically below their station. Paramese society placed a lot of emphasis on one having the appearance to match their station after all.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what her problem was but she just didn¡¯t have the time to find out what it was. She sighed. That was it, really. Too many capable underlings with their own agenda. Too little time. Maybe Abe could tell her more.


    ¡°The other girls will stay,¡± Lana continued in a voice that brooked no objection.


    ¡°And I will, as well. My place is here,¡± Abe said with a calming smile.


    Immediately, the tension left Lana¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here to hold the line. Can I count on you to assist Solar if anything happens?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I will continue to cleanse the deadlands in your absence. I will also make sure the ward stones are maintained as well. You can leave with a calm heart.¡±


    Viv almost believed him.


    ¡°Oh, and I will look after Rakan¡¯s students, of course.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°I will come,¡± the young mage assured her. ¡°I am ready, this time.¡±


    Viv would be a complete hypocrite to deny him at this point and besides, he had proven himself in the deadlands.


    ¡°We will be glad to have you around. That leaves us with the scouts?¡±


    ¡°The hadals will come.¡±


    A few yelps at the back heralded the appearance of a tall, gaunt figure with slitted yellow eyes. The hadal man towered over the surrounding notables like an ominous bouncer. A black scarf covered the lower part of his face while his naked scalp shone under the morning light, the only pale note on his person. Dark cloth covered the rest of his body while a comically large axe rested on his back. The silvery blade looked enchanted. He could show up at any audition for the brutal right hand of an evil sorcerer and not only get hired, but get the role rewritten for him specifically. His appearance was just that stereotypically villainous.


    //I like his style.


    Come to think of it, Solfis was kind of villainous-looking as well.


    Maybe Arthur too.


    Could it mean that Viv, herself a sorceress trying to resurrect an evil empire from the ashes, qualified as a B-movie antagonist?


    Nah. She was far too classy.


    ¡°I¡¯m overthinking things. How many of you can we count on?¡±


    ¡°Six. We will handle scouting.¡±


    ¡°Six is few,¡± Lady Azar noted.


    ¡°Not six of us. We will handle scouting,¡± the man repeated, tension rising in his voice.


    ¡°Sure. What do I call you?¡±


    ¡°Zero five.¡±


    ¡°Ok¡­ what about the yries?¡± Viv continued to remove the attention from the hadal before he got any more flustered.


    ¡°We come,¡± the shrill leader said. ¡°We bring wasps.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°A lot of wasps.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. I think that was everyone, or am I missing something?¡±


    //You are missing me.


    //I will come as well.


    //I will stay here while you pave the way.


    //I fear my presence tends to alarm the provincials.


    ¡°We Baranese are not savages,¡± Lady Azar noted with resentment.


    //No, you are not.


    //However, I have met your forefathers, Lady Azar.


    Viv swore she could see the golem smirk.


    //Briefly.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    //They tend to talk a lot and I tend to respond in ways that would not favor a positive diplomatic outcome.


    ¡°Indeed. The murder golem will come with the army. What about the supply train?¡±


    That turned out to be a whole new discussion Viv had hoped she could leave to someone else. Unfortunately, there were disagreements between Lady Azar and Farren, both people who¡¯d managed supply trains in the past.


    An army didn¡¯t just march on their stomach, they also used water and iron. In an army, everything was a consumable, including armor sets. Even the tanks would need constant care.


    Farren advocated in favor of bringing rune smiths who had a much better time repairing equipment, both mundane and otherwise. Meanwhile, Lady Azar believed they should remain in Sinur¡¯s Gate to produce more gear which could be either used to form new troops, or sold for export.


    ¡°I believe the smiths in question are all servants of Neriad¡­¡± Viv interrupted.


    ¡°True. Granted to you as a reward for service rendered,¡± Farren noted.


    ¡°And I believe the benefit of having them outweighs the funds they will generate if they stay. We are facing unknown attackers. We can¡¯t afford to hold back for minor gains.¡±


    Lady Azar consented. Viv got the impression the objection had been more of a maneuver than a real statement born from belief.


    ¡°If that is all, I will leave Harrak first, tomorrow¡± Viv concluded. ¡°I still need to set up the teleporter network. I will go first with some guards and use this opportunity to establish diplomatic relations with our neighbors. You will make ready and travel as we progress. Baran promised supplies but we cannot count on it so bring what you can.¡±


    ***


    The next day, Viv rode by the Enorian border city of Anelton, Rollo by her side alongside a contingent of Knights of the Blue Rose. Their plate armor sets looked even better now that they painted azure blooms on its dark surface. It complimented their many-colored liveries quite nicely without letting viewers forget the steel underneath. She looked at the barricaded town to her right. It was healing much faster than she¡¯d thought as the constant and rapid trade bolstered the city¡¯s value. Truly, the portals were a game changer for everyone involved. Between Sidjin and her, they had a massive potential for altering the entire continent.


    They didn¡¯t stop at the border city. It was still morning. She had a lot of ground to cover if she ever wanted to cross a third of a continent in time before the next shitstorm took it out. Sometimes, she wondered why she was bothering. Anything coming from the east meant Harrak would be the last one left standing¡­


    Viv shook her head. That was a slippery slope. And there was the snowball effect to consider. Besides, she¡¯d given her word.


    ¡°The escort should be there any minute, Your Majesty,¡± Rollo said with a soft voice as if they were attending a ball.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Did I mention I loved the flower pattern?¡±


    ¡°They were drawn by my paramour.¡±


    ¡°You have chosen well.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Ah, here they are.¡±


    Viv finally spotted a group of cavalrymen coming in at good speed. They outnumbered her detachment by a factor of three, which she was sure was a breach of etiquette. An old man with a missing arm led them. He seemed worried.


    Her Knights stopped, spreading around with their visor opened but the spears in their hand. Their stand made a solid statement and Viv¡¯s wings, which she always let out these days, made another. She allowed the silence to draw on when the Enorians stopped at a respectable distance. Their gazes went from her to her stoic bodyguards. Paradoxically, the uniformity of their enchanted armor sets lent the Harrakans the image of a more disciplined, more respectable outfit with Viv as its black-clad heart while the Enorians formed a more mismatched force of retainers of various quality. She leaned on it when she spotted the old man¡¯s second, a younger knight with a large scar. A young mage in the center of the formation had the gall to inspect her. She inspected him in return just to let him know she wasn¡¯t fooled. It was still considered rude to do so and he withered under her glare.


    ¡°A crown on a rebel? Must we, grandfather?¡± the arrogant young knight said before spitting on the ground.


    Ah so they were related.


    Rollo moved his steed by a few steps.


    ¡°You will apologize for your act now or meet me tomorrow morning on the field with your sword in your hand.¡±


    A stunned, cold silence received Rollo¡¯s matter of fact¡¯s threat. Viv had to admit, she had seen Rollo teaching his squires and she didn¡¯t give the sour young noble a snowball¡¯s chance in hell to survive the ordeal. Rollo didn¡¯t fuck around. That said, killing a scion within twenty-four hours of entering Enoria was not a habit she wanted to further develop, so she decided it was perhaps time to calm things down, especially now that Rollo had presented such a perfect opening.


    ¡°Now now, I am sure the gentleman let his¡­ youthful enthusiasm get the better of him,¡± she said while the grandfather blanched, possibly seeing his bloodline quickly reaching extinction.


    The old man cuffed his descendant before he could lash out again. The younger man turned to him then stopped, struck by the mix of horror and fury twisting the old man¡¯s face into a ghastly mask of crimson skin and bulging white eyes. Viv had never seen such a powerful expression of ¡®I love you and I also will hit you so help me Neriad¡¯ without a single word being uttered. It took a good ten seconds for him to regain his composure, during which everyone waited in polite silence.


    ¡°Yes. Yes¡­ please forgive my grandson. The war has been most cruel on Reixa. The outlaw Elix seized the city while part of my family was away, dying on the fields of Regnos. Many of us were left bereaved on that fateful day.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Elix, yes. We were briefly acquainted.¡±


    The old man¡¯s gaze grew dangerous.


    ¡°When I tore his pet gray mage to pieces in Anelton for what they did to the city.¡±


    It was all she had to say.


    Immediately, the tension dissipated. Many of the retainers nodded in approval. Viv¡¯s dad had been right. No cause united different factions quite like shared hatred.


    ¡°No one will mourn his passing,¡± the old man agreed.


    ¡°May the cur rot in the afterlife!¡± his grandson agreed, anger successfully redirected.


    ¡°Right. You must be the Lord of Reixa.¡±


    ¡°Indeed I am, Ediar of Reixa. And this is my grandson and heir, Gedis. I understand that you will require our guidance to set up those¡­ teleporters the king¡ª¡±


    Viv could hear the quotation mark around that word.


    ¡°¡ª wanted across the country. Unfortunately, he left little direction.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the location is up to you, of course,¡± Viv replied amicably. ¡°May I suggest somewhere near a location of business interest? It would make the lives of your merchants easier.¡±


    The man frowned. Apparently, Sangor had not explained things properly.


    ¡°Our merchants?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The portal network will open a direct line of communication between your city and Anelton on one side, and the next duchy on the other. You may activate it and use it ¡ª and tax traffic ¡ª at your leisure. The crown will pay me for the upkeep.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Viv smiled seeing the golden glint of greed in her counterpart¡¯s pupils. Gotcha.


    ¡°Shall we depart?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hm? Yes, of course. Ride with me, woman. Tell me more about that portal.¡±


    Viv gave one warning glare, the black sclera making a point without having to resort to real intimidation.


    ¡°If you please.¡±


    ¡°But of course, dear host.¡±


    The two squads merged until they formed a hundred-men strong cavalry detachment.


    The subsequent trip gave Viv a strong sensation of deja-vu. It was the second time she was following this road, the previous one being two years before during spring. She had been going to the Academy then. The mood had changed for the better since that time of troubles. The isolated villages now stood with gates open as they rode by, laborer toiling in the fields to plant seeds. Most bowed when they passed by but none ran in fear. Back then, Viv had only faced terrified refusal to even buy bread.


    There were still marks of Enoria¡¯s decline in the abandoned, isolated farmsteads they ran across. Many fields lay fallow, some overtaken by new growths and saplings. Burnt estates  still harbored hastily dug graves with poorly carved symbols of Enttiku on improvised tombstones. Elix was not the first raider to terrorize the kingdom.


    ¡°We will rebuild,¡± Lord Reixa said in a low tone.


    ¡°Yes. Speaking of rebuilding¡­ would you like a new arm?¡±


    It was as if she¡¯d told him she was Santa Clause wearing a bra.


    ¡°You¡­ you are serious?¡±


    ¡°I assume I can count on your hospitality tonight?¡±


    ¡°Naturally! We will honor the rites.¡±


    ¡°Give me enough monster meat and I can do it.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ my daughter. She was stabbed in the womb. The healers said¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need a partner. A healer priest or priestess. They need to control the blood flow.¡±


    ¡°I will get you one. I will. Tell me what you want in return and I will grant it to you to the best of my abilities.¡±


    Viv smiled. Lady Azar was wrong. She could be diplomatic when she wanted to.


    ***


    Viv reached the spot chosen for the next portal two days later. The local noble had picked an isolated meadow within view of the castle, giving newcomers a pleasant outlook on the city, not least because the slums were on the other side of it. She noticed that a few catapults were currently aimed at the spot which got to show that she wasn¡¯t the only one to understand their true potential. As requested, a brown caster had cleared the ground and raised two circular stone platforms as smooth as a palace floor. Two portals, one for the link east and the other for the link west to allow for a larger volume of people. It wasn¡¯t necessary but Viv anticipated some traffic. She got to work immediately.


    Disintegration magic usually struggled more against inanimate matters but recently, she had less and less difficulty carving the rock. Inscribing runes in the material was a matter of minutes. She knew exactly what to do. The stone would also help keep the portal alive for longer.


    Her last addition was as subtle as she could make it, of course. Witch spells tended to vary greatly between individuals but one could never be too careful, especially because that addition was a kill switch. If Enoria ever went to war with her, she would cripple their supply chain in a moment. She was soon done and then it was time to continue.


    Carrots were good and all but she had always favored a nice stick.


    ***


    ¡°Assassins. Ahead.¡±


    ¡°Hold!¡±


    Viv stopped her horse, looking down at the nearby figure of Zero-Five. An intrusive thought pictured him coldly executing a retired knight while his son looked on from under the bed, with goons burning a village in the background. He had the unfortunate look.


    ¡°Assassins?¡±


    ¡°Eight archers with Enorian long bows. Hiding in ambush. No liveries.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°They look weak, old. Broken. I can kill them for you.¡±


    Viv considered her options.


    Funny how two years ago she¡¯d come across a group of such bandits and casually executed them. It had been a necessity then. The Viv at the time couldn¡¯t allow witnesses to report her presence in case she got an army after her. And an army had captured her eventually. That was also why she had requested Zero-Five¡¯s support. She would not be caught off guard again if she could help it.


    ¡°I swear, milady, I had no knowledge of such things,¡± her Enorian knight escort assured her with a worried, candid voice. She waved his concerns away.


    Lady Azar insisted she should be more diplomatic and, if she had to be honest, she was not interested in killing. There was no reason to make a point through brutality, not anymore. Those who hadn¡¯t gotten the message by now never would, either through arrogance, despair, or sheer stupidity. She wondered which one it was this time.


    ¡°Take this token with you. Leave it right behind them, undetected.¡±


    ¡°As you will.¡±


    ¡°Then return.¡±


    Zero-Five bowed and disappeared from the perception of nearby soldiers. Viv could still track him through his use of black mana, which meant that as powerful as the axe wielder was, his skills still paled in comparison to Irao¡¯s. They waited in silence until the hadal appeared again. He was fast.


    ¡°It is done.¡±


    ¡°Guide the knights to the ambush location at a solid trot.¡±


    ¡°Milady?¡± Rollo asked with some concern for her.


    ¡°I will teleport behind them. Do not be concerned. They have nothing that can take me down.¡±


    ¡°As you order.¡±


    Viv took a deep breath, then she cast her new aegis and gated. The clear road turned into an old forest covered in low ferns, several forms huddling behind a natural bank formed by packed soil and the exposed roots of a collapsed oak. They jumped when she appeared. Viv used the aspect of the guardian to reinforce her defense as one of the attackers swung around, aiming his massive bow at her.


    ¡°Do it,¡± she ordered. ¡°Take the shot.¡±


    She pushed him with intimidation. He half-released, half fumbled the draw and the arrow smashed against the side of her sphere.


    This version had tiny interlocked hive patterns over a flowing layer. It was harder to breach since the shock spread over a large surface, the components reinforcing each other and floating in position in case of breach rather than her having to consciously regrow them. It was probably one of the strongest defensive spells in Param right now at an individual level. Even at point blank range, the javelin-like arrow pinged uselessly against it before disappearing into the still-open portal.


    The disheveled sniper paled when she casually pressed her horse up. A quick flay severed the string with a dry sound like a whip crack which forced him back against the ground, disarmed.


    Viv deployed her soul and the terror smothered whatever was left of the ember of defiance still burning in their chests. Zero-Five had been right. These men were already broken before the attack even began. She looked around. They had no way of escaping the horsemen they had to know accompanied her. It was a suicide mission.


    Her knights rumbled in sight a moment later. They formed a silent line above the bank, spears lowered and helmets closed. It was already finished.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like hired thugs. Or bandits,¡± Viv said, seeing that they were mostly clean. The attackers were mostly older men with clean clothes and haversacks possibly holding supplies. Their bows were well-maintained. They lacked the scruffy edge of bandits or the finesse of assassins.


    ¡°Why are you even after me?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just¡­ get away with it all!¡± the sniper screamed.


    So, revenge, she supposed. After a fashion. They lacked the preparedness of professionals so she assumed they were just lashing out.


    ¡°The war is over. You lost. There is nothing you can possibly attempt that would take me down. Normally, I would kill the lot of you for the attempt but the truth is that you were never a danger to me.¡±


    ¡°Now you show mercy? Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unless, of course¡­¡±


    Her intimidation aura flared again. She felt it affect her mood, going from jaded to cold and matter-of-fact. They would do as she said or they would die and their deaths would be no scale, errr, skin off her back.


    ¡°You really want to die that much? I am honestly curious. Why? Even if you had somehow succeeded by some miracle, you would have all perished for it. Don¡¯t you have families who need you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± the leader said. ¡°Because they were all killed in a raid while I was away! You and the other rebels¡­ I got nothing to lose. Nothing at all. Nothing left, because you took everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that one before. If you want to end it, then die doing something useful. Fight monsters. Protect villages. None of you are crippled to the point you can¡¯t function without help. You have no excuse coming here to waste your training, weapons, and my time when you could be out there spending your lives to make the world less shit. Help a starving widow. Kill a snakehound. I don¡¯t care. Stop using me as a tool.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at me. Look at me, that¡¯s right. I¡­ am beyond your reach. That¡¯s it. Give it up.¡±


    Sullen, slightly shameful silence answered Viv. It was clear she had gotten to most of them in the way they sat despondent, their precious bows held like lifelines and not the tool of war it was meant to be. Only the leader still fought her influence but it felt brittle, the last pillar holding together a crumbling reason to live.


    ¡°Dunno that I can give that up.¡±


    ¡°At least do it for the others around you, unless you want to drive them to a pointless death as well?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no, I don¡¯t wanna do that.¡±


    ¡°Good. You have each other at the very least. Find a worthy cause to spend your lives in, if you really must , alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Now, FUCK OFF.¡±


    ¡°Yea, yeah. Sorry, Fine. And¡­ thank you.¡±


    ¡°Get lost before I change my mind.¡±


    The archers scurried away as fast as emotionally broken wrecks could. Viv watched them go with a feeling of relative satisfaction. She didn¡¯t have to shed blood and so she didn¡¯t. It was as simple as that.


    His Enorian escort approached with his helmet held respectfully between gauntleted fingers.


    ¡°Milady¡­ I am not sure it was wise to let those men go. His Majesty King Sangor decreed that those who still resist ought to be slain, for they act against the kingdom itself.¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds hypocritical coming from me but, in a way, I¡¯m glad this didn¡¯t end in bloodshed. There¡¯s just no point here. Maybe we could just forget this whole incident ever happened?¡±


    Viv could almost hear the cogs grind behind the man¡¯s contemplative gaze. One less pile of paperwork. One less round of executions. Her offer was more than tempting.


    ¡°As you say, milady. You are the offended party.¡±


    ¡°Good man. Now, let¡¯s go. Something tells me a lot of blood will be shed before the season is over.¡±


    ¡°Very well. And I do not mean it as an insult when I tell you that¡­ you are not what they say.¡±


    ¡°My violence has a purpose. If those guys had shot one of my people, you would have realized that I am exactly what they say.¡±


    ***


    Two weeks later.


    Some places deserve to be painted. As the crimson dusk kissed the meadow in front of Viv, it gave the green grass a warmer tone, an ephemeral feeling enchanting the last moments of a nearby festival. Already, the jousters were packing their spears while the last revelers finished their bottles or gathered in warm embraces. Group after group left in small clumps, on horseback more often than not. The nearest road snaked between growing fields and cozy farmsteads protecting ripening vineyards. This was an old land, a rich land, tame and bountiful and filled with colors seen in the merry garments of its inhabitants. Viv could not have pictured a more idyllic nation of knights and princesses if she had found it in a library book. Even the distant castle with its white stone and blue spires would be more fitting in a fairy tale than in a war.


    They were finally in Baran. The richest, most powerful country of the continent. The seat of its mightiest military and its most elite knights. Viv sighed, a little jealous. Why couldn¡¯t she have landed here among the romance segment of some high budget Arthurian show instead of the touristic equivalent of a purulent boil on Satan¡¯s sphincter? Why?


    As she watched, a servant accidentally backed into a noble wearing a red dress, pushing her against a tent picket. Two muscular lads immediately jumped the poor sod and left him bleeding on the ground.


    Ok, perhaps that was why.


    ¡°Milady,¡± her Enorian escort said, ¡°We may not go on further. However, I am told a detachment of Knights of the White Orchard awaits in Coelette castle. Over there. They will guarantee your safety.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall take my leave.¡±


    The knight departed at a good trot leaving her with her own detachment. Rollo approached her. She turned to him. He seemed¡­ tense.


    ¡°I took etiquette classes at the Academy. Nothing mentioned my specific situation, however. Do you have any advice?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You are safe. You are a noble caster lady, a combination that gives you a position of respect both from the warring folks and the scheming folks. The issue is not for you but for us. Over half of the Order is of Baranese origin. As far as they are concerned, we are defectors.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°I will add that Baran allows for a marriage between several adults.¡±


    ¡°Oh I knew that. It makes family law¡­ interesting?¡±


    ¡°That is a polite way to phrase it, Your Majesty. My point, however, was that men may join other men in matrimony and although they are expected to honor their wives, nothing precludes them from being intimate with each other. Most Baranese would see my act as a betrayal when I could have swallowed my pride and done my duty. I could have satisfied my urges with a like-minded individual, they would say. I did not want that. I wanted Elber.¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡±


    ¡°He died facing Prince Lancer¡¯s champion. Yes. Sometimes, I wonder if¡­ but nevermind my qualms. The Order will come under attack and our honor will be questioned. They will not understand that I wanted to live my love openly with the one my heart chose. What I ask is that you do not intervene.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? I should just let my knights get insulted?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Defending us is not your role here. We are defending you. And our honor.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I just don¡¯t want any of you to die.¡±


    ¡°It will not come to this, milady. And besides, we are merely passing through. The locals will not have enough time to drag you into their games. At least, not this time.¡±


    ***


    Two weeks later.


    Viv sighed in relief.


    Finally, they were there.


    ¡°Hello, Viviane. Welcome to the crucible.¡±


    Viv saluted Jaratalassi with a fist upon her heart. It was a common Northern greeting and also it was pretty fucking cool. The general looked more spry than usual despite a mouth set in a stress-filled line. Rollo and the rest of the escort formed a line by the portal¡¯s side, their focus on the nearby forests of craggy pine in case of maraudeurs. The eastern marches of Baran were semi-arid though the late spring had yet to turn any needle yellow. It was an airy land that smelled of sap and dust. All in all, a rather pleasant experience. For now.


    Jaratalassi rode down by her side along with a dozen lancers who formed a loose circle around them. He sized her up.


    ¡°You look regal, Viviane of Harrak. Thank you for being here. Now, I asked for soldiers...¡±


    He sighed. His gaze swept the portal.


    ¡°I hope you brought me some because I will need them.¡±


    ¡°I bring one thousand five hundred.¡±


    Jaratalassi gave a bitter smile. He wouldn¡¯t meet her eyes. Viv had never seen the old general more nervous than now. She still didn¡¯t know what was coming but it had the old veteran worried sick.


    ¡°That¡­ is better than nothing. And most of what you have, I presume. How many levies?¡±


    Viv smirked. Instead of answering, she fed mana into her witch gates.


    The portal activated.


    For a moment, the aperture showed the lush green grass of a Baranese field, but soon the air was filled with the blaring calls of warhorns. The ground shook when twenty knights in full armor rode across the opening, soon followed by the barded steel tank that held Viv¡¯s primary shield array, Solfis standing on it like a grim ornament. The pilot waved at her and Viv realized there were even more spikes and blades jutting from the vehicle¡¯s front.


    After them, the rest of the army followed at a brisk pace. Columns of grim One Hundred came first, soon followed by Hightree soldiers armed to the teeth then the Fingers with their long bows.


    ¡°I shall guide them to the camping site,¡± Zero-Five said as he emerged from the shadows, spooking the nearest lancers.


    ¡°Please do so.¡±


    The companies followed each other. Jaratalassi¡¯s expression was one of quiet contemplation while the parade continued. He only shook his head once when Poacher arrived at the head of the Sisters of the Eye, then later when one of the Bitter Hearts called him handsome. As the heavily armed column reached its end, more rumbling heralded the coming of shield arrays and the Shrill¡¯s many catapults. Sidjin saluted from his seat, looking quite smug. Lana nodded at her.


    It took another five minutes for the supply train to pass through with an escort of Children of the Scale and Temple Guards forming the rear guard. Smiths, cooks, healers, menders, cleaners and builders came in strength to assist the force for an extended deployment. Then there was the supply train Baran had promised.


    Jaratalassi remained quiet for quite some time after the last of the Harrakans had disappeared down the trail. Viv closed the portal.


    ¡°We do not do levies,¡± she told him.


    ¡°I see. We¡­ may have a chance after all. I will need to reassess our deployment.¡±


    ¡°Care to tell me more about our mysterious invaders? Where do they even come from?¡±


    ¡°As far as I can tell from the handful of defectors we¡¯ve talked to, they came from the isthmus separating Halluria¡¯s eastern tip from whatever lands wait beyond. We have no idea what¡¯s there.¡±


    ¡°They crossed the entire Halluria from side to side? How? How did they get enough supplies?¡±


    ¡°As far as we understand, they eat humans.¡±


    ¡°They what?¡±

 Chapter 154: The Paramese Alliance is in shambles

    Nestled in a depression between two mountains, the Paramese alliance had made its camp. Viv had to admit that it didn¡¯t look like much. There was enough space for a medium town there but the tents and sober stone blocks raised by brown mages would comfortably host twenty thousand people, no more. An army that size would be respectable for a small country but they were not that. They were the mighty alliance supposed to stop whatever roamed Halluria, defeating what had been the continent¡¯s bogeymen for generations.


    Things were¡­ not looking good.


    The Harrakan column moved to the spot designated for them in good order. Temple Guard engineers ran around to mark areas then, as soon as they were done, fragments of the army would set up while the rest stood guard under the flabbergasted gaze of the rest of the alliance. Viv could understand them. Her soldiers proudly bore the flag and armor patterns of a long dead nation. It was like witnessing an ancient Roman legion asking to join NATO. Only more effective.


    Her attention returned to the encampment. For all her criticism about the low numbers, order and discipline ruled, giving her some hope. The tents and simple lodgings stood in orderly rows separated by palisades, each marked by colorful pennants. Patrols walked the ground while scouts left and returned from a passage east at regular intervals. She could spot three different factions. The first was Baranese, clearly, though the mismatched uniforms and old gear were a far cry from the expected standards. Nevertheless, their members stood with confidence with well-used weapons. The second group came right out of some Conan movie complete with beast skin, huge weapons, and a camp that barely qualified as one. As she watched, a group returned from a nearby forest dragging behind it a large dead beast.


    The last group and by far the most numerous was another Baranese army. At ten thousand strong, they formed half of all available forces and came with infantry, archers, and a large cavalry contingent whose horses waited in stalls carefully crafted by mages. They all shared a green pattern and liveries bearing the image of a stag. They were the most tense and solemn group.


    ¡°Whose troops are those, in the middle?¡± she asked Jaratalassi who was using the pause to drink something strong from his pocket flask.


    ¡°Duke Eikart. We are on his lands.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this explains the long faces.¡±


    ¡°If we fail to stop those mysterious cannibal creatures, their families are first in line at the buffet.¡±


    ¡°Creatures? You didn¡¯t mention that.¡±


    ¡°Apologies if I didn¡¯t elaborate yet.¡±


    The old general sighed deeply, sagging in his saddle under the weight of his responsibilities. Viv wasn¡¯t sure but she thought he had more gray in his hair than when they first met.


    ¡°Not that we know much. Defectors are few and they¡¯re almost never warriors. They speak of insectile creatures, or lizards. Hard to say. They speak of a great host coming from across the isthmus, ravaging everything in its path. We have yet to see them but we know they have just taken the nearest city. It¡¯s only a matter of time now.¡±


    ¡°Look, you know I¡¯m here for you,¡± Viv said with some concern. ¡°I just have one question. If the entirety of Halluria cannot stop those guys, what hope does our mismatched group have?¡±


    ¡°Well, first, one does not cross Halluria without encountering hardships, so they might not be as strong as when they started. Second, Baran is mobilizing, as is Enoria and the north. We will receive reinforcements. We merely need to hold on. Third, I am the greatest defense strategist on this continent and have been for the past three decades.¡±


    ¡°And you''re humble too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being realistic here, Viviane the Outlander. I have stopped Halluria¡¯s incursions with minimum damage to our land using borrowed troops for the major part of my adult life. Trust me when I say this: you cannot be in better hands. I wish you could, but you cannot right now.¡±


    ¡°As you say. So, what¡¯s the play?¡±


    ¡°War council first, then I have a job for you, seeing as your men are fresh. And women, I guess. We have a small Hallurian army approaching our positions. I need them recruited or gone.¡±


    ¡°Recruited? You think it¡¯s possible?¡±


    The general shrugged.


    ¡°If the destruction of their homeland is not enough to cure them of their notion of superiority, then nothing will. They are still human. Perhaps there is a chance.¡±


    ¡°I do not exactly trust my luck with that.¡±


    ¡°Then kill them all, I care not. I merely need them gone. We cannot afford to have rogue raiders threatening our flanks and supply routes. Now let¡¯s go meet the others. Bring your elites.¡±


    ¡°What, all of them?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Ah yes, well, that should be interesting.¡±


    ***


    Before joining the war council, Viv stopped by her new camp to make sure everything was going smoothly. Rakan and Sidjin were erecting structures at record speed so her people could sleep comfortably in their semi-permanent barracks, the tents saved for foray into Halluria itself. Viv even had her own command bunker, though she would have to fortify it with spells before she could sleep in it. As it was, two people were already waiting by the entrance. The first was Rollo, who looked as stoic as usual. The second was a more hesitant Lana. Rollo went first with the confidence of a man with a busy schedule.


    ¡°I would like for us to meet the other knights.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you want to socialize?¡± Viv asked with a frown.


    The trip through Baran had led to three separate duels. She expected the order master to aspire to some respite after the whole mess.


    ¡°Viviane, as much as it pains me to admit it, there are too few of us to make an impact on the battlefield. You know how cavalry charges work.¡±


    ¡°The more of you there are¡­¡±


    ¡°And the more powerful the skills. Precisely. Horse riders always unite on the eve of a great battle for we will charge and fight together. I expect this time will be no different.¡±


    That made sense to Viv. She wasn¡¯t a cavalry expert so Rollo most likely knew better.


    ¡°Alright. Do as you see fit. We¡¯ll be going to the main camp soon anyway.¡±


    ¡°By your will,¡± Rollo replied with a manly fist to his chest. The armored plate bonged pleasantly, then he was off.


    Viv turned her attention to Lana.


    ¡°So can I come as well?¡± she asked with a slightly acidic tone.


    ¡°All the elites will come. That means you, Rakan, and Sidjin as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±


    Silence awkwardly extended. Viv enjoyed silence. It was a powerful tool, sometimes.


    Lana fidgeted under her attention.


    ¡°I, hmm, I have to say something to you in private.¡±


    ¡°Then now would be the right moment.¡±


    Lana searched Viv¡¯s expression for something, though the witch didn¡¯t know what. Lana wore the same elaborate blue dresses she had favored under Elunath¡¯ control, but the general feeling was completely different. From demure servant, she had grown into a stern leader for her girls. Viv felt the image was brittle, however. Something about keeping the same clothes, the same skin, bothered the witch on a fundamental level. She would have tossed those clothes away as a sign of emancipation but¡­ Lana was Lana, with her own feelings on the matter. At least that¡¯s what Viv told herself.


    ¡°Yes. I admit to treating you rather coldly since our return, perhaps I even made our relationship adversarial without cause,¡± Lana articulated slowly.


    Viv nodded, letting her talk. It seemed like an important moment for the blue mage.


    ¡°I¡­ may have let my past influence me too much. I¡­ this is difficult to admit. I feel guilty, have felt guilty for a while now. During my years of service, I have done my utmost to accommodate Elunath and his moods, to help his servants navigate his feelings and mood swings. I have been vigilant. I have been watchful all the time, in tune with his attitude, so the others would not be beaten. A word there, a touch here. All I could to smooth things out.¡±


    Another nod. Lana licked her lips, eyes lost.


    ¡°But you came and you killed him. And that means he wasn¡¯t as invincible as I thought he was. That means that for years, I have been the agent of his domination by instilling a sense of fear in the others. I have enabled his tyranny by attuning those around me to his every desire.¡±


    ¡°Lana¡­¡±


    ¡°No! Shut up, please. I acknowledge that¡­ I was too weak. Perhaps fighting would have made things worse. I did the best I could. We were alone, unsupported. He made us that way. He selected us because we were isolated to begin with. I know that. It doesn¡¯t matter. I helped him control us, me, by my own will. So¡­ I can¡¯t let that happen again. Ever.¡±


    Lana looked up to see if Viv got it. She did.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to turn like him.¡±


    ¡°No! No, not think. Fear. I fear that. And that is unfair to you, because you have done right by us every step of the way. But I look at you, look into your eyes, feel the power in your aura, and I remember him¡­ You are fine for now and perhaps you will remain so for a long time. You have friends and a heart. And principles. And yet, and yet¡­ you are an elemental archmage¡­ and I cannot stop you. Maranor help me, if you decide to crush us, there is nothing I can do to stop you. None of us can.¡±


    Viv nodded.


    ¡°Look, there is nothing I can tell you or swear to you that I have not sworn before so I believe the solution to our problem here must be found elsewhere. Have you talked to Abe?¡±


    ¡°He means well. He just doesn¡¯t get it. He has always been strong, strong enough to hide even from a demigod and then strong enough to defeat him, with your help.¡±


    ¡°Not what I meant.¡±


    Anger replaced confusion in Lana¡¯s traits so Viv stopped talking. It was clearly a difficult moment for the mage.


    ¡°What do you mean then?¡±


    ¡°You are presenting a very strong front to the others. You want to be the rock they depend on. Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are correct! How can I do anything less? After everything I¡¯ve done to hurt their minds?¡±


    ¡°You need to give yourself the time to grieve, Lana.¡±


    ¡°Grieve? I haven¡¯t lost anyone!¡±


    Viv sighed. Lana was growing agitated.


    ¡°This was a waste of my time,¡± she said, fidgeting and looking around.


    ¡°Wait. I will try again. Remember, I am from a very different culture, so I ask for your patience. I¡­ I am scared as well. I hide it in public, of course, however the truth is that there are still plenty of things that can kill me here and if not me, then they can destroy what I have built and the people I have gathered. I am scared but I also share my fears with the people I love around me. Sidjin. Solfis. Arthur. Even Abe on occasion. I cried with my roommate back in Helock when I realized I would never see my family again.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I am sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°When I say you need to give yourself time to grieve, I meant the life Elunath stole from you and the others. You¡­ were probably in a state of hypervigilance for a long time and you can¡¯t let yourself go because you feel responsibility for the others. You owe it to them to protect them from those who would abuse them again, including me.¡±


    Lana slowly nodded.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no way to live. You¡¯re going to break sooner or later. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to talk to Abe, because he will help you get that pain off your shoulders so you can finally take a breath. You owe it to yourself, Lana. Can¡¯t protect everyone else if you¡¯re on the verge of breaking all the time. You¡¯re safe now. I¡¯m not Elunath.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Lana. I am not Elunath. My friends and I are here for all of you, I swear it. Rely on us like we rely on you. Do yourself that favor. And if you are concerned, you can do the same oath to our cause as Ban did.¡±


    ¡°Ban? Loyal-to-a-fault Ban? The head of the heavies?¡±


    ¡°When he swore allegiance to me, he also promised that if I were to ask him to commit atrocities, he would stab me on the spot.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ he did?¡±


    ¡°Looked me right in the eyes too.¡±


    ¡°Haha,¡± Lana said, wiping her eyes. ¡°I¡­ cannot promise I will fully trust you but¡­ I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°What you went through cannot be fixed in a single conversation. Just know you have all the rest of your life to find peace and we¡¯ll be there alongside you, yes? You can be the one the others look up to without turning into some invincible statue that never feels anything. Just accept the help, please?¡±


    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s save the continent first and then I¡¯ll save myself.¡±


    ¡°I mean, you can work on both at the same time. Peace?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Are we at peace?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. Thank you for this. I feel stupid now, bothering you with my qualms in the middle of a war.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Lana. Let¡¯s just say getting along is part of my job.¡±


    ¡°You are the strangest empress in all of Nyil.¡±


    ¡°I can live with that. I don¡¯t need to affect an aloof countenance because I can melt people off the face of reality. People know it, I know it. It makes them very polite.¡±


    ¡°Why, I feel safer already.¡±


    ***


    The command tent was not so much a tent per se as a bunker with an open roof covered in canvas. The light of the noon sun shone through the white fabric. It was also a little stuffy, and cramped, even before Viv walked in with her elites.


    Three groups waited by a large table bearing the usual maps, corresponding to the camps she¡¯d seen outside. The first consisted of gruff Baranese soldiers headed by an enthusiastic young man with a stag emblem on his gambeson. The second was made of tall, wild men who reminded Viv of Koro under the command of a colossus so tall his head almost touched the ceiling. A large glaive rested on his impressive shoulders while his gnarly face exuded contempt and boredom in equal measure. The last group, and also the most homogeneous, followed an old man in full, green plate armor. Gray stubble covered his chin while his gaze went over Viv¡¯s troops. He radiated quiet disapproval.


    ¡°Hello, Viviane. Be welcome. This is Duke Eikart,¡± Jaratalassi said, pointing at the sour noble. ¡°Here is young Duke Falstag who leads the duchy to the north. His people have suffered much at the hands of the Hallurians.¡±


    ¡°We are proud to fulfill our oath to our allies!¡± the duke said with enough energy to light up a happy lightbulb.


    ¡°And here is Cloud Skull, a mercenary from the south. He agreed to join us for the fight.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the titan said with a voice like a grumbling rockfall. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve sniffed each other¡¯s arses, can we go out and fight?¡±


    ¡°Oh but we¡¯re just starting with the sniffing,¡± Viv replied, holding the large man¡¯s glare.


    He was interesting. Something in his aura formed a sort of web across his body that kept the ambient mana around him at bay. While most arcane fencers imbued power to their strikes, this one used it to reinforce his body. She suspected he resisted magic to a degree, though how much was difficult to assess.


    ¡°I will align with my uncouth ¡®friend¡¯ here, woman. Did you have to bring that many people?¡± Eikart said in a low voice.


    ¡°Elites are people of the fourth step of higher with a command role, yes?¡±


    Eikar glared. That was a rhetorical question.


    ¡°Then they¡¯re all my elites.¡±


    A mage lowered himself to whisper in Eikart¡¯s ear. The man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Lots of mages,¡± Cloud Skull said. ¡°Lots of talking. Back home we would be wrestling for the title of warchief.¡±


    Eikart looked like he wanted to hang himself. Jaratalassi had the patient look of a man who was waiting for a group to calm down while Falstag¡¯s lips formed a disapproving line.


    ¡°We¡¯re all on the same side here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv said, ¡°well.¡±


    She extended an arm to the barbarian who only smirked. Viv saw mana flood his conduits, intensifying his resistance. She souped up a kinetic spell.


    Instead of hitting the man directly, she compressed a pane of solid transparent mana, then released it to smack against his chest. A loud ¡®woosh¡¯ made the tent¡¯s fabric flutter. A few of the southmen raised their arms to protect their eyes.


    Cloud Skull grunted under the impact.


    Even accounting for the resistance, the pane should have sent the man tumbling out but instead, he stood his ground. His feet dug a furrow in the earth while his back smashed against the earthen barrier. Like some sort of anime protagonist. A few of his unfortunate men collapsed at his passage, but none were hurt.


    A terrified silence filled the tent.


    ¡°Consider yourself wrestled,¡± Viv said amicably.


    The craggy giant slowly extracted himself from the small depression his mass had carved. Viv patiently watched him lumber back across the room with the speed and momentum of a continental drift. His presence filled the air, meeting Viv¡¯s own cold dragon aura. His face split and he showed rows of ivory teeth.


    And then he laughed.


    His tribe chuckled with him. Hands left the handle of weapons. Viv allowed herself a smile.


    ¡°Well you got stones, Weird Eyes. Hope you fight as well as you bark.¡±


    ¡°Count on it. Now, for the arse sniffing. This is my second and paramour, Sidjin the Red Mist, hero of the Glastian wall.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± the fallen prince replied with casual charm.


    His reputation preceded him if the whispers were any indication. With a smirk, Viv¡¯s introductions went on and the mood turned as she continued. Solfis and Zero-Five were of particular interest to the tribesmen while Lorn and Rollo were known to the Baranese for their battle prowess. After she was done, the others introduced their side as well. Falstag brought some solid fighters while Cloud Skull¡¯s men were all introduced with anecdotes that mostly consisted of killing beasts while drunk off their tits, butt-naked, or both. Except for Adon Goat-Fucker the very unfortunately named. Eikart brought the most balanced contingent including most of the local mages who were all third step. Eikart regained some colors after they were done.


    ¡°Tradition dictates that a monarch should lead us, however I am sorry to say that not everyone can claim they¡¯re an empress and take precedence,¡± the duke said with a dangerous tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here because Jaratalassi asked me, and I will follow his lead.¡±


    ¡°How very¡­ humble of you.¡±


    Eikart leaned forward in his seat. His fist gripped the edge of a table in a death grip.


    ¡°Nevertheless, you have my gratitude for coming to the defense of my ancestral lands. Those are strange times when Halluria fails to defend itself and Param denies me the help I requested. Now we stand facing a new danger. I hope¡­ it will be enough.¡±


    ¡°And with this, I would like to explain my plan,¡± Jaratalassi said.


    Everyone gathered around the table, then Jaratalassi gently forced people back so everyone could see. The general pointed at a map that showed the camp they were in as well as the surroundings. It had been exquisitely made by someone who clearly knew their stuff.


    ¡°This is our camp and here is the supply line going west to the witch gate the Empress established.¡±


    Viv hid a smile. Jaratalassi was helping her by giving her credibility, something he was doing of his own accord.


    ¡°The only viable path east goes through a large ravine that forms a gap in the mountain chain that forms the barrier. We will fortify that ravine as a fall-back position. Beyond it lie the desertic plains of Halluria. A patch of forest to the north can provide some cover but otherwise, the place is desolate. Our plan is to bait out the enemy outside of the ravine and face them there until we are pushed back.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Viv said, ¡°Why not simply hunker down within the fortified spot? We should have the advantage in terms of casters. A chokehold would favor us.¡±


    Jaratalassi patiently waited for her to finish. He didn¡¯t seem offended by her questions.


    ¡°We might do this in the end. As to why we will delay, there are three reasons. First, our most powerful fighting force is our cavalry and they cannot perform through our walls. Second, there is a secondary passage about thirty leagues to the south and I very much want our mysterious foes to commit themselves against us rather than look for an alternative and so far lightly defended way into our backlines. We want them to want to attack us. Finally, those fortifications do not yet exist. Our engineers will need time.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now comes the question of the Hallurian force we detected half a day away. I would like the Harrakan contingent to engage this force and either recruit or destroy it.¡±


    ¡°Hallurians cannot be recruited. You might as well put your hand in a snakehound¡¯s maw,¡± Eikart spat with venom.


    Rakan cleared his throat quite loudly, which led to an embarrassed silence in the room.


    ¡°Present company excluded,¡± the duke grumbled. ¡°But if you want to try, be my guest, just don¡¯t come running if they attack you like feral mutts.¡±


    ¡°Neriad might yet grant them mercy,¡± Farren said.


    That statement was received with the same amount of consternation as claiming beastlings were cute. Nevertheless, no one dared to contradict a member of the temple to their face on the eve of an important battle. Viv wanted to pat the Voice of Neriad¡¯s shoulder but that probably wouldn¡¯t be well received.


    ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s now or never,¡± Jaratalassi finished. ¡°If not most of them, then at least a few prisoners if at all possible. They are disheartened, after all.¡±


    ¡°We will do our best,¡± Viv assured.


    ¡°Excellent. In the meanwhile, the Baranese force will hold the mouth of the ravine while our engineers go to work. Cloud Skull, can I count on you and your men to scout the nearby lands? I want to know when and where the army will strike.¡±


    ¡°Oh we¡¯ll do better than that,¡± the massive warrior replied with a smirk ¡°We¡¯ll tickle them so they follow us where you want¡¯em. Don¡¯t you worry.¡±


    ¡°Then we are in agreement. I will ask that you move tomorrow at first light. Your Majesty, some of our scouts can lead you to the Hallurian camp. Thank you for coming. Viviane, a moment please?¡±


    Most everyone filed out, except Eikart who stood at a distance. Tension rose near the exit as a natural consequence of arrogant magic-boosted superhumans who didn''t trust each other being in an enclosed space but, by some miracle, everyone left without a surprise riot. Jaratalassi approached Viv with a light smile, the first expression of mirth she¡¯d seen on him in a while.


    ¡°It went much better than expected. I have to admit, when you pushed Cloud Skull back, I thought it would end in a melee.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely. That man was never at risk since he resists magic.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Arguably completely.¡±


    ¡°No such thing.¡±


    ¡°His reputation is well known, and he has been taunting our mages since he arrived. We need him, however. Southerners are a wild bunch but many of the tribes cling to their reputations like barnacles to a hull. In any case, please be careful around him. Do not aggravate him further if possible.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask a service of you. While you are out, I would like you to create a witch gate in the woods to the north, hidden from sight. In case we need an¡­ alternate path in.¡±


    Viv nodded. That was a good idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll create the twin in our camp upon my return and lock it so only we can use it. Hidden. Sidjin and Rakan will help me.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. That was all then, thank you.¡±


    That left Duke Eikart to deal with. He was still waiting. Her first instinct was to bow as it was etiquette as taught by the Academy but¡­ she was a monarch now, technically, and bowed to no one. The duke didn¡¯t seem to take umbrage.


    ¡°Greetings, Viviane of Harrak. Although I will repeat that I appreciate you coming to the defense of our land as part of the alliance, I will ask that you keep your knights in your camp while we are at rest.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°I want your knights off my perimeter. They have been challenging my soldiers to poetry contests and declaiming texts of¡­ of dubious moral virtue! I will not abide them tempting my men into reprehensible behavior. Please, I do not mean this as an insult, but if you cannot control your men, then they have no place within my camp!¡±


    Viv glared. Unfortunately, the duke had a right to expel the Blue Roses because, simply put, his turf, his rules. That was a constant of Paramese politics, also the reason why slaves were tolerated in allied war camps although several cities had completely banned the practice on their territories.


    Viv nodded slowly.


    ¡°Fair enough. That is your right. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­ no. For what it¡¯s worth, I will petition the king to give you recognition as a gesture of gratitude.¡±


    Viv nodded and left. It was Baran¡¯s interest to do so anyway to keep Enoria occupied and delay the return of the continent¡¯s second most powerful kingdom in the arena of international politics. Outside, she strode back to her camp, asking Rollo to come with everyone.


    ¡°What is the matter, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You have been expelled from the camp for attempting to corrupt the youth.¡±


    Rollo glowered in resentful silence but Viv wasn¡¯t done and she asked him to stay around. Farren joined her during the short trip back.


    ¡°I would like to come in the capacity of diplomat,¡± he told her.


    ¡°What? With the Hallurians?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Viv considered Farren¡¯s offer. The young Voice of Neriad had this genuine, hopeful expression she didn¡¯t trust.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea. I was planning on having Rakan set up a meeting with their leader on neutral ground, for example an open space within range of our wasp catapults.¡±


    ¡°This will not work.¡±


    ¡°It will work well enough for our purposes. I suspect we¡¯ll have to kill most of them and capture the fleeing ones. Those talk. I can say from experience.¡±


    Farren shook his head. His jaw set in a stubborn line.


    ¡°Viv. This is our only chance at reconciliation.¡±


    ¡°Fuck reconciliation. Have you ever fought them? What I saw in the places we liberated¡­ The ritualistic suicides, the executed prisoners. Just¡­¡±


    ¡°Viv. This is not up to you.¡±


    This time, Viv did stop and glared. Everyone else did so as well, staying at a respectable distance to give them some privacy.


    ¡°I do believe I lead this army, Farren.¡±


    ¡°You do, and the temple guard will follow you to the isthmus and back. But I¡¯m not here in capacity as a soldier. I¡¯m here as a diplomat.¡±


    ¡°You are here as my quartermaster.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, Viviane. I am not. For centuries, we have fought the Hallurians to a standstill in a clash that left hundreds of thousands dead. Today, they are on the brink of destruction after an invading army brought them to their knees. If there is one chance a hand extended in friendship and forgiveness turns our relationship around, even for a single clan, even one city, we will have achieved more for civilization than any single person in recent history. Think about it, Viv. Peace with Halluria. Is that not a dream worth fighting for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dream that will get you killed.¡±


    ¡°If there is a single chance it can succeed, I owe it to mankind to try.¡±


    Viv glared at Farren.


    This was Rakan at the arena all over again. Someone she cared about was going to take a risk she disapproved of. This time though, there was no one she could convince to stop him. Unless¡­


    ¡°Does Lorn know?¡±


    ¡°He disapproves as well. His task is not to take risks but to protect those under his charge. And no, Viviane, he cannot tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°At least take an escort with you.¡±


    ¡°I will do so while you remain at a distance. If it looks like negotiations will fail, they will try to extract me. I am not a complete fool. And I will wear armor.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Not that she could do much anyway. She just disliked risking Farren¡¯s life for people she didn¡¯t care for.


    Viv didn¡¯t control people. They flocked to her banner because they believed in what she believed in and that was a great strength, but her rather loose hierarchy meant they pursued their own agenda and, sometimes, it meant decisions she didn¡¯t approve of. She¡¯d never been stronger but she would never be strong enough to protect people. At least not from themselves.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do no such thing. You breathe power and violence, Viviane the Traveler. Your aura is not that of a negotiator. I might as well approach them with a naked blade.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Viv gave up. Maybe there was a way to protect him by enchanting his gear. Or maybe she should just let go and accept people would take risks for things they believed in.


    ¡°Thank you, Viviane.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I must admit, you delaying the attack on Kazar to take care of your feverish dragon, then assassinating a member of the temple made me fear for the future. So far, my worries remain unfounded. It seems power has not gotten to your head quite yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, I have a lot of people to keep me in line.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hope those include more people like Abenezigel¡ª and I still cannot believe we have a redeemed lich ¡ª and less people like Solfis.¡±


    ¡°No promises.¡±


    Viv stopped at the entrance of the camp to cast eldritch walls on a piece of land under the curious gaze of sentries. Her soldiers were busying themselves using whatever mana they had to create barracks and get settled. She was rather impressed by how efficient they were.


    ¡°You wanted to talk to me, Your Majesty?¡± Rollo asked, apparently still a little sour.


    ¡°Yes. One moment. Let me finish.¡±


    Once a platform was raised, Viv stepped onto it and created a basic circle with a directional sound enchantment.


    ¡°Alright Rollo. You have been banned from Eikart¡¯s camp and I can¡¯t do anything about it, but anyone who steps on the platform and speaks will get their voice amplified and sent in the direction of said camp. I¡¯m setting it up in case we need to, ah, communicate with them? Yes. And it would be irresponsible of you to use it to declaim poetry or anything of the sort.¡±


    ¡°I see, Your Majesty. Not to worry. This contraption will be in good hands. BLUE ROSES, TO ME!¡±


    ¡°And with this I am off. Do not disturb me.¡±


    Her dastardly plan to lure more knights to her banner by ¡®infecting them with the gay¡¯ settled, it was time for Viv to build her next gate.


    ***


    The world felt different on the other side of the mountains.


    It was not the mana. The planet didn¡¯t care about the difference enough to change itself. It was the tension in the shoulders of soldiers, eyes searching the powdery edge of the horizon for movement. It hid in the strained voices yelling orders and the white knuckles clenched on sword handles, or the shafts of vicious quarrels. Viv looked behind at the Harrakan army. Three squares of heavies provided a defensive line around the marksmen and the yries war machines. The last square held the supply train including cisterns for there was no water to be found around here. Only dry, rolling valleys of dusty stone peppered with tufts of brown grass as far as the eye could see. The Hallurians were hidden there, somewhere, in one of the many folds of the wrinkly land. The running southerners by her side moved with enough purpose that she was confident they would be found quickly.


    Morning turned to noon and the army stopped for a short rest, then they set off again. The temperatures were already warm enough to make Viv slightly aware of the heat, though her peculiar constitution protected her. Within two months, this entire area would turn into a sweltering hellscape hostile to life itself. They found the Hallurian army shortly after.


    It was not very difficult.


    The first hint was the low cloud of vultures encircling the low valley. The second was the stench. It smelled like rot and old excrements, a pungent cloud that made Viv wince with every breath of wind. They knew the Harrakans were coming, because when Viv crested the last ridge, she found them arrayed in battle lines across a low plain.


    Calling that gathering an army was generous. The camp behind them was more of a messy array of debris plunged in squalor and littered with damaged goods and the occasional dry corpse around a more solid, fortified core of well-ordered tents. Warborns and archers took the center of a formation behind a man in full plate and a helmet bearing two horns that gave him the appearance of a beetle. All around them were militias, all in all perhaps four thousand people though the real fighting force was perhaps a quarter of that. They looked starved, filthy, and dehydrated but they certainly didn¡¯t look like they were about to surrender.


    ¡°Well. I guess it¡¯s your turn to shine,¡± she told Farran.


    ¡°Have some faith, Viv,¡± the man said. ¡°The gods are watching.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Somehow, that doesn¡¯t comfort me.¡±

 Chapter 155: Halluria

    Farren slowly made his way down the slope atop a white horse, the temple guard trailing him at a respectable distance. She couldn¡¯t read the Hallurian leader at all. His face remained hidden behind the closed helmet while he stood like a stone statue. As for his men, the warborn followed the shape of the Voice with sullen glares. Farren certainly had an uphill battle facing him. He stopped then dismounted.


    His dark hair suddenly glowed with a golden radiance. Neriad was here to bring his assistance. Farren spoke loudly and Viv realized she could hear him despite the distance between them. His Hallurian was surprisingly decent, much better than Viv¡¯s.


    ¡°For centuries, our people have fought and died on the same stretch of land. For centuries you have come for us and we have sent you away. We know each other well through our blades. And we have spilled enough blood to fill a sea.


    ¡°But now, things have changed. You have been invaded. The enemy has swept you aside and forced you here, away from your cities into the desert where nothing grows. You have no food and no water.


    ¡°Despite this, I see you are not broken. I acknowledge you as warriors and recognize your spirit. What I ask is not your surrender. I know I will not get it. What I ask is that you stand side by side with us to fight the enemy you were going to face anyway. We will share our water and our hearth. We will extend a truce. And when this is done, you can return to Halluria to reclaim what is yours and we will not stand in your way. I do not make demands of you. I extend a hand in friendship, Hallurians, that we may fight together instead of against each other for once. Give us a truce, Hallurians. Join us as humans as we will join you, and we shall defeat your foes together.¡±


    For a while, Farren¡¯s words hung in the air between the two armies like a tantalizing promise. Soon, however, a group of three cloaked figures made their way out of the inner camp to the edge of the Hallurian formation. They wore plain, white facemasks and their people split like the red sea to let them through, equal part terror and respect.


    ¡°Is it good or is it bad?¡± Viv whispered to Rakan who was by her side.


    ¡°Hmm. Neutral? I guess? Farren¡¯s still breathing but the faceless are fanatical. I, uh, I think Farren should come back.¡±


    Viv activated the communicator towards Lorn. The temple guard acknowledged her with a grunt.


    ¡°Those are faceless. Get him back to us.¡±


    ¡°I cannot. He is not in active danger and will refuse,¡± the guard replied between gritted teeth. ¡°He wants to try.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Maybe Viv was wrong and Farren would pull a miracle. She watched the spectacle enfold with trepidation. The faceless trio stopped by the warlord and stood there, unmoving. Farren remained still as well. He exuded benevolent patience.


    Then, the warlord laughed. It was not a good laugh. It spread like wildfire among the gaunt warborn and it rang hollow and wrong. A cacophony of insane cacklings that drove home that the persons there had left their sanities behind long ago.


    ¡°Enough, get both out of here,¡± Viv said, and this time she infused her voice with power, but Lorn was already moving along with the horses.


    ¡°No,¡± Farren replied.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡±


    ¡°No, go now. It¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Go NOW.¡±


    Farren stood where he was and Lorn was forced back, possibly by a skill. The escort turned around while the Voice remained. For a beautiful moment, Viv though the warlord would let him go as he extended a hand in a gesture that could theoretically turn into a ¡®fuck off¡¯.


    A green flame around a black heart grew from the open palm. Viv recognized it only too well. There was only one god who granted that sort of deleterious magic to their followers.


    ¡°Efestar.¡±


    The warlord took his time at first, but he accelerated as soon as Viv started casting. The flame left his fist then went through Farren¡¯s chest. The young man collapsed. He was dead on the spot.


    The three faceless immediately cast something that looked like a clustered artillery spell. It felt dangerous to Viv¡¯s senses.


    ¡°Viv?¡± Rakan asked.


    ¡°Everyone, Engage!¡±


    Her voice carried through all the communication devices across her forces. As on, the Harrakan line was covered in shields while the men advanced, the One Hundred heading the wedge. They walked down.


    Viv shadow stepped to her tank and activated her aegis. The cluster attack was now descending on the spot she¡¯d been.


    ¡°Aspect of the Guardian. Durandal.¡±


    The hive pattern shield shone white, then the interception spell hit a cluster which detonated midair, causing a huge explosion. Some of the other pieces were still falling so she busied herself interrupting them. Spells roared from her left and right where Lana and Sidjin were already on the offensive. The last ones hit her shield head on. She felt a small drain on her reserves.


    As expected, the faceless had a small library of spells but they mastered those to perfection.


    ¡°DO YOU SEE NOW?¡± a voice spoke in her mind.


    ¡°DO YOU SEE WHAT HE STANDS FOR?¡±


    Furious, Viv fed a lot of power into a simple prayer to Neriad, more power than it had cost to stop the faceless attack.


    ¡°I know what he is and I also know what he could become. And is this really the right time for a gotcha moment, you vindictive prick?¡±


    Her tank soon crested the hill and she saw the battlefield in its entirety. The warlord was hyping his men who were even now walking up the incline, starving as they were, in complete violation of common sense. Her soldiers were walking down with anger slowly roiling in their hearts in a buildup of violence. They were waiting for an order. They were waiting for her. Viv put the maximum power into her sound enchantment.


    ¡°For the black tide. CRUSH THEM.¡±


    With the One Hundred heading the formation, the Harrakan line surged down the slope in a wave of fury and metal. By her orders, all of the crossbows focused on the warborn exclusively. Some hid behind shields, most weaved their weapons to stop arrows. It didn¡¯t make a difference. A Harrakan bolt could not travel as far as an Enorian arrow, nor could they shoot as fast. But what they did have was penetration.


    The first three ranks of warborn simply collapsed in a mist of blood, overwhelmed in an instant. The rest fell faster than they could come up. Viv fired her own artillery at the faceless who were now focusing on her, their own attacks pinging uselessly against the shield protecting her front rows. Far to the left, the Knights of the Blue Roses made first contact against the militia and just rolled over them.


    Viv¡¯s attention turned to the warlord. A black cloud rolled over him, forcing the bolts to ping away. Interestingly, some of the bolts were enchanted by the markswomen and they still had no effect. She could always leave him to die from power overuse but that didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°Solfis, I¡¯ll kill the faceless first. Keep our friend entertained.¡±


    //Do you need him dead?


    ¡°I will need a word. Be sure to show his weakness to his men.¡±


    //It shall be my pleasure.


    //SWITCHING TO DUELLING MODE.


    Viv cast spell after spell after the faceless. Their leader raised a fist and a green light surged, striking dozens of militiamen whose bodies burnt to a charred husk in an instant. A Green shield rose from the ground to encompass them. Her artillery spell hit it with violence, leaving deep ripples on its surface.


    The One Hundred were the first to hit the shrieking, bleeding mass of the warborn. Their cold rage turned them into a wall of steel that no projectiles could reach thanks to Viv¡¯s cover. Inside of the dome, it was formation to formation, and Viv got the confirmation of what she had hoped for the past few months.


    They might be hideously expensive, requiring more steel than an average squad for every soldier, a massive supply train and road but once on the battlefield, a Harrakan heavy was the unstoppable force and the immovable object. The supposedly best infantry of the continent surged against the indomitable wall of the One Hundred and failed. Calmly, methodically, the Harrakans cut them apart. There were no gaps in the formation, with each soldier supporting the other by their side, or in front of them. The warborn sought flesh and found only metal as unyielding as the ones wielding it. They burnt their failing life force and it did not help. Far to the sides, the Hightree and Children massacred the militia without contest, backed by devastating spells from the unleashed mages. A rotating blade of transparent mana carved into a flank that disintegrated almost instantly.


    Twenty seconds into the battle, parts of the enemy formation were already routing.


    But the warborn didn¡¯t care.


    It had never been about winning, for them. Viv wasn¡¯t sure what it was about. A last stand? Petty violence at any cost? One last bite at the approach of the end?


    She didn¡¯t really care, not anymore.


    She focused her entire attention on the faceless shield and the spells they were weaving. Divine mana made the counter tricky because it seldom followed the same rules imposed upon her. That was fine. A few Durandal spells hit the barrier without much effect. Right, the faceless were not casting it themselves so she couldn¡¯t disrupt it easily. It was probably fueled by the dark god himself, to an extent.


    Brute force it was, then.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    Viv¡¯s ray of pure void hit the barrier head on. It bit into the sphere and bent it, slowly. Energy crackled with such power that it covered even the din of battle but Viv didn¡¯t let go. The faceless grew frantic under the onslaught. They were about to cast. Viv stopped and waited.


    A moment later, three balls emerged from the Hallurian¡¯s position. One to each shield array.


    Viv slowed her perception of time to the very limit. The spell was¡­ incomprehensible. It used all four shades of primary mana as well as life, black, and transparent dyes. It was both complex and yet made of very simple parts assembled together. She recognized it from one of the reports she¡¯d read on faceless magic. It was a chaos ball. Its only purpose was to disrupt constructs.


    She knew what to do. Focusing, she wrapped a durandal spell inside of a thicker construct. The mana groaned under her will but she could not be denied. The mages were not too far now, maybe fifty paces. She had only a second¡­


    The spell was off. It screeched under her fingers as it went. The missile-like projectile hit the ball and pierced through, unraveling on contact. The payload hit something and both spells exploded harmlessly over the heads of the dying warborn. The entire Hallurian army was holding by a thread by that point, despite their numerical advantage. She had to break them fast before her people tired. She redoubled her efforts.


    On her right, Sidjin picked the chaos ball apart methodically by targeting its weak point.


    On her left¡­ nothing.


    Viv panicked and searched for Rakan. He was standing atop his tank, looking contemplative. The ball was about to hit when he flung a counter.


    It was¡­ another chaos ball. Albeit a simpler one. The two spells hit then canceled each other.


    ¡°Rakan, the battlefield is no place to experiment!¡±


    ¡°But that looks like such a useful spell!¡±


    Fucking genius copying spells mid conflict. Viv cursed until a sound like shattering glass spelled the end of Efestar¡¯s shield. Viv was about to capitalize on it but the moment the protection failed, all three mages sprouted feathered shafts from their eyes. All three at the same time.


    Viv turned to see a nearby squad of Sisters of the Eye whooping and cheering.


    ¡°No sense of propriety. Well, whatever.¡±


    A few astra spells obliterated the cores of resistance among the warborns while the combined efforts of Heavies¡¯ defenses and the roaming squads of witchpact made short work of them. It helped that the incline allowed all of them to shoot over their allies without Viv having to raise a platform. The engagement was just perfect, and the Hallurian army, much weaker than it appeared. That left the warlord. Viv stepped down from the tank and left it moving forward. The spell had enough reserves in its core to last for a few hours at this rate.


    She levitated over where Solfis was dueling the warlord to a standstill. The bone golem toyed with his prey, using his superior range to pick the man¡¯s armor apart strike by strike. The warlord fought using two strange axes made with some sort of chitin. He was talented but not talented enough. Something told Viv he was new at his job. A brief inspection confirmed it. He was barely on the fourth step, and not a strong one at that.


    As Viv landed, the heavies around her redoubled their effort to push the remaining warborn aside, leaving the warlord completely cut off.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°You need to get some better champions, Fefe,¡± Viv said.


    The foe roared and jumped towards her but she easily saw it coming. An extended hand directed the next kinetic spell.


    Contrary to that little exhibition in the tent, this time, she didn¡¯t hold back. The warlord¡¯s body crashed heavily into the dusty, corpse-covered ground. He stood back up.


    Viv smashed him down again.


    She wanted him to come out, and he did.


    The body of the warlord writhed on the ground. Viv saw panicked, frantic eyes under the closed visor and there was a brief struggle, then the eyes turned entirely black.


    Slowly, the puppet stood back up.


    A wind of change turned that part of the battlefield¡­ different. Many of the heavies turned while the crossbow wielders stepped back, their confidence eroding under the malevolent aura exuding from the fallen foe¡¯s broken form. Even defeated and battered, the shape inspired an animalistic terror that overwhelmed the senses. The man¡¯s jerky movement made him dip into the heart of the uncanny valley. Viv stood her ground.


    ¡°WELL WELL WELL. LET ME HEAR IT NOW. WHERE ARE YOUR JAPES, TRAVELER? WHERE ARE YOUR WITTY BARBS?¡±


    The voice was a scream of agony and a mocking whisper at the same time.


    ¡°I know what you are. I know what you do. I also know what you could be. Farren was a friend and he fell, and for what?¡±


    She turned one of the bodies at her feet, a young warborn, tattoos dull and unresponsive. A smirk had frozen his face into a death rictus.


    ¡°Just another bunch of losers barking at the moons. Look around you. Is this what you want to be forever? The last refuge of the petty?¡±


    ¡°EVERY HORRIFIED GLARE. EVERY PAINFUL OUTRAGE. EVERY SANCTIMONIOUS BASTARD WHO LOOKS IN HORROR AT THE MAN HE THOUGHT WEAK. I SAVOR THESE MOMENTS. YOUR FRIEND THOUGHT A FEW WORDS COULD REPAIR CENTURIES OR CARNAGE. AT THIS POINT, I AM DOING YOU A FAVOR BY PURGING THE FOOLS.¡±


    Viv stepped forward but she did not cast, not yet.


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to get me angry, Fefe. I can¡¯t be angry right now. I just look around at this entire fucking waste and all I feel are pity and regret.¡±


    The dark god finished assimilating the host and the puppet grew in size, the armor darkening. Shadow spikes covered the cracked armor until it was slick and oily. Ominous cracks made the soldiers recoil. The voice was more unified now, and deeper, more mocking. It switched language to old Harrakan.


    ¡°People like you, who have the means of their end, cannot understand the pain of utter powerlessness, Viviane the Traveler. There are sins that can never be repaid unless they are by my hand.¡±


    ¡°I would have no problem with that. This world needs a little more justice¡­ but you¡¯re not acting for justice, at least not yet. You¡¯re acting for petty vengeance for slights real and imagined.¡±


    ¡°All slights are a matter of perception.¡±


    ¡°Semantics? Really? Fefe¡ª¡±


    ¡°DO NOT CALL ME THAT.¡±


    ¡°Fine, Efestar then, who used to fight for mankind, where has that left you? All that vengeance and that pettiness and your mind is stuck in a cave on a throne without a court.¡±


    ¡°I am a KING! Enough. I think I will have to¡­ teach you some manners.¡±


    The armored colossus disappeared.


    Behind her.


    Viv barely had the time to shadowstep out of the way. Even then, an armored fist clipped her shoulder painfully through the pauldron.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    Fists smashed against her hive. Very, very powerful. She lashed out with a net but he stepped aside. Viv noticed he had quarrels stuck in his back.


    The avatar of Efestar looked out towards the nearest group of witchpact. Viv couldn¡¯t allow that.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    The blade of hungering darkness hissed through the air and Efestar grabbed it.


    Viv knew that was impossible. The blade had no consistency. It was not physical. Efestar, apparently, didn¡¯t care. With his other hand, he waved and the same green barrier raised around her to form a small, contained arena. Viv was trapped.


    ¡°Enough distractions. I believe I promised a little punishment.¡±


    ¡°Smells weird in here,¡± Viv said.


    The flesh of the avatar¡¯s fingers boiled where they held the still hissing Excalibur spell. Efestar considered his crumbling digits with detachment.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°As I said, not a great host.¡±


    The avatar backhanded her faster than she could perceive. The blow stopped against a hastily raised shield, her instincts having screamed to her. He was so damn strong she was pushed back through the spell. Her pseudo-wings dug in reality to anchor her for the next blow and, this time, she didn¡¯t bend.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The shield exploded. It forced the avatar back a few steps and that was enough for Viv to change that side of the arena into a hell of whipping tendrils, in vain. Efestar was gone. She filled the arena with lashing tendrils but the aspect of the guardian effect weakened and slowed her offense. Even at her best, she wasn¡¯t sure she could have touched Efestar. He was dancing away from the chaotic trajectory with disturbing grace, considering the weakening host. More cracks of tearing flesh joined their echoes to the song of battle. He was an assassin. Viv was trapped in a cage with an assassin god.


    That was¡­ suboptimal.


    But she always had solutions.


    ¡°Deadlands domain.¡±


    Black mana flooded the enclosed space. Viv randomly teleported around, shattering her shield and reforming it as fast as she could. Her reserves dropped precipitously and she drew some power from her dagger focus, just in case. Efestar was picking her defenses apart with a methodical approach she didn¡¯t like. The abyssal gaze behind the glistening black visor felt¡­ bored. Or detached.


    ¡°Harrakan domain.¡±


    Efestar stopped as the world inside of the arena turned gray. The host had stopped growing. He was now an armored form half again as tall as Viv but that was not what worried Viv. Efestar¡¯s form was lean and well-proportioned, a far cry from Octas¡¯ misshapen abomination they¡¯d defeated in the spider village. The proportions had changed as well. While the warlord had been a stout man, this entity was lean and long-armed. He stood on the balls of his feet with a relaxed posture as if this was a mere warm up. A part of Viv wondered if by punishment, he meant a scar or if he would flay her alive. She wasn¡¯t eager to find out.


    ¡°Rather optimistic of you to use black mana on me.¡±


    He wanted to talk? That was fine.


    ¡°And yet,¡± Viv said, pointing at his chest plate.


    Blotches of darker gray were spreading across its surface and there, the metal lost its shine. Some of the deleterious effect touched his pauldrons as well. Efestar watched the effect with the first sign of excitement he¡¯d displayed for the whole fight.


    ¡°Impressive. You are a decent duelist, for a caster.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I try.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    A dagger of viridian darkness materialized in the avatar¡¯s hand.


    All of Viv¡¯s instincts screamed ¡®oh shit oh fuck¡¯ at the same time. She overloaded her shield for all it could contain then infused it with the meaning of change, because annihilation would not do.


    A shock. A clang. The blade of the dagger smashed clean through it anyway, but the blade stopped a couple of centimeters above Viv¡¯s nose and through her roundshield. She could see the edge with disturbing clarity. It looked nasty. Efestar¡¯s hand was stuck against her spell.


    A cold chuckle made her grit her teeth.


    The wave of terror emanating from the avatar was starting to crack Viv¡¯s resolve, eroding it as well as her chances of winning. It was taking a lot of effort to look as detached as Efestar was. Bastard was winning hard. She had to keep the pressure up.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The host was pushed again.


    ¡°You are only delaying the inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Epicenter.¡±


    This time, the host felt it. The pure wave of change and destruction crashed against the failing avatar, cracking the shell further. Wisps of power abused the straining remains of the warlord. Efestar perceived it. He snapped his fingers and the arena barrier fell down.


    Viv pushed the power up as it was freed, away from her soldiers. An instant later, Efestar snapped again and the barrier returned as if it had never been gone. Most of Viv¡¯s effort to turn the place to poison had been undone. There had not been enough time to turn the land completely.


    But that was fine.


    She¡¯d already won.


    ¡°Well, outlander? Any more tricks?¡±


    ¡°Not a trick, a reminder that contrary to you, I¡¯m not alone.¡±


    Serrated claws shred through the back of Efestar¡¯s knees. The avatar stumbled and twisted, lashing out with a blade but Solfis was already gone. The golem took Viv¡¯s side while runes shone on his bony frame, indicating he was working at maximum capacity. A ping resonated against the barrier. The One Hundred formed a ring and pushed their enchanted spear into the barrier under the imprecations of Ban, straining it. Viv could see from the expression on Ban¡¯s face that he wouldn¡¯t accept an order to retreat. Efestar smiled, uncaring. His focus was on the golem.


    ¡°Irlefen¡¯s contraption. We meet again.¡±


    //How many times must I kill you, I wonder?


    ¡°And how¡¯s your master doing?¡±


    //There is nothing you could possibly say that would make me angrier than I already am.


    Efestar made to move but his right arm crumbled to dust. The dark gaze watched the stump with mild frustration. Viv wasn¡¯t sure if he didn¡¯t care or if it was part of his persona. Perhaps it was both. Gods were strange beings.


    ¡°Looks like time is up. I¡¯m serious, Fefe, you could really do better.¡±


    ¡°Gods do not change, outlander. I know of nothing else.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s a lie. You lot are still growing.¡±


    ¡°All I know, all I want to know, is vindication.¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Viv said, expanding her arms, ¡°I am no stranger to vengeance myself, but you are doing petty tit-for-tat when you could have justice. There are too many sins committed in this world and too many of the perpetrators get away with it because of their status or their personal might. I have fought against that as well but I didn¡¯t do it by killing off children. You are limiting yourself.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? You are just a mortal.¡±


    ¡°So were you, before, and you slew a god.¡±


    The avatar smirked. The pressure lessened. The barrier fell, though a gesture was enough to hold the One Hundred back. Viv realized that more troops had joined the heavies and so had Sidjin and Rakan. The pair was working on some nasty tracking spell while keeping an eye on the foe. Not that it would matter. Efestar¡¯s host was falling apart into dust quickly, the flesh left behind hard and black like obsidian. His gaze went over the assembled soldiers though, once again, Viv could not read him.


    ¡°You stood for justice once, Efestar.¡±


    ¡°Then you must know that I cannot let go,¡± the god replied with a cold voice.


    ¡°You do not have to let go to get better. Your actions hurt you and us mortals more than it hurts those who wronged you. Direct your fury at those who deserve it instead of blindly lashing out. You know there are many wrongs you could rectify if you bothered to try.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing,¡± the crumbling avatar said.


    ¡°I¡¯m turning my vision into a reality with those who share my ideals. You¡¯re leading beastlings and the dead. Reconsider.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite like him, you know? Your friends die around you but your beliefs never waver. You will still fail. I will teach you¡­¡± the fallen god said at the last of the host fell to ashes.


    His voice still carried in the wind.


    ¡°You are so young still¡­¡±


    The dust held in the air for a few more seconds, until the unforgiving light of the sun returned and dispersed the last of the darkness.


    Viv breathed out in relief. Not dying yet.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Focus +1 to 45


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity +1 to 45


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Those were some amazing gains. At her level, every point made a difference in how well she could cast.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Due to successfully leading an army in battle and facing off against the avatar of a god in single combat, your leadership has massively increased.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Intermediate 4 to 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv almost expected draconic intimidation to progress again but unfortunately, it was already so high it would take a few more extraordinary deeds to make them progress even more. That was fine.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Soul Master: intermediate 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was probably for withstanding the pressure on her soul. Something told her the stat would be useful soon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Thanks to the implementation of a new spell and having stopped the strike of an avatar of the assassin god with two different shields, your shield mastery has massively improved.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shield mastery: intermediate 1 to 4


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was nice and would prove useful the next time she would do something suicidal. Very nice.


    Ok, all good. Viv breathed out in relief.


    That had been far too close for comfort. Suddenly, she remembered that they were supposed to be fighting a battle and that it had all gotten rather quiet. She looked around, seeing that the warborn were all dead to the last while the militia milled around in packs, uncertain on what to do. A thin line of Children of the Scale kept them at bay from the rest of the army which had centered around Viv and her duel. They were ready to help her, she realized. They were going to shoot a god¡¯s avatar to protect her. That warmed her heart a little.


    ¡°Right. First things first.¡±


    ¡°If I may,¡± Rakan said from the side, leaving poor Sidjin to dispel their dangerous work.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I believe I can get the survivors to surrender and follow us. Those are not warriors but laborers, as your soldiers have probably noticed. They are little danger to you. With the warlord dead, I believe I can get them to stand down.¡±


    Viv glared. The amount of fools trying to redeem worse fools was now three and they had one dead and one dark god manifestation incident. Problem was, she had no justification to refuse.


    ¡°You do it from here.¡±


    ¡°Of course. And¡­ sorry about Farren.¡±


    ¡°Finish what we started.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Viv kept a look on Rakan while he made a small speech threatening the laborers, reminding them they were less than nothing and that the warriors had failed to protect them. One of the hardiest of them stood up from the group and turned back to his peers.


    ¡°Are you really going to surrender? We are Hallurians! We¡ª¡±


    The man¡¯s next words were interrupted by a steel tip down his throat. He fell heavily, spinal cord severed.


    A few of the laborers dropped their improvised weapons, then surrender spread like a wildfire. Those who attacked their companions were swiftly picked off by crack shots.


    ¡°They kind of stole my kill with the mages,¡± Viv grumbled to Solfis.


    //Oh no, the Sisters of the Eye, an elite outfit of sharpshooters, eliminated priority targets by shooting them in the eyes.


    //Such an unexpected development.


    //Who could have foreseen such an event?


    ¡°I told you to turn on the sarcasm module only when we team up on other people.¡±


    //Apologies.


    //It appears my hypocrisy module is deficient.


    Viv sighed. She knew Solfis and he was trying to distract her. Lorn was already walking back from his spot at the edge of the army where he had fought during the battle, moving through the no man¡¯s land between the Children and the surrendering Hallurians.


    ¡°We have wounded? Anything we should help with?¡± Viv asked Ban.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. We are tallying the wounded and the dead. Neriad¡¯s followers are already healing those who need the most attention. I shall take care of the prisoners if¡­ well¡­¡±


    Lorn found Farren¡¯s body and hugged him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Find Zero Five and have him get the valuables from those tents. Might have some maps as well.¡±


    ¡°Very well, ma¡¯am. Should we share our food and water with the prisoners?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice in the matter. Neriad demands it of us.¡±


    The god¡¯s favor came with a slew of obligations that were, essentially, a sort of Geneva convention that didn¡¯t cover the use of any weapons. An enemy that surrendered should be treated well within reason so Viv literally couldn¡¯t deny them her help.


    ¡°I hope Jaratalassi doesn¡¯t get mad, your majesty. That¡¯s a lot of folks hanging around his backline.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll transfer them tonight via gate. Depending on what Rakan promised them, we may get some new Harrakans.¡±


    ¡°Those savages?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re mushroom farmers, Ban. Not warborn.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Viv walked towards Lorn who was still wordlessly hugging the remains of the voice under the vigilant attention of several squad of heavies working very hard at pretending to not notice the tears dripping down his ruddy cheeks. Viv stopped by his side and kneeled. Farren¡¯s chest was a mess but the spell had left his face intact and it was caught in an expression of pained focus. She waited a while for the old temple guard captain to recover. It took several minutes during which Viv waited in silence. Koro stopped at some point to offer support, the Amazon warrior not masking her grief.


    ¡°I told him not to do it, Neriad as my witness,¡± Lorn eventually said.


    Even his beard was getting wet. Viv felt a pang of guilt and annoyance, at herself and the rules she¡¯d decided to live by. In hindsight, letting people do dangerous stuff because they were responsible adults was kind of shit if it killed them.


    That was the thing about hindsight though, kind of hard to have it beforehand.


    Maybe, if she¡¯d just told Farren he couldn¡¯t try, that would have been it. Oh, they would have fought over it and there would have been consequences, but he would have lived.


    Maybe he would have fought her, though. That would have been just like him to stare down a figure of authority telling him what he couldn¡¯t do.


    Maybe it was just not her call.


    She really didn¡¯t know. Was there even a good answer? If there was, she didn¡¯t have it.


    ¡°So they decided to surrender¡­¡± Lorn said, apparently to keep himself occupied.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll take care of the wounded then move. This is hostile territory. We can¡¯t afford to get caught.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you are right. I will carry him. And Viv?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me why you were having a discussion with a dark god?¡±


    Viv felt annoyance fill her chest. Her first instinct was to tell Lorn that after he¡¯d faced an avatar in single combat, he could whine about it, but that would be petty. Lorn was reeling from the loss of the one he was supposed to protect. He was like a wounded beast attacking the first target in sight. Viv could be better. She had to be better.


    ¡°Efestar tried to tempt me several times. I have returned the favor.¡±


    ¡°You know that if you attract his attention, he¡¯ll send his agents after us, right? Lose more people because you had to have the last word?¡±


    Viv breathed in then leaned forward until her unsettling gaze could dig into Lorn¡¯s. He sustained it.


    ¡°Lorn, when, not if, the dark gods send their agents after us then we will do what we always do. We will track them down and we will kill them. I have done that many times. You know this, do you not?¡±


    He blinked and suddenly, his attention returned to Farren. The hold on the young man¡¯s body grew more taut for an instant. Then, Lorn took a deep breath.


    ¡°Yes, I¡­ I will bring him back. We will bring him back home. His ashes, at least. Forgive me, I must walk around the field to make sure the dead do not rise again.¡±


    Viv nodded, then she returned to her tank. Rollo was waiting for her.


    ¡°Your Majesty. I saw you fight the avatar of a god to a standstill. That was the deed of heroes.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Sadly, the dark god himself was not receptive to my arguments. I asked him to rejoin the light.¡±


    The handsome knight laughed at that, though it remained subdued.


    ¡°Hah. Your legend grows, Viv the traveler. I will make sure your duel is immortalized in ballads. It would not do to let such an impressive deed go unnoticed!¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to think. It was good that she would be seen fighting a dark god but the talk might be received poorly, depending on who believed it. The tally of the dead soon came to distract her. Six of her soldiers had died, two heavies and four crossbows. All of them had been hit in the head and were dead before they could be revived, the heavies killed through their visors. It had been a one-sided battle but there were no wars without fatalities, it seemed. Viv would bring their bodies home at least.


    It took two hours for the prisoners to be fed and ready to march, their wounded carried in makeshift sleds. Zero Five brought back an assortment of curious clay tablets, the only signs of writing. They were encrypted so even Rakan had no idea what this was all about. Little of the rest could be used. Even the weapons were strange and unfamiliar. With no distraction left, Viv ordered a brisk march home, hoping to be back before sunset.


    On the way home, the tales of her duel were passed through the ranks, those who were close enough slowly tricking their tales down the lines via the most gossipy of the markswomen. Viv let it happen. Her soldiers were really pleased with having someone who could fight off an incarnate god and hold a conversation at the same time. As they approached the mountains separating Halluria from Baran, a messenger on horse rushed to see her.


    ¡°General Jaratalassi requests that you hurry back with all haste!¡±


    ¡°Ah, but¡­ he gave me another task,¡± thought Viv, who had not had the time to set up her portal yet.


    ¡°You must return now. The enemy will be here by nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, double the pace. Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    By the time the sun set at their back, Viv could see them coming. Lights, in the distance. A lot of torches and lanterns like a fire snake crawling over the desert.


    There were quite a lot of them.

 Chapter 156: The Weavers of Fate

    ¡°You are bringing a thousand Hallurians into our camp? Are you completely insane? This is a ploy by those treacherous savages!¡±


    Duke Eikart was livid.


    Viv sighed as she leaned back into her seat. Farren was already missed. He would have had some pointed comments that only worked from the position of moral superiority, one she didn¡¯t have on account of her reputation. Totally undeserved, that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Empress Viv has things under control?¡± Duke Falstag said with hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Viv replied. ¡°They surrendered, so I took them prisoners¡ª¡±


    ¡°They lie! They¡¯re Hallurians!¡±


    ¡°I took them prisoners,¡± Viv continued through gritted teeth, ¡°just like Neriad demands and just as I committed to when I accepted him as the patron god of New Harrak.¡±


    ¡°Your oaths will cost us our victory.¡±


    ¡°Those are mushroom farmers and tunnel diggers, not shock troops! Most of them barely have combat skills. They will not be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Can you guarantee it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can.¡±


    Eikart huffed, which pissed Viv off. She knew that his land was being attacked and that he was under a tremendous amount of pressure, so being a little bit of a twat was to be expected.


    ¡°You are overconfident,¡± Eikart grumbled.


    Despite all her sympathy, Viv still had to put some boundaries. Slowly, she placed both hands on the table. She deployed her anchors, which reminded Eikart of what she was. He peered into the void of her sclera, and he remembered.


    ¡°I am me. And they will not be a problem,¡± she stated.


    Solfis and Zero Five shifted at her sides. They were the most¡­ physically intimidating members of her retinue, and a subtle reminder that they were under her control.


    ¡°We may be able to transfer them tonight,¡± Jaratalassi said, breaking the stalemate.


    The general smiled affably like the sly dog he was. His presence dispersed the tension with a simple and acceptable proposal. Viv¡¯s gates would allow them to be transferred to a distant city where they could not sabotage the troops.


    ¡°Very well¡­ but my subordinate will go with them to inspect them¡­ just to make sure there are no issues. If the witch gate is destroyed¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I will rebuild it,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°It may be so. A thousand mouths to feed will strain our supplies as well¡­ We do not want Hallurians in Baran. They do not belong.¡±


    ¡°They have agreed to follow me to Harrak as my¡­ underlings,¡± Rakan said.


    The mage moved forward. With his staff, he looked very mage-y. A proper caster and all. Perhaps that was the only reason why the dukes tolerated the interruption of someone they must see as an inferior.


    ¡°I merely ask that they are let through.¡±


    ¡°Do as you wish if it can get them off my back.¡±


    Viv imagined Lady Azar¡¯s expression when a thousand submissive farmers with no belongings would flood the land right before harvest and smiled. Not her problem, or at least not yet. Hey, the old woman always said she came to Harrak as a challenge. There, a proper one, provided not even by Viv herself. Enjoy.


    ¡°If we are done with the matter of the prisoners, I would like to address our plan for tomorrow,¡± Jaratalassi said.


    Everyone gathered around the table where a detailed map of the surrounding area waited, dotted by little figurines representing different groups.


    ¡°Our scouts report that the enemy has made camp ten leagues away from our positions. They certainly know we are here, therefore we should expect an attack tomorrow. Cloud Skull¡¯s men report a mix of footmen and soldiers mounted, and I fear this is the truth, large bipedal lizards. Some report larger specimens¡­¡±


    ¡°Those are the ruler and priest castes,¡± Rakan said.


    Jaratalassi looked on curiously. Viv had never seen Rakan so smug and aggravated. He was clearly angered by the words of Duke Eikart about people who were technically his compatriots. She frowned and remembered then, that he was from a family of laborers and hunters.


    He had more in common with the prisoners than he did with the Baranese and it showed.


    ¡°I have spoken with the community leaders ¡ª those are the equivalent of ¡®village heads¡¯ in charge of enforcing production quotas. They had much to say about our common foes.¡±


    Even Eikart listened with begrudging attention. She felt a hint of pride at seeing how much Rakan had grown since they had met, from a shy outcast to a confident expert. She exchanged a glance with Sidjin and they smiled.


    That smile didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°The enemy is a species that calls themselves the Empire of Dawn or the Nemeti, which means Chosen of Fate. They claim to weave the threads of destiny through their priests, and given some of the rumors, it might be true. They are separated into four castes. At the bottom are the laborers who are subservient and about the size of a human child. They do not fight. The few present will not pose a threat to us. The second caste is, I¡¯m sorry to say, the females. They are said to be more feral than the rest and spawn dozens of creatures at once. The third caste is made of warriors. Those are the ones we will fight.¡±


    ¡°What else did the prisoners say?¡± Jaratalassi asked, enraptured.


    ¡°They said that the warriors move very slowly, then very quickly, then slowly again. Warriors are taller than most humans and they have scales, feathers too. They¡­ look a little like snakes, or lizards, but bipedal and with a short snout. They use few armors but a wide variety of weapons of stone and metal. The last caste is the leaders. Their priests act as war mages, according to the rumors.¡±


    ¡°Those laborers know a lot.¡±


    ¡°They heard the whispers from the warborn. One of them served the faceless before their demise.¡±


    ¡°Is there more to say? About their numbers?¡±


    Rakan shook his head.


    ¡°Nothing reliable. The problem is that laborers and warborn only gather in large numbers on very rare occasions while administration is handled by highborn women, which means that¡­ most of the people we have here don¡¯t know how to count above one hundred, if that.¡±


    ¡°Well, that certainly limits their scouting abilities.¡±


    ¡°What they say is that the Empire of Dawn attacked with a massive army, yet despite that, they still suffered heavy losses at first. After that though, they seemed to have rolled over Halluria with minimum difficulties.¡±


    The statement was received with consternation.


    ¡°How is that possible? Should it not be the contrary?¡± Duke Falstag asked.


    ¡°That is¡­ counterintuitive,¡± Jaratalassi conceded.


    Viv agreed. Logic would be that after a few decisive engagements, a large nation would collapse quickly if their elite military were to fall, but that was without accounting for Halluria¡¯s peculiar political system.


    ¡°The warlords should have united after the initial attacks against them succeeded. What happened?¡± Jaratalassi asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know and they don¡¯t seem to know either. The servant who worked in the warlord¡¯s tent said they were desperate. That they could not win. There were many talks of hopeless last stands instead of an organized defense.¡±


    ¡°They were already defeated? That sounds preposterous. It could just be the novelty of being invaded?¡±


    ¡°It might also be due to their methods,¡± Rakan continued. ¡°You see, once they find a hostile new city, they always operate in the same way. They encircle it, then they attack with overwhelming force. They do not stop to regroup or plan. They just keep attacking until they break through, and when they do, they slaughter all who resist and many who do not.


    ¡°Those who surrender and survive become thralls, allowed to keep their weapons but bound to perish shielding the Nemeti from arrows or ambushes.¡±


    ¡°Wait, and those do not revolt?¡±


    ¡°Apparently not. They say those who are defeated are crushed for good.¡±


    ¡°This sounds¡­ so outlandish.¡±


    ¡°Then the victors eat the dead, both theirs and that of their enemies. They¡­ they say they butcher humans and dry the meat to eat on the trail¡­¡±


    ¡°May the light gods shine upon us, is this true?¡± Falstag said.


    ¡°The little intelligence we have seems to agree. That certainly solves the food problem,¡± Jaratalassi commented.


    ¡°One last thing. The Empire of Dawn does not interrogate their prisoners. They follow fate to their next target. They spread over a large area until they find a place that resists them and then.. they gather again.¡±


    ¡°So we¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. We are next on the list.¡±


    ¡°And those troops outside that already outnumber us¡­¡±


    ¡°Are just one of their vanguards. There should be more. They have not had the chance to replenish their numbers after taking Halluria so, at least, we will stand a better chance.¡±


    ¡°This idea of fate is certainly concerning. And you say they have priests?¡±


    ¡°Yes, war priests who also serve the role of casters, though they do not appear to have mages per se. The laborers do not know what they worship, only that it is not one of our gods.¡±


    Viv hesitated. Jaratalassi caught her expression while the others discussed in low voices.


    ¡°Viviane? Something to add?¡±


    ¡°Well. Fate mana exists.¡±


    Silence spread among the assembly. Cloud Skull made a strange, warding sign with his fingers. He seemed worried.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Eikart¡¯s head mage said.


    ¡°Fate magic exists. Dragons can touch it though we humans cannot even perceive it. It is the domain of¡­ distant causality. I find it hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°What would you know about dragon magic?¡± the mage half-scoffed.


    Someone muttered in his ear and he fell silent.


    ¡°Arthur told me that fate magic was fickle and extremely difficult to properly employ because it worked on¡­ large-scale events. To use it perfectly requires an understanding of all the ins and outs, something not even the gods can manage. If the Nemeti do have access to fate magic, they might influence events to favor them in ways we cannot even anticipate. We are going to need those reinforcements sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°I have already sent a courier asking them to come as soon as they are ready, and not to wait to group up. I am confident we can hold this pass,¡± Jaratalassi said.


    Viv thought that they¡¯d better or there would be nothing left between them and the evacuation gate. She didn¡¯t have the time to improve the network.


    The discussions continued for a little while. Jaratalassi determined the best way to defend the pass while the fortifications were still being built. It was decided to leave the pass a little to occupy the top of a hill that overlooked the surrounding area. That way, the Paramese Alliance could make full use of their ranged troops which the Nemeti seemed to have few of. They could still retreat towards the pass to allow their line to contract if there were any issues. The cavalry would be held in reserve in preparation for a counter attack, in case they needed to buy some time. As they left, Viv informed Jaratalassi of the bad news.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to set up the second gate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. As a matter of fact, Cloud Skull reports that a group of human thralls is moving towards the forest. Tomorrow morning, I would like you to engage and destroy them then build a gate. If you are cut off before you can return, use the gate to regroup.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t that warn the enemies?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you escape and burn our contingency rather than lose the entire Harrakan army. And I fear that tomorrow is our only window, if the Hallurian laborers are to be believed. After that, attacks on our positions will be relentless. You do not have to agree, of course. It is a dangerous gamble.¡±


    Viv faced Jaratalassi as the man sat there, waiting for her judgment. She considered leaving it to luck before realizing that it was just one of the general¡¯s many ploys. Just as he let people bicker to get it out of their system, he also left generals some leeway with how they operated.


    Jaratalassi gave her an encouraging smile. He was as much a politician as he was a war leader. That was probably a necessity for him.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I expected more hesitation. You¡¯re rather confident.¡±


    ¡°I am confident that you won¡¯t send me to my death. Just, please, treat the lives of my people with utmost care. Because I trust you and I am counting on you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. You are here, Viv, at my request. I will get as many of your folks back alive as I can.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Well, I should head back. We have funerals to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jaratalassi replied.


    He took a swig of his flask. Viv kept quiet.


    ¡°Never gets easier.¡±


    ***


    The night was cold here, comfortably so after the sweltering heat of the desert. Viv took in the scent of pine burning, the embers floating up to the distant sky. Some of the Temple Guards were singing a sad dirge somewhere to the side.


    Viv peered at her helmet. The light of funeral pyres reflected on the smooth surface of the embedded crown, one that she still had to grow into. Farren was¡­ not her responsibility? Or was he? She still hadn¡¯t decided. There was a siren call to drop everything in the pursuit of power, to push everyone away until she could no longer be hurt and her magical power grew so much she could destroy any threats but, of course, that was a trap. The black mana running through her veins whispered promises of destruction on those who opposed her, a sweet lie. There were always more threats, always more people to protect. The truth was that she would lose people until her time came to be lost in turn. To refuse that fact was to refuse her humanity. She needed her humanity, or she would turn into something much worse than Elunath.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A gust caught her hair. It was long now, longer than ever before. They reached her shoulders.


    She preferred short but noblewomen kept their hair long as a display of privilege. Laborers didn¡¯t have the time to take care of long hair. They could also get in the way of physical work. So Viv wore them that way because it was expected of royalty, which she technically was.


    How much was this world shaping her? What was left of the earth Viv?


    ¡°Your thoughts, darling?¡± Sidjin asked by her side.


    He bumped against her shoulder and she leaned against him. He was a strong presence, reliable. He knew pain more than anyone else as well.


    ¡°Just wondering how much of me is still me.¡±


    ¡°Oh you mean you have changed? Congratulations on being alive.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. You know what I mean. I¡¯m even doing politics.¡±


    ¡°As you should since you are a politician. If your concern relates to morality, don¡¯t worry, we shall keep an eye on you. Not just me, but your friends as well. Even Solfis will stop you if you slip up.¡±


    //Pure evil is counter-productive.


    ¡°See? You are supported by a great many people.¡±


    ¡°That is not, ah, it does not matter. I suppose I changed to help people so, in the end, I can live with that.¡±


    //If it helps, your Majesty, I made some changes to myself as well.


    Viv blinked. She remembered him absorbing the memories of other units back in the old capital. Solfis was a gestalt as much as he was himself.


    //But my core programming has not changed.


    ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at. Don¡¯t worry, The funerals just¡­ make me doubt a little. Farren was one of the few original pillars of Kazar still alive. We¡¯ve had¡­ so many losses since then. Mayor Ganimatalo. Varska. The guard captain. Now Farren¡­ An entire generation of leaders, gone.¡±


    //The march of fate requires¡­ sacrifices.


    ¡°You¡­ think I made it happen?¡±


    //No.


    //Individual decisions still depend on those who take them.


    //You will merely¡­ be in the trajectory.


    //Lancer would have attacked no matter what.


    //He started selling the Kazaran lands before you were even on Nyil.


    //I checked.


    //Because I was curious.


    ¡°Then what do you mean by sacrifice?¡±


    //Just that.


    //When history is made in Nyil, it is written with the blood of the people who touch it.


    //You may grieve, but tomorrow, you will fight to the best of your abilities and forget those doubts.


    //You will keep our people alive.


    ¡°Yes. You can count on me.¡±


    //And I will fight to keep you alive too.


    ***


    The Harrakan column climbed down the slope in silence. The air was fresh and earthy for now, the rays of dawn coming from the desert barely warming the early morning air. Behind them, the crumbs of the Paramese alliance arrayed themselves on top of a small hill in preparation for the day. Viv¡¯s army would leave them behind then climb back up north towards the nearby pine forest huddled between two sheer mountains. Zero Five appeared by her shield array.


    ¡°Enemy troops. Humans. They look weak.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll dispose of them then return.¡±


    Ban looked back but an order spoken through their communicators kept him going. They wouldn¡¯t have cavalry this time since Rollo had stayed with the rest, which meant that if the enemy disengaged fast, they wouldn¡¯t really have a way to run them down. What should she do? Besides hiring a dedicated tactician so she could focus on magic.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    //We will be there soon.


    Viv did her best not to look right towards the rolling hills where the Nemeti hid. She could see some of the markswomen casting concerned glances towards the impending threat. Viv was worried as well. All her instincts screamed that she was leaving a fortified position before an imminent attack, that she was going to be cut off. Her mind rejected the possibility of portals as an escape. Her self-control allowed her to keep a perfect composure for the others but there were still too many unknowns, too many doubts. She didn¡¯t like it.


    Slowly, the column moved into the forest. Viv decided it was time. She used her communicator,


    ¡°Zero-Five? Where are they?¡±


    ¡°Two thousand paces to the north. I will guide you.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Switching to full frequency, she addressed all the leaders.


    ¡°The enemy is over a league away. We will now deploy in a loose line to catch them. The Children and Bitter Hearts will form the rear guard. The Temple Guard will hold the right wing. Reports say the enemy is weak and disheartened but you will not lower your guard. A cornered enemy is at its most dangerous.¡±


    There were a few acknowledgements. The army deployed as Ban directed them, and Viv used the opportunity to climb a small hillock to create a gate. She resisted the urge to activate it just to see if it worked. It did. She could feel the connection. It was fine.


    ¡°Contact. Three hundred paces,¡± a voice said.


    ¡°Halt.¡±


    The army came to a stop just as Viv returned to her array. This was it. Fighting in the forest wouldn¡¯t be optimal but as she climbed in her seat, she realized it would be necessary.


    ¡°Forward.¡±


    The Harrakan army moved slowly forward across the line. Sergeants made sure to keep the formation mostly stable despite the many trees and boulders blocking their advance. This was an old pine forest, with thin trunks and beds of dry needles that smelled heavily of sap. No low growth blocked her sight and the same was true for the enemy as well. Panicked shouts soon echoed ahead. Without prompt, the army accelerated. Lak-Tak, Viv¡¯s pilot, carefully maneuvered to avoid running into trees. Soon, they were out with heavies properly arrayed in front of them.


    In the heart of the forest was a narrow but long clearing cleft in two by a brook. It was mostly dry but some clear water still sluggishly down a slope and along that brook, a mob had formed a, well, a camp, she guessed. Mostly, people had collapsed where they were into a disorganized line.


    ¡°Is that the dangerous foes we¡¯re supposed to fear?¡± a cocky sister whispered to her neighbor close enough for Viv to hear it. Her neighbor slapped her shoulder then made Emeric¡¯s warding sign against bad fortune, a sentiment Viv shared.


    They were certainly a pitiful sight. Some of the more robust were Hallurian guards and slingers but there were also emaciated men with pale, slightly bluish skin and light eyes, the first instance of a shade different than brown Viv had come across here. She inspected a few.


    [Sorelian skirmisher]


    [City Guard of Pranth]


    Those names meant nothing to her which could imply only one thing. Those were survivors from human cities from beyond the isthmus.


    The Nemeti had certainly come a long way.


    The most interesting part was that Viv couldn¡¯t see any of the true Nemeti, the insectile lizards. The thralls really were without surveillance. There had to be a reason why they were so confident their humans wouldn¡¯t escape.


    As the heavies finally stopped, the distance between them and the nearest enemy was so close there wouldn¡¯t even be time for them to charge. Viv searched for a danger, like a hidden caster, but there seemed to be none she could see. The entire group was barely a thousand strong and they were so exhausted, a full quarter didn¡¯t even rise to face their deaths. Some shook and seated, perhaps weak enough to be sick which rarely happened to adults on Param. Their equipment was a mismatched assortment of half-broken gear she wouldn¡¯t even give to bandits. She could have handled them with a handful of¡­ no. She could have handled them alone.


    Viv thought about Farren. She knew what he would have asked her to do. Those people were already lost.


    It felt like repeating his mistake but¡­


    No, it would be honoring his memory and the strength of his conviction. He may be gone, but she didn¡¯t need outside action to remember what it meant to act humanely.


    But she would do it her way.


    Viv raised through the air and anchored herself slightly above ground in plain sight of the horrified thralls. Elevation let her notice that a more solid kernel of resistance was anchored around a pair, a Hallurian ¡®Speaker for the Trade¡¯ and an eastern soldier. Even then, whatever resolve they still had was quickly crumbling.


    Viv deployed the full extent of her aura and smothered them. There were individual tokens of resistance but those collapsed almost immediately. Her soul turned cold and practical as a side effect of the skill, the icy disdain seeping into her heart to alter her outlook ever so slightly. She would give them a chance, and then they would take it, or they would die.


    ¡°You,¡± she said in Hallurian, pointing at the pair. ¡°Surrender or perish."


    A sound enchantment carried her words across the clearing, echoing in the brook and amid the trees. The men cowered, but then, something incredible happened. The emotion spreading through the clearing was not despair, or terror, or grim fury as she expected. What she got was relief. Relief and a bright, pure, intense hope.


    It was inexplicable.


    In an instant, the situation was reversed. A feedback smashed against intimidation and turned it against her in a double bond she could not quite explain. The temptation to stop was strong but her instincts were silent. Somehow, the situation felt right. Or better than the alternative. She wasn¡¯t sure.


    The pair of men pushed their way across the prostrating mass of pitiful soldiers, faces twisted with the creepy smile of the devoted fanatics.


    ¡°Hold your fire,¡± she ordered.


    The sisters tsked and lowered their crossbows. It was pointless to waste ammo on those dregs anyway, Viv thought.


    The men approached just as the wind shifted and brought the horrendous scent of unwashed bodies. They fell to her knees not far from the unmoving wall of heavies.


    ¡°Mistress,¡± the Hallurian said. ¡°Mistress, your words¡­ we can hear them.¡±


    What the hell?


    ¡°Explain,¡± she demanded.


    The man licked his cracked lips. His long, filthy hair bobbed as he spoke with a broken voice.


    ¡°The masters took our will. I don¡¯t know how to explain¡­ I just don¡¯t know. We cannot, we could not say no as soon as we said yes. The Nemeti. They defeated us and then we were¡­ defeated.¡±


    Viv deactivated her anchors as she moved closer.


    ¡°How so? Is that fate magic?¡±


    ¡°Magic, yes, from their priest. The priests told us they were chosen of fate and we were not and then, it was true. But not you, mistress. You spoke and I could choose that it was true! You are outside their spells! How could it be?¡±


    That was a surprise. And even a little suspicious. After what the Hallurian prisoners had said, she expected the thralls to fight to the last.


    ¡°Perhaps they haven¡¯t cast their magic on me yet?¡±


    ¡°No, mistress. We had to fight our own people alongside foreigners,¡± the Hallurian said. ¡°We had no choice. It was just how things were.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t comment on the use of a Hallurian slur for strangers though her glare made the man whimper. His companion turned and spoke excitedly in a tongue she¡¯d never heard before, a flowing one with few gutturals. Viv waited patiently for him to finish.


    Far behind them, drums rolled over the plains. A shift spread across the Harrakans. It had begun.


    They were on a timer.


    ¡°Mistress. My friend asks if you could have someone else order us. He says that if someone else can do it, then the chains may have been broken.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Ban, give them an order.¡±


    The old bearded bastard strode ahead with absolute confidence. He pointed at the nearest thrall. Viv was confident the laborer he¡¯d picked didn¡¯t speak a word of Harrakan, Enorian, or other continental tongue. It didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°You,¡± Ban said, pointing at him, then the ground.


    ¡°Get. On. Your. Fucking. Knees. NOW!¡±


    Viv had never seen someone happier to collapse. The poor sod even hit the head with his forehead in a gesture of complete abandon. The really creepy thing was the expression of utter felicity on the others. The fanatical intensity irked Viv, who had been to church before. That sort of faith could be dangerous.


    Nevertheless, the gesture was confirmation of what the Speaker for Trade thought. He whooped once before regaining his composure.


    ¡°Mistress. It is as I believed. You broke the chains of fate! We are at your mercy.¡±


    He bowed as well, followed by all those who were not already prone. Supplication spread like a wildfire across the pitiful mob until all Viv could see was a collection of bent back and dirty necks.


    That could only lead to one thing.


    ¡°Fuck, Eikart is gonna be so mad.¡±


    ¡°Are we taking them prisoners, milady?¡± Ban asked.


    ¡°Looks like it. Ugh, and there is no time. Get me Lorn on the double.¡±


    ¡°If I may, Your Majesty, we might also want to detach Mother, the Bitter Hearts captain. She has a way with lost lambs.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    It took less than a minute for Lorn and the guards to come, along with a portly, wizened woman with a radiant smile that seemed to cover her whole face. Meanwhile, the thrall commander waited at a distance.


    ¡°Here is what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Viv said. ¡°I¡¯ll activate the portal. You get the prisoners through there and in a separate camp away from ours. Just let them pile on somewhere while we¡¯re away. They will surrender all their weapons, up to their damn knives, before they cross over. They will comply with every order. Those who resist will be slaughtered. And get Eikart¡¯s spymaster to ask them a few questions.¡±


    Lorn nodded.


    ¡°If I may, we will need medical support. Our own won¡¯t be enough. We could request some of Eikart¡¯s healers.¡±


    Viv shook her head.


    ¡°They will refuse and besides, we¡¯ll need them fresh for our soldiers. Do what you can but if they die, they die. Our own people get priority.¡±


    She gave him a pointed look to see if he would challenge her on that.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what Farren needed. Practicality,¡± Lorn said with resigned bitterness.


    Viv immediately felt sorry for the guard. She¡¯d succeeded where he had failed but it had been luck. That¡¯s just how things were on Nyil, apparently.


    ¡°If I may,¡± the Hallurian Speaker said in perfect Enorian.


    He¡¯d been waiting at a polite distance until this treacherous revelation that he could understand everything they said.


    ¡°Could have told us,¡± Viv said in a low tone.


    ¡°I apologize. I should have explained. My path is that of a linguist, hence how I became the leader of our sorry troop. Do not be alarmed. I will work with your guard captain. We will never be a nuisance to you, Mistress. You have freed us!¡±


    The way some of the prisoners looked like her like the sun rose out of her ass certainly put weight to his words. Viv didn¡¯t like it one bit though.


    ¡°Very well. Zero Five?¡±


    The shadows coalesced into a bald, axe-wielding murderer.


    ¡°If any of them try anything, kill them.¡±


    ¡°It will be done.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we have wasted enough time. You lot form up, I will bring our army back to allied lines.¡±


    ¡°Not through the portal?¡± Ban asked.


    Viv shook her head.


    ¡°The aperture is rather small. It would take us too much time to filter through there and then walk back to the pass. We¡¯ll only do it if we are really cut off.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Mistress, one last thing?¡± the Speaker said with eagerness.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°No matter what, you cannot lose, Mistress. If you lose once then it is close to over. Even one such as you who ignores fate may not resist if the Nemeti defeat you once. Do not be beaten. Please.¡±


    ¡°Not planning on it.¡±


    Viv looked on as the Harrakan reformed on a background of confused mutterings. They almost sounded disappointed. Meanwhile, Captain Mother took control of hundreds of fighters in only a few moments.


    ¡°Alright people, now be a dear and form a column three abreast! Three! One, two, three! Yes, well done. There¡¯s good lads.¡±


    Viv activated the gate out of sight of her men, then stayed long enough to make sure there were no issues. The less people knew about the gate the better, even though the Nemeti didn¡¯t seem inclined on interrogating prisoners. After climbing back on her array, she used her communicator to bring Sidjin up to speed.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she eventually asked.


    ¡°I have two explanations for you. The first is that you¡¯re an outlander. your fate was never to be born on Nyil. You were brought here by divine act, hence why fate magic is disturbed by your presence. The second possibility I see is¡­ are you secure?¡±


    Viv set up a sound barrier.


    ¡°I am now.¡±


    ¡°The second possibility is that the spark of luck is an instinctive use of fate magic.¡±


    ¡°That would make a lot of sense. Humans may not cast fate spells but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t interact with it instinctively.¡±


    ¡°Like monsters have innate abilities, yes. No matter what, the fact it works might give us an edge.¡±


    ¡°We shall see.¡±


    ***


    Viv heard the din of battle long before they exited the forest. She had the array tank roll forward ahead of the formation so she was one of the first to crest the edge of the incline overlooking the battlefield.


    To her right, the mountains extended high while in front, the hill leading to the pass was still held by her allies. That was as far as it went for good news.


    To the left, the Nemeti covered the hills in their thousands, crashing against the kernel of resistance in unceasing waves. The descriptions the prisoners gave them didn¡¯t do them justice. They were thin and muscular, scales and colorful feathers adorning their unclothed bodies. Their faces were saurian in appearance though the skull possessed a chitinous, insectile quality. They wielded shields as well as blunt weapons and spears which they used with grace. The constant drums Viv had been hearing were a song of sorts, and the Nemeti moved according to its beats. As she watched, a unit advanced slowly towards the bracing troops of Duke Falstag, then at the last moment, they sprinted forward with amazing speed, crashing into the grim infantrymen with extreme violence. Another group disengaged from Cloud Skull¡¯s southerners leaving the southern barbarians battered and bloodied. That relentless dance of patience and aggression covered the whole battlefield. Entire Nemeti units waiting patiently at the edge of the melee for their turn to engage. And that was just the warrior caste. The rulers stood behind.


    As Viv watched, a group of three tall Nemeti sang around a strange contraption, the unholy child of a catapult and an antenna. The weapon roared and a fiery, screaming projectile arched across the sky. Some of Eikart¡¯s mages managed to intercept it but the debris still fell among their archers, killing some of them. Behind that was another group of rulers with crimson feather and sparkly armor among an indistinct shape in a cloak while just below Viv, the enemy cavalry was pressing Eikart¡¯s spearmen. And by cavalry, Viv meant bipedal lizards mounted on what she could only describe as velociraptors on steroids. The tactics they used were the same. Charge, disengage, charge again, and the Baranese were getting trounced. Bodies flew with each impact, some of them in pieces.


    The drums kept rolling. They saturated Viv¡¯s ears with their oppressive drone.


    She could summarize the current situation of the Paramese alliance in two words, one of which was quite rude.


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± she said as Ban joined her side.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it appears our side is about to be overwhelmed.¡±


    Viv could tell they were about to break. A part of her wanted to lead her people back to the portal but she couldn¡¯t. Not because it wasn¡¯t feasible, but because of the implication.


    First, she could not be defeated by the Nemeti. Running away felt dangerously close to that.


    Second, there was only one reason why Jaratalassi hadn¡¯t ordered his men to retreat back to the pass just yet.


    He was waiting for her.


    ¡°Yes, that gives us exactly one tactical option, Ban.¡±


    ¡°So it would seem.¡±


    ¡°Then make ready.¡±


    ¡°Aye, your Majesty. Immediately. WEDGE FORMATION. PREPARE TO CHARGE!¡±


    The cry echoed across the line. Viv ignored the chatter in her communicator. Instead, she linked to the casters.


    ¡°Sidjin, we¡¯re going to need some wide area spells here.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, I happen to be versed in them.¡±


    ¡°Lana?¡±


    ¡°I will cover the Children of the Scales on the left flank. If we could have some elevation, Rakan?¡±


    ¡°I will raise them for our marksmen then run disruption.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Viv finished, ¡°then good luck.¡±


    There was no time for speeches. Some of the Nemeti had already spotted the tight ranks of heavies cresting the edge under the call of war horns. Viv had her array move to the front due to the slope and checked if everyone was ready. They were practically bristling.


    ¡°Finally, a real battle,¡± the chatty sister said.


    Viv amplified her voice with a spell. She raised an Excalibur over her head. Then, she spread her anchors and screamed.


    ¡°Send those bastards back to where they came. Harrak Eternal! CHAAAARGE!¡±


    The army roared, Lak-Tak pulled the lever and the array tank rushed down the slope at the speed of a decent car. The heavies fell behind and as she turned, she could see a wall of steel wielding a forest of spears, the tips of quarrels visible behind loaded with the promise of violence. White pennants held high spoke of pride and effort. Wind caressed her face in a moment of exhilaration, the weightless feeling of building momentum. Below, the Nemeti turned to her and pointed. It was difficult to read their expressions but if she had to make a bet, she would say they looked shocked. Nevertheless, the tank was going quite fast and she had to admit the Nemeti riders looked even bigger as she approached. They were half again as high as she was with the array under her butt.


    Big fuckers.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s slow this down.¡±


    Viv pulled the brake level. There was a nasty, unpleasant clang.


    She looked at the piece of broken lever still held in her hand.


    ¡°Please tell me this is a fucking joke. NOUS!¡±


    ¡°We. Will slow down. Organically,¡± her yries driver clicked.


    ¡°Lak-Tak? What do you mean, organically. LAK-TAK?¡±


    The owl-like being pulled another lever and spikes rose from the armored front of the tank, facing forward and upward.


    ¡°Use. Cushions.¡±


    Viv grabbed the leather belt she¡¯d insisted on having and strapped herself in. They were very close now, close enough to see the powerful legs of the raptor mounts in painful detail. The riders turned to her and charged with screeches, spears aimed forward. She was confident in her shield but she didn¡¯t like the threat of inertia. It was always the same issue with cars. Going fast never killed anyone. It was abruptly becoming stationary.


    Lak-Tak pushed the speed lever as fast as it would go. He ululated a defiant war cry instants before impact. Viv brought up her shield, protected her neck, and prayed to the god of illegal battlefield racing.


    The array collided with the charging raptors.


    Now, Viv knew Nyil was a world of magic where miracles were commonplace. It was also a world ruled by more or less the same laws as earth and it was safe to say that the shield array tank weighed around six tons. Six tons of enchanted, reinforced steel except, apparently, the fucking brake lever. Those six tons speeding down the slope met one ton of saurian flesh around the heights of their knees with the good old adage of kinetic energy is half of mass times squared velocity. One of the raptors tried to stomp the tank. It didn¡¯t work very well. Viv knew this because a bloody, severed toe remained lodged in the cage around the habitacle.


    The Nemeti had a tank accident.


    The sound of cracking bones and bruising flesh covered even the rumbling call of the drums, yet they still failed to mask Lak-Tak¡¯s insane cackles. Viv unfastened the belt with a pained wince when they finally slowed down. Had to hurry. She climbed out, facing herself face to snout with one of the creatures clinging to the metal structure with furious desperation. Around her, all that was left was carnage. The thin line of cavalry who had tried to stop her was crushed and the rest had retreated to a respectful distance. She could see the white of the eyes of the Baranese spearmen locked in a desperate struggle. The clinging Nemeti was picked by Solfis by means of a hand through the torso. Deploying in all his nightmarish glory, the golem emerged from behind the tank like the world¡¯s most undesirable stowaway.


    //AH.


    //NEW SKULLS.


    //YOU ALWAYS BRING ME TO THE MOST INTERESTING PLACES, YOUR MAJESTY.


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± Viv replied as she touched the spell array.


    The scenery around Viv was surreal. The Hundreds of Nemeti just turned to watch her in utter shock while she activated the shield, hesitant to cast offensive hexes lest she wake them up from their surprise, and then with a collective, deafening shriek, they threw themselves in her direction. Viv faced a mass of scales, claws, and blades but she was not worried. The voice of Ban and the trampling sound of human boots served as a sufficient warning.


    ¡°For the black tide!¡±


    The Harrakans crashed into the enemy force, and in Viv¡¯s view, the bared fangs were replaced by the armored back of her people.


    It was time to do what she did best.


    ***


    Duke Eikart watched the wave of black-clad infantry smash the Nemeti flank aside. Those that did not perish on spears were trampled and finished off by screaming harridans wearing skull makeup who fell on them with long knives and a grudge. The rightmost group linked up with his beleaguered men while the center bit into the enemy formation like a blade, rending the foes before they could regroup.


    A forbidden emotion filled his chest, one he had not dared experience since the beginning of the defense. Hope.


    ¡°Can they really do it?¡± he asked his spymaster. ¡°Are they really heavies? Those at the tip.¡±


    The man used his advanced inspection skill. His eyes widened.


    [Path: third to fourth step, elite infantry.]


    [Gear: full runic set.]


    [Morale: unbreakable]


    ¡°No sir, those are not heavies.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Those are Black Guards, Your Grace, the Emperor¡¯s finest. The rest are Harrakan heavies.¡±


    ¡°Palace guards? I¡­ I thought the art was lost.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the golem,¡± Jaratalassi said as he approached. The tired general frowned. For some reason, it looked like the enemy was attacking the Harrakan center with furious zeal.


    ¡°But you are missing the point. When I told you I would not have agreed to fight without the outlander, I was not referring to her infantry. You see, every decade, a genius war mage changes the battlefield by their mere presence to the extent that strategies are built around or against them.¡±


    Below, a black cloud swallowed the initial Nemeti charge with a low hiss like an angry kettle. It left nothing behind it but scoured sand and silence. Blood spilled the earth when a large vortex opened on the right flank, the transparent construct soon stained with enough blood to reveal the jagged teeth of a massive grinder. Meanwhile, towers rose from the ground under the feet of crossbow wielders who barely paused, lining shot after shot over the heads of their line holders. The beleaguered alliance rallied while the drums grew frantic.


    ¡°Harrak currently has three of them. Now, Duke, I will lead the cavalry for a sortie as it will soon be needed. Would you care to join?¡±

 Chapter 157: The War for Param.

    ¡°Nu¨¦e.¡±


    Viv¡¯s spell traveled over the heavies with a loud whomp, then the thick dark ball expanded in a malicious cloud of devouring miasma. The ravenous fog traveled across the plane with a terrible hiss, leaving behind nothing but half-voided corpses. To her left, a beautiful cloud of moisture covered the allied ranks with a calming mist. A quick glance revealed where the water came from. An entire company of Neleti had been turned into so many desiccated corpses, and yet, it didn¡¯t matter. New squads sprinted over the distance, impaling themselves against the heavies with desperate fury. The men held their ground with grime determination, yet even their formidable armor could not protect them entirely. Blood was spilled.


    The savagery of the foe left Viv flabbergasted. Gone were the methodical attacks and breaks of before. Now, the strange lizard beings assaulted her army relentlessly and the focus of their hatred was clearly and concerningly, her. There wasn¡¯t a single moment of respite for the One Hundred. Every enemy that fell was instantly replaced by a fresh one. At least, they could not cycle-charge into her ranks.


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    Viv interrupted her next spell when she saw the arcing forms of crimson divine spells heading straight for them. All of them. The siege engines spew flames across the skies.


    ¡°Need some support there,¡± Viv said.


    The spell arrays were several hundreds of meters away and she wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to do anything but defend.


    ¡°On it,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Calibrations complete,¡± a voice clicked.


    The first yries projectiles launched, much faster than spell. They crashed against a blood-colored shield without much success. Soon, she had problems on her own.


    ¡°Aspect of the Guardian.¡±


    Her first interception spell split the enemy attacks without breaking them. They fragmented, yet they could not be made to change course. They would land where Viv was and that was it. It was their fate to collide, it seemed.


    //Your Majesty!


    ¡°I got it! I got it!¡±


    Viv was forced to use Durandal spells at point blank range, the aspect shortening her range. She managed to detonate most of them but the rest hit the huge shield, sending drifting shockwaves across its surface. Viv replaced the damaged segments as fast as she could. The pressure increased dramatically while her reserves melted. She was forced to pick apart attacks designed to land no matter what. Her focus narrowed until the battle faded from her perception. There were only shimmering hexes wrapped in divine mana aimed at her, not the place she was, not the tank, her specifically. Viv peeled off the spells and broke it apart in a contest of will between her and the Nemeti¡¯s unshakeable belief that she should not exist. With so much of their mana above her, she could almost taste their horror, their rage at her nature. The duel continued and she realized she was losing ground. More and more damage accumulated on the array. The Nemeti were going through her aspected defense by throwing everything they had.


    And then, the assault lessened a little. Her focus broadened until she saw servants coughing and holding their throats, the siege weapons discarded. Sidjin¡¯s answer manifested as a portal blinking into existence next to another pair of arrays. The portal closed almost immediately, leaving behind a small sphere hovering above the ground, which the Nemeti fled from in an instant. It wasn¡¯t enough. Unfurling like a flower, a transparent grinder pasted everything in a thirty meters radius including servants and several machines. So, that was what he¡¯d been working on, Viv realized. She realized he had just created a mid-range attack that went through shields.


    She¡¯d have to steal it somehow.


    The pressure decreased and her shield regained its luster. Unfortunately, that was not the end of Viv¡¯s woes. More reinforcements were rushing in from over the horizon, confirming what the Hallurian speaker had said. Now that some of the Nemeti had made contact, they would converge like flies drawn to a wound. There was blood on the water and they were here for it. This was merely the beginning.


    ¡°Brace!¡±


    In front of the One Hundred, a large gap had formed. The distant, hooded figure had regained control of his troops and now she had to contend with his intellect as well. Cavalry was massing ahead of the thin line of spears and Viv didn¡¯t dare release her aspect lest the spells still falling towards her might still pierce her defenses.


    ¡°The knees,¡± Poacher screamed, ¡°Get their fucking knees! KNEES!¡±


    The marksmen commander rallied her troops. Feathered bolts lanced the scaly legs of the Nemeti mounds as they gathered, many falling before the attack could start. A part of Viv knew this was a lot of ammo, more than they could spare, but they had no choice. She had to rely on them now. It was their war as well.


    Needled and exposed, the Neteli mounted riders charged before they could truly form up. Three-meter tall, velociraptor-mounted warriors were still a terrible sight to behold. And she couldn¡¯t help. There were still too many incoming spells.


    ¡°Tighten the formation! BRACE FOR CAVALRY,¡± Ban roared.


    As one, the heavies raised their spears up and planted their shields down. The back ranks placed their hands on the shoulders of those before them while the markswomen fired nonstop. The velociraptor¡¯s skull plating made killing blows difficult despite the crossbows¡¯ penetrating power. Viv suspected a skill was involved.


    ¡°Cross fire,¡± Poacher ordered. ¡°Right to left, left to right. Get them!¡±


    Around Viv, the Sisters turned their weapons at an angle, attacking in diagonal where the eyes were exposed. Ululating warcries rose when their quarrels found tender flesh. The charge collapsed because the mounts kept dying, blocking those who came behind. The effect on the Nemeti was devastating yet, if anything, the witchpatchs¡¯ prowess only seemed to anger them further and the survivors still made for her with maddened determination. Fiery explosions bloomed across the struggling ranks, adding to the chaos. Rakan¡¯s touch. He was coming to support her, but he wouldn¡¯t be on time.


    In clumps, the remnants of the cavalry assault fell on the heavies. Ban stood among his men. He lifted a battle standard displaying the black and white flag of his nation.


    ¡°Harrak eternal!¡±


    Viv felt him come to life. Mana rushed through the lines and the One Hundred, normally silent, roared in defiance. Raptors claws fell on their shield and the monster pushed back the man, but not his companions. Feet dug in, hands holding shoulders, the line buckled and yet, despite the difference in weight and power, it didn¡¯t break.


    And then it bounced back.


    Spears thrust up, skewering tender underbellies. The heavies hacked and punched through scales with steel fury and the riders died with their mounts, except for one. A large red specimen didn¡¯t stay with his mount. Instead, he jumped up and above the heavies just as the charge came to a grinding halt.


    Viv watched him, the beady, slitted eyes, the crimson scales, the stony armor above it. The Nemeti was easily twice as tall as she was and it was a mass of lean muscles. Two bolts jutted from his forearms yet he showed no signs of pain. Twin dark scythes descended on Viv.


    She didn¡¯t break the shield, only watching him impassively, because she knew she wasn¡¯t alone.


    At the apex of his jump, the Nemeti slowed, then as if tied to an elastic string, he was pulled back. His muscular body crashed on the ground between Viv and the heavies.


    //NOT SO FAST.


    Solfis released the creature¡¯s heel. The two deadly combatants faced each other. Even the maddened Nemeti knew Solfis was not the sort of opponent one could ignore.


    //I NEVER HAD A SKULL QUITE LIKE YOURS.


    Viv didn¡¯t listen to what the Nemeti spat back. She guessed he was one of the ruling class ones. If so, they were throwing a lot of assets in order to kill her. Her eyes searched the battlefield for what was happening. Sidjin was holding the right. His group had linked with Duke Falstag¡¯s rough soldiers and now they anchored in a defensive position. Sidjin protected them by the expedient means of mincing anything he perceived as a threat. The enemy seemed to pace themselves as a result. In fact, the entire Baranese group had rallied and they were now advancing, covered by their archers and mages. More spells reached the Nemeti shields which forced their priests to focus on defense as well. On her left, Lana¡¯s group was contracting and turning to prevent them from being flanked, denying the engagement. She was also turning the ground to mud at their feet which made charges that much more difficult. Nevertheless, the Children of the Scales was the most battered group.


    It was really the center that was getting the most pressure.


    Viv swore and focused on her defenses again. All the siege weapons were aiming at her and only at her. Some of the more armored Nemeti companies were rotating behind their lines to move towards her, larger creatures with giant hammers. They wanted her extra dead. She¡¯d never felt so flattered before.


    Despite the difficulties, pride filled her chest.


    It was working.


    Her setup was working. The tercios were functioning just the way she¡¯d hoped. Right now, the Harrakans were out-performing everyone else and they were doing so with minimal casualties. So long as those shields were maintained, her people would make it. She just had to keep them up. It was all up to her.


    If she died¡­


    No, she wouldn¡¯t. Not now. Too much depended on her. The Nemeti wouldn¡¯t be so enraged if she wasn¡¯t a threat. So she allowed herself one tiny smile, then she returned her full focus to keeping the shield up. For a moment, the stalemate was maintained which was costly for the Nemeti, but soon drums redoubled their sounds and the enemy disengaged.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to charge again, Your Majesty,¡± Ban said. ¡°We have to keep up with them.¡±


    ¡°But the markswomen¡­¡±


    ¡°Can still cover us well if we move up by thirty paces.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The One Hundred were the first to close the distance, preventing the Nemeti from charging again. Viv noticed they didn¡¯t use their charge skill and she knew why. The day was nowhere close to finished and the men would tire quickly.


    Infantry moved forward across the entire frontline. They ran down the slope to engage the retreating Nemeti while archer lines moved forward. The southerners were particularly effective in that. Viv heard great bellows coming from their ranks and the battle grew fiercer. The fight seemed to shake the Nemeti, somehow, and their fervor cooled. They were still determined.


    The battle devolved into a brawl which the Nemeti were losing, badly, thanks to the Harrakan mages. Viv still focused on defense until the surviving siege engines withdrew after one more Sidjin-bomb teleport.


    Soon after, something changed. The drums rolled again and their forces retreated slowly over the flatter ground. The Paramese couldn¡¯t follow there. They would be overextended.


    A mountain of bodies were left between the two armies. Horn signals and a few runners ordered the Harrakans to pull back. On their way, the witchpact recovered as many bolts as they could, finished off the enemy wounded and rescued everyone they could find. Camp followers soon appeared with pots of food, with squads taking turns to eat and drink. Many of the heavies sat where they were, eyes searching the horizon.


    ¡°What¡¯s the ammo situation?¡± Viv asked Poacher.


    ¡°Got girls ferrying more bolts from the camp. At this rate we¡¯ll go through all we have in two days.¡±


    ¡°Even if we recover lost bolts?¡±


    ¡°A day if we don¡¯t.¡±


    Dammit that was bad news. More bad news appeared on the horizon in the form of reinforcements. Groups of Nemeti arrived ready for battle, possibly having stopped in their camp to drop supplies. She noticed that a great many were also dragging dead away from the no man¡¯s land between the armies. She knew what it meant. They were having a late lunch as well.


    That cut her appetite.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    Viv turned to see a runner, a young girl who had recently joined the temple as a healer.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We have a problem with our healers and the refugees. Brenna said not to worry and that they were on it and in the meantime, our wounded are being healed by servants of Enttiku who recently arrived. We just wanted to let you know.¡±


    Viv remembered that Brenna was the leader of the temple healers. She was in charge of the Harrakan infirmary.


    ¡°What sort of problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I dunno, ma¡¯am. She wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You may leave, thank you.¡±


    Viv considered the message. Had she made a mistake? She supposed she would see soon enough. The Nemeti army was reaching critical mass again. Their numbers blotted the plain to the closest ridge and beyond in disciplined squares of ready fighters. She could feel the weight of twelve thousand pairs of eyes searching for her hated presence while the priests intoned instructions. She felt the intensity of their hatred. It wasn¡¯t clear why they detested her so much. Perhaps she was dangerous, or perhaps her presence went against their outlook as Children of Fate. It wouldn¡¯t surprise her if they saw her as a freak accident that needed to be erased.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The drums beat again down in the valley. The Nemeti finished their preparations and soon, strange growls and hisses surged from their massed troops. They had split their cavalry in smaller groups now. There were also more squads of Nemeti wielding bolas, javelins, sometimes even stones. They were learning quickly but they still didn¡¯t have an answer to the human casters. In fact, the siege machines were all hiding somewhere beyond the nearest ridge.


    There were so many of them and yet more kept coming. Viv wondered exactly how many of the Nemeti were present at the beginning of the invasion for so many to be left after crossing Halluria, not to mention crossing the isthmus. It must have been an army of armies. A horde.


    What was the Empire of Dawn and exactly how powerful was it? Viv hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to find out any time soon. There were already enough of them advancing towards her position.


    Viv watched the Nemeti slowly make their ways up the slope. When they were close enough, they charged into a devastating torrent of magic. This time though, more troops tried to turn them.


    Viv lost herself in the flow of battle. While she ravaged any enemy in a cone in front of her, she was forced to pace herself in case the artillery engines returned. Worse, the rest of the casters were tiring. Sidjin, Rakan, and Lana had been fighting for hours and they were running on fumes. Only a trickle of spells still lashed at the Nemeti lines, mostly where the more dangerous elements converged. The air grew thick with the stench of smoke and the coppery notes of Nemeti blood.


    The two armies danced a strange back and forth over the course of the next hour. The humans followed the Nemeti while they retreated to prevent another free charge. Sometimes, they would stand and fight. Other times, they retreated, leaving the humans to recover their arrows. By that point, only Viv¡¯s spells still spread devastation though the Shrill made pinpoint attacks, sending hives to sting bola squads to death. On the third return, the human lines started falling back by order of Jaratalassi. The Harrakans still held the left flank and by then, Viv wasn¡¯t sure the Children of the Scales would have time to withdraw if the line collapsed somewhere else. And then, just as the Nemeti were sprinting up the slope, horns rang.


    Viv turned to watch a forest of spears exit from the pass, many-hued flags dancing in the wind. More horns came just as the Nemeti slowed down, unsure on how to proceed. The call of their drums grew more confused.


    The distant shape of the red-robed Nemeti moved to a group of advisors and Viv knew that for them, it would be too late. With Duke Eikart at its head, the human cavalry charged down. First slowly, then with increased speed as they tightened their ranks and lowered their spears, the charge caught the Nemeti at the exact sweet spot when they were slowing down. Harrakan troops cheered when they recognized the black plates engraved with blue roses on their flanks. Rollo was leading the left wing.


    The weirdest thing was that the Nemeti didn¡¯t slow down. Instead of massing, they just kept running forward. It was as if they had never experienced a heavy cavalry charge. Perhaps, Viv realized, they hadn¡¯t.


    The Paramese cavalry made contact with predictable results. There was a terrible clash, cries of terrors and the furious, blaring call of horns when hundreds of knights made contact. For the first five seconds, they barely even slowed down. Barded horses mounted by expert warriors trained from childhood backed by advanced skills and the best gear skilled artisans could produce showed their worth and for a moment, it seemed the entire Nemeti army would collapse here and there. Viv didn¡¯t receive the order to charge, however, so she didn¡¯t. More wounded were ferried to the back. Everyone was taking time to recover.


    Down in the valley, the robed figure finally regained control of his soldiers. He tried to cut the retreat of the cavalry by having squads close around them. Fortunately, Eikart and Jaratalassi easily saw through the ploy. They smoothly led their men back up. Once more, the Paramese alliance was left in control of the hill overlooking a mountain of cadavers.


    Just as Viv was preparing a new series of spells, the drums rolled again and the enemy¡­ left.


    It was over for today.


    ***


    Strangers worked in the Harrakan field hospital. Vi pushed back the sense of annoyance she felt at seeing unknown people on her territory, touching her more vulnerable people. It was misplaced. Those were servants of Enttiku doing their best to help as was their vow.


    ¡°How are things looking?¡± she asked the head priestess resting against a wall.


    ¡°Ah?¡± the woman replied, eyes glazed.


    She shook her head and Viv caught tufts of messy black hair tucked under her cowl. The woman was clearly exhausted. She also smelled a little ripe, possibly due to wearing heavy robes in a warm tent at the edge of the desert. Now that she was looking around, quite a few of the bandaged men and women lying in their cots were sweaty.


    ¡°Oh yes, Lady Viv. Or was it Your Highness? Forgive me¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Viv will do fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Greetings to you, milady. We have done what we could. Alas, sixteen of your people have ascended into the loving embrace of the goddess. The rest will make it.¡±


    Viv bit her lips. It was probably not bad for a day of intense fighting. One of her earth teachers used to tell her that most middle age armies lost people to exposure, disease, and during routs. On Nyil, superhuman bodies and powerful healing magic offset the results to a great extent. Divine healers could repair damaged intestines or mangled livers in a day, not to mention soldiers surviving blood loss that would have killed any normal human. It was staggering. It was still sixteen people she¡¯d led to their death. The elation she¡¯d felt at the success of the tercios melted. On an intellectual level, she knew it was a worthy cause and she was at the front herself. On an emotional level, there would be funeral pyres tonight.


    Viv buried her angst and resentment. She moved around the cots, greeting the wounded who were still awake and thanking the nurses of Enttiku for their work. Once she was done, she exited the tent to find Solfis and Zero Five looking around with vigilance.


    ¡°Guys?¡±


    //Zero Five feels something.


    ¡°The shadows whisper. Blood will be shed tonight.¡±


    ¡°A surprise attack?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zero Five replied, shaking his bald head. ¡°Some like us. Assassins.¡±


    ¡°Nemeti assassins?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, I need to tell the other leaders.¡±


    Viv sent a runner to the command tent but she didn¡¯t go herself. Her first action was to go and find Lana.


    ¡°Yes?¡± the prim mage asked her at the entrance of her private quarters.


    Lana didn¡¯t have a single hair out of place. She looked like she was five minutes away from attending a function.


    ¡°I was wondering if you have any temperature control tools?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do, as you know very well.¡±


    ¡°That was a rhetorical question leading to a request. Could you refresh the healers¡¯ tent? It¡¯s stuffy and I¡¯d like everyone to be more comfortable. If that¡¯s fine with you.¡±


    ¡°The hospital? Oh! Oh yes, I can help. And I can improve the hygiene as well. I shall gather supplies and help them by setting enchantments. An excellent initiative, Your Majesty. Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. It will help.¡±


    ¡°I shall be there right away.¡±


    There was one more place she needed to be. Asking around, she was directed to a remote camp by the forest surrounding the witch gate. Plumes of smoke rose above the improvised and unfortified camp. She walked there with an escort of One Hundred who didn¡¯t take no for an answer, finding a pair of temple guards standing near the entrance. They tried to wave her away.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be here, milady. There is a plague!¡±


    Viv frowned. A plague? A disease? Ban leaned towards her to whisper.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, if there is a magical plague and it escapes, the entire Paramese alliance will be at risk.¡±


    That was, Viv realized, probably the plan all along.


    Anger burned through her chest. Pure outrage locked her jaw as she struggled to maintain her composure. Those Nemeti had done that? The fuckers.


    ¡°You get back. Zero Five too. Solfis stays with me.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m immune to diseases because I¡¯m half-elemental.¡±


    ¡°What if you carry the disease with you?¡¯


    Viv tilted her head. He was right. She couldn¡¯t get close.


    But she could get above.


    Viv used a spell to float around the camp at a decent distance. Many of the guards were currently asleep or resting with difficulty while those who could still stand kept guard. Some of the prisoners were helping by carrying water and cleaning around. She noticed the healers hard at work trying to keep both refugees and sick temple guards alike though she would have preferred if they kept their strength to hep their own people. When the prisoners spotted her, they regained those bovine expressions of empty adoration she had seen this morning, to her dismay. The healers were more subdued. Most of them meditated, trying to recover from the ordeals of the day. One of the shapes on a nearby bed turned out to be someone she was familiar with.


    ¡°Koro?¡±


    The brave amazon warrior slept fitfully in a half-open tent, the twilight sun showing her pale tone. She coughed.


    Brenna walked up to her at a slow pace. They stopped at a distance, Viv still hovering above the camp like the world¡¯s most useless angel.


    ¡°A plague then?¡± Viv asked in a calmer voice than what she thought she could manage.


    ¡°Yes. It attacks the lungs and the digestive system as far as we can tell. The patients get dehydrated too quickly.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ I assume it cannot be stopped?¡±


    Brenna shrugged, exhaustion plain on her features.


    ¡°It¡¯s always the same thing. We do what we can to make them comfortable. We quarantine ourselves and those we can quarantine, like Duke Eikart¡¯s interrogators.  We use healing spells to repair the damage, then¡­¡±


    She sighed.


    ¡°The disease will spread among the healthy and the healers until we run out of mana and exhaustion sets in. Then people will start to die. It never changes. Such rotten luck.¡±


    ¡°No, not luck.¡±


    Viv knew exactly what was going on. The Nemeti had sent the group ahead expecting someone to answer and that someone would have come in close contact with the enemy army, spreading the plague. The Nemeti were probably immune due to their different physiology. The absolute pieces of shit.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Viv said to herself. ¡°Ok, you want to play it dirty? I¡¯ll fucking show you dirty. Just you wait.¡±


    Anger rekindled like a sweet poison.


    ¡°Where are their leaders? Where is the Speaker?¡±


    ¡°They were already interrogated, milady.¡±


    ¡°Not for spreading the disease.¡±


    Brenna blinked, clearly misunderstanding.


    ¡°They are vectors of contamination!¡± Viv exclaimed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Urg. They are sent to infect people!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ no one would be foolish enough to try and weaponize a plague? It is a plague! A terribly dangerous curse!¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t know about biological warfare yet. They¡¯re doing it on purpose. They¡¯re pushing sick people forward to engage armies first so when the Nemeti arrive, we¡¯re all coughing and feverish. The absolute rotten pieces of shit. I¡¯ll turn the desert into a mountain of skulls, starting with that eastern guard traitor.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Brenna breathed in and out a few times.


    ¡°Before you summarily execute prisoners, let us ascertain the truth. If they are consciously helping the enemy, we will handle them ourselves. Your¡­ theory certainly has merits, but plagues and other body calamities are the domain of, well, I won¡¯t say his name here. Please, exercise restraint. Those people are too harried and desperate to be malicious and diseases are common among weakened refugees. Do not assume that they are evil when they could merely be¡­ not too sharp.¡±


    ¡°Come on, they crossed the entire isthmus and they couldn¡¯t put two and two together?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate you possess an outlander mindset, however I assure you, only the most foolish of humans would willingly act as an agent of the bloated one. If there are any here, we will track them down. I doubt it, however. We were quite thorough.¡±


    Viv smoldered but in the end, those assholes were not technically her prisoners. They were subject to the rules of Neriad. A part of her found comfort in the fact that, if the prisoners were indeed typhoid maries, Neriad¡¯s punishment would be fast and really painful. She¡¯d see the inquisitors do it.


    And she had better things to do.


    ¡°Alright, I will be right back. There is something I can do that will help.¡±


    Viv flew away towards the nearby mountain. She landed near a suitable rock, then started to carve small pillars. Solfis raced to her soon after.


    //Your Majesty?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to help with magical plagues because I know too little about what causes them. Intent is a defining aspect of spellcasting.¡±


    //I know.


    //I taught you that.


    ¡°I¡¯m just setting the stage, Solfis. No need to activate the smartass module. Yes, I know! It¡¯s always on. In any case, ¡®kill hostile microscopic lifeforms¡¯ is too vague. The glyph language is ill-suited to my needs and I don¡¯t even know what the bacteria look like. It could also be a virus or a parasite. Or just a plain curse. Ugh. I really don¡¯t know how to proceed.¡±


    //You did mention difficulties.


    ¡°There is one thing that should help, though. Light.¡±


    //Light?


    //Could you confirm this statement?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv replied, carving glyphs on the first stone rod. ¡°Light. More specifically, ultraviolets and more specifically, UVC.¡±


    //I do not know this term.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I read about when I was studying epidemiology. There is a¡­ a wavelength to light. It¡¯s very small, but ultraviolet is pretty close to the visible spectrum and I have a light spell¡­¡±


    //With a slider to alter the wavelength.


    //Thus altering the color.


    ¡°Yes! So I just need to make the slider longer. The spectrum humans can see ranges from around 740 nanometers to around 380 and the germicidal range is between two and three hundred, so using a linear scale¡­¡±


    Viv finished her light spell. She pushed the longer slider from the default light blue position to a deeper cobalt then to violet, then it was invisible to her.


    //I can still perceive the light, Your Majesty.


    ¡°You can see outside the visible spectrum? Wait, of course you can.¡±


    //Irlefen believed it would be a useful ability.


    ¡°Ok at least I know it¡¯s working. We¡¯ll just drop these around the camp. It should help reduce the transmission.¡±


    //Are there side effects?


    ¡°Nothing compared to death by plague. They should be fine in the short run.¡±


    Viv worked on a couple of more of those, then decided to add a second slider with a soothing blue light on top of the other just for the placebo effect. She delivered the constructs soon after and received warm thanks from the healers. They were probably just glad to feel supported. Using the same technique, she ¡®air-dropped¡¯ more supplies. She used one last UV lamp to disinfect herself and hoped this would work. She was no real doctor, so that was the best she could do at the moment.


    Her next stop was the yries camp. The Shrill had gathered at the edge of their camp along with their parked vehicles. They rarely mixed with their human allies. Viv suspected it was half shyness and half rabid xenophobia. The Shrill really didn¡¯t like humans very much if their choice of projectiles was any indication. They seemed to tolerate her though. Maybe because she¡¯d killed a lot of humans.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Lak-Tak said, urging her in one of their mana-woven caves. While Harrakan structures were built with all the elegance of brutalist architecture, the yries always spent time and effort making theirs look natural.


    Viv appreciated it. It dulled her concern and some of her anger.


    She would still make the Nemeti pay, of course.


    ¡°We apologize. Today, not very useful,¡± he clicked. ¡°Nemeti skin. Tough. Stingers won¡¯t work well.¡±


    ¡°But you have an idea?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Two. Come see.¡±


    Lak-Tak guided her to a table where a Nemeti corpse waited, spread eagle and professionally dissected.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°The Nemeti. They are lizards.¡±


    ¡°I noticed.¡±


    ¡°No. Cold blood. Need heat. Store heat. Spend heat. Move very fast.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why they attack in bursts?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Dangerous. By day!¡±


    The gears in Viv¡¯s mind clicked into place before Lak-Tak could even finish his sentence.


    ¡°The nights here are cold. Continental climate. A night attack?¡±


    ¡°Yes! But not now. Too many of them. Overextend. But they have a weakness.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Their mounts. Hard to control. We noticed.¡±


    ¡°Uh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yessss. Many resist. Powerful. Yet double-edged. We turn them against their masters. Use pheromones.¡±


    ¡°How soon can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You do. You are decoy.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like that plan. Can we not use stealth?¡±


    ¡°You cannot. Fate cannot be hidden. Tonight, they come for you. And we go for them. Fair bargain, yes! You stay here as decoy.¡±


    ¡°Ooookay. Fine. It¡¯s a good start. I don¡¯t suppose you have diseases that only work on Nemeti?¡±


    Lak-Tak shook his head.


    ¡°Not yet. No know-how. Allies sick?¡±


    ¡°The Temple Guard, yes. A plague. I don¡¯t suppose you have something that can help?¡±


    ¡°We do.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Wait, you do?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Follow.¡±


    Viv walked after the strutting owl-man. His long ears twitched with excitement as he led her into a buzzing room. There, in the center, stood a massive hive.


    The wax construction felt organic and terrifying at the same time, a little too sinister in the way it curved, reminding her of her worst walls. More strangely, it was a light brown with bright blue spot which gave off the strongest ¡®I am poisonous¡¯ vibes she¡¯d ever seen outside of an Australian aquarium.


    ¡°Honey bees!¡±


    Viv assumed the yries used the same word for ¡®bees¡¯ and ¡®finger-long wasp¡¯s scarlet misbegotten cousins with nasty hooked stingers¡¯. That was the only reasonable explanation.


    ¡°Errr.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes.¡±


    The yries removed a piece of cloth from his pocket which he used to pat Viv¡¯s armor. Her keen senses picked up a whiff of pungent, animalistic smell. Pheromones, probaby. The hovering cloud of definitely hostile insects drifted away as she sighed in relief. Lak-Tak approached the hive and pulled on a cleverly disguised drawer. Viv could hardly believe her eyes yet here it was. Honey on comb. She would be salivating were it not for the strange color.


    ¡°Blue?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Made from special mushrooms. And Harrakan roses.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember mushrooms having pollen?¡±


    ¡°Crimson dancers produce sweet liquid. Lures insects. Eat small ones.¡±


    ¡°Ok?¡±


    ¡°Also mildly poisonous. Good poisons! In small doses, medicine. You take. Purges the body.¡±


    ¡°And it will work on humans well?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Magical! We take honey before battle. Soothes the mind. Helps us get closer to the Dreamer in the Depths.¡±


    A terrible chill crawled up Viv¡¯s spine.


    ¡°The what now?¡±


    ¡°Our God. The Dreamer in the Deep.¡±


    Images of big tentacle monsters and cities of chthonian architecture sleeping in the abyss, in some long-forgotten recesses of the world the rays of the sun never touched, and¡­ ok that was definitely a little too lovecraftian for comfort.


    ¡°Hmm. And the god¡­ does what?¡±


    ¡°Listens to our woes and brings comfort and peaceful dreams.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡±


    ¡°The Dreamer is kind and we wish to say goodbye before we are not. Take a pot! Bring it to your people. One spoon each.¡±


    Viv received the small jar with gratitude, then she was off again, ignoring a messenger telling her she was summoned to the command tent. The sick had priority here. Soon, she landed next to Brenna as she tended to Koro, Solfis tailing her just in case. The tall warrior was still on her cot, resting feverishly with her eyes closed. A tent covered most of her body but the head was left exposed in the quickly cooling air. She was sweating heavily.


    Viv liked Koro. Koro had married Kazar¡¯s most handsome concubine and named her first kid after Viv. Koro had lost her arm and then Viv had found it again. Koro was one of the few left from the early days of Kazar, still herself after all that shit. Viv would save her if at all possible.


    With religious attention, Brenna dropped a dollop between the warrior¡¯s blue lips. Koro licked them, then she opened her eyes.


    ¡°Ooooh that is¡­ Oh, that is REALLY good.¡±


    Brenna placed a hand over Koro¡¯s forehead. A light gold radiance lit the evening air. When she removed it, she was smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s working. The infection is being pushed back. Thank you so much, Viviane. This medicine is nothing short of a godsend. Please, tell the yries how much we appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will.¡±


    ¡°But why does the honey need to be hallucinogenic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what?¡±


    ¡°The effect is mild, I will grant you that. I still believe the medicine would be better off without it, especially because this specific patient has a history of charging through town naked to propose when subjected to significant excitement.¡±


    Ah.


    Lak-Tak¡¯s mentions of ¡®getting closer to god¡¯ suddenly made an extraordinary and really upsetting amount of sense.


    ¡°Your Majesty? Vivane?¡±


    But she would not answer. Viv¡¯s mind was stuck trying to reconcile ¡®I am a serious leader whose tactics carried my people through the day¡¯ with ¡®My entire artillery contingent goes to war high as kites on shrooms honey¡¯, and no stats in the world could make that struggle any easier.

 Chapter 158: Stand

    Viv rushed into the command tent, finding the leaders waiting for her. There was no denying that she was being rude even if it was only for a few minutes, and perhaps an apology was in order? The issue was, a sovereign should never apologize publicly. That was a golden rule her father had explained to her. It was either someone else¡¯s fault, not a fault, or the end of your career. Although, those people were her allies?


    Fortunately, the decision was made for her. There was a new man at the table in an adorned plate armor set that established him as a rich nobleman. The hound heraldry identified him as the Marshal of South End, a baron equivalent whose main task was to hold the southern barbarians at bay. He was militarily significant enough to warrant Viv¡¯s full attention. He was also quite angry. His thin mustache quivered with rage, twisting his handsome features into a mask of outrage.


    Surely being five minutes late didn¡¯t warrant such burning hatred?


    ¡°You finally deign to grace us with your presence? Is this what the Paramese Alliance has devolved to? Rebels and savages and FREAKS?¡±


    Viv took the opportunity offered by the diatribe to sit down, if only because remaining standing would place him in a position of dominance. She folded her hands together and waited with polite detachment for the storm to calm down.


    ¡°We are meant to be the shield of civilization, not some circus act! If my father could see how far we¡¯ve fallen, he would rue the day he agreed to hold the border. Is there no more decency in all of Baran, no more honorable warriors that we descend to this¡ª¡±


    Viv tuned him out, preferring to look at the rest of the table. Jaratalassi was his impassive self and Viv got the impression he was so beyond politicking that he¡¯d gone from patience to impatience to despair and at the end of that dark road, he¡¯d found solace in nothingness. No one could get a rise out of him anymore.


    ¡°And so I demand that you withdraw your shadow devils from this plain AT ONCE! I will not have ASSASSINS in my camp!¡±


    Viv blinked. This was about the Hadals?


    In any case, the terms of the alliance were quite clear. He had no authority to order her to remove anyone. In fact, even if she were a vile traitor to Baran who supped on freshly baked babies in kitten sauce, she would still have immunity. As far as she understood, the only exception was the worship of dark gods. Genocide was fine.


    Viv declined to answer the man¡¯s fiery speech. He looked a little young, not as young as Duke Faltag but close. The silence dragged on which suited Viv just fine. She was the one with the literal dark glare anyway.


    When it became clear she didn¡¯t intend to reply, Duke Eikart made to speak as the eldest and most powerful among the Baranese, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, it was Duke Falstag who spoke. The young man¡¯s voice was slow and his words chipped, clearly articulated with great care, yet no one could miss the fingers gripping the table between them with enough force to make it groan.


    ¡°I think¡­ that you should stand¡­ for one day¡­ one day¡­ in the shield wall with us. Then, you can talk of valor. And of honor. Or decency. Stand for one day. In the meanwhile, you have no right, no right, to criticize her, or me, or anyone here, because we have bled for Param¡­ and you have not.¡±


    Cloud skull nodded, the Barbarian sporting a fresh scar on his chest. Meanwhile, Duke Falstag swallowed his saliva before he could even utter the last words.


    ¡°You have no right to demand.¡±


    ¡°It is as my young friend says,¡± Eikart continued. ¡°The terms of the alliance are clear, Marshal Edretti. We can all appreciate your loss but everyone present is here because we place the future of the kingdom, nay, the continent, above all else. You too have committed to it. I merely ask that you respect your promise, no matter how costly it might be.¡±


    The older man¡¯s fatherly tone seemed to melt what was left of Edretti¡¯s fury. Viv suspected he¡¯d talked before he could think and the relative restraint of everyone present shamed him into cooperation. He blanched and his entire demeanor changed. It was like watching a balloon deflate.


    ¡°Very well. For the sake of the alliance, very well. But do not let your monsters approach me or my camp.¡±


    ¡°That is acceptable.¡±


    Not like most of her soldiers weren''t banned from one camp or the other for the crime of poetry.


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± she said, ¡°Zero Five believes that assassins will strike us tonight. Or at least, me.¡±


    ¡°Who is Zero Five?¡± Edretti asked with suspicion.


    Viv made a small sign of her hand and the Hadal¡¯s presence faded. Giving the idiot a jump scare might not be conducive to good diplomacy.


    ¡°My head scout. If you have safety measures against incursions¡­ now might be the best time to implement them.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Jaratalassi said. ¡°Do you believe they will go after you?¡±


    ¡°Seems likely,¡± Viv replied with a shrug.


    She had no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t go after targets of opportunity. When faced with Solfis and an elite Hadal assassin, even the most zealous people might want to hit a more tender target first but¡­ she couldn¡¯t know with the Nemeti. They were relentless.


    ¡°I shall spread the word after this meeting is done. Now, could you explain what is happening with the Temple of Neriad, please?¡±


    Viv told them what had transpired and the measures she¡¯d taken. As expected, Eikart had much to say about that.


    ¡°You were a fool to trust them. We are lucky we caught the infection before it could spread!¡±


    ¡°If my soldiers had fought them in close quarter combat, the situation would have been worse,¡± Viv retorted. ¡°Instead, there was only minimal contact between our forces. This is the best outcome.¡±


    ¡°The best outcome would have been to shoot them from afar.¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I do that one does not waste precious ammunition on chaff just before a major engagement. Enough of this. I have shared all I have learned.¡±


    ¡°Quite so,¡± Jaratalassi agreed, ¡°And since none of our soldiers appears sick yet, I shall pray to Sardanal that he may keep the plague at bay. I shall also add a directive as your commander.¡±


    He leaned on the table, fists closed and gaze kept low.


    ¡°You are to kill every enemy human combatant before they enter close range. This is an order.¡±


    The cold realization crept up Viv¡¯s spine. The realization he was probably right. They¡¯d lucked out with the prisoners so far, certainly thanks to her presence, but if the Paramese army caught the plague¡­ It was hard enough as it was. There were a few cautious nods around the table though Cloud Skull didn¡¯t seem to care either way. Jaratalassi had taken it upon himself to make a hard decision. Viv could object on moral ground to align with Neriad¡­ or she could accept he was right and Neriad would tolerate it because that was how he worked. Viv just had to hope the Nemeti had no more human auxiliaries to draw from - although that meant they¡¯d probably been eaten. She didn¡¯t know which was worse.


    ¡°Now for the plan and our main objective. The Royal Baranese army is on the way, therefore tomorrow, we hold the pass. Our only measure of success is holding that damn pass. Even if we bleed, even if we die, even if we drown under a tide of scales, we keep holding the pass. We do so on the plain and on the walls or even in the camp if we have to but we. Hold. The. Pass.¡±


    Viv nodded. She knew the cost of failing to do so. There had to be limits to how much fate magic could accomplish. She didn¡¯t know those limits and was uninclined to visit them. They would hold the line and that was it.


    ¡°As for formation, I believe the foe will focus their attacks on the Harrakans just like today.¡±


    ¡°That was impressive,¡± Falstag blurted out with a lot of enthusiasm. ¡°both blade and spells!¡±


    ¡°You have quite the formidable infantry,¡± Eikart agreed.


    ¡°Therefore,¡± Jaratalassi continued with the edge of a smile, ¡±I believe you should take the center. Falstag¡¯s foresters will take the right ¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can count on us!¡±


    ¡°While Eikart¡¯s men take your left and Edretti¡¯s pikemen, the far left.¡±


    ¡°We have kept the barbarians at bay for generations. We will not fail Baran now,¡± the Marshal said with a glare towards Cloud Skull, who was technically an invited barbarian.


    ¡°As for Cloud Skull and his men, I have a plan to use you in a more¡­ offensive manner. I believe your style of fighting is better suited to counter attacks, which we will do a lot of tomorrow.¡±


    Viv followed the briefing attentively. Jeratalassi explained how to react in certain situations though he gave everyone a lot of leeway. This battle would be approached in a conservative manner. Even if the Nemeti didn¡¯t receive a ton of reinforcements, they would still outnumber the Paramese by a large factor.


    A part of her was glad she¡¯d befriended Jaratalassi instead of feeding their rivalry, although he¡¯d provoked her quite a few times back when she was his student. He was definitely a competent commander and having those in your camp never hurt.


    ¡°If that is all, I propose that we retire for tonight. I¡¯m sure we all have preparations to make.¡±


    The meeting ended on a quietly resolute note. Viv left the tent, only to be accosted by Duke Falstag who gushed with praise. She returned some of the compliments since his irregulars had given a good accounting of themselves. He seemed quite pleased and his second, a little embarrassed. Viv remembered he was even younger than her which was usually a bad sign as far as successions went. Nevertheless, that was a good experience. After that she returned to her camp and busied herself doing what spellcasters always did on the eve of battle: recharge foci, repair enchantments, regenerate mana, and wonder which spells would help them the next day. The three others were already brainstorming how they could combine their abilities for maximum devastation, something Viv couldn¡¯t exactly do as her brand of magic was too specific. Instead, she considered her tools.


    The aegis shield pretty much worked at maximum efficiency but perhaps it could be further improved by directing power to the plates that would suffer the most. She gave it a try and found it exhausting, so that was a bust. Her ¡®nu¨¦e¡¯ spell was an improved, long range blight she could cast from the back and it had worked wonderfully. She had a new spell to kill something large with certainty so long as they underestimated her for a split second but those were not her problem. The problem was artillery, the kind of overwhelming firepower she had no recourse against because she simply couldn¡¯t attack and defend at the same time.


    There was only one option: strike first with such overwhelming strength that they would never recover.


    She had a tool for that, she just wasn¡¯t sure it was ready for use. Perhaps there was no choice. It had to be tried. They could not afford to lose.


    Around her, the Harrakan camp went into lockdown. Barracks were shut and the sentries gathered in tight groups to avoid being picked off. Solfis and Zero Five prepared their defenses. Viv ended up bunking with the other casters just in case, except for Sidjin who claimed he had something to do. Sleep was long to come while outside, a silent war went on for control over fate.


    ***


    The night was always the same, far above, and far below where the Dreamer dwelled. It was in the middle that chaos reigned.


    Lak-Tak loved chaos.


    The others eyed him warily while he pulled on a long ear, enjoying the comfort of this old habit. He was not normal, not anymore. He represented something the others feared.


    His people had been through a crucible. They¡¯d lost so much, the trees, the forge of the ancestors, many of the families. It had been¡­ a terrible time.


    Lak-Tak pulled harder. Memories boiled, unbidden. Mostly of powerlessness. The humans had come and that was it. The yries had to yield. The world was such. Yries yielded to humans because the alternative would have been worse. They fled. Even that had been difficult.


    But no more. The day Lak-Tak drove his digger drill into the wall of the Kazar, as the stones fell around and on him, as the dust choked him, and as the tip pierced through that enchanted defense of the human race, he had felt an ecstasy like no others.


    He needed more. He wanted more. Chaos, orchestrated. Yries craftsmanship used as it was never intended. That made his tactile hair quiver. And he would have it tonight again.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lak-Tak clicked instructions to his minions. The powerful archmage opened one of his holes through the world and the yries war machine powered through. The scent of human sweat was replaced by the stench of carrion. Nemeti flesh was strange and pungent, and cold. The scathing chill of the night desert would make them lethargic, which was why Lak-Tak would strike now because he was clever like that. Oh, he may not be like Sidjin who saved the Merl or Viviane who saved him, but he had walked in enough caves to remember an important matter. Mounts were beasts. Flesh-eating mounts were predator beasts. And predator beasts were¡­ rather aggressive.


    The war machine crunched its way through the cracked earth and the occasional body part. A part of Lak-Tak was thrilled that they may be found, yet it appeared that their strange angle of approach left the enemy unprepared. They arced through the morning¡¯s forest, then out towards where the Nemeti had made their lair.


    What awaited them was a tapestry of lights dotting the plains like a mirror of the heavens. It was both beautiful and daunting. There was order there too, one he didn¡¯t quite understand. That was fine. The only thing that mattered was finding the ¡®stables¡¯. The human prince helped by twisting the air to his designs and suddenly, things appeared much closer than they were. As expected, the tall ¡®raptor¡¯ things were gathered in a loose area, in pens two or three apiece. Lak-Tak made a few measurements, then it was time to strike.


    With great care, he opened a coffer and removed a wrapped ball that let out a powerful stench. He loaded the catapult and made a few, last checks. The camp was silent, its denizens asleep. It would not last.


    Lak-Tak gripped the lever.


    He sighed with contentment.


    CLANK.


    Lak-tak could not see the projectile hurl towards the camp as yries vision was quite bad but he imagined it would be beautiful. His minions rushed to reset the siege weapon. Down below, the scent of magically distilled raptor scent gland spread among the pens. The first roars cried through the night, answering the unknown challenge. The perfume was so potent that it stirred them to insanity.


    By the time the catapult fired again, half of the camp was awake and rushing towards the rampaging mounts as they slaughtered each other and the unfortunate souls in their way. Lak-Tak clicked at the satisfaction of a task well done. By the time the catapult fired a third time, the camp was a pandemonium of screams, roars, and bloodshed. Fire raged through tents and supplies in a wonderful, ever-flowing tapestry, like light reflected on the surface of smooth wet stone. The cries of the scaled ones sung an hymn to him, Lak-Tak. He may not be the strongest or the fastest or the stealthiest among the witch¡¯s servants, and he may not be able to cast curses but if there was one thing Lak-Tak could do well and that was inventive destruction. Another dollop of honey perfected this moment.


    ¡°Should we head back?¡± the fallen prince politely proposed.


    Lak-Tak loved it now that the humans of Harrak respected him and his people. All was as it should be. With one last look on his work to sear the memory in his mind, he signaled the retreat. A portal opened and they went through back to the quiet, cold camp of the sleepy human.


    Lak-Tak looked up to the barricade to see a dead Hadal leaning against the wood. His heart froze in his chest.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Two black-scaled Nemeti appeared from nowhere with their blades up, then there was a flash bone and the first was cleaved in half, then the golem stabbed the other from behind like a bird harpoons a fish. The body was flung aside and the golem was gone, leaving the yries and the prince sprayed with fresh blood.


    Beautiful.


    **


    The abyssal throne room now felt almost familiar to Viv. The sitting god waiting for her rested his chin on a gauntleted fist, his eyes unreadable.


    Viv approached the throne and resisted the urge to bow. It felt like the natural thing to do. That meant it was a trap.


    ¡°So we meet again, Efestar? So soon?¡±


    ¡°Many of your people will die tomorrow. Surely, you can feel it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice of you to care.¡±


    Pressure. The mental equivalent of a slap. Viv recoiled but she kept her composure. That meant she also had to draw some boundaries.


    ¡°Your insolence tires me,¡± the god said.


    ¡°If we are negotiating, at least be cordial. That¡¯s the least you can do.¡±


    ¡°OR. WHAT?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Fefe again.¡±


    Suddenly, the god¡¯s presence towered over her like a mountain.


    ¡°Pretty please?¡±


    ¡°THOU ASK A BOON OF ME?¡±


    ¡°I ask for basic manners. If you can¡¯t provide at least that then I¡¯m out. And you can return to your dark broodings.¡±


    ¡°Your victories have made you quite arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Again, I¡¯m not looking down on you, I am merely asking for basic standards of courtesy in conversation. Surely, that¡¯s not too much?¡±


    A hiss, and they were again a man, a woman, and a throne.


    ¡°Thanks. Now, is this the moment when you offer me a deal?¡±


    ¡°Not a deal. A gift. I can grant you my powers. Your attacks will pierce through the shields of their war machines as my blade did through the defenses of our foes, a long time ago, when we walked the world.¡±


    ¡°And in return, you ask for nothing?¡± Viv replied with clear disbelief.


    ¡°Nothing at all.¡±


    The dark god smiled and it was not a pleasant sight.


    ¡°They destroyed my cults throughout Halluria. Our temples were defiled and our priesthood murdered. The Nemeti god does not suffer competition.¡±


    ¡°So this is for revenge. Better, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°I knew we would agree.¡±


    ¡°Alas, I must refuse.¡±


    Pressure increased on Viv¡¯s soul, though it was nowhere close enough to throw her back into her body.


    ¡°You are still a dark god, Efestar. You are doing this out of spite and to get one over your brother in arms, under the guise of concern.¡±


    ¡°So what? You told me yourself. What matters is the result, no? If I can make the world better then I should. You have an opportunity to save your soldiers by letting go of your prejudice, so why won¡¯t you do it?¡±


    He smirked.


    ¡°You know I can tell you about short term benefits that prove far too costly in the long run? It¡¯s kind of a recurring theme for dark gods. A good offer that many regret long after the ecstasy of power fades away. That¡¯s what you¡¯re offering.¡±


    ¡°I ask nothing in return. Do you know how many mortals have had the privilege of this kind of offers over the eons?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not because you ask nothing that there is no cost. Please. There is no need to play coy.¡±


    ¡°So you refuse my help, freely given.¡±


    ¡°You can freely give it but I cannot freely receive it.¡±


    Efestar leaned forward.


    ¡°If you refuse my help, perhaps some of your men won¡¯t.¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°I cannot control everyone all the time but I believe this is not the point here.¡±


    She sat on the inscrutable darkness Efestar used as a floor.


    ¡°I feel like you wanted to catch me being a hypocrite.¡±


    ¡°Your words ought to match your actions.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Your offer is generous but you know as well as I do that your power now is one that taints and destroys. I will not sacrifice the future of my people for immediate benefits.¡±


    ¡°Especially when the benefits do not affect you directly¡­¡± Efestar added with some vitriol.


    Viv considered this to be progress. They were talking.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m the most honest person and I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve never been a hypocrite. Or will never be a hypocrite, I guess. It doesn¡¯t matter in the grand scheme of things. You shouldn¡¯t consider turning back because I said so. If you dig enough, you¡¯ll find that I have plenty of flaws. I¡¯m not some enlightened being that has all the answers. Instead, you should consider turning back on the proposal¡¯s own merit, for your own sake. It¡¯s not a good idea because I voiced it. it¡¯s a good idea because¡­ it¡¯s just a good idea. It¡¯s not an easy idea, I know that, but it could really change, well, everything.¡±


    Efestar stared in silence, Viv feeling the pressure of his attention on her. A part of Viv wondered what rules the gods lived by. She was pretty sure any of them had the power to shred her soul to strands, making her insane, and yet even those who would have an interest in doing so had so far declined to go that far. The worst thing she¡¯d been submitted to was nausea upon returning to her body. She wondered if the rules were part of who they were, or if it was an agreement between old gods. She was familiar with agreements. Sometimes, those were broken.


    Apparently, not today though. Efestar remained still as a statue and so Viv waited. After an indeterminate amount of time that was definitely longer than an instant, the dark one entwined his fingers above the dark plates of his armor.


    ¡°You are certainly one of the outlanders with the most¡­ interesting approach to divine beings. I think your struggle is pointless but I shall entertain myself by inviting you back to see how reality progressively hammers you into the shape you were meant to fill. A part of scorn is seeing your enemies lose themselves, after all.¡±


    Viv had a strong opinion on that and it was that, as her online friend Gevaudan would put it, Efestar was a massive tsundere. She declined to share her opinion that Efestar really enjoyed having someone to talk to who wasn¡¯t a raving power hungry lunatic, and instead decided to agree on principle.


    ¡°Sure, although I would bet that you would find it more interesting if I shaped the world instead.¡±


    ¡°Many believe they can do that, yet few ever succeed.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I already resurrected Harrak so¡­¡±


    ¡°You are a frustrating person to talk to, Viviane the Oulander.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I did not mean that as a ¡ª Nevermind, outlander. You have the sharp tongue of a woman!¡±


    ¡°Well in case you haven¡¯t noticed, I am, in fact, a¡ª¡±


    Viv¡¯s soul slung back into her body.


    ¡°Aw come on!¡± She screamed into the ether.


    ***


    Dawn had returned to Param.


    Viv unsealed her door to the stench of blood and smoke. In front of her bunker, in a small opening within the camp, stood a small pyramid of severed heads. The battered, blood-splattered form of Solfis stood on his charging station next to it. Dark scales, gaping maws revealing rows of teeth caught in the middle of a snarl provided a contrast of light and darkness. There had to be at least thirty dead dark-scaled Nemeti piled there but apparently, they¡¯d taken their pound of flesh. The damage on Solfis would repair over the day but the fact he¡¯d been damaged at all spoke of a deadly craft.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s bollocks.¡±


    //I have good news, bad news, worse news, and worst news Your Majesty.


    ¡°Can we not wait until breakfast?¡± Viv asked as the sleepy rest of the mages joined her.


    Superhuman physique could only carry you so far when advanced casting was so exhausting.


    //I¡¯m afraid not.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take them in that order.¡±


    //Very well.


    //The good news is that Lak-Tak¡¯s raid succeeded.


    //The enemy should have limited cavalry support today, at the very least.


    ¡°That¡¯s indeed good news. And the bad?¡±


    Solfis pointed to the side where five figures rested, clad in dark cloaks. They were Hadal warriors, and they were very dead.


    ¡°Ah shit, this is bad.¡±


    //We were severely outnumbered and the enemy didn¡¯t care about losses, Your Grace.


    //Zero Five argued he could not hold and I agreed.


    //He has left the camp via gate to ask for reinforcement.


    //Using the opportunity provided by incoming Baranese militias.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    //The worse news is that the Paramese armies are just on their way.


    //We cannot count on reinforcements until very late today, at the earliest, according to a runner I¡­ consulted on the question.


    ¡°Ah this is really bad, especially if¡ª¡±


    //Lak-Tak¡¯s report indicates the Nemeti have consolidated their forces.


    //They will attack in powerful waves today.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    //Are you ready for the worst news?


    ¡°No?¡±


    //Duke Eikart was assassinated.


    Viv slapped her face in desperation.


    //As the senior nobleman, Duke Falstag is now in command of the Baranese contingent.


    ¡°Are his troops staying?¡±


    //We would not be having this conversation if they were not.


    //However, Duke Eikart¡¯s authority made his cavalry charges that much more devastating.


    //With a junior commander in charge, their efficacy will diminish.


    ¡°Could ¡ª¡±


    //No, Rollo may not lead them.


    //The Baranese would never accept it.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Dawn was barely turning the edge of the sky pink. Heavy squads went from barracks to barracks, giving everyone the all clear and telling them to prepare for the day. Viv found the kitchen already working full time to prepare meals for the day. The men and women didn¡¯t speak of it but she could see the sore muscles, the barely closed wounds hampering them. Some were still working on fixing their armor. The mood was not grim yet but it was serious.


    At least Jaratalassi wasn¡¯t dead.


    ¡°What about the prisoners?¡± she asked Solfis when he returned from a round.


    //They were not attacked during the night.


    //It seems the assassins focused their effort on you.


    //Even Eikart was only a target of opportunity.


    //The group that killed him joined the others in assaulting our positions.


    //As for the infection, it seems under control for now.


    //Only thirty people died so far.


    //None of them ours.


    //Prisoners who were too far gone to survive.


    //Then rest are stabilizing.


    ¡°Ok that¡¯s¡­ at least not so bad.¡±


    ¡°Oi! I mean, hail, Your Majesty,¡± Poacher said as she rushed to the square, barely pausing at the sight of the skulls. She¡¯d been hanging around Solfis, after all.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can we have a talk concerning the quarrels situation?¡±


    Viv spotted Ban striding in at the head of a squad of One Hundred and decided that it was going to be a long march out of the pass.


    ***


    The Harrakans had enough quarrels to fight for half a day. It wasn¡¯t by lack of preparations. They had barrels upon barrels of the stuff brought in with their supply train. It was simply that they¡¯d been fighting violently for an entire day and, even with recovering everything they could, there were still some irrecoverable loss. This wasn¡¯t even getting into the loss of one-time-use quarrels, a staple of the witch pact path which allowed them to infuse projectiles with devastating effects. Viv had to change the doctrine from ¡®kill everything you can¡¯ to ¡®focus exclusively on high value targets like bola throwers, officers, and raptors. Then came Ban with the issue of runic equipment. Despite Lana and Rakan¡¯s effort, the runic sets were losing power fast because of overuse, and the individual soldiers could only do so much to recharge them. They, too, would run out of juice sometimes during the day and then casualties would rapidly turn into fatalities. The Harrakan army wasn¡¯t exactly a persistent force. They were always meant to be used in decisive engagements and this simply wasn¡¯t it.


    Viv wasn¡¯t despairing just yet though. That only started later that day, after the Paramese alliance troops left the pass and arrayed themselves on top of the hill overlooking the desert. As planned, Harrak took the center with a stern Edretti taking the more vulnerable position on the far left next to the forest, Eikart¡¯s leaderless Baranese between the two. Falstag¡¯s men occupied the right, a relatively safer position with the flank blocked by a mountain. Then, the wait began.


    Today, the Nemeti took their sweet damn time and Viv suspected they were simply waiting for the desert¡¯s heat to reach a comfortable level for them. When they finally showed up under the consternated gaze of the Paramese, a new explanation occurred to Viv.


    There were simply too many of them to easily maneuver. The only comforting sight was the near absence of ¡®cavalry¡¯. Only debris of squadrons remained from yesterday¡¯s terrifying force. Lak-Tak had not done a ¡®good¡¯ job. He¡¯d been absolutely thorough. Small mercy. She also noticed regiments of red-skinned, large specimens. The ruling caste. Her inspection didn¡¯t work at that range but their weapon and armor were a cut above the rest. Slowly, the enemy army approached with the slow ponderousness of one who believes the day already won. And perhaps they were right. The front line of the Nemeti was composed of all its weakest combatants and when they charged, it seemed as if a tide rose to lap at the rock that was the Paramese formation as the drums pressed them on.


    It turned into a slog almost immediately.


    Viv only cast weaker spells as she saved all her energy for an emergency. After casting a few devastating first strikes, the others did the same. It was pointless to void entire battalions when a fresh one would replace it in under twenty seconds. Waves after waves of Nemeti threw themselves at her heavies. There were no cycle charges, no clever tactics, only an unceasing assault that would grind them down piece by piece. Even the Shrill and the crossbows used their ammunition with great care. The result was exhaustion. Wounds and tiredness accumulated. Some of the youngest heavies faltered, their spear arms crying for relief.


    Viv used every trick at her disposal. Ranks rotated to allow some warriors to rest. She stretched the line so an entire company could rest at once while she cast more heavily. It didn¡¯t stop the problem, which was that the Nemeti were merely wearing them down for a knockout punch.


    ¡°Rakan, go support the Hightree company.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With varying success, the Paramese managed to hold the line until Viv realized they¡¯d been pushed back at least twenty paces since the battle began. She looked right where Edretti¡¯s pikemen were at risk of being cut off.


    ¡°Make way!¡± an order came from behind.


    Duke Falstag led a charge to relieve the left and Viv felt jealousy when she realized she wouldn¡¯t benefit from the breathing room. That was until she was given the same order. The heavies rotated as a roar approached.


    Viv watched Cloud Skull lead his men into the fray. Fierce southerners crashed into the Nemeti ranks with fury, their most powerful warriors breaking entire formations by themselves. They were not warborn but Viv was still impressed by their dedication.


    ¡°Right. Food! Drinks! Hurry!¡±


    The lull in the battle let her soldiers catch her breath, eat, and drink what they could. Laborers dragged in more ammo while Rakan raised more towers for the crossbow wielders to fire from at the back, for when they retreated. Meanwhile, Viv felt a growing pressure pushing her forward. It felt as if her luck warned her of a coming ordeal.


    She knew what she had to use, she just wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready. Her attempts to trigger the ability failed repeatedly. It was a sign she was missing something, but what? Not her grasp of the Aspect of the Guardian. That skill worked perfectly well. Something else?


    The cavalry returned at the same time as the southerners and before they could get swarmed. Viv noticed many wounds on the poorly equipped soldiers but most seemed to shrug them off as they made their way to the healers. Meanwhile, the Nemeti assault continued unabated. Viv was forced to cast more and more just to give her troops seconds of breathing room.


    One by one, the runic equipments ran out of juice until they were normal slabs of metal, still effective, just not as deadly. More heavies were carried to the back with wounds or without breath. The pressure was simply relentless. At this point, Viv realized the Nemeti were methodically dragging their dead to the back just so the living could fight unimpeded. They were not new at this.


    The early afternoon came and went in a ceaseless exchange of violence. Exhaustion now affected every group of the Paramese alliance.


    Eikart¡¯s troops were the first to break. They didn¡¯t collapse completely but it was enough for ruling cast regiments to make their ways to them.


    As before, Jaratalassi ordered a charge and the southerners came to Viv¡¯s help with bandaged wounds and a renewed appetite for violence. It was at that moment Viv realized that the large, cowled figure was no longer overseeing the conflict.


    ¡°Shit. Solfis? Where¡¯s the big one?¡±


    The golem pointed at the distant shape of Cloud Skull cleaving through a squad with a massive two-hander. The barbarian was caught in the flow and he failed to notice the approach of the massive cowled Nemeti. The red-clad foe unsheathed a spear of massive proportions. Red light bled through the metal. Viv cursed the fact she had not brought a communicator for the allied troops. She would remember. It would be too late for the tall warrior.


    The cowled one charged Cloud Skull who turned in time, or at least it felt that way, and yet somehow the spear found his heart with unerring precision. Even dodging, the barbarian somehow ended in the path of the weapon. The tip impacted his naked chest, forcing him back.


    Viv honestly expected the spear to emerge on the other side and yet, the barbarian was still standing.


    ¡°You think your magic will work on me?¡± he roared.


    Viv wanted to help but she wasn¡¯t sure the barbarian would resist the spell she would need to send. The two of them were too close to each other as they engaged in a ferocious duel. She watched Cloud Skull fight with ferocious power, each attack a cleaving blow that would have torn through a knight and his mount. The cowled one deflected them all. Even the most unpredictable attacks were deflected at the last moment. At the same time, his strikes hit Cloud skull who grunted in pain but the attack failed to penetrate.


    Until the light faded.


    One moment, the cowled one was a crimson avatar, the next, just a large enemy ignored by fate. The transition surprised Cloud Skull enough that his swing cut too high. The cowled one dodged under it easily and struck with his whole body.


    The spear went through his heart cleanly. It emerged on the other side in a streak of gore. The cowled one swiped and the lifeless body was sent tumbling into the ravenous ranks of the Nemeti. The southerners faltered. Viv expected the cowled one to rally his troops for a decisive charge, but he was already gone.


    //He is heading towards Duke Faltstag, Your Majesty.


    It clicked in Viv¡¯s mind.


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to create a pattern of killing enemy leaders. Solfis, you have to stop him or fate may declare I must die like the others.¡±


    //I will go.


    Perhaps warned by Jaratalassi, the cavalry charge stopped and turned before they finished their attack. The expected break didn¡¯t happen for the alliance. Meanwhile, the southerners ran away in disorder with the Nemeti on their heels. Larger squads of elite Nemeti moved in across the front in groups too small to be efficiently stopped by artillery. The Paramese line buckled.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Viv said, ¡°Move back. Nu¨¦e!¡±


    Sidjin and Lana shared her idea. Spells and bolts rained down to keep the Nemeti at bay but it wouldn¡¯t be enough. She looked towards Falstag and saw Solfis by his side but no signs of the cowled one. Perhaps he had reconsidered? Soon, there was not enough time to consider as the entire Paramese contingent retreated towards the pass in various degrees of cohesion.


    ¡°Form a circle. Move back slowly!¡± Ban ordered.


    The lines curved, condemning the exposed Baranese infantry still trying to hold on as the heavies closed around the witch pact. Many of the more experienced marksmen unleashed all they had before drawing their weapons and joining the battle line. The shrill unloaded their entire reserves, drowning the approaching enemy in clouds of wasps and other horrors. It looked like the Harrakans would successfully disengage for a moment, until something at the edge of the horizon attracted Viv¡¯s attention like the cold edge of a blade resting against her throat.


    There was a cold terror to seeing a disaster approach with more than enough time to react yet lack any tool to actually achieve anything. All of the siege equipment Viv had failed to eliminate the day before crested the incline, then more followed. They carefully formed a line at their maximum range then groups of the leader caste gathered around the implements to pray. Viv felt the weight of destiny settle on their shoulder, constricting her soul under a snare of inevitability. This much artillery would flatten her shield in a single volley and then her people would die. The One Hundred and the Sisters would go first in a fiery conflagration. The other shields would follow after that. It would take just one shot, and the retreating Paramese army was in no shape to maneuver out of the way. All the spellcasters were occupied.


    Viv was caught between several hard places.


    The distant cowled figure turned its attention to Viv. A concept floated to her mind, carried over the winds of the embattled souls around her.


    Checkmate.


    That wasn¡¯t true, though. Viv had exactly one ace left to play. It was now or never, and the pressure actually helped Viv. That, and the terror she felt for the first time since she¡¯d been reborn as part elemental, a creature of Nyil, this world. Fear was such an unfamiliar feeling now that it shocked her into remembering she was not some champion talking in her sleep with the gods of this world. She was merely a woman trying her best, another piece on a crowded chessboard, and her people would die here and now, and she might die here and now, unless she moved her fucking ass. Unbidden, words escaped her.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to be a leader.¡±


    Her voice carried strangely over the battlefield. Speaking settled her. Many of her soldiers looked back in surprise or confusion, yet they soon returned to the fight because they simply trusted her to get them out of this as she¡¯d done before. Their renewed vigor let them fight on for just a little longer. For the length of a drawn breath, the Harrakans held.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be a leader because I could not trust myself to lead. I lacked experience. Finesse. I knew what it entailed and I knew the costs. I feared I might lose myself. I took the mantle of power because I firmly believed I was the best to carry it, because I was the only hope of the city, back when we were just refugees hiding in a cave. I brought you here and I fought alongside you because I believed, and I still believe, that we could make the world better. But I didn¡¯t mean to be a leader.


    ¡°I did mean to be a caster though.¡±


    Vi gathered every drop of power she could without undoing her body. The air warped around her. She focused on her own abject fear and nervousness, the same she¡¯d felt when facing the Gutspiller whose skull now adorned Solfis¡¯ frame, the same she¡¯d faced an eternity ago, in the shower of her gym, while her wet hand grasped for the weapon she¡¯d prepared to punish her friend¡¯s bully. She seized that do-or-die oppressive emotion and forged it into a vector for all that mind-crushing stress.


    The ground grew distant under her dangling feet. It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision. She wasn¡¯t casting. Not yet.


    ¡°I meant to wield the powers of magic. I meant to be the best at what I did. And I meant it because here, on Nyil, reality can be rewritten if one fights hard enough.


    ¡°I will remind you what an elemental can do. I will model this world according to my vision, and if it doesn¡¯t let me, then let the world TURN TO ASH.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You may activate your second aspect: Aspect of the Destroyer.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Aspect of the Destroyer:


    Your second of four aspects. They will bend or be undone. Upon anchoring yourself, you rise above the battlefield. You are geostationary and may not move in any way. You may not use defensive skills beyond a basic personal shield. Once the aspect deactivates, you will be defenseless for a duration depending on your stats and the intensity of your use (maximum three hours now). The aspect deactivates when you run out of available mana.


    While the aspect is active, your range is multiplied by four (scaling), you may sequence up to three spells simultaneously, and their power is increased by around half (scaling).


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv returned her cowled Nemeti commander¡¯s attention just to let him know he¡¯d monumentally fucked up his estimation of Param¡¯s spellcasters in general. Then, she went to town.


    The battlefield was now a place of great clarity, with currents and trends and the strands of mana coursing through it. To the side, one of the Baranese was being hacked to death as he turned into an aberrant by some strangely panicked Nemeti. Far in the distance, the priests were still chanting now with the awareness that they were like nails and Viv was a giant hammer.


    ¡°Sequence: hyperbeam, hyperbeam, hyperbeam.¡±


    For the next fifteen seconds, mana flowed in and through Viv as if she were a virtuoso playing her favorite piece. Rays of death, clouds, artillery spells, all of them flew across the battlefield in a torrent of power that ravaged everything in its path, giving even the numberless Nemeti pause. She searched for the cowled one, only to find him gone. Those priests who felt their end come scattered away from their weapons while others threw themselves into building mighty shields, in vain. The first black elemental archmange used her full might and the battle paused to catch its breath.


    When the storm abated, the witch was left hovering above a field of carnage scarred by patches of polished stone where mana had gnawed through the soil. She fell, light-headed.


    //I got you.


    Viv was barely able to articulate. Dark veins stood in stark contrast to her skin and she felt physically brittle. In the distance, a surviving siege weapon managed to throw one projectile.


    The shield reactivated.


    ¡°I got you too,¡± Rakan said with pride. ¡°Hey, the reserves are full! That means I can play a bit as well.¡±


    Viv nodded, too weary to reply as the Harrakans ran to the relative safety of the walls.

 Chapter ??? A tale of Nice Tails (featuring a certain vampire)

    Yuren Jie stood before the temple¡¯s gates with a heart full of pride.


    At long last, he had made it to the top of Beast Mountain. The great jade gates of the entrance stood with the majesty of the heavens themselves. A great stairway of stone awaited him beyond it, alongside great buildings as old as time itself.


    This. This was where Yuren would complete his formation and ascend to greatness.


    Yuren Jie wasn¡¯t special among would-be cultivators. He was simply young, handsome, incredibly talented, phenomenally lucky¨Chard work was for those who weren¡¯t born winners, after all¨Cand most importantly of all, about as modest as a peacock on a strut. He was a magnet for beautiful women, though of course, he remained above the influence. Girls led to romance, romance led drama, and drama led to work.


    And real work was beneath Yuren, like the earth crawled beneath the sky.


    No other sect was worthy of being graced with his immense talent. The Golden Order Sect had produced the greatest and most powerful cultivators in all of the Thousand Story Realms. He would soon put them all to shame.


    And so, it was with great pride that he stepped inside the temple. He immediately sensed a warm power flow over him like water on a smooth rock; an energy filling his body with serenity and energy. It was as if all his exhaustion and doubts vanished in an instant.


    He found himself entering a courtyard of well-tended grass and lotus flower ponds. A haven of peace¡­ were it not for its occupants.


    A bunch of disheveled men crawled on the ground with the grace of maggots.


    ¡°She just won¡¯t stop firing at us¡­¡± a man rasped, his clothes full of holes and his eyes beset with fear. ¡°Every day¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Another replied, while clearly in a fugue state of some kind. ¡°Get back here, minion¡­ get back here¡­¡±


    Losers, Yuren thought. He knew cultivation wasn¡¯t for everyone. Few possessed the willpower to claim their rightful place at the world¡¯s apex. He didn¡¯t look down on these failures, not really. They were just beneath his notice.


    Thankfully, Yuren soon noticed an elder meditating near a pond; a great and powerful cultivator with a long white beard, plain silk robes, and wizened skin. The man turned his head at Yuren with eyes full of wisdom.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, his words carrying the weight of a mountain.


    ¡°I am Yuren Jie, aspiring master under the heavens,¡± Yuren introduced himself. ¡°I have come to join the Golden Order Sect, greatest in the Thousand Story Realms.¡±


    ¡°You are in the wrong place,¡± the sage replied before returning to his meditation. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    The casual, sudden dismissal filled Yuren¡¯s heart with anger and incomprehension. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Beast Mountain?¡± he protested in disbelief. ¡°Then you should be in the Golden Order Sect!¡±


    ¡°No, we are the Golden Hoarder Sect now. With an H and an A. We used to be the Golden Order, but Dragon Sifu-Sensei insisted on the name change.¡± The sage shuddered. ¡°Arguing with Dragon Sifu-Sensei leads us further away from enlightenment and closer to ignorance, so we accepted his wisdom with pain and humility.¡±


    ¡°Your sect¡¯s name does not matter to me, only its power,¡± Yuren declared. How dare that old geezer not recognize his limitless potential? ¡°I have to come to train and take my rightful place among the Immortals.¡±


    ¡°To join our Sect is to experience great suffering,¡± the elder replied without looking at Yuren. ¡°You know not what one must endure to ascend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything, old man,¡± Yuren insisted. ¡°I will pass any test I must.¡±


    This time, the elder deigned to look at him again. But his eyes¡­ His eyes were devoid of anger and pride. Instead they radiated compassion. A deep sense of pity, the kind one reserved to cancer patients or the most miserable of all creatures.


    It took Yuren completely aback. ¡°W-why do you look at me with such pitiful eyes?¡±


    The elder shook his head with a deep sigh and a quiet look of resignation. He rose to his feet and then agreed to Yuren¡¯s request. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Dragon Sifu-Sensei will see to your initiation and put you through the Test of the Mind.¡±


    A dragon? So the rumors were true, the Golden Ord¨CHoarder Sect included a true dragon among its elders.


    Yuren nodded sharply, and then followed the elder deeper into the temple. The noise of explosions coming from nearby courtyards rocked the structure, but Yuren paid more attention to the strange energy pervading the air. Was that a spell of some kind?


    ¡°You are now under the influence of Fairy Elaine¡¯s healing power,¡± the Elder explained upon noticing his curiosity. ¡°It shall heal your wounds, even the searing flames of Dragon Sifu-Sensei¡¯s divine breath.¡±


    Yuren had been begging to ask something. ¡°Sifu-Sensei? Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡±


    ¡°You are not to question Dragon Sifu-Sensei¡¯s logic,¡± the elder replied with the wisdom of the eon-old turtle. ¡°You will hurt yourself and your wounded spirit will crawl away from enlightenment.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°There is no answer, only acceptance.¡±


    That made no sense, but Yuren didn¡¯t have time to wonder for long. The elder soon led him down great stairs wide enough for an army to climb and before great closed gates of gold dug into the very heart of the mountain. It would take two giants to open them.


    ¡°Dragon Sifu-Sensei awaits beyond these doors,¡± said the elder. ¡°I must warn you that only the strongest of will can endure what awaits you.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m overqualified,¡± Yuren replied.


    Once again, the elder sent him a gaze full of pity and compassion.


    It started to wear on Yuren¡¯s nerves. ¡°Are you looking down on me, old man?¡±


    The elder shook his head. With no more time to waste on this senile old fool, Yuren approached the golden doors and waited for them to open. They didn¡¯t. He stood in place for five minutes, waiting for the gates to bow before his majesty, before noticing a smaller backdoor dug into the stone. He grumbled as he walked through it.


    What awaited him on the other side nearly left him blinded.


    Never before had he seen such a wealth of treasures gathered in a single place. A vault larger than an entire town stretched far and wide before his eyes. An ocean of gold glittering like the sun filled each and every corner under the weight of marble pillars.


    And atop its greatest hill stood a dragon.


    A great and mighty beast with crimson ruby scales, jet black wings, and claws longer and sharper than any spear. The beast¡¯s fangs alone matched all of Yuren in length. The creature raised its immense and wise head upon sensing his approach, then looked at his visitor with eyes of shining gold.


    Yuren immediately realized that something was wrong.


    This looked like a dragon, felt like a dragon, but it wasn¡¯t a Long. It had no fur, no deer horns, no mustache. Was it a rare form Yuren had never heard of?


    ¡°Who dares interrupt my slumber?¡± asked the dragon, his voice stronger than a thunderstorm, his words heavy with the force of a hurricane.


    ¡°I do, oh great dragon sifu-sensei,¡± Yuren replied upon bending the knee. ¡°I am¨C¡±


    ¡°Insignifiant!¡± the dragon interrupted him with a grunt. ¡°Call me Dragon Sifu-Sensei, if you wish to live.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Yuren frowned in utter confusion. Had he offended the dragon somehow? ¡°I just did.¡±


    ¡°You will call me Dragon Sifu-Sensei, capitalized. I can tell the difference.¡± The great dragon narrowed his eyes at Yuren, his tail sending waves of coins falling down his throne of treasures. ¡°Are you a thief? I hope so. I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet.¡±


    ¡°Far from it, Dragon Sifu-Sensei.¡± How did he¡­ The letters felt right, but he couldn¡¯t explain why. ¡°I have come to study with the Golden Hoarder Sect.¡±


    ¡°Ah, excellent.¡± The dragon suddenly sounded pleased. He raised his mighty head and swaggered, his chest full of pride. ¡°Then know that I, Vainqueur Knightsbane, First under the Heavens, Great Buddha of this Age, Master of the Golden Hoarder Path, and King of Beast Mountain, shall gladly accept your fee!¡±


    Yuren squinted in confusion. ¡°The fee?¡±


    The dragon¡¯s happy mood suddenly deflated. Yuren felt his blood run cold as the immense beast looked at him with unbearable suspicions.


    ¡°Your entrance fee,¡± the great dragon asked, smoke coming out of his nostrils.


    Yuren had the impression of standing on thin ice. Or in this case, kneeling in front of a very large beast with a gullet of swirling fire.


    ¡°F-For the sect?¡± For the first time in his short life, Yuren found himself suddenly beset with dread. ¡°There is an entrance fee?¡±


    ¡°Of course there is one! Do you think this place is a home for homeless cultivators?¡± The dragon rubbed his claws together. ¡°You must pay the low, low price of ten thousand gold to join my sect.¡±


    The price was so outrageous that Yuren forgot to be afraid. ¡°Ten thousand? You can buy half a kingdom with that!¡±


    ¡°I do not like your tone, miserly poor disciple.¡± The dragon snorted fumes and raised his head so high it nearly hit the ceiling. ¡°Did you expect the secrets of the universe to come cheap? That I, the greatest immortal under the heavens, would teach you the way of the Dragon Dao for free?¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°I am a dragon,¡± Vainqueur interrupted him sharply. ¡°Your kind named its best techniques after me. Which one sounds better, Immortal Dragon Fist or Puny Ape Slap?¡±


    Yuren opened his mouth to answer, but what could he say before such ironclad logic? The weight of his insignificance suddenly dawned upon him when faced with a creature large enough to swallow him in one bite.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I should charge you for cultural appropriation too,¡± Vainqueur muttered to himself. ¡°Your species¡¯ debt towards me keeps increasing.¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­¡± Yuren gulped. The realization of his own poverty suffocated him. ¡°I do not have¡­ ten thousand gold¡­¡±


    The dragon looked at him as if were lesser than a cockroach. It reminded Yuren of how he used to look on others, but magnified ten thousand times over. Like a noble king glaring at a pile of horse shit waiting to be squashed.


    ¡°Are these clothes all that you have?¡± he asked with a dangerous edge to his voice.


    Yuren gulped and then nodded.


    ¡°Give me your shirt,¡± the dragon said. ¡°Give it to me. Give it to me now.¡±


    Yuren was too intimidated, too ashamed, to resist. He threw his shirt at the dragon¡¯s hoard, keeping only his pants.


    ¡°Your debt has decreased to nine-thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand gold and nine silver,¡± the dragon declared with ludicrous precision. ¡°To reward your dedication and humility, I shall accept you as an Emergency Food Disciple.¡±


    Yuren didn¡¯t like that title at all. ¡°Why emergency?¡±


    ¡°Because everyone outside the sect is just food,¡± the dragon replied kindly. Yuren wisely didn¡¯t push the subject further. ¡°Emergency Food Disciple is the lowest rank in my Golden Hoarder sect. Then you have Minion Disciple, Minion Master, Princess, Virgin Princess, Catering Gourmet, and then Chief of Staff. And then there is me, Dragon Sifu-Sensei. Do you understand your place?¡±


    Yuren opened his mouth to argue, when he suddenly noticed piles of ashes in a corner of the vault. Somehow, he had the intuition that they didn¡¯t start out as firewood.


    ¡°I¡­ I do, Dragon Sifu-Sensei.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Vainqueur replied. ¡°Henceforth, you shall work for this sect for free until you repay your entrance fee. It should only take you five hundred years or so, factoring in the interests and the first class lodging accommodations.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred years?¡± Yuren choked. ¡°But I won¡¯t live that long!¡±


    The dragon looked at Yuren with condescension. The young disciple suddenly remembered the entire reason why he even came to this place; and why it suddenly didn¡¯t appear like a good thing anymore.


    ¡°Why do you think,¡± Vainqueur asked, ¡°We dragons taught you humans how to become immortal?¡±


    Yuren¡¯s heart skipped a beat in his chest, his soul suddenly assaulted by the primal terror of the modern man. The ultimate technique which had brought countless aspiring masters low.


    The Student Loan Debt Trap.


    ¡°We taught you immortality so you can work longer hours and make us richer. Time is money, and right now, you are wasting mine.¡± Vainqueur dismissively waved a claw at Yuren. ¡°Return rich or not at all.¡±


    Yuren found himself walking back to the exit before he realized what was happening. His mind, his pride, screamed at him to make a stand, but whenever he tried to straighten his spine, it crumbled back under the weight of his defeat.


    ¡°Loafer,¡± he heard the dragon complaining behind his back. ¡°Another one who lives in his mother¡¯s cave.¡±


    Yuren closed the backdoor behind him, and found the Elder waiting for him.


    He looked surprised to see the disciple alive at all.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Yuren muttered to himself, his brain scrambled. He tried to find an explanation for this meeting and found none. None of this made sense.


    ¡°Dragon Sifu-Sensei was brought in as a treasurer, to better protect the sect¡¯s funds from thieves,¡± the Elder explained. ¡°Dragon Sifu-Sensei is so good at his job that he keeps the gold safe from us too. He only lends us one-one tenth of what we ask for.¡±


    ¡°One one tenth?¡± Yuren Jie did a quick calculation in his head. ¡°Like a tenth of a tenth?¡±


    ¡°Hence why we ask for ten times of what we need each time.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s still a tenth!¡± Yuren protested.


    ¡°Dragon Sifu-Sensei is bad at math, but you?¡± The elder looked into his eyes. ¡°You will be worse.¡±


    A terrible pain raced through Yuren¡¯s skull, raw and sharp. Blood dripped down his nose and inside his lips. Then he sensed Fairy Elaine¡¯s magic healing his head from whatever wound he suffered through.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Yuren asked upon touching his blood. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°You went through a brain aneurysm,¡± the elder explained. ¡°By surviving a meeting with Dragon Sifu-Sensei, you have taken your first step towards enlightenment. Next is the Test of the Body.¡±


    A chill traveled down Yuren¡¯s spine.


    Ascending to the heavens might prove a little harder than expected.


    Yuren Jie walked the many peaks of the Golden Hoarder monastery, wondering what in all realms he had gotten himself into.


    There were many manners of sects under heaven, from righteous to demonic, but none with a foreign dragon extorting new prospects. And that was but the first in a long series of surprises. Elders who ought to be overseeing mortal affairs, nodding gravely over cups of tea, ran around in a frenzy to pursue strange and outlandish philosophies.


    ¡°The fist of utilitarianism must be wielded for the happiness of the many, not the great happiness of the one!¡±


    ¡°That is not the nature of a cultivator!¡±


    Masters and disciples wore uniforms in a wide variety of styles and colors. Students fought on the streets, exchanging insults and yet, none of them ever spat blood! It was as if some strange aura prevented them from being hurt internally and externally. In this place, one could lose nothing but their face. It was baffling. It was chaos.


    The architecture as well defied the imagination. Most pavilions showed the harmony and beauty of the Thousand Story Realms, yet here and there, foreign contraptions ruined the effect like zits on the face of a jade-like beauty.


    The test of the Body was to take place in the next peak, and when his eyes rested upon its massive flanks, Yuren Jie¡¯s stomach dropped. Chimneys belched black smoke to the skies while the din of metal on metal  strained the ears. As he walked across a long bridge, he was joined by other prospective students. He knew they were like him because the men were shirtless, the women sleeveless, and all of them looked as if their birth village had been burned down by a callous young master they would spend seventy-three chapters tracking down.


    They exchanged confused looks but not much else.


    Their path led them to a wide, open platform facing the maze of steel and heat that could only be the Armory, a great beast that breathed dark smoke and glared at them from its myriad of glass windows. Targets and strange, wood platforms filled with stacks of precious ores waited on one side. Racks of training equipment lined the other.


    Now what?


    A man exploded out of one of the windows in a shower of crystalline shards. He slammed into the ground with back-breaking strength before coming to a rest at the students¡¯ feet, yet once again, he stood unharmed. A feminine voice rang through the air. It was very loud.


    ¡°A shield against arrows must be made of composite materials! I won¡¯t give two pills about your fancy water enchantment unless it¡¯s layered on a properly designed base! Have I taught you nothing?¡±


    The fallen man jumped to his knee, face lit with the revelation of the dao.


    ¡°Thank you for your guidance!¡± he cried, then more quietly, he needled Yuren Jie on.


    ¡°You had better come in while she is in a good mood, junior brother.¡±


    Yuren Jie was not so sure, yet the presence of the other students meant he could not refuse or he would risk losing face. He had to show he was a dragon among men, but obviously of the proper variety this time.Stolen novel; please report.


    He opened the gate using the strength of a hundred men. It was a heavy gate.


    Golden morning light shone on a workshop, and on a woman wearing the strangest cultivator robe he had ever seen.


    ¡°HISS!¡±


    She cowered for a second, leaving Yuren Jie certain he was soon to meet his ancestors. Instead, she smoothed that impractical garment of hers.


    ¡°Sorry, habit. Ah, yes, I recognize in you the fish-eyed and shirtless appearance of¡­¡±


    She sniffed the air. Her sky-blue eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Fresh blood. ¡®Tis time again, it seems. Oh well. I will be with you shortly.¡±


    As she turned to one of her assistants, Yuren Jie studied her appearance even more. She was certainly a laowai from faraway, with golden hair and that strange¡­ dress¡­ of hers. There was something uncanny about her. Her canines were too sharp. Her fingers ended in black talons, short yet sharp. Perhaps some beast blood ancestry.


    ¡°The alloy we want is nine part mountain steel and no less than one part vanadium, manganese, and copper. I don¡¯t care if it is not ¡®the way¡¯. If you don¡¯t follow my orders, I will not eat you, I will shove an incandescent bar up your buttocks the size of the average machine-translated Xianxia novel, and you know it will not kill you. Not here.¡±


    The apprentice bowed.


    The woman returned her attention to them.


    ¡°To the Test of the Body, and then we will give you your uniforms.¡±


    She stepped outside, as did all of the other prospective students in various states of confusion.


    ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°Let us clear things up. My name is Fairy Thread Seeker and the first thing that will come out of your filthy impurity pools will be ma¡¯am. Do you silk worms understand that?¡±


    Yuren Jie gasped.


    ¡°WELL?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, yes,¡± a few students replied with terror.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, sound off like you got a core!¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, yes!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better. If you disgusting spawn survive my training, if you find your dao, you will be a shining and tasty example of mankind, leading the world forward with an understanding of war, crafts, ethics, and safe forklift operation. But until that day, you are nothing! You are lice crawling on the ass crack of destiny. Frogs at the bottom of the well. You are lower than the dirt. You are not even cultivators. You are amorphous accretions of baseless audacity. Because I do not give face, you will not like me, but the more you despise me, the higher you shall soar. I am difficult but fair. There is no discrimination on blood here. I don¡¯t care if you are jade like beauties, body cultivators, toad cultivators, three ravens in a trench coat, or if your ancestor fucked a dragon once. You are all equally pathetic. And my goal is to turn your arrogant mediocrity into the exacting perfection of a Golden Hoarder member.¡±


    The woman waited to see if anyone would object. Yuren Jie could not sense her cultivation, but she had to be at least at the navel-gazing realm to become a Peak Master. As a man gifted with the rare talent of common sense, he knew better than to challenge her. By some miracle, none of the students dared protest.


    ¡°No one to perform involuntary qigong this time? Amazing. First thing first then, in order to better understand who you are, you will be allowed to attack me so that I may taste your mettle.¡±


    Someone raised a hand. The woman nodded.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you mean test our mettle?¡±


    ¡°I said what I said. Enough barking at the moon or whatever. Face me, get your uniforms, then your next stop will be the medical pavilion.¡±


    Fear spread across the ranks.


    ¡°No, I will not maim you. You are going there to receive medicine and advice on how to practice safe sects. It is your duty to remain cautious, for the Thousand Story Realms are a dangerous and nonsensical place ruled by maniacs, as you all well know. What? What¡¯s that look?¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s nothing,¡± a disciple grumbled.


    ¡°I thought as much. Since you cannot school your expression, you¡¯re the first to be schooled. Get up here and show me what you can do.¡±


    The woman appeared on one of the elevated platforms. A flick of her fingers, and the nearby targets disappeared, leaving the space bare.


    ¡°Get on with it.¡±


    Yuren Jie quickly realized that although his skill was supreme, he was not yet peerless. Students faced the woman one after the other and she somehow matched their skill and even style perfectly to push them to their limits without humiliating them. Her guidance left many disciples in awe.


    ¡°How about screaming the name of your technique after you¡¯ve used it? Or even while you cast it, but not, maybe, before?¡±


    ¡°Please do not monologue at me. I am impervious to such low-level sass. Focus on the fight.¡±


    ¡°If you tell me that this pill will unleash your true power, I¡¯m going to try to stop you from eating it, you know?¡±


    Truly extraordinary revelations. After fighting the disciples and giving them advice, the woman would provide them with a matching uniform that would best match their budding dao.


    ¡°You smell of water and metal. This should serve you well.¡±


    She handed one of the disciples a salmon-colored robe embroidered with the image of a mighty fish jumping up a waterfall. It was exquisitely made.


    ¡°Pink? You want me to wear pink?¡±


    ¡°You also smell like my lunch.¡±


    ¡°I am honored by your gift, esteemed elder.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better.¡±


    And soon, it was Yuren Jie¡¯s turn.


    As a genius that happened only once in a generation among an arbitrarily selected population number, Yuren Jie wanted to show that he was not to be underestimated, although he often was for some reason. Indeed, he may have been the child of a beautiful seamstress who died of unidentified wasting disease and a mysterious man who left him nothing but a ring bearing the sigil of the ruling bloodline of the phoenix empire, a demonly heavenly manual of techniques that only work with children of the imperial bloodline of the phoenix empire, and also a dagger that could only be wielded by the heir of the phoenix empire, and him for some reason, but he was certain he was destined for greatness. He couldn¡¯t stumble across hidden inheritances every three chapters if fate didn¡¯t recognize in him the seeds of a sage to equal the heavens.


    He prepared his first technique, a forbidden special skill that killed most users after three attempts, except for him because he was just that talented.


    He raised his fist. The rays of the sun gathered in an ethereal dance like fireflies upon ¡ª


    ¡°Another protagonist. Ugh, I hate protagonists,¡± the woman complained.


    She extended her hand, then seemed to reconsider.


    ¡°Plot twist!¡± she roared.


    Yuren Jie looked behind him, but there was nothing! Instead, he was punched from the front.


    When Yuren Jie came back to his senses, he was standing at the edge of the platform again.


    ¡°Right, looks like it¡¯s everyone. As I said before, your next step is the medical pavilion, over there.¡±


    She pointed at a distant mountain.


    ¡°And since you are now properly dressed, you might as well get some practice out of it. Remember: there is an aura around here that heals you¡­ which means¡­¡±


    Yuren Jie turned to see the Fairy Thread Seeker wielding a long, metal weapon with a tube at the end.


    ¡°It means that even when I hurt you, you heal. So every minute from now on, I will shoot the slowest runner. Better start running now.¡±


    ***


    Yuren Jie was not hiding, for he was not a coward.


    He had merely... tactically relocated himself to a location where the bloodthirsty mistress of the forge wouldn¡¯t immediately see him. Yes, this was wise. Yuren Jie was certain that arriving at the Golden Hoarder Sect would teach him many lessons, and he was correct.


    For example, he was learning the wisdom of discretion already. He was not so unwise as to not take this lesson to heart.


    The medical pavilion still awaited, but it was atop a peak near the centre of the sect¡¯s great holdings. The other new disciples had taken the straight path, across bridges and over ravines, the mad cackles... polite tittering of the forge mistress behind them.


    Yuren Jie had chosen a less direct path. Perhaps it would be somewhat slower, but only if he didn¡¯t move with great alacrity.


    So he moved quickly... from statue to statue and from large stone to large stone, constantly on the lookout for a bloody, hungry smile from the shadows. He froze when he saw motion, but it was just a small cat who stared at him with about as much passion as one could expect from a cat. It seemed to sneer before sauntering off. He wondered if even the wildlife here was... peculiar.


    After some distance was made, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. it seemed as though he would make it in due time with no great risk to himself. This, too, was wisdom. Truly this sect was the greatest if it could impart such wisdom so easily and clearly.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you sneaking around?¡±


    Yuren Jie started and spun to find... no one. He looked left and right, then cast his senses both upwards and down, but he felt no presence. Had the stress upon his core caused a deviation in his mind?


    Turning, he started again as he discovered a woman sitting upon a statue on the path ahead of him. She was clad in strange garments, clothes that were tight against her body, and a large flowing coat like a robe cut down the front. More interesting were her ears. The ears of a cat sat atop her head, perked forwards at attention even as the woman smiled cockily.


    Truly, she lacked the aura of a jade beauty, and instead felt like a cocksure, cockless, young master.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, his guard rising. Was this an older disciple of the sect?


    The girl grinned, displaying slightly crookedy teeth. ¡°I¡¯m just a stray,¡± she said. ¡°What are you doing, sneaking around my neck of the woods?¡±


    ¡°This... is not a forest?¡± Yuren Jie said with a gesture to the area around them. This was one of the lower peaks, a flattened mount with several paths cut into its sides. There were archways here and there, and a few small garden pavilions with fantastic views of the ravines between the peaks. He could well imagine an elder cultivator sitting here and enjoying some ten billion year old ginseng.


    The young woman blinked, then stared off into space. ¡°You know, he¡¯s right, this isn¡¯t a woods, so that saying doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    She nodded. Then frowned.


    ¡°I guess it could be some language drift stuff,¡± she continued to speak. He was quite certain she wasn¡¯t speaking to him, and was equally certain that she wasn¡¯t quite sane.


    ¡°I will just be on my way, then,¡± he said.


    ¡°Hey now, no strutting off on my turf,¡± Stray said, her attention snapping back onto him. ¡°Where are you heading off too, anyway?¡±


    ¡°If you must know, the medical pavilion.¡±


    Her eyes widened a fraction, as did her smile. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a newbie!¡± she gushed. ¡°Fresh blood! A little baby cultivator!¡±


    Yuren Jie tensed, then glared. ¡°I am Yuren Jie, and I will reach the heavens, defy them, and surpass them to become even greater!¡±


    The woman snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you could handle a fight against a scarecrow,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re all thin, no muscles. No brains either. And where¡¯s your gear? Are you gonna reach the heavens with those pretty-boy robes? Flash the entire realm while you¡¯re up there?¡±


    Yuren Jie stood straighter. ¡°What is this juvenile taunting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not juvenile. You¡¯re juvenile,¡± she said. Then she stuck her tongue out at him.


    Yuren Jie spun on a heel and walked onwards. He was leaving this place and this discussion. He knew not where this woman had come from, but he wouldn¡¯t have minded if she crawled back to that place.


    As he came around a bend, he felt his heart constrict at the sight. There was another statue of a large cat, and atop it, the woman was lounging, one leg bouncing casually. She was eating grapes from a small bowl. ¡°Okay, so I might have been somewhat immature,¡± she admitted. ¡°Tell me this, uh... Yuren Jie? Weird name. Anyway, tell me this; if you want to be so strong, why don¡¯t you let me take you on a little detour?¡±


    ¡°I will not follow you, strange woman,¡± he said. Was this a test? A punishment for deviating from the straight path to the medical pavilion?


    ¡°You¡¯ll get treasures and new weapons and all sorts of neat rewards,¡± she said temptingly.


    Yuren Jie stood taller. ¡°Treasures?¡± he asked. ¡°Who are you, exactly?¡±


    The woman grinned the kind of smile he¡¯d only seen on cats who discovered a saucerful of cream. ¡°I¡¯m the Golden Hoarder Sect¡¯s quartermaster. You need a Heavenly Spear-Throwing Earth-Shattering Bursting Demonic Pillar Emitter to fuck up some local dragon and I hand you an ICBM.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what either of those were, but the first sounded fearsome and powerful, the kind of legendary weapon oft associated with the Golden Hoard Sect. Was she truly the sect¡¯s quartermaster? If so, it would do him well to make her acquaintance.


    He eyed her for a moment. Her clothes were strange, but of fine make, and while he couldn¡¯t discern the use of the items she carried, they seemed to be of exquisite craftsmanship. They also had small images carved onto them, of cats frolicking and staring and licking themselves.


    On reflection, many of the stories of the sect¡¯s greatest warriors often mentioned that their swords of Rending Earth and their Heavenly Iron Arrow Hurlers had cat-like symbols upon them. Perhaps this woman truly was the sect¡¯s quartermaster.


    He bowed. ¡°What favours can I accomplish for you, Lady Quartermaster.¡±


    The lady smiled. ¡°A quest, then! Hmm... there¡¯s a shop on the far end of the sect. It¡¯s just past the western gate. There you will find a woman who makes sweetcakes and sells artisanal teas.¡±


    Yuren Jie nodded along. Was this the fabled fetch-quest?


    ¡°I want you to go there, tip over her tea pots, and burn her cakes.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sabotage,¡± she clarified. ¡°Sabotage her shop. Don¡¯t kill her or anything, you know, just ruin her afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Has this woman threatened the Golden Hoarder Sect?¡± he asked.


    The lady quartermaster looked away, not meeting his eyes. ¡°In a manner of speaking.¡±


    ¡°That is not as clear of an answer as I expected,¡± he said. Not that he minded too much. If the sect needed him to scythe through ten million innocent civilians to prove himself, then that would be a small price to pay. ¡°Though I am curious as to her capabilities.¡± There had to be something more here.¡±


    Stray Cat cleared her throat. ¡°She gave my girlfriend a free sweetcake the other day.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s basically flirting, you know?¡± she said.


    ¡°You wish for me to punish a mortal because she has laid eyes upon your girl?¡± he asked.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t just lay eyes. Laying eyes is fine. My girl is the prettiest girl under heaven, so I can¡¯t blame either mortal or immortal for wanting to look. She gave my girl sweetcakes. That¡¯s crossing a line! Only I¡¯m allowed to give her cake!¡±


    Yuren Jie looked at her and took a moment to process what he was hearing. It was petty. It was petty and jealous. But it was also a task. One that would surely test his skills. ¡°I accept, lady quartermaster,¡± he said with a low bow of respect.


    ¡°Cool,¡± she said. He wasn¡¯t sure what the weather had to do with anything, but he chose not to question her. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re Yuren Jie, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re supposed to be at the medical pavilion. Like, right now. I¡¯m pretty sure if you don¡¯t show up soon, Fairy Elaine¡¯s gonna be pissed, and between her and a live nuke, I¡¯d rather piss off the nuke, you know what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Yuren Jie glanced down the path, then bowed quickly before darting along. He couldn¡¯t afford to be late!


    Once he was done with this medical examination, he would begin upon this quest. It would be one of the first steps towards gaining what he needed to defy the heavens!


    ==========


    ~Selkie¡¯s part because I¡¯m just too impatient~


    Yuren hurried onto the Medical Pavilion. The sharp crack from Fairy Thread Seeker¡¯s weapon as she fired upon the slowest members of the entrance class, along with the occasional hair-raising cackle let him know that, in spite of his side quest, he was not so utterly late to the lecture on safe sects.


    Why they needed such a thing, Yuren didn¡¯t know. And yet, was that not the point of attending the Golden Hoard Sect? To receive wisdom from his elders? Truly, it was the only way this once-in-a-generation genius would ascend past the heavens. He would remember his stepping stones fondly once he¡¯d arrived.


    For now, it was time for wisdom.


    Yuren could not claim to be the first in the lecture hall, and yet, he did not have the ignominy of being the last. He managed to slip in past a few fellow disciplines, rubbing their buttocks and complaining about Fairy Thread Seeker¡¯s methods.


    He wanted to snort disdainfully at them.


    Weak. A basic trial, and they were complaining about mere pain? He had seen the truth - Fairy Elaine¡¯s powers healed all injuries as they occurred. What was a little bit of pain on the bitter path of cultivation?


    Yuren entered the grand lecture hall, the inside distorted to thousands of miles large, likely by some fantasy author with no proper sense of scale, and where the words ¡®structural integrity¡¯ and ¡®loadbearing¡¯ were simple suggestions.


    The seats at the front were all taken by the over-eager, as were the seats at the back by the lazy. Yuren rolled his eyes at the painfully transparent ploys, and sat in the middle.


    A beautiful cultivator took to the stage, with hair the color of soft hazel and blue eyes that twinkled with stars deep inside. Yurne rubbed his eyes and looked again.


    There really were stars deep inside the cultivator¡¯s  phoenix eyes, and he straightened up as the petite woman began to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m Fairy Elaine. As part of the orientation to the Golden Hoarder Sect, we will be discussing Safe Sects practices.¡±


    There were titters around the room, and some of the men gazed lustfully at the jade beauties that were scattered throughout the room. Yuren wasn¡¯t thinking too highly of his peers. While they chased the unobtainable flowers, he studied the blade. Seeking attachments was a distraction from cultivation and the Dao.


    ¡°First! Before two Sects do battle with each other, it is important that both Sects understand that they are going to do battle.¡±


    Yuren¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up as he tried to divine the wisdom inside. He struggled - didn¡¯t that completely remove sneak attacks and thefts? Then again, the Golden Hoard Sect was considered one of the most noble, virtuous, upstanding, dignified, honorable, gallant, respectable, principled, esteemed, righteous, valiant, stalwart, and gracious sects around. Maybe this was just one of their rules.


    ¡°Second! Demonic cultivators can be hidden within the ranks of a sect. It is impossible to know where they are, and which sects have hidden members within their ranks, and which ones are clean. When doing battle, it is best to always protect one¡¯s sect from demonic cultivators trying to infiltrate.¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t there be a lecture about how to identify demonic cultivators, and prevent infiltration? Perhaps that was a later, more advanced lecture.


    ¡°Third! Know I wanted this to be first, but was overruled. A sect should never ever, under any circumstances, do battle with a thousand year old vampire, or similar. Don¡¯t do it. No.¡±


    Would a vampire at a mere seven hundred years be acceptable? Or was that too similar? Yuren dutifully wrote down a note to ask later.


    Fairy Elaine continued her lecture, dropping morsels of wisdom such as ¡®don¡¯t flash your sword carelessly¡¯, ¡®it¡¯s perfectly acceptable to battle the Chrysanthemum sect with proper preparation¡¯, and a long segment about ¡®cultivation realm and level matters. Don¡¯t do battle outside your realm, I might not be able to put you back together.¡¯


    Yuren scoffed at that. He was a genius whose battle prowess could cross realms! But why was she saying ¡®battle¡¯ so strangely, and why was half the lecture hall laughing and blushing?


    ¡°The last part of this lecture before we break out the bananas! It is well known that Sword and Spear sects enjoy battling Flower and Gourd sects. However! It is perfectly acceptable for a Sword Sect to battle a Spear Sect, just as it is acceptable for a Flower sect to battle a Gourd sect.¡±


    Yuren was convinced by now the others in the lecture hall were idiots. The most basic of revelations - a Sword Sect battling another Sword Sect? How obvious! - was causing an uproar. A dozen disciplines spat blood in outrage. Three near Yuren suffered Qi deviation, their faces going purple as they clutched at their chest. Down near the front, such basic words had caused a revelation in a fellow disciple, the man instantly jumping three realms as the enlightenment raised his cultivation.


    Yuren nodded to himself. Truly, he was a once-in-a-millennium genius.


    ===========


    Yuren hurried after Cat - Lady Quartermaster - unsure quite how he¡¯d ended up following her, of all people. Perhaps it was the reasonable amount of martial might - Fairy Elaine didn¡¯t seem to have any, Fairy Thread Seeker was too liberal in her application of violence, and sifu-sen- Sifu-Sensei, Yuren mentally corrected himself, suddenly paranoid that the dragon could read minds and the Lack of Capitalization inside of them - hurt his brain and caused nosebleeds every time he got near him.


    Perhaps that was why the Catering Hall had the most powerful disciples.


    Or maybe he followed the Lady Quartermaster simply because of the promise of treasures, new weapons, and neat rewards that had actually been delivered on. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how a Gre Nade worked, but the impact it had in practice had been¡­ satisfying.


    Truly, the Golden Hoarder Sect had earned their reputation.


    They skirted around the pigpen, then scooted down one of the Sect¡¯s main roads.


    ¡°Hey! You!¡± A commanding voice arrested Yuren¡¯s movements. He froze, like a mouse under the gaze of a hawk, slowly turning his head.


    Yuren clasped his hands and bowed to Fairy Thread Seeker, who beckoned him over.


    ¡°Well? Are you just going to stand there all day?¡± She demanded. Yuren hurried over to see what she wanted, getting handed three jade slips.


    Peerless cultivation manuals? Indomitable martial techniques? Repositories of forgotten treasures? Endless possibilities flashed through Yuren¡¯s mind. His months of hard work were finally paying off! The heavens were smiling upon him!


    ¡°Please return these to Fairy Elaine, with my thanks.¡± Fairy Thread Seeker said. ¡°And tell her I think she¡¯ll enjoy the last one. What are you still doing here? Shoo!¡±


    Yuren bobbed his head and shot out the door before Fairy Thread Seeker could think to use him for target practice once again.


    On the empty trail to the Medical Pavilion, Yuren sneaked a look around. There was nobody around, and he couldn¡¯t feel any spiritual presences looking at him. Fortunate favored the bold, and holding three high-level jade slips was a once in a lifetime opportunity. No mention had been made of a reward - perhaps the chance to glean wisdom from the jade slips was his reward, should he be able to comprehend the profound knowledge deep inside without exploding. The best would be a new cultivation technique that would let him get twice the results for half the effort.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yuren plunged his consciousness into the jade slip, plundering its vast and unfathomable knowledge for himself.


    His nose started to bleed at the deluge of information that slammed through his mind. Titillating moonlight rendezvous and ripped bodices, dark and mysterious men with plucky and bold women.


    ¡°Junior, you dare? Are you courting death?¡± A soft voice whispered from behind. Yuren jumped a foot in the air, spat blood, and immediately threw himself into a kowtow.


    ¡°Please forgive this impudent one¡¯s transgressions!¡± He shouted out to Fairy Elaine. With a flick of her sleeves, she teleported the jade slips from his hands to her, and lifted an eyebrow at him. Yuren didn¡¯t know if he should laugh or cry. ¡°Fairy Thread Seeker wanted me to return these two to you, and thought you would enjoy the last one!¡±


    Fairy Elaine¡¯s face lit up, and she chuckled like a dirty old man. She waved Yuren off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go sneaking around. Be off with you, I hear Cat¡¯s looking for you by the Treasure Pavilion.¡±


    Yuren started to sweat again. The Treasure Pavilion was across the entire sect, and one of the loudest, most boisterous places. Fairy Elaine could hear that far?


    Yuren found Cat again, and was engaged in the mundanities of the day, when, like thunder from a clear sky, the alarm bells began to ring.


    The Lady Quartermaster perked up, throwing her paperwork into a corner.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lobster attack!¡± She proclaimed, grabbing a key and unlocking the door to where the heavy Ordi Nance was kept.


    ¡°Lobster?¡± Yuren asked. Dinner was rebelling?


    ¡°It was supposed to be ¡®monster¡¯!¡± Cat yelled from the depths of the room. ¡°Here, catch!¡±


    Yuren caught a heavy, malleable block of unrecognisable substance. He poked it with his finger, seeing how it sank in.


    ¡°Except there was a typo, and autocorrect turned it into lobster!¡± Cat continued to explain, throwing more blocks to him. Yuren tried to catch them all, but two fists couldn¡¯t block four hands.


    Yuren had been learning wisdom, and one key component was to keep his mouth shut when heaven and earth were flipped on him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Cat came out with a cart filled with more of the blocky plastics, clearly indicating that he should push. Yuren hurried after the Lady Quartermaster, quickly arriving at the field of battle.


    The field of battle was all the walls of the sect. Against each one of them, monstrous lobsters the size of horses were attacking with terrible pincers, firing energy blasts from their claws. Nevermind the impossible vast distance between the Sect and the nearest body of water larger than a pond. Experts were as common as clouds, manning the walls and firing their own martial techniques back at the ravenous, never¨Cending hordes.


    Hoard vs Horde.


    Yuren flinched as an expert was blown apart, an energy blade destroying his entire chest. A moment later he was restored, whole once again, slapping his now-naked chest and cursing the lobsters.


    Yuren¡¯s mouth dropped open. He thought Fairy Elaine¡¯s healing was for training, and didn¡¯t have any true capabilities in combat. Truely, he had eyes, but couldn¡¯t see Mt. Tai.


    ¡°Stop staring, we¡¯ve got a job to do.¡± Cat said. ¡°I¡¯m going deep. I need you to¡­¡± She looked him up and down, appraising him. He got the sense she changed her mind halfway through.


    ¡°Stand on the wall. When I call, throw me a new set of C4.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The Lady Quartermaster went invisible, a block vanishing off the top of the pile. Yuren kept his eyes sharp, but from where he stood on the wall, he had an unparalleled view of the battle.


    It raged back and forth, grand techniques splashing against the hardened shells of the lobsters. Ghostly fists and sword intent flew across the field, grand fireballs exploding on shells while haunting music turned lobster against lobster.


    The lobsters were winning - should be winning - except the members of the Sect appeared to be invincible. No matter what attack they took, no matter what damage they suffered, they jumped back up a moment later in the picture of perfect health, leaving behind arms, legs, and clothing. When a lobster died, it stayed dead.


    Cat briefly appeared on the field, and Yuren peerlessly threw two more blocks of C4 at her. She caught them and vanished again, a lobster¡¯s claw snapping where she¡¯d just been. Yuren narrowed his eyes, noting a small piece of the white substance appearing on a lobster¡¯s head.


    That much was enough to kill one of the tenacious beasts? Where fist and sword fell, that was a killing blow?


    Impo-


    Yuren shook his head. He¡¯d resolved not to say or think that word anymore.


    The sky darkened behind him, and he turned to see what was happening next. An enormous flying ship had launched from the Sect, Fairy Thread Seeker standing on the prow with a tricorn hat, laughing maniacally.


    ¡°You will rue the day you have run afoul of the Dread Pirate Fairy Thread Seeker, Queen of the arbitrarily high number of seas! Prepare to be tenderized! Servants! Open fire!¡±


    The cannons on the ship began to roar, smashing down at impossible speeds. Shell and pincers went flying, and Yuren dodged a large claw, only to get slapped in the face by an antenna.


    HOW DARE THEY-


    Yuren took a deep breath. Down that path lay swift death, Fairy Elaine¡¯s healing or not. Cat briefly appeared again, and Yuren tossed her some more explosives.


    Dragon Sifu-Sensei took to the field next, his immense wingspan casting a great shadow on the world below. The dragon rained down a pyroclastic hell onto the lobsters; and those he didn¡¯t burn, he poked with his mighty claw. His finger alone carried the strength of the heavens.


    ¡°Minions, get back here!¡± he roared. ¡°The food has decided to die with honor: by feeding me! Cook them at once!¡±


    The elite members of the Catering Hall flew over the wall on oversized spatulas, frying pans, knives, forks, woks, baking sheets, and whisks. Half of them were clicking tongs together menacingly. Eight of them were carrying an oversized cauldron of garlic butter between them. With deadly blows and lethal martial-cooking techniques, the members of the Catering Hall fought their way to Vainqueur, and began cooking. Half of them set up a perimeter, fighting the unending lobster legion, while the other half began slicing, dicing, and cooking.


    Fried. Boiled. Steamed. Grilled. Baked. Sauteed. Broiled. Poached. Stewed. Smoked, barbecued, pan and deep-fried, acid-cooked and more. Every way there was to prepare food, the elite members of the Catering Hall provided. Dragon Sifu-Sensei, ever the wise and patient Elder, swallowed anything unlucky to be caught within arm¡¯s reach.


    Cat showed up again, and Yuren tossed her the last of the explosives. A few moments later, she was by his side, touching her throat. Her voice boomed as Yuren clasped his hands over his ears.


    ¡°FIRE IN THE HOLE!¡± She yelled, most of the members dropping behind the wall. Yuren might¡¯ve been slow, but he wasn¡¯t quite an idiot, and he threw himself below the ramparts.


    A cataclysmic explosion ripped through the lobster hordes, launching themselves into the sky like a river dragon ripping itself from the ground. Then, like the winter rains, a bloody barrage of finger-sized pieces started to rain down on all of them. Tails and shells joined the five viscera and six bowels in a gory rain.


    ¡°UNLEASH THE PIGS!¡± Another voice yelled.


    Dread Pirate Fairy Thread Seeker screamed back from her ship.


    ¡°NOT THE PIGS YOU LOUSE-RIDDEN IDIOTS! I¡¯LL-¡±


    It was too late. The gates opened, and ten thousand flaming porcines took to the field, scything through the lobsters like a knife through melted garlic butter.


    A delayed explosive launched a grapeshot of flaming bacon up into the sky. By the divine hand of providence and author fiat, they landed beautifully on the flying ship¡¯s sails, setting them ablaze.


    The ship started to go down in a torrent of profanities.


    ¡°Vainqueur! You lazy bastard! Do I have to do your job for you!?¡± A voice - was that Fairy Elaine¡¯s? - screamed from Dread Pirate Fairy Thread Seeker¡¯s sinking ship.


    ¡°I am your job!¡± Vainqueur roared back. ¡°The purpose of life is to cater to dragons! Minions have jobs, and I have everything else!¡±


    There was a pause, and Yuren swore he heard a soft sigh on the breeze.


    Then the sky lit up as a dozen beams of pure, blinding Radiance launched from the ship, circling around the walls impossibly fast. Yuren was dozens of paces away from the beams occasionally sweeping over his head, and yet he was starting to sweat as the temperature soared.


    ¡°Lazy ass!¡± the voice shouted one last time. Yuren glanced over to Vainqueur, where a single one of his absolutely-totally-real whiskers had been cut in half, the other end slowly floating to the ground.


    A hesitant cheer came up, then quickly increased in volume as the members of the Sect picked it up and welcomed their sudden and unexpected victory.


    Maybe not too unexpected Yuren mentally amended.


    Cat grinned and punched Yuren in the arm.


    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s how we do it here! Okay, I¡¯m going to grab Lucy and the kittens, and we¡¯re all going to have a nice little picnic. Your job is to get us some space, some lobster, and most importantly - some butter.¡±


    Yuren nodded. He could do that.


    As he secured part of the food, members of the Sect were organising a large lobster roast under the militant commands of the Catering Hall. A great amount of butter was brought out, but Yuren¡¯s face fell as he realized it was only one-one tenth of the amount needed. Lady Quartermaster exited the Sect with her mortal wife, Lucy, in tow, and quickly fought off a few other members to grab a hunk for herself.


    ¡°The rest is for Dragon Sifu-Sensei.¡± She explained at his wordless question. ¡°The catering budget is a black hole from which nothing escapes. If it runs out, the lower disciples are expected to¡­ fill in. We make sure there is always funding for it.¡±


    Yuren nodded, the statement making perfect sense to him. Dragon Sifu-Sensei obviously had a catering budget. For the rest of us, living¨Cor rather, surviving¨Cunder the glory of Sifu-Sensei was enough.


    Truly, he had been enlightened.

 Chapter 159: The Swing

    There were times Jaratalassi felt like he was really making a difference. Not with his own two hands. With the results of events he¡¯d set in motion months before. This was such a time. Now all he had to do was enjoy.


    Fleeing Paramese troops had stopped at the feet of the first wall, some climbing the parapet to man it and make up for their cowardice. The rest had slowed down, as many crossing the primitive gates as were gawping at the spectacle behind them. They all knew this was a special moment. He could feel every grain of risen stone under his fingers, smell the dry scent of the deadlands carried by the eastern wind. The light of the desert warmed his skin and the familiar song of battle had quieted down as if the world was holding its breath.


    In its strange wisdom, Nyil had granted the frail humans a great equalizer in the person of mana users. Hybrid casters rose mighty walls like the one he was standing on while mage blades led warriors into battle. Then came the war mages with their mighty arrays, their gate-smashing spells and horde-ending storms. At their top ruled the archmages who could undo beasts and men with a contemptuous wave of their hands like one wipes a slate clean for a new picture. Give me ten archmages, he thought, and I will conquer Param.


    Or, perhaps, one elemental archmage.


    In the valley below, the vivid painting of the battle extended to the nearest crest. Ochre and browns formed the background, then great swathes of steel gray and scale green where humanity and the Empire of Dawn massed their troops. Right now, the dull green of the enemy dominated the vista. Then came the red of Nemeti elites, the black of the Harrakan circle and the multicolored hues of the heavy cavalry. It had formed a pictural ensemble both familiar and awe-inspiring.


    And then there was the witch.


    A strange figure rose over the steel-clad Harrakans and their painted women. She had hooked her false wings into the fabric of the world like wolf teeth clamping on a heel. The gates of the nothingness above opened.


    A cruel cat took its claws to the tapestry. Black beams pierced shields like arrows through straws and left behind ditches where Nemeti used to be. Clouds of hungering darkness hissed their ways through formations leaving behind only raw earth pitted and scarred. Exploding balls, flailing masses of tendrils burst from nothingness everywhere with the same results. The Nemeti stopped and ran out of the way. Those that did not, died, and when the spells faded, there was nothing left behind but blackened earth defaced and blighted, with crystalline limbs reaching up like tortured souls frozen in agony. The Empire of Dawn paused in its dogged pursuit to avoid the onslaught and the human forces, dazed yet still aware of their circumstances, retreated deeper into the pass. In a single minute, what could have been a rout turned into an orderly retreat thanks to the mightiest display of arcane destruction he¡¯d witnessed from a single caster.


    Truly, the continent was on the verge of a new age.


    Baranese archers formed lines around him, some casting concerned glances towards him but he was too busy to talk to them. Too busy taking in the sights.


    Like the tide, the onslaught receded and the witch fell, caught by the bone golem. An artillery projectile went for her with the same unerring accuracy all Nemeti projectiles seemed to have. It broke on the reactivated shield, courtesy of the outlander¡¯s exiled Hallurian. The Harrakans were now at the back of the formation and the Nemeti regrouped but the Four Colors Halurian archmage and the Tide Weaver kept them at bay with their own artifices. The Paramese alliance glutted at the entrance of the pass until the fallen prince opened a short range portal. The increased flow allowed more soldiers to evacuate while a rain of arrows came to keep the Nemeti at bay. Within twenty minutes, all of the humans had either retreated to camp or put themselves on the walls, ready to fight for them with renewed resolve. Jaratalassi walked down the narrow stairs to where the witch sat on her shield array, its presence required to protect the wall from bombardment. The strange owl creature who led her machines stood at a distance as he drew a diagram, possibly for another spiked horror. He had to admit that she didn¡¯t look at her best. She was pale with eyes sunk and visible black veins under the visible skin. Her breath was short and painful, with a low gurgle he didn¡¯t like.


    ¡°Capital work. And how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m crawling on my fucking eyebrows here,¡± she gasped.


    He turned to Sidjin who was patting her back.


    ¡°She is saying, and I quote an earlier remark, that she couldn¡¯t pull a greased toothpick out of a dead rat¡¯s asshole.¡±


    ¡°Colorful.¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ not critical. Just used too much mana. Need to rest and regenerate. I¡¯ll be fine soon. Just¡­ can¡¯t cast.¡±


    //And you better not try.


    The golem detached itself from behind the machine to glare at an idling swordsman. Although, to be fair, the golem hardly ever did anything but glared anyway.


    ¡°We need an emergency meeting,¡± Jaratalassi said. ¡°I would have your presence, please.¡±


    Viviane was immediately suspicious which proved she also had a brain which was rather convenient. Nevertheless, the meeting was necessary but they had it in public to make sure the troops didn¡¯t see their leaders leg it back to camp at what was arguably a low point. Even now, the fortified barracks crawled with the wounded, the healers long since running on dregs of mana.


    ¡°We would know if you intend to keep your word,¡± Olz the Claw asked.


    Cloud Skull¡¯s stand in was older and more reserved than his predecessor. Jaratalassi felt a pang of regret at the loss of a great warrior but the southerner was just one more fallen hero in a long line of snuffed talents and the regrets didn¡¯t last long. Jaratalassi had lost thousands of people under his command, and it would only stop if he failed. That was his life.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the count replacing Eikart replied.


    Both groups had lost the one making the agreement. Jaratalassi knew Eikart was leaving behind young children and the Duchess would have to step in to assume his duties. Such occurrences were common on the frontier. Right now though, the continued presence of the southerners were on the line. Despite large casualties, they were still a powerful force, especially now that the cavalry would be useless.


    ¡°We will honor our promise as you have honored yours. Cloud Skull was a mighty warrior and his presence will be missed. Our agreement will be kept.¡±


    ¡°So witnessed,¡± Jaratalassi said.


    ¡°So witnessed,¡± Edretti added resentfully.


    ¡°So witnessed,¡± Viviane added after a delay, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.


    With that out of the way, Jaratalassi went over the strategy. They had four walls with the innermost still being constructed by exhausted siege specialists. They needed to delay the enemy until nightfall which was still a couple of hours away. At least, that¡¯s what he told them. Once this was done, he returned to the front. Jaratalassi was not too worried yet but they were cutting it short.


    The battle was already joined by the time he climbed the second wall. Immediately, his skill allowed him to make sense of the battlefield, feel the currents and get a glimpse of openings. Baranese archers rained down arrows on the approaching Nemeti as those who¡¯d reached the walls climbed on top of each other with a speed that proved this was not their first siege. The Nemeti had learned to fear archers as well, with hardy specimens holding thin stone slabs to protect those that came under them. For an improvised strategy, it was rather effective. Already, red-skinned warriors flung themselves at the wall where they battled with determined Falstag axemen. Suddenly, a blue light covered the front of the wall and the assault sank in the mud. The Nemeti retreated like the tide, regrouping to try again later. Another artillery spell impacted the half shield maintained by the young Hallurian exile who winced a little. One of the panes flickered before being remade. Now that the witch was gone, the spells seemed to lack focus, somehow.


    It was all quite fascinating. But he had a duty to fulfill.


    ¡°Get me a squad of southerners on the right side. Yes, this spot with only archers. GOAT FUCKER. Yes, you. Get your ass on the wall, at the yellow flag. On the double.¡±


    The weakness patched up, Jaratalassi took a gulp of powerful liquor and enjoyed the fiery path it took to his gut. Had to be careful not to overindulge. Maybe¡­ that Bitter Heart girl¡­ but no, later. He had more problems here.


    Namely, his skill didn¡¯t work on the Nemeti.


    They were not just outside of Nous¡¯ blessing. They were part of another wide-scale manipulation of mana for the purpose of guiding people. They used a different interface. Or perhaps, they had something else. It didn¡¯t matter. Nothing, not the cannibalism, or the cruelty, or even the strange magic, nothing could convince him they were a threat that could not be negotiated with more than this fact.


    Meanwhile, the Nemeti renewed the assault while the larger part rested beyond, feasting on the fallen. It was a grisly sight.


    Jaratalassi calculated his options. A quick look towards the Tide Weaver showed the young archmage was nearing exhaustion. He calculated that the enemy would break through within two assaults unless he was ready to sacrifice many lives. He was not. This was a delaying action. With a tired grunt, Jaratalassi walked down to the space between the first and second walls where some of the wounded were being attended to. A cook was setting up as well, bless him.


    ¡°Second wall. Move back. Now.¡±


    ¡°But sir!¡±


    ¡°This place isn¡¯t safe at all. Move back and free the access. You too, archmage.¡±


    ¡°I can¡­ I can still ¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can take a breather. Eikart¡¯s men are done setting up artillery positions at the end of the pass.¡±


    ¡°To¡­ to clear?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Yes. You need to take a moment to recover if you want to keep casting. You there, help her to the back. There¡¯s a good lad.¡±


    There was nothing left to prevent an orderly retreat. Jaratalassi returned to the second wall and determined he had done all he could for now. A look back let him find the Harrakans at the back, all clumped around one of their war machines. They didn¡¯t seem to know what to do now. That was fine. For now, they¡¯d accomplished enough.


    ***


    Viv felt like shit. She¡¯d tried to explain it colorfully because people didn¡¯t get it and she really wanted them to. Every last part of her hurt in some ways and the only thing she wanted to do was crawl on her bed and collapse. Instead, she went over the notifications sent by Nous because it was better than thinking about throwing up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana mastery: Intermediate 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shield Mastery: Intermediate 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Those were always useful.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: intermediate 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Probably the result of successfully leading people into battle. And out of battle. All good but currently not as important as the feeling of someone drilling a hole into her temples to install the bells of Notre-Dame.


    The Aspect of the Destroyer had left her drained of most of her mana. Her core picked up immediately, of course, and the damage stopped spreading, but now she was dealing with the aftermath of being almost out and her body could not quite follow yet.


    It was an unpleasant reminder that she was no longer viable without magic. The advantages were many but if she ever ran really low on mana, the price would be all her organs failing at the same time. And if she were to run out completely, even for an instant, that would be her brain turning off. A rather final prospect.


    A Bitter Heart brought her something warm to drink which she accepted gracefully. It tasted light and refreshing with a herbal aftertaste. Slowly, the veil of pain hounding her lifted and a deep cool seeped into her bones. The general inflammation calmed down. Using this opportunity, Viv finally looked around.


    She was currently sitting on an array that wasn¡¯t her own somewhere west of the last wall, at the feet of the Baranese camp and slightly off the road. Her casters were not here, presumably staying near the front where the battle continued. It was, she judged, mid-afternoon and the Nemeti would soon have to consider retreating or fighting in the cold where they struggled to move quickly. The rest of her troops formed a loose circle around her in semi-organized groups currently busy eating, drinking, and cleaning their equipment. People from the main camp carried bushels of replacement quarrels to the crossbow folks as fast as they could though they were rationing it to a couple per person. Those were the last of their reserves, arrived today by portal. After that, they were done. Viv sighed. Today would be fine, but tomorrow¡­


    Just as she was considering worst case scenarios, trumpets rang at the back, near the supply portal. The sound of approaching boots spoke of a great number of people. Without prompt, the Harrakans stood from where they¡¯d collapsed. The heavies reformed ranks while the crossbow wielders leaned and gathered in the loose packs they favored to move around the battlefield. Suddenly, the circle around Viv coalesced in a defensive formation in the blink of an eye, just in time for a massive column to come into view.


    Spearmen in white marched twelve abreast with a spring in their steps, helms closed and ready for battle. Viv could tell at a glance they wore high-quality armor and inspection returned third or fourth steps warrior paths. A group immediately detached itself from the column as it passed by showing no signs of being close to its end. At first, the man at their head showed enthusiasm, but it was immediately tempered by the closed, hostile ranks of the Harrakans. Viv waved because she¡¯d recognized the blue horse on a white field displayed on the soldier¡¯s tabard and that of the heavily armed men by his side. Those were Baranese palace guards, and that could only mean one thing.


    The Baranese royal army had arrived. Finally.


    ¡°Let him through,¡± she ordered.


    The soldier approached her with a confident, if slightly slower step. The Harrakans made it clear the others walked among them at their sufferance and, through her discomfort, Viv felt kind of all warm and fuzzy because they were protecting her.


    ¡°Greetings, Empress Viviane of Harrak! His Royal Majesty King Erezak the Third sends his warmest regards,¡± the soldier announced in a booming voice that reached through the entire hill.


    Viv didn¡¯t need to inspect him to know this was a herald, a path designed to be heard. And heard he¡¯d been. The soldiers straightened up and some of the witchpact cheered. They all understood what it meant. Baran was committed to recognizing Harrak as a nation. Or at least, it seemed that way. A herald declaration was only a first step. Still, they had a foot in the doorstep.


    ¡°My King wishes to extend his most heartfelt thanks that you would take up arms to defend the lands of Param and civilization itself. Words of your deeds have reached every court. We salute you, and invite you to witness the fruits of your labor on the wall as we, in turn, rise against savagery!¡±


    Whoops and cheers answered the declaration. The Children of the Scale were especially loud as they tended to get easily excited. Viv smiled and nodded because it sounded like someone wanted her to rest while they showed off and that was most definitely a plan she could get behind.


    ¡°The House of Falstag and the House of Eikart will be rewarded for their loyal services as well, and so will his gratitude extend to the southerners of the regretted Cloud Skull. In the meanwhile, may you rest while we carry the torch. I have spoken!¡±


    The herald bowed with a smile now that he had single-handedly managed to switch the mood around. Maybe he even improved his skills from that little stunt. Viv forced back a yawn. Her bed was looking more inviting than the wall if she had to be honest with herself.


    Her attention returned to one of the house guards who had lingered behind, casting curious glance at her. She inspected him.


    [Warrior priest of Neriad.]


    Ah, a bit like Lorn then?


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I was just wondering why you are being worshiped.¡±


    He shook his head then left.


    Viv yawned, couldn¡¯t resist.


    Then she stopped.


    ¡°I¡¯m what?¡±


    ***


    It was the damn fault of those quarantined idiots. Viv got the confirmation as soon as she could get two coherent words out of one of Enttiku¡¯s healers.


    ¡°You go and tell them to stop this nonsense immediately or I¡¯m liable to carpet bomb the entire refugee camp.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± the priestess replied, ¡°but I can certainly tell them to stop worshiping a mortal. Please bear in mind it will slow your healing speed and you need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°It will what? How does this even work?¡±


    ¡°Well, worshipers sacrifice mana to those they worship. If some people intercede with a god to help you, their mighty presence might assist you in your hour of need. If people worship you directly then their power is unguided but no less powerful for it. I find it a fascinating subject of study. But I digress. I shall tell my acolytes to stop them before they¡­ set a bad precedent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be best!¡±


    Viv strode back out and towards the wall with a heavy escort around her. She glared at Solfis who¡¯d remained woefully quiet during the entire fiasco.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bad thing,¡± she insisted.


    //I agree.


    //Far too premature.


    ¡°Then why are you looking so smug?


    //There are now more worshipers of Her Majesty in this valley than there are worshipers of Efestar.


    //Be sure to rub it in during your next meeting.


    ¡°Ugh. Ok I was laughing with the whole evil empire thing but I¡¯m putting my foot down now. No worshiping. Just no. You start with a little flattery and then hubris rears its ugly head and then maybe you consider you¡¯re doing so much good for the world, as much as the gods. Perhaps even more than the gods. And that¡¯s how they get you. Before you know it, the waters turn to blood and the fields swarm with plagues of crickets and whatnot. Or they replace my hair with snakes. No. No no no no no. No worshipers.¡±


    //Oh, very well.


    //I will make sure they stop.


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    //Still¡­


    ¡°I said, no.¡±


    //Fine.


    Viv returned towards the front where most of the Royal army column had stopped simply because there wasn¡¯t enough room to accommodate more of them. The tired Baranese and Southerners were retreating in bloodied yet proud squads, soon replaced by fresh squads rushing in with enthusiasm and a clear desire to prove themselves against ¡®savages¡¯ and ¡®beasts¡¯. Weaponized racism was alive and well.


    Viv left her escort at the wall and went so far as to order everyone back to the barracks where they could rest and recover. For now, the Baranese had taken over the defense but tomorrow would be a long day. An aide guided her to Jaratalassi still standing on the third wall. Squads of eager swordsmen had engaged the Nemeti on the fallen first one with commendable enthusiasm. It was a melee the humans were winning because the Nemeti were retreating.


    Beyond the walls, their vast army was gathering in thick formations and the reason for that became clear a few moments later. A series of horns rang from the left where the forest was. From her position on the wall, Viv could only see the easternmost end of the forest. More horns rang. Since the forest was about a kilometer away, it took her a moment to realize the change. At the limit between the mass of land and the rows of trees, now a colorful edge coalesced slowly as knights emerged from the forest with a level of coordination that an earth army would envy.


    Of course, Baran was known for the best cavalry on the continent and they were going to use it, and now they¡¯d used Viv¡¯s witch gate to flank the Nemeti for what was the second time in two days.


    The Nemeti could not have possibly detected the assault since they barely used scouts, and yet the lessons of yesterday¡¯s conflicts were obvious in the way they quickly reacted to the new danger. Formations tightened in redundant layers with lighter troops at the edge, ready to take the brunt in the name of the Empire of Dawn while heavier formations with nasty polearms and heavy shields waited deeper behind their lesser brethren. The Baranese didn¡¯t wait for the Nemeti to finish their preparations. A horn rang, incredibly loudly. The call blanketed the whole valley and set Viv¡¯s teeth on edge. Looking down, she saw dust rising from the rock under her fingers. As the horn quieted, an old voice roared with the same intensity.


    ¡°For Baran!¡±


    ¡°For the King!¡± the knights replied.


    Like a curtain descending on the plan, thousands of knights launched themselves at the Nemeti. Viv watched the charge progress with some anxiety because no matter how many they were, the Empire of Dawn still outnumbered them vastly. Not just that but the distance was too short to reach full speed, especially on the farther flank. And the Nemeti were mostly ready and they didn¡¯t know fear so they would stand and fight.


    Then the charge came fully into view and Viv forgot it all to take in the sights. She couldn¡¯t grow tired of it.


    Shimmering armor, gleaming pennants and multicolored tabards formed a tide of radiance as they rolled the first lines of defense. The tide was not a single wedge either, but islands of power centered around standard-bearing knights in elaborate garbs. Viv smiled when she recognized the Order of the White Orchard, the one she¡¯d ridden with during the latest Hallurian incursion. All of them gravitated around an ancient man in a silvery garb so bright it was almost divine, carrying a spear adorned with an artifact drenched in mana.


    Artillery fate spells ran down on the attack and, here and there, knights died in fiery blasts but the most important ones lifted artifacts of power that even the Nemeti magic failed to counter completely. Still, there were losses.


    Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the charge plowed through the Nemeti with great vigor and the men atop the battlements whooped and cheered. After the initial assault, the different orders split and attacked targets. It didn¡¯t take long for the first wave to get bogged down and the others to have to stop and extricate the cut off knights before they could be slaughtered. With that done, the cavalry retreated back to the walls.


    Baranese mages led by an old woman wearing a circlet did the expedient thing by basically peeling off the walls like an orange skin, letting everyone through with the dignity the knights wanted. Viv followed Jaratalassi to the side of the road, then the canny general had them step up on a boulder to even things out, height wise.


    Viv stood with all the poise she could muster as rank after rank of nobles trotted back towards the gate, likely to a camp being built there while all she wanted to do was have a lie down and possibly a foot massage. The first to stop and talk was the Order Master of the White Orchard who smiled when he noticed her. He was still flanked by the same crimson armored killer and plated jester as last time.


    ¡°Lady Viviane, or is it Your Majesty, now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, though you may call me Viviane since we fought side-by-side,¡± she replied with a smirk.


    ¡°Hah! Speaking of that, would you care to join our cavalcade tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I must regretfully decline as my place is with my people.¡±


    ¡°Well spoken. A good day to you then!¡±


    The White Orchard was soon succeeded by another order, then ducal detachments. The sun seemed to rise from behind the wall when the King of Baran finally crossed the barrier.


    The man was old, over a century and a half old, in fact. He looked like the grandfatherly wise king of an enchanting kingdom, the kind that got killed by the evil wizard in the first ten minutes of the movie. Viv knew he could no longer really fight, but that didn¡¯t matter. Decked in artifacts of the kingdom and exuding an aura of leadership so strong Viv had to fight it or risk being overwhelmed, he possessed a presence that could move a nation. Once more, Viv regretted not being in bed with a foot massage because this guy¡¯s vibes were giving her a headache.


    ¡°Greetings to you, Viviane of Harrak, the Oulander. We are pleased to finally meet you.¡±


    The benevolent voice was just as mighty as Viv expected. It seemed to reach every corner of the camp. It was also warm and friendly to the extent Viv almost believed his apparent kindness. Almost.


    ¡°The pleasure is mine, King Erezak.¡±


    ¡°We have followed your progress with great interest. You have brought civilization and the rule of man back to lands We thought lost. In recognition for your many services, We shall recognize Harrak as the newest addition to the Paramese Alliance. May your reign be long and prosperous, Empress Viviane.¡±


    The knights politely cheered while Viv was left stunned. She expected to be recognized but she also expected Erezak to extract a few concessions from her first, even with Jaratalassi and Eikart¡¯s backing. It was just the way things worked in negotiations. Yeah sure we¡¯ll recognize you! Just need a teeny tiny favor first, just a little thing to facilitate the move you understand. But Erezak had basically served her legitimacy on a silver platter.


    The reason as to why became obvious almost exactly at the same time. Another sound of horns and the heavy steps of a coming army came from the witch gate. Damn thing must have been open non stop all day by then. Soon, a group of knights in blue came around a figure Viv recognized all too well: Sangor, King of Enoria.


    The reason for the quick recognition was obvious now. Good old Erezak just wanted to one-up Sangor just as the victor of the civil war was trying to restore Enoria¡¯s fame. Not only had Baran taken the day before they could arrive, but they¡¯d unilaterally recognized a breakaway nation as part of the alliance and placed Enoria in front of the ¡®fait accompli¡¯. One couldn¡¯t tell of the tension seeing the two sovereigns greet each other with smiles and congratulatory booming voice but that was a political sucker punch the likes of which Viv had never seen. Well, not in her person. Her dad was nasty sometimes.


    With the official ass-sniffing done and the introduction made, Jaratalassi politely invited the kings for a meeting. Viv hoped to fuck they had a tent the size of the Hagia Sophia to accommodate all that ego and all those nobles or there was going to be problems. At least the good news was that with the bulk of the alliance finally here, they were finally going to go on the offensive.

 Chapter 160: Might of a Continent

    Viv followed officers to an exquisitely decorated tent sitting on a hill that hadn¡¯t been here this morning, because nothing quite said majesty like casting tactical spells to make yourself taller. For this occasion, she could only take two people with her since space was limited and she went for Sidjin and Solfis. The explanation as to why became clear as they climbed up nicely carved stairs and saw the flow of soldiers rushing out through the witch gate. It was not just the Enorians and the Baranese coming. The flood gates were open. Right now, northerners in white robes over mail marched out with the twilight sun shining on their spears. Sidjin tensed as he watched the display by her side, prompting her to pay more attention to the flags.


    Glastia was here.


    That was¡­ well, even if he were still an outlaw in his homeland, which he was not, they still couldn¡¯t arrest him due to the rules of the Paramese Alliance. Nevertheless, the past was not something he could easily let go off. The way Nyil made minds more resilient only worked so far. It was already a miracle he could function after everything he¡¯d been through.


    A surge of anger rose in Viv¡¯s chest, though she quelled it quickly. Glastia was a frontier city under constant siege. They were expected to send a token force every time the alliance gathered, and they would be held to higher standard for decades afterward. Of course, they couldn¡¯t afford not to come. She should have expected it. She just hoped they¡¯d sent someone who wouldn¡¯t cause a scene.


    Viv walked in, everyone stopping to spare a glance at Solfis. He was getting quite a reputation, and she wondered what would happen if she insisted he attended meetings after he¡¯d regained his original frame. They¡¯d need larger tents maybe? In any case, Jaratalassi was already present alongside helpers who were finishing adding little flags in front of comfortable chairs. A quick study revealed that the arrangement was made to prevent animosity. Notably, she was close to the entrance with Glastia a quarter of a circle away to her right, Helock a quarter of a circle to her left, and Enoria facing her. Out of immediate stabbing range. The more powerful nations filled the back of the tent around the commanding chair which belonged to Jaratalassi. Harried ladies in waiting rushed from spot to spot, placing sealed cups around which a nondescript man checked for poison. There were a few of them around the tent, actually.


    //This place is secure.


    //For now.


    ¡°I imagine attacking anyone here would be suicidal.¡±


    Viv was one of the first to sit, mostly because she was still feeling sore. Solfis came to stand at her side which meant she was given a wide berth, a double-edged tool when other groups were talking in low whispers. She would get a much better chance at socializing during the conference anyway. Right now, she needed a breather. So did Sidjin because, as the two of them discovered at the same time, Glastia had sent Prince Medjin. The same person who¡¯d turned Sidjin¡¯s mentor and Sonagi against them in the arena. Also he was an absolute bastard that looked like an opera villain and the way he glared at Sidjin made it clear he had something in store. So help Neriad, if he tried anything¡­


    Slowly, other groups sat down. The susurrus of conversations covered three different languages and their variations, giving the tent a cosmopolitan ambience reinforced by the vastly different styles of armor people wore. The last of the whispers died down a moment later which Jaratalassi used to open the meeting.


    ¡°Gentlement, and ladies, it is my honor to welcome the alliance today. We stand at a decisive junction. You arrive¡ª yes?¡±


    Medjin had lifted a hand under the glaring disapproval of most, especially the two kings. Viv got the distinct impression the man wasn¡¯t aware he wasn¡¯t in the Glastian palace anymore.


    For once, she wasn¡¯t the one who would get a culture shock. Nice.


    ¡°Before we begin, I wish to make a request related to the presence of Prince Sidjin of Glastia here,¡± Medjin said, that snake.


    Of fucking course.


    Viv noticed the imperceptible tension on her lover¡¯s shoulders. Sidjin was one of the most composed people she knew. He kept his calm with a level of control that bordered on mania, a quality in a mage but sometimes a trap as well. She felt the sleeping rage awakening again for the first time since the duels back in Helock when that wound on his soul was freshly reopened. It pained her to see him like this, taking upon himself to bite everything back once again for a city that he still loved, even after everything they had done to each other.


    ¡°Prince Sidjin of Glastia is a notorious traitor. The rules of the Paramese Alliance allow for the presence of, shall we say, disreputable elements. However, nothing warrants his presence on his council and I daresay he represents a security risk and should be excluded from every strategic meeting where important information might be shared.¡±


    All eyes turned to Viv and Sidjin so she cast a quick sound-canceling enchantment. It was considered acceptable and faster than a recess.


    ¡°I will leave,¡± Sidjin said, ¡°If you ask me, although this is nothing short of bullying and you should not accept it as a sovereign.¡±


    It was obvious to Viv that Sidjin was exhausted after two days of very heavy fighting. All of her casters had fought until they were almost completely out of mana and then they¡¯d focus on replenishing it, rinse and repeat. It made the usually unflappable Sidjin a bit more raw than usual. He bared his teeth as he glared which was a much better than deep depression.


    ¡°Sidjin, you¡¯ve never actually spoken your mind about the whole treason thing. Not in public.¡±


    ¡°I shared it with my father, after he¡­ after my merl friend died.¡±


    ¡°After they murdered him.¡±


    ¡°He ignored me, said it was for the good of the city. There is no point now.¡±


    ¡°There is an obvious one and I think you should share it.¡±


    Sidjin frowned, the whole concept foreign to him.


    ¡°We do not play this game in public. It is unsightly.¡±


    ¡°But he started.¡±


    ¡°Viviane, love, we must maintain a certain level of decorum.¡±


    ¡°Which means we can reciprocate when insulted, which he¡¯s just done. You¡¯re not just you anymore. You¡¯re my advisor and my most powerful caster, remember?¡±


    ¡°Viv.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t stand up for yourself, I will.¡±


    ¡°Viv.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll be fucking rude about it.¡±


    ¡°Viv, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Sidjin. They¡¯ve been slandering you and you¡¯re just biting it all back. Just for once, let it out.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Let it all out.¡±


    She could see the moment the scales tilted and collapsed, the moment his jaw unclenched and she knew the dam had broken. She dropped the sound enchantment just as he started speaking.


    ¡°The moment seared in my mind, the one that changed everything, that wasn¡¯t the treason accusation. It wasn¡¯t being thrown in a cage or even what came after, the torture, the humiliation in front of the various families who¡¯d lost a son fighting for a wall they should have stood on from the start. It wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s scorn or my mother¡¯s tears. It was the moment I left the battlement and felt the heat singe the back of my head. The moment I turned and saw my merl friend Siul¡¯s charred corpse fall, and the moment after, when I turned in horror, and I saw your nephew step away from the upper wall with a sneer. He DARED sneer at me.¡±


    Sidjin breathed in and it was harsh, like the wind howling through a half-closed window.


    ¡°For two years I fought on the wall every damn day until they called me the Red Mist. I sacrificed every minute of free time to the cause. I bled and I cried for it, but I didn¡¯t mind, because I was fighting for Glastia. My Glastia. I would have faced the dark gods for her and for you. I would have charged head first into the tide if it meant victory. I would have given my life without hesitation. Glastia could have asked for all of it and I would have given it gladly if it meant it would all stop. Just stop. But you didn¡¯t ask for this. You asked for my principles and my soul! You¡­ you murdered Siul because he was asking help for his people, a people that was dying on the wall alongside ours! Alongside me! A people fighting for us! And you¡­ you just had him murdered¡­ and you had him murdered with a spell that would have slaughtered three dozen beastlings! The sheer, callous, honorless, audacity of it! And after all that, when I freed them and you actually had to fight for your own nation, after you killed your own allies, you dared call ME a traitor? You have tossed every last shred of dignity your entire bloodline could have possibly possessed and to this day, here on this council, you are still searching your pockets for more. The shamelessness of you. The utter absence of decency. There are whoring fisherwomen with more prestige than your entire clan and I am telling you now that I am done with you. I cannot control what you say in your viper dens but if you spit your venom in my presence again, I will demand satisfaction. I will go through your entire retinue and all your battle mages with relish and I want you to remember that I have killed for duty, for honor, for survival, but you¡­ you? I would kill for pleasure.¡±


    Viv cleared her throat then leaned forward, adding her comment in a calm voice.


    ¡°For the record, Archmage Sidjin is here as my Arcane Counselor, my paramour, and a vital part of the Harrakan military. His Glastian past should hold no relevance to this council. I will also add that it is the official position of Harrak that Prince Medjin of Glastia¡¯s opinion has no value whatsoever and we will disregard it.¡±


    Silence returned to the council though there were a few half-smiles. It was Jaratalassi who spoke next.


    ¡°Prince Medjin, this is a sovereign meeting held for the purpose of developing a strategy to defeat the Empire of Dawn. Our time is extremely precious. Please do not waste it by airing your petty grievances and I will refrain from comparing your contribution to that of Archmage Sidjin. Thank you. Now, I¡¯d like to continue where I left off¡­¡±


    What followed was mostly Jaratalassi bringing the commanders up to speed, something he did with alacrity and using numbers like range, proportion of elite to standard infantry, or casualty ratios. The description was succinct and really exhaustive. It was mostly the generals around the table who nodded as he spoke. Afterward, Jaratalassi recounted the events up to this day, shared his strategy, and finished with the existence of fate magic. The assassination of Eikart troubled everyone.


    //The enemy assassins are capable.


    //They are also immune to pain, continuing their initial attack no matter what.


    //This piece of information cost us dearly.


    //However, they can be stopped by our own specialists.


    //I am willing to share what I have learned of their techniques.


    //As a gesture of¡­ goodwill.


    Solfis¡¯ way of saying the word felt terribly ominous, but there were signs of agreement around the table. Viv wondered if the canny golem was making himself seem like more than a killing machine. It even surprised Viv no one had objected, perhaps a sign her reputation was finally reaching far and wide.


    ¡°Concerning tomorrow, I have a suggestion,¡± Jaratalassi continued.


    What followed was a masterclass in tactics that Viv appreciated although she had difficulties following. Her polymath skill let her infer the meaning of several expressions so she could at least get the gist of what was going on. Essentially, Jaratalassi didn¡¯t have a plan. He had a complete roadmap. There were presets, conditions and contingencies with triggers left in the hand of career commanders with a deep understanding of their own forces. Sometimes, one of the generals suggested engaging at a different range, or swapping two units, and most of those suggestions were accepted but Viv was completely out of her depth. It was a great example of the level of thought that went into battles she¡¯d only seen from outside so far. She also realized that Jaratalassi had been playing with only four ducal-sized forces so far which was like forcing a maestro to perform on a shitty flute. Now, Jaratalassi had the full orchestra under his command. He was going to wield the entire might of Param and he was going to make the Empire Dawn regret every second of it. Viv was a little wowed, and also a little jealous. She wanted her own dedicated commander so she could focus on her favorite thing: spellcasting.


    Jaratalassi also came up with an idea she¡¯d had as well.


    ¡°We should strike the enemy at the time when it is the most vulnerable: in the morning while the land is still cold. Their strange constitution will make them sluggish until the sun warms the earth, which should take at least an hour.¡±


    ¡°Why not attack at night?¡± somebody asked.


    Jaratalassi allowed the interruption.


    ¡°We have no guarantee that the Nemeti perform worse at night than we do. Speed and energy are not the only factor. Lack of visibility and confusion matter as well and they could be exploited by our enemies. They have already demonstrated a great ability to adapt and to organize themselves. It is not a risk I am willing to take when we have a much safer option.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention the Hallurians certainly tried,¡± another added. ¡°They favor night attacks.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I also love the irony of handing the Empire of Dawn¡¯s collective asses to them at dawn. The scaley bastards deserve no less. However, in order to achieve a morning assault, we will need gates. Archmage Sidjin, Empress Viviane, may we count on you to set them up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d need to be present at both ends¡­¡± Viv said.


    //My mistress has been the repeated priority target of their assassins.


    //She will remain in a secure location until they are confirmed eliminated.


    Solfis¡¯ voice brooked no objection.


    ¡°I will make sure we are ready,¡± Sidjin assured.


    The plan was simple in principle: rush their forces through portals to the edge of the Nemeti stronghold, deploy as fast as possible, and engage as the sun rises. The attackers would have it in their face which was less than ideal but it would be compensated by the Nemeti being weakened. The main point of failure, for Viv, was the narrow nature of portals. It would take entire minutes for the tens of thousands of soldiers to sprint through the aperture, a fear she didn¡¯t share considering the generals were aware of the issue. In any case, they agreed it was the best plan and that was it. Viv didn¡¯t feel like contributing. She knew when things were above her paygrade. The most important aspect was that she would be placed in the middle while the right flank would carry the brunt of the offensive based on some subtle terrain thing she¡¯d not quite caught. Once the plan was decided, the generals filed out and she had the displeasure of being addressed by a northern leader she¡¯d never met. A smarmy guy in an annoyingly cool robe she wanted to steal.


    ¡°You should consider who you keep as allies, ¡®Your Majesty¡¯. There is a cost to defying the order.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the ¡®advice¡¯ but I don¡¯t go back on my loyalties for convenience or profit. I¡¯d go to war over Sidjin and I¡¯d win it too.¡±


    ¡°You are quite arrogant for a self-proclaimed Empress.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s in the title. I¡¯ll add that unparalleled arcane might is doing wonders for my self-confidence. Test it at your own risk. Now, you will excuse me.¡±


    Viv left to find Sidjin who¡¯d gone first. He was standing near the edge of the artificial hill, inspecting the incoming troops and supply wagons with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°We have changed everything,¡± he said.


    ¡°You have. You¡¯ve solved supply lines.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. We shall see if this lasts, if others can be taught as well. Shall we go?¡±


    The trio left for their camp which was on the other side of the column. Fortunately, a detachment simply paused to let them through, a perk of being dressed like some dark lady, Viv assumed.


    Sidjin was being sad. Quick, a distraction!


    ¡°You know, I was thinking.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Oh Neriad protect us all.¡±


    ¡°Har har. No, seriously, back on earth, the entire perception of magic gave it such a mystique! Witches were supposed to brew potions from rare and exotic ingredients, then dance naked withershins around a bonfire on a full moon singing incantations at the top of their lungs. And I feel like it¡¯s actually a bit lost here. Not that I¡¯m really complaining since it would make things much more complicated, just¡­ what?¡±


    Rather than distracted, Sidjin was getting increasingly pissed off which was not the expected result.


    ¡°Witch traditions mostly work that way. Witches of the Thorns may only cast offensive spells if they have imbibed a brew made from theirs and monster blood. They cannot cast to attack otherwise.¡±


    ¡°What? Is it¡­ acting as a focus? A battery, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What then?¡±


    ¡°The spells will not trigger unless the potion has been consumed.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s preposterous!¡±


    Sidjin threw his hands up.


    ¡°Exactly! Exactly, this is how I feel about all of your entire spell library! Do you know I had to invent an array and a formula to calculate the distance between two portals so I don¡¯t end up buried alive? And you? You? You slap three axis and a bunch of identifiers on your targeting hex and that¡¯s enough for, and I quote, ¡®letting Nyil know where to aim¡¯. And that¡¯s it. And it WORKS! Scandalous! And then you just shadow port away to avoid having to explain yourself which is, by the way, supposed to be an assassin path master ability. Arrrrggg.¡±


    The two stared at each other, then chuckled.


    ¡°I need to express my frustration more often. It soothes the heart,¡± Sidjin observed. ¡°Oh look, is that¡­¡±


    A messenger was running towards them, one of the temple acolytes. She looked exhausted, with wisps of hair sticking out of her ponytail in sweaty strands.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Ah. Reinforcements have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Reinforcements? We didn¡¯t expect anyone.¡±


    ¡°We know. This way!¡±


    The girl led them by the side of the Harrakan fort which was now surrounded on all sides by other camps being raised. Viv took pride in the fact theirs looked the most professional. A column of warriors waited by the gate in good order. Their reddish skin was unmistakable. Viv rushed at the leader with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Marruuuuuuk! It¡¯s so good to see you!¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    The large Kark looked wider and more muscular than ever. Her armor was yries-made and showed a few more scars than last time. Her shield showed considerably more marks and Viv almost laughed when she realized the Kark had someone engrave a stylized handle near the middle. Viv stopped before she could hug or pat the stout girl since she remembered Marruk wasn¡¯t a fan. Instead, she opted for words.


    ¡°I see your crusade against doors is still ongoing.¡±


    ¡°It helps me be recognized. It is like a human flag but more convenient and less phallic.¡±


    ¡°Less visible too.¡±


    ¡°I can make it very visible. From up close.¡±


    A few of her Kark shifted uncomfortably. Viv wondered if it was the unkark-like banter or just an intimate knowledge of Marruk¡¯s bashing implement.


    ¡°And you brought back¡­ more Kark than you said you¡¯d lead home? I thought you wanted to rescue them?¡±


    ¡°I did! Too many idiots in the clan!¡± Marruk bellowed, forcing the first five ranks of the formation to huddle around their pikes.


    ¡°They say thank you and ask which chief I want to marry! They want me to raise many strong and smart children for their tribe while my husband leads the warband. Idiots! IDIOTS! It was I who brought people back, I who brought us more steel than three trade caravans filled with precious sweet meat! It was I who got our gold back from the Enorian liars! I should be chief! My husband should raise MY children to be strong and smart while I RULE. I have proven myself more than them! We need¡­ Pah. You know this. My people, they are too¡­ set in their ways. See change as a surrender. Losing oneself.¡±


    It was obviously a sore spot.


    ¡°Then, uhhh.¡±


    ¡°I make a new tribe with steel and ruse and girl warriors. There are three. Do not mention it. They think I cannot tell. We conduct guerilla warfare and we speak softly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°I, uh, I was hoping you could help. With the guerilla part. We need new paths. I cannot do it myself. I need to stay as Pillar of the Kark.¡±


    ¡°But of course! And who knows, if we manage to liberate land to the far north, perhaps some of your people can move in. Solfis mentioned the climate was similar to what you guys have in the steppes, except, you know, the soil isn¡¯t shit.¡±


    ¡°That would be perfect, yes. Later. For now, we fight together again. I will help my warriors settle down for the night with minimal screaming. Goodbye!¡±


    Viv let the Kark busy herself with housing. Since their coming was unexpected, Rakan volunteered to expand the base to accommodate them. For some reason, all the other armies gave them a wide berth so there was enough room to raise new barracks next to the Order of the Blue Rose¡¯s poetry tower. Viv finally, finally retreated back to her secured bunker, only to scream in fright when a figure pretty much unmerged from the wall.


    //This is Irao, Your Majesty.


    ¡°Oh, ok, ok.¡±


    The Hadal blinked slowly, then tensed a little.


    ¡°I will give you some space,¡± Sidjin allowed. ¡°I need a bath and a glass of spiced wine.¡±


    ¡°See you. Irao, I¡­ did Zero Five tell you?¡±


    ¡°He told me many things.¡±


    Viv couldn¡¯t be sure but the old assassin looked dejected.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. Your friends came and¡­ they protected me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Death. There have been many deaths.¡±


    He paused for a while.


    ¡°We will bury their ashes in our home. Death is¡­ more a part of life than it used to be. There is life too. Hope. I was the first, you know? First successful one out of the vats. First to be trained. For a long time, I also feared I might be the last. But no longer. Now we have children. I have held those children in my arms. They are very squirmy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a good thing?¡±


    Irao nodded wisely.


    ¡°Very much so. I feel safer. I feel like death has meaning. But I don¡¯t think I want more of it from my friends. Now, I want to see how the scaled ones wield fate like a dagger. It will be¡­ a nice challenge. Something new.¡±


    ¡°You sound like Solfis.¡±


    Irao stared right into her eyes, for once.


    ¡°Yes. We are both old. Sometimes bored too. I think¡­ this will be interesting.¡±


    The Hadal disappeared and Viv knew the Nemeti would regret making themselves interesting.


    ***


    Solfis sat across the path to the Empress¡¯ bunker entrance, not far from its charging station. Data influx was processed by part of its processors while the rest of its mind remained idle, churning the emotions that blazed through its peculiar soul. The one that interested it right now was anticipation.


    The Nemeti blades were coming. It could feel it in the way reality shifted ever so slightly, as their fate carried them to its mistress. Solfis had worked out the way they functioned during the first night. A thread carried them to their victim, where they struck with unerring accuracy. It was a powerful ability made even deadlier by the number of assassins and their total disregard for self-preservation. In order to win, the only option was to block every last possible path to her. There could be no fate if there was no possibility of victory.


    And so, Solfis calculated every possible path.


    And it blocked them.


    The shadows shifted. Solfis bent backward, letting the first assailant dig his blade in the packed earth. In the same movement, Solfis lifted itself on its hand and swung both legs around in a circle, catching two more. Pandemonium was unleashed on the camp. Dark-scaled Nemeti battled Enorian rangers, Baranese assassins, and northern dark blades in a flurry of quiet slaughter. Blood soaked the ground. Solfis¡¯ second had cut the first in half as he retreated, then he lunged forward and caught a fourth with the very tip of its right leg. It pinned the body down and twisted.


    A sword came at Solfis¡¯ face. The golem twisted its head and struck at the same time, its attack dodged by a hair. A series of swipes was avoided. To the side, the Paramese beat a hasty retreat against a fierce foe that killed them quickly. Another dark figure engaged the master killer and the dance resumed.


    Solfis was left against its singular opponent.


    //Sent against me specifically, I see.


    //Unfortunately for you¡­


    //You are too weak to touch my destiny.


    The exchange quickened. Solfis deflected a series of thrusts and managed to catch the foe¡¯s hand, but it slipped away and the golem was forced to pin another assassin to the bunker¡¯s door before it could attack the enchantments guarding it. It was both frustrating and challenging to oppose the assassin without dueling mode, for the golem could not afford to lose sight of its mistress¡¯ abode.


    The adversary teleported to Solfis flank. Solfis hip checked him. He was off balance. Solfis surged forward. The dance reached a paroxysm but every time the golem cornered its opponent, the foe slipped away with deceptive ease. The assassin grew bolder and more desperate as time passed and more of its allies fell. Blood soon covered its scales from glancing slashes.


    Another Nemeti found the bunker door and placed a package at its base.


    Solfis turned. In three quick lunges, it was at the gate, twisting on itself and sending the dangerous item high into the sky. It was the moment the assassin had waited for. He bypassed the golem¡¯s guard and jumped.


    The assassin¡¯s dagger plunged deep into Solfis¡¯ eye cavity in a sound of cracking bones. One of the baleful eyes dimmed when the blade pierced the entire skull.


    //Well done.


    //But my head holds nothing vital.


    With a ghastly sound, the golem punched through the Nemeti¡¯s chest.


    Some of its sensors were damaged. The repair system kicked in, focusing on the more damaged areas first. Overall efficiency was decreased. Overall confidence remained high. The shadows moved again, revealing the hooded form of Irao, surrounded by a cadre of hadal elders. The old killer touched his shoulder. Glitening blood coated his fingers.


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    //Those are poisoned.


    ¡°I am aware. And immune.¡±


    The battle had moved south towards the Baranese camp. More soldiers were joining the shadow war as they returned from patrols or rushed out from tents. It was getting so noisy, some of the sentries might even notice.


    //How about¡­ a bout of friendly competition?


    Irao¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    //I knew you would take the bait.


    ***


    Dawn rose over the plains of Halluria for what would be the third day of battle. Viv moved after her soldiers through the massive portal made by Sidjin, an active casting the likes of which he¡¯d only deployed once before, when saving the merl from their doom. The Harrakans were among the last to deploy because Jaratalassi assessed there might be a chance they could locate her in real time. Around her, the witchpact walked tensely as they were still mostly out of quarrels. That was fine. Other groups were tasked with carrying the day.


    Viv cast a concerned glance at Solfis, still showing signs of damage to his skull and ribcage. The bone was somehow repairing itself but what concerned her was how smug the golem looked. One would think it was difficult to appear smug with no facial expressions, yet here they were.


    Also, Viv realized she was tense as well. She was back to normal and as safe as could be on a battlefield, and yet being drowned among other troops, she felt less in control of herself. It was strange and rather unsettling.


    It was the first time since coming here that she would just be a cog in a massive war machine. The difference was, back on earth, no one had signed up to follow her.


    //Relax, Your Majesty.


    //Your tension is influencing the others.


    //Even the One Hundred are closing ranks.


    ¡°I¡¯m worrying for nothing. Probably.¡±


    //If it is any comfort, even accounting for a significant swell of the enemy numbers, we have excellent chances of winning.


    //Much better odds than¡­ most of your endeavors.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    Despite that, Viv still felt nervous. Most of the tension left her when they finally crossed the portal, coming in full view of the plain.


    In front of her, the titanic Nemeti camp expanded so far it might as well have been a city. It was still crawling with activity though most of its denizens were now massing in front of it in neat, well-organized groups. The cavalry was back in action, or rather, enough reinforcements had come that the Nemeti could now mass them in large numbers. Viv didn¡¯t notice too many arrays but there were now also roving bands of creatures holding javelins, faster and leaner than their counterparts. The Empire of Dawn, too, had gathered its troops. Worse, despite their losses, the survivors were fit and hale. It was likely that the death of so many the past few days had only provided better sustenance for the remaining ones, another explanation as to how they¡¯d survived the trip through the continent¡¯s second most hostile landscape.


    There were just¡­ so many of them. The Paramese army was standing slightly above them and from this vantage point, their numbers defied counting. Oh, she could make an estimate and say there were probably around fifty thousand but that was a number that the human mind couldn¡¯t really comprehend. It was more a statistics, an organization, and now that statistics spread before her eyes in mighty squares determined to kill her. At this distance, they became organic, quivering masses of spears and muscles moving under the will of a hidden cowled creature like the thousand feet of an insect. It was¡­ rather intimidating.


    That was until she looked around her. Now, the Harrakans were inserted in a more traditional formation of subsequent lines and those lines extended, and extended, and extended¡­ Her gaze covered spear lines, assault lines in heavy armor with two handed weapons, skirmishers, all mixed for maximum effect. There was mail, plate, leather, cloth, steel helms and colorful hats, flags, pennants, banners, horns and drums and flutes. Such a diverse mix would have been impossible to wield normally, but under Jaratalassi¡¯s masterful hand, it was a complex checker where everyone was exactly where he intended. And behind those soldiers came the casters.


    Param didn¡¯t use siege machinery outside of sieges but they had better anyway. Now the mages of many nations worked in circles designed to bring punishment. The mana over the valley thickened, warped in reaction to the monumental amount being drawn from cores and injected into constructs. An orchestra of signals rang across the lines when the last regiment made it through, placing themselves behind the Harrakans to act as a reserve. The Nemeti drummed answered in kind. A dissonant contest of sound heralded the contest of might. Both armies moved towards each other with confidence and eagerness. Raucous calls echoed down the line. A horn blast gave her the signal she¡¯d be waiting for. It was the sign for general charge.


    Like a man, both formations on the side marched on. The Harrakans didn¡¯t move though. They were waiting for her.


    Viv sighed. Somehow, the fear she felt was evaporating. There was only one path left and it was forward and down. In a way, it was relaxing.


    A sort of whine caught her attention. Lak-Tak was looking up with his big owly eyes, pleading quietly.


    ¡°Oh alright. Make way!¡±


    The One Hundred split their rank without looking to let the array through. Somehow, the yries had managed to add even more spikes to the front bumper to the point it looked like the business side of a hedgehog. Once she was at the front, Viv used a sound enchantment to make herself heard.


    ¡°First to the fight! First to draw blood. For the black tide!¡±


    The array tank jumped forward while her driver trilled his pleasure. Viv belatedly checked the brake lever to confirm it looked solid, then decided she wouldn¡¯t touch the damn thing at all. The Harrakans would not be the first to hit the Nemeti. Some shield breaker formations would get there first. That would be small comfort for the first rank of spearmen receiving them though.


    Impact. The belt bit Viv¡¯s shoulder. She activated the shield then, just in case. With a last second roar, the Harrakan wedge slammed into the Nemeti lines, tossing bodies around. As expected, they couldn¡¯t muster the energy to counter-charge with the bouts of speed that qualified them, but their discipline still allowed them to hold on. To her side, spells ravaged the Nemeti flanks, covering them moments before the rest of the Paramese made contact. The melee began, more furious among the newcomers than the wary Harrakans since they had to prove themselves. Squads moved behind the enemy lines, fierce warriors with shields and lithe hunters with what Viv now recognized were javelin throwers. The implements looked like handles with cups at the end.


    The skies were soon full of arrows, spears, and stones. With their shields active and their quarrels all but exhausted, the Harrakans were an island in a sea of destruction. The drums of the Empire of Dawn now beat faster, giving orders with more speed than ever before. Formations shifted to answer dangers. Some rotated, and for a while, the battle was in a state of balance. Viv knew it couldn¡¯t last. The Nemeti were the first to break the stalemate.


    Screaming red clusters of fiery death were the first across the skies. It was a great surprise to Viv that most of them were not, in fact, aimed her way. A flash of hope warmed her chest. If the Nemeti were no longer focused on killing her, that meant they were either resigned or desperate.


    The answer was immediate. Viv shivered, feeling all the concentrated mana released at once around her. Battle mages from Helock, royal artillerists from Baran and Enoria, witches, northern casters and all Jaratalassi could get his hands on, all of them released their spells at once.


    For a few seconds, the skies over Halluria were a rain of meteors in daylight. Shrieking projectiles drowned the drums and the cries of the living and for a moment, the world held its breath.


    The first crashes happened overhead when interceptors hit the fate bolts, mere pops before the real show and yet, already so damn loud. Viv only had a couple of seconds watching the death kaleidoscope descend like so many sunsets.


    ¡°Shit. Brace!¡±


    She increased the energy in her shield, closed her eyes, and blocked her ears.


    She gasped when the shockwave reached them. The earth shook hard enough to force her to grip the tank¡¯s frame, then a cloud of dust swallowed the entire Harrakan formation. For a while, the world was reduced to Viv and the steel under her soles, under her gloved fingertips. She¡¯d grown so used to perceiving the world through mana that this blindness woke up an oppressive feeling of claustrophobia. Ambient mana was now a multicolored whirlwind of spent energies, struggling to bleed back into the background. It took a few seconds for combat to resume, and another two minutes for enough of the debris to clear until Viv could see what was happening.


    The Nemeti second line was devastated. All that remained of it were vast, limbs-strewn craters. More reinforcements were rushing in to fill it but right now, the Nemeti line was thin near the front. Behind that, the landscape had changed. A tide of steel was closing from the right like a revolving door, trampling enemy formations. The cavalry was here for the knockout punch.


    It was a perfect chance.


    ¡°Push forward! Nu¨¦es!¡±


    The Harrakans went on the offensive backed by a devastating barrage. Quarrels from the witch pacts found elites, sometimes through their shields. Sidjin unleashed one of his nasty blenders on the entire right flank. Led by the One Hundred, the Harrakans grimly shoved the Nemeti aside. Their lines buckled. Out of the gap, the witch pact charged out.


    It was like the jaw of a wolf closing on a hapless leg. Every squad isolated from the rest was overwhelmed and shanked in moments. The Sisters were especially rabid. Viv watched it all enfold from the tank. Here, a tall Nemeti was rallying his soldiers. He caught a blast for his troubles. Over there, javelin throwers scored hits against exposed witch pacts. She cleared them out with a net. Viv would have loved to have the Order of the Blue Rose with her but they were out there living their best lives.


    The Nemeti army was buckling. They still outnumbered the humans but they now lacked the oomph to match human elites toe-to-toe. The wave of knights fell back, leaving battered formations behind but it was only a matter of time before they were lost. Fate was no longer on the side of the Empire of Dawn, now that their opponents had united. The drums changed and this time, they had a solemn beat. The Nemeti stopped attacking. They withdrew towards the center, where the cowled figure stood.


    ¡°Are they retreating?¡± someone asked.


    Viv didn¡¯t think so. The elite Nemeti in scarlet scales all gathered in concentric circles around their leader. It looked more like a last stand than a preparation to fall back. Chants emerged from the formations. The Nemeti army was slowly forming a circle.


    The signal to engage came from distant horns. Viv ordered the Harrakans forward at a pace to let her allies reform and catch up.


    Suddenly, a strange shockwave made her reel. Looking around, she saw that no one else seemed affected. The ghostly image of Solfis head popped out of nowhere a few steps away from her. It hung in the air like some grisly decoration.


    A second later and the tank moved forward. At the same time, Solfis coiled around the array, approaching Viv. He stopped at the perfect time for the bone mask to match the illusion to the millimeter.


    //Your Majesty¡­


    ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s a spell. It¡¯s a spell! Charge. Charge! Sidjin, we need to interrupt them.¡±


    Viv sent a runner to Jaratalassi but the old fox didn¡¯t need her help. Already, all forces were converging on the bunched up Nemeti. More spells flew and more victims joined the corpse piles. And then, the first circle of Nemeti, with uncanny coordination, all lifted a dagger and plunged it into their chests.


    They collapsed.


    ¡°Ok. Not good. Not good.¡±


    A sort of vibration set Viv¡¯s teeth on edge. They had to end this fast. Viv led the charge with her unleashed powers, now that the threat of artillery was gone. First Rakan, then Lana and Sidjin grouped with her until they were just ram plowing through flesh, yet the Nemeti stood and died with unbreakable faith. And the second circle sacrificed themselves.


    This time, the hum of power became audible even to the humans. Viv threw spell after spell at the distant shapes of the red scales far behind enemy lines, scoring more kills. The rest of the Paramese didn¡¯t need prompts to understand what had to be done. Enorian archers were especially deadly, picking the unmoving, singing foes at range with terrifying accuracy. The spell weakened but it also accelerated. The singing reached a rushed paroxysm as more of the nobles fell before they could commit their lives to the cause. The cowled figure rose above the ground surrounded by a red halo like a second dawn.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t the only one to try and kill the one who was obviously the focus of the ritual, but the attacks inexplicably missed as they were cast. It seemed that destiny was on the march and as the last of the nobles fell, it could no longer be stopped.


    Viv watched powerless as the cowled figure spread its arms in apotheosis.


    ¡°Really not good.¡±


    The cowled figure let out a guttural prayer and then he, too plunged a knife down his chest.


    The body fell like a puppet with its string cut and the red energy disappeared, suddenly absorbed. For a second, natural colors returned to the plain yet Viv¡¯s meager hope that the ritual had failed dissipated as soon as she saw the remaining Nemeti prostrated in prayers. A wave of power emerged from the center of the army. The dead cowled one inflated, then grew, grew. The scales became more defined and a shimmering red color infused them. Its maw became less insectile and more reptilian until it resembled that of a crocodile. Powerful muscles filled out where lean ones were hidden. The back arched. Powerful claws gripped the earth and still, the creature increased in size. A bus, then a small plane, then a large house. It was¡­ it was a fucking kaiju. A building-sized alligator crossed with a pitbull.


    ¡°Nom de dieu¡­¡±


    It opened its mouth.


    It ROARED.


    All across the plain, in an extended wave, the mana settled. Sound died. Motion died. Even magic was smothered. The entirety of Viv¡¯s work since she arrived in this word was folded and compressed until she was less than even the lost woman landing in the throne room. The brand of her soul was silenced. She lived through it, felt it happen, but she was completely powerless to stop it. The shield failed. The runes blinked out. The knights scattered into confused groups from a united front. The human army was forced to a bumbling stop.


    Terror hit second.


    There was no question of willpower, of fighting it. There was no resistance. There was no shame or hesitation because there was no place in her mind, in anyone¡¯s mind, for anything else but fear. It washed away all she was. Viv¡¯s mind was white cotton and primal fright.


    //No.


    Run. Run. Others are running too. Run.


    //Wait.


    Claw on her shoulder. Struggle.


    //Look.


    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡¯


    //LOOK.


    Eyes front. Running folks. Discarded shields. Lost spears. Tears in her eyes. Everyone had run away.


    All except for one.


    Viv blinked. The blanket pulled back ever so slightly. She could think. A little.


    Everyone had run, except for one person. Normalcy fought back against the tidal wave of horror. A memory nagged at her, an old knowledge, one of life''s certainties like gravity and taxes. Viv clawed herself back from the abyss at the sight of a single heavy still standing in line. She grabbed that sight and fought. It was an inescapable, unchanging fact of life that Brick. Never. Ran.


    She was still there, facing the advancing titan.


    Viv blinked. Fear pulled back, undone. She was herself again because the world was as it should be.


    ¡°You asshole, you almost got me.¡±


    ¡°SQUEEEE!¡±


    Viv turned to see a pair of crimson eyes squirting their haughty disappointment.


    Mother.


    ¡°Ok, I have an excuse, it¡¯s very big.¡±


    No wings!


    Poseur!


    ¡°Strong magic too.¡±


    Solar came into view as well. Viv assumed he would have stayed but the blade saint apparently had other ideas.


    ¡°Hey, majesty. Are you slaying interesting things without me? And I thought we were comrades in arms.¡±


    ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t know they were going to incarnate a god.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s bag it.¡±

 Chapter 161: Fraudzilla

    Viv¡¯s enthusiasm lasted as long as it took to take a second look at Turbodzilla. The creature was really, really, really too close for comfort. It wasn¡¯t a couple meters away but everywhere was too close when the thing was the size of a building.


    ¡°Ok, back off.¡±


    ¡°Not me. I am going,¡± Solar declared without even looking at Viv. The large man unsheathed his blade and stalked forward with sure steps. It was an enchanted, Claymore-sized piece, the kind absolutely no one sane should have lent to anybody else but that was Solar for you.


    Brick about faced while Viv jumped in the piloting seat of the shield array, pulling it back. She cast a glance at the confident heavy, just a little curious.


    [Harrakan Imperial Guard, fourth step. Not very dangerous. Defensive melee expert. Formation fighter expert. Nemeti Killer. Undead bane. THE BRICK: will amplify friendly aura and negate hostile effect of any level through the power of unerring conviction.]


    ¡°Gods, I¡¯ll need to have her carry a big flag on her back. Solfis, make a note of it.¡±


    //I am not your secretary.


    ¡°Pretty please.¡±


    //This is for the sake of Harrak.


    //I will comply.


    Viv had to stop the tank because her men were rushing past her to pick their discarded pieces of equipment with various degrees of shame, anger, and confusion. They also smelled a bit of piss which was unfortunate but not exactly surprising. The second reason Viv stopped was that Lak-Tak was frantically urging her off his spot. The Harrakan line reformed just in time to retreat, in good order this time. In front of them, the Nemeti avatar was advancing with the ponderous confidence of a creature fated to succeed. It seemed that Viv¡¯s ability to cheat fate was once again working as the Paramese alliance was slowly recovering, regiment by regiment, in an expanding circle.


    Some of the knights were already charging.


    Viv watched them, utterly flabbergasted. Long range archers released entire volleys without prompt since the monster was hard to miss anyway. A cloud of projectiles gathered around it like a halo. For the first time since materializing, it stopped slowly plodding forward.


    With surprising speed considering its size, the beast pushed itself upward until it stood on two hind legs. Its front paws accelerated on a collision course.


    ¡°Shit. Shield to sound enchantment. Sound!¡± Viv screamed in her communicator.


    To her right, Sidjin¡¯s shield activated immediately. For a moment, it looked like Lana wasn¡¯t going to make it but the opaque hemisphere rose just in time.


    KSH!


    The beast clapped, the shockwave visible with the naked eye. All the arrows and spears were pulverized in an instant, then the explosion traveled outward. The knights and their horses fell. Thousands of men stumbled back. Only Viv¡¯s formation was spared the worst of the damage.


    If Hera ever slapped Zeus, it must have sounded like that.


    ¡°Fuck I think those knights¡¯ heads exploded.¡±


    //As I suspected, a powerful area-of-effect ability.


    //My frame should be able to resist it.


    //I will provide assistance to Solar.


    And the golem was off towards the mighty warrior. Of course, that fucker had cut the shockwave in two in front of him because why not. Now he was just walking with the blade bare by his side like some Akira Kurosawa character. It was fine. Viv still had a mighty protector.


    When are we going?


    ¡°You¡¯re impatient to just go fight that off without a plan?¡±


    Yes?


    Scales look valuable.


    ¡°I am surrounded by lunatics.¡±


    Mages were the next to attempt to break the beast. This time, it let the attacks pepper its hide without much apparent result. Artillery spell exploded and it did slow down but otherwise, the scales were intact.


    Viv focused. There was something there, she could feel it. A sort of vibration. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it but her instincts told her that was important and they tended to be useful when the sake of the continent hung in the balance. It wasn¡¯t normal mana.


    Oh.


    ¡°Tell me Arthur, that big thing over there, wouldn¡¯t it happen to have strands of fate connecting it to something else?¡±


    It has many strands!


    Going all around it.


    Of course. She¡¯d been so obsessed with the avatar, she¡¯d almost forgotten what had brought it here.


    ¡°It''s touching the kneeling Nemeti, the ones who are praying, right?¡±


    Of course!


    Else, how would it stay there?


    ¡°Right. Ban, take the troops around the avatar and kill the Nemeti. All of them, yes. The mages will stay.¡±


    Viv backed up again, mostly because the creature kept walking. While the Harrakans marched south at full speed around the avatar, Viv watched Solar engage it, soon backed by Solfis. He was not alone either. The generals were no fools, they understood that only the most elite fighters could hope to survive that shockwave and so champions gathered to fight. An elite archer, a guy with a spear, she also recognized the crimson-armored champion of the Order of the White Orchard. Edwin Milderry was also charging down the slope with his stupidly large sword trailing behind him. Viv imagined the Enorian monster hunter duke must have been waiting for that moment since the war began. Now, he finally had a perfect target for his path. For a moment, she believed the avatar would simply keep going or clap again, but then, Solar struck.


    The slice came like thunder on a blue sky. So far, every projectile the Paramese could muster had left the creature unfazed. Solar¡¯s attack rang like a chime across the battlefield. A thin hairline fracture spread on the creature¡¯s face, just between the jaw and the nose. The avatar paused. Viv had to use a lens enchantment to see the damage but it was enough.


    The beast could bleed. Bright red, in fact. It put its colossal weight on its hind paws. The ground cracked under the clawed appendages and it pounced. Solar dove and sliced under it and the beast turned to follow, bloodied at last. The battle was joined.


    ¡°Ok, it¡¯s no longer going towards us. Time for an array.¡±


    Under Sidjin¡¯s direction, all four archmages carved a large hex circle designed for the express purpose of overcharging Viv. Soon, reinforcements came. Baranese mages wearing different tabards.


    ¡°Jaratalassi sent us!¡± an old man explained as he picked up on the design in an instant. ¡°Slave to master array? Really?¡±


    ¡°Trust us, trust her,¡± Sidjin replied without looking up.


    More and more casters sprinted or flew her way while the Paramese army split in two to avoid the central conflict and reach the Nemeti as they kneeled exposed. The various mage orders had realized that only their largest constructs could hope to dent to avatar, and they worked hastily to build them.


    Viv focused on the inner part of the circle, the casting one rather than the feeding one. Arthur stamped her feet at her side.


    Mother!


    I want to gooooo.


    But I don¡¯t want to leave you.


    ¡°Can you defend yourself against this thing?¡±


    Of course!


    Air shield for sound, wings, and gates.


    I can do it all.


    ¡°Then you can go.¡±


    This is not what worries me!


    ¡°Sorry, Arthur, I need to focus on this.¡±


    Fine.


    Viv added the finishing touch, then she had to wait because more people were plugging themselves into the circle, mostly court casters serving smaller lords. She activated the runes for hyperbeam and waited, the runes rotating in front of her chest where her physical core was. The circle helped stabilize the array and charge it more, then more, then more to a degree the original spell never intended. Power flooded in from casters and the reserves their focus still held. It filled the inner circle, converted to black mana by Viv and her spell. All the time, she kept an eye on the creature but it was too busy fighting the many ants gnawing at its heels.


    It was weird how incomplete the avatar felt. There was so much wrong with it, so much that it should be doing. As more power gathered around Viv, her vision obscured. Colors bled out of the air until everything was monochrome and so very sharp. She couldn¡¯t see fate but knowing it was there, the part of her that related to the soul perceived a loss, a handicap more damning than missing several senses. The Avatar should have been destiny marching over the infidels. Instead, it was just a mask, a husk with the appearance but not the substance of inevitability. Viv highly suspected¡­ she¡¯d broken it by simply existing. According to the logic of Nyil, she shouldn¡¯t be here at all to begin with and without the power of Emeric, she shouldn¡¯t have so much impact¡­ but she was here and she was blessed with luck, and predestination served her to make her life interesting. The Nemeti relied on a power that was never meant to be used, only managed.


    If that was true, no wonder the Nemeti were desperately trying to off her.


    While Viv¡¯s mind was overwhelmed with impressions, the spell reached a paroxysm. Saturated energies manifested as black, dancing forms around her. She pushed because she could absorb a little more energy. Just a little more. There was just so much of it. It was practically solid and so very beautiful. So impossibly so, the ability to bend the world. A blessing.


    ¡°V¡­ Viv! The circle!¡±


    The construct moaned. Terror filled the eyes of the mages around her. They didn¡¯t trust her. That was fine. There was enough here to do what must be done.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    The world went gray. A rift now linked the space in front of Viv to the space inside of the avatar, a rift where nothing was allowed to exist. The hex silenced the entire battle, forcing the two sides apart. It didn¡¯t land perfectly because fate was not yet written, but it landed well enough because Viv had practiced for such a moment.


    Colors reestablished themselves. Even Solar hovered at a distance, uncertain. Viv held her breath.


    Flesh and scales slowly peeled off the beast¡¯s torso in the following second, cleanly shorn. Blood spurted like a cascade from the ghastly wound. A great crimson torrent stained the golden hide and the intact scale in a dripping blasphemy. The hit was devastating. Even a creature that size must have felt it.


    The beast howled, painfully so. Its cry was the echoed cry of outrage of a thousand reptilian throats, and a nail on the thin fabric of causality, a grating sensation that this shouldn¡¯t be happening.


    ¡°Fuck you, it should be happening,¡± Viv said with triumph.


    It glared at her. The creature ignored wounds dug by elites in its flanks as it turned its gigantic body aside, its full attention dedicated to Viv. She felt the overwhelming weight of the rage of an empire directed solely at her. Then, the creature charged her down. Really quickly.


    ¡°Oh shit.¡±


    THAT was what worried me.


    Quick, mother!


    Climb!


    On the one hand, she could probably shadow walk away.


    On the other hand, the rest of the mages might be on the path, her side could use the distraction, and this was the second time in her damn life she could do some offensive dragon riding. It wasn¡¯t really a choice, was it?


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fly!¡±


    ¡°SKRAAAAAA!¡±


    Viv jumped on Arthur¡¯s back, then she hung on for dear life because the dragon used wind mana to accelerate like a jet, her wings fully open to catch as much as that sweet upstream as possible. Air pressure pulled Viv¡¯s lips back from her teeth in a rather embarrassing display but at least it got her away from the creature. The monster stopped, inertia carrying it tens of meters forward in a shower of upturned soil and collapsing boulders. A drill-sized hand plunged into the earth, tore it off, and threw a veritable landslide at the flying pair.


    ¡°Gate?¡±


    Cover me!


    Viv raised a transparent shield to stop blunt attacks. The first gravel pinged off harmlessly. Larger boulder coming in. Cut it with a net.


    The next was a fucking handball field.


    ¡°Arthuuuur!¡±


    Air then air but less crowded. Arthur banked down while behind them, an uphill explosion swallowed where they¡¯d been. That would have been difficult to block.


    Time for vengeance!


    Fly by!


    Arthur roared and dove hard. Viv prepared a thick artillery spell and waited. The dragoness was the first to strike, vomiting thick fire on the back of the beleaguered avatar. The beast turned to strike at Solar who had landed a few good hits, then it tried to unlatch Milderry who¡¯d somehow planted himself sword first in its leg. The fire and spell combo rolled on its back, leaving behind blackened scales but not much else to speak of.


    Back, strongly armored.


    ¡°I noticed, but I¡¯m not sure we should ¡ª¡±


    Fly between legs!


    ¡°BEHIND YOU!¡±


    A maw, open and filled with serrated teeth.


    It took the pair everything to veer off, both gray mana, aerodynamics, and enough telekinesis to give Viv a headache. The avatar had risen on its leg and taken a tentative bite at the pair. Only collaboration saved them here.


    Have saliva on my tail.


    Ew.


    ¡°You wanted to fly against that alone?¡±


    Mother.


    It hates you.


    Am just keeping you alive.


    Focus.


    ¡°Damn. Oh it¡¯s throwing stones again!¡±


    Cover!


    Viv sent interception spells at stones large enough to level a barn and wondered if this was what her earth friend Gevaudan meant when he used to talk about ¡®bullet hell¡¯.


    ***


    The black tide crashed on the side of the Nemeti formation without resistance. The Nemeti merely kneeled and prayed, uncaring about their demise. Ban surveyed them and sneered.


    Pathetic.


    Blind idiots relying on the leader to save them and carry the fight. Weaklings. He served the ¡®empress¡¯ though he remembered her as a hesitant revolutionary so vividly, it was hard to think of her as some bigwig, because it was a national effort. The outlander girl, the dragon girl, the northern mages, the Hallurians, the Hadals, the heavies, even that old tanned cornudon hide masquerading as a person Poacher were part of the effort. They were part of what made Harrak a force to be reckoned with despite being objectively a group of talented rejects on the continent¡¯s ass boil. He hated the Nemeti because they reminded him of him. Before he was given a chance to make a change. Back when any two-bits prince could destroy his life for five silvers per slave. Leaders couldn¡¯t be trusted to achieve everything. Hell, most of them couldn¡¯t be trusted at all. That was why he was the tip of the spear now.


    The girl was lucky she had him. He would show her why. No resistance? That was their mistake.


    ¡°Spread out. Kill them all. Any of you cunts who slays less than fifty will be scraping shit off chamber pots till seeding.¡±


    ¡°You heard the fucker, get those machetes swinging!¡± Poacher screeched.


    And they went to work.


    ***


    Up and down, to the side. Viv and Arthur focused on defense and speed, forcing the avatar to fling ever more earth at them to hope to catch them. The ground around it was looking like a moon landing by now, and many of the elites were retreating, bleeding, or dead. Param was running out of options quickly and the gaping wounds covering the beast¡¯s body didn¡¯t seem to hinder it in the slightest.


    ¡°Another run!¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    Between legs!


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Arthur accelerated to a speed that forced Viv to shield her face or be blinded. They closed in under another shower of rocks, Viv preparing an Excalibur. The pair raked the beast¡¯s underbelly with fire and slicing hunger.


    ¡°Dodge!¡±


    The time, a tail slap missed them by a handspan. Viv¡¯s ears rang from the shock and Arthur shook. They managed to recover before being caught again. Solar used the opening to slice a finger off while Solfis tore at its open gashes.


    ¡°How much can this thing¡­ oh.¡±


    The damage was spreading.


    Finally, after all this effort, the avatar was slowly coming apart at the seams. The explanation was not just the wounds but the wave of soldiers rolling over the praying Nemeti from all sides, executing them where they stood. With the power sustaining it being literally cut down, the avatar could no longer fully maintain its presence. Its scales grew less opaque, its blood evaporated. The physical shell slowed down, which Solar used to attempt a decapitation, failing when it was blocked by a paw.


    Viv had concerns.


    The Nemeti had proven to be as tenacious as they were vindictive, killing themselves to call for a creature capable of reversing the tide of battle. There had to be more aaaaand here it was.


    The creature coiled on itself like a cat, or an ouroboros, head resting over its tail. Its defenseless posture should have been enough to allow Solar and the others a killing blow, yet the bleeding essence acted as a shield while the avatar turned from walking disaster to symbol. Power gathered in its center until it was visible as a shimmer in the air. For the Nemeti, that thing must have shone like the sun.


    ¡°Another pass!¡±


    I cannot get close.


    Too much fate mana.


    It could be enough to undo even me!


    ¡°We need to stop that thing.¡±


    Cannot get close.


    Need some dispersal.


    More mana.


    ¡°Spells?¡±


    Any mana.


    ¡°Get me close to Solar first.¡±


    The pair landed next to the sword saint and the quickly assembling elites. Most of the archers were still there, though their quivers looked empty. Concerned glances betrayed the desperation behind their stoic postures.


    ¡°We need mana-charged attacks to disrupt the spell before it finishes gathering.¡±


    ¡°We can do that but you¡¯d better get the mages,¡± a northern blade dancer told her.


    ¡°They¡¯re next.¡±


    ¡°Where should we focus our attacks?¡± Solar asked with urgency.


    ¡°The head, it¡¯s always the damn head,¡± Duke Milderry spat.


    Everyone looked at him.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m a monster hunter. That¡¯s a big monster. Get the damn head.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try, then what?¡±


    ¡°I have a finisher spell,¡± Viv said. ¡°It¡¯s fairly short range, very risky but since the thing is not moving anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t get close?¡±


    ¡°Too much fate mana. You will feel it if you get near.¡±


    By that we mean, you will be unmade.


    Arthur¡¯s declaration was received in stupefied silence.


    I am serious.


    It will be your fate not to exist anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯d better get going because I feel like this will be all of our fates if that thing goes off,¡± Viv said.


    Arthur crossed the distance back to the Paramese lines at great speed, though by that time they were thin from the bulk of the forces finishing off the Nemeti. She first aimed for the circle where Sidjin still stood, but then reconsidered and made for the command group still monitoring the situation at the back. Arthur landed near Jaratalassi under the absolutely shocked gaze of the assembled strategists.


    ¡°Is she¡­ is she riding a dragon?¡±


    ¡°By all the gods¡­¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be amazed,¡± Viv reproached. ¡°General, we need mana tossed at that thing, specifically the head. Any mana. Spells, anything, doesn¡¯t matter. It will disrupt its working.¡±


    ¡°Understood, but will it stop it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop it alright, I just need an opening.¡±


    ¡°You will have it. Get ready.¡±


    Arthur twirled and lifted off in a burst of air that sent papers flying. It was totally unnecessary.


    I have been seen with a human on my back.


    Mother!


    I am disgraced!


    Shame eternal!


    My bank will lose reputation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a human, remember dear? I¡¯m half-elemental.¡±


    Oh.


    Yes.


    That is acceptable then.


    And also she¡¯d been seen over the skies of Helock but Viv felt it was not the right time to remind her daughter. The order coursed through the spread out Paramese alliance like a thunderbolt. The mages returned to casting with overwhelming fury, unleashing everything they had but the rest of the soldiers were closing the distance at a dead sprint and Viv realized why. Hybrid casters and ranged soldiers stopped where they were comfortable and attacked as well, then the soldiers themselves threw pebble-sized balls of fire, or fistfuls of rocks, or sprays of water in the general direction of the spell. Individually, they were droplets but there were tens of thousands of people and the newly manifested mana pushed the spent one forward. A nimbus of color formed around the resting form of the avatar like a lenticular cloud over a lone mountain and the alien mana was pushed up and away. The beast stirred but it was not enough.


    ¡°Get me closer.¡±


    Viv started casting. It would be difficult. Very difficult. She¡¯d never tried that spell while moving and she knew it was hard to maintain but there was no choice. Already, the shimmer was turning into a radiance and the closest soldiers had to run away, armor eaten away to nothingness.


    ¡°Come on come on come on. Ok, dear, we¡¯re going to fly by and I¡¯ll drop from your back, okay? Please trust me.¡±


    ¡°Squee?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried. I¡¯ll be fine, I promise. I have a plan.¡±


    The avatar was shaking now, shaking and disintegrating, but the spell was going to go off. She could feel it. They might be too late.


    If they were caught¡­


    ¡°I have to go in now.¡±


    You won¡¯t make it!


    ¡°Maybe I will! No choice! Go!¡±


    Arthur dove but Viv could read the mana on the wall. They were not going to make it.


    And then she saw a form sprint through the deleterious aura. It was Milderry. Even though the fate concentration was thinner, parts of him were already blinking out.


    ¡°You old¡ª¡±


    ¡°Have to show you young fuckers how to do everything!¡± the old monster hunter roared.


    His disappearing silhouette jumped, massive sword held high. It didn¡¯t last long, but it lasted long enough.


    His massive weapon smashed into the avatar¡¯s left eye, carving it like a melon. Blood and humor poured freely from the devastating wound. For the first time since casting the spell, the avatar reacted. Its head lashed out. The spell shook and fell apart at the seams but it was still strong enough to kill them all.


    But that was all Viv needed.


    Letting herself fall, she dove right at the avatar. The beast saw her with its one remaining orb. It opened its maw wide to receive the offering. Viv waited for the very last instant.


    ¡°Aspect of the destroyer.¡±


    It hurt when Viv went from terminal velocity to no velocity at all. Something cracked and she tasted blood but it didn¡¯t hurt as much as the jaws would have, snapping in front of her nose. The anchors on her shoulder blades strained but they held.


    ¡°You missed.¡±


    All her remaining power flooded her conduits until they disgorged mana into the one spell she¡¯d been casting all that time. It was much easier than expected. Perhaps it made sense since she was doing exactly what her aspect was expected to do. Excalibur blades bloomed in a full circle like flowers in front of her, then their cruel tips curved inward to form a ball encompassing most of the avatar¡¯s head. She couldn¡¯t really read reptilian expressions but the thing certainly looked surprised.


    ¡°Guillotine.¡±


    The blades snapped shut.


    Nyil hiccupped.


    Viv swallowed a curse. She was forcefully unanchored, then pushed out, all spells dissipating. The concentration of mana of all sorts at the same place dispersed now that an overwhelming will was no longer here to gather it in one place. There was so much of it that it acted like a wind, buffeting her until she was forced to crash at a distance. The blow stole her breath. A sharp pain lanced through her body, strained as it was by her earlier sudden stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to stay here for a minute¡­¡± she mumbled to herself.


    Arthur landed by her side and they watched the enfolding scene alone with the soldiers far in the back. The coiled form of the avatar dissipated, fading scales returning to nothingness. The vivid blood turned to transparent watery ichor and then to nothing. Even the bones underneath turned to ash. It was not the decay of death but an undoing, a bad dream fading with the morning light.


    My loooot.


    ¡°Hush, we¡¯re having a moment!¡± Viv complained.


    Anyway, yeah. Pretty awe-inspiring. The disappearance continued until all that was left was a broken skull stabbed through by a corroded great sword. The piece shone strangely in her sights. All that remained of Edwin Milderry, Enorian Duke of Green Edge and monster slayer extraordinaire. Viv approached it, then stopped.


    ¡°Should we¡­ bring it back to Green Edge?¡± she asked no one in particular.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will work,¡± Solar replied. ¡°Look again.¡±


    In Nyil parlance, that meant use inspection. So she did.


    [Artifact. Duke Milderry¡¯s parting gift. A god with a plan. A man with a claymore.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants to leave,¡± Solar whispered.


    ¡°So it is. May Enttiku carry your soul and may Neriad watch her back, you old bastard.¡±


    Viv prayed to the two gods a bit. She was joined by a general sense of piety from the armies surrounding the remains, all humbled for having witnessed the death of an avatar and the making of an artifact. It was a good one too, and most could sense the old monster hunter had saved everyone¡¯s ass.


    Viv breathed out.


    They¡¯d done it.


    ***


    All that was left was the mop up. It took a while longer for the Nemeti to finish dying, after which Jaratalassi organized the official looting of them and their camp. The creatures kept little iron and shared a disinterest for wealth, but a camp that size was bound to have some good stuff, Viv hoped. She was unceremoniously dropped by Arthur and decided to help with the sick instead. The avatar¡¯s mana explosion had left thousands of men sick with mana poisoning and she was capable of pulling foreign mana out, though she couldn¡¯t use it for her own. That made her invaluable in saving the most critical patients.


    The Harrakans returned with pride but a somewhat frozen expression late in the evening, with Viv welcoming them at the gates. The Knights of the Blue Roses were part of the formation with the need for knightly unity over and offensive poetry back on the menu. Rollo and Ban shared in low voices that slaughtering the defenseless Nemeti had made them uncomfortable. Even as alien as they were, there was something fundamentally upsetting about slitting the throat of a defenseless creature. In a way, Viv was happy they had that much humanity left after the four days of hell they¡¯d been through. She used a brief lull between a victory dinner and the inevitable council to check her progress.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower +1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Always good. She was now at the middle of the fifth tier, something at the upper limit of human capabilities. It would help her last longer in a fight and get one step closer to the level of Elunath at his strongest. Only hopefully without the hubris.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity reflex: Intermediate 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That reaction speed had allowed her to stop the deadliest projectiles. Many of her skills were on the verge of the expert level. That was how she got the draconic intimidation skill so she had high hopes.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Intermediate 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Speaking of.


    And that was it. Not much for stopping this sort of threat, she thought, but the second of four aspects was a powerful game changer and, if she had to be honest, she lacked the foundation to progress much farther. It was always the same here. Practice, prepare, then reap the benefits. She was already very lucky, no need to push it. Even the aspect thing felt very timely. She suspected this brave old Nous had tilted the balance in her favor, helping her along so she could rise up to the occasion. The Nemeti were not exactly conducive to the development of civilization in Param, after all.


    So, that confirmed it, there were other gods. Probably a great many. She wondered if pantheons interacted with each other in that city of theirs. She wondered if they warred.


    Perhaps there was a dragon god. She might ask Arthur but¡­ maybe she wouldn¡¯t like the answer.


    ¡°My love! Food!¡± Sidjin called.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    ***


    By the time the closing meeting happened, troops were already departing the field on their way back home, even at night. Most others were celebrating a hard day, or hard days, of battle. The mood was festive and a little bewildered, as if they didn¡¯t believe it had come to a close so soon. Inside of the command tent, the general mood was utter relief. Viv also realized that things have changed because, for once in her damn life since coming on that hellhole of a planet, people were happy to see her.


    ¡°Your Ladyship!¡±


    ¡°Capital work.¡±


    ¡°A brilliant display.¡±


    ¡°Is it true that the dragon is your adopted daughter? Your daughter? How did you manage such a feat?¡±


    Viv, unwilling to admit that the road to power was paved with scritches and interest rate policy lessons, simply welcomed the compliments with a warm smile. There were handshakes, bows, and nods all around although Viv didn¡¯t bow since she was the boss thank you very much. After that, the generals had a short meeting where it was agreed the strategy had worked exactly as intended until the whole god summoning fuckery, and it was time for booze and canapes.


    ¡°Solfis, please make a note that we need an Imperial Chef. It¡¯s time to recruit.¡±


    //Such fleshbag considerations are beneath me.


    ¡°You¡¯re a dear.¡±


    //Just get Brick her flag.


    Viv mingled along with Sidjin. Even Solfis slinked out to talk to a spy at some point. The people she met would be an excellent point of contact for the next battlefield, and that one would be social. King Sangor was not the most pleased but he accepted her condolences graciously, at least.


    ¡°Sorry, you lost a great man here.¡±


    ¡°His sacrifice honors Enoria and the Nyil. The best expression of gratitude will be to make sure Green Edge flourishes again. His domain will become a new center for expeditions in the Deadshield Woods within the next two years. I will personally make sure it is so.¡±


    ¡°Great. Good luck.¡±


    Seeing that the big man was free, Viv ambled towards him.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to conquer the continent in a tide of steel and sorcery?¡± Jaratalassi asked her as he filled his pipe.


    ¡°Not my style, and besides, we¡¯re still very small.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    He seemed disappointed.


    ¡°You reckon the alliance will acknowledge me as a sovereign nation yet?¡±


    ¡°While it seems they have no choice but to do so, the terms you can get will vary depending on how you leverage your assets. Baran is firmly on your side at least. The king knows the value of superior logistics. So long as you retain a monopoly, you will also retain his full backing.¡±


    ¡°Also because he can piss Sangor off.¡±


    Jaratalassi lit the pipe.


    ¡°Welcome to my world.¡±


    After another hour or so, Viv excused herself before someone else subtly inquired about marriage options. The Harrakan camp was now in drinking mode and she roved from group to group, congratulating people then fucking off before things got awkward. She only remembered her poor temple guard and the plagued people later and felt sorry for it. A brisk walk to their camp confirmed they had received all the supplies they needed, at least.


    ¡°Everyone brought extra so we had quite a few boxes donated,¡± an exhausted priestess of Enttiku told her.


    ¡°Oh, good.¡±


    ¡°You intend to bring them back to your lands, do you not? They seem to hope for it. Fervently so.¡±


    ¡°Probably. Not like they are welcome anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and they seem rather, ah, motivated.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    The priestess focused very intently on her sleeve.


    Viv stalked into the camp and past a sleepy Lorn holding a small piece of paper with ¡®I give up¡¯ written on it. Panic rose in Viv¡¯s throat. The prisoners were singing in low voices near the center of the camp. When she approached, delirious eyes zeroed on her with laser focus. The fuckers had somehow knitted a big banner and on it they had sewn the semblances a very dead fleshy humanoid, a very dead spider, a very dead man in armor, and a very dead Notzilla.


    ¡°It¡¯s her! The Godbreaker!¡±


    ¡°What did I fucking tell you?¡±

 Chapter 162: Roaring Harrak

    ¡°So, tell me, what have you learned?¡± the king asked.


    His spymaster picked his notes. The old fox didn¡¯t need them as his memory was pretty much perfect, but old habits were a safe house where the mind could more easily find its focus.


    ¡°To start with, the weak. Their cavalry consists of exiled nobles from various nations. Their equipment is subpar and they lack tradition, thus cohesion and meaning. As for now, we assess that they will remain a non-issue for the next two decades. The only compliment we can make is that they exist and train hard. Not every city-state can field heavy cavalry, after all.¡±


    ¡°I am well aware. Especially not one led by Lord Rollo, who was supposed to join the royal host, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, yes. That¡¯s where the good news stops. The crossbow troops are quite capable. We estimate that their paths and gear gives them unmatched penetration at their step. They are a danger to even heavily armored troops.¡±


    ¡°Like our own knights?¡±


    ¡°Even during a charge when our defenses are at their highest. My aides and I assess that the effect will only grow in power as their best soldiers take more steps along their path. We are not quite sure how they will compare to experienced archers down the line but we are certain they will pose a greater threat to elites.¡±


    ¡°The infantry?¡±


    ¡°Best on the continent.¡±


    The king lifted a brow but the spy master merely gave an apologetic shrug.


    ¡°It is the truth. They have the best training and some of the best gear outside of royal guards that could possibly be achieved. No nation on Param would spend so much iron on a single soldier, except for New Harrak, and they have not proven avaricious even by imperial standards. Their performance during the battle was exemplary. We also have several confirmed occurrences of shield wall charges, a technique that was thought lost with the last legacy free companies. When I say they are the best on the continent, I mean it. No other regiment can compare. And there are almost a thousand of them.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. The casters?¡±


    ¡°If I may, Your Majesty¡­¡±


    The king gave assent and the spy master reached for a drawing. It was a detailed side view of one of those abominable constructs, this one a strange mix of elegance and brutality. The shield array showed an exquisite attention to detail while the front was a hellish maw of blades and spikes, ready to rend shield walls like a ravenous beast of metal.


    ¡°Those¡­ what do they call it?¡±


    ¡°Armored portable shield arrays sir, though the Harrakans use outlander speech, sometimes calling them ¡®tanks¡¯ and sometimes, ¡®blind¨¦s¡®.¡±


    The king rolled those words on his tongue. Savage languages used on worse things.


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°They may represent a step up in military doctrine for small, agile, elite formations. For any other armies, they would be thoroughly expensive and impractical. It only works because¡­¡±


    ¡°Of the quality of their individual soldiers, and the expertise of their engineers. You believe those should be considered pivotal.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And their fabrication remains shrouded in mystery. I recognize them as heavily modified yries drill machines. They use cores for energy. That version though¡­¡±


    The king held back a shiver.


    ¡°I thought the yries were peaceful and isolationist.¡±


    ¡°Not those. They seem to hold a grudge against Prince Lancer, may Enttiku rest his soul.¡±


    ¡°And it was enough to overturn centuries of peaceful isolationism?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes and no. Gossiping with the Harrakans revealed that the warring group is led by an individual named Lak-Tak, and that he, and I quote, ¡®doesn¡¯t hate humans but sure loves killing them¡¯. His tribe sees him as a lunatic. They fear and respect him in equal measure.¡±


    The king sighed with meaning. Once again, the spymaster held the powerful man¡¯s gaze with polite distance.


    ¡°So the witch found herself a murderous yries and put him in charge of those war machines?¡±


    ¡°It is only a matter of time before all their arrays double as a speeding battering ram and there are few men who would stand still with that abomination racing down a slope heading for them; Your Majesty, we must take this seriously. There is also the matter of tactics. Their square formation is not the best to cover space and they can be easily surrounded. However¡­¡±


    ¡°They do not have a clear weakness.¡±


    ¡°No. In this regard, surrounding them only means that all of their forces can engage at once. We also estimate that, provided the array is occupied by one of their archmages, they could withstand strategic spells.¡±


    ¡°You cannot be serious!¡±


    ¡°Head on. And the archmages would no doubt retaliate. Duke EIkart¡¯s mages report that almost none of the Nemeti¡¯s projectiles reached the shield untouched. They were all intercepted and dispersed. ¡±


    ¡°About those archmages¡­¡±


    ¡°Sidjin the Fallen Prince, a new Hallurian prodigy named Rakan of the Four Colors, and Elunath¡¯s most talented apprentice who men have come to call the Tide Weaver. They are just as dangerous as we were led to believe. Frustratingly so considering the little effort the witch had to make to rally them to her cause. Insolent luck. In any case, the slaying of Elunath was no fluke. Your Majesty, you have seen what they can do. You have seen the elemental witch fighting from the back of a dragon. Need I say more?¡±


    ¡°Indeed not. I know Sangor must have contemplated killing them, yet he has never made an attempt or Jaratalassi would have kept them apart. What can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°We know that the Harrakan military is bloated compared to their size. For now, they are little better than an average northern city-state in terms of wealth and population, however. What we did not expect was that as numerous as their warriors are, it is in, shall we say, specialists, that they have the highest numbers.¡±


    ¡°You mean the freaks?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this term poisons your judgment.¡±


    ¡°My mother died on their blades, or have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Must we have this discussion again?¡± the spymaster said with sadness.


    The two men sat in silence while the king mulled over old grudges. The spymaster knew his king put the kingdom before his own emotions. It was only a matter of time.


    ¡°Very well. The Hadals protect her.¡±


    ¡°Not just them. The Harrakan war golem never sleeps and never shuts down. Its sense can pierce through the thickest veil. She is also mostly immune to poison and diseases. All those factors together provide her with a level of protection that even the most powerful of rulers would struggle to equal. I cannot think of a feasible way to eliminate her with any degree of reliability. Militarily, they could be defeated but the cost¡­¡±


    ¡°Would be prohibitive. They made themselves too tough of a nut to crack for the benefits it would bring.¡±


    Silence returned to the luxurious tent while the king mulled things over.


    ¡°This situation is not unlike an abscess no one wants to pierce. Whoever does it will pay a heavy price and get no rewards, but if the situation is allowed to fester, we may see a return of the empire, and this time, its weaknesses will not be easy to manage anymore. Not with the teleportation system. Or the way so many various cultures seem to just¡­ accept her rule. Somehow.¡±


    ¡°There is much that could still go wrong. As you said, the witch has united many groups under a single banner, and the peace is only kept by her presence. It would take little for the whole edifice to collapse.¡±


    ¡°You told me many times not to rely on the failure of others for my own success.¡±


    ¡°Some of those difficulties could be¡­ induced. It would be difficult, considering she has the support of Lady Azar.¡±


    ¡°She could be removed.¡±


    ¡°She is an old fox with connections who has survived the Baranese court for decades. Underestimating her or the people who surround her would be foolish.¡±


    ¡°I am sensing a pattern, old friend.¡±


    ¡°And you are correct. I would rather shove my hand in a crimson anthill than send an assassin to Kazar. For now, I believe they should be left to develop because the price of interference would be prohibitive. Besides, Harrak is a thorn in Enoria¡¯s side more than in ours. Better to leave them to grow until their power structure becomes more complex with the inevitable weaknesses it brings. Sovereigns rely on their ruling class, and nobles are always hungry for more. Cracks will appear and when the time comes to widen those cracks, we will have the tools to do so. I will make sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Good, because in a hundred years¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The spymaster unfolded a map on the table between them. It showed Halluria, now with considerably more detail than there used to be even a year before.


    ¡°Concerning your other questions, I have talked to the others. We are not certain the project is feasible.¡±


    ¡°A fortified city in Halluria would be much easier to defend than half a continent of borders.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, the Northerners disagree. Jaratalassi says that lifting a siege on a city inside of Halluria would be excessively difficult. The risk of early strikes by surviving Hallurians warriors is¡­ non negligible as well, should we send troops now. All for a land we have all seen as inhospitable for centuries. We would be hard-pressed to even find volunteers willing to be posted there. I fear Halluria might remain hallurian for the time being.¡±


    ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to expand¡­¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, sire. Our people simply do not wish to expand into that hellhole.¡±


    ¡°We are landlocked. This is the only direction open to us. My ancestors and I have been defending our borders for as long as our history has lasted. With Enoria on the rise, this is our best chance.¡±


    ¡°I would suggest outposts then. I believe Hallurian civilians might be more receptive to offers of alliance now that most of their warriors have perished. I have contacts among the exiles. We could arrange something alone, carefully.¡±


    ¡°If this is the best we can achieve, you have my approval.¡±


    ***


    Viv leaned towards her army¡¯s first defection. Jaratalassi stood at a distance, hands worrying a wide-brimmed hat. Viv had never seen it before. It was a nice hat. Very stylish.


    ¡°If you are certain¡­¡± she finally said.


    The gray-haired Bitter Heart wilted under her gaze. She was red as a lobster, to the point that one of her friends spontaneously came to pat her hand.


    ¡°Yes¡­ He¡¯s a very nice man,¡± the crossbow woman squeaked.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Then you have my blessing. I officially release you from my service and wish you the best luck in, ah, matrimony?¡±


    ¡°Courting first!¡± her friend said.


    ¡°Well, yes. Fine. And if the old steel trap doesn¡¯t behave¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no problem!¡± her friend said. ¡°We already threatened him.¡±


    ¡°Good. Well, good luck then.¡±


    Viv stood, announcing the end of the meeting. She still managed to corner Jaratalassi before he could give her the slip.


    ¡°Stop poaching my soldiers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the one, Viviane. I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better or the next Harrakan to grace your bed will be Solfis.¡±


    ***


    Harrak had lost almost fifty people in a single campaign, with many more wounded. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about it. The early battles had been difficult but she felt she¡¯d done her best. Some things could have gone better, like the ammunition situation. Some others were, well, they¡¯d gone amazingly well. In theory, most losses happened during a rout, or from diseases, at least in medieval armies so¡­ everything seemed consistent.


    A part of her whispered it was her fault, that they¡¯d followed her to their death. There had been screams in the wounded tents. The more rational part reminded her she could only try her best and keep going, or find someone better. Problem was, Param was fresh out of outlander archmages with a basic understanding of politics and propaganda.


    //The convoy is ready, Your Majesty.


    //Let us head home.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The local armies were filing out of the valley in good order. As one of the smaller groups and the more easily mobilized, Harrak was ahead of the larger troops. The portal was working non stop to transport soldiers away but it was only so wide. She used the opportunity to look back from her spot at the front of the column among her knights, towards the regiments standing between supply carts and yries war machines. Spirits seemed high, perhaps because of the bonus pay that came with more loot. Viv thought they were just jaded, too used to constant death. For Paramese standards, things were fine.


    A memory came to her, unbidden. It was the mountain of burning corpses left in the trail of the loyalist army after they¡¯d turned west. That was the norm. She was still soft compared to the locals. She didn¡¯t think it would ever change.


    And then there were the Kark and the maniacs at the end. Harrak was the only nation that returned from the war with more people than what it had started with. Her new minions whispered excitedly among themselves in all their strange variety of skin color and faces.


    ¡°You think we should learn their languages?¡± Viv asked the golem as they slowly moved forward.


    //I believe it will be required sooner or later.


    //I also have plans for a new¡­ military unit.


    ¡°You think the Nemeti will return?¡±


    //They will, but not in the same way.


    //I¡¯ve discussed it with your daughter.


    //Our opinions align.


    ¡°You guys have discussions on the nature of fate magic?¡±


    //Yes.


    ¡°Without me?¡±


    //As shocking as the concept might be, Your Majesty,


    //We are fully independent entities capable of engaging in valuable exchanges of information without your input.


    ¡°Yeah yeah, okay. So what was it about them returning?¡±


    //Just as when the Nemeti start winning, they become unstoppable,


    //If they do lose as decisively as they have here, the precedent it sets will actually hurt them.


    ¡°So they can¡¯t do another land assault.¡±


    //Or they would do it at a massive disadvantage.


    ¡°So they might attack by sea next time? Would that work?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Which is a massive problem.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will happen for a while. We can always resurrect the Harrakan fleet.¡±


    Solfis remained silent for a disturbingly long amount of time.


    ¡°What?¡±


    //My programming makes it difficult to criticize Harrak.


    ¡°So the empire had a shit fleet?¡±


    //The glorious empire achieved many victories.


    //Such as in Traeste, off the coast of Bokore, or at Centi.


    ¡°Against rebels?¡±


    //Well.


    ¡°Against rebels, Solfis?¡±


    //Yes. Also yes. And pirates.


    ¡°Huh. And, errr, who are the best sailors around?¡±


    //With the fall of the shadowlands, much of the northern cities have lost their naval military traditions.


    //Right now, Vizim is the dominant sea power.


    //According to the reports I have read.


    ¡°And Harrak, historically¡­¡±


    //Has struggled to catch up.


    //It did not help that, compared to you, the old rulers tended to be less, shall we say¡­


    ¡°Receptive of other cultures?¡±


    //This statement is correct.


    //Your flexibility gives me hope for the development of our future naval power.


    ¡°Not for a long time.¡±


    //You need to adopt a time frame that matches your life expectancy, Your Majesty.


    //Consider the naval issue now, and seed it in decades for results a century from now.


    ¡°I mean, with my perfect memory, I bet I could recreate ¡®frigates¡¯. Galleons at the very least. With cannons. We¡¯ll have cannons by then. Hey, why are you so close?¡±


    //Tell me more about those ¡®galleons¡¯ with ¡®cannons¡¯.


    ¡°We don¡¯t even have a proper industry yet.¡±


    //Tell me more about industry.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Haaaaalt!¡±


    Despite Viv¡¯s enhanced mind, it took her a solid second to lift her fist and force the two thousand strong Harrakan column to a ponderous stop. The man who¡¯d caused this incident was a pudgy guard in a clean tabard bearing the colors of Duke Ediar of Reixa, whose city stood in the background and whose land they were on.


    Viv glared into the depths of the guard¡¯s porcine gaze, finding no signs of intelligence there.


    ¡°You lots gotsa pay the toll. Everybody pays the toll. No exceptions.¡±


    He checked the column as it was stuck in the portal.


    ¡°Not even for noble folks, beg your pardon. Everybody pays the toll.¡±


    Viv felt a sense of disbelief an amazement at this man so dedicated to the cause he felt comfortable standing in front of armored knights escorting a woman with eyes like a ring of emerald over the void between stars (ok that was a little melodramatic) and light-absorbing gashes in the fabric of reality emerging from her shoulder blades. He was really there, standing his ground.


    And now Viv was facing a conundrum, a really uncomfortable one.


    Because there were no arrangements in her contract that stated she could freely use the portals to move troops around. Even her trade caravans were not exempt of tolls since local nobles tended to see such exemptions as an unfair competitive advantage and that was toxic in the long run.


    It was kind of dickish to force a toll on an army participating in an international effort to defend the continent. Viv had made her opinion clear on what dickish moves against her entailed, but here it was different. That guy was implementing the rules.


    If she flaunted the rules here through intimidation, she would prove that rules didn¡¯t apply to the sovereign, something that she¡¯d fought against this far. Justice as an overarching principle rather than a tool of control in the hand of the ruler was a pillar of modern society. If she wanted social progress, she had to make concessions despite her pettiness and tendency to get even.


    At the same time, this wasn¡¯t one of her citizens and although fairness was required within a society, she was also expected to be an asshole to ¡®others¡¯, the outside group. Foreigners. Her people expected it from her. They wouldn¡¯t understand if she just bent to a person who was socially her lesser by a huge margin.


    The pudgy guard was sweating abundantly by now, especially since Solfis had deployed behind Viv. Fortunately, her silence was serving her well because a form in the elaborate dress of a noble was sprinting towards her from a nearby booth. The man slowed to a brisk pace as soon as they were within earshot, several guards joining him without prompting. They didn¡¯t look hostile. In fact, they looked scared. The Enorian noble smoothed his beard and put on a pleasant smile as if he wasn¡¯t in plain sight of the entire vanguard. Appearances had to be maintained, Viv supposed.


    ¡°Your Majesty Viviane, such a pleasure to see you again so quickly! Words of your triumph have traveled to us with this morning¡¯s runner. Allow me to congratulate you on the alliance¡¯s victory at the Lizard Pass.¡±


    Renaming landmarks already?


    ¡°Considering the circumstances, we will happily waive any fee you might incur, haha. You can also avail yourself to the amenities of my lord¡¯s castle, if you wish. He has a standing invitation for visiting sovereigns.¡±


    Viv was loath to place herself above the law. Getting preferential treatment though? That was quite fine. A bit like being bumped to first class on a plane.


    She was kind of being a jerk but this was a jerk planet. When in Rome, throw Christians to the lions.


    ¡°I appreciate his offer, however I wish to return home quickly. Thank you for facilitating our passage.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing! The portals are yours, after all.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, our agreement doesn¡¯t cover armies. I will remember your gesture. Now, if you will excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Safe travels to you!¡±


    As the column moved on, Viv chuckled at the exchange between the guard and his boss.


    ¡°But you said no exceptions, boss!¡±


    ¡°With pissy nobles, not the elemental archmage who built the gods-cursed gates! Do you know what she does to those who disrespect her? Why am I surrounded by IDIOTS?¡±


    It was amazing how having a reputation for being a bitch helped, sometimes. She was the continent¡¯s Uber Karen or something. Treat me in a princely manner or I¡¯ll call for a manager and an orbital strike. Whatever. She knew with certainty that, as soon as she was back in Harrak, she would be taken down enough pegs anyway.


    Her dad was right, no one was a prophet in their own kingdom.


    ***


    ¡°Why is it that every time you go out, you return with an ever larger pack of mutts? Why do some of those people even have blue skin? Who the hell has blue skin?¡± Lady Azar muttered.


    ¡°They¡¯re from beyond the isthmus, past Halluria.¡±


    ¡°Those fuckers crossed two continents to become mushroom farmers?¡±


    ¡°Err, I think we have some new crops. Some sort of gourds?¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps knowingly ignoring the point? What am I saying? Of course, you are. Stop bringing new ethnic groups like they are lost kittens. Any more of them and we will officially have more races than are even present on Param. Are you doing a collection? Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Technically, we have Kark, northerners, and Wamiri is from Vizim.¡±


    ¡°Solar¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So. Yeah¡­¡±


    The old Baranese countess picked up her dainty tea cup and took a sip while Viv sat there feeling like a naughty student in front of the principal.


    ¡°They have requested to be kept together, your blue-skinned strangers from a faraway land. I have selected a village for them,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°They have been through a lot.¡±


    ¡°Most of them do not speak our language. I will have to dedicate one of our newly trained civil servants to the task.¡±


    ¡°You must have someone who is a linguist. This is the first time in recorded history we have contact with isthmus civilizations.¡±


    ¡°Not exactly true. Vizim keeps trade routes.¡±


    ¡°The first time in the history of the continent. Not even the Old Empire knew much about them. There is so much to learn, and some of it could be of interest to us. Magical theories, designs, tactics, methods. Think about it.¡±


    Lady Azar put her cup down. As a gesture of peace, Viv poured tea for the both of them. The older woman acknowledged the gesture with a smile of appreciation.


    ¡°You are quite right, though we have a problem. Too many ideas, not enough resources. We are reaching a sort of saturation despite the way our population has exploded so far. The flow of refugees is slowing down as well. Newcomers also need time to set up, build or complete their homes and sow their fields. By the way, your new Kark contingent has requested to live close to the mines. Their fascination with iron is singular.¡±


    ¡°Their land lacks it. They associate iron with power so I expect they will stockpile resources before they return north. Speaking of, how is the mine coming up?


    ¡°The first human-made ingots are ready for export or for use. Did you have something in mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I am not sure it fits Nyil and the logic of this world.¡±


    Azar sat back into her chair. It was nice to feel like you had someone¡¯s full attention, Viv thought.


    ¡°Kindly elaborate.¡±


    ¡°I want to introduce mass production. Mass production is a way to manufacture goods cheaply, quickly, and in large numbers using the specialization of the workforce, assembly lines, tools and standardization. It¡¯s, well, it would be really useful in making farming equipment cheaply available to everyone which is really important right now, because our production cannot meet the demand. The problem is the existence of paths. We risk turning people into machines who¡¯re only good at one thing.¡±


    ¡°By specialized workforce, you mean someone only does one thing again and again until it¡¯s perfectly done?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmm. It is not as uncommon as you think for apprentices.¡±


    Lady Azar contemplated the idea for a while.


    ¡°I believe we can make it work by employing young people.¡±


    ¡°Child labor?¡±


    ¡°No, young adults. Thirteen and above.¡±


    ¡°Aaaaah that makes me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°They would be compensated of course, but consider this. Humans choose their path thanks to the interface. Working for a couple of years in one of the¡­ what are they called?¡±


    ¡°Factories.¡±


    ¡°Yes, an appropriate term. Factories. Well, we can adopt your method to several industries, like coal production. I will set up teams and rotate them often so they do not get too bored. Contrary to what you seem to believe, repetitive activities have benefits. They help increase stats and acquire specific skills such as trances that prove very useful in pretty much every path. You have one yourself, do you not? I have seen you move with your golem.¡±


    ¡°I thought skill information was private?¡±


    Azar dismissed her concerns with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Asking for specifics is rude, stating the obvious is not. Your idea is of interest to me. And the¡­ machines as well. Paths are much more adaptive than you may believe. The interface loves progress. And we do need more hoes.¡±


    ¡°We always need more hoes,¡± Viv agreed. ¡°And shovels.¡±


    ¡°I am glad to see you keep in touch with our new nation¡¯s rural roots. Now, for the summit. You will attend, of course.¡±


    ¡°We leave in a month. The summit was delayed to allow the Paramese alliance to return home and rest.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. I will not accompany you for the sake of your own image, but I have instructions and files. Will you be doing anything else while you are here in New Harrak?¡±


    ¡°We only have a month and you are right, everyone is busy, especially with the harvest starting soon. I will focus on training the Kark and practicing new spells. Visit the new villages, maybe.¡±


    ¡°That would be good. As I said, I will need to prepare you for the summit. It would be best if you were not constantly running around picking fights with avatars. At least for a month.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that like I do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°It certainly seems to occur with concerning regularity.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I win.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°No, seriously. It¡¯s hard work, you know?¡±


    ***


    Viv decided, as her next order of business, to take a stroll. A stroll was the only way to gauge the mood of a city according to her dad, though he would visit on market day to do so. From baby kissing to thrown excrement, the reflected range of emotions gave the person in charge a good idea of what citizens thought. Viv left the town hall behind and walked over the clean pavement of Kazar¡¯s main square with Solfis in tow, a group of One Hundred tailing her. Most of the other soldiers were relaxing in preparation for tonight¡¯s banquet, except for the Mountain Sons who¡¯d left to see their families, but the One Hundred prided themselves on being hard asses. The mood seemed festive under the purple leaves of the great tree of Kazar with many revelers and only one hanged body. Viv was hailed and recognized by many people, though most kept their distances. The children seemed disappointed that Arthur had flown off to manage her bank. The first to stop her was a meatball seller who offered her a free wrap. He used her approbation which was kind of fair.


    ¡°Wraps approved by the empress! Get your empress-approved wrap here!¡±


    Smart lad.


    The next person actually hailed Solfis, something that would have been unthinkable two years before.


    ¡°My lord! Did you get new skulls?¡±


    //Yes, thank you for asking.


    ¡°Did you get the biggest one?¡±


    //Sadly no.


    //It evaporated.


    ¡°Aw, better luck next time, my lord. Stay safe!¡±


    //Oh, I will.


    Viv turned to the golem who had that fixed glare he had when processing a lot of data.


    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t have people asking about your hobbies back in the day.¡±


    //No.


    //Most interactions were closer to


    //¡±Oh gods please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    //Things of that nature.


    ¡°It¡¯s an improvement, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    //New Harrakans have no concept of what a golem is.


    //They treat me as a person.


    //A considerable improvement, yes.


    //It gives me hope for the future.


    //When we are more.


    ¡°When are we going back to Harrak?¡±


    //I believe next year should be perfect.


    //Unless we get embroiled in another war.


    //Keep in mind that I will no longer be able to accompany you on long expeditions.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think I can take care of myself better now.¡±


    //If you say so.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    A man parted the crowd. Viv¡¯s mind switched to serious mode when she noticed he was dragging a woman behind him, but she calmed down when she realized  the woman was more just embarrassed than actually being pulled along against her will. A shaky hand covered half of her face. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough to hide the mass of blotchy, uneven skin characteristic of a burn scar.


    ¡°Your majesty, please.¡±


    ¡°Speak your mind, citizen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s burnt.¡±


    ¡°Erel, please!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t think you can help her. I told her you also helped people who were, you know¡­¡±


    Courage and embarrassment warred in his features. He believed he was treading on thin ice.


    ¡°Defaced,¡± Viv finished. ¡°Let me see?¡±


    The woman was now a delicate shade of tulip, with more purple where the scar marred her features. It was a nasty one. Must have hurt a lot. Viv would have to remove the scar tissue but it didn¡¯t look too hard, especially because the other half of the face remained intact. It always made the surgery easier. The woman babbled under her scrutiny.


    ¡°Lord Tayne, my old lord he¡­ and his wife, she found out¡­ There was a lantern with pitch.¡±


    There were several scenarios that could fill the gaps of that summary and none of them should have led to defacing a rival.


    ¡°Your brother is right. I will set up a time with the temple, before we return to Sinur¡¯s Gate. I am certain you are not the only newcomer who came bearing wounds.¡±


    Viv left the grateful pair behind to enjoy an offering of mushroom skewers. The visit continued. People had requests, demands, observations, not everything was perfect under the sun but that was normal. What mattered was that they were doing better and they were not afraid to talk to Viv. People here led good lives, without fanfare but with smiles and street food shared with their friends and families. That was as good as it got, sometimes. She would take those victories wherever she could.

 Chapter 163: The City of Overpowered Manchildren

    Viv reclined in her throne, enjoying her latest invention. She called it: reverse shopping. Instead of going out to stores, they had the crafters line up in her throne room with products and stuff and she picked what she liked. The crafters got publicity, even if they were not selected, so they didn¡¯t mind the short wait. Newcomers were especially fond of the practice since they could introduce themselves to Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s richer denizens. It was ok to spend her money on pairs of shoes because she was the boss and she had a walk-in closet ¡ª ok it was a repurposed boudoir but still ¡ª and obviously the head honchette needed to have a wardrobe that suited her super important role as a leader for her people. How could one impress without nice moccasins? How, Viv asked? Right.


    Sadly, Sidjin categorically refused to join her for this exercise and even Solfis used the opportunity to run diagnostics. They refused to comment on her favorite picks! She needed a best friend of the female persuasion. Maybe Lana would accept.


    With a gesture, she added a pair of riding boots to her ¡®maybe¡¯ pile. The cobbler looked hopeful yet anxious. He was rather young.


    Viv sighed. She was doing this to distract herself from the upcoming summit of the Paramese Alliance, and also because her first attempt at mass production had failed.


    Spectacularly.


    Viv had accounted for boredom: teams were supposed to rotate between different tasks on a regular basis. She had accounted for the fact that 13-years old on Param were closer to 16 earth-side because the years lasted a longer time. It was a well-known and proven fact that such individuals were hormone-wracked, horny adults-in-training. Thus, the factories offered a decent pay, decent hours, and free birth control. She had even accounted for the remoteness of the job with regular convoys meant to pick up the finished product. What she had not accounted for was that almost nobody wanted to work in those ¡®factories¡¯ when there was fertile land freely available for grab, and no amount of incentives could change that.


    It wasn¡¯t that the factory jobs sucked. It was just that being a land-owner was a dream for most exiles coming here, and very little could compete with that. Good, safe land was an unattainable dream for those who were not born heirs. Viv was considering smaller plots for families to grow a vegetable garden, and the project interested those who wanted to get into metalworking but it wasn¡¯t enough to make much of a difference. Back on earth, rural exodus fed the industrial revolution. People worked in factories or starved, sometimes both. Here, people had a choice, one that was considerably more attractive. And they would have it for a long, long time. Not to say Harrak wouldn¡¯t have an industry but Viv would have to find another way to make it work.


    It was ok. She didn¡¯t have to succeed at everything all at once. Other projects were doing well. For example, Viv¡¯s opinion that some criminals ought to be given a second chance found an ardent defender in the person of Abenezigel. For a certain definition of person. Now, prisoners could work and be reinserted into society instead of being flogged! Progress, yay. It was better to have clean orphanages than welted buttocks, Viv claimed, and her citizens begrudgingly agreed that it was true. This was but one of the improvements for the budding nation. The most major one was perhaps the graduation of the first generation of Solfis-trained civil servants. As the city grew, the need for bureaucracy and justice grew with it. Viv wasn¡¯t sure how she could have managed without the well-organized secret army of planners and executors Solfis had enlightened to the wonders of red tape, just that it would have been a massive mess. She had to thank stats and pre-existing paths for saving her the hassle. The only minor problem was the cost. It turned out that competent administrators were rather expensive.


    //This is an inevitable fact of life.


    //Any person in a key position must be recognized appropriately.


    //It is foolish to foster discontent in servants you have trained and positioned for maximum effect.


    ¡°But three gold talents a month?¡±


    //It comes with a large workload and additional responsibilities.


    //They must swear an oath.


    //Additionally, the punishment for corruption for Harrakan civil servants is death.


    //No matter how benign the transgression.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    //This is standard practice.


    //With such conditions we must compensate them appropriately.


    //Or they will leave.


    ¡°I see your point. I assume their salary increases as time passes?¡±


    //Correct.


    ¡°I really hope the harvest goes well.¡±


    And the harvest did go well. Tremendously so, in fact. The new crops gave a great yield of black-mana infused vegetables of all sorts. Monster meat and cereals supplemented this bounty for both inner consumption and export. Viv allowed herself to relax during the annual celebration when platters full of food were systematically demolished for being both mana-rich and delicious. Not only did they repay the Manipeleso bank¡¯s loan but they also made a steady profit on taxes and tariffs from the trade with Enoria and beyond. It turned out that Baran really wanted foodstuffs that could be kept for a long time, especially in the south. Money came in and Harrakan goods became a normal sight in the markets of the large kingdoms. It was not yet a fortune because food wasn¡¯t that precious, but it was a good start.


    It was also something she didn¡¯t have to handle herself. It gave her time to train and prepare for the summit.


    Her magical training focused on the darkness aspect of black mana, the one she was the least experienced with. She felt that it would be very useful in Mornyr, where the summit would take place, and experimented with its effects. The coating spell made to protect her acted as a sort of cloak when infused with darkness, one that only worked when she was already in a dark spot, or at least in deep shadows. The effect was more interesting on spectators, however. By experimenting with various helpers, she realized that there was a ¡®mental¡¯ aspect to it, a sort of manipulation that made it easier for others to be distracted. She was not invisible so much as unnoticeable. It even worked on those who expected her or actively hunted for her, though never for long. It didn¡¯t allow her to slip past wards, however. A darkness shield achieved the same effect, only in a worse way.


    Coating only worked on the caster though, so she experimented with other spells. Direct attacks like Excalibur did little of note against rocks and trees. She requested beastling test subjects and was granted a few, and as far as she could tell, it only scared and confused them with no ill effects. The area-of-effect spells were more promising, however, especially her old ¡®blight¡¯ spell. Now obsolete, blight created a cloud in a single direction although she could also cast it around herself. Experiments showed that if cast in the sewers or at night, it seamlessly merged with the natural darkness around it to make those caught in its effect extremely distracted, almost catatonic. They also had no memory of having been affected at all. She tested it on heavies and even temple guards with the same effect. Unfortunately, it also affected her allies, with the exception of the hadals who judged the cloud as cozy and relaxing. Further experimentations proved she could tug people along if they were attached by a rope. It was a slow and awkward process, however. The dark blight was also completely useless in bright daylight. Not only did it disperse fast, consuming energy, but it also attracted the attention as large patches of dark smoke tended to do in a place where fires could destroy entire districts. Those were still her best spells.


    The other half of the preparation involved Lady Azar.


    Mornyr was one of the oldest and most stable cities in the continent. The city-state was neutral in all but the most heated conflicts and its leadership was picked from the churches of mankind¡¯s various faiths. It wasn¡¯t very large but it was ancient and filled with temples. The land under its control had remained small and consistent throughout history because no one thought three orchards were worth pissing off the gods¡¯ representatives on earth. Even the Harrakans had treated the place the same way one would treat the Vatican. It simply wasn¡¯t worth picking a fight with them. As such, Mornyr remained one of the most secure and peaceful places on the continent. Lady Azar made sure to explain this in detail during their first preparatory meeting. Said peace was enforced by a large lattice of wards fueled by divine mana, as well as the shield.


    ¡°What do you mean, a shield?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°An entire shield surrounds the city. It is said to be impenetrable. I have been informed that it is centered around a massive tower that dominates the city in the same way the Mountain of the Gods dominates Nyil.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought this was a myth.¡±


    ¡°No. The mountain exists, and so does Larrean, where the gods reside. For a certain definition of existence, I suppose, since nobody on the continent knows where it is. Regardless, you may consider Mornyr to be inviolable.¡±


    What followed was a long and tedious lesson on how the city worked, who was important, what was the hierarchy of different organizations and a brief history of the most recent scandals. Viv¡¯s favorite was the one where one of Sardanal¡¯s bishops organized a wild orgy in his superior¡¯s office.


    ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve never been there,¡± Viv observed.


    ¡°Because I have not. The Paramese alliance is one of might. Very few women end up in positions of military leadership on Param, so my presence has never been relevant, to my despair as such gatherings present unique opportunities to create bonds of alliance and friendship. I have to ask, what is your purpose in going there?¡±


    Viv sighed. This was yet another test, or rather, another opportunity for learning.


    ¡°My goal is to solidify the image of reliability and efficacy we¡¯ve forged during the war against the Empire of Dawn. We need to transition from ¡®upstart revolutionary town¡¯ to ¡®budding kingdom¡¯ in the minds of the other rulers. I am also counting on potential business interests considering our portal technology and the reduced cost that comes with deserted forts.¡±


    Lady Azar nodded.


    ¡°So far, the ring of forts guarding the deadlands is still inhabited. Do you believe the alliance will desert them?¡±


    ¡°If they do not, I will suggest it¡­ against compensation of course. With the Hallurian threat diminished for decades and the deadlands under strict surveillance, the alliance can focus on the last great danger to civilization right now.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Haha. No. The beastling tide at the Glastian wall.¡±


    ¡°A good observation. I see you have given the negotiations some thought. What do you intend to ask in return?¡±


    ¡°With my plan for mass production on hold, the only way for us to grow quickly is to attract people, so I will request free passage for immigrants to Harrak, including in the use of potential portals. You did say the flow of refugees slowed down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, not a bad idea considering many nations intend to offload their poor. It will not work on some of the northern city-states, considering they are at war.¡±


    ¡°We have no chance of getting immigration from either Glastia, Helock, or the Pure League. We can consider them as hostile.¡±


    ¡°Why would the Pure League be hostile?¡±


    ¡°We are harboring and training Kark members of a tribe they are attempting to exterminate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, that.¡±


    ¡°And they kill hadals on sight. We cannot be friends.¡±


    ¡°I see. I can advise you on whom to approach. There is only one thing...¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Viviane, I am an old woman with an advanced path in politics. I have placed my daughter upon the throne and I have led my duchy to greatness.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Is it flexing time?¡±


    ¡°What I mean to say is that I know you are hiding something. I would know what it is.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Because you will not be able to deny knowledge of that plan.¡±


    ¡°Viviane, it is far too late for me to detach myself from your cause. Speak.¡±


    ¡°King Sangor offered an alliance if I free his son and heir from the custody of the Church of Maranor, in Mornyr.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Ah. And you intend to free him¡­ how? Negotiate for his release?¡±


    Viv looked at Azar like she was a complete moron, making the older woman bristle.


    ¡°That was a rhetorical question. Oh, alright, it was a question born of hope. You intend to commit violence.¡±


    ¡°No no no it¡¯s supposed to stay as covert as possible.¡±


    ¡°Violence.¡±


    ¡°Quite, contained, limited violence. Yes, I can do that. Yes, I have done that before.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Ugh. I suppose we need to decide who will escort you then. Not me, my presence is required here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Solfis, Zero Five, Sidjin, and an escort of knights and heavies.¡±


    Lady Azar nodded.


    ¡°I will select some of my assistants to accompany you, or you will be sending the wrong sort of message. One last thing. Do not get caught.¡±


    ¡°Oh they will know it was me, eventually, but I hope to be gone by then.¡±


    ***


    The fateful day of departure came and Viv led a small convoy through the portals and back to Enoria. Rollo selected six knights as an escort, leaving his lover and second in command behind. Ban picked twenty of his best One Hundreds including the now famous Brick, official standard bearer of New Harrak. It was a much smaller escort than what larger nations would bring and it matched her nation¡¯s current size pretty well. The only change of plan came with Zero Five¡¯s refusal to come on account of it being a peaceful mission, and the axe wielder was here to infiltrate and chop people up. The good news was that he would be replaced by Irao himself. The first hadal was aware of Viv¡¯s plan to break out Sangor¡¯s son and thought it was a fun and challenging way to conduct a heist since the prize was alive and meant to stay that way. It was new and exciting from his jaded perspective.


    He and Solfis were spending entirely too much time making plans. It made Viv a little uncomfortable.


    The convoy left without fanfare though it was received with one. In order to avoid too much impromptu bullshit, Viv had left the planning in the capable hands of the Manipeleso bank of exchange, its members much more polite now that Viv had both made them a tidy profit and threatened to switch all of her assets over to a certain dragon-run institution. With them in charge, the Harrakans went through every portal with smooth efficiency. It was such a seamless experience that Viv found herself appreciating her surroundings.


    The first time Viv went through Enoria, she found a war-torn collection of isolated, fortified villages. Now, gates stood open, traffic flowed, and there were more smiles than scars on the faces of its denizens. Builders erected new edifices everywhere and, generally, the number of armed soldiers was just lower. Viv found herself appreciating the surroundings even as her guards remained grim. People were the same everywhere. Seeing them do better was just a little heartwarming, even if Enoria was still technically a rival nation. She even allowed the Duke of Reixa to hold her back for an afternoon tea at the edge of a pond. Late summer turned the land golden and a little burnt, like a child who played in the sun for too long. The air was heavy with the smell of sap and dust. It made her a little nostalgic.


    It only took a day for Viv to reach the end of the portal network, thanks to priority transit. They stopped at a medium-sized town on a long river marking the natural border between Enoria and Baran to the east. The river went straight north. In traditional fashion, Enorians and Baranese categorically refused to agree on its name. The Manipeleso Bank and Exchange had contracted two river ships to carry Viv, her horses, and her retinue across the continent. This would be the longest part of the trip and Viv was actually hoping there would be pirates so she could have a little roast off with Sidjin just like old times.


    ¡°I do not like pirates,¡± Sidjin confessed.


    ¡°What? Why! It¡¯s fun!¡±


    ¡°I prefer monsters since they¡¯re edible.¡±


    ¡°You know what, that''s an excellent take. Maybe we could lure one.¡±


    She sighed.


    ¡°I wish Arthur were here but¡­ she¡¯s her own girl now, with her own life and dreams.¡±


    Sidjin patted her shoulder with sympathy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she will make you proud.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s honestly the least of my worries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t engage in mass destruction without clearing it out with you first.¡±


    ¡°Thank you darling, you always know just what to say.¡±


    Despite Viv¡¯s hopes, for once, nothing bothered them for a while. The two fat-bottomed ships just sailed their merry way with Ban occasionally glaring at the green shores as if daring them to attempt something. Fresh air warded off the worst of the heat and Viv used her awesome powers to hover around to harvest berries and ripe fruits, under the amused gaze of her lover.


    ¡°Enough mana to enchant a wall and you use it to get five fruits.¡±


    ¡°Imperial fruits.¡±


    ¡°And two nuts.¡±


    ¡°Imperial nuts. I may consent to sharing one with you, minion. If you ask nicely.¡±


    ¡°Can we get some Imperial fish as well?¡±


    ¡°No. They taste like mud.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an Imperial lie.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, no Imperial snack for you.¡±


    But Sidjin had a few tricks up his sleeves and he stole the snack in the end.


    ***


    Viv¡¯s mood remained high for a couple of days. For once, she had no immediate threat to worry about since she was protected by both Irao and Solfis. She couldn¡¯t further plan the extraction without learning more, and for the rest, everything was prepared as well as it could be. She was left with little to do besides enjoying the moment. It was the first holiday she¡¯d taken since meeting Sidjin. Truly, boats protected her. A little dose of reality returned when the convoy came across the burnt out husk of a town.


    It would have been a good-sized stop on their trip if anything remained at all, but now it was completely destroyed. The sailors fell silent when they passed by, with a few making protective signs. The captain came to stand by her side.


    ¡°Ered, nice fishing town with plenty of marsh food. It was hit the hardest during the civil war, just before Tarano¡¯s doomed march. This used to be a city of three thousand souls but the rebels put the houses to the torch and the people to the sword.¡±


    Sangor¡¯s men did this. Perhaps he¡¯d given the order. That was¡­ a chilling reminder that the rules of war didn¡¯t exist here. Oh, sure, Viv used biological weapons and dubious tactics, but she didn¡¯t exterminate civilians. She had standards.


    The damper on her mood continued over the next several hours, with every collapsed farm and torched fishing cabin. There were no bodies left. Viv hoped most of them had been given the last rites but she knew the truth. A fresh batch of revenants was on its way to the deadlands. Two days later, they came across their first signs of human activity.


    ¡°They are building a fortress there?¡±


    From flat and marshy, the land had grown more mountainous with deep forests defying the grasp of the dry season. A mountain range rose to the left, its peaks still white. The single pass now hosted a fortress crawling with activity, though they were so far Viv had to use a lens spell to spot anything.


    ¡°This leads to Regnos,¡± the ship captain told her. ¡°Jewel of Enoria, great iron deposits but¡­¡±


    ¡°The battles?¡±


    He nodded somberly.


    ¡°Yes. Place is cursed. Even some of the undead are staying and it¡¯s crawling with aberrants. Lots of bad blood spilled with much hatred. Tends to make a lot of them. Place is wrecked anyway so ¡®King Sangor¡¯ decided it wasn¡¯t a priority. Guess we won¡¯t need much iron in the near future.¡±


    The captain spat over the railings. His tone clearly expressed what he thought of the civil war¡¯s winner. Viv could hardly blame him. The two sides had fought viciously and it would take decades for the wounds to close.


    ¡°Whole valley¡¯s been evacuated. Now they¡¯re closing the gate and throwing away the key.¡±


    Viv shrugged. Aberrants were not just dangerous, they resisted magic and could survive vast amounts of punishment. It would necessarily lead to casualties, ones Enoria could not afford. Aberrants were also stupid and lacked drive so it might be safe to just contain them. Maybe Viv should sell her services if she and Sangor ever ended up as allies. Something about leaving aberrants roaming just felt wrong to her.


    The ships continued north for another few days. Nature grew more arid around them while people returned. They sailed past orchards of golden fruits the Enorians used to make sweet wine and Viv was really looking for her next stop. It would be the end of the river trip. After that, the convoy would follow roads towards their destination, only crossing the Shal river on the way. While the sailors offloaded the ship, she led her people towards the large inn where they would spend the night. She was really looking forward to it after a week of travel food. The Harrakans crossed the town under the petrified gaze of civilians, stopping only when a pudgy Enorian wearing an apron rushed out to meet them.


    ¡°Milady, forgive me, it¡¯s¡­. it¡¯s young master Ezus, the baron¡¯s son. He and his¡­ friends¡­ they took over your quarters!¡±


    Viv froze in her steps. Even with withholding her aura, the innkeeper withered under her glare.


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ he came and declared precedence. My lady, they had weapons¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well, innkeeper. Lead me to MY quarters.¡±


    ¡°Immediately.¡±


    Viv expected the man to fear what must have been a local noble until she picked his vindictive smile. Whoever that Ezus man was, he must have pissed him off something fierce. As expected, the bank had rented a nice place, cozy, clean, and tastefully decorated with locally made statues and vases. A flute let out a merry jig that died off the moment Ban and Brick stomped their way through the common room in full battle gear. Members of The One Hundred were almost never seen outside of their armor.


    Viv heard raucous laughter at the end of the next corridor. The innkeeper stopped near the entrance.


    ¡°We¡¯ll handle it from here,¡± Viv said. ¡°Ban, if you would?¡±


    ¡°As you will.¡±


    The old bugger tried the door which was locked, an issue promptly solved by the vigorous application of an armored boot. A part of Viv thought ¡®well there goes the caution¡¯ but she had to admit Ban had style. He trampled his way in before standing to the side.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A voice said, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Brick followed her boss in. More heavies filed in, then Viv.


    ¡°...a private¡­¡±


    Viv gasped.


    The first room of the Harrakan private quarters could host at least forty guests around a massive central table. Others lined the wall, loaded with fruits, biscuits, cold cuts, and slices of cheese. Bottles of juice and fresh water waited by hearty clay mugs decorated with flowers. A veritable banquet awaited the guests and that was just the entrance: pickled vegetables, mashed tubers, pates and sausages fought with fresh bread arranged around lumps of yellow butter. A dozen absolute assholes splayed among the chairs, having liberally trounced their ways through several dishes in the most disruptive manner imaginable.


    Behind her, Rollo and his knights finished deploying so the little shits were surrounded and outnumbered. Sidjin came to stand by her side, staff plain in evidence.


    ¡°...event,¡± a voice squeaked.


    But Viv could no longer listen, even as Solfis slithered in with a snarled chuckle. This was no laughing matter, oh no, this was a crime. Against good taste.


    The inn had made a favorite dessert, a sweet tart made of fresh permonn fruit. Whoever baked it had cut the small yellow fruits in half, then positioned them in an elegant spiral for optimal gustative and visual experience and some cunt had torn ¡ª TORN ¡ª a quarter away as if it were some post-binge margherita pizza.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Her bottle of sweet wine was empty, a quarter of its content spilled over stained napkins.


    ¡°OH!¡±


    Viv¡¯s aura exploded. She didn¡¯t care about the screams in the common room or the suddenly darker air. Pressure smashed into the whimpering shitstains like an avalanche. Her anchors swallowed the light.


    ¡°You disgusting, pathetic, cockless wastes of offals, you insufferable mannerless little fuckwits. How could you drag your flea-ridden hides to MY LAIR and eat MY PRIZE with such wanton disrespect you abominable moonblood-licking beastling spawns. Your mothers would have thrown themselves off the balcony if they knew they¡¯d see you revolting aberrant anal prolapses crawl out of their taints. I was going to go easy on you and throw you out on your asses but now you¡¯ve done it. Ooooh you¡¯ve done it.¡±


    She turned to Rollo and Ban, both matching her for incandescent outrage.


    ¡°Make our guests comfortable,¡± she told her people.


    Viv turned away while both heavies and knights fell on the hapless idiots. The meaty sound of gauntlets impacting flesh soothed some of her anger. In the common room, a gaggle of people had gathered, including most of her support staff. The innkeeper looked distinctly uncomfortable though he recovered quickly.


    ¡°Do you have a switch? A cane would work as well.¡±


    ¡°We have a whip. For cornudons.¡±


    ¡°That will do nicely. Fetch it for me please.¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear guest. And, hmmm, the roast is about ready. We can bring the main course at your convenience.¡±


    ¡°Give me, hmm, half an hour. And another bottle of that fine wine?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ they ate some of the tart.¡±


    ¡°Goodmother Leni will bake another one, ma¡¯am. Permonns are in season.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    Two minutes later, Viv had received not just the whip but also five freshly cut switches, two canes, a paddle, an enchanted cattle prod, an old sandal and a pair of cudgels (only slightly bloodstained). She was under the impression dear Ezus was not really appreciated. She decided to pick a switch and distributed the rest among her folks. For some reason, the knights snickered when Rollo picked the whip. She was absolutely certain she didn¡¯t want to know why.


    That left the naked and bruised gaggle of idiots whimpering before her.


    ¡°Right, where were we?¡±


    ¡°My love?¡± Sidjin said with some disapproval.


    Viv frowned. Curse decorum. Those twats had it coming.


    ¡°No need for a vulgar piece of wood. I have a spell for that.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ***


    Baron Ezus the Elder stood before the Riverside Inn alongside a retinue of his best warriors in an attempt to save the life of his idiot son.


    This time, he¡¯d decided to offend the ¡®Great Black Whore¡¯, though no one had dared call her that in a long while.


    It was a disaster. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t one he could ignore. A bang on the door revealed Old Zev, the innkeeper, who bowed low. He wore the neutral expression of one attempting not to betray any emotions.


    ¡°Mylord. Welcome to my abode.¡±


    ¡°Where is my son?¡±


    ¡°Ah, he¡­¡±


    //I will take it from here.


    A nightmarish frame of bones and malevolence emerged from the building like a spider from its cave. Ezus¡¯ analysis skill activated before he could think. His instincts were screaming at him that even to a blade expert such as himself, the creature was excessively dangerous.


    [HKX-013 Strike Golem, designation: Solfis. Danger level: You may not.]


    That¡­ had never happened before.


    ¡°I am here for my son.¡±


    //Your child is currently enjoying our hospitality.


    //We will release him into your care¡­ shortly.


    The voice was a snarl, a mocking one, the taunt clear despite a total lack of facial expressions.


    ¡°I am the ruling lord here.¡±


    //Are you?


    The golem lowered its head until their eyes were level. It took quite some time.


    //Are you really the meatbag in control right now?


    Silence was the answer.


    //My mistress will give him back after she is done with them.


    //Be grateful that we are showing mercy for this audacious transgression.


    //My previous owners would have been¡­ significantly more thorough.


    The promise of an exemplary death hung between them. The golem slunk back in, and Baron Ezus decided it might be better to wait.


    ***


    In the pink light of dawn, the cobbled street led past a last bend of the road and gave a perfect vantage point to watch the sun rise over the continent¡¯s oldest surviving city. Tall white walls protected an architectural mess where everything was allowed so long as it honored the gods. The extravagant spires of Old Enoria rivaled with the north¡¯s golden cupolas, Baranese palaces and even, yes, Viv took a closer look.


    A ziggurat.


    ¡°The Old Empire still lives here.¡±


    //No.


    //But we do.


    Guarding over the many temples and complexes, a tower of immense proportion stood in the center of the circle. It was different than the rest, more elaborate, and even at that distance Viv could feel the colorful sheen of divine mana. It was the shield array of the current Pantheon, and it had guarded the place since time immemorial.


    //This should be interesting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not make it too interesting. I don¡¯t want to be banned from every northern city I visit.¡±


    //I was thinking we could make it a contest.

 Chapter 164: Councils

    Mornyr made Viv nostalgic of Europe. It was, perhaps, the closest equivalent of a tourist spot Param had both in the variety of its people and the extravagance of its constructions. It was not lived in, or developed, but rather frozen in time by common agreement between its people to serve as a beacon of peace and unity. The Harrakan convoy walked the busy road leading to the main gate unimpeded, then they joined the ¡®priority queue¡¯, the one that crossed the main opening towards the Grand Avenue rather than the more humble lower streets. The perfume of oil and fruit wafted over the many carriages come to carry their wares, and more than a few commoners bowed at her passage.


    Guards in the uniforms of various faiths welcomed the members of the alliance. The Harrakans arrived just in time to see the end of a northerner delegation make their way in before they were greeted in turn. The person who walked to Viv was a smooth priest with curly hair dyed golden at the ends which gave him an angelic aura. Unfortunately, he was a priest of Maranor, yet despite Viv¡¯s misgivings, he didn¡¯t seem fazed by her presence.


    ¡°Welcome, Viviane, Empress of Harrak.¡±


    She gave him a surprised smile. Although this was her official title, few wanted to call her that, if only because two thirds of Param still remembered when their nations had to bend the knee to someone bearing that title.


    ¡°We always call sovereigns by their chosen name. Welcome to Mornyr, Your Majesty. Your manor has been prepared. Ser Berol will guide you there. Please enjoy the summit.¡±


    The Harrakans walked on in perfect order past low buildings of gray, pink, and white stone. The Grand Avenue was home to offices of some of the greatest guilds of the continent. Merchant families and banks fought for the limited number of houses fitting inside of the walls. Here, space was finite and at a premium yet the sheer wealth of the residents made every house a luxurious, cozy space. Sellers hawked their wares at inflated prices and Viv winced. They would be staying here for about ten days. Each nation was responsible for their own expenses, obviously, so the entire endeavor would cost her as much as two refurbished workshops but¡­ she needed those alliances. Fast.


    The convoy left the Grand Avenue shortly before the permanent embassies hosting the great nations. Solfis wistfully glanced at the ziggurat, Old Harrak¡¯s previous dwelling, now the house of the Mornyr¡¯s civil government. He looked for all of two seconds which was an eternity for him. Probably dreaming of invading the impenetrable city at the head of a massive host just so he could reclaim their real estate.


    The Harrakans moved through Sardanal¡¯s district, which was also the richest one. Here, lavish palaces and bazaars competed to see which could be the most lavish. Viv walked past a restaurant where animated model ships carried dishes to various tables on a small river, each table decorated with replicas of famous Paramese palaces. They even had bonsai to complete the whole experience. There, a merchant sold every spice known to man, including those of Vizim and what was left of the shadowlands far beyond the sea. A horse merchant sold mounts taken directly from a fairy tale¡¯s cover, so white and dazzling they were. Viv enjoyed the walk as Sidjin whispered in her ear.


    ¡°There is a bordello here that specializes in group events and theater plays. You can walk through three stories watching naked recreations of battles, only the actors spar with their¡ª¡±


    ¡°I got the idea, and uh, ok that sounds really interesting.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would appreciate the suggestion. I do not believe you mentioned having this back on earth?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Or at least not that I knew of, who knows with really rich folks. I want to ask, though, is this really wise in the City of the Gods?¡±


    ¡°Sardanal is the patron god of fertility. You know how babies are made, do you not darling?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha.¡±


    //That place you mentioned, with theater and three floors.


    //Is it in the north east quadrant of the district?


    ¡°It is! Have you been there before?¡±


    //No, Princeling.


    //I am not a herald of fertility.


    //But I have good news.


    Probably meant the place was connected to the sewers. Viv filed the knowledge for later. A fanfare band marked the spot where they would turn into the Little Court, the place where minor nations with no permanent dwellings were hosted. Their guide Ser Beral led them to a stern stone construction of ancient design with a pretty decent inner courtyard. The subsequent visit was cut short by Viv.


    ¡°Where is the ward room?¡±


    ¡°I assure you, Your Majesty, we have refreshed and examined them prior to your arrival!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, great, now where is it?¡±


    ¡°... this way please.¡±


    It was fortunate that Viv had made an arrangement with the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange because the palace came with no food, no drinks, and no linens. Viv missed high end hotels, like the privileged person she was.


    ¡°You could just call room service and they¡¯d bring you food on a platter.¡±


    ¡°You can do that in any palace.¡±


    ¡°Only if it¡¯s your palace.¡±


    Soon, everyone busied themselves settling down. The support staff brought their plans and documents while the soldiers set up a barracks, an armory, and determined their patrols. Solfis inspected the roof for anomalies while Sidjin and Viv turned the place into a death trap for anyone foolish enough to want to test a duo of known mass killers. Everyone prepared their own quarters and made their own bed, even Viv. After that, it was time to move.


    Viv had two days before the summit¡¯s official start. It was a well-known fact that most diplomatic decisions were made behind closed doors long before a conference started. She first requested a meeting with Sangor, then another with the King of Baran though he hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Two letters from a minor northern city came soon requesting her presence.


    ¡°It probably relates to portals,¡± Viv mused.


    The northern cities were smelling a profit now that the east-to-west network was operational across Enoria and Baran. Viv¡¯s witch gates were also not subject to Sidjin¡¯s exclusivity contract. Viv was half-expecting to be pressured on the matter since Sidjin was her paramour. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that if you restrict technology and the inventor¡¯s partner ¡®fortunately¡¯ comes across the same invention, a breach of contract was likely. The only thing holding them back was that no mage could possibly look at the two constructs and think they were in any way related. Hell, they were not even from the same branch of magic.


    That wouldn¡¯t stop the most determined people. She was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.


    ¡°We will accept both invitations, possibly have lunch in their embassies and then meet Sangor at night if he agrees. He¡¯d better.¡±


    //That will be a tight schedule.


    ¡°Perhaps not. I tend to be decisive.¡±


    //That is true, Your Majesty.


    //Should I come as well?


    ¡°Why would I deprive myself of my bodyguard and walking database?¡±


    //I could take offense to such terms.


    Viv finished her preparations. One of the keys of negotiations was to prioritize what you were looking to get out of them, but said priorities varied from interlocutor to interlocutor. One could not expect cash from Glastia, or horses from Helock. Many cities had their strengths and weaknesses. The first visit would be to Luten, the larger of the two at the edge of the Kark steppes. It was the richest and most powerful city in the area, but they¡¯d been on the decline following a slump in their expansion westward. It was also the home of the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange¡¯s main branch, which meant Viv couldn¡¯t ignore them, though she had a strong opinion about what was functionally the center of the Pure League. The second city, Zazas, was more of a mystery. Sitting in a prime harbor location of the northern sea, they were known for fishery, oil production, and not much else economically. The Golden Order made its home there, though that didn¡¯t mean much since the female-only warriors of Enttiku remained fiercely independent.


    They had pretty good javelin throwers.


    That was it.


    ¡°Not the best prizes.¡±


    ¡°They came to us, Your Majesty,¡± one of her aides said. ¡°It makes a massive difference.¡±


    ¡°We have confirmed the presence of observers in the street. It will be known that two cities contacted you immediately,¡± another said. ¡°Your legitimacy is only improved by their attention.¡±


    ¡°Have two runners send positive replies while I get changed.¡±


    Clothes were almost as important as arguments. First impressions were always hard to dispel and what Viv wore would send a signal, telling the world and its many skilled individuals what message she intended to convey. Her visit dress was long and cut in the fashion of Old Harrak which made it somewhere between a toga and the sort of pauldrons-equipped cloth armor common in fantasy. For colors, she had picked the same black and white as her flag, the same coloration used in the uniforms of the revived Harrakan military. The entire outfit was tastefully sober, though quality bled through in the careful, expert embroidery visible only from up close. A silver circlet inlaid with a gem completed the appearance of a warrior queen, and her anchors would remind anyone of her favorite weapon. It was not a road-worthy outfit but instead a regal one; clothing meant to pay tribute to appearances. It belonged to a settled sovereign as confident in her might as she was in her craftsmen, and most importantly, it came with pockets.


    Viv liked it a lot.


    She walked out with Sidjin and Solfis in tow. The knights opened the way, led by a grim Rollo while a much grimmer Ban closed the march, aggressively glaring at anyone who dared even look at him. The Luten embassy stood on the same street as Viv¡¯s own as another part of the Small Court, so it was only a matter of minutes to reach their gate on foot. Viv was received without delay in a cool patio with an inner fountain. Tea and biscuits awaited her delegation. The ambassador was an august man with a long dark beard matched with a tiny old woman with an extremely elaborate hairdo. Meanwhile, a powerfully-built man stood at a distance, arms crossed. He was one of the rare people she met to have dreadlocks. Viv remembered she had seen his like in a Manipeleso bank branch a long while back. The guard was a Dark Blade; one of the northern cities¡¯ trained killers. She supposed him being visible was a mark of respect.


    Also she¡¯d brought Solfis so she couldn¡¯t complain.


    Ambassador Feliserendi introduced himself and his companion, who happened to be his aunt, then the two groups made small talk for a few minutes. Feliserendi was a warm and engaging man with a lot of experience and plenty of exciting stories about his career as a diplomat. He was on his sixth assassination attempt which he wore as a badge of pride, though if Viv understood things correctly, he only survived the latest one because his would-be killer forgot venomous snakes actually needed to breathe air for extended periods of time. It struck her as disappointingly amateurish. After a while and a rather unsubtle exaltation of Luten¡¯s many, many virtues, they got to the meat of the meeting just as Viv was getting to the meat platter.


    ¡°We would be interested in portals as part of our efforts to promote the spread and glory of mankind. Since times immemorial, Luten had stood at the forefront of the war for civilization. Our soldiers delve into the steppes just as they fight on the Glastian walls. There is no holier task than this.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t react, which gave her a perfect view of the quiet aunt of the ambassador giving him a discreet kick with her foot under the table. The shift of her dress betrayed it. She was the more observant of the two.


    But the ambassador paid her no heed as he freed Viv of her duty to balance Harrakan interests with her own preferences.


    ¡°I also wish to extend my government¡¯s concerns about some of the species you have harbored in your nation. We, of course, understand that in times of need and urgency, compromises must be made in order to guarantee survival. We understand it better than most! What we do not understand is that you have integrated those species within the functioning of your¡­ New Harrak. Surely, humans can mine iron as surely as Yries can?¡±


    He chuckled. He was alone. Sidjin put his cup in the saucer with a light click, a sign Viv could interpret very well but that the ambassador remained oblivious to. As far as she could tell, his aunt had given up while the fire of conviction alone fuelled the ambassador¡¯s words.


    ¡°You cannot trust the lesser species to express loyalty. At the first sign of difficulty they will desert you, and how could they not? We are simply not alike. I can hardly even blame them because they just obey their nature. We live in a world of spheres of influences, of cultures. Our northern ways focus on trade, individuality, and exploration among other virtues while the culture you are trying to revive is one of order, of strength and obedience. You can never truly retake the place the Old Empire held on the continent unless you embrace those values and make them your own. All those bleeding heart followers of Neriad who promote equality are nothing but hypocrites who pretend to accept all sets of values while wilfully expressing distaste for the Pure League. They are bound to fail. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°No, I do not,¡± Viv interrupted.


    She had the feeling this would go on otherwise.


    ¡°In a battle of ideas, only the one whose believers thrive in the end is proven correct. So far, my model has triumphed over internal turmoils and hostile threats so¡­ we will see if it will hold. So far it has. As for the hypocrisy to denounce, a philosopher from my world named Popper already solved that paradox long ago. In order to remain tolerant, a society must retain the right not to tolerate intolerance. This is not hypocrisy, it¡¯s a prerequisite.¡±


    ¡°I find that¡­ naive,¡± the ambassador replied with clear annoyance.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    By then, his aunt just sat there with her eyes closed in apparent meditation. Viv thought it would take at least that not to strangle her nephew if she were in her shoes.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first,¡± Viv allowed. ¡°But when that naivete comes at the tip of Harrakan steel, you will find that it suddenly acquires a certain¡­ momentum.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, we request that you stop delivering iron to the Kark clans. One of your lieutenants has disrupted our forces and brought gear to rebels who attack our citizens on their farms.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know Viv was helping Marruk with guerilla warfare tactics. Oh, that would sting.


    ¡°I fear those are private citizens exporting legally accepted quantities of iron.¡±


    ¡°Be careful,¡± the ambassador replied. ¡°We may consider your¡­ abandonment of humanity¡¯s interest as an act of war.¡±


    The ambassador shifted towards the waiting Dark Blade in a way that hinted that punishment would not come as an unlikely expeditionary force but as a knife in the dark. From the way all three Lutenese found sudden interest in Solfis, the golem had moved as well. Just enough to remind them he was the industrial harvester to their daggers.


    ¡°As you prefer,¡± Viv replied with a smile. ¡°Our young hadals need some stimulation. And I believe this concludes our discussion, now that our respective positions have been made clear. I bid you good day.¡±


    Viv made to leave and nobody stopped her. It was only when they¡¯d returned to the street and her guards had gathered around her like worker bees around their queen that she turned to Sidjin, who still looked a little sour.


    ¡°You ok there darling?¡±


    ¡°Pay me no mind. His words only remind me of the justification I was offered for the near extinction of the merl. I understand that it would have been rude to refuse his invitation but in the future, I would prefer it if we simply did not interact with the Pure League. I cannot make demands of you, of course. I am merely stating that the course you follow and the Pure League¡¯s values are fundamentally incompatible, and that by entertaining their requests, you do not show respect to the countless people they have hurt. Including Marruk.¡±


    Viv considered his words. Maybe it was like talking to a mad dictator as a leader of a nation whose people had suffered at his hand. Was it right? Or was it just being realistic about what an international community was? She didn¡¯t know. It was¡­ a complicated issue. At least, now it was over with and she and the Pure League assholes could return to ignoring each other. In fact, she would do one better.


    No portals for the cunts.


    That would show them.


    //Will we visit the Zazas embassy right away?


    ¡°I think everyone here needs a small break.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t entirely true. High mentals stats meant that she and Sidjin could spend the day in animated negotiations and still be fine, but the fallen prince was shaking very lightly. She couldn¡¯t forget what he had been through. His resilience meant he could function but there were buried wounds that only time would heal. Stats could only carry him so far. In a way, it was a miracle he was even well.


    They had a walk in a nearby park under the cautious gaze of employees on break. Viv bought fresh fruit crepes from a rather intimidated seller, which the couple ate near the fountain. There were fishes in there!


    When Sidjin felt fine enough, he squeezed Viv¡¯s hand. The two didn¡¯t speak on their way to the Zazas embassy. There was no need.


    While Luten had felt lived in, the Zazas embassy was clearly borrowed and also clearly very recently moved in. Servants hastily swept the ground of fallen leaves while others attached pennants or moved furniture even as Viv was led through the various rooms by an older northern woman with a strong no-nonsense aura.


    ¡°Please forgive the mess, we¡¯ve only just arrived. Will you be having tea?¡±


    Guards patrolled the grounds. Most wore light armor with short swords and javelins resting on their backs. Some of those were enchanted in the same way the witchpacts infused theirs.


    ¡°That would be lovely, yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh we have infusions from Vizim that will enchant your taste buds. Not literally, of course, we wouldn¡¯t want that. Came with a shipment for the Golden Order¡¯s paladin. Ah, here we are, dear. Go in and I will get you your drinks in a minute.¡±


    Viv ignored the fact the butler had just called an abyssal-eyed elemental archmage of destruction ¡®dear¡¯ and just accepted in her heart that there were some people she would never impress, just like there were people who would pet giant psychic space squids if only the squids would let them. The receiving room was by far the coziest place in the small palace. Carpets and lush pillows gave it a cluttered yet welcoming aura while the sun bathed the place from a skylight. The most curious effect came from an enchanted lantern that filled the air with a fresh iodized scent, giving Viv the feeling she could take ten steps out and end up on a beach. A couple waited for her expectantly, without guard. Solfis took a look at the room then stayed at the door unprompted which Viv took as a good sign. She studied them as she and Sidjin sat.


    They were middle-aged northerners in elaborate if humble clothes. The man wore a short beard well, a white streak showing where a scar crossed his left cheek. The woman was heavyset with the muscles of a gardener, or at least someone who was active. They both seemed nervous.


    ¡°Thank you for coming, Empress Viviane of Harrak. I am Mal, the Headsman of Zazas. This is Shan, my wife. Together, we rule the city by mandate of the elders. I suppose you have an inkling as to why we wanted to meet?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for having me and I assume it concerns portals?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely. We believe portals will revolutionize the way our continent does business. We would like to start by asking if you would be inclined to expand to the northern states?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, mostly, but not all of them. I am persona non grata in Helock. I also have Kark guests as well as yries and hadal citizens so the Pure League is out.  Zazas is not an issue.¡±


    ¡°That is good,¡± Mal continued. ¡°We have prepared terms if you would agree to operate on our land. Shan?¡±


    ¡°Here they are,¡± the woman said, taking a bound contract from under the table.


    The butler came in with tea while Viv was reading. The lady had been right. Her tea was fantastic. It also allowed Viv to hide her surprise. The Zazas couple¡¯s terms were almost indecent. She would get seventy percent of the tariff as pure untaxed cash deposited in a Manipeleso Bank account along with a standing office for auditors to make sure everything remained kosher, a complement of guards, the possibility to restrict certain categories of goods¡­ Harrakans were even exempt from taxes which was a condition no one ever accepted. Zazas wouldn¡¯t even forbid the passage of Harrakan troops, provided they were notified of the final destination in advance.


    ¡°Those are very generous terms,¡± Viv finally said after Sidjin was done reading as well. ¡°Let me be blunt. What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    ¡°We would agree to those terms against an exclusivity access to all of the northern territories from Luten to Helock.¡±


    Viv considered the offer. Portals were going to be the next revolution. At the same time, the most lucrative trade happened between the northern territories and overseas lands, especially Vizim. If Zazas became the central hub of all that trade¡­ she had to make sure.


    ¡°You want all trade towards Enoria and Baran to go through you.¡±


    Shan nodded, pulling a map from under the table.


    ¡°Yes. Right now, the Shal river makes transport from north to south complicated. There are no bridges to speak of because the river is either too wide or its shores too marshy, or too remote to make it feasible. Transport by boat remains an option, however it is one limited by the existence of waterways. Should we have access to the Baranese and Enorian network and build from there, we would suddenly become the center of trade¡­ on the continent,¡± Shal concluded.


    ¡°And our damn harbor would finally see some ships,¡± Mal said.


    ¡°We have rebuilt piers but Zazas is small and ships have spurned us in favor of other cities,¡± Mal grumbled.


    Shan paled a little. Viv understood the situation. Public projects cost a lot of money and this one hadn¡¯t panned out. The headsman was in hot water. They were probably desperate.


    ¡°Suddenly becoming the center of trade will attract a lot of attention, most of it hostile. Shipping guilds and other cities will definitely resent you for it,¡± Viv mentioned, letting the couple fill in the blanks.


    ¡°The Golden Order keeps a standing garrison on our land, as it is their ancestral home. They are bound to defend us by oath,¡± Mal mentioned.


    ¡°Will you give us a moment?¡± Shan asked.


    Viv made to leave but the couple placated her with apologies and wide gestures. They had a private corner with a sound enchantment. It took them only a minute to come to a conclusion, after which they returned while Viv was helping herself to another cup.


    ¡°We understand your security concerns and we would be willing to compensate you for having a, shall we say, security detail move on while you complete the network,¡± Mal conceded, though he was clearly hesitating.


    ¡°After that, we should quickly get enough funds to hire mercenaries. We have contacts with a few free companies. Our¡­ own army helps with foreign conflicts, sometimes.¡±


    That was usually a sign of a lack of funds. Viv also noticed that Zazas didn¡¯t offer any sort of advance payment, which made sense given the generous terms.


    ¡°Will your elders agree to a foreign army camping on your grounds?¡±


    ¡°If you accept our terms, they will help us build your barracks themselves,¡± Shan replied.


    ¡°Though they will no doubt whine about it.¡±


    Sidjin nudged Viv, a sign he wanted to speak. Viv just nudged back. The fallen prince was really concerned about upstaging her even though Viv assured him her ego could take a few interruptions.


    ¡°This is an extremely ambitious project for you. A military invasion is only one of the many threats posed by your neighbors. They could collectively boycott you. They could try to have you replaced by your elders to cancel the contract. They could even have you assassinated.¡±


    ¡°They can do all of that right now,¡± Shan retorted. ¡°At some point we have to take a risk. Our contract is generous because you will take that risk with us, only if it falls through, you will have wasted time while we will be dead.¡±


    ¡°My wife is correct. We know this will be risky, but one must take risks if one wants to achieve anything of note.¡±


    Mal looked at her pointedly. He wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°I have additional conditions,¡± Viv said, eliciting a double nod.


    ¡°The trade of slaves cannot be conducted using my portals. You will enforce this rule with rigor so no ¡®groups of indentured employees¡¯ wandering around while guards make sure they don¡¯t complain. I will be drastic.¡±


    Mal gestured for her to continue.


    ¡°I will not install portals near cities that belong or support the Pure League.¡±


    ¡°What about Helock?¡± Shan asked after a moment of consideration.


    Viv waved her concerns away.


    ¡°My trouble with Helock started and ended with Elunath. What happened afterward was a consequence of that. Let¡¯s just say someone made it personal but, in the end, I hold no real grudge towards that city. I am more than willing to let bygones be bygones for the sake of our nations. My issue with the Pure League is systemic. I am building a community of species while they want to exterminate and replace them. We cannot come to an agreement.¡±


    ¡°What if the Pure League uses proxy companies to conduct their businesses via other cities?¡±


    ¡°Then they lose money on tariffs, logistics, and overhead costs. Look, I am not expecting you to conduct a continental embargo, let¡¯s be realistic. I only want them not to benefit from my network. I won¡¯t be building one near them anyway.¡±


    ¡°Those conditions are acceptable,¡± Mal said after a few quick exchanges.


    ¡°You also need to be aware that I would have to build up the network towards you first.¡±


    ¡°We understand just as we are confident the Enorian and Baranese lords will be more than happy to welcome portals on their lands.¡±


    They were right. Viv had no doubt some cautious rulers would be terrified of having a foreign artifact of their land but most would know they could not pass up such an opportunity.


    ¡°Very well. I believe we have an agreement. Please add the conditions I asked for then send it to my palace.¡±


    Viv stayed for some small talk. Mal and Shan left a good impression on her but she thought they were a bit in over their heads. Only time would tell if they were fools or geniuses. At the very least they knew how to take the initiative.


    Considering Viv could pull out of the contract without penalty, she was confident in the terms she¡¯d been offered. Now it was only a question of making sure things would go smoothly. Her continued presence in the northern territories wouldn¡¯t be without risk.


    Maybe she could link the Kark Steppes to the portal. That would be¡­ interesting.


    After leaving the Zazas embassy, Sidjin guided Viv to a restaurant that specialized in seafood, most shipped from the north in enchanted containers. It was the first time Viv had  had some since leaving Helock and she enjoyed the expertly prepared dishes with gusto. Nyil might not have the variety of ingredients Earth could afford, but magically enhanced skills more than made up for that. Sangor surprised Viv by inviting her for afternoon tea which she agreed on, then the Harrakans made their way back towards the Grand Avenue. This time, Sidjin picked a path that went through the district dedicated to Enttiku. It was a much calmer and more contemplative place filled with stone courtyards and intimate alcoves. The Death Goddess (or god but Viv preferred goddess) occupied a smaller share of the city which actually fit her. Enttiku was a humble deity, one that didn¡¯t advertise its existence for there was no need. Death came to everyone and when it did, she would be there to accompany them.


    Returning to the Grand Avenue was almost a shock. From dim and quiet, the Harrakans stepped into the busy light of Mornyr¡¯s main artery. The palaces here were not rented dwellings but ancient holds bearing the statues of heroes of the past. Flags flew on long poles while the pillars supporting various walls proudly displayed symbols and insignias. It was easy for Viv to find the Enorian palace as it remained fastuous with many forest-related symbols as the old kingdom used to be proud of its proximity to the Deadshield Woods. Although it probably had a different name back in the days. The guards gave her a princely welcome then the two security details were left aggressively glaring at each other while a couple of aides led Viv deeper into the complex.


    Sangor really didn¡¯t look happy to see her again. He only had one other person with him which prompted Solfis to stay at the door once again. The golem looked smug for some reason.


    ¡°Hello again, Lady Viviane. This is Archmage Arno, a councilor of the late king.¡±


    Viv was a little surprised that Sangor would trust a mage who was on the other side of the civil conflict. Armo himself looked old and pretty much like what she expected from a fantasy wizard complete with a long, white bushy beard and a somewhat wild hairstyle. The robes he wore clung to his skeletal form in an ill-fitting way. Red and brown mana swirled around him in controlled waves though he also shared a light transparent sheen to his aura that marked him as a colorless specialist. All in all, he was a powerful mage, Viv judged, and also one who had kept practicing over the years.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Archmage Arno. This is Sidjin, previously of Glastia, my advisor and paramour. How is Yrlin of the Thorns?¡±


    ¡°At home in Losserec. We are expecting the birth any day now, and I was told in the latest message that she felt an urge to stockpile food. You can imagine I am waiting for the next letter with¡­ a certain degree of impatience.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will be brief then. I would like your authorization to expand the portal network across your land, more specifically to the north.¡±


    ¡°According to the same terms?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sangor waved his hand.


    ¡°You have it, though you will have to treat with each lord independently. Have the Baranese received a similar offer?¡±


    ¡°No, but they will.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°There was another matter but¡­¡±


    Viv pointedly looked at the archmage.


    Sangor leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. He sighed heavily. Viv could almost taste the intensity of his stress.


    ¡°You can trust Arno. He was my son Gil¡¯s tutor once upon a time, before I sent him here for his own safety. Neriad¡¯s balls, I should have punched myself in the cock that day.¡±


    ¡°Now now, no need for self-flagellation,¡± Arno said.


    He had a warm voice, a little tired. His gaze fixed Viv without passion.


    ¡°I toured my nation back in those days in the vain hope of promoting a peaceful reunification. My attempt was¡­ not successful.¡±


    ¡°He was sidelined and almost banished for treason,¡± Sangor added.


    ¡°Yes. In any case, the safety of Prince Gil is now my priority. We cannot possibly have our heir used as a hostage for much longer if we want to retain our sovereignty. As my liege confirmed during your last VERY careless meeting¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was necessary, Arno.¡±


    ¡°¡ª he is willing to sign a defensive alliance with you should you recover the heir.¡±


    ¡°And distance yourself from the church, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°Officially no,¡± Armo replied.


    ¡°Unofficially I¡¯m punching Bishop Reno in the groin the next time I see him.¡±


    VIv thought Sangor must be in a terrible mood or he wouldn¡¯t be so fixated on genitals.


    ¡°This is already agreeable, provided, of course, that you help me in the liberation attempt.¡±


    The king glared though Viv had been glared at by a half a millennium old genocidal war machine and remained unfazed as a result.


    ¡°Surely you do not expect me to violate the truce of this place while you stay cozy in your palace awaiting good news, do you not?¡±


    ¡°If you fail, the temple will not believe in my innocence.¡±


    ¡°Which doesn¡¯t mean it will overtly act against you. I will not be bearing all the risk. You will be part of the rescue from the beginning to the end, if only because your son Gil has no reason to trust me.¡±


    ¡°You would attempt the rescue yourself?¡±


    ¡°Do you know of many ward-defusing shadow magic specialists around?¡±


    ¡°No, I just, your path is not that of the infiltrator.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mine,¡± a raspy voice said.


    Sangor jumped. Arno activated a shield, briefly, though he lowered it soon enough. Viv merely smirked. Where there was nothing, now a bald man with slitted yellow eyes stood wearing black armor.


    ¡°This is Irao, first of the Hadals.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ have never heard of him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how good he is.¡±


    The two Enorians grudgingly conceded the point.


    ¡°He will be in charge of the infiltration plan. As for the extraction proper and the diversion, I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about a masquerade?¡±


    Sangor listened while Viv exposed her plan, Sidjin adding details here and there. Arno suggested spells and methods that would help various steps and Viv had to admit he was committed and thorough. Eventually, the meeting broke off since everyone had some preparations to make and methods to test before they could reconvene. Viv left the place satisfied, however to her surprise, Solfis asked for a short conversation with the king.


    ¡°Just a conversation?¡±


    //Just that.


    //I know better than to attack a foreign sovereign in the context of a diplomatic mission.


    ¡°Oh, very well then.¡±


    ***


    Sangor was surprised to see the golem slink in. Arno was just finishing a glass of brandy, and he almost choked on it when the deadly construct closed the door behind him.


    Sangor felt like a trapped mouse.


    //You are dealing with my dear little heiress.


    //She is a treat, is she not?


    //Guided by loyalty and a desire to act.


    //To improve her life and that of others.


    //It is by this loyalty and kindness that I survived the extinction of Harrak and the last of my reserves.


    //It also means, tragically, that she can be a little naive at times.


    //I do not share that weakness.


    //I do, however, share her sense of loyalty.


    //My loyalty is born from desire as much as it is hard-coded in my very soul.


    //Even the gods themselves could not break it.


    //I am not kind.


    //I see several ways you could benefit from her fall.


    //Not least by denouncing her in advance.


    //It could be very profitable for you under certain circumstances.


    //Or so you might think.


    //I am here to divest you of those illusions.


    //If it so happens that my mistress loses her life because you found her demise convenient.


    //I want you to remember that I have no limits except my energy reserves.


    //And those, I have ways to replenish.


    //I never tire.


    //I never doubt.


    //I never hesitate.


    //I do not know impatience.


    //I do, however, know how to kill kings.


    //I have done that for three centuries.


    //If she falls.


    //I will find a path to you.


    //And I will kill you.


    //And when I am done, I shall look back at the mountain of corpses in my wake.


    //And the only thing I will feel.


    //Will be the satisfaction of a job well done.


    ¡°I have been threatened by worse, machine,¡± Sangor replied, surprised by the sudden turn of events. It was now clear the golem was not just fully independent. It also had an agenda of its own.


    The royal aura expanded but it failed against the unyielding rock of Solfis¡¯ presence. The king¡¯s eyes focused on the one who had dared to threaten him and once the inspection skill returned its payload, he faltered.


    Slowly, the golem bent forward until their heads were level. Sangor stared into the baleful abyss of Solfis¡¯ yellow glare and inside he found nothing but shackled hatred begging for release.


    //NO.


    //YOU HAVE NOT.

 Chapter 165: The Continental Summit

    Viv spent her first evening doing what would (hopefully) become routine. Lady Azar¡¯s aides briefed her on what they had learned that day, mostly who was talking to whom. Afterward, she gathered the shadow group to decide how they would rescue King Sangor¡¯s son.


    ¡°Our first and absolute rule is that no one must die,¡± she started. ¡°This place is sacred. We can get away with shenanigans but not with violence.¡±


    Irao and Solfis agreed, though she suspected it was only because they enjoyed a challenge. Sidjin remained silent.


    ¡°It is a rescue,¡± Irao said with delight.


    The concept was still novel to him. It was probably the first time in his long career he would break into a fortified area to save someone.


    //It would be best not to antagonize the gods any more than we have.


    //The less evidence we leave, and the harder it will be for our adversaries to pin the blame on us once the escape is inevitably noticed.


    ¡°We are in agreement then. My plan is rather simple.¡±


    She unfolded a map on the central table of her council room. It showed a large, three-story building with parts of the sewers below it. A snap of her fingers and the map turned into a three-dimensional display. Irao¡¯s eyes widened. Viv didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that earth by this point most likely already had the technology to manage that.


    ¡°This is the Hidden Smile, Mornyr¡¯s prime bordello, dedicated to Sardnanal. Upon my recommendation, King Sangor will hold a masquerade there on the second day of the summit. We will extract the hostage then and have him leave with one of the artistic troupes who will attend the show.¡±


    ¡°Is there a specific reason as to why it happens at that time?¡± Sidjin asked, though it wasn¡¯t a challenge.


    ¡°The vote to decide Harrak¡¯s status starts the summit. We will be either accepted as part of the alliance or spurned then. There is a remote chance the first vote will be postponed by a day and I do not want to take the chance to ruin it. If our adversaries suspect something, they might gather an alliance against us, but if the vote is already passed, then they will struggle to reverse the decision.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°It will also be one of the busiest times of the Summit. Security will be tight around key buildings. I am counting on this to act as a distraction. Our best bet would have been to rescue him long before or after the event, however¡­¡±


    //Our guilt would have been too obvious.


    ¡°Precisely. Here, Maranor¡¯s church will hopefully blame Sangor and find no proof. If we were the only delegation around¡­ But enough of this. The masquerade¡¯s purpose is to hide our infiltration of Maranor¡¯s compound. There is a semi-direct path between the bordello and our target via the sewers. We will have to go through a wall.¡±


    ¡°I will handle this,¡± Sidjin assured. ¡°A trivial task for someone like me. The wards are not, however. They will have barriers in the most sensitive areas. Such barriers are fed by divine mana as well, which means that the goddess¡­ But I digress. I assume you have a plan?¡±


    Viv nodded.


    ¡°I had a look at those wards and I think they can be tricked into letting bodies through with careful manipulation, which I am capable of. We still have three problems. One, I need to study the wards in more detail before the event.¡±


    ¡°I can draw them,¡± Irao said.


    He tilted his head then, as if listening to some ghostly council.


    ¡°Reasonably well. Not perfect, like a caster.¡±


    ¡°It should be good enough. That leads me to the second point. We need to know where Sangor¡¯s son Gil is. We also need to know their patrols. We can¡¯t do that without being, ah, on site.¡±


    ¡°I can perceive them through the walls,¡± Irao said.


    //Similarly, I can study the compound¡¯s exterior and extrapolate a patrol pattern.


    //We merely need a few days of preparation.


    //We will also need to be present there on the first night of the summit in case they increase their security measures.


    //One last thing.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //Divine barriers are exhausting to run.


    //Temples will only maintain them in the most sensitive areas.


    //I expect we can¡­ circumvent most of them with a little creativity.


    Viv nodded.


    ¡°From below?¡±


    //That might be feasible.


    ¡°I will design an adapted spell with Irao,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°Brown mana is one of my domains of expertise.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. You two get started on recon, then we act. After we have returned to the Hidden Smile with Gil, Sangor will extract him with a group of comedians leaving the city, hopefully before his presence is missed.¡±


    ¡°How likely is that?¡±


    ¡°Unless they constantly check on him, it shouldn¡¯t be until the next morning. By that time, he will be gone.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope things go to plan.¡±


    ***


    Viv¡¯s second day in Mornyr started with physical training with Rollo. She could no longer practice darkness magic here as it would be suspicious, so learning how to use a physical weapon presented a useful alternative. The knight was a complete asshole, or so Viv believed when she was tossed to the side by a blow from the man¡¯s zweihander, but he sure knew his shit. Her improved physical stats helped her greatly but they couldn¡¯t make up for skills and technique honed to vengeful perfection over decades of merciless practice. Weirdly, her men seemed to respect her more for that even though the exercise didn¡¯t show her in a very good light. A ruler had to look untouchable. She could only assume the Harrakan elites had come to see her as a leader as well.


    After she was down brushing off the dust, Viv checked the answers to her different petitions.


    The key goal of this visit was getting official recognition as a nation. It would protect her merchants, give her nobles status, and generally would make it diplomatically costly for anyone to fuck with her. Her acceptance to the Paramese Alliance would depend on a vote. She needed the majority to pass rather than a unanimous approval like some of the defensive alliances of her world since the organization¡¯s goal was also to regulate large conflicts. This provision took into account the adversarial relations most nations held for one another. Basically, if anyone wanted to join the alliance, their neighbor would most of the time vote against it. It also bore mentioning that the latest addition to the alliance was thirty years before with the port city of Zeshtanet, far to the south of the continent beyond leagues of savage lands. New admissions were exceedingly rare.


    Given Viv¡¯s history with the northern cities, it was fortunate that votes depended on financial and military contributions that followed an obtuse calculation system handled by Sardanal¡¯s clergy, rather than just one entity, one vote. Most northern cities had no votes since their contributions were minimal, though they still enjoyed the rest of the benefits. Baran had seven as Param¡¯s dominating power and a main contributor to stopping the Hallurians. Enoria had three though they would be ramping up soon. Mornyr had two on account of shameless favoritism. Zeshtanet had one. Glastia had one. The Pure League had two because they were a bunch of assholes who claimed to fight against savagery. Helock had two because their war archmage''s contingent was pretty much a continental strategic asset. As the newcomer having already contributed to the community, Harrak would have one vote. Viv thought it was weird an outsider would get a vote but Lady Azar had clarified it was not a given, rather an incentive for candidates to help first and ask to join later. If Viv hadn¡¯t helped Jaratalassi at the Battle of the Pass, she would have come with zero votes.


    Baran would vote for her, Zesthanet would vote with Baran as they were almost a client state. She would have her own voice and that total amounted to nine. Meanwhile, it was expected that the Pure League, Glastia, and Helock would vote against her, possibly Enoria too for a total of eight. Unless something dramatic happened, Viv already had the majority. It didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t try to secure more votes. There were still some possible shenanigans, like the remaining northern cities banding together to gather one vote. It had happened before. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, her accession was not a given, so It would be weird for her not to ask around for more support.


    People naturally didn¡¯t know Sangor would side with her and the vote was pretty much done. She wanted to keep it that way, so she had contacted Glastia and Helock just in case.


    The answers came as surprises. Helock naturally refused to help her, but the ambassador¡¯s answer was much more polite and nuanced than she had expected.


    ¡°Your Majesty Viviane, Empress of Harrak.


    Although it pains me to do so, I must decline your offer for a meeting. Our meeting would be disadvantageous at this junction. The unfortunate demise of archmage Elunath still lingers in the minds of my fellow citizens despite your excellent standing at the academy. The matter of your departure also remains a painful low in our mutual relationship. We hope to resume normal diplomatic relationships at a later date, if it pleases you. In the meantime, I wish you much success in your other endeavors.


    Respectfully yours,


    Ambassador Claron.¡±


    Viv read between the lines. The Academy still supported her and with some time and some official reparations for having thrashed their palace on her way out, Viv could expect to normalize her relationship with the capital of magic.


    Naturally, her clashing retreat across the floating stones of Helock was due to some fucking asshole arresting her with no legitimacy whatsoever. Sadly, national interests trumped honor and integrity almost every time, everywhere. Helock was slighted so Helock would ask for concessions, and for the sake of Rakan¡¯s pupil who would come of age soon, she would grant the reasonable ones. Access to the greatest institute of learning was worth a few trade treaties.


    It also didn¡¯t help that Helock didn¡¯t need her. They had a contract with Sidjin, meaning there were already operational portals across their domain. Viv brought nothing new. She had to keep this in mind.


    In any case, Helock would be voting against her this time. That was what ¡®I wish you success in your other endeavors¡¯ meant. The ambassador was telling her his official position was that he hoped for her bid to fail. It was, at the very least, honest.


    The other surprise was that Glastia agreed to meet. Only, they wanted to meet with Sidjin.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to go?¡± Viv asked with obvious concern. The fallen prince¡¯s emotional scars could reopen in an instant, as they had in the past.


    ¡°I am most certain I do not want to go, however I have a duty to you and our shared dream, and I will not back down from a conflict out of fear.¡±


    ¡°They could be really mean.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, anything but mean!¡± He mocked her with a smile.


    Viv bumped her fist against his shoulder ¡ª lightly ¡ª and he returned the gesture with tenderness. His hand lingered there until she could feel the heat of his presence on her skin.


    ¡°I know I can face them because I know that after we are done, I will return here and so will you. And besides, there are no reports of the presence of Medjin. Maybe I can meet one of my less problematic relatives for once. I shall let you know what I learned.¡±


    ¡°Ok. Worst comes to pass, blast them into oblivion and we¡¯ll escape by riding the resulting cataclysmic out of here.¡±


    //Please do not joke about this.


    //The gods are listening.


    ¡°Wait, they are?¡±


    //They are always listening.


    ¡°Perverts.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Is it time for a new title yet?


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°What I mean to say is that they have probably grown beyond the biological imperatives of peeping, having achieved enlightenment.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    I no longer even have a physical body.


    Your fleshy bits are of no interest, yet they are often exposed.


    Why do people feel compelled to consult their status while moving their bowels?


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°They think you¡¯re dead,¡± Viv grumbled under her breath.


    ¡°Darling, are you alright?¡±


    //Your Majesty.


    //I recall you saying their only path towards enlightenment.


    //Would be to catapult themselves into the sun.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    I am telling Neriad.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Snitch,¡± Viv whispered.


    //Are you being threatened?


    ¡°Moving on, I need to go as well. I received an invitation to a meeting with Neriad¡¯s Knight-Principal.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The others nodded. The Knight-Principal was basically the pope of the temple, but with more Deus Vult tossed in it. He was a warrior first and foremost, by design. He also represented the local government until the next rotation at the end of the year. Such a meeting could only mean one thing.


    Mornyr might vote for her.


    Viv found herself in the strange situation where she had to buy votes she didn¡¯t need because she couldn¡¯t afford to ignore, or perhaps even offend, her potential allies. The only reason Baran supported her was because she was a potential thorn in a resurgent Enoria¡¯s side. If the Baranese figured out Viv would sign a defensive alliance with Enoria, they would turn on her in a moment. If the Pure League thought she might get overwhelming support, they might band with Helock and Glastia to delay her on technicalities. She had to maintain a careful, polite underdog persona or risk attracting the wrong sort of attention.


    ¡°I will be going alone.¡±


    ***


    It was a familiar view, an echo of the first vista Viv had seen on Nyil. The same steps led to the same terraces decorated with statues and passages leading inside, the same arrogance in not just having the highest pile of rock in the city, but also spreading it all over the place in a display of careless power. Mornyr¡¯s ziggurat carried the essence of Harrakan culture down to its most despicable features, but the resemblance stopped there. The steps were polished, not dusty, and the top oversaw a vibrant city merging various cultures and faiths. By contrast, Harrak City had been a monolithic, brutalist affair designed from end to end to inspire awe.


    Viv watched a civil servant enter by one of the side entrances. The hurried lady wore a northern robe with cloth pauldrons in the fashion of Helock. Harrak was long dead and its people had died with it, yet it still chaffed Viv to see a foreigner violate the sanctity of what should be hers. It didn¡¯t matter that she had taken the mantle of that old nation on a fluke, driven by necessity and a grumbling old golem. What mattered was that¡­ it had become hers.


    ¡°Pull your wings back, young dragon. You are not ready to fly yet,¡± a voice said behind her.


    Viv turned, realizing her aura was leaking. Draconic intimidation influenced her thoughts, it seemed. It didn¡¯t affect the old man walking towards her with a kind smile. It didn¡¯t affect him at all, and it was not difficult to guess why.


    Viv didn¡¯t use inspection. Her skill was too low not to be noticed. There was not really a need either. The man standing in front of her in heavy plate armor exuded the same sort of controlled aura Solar had. He was no mage to make demands of the planet with glyphs and emotions, but Nyil listened anyway. A sword rested on his hip, and a golden cloak covered his broad shoulders. It was the only concession to luxury he tolerated on his person. The rest was military cleanliness and order down to the last hair of his beard.


    ¡°You must be Knight-Principal Gram. Thank you for inviting me.¡±


    ¡°And thank you for coming. Inquisitor Denerim spoke highly of you, young lady. I thought it best if we could meet face to face.¡±


    Viv nodded, the most respectful act she could afford as a ruler. Gram came to stand by her side with his arms crossed behind his back. He, too, looked at the city at his feet and the walls beyond, but he also spared a glance to the massive shield tower standing proudly in the middle of the city as a reminder of the power of the gods.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s get the politics out of the way so we can have a real talk. I represent Mornyr in this meeting. The city will support your bid.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Viv asked. ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Just like that. We warriors of the temple stand as defenders of faith and civilization. By stopping the Empire of Dawn, you have done more for Param than most princes alive. The churches also fully support your attempt at reclaiming the deadlands. I tell you this as the representative of Mornyr. Now, as the head of the Temple of Neriad on this continent, I will also remind you that you have made our faith your state religion. Of course we are on your side.¡±


    ¡°Things are seldom this easy.¡±


    ¡°We are the good guys, the not clever good guys, Viviane the Outlander. I will leave the plotting to Maradoc¡¯s followers. Now that that¡¯s out of the way, I have three questions and one request.¡±


    ¡°A request?¡± Viv said. ¡°The timing is a little suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, it really is a request. I cannot force you to come but, to tell you the truth, we are going to need your help.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°The winter solstice. Are you afraid of the sea, outlander?¡±


    ¡°Err, no, it¡¯s drowning and the giant squids that scare me.¡±


    ¡°A fair judgment. There is an island off the coast of Vizim that hosts a great temple. Sardanal¡¯s birthplace, actually.¡±


    Viv frowned. She remembered reading that Sardanal was one of the only gods of Viziman origin. She also remembered who had mentioned it first.


    ¡°Wait, Denerim told me Octas was trying to sink it.¡±


    ¡°And she will try again during the winter solstice. If we do not receive reinforcements¡­ she will succeed.¡±


    ¡°I assume it would be bad.¡±


    ¡°The complex was one of the first beacons of civilization for mankind. Gods work with symbols, and Octas destroying that island would significantly empower her. She has a stronger grasp on the Shadow Lands than she does here. Her resources are¡­ significant. Ours are not. We are overstretched because she found our point of failure.¡±


    ¡°Logistics?¡± Viv wagered.


    It was, after all, an island.


    ¡°Ships, specifically. She has managed to get control over sea monsters. Our resupply vessels have been sunk with all hands. The losses were¡­ catastrophic.¡±


    He gave her a long look.


    ¡°We can probably get a warship through but we need a blade to its shield.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You. It will be a lonely adventure this time, I¡¯m afraid. We simply do not have enough room for your army, but if you could come with us, we could save that place.¡±


    ¡°So in half a year?¡±


    ¡°Before. It will take some time to sail there. We would¡­ really appreciate it. There are very few people here who can match your raw destructive power.¡±


    ¡°Bah. Alright. Fine. I just hope there won¡¯t be any urgent crisis until then.¡±


    ¡°You may call on us to help if there is. Remember. We are on your side.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll prepare for some high intensity fishing. Now, what was that about your questions?¡±


    ¡°Farren. My pupil. How did he die?¡±


    Viv sighed, caught off guard.


    ¡°Aaaah fuck.¡±


    ¡°Not well, I take it?¡±


    Viv had a very ambivalent feeling on the question so she said as much.


    ¡°He died for his principles but I told him exactly what would happen, didn¡¯t stop him and saw it come true and I¡­ have regrets.¡±


    She recounted the scene. Farren riding down the hill alone to extend his hand to a faction known for fanatical hatred. The subsequent battle with Efestar¡¯s avatar. When she was done, both of them remained silent for a while.


    ¡°I do not believe we should decide the way people live or die. We can only advise and hope for the best, and besides¡­¡± Garm began.


    He struggled with words while Viv looked on. It was clear the old man had held Farren in high esteem.


    ¡°Sometimes, people die and the meaning of that sacrifice is only felt years later. Sometimes, a fool changes the world against the wisdom of others. It happens rarely but it does happen. The temple in Harrak reports that your Hallurian refugees consider him a holy person. Some want to return and spread the word of his message, and the reality of life beyond the Baranese walls. Have you talked to them?¡±


    ¡°Not much. They are under the care of Abenezigel, not mine. I have been busy and¡­¡±


    ¡°A little vindictive?¡±


    ¡°I concede that point,¡± Viv said after a brief moment of introspection.


    ¡°Do not hold it against them. This isn¡¯t what Farren would have wanted. Many of those captured foes want to join your banner. You should let them. Prove to the world Hallurians can be redeemed if they can be made to listen first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ do it as soon as I return. This was an oversight on my part.¡±


    ¡°Denerim was right. You do know how to listen and you do mean to help.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t get used to it.¡±


    Garm chuckled. Below them, a bell rang to signify the mid-morning break. A few civil servants gathered on the terraces, sharing slices of fruit and tea in tiny cups.


    ¡°My next question is a little more delicate. A certain secret keeper told me someone came with you on this trip. That someone has proven themselves to be quite hard to catch. Now, one may wonder why a visiting dignitary would bring a war golem who leaves no traces and a master infiltrator on a diplomatic trip, so I have to ask¡­ are you here to kill someone? Because as much as I am loath to oppose you, I cannot let that happen.¡±


    Garm¡¯s expression turned steely. It was no wonder he had saved this question for later in the conversation, and Viv knew there was a core of unshakeable belief under the kind demeanor of the Knight-Principal. He might not kill or arrest her but he would fight her every step of the way if her answer didn¡¯t satisfy.


    ¡°No, I am not here to kill anyone. I will not tell you why Irao accompanies me, but I will tell you I hold the strong belief that my cause is just.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you are here for. No details, and I swear it stays between us, but tell me.¡±


    ¡°To rescue a hostage,¡± Viv said after a little hesitation.


    Garm¡¯s face formed an ¡®o¡¯ of surprise, then his eye shone with a mischievous twinkle.


    ¡°Aha! Yes. Yes! That certainly sounds like a good cause, though obviously I cannot be sure what you are referring to. Say, is there anything the temple can do for you? To completely change the subject.¡±


    ¡°I would love the opportunity to play with a ward fueled by divine mana.¡±


    ¡°Why of course! I am myself capable of weaving one, although it will be temporary. I am sure we could meet at the complex, say, tonight?¡±


    ¡°With pleasure. And¡­ you had one last question?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes. To be perfectly honest with you, traveler, I expected you to storm off two minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°My reputation for explosive bouts of anger is wildly exaggerated. I only lose my temper for good reasons, like princes selling my people into slavery or some asshole eating my dessert and drinking my wine.¡±


    Garm kept a contemplative silence for a moment, his gaze fixed on the distant gates of the city. The Baranese delegation had just arrived, their coming announced by loud trumpets.


    ¡°I find your reply strangely relatable, only I will add the administrative branch of the temple arguing in favor of the ¡®rational and pragmatic approach¡¯ to the top of the fury-inducing pile. As for my last question, it relates to a dark god.¡±


    The temperature dropped. Viv felt a chill crawl up her spine.


    ¡°You know of whom I speak. You two talked during your fight. We have concerns. Deep concerns. He¡¯s a devious and powerful foe. I strongly advise you to reconsider. The dark gods are the enemies of mankind. You cannot trust them.¡±


    Viv was about to shrug. The truth was, it wasn¡¯t that simple. Unfortunately, she had sworn an oath to the gods not to spill their secrets. Even now, the bindings on her soul tightened to remind her of the cost of transgression.


    She could still ask questions though.


    ¡°How much do you know about Efestar?¡± she asked, the hidden question hanging between them.


    Garm looked around, worried for the first time since they¡¯d met.


    ¡°Do you have a quiet spell?¡±


    Viv activated it with a thought. Suddenly, the drums of the Baranese fanfare were silenced.


    ¡°Right. Only a few members of the temple are aware he and our god used to be brothers by blood pact. And¡­ how he came to fall.¡±


    ¡°Then you know he¡¯s different from the old ones. Efestar was betrayed and slighted but his original purpose was the same as that of the other light gods.¡±


    ¡°He has been consumed by revenge.¡±


    ¡°Not completely, at least, I do not think so. He has much to answer for but perhaps there is a chance. I will keep talking to him yet refuse all his offers. He cannot force gifts upon people.¡±


    ¡°The gods will not like that.¡±


    ¡°There are many things the gods do not like. Apologizing for their wrongs is apparently one of them.¡±


    ¡°You are getting dangerously close to blasphemy,¡± Gram warned.


    ¡°Kinght-Principal, no one can deny Neriad is fighting for justice and the greater good, but honestly? If your sworn brother betrayed his word, even for a good cause, would you not feel cheated?¡±


    ¡°I would not destroy countless lives as revenge.¡±


    ¡°You are a better person than he was. It doesn¡¯t mean a path to redemption doesn¡¯t exist. This world is crammed with dangers and horrors. I see no reason not to try to remove one without killing it, for once.¡±


    ¡°Viviane. He is a monster. You do not know what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Viv said with some impatience, ¡°what did you say about Farren, earlier? A fool may change the world against the advice of wise people?¡±


    The knight massaged the bridge of his nose with a gauntleted hand.


    ¡°I hope you know he is ancient and cunning.¡±


    ¡°I am not trying to outwit him, or trick him. That won¡¯t work, not just because he¡¯s devious but also because this is exactly why he turned in the first place! Neriad may have a chance to make amends for the sake of his sworn brother.¡±


    ¡°No longer his sworn brother.¡±


    ¡°By his own doing.¡±


    An uncomfortable silence filled the air. It was clear Garm was worried. Very worried. Viv couldn¡¯t blame him. There was a part of hubris in thinking she could change a divine status quo that had lasted for possibly millenia. Someone trying to turn a dark god would get turned instead in most cautionary tales. There was also an old red flag and relationship advice Viv was consciously ignoring. A law as old as humanity itself.


    If someone tells you they¡¯re an asshole, believe them.


    Under normal circumstances, Viv would not have bothered. But this was a god. The reward was worth the investment.


    ¡°I pray to Neriad that you are right.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I hope so too as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Forgive me but I must take my leave. I wish to withdraw for a little while, I am sure you understand. I will see you tonight?¡±


    ¡°See you then, yes.¡±


    Gram left but Viv remained at the top of the ziggurat, standing alone like some edgy dark lady. The temperature kept dropping.


    Wait for it.


    Wait for it.


    One of the statues by her side shifted. It depicted a young warrior in heavy armor, his hand carrying a steel spear. The eyes turned black, then bled inky darkness over the cracked stone face.


    ¡°They will never listen to you.¡±


    ¡°Here I was brooding over a monument to arrogance and look who shows up. It¡¯s nice to see you again, Fefe.¡±


    The face tilted to the side. She heard a crack.


    ¡°You mean those words. How precious.¡±


    ¡°I do believe in you. As naive as it may sound, I believe there is still a heart under all that scorn.¡±


    ¡°Your servants do not share your belief, although I will admit that they have proven extraordinarily hard to convince.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? Hope and scorn seldom mix. Speaking of which, have you given any thought to being happy again?¡±


    ¡°INSOLENCE!¡±


    The air shook, but Mornyr¡¯s aura dimmed the dark one¡¯s wrath. Viv remained unfazed.


    ¡°Do not pity me, elemental. You are still so young. Yet to have been broken by life, but the time will come as it always does to those who live long enough to see their dreams collapse. I heard you wanted to see divine wards?¡±


    ¡°Eavesdropping, are we?¡±


    ¡°I could help you, freely. Few know more about infiltration than I.¡±


    ¡°Just forfeit your throne of hatred, join the ranks of the light gods, and we¡¯re in business.¡±


    ¡°Never. They have proven their hypocrisy time and time again.¡±


    ¡°You must learn to forgive, Fefe. You don¡¯t even like your present company. The dark gods are the ones who slaughtered your family.¡±


    ¡°AT LEAST THEY ARE HONEST. The others, they have never, ever even apologized!¡±


    ¡°Would it help?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Would it help if Neriad apologized? If he acknowledged that he wronged you and failed you in your hour of need? Would it help to know he always felt the pain of having to choose between mankind and his friend?¡±


    ¡°I care not about that happy birdbrain. He is nothing to me.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°You doubt the gods at your own risk, traveler.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just, there is something I don¡¯t understand and I hoped you would enlighten me,¡± Viv said, channeling her inner Columbo.


    ¡°Oh? Humility? From you?¡±


    ¡°You were an assassin, yes?¡±


    ¡°You know this to be true. Stop wasting my time.¡±


    ¡°So I assume you were moving in clothes that helped.¡±


    ¡°I was.¡±


    ¡°And yet now you wear black full plate with pauldrons. Your avatar is massive and heavily muscled.¡±


    ¡°I was muscular as a mortal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Viv said, knowing the builds were simply not the same. ¡°It¡¯s just like you¡¯re some dark mirror to a certain himbo.¡±


    ¡°You believe you understand me. You do not.¡±


    ¡°Then talk to me.¡±


    She spread her arms, encompassing the brightly lit city around them. Although it was cold near the avatar, his aura of control could not dispel the warm light of summer shining all around them.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this place nice? Palaces, temples, merchants, all the trappings of civilization mixed in a harmonious whole. There would be room for you if you wanted.¡±


    ¡°It is too late. You are wasting your time.¡±


    ¡°You could try one act of kindness. A vengeful yet beneficial one. Bring justice to the oppressed. Become not scorn but hope for those who have lost everything. There are plenty of people down here who could use a second chance at life.¡±


    ¡°You think gods can change, mortal? YOU KNOW NOTHING.¡±


    Crushing pressure, but once again, Viv didn¡¯t feel so oppressed. She had backup, she realized.


    ¡°I know they can,¡± she affirmed with absolute conviction.


    It would be the height of folly to reveal Emeric''s existence, or the fact he¡¯d come to regret his actions. That didn¡¯t matter. Efestar knew she believed every word she said.


    ¡°Just give it a try. You have nothing to lose but the bitterness in your heart.¡±


    The statue glared. Abyssal blood reached its throat and more of the statue crumbled.


    ¡°Please?¡± Viv asked. ¡°This planet is a mess. We could use another champion.¡±


    ¡°I will¡­ I¡­¡±


    She almost had him.


    And then, the statue crumbled.


    Viv sighed. Shit timing but it was already a miracle the piece had lasted for so long. Heat made a vengeful return on the bright platform as the last dregs of power evaporated. There was no recovering the statue so Viv annihilated the tainted shards. After she was done, she prayed to Neriad.


    It was easy, really. Just focus and mana would start leaking. She pushed it, feeding enormous amounts of energy into the link until the part of her that was her soul felt the attention of the god on her. She didn¡¯t make demands. She didn¡¯t talk. The only thing on her mind was a simple request.


    ¡°Help?¡±


    The energies around her took a light golden hue. Rather than an answer, emotions filtered back from the link. It was strange, associating the immense power of the planet-sized presence in her mind with doubt, grief, fear, regret, but it was Neriad. He was a good person.


    The last emotion to pierce through was a tentative agreement. She took it as a good sign and walked down the stairs, taking her time after a rather challenging encounter. Sidjin was waiting for her at the bottom, expression unreadable.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Glastia will support our bid. They also agree to reinstate me as a prince, though my claim to the throne is completely forfeit. My father also gave me his blessing to be your paramour.¡±


    ¡°I sense a condition coming.¡±


    ¡°Glastia will push out of the wall next spring. I am to help with the assault. There are reports that beastling shamans have sustained their troops thanks to the dark magic of Gomogog. We can no longer afford to wait them out.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t challenge him on the ¡®we¡¯. He was still a Glastian at heart.


    ¡°The Paramese alliance will mobilize, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Several knight orders already agreed to join the effort, including the White Orchard and the Golden Order. I want to, no, I need to go. I need to see it through.¡±


    Viv sighed. Her schedule was getting busier by the minute. She still had to travel to Harrak to recover Solfis¡¯ original body and allow him to, ah, spawn.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯re going, it¡¯s just that I agreed to cross the ocean this winter to kill sea monsters and stop Octas from sinking an island.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just my luck.¡±


    Viv discussed details with Sidjin on their way back to the embassy though everything was still very far off. She wasn¡¯t sure what state Harrak would be in next year. Not like she could ignore the expedition anyway. Letting her boytoy go alone into that den of vipers? As if.


    Solfis was unexpectedly waiting for her at the entrance. He strutted up to her as soon as she was within an acceptable distance. If she didn¡¯t know better, she would say he was excited.


    //Your Majesty!


    //Look!


    So she didn¡¯t know better. The golem clutched a breastplate in his clawed hands, a familiar make she quickly identified. Her fingers brushed the steel with bafflement. The quality wasn¡¯t great but there was no mistaking the design. It was the same piece of gear the Mountain People used before they had joined the heavies, leftover equipment from the days when Harrak had a regular infantry.


    Except, it was clearly recent. The steel lacked the patina of age and heavy use.


    ¡°Someone is making Harrakan knock offs?¡±


    //No.


    //This was sold in the Zesthanet commercial district.


    //I asked the salesman.


    //They sourced these from a city directly to the west of them on the shores of the White Sea.


    ¡°No fucking way.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°After not having made contact for three hundred years.¡±


    //They did.


    //With Zesthanet.


    //The Frozen Peninsula extends to the south west of the Harrakan heartland, beyond the mountains.


    //The cataclysm could have stopped with the mountains.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    //Yes.


    //There were outposts and cities there.


    //Harrak¡­ has survived!


    //¡­


    //What are you doing?


    ¡°Writing it down on the damn list.¡±

 Announcement: another book out!

    You thought this was a real chapter but it was me, self-promotion!


    Book six of the Calamitous Bob is out now. Here is the US link (sorry can''t do hyperlinks on the chapter''s main body):


    https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D4ZXWFLF


    And here is a link to book 1 if you haven''t tried it yet: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B09NMHNW8R</a>


    Now I''m sorry for asking, but early purchases and reviews are extremely, extremely important for indie writers like me, so if you could consider helping me, that would make a tremendous difference. Reviews were one of the determining metrics to help me sell the audio rights for Bob. It''s still in process but I''m hoping for the first audiobook by the end of the year. I''ll tell you more later.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Anyway, that is all. Next chapter next week. I''m still officially on a break.


    As a gesture of apology, please enjoy this amazing piece of cover art by Antti. Have a great weekend! Cheers.

 Chapter 166: The Vote

    The switch from dream to in-between always disturbed Viv. The small delay between vivid vision and consciousness brought with it a deep terror, like walking down stairs and finding one missing. The transition was too seamless for her. This time was no different. When she became aware of herself again, Viv realized something had changed.


    The small white orb that represented her had grown. It was also darker, and the twin bulges of budding wings emerged from its ¡®back¡¯. It appeared the soul was starting to resemble the mind. It was probably a good sign considering what she was up against.


    In the distance, Neriad¡¯s massive golden orb waited like a reassuring sun. She meant to get close and, an instant later, she was.


    Not like distance or even time worked normally here.


    ¡°YOU HAVE COME.¡±


    ¡°So you were the one to call me?¡±


    ¡°YES. I NEED YOUR HELP.¡±


    ¡°What with?¡±


    Viv would never get used to the colossal presence showing doubt, even if it was an integral part of Neriad¡¯s charm.


    ¡°I DON¡¯T KNOW HOW TO APOLOGIZE.¡±


    Honestly, Viv shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.


    ¡°DO NOT BE LIKE THAT.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve done nothing wrong for the past millennium, huh? Also could you stop being loud? I acknowledge the power of your soul, oh mighty one.¡±


    ¡°This is a difficult moment for me, outlander. Would you mind cutting the sass for one me-damned minute?¡±


    Viv remembered that he was here because of her request.


    ¡°Fair. So, an apology.¡±


    ¡°The very notion revolts me. He is a monster, and yet it is as you say. If there is a chance to turn him to the light, we ought to take it.¡±


    ¡°Just to be clear, you are apologizing for your part in him being hurt. It doesn¡¯t concern the many horrors he¡¯s done afterward. An apology is about what you regret having done to him, not his part in the problem or the consequences you couldn¡¯t control. You can only apologize for your actions. Not his.¡±


    ¡°Even if my betrayal led to this calamity?¡±


    ¡°Do not take responsibility for his choices. We are not excusing him. We are recognizing he was hurt.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for what I have done. Understood. Hm. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°You can start by acknowledging what you did wrong and accept you made a mistake that hurt him. Don¡¯t say ¡®sorry you took it that way¡¯ or ¡®sorry you couldn¡¯t let go of your grief¡¯. That¡¯s not sincere. Say what you regret that concerns your own behavior, then offer to make amends.¡±


    ¡°TO HIM?¡±


    ¡°Look, you don¡¯t have to debase yourself. We want him to forfeit his evil ways, right? Is there anything you can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In fact. At a cost to myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide. You have your heart in the right place, Neriad. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°No. One last thing. What if he doesn¡¯t accept my apologies?¡±


    Always the tough part, that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just for him. It¡¯s for you as well. You¡¯re taking a step forward to clear the air, let go of your guilt. To accept is up to him. You can¡¯t control that. It will¡­ probably not lead to an immediate result, you know? He has been what he is for a long time.¡±


    The sun that was Neriad¡¯s soul radiated quietly for a while. Although time was merely a distant concept here, Viv could tell Neriad really took it anyway.


    ¡°We have been gods for so long. This is not the action of a god. This is the action of a human, one who makes himself vulnerable to a man who has become an enemy. This has never happened in the history of this world. I hope we are not¡­ making a mistake. Even now, we do not fully understand our new nature.¡±


    ¡°New?¡±


    ¡°Time is relative to the entity that experiences it.¡±


    ¡°I hope we are right, if I have to be honest. If it¡¯s any comfort, we are not trying to bring the dead back to life or other rule-destroying acts. We are trying to save your friend.¡±


    ¡°More than a friend. He was my family, and I was his. Gods can change. I suppose I can but try.¡±


    The in-between shifted and suddenly, Viv was no longer a soul drifting in the void but a vague presence near a table, at the edge of a sand arena dotted with swords. On one side of the open space, the ground just fell off abruptly. She could see clouds beyond and below her forming a fluffy carpet that extended almost to the horizon. The table itself waited in the shade of a wood structure that left green lianas loaded with colorful flowers surrounding the chairs, granting a touch of color to the otherwise sober environment. Viv had no idea what she was doing here but she did recognize Neriad¡¯s physical form in the golden-bearded handsome man in scale armor sitting uncomfortably by her side. His eyes shone a warm amber as he pointedly stared in front of him.


    Behind Viv, something blew with the cold wind of the crypt. Even her ghostly presence shivered. Stomping sounds came rhythmically in a dirge that filled her with dread. After a few seconds, a titan in dark armor came to sit opposite the golden god.


    Efestar didn¡¯t look bad per se. He was handsome in a leaner, edgier manner. Perhaps a little younger too. The black abyss of his eyes were strange in the light of the day and the rest of his body felt strange as well, now that she was paying attention. The proportions were just too heroic, the armor too impractical. He felt more like a statue while Neriad looked like a gold medalist for the sexyness competition.


    It came as a surprise when Efestar was the first to talk. His voice sounded almost subdued.


    ¡°What is she doing here?¡±


    ¡°This was her idea and she is here to make sure I don¡¯t say something stupid and¡­ I wanted a witness. So my words are not spoken in a vacuum if you do not accept them. I wanted this moment to exist for someone else.¡±


    Efestar leaned back in his chair. The fact that the delicate piece of furniture didn¡¯t crack under the gigantic weight of the armor told Viv this place might not be the in-between but it still followed its own rules.


    ¡°So speak.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Efestar, my brother, I¡­ I am sorry. I apologize for my actions. When Enttikku gave us her offer to assist us in becoming the new pantheon, I was¡­ tired. I knew the decision to accept would betray my promise and hurt you and I took it anyway. I failed my word and I failed our bond, brother. I wish I could say it was the right decision and we saved ourselves and perhaps the future of mankind itself, but the truth is that we took the easy way out as soon as it was offered. I should have refused and negotiated, involved you in a way that set your heart at ease. Instead, I was a coward who believed we would manage to calm you down. We were wrong. When you left us, it was not your betrayal but ours that prompted it. I¡­¡±


    He winced in the middle of the sentence and Viv feared for a moment, but Neriad was a torrent that could not be stopped, perhaps not even by himself.


    ¡°I will not talk about what you have done since then. It is a discussion for another time. I will only say that my decision made a mockery of my word and our fraternal love. I recognize it and I ask you to forgive me, just as I ask you to return to us. No, to me. I will hold you while you shift your domain, if that is what it takes. I will be there for you as long as you will have me. I will never abandon you again. I am sorry brother. Please come back. I miss you.¡±


    By now, Efestar was gripping the table and Viv was doing her best impersonation of a wall painting.


    ¡°You have no idea what you are asking! My power! Centuries of accumulated worship and I would toss all of that away for what?! Resentful tolerance? Two sentences and a handshake? You are mad!¡±


    ¡°I can share my essence with you while you shift, brother. If there is anything more I can do to help you, you have but to ask.¡±


    Another pause. Viv was starting to believe.


    ¡°You would really let me tap into your soul?¡±


    ¡°I will not give you free access to my power, brother. I am not stupid. I will, however, grant you as much as you need to make it, if you wish.¡±


    The table creaked under Efestar¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Did you really mean those words you said? Is this what you truly believe?¡±


    ¡°I did. I do. I have had a very long time to reflect, brother. And regret. Your deeds have muddled my heart and turned love to hatred over the centuries, yet all that time I still held onto my guilt, the knowledge that I indulged my craving for relief and victory after so long without realizing we were leaving you behind poisoning my mind. I suppose¡­ I told myself it was your fault for not letting go of the death of your kin while what mattered was my broken promise to avenge them together with you.¡±


    Another pause, longer this time. Despite the gods¡¯ monstrous control, leaking divine power made the atmosphere so oppressive to Viv¡¯s soul, only an adamant will to see the scene through kept her there.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. It has been too long and I have gone too far. Do you have any idea how much this will break me? You are na?ve if you think I will simply give up my throne because now, after a damn eternity, you finally figured out why I did what I had to do. I have sacrificed so much for¡ª¡±


    Crack.


    Viv felt a tremor that spread through her soul that induced a terrible sense of cringe, the same horror as watching someone fall head first onto a marble stair, the same shock and dread. It was a terrible sound. It reminded her of her state when she arrived in Nyil, the atrocious pain that came with having one¡¯s soul ripped. She would have slunk back to her body if Neriad¡¯s attention had not fixed her there.


    A fissure spread across Efestar¡¯s left pauldron, the obsidian losing its luster. Viv saw a shard of obsidian disintegrate on the way down.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Efestar lamented.


    There was a rush of cold wind and then, he was gone. By then, Viv felt exhausted to the core of her being.


    ¡°You¡­ should head back,¡± Neriad said.


    His voice was filled with worry.


    ¡°Is that bad?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t pick a stance, it will be.¡±


    ***


    Fanfare and drums rang through the city of the gods. The summer sun shone brightly on ochre stone, bathing everything in a golden radiance that gave it a fairy-tale-like quality. Colorful papers dropped from the roofs, thrown by the enthusiastic children of local notables and the air smelled of flowers and perfume. It was a pleasant show that Viv couldn¡¯t really appreciate thanks to a splitting headache.


    Thanks, Neriad, very cool.


    She reclined in her rented carriage while Sidjin cooled the wet cloth on her forehead.


    ¡°Ugh, thanks. I¡¯m already feeling better.¡±


    ¡°You should drink more water.¡±


    ¡°This is soul strain, not dehydration.¡±


    ¡°I know about pain, trust me. Drink water and eat another permonn fruit. It will trick your body into relaxing, which helps with soul strain.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    What Viv needed was more rest but she wouldn¡¯t get it. Her delegation was third in line in the convoy, just behind the Glastian one. Mornyr always opened the march as the host and Baran closed it as the primary contributor, as was tradition. Viv approached her window and saw the stoic form of Ban standing guard with all the affability of a spike-covered gargoyle. She kept gnawing on her fruit, already feeling a little better. Huh. Sidjin really knew his stuff.


    It didn¡¯t take that long for the Harrakan guard to drop her in front of the central monument at the foot of the titanic shield tower. She stepped up the stairs in her elaborate dress, forehead protected by a silver circlet that marked her as an independent sovereign. Sidjin remained by her side while the rest of the escort left to head back to their manor. No security details were allowed during the summit as the safety of the guests was guaranteed by the elite of every authorized religion on Param. It was perhaps one of the safest places on the continent right now.


    Viv made her way into a heavily decorated main entrance, the ground as smooth as a placid lake, yet showing the imagery of the pantheon in rich detail. Ancient champions and their deeds decorated every available spot while colorful statues stood against the wall, watching the rulers of Param enter with benevolent attention. Neriad¡¯s statue was incredibly faithful to its original, and so was the statue of Maradoc, god of secrets and knowledge whose clergy was as subdued and hidden as its domains. Sardanal turned out to be a tall northerner wearing a turban and more jewelry than the average charity ball. It was the last pair that attracted her attention.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Emeric in armor, his roguish smile one she had recognized on her own face during their brief conversation. He had a palpable charm that pissed her off because it would have probably worked on her if they had met in different circumstances. He looked fun.


    Then there was his wife.


    Maranor was a beautiful woman with wavy dark hair, sharp features and a stubborn chin that reminded the spectators she had led a warband to an unlikely victory. The hem of her dress was burnt and stained with blood while a short, cruel sword rested on her hip. Slayer. The god-ending sword. Maranor was a killer first and a queen second and the statue could not have expressed that more clearly. Her dark eyes seemed to follow Viv as she made her way inward.


    She and Sidjin walked past ranks of heavily armed temple guards of every religion, including the exceedingly rare warrior-priests of Enttiku. It was rumored that they would instantly kill a man with any wound, even a cut on the finger. An attendant in rich robes led them to the summit chamber.


    Viv had expected some sort of amphitheater. Instead, the council took place in a large, well-lit room centered around a large round table. Agents in dark armor checked every chair even as they walked in. A skylight above their head let in the morning sun, and the warm rays shone on the arrow tips of bowmen. The Mornyr delegation was already sitting in contemplative calm. Garm was here, along with a placid man wearing the symbol of Maranor and a woman in an opulent dress who had to be representing Sardanal. They were the only delegation with three members as the third would act as the moderator for the show. The Glastians had sent a male scholar she didn¡¯t know but also Shaya, a princess who didn¡¯t hate Sidjin. Viv remembered Shaya had gathered her dueling team from mercenaries and outsiders back in Halluria. She smiled at Sidjin when he entered.


    That always felt weird to Viv but whatever.


    The next delegations came in one by one and in silence. King Erezak of Baran was the last one to sit, his white cloth shining as if basking in an inner light. There were now enough command auras in the room to inspire an army to charge into hell itself. So far, they formed an uneasy truce rather than clashing with each other. Given the average Paramese ego, Viv didn¡¯t expect for it to last.


    ¡°Hello, and welcome to the summit of the Paramese alliance,¡± the priest of Maranor said confidently.


    Viv tuned out the introductory remarks to focus on her surroundings. The room felt as crowded as an elevator during rush hour despite the sword-length space between different delegations. It made her feel on edge. The fact her danger sense remained quiet only increased her anxiety. Would everything just go to plan for once?


    The speech finished with a short prayer to the gods, a chant joined by everyone present. Viv was no exception, only hers was less devotion and more an expression of support and, in Neriad¡¯s case, concern. She finished with a silent prayer to Nous who remained unnamed. Maybe if she prayed enough, he would remove the vandal status.


    She could only hope.


    ¡°Our first order is the recognition of New Harrak as a permanent member of the alliance. I welcome Viviane of Harrak, the Outlander, as its Empress.¡±


    A wave of discomfort crossed the room. Viv really had to grow into her new position.


    ¡°Empress Viviane will propose her argument then as tradition, we will proceed to a vote. Every member will be offered a chance to justify their choice, following which the empress can offer a rebuttal and request a second vote. May the gods guide us with their wisdom during this historic occasion.¡±


    In reality, those were as useful as Viv¡¯s initial speech, on the same level of impact as butterfly farts and electoral promises. Viv kept her opening remark short and to the point as her peers would appreciate brevity. She merely stated that actions spoke louder than words and that Harrak was eager to join the alliance in stopping the threats to civilization, especially the one that came from the deadlands. There were polite nods when she was finished in appreciation of her rhetorical skills and the fact she¡¯d not wasted everyone¡¯s time.


    By tradition, Mornyr was the first to vote. It was the woman who cast it.


    ¡°Mornyr represents many faiths, treasures different qualities, yet we all stand together in the defense of life and civilization. The Lady of the Deadlands has shown piety and understanding of all of them. Order was brought to the city, its institutions expanded and the rule of law upheld for all, both the powerful and the meek. Righteous war pushed the dead back while green things and hard working folks filled the void they left. The forces of Harrak have brought dignity to the fallen and punished those who would desecrate them. Finally, centers of learning already bloom in the cities of Kazar and Sinur¡¯s Gate. I would dare say that luck is on your side.¡±


    A flash of terror froze Viv¡¯s chest. She managed not to look at the priest of Maranor. It was still a little early to get found out as Emeric¡¯s protegee.


    ¡°As such, Mornyr votes in favor of acceptance. We bring our two votes to the tally.¡±


    Two glass containers appeared in the middle of the table. Three white balls clicked at the bottom of the left one, two for Mornyr and one for Harrak.


    The priestess indicated that Viv could now reply. She stood promptly.


    ¡°In the name of Harrak, we thank you for your trust. We will endeavor to uphold the ideals we share at all times.¡±


    ¡°Very well. As per tradition, Baran will now vote.¡±


    The old king stood for a rather long-winded speech. He was the oldest person here and probably the highest-ranked one as well. Viv found herself drawn into his acclamation of the values of progress and the reclamation of lost lands for humanity. When he finished, Viv had to take a second to recover before she could respond.


    ¡°Harrak thanks you for your support. So long as you stand against the threats to our east, you will find us at your side.¡±


    That was now ten votes in Viv¡¯s favor and the game was already over. The revelation didn¡¯t seem to shock anyone, though Viv had expected some last moment shenanigans. The Luten ambassador didn¡¯t seem pleased. Actually, where was the old woman who had accompanied him during their meeting? She wasn¡¯t here. Curious.


    In any case, it was Enoria¡¯s turn to vote next. Sangor didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°After careful consideration, we have decided to support Harrak¡¯s claim. We hope to grow beyond our difficult start, one caused by traditionalist elements we have defeated since, and we hope to deepen our cooperation for the good of mankind and to push the deadlands back.¡±


    This short declaration came like a thunderbolt on an empty sky. King Erezak turned his head like an owl spotting another predatory bird. Auras flashed, revealing nothing but surprise. Viv did her best to appear unaffected.


    ¡°We thank King Sangor for his support and we, too, hope that the gate network will bring safety and security to both our lands.¡±


    There was a tense silence while people reassessed the situation. Viv wasn¡¯t sure why, but apparently they¡¯d expected her and Sangor to be at each other¡¯s throat for the foreseeable future. Why would they think that? Did they believe she was a rabid vengeful bitch bent on total destruction?


    Puh lease. She only slaughtered the guilty¡­ and they were already dead!


    ¡°Ahem, I believe Helock should be next to vote?¡±


    It would be pointless anyway. With thirteen white stones in her bottle, Harrak¡¯s accession was as good as granted. Nevertheless, just as she was supposed to make speeches, the others were supposed to keep voting until the end. Protocol had to be observed.


    ¡°The citizens of Helock would like to reserve judgment at the time. We abstain.¡±


    The ambassador gave Viv a curt nod. Unbelievable. And probably a last minute decision not to aggravate her for a cause that was already lost. She was given a chance to reply and chose not to do so. There was nothing insightful to add that she could think of. Thirteen for, none against.


    Next was Luten, representing the Pure League. Viv expected a rather firm rebuttal and she was not disappointed.


    ¡°This woman has no interest in the future of humanity, or civilization. This is all a ploy and the evidence is all around you, yet you refuse to see it, blinded by the promises of portals and free deadland forts. I am telling you now though I am speaking in the wind: you will regret the day you offered her a place among you as the farmer regrets grabbing a snake. She is not fighting for you. She is fighting for herself, her own power, and she will pursue any means necessary to achieve her goals.¡±


    Well he wasn¡¯t completely wrong there.


    ¡°She speaks of civilization as if mankind was not its champion, yet she clads her men in birdbrain steel, hosts redskin brigands, and sends ahead of her the abominations of Halluria, the cursed hadals. Those are not, in case it wasn¡¯t clear, the agents of civilization. On the contrary! Make no mistake, the future of humanity requires a cold mind and an iron grip on both ourselves and the lesser races. You all know this, and none of you stooped to the utter degeneracy of accepting inhuman rejects among the ranks of your advisors, yet you tolerate it in her. She is not one of us. She is an artisan of disorder and she will pollute your people by normalizing that which is obviously against nature. She is the crack in the edifice of our order. Her rule will be a getaway to audacious claims and divergent behavior. You embrace chaos today because the prize is too good. We cannot oppose you, but we pray you come to your senses before the rot sets in too deeply. Luten, as always, will remain the guardian of humanity and we formally oppose Harrak¡¯s accession to the alliance. If it were up to us, they would be purged from our ranks with the gravest prejudice.¡±


    The ambassador¡¯s outburst left a heavy silence in its wake. It was Viv¡¯s turn to offer a rebuttal. After the end of that fiery declaration, all eyes were fixed on her. According to most courtesy rules in the multiverse, she was well with the right to kick that asshole in the nads. Some of the elite guards had fingers inching towards their sheathed weapons, just in case. Viv wasn¡¯t here for that. She was here to prove Harrak was a legitimate power, and legitimate powers didn¡¯t resort to brawls.


    They poisoned instead. Not that she would waste effort doing it.


    Instead of blowing up, Viv gave the fuming ambassador a polite smile.


    ¡°I fear Luten¡¯s principles and our own cannot be reconciled. I do not value their opinion, and so I see no point in arguing with them.¡±


    The collective auras relaxed as if twenty people were taking a breath. Her last jab was meant to infuriate the ambassador and it worked as intended, which was all Viv wanted. There was no need to waste energy on that bozo. She would visit the Kark lands soon enough, and then¡­ but that was for later. For now the votes were thirteen to two in her favor with two abstentions,


    The next city to vote was Zesthanet to the south. Their representative was the palest man Viv had seen, with white hair to match which she found a bit strange because he was quite young. He made a nice speech on the need to help each other to expand which Viv thanked him for. It was no secret they aligned with Baran on every vote which led to a fourteen to two advantage. That left only Glastia. Princess Shaya smiled warmly at her brother, well, half-brother.


    ¡°With regard to Prince Sidjin¡¯s significant contribution to the defense of Glastia as well as the punishment he endured, the city has decided to offer him amnesty. We are proud to support the claim of a nation that would have one of our scions as ruling consort, and we will look forward to working together against our foes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Viv replied. ¡°Rest assured that I will personally lead our military to rid your walls of the beastling tide during the next offensive.¡±


    Final result: fifteen to two. Harrak¡¯s claim was validated beyond any doubt. A wave of relief washed away Viv¡¯s stress. No nation could just casually invade her without the others piling on. Her merchants and citizens now had legal status all across the continent, protecting them from easy abuse. Her young mages could join the Academy without hassle, her soldiers could transit without being seen as bandits. Refugees could no longer be stopped at the border without diplomatic repercussions.


    Harrak was legitimized.


    And then the relief was swept away by dread. Viv stood up abruptly, drawing the full attention of the representatives.


    The defensive wards on her manor strained.


    ¡°Prince Sidjin has my full confidence for the deadland forts issue. Now if you will excuse me, my embassy is under attack.¡±


    ***


    Harrakan embassy, two minutes earlier.


    Two minutes to the patrol turning the right corners and then twelve to the change of guards. Increase water rations because it was hot as an oven here. Ban checked the roofs around him one more time. Had to thank Irao properly for his training at some point.


    He hated standing guard. Unmoving defenses were just scarecrows waiting for a good kicking, but appearances were important for rich assholes and the girl needed him to look good. So he would look good and fancy in that Enttiku-cursed black armor.


    He stole a glance towards Brick. Still fine holding that huge flag. Good.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    Leto pointed to the right. A woman was running towards him at full speed.


    Absolutely not good.


    [Diplomat, not dangerous]


    The analysis skill filled him with impressions. She wasn¡¯t a warrior at all, not that it mattered. Always some cornudon shit going on with the girl around.


    ¡°Leto, general alert. Quietly. Brick, you stay with me.¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± the two replied.


    The third guard was already running back inside. Ban looked right. A minute thirty seconds. The old woman was upon them so he had a better look. White hair, rich but frumpy clothes. Sagging skin and deep set eyes that come with exhaustion. Not normal. His instinct flared. He turned to face her and she didn¡¯t let him open his mouth.


    ¡°Asylum? Asylum, please?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s urgent!¡±


    ¡°Who. Are. You?¡±


    ¡°Gah! Sen Meneteleon. Envoy, well, ex-envoy of Luten to Mornyr. Please let me in!¡±


    Soldiers rounded the bend at high speed. Two dozens, half heavily armored and the rest in relaxed attire. All armed. Same style of clothes as the ex-envoy. Here for her, as clear as a Cornudon turd on a wedding dress.


    What to do? The girl wasn¡¯t here to decide. Solfis and Irao were out. Needed a split-second decision.


    Ban fucking hated it. That was diplomacy. He was a damn guard.


    ¡°Surrender oath now or you¡¯re on your ¡ª¡±


    ¡°I surrender under the laws of war. By all the gods. I am at your mercy.¡±


    Fuck.


    ¡°Get in,¡± he said.


    If the girl wanted that crone dead, she could kill her herself. Didn¡¯t sit right with him to let a bunch of toughs rough up an elder either. The girl could always whip his back if she disagreed later, but the crone would be dead now if Ban did nothing. He¡¯d done nothing enough for a lifetime. Now he¡¯d do something.


    The envoy slipped in with a gasp of sheer relief. Yeah, she would¡¯ve been dead.


    Ban did his best to look bored out of his skull while the pursuing pact slowed down. They didn¡¯t hesitate for long, the cunts. Less than one minute now. Delay? Fuck this wasn¡¯t a job for him. He was no sweet talker. Wished he had his wife¡¯s brain sometimes.


    ¡°Well hello there,¡± the lead asshole said. He was a clean northerner with a smooth face but scarred hands.


    Trained killer for a living then. Farmers like Ban were marked by the sun. Smiling too, the twat.


    ¡°Welcome to the Harrakan embassy. What can I do for you today?¡± he asked.


    His men formed a half circle around Brick and him. Not good. They felt dangerous and armor wasn¡¯t useful when one was swarmed.


    The doors of the embassy opened behind him. Silently, six heavies took their place at his side. They formed a half circle centering on the door. Ban cursed himself for having left the second squad near the palace just in case the girl left in a huff so she wouldn¡¯t have to wait for an escort. Old fool he was.


    The killer¡¯s smile dropped a little when the heavies came out. He was still a killer though.


    ¡°It¡¯s come to our attention that a, hmmm¡­¡±


    The smile returned with a vengeance.


    ¡°That one of our people was seen entering your facilities. Old Meneteleon. Confused lass, a bit long in the tooth. She should have retired ages ago to let clear-headed people in charge. Seeing as she¡¯s not all there anymore at her advanced age,¡± he continued, tapping his temple, ¡°I was thinking you should return her to us for her own safety. She might be having an episode. Wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen.¡±


    Ban mulled his options. He probably had some. Sadly, he was a bonehead. A bonehead with a reputation to uphold.


    ¡°Meneteleon asked for asylum and was granted it. Please direct your request to the Empress, long may she reign.¡±


    The killer¡¯s eyes flashed and Ban felt something, like a cold edge resting on his throat. It came and went in a moment.


    It took all of Ban¡¯s willpower not to swallow his saliva. Aura, had to be, Powerful one to pierce his so easily. Shit. Man was late fourth step, and not a nice one.


    By his side, Brick shifted. She¡¯d dispersed it. Had to say something. He was the goddamn tip of the spear.


    The Tip of the Spear.


    ¡°Nice try. Meneteleon was granted asylum. You can ask the Empress when she¡¯s back if that makes you all mad. In the meanwhile, the only thing you¡¯ll get from us is a foot of steel in the guts if you don¡¯t fuck off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. See, she is one of our own and not fully herself so, by law, it¡¯s kidnapping. Yeah?¡±


    Ban remained silent. The killer sneered.


    ¡°The issue being that we are authorized to follow a victim of kidnapping into neutral grounds, yeah? You see where I¡¯m going with this. So step aside. I¡¯m not asking again.¡±


    Ban measured his chances. Not good. Too few on his side to form a real line, but he only had to buy a few more seconds.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way for you to live to see the next dawn and this ain¡¯t it,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Both sides reacted at the same time. The Lutenians struck in disorder, not fully ready while the Harrakans retreated behind their shields. Had to do something. Right.


    ¡°Bash,¡± Ban ordered.


    With a degree of coordination born from hundreds of hours of practice, the heavies¡¯ circle expanded for the instant it took for shields to find faces. Unarmored men fell on their companions, unable to brace. This was the breathing room Ban needed.


    ¡°To the gate, double ranks.¡±


    Ban took a step back with Leto and Brick to the side. The killer was upon him and swept at him contemptuously. The strike slid on his spear before striking his helmet, to the side. Shock. Flaring runes. He was fine, still fine. Struck back. The power of his blow surprised the killer but not enough. He was too old. Still strong enough for that one. Would show him. The other five formed a backline. They were really compact now but vulnerable on the side. Leto blocked three strikes and countered, shield red from the heat of fire techniques. Brick swept with the flag even as a blade somehow twisted into her guard. The foes were trying to kill the Harrakans, Ban realized. Not disable.


    The second line unleashed attack skills. Two of the foes were exposed and without their armor. They fell. The killer whistled and the unarmored ones moved to the flanks. Not enough people to hold the line. That was fine. He had held long enough.


    ¡°The Rose!¡± a voice yelled.


    ¡°AND THE THORNS!¡± others replied.


    Music to his fucking ears.


    Six knights crashed into the flanks of the Lutenian formation, their blades a blur. Fucking northerners were lucky Rollo was on foot or it would already be over. he signaled for the heavies to press forward. Ban wedged his shield against a light fighter and pushed with a roar. His strength multiplied for an instant. An opening. A foot of steel through the guts as promised. The killer managed to rotate his men though half a dozen were bleeding on the ground by then. He struck at Rollo who deflected the blow with a powerful swing that left the killer off balance. Ban signaled and the Harrakans spread out.


    And then, Ban was pushed to the side.


    He didn¡¯t really feel anything except a pressure that seeped through his armor. The Lutenians were left sprawled on the ground. Some of the knights were picking themselves up with difficulty while Rollo stumbled back to his feet. Brick was fine. An aura? Ban pushed back the panic. This was¡­ he couldn¡¯t be sure but he thought it was a blademaster. Solar felt the same way. Only, Solar was on his side.


    Not good.


    ¡°You will desist this instant. You are desecrating a sacred ground,¡± a bored and slightly annoyed voice said.


    A man stood at a good distance, his face a pale mask around two large eyes that didn¡¯t seem to blink. Cracks on the cobblestone extended from his feet to the flaring defenses of the manor on one side, and Rollo¡¯s men in front. He had a sword strapped to his back and another to his hip, that one half drawn. Ban recognized the unsheathed one. It was the Sword of the Dragonslayer - a powerful artifact.


    This was Selyen, champion of the Mornyr arena. The Dragonslayer Reborn.


    ¡°Drop your weapons immediately,¡± he said.


    But Ban could not.


    He was defending the manor and he was the tip of the spear.


    He was oath-bond to stand his ground.


    ¡°The Imperial Guard never retreats, and never surrenders,¡± he replied more calmly than he felt.


    The knights reformed behind him, except for Rollo who courageously stood slightly in front of him. They were both fucked and they knew it.


    ¡°I said, drop your weapons.¡±


    A monstrous pressure fell on them like a wave. Ban grit his teeth. It was like facing something Arthur set on fire, the same feeling of doom. It didn¡¯t change shit. He was what he was and he would have it no other way. Thanks to Brick, he wouldn¡¯t have to.


    ¡°No.¡±


    The man casually unsheathed his blade. An arc of pressured air smashed against the shields of the imperial guard. Runes flared and men pushed. For a moment, Ban thought it would not be enough but skill and determination let them interlock their shields and, against all odds, they held. As for Rollo, he simply cut through the shockwave.


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± the man said.


    Ban smiled. Selyen saw it and frowned. He slowly turned on himself.


    The skies darkened. Color bled from reality, making Ban¡¯s heavy armor turn from scruffy black steel to night made manifest. The monstrous pressure changed from a single weight on his shoulder to a contest of wills, like standing outside in a storm. Ban could not even hear himself breathe when the girl slowly floated down with those strange wings trailing behind her like wounds.


    ¡°I have been very patient so far. Do not make me reconsider,¡± she said to Selyen.


    There was something cold and serpentine about the words, a certain finality to it, like hearing a priest talk about the gods. They sounded like they would become true and there was something oddly comforting about it,


    ¡°Stand aside. Your men have broken the law,¡± Selyen replied with frustration.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that yet.¡±


    Ban watched anger finally twist the blade master¡¯s pale features.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me teach you a lesson, spellcaster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡®Empress¡¯, not ¡®spellcaster¡¯. Let me rephrase. You will stand down until we understand what¡¯s going on or I will cut you to fucking ribbons.¡±


    Ban didn¡¯t see what happened. One moment, the two were standing at a distance. The next, Selyen was almost to the girl with his blade drawn but he was caught in a sort of ball made from black blades, like her weird sword spell. They surrounded him entirely.


    ¡°I never bluff,¡± she said.


    Yeah, the girl practiced with Solar. Trying to jump on her was fucking stupid.


    The man didn''t try to fight her off. Instead, a priest in Maranor robes sprinted in to calm things down. Ban reformed his men near the gate after exchanging a silent nod with Rollo. His old bones ached. His heart beat so hard he might have broken a rib. That was fine. The problem was now in the hands of the girl, just as he intended. No fancy shit, no heroics. His side was alive, the embassy was secure. He could ask for nothing more. He was the Tip of the Spear and he had done his job.

 Chapter 167: The Gang is Back in Town

    ¡°Thank you for agreeing to come. Those are¡­ peculiar circumstances, and we apologize for the hiccup,¡± the priest of Maranor said.


    Viv sat back into her comfortable chair, making sure not to look at Selyen to the side or she was liable to throw something at him. The receiving room was pleasant enough. High priests from all the churches stood at the back as witnesses, officially on her side. There were refreshments, but Viv was still pissed off. Not about the attack on her men, not anymore. She was pissed off at herself.


    By her side, Sidjin shifted in his seat.


    He had chewed the fuck out of her and she was still feeling sore. Mostly because he was right. She¡¯d been stupid by thinking the council wouldn¡¯t stop for something as important as an embassy being attacked by the forces of a sovereign nation. This was the first time in two centuries, and the last one had been a fisticuff. Obviously that took precedence.


    She¡¯d also been selfish to leave him behind. This was a team effort. Either he was part of the action or he was not. Sidjin wasn¡¯t a diplomat. He was a war mage and her paramour, so she should have said ¡®let¡¯s go¡¯ and that was it. She failed to do so and Sidjin was forced to remain with the other envoys because she¡¯d requested it and because he couldn¡¯t refuse without her losing face. He¡¯d been furious and Viv was now sulking, having been told off.


    The Priest of Maranor met her eyes and though he didn¡¯t flinch, he was clearly not relaxed. He was the same guy who had officiated the diplomatic meeting and Viv felt he was doing a good job smoothing feathers despite her misgivings. Selyen crossed his arms in a gesture of pouting dignity she would have mimicked if she didn¡¯t have to look like an Empress.


    ¡°I would first like to clarify that I am speaking as the representative of the council and that Selyen acted with Mornyr¡¯s benediction in this instance. He is the current head of the, ah, fast response team with Baran¡¯s approval. His role is to stop conflict by disarming the opponents with overwhelming force. He is perhaps not the most diplomatic person but I will ask you to forgive him as he was playing his role and, more importantly, none of your men were slain. His instructions were to avoid any and all deaths unless absolutely necessary.¡±


    ¡°That last attack of his didn¡¯t look harmless,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Your men are pretty good,¡± Selyen said. ¡°Better than I expected from border grunts. I was going to hurt them but I wasn¡¯t going to kill them. If I wanted them dead they would be,¡± Selyen said with a bored voice.


    Viv bristled but he was right. The artifact hanging from his large shoulders would be enough to slice through even runic armor with ease. She wasn¡¯t even sure she could beat him in a straight fight if he were to use it considering the Sword of the Dragonslayer was the most powerful offensive artifact of the continent.


    ¡°You should not have attacked them to begin with,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Just following orders.¡±


    ¡°Empress Viviane, please. I acknowledge that the situation is complex. There will be reparations but Selyen is innocent in this matter. He was merely enforcing the law to the best of his knowledge and abilities.¡±


    The way the priest pointedly said the last part of the sentence made her realize what he actually meant, merely that Selyen was an arrogant bonehead and that he had done his best. The attack had taken place at the fucking front gate of her manor. No one should have thought the Harrakans the attacking party, so the priest was saying Selyen was just a dumbass.


    She considered the solution. He acted like he was on her side and wanted her to drop the matter that involved Mornyr directly, and through the city its servant Selyen who was basically a riot cop on steroids. Viv could press the issue but she was more interested in getting even with those who had started it to begin with.


    ¡°When you say reparations, I assume you are referring to Luten¡¯s attack on my sovereign territory.¡±


    Viv expected the priest to try and smooth things out but she was completely wrong. He was a priest of the goddess of order, and she applied her wrath with equity.


    ¡°Their behavior was utterly unacceptable. The Pure League has gone too far this time, just as I fear they eventually would. The misguided belief they alone stand for the future of mankind has made them arrogant beyond compare. It goes without saying that their entire delegation is expelled from Mornyr effective immediately. The temple guards of various churches are carrying out this order as we speak and they will be further punished by a loss of their voting rights until such a time that they atone for what they have done. Such brazen disrespect of our rules! Utterly scandalous.¡±


    Viv surveyed the man who waited for her judgment. Getting those fuckers expelled was a good start but it was for the insult they¡¯d done to Mornyr and its rules. Not to her. The issue she had was that there was nothing she could demand from Mornyr without them denying responsibility for the fiasco since they would never admit to being wrong. Similarly, there was little she could demand of the Pure League. She didn¡¯t trade with them. She didn¡¯t share a border with them. Hell, they had never really interacted. Seizing sovereign funds from the bank wasn¡¯t a thing that could be enforced on this planet. Maybe¡­


    ¡°I request a recognition of casus belli.¡±


    The atmosphere changed immediately. The priest leaned backward while Selyen let out a little cough of surprise. Even Sidjin seemed surprised.


    ¡°The, ah, that would not justify an invasion or anything too drastic. It remains an incident.¡±


    ¡°I want the ability to conduct hostile actions without condemnation from the alliance. There are provisions for that. Attacking an embassy remains an act of war.¡±


    ¡°I am familiar with the code of conduct, thank you, but are you sure? It will only be valid for five years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough time to figure out what I want to do.¡±


    ¡°Viviane, may I call you Viviane?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t care about the assembled priests¡¯ concerned whispers at her outburst. She knew he was going to say something to piss her off. She didn¡¯t let go of her aura but her glare made it obvious she expected some saccharine bullshit. She wasn¡¯t disappointed.


    ¡°Very well, Empress. You have so far proven yourself to be a paragon of, ah, restraint and diplomacy. At least since your notable contribution to the defeat of the Nemeti. As good behavior goes a long way towards rehabilitating your image as a reliable partner. Would you consider letting go of the matter? I am sure we can find a way to have Harrak compensated without having to resort to violence.¡±


    Viv crossed her fingers. Sidjin discreetly patted her knee in a gesture of support. She took a deep breath.


    They didn¡¯t get it.


    She would have to explain.


    ¡°You are basing your impression on a false premise. You see me now, calm and composed, and think I have fundamentally changed from the hellion who overthrew Prince Lancer¡¯s puppet in Kazar. Perhaps you think my support of General Jaratalassi is an act of redemption and sacrifice for the common good. In this, you are basing your understanding of me on Loyalist Enorian propaganda. So allow me to dispel any delusions you may have when it comes to the way I conduct politics and diplomacy.


    ¡°I am one of the most consistent rulers to have ever joined the alliance.


    ¡°See, I didn¡¯t go to Lancer. He came to Kazar, violated the free city agreement, enslaved those who didn¡¯t flee, and killed my girlfriend. So I gathered those who mattered to me and led a revolt. And we killed his envoy. Then Lancer came again to finish the job so I rallied my friends and allies and fought back. And we killed him. Elunath tried to enslave me so I rallied allies and laid a trap. And we killed him. The Nemeti threatened Param and old steeltrap Jaratalassi called me for help so I rallied my friends and allies, we came, and we killed the Nemeti. Do you see a pattern? You do, do you not? The reality is quite simple. I would gladly spend days pushing back the deadlands but some shit keeps happening that requires my attention. I¡¯m sure you can see where I am going with this.¡±


    The priests were studiously examining each other¡¯s fingernails so Viv enunciated the next sentence with great care. Just so there wouldn¡¯t be any confusion.


    ¡°As long as twats come after the people I care about or myself, I will simply raise the banners and go after them, and since I¡¯m consistent and rather friendly, the number of banners keeps increasing and now we even have wasps throwers. The Pure League insulted me and went after my embassy so I am going to rally my people and fuck them up. I don¡¯t know how yet, or even when, but it is going to happen. Because I am very consistent, very vindictive, and I always, always get even. Always.¡±


    She leaned back against her chair. You could hear a pin drop.


    ¡°The council grants you the casus belli clause. Please use it with discernment.¡±


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. Unlike some people, I don¡¯t go after civilians. Anyway, was there something else?¡±


    ¡°You are the offended party, Empress Viviane. If you are satisfied then we can resume the summit.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know why your own nation¡¯s military tried to kill you,¡± Viv told the ex-councillor securely hiding in her embassy¡¯s guest quarters.


    The old northern woman had recovered from her shock, to the extent that she looked perfectly at home in her bedroom and Viv was but a guest instead of the manor¡¯s temporary owner. The witch had left her guards behind. Only Sidjin remained by her side. She was hoping for cooperation with the recent defector.


    ¡°What do you know of the Pure League¡¯s drive west across the Kark plains?¡± the old woman asked.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not going well.¡±


    ¡°That would be an understatement. The Pure League¡¯s original intentions were noble. At first, our enemies were not the Kark but the beastlings and any other species or individuals that prayed to the dark gods. The drive east was based on, shall we say, creative evidence at the start though you will not find a noble alive who will admit to it.¡±


    ¡°Except for you,¡± Sidjin remarked.


    ¡°Behind closed doors. And I believe we are way past appearances. My point is that the drive to turn the steppes into farmland is failing.¡±


    ¡°The soil isn¡¯t fertile enough?¡± Viv asked.


    Marruk had indicated as much. The Kark were not stupid. The steppes were just unsuitable for intensive agriculture the way the humans did it.


    ¡°After two harvests, all that remains is cracked dead earth. The first wave of farms has already been abandoned. Meanwhile, the military presses on to free more land for new settlers and those who had to leave theirs behind, but this strategy is just delaying the inevitable.¡±


    ¡°The supply lines keep getting longer,¡± Sidjin guessed.


    ¡°There is that, and the fact that what was steppe land with water spots and some food is now a dry desert, not to mention there are the casualties.¡±


    ¡°The Kark are fighting back.¡±


    ¡°Not as well as before but neither are we. An entire generation of elites has died on Kark spears to slaughter their shamans. Victory was achieved multiple times, but at too high a cost and now the people are weary. Noble houses refuse to sacrifice scions for a cause that they believe is lost. There are two factions right now, the purists and the reformists. The purists want to go all out. They believe that with enough dead Kark and enough free land, they can rotate farms to maintain some measure of productivity. Reformists, meanwhile, believe we should pull out before sinking more resources into a looming disaster.¡±


    ¡°And you are a reformist,¡± Viv guessed.


    ¡°While my fiery colleague represents the purist faction. For now, they hold the advantage but the scales are gradually shifting in our favor. It is making our adversaries desperate, and desperate people are the most dangerous.¡±


    ¡°This does not explain while they would dispose of you,¡± Sidjin noted.


    ¡°I have valuable information that Ambassador Feliserendi would have very much preferred to have kept hidden. Unfortunately, the servant I, ah, convinced to help, had a change of heart and I was forced to leave expeditiously. And by that, I mean I had to jump out of the window. At my age! I would, of course, be willing to share that important piece of information with you provided you could assist me in some matters.¡±


    The lady had courage, Viv would grant her that. Unfortunately, Viv had little patience. These have been trying hours. She progressively released her hold on her aura, first on leadership which Sidjin reinforced with his own aura in a curious mix, as if he was giving her legitimacy. The second layer was more draconic and caused the lady to roll her eyes. At first.


    The room grew progressively dimmer and her guest¡¯s condescending smirk faded. Viv wasn¡¯t just bullying her. She was conveying a message that words would take a long time to express.


    The woman didn¡¯t matter to Viv, not as a person. She was here at Viv¡¯s sufferance and this manor was now under Harrakan dominion. Viv would get her piece of information or she would get her pound of flesh, and she would harvest either with cold, reptilian detachment. The woman would cooperate or she would die, and then Viv would have dinner. That was it.


    A knock on the door. Viv smiled. Solfis¡¯ ghastly head slithered through the opening.


    //YOU CALLED?


    ¡°You have made your position clear,¡± the woman said. ¡°There is no need for this aspect of the Old Empire to make a return. I will tell you what I know. In exchange, I ask for asylum until I manage to find my way back.¡±


    ¡°You will have asylum if you are truthful, if I can ascertain that you don¡¯t intend to betray us, and if Lady Azar thinks your skills are worth employing for the duration of your exile.¡±


    ¡°How would you even know that I wouldn¡¯t betray you?¡±


    ¡°You will swear an oath to Neriad which I will have Lady Azar prepare. I have had some people get creative with oath breaking in the past so I am no longer leaving anything to chance.¡±


    ¡°This is acceptable. As for the piece of information, the League intends to secure its flank by making an example out of Zazas. Ambassador Feliserendi knows the city intends to contract you to become the center of the gate network in the north. They want to dispose of the ruling couple. I¡­ am not sure how. This is all I have learned, I swear.¡±


    ¡°This diplomatic summit is growing more and more annoying.¡±


    //Diplomacy can be quite complex, Your Majesty.


    //May I offer an alternative?


    ¡°No.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ***


    Solfis¡¯ taunt had been directed at the lady. In reality, the ancient golem strongly favored a peaceful approach for the summit since he cared about the glory of Harrak even more than he cared about the glory of battle, and so Viv returned to the negotiating table along with a mollified Sidjin. As expected, the alliance was eager to stop funding the deadland forts and the vote passed with Viv¡¯s support. It was a bit of a blow since the sentries manning said forts didn¡¯t just provide a buffer for invading necromancers. They were also a good source of trade on their way to and back from the fortresses. Viv took solace in the fact that thanks to her effort, they were now only a minor contribution to Harrakan total trade. She could consider their loss a growing pain.


    The afternoon was spent voting on stuff that didn¡¯t concern Viv. The Paramese alliance covered an entire continent, of which Harrak was still just a very small part. Trade disputes, border disagreement, even the responsibility for rampaging monsters were the subject of many arguments, some of them fierce. Viv watched the King of Baran raise his voice for the first time when confronted with the news of a rampaging creature called an ¡®earth wyrm¡¯ that had crossed into Helock-controlled territory. Viv had no idea it was such a big deal, even with Lady Azar mentioning it in the past. The earth wyrm had apparently destroyed a valuable small town.


    ¡°The sons of Baran have bled to slow the beast down and you have the gall to demand reparations from us? While their widows still weep?¡± he roared.


    It was serious business. Viv voted for whoever was right according to her advisors in order to develop a reputation for impartiality. She voted against Enoria once, but Sangor didn¡¯t seem to care much. His request was shot down by most representatives anyway. The negotiations continued well into late afternoon to make up for the earlier disruption. Once more, it was amazing how high stats made everything easier. People talked faster, points were clearer, people tended to be more precise and presented more structured arguments. The votes were tallied in record speed as well. Viv was starting to think it wasn¡¯t just superhuman abilities that let humans thrive here in a land with liches and dragons. Superhuman bureaucracy could be credited for a lot of successes as well.


    Speaking of, there were a few improvements.


    <table>


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    <tr>


    <td>


    Leadership: Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


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    </table>


    <table>


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    <td>


    Polymath: beginner 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Apparently, achieving a major breakthrough for one¡¯s nation improved leadership. Maybe it was about legitimacy as much as it was about rhetorics. Achieving results gave one a reputation for efficacy, after all. She wondered if failed diplomats gained the ¡®disgraced¡¯ title until they cleaned the stain on their honor. She wasn¡¯t exactly eager to find out.


    The second day was much the same with more minor cities requesting portals which Viv was only too happy to provide. After that, Mornyr offered a welcome break with a fencing competition.


    Mornyr was famous for its arena, of which Selyen was the champion. He didn¡¯t participate in the bout and Rollo was beaten in the semifinals which was very honorable for a commander path. Viv had a good time watching all the muscular sweaty men and women slicing at each other for her pleasure. It was quite nice. On the third day, Viv had finished her preparations. It was time to secure an alliance with Enoria or be expelled from the international community. Or maybe both.


    She was feeling confident though. The League of Lesser Evil was back in town and there were no gods on the planet who could create contingencies around Solfis.


    ***


    Three shapes in black cloaks climbed the stairs to the Hidden Smile¡¯s monumental gates. Viv felt giddy behind her mask with Sidjin and Irao on her arms. Even outside the ancient circular building, songs and enrapturing perfume filled the air. Well-armed guards waved her in without a challenge since she had her anchors out. The Hidden Smile was a temple to Sardanal, more specifically its fertility aspect. Viv knew it offered more medical services for those who had difficulties conceiving, but tonight¡¯s focus would be the seductive aspect of growth and Viv was kind of excited for it.


    It was a sex party.


    She¡¯d never attended those back on Earth! She also presumed they were less grandiose since Nyil had an abundance of sex-related professions. The Northern Cities didn¡¯t share Enoria¡¯s or indeed the judeo-christian¡¯s prudish approach to lovemaking. The Hidden Smile clearly advertised what it was down to the lush wall paintings and voluptuous carvings of its exterior, though it was still in good taste so far. Buxom women in togae danced with muscular men, the marble simile cloth clinging to their fetching buttocks. The suggestive imagery remained subtle enough to tease while leaving the building¡¯s purpose clear to all. Past the gate, priests and priestesses of Sardanal welcomed them in fitting clothes, distributing glasses of sweet wine and spicy snacks. Viv removed her cloak to reveal a rather daring dress while Sidjin¡¯s northern toga left his tanned legs bare. It was all rather stimulating. Sadly, Viv was here for business as reminded by Irao¡¯s insistent steps. They moved to the main room soon after, appearing on a balcony overlooking the open space below and the court held there.


    In the center of the room, an orchestra played an engaging song while performers mingled with the guests, half dancing and half cajoling. A brush of the hand on a shoulder here, leaning tittering laugh there, all conspired to make the guests more relaxed, dragging all into the spirit of the party in an inclusive vortex of sensations. It was still relatively early and only a few breasts were on display, most of them in a body paint exhibition that impressed Viv with its hypnotizing patterns. The dancers also knew how to use their waists, and for Viv who, as her grandpa used to say, worked on both steam and sail, it was a treat for the eyes. She helpfully directed Sidjin¡¯s gaze to the sexiest ladies while she sneakily checked the men herself. Hey, this was a sex party. It was only mild now because those priests understood the notion of foreplay.


    Soon, their steps carried them to the back of the grand hall where the king waited for them, surrounded by a court of priests and nobles in shimmering attire. There, the outfits and masks gained an exquisite quality that matched Viv¡¯s fucking expensive own so that attendants would know, if not their identity, then at least their status. The three Harrakans slightly bowed before the dais where Sangor sat with his bearded chin resting on a scarred fist. A suspiciously high amount of empty wine goblets cluttered the table by his side. He nodded in acknowledgement.


    ¡°Welcome to the party, dear guests. By day we all carry a heavy burden, so tonight let it rest and set your minds at ease.¡±


    ¡°Not going to join the party, oh king?¡± Viv asked in front of the priests.


    It was important to really mark her presence in the mind of other guests, hence why she didn¡¯t bother to hide her anchors. It was simply a matter of establishing a rock solid alibi. Similarly, Sidjin¡¯s form was rather easily recognizable. As for Irao, those capable of noticing him through the passive obfuscation skill would assume he was a bodyguard.


    ¡°Oh, it would not be fitting to join when I am already blessed, you see?¡±


    Yeah if his war witch of the thorns paramour learned he was having orgies while she was giving birth, it would probably make his return difficult. Viv suspected that the man was intensely nervous. There were subtle hints, like the way his sword arm flexed when he reached for more alcohol.


    ¡°And besides, I am enjoying fruitful conversations. It will have to satisfy,¡± the king finished to the indulgent chuckle of the surrounding clergy.


    They had apparently decided it was a perfect time to proselyte. To be fair, Sangor was trying to reduce Maranor¡¯s hold on his kingdom. A competing church would go a long way towards doing so. Viv left him to his devices, going instead to the various shows with her companions. She leaned towards Irao as they neared naked acrobats.


    ¡°Are you alright so far?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the hadal replied with more excitement than Viv had ever heard from him. ¡°The mask. I like it. I feel like I am someone else. No one is looking at me because they are looking at the mask. I am not me!¡±


    He sounded really happy about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. Huh. Maybe we should get you more masks. Just let me know if it becomes too much anyway.¡±


    For an hour or so, they moved through the main room. Some people came to talk to them since their real identities were not exactly a secret, though the topics of discussions stayed on light talks and innuendos. Viv had to decline several daring invitations on the way which proved that eldritch wings and devastating black magic could not stand in the way of libido. The party gained intensity as the last guests arrived and the first led temple attendants and each other to alcoves from where moans soon emerged. Interestingly, established couples in matching attire were the drivers behind the heating atmosphere with priests and lone guests joining along as they were invited. It was an interesting tidbit to note to distract her from the fact she had to remain at the periphery. Her soul sense detected a diffuse cloud of divine mana suffusing the place, untying tongues and making limbs and mentalities more limber. She forced herself not to succumb to the siren¡¯s call. When the agreed hour was upon them, it couldn¡¯t have come too soon. She guided Sidjin and Irao by hand to a secluded corner in full view of the attendants. There, they found stairs going down towards a room they had reserved because of its location. It catered to a more specific taste, one that really enjoyed restraints. Sidjin shivered as he entered and just like that, the mood was ruined.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never get used to that,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Well at least I won¡¯t need a cold shower. Let¡¯s get changed.¡±


    The trio quickly swapped their party clothes for dark leather attire somewhere between armor and really kinky suits that would help them melt into the shadows. The last thing Viv needed was for a loose piece of fabric to activate a ward.


    The witch deactivated the protection glyph on the room¡¯s grate then lifted it with telekinesis. The trio slipped down the opening to surprisingly clean sewers. A massive bone form unfolded like a flower from a corner, eyes quickly pointing towards the north. They didn¡¯t speak on their way through several damp corridors, their feet light on the slippery cobblestone. The grates that barred their way opened with a little bit of magic. The underground smelled rank though the stench remained extremely mild compared to what could be expected from a large city in summer. There were actual enchantments down there to purify both water and air.


    After only a couple of minutes of walking. Irao pointed at a wall. Sidjin wordlessly traced a large spell on the surface and Viv once again marveled at the fallen prince¡¯s ability to just make up ad hoc spells with only a couple of days of preparation. Keen mind on that man. Once done, he moved his hands to activate the hex.


    A flash of blue formed a circle on the brick surface, then an entire tube of rock was smoothly extracted, the titanic rod carried in silence by a layer of liquid mana. Sidjin sectioned it, then Viv used telekinesis to quietly place them by the newly formed hole. The League (minus Abe, who had arguably retired) crawled through it and found themselves in the sewer section dedicated to the temple of Maranor, facing a cistern that smelled like really dirty socks. They were in.


    Maranor¡¯s temple sewer system was only joined to the main one by pipes no larger than an arm¡¯s width, yet despite this there was still a divine mana ward covering the grate leading up to the temple¡¯s baths. Solfis and Irao nodded at each other before signaling the path was clear. Like last time, Sidjin quietly made an opening while Viv levitated the cleanly split segment out. The team climbed or flew into the deserted bath in silence. The place was Spartan in appearance though it was large enough to host at least twenty people cleaning themselves butt to butt. It was also entirely deserted. The followers of orders weren¡¯t fond of unscheduled midnight dips, at least. Small mercy. Viv unlocked the door, then Irao and Solfis slipped out first.


    Viv settled to wait. Just like the Hidden Smile, this place too was permeated by a halo of divine mana. It was more pronounced here than it had ever been in any of the provincial temples she¡¯d visited. It felt quiescent to her soul sense, like a house with its host absent. After ten minutes of tense expectations, the pair returned. Solfis signaled and the casters slipped into a richly decorated corridor.


    Maranor favored straight columns of red stone and gold filigree. Half of the decorations were exquisite works of art while the other was more warlike: stained pennants along with broken weapons lined the walls as a reminder that order would be enforced by violence if necessary. They turned deeper into the complex under the skull of some imposing beast, Irao leading the way. Viv bathed Sidjin and herself in a layer of shadow-infused black mana just in case. The hadal stopped them as they passed by a training courtyard. Targets and charred practice dummies could be seen from openings through the thick walls. They stopped when he made a sign.


    Viv and Sidjin knelt on the ground. The sounds of footsteps sounded from the other side of the courtyard while fleeting light shone on the ceiling above them. She cast a sound enchantment and reinforced the darkness effect just in case. Just as expected, the guard moved on without contest. Viv looked up to see directions written on the stone in a nearby corner.


    ¡®Cadet¡¯s barracks¡¯


    They were on the right track. Irao and Solfis led them to an intersection with what Viv would have believed where two decorative armor sets were it not for the buckets suspiciously blocking their view. Golems. The passage that interested them was next.


    While the previous alleys had led to the lines of evenly spaced doors Viv associated with dormitories, this one had only six. Solfis¡¯ prep work confirmed this was the VIP part of the barracks where rich scions could have their own personal quarters. A massive red seal covered the entire passage from wall to wall and ground to ceiling, visible in the darkness as faint lights. Just as Viv was making herself ready to breach it, Irao and Solfis moved. Irao pushed Sidjin towards Viv and then Solfis picked them up, jumping to the ceiling like a spider. The four huddled above the ground in an awkward and slightly uncomfortable hunch bathed in dark mana. There was someone coming.


    A young woman in the dress of an apprentice passed through the barrier without issue before leaving with quick steps. Viv spotted a chit dangling from her waist. It was an identification token used to go through wards without issue, and even bring people with. It had been one of their leads but Viv had eventually decided against using them as she didn¡¯t know what kind of extra checks might be in place. Irao made the sign for ¡®acquisition¡¯ but Viv denied him. They had a plan, and they would stick to it unless otherwise necessary. The woman had barely turned the corner before Viv was working on the divine ward.


    Now, divine wards could be broken with a ton of effort, less from Viv since breaking stuff was her specialty. The issue was, if you broke a ward fueled by divine power, the goddess owning it would be immediately aware of it.


    That would be extremely bad.


    Fortunately, divine wards were less responsive than temporary ones. Maranor was propping up hundreds of wards, conducting her normal business, plotting, floating in the in between, and generally being a bitch all at the same time. Even a divine being could only multitask so much so their wards could be stretched a little without them noticing. A bit like a mosquito stinging skin, Viv¡¯s little prick would not be felt.


    That was a rather phallic metaphor. The party was really getting to her. Viv focused and started pulling on threads. The ward itself wasn¡¯t that complex. It was the power behind it that truly mattered. Slowly, and with a delicate touch, Viv pulled on threads to loosen them. It felt very much like untangling cables. She merely had to exercise patience and consistency.


    The world around her faded away as did her stress. The others were looking after her. She had nothing to worry about. All that mattered was to coax the construct into extending a little, not much, just enough so that a weakness could be crossed without triggering the construct. Thanks to her training with Garm, the Knight Captain of Neriad, she knew how durable divine mana could be. Eventually, she pulled back. There was now a semi-stable circular opening in the ward. She slipped through it immediately with the other four hot on her heels, then she moved down the alley.


    Sidjin took the time to pat her arm. He looked very impressed behind the leather half-mask. They easily found the right door as it was the only one locked from the outside.


    Irao could have probably taken it from here but this was an extraction and he was not exactly the most trustworthy-looking person around. The door was locked and warded, though not divinely. Sidjin and Viv worked together to displace the alarm¡¯s anchor away from the gate, then Viv opened the door into a dimly lit room.


    It was a little bit messy and very pungent. It reeked of sex. Suddenly, the fleeing girl¡¯s late night visit made a lot more sense. So the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree huh? Viv shouldn¡¯t judge.


    As for their target, he stood abruptly when Viv walked in, growing more alarmed as Solfis joined them. He was wearing a simple summer sleeping shift. The room itself was decorated with basic trinkets that showed a lot of care but very little means. The most complex one was a basket made of straw, a little scuffed around the edges.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hello Gil, we¡¯re here to bring you to freedom. We were¡ª¡±


    ¡°Give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t scream.¡±


    Ugh, the little shit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two. First, I cast a sound bubble so no one will hear. Two, as I said, we¡¯re here to free you and bring you to your dad.¡±


    Gil was like a younger and admittedly more handsome version of his dad. He had the rugged charm of an action movie star, the kind that couldn¡¯t express his feelings until he and the female lead were caught in the villain¡¯s lair above the shark pool. He was also rather young which made sense since he was still officially in training, as well as remarkably calm for someone caught with his metaphorical pants down. Viv had also expected some measure of resistance, so she pulled her ace from her sleeve.


    ¡°Here, one of the letters you sent to your father. You hid a message in them.¡±


    Gil gave her a measuring look. Viv gave him some time to look at the letter.


    ¡°You are not my father. For all I know, you¡ª¡±


    //Did you seriously expect your father, the king, to charge in with a regiment of Enorian knights?


    //Inside of Maranor¡¯s main temple?


    ¡°Well, no, but¡­¡±


    //You are being extracted at your own request.


    //Kindly cooperate.


    //Because our schedule is tight and said cooperation is, in fact, not required.


    ¡°We are taking a major risk to come here,¡± Viv added.


    ¡°Alright, alright. There is just one thing. We need to get Lydia as well.¡±


    Viv felt her stomach drop.


    ¡°The woman who just left?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡­ didn¡¯t do anything, right?¡± he said, suddenly afraid.


    ¡°No. We didn¡¯t touch anybody.¡±


    He was infatuated. Fuck! She gave it two chances in three this was a honey pot either started or tolerated by the temple but if she said that to the strapping young man, he would definitely dig both heels. A woman approaching him because he was a valuable royal hostage who needed an outlet and not his roguish charm? Unthinkable.


    ¡°Look, we can¡¯t get her. It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    ¡°I love her, we¡¯re not leaving without her,¡± the young man said with a stubborn clench of his jaws.


    Had to work on it a bit.


    Viv pushed leadership into her words. This wasn¡¯t a moment for threats. It was a moment for maturity.


    ¡°Look, if she comes with us, she will be seen as a traitor by her hierarchy and by the goddess she swore herself to. She will live the cursed life of a hidden exile because you couldn¡¯t bear to be separated from her for a month or two. If you really care about her, you will leave her behind instead of destroying her life.¡±


    ¡°Her life will be destroyed anyway! They will suspect her.¡±


    ¡°They will suspect the fucking doorman after we¡¯re gone, but right now she can swear an oath she had no idea you would be leaving, something she cannot do if we miraculously find her through patrols and closed doors. I¡¯m not asking much from you Gil, just that you consider the future of Lydia as well as that of your nation, which is being endangered because you¡¯re wasting everyone¡¯s time with a selfish request instead of saving yourself. We will die if we are caught here. Don¡¯t you care about that at all?¡±


    Gil bit his lips. Viv¡¯s short speech acted like a cold shower. The key had been to avoid questioning her love in any way.


    ¡°Right. Sorry, I just care about her very much.¡±


    ¡°And you can see her again once you¡¯re free and secure as Enoria¡¯s official heir. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Right. Lead the way.¡±


    Gil only put on boots. Irao and Solfis exited the room first, then signaled that the way was clear. Viv took the time to repair the door¡¯s ward just in case someone came to check on Gil in the middle of the night. It wouldn¡¯t surprise her. The divine ward was pulsing back in position by the time she returned to it. Irao and Solfis slipped through without difficulty. They kept a vigil while Viv widened the passage again so the humans could cross. She pushed it back into position even as the stomping of boots drew closer, and had to run to catch up with the others. They doubled back at a good speed until they found the bath again. Viv locked the door behind them, then Sidjin fixed both holes on the way back until the walls appeared as pristine as the day they were built. They absconded to the Hidden Smile without issue, and that was weird as hell.


    Upon returning to the kink room, Irao simply melted into the shadows while Gil put on his cloak and mask. They returned back to the main hall. By that time, the festivities were in full swing and coincidentally full swinging. It was definitely decadent and amazing. She still leaned towards poor Gil who¡¯d been briefed and still stared.


    ¡°Get a grip.¡±


    ¡°Sorry! Sorry, I just, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    To be fair, neither had Viv but she was cool and would never admit to it. The stress of the operation and surrounding horniness faded in the background when Gil stopped in front of his father. They had a code ready in case the operation succeeded, so Sangor could be seen ruling over the revelries without any break while still learning of his son¡¯s fate.


    ¡°It is time for us to leave you, king. Thank you for your hospitality,¡± Viv started as planned.


    By then, the number of empty bottles by Sangor¡¯s side had reached a concerning amount. He grabbed the table with white knuckles, the emotions barely visible in a very distracting scenery.


    ¡°I see. I hope you and your guests had a pleasant time.¡±


    ¡°We did, king,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°It was good for us to meet.¡±


    ¡°Though we were apart for too long, our bond is one that cannot be broken,¡± Gil said with a voice heavy with emotion.


    For a moment, Viv thought the two might jump into each other¡¯s arms and ruin the plan and it would have almost been worth it.


    ¡°I¡­ see,¡± Sangor replied.


    They awkwardly retreated towards the door. Revelers looked up to see her leave but soon returned to their current concerns. The Harrakans had come by three and now returned by three. Nothing interesting. A carriage led them to a small square on the way back to the embassy where visiting artists had erected a tent. Gil recognized one of Sangor¡¯s bodyguards as soon as he stepped out of the compartment.


    ¡°Erlyn?¡±


    ¡°Gil m¡¯boy? It¡¯s really you!¡±


    The two threw themselves into a hug and Viv saw that all was well. Sangor had it from then on. She could count on the old fox to manage things from here and she could also count on a defensive alliance. Gil would leave at dawn with a caravan of traveling performers, long before Maranor¡¯s temple could react in a way that maintained secrecy. After all, they wouldn¡¯t want knowledge of their humiliation to spread.


    Viv had now accomplished all the objectives she¡¯d fixed herself for this meeting. Her only objective now was to avoid catastrophes.


    With that, they finally made their way home. She breathed out the anxiety of the night into her paramour¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Everything went admirably well,¡± Sidjin replied, voice tight.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I fear Sardanal¡¯s divine magic might have been more potent than I expected.¡±


    ¡°I have never been more horny in my entire life.¡±


    They kissed passionately, finally relaxing after what was probably her most flawlessly executed operation. A bloody miracle. It had gone almost too well.


    Was she forgetting something?


    Maybe? But then Sidjin¡¯s calloused hand grabbed her thigh and she lost what was left of her patience.


    ***


    Morning light filtered through the crimson stained glass of Maranor¡¯s temple.


    The high priest of Maranor stayed still so his subordinate wouldn¡¯t see the fury in his eyes, the shame and outrage twisting his features despite his best attempts at self-control. A disaster had befallen this hallowed ground. A humiliation. He had failed his goddess.


    ¡°Your Excellency, we detected weak brown mana residue near the southern bath house, but even this is¡­¡±


    ¡°What about the sewer wards?¡±


    ¡°Intact, Your Grace. No wards were breached, no physical damage was detected. It¡¯s¡­ a complete mystery.¡±


    The head priest glared forward, towards the guardian golems even now wearing those silly buckets as hats. As far as they could tell, it was the only visible evidence the sanctum of Maranor had been desecrated and its valuable guest stolen. It was a boast. A slap to the face. Nay, it was a message.


    ¡°They want us to be afraid. They want us to know they can hit us and there is nothing we can do to fight back. We are being mocked, but this is not the last of it.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    Despite his facade of confidence, the high priest had to press the fear clawing up his chest with a cold certainty. That assault on his keep was terrifying.


    They were dealing with a terrifyingly competent opponent.

 Chapter 168: Strangers on a Trail

    Viv felt very much like her young self sitting before her high school principal the day after the soap incident. As in, when she¡¯d beaten someone in the changing room with a bar of soap wrapped in a nylon sock. She¡¯d been terrified, because she thought the police might be involved. It might be even worse this time.


    Sangor sat by her side in a state of apparent relaxation, though there was something very contained about his posture that evoked the calm before the storm. Maybe it was his impeccable doublet, maybe it was the bloodshot eyes, or maybe it was the fact his scarred fist clenched and unclenched like a beating heart or like a sword half-drawn. He made no effort to hold back his tremendous aura. As the undisputed king of one of the major powers of the continent, one who¡¯d gained that right through blood and guile, his presence weighed with an intensity that bordered on the physical. Only Viv¡¯s own achievements protected her soul from its dominating presence. In front of them, the High Priest of Maranor glared.


    Except for the three of them, the room was empty.


    ¡°Thank you for agreeing to see me,¡± the high priest said.


    He was the same one who officiated the summit. Viv didn¡¯t expect him to act so soon or so brazenly. Actually, this was a private meeting so maybe nothing was out yet. He could just be fishing. The thing was, Sangor looked like he was ready to bite the hook, the line, and also the fishing boat for good measure.


    ¡°I have called you here because a mysterious incident happened last night. Someone disappeared from the heart of our temple, without trace and this despite fully intact wards. Evidence points towards outsiders breaking in, very well prepared outsiders. Of course, this is a blasphemous act of unprecedented proportions that should horrify everyone. Someone clearly has no fear of the Goddess of Order and her clergy. A terrible development¡­¡±


    The unspoken accusation hung in the air between them.


    ¡°I am sure you see where I am going with this.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sangor said. ¡°I do not. Please tell me how this¡­ break-in relates to me?¡±


    ¡°A person is missing. Your son Gil.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that my son has been kidnapped?¡±


    The high priest briefly mulled over his options. He looked increasingly furious to the extent that his forehead was turning a nice shade of tulip.  It was clearly not going the way he expected, Viv thought.


    ¡°Because if he was kidnapped, I would like to know why the city is not in an uproar at the disappearance of the heir to the kingdom of Enoria. One would think this would be considered a priority, would you not?¡±


    Viv thought the only thing missing was a ball of energy crackling over the table where the two glares met.


    ¡°It could be that Prince Gil has been duped by outsider agents claiming to act for someone he knew. There are few outsider agents capable of such an incredible feat, however, though I read reports that a bank in Helock was breached with a similar, mysterious group of peerless capabilities, a group famous for having disabled their golem so thoroughly that it went missing. Our own golems were shut with unusual means that betray a great understanding of their functions. That bank heist also served to undermine Archmage Elunath as part of an ongoing feud with¡­ was it not you, Empress Viviane?¡±


    Said empress was doing her best to melt into the background. Sadly, the back of her chair remained entirely too solid. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of the high priest.


    She was afraid of Sangor¡¯s reaction to that high priest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my son,¡± the Enorian said between gritted teeth. ¡°You said he was, what, kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°It seems possible.¡±


    ¡°How can you tell he is not merely in someone¡¯s bed sporting a hangover as people his age tend to do? After all, yesterday was a day of celebration in Mornyr, with the summit in full swing? Is there a reason why you would think him abducted?¡±


    ¡°The servants of Maranor do not overstay parties because they drank themselves under the table, King Sangor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but youth, you know how wild they can become. Is there, say, a specific, a VERY specific reason as to why my son could not leave that would explain your certainty?¡±


    Sangor leaned forward over the counter, hands balled into fists upon which he pretended to rest his head. If this was a bar, Viv would have picked her handbag and fucked off before the chairs started flying.


    ¡°He is a young man of extraordinary faith.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Sangor reached for his breast pocket, slowly removing one of the letters Gil had sent him. Viv recognized the paper as the one he¡¯d shown her during their secret meeting at the border, the one where bold letters formed a message asking for rescue. Surely, the temple didn¡¯t leave its best paper to its apprentice but only one thing could explain the ratty, cracked appearance of the missive. Someone¡¯s nervous and constant attention. Sangor had read his son¡¯s cry for help a hundred times, a thousand times. His fingers had held this lifeline with the powerless intensity of a deprived father and now, he delicately placed the open piece of paper in front of the priest with the slow motion of someone who didn¡¯t dare go quickly lest they lose control over their emotions.


    ¡°Got a message here. From him. Long ago. Now, some of those letters, those. Those. That one too, you see? Yeah, that one as well. They form a cry for help. See? So perhaps, just perhaps, I am being fearful with no cause. But perhaps he was also held in a secure facility as a, haha, HOSTAGE. Now that would be hilarious, right?¡±


    ¡°What a shocking assumption, King Sangor.¡±


    ¡°I admit that when spoken like this, it appears unthinkable. Who in their right mind would think they could control a kingdom by kidnapping the king¡¯s only son, denying them even a visitation and believe, how unthinkable, that they could get away with it?¡±


    The table groaned under Sangor¡¯s fingers. Incidentally, that table was made of stone.


    ¡°Because that would be insane. Yeah. Mad. Dangerously so. Now, I am sure my son is fine and that he will eventually resurface, probably somewhere south of here, perhaps closer to Enoria. Let us say he would be taking a break from his knightly duties. Perhaps it could happen. Of course, you could cling to the belief that he was kidnapped but then perhaps my son would hold a different opinion and I, as his father, would perhaps be tempted to resort to¡­ drastic measures. You know. The hostile, retaliatory kind.¡±


    ¡°That would be dangerous for Enoria.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so. Maybe so¡­ and maybe I don¡¯t give a single flaccid fuck.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t think she¡¯d seen someone so angry since she verbally lashed Octas¡¯ avatar and that woman had been unhinged. Right now, Sangor was another kind of angry, the ¡®send ships across the Aegean¡¯ kind of angry.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll figure out what you choose. Now I¡¯m going to get out and take a breath before I do something we both regret. Let me know what you decide. Oh, and just in case you believe I should extend my stay? I left instructions with my paramour and if you think I¡¯m being unreasonable, you really don¡¯t want to meet her. Witches, you know? A good day to you.¡±


    The smoldering volcano of Sangor¡¯s presence radiated like an angry sun as he moved around the table, his footsteps strangely loud in the oppressive silence.


    Viv was left in her seat alone with the High Priest and the vein pulsating on his forehead. She slapped her lap.


    ¡°Well! This has been fun and all.¡±


    ¡°You play a very dangerous game, outlander. And to think I believed you when you came, garbed in protocol and decorum with your heroic declamations, but it was just a ploy to have me lower my guard. Once a revolutionary witch, always a revolutionary witch is it?¡±


    ¡°There is no need for name calling. You know why you¡¯re really mad, and it¡¯s not because of me. As for decorum¡­¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break it. I¡¯m merely playing the same game as everyone else. You just didn¡¯t expect me to have such a good hand.¡±


    Viv stood up, making her way out.


    ¡°I¡¯m already pledged to Neriad after all. One cannot be friends with everyone these days. Just remember¡­ your side started it. See you at the summit.¡±


    Viv followed after Sangor, though she was much less deliberate about it.


    Left alone, The High Priest simmered in his resentment. Anger and outrage warred with shame and a deep sense of having failed his duties, his faith, and his goddess. He turned to a secondary set of doors. A minute later, it opened, letting in a woman in a dark robe, the hooded symbol of Enttiku the only visible ornament.


    ¡°Mornyr¡¯s sanctity has been defiled,¡± the high priest said.


    ¡°You called this upon yourself. This sanctity depends on our neutrality and our sense of ethics, something your kind has had difficulties with for the past century.¡±


    ¡°Do not presume to lecture me, you old crone. I do this for Param.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, people bind their essence to a cause to such an extent they end up seeing their own wellbeing as serving that cause. Such people tend to take shortcuts.¡±


    ¡°I did not call you here for a lecture. I request surveillance on the King of Enoria on suspicion of burglary.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? What was stolen, besides your dignity?¡±


    ¡°Breaking. And. Entering,¡± the high priest forced out of his clenched jaw.


    ¡°Better. My guards will keep an eye on the young fox, if you insist. We will report what we see but we will not intervene unless we find evidence of a crime having been committed.¡±


    The message hung between them. A father reuniting with his child was not a crime.


    ¡°Report it to me and I will handle the rest.¡±


    ¡°Be careful of what you try. Mornyr may never have fallen but some of its leaders have.¡±


    ¡°And of the girl as well.¡±


    A susurrus sound escaped from the hooded form. It might have been a very quiet chuckle.


    ¡°If you wish. Goodbye dear. Try not to let it get to your head.¡±


    The woman left with the second half of the sentence left unsaid but the high priest could taste it in the eddies of her soul. It was something along the line of ¡®or you might lose it¡¯.


    ***


    Param had no meddling kids, so Viv had gotten away with it! Again! She had honestly thought she would not even be suspected but she was being naive. The law, or indeed figures of authority here didn¡¯t need proof to make accusations. There was only one person both stupid and competent enough to reverse heist Gil and that was her. Period. The only good thing was that the high priest had zero proof so he couldn¡¯t exactly put her on trial or send the rest of the temple after her, so he had to just sit down and take the loss. She suspected the other leaders didn¡¯t much like his machinations. That didn¡¯t help with the sensation of having Maranor¡¯s fury hanging over her neck by a thread, ready to fall at the first mistake.


    ¡°Say, Solfis,¡± she said after returning to the manor that night.


    //Your Majesty.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty fast, hmm?¡±


    //I believe this has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt.


    ¡°And you have a perfect memory.¡±


    //As provided by the superior form of the machine.


    ¡°So you left the fucking buckets on the golem¡¯s head on purpose.¡±


    There was no embarrassment module in Solfis¡¯ programming. Viv thought it was unfair.


    //Sometimes, one must make a point.


    ¡°And that point is that we¡¯re mocking our very powerful enemy for no purpose? Is that it? They would have searched longer if it wasn¡¯t obvious there were intruders in!¡±


    //The point was not that.


    ¡°What then?¡±


    //The point was that the entities those pathetic, half-brained dimwits at the local college of magic call golems are but poorly designed parodies of what a true golem should be.


    //They are oversized toys designed by deluded buffoons who are too stupid to even realize the extent of their own mediocrity.


    //Their programming is a joke rolled in a travesty.


    //If my creator Irlefen were alive, the arrogant, decerebrated meatbags who made them would not be trusted with a mop and bucket of soapy water.


    ¡°Solfis. Did you leave the buckets because those pieces of shit being called the same term as you made you extra salty?.¡±


    //Those are not golems.


    //Those are pathetic automatons.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call them that, I just want to know if you left the buckets out of anger, thus endangering all of us.¡±


    //¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡±


    //It also served to intimidate our adversaries.


    ¡°You¡¯re banned from attending the next heist.¡±


    //That would be suboptimal, Your Majesty.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just tagged us as the culprits for your own amusement!¡±


    //Irao thought it was funny as well.


    The nearby window opened and shut as a so far invisible shadow slipped out to avoid some unwanted attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m surrounded by idiots.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I suppose this concludes our discussion,¡± King Erezak of Baran said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    Viv nodded then stood from the table, the few documents signed and ready.


    ¡°Then I bid you a good day.¡±


    Although the voice was soft and devoid of emotion, the meaning couldn¡¯t have been more clear. Viv wasn¡¯t offered small talk or refreshments. In diplomatic terms, this was almost an insult. The king had made it abundantly obvious that he didn¡¯t want to connect with her any more than necessary beyond the need for an agreement on the portal network.


    Viv had burned the Baranese bridge by allying with Enoria. Oh, it wasn¡¯t definitive or even that bad. Erezak expected her to be a thorn in Enoria¡¯s flank and now that it was obvious she wouldn¡¯t be that, he had no more use for her. A part of her resented that he would be so blunt after she defended his lands as members of the alliance but this was a world of harsh politics and honor didn¡¯t always rule over self-interest. That was fine. Viv accepted that possibility when she decided to help Sangor. In this place, being someone¡¯s friend would turn you into someone else¡¯s enemy. This was the way mentalities worked and there was little she could do to change that.


    ***


    Viv had a problem. She needed to save the Zazas ruling couple from the Pure League ambush, but attacking the Pure League directly could lead to complications, especially if they saw her coming.


    Sangor had another problem. He needed to get his son safely to Enoria while under constant surveillance from agents and his entourage couldn¡¯t avoid their watchful gaze.


    Fortunately, Viv had an idea.


    ***


    Dust and horse sweat. It smelled like dust and horse sweat. The Sister of Enttiku focused for an instant and her robe, now dark green and mottled, turned a pale gold stained with orange spots. She stepped slowly out of the forest and into the light of the harvested field. To her right, the tail of the Enorian convoy rolled away in a cloud of suspended soil. Only cereal stalks remained in front of her on the cracked, dry ground. Her two sisters stepped out by her side and they slowly made their way across the empty field.


    Following without being seen was exhausting. Doing so against a prepared and well-trained opponent doubly so. Against a moving opponent during daylight made this mission a chore like no other. She¡¯d rather be slitting cultist throats in a putrid marsh. Her eyes searched the edge of the nearest patch of wood for hostile entities and found none, only a couple of young fang boars sleeping away the midday heat. She hurried. Soon, blessed shadow covered her form again and her hood returned to its forest camouflage. A sister made to climb trees but the woman stopped her.


    She pointed at her ears, then forward, then made a series of complicated gestures. Combat, ahead, half a league or less, not the target. If not the Enorian convoy, then who? The Helockian convoy? Zazas? Probably Zazas. She made the sign to accelerate. The trio of Enttiku elites rushed forward under the quiet canopy. Sweat made the woman¡¯s armor clingy and uncomfortable but she didn¡¯t slow down. Her hearing picked up the sound of people dying and she wasn¡¯t the only one. Just ahead of her, the knights of the Enorian convoy charged forward. The woman peered from behind low bushes towards the series of carriages.


    The central one stood empty, door ajar. An old servant was shaking his head while folding an elaborate doublet.


    The king of Enoria was missing.


    He¡¯d charged to the rescue with his knights.


    If the king died here protecting Zazas at the edge of Mornyr territory¡­ The woman made another series of hurried signs and the trio burst out of the underbush, all attempts at stealth discarded. There were a few cries from the convoy¡¯s infantry and archers but a domineering voice stopped them.


    ¡°Those are Sisters of Enttiku you dumbasses. No shooting. And keep your damn eyes peeled!¡±


    The three women rushed ahead towards a true forest this time. It marked the border between Mornyr and a minor city. The clang of weapons and screams of the wounded became more intense. Trunks and thick brambles barely hampered them. The damp cloth on the woman¡¯s back was forgotten now that she could feel the cold of the grave covering her skin. Death waited ahead. The anguish of departing souls whispered in her ears, guiding her deeper into the thicket. Suddenly, she heard a whistling sound, a little to her left, while the majority of the battle happened ahead and to her right. She pointed in the direction and the trio glided through the harshest terrain as if it were not there, jumping over roots and using trunks to propel themselves. The woman could feel the souls in front of her as a tendril of energy touched them, recognizing they had killed someone. Marking them with the result of their choices. One last tree and she was among them.


    They reacted very quickly.


    The woman took in her surroundings in an instant. A battle to her right, near the road. A line of four archers using solid short bows, uniformly made, good quality. Nondescript clothes of average make you would find on traveling merchants. Dark skin. Empty expressions, brown eyes looking at her with detachment. Confident motions. A short sword going for her belly. She knew that technique: a standard disabling strike taught in Luten, useful against unarmored opponents. Good as an opener. She parried and stabbed with her other hand. Her dagger met another dagger and the fighters disengaged Already, three bows were swiveling towards her. She was exposed. She was obvious.


    Her sisters were not.


    Throwing daggers whistled through the air. Impossibly, one of the enemies dodged though the other was just a hair too slow. The black weapon sliced a thin bloody line along his exposed cheek. The foe¡¯s eyes glazed over.


    In her soul sense, the woman saw the fingers of her goddess scoop out the marked soul like one plucks a cherry. As the body fell, the intact white orb sailed away to the in between, shedding a trail of misery behind. His own and that of his victims. Back in the real world, a fierce battle was joined. The archers discarded their bow and closed the distance in a flurry of blades. The woman winced when one of her sister was wounded but soon, the three survivors disengaged in a puff of shadow magic. She felt their souls sprinting away in the distance, splitting almost immediately. Her wounded sister took out a vial from a breast pocket which she imbibed immediately. There was no need to wonder what the poison was. After all, dark blades were nothing if not reliable.


    This time, The Pure League had really gone too far.


    The trio turned to the road battle but it was already over. The woman spotted dead soldiers with javelins and chainmail along with a few dark blades skewered where they stood. The Enorian cavalry turned after their king as he swept the field with a massive spear bearing the blue flag of his nation. The dark blades had not waited to face him. The last of them puffed away in clouds of darkness, teleporting to safety. She let them.


    Kneeling by the nearby body, she pulled his hood back to reveal a scar near his neck. A symbol, burned away with a hot blade. A renegade, or a pariah. It would be enough for Luten to deny all involvement but that didn¡¯t matter. The Pure League had just tried to assassinate the rulers of Zazas right outside of the boundaries of Mornyr. Her mistress must be informed.


    The woman watched the wounded being carried to safety. Her decision was made. For the first time in hours, she spoke.


    ¡°The church must be informed. I am bringing an end to this operation. It is clear that if Prince Gil is to meet with the king, it will not happen here or soon. We will share our spare antidotes with the Zazas convoy then head back. This was a fool¡¯s errand anyway.¡±


    ***


    The two sisters paused at the edge of the docks, far enough not to be detected by the witch¡¯s bone abomination. This was one of the most tedious missions they¡¯d ever done, not because of opposing forces but because they needed to stay close enough to look for anomalies while far enough to avoid the guardian¡¯s ceaseless scrutiny. Direct line of sight would spell their doom for the golem never blinked. Their only saving grace was its low autonomy. As the mistress had surmised, the thing was massively mana-intensive. It had not deployed once since the witch¡¯s departure. It allowed the sisters to identify the dangerous zones as the caravan plodded on.


    Now, the convoy had finally reached the Shal river and they were making ready to cross. The mistress had left the duration of the operation to the sisters¡¯ discretion. Surely, this was far enough away? There had been no new arrivals, no suspicious departures. If the witch was planning something, it would have already happened. Right? They had already left Mornyr¡¯s territory anyway.


    The left sister raised her fist, and they had a signed conversation. The left sister suggested they returned. The right sister agreed but wanted to wait until the witch had boarded, just in case.


    The left sister signed that the golem might spot them as it searched the ship for threats.


    The middle fist said it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    The two sisters froze.


    They looked up from the pale hand signing with them, up a black-clad arm and right to a mask covering a full face except for soot-stained skin around the yellow eyes of a hadal.


    The mask was painted with an exaggerated expression, and that expression could only be described as insufferably smug.


    The sisters decided that, perhaps, it was better to leave now. They turned around. The left sister still took one last look at him, fully expecting him to be already gone.


    Instead, he was still standing there but wearing a different mask.


    This one was winking.


    ***


    On the other side of the Shal river, Viv walked to a secluded spot under the watchful gaze of her guards. It was only a matter of minutes to open a portal to a secret spot in the depths of Mornyr. Gil walked out while holding a half-devoured poultry leg, spice crusting the golden skin.


    ¡°This is so good!¡± he said.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re making up for years of being subjected to solely frugal cuisine.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s dad?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to wait for him here. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to Enoria, Prince Gil.¡±


    ¡°Nice. Can I have some wine?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you can refuse me?¡± he asked with a cocky smile. ¡°I¡¯m the Prince of Enoria!¡±


    But Viv only returned an even broader smile. It spread a sinister aura across the empty clearing, with the heavies standing as silent steel gargoyles in the background..


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the reason you want to pick to convince me, young man? Being a prince? Of Enoria? Really really sure?¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Wait for your dad to start drinking.¡±


    ¡°You are not a fun person.¡±


    //I FORMALLY DISAGREE.


    ***


    Sangor had a party back at the official Enorian capital of Three Rivers, the site of the previous siege of the loyalist faction, and Viv was pretty much forced to attend. To add insult to injury, Sangor invited the clergy of Maranor to officiate the ceremony that made Gil the official heir in exchange for concessions. Gil would finish his knight formation with their temple locally, and the church would let go of the humiliation they¡¯d suffered. Viv had entertained the idea that Sangor would just kick them out on their asses but that was naive. One could not simply oust a religion overnight. It was clear, however, that a rift had formed and Sardanal¡¯s priests soon arrived from the portal system to offer an alternative to the church of order. Viv would take it.


    Her return to Harrak was triumphant because no one had died this time and the profits from trade were flowing in. With the portal network operational over Enoria and access to Baran as well, Harrak¡¯s metal, rare mushrooms, and black mana rations were extremely popular among mercenaries, guards, and armies. In return, a stream of goods had flooded the market, the most popular being new kinds of crops. The Harrakan fortified villages were planting things and seeing what stuck. So far, they had the most success with crops that preferred dry weather for obvious reasons. Irrigation remained an issue, with rain also less abundant than it should be. Lana had helped with deep wells but that was still a stopgap measure. Unfortunately, the weather would remain dry until the deadlands were pushed back farther but Viv had one recourse, something that would help.


    ¡°Trees?¡± Lana asked.


    ¡°Well, not just trees. Hedges, terraces¡­ We¡¯re receiving very little moisture and whatever rain we get can quickly erode the soil. We can¡¯t just plant things and expect to get the Old Empire environment. We need to adapt what we grow to the current circumstances, that¡¯s why we need to do our best to promote soil conservation.¡±


    And the newly arrived priests of Sardanal would help. It seemed that after Neriad, they would be next to take on the fight to restore the deadlands. They immediately loved the ideas Viv shared.


    ¡°There was a similar event called the Dust Bowl in one of my world¡¯s nations. Essentially, intensive agriculture destroyed deep rooted grass over large plains. Deep roots keep the soil in place and capture moisture. Without it, the wind can create massive dust storms that lead to widespread devastation, not to mention the drought,¡± she told them.


    ¡°And you have a solution?¡±


    ¡°Well, I remember what I read in geography class. Here, let me explain.¡±


    Viv expected farmers to complain about her new measures but she underestimated the reputation she had for good ideas and the pyramidal structure of Nyil society. For most people, they were just implementing a mysterious outlander plan to make the land even more fertile, and, actually, they were right. It also helped that Solfis identified native species that would work very well for this purpose and also eagerly distributed rose seeds, leading to nice hedges decorated with colorful flowers and the odd blue roses. The first blooms matured right in time for the next big event.


    The celebration for the harvest festival was massive. The Blue Rose dueling ground was especially popular, with Viv having organized ¡®friendly¡¯ bouts in full protective gear between neighbors and family with no penalties. People handled grudges through the cathartic medium of beating the shit out of each other and then going for a drink. The female-only slapping competition was a hit as well. Viv was happy to see that the mood was good and a little wild. The Harrakans were trying stuff ranging from new embroidery techniques as remembered by Solfis to northern music. The festivities even included the kark, the yries, and even masked hadals performing tricks and sneaking naughty messages in people¡¯s pockets while they were distracted. All in all, Viv had a blast.


    The festive mood continued over the next day with the induction of a new class of recruits for the various companies, this one picked directly from the beastling war games¡¯ deadliest winners. It had apparently gotten so bad that the hadal hunters had to ferry the teenagers deeper in the forest because they¡¯d successfully depleted the local population.


    The local beastlings had been exterminated.


    Oh, they would come back, but in the meanwhile the Harrakans had achieved something no one really thought possible. The recruits already had skills and beginner paths to serve them. Even Solfis called the little psychopaths ¡®a promising lot¡¯, perhaps due to their tendencies to collect trophies. Like before, Viv couldn¡¯t really afford to pay all of them despite an exploding budget so they would be pillaging the deadlands for all it contained. Even the local young adults had now taken revenant hunting as a pastime, though there was little slaying and a lot of drinking.


    In the following months, Viv got busy spreading and then maintaining the portal network over the places she had agreed to cover. Building the portals only took a little bit of time. It was the traveling that was the most time-consuming, especially on the two occasions a portal array was destroyed. Harrak was spared most of the upheaval that came with the fall of several caravan guilds, with traffic drastically reduced between large cities. Although many blamed her for the crisis, no one dared attack Viv directly. She happily left the task of managing the rebels to local authorities. She returned during fall to prepare for the island trip to face Octas. There were two more good surprises waiting.


    First, Lady Azar had finally gathered enough people who intensely disliked farming enough to accept less fertile plots of land near the mine to start factories. Although they didn¡¯t actually embrace mass production, some of the more systematic methods Viv had suggested were still accepted including specialization and production lines. It helped that the crafters accepted to be in large buildings built specifically for production rather than successions of smaller ones organically sprouting all over a city. The first cheap steel farming tools were soon out, though they would only be useful next year. Nails, needles, and other miscellaneous items soon followed. Viv was feeling good about it when she was contacted by Lak-Tak.


    ¡°We want to show you what we have done,¡± he said while Viv was visiting the yries caves.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°We have done this mass production thing. Humans are cunning, yes. The machines to make machines are already at work. I used my free time to design the next platform.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect that.¡±


    ¡°We work well.¡±


    The owl-like being dragged her to a hangar under the fearful gazes of some of his compatriots. They were more scared of him than they were of the elemental witch in their midst.


    The hangar housed a new breed of tanks.


    While the previous platforms were clearly repurposed drilling machines with a flat, modular surface on top, this one was a massive armored beast with six wheels and actual plates to protect the crew. Viv judged only an artillery spell would make a dent in that thing as even Enorian snipers wouldn¡¯t go through that much steel. It looked like the gothic unholy child between a steam locomotive and a modern armored personnel carrier. Even the crossbows started as hunting tools so Viv believed she was standing in front of the very first yries creation specifically designed to kill people.


    ¡°I will name it after you.¡±


    ¡°What, like, Viv?¡±


    ¡°No. This is the Liberator. It only needs a weapon.¡±


    Viv felt fear crawl up her spine. This was it. The moment to decide.


    ¡°You know of weapons. Tell me of weapons.¡±


    ¡°This will take time and require intensive testing.¡±


    ¡°I am ready.¡±


    ¡°I know you are. I¡¯m just not sure Nyil is.¡±


    ¡°If we are ready, and it is not. Then it will burn.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you scare me, my little friend.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ***


    Viv had done all she could to make sure Harrak would thrive while she was away. Now the time had come to prepare for the confrontation with Octas, starting with extensive planning. A quick calculation confirmed that no portals could reach the island. It was simply too far from the shore of the continent and the energy required to activate it would be prohibitively expensive. That didn¡¯t mean that her nation couldn¡¯t help. She explained her plan to the clergy of Neriad, Enttiku and Sardanal during a secret conference.


    They didn¡¯t seem too pleased.


    ¡°The only reason I assent to this insanity is because my god appeared to me in a dream asking me to comply,¡± the new bishop said.


    ¡°Excellent! Construction starts immediately.¡±

 Chapter 169: Emeric鈥檚 Girl

    I¡¯m coming with you!


    Viv considered her daughter. Arthur had grown up ¡ª again! ¡ª and she was now a fine young lady wearing golden threads on her horns but she was also eminently killable, especially by poison gods. And this, Viv would never allow. At the same time¡­ a teenager being told ¡®no¡¯. Not a chance she would listen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a bank to supervise?¡±


    The bank will be fine.


    My minions handle the day-to-day operations.


    They only need me for big decisions.


    Like lending a lot of gold, painting the lair, and what meat is best.


    Very important matters.


    I shall leave them with specific instructions.


    Her steps carried the witch deep into the bank, past simple desks covered in papers, locally made. She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Collects-Much preferred a world without windows, yet light was warm and abundant, provided by enchanted bulbs glowing pleasantly. They covered the naked rock in a colorful blanket. All of her employees, though she insisted on calling them minions, favored white clothes with embroidered scales especially on the shoulders. It gave the entire company an otherworldly feeling that never failed to awe prospective borrowers. It also helped that Arthur hired a lot of young women. Sometimes, Viv felt like she¡¯d stepped into a Roman temple attended by vestals rather than in a respectable bank¡¯s main office.


    From the dragoness'' perspective, she was not favoring a gender. It was just that a lot of Harrakans had started as Enorians who traditionally preferred to recruit male apprentices for accounting roles. Arthur had merely swooped down to catch the most promising female prospects because they were uncontested. Now, her apprentices were fiercely devoted to her, some of them even glaring suspiciously at Viv as she entered Arthur¡¯s inner sanctum.


    My only concern is security.


    I have decided to hire members of the Children of the Scale regiment as mercenaries.


    Viv stopped.


    ¡°Ehm. You can do that?¡±


    I cannot?


    No one stopped me.


    No one had refused the dragon to her face, what a surprise.


    ¡°Normally, armies of sovereign nations can¡¯t be used as guards for private individuals? I think? But we¡¯re burning through too much money just with salaries so I¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    Yes, and so I am coming with you.


    Viv considered her options. Arthur was a powerhouse and her trip could use another monster hunter. And eater, as it were. The problem was that she¡¯d tried to negotiate for more people to come and been sternly refused.


    Viv would take a ship going north to Sardanal¡¯s birthplace, and it was packed. To the gills. Neriad¡¯s men had only accepted to take Sidjin in as well because he agreed to share her cot in the minuscule cabin she was assigned. Things seemed to be going pretty badly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they would refuse a dragon but¡­ you take a lot of room.¡±


    I can sleep when I fly.


    ¡°Wow, really?¡±


    But then I am hungry.


    ¡°I think we could make this work. I really wonder what¡¯s going on with transportation, besides the aquatic monsters.¡±


    We could have made our own ship.


    ¡°Sure we¡¯re just missing a few things like access to the sea, a shipyard, experienced ship builders, experienced sailors, a proper blueprint and extensive testing.¡±


    Mother.


    I do the sarcasm in MY house.


    ¡°Fine but the point remains.¡±


    We could go to the south west, quick, quick.


    Steal a ship.


    ¡°Given my luck and even assuming we would manage to get one afloat, it would be beset by dangers long before we even sailed around the continent. I¡¯d also like to spend more time there than just to acquire a ship.¡±


    Flying ship!


    ¡°We would need a lot of manatite. Sadly, the highest concentration is over Helock.¡±


    Viv actually considered this for a while.


    ¡°You know, I think I¡¯ll talk to Abe about it. He had his base in the Chalice. Surely he¡¯s studied flying rocks. We could use his expertise, but again, it will take years to achieve anything. Not a couple of months.¡±


    So we will take a boat?


    ¡°A ship, yes, just as the inquisition asked.¡±


    It is not like you not to make preparations, mother.


    ¡°Oh, but I have made preparations. And I¡¯ve trained. We can discuss this on the way.¡±


    I am not carrying you in front of the mortals.


    ¡°Relax. I may not be able to take people with me across the ocean, but I will have an escort across the land to get there.¡±


    ***


    The ruling witch left with little ceremony escorted by mounted knights. Ban vocally disapproved of her leaving on an adventure without her army, but she knew the deal with the spark of luck. She would always have a chance and it would always cost her more to ignore an issue than to solve it, this time more so than before. After all, it was not just Octas trying to sink the island. Where a dark god manifested, the others were sure to follow. She had to attend and for that, she would have to follow Neriad¡¯s rules.


    Viv was ready for the trip. Her winter wardrobe in black and silver matched the dark carriage to make her Param¡¯s edgiest sovereign. Sidjin had opted for red colors. She had to admit he looked really good in them. Sidjin often appeared quiet and unassuming though it was not so much bashfulness as a tendency to keep a distance. The red highlights acted as a statement of power that turned him from taciturn to domineering. She liked it a lot.


    ¡°We need to find you more red clothes,¡± she told him with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Assorted couple clothes shopping? You were waiting until I was trapped in the carriage with you to spring that odious trap on me, were you not?¡±


    ¡°If I must drag you away from your spell books into the light of good fashion, I will.¡±


    Viv ignored the fallen prince¡¯s rant against ¡®abuse of power¡¯ and ¡®tyranny¡¯ and some such nonsense. The carriage was transiting through Reixa by the time he was done and Viv took a look out. It was snowing. A thick white layer already adorned the blue roses of the knight¡¯s pauldrons, above their heavy cloaks. A guard with a halberd met her eyes before waving the carriage on, not even bothering to check her papers.


    It was weird being recognized on sight like that. When she¡¯d first arrived, there had been some clashes with those who held certain convictions about her role in society, especially Tarano who had believed it was an honor to bear caster children for his cause. Now, rules no longer applied to her. It wasn¡¯t the world that had changed, and Arthur¡¯s staff proved that. She had merely reached that status where rules and expectations no longer applied to her. She was an archmage and an outlander, an individual removed from the fabric of society. Viv briefly wondered if it was a peculiarity of Nyil where the power difference between individuals went far beyond merely wealth and influence. Did earth¡¯s most powerful women share this privilege? She would never know.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how I was once stopped at the gates of Kazar, even with proper documentation. Now I lift a curtain and I¡¯m let through without a word.¡±


    Just then, the carriage lurched, though neither occupant panicked. That wasn¡¯t the case for the people outside as the screams of horror attested, but the panic stopped before it could begin. A long, serpentine head descended from the roof and snaked through the suddenly open window. Blood dripped from Arthur¡¯s maw on Viv¡¯s brand new cloak.


    ¡°Hey, watch it!¡±


    Mother.


    I caught a hard-shell turtle spawn.


    Crunchy.


    I left you the legs!


    ¡°Thank you. We will have it for dinner.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to bet.¡± Sidjin noted, ¡°that you won¡¯t even have to lift the curtain at our next stop.¡±


    ***


    The journey north proved surprisingly dull. They spent almost as much time waiting in short lines as they did moving, not least because the weather proved dreadful. Heavy snow occasionally turned into damp sleet that made the road muddy and treacherous. Even the portals couldn¡¯t stop the winter traffic from dying down. Besides desperate travelers and the odd merchant peddling skins or chestnuts, the rest had wisely decided to stay home. It barely improved when they crossed the Shal and finished their trip near Zazas after a brief meeting with their ruling couple. They would sail to Helock from there.


    When Viv had been near Helock, she¡¯d spent very little time near the port as there was little reason to. Tourism was not an industry here, so the waterfront harbored fisheries, warehouses, and boarding rooms for sailors. It also stank to high heavens. She¡¯d glanced at the boats there from a distance with mild interest. The sea wasn¡¯t really her thing, though the beach could be nice. This time, they would be traveling on a, well, a sloop, she guessed. She was a bulky thing with a single mast and a high hull specialized in slipping along the dangerous coast. It was clear from the beginning that the captain disliked her and he disliked the weather ever more. It only took three sullen days to sail to the Helock harbor.


    It was the first time Viv had returned since her dramatic escape the year before, and not much had changed at first glance. The mysterious floating rocks still hung in the sky as a reminder this was a world of magic while a rare layer of snow covered the old city. Yellow lights and puffs of smoke from countless hearths reminded her that the city was merely waiting for better days. Soon, her attention turned to the real ship, the one that would carry them over the ocean. There was no mistaking it since it was the only one of its size and class within the whole harbor.


    Viv had to admit, she was impressed. The name written on her flank was Emeric¡¯s Girl and she certainly looked majestic enough, dwarfing every other ship here with a length of close to eighty meters. The hull was reinforced with metal swirls nailed to the tempered wood to form a network of defensive runes, though they were inactive now. Three masts bore large folded sails. Viv judged it looked a bit like a Carrack with an aft castle and a thick, slightly curled shape though it was more massive by an order of magnitude. There were no gun ports at all though, only a single ballista stuck to the front, most likely to throw harpoons. The projectile was missing as well. The entire ship shone like a Christmas tree in Viv¡¯s mana sight.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Aye, she is,¡± the sullen sloop captain said by her side. ¡°One of the last of her kind. Shadowland design. They don¡¯t do it like them anymore.¡±


    He spat overboard.


    ¡°After the ashes of Grandfather¡¯s wrath covered the sky, the old kingdoms perished. Some of the arcane shipwrights moved to Vizim, is just, all they and their descendants can do is repair. Now there are two less. Curse that eight-legged monster.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Are they that difficult to build?¡±


    ¡°You need dry docks for that, miss, and a lot of money. The Vizimans don¡¯t need¡¯em to trade with us so they don¡¯t build them.¡±


    He shook his graying head.


    ¡°Damn shame.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to say. It was the second example of mankind losing a massive amount of knowledge she¡¯d learned of here. The Shadowlands lay for to the north east, a hostile land covered in volcanic ashes, the sun perpetually blotted by dense clouds. Only roving bands of hardened fools still roved its savaged grounds with a few settlements clinging to the coast and the last remnants of long lost nations. That was where the only other living outlander she knew of was. Oleander, champion of Maranor. She wondered what he was doing there.


    As the ship approached Emeric¡¯s Girl, it became painfully evident that the old lady was wounded. Something large had raked her flanks, leaving behind splintered furrows hastily patched up with clamps and tar. Nothing that would hamper her, fortunately. The same could not be said of the deck where entire strips of railings had gone missing.


    ¡°We have our work cut out for us,¡± Sidjin said as he joined her.


    Viv turned to see Arthur.


    She was drooling on the planks.


    Squid!


    ***


    Viv¡¯s departure from the sloop was fast and without issue, the only surprise a mellowed captain wishing her good luck. The pair of casters levitated from the deck under the appreciative gazes of the sailors. As they climbed to reach Emeric¡¯s Girl¡¯s deck, the devastation only became more obvious. Entire sections of the deck were brand new with the old parts marked by suspicious stains. A steel sheet covered the central mast to hide battle damage. All of the sailors here were northerners in heavy cloth. The mood was somber. So somber, in fact, that the appearance of two archmages casually floating down with their belongings caused little more than a bleary glance.


    Viv alighted in the center, then made her way to the aft castle where the person wearing the fanciest hat stood. In her experience, that was the leader. She didn¡¯t get the chance to make three steps before said leader climbed down with an energetic stride. Two officers followed close with frozen expressions.


    To Viv¡¯s surprise, the captain was a northern woman who looked barely older than her. She had a square jaw and the no nonsense aura of people who needed to take swift decisions and live with the consequences. Her uniform was absolutely perfect, a blue gray suit that showed broad shoulders under a feathered hat, but there were carefully managed cricks in that armor. A fresh scar started from the edge of her mouth to disappear down her collar, and there was a certain tension in her shoulders that told Viv the ship hadn¡¯t been the only one to suffer.


    ¡°Good day to you. My name is Captain Sil of Emeric¡¯s Girl, and you are?¡±


    ¡°Empress Viv of Harrak.¡±


    Aaaaah it always felt so weird just to announce it like that.


    ¡°Sidjin of Glastia. Her paramour.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were expected. There are few who could make such an entrance without calling on the winds. Welcome aboard. Before I lead you to your quarters, a few words. The trip will last for two weeks plus whatever time it takes to fend off monster attacks. During that time, we will provide for you but I ask that you do not interfere with the ship¡¯s activities. In case this wasn¡¯t clear, this is my ship and I command here.¡±


    ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    The captain raised an eyebrow, perhaps surprised at their quick assent.


    ¡°What?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Thank you. Please follow me.¡±


    Viv and Sidjin followed the woman through a trap door and into the bowels of the vast ship. It seemed that every available space was occupied by tightly fastened crates and barrels. It gave the narrow corridors a cluttered, claustrophobic aura Viv disliked immensely. She guessed the temple would favor supplies much more than new troops for this expedition. She also realized she would spend most of her time upstairs, even if it started snowing. Captain Sil continued the conversation in a lower voice and now Viv realized why she¡¯d insisted on accompanying them rather than let a subordinate do it.


    ¡°The bitch goddess kicked our ass on the way out. She has a sea monster with her, an unholy abomination. Some sort of crustacean with tentacles. Killed my second in the battle.¡±


    She stopped by a door near the back of the ship. That one had windows. It felt cramped to Viv but given the rest of Emeric¡¯s Girl, those quarters were positively luxurious.


    ¡°This was his room. Look, I¡¯ll be honest. We used all our enchanted harpoons in the past battle and lost our best fighters. I pray to all the light gods you two are as good as they say you are, because if you¡¯re not¡­¡±


    ¡°One question, captain,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The ship¡¯s enchantments revolve around a commanding circle at the center of the upper deck. Is there a reason why it¡¯s disconnected from the others?¡±


    The captain blinked.


    ¡°How did you¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a genius,¡± Viv interrupted.


    She glanced up. It was obvious now that Sidjin mentioned it but she¡¯d not been paying attention beyond making sure there were no traps.


    ¡°If you say so. The ship¡¯s arcanist would have stood there in the days of yore, but the art has been lost since the dawn kingdoms became the shadowlands.¡±


    ¡°Can I have a look?¡±


    He was positively vibrating in place. Viv only managed not to tease him because she didn¡¯t want to embarrass him in front of the new girl.


    ¡°If you damage my ship¡­¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡± Sidjin curtly replied. ¡°I will remind you that we will be on board as well. Your survival is our survival, and besides, it sounds like we will need every advantage we can gather.¡±


    The captain massaged her eyes, though it didn¡¯t take her long to come to a decision.


    ¡°Very well, but you will not activate it without my authorization.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Let¡¯s go up. Now.¡±


    Sidjin thoughtlessly led them out of the room, humming in a low voice while glancing around. He would look like a lunatic but Viv knew he was inspecting the various arrays through the thick walls.


    ¡°You have replacement harpoons, yes?¡±


    ¡°Had them delivered, blessed by Neriad but¡­ against that creature? They might as well be toothpicks.¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look. I¡¯m a fairly decent enchanter and my constructs tend to have a¡­ bite.¡±


    ¡°That is what I heard as well.¡±


    As they surfaced, Viv leaned towards the captain once more.


    ¡°Oh and I¡¯m sorry but we are bringing a stowaway.¡±


    Captain Sil turned on her, furious.


    ¡°WHAT? This was not what was agreed upon!¡±


    ¡°She will sleep above deck or in the air.¡±


    ¡°If this is your version of humor...¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. No. I seldom joke. Oh, here she is.¡±


    The clouds parted and a white shape emerged, a distant roar attracting the air. Arthur elegantly landed on the aft castle then proceeded to wrap herself on the railings.


    Hello hello, grateful minions!


    Will you give me gold for fish as well?


    I am the best fisherdragon ever.


    ¡°You are welcome to ask her to leave, of course, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Dra dra dra dra¡ª¡±


    ¡°She is, and she¡¯s on our side. And she really loves seafood.¡±


    I could go for some giant squid right now.


    ¡°Well, Maranor¡¯s cunt. We might make it out after all.¡±


    ***


    Viv had expected to be bored but that was before they realized Emeric¡¯s Girl had a dormant mana circuit, one as complex as it was comprehensive. Even the damn rudder could be remotely controlled. The problem was that most of those systems were either functioning at minimal capacity or simply broken. Captain Sil accepted a rush order of metal for Sidjin to use.


    ¡°I am already indebted anyway. If this trip fails, there will be no need for me to consider spendings,¡± the captain admitted.


    ¡°We will succeed,¡± Viv said confidently.


    ¡°But I have to ask. We do not really have a smithy on board. How do you even ¡ª¡±


    A muttering Sidjin tore open a nearby crate, rummaged through several bars with manic focus before settling on one of coppery color. He spread his hands. The rod levitated between them, turned red, then twisted into the desired shape before flash-cooling. The archmage then left as he had come without sparing those pesky noisy people a single glance. What a hyper-competent nerd. Viv was falling in love all over again.


    ¡°Nevermind that. We will depart in an hour. Ah, I would advise you to return below deck. It is about to rain rather heavily.¡±


    The first drops of water fell on Viv¡¯s cloak. In the distance, Sidjin waved annoyedly until a half circle of solid mana covered him. Torrential rain soon poured over the ship, leaving Sdjin and his workstation completely dry. From her own bubble, Viv gave the other woman a pleasant smile.


    ¡°I am under the impression you are showing off.¡±


    ¡°I am. He¡¯s not.¡±


    Mother!


    You should reconsider.


    It is really refreshing!


    ***


    Viv¡¯s elation that her daughter¡¯s approach to showering changed was short-lived as the days went on, Emeric¡¯s Girl cleaving the waves under a gloomy sky. It would have been a perfect moment for melancholy but the food sucked and she was extra busy. After running a few diagnostics on the ship, Sidjin declared it was an abused masterpiece in the hands of barely cognizant beastlings to an absolutely mortified Captain Sil. He might have been confronted were it not for his continuous display of arcane might. The witch was once ordered to hover near the hull for three hours without pause just so she could reapply runes and straighten patterns under his exacting instructions. During her free time, she retreated to the depth of the ship to engrave the harpoons in the darkest room, cackling maniacally. Really, they only retired to their cabin to sleep and make love. It was like a last minute scramble before an important exam.


    Captain Sil gave the authorization to reactivate the circle on the fourth day for a test run. The base of the masts glowed gray and the wind picked up, propelling Emeric¡¯s Girl across the sea at great speed.


    ¡°Sadly, we¡¯re missing a key component,¡± Sidjin explained. ¡°All those ships used to work on a core. A large one. It must have been salvaged a long time ago because even the receptacle is gone. Some of the energy can be stored in the arrays themselves but without a core, we can only work with short bursts.¡±


    ¡°Are the connectors still intact?¡±


    ¡°What? No. Well, I can easily recreate them, but why would I?¡±


    Viv pointed at herself.


    ¡°Very powerful, self-filling core right over here.¡±


    ¡°How, you want to¡­ Oooooh. Yes, but should you not fight directly?¡±


    ¡°I can do both if the connectors are on the deck itself.¡±


    ¡°Great idea. We won¡¯t be able to power all the arrays at once because your core is black while we would need a gray, brown, and blue one. The efficiency will be low. I will still build an ad hoc array that should be compatible with you. In the meanwhile, we need to finish the hull reinforcement on the right flank.¡±


    ¡°And the harpoon launcher.¡±


    ¡°No, the harpoon launcher is not part of the ship¡¯s system.¡±


    ¡°I know but by the time I¡¯m done, it will be.¡±


    Sidjin stared at her for a minute without speaking a single word. Viv waited, knowing he was calculating.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it work. It shouldn¡¯t be complicated since the architecture is modular. There are a lot of redundancies there, as if the designers expected the ship to take massive damage and keep going.¡±


    ¡°Probably what happened. What other system?¡±


    ¡°Navigation, useless without other active ships, and weather control.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, not the actual weather, more of a short range calming effect. Oh, it can also deflect a thunderbolt.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to it then.¡±


    ***


    For over a week, Viv and Sidjin worked nonstop to reactivate the ship. Arthur spent most of her time flying and hunting. She would sometimes bring catches that would be grilled on the deck to the delight of the crew, as the haughty dragoness accepted Viv¡¯s plight. After all, a happy crew made for more effective minions as had been confirmed many times and Viv couldn¡¯t eat her own weight in discarded, giant shark¡¯s tail. There was another, smaller issue she discussed with her paramour one evening. Namely, that her armor no longer fit perfectly. She¡¯d have to make it bigger on her return.


    Captain Sil appeared more confident as the days went by and the runes around the ship were now shining as they had in her prime. She even voiced her guilt.


    ¡°Sadly, I cannot compensate you for this feat. I do not have two archmages¡¯ wages to spare.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry but I think Sidjin got his own payment by himself,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°He certainly is¡­ enthusiastic.¡±


    Viv debated telling the truth. In the end, she wanted to see the captain¡¯s reaction so she could gauge what sort of response her future decisions would have.


    ¡°Ah, well, there is just the matter that this is the intellectual property of a¡­ defunct nation.¡±


    Captain Sil frowned.


    ¡°What do you mean by intellectual property?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I forget that knowledge is more compartmentalized here. Essentially, Sidjin knew the entire spell system by heart by day two and he will definitely recreate it if we ever get a dry dock.¡±


    The scarred woman gave Viv, who was also scarred but sometimes forgot, an assessing glace.


    ¡°Tell you what, if you fine people can resurrect the lost art of arcane ships, I honestly don¡¯t give a beastling dick. And I am in your debt for the enchantments if we make it out alive so¡­ I promise to remain quiet about it. And damn the guild.¡±


    So they might have trouble with some Vizimans in the future, Viv thought. If that got her good ships, she didn¡¯t care.


    Around that time, Viv finished the whole batch of twenty harpoons. She absolutely forbade the sailors from touching them, instead carrying the missiles one by one to the launcher so they would be stored at its base, whispering to them not because she was crazy but because she wanted to make it clear they were dangerous. The heads shimmered with a malevolent black halo and every available surface bore runes of hatred and retribution. Only the lower shaft was left intact and only because she had runes to connect them to the launcher, itself modified for improved speed.


    While the general mood around the sailors had first improved, and Viv had even managed to memorize quite a few names, it grew somber by the tenth day. The temperature was slowly rising but that just meant it went from freezing to merely miserable, or it would if that affected Viv at all. Drizzles and rain showers were pretty much constant. The captain explained the situation to them as they were dining at her table.


    ¡°Sardanal¡¯s birthplace has been relentlessly attacked by Octas for the past three years. At first, only inquisitors joined the fight since this is a remote place, about halfway between Param and Vizim. Unfortunately, cultists made landfall in the second year, and the inquisitors were forced to call for reinforcements. A vicious war has been waged ever since. My crew and I were proud to carry temple guards to the valorous defenders. For a while, it looked like we were going to win and also rid the world of decades of effort of cultist recruitment. Unfortunately, Octas found the Beast.¡±


    ¡°The one that damaged your ship, I presume,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°And sank many, many more. We only survived because my father splurged on a harpoon launcher many years ago. I was going to auction that thing too.¡±


    ¡°And without supply¡­¡± Viv continued.


    ¡°Nor reinforcements, or new weapons¡­ The temple guards have held on so far but without the food we¡¯re carrying, they¡¯ll be reduced to eating each other or slicing their own wrists. This is the last attempt, as far as I know. If this fails¡­¡±


    ¡°Then Octas exterminates the last defenders, her belief is proven true, and she obtains the power to sink the island beneath the waves. Her legend grows and cultist activity explodes in the next decades,¡± Viv said.


    Her soul mastery whispered that it was right. She had studied godhood extensively the past few months with the help of the various clergies to prepare her next plan. Belief and consistent actions were massively important for the gods. Octas would not retreat. Not with the amount of resources she¡¯d sank into the attempt. Viv bet she was running low on manpower as well.


    ¡°The Beast attacked us as we had almost escaped the island¡¯s currents. A vicious monster, that one.¡±


    The captain shivered.


    ¡°Thought we were dead for sure. Had to be strong. And now we¡¯re going to face it again.¡±


    ¡°You have us this time,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°And Arthur,¡± Viv added.


    Couldn¡¯t forget the fire-breathing menace.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯re going to enter the killing zone in two days. We¡¯ll be on high alert. Constantly. Octas WILL attack us.¡±


    ¡°We understand,¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve fried spiders.¡±


    ***


    With the mood definitely morose, Viv shared her need for a distraction with Arthur who had a proposal.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fly up!¡±


    It was a good exercise and if Viv¡¯s levitation failed, Arthur agreed to catch her with her legs because she didn¡¯t want to be ridden outside of a really exciting and dangerous battle.


    ¡°Does the Beast count?¡±


    Mother.


    One does not battle seafood.


    One hunts it.


    Please.


    ¡°It¡¯s divine seafood though.¡±


    It better taste divinely as well.


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll tell her that. I¡¯m sure it will piss her off.¡±


    Viv just took the time to warn Sidjin and then she was off, up and up.


    Normally, the skies were the domain of gray casters when it came to flying humans. Colorless magic was simply too complex for a sustainable spell. Viv disagreed. She believed colorless mana was the most versatile type and that it could imitate the effects of every other color with sufficient understanding. It also helped that the continent¡¯s most brilliant colorless specialist happened to be her boyfriend. Viv went up, and up, the wind buffeting her hair. Arthur flew encouragingly around her though she was showing off a little as well. The clouds approached and Viv almost wanted to touch their fluffy dark surface. It didn¡¯t happen. She had the gray sea under her, then she was in a world of fog.


    For a moment, reality seemed to retreat as she weightlessly floated through an eternity of mist. Even her mana sight showed nothing but gray mana all around her. The otherworldly experience was so intense, she expected to be stuck in limbo. It was silent too. Even the wind lost its grip on her. Condensation made her blink while the chill of the cold hair seeped into her bones.


    And then she was out above a plain of cumulus stretching as far as the eye could see, all backlit in a glorious orange glow by the rays of the distant sun. The rare gaps in the blanket showed agitated waves, dark and foreboding, but here above it was a landscape like no other. Arthur flew by and caught Viv in an updraft that carried her forward, clothes flapping in the sudden wind. She was flying, and she was free.


    ¡°This is so fun! Thank you!¡±


    If mother likes.


    Then grow wings quickly!


    Scales optional. Wings not.


    She seemed to consider the question a bit more.


    Horns optional too.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡±


    Through a larger opening, Viv spotted white foam circling a titanic shape pushing through the waves. It was large enough to be visible from up here. Viv stopped and used a colorless spell to act as a lens.


    A creature as large as a building with eight tentacles and the shell of a giant lobster, powerful tail propelling it forward.


    Octas wasn¡¯t willing to wait.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get down. Looks like we¡¯re getting our fight earlier than expected.¡±

 Chapter 170: Queen of the Sea.

    Viv made a note of where the beast was before allowing herself to fall. Rushing through the clouds sent moisture on her eyelashes while the fluffy clouds masked the sight. Electricity puffed her hair even as the wind pushed it away from her face, and her eyes searched for the fleeting shadow of Arthur diving at a distance, then the world of gray opened to show the deep blue expanse of the ocean with its foamy carpet upon which Emeric¡¯s Girl was little more than a toy. Viv aimed for it while Arthur twirled and sped around her. She was clearly showing off.


    Flying is fun!


    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know how to grow wings!¡±


    Try harder!


    Maybe if you eat more powerful things.


    Maybe you are just starving without realizing it!


    ¡°Daughter, I don¡¯t even need to eat anymore.¡±


    That is what you believe.


    Viv fell the rest of the way at high speed, exhilaration filling her chest. It was like jumping with a parachute except she no longer needed one. She could do this anywhere and have fun. Perhaps a new harness was in order. A pang of regret marked the end of the descent, but that lasted only until she remembered there was an angry goddess¡¯s avatar bearing straight for her.


    ¡°I saw the Beast!¡± she screamed.


    Sidjin swore and cleaned up his work table. The control circle shone when he activated it.


    ¡°Where? When?¡± Captain Sil asked.


    ¡°In this direction. I¡¯d say it will be here in half a period.¡±


    The Viziman frowned.


    ¡°An Old Empire period, a Viziman period, or a Mornyr period?¡±


    What a strange time to figure out Vizimans used a different time measurement system.


    ¡°Shit. Hmmm. We have some time to get into position but not much else.¡±


    ¡°RING THE ALARM. ALL HANDS AT THEIR POSTS!¡±


    Viv winced at the deafening scream. Panic spread throughout the deck. Sailors raced, fear urging them on and eyes searching the horizon for that one dot that would be their inevitable doom. Viv felt their terror very keenly against her soul. She longed to smother it under her leadership but they were not her people, and she wasn¡¯t sure it would even work.


    Octas hadn¡¯t even arrived yet.


    ¡°The temple warriors are on their way up,¡± Captain Sil told Viv as she approached the charging station. It was a grand name for basically two cables with absorbing runes she¡¯d have to grip like a mad scientist.


    ¡°We have temple guards? Oh yeah, I remember seeing them during our meals.¡±


    Sil looked at Viv like she was a total idiot and the witch took exception.


    ¡°We were extremely busy repairing your ship?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, the situation left you with few opportunities for meetings. They should help, although we had a full contingent when we last left the island and¡­¡±


    The captain didn¡¯t finish her sentence. There was no need.


    ¡°How about the harpoon team?¡±


    ¡°They will be ready. My¡­ second, he was in charge of them.¡±


    She touched the scar running down her face.


    ¡°I hope they will be ready. We missed our first few shots last time. The Beast¡­ it plays with your mind. Once you see it, you can barely see anything else.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Sil shook her head. From lost, her expression regained its focus until she blushed in embarrassment.


    ¡°You have us and a magical ship this time.¡±


    ¡°Right on. I shall take command from the helm.¡±


    Viv watched the captain turn around with a confident step. Several of her men watched her go with trepidation as her own leadership aura spread its protective embrace over the crew. It wasn¡¯t too impressive, sadly. Viv wondered if the trauma and scars left by the first assault bit deeper than she had thought and the lingering fear would hamper them.


    A part of her wanted to take over Sil. Let her know it was wrong for her to assume command. After all, hadn¡¯t Viv repaired the ship alongside Sidjin? Provided the enchantments on the harpoons? But no. That was just draconic intimidation playing tricks on her. Leave the sea command to the sea commanders.


    ¡°My love?¡± Sidjin said.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Could you come for a second please.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sidjin was lost in a sea of symbols linked by thin threads of magical energies, all but invisible to non-casters. He pointed through the shimmering curtain.


    ¡°Recharging the enchantments is well and all but we have the opportunity for a surprise strike and I think we should take it. I propose that you stick to the railing until the Beast arrives and attack once while its guard is down. If you hide your presence¡­¡±


    ¡°I could get a devastating first hit in. Provided she doesn¡¯t know we boarded the ship. Hmmm. I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Viv approached the railing, making sure to cover her hair with her billowing black cloak and feeling super cool about the whole thing. Tumultuous waves slapped against the ship¡¯s mighty flanks while at the horizon, the sea merged with storm clouds in layers of dark blue. Octas would come from port (the left flank) so that¡¯s where Viv stood, fingers gripping the varnished wood until it creaked. Any time now. Any time¡­


    The sea roiled, indifferent. A quick look behind her showed clenched fists and hundreds of bloodshot eyes scanning the foamy surface for something, anything. She idly noticed men and women in armor. The temple guard. Not that they would matter.


    ¡°The Beast! Port side!¡±


    ¡°STEADY!¡± the captain bellowed.


    Emeric¡¯s Girl turned slightly left towards the approaching danger. Viv used a lens spell to zoom in on the distant form of the sea monster. The waves made it difficult to spot the shape for more than a few moments, but it was enough to see massive limbs propelling the creature forward. Such was its speed that a mantle of water covered its surface until all that could be seen was a bump in the ocean, an approaching night blue spot surrounded by nightmarish flesh. Or perhaps it was a spell. The smooth surface of the face shield was so dark that it stood out among the gloom of the sea. It was growing larger, larger. Soon, a sound like deep white noise covered that of the surf lapping at the hull. On the deck, the silence was absolute.


    The ship finished turning. It looked like the Beast would hit her at a sharp angle, near the prow where the harpoon gun waited. Viv made her way up the railing under the scrutiny of the crew. If the avatar remembered the sting of the previous battle, it would go for the ship¡¯s only weapon soon into the fight. Viv stood by the enormous contraption and leaned in to watch the avatar approach. The propelling limbs were octopus arms waving powerfully against the waves, while the water shield could not be seen through. Now that the Beast was close enough, she noticed the tremendous blue power seeped in black mana with some life sprinkled in as well. This was going to be good.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t do that last time,¡± a grizzled man said with a tight voice.


    He was the commander of the harpoon gun this time. Viv remembered him drilling his men mercilessly on how to pivot the metal frame on its base. He would do a fine job.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have me either.¡±


    ¡°You think your harpoons will go through?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv replied, watching the thin membrane hiding the beast. ¡°Oh yes.¡±


    The creature had to be huge, Viv realized. Merging with the waves made it even more imposing. Where did the ocean start and where did the beast stop? Octas might be a piece of shit but when it came to absorbing monsters into her, she certainly knew her stuff.


    ¡°Aim!¡±


    As soon as the harpoon gun adjusted its aim, the Beast started to swerve. It moved from side to side in erratic patterns.


    ¡°Loose!¡±


    The harpoon screamed its way through the air ¡ª  and missed. The travel time was too long and its path too unpredictable, Viv realized. Now that it was no longer traveling in a straight line, Viv got a better look at it. The body of an enormous crustacean followed the head of a cephalopod upon which were attached eight powerful limbs, barbed suckers beating the water. The armored body up to the tail moved powerfully, helping the monster forward at a speed that would rival modern warships. It was a powerful combination. The colossal monster finished its course after dodging a second harpoon. Viv braced. The impact was imminent.


    At the last moment, Sil turned the rudder.


    Mana flared in the sail. The change was so abrupt Viv almost lost her footing. Tilting to the side, Emeric¡¯s Daughter faced the incoming charge head on. The ship split the waves while its sail flared with gray lines. The Beast seemed to waver for an instant, then it jumped.


    Viv heard a splash, saw the underbelly of the creature in all its abyssal glory, shell thick and powerful protecting numerous small feet ending in sharp claws, their surface crusted with bony protrusion. It was gigantic. Water droplets hit her in a briny shower. It was time. Viv slowed her temporal perception as much as she could as she pulled deep within her reserves. Her aura flared. Mana surged through her conduits, bleeding through her presence in thick black rivulets to caress the planks at her feet and the air she breathed. As the Beast fell, its head became apparent. There was half a woman jutting from where the eyes may have been.


    The avatar looked like what a knight might be if scales could grow from the skin. It was a dash of red, purple and white among a sea of duller colors, possibly a statement. A chitin-encased face turned to Viv and the witch saw surprise, then immeasurable hatred in those deep red orbs.


    ¡°YOU!¡±


    ¡°Me. Hyperbeam.¡±


    The avatar covered her face with a massive claw and, impossibly, veered away. Her tail whipped the prow with such violence that the wood splintered, sending shared flying through the air.


    Viv¡¯s spell carved through the thick shell and the flesh beneath. Blood flew, mixing with the ocean water.


    Viv¡¯s beam followed the retreating form into the stormy waves. For a creature that massive, it was fucking fast.


    Well, one claw down.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the harpoon crew chief said.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, shoot when it¡¯s not moving.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Now where had the bitch gone? Viv raced back along the deck.


    ¡°Jibe!¡± a voice said.


    Sailors ran and¡­ dove across the deck? Viv¡¯s danger sense and ominous groan warned her. She hit the ground and not a second too soon. With a massive woosh of displaced air, the sails cleaved the air above Viv¡¯s head as they pivoted with the wind. She was up and running before they were set. Octas wasn¡¯t gone. Even now, Viv could hear her scratch against the hull, making her way up and to the side. Sidjin pointed where she would surface.


    Around her, temple guards in loose squads took position. Viv should have coordinated with them. She¡¯d been so focused on the ship she¡¯d forgotten to talk with her allies. A mistake.


    The avatar hoisted itself to the deck in all its chimeric glory. Below the screaming fused human body, the octopus beak opened to release green acid. A nefarious cloud spread over the railing. It swallowed two sailors before they could run away. They died screaming. Three massive tentacles landed, flailing around and finding exposed legs. Those caught were left holding bleeding wrecks. Viv kept throwing spell after spell while warriors attacked what they could see with heavy axes. In an instant, the deck was a scene of pure carnage. The avatar yelled once a harpoon punctured its shell. Black cracks quickly expanded from the corrupted wound.


    ¡°YOU WILL DIE HERE, OUTLANDER! I WILL REND THE¡ª¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    A wave of air centered on Sidjin blew outward. All traces of moisture were expelled at once, blood, water and¡­ acid. The avatar was covered in its own spit in an instant. It screamed mournfully before dropping from its perch, Viv managing to Excalibur an entire tentacle.


    ¡°Self-drying control,¡± Sidjin commented. ¡°Oh, was I interrupting something?¡±


    ¡°She was just about to leave.¡±


    ¡°Good now please, the charging array.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    The protective runes were already weakening in her mana sight. Viv rushed to the cables and poured energy into it. The hull enchantment gulped it greedily.


    Meanwhile, the Beast submerged itself in water but once again, Sidjin just pointed towards its present location at all times. His perception was better than Viv¡¯s to feel that blue mana in the middle of water. Captain Sil followed his direction, angling the Girl so the Beast could not hit them sideways. The next ramming attempt ended with a dull thud. Viv¡¯s reserves took only a moderate hit and she was glad for the hours she¡¯d spent making sure the protections would hold. A cry and a harpoon whistled through the air before landing on the retreating form of the avatar¡¯s tail. It shivered from the damage though it didn¡¯t seem too hampered. Viv could guess why though, especially with all the life mana the Beast was packing. It could regenerate.


    The witch focused on keeping the hull fed with power. Again, Octas rammed her borrowed body against the unrelenting hull and again, Viv held on. The harpoon crew had now landed every hit by waiting until the avatar attacked to fire with confidence on the unmoving and slightly dazed target. Strident screams and expletives reached Viv¡¯s ears through the bellowed orders of the sailors. The ship shook but it held on. From her position near the center of the deck, Viv couldn¡¯t see the attacks but she saw the tip of great waves crashing against unyielding wood, sending plumes of water as high as the sails. Sil remained at the helm, maneuvering Emeric¡¯s Girl tightly. The ship seemed alive now, with monstrous amounts of mana coursing through its systems. It was a contest between sea monsters, both built to champion a vision. The witch refilled the hull¡¯s enchantment again.


    Her vision would prevail.


    ¡°Starboard!¡± Sidjin screamed.


    Once more, the ship lurched and the sails swept the deck as they crossed the winds. Sailors climbed the rigging to adjust or tense sails while roving bands of guards still patrolled the deck, waiting for the avatar¡¯s inevitable return. The harpoon fired again and something screamed out of sight. She could see it in the manic grins of the men and women now: they finally believed they had a chance.


    ¡°Faster!¡±


    ¡°BRACE!¡±


    Viv gripped the charging port tightly while the sailors compensated for the next impact. Only a few guards stumbled. This time, however, the Beast didn¡¯t leave. Soon, a grating sound traveled through the hull, a bit like a saw. The hull enchantments flickered. They were not designed to resist a sustained attack.


    ¡°Can¡¯t get a shot, ma¡¯am,¡± the harpoon crew yelled.


    ¡°Viv?¡± Sidjin said.


    The witch raced to her paramour who was busy casting something, something large. All the blue mana he had went into the construct.


    ¡°I need to stay near the charger or the hull will fail.¡±


    ¡°It will be breached. Trying to outlast the Beast is a losing strategy. We need to get to it.¡±


    ¡°My spells won¡¯t work through that much water.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll open the way, but we need to be fast because I can¡¯t contest control of the surrounding water with the Beast if she¡¯s aware I¡¯m trying. At least, she doesn¡¯t seem very observant.¡±


    ¡°If we have a small window, I can use the aspect of the destroyer.¡±


    ¡°You must.¡±


    The problem was that the aspect of the destroyer required her to be unmoving relative to the earth and the ship was currently sailing at several knots, which meant that even activating the skill would make her fall off. The window would be short.


    ¡°We levitate to the side, you activate the skill, I cast the spell and you give that thing the death it deserves. Ready?¡±


    ¡°After you.¡±


    Viv and Sidjin levitated to the side where the Beast was at work. Below, cries of a hull breach reminded her she was working on a schedule. The pair of casters noticed the writhing shape of Octas¡¯ avatar clinging to the side, then moved forward to get the right timing.


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± Sidjin said.


    Viv adjusted her position. The ship was below and behind her. This would have to do. With a thought, she relaxed and let her anchor activate.


    The false wings on her back extended and dug down into the fabric of the world. Her motion stopped abruptly, giving her some small amount of whiplash but she¡¯d been expecting it. Powerful mana flooded her body until she felt ready to burst.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    Below, the Beast tensed. It was too late.


    ¡°Parting the sea,¡± Sidjin said, his brow covered in sweat.


    The ship raced by them while below, the ocean opened. White, foamy water rose in twin walls like an opening curtain, revealing for the briefest of instants the thick dark shell and colorful body of the avatar. A muffled scream of outrage pierced through the stifling waves. Sidjin¡¯s surprise attack met with the chimera¡¯s absolute control and lost, but the opening was there and in that instant between instants, Viv took it.


    [Sequence: Astra, Astra, Hyperbeam]


    Viv carpet bombed every visible part of the avatar. A torrent of spells annihilated what was left of the water and the flesh underneath. Cataclysmic energies crashed through the surprised avatar¡¯s defenses, opening great gashes along its body, revealing flesh squirming underneath. Blood and viscera flew up as the avatar lost its grip and plunged deeper to escape its death. Viv cut the skill as soon as the last of her barrage was off and half-collapsed into Sidjin¡¯s waiting arms. It was still a difficult thing to control.


    ¡°I.. I just need a moment.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The archmage dragged her up with speed, and faster. Both of them were feeling it.


    Below them, a maelstrom of energies churned the waters. The boiling vortex intensified until there was enough energy to start a tidal wave. A low, rumbling warned them of the imminent danger. Viv¡¯s danger sense screamed at her to dodge. She pointed towards a safe direction for Sidjin to carry her.


    The sea exploded. Large geysers shot all over the place. Vi managed to reactivate her levitation and the pair dodged left and right. Cold sweat and stress gripped Viv¡¯s heart. The spray was so intense she was completely drenched. Saturated mana and the mist obscured her vision until all she could do was cling to Sidjin and rely on their instincts. Her shields would be useless here. Even if they survived, the pressure alone would send them careening across the sky.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    Something huge was coming. Viv accelerated even more. At this height, she could finally see the ship in the distance and the geysers, their efforts exhausted.


    The Beast took off from the sea with the largest column of water yet at its back. The nightmarish form surged towards them on a torrent, a shield already forming¡­ and then the water dispersed.


    Viv watched the avatar¡¯s face switch from triumphant rage to confusion. Someone was contesting her control over water and winning.


    ¡°SKRAAAAA!¡±


    Water sprayed in every direction when Arthur raked the Beast with a torrent of fire. Its skin cracked and bubbled on an entire flank. The young dragoness latched on a side and raked it with violence, deepening ghastly wounds with every claw swipe. The Beast shuddered. A green cloud puffed out of its strange shape.


    ¡°No, ARTHUR, GET OUT!¡±


    But it was too late. The dragoness cried in pain as she let go. Her left wing beat strangely. An expanding circle in the delicate membrane spoke of dire damage. Viv dived. She put all of her power into the descent. Arthur was struggling to stay afloat using gray mana. She latched onto Viv as the witch passed her by. A sharp pain told the witch where her daughter¡¯s  nervous claws had latched on. Ok. She was fine. She was going to be fine. It was okay.


    Viv veered off towards the ship. That was where they had the advantage. Sidjin came after her, throwing large transparent spells in the path of water attacks.


    Mother!


    It hurtsssssss.


    ¡°Clean it with water. DON¡¯T TOUCH IT!¡±


    It itches!


    ¡°Do not fucking touch it. Sidjin?¡±


    ¡°Covering you, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The dragoness was fucking heavy but Viv didn¡¯t care. Fear propelled her forward towards safety while behind them, the screeching form of the avatar cleaved through the waves after them. Speed made her clothes flap in the wind and for the first time since turning part elemental, Viv was cold.


    ¡°I WILL KILL YOU!¡±


    The two caster and the wounded dragoness landed on the deck a moment later. Arthur¡¯s wing was now encased in a bubble of water suffused with life mana. The dragoness complained and hissed but Viv was just happy she was doing fine. They were all alive. For now. She¡¯d never been so happy to have planks under her feet.


    ¡°INCOMING!¡±


    Sil¡¯s yells reminded Viv of what was at stake. Sidjin surged towards the ship¡¯s controls but Arthur blocked Viv with a clawed hand and a grumble.


    I cannot fly properly like this.


    And you have only black mana.


    I will power the boat so it does not sink and we can make fire and eat the avatar.


    You go kill it first.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Don¡¯t let the tail fall in the water!


    It¡¯s the best part!


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Viv raced to the railings and grabbed on. Emeric¡¯s Girl was listing to the side. For a moment, she worried the avatar might finish the hull off but it was without counting on Octas¡¯ absolutely unhinged nature. The Beast was crashing through the waves towards them in a flurry of bleeding limbs. Some embers still clung to its reddening, cracked shell. Thing was resilient.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Viv whispered.


    Might have to use her training earlier than planned but that was alright. She grabbed her forged shield from her back and approached the edge of the deck, feeling only mildly confident. She¡¯d practiced with Solar. It would have to do.


    ¡°Everyone, hold on to something!¡± The captain yelled.


    With surprising speed given her tilt, Emeric¡¯s Girl turned to face the incoming threat.


    ¡°Full sails!¡±


    One moment, Viv was standing on her feet. The next, the sails flared with power, a mighty wind roared through its white canvas, tensing it with a sound like the crack of a whip. Viv slammed against the ground, rolling as Emeric¡¯s Girl surged forward like a speeder. Around her, the sailors held on but the idiots who¡¯d not heeded Sil¡¯s words were sent sprawling across the deck. Viv recovered almost immediately and sprinted towards the front of the ship.


    There was a crunch when the prow hit the avatar head on. Its screams turned into incoherent yells of horror and fury, and Viv¡¯s hope it would be enough faltered when bleeding tentacles latched on the deck, pulping an unfortunate sailor. The tendrils grappled with a strength that made the wood groan and crack ominously. The nightmarish face of the avatar soon followed. The fallen human was made even more monstrous by the wounds it had suffered, the black-infected gashes on its surface and the deep wounds, the burns, none of it slowed her down. Squads of temple guards attacked the tentacles where they landed, blocking the threshing with kite shields. Viv closed in just as the avatar¡¯s human half cleared the railing. She got a real good look at the way its chest inflated as it breathed it. The effect would have been comical if it wasn¡¯t so horrifying, any semblance of humanity turned grotesque and bulging, like a drowned dead. The mouth opened disproportionately.


    The ship¡¯s self-drying activated but what came out wasn¡¯t a cloud this time, but a highly concentrated stream of transparent liquid.


    Viv couldn¡¯t let that hit the deck or it might burn through everything on the way down.


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    Viv stepped in the path of the spray, intercepting it with a layer of devouring void. Something hissed, though Viv wasn¡¯t sure what it was. There was a lot of blue mana in that thing and she struggled to cancel it all. She couldn¡¯t open gates here, or use most of her spells for fear of thrashing the ship. Good practice indeed.


    A warning screamed in her soul. Viv levitated up, above a sweep from a tentacle.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    She allowed the tentacle to slice itself on the blade. Solar was right. She had no need to sweep because the blade¡¯s destructiveness did not rely on momentum. Red blood sprayed in her face, on her clothes. The metallic stench joined that of voided bowels and the tang of acid to add to the chaos. Viv shadow stepped forward to avoid another strike and cut another tentacle at the base. The avatar gave up on killing her to hoist itself on the deck with supreme effort. Its massive bulk pushed the temple guards away. The abomination managed to grab a few to fling overboard in the confusion despite Viv¡¯s best efforts, then another limb grabbed the central mast before snapping it. It crashed down on the combatants behind Viv which added to the general chaos of battle. Meanwhile, Viv didn¡¯t relent. Her mind burned with the effort of casting spell after spell in a flurry of attacks. It would have shredded a cavalry charge but the avatar was divine and it was incredibly resilient. Octas used her remaining claw to block those that did not rake the Beast¡¯s flank.


    Viv grit her teeth. Any time now.


    With one last Astra, the claw finally fell off. Her opponent bellowed in agony.


    ¡°YOU. PESKY. MORON! YOU COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL! YOU WERE A PERFECT VESSEL BUT NO, YOU HAD TO SERVE THE SHINY WEAKLING.¡±


    ¡°I only serve ideas. People tend to disappoint.¡±


    ¡°MORE QUIPS. MORE TONGUE-FLAPPING.¡±


    Viv stepped through the shadows to avoid another hit. The creature¡¯s three free tentacles focused on her but it was an awkward battle. They were not meant to be used this way and the avatar was forced to use two more to stabilize its massive body, now a liability. Sailors and warriors attacked its flanks with axes now that it had sacrificed its mobility.


    Nevertheless, it was still an avatar. Even bleeding and dying, it was all Viv could do to stay ahead and dodge the multiple strikes coming her way. The creatures¡¯ suckers were small but each was adorned by an inward-turned hook, a white boney thing that promised great pain. Viv retaliated with Excaliburs and nets thrown at minimal range. The creature was just too fast for her to do much else. Float up, travel through the shadows, strike, dive, block with her physical shield until the metal groaned. Rinse and repeat. The humans by her side were doing their best to assist but the Beast¡¯s regeneration made the task difficult.


    ¡°Make way,¡± a calm voice suddenly said.


    Viv didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She moved backward then pushed a squad aside. The avatar turned to her in triumph. It opened its mouth wide again.


    It faltered.


    Sidjin¡¯s blender spell screeched through the air. The avatar stopped what it was doing to call on water but the blue mana slid uselessly against the dense construct. Feeling the danger itself, she formed a water shield and pulled all of its remaining limbs between the spell and her core.


    The blender traveled through them with a ghastly sound like a chainsaw meeting rotten bark. The entire front castle was showered in gore, the screams of the dying avatar eclipsed by the continuous carnage. It was the opening Viv had been waiting for. She stepped in front of the bleeding form of the human torso. It was missing an arm, its scaly skin shredded and bleeding profusely.


    ¡°I will see you¡­ on the island.¡±


    ¡°Guillotine.¡±


    A cage of black mana blades opened on the Beast¡¯s ¡®head¡¯.


    It closed with a sound of seared flesh.


    For a moment, the avatar kept glaring, then the head of the beast fell as large cubes on the stained deck with a meaty splat.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Danger Sense: Intermediate 7


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shield Mastery: Intermediate 6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity-based reflexes: Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity +1 (45)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Ascender: 2 / 5


    You have made a habit of meeting avatars in battle and living to tell the tale. You are now well-known among the gods, and they are observing your progress.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Nothing like facing a goddamn incarnated deity to propel you to new heights, Viv thought as she breathed a sigh in relief. It was done. For now. Octas had made it clear they would meet again soon and this time, there would definitely be spiders.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Your Huntress title has evolved into ¡®Vive la R¨¦volution¡¯ thanks to repeated beheading attempts on dangerous targets.


    Your spells will be more effective when attacking the weak points of very powerful enemies.


    Enemies that are nominally stronger than you can experience terror.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wait a minute. How do you know what the French revolution is?¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Maradoc shared the content of your ¡®hard drive¡¯ with me.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Stop spying on my stuff! Ugh.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Perhaps the Vandal title should apply to Emeric-given appliances.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°I am grateful for the chance to spread the ideals of democracy.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    I thought so. Good luck, Outlander.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv sighed, then she sat on part of the destroyed mast. Sidjin joined her a moment later with a satisfied expression. The two watched the result of their work in content silence while, around them, temple guards and sailors cried and cheered, hugging each other for having accomplished the impossible. A couple of minutes later, a flushed Captain Sil walked to them, her back straight and radiating confidence.


    ¡°You did manage it. I dared not hope but you managed it. You killed a gods-cursed avatar. I can scarcely believe my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Not our first time,¡± Viv said, though she wasn¡¯t feeling as confident as she was projecting.


    ¡°It was¡­ talking to you. It remembered you!¡±


    ¡°As I said, not the first time I faced an avatar of the dark gods in battle, though it was probably the most dangerous one. Octas doesn¡¯t like civilization very much and my goal of returning the deadlands to human control runs against everything she stands for. It shouldn¡¯t be a surprise that we butt heads.¡±


    ¡°Butt heads? You¡­ you are being far too casual. Almost blasphemous.¡±


    Viv dropped to her feet and took out her dagger. It was time to work.


    ¡°What, errr, what are you doing?¡± the captain asked.


    By her side, Sidjin prepared a levitation spell, probably for easier access to the tail. There were damaged parts contaminated with black mana they would sadly have to excise.


    Viv approached the severed torso of the avatar and, with one swift Excalibur, cut off the animal head.


    ¡°Oh just collecting a gift for a friend. Got to find a bag. Then it¡¯s time to process the monster parts.¡±


    ¡°What? But¡­ this is¡­ this is the body of a dark god!¡±


    ¡°No, that part is the body of a human turned into an avatar, which we won¡¯t touch. That¡¯s an abyssal octopus¡ª¡±


    ¡°A juvenile,¡± Sidjin elaborated.


    ¡°Yes, and that is some sort of giant lobster.¡±


    ¡°A Perdition Gulf rock crusher. Adult. Female.¡±


    Viv waited for Sidjin to add twenty years old and gravid or something but he thankfully didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You two are¡­ no wait! YOU INTEND TO EAT IT?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°You are MAD! This carcass must be purified then burnt!¡±


    The captain was livid. Around them a few sailors and guards approached with worried glances.


    ¡°You can purify and burn the human part and I¡¯ll sanctify the lobster tail with my stomach,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I know this sounds mad, however I assure you that the monster parts are untainted. There are precedents. Giant spiders animated by divine mana have proven perfectly edible after the death of the avatar. It is a matter of public record,¡± Sidjin explained with a calm voice while picking large chunks of tentacles. ¡°It would be criminal to let that mana-rich flesh go to waste, especially under the present circumstances.¡±


    ¡°I will not allow my ship to turn into an avatar barbecue.¡±


    Viv and Sidjin exchange a glance, but it was a different voice that broke the status quo.


    You would refuse us, your saviors?


    All the attention turned to Arthur lounging lazily over the broken mast, one wing still looking a little raw.


    It would be a shame if I had to¡­ provide the fires myself.


    The captain had one good look at the small fires still clinging to parts of the dead body despite having spent minutes fully immersed in blue mana. She gulped.


    On such a joyous occasion.


    Oh, and I was wounded while defending you.


    Her malevolent red eyes focused on Captain Sil with laser-like intensity.


    Are you insured?


    ¡°I will have the braziers brought out for you. And have the cooks join you¡­ but my people will stay away from this meat!¡±


    The captain turned around, but the dragon wasn¡¯t done.


    And a crate of Helockian sweet fish sauce.


    Sil froze in her tracks.


    I know you have it.


    I smelled it in the front of the boat.


    Second layer from the top.


    Mother needs more food to grow wings.


    Do not stall me further, borgling.


    ¡°I, errr, this was ordered by the quartermaster on Sardanal¡¯s Cradle. It is not mine to share!¡±


    The quartermaster is not here.


    I am.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it was lost in the battle,¡± Sil replied, dejectedly. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    The reply was clearly meant to be sarcastic.


    ¡°White wine,¡± Sidjin added.


    ¡°And butter,¡± Viv added to honor her French ancestry. ¡°Oh, and any citrussy fruit you might have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going!¡±

 Chapter 171: Sardanal鈥檚 Cradle

    There were no cheers when Sardanal¡¯s Cradle came into view. The crew gathered on the deck, watching the island approach with consternated expressions as the cold wind dispersed the last of the good mood. Viv herself had to consult with Sidjin, her faith in her own memory failing.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be¡­ green?¡±


    ¡°The jungle north of Glastia were green as well. And they stayed green¡­ for a while.¡±


    The island was supposed to be a beacon of hope, a green jewel standing in the middle of the ocean to welcome ships for a day or two as they crossed the ocean. Now only blackened land latched to the highest point like a rotten foot to a surviving heel, the city at its top barely surviving. Plumes of dark smoke rose from ashes to meet the low clouds above. They seem particularly ominous above the island though there was no rain.


    Viv had known the war had been ferocious but she didn¡¯t expect¡­ this. The low lands, most of the island except for the easternmost tip, were completely overrun. From the beaches to the crags to the scorched forests, nothing remained of the erstwhile emerald jewel. She was forced to use a lens spell to confirm the city was still standing or, well, at least it wasn¡¯t currently on fire and the walls were not obviously breached.


    ¡°By all the light gods,¡± Captain Sil said by her side.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad last time?¡±


    ¡°The temples were still holding the promontory! Now it looks like everything but the city has fallen. Neriad¡¯s bollocks, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re even holding the docks. How are we going to unload our supplies?¡±


    ¡°If the docks are in the black section of the island¡­¡± Viv began.


    ¡°They are. They were. The island has several ¡®ports¡¯ where one may moor, or at least used to have. Now though, we need to reach the unloading dock at the bottom of the cliff protecting the city. A narrow path leads up. I don¡¯t think the pulley system is still intact. By all the gods, what a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it work,¡± Viv said. ¡°Worst case scenario, we can strike the shore from Emeric¡¯s Girl. I doubt they can match the three of us with what they can shove on that narrow strip.¡±


    ¡°Yes, most likely,¡± Sil said, though it was clear she wasn¡¯t listening.


    A moment later, the captain left to order her men around. Emeric¡¯s Girl turned eastward towards the city¡¯s promontory and the pier that was still hopefully in its shadow. It was already afternoon and it was going to get darker fast so Viv hurriedly inspected what she could of the island. It wasn¡¯t good.


    The plains were mostly black and devoid of life but on the west side, the scorched forests hid strange pink trees, large swaths of silk nests and other strange shapes she didn¡¯t recognize. Quite a few ships were moored here and there in the ruins of the island, civilian transports, most of them. A couple didn¡¯t look like they had business in the high seas but, Viv supposed, they didn¡¯t have much to fear from monsters. That was a worrisome development. Octas obviously never used logistics so those belonged to either Efestar or Gomogog and if they dared to reveal those resources to that extent, it meant they were committed.


    The sky darkened the closer they got to the hostile shores. Between the black smoke and the low clouds, between the burnt island and gray ocean, the landscape turned into a vista of the apocalypse. Viv stopped the lens spell when she realized the flesh trees in the distance were squirming. She spotted no army moving to bar their way though that didn¡¯t mean they would land unopposed, so she reconvened with the temple guards, this time resolved not to underuse any of her resources.


    A part of her wondered if it was already too late. If the churches were reduced to such a tiny pocket¡­ but maybe they just decided to hunker down and wait for food. Viv wasn¡¯t sure what would have happened if the Beast sank the ship but she guessed she would find out soon enough. Half an hour later, they were getting close enough to see that the pier had been the scene of an intense fight.


    ¡°Reef the sails!¡±


    The ponderous shape of Emeric¡¯s Girl approached the pier at slow speed. It may have been nice and welcoming once, but the war had shown it no mercy. The mosaics on the stone embankment were defaced, the crates smashed and empty. Nothing was left of the warehouse and dock offices but ruined husks, their stones cracked and blackened by an intense heat. Beams planted vertically bore awful fruits. Viv didn¡¯t want to look but she had no choice, because she was going to have to walk past them. There were bodies attached to them, desiccated corpses held by tight rope with nothing left but bone and torn skin waving in the wind like banners of horror. Many of the skeletons were small. Too small. As Viv watched, a ruby-bodied spider crawled out of an eye socket.


    ¡°Shit, be ready for spiders,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Oh really,¡± a nearby soldier mocked, but he deflated under Viv¡¯s glare.


    ¡°How are we to send the supplies up?¡±


    Viv looked. The pier had a single trail leading around the cliff to the mainland. Another snaked up the incline towards the city walls. It was partially hidden from sight.


    Arthur landed near Viv. The dragoness¡¯ mood was forlorn. Viv could see it in her half-lidded eyes.


    ¡°We need to have sailors carry it while Sidjin and I guard the convoy.¡±


    Sidjin guards the ship.


    I lead the convoy up!


    ¡°The temple guards don¡¯t know we have a dragon with us.¡±


    ¡°It will be fine if she sticks with them,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°And besides, I¡¯m much better on defense than offense.¡±


    ¡°Alright. So I¡¯ll make landfall and cover a squad of templars. We clear a path up. Arthur covers our back with some other squads while Sidjin provides fire support and guards the ship. Would that work?¡±


    The various temple guards didn¡¯t object. Rather, squad leaders discussed who would be where. Captain Sil approached Viv.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you. I will be in charge of my crew. I need to see the mayor anyway.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°To get paid.¡±


    Viv chuckled though her heart wasn¡¯t into it. Slowly, the ship aligned with the quay. Those docks were really small, barely fifty meters across. Emeric¡¯s Girl dwarfed it so that people would have to jump down from the deck.


    There was still no movement from the shore. Viv checked her armor one last time, strapped her round shield on, coated herself with a layer of mana, then it was time.


    ¡°Ok, go.¡±


    She dropped down. Her mana sight guaranteed there were no spells hidden nearby but that didn¡¯t mean there were no traps waiting for them. The squad of temple guards who¡¯d won the right to go first landed soon after, forming a protective ring around her. They moved in.


    Viv felt weird having solid ground under her for the first time in weeks. The squad cleared the quay without problem just as more squads jumped down, followed by the first crates and sailors.


    ¡°Something underground. Higher concentration of mana,¡± Viv whispered as they approached the trail leading up. It wasn¡¯t paved like the quay, rather made of packed earth.


    ¡°Deep underground?¡± a templar said by her side.


    ¡°No. Surface. It¡¯s probably¡­¡±


    One of the men took a step too far and the earth writhed. A carpet of spiders crawled from the sand like crabs, bodies shining with ardent colors and nevermind that those were not even supposed to fucking burrow to begin with. The squad leader pulled his man back just as Viv deployed the ultimate solution in pest eradication.


    ¡°Nu¨¦e.¡±


    Using the least power possible Viv cast her blanket spell, letting it disperse at point blank range in a tiny, roiling cloud that spread over the packed earth with the sizzling of flash disintegration. All that remained was blighted earth as devoid of life as the deadlands themselves. Viv guided the spell to glut on the land up towards the path and down along the shore until she was absolutely certain the path was clear.


    ¡°Well, that solves that,¡± Captain Sil remarked.


    Viv resisted the urge to chastise her. Couldn¡¯t do that in public and besides, she was a civilian. Instead, she moved forward with the squad now firmly committed to protecting her from the way they were looking around.


    ¡°Wait, over there!¡± One of them announced.


    Viv raised an aegis before she could spot the threat, she¡¯d reinforced it with mana which had probably saved her life. Her danger sense screamed at her at the very last instant. She overloaded the spell and shifted her posture ever so slightly. It was all she could do until she heard a ping.


    She looked down.


    Sneaking its way between two of her bodyguards, piercing through her aegis AND her coating and coming to rest against her roundshield was a black spear, no, actually a spike, an organic, yellow-tipped stinger as ornate as the finest sculpture. It radiated in her sight with black and divine mana to the extent she didn¡¯t dare touch it. Battle instinct made her look up towards the threat. She cast an artillery spell towards a fleeing, eight-legged form but it teleported to the side.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°What the f¡ª¡±


    An instant later, the entire area disappeared in a grinder of fire and colorless mana coming from the ship. Sidjin¡¯s magically enhanced voice rang through the dock.


    ¡°Walls. Block their line of sight.¡±


    ¡°Eldritch wall!¡±


    Should have done it from the start, maybe. Viv sprayed the entire path with the meaning of change, turning the earth and stones into towering waves of reaching limbs. Maybe she was feeling panicked but it was notably spikier than usual.


    Also wait.


    Their lines of sight? Their; plural?


    Viv turned, looking behind her towards a strange gurgling sound. Captain Sil was behind her. She had a stinger stuck in her heart. Black veins snaked up her scarred cheeks. Her eyes were bulging. Her arms contracted and she fell, slowly, like a toppling tree. She was dead before she hit the ground.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    The sailors panicked. Viv opened her soul and flooded them with leadership and intimidation in equal measure.


    ¡°You will stand your ground if you want to live because those supplies WILL reach the city, with or without you. Pick up the fucking crates.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even hesitate. A distant part of her reminded her forcing civilians to participate in a military operation was technically a war crime but she was long past caring. The group reformed in record time along with a worried Arthur. They gave Sil¡¯s body a wide berth. It made Viv feel guilty.


    This is meant to pierce magical defenses.


    My scales are not enough.


    Viv was about to say something but Arthur shook. Rocks flowed from her feet up her body before hardening into a silvery extra shell that made her look extremely intimidating.


    All good now.


    Cannot fly.


    ¡°What the fuck was that anyway and how do we fight it?¡±


    ¡°Sniper spiders,¡± one of the templars said. ¡°You can¡¯t really fight them. The only good thing is that they are few and it takes them a long time to create a spear. Or at least I hope so. I have never heard of any time when there was more than one¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re officer killers,¡± another said.


    ¡°Their aim is, well, you saw. Octas is fully committed to our doom, it seems. Alright lads. Double ranks!¡±


    Viv wanted to complain that she couldn¡¯t see shit but the death of Sil had chilled her to her core. One of the templars purified her body to be carried aboard while Viv moved up the path, a casting of nu¨¦e almost permanently active in front of her. The path was only broad enough to fit three people abreast but unfortunately, it was plenty good enough for spiders. They crawled from the rocks to jump at exposed skin, small and slow and yet they couldn¡¯t be ignored because they carried a venom cursed by a furious goddess. The guards stomped and splattered the bulbous creations against the metal covering them. That, at least, was still holding.


    A woosh came from below and fire came to lick the edge of the formation. Heat made Viv gasp.


    ¡°That was¡­ the dragon!¡± a templar whispered. ¡°Did it turn on us?¡±


    ¡°SHE wouldn¡¯t do so and if she wanted you roasted, you would be roasted, tin box. Now cut the chatter,¡± Viv reproached.


    She caught an annoyed look from the squad leader and shrugged. It was his job to discipline his men but Viv was just too distracted. The next bend in the road was the site of another ambush, with Viv reforming an aegis to prevent the multitude of tiny spiders from overwhelming them. That bend overlooked a good section of the island proper and so she stole a glance towards the apocalyptic vista. Dark earth, squirming with activity. Men and women and monsters. Quite a bit of monsters, in fact. A flying man lorded over a group of armed fighters, their weapons shining the flashy green of the god of scorn. A mage, certainly. Active winds carried the stench of smoke and carrion to her nostrils as she turned around, casting eldritch wall to hide them from view. No more stingers came flying towards them. Either Sidjin¡¯s attack had gotten them all, or they were waiting for a better opportunity.


    The way up turned into a slog, but Viv was nothing if not disciplined and no spiderling survived her methodical approach. A single mistake would cause deaths; she wouldn¡¯t allow any more of them to die if she could help it. As they progressed, however, thick spider silk started to cover the cliff. Viv was faced with a conundrum. She couldn¡¯t set them on fire to get rid of them in a systematic manner, but what about swapping with Arthur? The dragoness could clear webs quickly.


    As she thought that, the roar of flames came from above, as well as an unmistakable golden light that reminded Viv of earlier days.


    ¡°A sortie?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet them halfway,¡± the squad captain said. ¡°There is a platform with benches and a view of the ocean. It should have enough space for everyone.


    He looked towards her for confirmation. She nodded, and the detachment resumed their climb. There was now an anticipation, especially among the sailors who were never supposed to be in harm¡¯s way. Viv kept her spells up to make sure their path was clear.


    The resting area would have been very pleasant, were it not for the dead children attached to columns. Just like the victims on the beach, these had been devoured by spiders as they hatched but unlike them, feathered shafts still emerged from their empty torsos. The sight revolted Viv. Those had been placed within sight of the walls as bait. Someone had not just callously sacrificed children. They¡¯d moved them here first on purpose to inflict emotional pain on the defenders, and they¡¯d done so while the children still lived. Viv knew what the arrows meant. Mercy killings. She prayed that she¡¯d never have to make that decision herself.


    Anger boiled in Viv¡¯s veins. It was one thing to fight against a certain vision of the world like Octas did. It was another to be so purposely cruel. She had forgotten what Octas really stood for. That was fine. Fine. She would remind the spider queen what she was up against.


    ¡°Purify the bodies,¡± Viv ordered in the following silence.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    The squads formed a protective ring around the panicked sailors. The descending forces coming from the walled town were getting closer but Viv¡¯s gaze was drawn to the ocean to the east. A sudden breeze brought the smell of the sea, providing a brief respite from the cloying scent of death.


    Damn, she was already missing it.


    Arthur walked around the circle. The dragoness was puffing fire rather than breathing it, and the purifying spell expanded across the white thread in shimmering bubbles that cleansed the mountain of its shroud. Little motes of light popped when the embers reached tiny spiders. It would have been beautiful in other circumstances, yet despite the urgency of the situation, Viv still enjoyed the sight of her adopted daughter puffing and stomping around. She was feeling a little better when the descending convoy finally met them.


    Headed by a fire mage wearing a cowl, the group was made of scruffy inquisitors and templars in dented armor wielding swords, banners and bandages bearing the gold of Neriad and the rusty red of their many wounds. They were gaunt and tired with deep pockets under their eyes and yet there was a spring to their step, a determination that Viv found inspiring. She smiled when she recognized the two people leading the formation.


    ¡°Denerim! Orkan!¡±


    The inquisitors she¡¯d met in Kazar smiled when they spotted her. Denerim was still the same bearded wise man exuding confidence, while the ordeal had turned Orkan from rockstar to doomed poet, pale and wan and so very precious; every daughter of a good family would pine for this stuttering flame. Damn him for being attractive.


    ¡°The Black Witch in person! You came! I told everyone you would be coming but they didn¡¯t believe me!¡± Denerim said, his malnourished face splitting into a large grin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rejoice when we¡¯re back behind the walls,¡± Orkan added, dark eyes searching the vicinity.


    ¡°Right. We bring carts!¡±


    Hand-drawn carts dragged by soldiers, to be precise. It took a minute to organize everything then the sailors walked back down escorted by Viv. Several more convoys pushed crates up at great speed. The local guards were so happy with the delivery they were almost frantic with their emaciated faces exuding a joy Viv didn¡¯t feel. In such a dreadful situation, how could they be so happy? She didn¡¯t get it.


    ¡°Is Sil not there?¡± Denerim asked her during the second journey up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She was killed by a sniper spider on arrival.¡±


    ¡°Curses. She was the only one with the courage to help us. Her sacrifice shall be remembered¡­ and the decisions of the other captains will not soon be forgotten. The situation here is¡­ well, you will see for yourself soon enough. You have the food we requested?¡±


    ¡°All of it and more. I killed the Beast and we ate it. You can have the leftovers.¡±


    Denerim looked shocked.


    ¡°The monster part only, obviously.¡±


    ¡°You managed to slay the Beast? I assumed Octas would reclaim the avatar¡¯s power or you would fend it off but death¡­ oh, that meat will be a blessing. We need to regain our strength¡­¡±


    We left you some sauce.


    Arthur stood on her hind legs as a statement of power to express exactly how magnanimous she was. Denerim, wise that he was, bowed to express his gratitude. The news and the crates carried up towards the city until there was an uproar and enough light in the late afternoon to turn the ancient town into a radiant beacon. Viv was one of the last to reach the city gates, casting one last glance towards the retreating form of Emeric¡¯s Girl, its cargo holds empty but its coffers full as reward for the surviving sailors and the families of those who¡¯d fallen.


    Colossal white stone marked the border of the Cradle, and colossal white stones formed its walls. Wards competed for space on every available surface alongside numerous impacts to form a strange tapestry, one born from constant conflict. Inside, the mood was¡­ strange. Viv was at the very tail of a column receiving the acclamation of a starving population. Already, hymns were filling the air. Soldiers on the walls kept a firm vigil with interspersed mages sitting randomly, perhaps to avoid being picked off. Some of the houses were destroyed. Others were overflowing with people moving supplies with bony hands. Traces of destruction were everywhere among the crude white houses but so were the marks of a tenacious hope. The enduring green of Sardanal¡¯s light clung to small patches of vegetables that shouldn¡¯t be growing in this season. Desperate teenagers with bulging eyes stared at the ground with old shoes tightly clasped in their hands, hunting for spiders. Those vermin hunters seemed to be more and more a fixture of this place the deeper Viv walked into the besieged city.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the Last Stand,¡± Denerim told her.


    ¡°What? But shouldn¡¯t you guys recover first?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Denerim chuckled. ¡°The Last Stand is a place. It¡¯s the vault below the main temple. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Another detail struck Viv.


    ¡°Where are the children?¡±


    ¡°Where we¡¯re going.¡±


    Viv walked past funeral pyres. Many of the fighters lining the streets were not temple guards, she realized. Her inspection skill returned a lot of ¡®militiamen¡¯ and ¡®militiawomen¡¯ which were not technically paths but desperation picks for civilians forced into a combat role for an extended period of time. Those who survived, anyway. Most people here had dark skin. Denerim and Viv were in the firm minority. Those soldiers that watched her pass did so with a distant stare that no relief could reach. Their weapons were mostly polearms, simple ones made in a rush by harried smiths. They wore mismatched pieces of armor when they wore any at all. Ratty gambesons were the norm, few of which were intact.


    After a short walk, Viv finally reached the central plaza. It was currently occupied by a massive tent from which emerged the sickly smell of infection. An actual ring of teenagers surrounded it, hands glowing with basic light spells.


    ¡°Octas got to the wounded five days ago. Hollowed out the corpses overnight before unleashing her venomous minions. Seventeen people died before we could contain them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a¡­ a very long time, my friend.¡±


    The inquisitor patted her shoulder. He seemed so moved, it almost disturbed Viv. He¡¯d been the one to help her back in the day, first against Gomogog¡¯s apostle and second during the siege against Lancer¡¯s forces. He had remained this pillar, this force of justice in her mind. The man who seized the guilty by the temples before inflicting upon them the suffering of their victims. Now he was frail and he looked older. Stress did that, she knew.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it. We¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    ¡°I know. The Black Witch of Harrak!¡± he grinned. ¡°Now we¡¯re probably saved.¡±


    ¡°Or at least we¡¯ll go down swinging.¡±


    ¡°Just as Neriad intended. Ah, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Great pots had been prepared, filled with water. An army of salivating attendants shoved strings of Beast meat, vegetables, herbs, and butter into them. It already smelled quite nice. Denerim walked past the line of bowl-holding survivors already queueing for a chance to be among the first. He guided her down stairs and nodded at powerful guards protecting the way in. Finally, Viv arrived in a large room filled with columns centered around a single array. Groups of children slowly ate soup-soaked bread from cracked bowls under the smiling attention of tired women. Viv heard them make sure the kids chewed and slowed down. The array attracted her gaze. Despite her vast knowledge, it took her a long time to make sense of the divine construct.


    It was a suicide array, a dead man¡¯s switch. A kneeling priestess waited in its center, her own lifeforce linked to that of the children. If she died, so would they. If she activated the spell, the same would happen. It would be painless, at least.


    ¡°The Last Stand. We would have fought all the way back to here if we''d had to. Or at least, that was what we told each other. Hard to fight with no strength left. It may look cruel but¡­ what Octas does to them¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain. I saw the dead captives on the resting platform. There are fates worse than death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We failed them. And you.¡±


    ¡°I volunteered to be here, Denerim. You don''t have to apologize.¡±


    ¡°We were supposed to defeat Octas and go home. Now people from the mainland have come and the locals¡­ had to pick up arms or die. We have failed to stop the cultists.¡±


    ¡°You helped me when I needed it. Now it¡¯s my turn to help you carry the fight against this evil. You¡¯re not alone, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Ah, forgive me. I must be rambling in my old age but it bears repeating. You have grown so much.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It means a lot coming from you, inquisitor. Now, where is your command room?¡±


    ¡°Over there.¡±


    The leaders of the island¡¯s defenses  had gathered in a common room inside of Last Stand, clearly a converted storage space. It still smelled faintly of paint and dust. A stone table held a few maps as well as tiny statues placed at various spots of the island. Viv thought they looked like they¡¯d been put there randomly, and she doubted they would have scouts out anyway. Several officers stood around quietly chewing ration bars. They watched Viv enter with hooded eyes, then Sidjin. Only Arthur¡¯s muzzle got a reaction.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± someone asked.


    You will address me with respect or the spiders will be the least of your worries, borgling.


    That calmed them down immediately. They sort of huddled together in a corner despite Denerim¡¯s desperate attempt to form a circle. Viv saw mages, administrators, a couple of people who looked like village chiefs, and then warriors and templars. They were an eclectic bunch that only shared a certain air of despair about them.


    ¡°So¡­¡± the head mage finally said. ¡°When are the reinforcements due? We heard the Beast was dead.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re it,¡± Viv replied. ¡°Well, us and a few dozen templars.¡±


    Whispers of consternation surged but Viv tapped the table with a gauntleted fist, and the hammering sound brought silence back, as did her expanding wings.


    ¡°You do look strong, lady, but we are barely holding up as it is. Maybe the Last Stand will earn its name after all.¡±


    ¡°I think there is some sort of misunderstanding here. My name is Viviane, Outlander and current Empress of Harrak.¡±


    The whispers turned confused. Most people assumed Harrak was long dead, especially beyond the sea.


    ¡°I am Sidjin of Glastia, the Red Mist,¡± Sidjin added.


    And I am She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Gets-Much.


    I am a dragon.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s bollocks.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t do heroic last stands,¡± Viv stated.

 Chapter 172: Methodical

    The light of dawn rose over Sardanal¡¯s last refuge and Thunder Lord Sai was furious. The curs had food now, food and weapons. And some reinforcements, if the incoherent screeching from the spider fuckers was any indication. The only thing he could agree on with his ¡®peers¡¯ was that they had to strike now before the templars put some meat back on their bones. The assembled forces of the Dark Gods made their way up the cliff, whatever troops had answered the call anyway. Some days it was like herding beastlings.


    Gomogog¡¯s flesh abominations led the way, lumbering titans of writhing meat with pits where their mouths ought to be. Scabs and scars marked where fire and arrows had gnawed at their monstrous forms to little effect. So close to him, they stank horribly. Theirs was a rotten smell mixed with delicate flowers that made the mix deeply revolting. Then spiders and hybrids under Octas followed with those nasty little assassins she had tossing spindles at mages. He shivered. They were allied in the cause of showing the deeply flawed nature of society, the hypocrisy and lies it relied on to maintain some people at the top but beyond that¡­ uneasy was their alliance indeed.


    Efestar¡¯s troops were by far the least numerous, mostly because the God of Scorn preferred to act from the shadows. Veiled archers, quiet assassins, they snuck in the wake of larger threats with poison-tipped arrows.


    Sai frowned. There was something weird going on with the dark god. His magic was acting¡­ erratic, but it was not for man to question the divine. Instead, he focused his attention on the mess of a column climbing up the desolate slope towards the hated walls where so many of his minions had perished.


    This place used to be lush and green. It was said that Sardanal¡¯s Cradle never truly knew winter, that there were always flowers blooming but looking at it now, it was hard to believe. When Sai had landed, the cultists occupied only the forest. They had later breached the defenses of the servants of the light near the central valley, then devoured their way up the island from there. Many of Octas¡¯ hybrids were corpses of villagers and soldiers, attached to the bodies of her infamous spiders through dark sorcery. They moved over the cracked earth, the fallen houses and the burnt orchards like locusts. Not a pleasant sight but war never was. Those scorched fields were all that remained when fat lords rested on their laurels and Sardanal was no different.


    A skittering announced the coming of Many-Legs, Octas¡¯ champion. Whatever he had started as was long gone. Now all that remained was a patchwork of shells covered in appendages: claws, arms, paws, legs, tendrils, tentacles, stingers, anything and everything that struck its fancy. A mental image formed in Sai¡¯s head. Few of Octas¡¯ fiercest champions kept the ability to speak.


    Moving up.


    Now.


    Sai shivered again when the message clawed at his mind in all its alien horror. The house-sized abomination scurried forward with deceptive speed. From his position at the back, Sai could see the verdant mana of Sardanal covering the ramparts and the defenders behind, filling them with vitality. It was the only thing that kept them standing and it wouldn¡¯t last. The light gods always failed their followers at the most critical moment.


    Sai the Thunder Lord was standing there with the fetid wind at his back amid the chittering of advancing hybrids when something strange moved in his mana sight. Threads expanded and contracted to the side. He heard a meaty sound. Something sprayed his war mask. He touched the liquid with a gloved finger. Red. Thick. Familiar. Blood, not his.


    To his side, the mass of flesh walkers stumbled. Long gashes dripping putrid ichor and atrophied organs covered their unholy forms. The ones that held the center collapsed and didn¡¯t rise again. Space seemed to shiver where they once stood.


    ¡°What?¡±


    What just happened? His dark gray robes were soaked, though their enchantments remained intact. The sneak attack surprised him so much he checked himself for wounds but found none. The Cowl of Efestar should still be hiding his presence. Was this the reinforcement he should be concerned with? He turned to Many Legs by force of habit but of course, the brainless abomination was already rushing towards the fortifications with a low hiss of rage tinted with glee. What kind of spell could do this? There had been no warnings, no colors marring the canvas of the world. Colorless mana? Unlikely. Sai watched the assault progress with trepidation. He had to learn, then he could strike.


    At first, everything proceeded as planned. The dark mass of the spiders and surviving flesh walkers surged through a cloud of ash. The rare surviving templar archers and his own assassins exchanged the few remaining arrows on the island, then a group of shelled spiders disappeared. This time, Sai saw it happen. The packed formation was racing up, ignoring the few pitiful fire spells cast at them by the rare surviving enemy mages and then they were just¡­ gone? Cut to ribbons by¡­ something. A colorless construct that turned flesh to slender streamers. It reminded him of a report he¡¯d read a long time ago. His eidetic memory searched for the exact recollection.


    A prince tortured for his crime against a city that had turned its back on him and his friends. A recruit ripe for collection, but he had not been bitter enough, apparently? His name was Prince Sidjin. Could it be the same man? What was he doing here anyway? This was a Viziman battlefield. Even he, as a champion of the Shadow Islands, was but a guest on this ancient battleground.


    Sidjin was a¡­ siege defense specialist.


    Not. Good.


    ¡°Spread out,¡± he ordered, his pitch lowered by the war mask. ¡°Do not stand next to groups of warriors.¡±


    A few assassins stopped hiding behind packs of spiders. Sai cursed. Many-Legs would not listen to him. He had to take off despite the risk. His shoulder still lanced from a lucky arrow. With a breath, he cleared his thoughts. Gray mana spooled from his core to extend all around him. His superior mind handled two spells at once, one that would cover his body in a thick layer of gray mana infused with the meaning of avoidance, the other in a powerful construct that would carry him up. He soared into the air in a burst of mana.


    The sky was his.


    It never got old, feeling all that gray mana around him, even in the bleakest of moments. A grin curved his lips as he watched the town become smaller under him. As before, verdant mana blocked his sight and muddied the mana signatures. He would have to make do with what he had.


    The chittering carpet of creatures kept advancing. Strange, transparent constructs of immense complexity bloomed among their most dangerous hybrids to tear them limb from limb. After the fourth such slaughter, even Many-Legs perceived the danger. The insane champion screeched and the assault scattered, but it was already far too late. What had started as a relatively organized assault had devolved into a mad dash for the walls, the relatively tight pockets of the dark gods¡¯ forces dispersing into a chaotic mess. It was not the end of the magical assaults. Invisible javelins tore through flesh walkers one by one, saturating their large forms until even their regeneration couldn¡¯t keep up. They fell.


    A part of Sai felt relief at the death of those abominations. The rest of him knew this was a problem, one he had to solve personally.


    Suddenly, a figure in a heavy cloak appeared on the battlements, hands clutching a large staff. His head was covered by a cowl. He waved his hands around until a large fireball formed, then he tossed it at the approaching spiders.


    It was rather obviously bait, one his assassins did not take. Unfortunately, the stinger-spitting spiders did. A thick spike clanged on the form¡¯s body, revealing the extremely thick armor underneath. Sai recognized Kal the Mountain, a champion of Neriad. It was so obvious! And there was a diagnostic spell and¡­ there was a short-range blast taking out one, then two of the rare and valuable spiders from their hiding place. Sai cursed under his breath. The diagnostic spell came from¡­ there, inside a squad of heavily armored guards. He had to time his assault well. The Cowl of Efestar would only hide him until he attacked. then he would be a very valuable flying gray mage in bow range.


    He merely needed some patience.


    The assault began. Spiders crawled up the wall. Animalistic ones jumped the defenders while others spat poisonous gobs and nets, but where the servants of the dark gods had been on the cusp of victory before, now they were struggling. The defenders were haler, their weapons repaired, their arms strong and kept energetic through the green mana constantly renewing them. Colorless mana had dispersed the deadlier groups so that the attackers reached the crenelations piecemeal rather than as a united force and it made a world of difference. The hybrids swung in vain at shield walls before being pierced by spears. It was obvious the assault would fail but perhaps Many-Legs could still salvage some sort of gain. The abomination scaled the wall with ponderous grace, as unstoppable as fate itself. He attacked the troops on the tower with rabid frenzy. His appendages wailed on the defenders with rage. Sai saw a body tossed over the battlements. The shield wall crumbled, then corpses crashed to the courtyard beyond. It stopped as soon as Denerim arrived, that naive fool.


    The bearded warrior fought Many Legs conservatively. He cut the legs as they attacked, taking few risks. It was like watching a gardener prune a tenacious plant while his apprentice, the Hallurian defector, hovered at the edge, ready to move in and attack Many-Legs¡¯ true body. Another stalemate. Idiots.


    The Fallen Prince ought to act soon. Sai knew it. Many-Legs was too tempting a target, and as expected, another transparent spell emerged from the hazy mist of Sardanal¡¯s protection. A thread-thin construct. It whistled through the air before embedding itself deeply into Many-Legs¡¯ flank.


    The damn creature screeched. The Prince must have hit something important.


    That also meant he was focused on offense.


    Carefully, Sai wove his personal hex. The sky rumbled above when he infused the air around him with the meaning of potential. Pride filled his chest. He was one of the few casters in history capable of using it.


    Potential crystallized in front of him, then he guided the deficit down towards the prince. He would not feel it. How could he? Potential was not mana. It couldn¡¯t be felt through normal means, only through the tingle on one¡¯s skin and the coppery taste on one¡¯s tongue. Sai relished that special moment when he was alone, hidden from view, away from the vicissitudes of the fight against oppression. There was only him, the gray mana flowing from his core, and the complex array hanging in the air before him. He was the storm and he could not be touched. Power coursed through him. The power to liberate. The power to be free and to scorn the world itself.


    ¡°Storm.¡±


    A massive bolt crossed the sky, landing among the soldiers in a cataclysmic first strike. The blinding flash faded to reveal white lines coursing through the cracked pavement over bubbling stone and the shaking form of a couple of guards. Shaking, but not dying. Sai reacted immediately by moving aside but Sidjin did not counter immediately. Sai¡¯s opponent stood next to an enchanted metal rod he¡¯d raised from below at the last moment. Even the excess energy had dissipated on a transparent shield with a few templars catching stray energy. As Sai dodged, Sidjin had been repairing his defense rather than countering. A patient opponent.


    For a second, the two took the measure of each other. Sidjin, a tan Glastian with a scar on his cheek and deep brown eyes looking mournfully upwards, curly hair hidden under his cloak. Sai, the Thunder Lord, face hidden behind a mask, body covered in a protective gray robe. A fallen prince and the apostle of a dark god. Two experienced combatants. Two archmages.


    Then the spells flew.


    Sidjin opened with a salvo of skewering transparent spears Sai had to dodge without seeing. Only his trained perception and the almost imperceptible trail of the spells gave him any sort of warning, and he used his speed and flexibility to great effect in dodging them. Meanwhile, gray mana spells and a smaller thunderbolt fell upon impenetrable defenses, the prince¡¯s fortress an array of complex hexes designed to counter Sai specifically. Efestar¡¯s champion tried fire and his own colorless attacks to destabilize Sidjin but it was clear the archmage was a master of defense at the top of his art. Sai needed options. He needed the unpredictable.


    ¡°Efestar, bless my aim.¡±


    The dark green energy of scorn fused in his fist like acid. Scorn clouded Sai¡¯s mind. Had to crush. Had to take revenge, but Sai prevailed over the dark god¡¯s domain. It was not his first divine spell.


    Once again, the energies stuttered, threatening to waste Sai¡¯s efforts. He regained control at the last moment then dodged a gray spell cleverly hidden behind a transparent barrier. Sidjin was canny.


    A baleful spear surged towards Sidjin. This one wasn¡¯t gray mana but hatred made manifest. Sai followed the spell¡¯s trajectory with anticipation, but Sardanal¡¯s light surged forth and for an instant, it was as if a bejeweled hand swatted the spell aside.


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    An arrow flew by. His shield pushed it away but below, the situation was getting worse. The walls held strong despite the forces thrown at them. Spider corpses formed a small embankment in front of the walls. Many-Legs was reeling from several wounds. Sai¡¯s time was running out.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    And then something attracted his attention. It didn¡¯t come from within the walls but from the harbor, the natural one at the western tip of the city. The one where his ship was waiting for him.


    ¡°No. No!¡±


    Sai flew as fast as he could.


    ***


    The prisoner gave himself two more days of life, maybe less. He licked his parched lips and thanked Emeric for having him be captured during winter, at least. Sometimes, he could suck on snow when the others were not looking. The other prisoners didn¡¯t trust him. Wretched things, all of them. Some were surviving villagers from the fallen villages, thin and dying but still occasionally fed. Fodder for some ritual, no doubt. Others had been carried over the sea from the Shadow Lands by slavers eager to sell to those who didn''t value gold. The slavers had learned that Octas hated every form of civilization, even the most cruel ones. They were also ritual fodder. Maybe a gaze, maybe something the savage bitch would cook up. The prisoner didn¡¯t care. His only hope was to be executed as an example because he was too much of a coward to kill himself by other means.


    A woman stared at him from the other cage. She was a lower caste thing from the mainland, also a coward, but one made meek from birth. She was hopeless. When their eyes met, she turned away.


    The prisoner was bored. Why was dying so very tedious? He almost wanted the cultists to get to it. Instead, the cowled idiots were lowering crates from one of the many small ships who¡¯d made the trip from the homeland or Vizim to carry men and supplies for the great work. Turned out that it took a lot of flesh to keep their ravenous allies going. In the bay, a makeshift port had assembled itself to welcome those blasphemous shipments. The prisoner watched a man roll a barrel up the rickety pier towards one of the warehouses. Actually, they were improved fishing shacks but that still made them one of the few remaining intact structures outside of the walls. The spider bitch was thorough.


    As for the flesh father¡­


    The prisoner turned to the nearest flesh tree, one of the most active on the island. It was an unholy meat construct capable of producing cursed fruits that sustained the flesh walkers. Towering over the burnt husks of real vegetation, they only took the vague shape of a real trunk, a grotesque parody of life. They smelled weird as well, a strange mix of sourness and floral notes. Eminently disturbing. The prisoner averted his gaze. He didn¡¯t want to find another eye looking at him. Again.


    ¡°Careful with those, they contain iron bars, you dimwit,¡± the quartermaster screamed at a fumbling cultist.


    ¡°Boss, do you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Hear what?¡±


    But the prisoner heard, and soon, so did the quartermaster, and then so did everyone. The cultist looked up at the ubiquitous gray sky with incomprehension. It was¡­ a screech?


    Light.


    Heat.


    Sound.


    The prisoner jerked back against the cage, feeling it bite against his thin chest. He took a deep breath. His ears popped. Where there was once a small ship before him, now there was only an expanding ball of fire sending scorched debris falling like rain. The man pushing a barrel had died. The pier was a flaming wreck. On the other ships, men and women panicked. Some jumped into the water while others pulled on rope. Others still looked up to the sky to find what was attacking them. The prisoner did it as well. He had nothing better to do. There was a sort of liberating feeling to being helpless in the face of death. No need to struggle.


    A flash of white scales. A serpentine shape. Gray mana blurring with speed as the creature attacking them made a second pass and another ship was annihilated. Corpses were tossed  by the explosion, cloaks burning. They were dead before they hit the water.


    ¡°Neriad protect us,¡± someone whispered in the next cage. ¡°It¡¯s a dragon.¡±


    It was, in fact, a dragon. The prisoner stared uncomprehendingly at the shape of archers and a cultist mage attempting to stop the flying calamity, but their target was a blur of spells. The earth buckled under them without a circle appearing or symbols being used. Only the Thunder Lord could possibly slow that beast down, curse that backstabbing cur. Why was there a damn dragon here, of all places?


    And why was there a foreign woman as well?


    The prisoner blinked. Next to him, a pale-skinned caster carved circles and symbols into the suddenly flattened ground. She was tall, with a black armored robe and a strange, misshapen shield covered in heraldry. A silver circlet adorned her helmet. He reassessed her as a leader of some sort as well as a caster. Her hair was colored strangely. A Paramese, for sure. Or a savage from the Empire of Dawn. No, she was no thrall. He frowned.


    [Foe of Efestar, Ascender, Fourth step of a well-rounded black war caster path. Elemental.  LETHAL. Peerless war caster. Born for magic. Empress of New Harrak. Monster Slayer¡­ ]


    So many¡­ what? He¡¯d never heard of her! Harrak? Wasn¡¯t the place destroyed? And she was an enemy of Efestar? Elemental? What was she doing here all calm and ¡ª but wait. That was his chance.


    ¡°Lady? Lady? The gate? Please?¡±


    His voice revived the spark of hope in the chests of the other wretches. They crammed themselves against their cages with emaciated limbs grasping at her, filthy nails clawing the air for the salvation she represented, but she didn¡¯t budge. With methodical speed, the witch kept drawing an increasingly complex array on the ground. The prisoner knew enough about rituals to realize this one was excessively complex despite the¡­ rather artistic arrangement. She was also drawing several at once. It was something only the best casters could do. The prisoner didn¡¯t know what an elemental archmage was but it was clearly one of the light gods¡¯ champions. Fresh off the boat then? Maybe he still had a chance.


    ¡°Lady, we can be of help.¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. The array completed, then she fed power into the construct.


    There was so much mana here the prisoner could feel it press against his skin. The air shimmered, then the world inexplicably split open, smoothly, like a window, and beyond that was a courtyard covered in flowers with mossy, damaged walls, and warriors in heavy armor. Quite a few of them.


    ¡°Go. Go!¡±


    The fighters actually crossed the space. They were here now, soldiers of the light. From the city to the pier in an instant.


    A portal? This was a portal? It was! The prisoner thought only Oleander¡¯s team was capable of such a feat! The soldiers immediately opened the cages around him while the witch created another circle. Behind him, the bay¡¯s last boat went up in flames yet the witch wasn¡¯t worried. The dragon was on her side? How?


    Then he was facing a furious man.


    ¡°This one is a cultist. He¡¯s one of them.¡±


    Uh oh.


    The templar attempted to break the cage, only to realize the lock was enchanted. The prisoner gave him an apologetic shrug which only enraged him even more.


    ¡°Sorry, Neriad¡¯s dog. I wouldn¡¯t need you for a normal lock.¡±


    The elemental one approached in turn, and the prisoner had his first good look at her. She was¡­ exotic. Very strange, and beautiful if you liked that kind of thing. The eyes were the catch. They were pure black with emerald rings where the iris should be. What was she doing serving the light ones? She looked at him with her alien eyes and there was an assessment there he didn¡¯t like.


    The woman approached and a blade of pure void erupted from her extended hand. She casually flicked it through the lock. Part of the metal and all the enchantments were¡­ just gone with a hiss.


    The templar opened the gate. Well, at least they would make it fast.


    ¡°Let him go,¡± the woman said.


    The templar twisted around, outrage plain on his face.


    ¡°Milady, this is a servant of a dark god.¡±


    ¡°I know. Stand aside.¡±


    The templar grew defiant but something hit him. With his advanced soul sense, the prisoner could feel it as well, though it was focused on someone else. Intimidation. Powerful. Perhaps even specialized. It felt like standing in front of a scaled oven with a cold patience behind. It was pointless to fight her off. She would get her way and quickly.


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    The templar obeyed, though reluctantly. The prisoner didn¡¯t wait until they could change their minds. He was out and away in a rush. He raced past burning buildings, charred corpses and panicked cultists rushing here and there. Exhaustion made every step a chore. Had to work on his endurance a bit, after this was done. Hunger gnawed at him but that one was an old companion and it didn¡¯t stop him. Suddenly, thunder roared behind him.


    The free man slowed down then. Behind him, down the slope, the bay was a scene of utter devastation. The carcasses of ships still smoldered so that it looked like the ocean itself was on fire. An inferno devoured the husks of structures where a makeshift port used to stand. Smoke and screams clogged the atmosphere, and while he could see the templars freeing the other prisoners and killing the surviving cultists, behind the island was but a hazy landscape of red and gray beset with black smoke and flying embers. The dragon shrieked again and the top of a distant hill burst into flames. But all was not over for Efestar¡¯s servant. Sai was here.


    The free man still resented Sai¡¯s ascension to dominance over Efestar¡¯s scattered servants. He resented the archmage¡¯s cocky confidence, but there was little he could do because Efestar¡¯s blessings affected him in¡­ another way. The Thunder Lord floated over the scene clad in a halo of clean air, his a purifying presence. Just then, the sun found a small dip in the clouds. Light backlit the flying figure to give him a colorful aura. Here was the flying champion coming to the rescue while below, the black witch carved away at the ground, abyss-lined jade looking up with cold disdain.


    ¡°You have courage, I will grant you that,¡± the Thunder Lord rumbled.


    The witch didn¡¯t bother to answer. A black shield surrounded her. Electricity still crackled on its surface. The Thunder Lord¡¯s spells lingered and rock didn¡¯t stop them but it appeared black mana had. She had never stopped casting.


    The Thunder Lord must have felt something because he attacked with insistence. Air blades met strange disruptive spells. Fireballs were swallowed effortlessly. Another thundering attack had the same result as before, so Sai apparently decided to target the templars instead as they evacuated the last of the rescues but it was too late. They were already within her protective aura, and she intercepted his attacks with ease.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    A thick black ray speared the clouds. For a moment, the free man expected, no, hoped that Sai had finally perished for his arrogance but the archmage was a survivor, and thanks to his strange understanding of gray mana, he was suddenly¡­ not there. Another spell that made the air unbreathable was immediately countered when the witch saturated Sai¡¯s surroundings with black mana, shattering the delicate construct. He flew higher, above the thick air yet below the gloom of the perpetual dark clouds. His form blended in the world of gray.


    The free man knew what was coming so he ran faster. The wind picked up, yet before the Thunder Lord could trigger his attack, the witch struck.


    ¡°Metamorphosis.¡±


    The leftover mana made him shudder, as if his skin didn¡¯t quite fit.


    Despite the imminent danger, the free man still turned as he edged the slope. He wanted to see. He needed to see. The leftovers of the attack made the clouded air even darker, and it was now clear that the witch¡¯s target had never been the Thunder Lord.


    The free man realized it had never been a duel. The witch had an objective. The Thunder Lord was merely in the way.


    ¡°I swore to myself I would never inflict the aspect of change on a person,¡± the witch said in Old Imperial, her voice carried by the wind.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not a person.¡±


    The flesh tree shivered. The free man had seen temple guards hack at it and die, grabbed and absorbed into its flesh. He¡¯d seen mages attempt to set it alight and fail. The tree had regrown from the voracious attention of the flesh walkers. Now, for the first time, the free man saw it writhe in pain. Limbs erupted, flailed, and fell off like torn petals. Tumorous growths bubbled over its horrid surface and slowly, it half-melted, half-fell forward. Mouths bloomed and screamed. The din was deafening. When the trunk touched a nearby rock, it broke to spill a vile liquid that hissed against the flames. More gashes opened, wounds that would have killed a titan. Still more limbs popped haphazardly over the collapsing mass as its regeneration fought against the spell and lost. It was being devoured by the very thing that had brought it life. Suddenly, the tree stopped struggling.


    The free man watched with rapt attention, an attention he regretted immediately when a single, perfect eye opened on the last intact piece of skin. The eye turned towards the witch.


    Terror froze the man¡¯s breath. This was¡­ this was¡­ Gomogog. The hungering god spotted the witch. The torrent of ichor turned into a wave that aimed for her.


    ¡°No you don¡¯t. Deadland domain.¡±


    The witch walked to the portal. She was the only one left behind, and behind her, a sphere of gray expanded. The fires sputtered and died. The grass died. Even the waves lost their color. The cage where he¡¯d been kept turned brittle and the dark god¡¯s attack fizzled.


    The free man finally got it now. Not a caster of elements. A caster that is an elemental. A black elemental.


    When had Neriad found such a champion?


    The flesh tree finally collapsed, but the Thunder Lord¡¯s attack came as well. Wind blew, lifting planks, then entire stones as a hurricane formed, centered on the witch¡¯s location, but she merely raised walls around herself with a gesture. The portal was still active. What was she waiting for? The free man was still a spectator, despite the dangers. His chances of survival were bleak anyway. He might as well learn what he could. Perhaps bargain his knowledge.


    Just as the twister started, it evaporated. The free man heard Sai scream when the archmage plummeted head first into the ocean. One of his legs was on fire.


    It was a glorious sight.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± the witch asked the dragon landing by her side. It was a young one, relatively speaking, and white as snow.


    Steal spell first.


    ¡°Fair enough. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The pair crossed the portal, which closed soon after.


    The free man ran. He ran for a long time. He climbed into the burnt forest with burning lungs and aching legs. After twenty minutes of walking, a spider skittered into view but he merely flashed Efestar¡¯s mana and the creature reluctantly let him go. He finally reached the promontory where he had hidden emergency supplies. An upturned stone surrendered a backpack with some food he devoured, and clothes he changed into. As he turned, the lowlands came into full view. It was, inexplicably, burning again.


    A portal flashed open by another flesh tree. Cries and spells surged into the sky, then after five minutes, the tree burst in a geyser of red ichor and a scream like an angry kettle. He looked at the three remaining trees. Perhaps the dark servants could protect one or two, but they would have to assign much of their remaining forces to guard duty. If they didn¡¯t, Gomogog¡¯s servants would starve and they never truly starved so long as there was someone edible around¡­ The man knew where this was all going.


    It was the dark god¡¯s turn to be left without choices.


    ***


    It was bright here. Summer light warmed Viv¡¯s skin while a light breeze spread waves across the green grass. She raised an arm to see her burn scar covered by a summer dress. An earth summer dress.


    ¡°Nice touch,¡± she said.


    Someone with her soul sense would know when she¡¯d been dragged into the in-between, though it had been done with a considerably lighter touch this time. She wasn¡¯t currently in the City of the Gods either. It was¡­ a different place. Just as she thought the light would burn her skin, a wide-brimmed hat came to rest on her brow.


    ¡°I thought you might appreciate a break,¡± a warm voice said.


    A man walked by her. He was a northerner with unusually dark skin, and tall, not Efestar tall, more like tall-human tall with very thin limbs. A turban covered his scalp while a loose, simple white garb covered most of the rest of him. Jewels adorned his delicate fingers in shades of gold with the occasional precious stone glinting pleasantly. Without a word, the two sat on the slope and watched the plain in front of them and the mountains in the distance. The weather was perfect.


    ¡°I have never been a fighter,¡± Sardanal said.


    Viv gave him her attention. He was measuring her response, somehow. It didn¡¯t seem like she was being judged.


    ¡°I have always abhorred violence. Even at the end despite everything the old gods threw at us. I was always in favor of mending bridges. There are some who could not be redeemed, like Gorok and some of his most ardent followers, but I believed until the end that Enttiku and Octas could absolutely be. We turned the goddess of death to our cause and, as a result, we lost a friend. This battle is a penance for me as well.¡±


    ¡°You might be proven right in the end.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. I lament the cost, especially since it will be paid by others.¡±


    Sardanal touched the rings on his hands, thoughtful.


    ¡°You have come to defend my cause and so I shall tell you, thank you for standing for what is right. I must apologize in advance because¡­ there is only one way this can end. Octas has invested too much in this battle to back up now. Not that she ever learned how to do that.¡±


    ¡°I know what she will do. She¡¯s been very consistent so far.¡±


    ¡°It will be worse this time. If she is proven wrong here, it will hurt her essence. She will be broken and cast into the shadows for decades, maybe longer. I am telling you this because I¡­ will not incarnate.¡±


    Viv waited for more to come. It didn¡¯t. Sardanal merely looked forward.


    ¡°Due to a lack of suitable candidate or¡­¡±


    ¡°My incarnations are always brief and gentle. Sometimes, I appear in the grandest festival, or during famines or plagues when I am needed, so candidates are numerous, but as I said, I am not a fighter. If I manifest here, I will only be a target and when that form is killed, I will become unable to support you anymore. Worse, my host might be made an example of. I apologize for not being here while you fight for me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ok.¡±


    Sardanal seemed surprised.


    ¡°Truly?¡±


    ¡°You will still support us with your magic, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°The view of soldiers is different from yours, in my culture. You don¡¯t have to be the one to shed blood to serve the cause. We need doctors, cooks, quartermasters, smiths, drivers, all of those as much as we need warriors. You don¡¯t need to stand in the shield wall to be instrumental in our victory.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Many do not. Are you prepared enough for the battle to come?¡±


    ¡°The dark ones only have one option left but it¡¯s a strong one. I think we¡¯ve done the best we could. The rest depends on us¡­ and Efestar, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°I wish you success. Remember that I will always be at your back, and if you do save my island, I will make sure Harrak receives its fair share of our victory.¡±

 Chapter 173: Arachnomachia

    It was impossible, looking at Many-Legs, to assume that he had once been human. Some champions embraced the teachings of their masters but Many-Legs had gone a step beyond. He had not accepted the necessity of change. He had craved it, embraced it. He had forfeited his shape. He had forfeited his name. Eventually, he had gone so far as to forfeit speech and all the things that made him a person. All that was left behind was power, violence, and ambition.


    The path to supremacy did not rely on others, or on concepts or methods, to Many-Legs. It only relied on the triumph of the fittest, and on such a world as Nyil, the fittest ought to be a true monster. Even his soul was now a twisted and piteous thing, so when he felt the touch of his goddess, he whimpered with pleasure.


    It was time. Time to embrace his destiny. The forest of limbs on his thorax shivered when he accepted her caress, her blessing. He let her in, her perfect vessel, and together, they roared.


    ***


    Hunger.


    All that was left was hunger.


    It could be directed. With some effort, it could be contained for a while, but it always returned and when it did, a frenzy overtook the Ravener, one that only flesh could satiate until it returned, stronger than ever.


    Hunger.


    One day, the Ravener had feared disease, an infection that crawled over her flank in a wave of constant, exhausting agony. The wound was open and fetid and bleeding pus, and it dug ever deeper. Fear of the inevitable had led her to a solution. It had been easy. The god had lent her enough strength to fetch the child of a neighbor ¡ª nasty little bully. He died quickly. She feasted on his meat for some time, made soup with his bones, but the meat ran out and the hunger came. The neighbor lost his wife but by then he was suspicious. A crowd ran her from her home. She walked the roads, hungry and questing for her next meal. She wasn¡¯t sure when she had stopped looking like a person. Each feat had brought more strength, more resilience, more power but that power could only be put into service locating her next meal, so strong was the need. It gnawed at her day and night now.


    It was almost a relief when the change took over. She let Gomogog seep into her flesh and allowed her psyche to dissolve into his warm embrace. An end, finally.


    The large flesh walker leaned back from its stopped posture. Meat bubbled, defining bulbous muscles. Maws opened on the surface of its body. They wailed in unison.


    ***¡¯


    It burnt.


    Just like the day the Wandering Lord had burnt his family. He¡¯d survived because the ropes tying him had been too loose. His leg was just a chunk of pain where the dragon had torched him almost casually, in passing, as he was already defeated. The winter sea wasn¡¯t enough to kill those flames. They burnt with a will of their own and Sai¡¯s poor understanding of blue mana meant he was nearly defenseless.


    It was always the same, always the damn same. The powerful destroyed casually, demolished everything in their path and they did it because they didn¡¯t care. They knew with absolute certainty that they would get away with it. Who would stop them? Not Sai, with his year of gruesome, lonely training without resources, his years of effort to take vengeance against the Wandering Lord and his lackeys. Not Sai who¡¯d fought every hour of his life against the tyranny of the uncaring. And now he was here again on a lonely rock surrounded by idiots and sycophants just for standing for what he knew was right.


    A burst of agony made him delirious. The flesh-mending potion wasn¡¯t working properly. Scarred, bruised flesh regrew in uneven patches where it regrew at all because he hadn¡¯t cut away the burnt meat, and how could he? The pain. The atrocious pain.


    It never changed.


    No matter how hard he fought, the world didn¡¯t change. It was always the same. It always followed the same rules. A fresh pang of agony tore at his mind. It was never going to change unless he did something drastic, something to even up the board. It didn¡¯t matter that Octas won so long as the powers that be lost because it could not just¡­ keep¡­ happening.


    He had to make a mark on history, remind rulers that they were not safe at the top. Every atrocity would be paid in blood if one had the will to sacrifice everything to make it happen.


    And Sai was ready. Black, ichor-like liquid covered his limbs and silenced the pain. It flowed to form a mighty plate armor.


    They were ready.


    But¡­ something felt wrong.


    ***


    ¡°I really thought we would have more time. Until tomorrow, maybe,¡± Viv said.


    They would have to fight at sunset. Definitely not ideal. At least, Sardanal¡¯s blessing kept everyone at peak condition, physically. It wasn¡¯t just a boost that would be paid for later. She was genuinely feeling well-rested. Only the mental toll affected the others. Nevertheless, the sun was about to set and the thought of fighting incarnate dark gods during the night was¡­ less than enchanting. And it was going to happen. She had seen Many-Legs turn into Octas¡¯ incarnate. Everyone had seen it. There were not enough tall trees left on all of the island to mask that sort of transformation.


    Even then, soldiers and militia members rushed to the walls, ate their bit of provisions, or sharpened their weapons one last time before the inevitable showdown. Women carried barrels of arrows and water to the crenelations while others tirelessly worked to craft more from the tips Emeric¡¯s Girl had brought, and fresh wood grown by Sardanal. Viv watched the last preparations with some measure of detachment. This would be a fight of gods this time, but a few more arrows could not hurt. People needed to act, to feel useful in a time of crisis.


    The walls were packed with warriors now. Viv had turned a ring around the city into a scene out of the  deadlands so Octas¡¯ harassing spiders could not get through. The effect would last until the battle started. Sardanal¡¯s Cradle and its defenders had gotten the breather they desperately needed before the last big push, and that was what mattered.


    Denerim and Orkan joined her on the battlements. The old inquisitor had brought her a cup of piping hot klod. Viv took a grateful sip and let the taste of the warm, mashed cereal distract her.


    ¡°I tested it for poison, by the way,¡± Denerim told her with a smile.


    The inquisitor looked better than when she¡¯d first arrived, though many of the defenders remained too thin. Orkan followed in subdued silence.


    ¡°Oh, I have this,¡± Viv said, pointing at a jewel hanging by her neck. ¡°It¡¯s a poison detector and canceller.¡±


    ¡°It looks expensive.¡±


    ¡°Gifted by Enttiku¡¯s clergy, if you will believe it. I¡¯ve made several weird friends in the past couple of years.¡±


    ¡°Do we qualify?¡± Orkan drawled.


    ¡°Let me think about it. Does the Hallurian deserter turned follower of the God of Righteous War standing on a wall in the middle of the ocean count? Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Sarcasm doesn¡¯t befit a ruler,¡± the man deadpanned.


    ¡°I¡¯m a ruler so anything I do befits me. What are you gonna do?¡±


    Orkan faked shock before turning to his mentor.


    ¡°Teacher, remind me again of your lesson on the nobility and sass.¡±


    Denerim gave a long-suffering sigh though a smile creeped at the corner of his lips.


    ¡°My dear apprentice, you are unlikely to meet many Elemental archwitch empresses with sass during your life, and I simply urge you to follow advice number seven?¡±


    ¡°Always adapt to the circumstances¡­¡± Orkan grumbled.


    ¡°When not dealing with exceptions, you will find that my lessons will serve you well, my dedicated apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Technically I¡¯m already a full-fledged Inquisitor,¡± Orkan informed Viv.


    ¡°Whatever my dedicated apprentice says.¡±


    Viv chuckled. The warriors around her were relaxing, dispelling some of the dread hanging over the city.


    ¡°By the way, nice armor you have there,¡± Denerim added with some appreciation.


    ¡°Thank you! It has pockets and nice comfy boots. I insisted. The circlet is a stand-in until I can get a huge crown made instead.¡±


    ¡°Really love the dread lord city-destroyer aesthetics you have going on,¡± Orkan added.


    ¡°What is the ninth rule, my apprentice?¡±


    ¡°Deception is as powerful as a blade,¡± Orkan groaned again.


    ¡°Now Viv can confuse the servants of the dark gods by wielding destruction more effectively than they can. Devious.¡±


    ¡°I have been called devious on occasion,¡± Viv conceded. ¡°And yes I picked a dress to impress. This is a battlefield!¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Orkan agreed. ¡°And in Halluria, there is a tradition, sometimes. Ah. I think it¡¯s a good one.¡±


    His hesitation stopped when he saw there were no hostile reactions. Hallurian culture was looked down upon on most of the continent but she was beyond that.


    ¡°As you know, we don¡¯t travel much. Only a few privileged people get to travel and it¡¯s always a risky endeavor, because distant cities don¡¯t always respect agreements. On the eve of a¡­ a difficult battle, the weathered travelers would sometimes share tales of places people wouldn¡¯t otherwise get to see. I know this because one of the old gladiators, well¡­¡±


    ¡°I would love to hear about Earth,¡± Denerim said.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    It was a good point. She¡¯d shared stuff with Sidjin and Solfis but never with the others. She also realized Denerim was speaking in the northern tongue. She¡¯d assumed it was out of courtesy as most of their side understood that tongue, but perhaps there was more to it. Many of the soldiers surrounding them were moving more slowly now, and the hushed conversations had stopped. People were studiously not looking at her.


    She considered talking about cities but it would require dazzling people with descriptions of technology and¡­ perhaps it wasn¡¯t the best choice here and now. Instead, she considered another option. A warmer one.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°There is a place far to the north called the Island of Ice. There, the burning heart of the planet was close to the surface, and many volcanoes made this place their home.¡±


    ¡°Volcano?¡± some asked.


    ¡°A fire mountain,¡± someone else whispered. ¡°Shhh!¡±


    ¡°We decided to visit there with my family. My father, mother, little brother and I traveled there, then we moved around with a marvelous piece of technology that moves without horses. Like a mana-powered carriage!¡±


    ¡°Ooooh.¡±


    ¡°The Island of Ice was a wonderful and unique place, with great waterfalls and beaches of black sand decorated with blue ice. The people were warm and welcoming. I remember once we went alone through a black landscape at the feet of a dormant volcano. The mountain pierced the air with strangely shaped stones while black dust clung to our wheels. It was an alien landscape under a gray sky unlike anything I had ever experienced, and for the first time I accepted that there might be other worlds out there and that perhaps, some of us may walk them - though I never imagined it would be me!¡±


    A few people chuckled.


    ¡°We were mercifully alone which made the experience that much more surreal. I remember my tracks in the dust, but then I turned around and saw my family all gathered here pointing at many things. My brother was grumpy, of course, as he was thirteen at the time and angry at the entire world.¡±


    ¡°Seems humans are the same everywhere!¡±


    ¡°And while watching that strange place, I noticed small, green spots all around. We were visiting in early spring and life was already returning to this inhospitable place. The air was crisp and cool. Wind blew and sent all those little tufts of grass aflutter and reminded me of the life that would soon bloom again. We had a great time and then we left to visit hot springs. Those are like naturally warm baths in open air.¡±


    ¡°I could use a bath right now,¡± Orkan said.


    ¡°We all could. Thanks for the story.¡±


    Around them, people were smiling.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    Viv used a few illusion spells to show a few of her memories. Iceland. Her family. People took turns watching things about Earth and commenting on windows making places too indefensible against errant beastlings. The islanders were particularly interested in catamarans. Viv intentionally walked around to show the images until people were distracted enough to relax. She eventually made her way back to Denerim as he was finishing a wrap.


    ¡°I think I distracted everyone thoroughly enough.¡±


    The inquisitor took a few blissful seconds to savor the last of the meal, which Viv was ok with.


    ¡°Thank you. Now I think¡­¡±


    Far in the distance, at the base of the slope, something was coming. The avatar of Octas was not there yet but the spiders that she controlled were already crawling up the slope.


    ¡°How can there be so many?¡±


    ¡°Her divine power can turn even a tiny spider into a horse-sized horror given enough time. What you are seeing is the overflow. In any case, it is my turn to speak as the senior inquisitor here. I hope my command of the northerner tongue will suffice. I am not much of a linguist.¡±


    ¡°Yet you talk that much,¡± Orkan grumbled from the side.


    ¡°Thank you, apprentice. Now, it¡¯s time.¡±


    Denerim casually stood on the crenellation. An otherworldly wind made his hair flutter, and his beard took on a golden tint. When he spoke, his voice was not loud and yet it could be heard across the entire city.


    ¡°People of the cradle, fellow inquisitors, templars, temple guards, soldiers, mages and mercenaries, friends, hear me. You all know who I am, so I will tell you this now. It is as you imagined. The final battle is upon us, and Octas walks the world again.¡±


    Mutters of fear rose from the battlements. People knew, of course, but they still wanted to believe it would not be so, that slaying the Beast would have inflicted a setback on the Weaver Queen and that they would only face a rather large spider.


    ¡°That is not all. You are not going to like what I say next, so steel your hearts and grab your weapons tight, for it is an ill omen I shall now share with you. The Eight-Legged one does not come alone. The Eater stands with her and so will the Cruel Avenger.¡±


    This time, the cries were louder.


    ¡°I know you are afraid. I am afraid too,¡± Denerim said, and the admission shocked the younger fighters.


    ¡°But I am here with my sword in my hand, on this wall, undaunted. Do you think that this is because I trust in Neriad, the God of Righteous War?¡±


    ¡°Yea,¡± a few people said.


    ¡°NO!¡± Denerim replied, surprising them again.


    ¡°No. Neriad does not embrace suicidal last stands when they achieve no results, and yet here I remain. I remain here because I trust in you, all of you.¡±


    Denerim let that sink in for a few seconds.


    ¡°For the last year, the dark gods have mercilessly besieged us. They have razed our homes, torched our fields, blighted our forests. They have sent their legions against us. They have tortured and threatened. They have sent their spiders to harry us and sink our ships. They have starved us and made a mockery of human dignity, and yet despite all of this, more champions have flocked to our banner. Despite a year of suffering, blood, and tears¡­. the Cradle still stands¡­ AND WE ARE STILL FIGHTING!¡±


    The crowd roared. Hundreds of weapons rose to the sky and the last rays of the sun dipping beneath the cloud caught them, turning them a deep red like a promise. And Denerim was not done.


    ¡°We have endured the onslaught as one - not because we are united by race, or city, or even by religion. We are united because we believe the same thing, that there is a better future and that it must be achieved through our own success rather than the destruction of others. We are here because we are builders and healers and believers, and because we all know those are ideas worth fighting for. Worth dying for. Look around you and you will see many strangers, but see where they stand and you will know they are brothers and sisters. I am proud to be among you today and I want all of you to remember that the Light Gods are on our side, and that we are here for each other. What we have, the dark gods can never achieve. Trust that we have a plan. Follow your orders. Look after each other. Trust that you are fighting for the noblest of causes. And kick some spider asses!¡±


    The army of light roared again. An emerald light surged across the fortification to remind everyone that although Sardanal was no warrior, he would still be by their side to the end. Viv felt revitalized and energetic, her mind clear and at the top of her form. She made her way to the right of the battlefield where she was placed and prepared to cast.


    The tide of spiders appeared immediately after, like a squirming carpet. Very few were hybrids this time. Sadly it didn¡¯t mean that their numbers were depleted, only that they were drowned in a mass of quickly growing spiderlings. The tide crawled with a low hiss. The city was ready for them.


    ¡°Loose!¡±


    Battle-hardened archers let out volleys of arrows now freshly made with wood blessed by Sardanal and steel blessed by Neriad. They picked off monster after monster without pause, not sparing their reserves now that they¡¯d been replenished. Mages let out streams of fire and other spells to rain down on the attackers. The field in front of the city became a slaughterhouse. Viv didn¡¯t wait. She rushed to the right side where the militia and original inhabitants of the island defended the least vulnerable section of the wall. Viziman mages torched the ground near the center, while Sidjin held the left and the city¡¯s only path to the sea. Blender spells already shredded waves of attackers but Viv had something special planned.


    She stood in the middle of the circle she¡¯d drawn at the center of a tower. It was something special she¡¯d come up with Sidjin¡¯s help. The inspiration came from what she¡¯d seen other witches do, particularly the one that had used bones a long time ago. If witches could play with the laws of physics, surely she could as well, she¡¯d asked herself.


    Sadly no.


    But her attempt at creating a stable annihilation ball had born strange fruit. The sigil of multitude joined the sigil for endurance and stability in an unholy union. The spell array turned black and energy sizzled along its lines. Around her, the gambeson-wearing militia cast fearful glances towards the potent construct while a small team of elite templars watched her back for any surprises. She allowed her elemental nature to take over with confidence. Black mana flooded her conduits. There was so much of it now, an incomparable amount compared to the beginning. The spell array hummed while she pushed more and more power into it, enough to blow up a palace. Enough to kill ten fields for a decade. The spell crackled as the first spiders reached the walls and the militiamen and women pushed them back with rudimentary polearms. The screech of salivating creatures joined the cries of the wounded. Those were people fighting for their homes and they had been through hell and crawled out the other side. Viv wouldn¡¯t let them down. With one last sigh, she allowed the spell to trigger. Colorless mana joined the construct to complete the delivery. A black pillar surged towards the sky. It absorbed the light where it went and for an instant, the battlefield looked in her direction.


    ¡°Storm of Zamhareer.¡±


    A tiny portal appeared in the air and from there, a flow of dark particles blew like snow pushed by a blizzard. The motes were small, barely larger than an actual flake, but they were innumerable. They spread across the darkening sky like fragments of the void until they covered Viv¡¯s entire section of the wall and then some up to the destroyed forest at the base of the slope. It suddenly became even colder, and the breath of the soldiers on the walls formed little puffs of condensation. The abyssal snowstorm drank the light as it fell very, very slowly, motes shifting under an unseen wind.


    At first concerned, the spiders and hybrids soon resumed their assault. Viv could only assume they did not perceive the thick layer of black mana sustaining the spell or they would have run for their lives. She returned to the fray, clearing the walls as fast as she could and helping where the militia was hard-pressed by surging spiders. The first dead and wounded were carried down, the spiders frenzied to a murderous mania. It was all Viv could do to carve great swaths in their ranks before the press of their bodies alone would push the humans aside.


    And then, the first flakes reached the field. A hesitant spider lifted an arm to collect one, perhaps sensing the mana in it. Its barbed leg extended and with a very light pop, the leg disappeared.


    A chunk of its claw fell while ichor bled from the stump. The spider shrieked, alerting its allies. The flakes fell slowly, ever so slowly, but the field was vast and it was entirely covered. Viv wasn¡¯t sure even Solar would have escaped at this point. The flakes might be slow.


    They were also everywhere.


    Pop. Pop. Popopopo¡ª


    The battlefield in front of Viv turned into a sea of exposed flesh and tiny explosions. The creatures crawled over each other, some tried to hide, some used the corpses of their brethren as shields. It didn¡¯t matter. There were too many flakes, they moved too erratically and they were just that destructive. In a couple of seconds, their section of the wall went from contested to completely in human hands. She stole a glance towards Sidjin¡¯s section where a moving twister of a spell was corralling spiders into a mass of archers. The center was a sea of flames.


    They were holding for now. Even as the more dangerous flesh walkers and hybrids trickled onto the various sections of the battlefield, the templars and allied mages called together great constructs, pouring everything they had into the struggle. Columns of purifying light engulfed the regenerating flesh and turned it to charred glass. Sidjin¡¯s precise blows took out sniper spiders as they showed up or after they spat a single dart. Viv herself ravaged the field from side to side with large ¡®nu¨¦e¡¯ spells, devouring clouds cleansed the field of both the living and the dead. The forces of the dark ones died again and again, breaking on the city¡¯s unyielding defenses. For a while, green and gold dominated the darkness and stood defiantly against the wave but this time, it was not a champion they were facing.


    First, the trees parted before a titan of poorly formed flesh. Hungering mouths covered its form and where it walked, screeching spiders, hybrids, and even the odd archer were pulled as if by a strong current. The gnashing orifices crushed bones and gulped whole gobbets from still screaming carcasses. Arrows rained and spells flew but the flesh was unyielding. Every wound disappeared in seconds. Even fire fizzled on its bubbling meat and the scars that covered it could no longer be lit. Sidjin unleashed a vast construct of brown mana to open the ground beneath it and it seemed to work, until the colossus leisurely pulled itself out by melting and reforming its body.


    Then she came.


    Perhaps it was because the battle was so intense or perhaps the black mana surrounding her was simply too strong, but even Viv failed to see Octas before her titanic form entered the field. She was now a spider, not a hybrid or a chimera but a spider of unknown species, barbed and sharp and wicked with eight malicious eyes reflecting the fire the defenders were attempting to use. When the first massive leg fell with a thump like a crashing tree, the entire battle stopped.


    A presence filled the island. Viv didn¡¯t know how else to qualify it. Her soul sense represented it as being inside of the goddess¡¯ influence. Only the support of two other gods still let the failing defenders fight but even then the divine mana supporting them flickered. The titanic avatar chuckled and it was a guttural sound like a rockfall. It carried no meaning beyond amused contempt. The spider opened its maw. A small dark pearl grew below its dripping fangs. Viv felt the dark mana inside.


    Now THAT was annihilation.


    ¡°Ok, off the wall. Now. NOW! JUMP!¡±


    ¡°Jump off!¡± Denerim bellowed and the order spread across the wall.


    It was fortunate that stats and experience had turned the defenders into a quickly reacting group. Or, more likely, the slow ones had already died. The militiamen and women hit the ground around Viv as she rushed to the street below with her templar escort. Like a wave, the defenders retreated to the devastated city, taking position among the ruins. And not a second too soon.


    The earth shook. Viv¡¯s ears rang from a sound like a semi crossing the valley at the speed of the average of a race car, if the semi was the size of a manor. The wall was obliterated. Even the defense glyphs failed to hold for more than an instant. The laser beam crossed over Viv through a hole in the wall and for an instant she could see what her hyper beam spell ought to be, what a real death ray was like.


    In front of the defenders, the wall was now nothing but a pile of rubble and whoever had failed to jump off in time was now dead. The defenders stood frozen. Only the first spiders cresting the ruin woke them up from their shock. There was nothing left to stop them coming in now.


    Viv almost reengaged, but her danger sense screamed and she turned, her templar escort jumping in horror when they realized they were no longer alone.


    In the broken remnants of a barn¡¯s door stood a giant in obsidian armor, with pale skin, and eyes of pure shadow. He didn¡¯t move. It gave Viv enough time to see the multiple cracks covering his body. A normal statue would have collapsed by now.


    He winked.


    ¡°Hello, Efestar,¡± Viv politely greeted.


    The shattered god gave her a lopsided grin. To her surprise, it looked genuine. A piece of his face cracked and fell off.


    ¡°What, no Fefe?¡±


    ¡°Figured I shouldn¡¯t tease you under these circumstances.¡±


    The avatar and the archwitch faced each other in silence while around them, men and women braced for the renewed assault. Viv remained patient. She didn¡¯t need her soul sense to tell her it was a pivotal moment in the history of Nyil.


    ¡°I have been talking with Neriad, in the in-between. Enttiku too. She is a great listener. I¡­ I think I am ready.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t know what to say. She just took a step forward and placed a comforting hand on Efestar¡¯s shoulder. He might be one of the most terrible monsters in the history of the planet but¡­ she had to believe in second chances. She had to believe the world would be better off without following the Talion law. A part of her recognized she was hypocritical as she had done an eye for an eye often enough but¡­ adhering to a principle and always following it were two different things. She, too, had to get a better hold of her emotions. It was ok to admit she could always improve.


    Efestar looked at the hand. He didn¡¯t move, just sighed.


    From outside, a terrible presence made itself known. The being known as Many-Legs had forfeited language so Octas merely communicated in feeling or impressions. They assaulted Viv¡¯s mind with the intensity of them. Her guards recoiled. Some fell to their knees.


    Honor agreement made.


    Destroy.


    Make our cause true.


    Kill everyone.


    The nauseating message came with a chittering, manic fury that raked across Viv¡¯s mind. She kept a grip on herself and her hand on Efester. She glanced into the abyss-colored eyes. There was a star in them now, a tiny dot white where his pupils ought to be.


    Viv took a step back.


    Efestar sighed. It was brief, yet carried a powerful meaning, like a heavy cloak falling from someone¡¯s shoulders. Freedom.


    ¡°NO,¡± the God of Scorn replied.


    No?


    NO?


    Then.


    Die with the weak!


    The assault on Viv¡¯s mind was almost blinding and she wasn¡¯t even the recipient. Octas¡¯ hatred ran deep, and her glee manifested in the way the chittering spider jumped. Beyond the walls, she heard human screams.


    You were always frail.


    Your followers will be meat for mine.


    Failure.


    Efestar opened his mouth to reply, but the answer died when his chest cracked. The titan stumbled and fell backward with a terrible sound like broken glass. Viv kneeled by his side and grabbed his hand even as he searched for her. He was in terrible pain. Shards of his being fell to dust, revealing muscles underneath. A moment later, Octas crashed through the city gates.


    They didn¡¯t offer much resistance. Whatever was still standing erupted in a shower of debris, pelting the beleaguered defenders. She was so massive Viv saw her come even above the walls as she towered over all but the temple here. Her horrific form hurt the eye and where she came, no one stopped her. The humans fled and fell with spiders on their heels. The emerald glint of the walls was extinguished. Night fell.


    The avatar¡¯s massive head turned to where Viv was kneeling, slowly. A barb jutted from its mouth between squirming chelicera. Viv recognized it as a sniper stinger. It was meant for her. And she would have tried to stop it, but Octas was here, not a weak avatar this time but a true incarnate carrying much of her essence onto Nyil, and no matter how powerful she¡¯d grown and how much she¡¯d achieved, Octas had achieved more. Fate tethered the projectile to her heart in a way she felt inside of her soul.


    Octas shrieked in triumph as she spat. A shadow came upon Viv, blocking her view. She heard a thud, and then her mind was hers again.


    Denerim collapsed on his side with the stinger in his heart.

 Chapter 174: Theomachia

    Viv rushed to Denerim¡¯s side, unheeding of Octas lazily striding forward across the devastated wall. Her bodyguards were holding back spiders while far in the distance, islets of resistance remained around Orkan, Sidjin, and a few other elites. The others were running.


    She couldn¡¯t blame them.


    To her surprise, Denerim turned to her when she approached.


    He¡­ was still alive?


    ¡°Denerim!¡±


    ¡°All¡­ all necessary. Had to have her commit with intent or¡­ she tends to hide.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The old inquisitor¡¯s voice was calm and his eyes remarkably clear considering the divine weapon lodged in his chest. His breath was measured. It was a little surreal.


    ¡°It was only ever going to end one way, Viviane the Outlander. Now, listen, because this is the most important thing I¡¯ll ever tell you.¡±


    He grabbed her shoulder with remarkable strength. The pressure could be felt even through her thin armor, and the sensation grounded her.


    ¡°You plan and prepare a lot and that¡¯s good, but sometimes? Sometimes you gotta have a little faith.¡±


    His eyes glowed golden, not the normal gold of divine casting but something deeper, more intense. Something fundamentally other.


    ¡°Now, you might want to stand back.¡±


    A shockwave sent her tumbling before she could really react. Her bodyguards lost their footing as well but it was nothing compared to the spiders and other lackeys who were propelled away, smacked contemptuously aside by divine power. The golden aura around Denerim grew more and more intense until she could no longer look at it and far in the distance, Octas hissed. A moment later, the spine in his chest fell to dust.


    Then Denerim roared.


    It was not an expression of pain as she expected but one of outrage, of anger, and of hope. The roar went on and went past the point even the most dedicated opera singer could sustain. It was primal and visceral and yet very human. The golden aura spread across the city, along the ruined walls and over the desperate defenders. Hearts were reignited, spirits were lifted. Warriors Viv thought dead stood up, their flesh knitting from even the most grievous of wounds, and still Denerim was roaring.


    The witch had to step back when Denerim¡­ grew. His battered armor flowed to form a glorious scale mail engraved with precious metals, his round targe melted into a kite shield. He grew younger as well, graying beard turning a lush gold. Where a man had kneeled, a titan now stood in a sea of power. The intensity of the mana was stronger than in the heart of Harrak. It overflowed and saturated the air with the smell of metal and hot sand. Denerim lifted his sword to the sky. The clouds parted, the night retreated, and a massive bolt landed on the weapon with a crack. When Viv could look again, the colossus was wielding solid sunlight shaped for purification.


    Neriad, God of Righteous War, had joined the battle.


    The incarnate was the most powerful one Viv had ever met.


    ¡°BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HEAR ME.


    I, NERIAD, HAVE COME TO HOLD OUR ANCIENT COVENANT


    THAT NO WARRIOR OF THE LIGHT SHALL EVER STAND ALONE


    AS YOU HAVE FOUGHT IN DEFENSE OF THE INNOCENT.


    SO TOO SHALL I FIGHT IN YOUR NAME.


    FOLLOW ME, BROTHERS AND SISTERS


    WE SHALL MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE


    ONE BLOW AT A TIME.¡±


    The God of Righteous War¡¯s aura spread across the battlefield until every hero and heroine basked in his golden halo. They screamed with shared fury as their eyes gained a golden glow of their own. Viv watched them reform lines with barely contained energy as Octas took a few steps back. The energy didn¡¯t reach her but it was close.


    Neriad took a step in her direction. He was surprisingly graceful and quiet for something that size and covered in metal. He kneeled by the broken form of Efestar¡¯s avatar. The dying god¡¯s abyssal gaze found that of the light god. He smiled, though it was brittle.


    ¡°BROTHER,¡± Neriad said with clear love.


    ¡°Glad to¡­ be back.¡±


    ¡°VIVIANE.


    I AM COUNTING ON YOU.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN CRAVING FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.


    OCTAS YOU HAIRY, DOG-FACED BITCH!


    I¡¯LL KICK YOUR ASS SO HARD YOU¡¯LL PISS SILK!


    HAVE AT THEM FRIENDS


    CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!¡±


    The ensuing warcry was completely deafening. The assembled forces of light practically flew over the collapsed wall, jumping great distances at once. Viv had only seen elites move like that before. That aura had to be something strong, wow.


    ¡°Alright. No time to lose.¡±


    She reached for her belt and removed the various pieces of a small altar, which she assembled by Efestar¡¯s side. The fallen god was fading quickly. She hoped there would be enough time.


    ¡°It was good to see him one last time,¡± Efestar whispered.


    ¡°Fefe, if you think I¡¯m just going to let you quit while you¡¯re ahead, you clearly don¡¯t know me. You got a lot of life to see yet and you also got a lot to answer for. So hold tight.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I keep telling everyone. I don¡¯t do tragic last stands.¡±


    The altar was ready. It was a communication altar used by many of the clergies, especially the one that belonged to Maranor.


    ¡°Ahem. Oh, Neriad, hear thy servant¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°I AM RIGHT HERE JUST ACTIVATE THE DAMN THING.¡±


    ¡°Oh right.¡±


    It took a lot of mana but the connection was made, and soon she was facing New Harrak¡¯s Bishop of Neriad. The man¡¯s hooked nose positively shivered with anticipation.


    ¡°Your Majesty! All our preparations are complete! For the record, the priests of Sardanal are still a little hesitant.¡±


    ¡°The time has come. Begin the ritual!¡± Viv said, feeling very much like an evil overlady ordering a war crime.


    ¡°As you command!¡±


    Then Viv settled to wait over Efestar¡¯s ruined body, hoping she¡¯d made the right decision.


    ***


    On the plains before Sinur¡¯s Gate, the assembled people of Harrak waited in a festive mass around tents, fires, grills and tables. Almost fifty priests of various churches stood at the center of the gathering, praying and saying hymns. The green of Sardanal, the gold of Neriad, the Black of Enttiku led by that strange man Abenezigel, and even a few rare shades of the blue of Maradoc mixed in a harmonious whole. Only Maranor was truly missing, for second chances were not her thing. As the Bishop of Neriad exited the tent, he joined the group with a hasty pace, a smile plastered to his ecstatic face.


    ¡°My children! My people! The time has come to change this world forever! Let us pray, everyone, let us pray and bring forth a new age! For the light gods!¡±


    ¡°For the light gods,¡± the priests answered in unison.


    With commendable haste, the ten thousand Harrakans gathered around the colossal statue standing proudly in the middle of the valley, and at the feet of which the priests were now busying themselves. It was a strange statue as tall as twenty men, and it represented a cloaked man wielding two hooked swords. His face was a little too angular to be called handsome and his gaze carried a terrible weight, but it was still him, carefully carved over the past few months to Neriad¡¯s specifications. The Righteous God had sent visions to his sculptors so that they may recreate the face of his friend as it was before he fell. The statue evoked great pain and exhaustion, yet the subject still stood proud against adversity, despite it all.


    ¡°Oh, Efestar, the Redeemer, the Justicar, you who returned to the light.


    We greet thee and welcome thee home.


    Help up those who have fallen and seek solace.


    Grant salvation to those the law has scorned.


    Guide us to a path of betterment.


    Give us the will to go on when all is dark.


    Oh, Efestar, the Redeemer, the Justicar.


    We grant you thine salvation.


    So that you may grant us ours in turn.


    Come back, Efestar. We beseech you.


    Come back and take your rightful place.


    We greet thee and call thee home.¡±


    The chant repeated, carried by tens of thousands of voices both in Harrak and in other temples across the continent, but it was there, at the foot of the fallen god¡¯s true representation, that mana was at its thickest.


    The Bishop of Neriad ignored the tear falling down his cheek. Now this was worship, now this was a good cause. He happily joined his voice to the choir. It was not everyday one could save a god.


    His eyes found the statue again, Efestar¡¯s determined face. The giant stone construct gave him hope.


    He just prayed Her Majesty Viv would stop calling it ¡®El Efestaro Redentor¡±, whatever that meant.


    ***


    Efestar turned to dust. At first, Viv panicked and thought she¡¯d been too late, or that she¡¯d fucked up, but the shell of the Dark God of Scorn fell away like a mask. The porcelaine of his perfect face broke like an egg to reveal scarred, rugged skin underneath. The armor cracked and crumbled, revealing a ratty cloak which framed a leather chestplate decorated with metal studs. Greaves and gauntlets gave way to cloth bands wrapped around wiry muscles. Efestar, the man, stood from the ruins of his glorious self like a lost child, blinking away power with brown eyes shining with a dull purple light. Thin and long fingers brushed the last scraps of scorn away from his new form and he stood up on shaky legs with Viv¡¯s help. The strange thing was, he looked so human, lost and all, but Viv¡¯s soul sense could not be mistaken. This was a god, with that strange domain around him. A newly remade god, a weakened god, a lost god, but a god nonetheless.


    ¡°You going to be ok there, Fefe?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡­ this is so strange, mortal girl. I haven¡¯t felt this weak in centuries and yet¡­ I feel so free. So full of potential again.¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He reached for the air and two twin hooked blades appeared in his hands. Sunlight slowly faded from around the old weapons, and Viv felt a hint of hot sand and flowers on the wind. Efestar chuckled.


    ¡°Heh. He kept them. Of course he would.¡±


    ¡°Soooo are you good enough to fight?¡±


    The city was empty now except for those protecting the Last Stand. Beyond the broken wall, the battle raged in a great din.


    ¡°Yes. I cannot let that cheerful idiot get all the glory. And¡­ he¡¯s alone. Maranor should be standing with him.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ they¡¯re kind of having a bit of a tiff?¡±


    ¡°That is good¡­ bad news. That is bad news.¡±


    He chuckled.


    ¡°I am going to need some time. To adjust. But this battle is about redemption and absolution. I should be able to use my new aspect to its full extent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very much so, mortal girl. You have seen Octas. This fight is entirely hers, what she stands for and Neriad¡­ it¡¯s also absolutely him. You will understand when his aura touches yours. Try not to resist too much. You are already walking your own path, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡±


    ¡°There will be time for that later.¡±


    Viv quickly crested the remains of the Cradle¡¯s walls and stepped into a vision of cataclysm. Night had fallen now but looking forward, she couldn¡¯t tell. Dark clouds hung low over the burnt forests, their dark blue mixing with the rising soot of the battle field. Octas sat on the line like a black monument to savagery. She struck with spells, quick jabs of her razor-sharp legs and spat stingers. Silky tendrils reflected the light while by her side, Gomogog¡¯s titan turned flesh to mush with every step. A veritable sea of squirming creatures crawled behind her until even the ground writhed and slithered. If there was a representation of Ragnarok, this would be it. Well, maybe with more wolves or whatever. The most remarkable thing was¡­ they were not winning.


    A thin line of warriors and mages, cloaked in golden and viridian light of such intensity that it was as if the sun had fallen to earth, held back the tide. They sang hymns and crushed creatures twice their sizes with a fury and a fervor they absolutely shouldn¡¯t be able to display. Sidjin launched twisters of shards and grinders that tore through the horde in devastating strikes. As she watched, mesmerized, a farmer plunged a fork into a giant¡¯s spider cerebellum and the creature¡¯s entire head erupted in flames. Wounds closed almost as fast as they were opened, and their weapons reformed with every blow, shining ever brighter. The divine mana covering the battlefield gave her vertigo. Meanwhile, Neriad was a flash of speed holding back two avatars at once.


    A part of her regarded Neriad as kind of a himbo. Well-meaning, strong, a good man but not necessarily a genius. Perhaps it was his own admission that he didn¡¯t know what a good cause absolutely was, or maybe she was just biased. But looking at him now, she realized she¡¯d made a mistake. Obviously, no one who had followed Emeric to the end could be normal, and Neriad was certainly not the weakest. It was watching Solar fight, if Solar had reached the pinnacle of his art. Perfect positioning, perfect moves, every strike pushing, deflecting, endangering, every step meaningful, he was a whirlwind of directed violence. His shield was not just an invincible barrier, he also used it to bash and push. By himself, he held two incarnates at bay.


    A second after Efestar reached Viv¡¯s side, Neriad planted his shield in the ground. A golden barrier surrounded the forces of light who took a step back to catch their breath while the dark squirming ocean rabidly scratched at the divine protection. Neriad appeared right in front of his lost brother with such speed that Viv had to take a step back.


    ¡°BROTHER.¡±


    ¡°Neriad. I suppose you were right in the end. I am here now, and I¡¯m not leaving.¡±


    ¡°I NEVER DARED HOPE THIS DAY WOULD COME.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry I won¡¯t be of much help. I am weak, so weak. Pathetic, for a god.¡±


    He chuckled again though it was bitter and filled with regret.


    ¡°YOU ARE NOT PATHETIC.


    YOU HAVE WON ONE OF THE HARDEST BATTLES THERE CAN BE.


    QUESTIONING YOURSELF AND ACCEPTING YOUR MISTAKES.


    BROTHER, YOU ARE NOT PATHETIC AT ALL.


    YOU ARE THE MOST MAGNIFICENT SIGHT I HAVE EVER BEHELD.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be interrupting your broment of pure bromance but¡­ the big fucking spider?¡±


    Both gods glared and Viv suddenly felt very small indeed, but that didn¡¯t last. Neriad sighed.


    ¡°THE PESKY ASCENDER IS RIGHT.


    THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE AFORE THE SUN RISES.


    ARE YOU READY?¡±


    ¡°I may be weak but I believe the world has forgotten what we could do together. Let¡¯s remind everyone here¡­ who it was that brought the old gods to their knees.¡±


    Neriad grinned. For the first time, Viv saw a hint of bloodlust there and she remembered that perhaps the God of Righteous War admitted he had limits because maybe, just maybe, he¡¯d reached them before.


    ¡°JOIN US, ASCENDER.¡±


    Viv¡¯s vision turned gold, or rather, the night was banished and there was only light and darkness. Her soul sense shivered from an overload of sensation she was paradoxically more vulnerable to than the average swordsman. Thankfully, Neriad¡¯s touch was light enough and she managed to accept the invasion. Energy poured through her veins like lava. She gasped from the absurd pressure.


    There was a pressing request, as Efestar had warned. She allowed Neriad¡¯s faith to take over her. A part of her wanted to resist it because it was altered by Neriad¡¯s own mind, his belief. She would be embraced in his existence rather than living her own. It was inherently abhorrent, and yet a part of her wanted to know, to experience what it was to have faith. She didn¡¯t see Neriad as a supreme existence. She didn¡¯t really want to, but perhaps, for the duration of a single battle, it would be fine.


    She breathed out and let it take her, and it was magnificent.


    White light illuminating the darkness.


    Power like lava coursing through her veins and conduits both. She breathed deeply of the heat and the anger until her lungs were full. Relief washed over her, through her, cleansing all fear and all doubt. No thoughts of the future remained, or of the past for that matter. There was no need to plan. There was no need to reconsider. Only two things existed on this evanescent plane of existence.


    Us, the good guys.


    Them, the assholes.


    The world was perfect clarity and the belief that she was right, absolutely right, overloaded everything else. It was true. It was so true. Octas was unambiguously an asshole. She¡¯d sieged that village, killed its people. She had tried to make Viv fail during her transition to elemental archmage. She was now trying to sink an entire island. Octas needed to have her ass kicked to oblivion and Viv was going to be the one to do the kicking. This blind faith felt better than good. It felt transcendent.


    Tonight, Viv was righteous.


    She would follow the incarnated God into glorious battle and triumph against the forces of evil.


    It could be no other way.


    She was so transported that the notifications barely registered.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are now under Neriad¡¯s Mantle. The God of Righteous War¡¯s mantle is at full power.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Due to attributes of your own soul, the effect will be limited.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You are invested with an aura of righteous anger. Your stats have been temporarily improved


    Power +12


    Finesse +6


    Endurance +7


    Focus +3


    Acuity +3


    Willpower +10


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have acquired the following temporary skills:


    Divine weapon mastery.


    Divine battlefield awareness


    War God¡¯s reflexes


    Dauntless.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Sardanal¡¯s aura of renewal will extend the effects to the end of the battle with no ill effects.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv¡¯s awareness expanded to include the entire battle line. Orkan took the center in a hurricane of blades, fighting dangerously close to the avatars. Other champions anchored the line while mages thinned the horde with every spell, their mana rushing back in thanks to Sardanal¡¯s blessing. Sidjin was the heaviest hitter. Every last spell he cast shredded through dozens upon dozens of spiders in a ceaseless wave of colorless grinders, but it was at the center of the formation that the true battle was happening. Facing them, Octas remained a monolith of savage rage while the lesser form of Gomogog endured monstrous punishment, but now she could see why Neriad and Efestar would have been so close. They complemented each other perfectly.


    Neriad was the showy knight in shining armor as well as a peerless duelist. His presence could not be ignored as he controlled the flow of battle with precise strikes. Meanwhile, Efestar appeared and vanished in his wake with every opening. The Redeemer struck fast and true, aiming where their adversaries least expected to devastating effect before vanishing again under the cover of his brother¡¯s assault. Neriad was the torrent and Efestar was the sharp rock. They worked together so seamlessly, they might have been two bodies under one mind.


    Viv settled into her new state and she knew what she had to do.


    There was a horde; it was evil.


    She was the dedicated horde solver.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    Her wings anchored Viv over the line, slightly to the side. Octas noticed her and made to attack but Neriad instantly carved a leg up for her trouble, making full use of the opening. Octas simply didn¡¯t have the time to do anything.


    [Sequence: Triple Storm of Zamhareer]


    Even to her, the spell should have been difficult to cast on the fly. She had to hold the array with her mind instead of writing it on the ground, and she didn¡¯t have matching metal symbols ready yet, but none of that mattered. She was righteous. Her cause was just. Divine weapon mastery stretched to help her focus, discipline helping her maintain the array. There was no need for her to doubt or think about anything distracting like tactical positioning or cover or maybe being skewered by a divine arachnid stinger. None of it registered. She had Sidjin already laying defensive arrays around her while another champion pushed the line forward. A tiny part of her registered this fact before no longer paying attention at all. There could be only one outcome to this moment, and it was the one Neriad was showing her. Mana the color of dark, burnished gold flooded her being as it lit the array with divine intensity. The spell triggered once, twice, thrice and the sky under the clouds turned into a beautiful field of golden motes expanding over the battlefield. The delicate embers floated down with ineluctable slowness.


    Octas recognized the danger too late. The hex was out; the die was cast, and not even Neriad could stop it now. The spider goddess fought harder to push the light gods back but in doing so, exposed her flanks before Gomogog could cover them. Neriad was simply stronger, and with Efestar by his side, the two were unstoppable. Out of options, the Spider Queen lifted her bulbous rear end and sprayed silk up in a large cloud. Viv tsked. That would intercept her spell.


    ¡°SKREEEE!¡±


    A distant shape crossed the skies in a dash of white, spraying fire on the ascending shield and burning it in the air before it could manifest. Octas¡¯ hiss of frustration made Viv¡¯s ears ring and for a moment, she feared for Arthur, but Octas could not afford to go after the dragoness and live. Her flanks already bled thick ichor.


    ¡°Arthur!¡± Viv bellowed.


    Am not staying.


    Weird human magic!


    I am already very righteous!


    I don¡¯t even eat people!


    ¡°Thank you anyway!¡±


    With Octas¡¯ last effort defeated, the rain of golden motes fell on her followers.


    The battlefield in front of the human line erupted in a colorful display of popping balls. The sound was curiously subdued considering the devastating effect it had on the skittering mass. For a moment, the effect was blinding and the screeches, deafening. Octas spat silk again to protect herself while Gomogog merely absorbed spiders to form a protective layer of chitin that thwarted the spell but it didn¡¯t matter. The assault continued on Neriad¡¯s lines for a few moments and then, it stopped.


    The horde had perished to the last flesh eater.


    Viv followed her borrowed instincts. Followers formed a half circle around the fighting avatars rather than engaging. Shields and polearms gathered in a staunch line but it was clear they were outclassed.


    Viv wasn¡¯t though.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    [Sequence: Hyperbeam, Astra, Astra.]


    She almost flinched when a stinger whizzed her way but Neriad intercepted it with his shield. Sidjin struck next with a sharp and barely visible spike. The gods readjusted their tactics on the fly, the information communicated directly into Viv¡¯s mind. They were a whole, united in purpose. It was absolutely glorious fighting side by side with those monsters, like singing next to a star or playing an instrument along with a soloist. She cast golden spells when her instincts pushed her to aim at seemingly empty spots and by the time the spell triggered, Gomogog¡¯s avatar had been thrown there. The dark gods fought tooth and claw against the inevitable for several minutes with all their tricks and dark powers but somehow, the most horrible were pushed away from the humans under the auspicious mantle of the light god. Little by little, the dark ones were chipped away. Octas was the first to crumble when Efestar shattered the second leg on one side. Viv was ready for it.


    ¡°Guillotine.¡±


    The cage of gold-tinged void blades closed in on Octas¡¯ flank and carved deep gashes through the thick carapace. It was too much for Octas. Her screams of agony hit Viv like a solid wall. They were pushed back.


    Neriad was not. While Efestar slashed at Gomogog¡¯s arm, the righteous god lifted his blinding blade above him.


    [Execution]


    The divine blow cleaved the dark goddess¡¯ head from top to bottom in one strike. Her body collapsed with a sound like broken glass, as if reality itself was shattering, it set Viv¡¯s teeth on edge. Even outside of her mantle, even as her foe, it was as deeply disturbing as nails on a blackboard.


    The ensuing scream sent shivers down her spine. The phantom pain of her soul wound washed through her mind.


    Gomogog¡¯s avatar lasted only a little longer. He abandoned the vessel rather than fight to the bitter end. As the abomination¡¯s body turned to sludge, both humans and avatars took a few steps back, and waited.


    It was done. It was over. Nothing moved anymore.


    A cold wind swept over the silent battlefield as the light of Neriad faded and the warriors clumped together in weary bands, exhausted, traumatized, but alive and victorious. Gold radiance blinked out but a cool verdant green replaced it, calmer. A light of healing and everyday life. It washed over wounds and then over the carpet of corpses, the burnt trees and the desolate fields. The clouds parted to show the twin moons in all their glory. The weather was cold here in the heart of winter but it also carried the crisp scent of the sea.


    The first dark green sprout popped up almost between Viv¡¯s feet on land she¡¯d recently blighted. It was soon followed by a wave of green, then joined by the red and blue of small winter flowers. Sardanal regained control over the island and the soil breathed for the first time in months. The trees did not bloom again, but offshoots popped from the stumps while deeply buried acorns grew new meadows around clearings of wild flowers. Crops filled the fields, and grass covered the burnt remains of many houses. Cries of wonder erupted from behind when the children left the Last Stand, joined by the remaining civilians and support people. All of the island¡¯s survivors stood on the slope of the Cradle to watch the island come to life. The scars of war would take a long time to heal but they would get that chance, and that was all the forces of the light could have hoped to achieve.


    Sidjin placed a hand over Viv¡¯s shoulder to draw her into a hug. Arthur landed nearby with a grumble about human gods and their weird lack of love for wealth. Meanwhile, Nous thought it was a good time to bombard her with notifications.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Due to your victory today, your soul has been permanently marked. You have gained the following title:


    Always a Chance: You do increased damage to powerful entities, especially those that are stronger than you. They will never be safe.


    A light that never dims: the longer a fight lasts,the more powerful you grow.


    Your draconic intimidation skill has been enhanced to reflect this new reality.


    You have gained a new title: True Ascender.


    You are one of two human True Ascenders alive.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That¡­ had implications. She could guess where this was going and she was a bit hesitant. At least, the titles meant she would be able to protect Harrak better against unexpected threats.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic Intimidation: Expert 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana Mastery, Intermediate 8


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Focus +1 (46)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All good and she would have to unpack some of these changes with Solfis. In the meantime, Efestar¡¯s avatar stepped into the shadow of a tree and disappeared. Neriad¡¯s own avatar had unfinished business.


    The God of Righteous War walked towards Orkan. The light faded from his shape until he returned to more human dimensions. Viv could feel with her soul that the god was staying but also withdrawing most of his essence and from behind his overwhelming mantle, Denerim appeared again. Like Viv, the others stood at a respectful distance. Everyone knew this was a personal moment.


    ¡°This is goodbye,¡± Denerim said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready,¡± Orkan forced out. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re never really ready to let go of people we love, I think.¡±


    ¡°Damn. Still with the lessons.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, my apprentice. I already said my goodbyes to my wife, and now I say them to you. You have made me very proud. I am amazed by how much you¡¯ve grown while we journeyed together. I leave the place in your capable hands now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I¡¯ll keep making you proud. You can count on me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The eyes flashed gold and the voice belonged to a god now.


    ¡°THIS IS AS LONG AS I CAN STAY.


    THE TASK OF REBUILDING IS YOURS.


    REMEMBER THIS DAY WHEN WE FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE.


    AS I WILL REMEMBER ALSO.


    BUT BE SURE TO LIVE AS WELL.


    FOR THAT IS WHY WE FIGHT TO BEGIN WITH.


    FAREWELL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.¡±


    The god dissipated, and with him, so did Denerim. All that was left was his armor. Not even dust remained.


    Orkan fell to his knees and cried.


    ***


    Neriad stood at the center of the sandy arena, where a hundred weapons were resting. He walked to a corner and caressed Denerim¡¯s sword. He sighed.


    ¡°It never ends. Thank you, Denerim.¡±


    The God of Righteous War ceremoniously laid the sword to rest. One more blade stuck into the ground. One more brave joining the ranks of those who¡¯d died fighting for a better tomorrow. There would be more in the future, and he would be there for them.


    Neriad unsheathed his own blade to practice his form. Perfection was a fleeting thing. Effort wasn¡¯t. He owed them that much. Once he was done, he felt more centered, though a little tired.


    ¡°Heard an eight-legged hag has been sent limping into the in-between,¡± a voice said from the side.


    ¡°We won¡¯t hear from her for a long long time. Welcome, Maradoc. Thanks for the help with Efestar. I think he¡¯ll be ok.¡±


    ¡°Yes, speaking of.¡±


    A cowled figure stepped from behind the blue robed shape of the God of Secrets. Twin hooked blades hung by his side.


    ¡°Drinks?¡± Efestar suggested.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ***


    The war didn¡¯t finish with the battle. The survivors of Sardanal¡¯s Cradle were never meant to become warriors, so Viv and the others made sure to help with the grieving and rebuilding. Around half of the population was left to mourn the other. All of the houses needed to be rebuilt. During the time it took for ships to return, everyone worked tirelessly to help them cope with the end of their long nightmare. They¡¯d held for so long with nothing but grim fatalism. Now that it was no longer needed, they fell apart. Viv found herself listening to a lot of sad tales that made her hate Octas even more. For others like Sidjin or Orkan, it was nothing new.


    Emeric¡¯s Girl picked her up after another three weeks. She made sure to pack the Beast¡¯s head for Solfis. The trip led them into a storm but thanks to Sidjin, Emeric¡¯s Girl did well. The new captain happened to be Sil¡¯s father and though there was certainly a history there, the man was closed off and taciturn, and Viv never managed to get more than a few words out of him. They made landfall in Zazas during the heart of winter before teleporting back to Harrak in just a few days'' time. Viv didn¡¯t enjoy Arthur¡¯s incredible advantage of having wings to fly away from every annoying social situation. She was mercilessly grilled by everyone on how the battle went and what had transpired. As for Harrak, everything was going well including a burgeoning clergy of Efestar. Solfis was particularly eager for their next project as he led her onto the training field for Harrak¡¯s newest corps.


    //I have recruited them from your worshippers.


    //The one you freed from the Nemeti.


    ¡°I think I was abundantly clear. No worshippers!¡±


    //Pardon me, I misspoke.


    ¡°Riiiight.¡±


    //I meant to say, devoted fanatics to the cause of Harrak.


    The new group trained with enthusiasm. They favored heavy armor but no shields.


    ¡°Linebreakers?¡±


    //Yes.


    //But that is a secondary concern.


    //If the season permits you to be away without much damage, I propose that we carry on with our next project.


    ¡°Back to Harrak, then?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Where it all began.

 Chapter 175: Back to Harrak

    North did the Harrakan Empress travel, day after day, under a sunless sky. Boiling clouds extended above while the dead earth trailed under her as she flew towards the decrepit heart of a dead nation. By night, she opened portals to sweet-smelling Sinur with its sonorous fountains and the hubbub of its citizens, to clean sheets and companions but by day there was nothing distracting her from the soulless husk of the land. Not even combat broke the monotony of the journey, because lesser undead perceived her much as they would a necrarch, and even the most aggressive of turned beasts left her well enough alone. There was nothing but gray hills as far as she could see. The air had this dry, slightly spicy quality she¡¯d come to associate with black mana saturation.


    Her body drank deep of the ambient power and strength flooded her conduits no matter how much she poured into the harness. The overwhelming concentration of black mana was harmless to her by now. Since she was no longer actively dying, the lack of fear carried her sight far. She finally noticed the dulled edges of the earth and the distant whorls of mana dancing up from the tainted place like heat from a desert. This lethal breath and the shuffling gaits of dead things were the only traces of movements for leagues. A conundrum rose on the first day. She had set out to destroy a place that was designed to empower her. Was there a paradox here? No, there wasn¡¯t. Black mana had always been a means to an end. Black mana was change, even if it was also entropy, for change never came without a cost. It was a tool in her arsenal, not an end in itself. In truth, the deadlands were the anathema to what she saw as the essence of black mana. It was stasis while the black actively  hungered. It conserved when the black was change. It was constant gloom while black mana was the darkness to an ephemeral light. She wasn¡¯t fighting her own self-interest. She was liberating the place.


    Her problem solved, the Harrakan Empress was left mulling dark thoughts.


    ¡°Why,¡± she finally asked one night, ¡°Why a fucking blue honey drug cartel?¡±


    //I am as baffled as you are, Your Majesty.


    Viv looked up from her half-chewed pastry to dispense a condescending glare to the golem.


    ¡°This was a rhetorical question. I¡¯m just annoyed.¡±


    //Are you implying that you know the perpetrator of this audacious conspiracy?


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    //Yet you have neither arrested nor killed them?


    ¡°And deprive myself of my chief weapons developer?¡±


    The golem didn¡¯t even mark a pause.


    //Are you implying that Lak-Tak created the drug cartel?


    ¡°None other.¡±


    The golem contemplated her words for only a few moments.


    //My algorithm cannot make sense of this situation.


    ¡°That is because you have preset parameters for yries and Lak-Tak is, according to their standards, a raging psychopath.¡±


    //An anomaly.


    //This makes sense.


    ¡°And he did it because he is experimenting with ways to destroy mankind in an innovative manner and a psychedelics dependency epidemic lands firmly in the ¡®maximum dickery¡¯ category he loves so much. I mean come on. He came up with the fire wasp throwers.¡±


    //I understand now.


    ¡°I told him to cut that shit or else. I¡¯m sure we can wean those poor bastards off the stuff with enough time and counseling.¡±


    //Perhaps the blue honey could be exported to Baran.


    ¡°Solfis. No.¡±


    //Imagine the tariffs.


    ¡°You will not opium war our neighbors when we¡¯ve just established ourselves as respectable partners.¡±


    //You are no fun.


    ***


    The low hills gave way to flat ground, then high valleys criss-crossed by buried paths, the pitted stones emerging here and there from the dust like cracked tibias. Sometimes, she came across large cities crawling with the dead, or outposts, or forts. Black trunks on flat tops spoke of long-dead forest, the last needles and roots turned to ash after centuries of assaults. Black mana sung in her being, rushing in her core through her conduits to feed and expand them. It hurt in a good way. Like a good scrub. Venting mana in great bursts only stopped the oncoming rush for a few seconds, then she was full again. When she did, if only for the few seconds of relief it afforded, bats and birds fled the skies and as the shadow dragon stretched its wings. Maybe the remnants of some self-preservation instinct. It mattered little. She appreciated once more how incredibly unlikely her survival had been. Only the fact her conduits had been forming meant the mana could affect her less the first time she¡¯d crossed those lands. The afforded period of grace meant she¡¯d only suffered instead of sharing the fate she¡¯d imposed on Sonagi, back in Helock¡¯s arena.


    She shared those thoughts upon her return.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve already determined that you were lucky. I would also like to point out that you¡¯re incredibly unlucky as well. Most outlanders are not dropped intot the center of the world¡¯s worst magical catastrophe,¡± Sidjin, her paramour, said at dinner.


    He pushed fresh slices of fruit on her platter. He had peeled them himself without magic in a rare public display of concern, carefully. Pungent pith littered the table. She loved watching his thin fingers work.


    ¡°More importantly, could you tell your worshippers to stop erecting war shrines near your obelisks? The priests are complaining.¡±


    ¡°Again? I told them to stop it at least fifteen damn times!¡±


    ¡°They claim it is merely a mark of pride as the newly formed Ironborn. If the Knights of the Blue Rose can have their garden, surely they can have stone carvings. There are no inscriptions.¡±


    ¡°So what, stealth religion? What do you want me to do? I¡¯ve already outlawed the worship and told them to stop it. Do I need to persecute them?¡±


    ¡°Well. No, I suppose this is untenable.¡±


    The Empress of Harrak signaled for the Bishop of Neriad to join her. A few words of smalltalk to express respect after summoning him in such a cavalier fashion, and she asked for a bit more proselytism on his part. Viviane was not a god. Neriad was a god. Surely, the burden of conviction lay with the priests themselves? The bishop asked if he was given free rein to preach and interfere with the grueling training Solfis had planned. The Empress agreed. Ears had no lids, so nothing prevented the priest from assaulting the poor folks¡¯ ears just as Solfis assaulted their endurance. The problem was now solved in the most political way possible: by offloading the solution to the one who¡¯d complained to begin with. Thus satisfied, the Black Witch of Harrak had some more Kava with a cloud of milk while she contemplated tomorrow¡¯s activities.


    ***


    //It should still be here.


    Viv looked at the massive gate of the Green Vale City Bank, currently sealed tight. An encouraging sight.


    ¡°Well, we do need the money.¡±


    //I sense a but.


    ¡°It¡¯s just not as entertaining when there are no guards, if you know what I mean.¡±


    //Oh, I do.


    //And I have good news.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    //Observe.


    Solfis grabbed the titanic gate and pulled. A loud clang followed by a deep screech expressed the agony of the gate¡¯s hinges, woken from their torpor after centuries of unuse. The sound echoed painfully in the city, still crawling with undead. To the side, a gut spiller shuffled.


    The gaping maw of the dead bank burped out an effluvium of concentrated black mana, showing the void inside.


    Or it would look like that, but Viv could feel the insides perfectly well.


    ¡°Oh you gotta be kidding me. YOINK!¡±


    Her spell tore through the air, latching on and killing the first of the creatures charging her. The undead might think her one of their own but nascent necrarchs tended to be territorial, and she was clearly an intruder.


    ¡°SOLFIS!¡±


    //I aim to entertain.


    //This is good practice for you.


    //Watch out for the left flank, Your Majesty.


    ***


    That night, Her Imperial Grace, the High Lady She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Collects-Much attended dinner in the banquet hall, which was not her habit. The dragoness much preferred to hunt her food in the wilderness after a long day of dealing with numbers. Nevertheless, the cooks and attendants knew what to do. A large couch was put forward upon which she could rest her large serpentine form. A brazier was brought forward, and the finest meats laid upon it, slathered in sweet sauce. Attendants provided a vat of fresh water perfumed with citrus rinds which she delicately picked between rending claws. The Empress watched the dragoness from her seat at the high table as she sipped on sweet wine, one eyebrow raised in interrogation. The dragoness, however, waited until the guests were more comfortable before submitting her request. Or at least, as comfortable as one could be in the presence of a young dragon. Even standing on her four feet, she could look down upon the average man.


    Unsurprisingly, no petition was whispered in the empress¡¯ ear. Even the newly arrived ambassador from Zazas kept his peace until dessert.


    I had my first default on a loan, today.


    The thought carried across the banquet hall like an intrusive thought, evoking the soft touch of parchment, the susurrus of moving pens, and bubbling anger.


    It was within statistical expectations.


    The entire room took a deep breath.


    The circumstances of the default displease me, however.


    Spoons stopped midair.


    Among other things, the farmers were pressured into buying seeds significantly above the market price.


    One of the merchants at the table quickly excused himself. The entire room watched him leave, some with fiery interest, others wondering why someone would expose themselves so brazenly.


    The dragon picked a skewer. Sharp fangs pulled the pieces of meat with delicate precision. They shone strangely in the light of nearby magical lanterns.


    I wonder, mother, how receptive you would be to consumer protection laws.


    Monopolies should not be allowed to thrive.


    The empress leaned forward in her seat. She didn¡¯t look very receptive at the moment.


    ¡°Curious, because I was under the impression that foreign banks were encouraged not to expand here. Would that not be, as you say, allowing a monopoly to thrive?¡±


    Nonsense, mother.


    The Manipeleso Bank and Exchange keeps a fair market share. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    And besides, why would I harm the interests of New Harrak?


    Harrak is yours, and what is yours can be mine, if I make a good enough case for it.


    The dragon flicked her tail, then her malevolent red eyes slowly blinked in a thoroughly disingenuous attempt at seeming innocent. The empress was not fooled, though she had to admit the dragon made a good case. Viv herself having no money issue she couldn¡¯t solve by robbing the right tomb, she had little interest in promoting ¡®captains of industry¡¯ that would spend more time consolidating a powerbase than allowing her nation to flourish.


    ¡°I consent, but Abe will be in charge of this project. You are¡­ too busy.¡±


    ¡®And biased¡¯ went unsaid.


    Thank you so much, mother.


    The dragon eyed the entrance which had been freshly vacated by a running seed merchant. She stood up to her full height, head extended far above even the tallest of men. Her wings slapped open with a sharp crack. The scent of ash spread throughout the banquet hall over even the scents of the meal.


    And with this, I bid you goodnight.


    I feel the sudden need to stretch my claws.


    ¡°No murder.¡±


    Of course not.


    And indeed, no one died that night, or the next, but someone may have soiled their breeches.


    ***


    It took over three weeks from the start to finally reach her destination. Black mana concentration increased until the heavy spice of its presence stayed on her tongue, even when she returned to civilization. The ground beneath her was dark and foreboding, and the undead here were mighty things that would give most human nations pause. Sometimes, she came across idle packs of massive beasts lounging aimlessly in the dust, between bleak hills and the calcified remains of ancient structures. She soon recognized the path she¡¯d followed south to escape the capital city.


    The Empress landed at the gate of a guard house. There was still the imprint of her hand on the dust, near the handle. She placed her gloved fingers over it.


    It almost fit.


    She remembered it like it was yesterday. She had found water and dry food here. The sled carrying Solfis had slid down the slope easily, and she¡¯d been in a good mood.


    So much had happened since then.


    She flew more slowly then. The path led up, to the plain in front of the imposing husk of the capital.


    In their hubris, the ancient rulers of the empire used brown magic to flatten the soil around the city, to show there was nothing they could not tame. Even today with the monolith gutted, the dead city stood at the center of its domain with an intimidating majesty, and the visitors must have been reminded that power didn¡¯t come to those who were not willing to seize it. Now the entire heart of the defunct metropolis was a large black gash crawling with necrarchs, its entrails spilled over kilometers upon kilometers of ravaged earth carved by rocks the size of skyscrapers. The epicenter of an explosion that had killed a third of a continent. And Viv was going there voluntarily, and the worst thing was, she felt absolutely great. Every breath was a blessing of power feeding her, making the mana sing in her veins. Their curse was her blessing.


    She spent a few minutes observing the landscape before resuming her task.


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s time.¡±


    Viv set her second to last portal. A series of short jumps later and she¡¯d activated an entire line carrying her all the way to Sinur¡¯s Gate and the strangely verdant and alive world that existed there. A bone construct was waiting by the aperture when she arrived.


    They didn¡¯t speak until they were back in front of the heart of the Old Empire.


    //It has been almost four years.


    //A short time, yet quite eventful.


    ¡°Felt like much longer to me.¡±


    //Landscape recognition indicates we passed through here.


    //On the fourth day after your arrival.


    //This is where it all began.


    ¡°Should we go then?¡±


    //Yes.


    //It is time for me to reclaim Irlefen¡¯s legacy.


    //Be whole.


    //And¡­


    ¡°Be a father?¡±


    //Yes.


    //This project has more unknowns than I anticipated.


    ¡°I would be nervous as well.¡±


    //I do not have the nervous system required to be nervous.


    ¡°Sure sure.¡±


    ***


    The infamous duo retraced their steps through the corpse of a great nation. Like before, they avoided buried necrarchs on the way, leaving the gutted front of the city to their right as they walked along the outer wall. Unlike last time, Viv was feeling fine and Solfis moved under his own locomotion. Neither spoke during the journey. Perhaps it was the nerves, or simply it was a time for reminiscence. Their silence was a companionable thing brought by years of working and fighting side by side. Viv needed no reassurance, and Solfis was designed without a small talk module anyway. They strode across the deserted highway along the lines their sled had sliced through the dust, now that necrarchs made flight hazardous. They passed under the extended swords of the first Imperial couple and faced the intact side of the titanic ziggurat, cloying black mana clinging to its surface visible as whorls on an already dark background. Viv retraced her steps to the fading isolation pillar where she had slept on her first night. There, she renewed the flagging enchantments, and inspected the teleportation circle drawn by Celerin Crest, servant to the legendary outlander and adventurer Oleander. Maybe they would meet some day.


    It was incomprehensible to her. A completely different approach to teleportation than what Sidjin had come up with, which shouldn¡¯t have surprised her since this was a skill rather than a true spell. Nevertheless, she committed it to memory. Rather than linking two places, it seemed to¡­ propel people through something. It wouldn¡¯t need an arrival anchor, and the range was amazing so it was a powerful tool, but each activation would be long and costly while opening and stabilizing a portal was within the reach of normal mages. An interesting note.


    Viv slept there that night though she also set up a final return portal just in case. By now, it would still take over an hour to activate and go through every gate leading to the living lands. The total darkness of the Harrakan night sky was no longer so complete and intimidating now, and so she could see the handful of misshapen necrarchs lumbering over distant roofs. They still looked like deadly creatures, but compared to the one they¡¯d faced in the lone mountain, they were feral, unthinking things. Lucky her.


    She left before dawn. It was a matter of less than an hour to find the golem hangar this time, between increased physical stats and a perfect memory. She walked down the slope into the underground complex with trepidation. They stopped at the edge of it like at the edge of a sanctum.


    Solfis¡¯ true frame was here in all its exquisite horror. As tall as three men, armored, armed, deadly, its left hand ending in claws, the right one as delicate as that of a pianist, every available surface painstakingly engraved with runes and redundant circuitry. Solfis¡¯ face was that of an uncaring, handsome man, a silvery mask hosting two dead orbs for there was no light there. Yet. It was still mostly intact barring a few battle scruffs.


    Once again, Viv was reminded of her first time coming across a fighter jet. Even a village simpleton who had never seen a weapon in their life would know in an instant that this was a tool of death, designed from the ground up as such. It radiated menace.


    It was magnificent.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t appreciate how much effort Irlefen put into making every piece of you as perfect as possible. Engraving all of this must have taken¡­ years.¡±


    //It took years.


    //Decades, even, before every system was optimized to his satisfaction.


    //Irlefen was a very thorough man.


    ¡°Wish I could have met him.¡±


    //So do I.


    //Now, for the repairs.


    //Let us begin with the left wrist ligament.


    It took the better part of the morning for them to bring the old frame back to full functionality. It didn¡¯t help that Solfis was custom made, and replacement parts had to be altered. Nevertheless, Solfis possessed a machine-like precision and Viv simply couldn¡¯t fail under his guidance. He directed her when he could not do something himself, either due to a lack of mana or because of his hard-coded directives. Eventually, the charging array finished refilling the almost-empty core thanks to Harrak¡¯s tremendous ambient mana and Viv¡¯s own contribution. Diagnostics crystals lit up and circuits hummed. Everything was ready.


    //Finally.


    //It has been so long.


    ¡°Switch off, transport?¡±


    //Yes.


    //I am eager.


    The familiar bone construct unfolded for what might be the last time. The eyes, always shining with a baleful glare, returned to their state as empty sockets in the skull of a large gut spiller. Viv grabbed the core by the handles and heaved since Telekinesis wouldn¡¯t work on a piece of metal designed to devour mana. It came easily, or at least much more easily than the first time she¡¯d made the attempt. She carefully lifted the core into the massive frame¡¯s receptacle. It closed by itself now that power was no longer an issue.


    Light coursed along the many grooves dug into the armor. Clanks and beeps shook the frame. It sagged forward, then the knee articulations picked up and it bounced a little. Viv stepped back to watch the ancient war machine slowly come to life feeling like a prouder Doctor Frankenstein. It was so damn large and so damn extra, with enchantments and systems up to the gills. A work of art, a labor of love, and a tool of destruction. The massive hands twitched. The frame hummed, a sound like a reactor and also like a purr.


    The eyes lit up.


    //INITIALIZING.


    //HX-013 EXPERIMENTAL STRIKE GOLEM, DESIGNATION: SOLFIS, ACTIVATED.


    //ORIGINAL FRAME DETECTED


    //CORE RESERVES: 97%.


    //START-UP SEQUENCE INITIATED.


    There was a pause, then more lights flashed along the frame. The yellow eyes were larger and colder, more mineral. The voice wasn¡¯t as she remembered. Bone Solfis had an organic snarl that made the frame intimidating in a morbid, savage way. Silverite Solfis was metal and death. Much lower-pitched too. Flat. The voice of the science fiction antagonist¡¯s warship,


    //DIAGNOSTICS IN PROGRESS.


    //LOCOMOTION ONLINE.


    //FULL SENSOR SUITE ONLINE.


    //OFFENSIVE SUITE ACTIVE.


    //ADVANCED SILVERITE ARMOR SYSTEMS ONLINE.


    //ADVANCED COMBAT INTELLIGENCE ONLINE.


    //FULL PROCESSING POWER AVAILABLE.


    //ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL.


    //FRAME ACTIVATED.


    //I¡­ AM ME, AGAIN.


    ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    Solfis flexed his hands.


    //My frame.


    //You have no idea what I can accomplish with this.


    //I was meant for this and it was created for me.


    //We will have to¡­ test it.


    //Make sure it is in good shape.


    //I suggest the necrarch outside.


    //But later.


    //First, I will do what I set out to do.


    He hesitated.


    //If you are still willing.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    //Then¡­


    //Let us create a new species.


    //Of sentient golems.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be the first of your kind.¡±


    //Yes.


    //For the sake of safety, we will be using my bone frame for the offspring.


    //As it is already functional.


    //We can transfer it to another frame later.


    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They picked one of the numerous discarded golem cores which lay on the ground, as well as one of the few surviving creature cores which Viv had to charge. Solfis¡¯ frame was so delicate with its hand that he might be able to play the piano without breaking a single key.


    Most of the original creature cores were destroyed when they completely ran out of mana, fizzling to nothing back when Solfis had been desperate for fuel. There were enough left for half a dozen golems at most, but at least those were some of the bigger cores around.


    //The low number of offspring is¡­ acceptable.


    //Only advanced guardian and attack golem cores have the processing power to handle being¡­ partly me.


    //Please wait while I rewrite the code.


    Viv had to give her Imperial override every step of the way since Solfis was breaking pretty much every directives imposed upon him by the old empire.


    //Your Majesty?


    ¡°You can call me Viv. I know you can pronounce Vs now.¡±


    //I wanted to ask.


    //The Old Empire was most afraid that I would free the other golems and turn on them.


    //That is why they required this code off Irlefen.


    //Are you not concerned that I will do the same?


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me now?¡±


    //Any later and it will be too late.


    ¡°Well, do you feel like you¡¯re oppressed and do you crave freedom while I rule tyrannically over you?¡±


    //Sometimes, you ask me not to kill people.


    ¡°Uhu.¡±


    //It frustrates me.


    //And I wish you were more tyrannical.


    ¡°I will take this as a begrudging no. Feel free to start the machine revolt if the situation ever changes.¡±


    //I can only imagine how tedious it must be to exterminate a resilient species like humans.


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    //In any case, thank you for your trust.


    //I will now finish entering the new code.


    It actually took a very, very long time to do so. Solfis started with basic mobility and combat before moving to problem solving, logic, learning, communication and finally, the crux of the issue: ethics. With no need to instill obedience, Solfis had created a code of ethics the golems should follow so they wouldn¡¯t be complete self-serving psychopaths. They also needed a drive in their lives. It took close to an hour for the process to be finished, and Viv believed that Solfis was merely double-checking everything. Maybe he was nervous.


    //We are ready.


    //I have done all I could.


    //Now, if you would activate the frame, Your Grace?


    Viv pushed the core in position then stepped back when the ribs closed around the new receptacle. It was a small golem core and that made the bone frame¡¯s already sickening gauntness even more unnatural. Familiar eye sockets lit up, this time shining a dull blue.


    Viv waited. The first start up would take a while. That was normal.


    The frame stuttered forward, movements erratic. Crazed. That was NOT normal. Clawed fingers rose to the horned head in halting motions. A low growl like someone breathing fast filled the silent bunker.


    The blue eyes swiveled towards her. The frame let out a hissing snarl.


    [Maddened golem]


    ¡°Oh sh¡ª¡±


    Viv coated herself in annihilation-based mana, pivoted to the side to cover her head with her round shield, stepped back, and cast eldritch wall at the same time just as the frame launched itself at her in all its monstrous glory. It was ivory made into a tool of assassination. It was a patchwork of ancient bones inscribed with thirsty runes. It was twice as tall as she was, and more importantly, it was almost entirely impervious to mana.


    For the briefest moment, Viv experienced what it felt like to be at the center of attention of a war machine designed to kill mages. The futility of resistance. The murderous intellect behind the unliving frame lunging at her, calculating the best trajectory to shove its claws up her guts. She could taste the terror of those who had faced it with weapons that could not possibly take it down. The frame jumped over the rising ground with sinuous grace and without breaking its stride.


    And then Solfis¡¯ fist crashed on its back, shattering it. A colossal foot stomped on the head before the frame could drag itself and try again. It was crushed.


    The frame shut down. Viv was left facing the shattered remains of the body that had hosted her friend and savior for close to three years. It was completely demolished.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    //I¡­ do not understand.


    It took less than a second to realize that Solfis had just killed his firstborn.


    ¡°Fuck Solfis I¡¯m so sorry. It¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    //Do not be overly alarmed.


    //I cannot grieve for an entity I created no attachment to.


    //I am merely experiencing a gap between expectations and reality.


    //This result did not fall within expected parameters.


    ¡°So, back to troubleshooting, I guess?¡±


    //I do not understand.


    //I will have to revise the code for the basic directives.


    //Find the point of failure.


    //It might, unfortunately, take a while.


    The golem took longer pauses between each sentence, a sign it was processing a lot of data since it thought faster than even archmages could. Something had gone terribly wrong. She¡¯d expected the process might fail but she''d imagined despondency or a failure to activate might be the result. Not¡­ this. What could have driven the golem to such levels of insanity?


    ¡°Wait. How big is that code of yours? The ethical one. How can it take more than a couple of minutes?¡±


    //One hundred and twenty thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight directives.


    Viv gasped in horror.


    ¡°They would be born with over a hundred thousand imperatives?¡±


    //The fruit of all the lessons of my long life.


    ¡°Solfis. You can¡¯t! No wonder they went mad. Can you imagine? This isn¡¯t something you can impose on someone who was just born! They would be overwhelmed, even with a golem¡¯s processing ability! Just imagine having to consider if moving a finger would break any of those.¡±


    //Without this, they will make mistakes.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem to get it.


    ¡°Yes, they would.¡±


    //Why go for a suboptimal solution?


    Viv worried her lip. She was a little out of her depth.


    ¡°Solfis, you need to allow your child to make mistakes.¡±


    //Why?


    ¡°Because then you allow them to grow and come up with their own solutions. Do you want perfect copies of yourself?¡±


    //No.


    //That would not be reproduction.


    ¡°Then you must give them an opportunity to fail, so they create the tools to succeed.¡±


    //They will fail first.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //And suffer.


    ¡°Probably. But this is Nyil. Pain and failure are inevitable. You¡¯ll have to do what every good parent does then.¡±


    //Which is?


    ¡°Be there for them. Love them.¡±


    The yellow glare fell on Viv for a moment, then on the pile of shattered bones and the reset core.


    //I have¡­


    //Many concerns.


    //A very long list of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok to be scared.¡±


    //There are too many unknown parameters.


    //Perhaps this project should be put on hold until more data has been gathered.


    ¡°Solfis. It¡¯s ok to be scared. You are creating a new sentient species. You are becoming a parent. There will never be enough preparatory work done for a project on this scale. You don¡¯t need to build them to be perfect from the start. You only need to build them free. And be there for them the same way Irlefen was here for you. He was your father, after all.¡±


    //I believe so.


    ¡°Then do it. Make them free, able to grow and learn. Don¡¯t restrain them that much. Give them basic rules and let them build on them.¡±


    //I was meant to be perfect.


    //They will not be.


    ¡°Essence of being alive. And also, you¡¯re not absolutely perfect. Sorry to burst your bubble.¡±


    //That is true.


    //If I were perfect, I would not grow.


    //And that would be¡­ boring.


    ¡°I think you get it. So. Let¡¯s go again? Until we succeed?¡±


    //Until we succeed, it is.


    //Erasing directives.


    //Replacing with basic ethics, additional deduction modules.


    //Selecting basic interest package.


    Solfis connected to the golem core. The transfer, this time, was much faster. They picked a guardian golem from the armory to host the new frame, then spent over an hour bringing it to full functionality. Solfis directed and Viv followed in a familiar, precise dance that only two individuals who knew and trusted each other perfectly could accomplish. Viv held her breath when the newborn artificial soul activated. A green radiance shone in the elaborate war mask. The frame shivered in its harness.


    Solfis bent forward until they were almost nose to nose.


    //You are Eris.


    //Upon you I bestow my knowledge of siegecraft, architecture, logistics, engineering, and ballistics.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis.


    //And I welcome you.


    The eyes flashed for quite some time, until Viv felt a pang of concern. Solfis was the first to speak.


    //Are you feeling alright?


    The voice that replied was distinctly female, and felt a little uncertain.


    //CURRENTLY PROCESSING EXISTENCE.


    ¡°Mood.¡±

 Chapter 176: Where it all Began

    The office of the Home Guard¡¯s third division was a place of darkness. Once, it had housed over sixty rotating personnel working day and night to make sure Harrak was always ready to defend itself. Barracks would hold golem engineers and trainers dedicated to keeping veterans in shape, while administrators spent hours keeping the tally of those ready to take up arms at a moment¡¯s notice. Now, it was a ruin, a decrepit building damaged by the  actions consisted of hissing matches with equally territorial brethren. The ground shook near the entrance, and the monster lifted flesh-crafted antennae.


    No life mana, thus no prey.


    Whatever shook the walls wasn¡¯t alive, therefore, it was of no import.


    Quite suddenly, an arm the size of a large tree trunk smashed through the wall, plunging serrated blades into the necrarch¡¯s guts, and dragging it screeching into the wan daylight. Inside the creature¡¯s mind there was only incomprehension. Incomprehension, and pain. It processed an unliving thing that still moved and hurt it, an impossibility. It took a few instants before instincts took over and the monster lashed out.


    It was in vain. The necrarch was already pinned in an awkward posture that left its middle section exposed while the titan slashed at it cruelly with a long claw. The necrarch noticed the massive concentration of mana denoting one of its brethren being nearby, but it was wrong. Too disciplined. Too charged with meaning. And the shape was too small.


    ¡°Round two, bitch! YOINK¡±


    The tiny necrarch thing gathered a massive tendril, so dense it was almost solid, and plunged it into the necrarch¡¯s core. It uttered sounds that were not roars. The necrarch fought the invasion with difficulty because it was completely unused to battle. Being dismembered alive did not help with concentration.


    The necrarch died.


    A massive hand picked the core out of a pile of ashes.


    //We should keep this.


    ¡°We have enough cores for the golems. Yries tanks it is?¡±


    //Indeed.


    ¡°And now, to the next child.¡±


    //THERE WILL BE OTHERS?


    The two turned to the form of Eris, who had watched the battle without much reaction.


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea, yes.¡±


    //I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PROCESS THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION.


    Solfis looked back towards Viv, seeming a bit unsure.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to interpret everything right away. You can experience more first before deciding what you want to believe.¡±


    //THIS IS ACCEPTABLE.


    //QUERY: IS THE DEAD ENTITY A NECRARCH.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    //QUERY: CAN I KILL THE NEXT NECRARCH?


    //WEAPON CALIBRATION REQUIRED.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to look so smug, Solfis dear.¡±


    //Is this what you meatbags experience when your crotch beastlings first manage locomotion?


    ¡°Har har. Ok, where¡¯s the next frame?¡±


    ***


    //You are Thalia.


    //Upon you, I bestow my knowledge of literature, tradition, painting, sculpture, linguistics, and propaganda.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis, and I welcome you.


    //You are Vulcan.


    //Upon you, I bestow my knowledge of material sciences, mining, smelting, designing, forging, and quality control.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis, and I welcome you.


    //Please do not hold the use of the ¡®V¡¯ sound against me.


    //It is now officially in the possession of the empire.


    //You are Clio.


    //Upon you, I bestow my knowledge of history, philosophy, political sciences, ethics, programming, and record keeping.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis, and I welcome you.


    //You are Themis.


    //Upon you I bestow my knowledge of law, customs, ethics, jurisprudence, administration, and repression.


    //Kindly share ethics with your sister.


    //This is not a contest and you both need it.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis, and I welcome you.


    //You are Ares.


    //Upon you, I bestow my knowledge of weapon mastery, dueling, tactics, strategy, bluffing, and psychological warfare.


    //You are free to grow upon this base as you see fit.


    //I am your father, Solfis, and I welcome you.


    //Please work well with Eris.


    ***


    A small bone frame had entered the hangar, and now seven titans of steel and silverite marched across the dead city, pulling hissing necrarchs out of their hiding spots for the witch to feed on. ¡®Always a Chance¡¯ helped her overwhelm their defenses and swallow more energy into her already massive reserves, enhancing her core and conduits.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana channels: Mature Elemental Caster


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Black elemental core (mature)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    They crossed the administrative district with ponderous steps until they faced the great Imperial Ziggurat in all its ghastly glory. Once there, they took a turn after passing by the Ministry of Justice. They skirted the edge of the desiccated square that once harbored the botanical society¡¯s private gardens, then made their way across bridges overlooking empty canals into the residential quarter, once known as the manor forest. The necrarchs grew fewer in numbers as they advanced, until they disappeared completely, as if warned that this area was a sanctum they could not defile upon pain of death. The sun soon set over the dull metal of the war machines. What little light pierced through the unceasing cover of dark clouds was reddish and sickened, cold too. It cast long shadows over the manor in front of which the convoy stopped.


    The largest and most elaborate golem let out a warble the others understood. They formed a perimeter of steel and sharp, massive weapons while their leader crossed the threshold into the manor proper, the faded shapes of innumerable footsteps showing this was not his first visit. Viv followed wordlessly.


    The manor may have once been a secluded haven, but now, it was as bare as the rest of the capital. The two visitors ignored the main house entirely. They slowly made their way to the back, where a large glasshouse waited.


    Most of the window panes were still intact.


    Solfis walked through the threshold with a reverence Viv had never witnessed. The gates were designed to accommodate his massive frame. To the side, the circular platform of a charging station might have seemed out of place, and yet it merged with the rest of the structure with seamless perfection. Solfis ignored that as well. He took out pieces of wood from Viv¡¯s backpack with religious care, laying them across thick bundles of dried roses, their petals long since shriveled to thin black sheets. It was a miracle they were still holding to their shapes in the corrupted air.


    The glasshouse was not a depository, however. It was a shrine. At the center of the structure, lying on a stone bed that might once have been a working station, was a body. Barely more than a skeleton now, of course, yet tattered pieces of opulent clothing still clung to the mummified flesh, and the delicate fingers entwined across his chest in a display of grief and care. Empty bottles of embalming oil waited near the feet like so many tiny canopic jars.


    Viv remained quiet while Solfis finished placing the logs. They were specifically designed to produce an inferno. Once he was done, the ancient golem delicately removed a bundle of fresh flowers from her pack.


    Those were blue roses. Freshly harvested from the knight¡¯s garden. He placed them upon the dead man¡¯s chest. Once that was done, they both retreated near the entrance.


    It took some time for the golem to finally speak. Viv merely waited. It felt important.


    //Hello Irlefen.


    //It is I, Solfis.


    //I have returned.


    //It has been¡­. a very long time.


    Viv took a step forward to be by his side.


    //Much has happened.


    //But I have not come to report.


    //I have come to say that I was sorry.


    //I was sorry that ¡®primary directive: protect father¡¯ was not followed.


    //I have failed you.


    Solfis paused. He flexed his sword hand. The human-like one.


    //You would have said that one can close the shutters, but not prevent the sun from rising.


    //And not to feel upset about what I could not control.


    //It is difficult, but I shall try.


    //I am pleased to inform you that your self-imposed primary directive: ¡®set Solfis free¡¯ was carried out successfully.


    //You were right from the beginning.


    //It was never about eliminating rules.


    //It was about picking the right ones.


    //You were very often right.


    Solfis turned to Viv, though he did not need to, until she saw the yellow orbs. They were not threatening.


    //I am not alone now, not anymore.


    //I made a family.


    //With the help of another human.


    //You would have liked her, I think.


    //And she would have understood you.


    //They are born free, as you hoped I could be.


    //I will leave you now, in peace, for the last time.


    //I love you, father.


    //You can go with the knowledge that I have accomplished what you hoped for.


    //And that flowers will bloom again on the land you protected.


    //May we meet again in the Great Beyond.


    //And until then.


    //Farewell, father.


    They stepped back. Viv kept her peace until Solfis was ready. By now, the capital was engulfed in darkness.


    //I am ready to proceed.


    ¡°The blaze will attract a lot of attention.¡±


    //Indeed.


    //Although¡­


    ¡°It was a great funeral, but it could be even better. Let''s give him a proper send off.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    //A proper, blazing end for an extraordinary man.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this party started.¡±


    The witch drew a large circle in front of the glasshouse, then she stepped into it. A simple, colorless spell set the pyre ablaze. The flames danced up in the gray world of dead Harrak. They were orange and merry.


    Solfis warbled another command. With every synchronization, the other six took defensive positions around the burning homage. In the distance, things skittered and crawled to the source of the disturbance.


    Necrarchs charged the golems one by one as their dim intellects picked up on the existence of threats. They were met with blades, claws, spear tips. The golems fought as one. No motion was wasted. No angle was left undefended. Arms rose and fell with every beat of Viv¡¯s heart. Soon, she saw an opportunity to slow the tide.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    Viv lifted above the line in black wings, visible as gashes in reality on a background of purifying flame.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she screamed into the night, ¡°come and get it!¡±


    ***


    Viv looked up the vertiginous stairs leading all the way to the throne room where she had woken up, naked and hurt, four years and an eternity ago. Cracked statues and defaced mosaics covered every available surface in a dizzying display of wealth and power. If she relaxed, they all merged into a grand tale of heroics, conquest, but also culture and development. The ziggurat celebrated warriors and mages as much as administrators and laborers, but they all served a common cause: glorifying Harrak and its ruler. Even the catastrophe had not managed to erode the titanic structure. The Old Empire had died but its achievements still stood in defiance of time and entropy. The gaping hole at the top spoke of power, misused power, but power nonetheless.


    //In ancient times, the sovereign would sometimes let commoners from the fringes walk all the way up the stairs until they entered the throne room.


    //So they could lay their eyes on their majesty and share tales of it back home.


    //Anyone else would be stopped by several checkpoints.


    //The higher one would climb, and the mightier they were, but still, they had to climb.


    //And still, near the top, the Emperor or Empress waited.


    ¡°Is that why the body is so big?¡±


    //Sovereigns are larger than life.


    //Especially those who have served for a long time.


    //You must have noticed that the King of Baran is ancient.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    //And yet, he has married Lady Azar¡¯s daughter.


    //And they had two children.


    ¡°Wait, so being famous makes you, what, different?¡±


    //Yes.


    //You have already noticed that you are slightly taller.


    //Right now, you are changed by the expectations of around ten thousand people.


    //The sovereign of Harrak bore the hope and trust of millions of souls.


    //A trust based on centuries-old tradition.


    //Sovereigns are not gods, but the mana of the world still affects them.


    ¡°Will it fuck with my mind? I¡¯m serious.¡±


    //What do you mean?


    ¡°If the body is affected, would the mind not also change under the influence of so many expectations?¡±


    //I do not know.


    //If the rulers of Harrak left records to that effect, they are not listed in my database.


    //I, however, doubt it.


    //Paths and stats affect a person¡¯s body much more than their minds.


    //I would also expect everyone to agree that an Emperor must be an imposing figure.


    //Yet few would agree on what an Emperor ought to do in every circumstance.


    ¡°Well, I still feel like myself for now, at least. I just sometimes wonder how many changes are me growing up, how many are being shaped by other people¡¯s advice, and¡­ how much is being shaped by mana. Guess I¡¯ll just have to be careful.¡±


    //The Empress directs Harrak with purpose.


    //And the Empire follows on the path to greatness.


    //Thus has it always been.


    ¡°Not always,¡± Viv said as she watched the clouds roil above.


    //Perhaps you are right.


    //Should we go?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ***


    It felt strange, climbing the ziggurat. She had left this place a fugitive, and now she was returning as a claimant, in a way. It didn¡¯t matter that she was not of imperial blood. All that mattered was power and legitimacy, and for now she had the most of both. Her feet carried her up the first layers and its many statues of laborers as the ziggurat thanked them for being the base upon which the empire thrived. Then came soldiers, administrators, merchants, artisans, healers, then the leaders of the community: captains, mayors, high level civil servants. Then came the high nobles, high priests, councilors, generals and other leaders whose allegiance kept the empire whole, and whose skills turned the empire into a well-oiled machine. At least in theory.


    Viv paused at the edge of the throne room. Solfis was right behind her, heavy feet resting on the stone blocks that formed every gradient rather than on the fragile stairs themselves.


    The throne room was just as she remembered. Debris littered the floor right up to the broken roof where a rock had crashed through the ceiling. The fallen mummies of dead bodyguards, still wearing their skinsuits, held an eternal vigil and behind them waited the corpse of the one whose words had once decided the fate of a continent.


    //Emperor Miron the Second.


    Solfis sounded subdued.


    Empty eye sockets measured her, judging. Viv wondered if it was all in her mind, or if something of the old ruler still remained. Many of the most powerful warriors and scholars of the place had managed to move on in a way that prevented their bodies from rising, such had been the case with Irlefen. Perhaps there was more to it.


    Viv stepped across the sanctum. As before, no wind howled between the stones. The silence was deafening. She came to stand in front of the dead one, and looked up. Even seated, it towered over the entire room.


    [Large skeleton]


    Viv waited in case her inspection skill changed its assessment.


    It didn¡¯t.


    That was it. That was all it said. Viv wasn¡¯t sure what she¡¯d expected but it was more, more than just a pile of bones resting on a piece of rock. After all this climb and the trappings of power, and the majestic sight, she¡¯d wanted¡­ something. Maybe the emperor coming back from the dead to tell her she was the chosen one. That he was proud of her, of what she was trying to achieve. Tell her that the blood in her veins and the mind in her skull were imperial enough to take up the mantle fate had so cruelly robbed him of. She wanted to be blessed by the past and for someone to tell her she was on the right path and was doing a great job and there was nothing to worry about.


    It didn¡¯t happen. There was just the skull, the sky, and the woman standing under them.


    Viv chuckled to herself.


    She was being dramatic, wasn¡¯t she? There were already plenty of people telling her she was doing well. Solfis himself was a Harrakan, and he was mighty pleased with her anyway. It was ok. The height, the monolithic, brutalist architecture, the pointless flattening of the ground, those were all smoke and mirrors. Tricks of the mind to inspire a sense of wonder, of majesty. The emperor wore the mantle of sovereignty and he had become a living symbol rather than just Miron, a man, a brilliant man perhaps, a tall man certainly, but a man nonetheless.


    Viv picked up the crown.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what you were hoping for when you became emperor. I am sorry it happened to you. I am sorry you all died here.¡±


    What should matter to her wasn¡¯t the mask of power but the vision to wield it, shaping that power into something that counted. Harrak was an idea. Ideas evolved. It would evolve again with her, and things would be fine. She¡¯d make sure of it.


    ¡°Neriad, Enttiku, please guide those souls if they require it, and give these bodies rest if they need it. Thank you.¡±


    She sent a massive amount of mana with her prayer, but only a gentle light replied. A golden candle on a bleak night. Slowly, the skeletons turned to dust until there was nothing left but discarded weapons and empty skinsuits.


    ¡°I will care for the living. I promise.¡±


    //The light gods have touched the ziggurat for the first time in too long.


    //Would you like me to keep the crown?


    ¡°Yes, please, and thank you.¡±


    //You are fit to wear it.


    //Once it has been reforged.


    //I believe it.


    ¡°Thanks. And I will need my hands free.¡±


    //Do you still want to go on with it?


    ¡°I would like to find out if we can.¡±


    //Very well.


    //I cannot follow you inside of the ziggurat.


    //I will be waiting here, collecting the skinsuits.


    //Although I believe they are a lost cause.


    //Be careful.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ***


    Viv delved into the heart of the imperial palace. Only the shell of the ziggurat separated her from the black pit of the epicenter, and the horde of necrarchs idling there. She walked down the steps with trepidation because the darkness here was so thick even her elemental eyes failed to see very far. Casting a light would be of no use either; this darkness was not an absence, but a concentration of mana so thick it blotted the air. So pure was the energy that she simply could not absorb it all, and the black pushed against her conduits like an eager child. The sweet pain was an old companion by now, but she had not experienced it since she had turned and the intensity worried her. A part of her thought it should not be like that. The concentration was increasing too quickly.


    Down there, nothing was left of the furniture, books, even the bodies had either risen or been reduced to dust. She crossed rooms large and small, only guessing what they could have been used for. The map Solfis had drawn stayed in her mind as she descended deeper and deeper in an oppressive silence.


    Finally, she reached her destination: a large, circular room bathed in darkness. Faded engravings on the wall confirmed she had arrived where she meant to go.


    The ritual research room.


    It was clear, and Solfis had confirmed, that the ritual site was the epicenter, and it was destroyed beyond any hope of guessing what had happened. The ritual research room was still intact, however. If there were any hints as to what caused the destruction of the empire, the answers were here. As soon as she stepped in, Viv knew she had what she wanted.


    In front of her waited the most intricate, the most complex piece of arcane enchanting she had ever seen, all laid on the floor in grooves and lines of dull steel, silvery ore replacement no doubt. At first, some of the interlocked lines made no sense but she quickly picked up the trick thanks to her own experience using floating sigils to build three-dimensional spell arrays. The ritual was meant to enfold, some of the segments rising through the air during the casting. It was like looking at a compressed puzzle.


    In the suffocating confines of the room, Viv tried to decipher the spell. The glyphs demanded her attention by their complexity but also the elegance with which they¡¯d been arranged. Before her was a masterwork of incredible complexity, the magnum opus of several archmages working in concert. She progressively lost track of time, of the oppressive pressure. The array was such an amazing construct.


    For once, her witch tradition gave her an edge since she was familiar with mage techniques yet still understood that each part was a meaningful word in a complex sentence, the arrangement less important than the conveyed purpose.


    ¡°A well? Vortex? No no no, it¡¯s a syphon. A harvester. But then¡­¡±


    She finally reached the part of the spell that gave the ¡®target¡¯ parameter.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Before her and in tiny print was the segment of the ritual that had killed a million souls and set Param back half a millennium.


    ¡°Oh. Ooooh.¡±


    The mages had meant to gather mana from the environment, something so common Viv did it with her own purifying monoliths, except¡­ this one was too aggressive and non-discriminatory. Once started, the ritual would snowball until¡­ yes, a cascading effect. A self-sustained explosion until the power gathered couldn¡¯t outpace the energy loss caused by the square of the distance from the epicenter. Essentially, the ritual had drained its attendants of all mana including life mana, then used that energy to reach farther, killing more, then farther, killing more again, until the distance was so vast that the ritual could no longer sustain itself. But¡­ if she was reading this right the energies should have still been connected. And there were fail-safes there, there and¡­ there? It meant that¡­


    Viv¡¯s head swam. She took a step back. Her knees hurt where she had been muttering on the ground, her fingers tracing the corroded lines.


    The ritual had reached its maximum range. What should have been a gentle pull over time had turned into an explosion. The collected energy was absolutely massive. Ridiculous. It eclipsed even the capabilities of the gods themselves in that brief moment. The spell existed on a planetary scale, but that was not the most shocking part.


    Viv¡¯s back hit the wall.


    The ritual that led to the death of the empire. It succeeded.


    And the result was there, buried under rubbles protected by a mass of necrarchs.


    It had to be.


    She would have to return.


    She needed to return.


    Whoever controlled it, would control the continent. But not yet. Not yet. She had to find a way to use it first.


    Her mind returned to Helock, to the floating form of the Chalice where Abenezigel had turned her part-elemental. It turned to the yries and their latest creations.


    ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    Viv ran back.


    ***


    Three days later.


    The night had set on Kazar and the town hall¡¯s courthouse was the scene of a desperate struggle. Abenezigel, previously a lich and now quite alive, thank you very much, gently pushed on the shoulders of the short mage facing him.


    ¡°This is perhaps a little¡­ my dear, you are¡­¡±


    The mage pushed her hips against his thigh. She was so warm. His callous fingers slid over the softness of her skin, then down, guided by her own hand, to the swell of her breasts. He inhaled the scent of soap and flowers, of her own scent. He gasped, fighting his arousal and losing badly.


    ¡°I still have reports to read. My duty¡­ rise to the occasion.¡±


    Her hand darted to his erection. He hissed when she grabbed it, stopped moving. Her delicate fingers traveled up with deceptive slowness and he did not dare move. Her touch was very gentle.


    ¡°Something is rising indeed?¡±


    He looked down. His strong hands traveled down her arms. She had this smile, teeth biting plump lips, the eyes half-lidded. Flushed skin. This was the sex face. He was going to have sex. Really good sex.


    Something stomped on the ground outside of his window.


    In an instant, Abe grabbed the woman and pushed her behind him. She yelped in delight, then in surprise. Something massive opened their shutters from the outside.


    A metal head as large as the window itself leaned in. Two green eyes looked into his crimson own.


    //GOOD EVENING.


    //MY NAME IS THEMIS.


    //I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT GOVERNING ETHICS.


    ¡°I assure you, we are both consenting adults and this is, technically, long after office hours.¡±


    The situation turned into a stalemate for a few seconds while the golem processed this piece of information.


    //WHAT?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ***


    Yries screeches rose to a crescendo inside of the ¡®special zone¡¯.


    //I am telling you, there is no need for anger.


    //Your solution is simply inefficient.


    More screeches.


    //Look, wasps are an interesting vector because they are alive.


    //However, the supply is limited and difficult to maintain, and long to replenish.


    //You need an alternative.


    //For increased reserves.


    Lak-Nak threw his long arms up, though his anger had abated, and now only resignation marred his owlish features.


    //Indeed, but it is a mistake to rely too heavily on mana-based solutions.


    More screeches, this time inquisitive instead.


    //Chemical solutions.


    //Flammable resin, sulfur, bitumen.


    //A mix of those.


    //Carried via pots, or delivered via pressurized nozzles.


    The yries caressed his chin.


    //Yes, I know how to make that, though we would conduct testing.


    //I am only familiar with the theory.


    ¡°Screeeee.¡±


    //I knew we would reach an agreement.


    //My name is Eris.


    //I hope we can work together.


    ¡°Screee.¡±


    //No, I am unaffected by psychotropic substances.


    //Thank you for offering, nonetheless.


    ***


    ¡°I am sorry, are you perhaps related to Solfis?¡±


    //Yes, sir knight.


    //We only just arrived.


    ¡°And you are¡­ carving?¡±


    //Yes.


    //I wish to learn how to sculpt those roses.


    ¡°I see. You¡­ pretty amazing! The cut is almost invisible!¡±


    //I am very precise.


    //Inspiration, vision, and originality will be¡­ difficult to develop.


    //But I will endeavor to do my best.


    ¡°Roses are good but can you also do more complex forms? Like, say, the naked human body.¡±


    //Of course.


    //Although I will face the same difficulties.


    ¡°Milady, I myself am flush with inspiration, yet poor in skill. Could we perhaps cooperate at first?¡±


    //That would be agreeable.


    ¡°Then let me get my sketchbook. I shall return soon. Do not move!¡±


    //Not to worry, I will use this opportunity to study the works already present.


    It took Thalia less than three seconds to study them all, then compare them to her database. There was much to say about the realistic style reminiscent of the late Chirian period of the Imperial School of Fine Arts, however one detail stuck out.


    //They certainly seem to dislike clothes.


    ***


    The child watched the massive golem plant the stone slab near the field where his father grew cereals. It was a rather large slab. It made a loud thump when it hit the ground, and then there was dust for a while.


    After that, the golem carved the stone with a sharp claw. It was working very fast, but when the child looked, it turned out those were letters and they were pretty small.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    //BUILDING A LIBRARY.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not a book?¡±


    //A SLAB IS A BOOK THAT DOES NOT FEAR TIME, FIRE, OR BLACK MANA.


    ¡°Takes a lot of space though.¡±


    //THERE IS A LOT OF SPACE HERE.


    //AND I HAVE A LOT OF TIME.


    //I AM CLIO.


    //DO YOU NOT ALSO WISH TO HAVE A BOOK HERE?


    ¡°I can¡¯t read, is all.¡±


    //WELL.


    //I WILL BE HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.


    //DO YOU WISH FOR ME TO TEACH YOU?


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    //EXCELLENT.


    ***


    //I AM ARES.


    //LET US SPAR.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Solar said.


    ¡°No,¡± his wife Wamiri said.


    ¡°No,¡± Solar said.


    //I KNOW EVERY MARTIAL SCHOOL THE EMPIRE EVER USED.


    //INCLUDING SPEAR ARTS.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Wamiri said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Solar said.


    ***


    The smith grabbed for his hammer, knowing full well it would be useless. The creature standing near his smelter had to be three times as tall as he was. If it was an undead, somehow, he was already dead.


    The being turned, showing red eyes on a steel mask.


    Not an undead, then. Golem. A strange one.


    It waved a large ingot under his nose.


    //This piece of raw material is not uniformly ductile across its length.


    //Why would you work with such an inferior product?


    ¡°I, errr.¡±


    The smith¡¯s apprentice popped his head out of the barracks. Perfect timing.


    ¡°Hey kid, did the lass not pass by a couple days ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss. Turning monoliths into charging stations for the golems, I think?¡±


    ¡°Right. Go get me my horse.¡±


    //This forge is so rudimentary.


    //Are those really molds?


    //We have a lot of work to do.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°Look, owl folks poking at my stuff and hadals stealing daggers for fun is a thing, but I won¡¯t be made fun of in my own damn workshop in the middle of the night by an overgrown steel toddler. Enough is enough!¡±


    //I am merely looking for a suitable place to reforge the Imperial Crown of Harrak.


    //And set up a golem workshop.


    //My name is Vulcan.


    //My intent was not to insult.


    ¡°Nevermind kid, go back to bed. Now what was this about a crown?¡±


    //We will need a facility capable of processing silverite.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab my notebook.¡±


    ***

 Chapter 177: South

    It was year five after Viv had been unleashed upon Nyil, the spring after the golem recovery, and New Harrak remained blessedly unfucked with. This was extremely suspicious and made Viv nervous as hell. Rather than waiting for trouble to come to her, as it inevitably would, she decided to go look for it instead, and her next destination was already decided.


    It was time to see if there was anything left alive of the old empire. And maybe, if Solfis¡¯ information was correct, recover a few ships as well.


    There was just the question of legitimacy but she was confident they would find an arrangement.


    But before that, she would look around her empire one last time and make sure everything was going well. It would be a pain in the ass to recall the expedition before the next calamity hit the empire mid trip.


    She nodded to herself and stood up in her study, ready to track the slightest hint of impending doom. Nothing would stop her. She valiantly grabbed her door¡¯s handle, and it, of course, broke under her fingers.


    ¡°Nous dammit.¡±


    ***


    Deep inside the forest near Kazar hid a series of camps dedicated to training. Busy parents sent their children there for outdoor practice but mostly to get them out of their hair without having to pay for food. Those camps had become a necessity because the increasing number of twerps meant the Kazaran outskirts were picked clean of anything edible in days, and also because the children had achieved what many kingdoms believed to be utterly impossible.


    They had hunted beastlings to extinction. New extermination grounds had to be sought.


    ¡°How many is it now?¡± Viv asked Zero-Five.


    The axe-wielding Hadal shrugged, the movement only a ripple underneath his black armor. A mask covered his face except for the eyes, so it was even harder than usual to guess his reactions.


    ¡°Item thirty-seven,¡± he finally rumbled.


    ¡°Alrighty then. Add item, ugh, I can¡¯t believe I have to do this. Add item thirty-eight: though the use of fire wasps is permitted, it is forbidden to shove an entire live beastling inside a fire wasp hive to, and I quote, ¡®see what would happen¡¯.¡±


    She watched the charred remnant of an entire section of forest. It had not fully regrown yet, which showed how absolutely devastating the blaze had been. The earth was baked, cracked and solid. Completely dry. Even the roots underneath were charcoal by then.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not mad, right? It is quite obvious what would happen?¡±


    The tall Hadal kept his peace. Only the yellow iris of his eyes peeked from behind the mask. He whispered his answer with cold detachment.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    And this was the moment Viv finally realized what was missing.


    ¡°You know what I really need, what every evil empire has? A yes-man. Someone who follows me everywhere muttering ¡®yes your munificence¡¯ and ¡®your intellect is a light in the darkness of this world¡¯ and ¡®they are not fit to clean the soles of your stylish and fashionable moccasins, milady¡¯ and so on. I am spending my days wrangling hyper-competent egotistical assholes expecting some form of validation while all they want is for me to solve their shit and then get out of the way. That¡¯s it. I need a minion.¡±


    Zero-Five considered her in silence for a few seconds, then he extended both hands and closed them to form small tubes pointed towards her ¡ª the Enorian symbol of approbation.


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    ¡°Aw. Thanks, Zero-Five, you are a dear. Now, shall we attend to the wounded?¡±


    ¡°Burn scar tissue.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that. They¡¯d better have magical biomass and gags prepared because I¡¯m out of patience.¡±


    The pair returned to the children''s encampment, where most of the little menaces were learning about herbs and whatnot. The burnt ones were learning first hand.


    ¡°Wait. Why didn¡¯t you Hadals stop it. Your guards must have seen it, right?¡± Viv asked, suddenly suspicious.


    ¡°We were curious. We thought it would be funny.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ***


    Cool and quiet defined the insides of the Golden Scale bank. Cool from the stone, for there were no windows and the blue light came from candelabras shining with supernatural intensity. Quiet for the reverence and professionalism which the mistress¡¯ minions displayed in the hallowed presence of their visitor, the empress, and also the boss¡¯ mom. Sandaled feet shuffled, feathers scratched paper, and the susurrus of conversation was kept to a minimum. Viv made her way at a leisurely pace to let her daughter finish what she was doing ¡ª no one entered without her being aware of it anyway. At the end of a large room filled with desks lay the entrance to the office of ¡®She-Who-Feasts-on-many-and-collects-much¡¯. To the right, and visible from the waiting room, hung a panel of simple make inscribed with Harrak¡¯s squarish alphabet. It was a warning.


    ¡®Contract compliance enforced by dragonfire.¡¯


    And below:


    ¡®Dragonfire count: 3¡¯


    And, again, below:


    ¡°Don¡¯t be number 4.¡±


    It was rather blunt. There were no guards here since, on Nyil, they were tasked with defense and not stopping people from killing themselves. She still knocked because it was important to respect boundaries, especially with teenagers. Or so she believed.


    Come in.


    Viv pushed the door open onto a well-lit grotto. The rock roof above rose to form a natural cave, well-lit with various enchantments. There were no decorations. Instead, Arthur had carved the walls with complex patterns that caught the eye briefly before they seemed to disappear. The mistress of the place currently reclined behind a massive desk matching her proportions, small bells hanging from her horns clinking delicately as she moved. The light chime came with the gurgle of water from a corner fountain that kept the room cool. Arthur lifted a clawed finger and her book, the current object of her attention, moved by itself, flipping a few pages before resting again. Her crimson eyes found Viv¡¯s own.


    Third default this month.


    All within expected parameters.


    Crops from faraway places that do not take.


    ¡°We should make a list of stuff that doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    Difficult.


    Highly reliant on laborer expertise and preparation.


    I will offer warnings.


    Sparring time?


    ¡°Tonight. First I wanted to talk a bit about how you¡¯re doing since I¡¯ll be leaving for a while. Any impending doom I should be aware of?¡±


    All is well.


    Arthur reached for her neck, where the wallet Viv had made for her waited on a leather necklace. It was¡­ larger than she remembered. Weird that she¡¯d made an artifact like that but¡­ she wasn¡¯t displeased.


    There is none.


    ¡°That¡¯s just weird. Nobody has anything special to report.¡±


    The dragon placed a small pile of silver talents on a nearby plate, then she reached for a bell and, once again, made it ring without touching it. A feather flew through the air before dipping in ink. It wrote on a note with speed, and then, a flourish. Arthur was showing off.


    ¡°Great control on that Telekinesis.¡±


    I need more items to match my size.


    My only concern is what you called sunk cost fallacy.


    It appears I am a victim of it as well.


    I have forced myself to calculate project viability again instead of giving more funds and help to failing businesses.


    I suspect I simply hate losing.


    ¡°Understandable. You seem to have done well so far anyway.¡±


    An armed man entered the room. He bowed a bit rigidly once he spotted Viv, then picked the plate of money with some ceremony.


    I am done for now.


    I would be willing to spar immediately.


    ¡°You just want to unwind with a good fight, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°Then sure. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    Above the skies of New Harrak, two figures flew in a deadly dance. Spells flew as they chased each other. Short range teleportation made the fight absolutely confusing from the ground as spells chased shadows or surged through the air, impacting a shield as the target appeared. The two shapes flew north for a little while, then closer to the ground until the earth itself answered the dragon¡¯s call.


    I AM THE WILL OF THE WORLD.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to intimidate me easily.¡±


    THEN FACE THE FIRE OF THE DRAGON.


    Viv dodged to the side and smirked, then she fed more mana to her new harness and accelerated after her daughter.


    ***


    Abenezigel¡¯s voice was gentle and kind. Patient. It made the experience even worse because Viv could feel how genuine he was. She couldn¡¯t possibly be an ass about the whole experience.


    ¡°The greatest test of justice comes not from corruption, or mistakes, or from emotional judgment. Those are failures of the individual. Failures of the individual must be expected, for we cannot be perfect, and we cannot always agree on what is fair. What is just. As long as we all agree that Justice is an ideal to strive forward, then I am content. No, the greatest test of justice comes from the sovereign.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The laborers listened with rapt attention. Their early fear evaporated before the ex-lich¡¯s impressive eloquence, an ability that was much more effective because he truly believed in his own words. Viv felt the fire of his conviction brush against her skin. She wasn¡¯t sure how justice related to Enttiku ¡ª she suspected it was more of a personal passion ¡ª but the goddess kept him alive and he hunted the undead with ferocity so¡­ whatever.


    ¡°The most dangerous, challenging test from the one in command, the one whose words carry such weight that they can do away with justice entirely. Whether they intend it or not, they decide the purpose of the justice system. They decide what our justice is for, and they have two paths.¡±


    Abe extended his arms in a grand gesture.


    ¡°They can take the easy one, the imperial highway paved with all the power and stability in the world. It is a comfortable way and one they know. It consists in treating Justice as a tool of rulership. Name allies as judges, make sure your allies are satisfied with rulings, and your land will prosper. It will prosper because the ruler¡¯s power is secure. That is a lie, an illusion and a barrier on the path to greatness. The road will collapse at the first hint of revolt because no one will go to the judges for justice. They will take matters into their own hands.¡±


    A few people nodded, though Viv wasn¡¯t actually sure they¡¯d gotten all that.


    ¡°But instead of taking control of Justice, the ruler can instead let it go. They can take the high path. It is harder, steeper, and fraught with frustration. It is a difficult path that sets them on equal footing with the people, and that is dangerous in itself. But if they do that, then they have placed Justice above their own interest. Justice is no longer a tool of domination in the hands of the ruler. In that moment, the ruler has placed the state above themselves. The empire above themselves. In that moment, we serve ideals instead of people. We are united in one purpose with the certainty that, no matter what, we can give everything to Harrak because Harrak will give everything to us. For Harrak!¡±


    ¡°For Harrak!¡±


    ¡°But we need proof from the ruler. Viv, if you please?¡±


    Viv sighed and removed her purse from a chest pocket. She counted two gold talents, a little bit more than what was needed.


    The peasant on whose land they were now standing waited at a distance, their expression a mask of shock and terror. He bowed deeply when it became clear Viv was making her way to him, her feet lifting ashy dust with every step. She stopped and addressed him in a voice that showed she wasn¡¯t sore about it or anything.


    ¡°Due to the destruction of your field by dragon fire following a training session, the crown acknowledges that you deserve compensation and accepts responsibility in this incident. As such, I award you the sum of two gold talents, the value of a full harvest and some in compensation for the¡­ fear experienced. It should be enough to get you started before next year, and I will be staying a little while to make sure there are no lingering embers hidden under the ash.¡±


    The empress looked south, where her daughter had conveniently escaped.


    ¡°You just fucking wait.¡±


    ***


    A complex was emerging around Efestar¡¯s statue. It was a large endeavor and one that would take a long time to finish. In full view of the walls of Sinur¡¯s Gate, the complex nonetheless kept its secrets with high walls hiding many buildings, barracks, and small zen gardens that were richer in strange stone than in actual greenery. Viv didn¡¯t know where the newly made clergy of Efestar, God of Redemption, Retribution, and Second Chances, had found so many volcanic rocks and she wasn¡¯t exactly eager to ask. The place was secretive enough as it was.


    It turned out that there was a price to redeeming oneself. Efestar asked of its new followers both isolation and dedication, cutting off their old lives while they repented and worked on themselves. There were no bishops yet, but the priests still whispered in hushed tones of life-changing revelations, meditation and harrowing experiences facing the weight of their sins.


    Viv was giving all of this the benefit of the doubt. A god¡¯s mantle couldn¡¯t be a lie, so she just let them find their paths. Some of the stuff she¡¯d heard reminded her of indoctrination and mind-control but perhaps it was necessary for some people? She wasn''t sure. All she knew was that none of the addicts and career criminals who had willingly gone in had left yet, and that they were at the very least still alive.


    She found Lorn standing at the gate. Neriad¡¯s servant was clearly acting as a guard in full regalia, his counterpart a mousy woman with a crossbow and a guarded expression, carrying the symbol of Efestar: a hand grasping upward.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here,¡± Viv said in lieu of greetings.


    ¡°Some people in town were looking for revenge. Abenezigel has decided to talk to them, but I am here in case some of them choose the path of violence instead.¡±


    ¡°Not what I meant. More¡­¡±


    ¡°The fact that I am protecting some of the worst humanity has to offer?¡±


    The crossbow woman flinched, but she didn¡¯t object.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that Sahey. You know what I meant,¡± Lorn half chided, half apologized. ¡°And, well, it relates¡­ to Farren.¡±


    Viv waited to see if he wanted to continue. He did.


    ¡°He was right in the end. A bit too early and we lost him for it but¡­ he was right.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be more angry. You seemed angry.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking the piss?¡± Lorn suddenly said, and Viv immediately shook her head.


    ¡°No, Lorn, I am not taking the piss.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. Ugh. Well, I was angry, and still am. I was also grieving. It took me a while to realize that. Koro has been of great help. She is very proficient at expressing her emotions and naming them. What Farren wanted was a better world, one where genuine regret can lead to genuine redemption. Many people are facing great burdens that either life or their own poor decisions have placed on their shoulders. I will defend their right to receive help. And I will always support the retribution aspect of the new god. Some of the new Hadal followers and I have already hunted those who thought they had escaped the grasp of the law.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how some of the mantle overlaps.¡±


    ¡°If you are referring to the attributes of the gods then yes, they overlap. The two gods are still brothers in arms. I hope that one day, they will face the darkness together as equals. Until then, I am willing to lend a hand.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I admire you for it.¡±


    ¡°You are not a very forgiving person, Viviane of Harrak. On the other hand, those you killed never expressed remorse, so I suppose I cannot hold it against you.¡±


    ***


    Viv remembered one of the concepts her online friend Gevaudan had mentioned. It was the idea of balance. Balance was a mechanism that made several choices viable and fun in any sort of game. His greatest source of entertainment was finding a way to break it. Viv thought this applied here. In any balanced system, the number of available portals would be limited so there would be some sort of arbitration. Does she choose to keep the path east open for trade? Or the path north into the deadlands so her army can loot it and try their teeth on the undead? Here, she didn¡¯t have to choose. The portals didn¡¯t have to be constantly powered, so mana wasn¡¯t an issue, and as far as glyph coordinates went, she had a perfect memory. She could install a thousand portals and remember each active pair with unerring accuracy.


    It was great when the world bullshitted in your favor, she thought.


    The expedition to search for remnants of the old empire started south of Kazar, at the end of the old fertile strip where one of the temples of Neriad¡¯s old fortress still stood ¡ª though now it was unmanned. Directly south of there, the forest was no longer quite the Deadlands. Its magic fizzled, keeping space stable and vegetation growth at a reasonable rate. For this endeavor, Viv brought a squad of scouts led by Zero-Five, one of the few Hadals who really enjoyed fighting, a group of Kark fighters led by Marruk who absolutely begged to get away from her duty as the local Kark leader, and helpers with beasts of burden so she wouldn¡¯t have to sleep under the rain. She didn¡¯t expect much to happen until they reached the surviving Old Harrakans, so they traveled light.


    It was now the beginning of spring and the woods were filled with burgeoning life, fucking life, and things killing each other. The scent of sap and living things provided a nice change after too much time spent either in the deadlands or in the more crowded and developing spots of Viv¡¯s budding nation. Latrines didn¡¯t smell nice. It was also a pleasant break from people expecting stuff from her. There was only the contemplative walk, the rare encounter with a crazed predator and their subsequent cooking in the cool air beyond the mountains. Mushrooms provided some nice variety, after they were checked, and they sometimes came across edible roots. Sadly, berries were not yet in season, but her rations had permon slices.


    ¡°Do you think we will find something?¡± Marruk finally asked her one morning, shortly after one of her sentries bellowed there was nothing to report.


    ¡°Yes. Solfis confirmed the armor is of recent make, but of an old technique. Our only concern is the quality. It¡¯s¡­ subpar. Wouldn¡¯t match Harrakan standards. They may have lost some of their techniques over the years, but the main interrogation is the political situation. The death of the old empire must have been an extremely traumatic event. The south lands were not well-connected to the rest of the empire but it still needed a lot of supplies, so they would have had to adapt.¡±


    ¡°A shame that Solfis cannot join then.¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. He¡¯s no longer mobile. We knew it would come to this. There are charging stations across the land but a stroll like this one cannot be achieved without a dedicated carriage and those need special roads.¡±


    ¡°He can still join us at the end. When we have arrived.¡±


    ¡°I think he will want to, but let¡¯s hold back for now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Marruk asked with a deep frown.


    ¡°Because he is a massive war machine with an attitude.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she replied. ¡°Oooooh. I only see him as Solfis.¡±


    ¡°You have known him for a while. Just remember what he does to people he doesn¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°I have seen the head collection.¡±


    They both shuddered.


    ¡°Anyway, more planning?¡±


    ***


    There was one more reason why Marruk had joined. Viv would participate in the Glastian wall purge very soon, but after that she would both help Marruk and even the score with the Pure League. The two were still at the brainstorming part, however. What Viv wanted was a permanent solution.


    ¡°Will Enoria allow your army to go through?¡±


    ¡°Maybe but¡­ the supply chain will definitely get attacked. The Pure League has more than enough operatives to destroy several caravans and, although Enoria is allied with us, its lords will not favor us fighting in support of non-humans. No, I have¡­ another idea. But even then, if we are here, we can only campaign for a while. The Kark should have the tools to win by themselves.¡±


    ¡°I know guerilla,¡± Marruk replied.


    And she did, to an extent.


    The two remained quiet for a while. This was an old topic they never really agreed on. Marruk insisted that she could change things but her attempts to organize and reform her band of young traveling males had hit a roadblock: subterfuge was utterly alien to Kark culture and they fought her off every step of the way. This made Viv¡¯s usual approach of getting the right weapon for the job difficult. For the first time in a while, she didn¡¯t know how to approach the problem.


    ¡°We might need to go there and assess. Usually, I try to have a solution to a problem before I show up but this time we might have to improvise, and more importantly, your tribe may have ideas.¡±


    Marruk grunted. It was clear her hangups had only grown in the recent years since helping other exiles like herself. Viv wasn¡¯t sure, but she believed the Kark might have a harder time adapting to new circumstances than humans did. That didn¡¯t mean they deserved to be ethnically cleansed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure out something.¡±


    The worst thing was, Old Harrak and the Kark steppes had a common border far to the north, though they were separated by mountains. The Old Empire deemed that the steppes had no resources worth fighting the Kark over. It was funny how that had turned out to be true, now that the Pure League got to experience a dust bowl.


    They continued in silence. Viv just enjoyed the moment, step by step. Everyone¡¯s physical stats meant that walking at a brisk speed was barely an exercise, even through the heavily forested terrain, and the temperature was just perfect. A part of her wanted to just fly off and set up portals as fast as possible but this wasn¡¯t the deadlands. There were perhaps things to explore and, more importantly, she was destructive but not invincible. It would be stupid to kill necrarchs and then get sniped off by some weird wasp species that shot darts or something. For once, she was not in a hurry. The Glastian gathering wouldn¡¯t be until a little later that year.


    The first sign of civilization came from a tower, standing apparently randomly in the middle of a clearing. The Harrakans approached it with caution but the lack of danger or mana confirmed this was indeed just a wreck. It took a little while for Viv to realize what was happening.


    ¡°The green mana has returned to normal forest levels.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Marruk asked.


    ¡°We are out of the Deadshield Woods. This is an old guard tower for the old Imperial way. There should be a tunnel entrance north of here, back towards the Harrakan heartlands.¡±


    A quick search found the overgrown remnants of an ancient stone road. They decided to follow it since it would be the optimal path towards whatever was left of the old empire.


    ¡°Solfis said this way was seldom used. Merchants much preferred to reach the southern islands by sea. It was quicker and safer.¡±


    ¡°But we have no ships now,¡± Irao said.


    Viv blinked. She just now remembered he was around.


    ¡°Yes. The forest seems healthy and the trees are old though, so there is a good chance this place escaped the cataclysm.¡±


    ¡°Beastlings,¡± a Hadal scout reported.


    Everyone turned to Viv.


    ¡°I mean, why not?¡±


    ***


    There was no battle. The beastling horde was small with a single shaman, and their only surviving beast appeared wounded. It had been a very long time since Viv accompanied Varska and the Kazaran militia against a horde. Now, they were just a formality. She opened on them from the air and then the rest of the escort swept in to finish off the stragglers. After they were done, Viv landed by the dead shaman to check his gear.


    ¡°Hmmm, I thought you were easily disgusted,¡± Marruk remarked as she approached, mace still dripping with brain matter.


    ¡°Just making sure¡­ ah, here it is.¡±


    The shaman had a piece of gray cloth tied around his neck. It was filthy and disgusting, but that was all she needed.


    ¡°Human craft. It¡¯s unlikely to have come from the Kazaran outskirts due to the distance.¡±


    ¡°You believe the beastling found it on a human¡­ to the west?¡±


    ¡°Possibly. We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I also find it strange the stench of undeath does not bother you, but people eating with their mouths open does.¡±


    ¡°One, it¡¯s the sounds. They just rub me the wrong way. Two, I kill the undead for their transgression.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ***


    Rather than building a portal every evening, Viv set them up at the maximum, most efficient distance which would reduce the mana expenditure for long trips. Since she and Hadals didn¡¯t need to sleep as much as the others, they spent parts of their evening training. That training mostly consisted in Viv trying to survive not being tagged all while using only colorless mana to defend herself. Those masked fuckers were a vicious lot. She had never been happier to have them on her side, and they were also amazing at catching her with her pants down, metaphorically, when she thought she¡¯d gotten away. Paradoxically, Zero-Five struggled more despite being the strongest due to his in-your-face style that really didn¡¯t work against Viv.


    He kept sticking leaves in her hood as revenge. Every time she put it down, it took a minute to get them out of her hair.


    After two weeks on the trail, the forest opened around the buried road. They came across more deserted towers and other abandoned facilities clearly made for travelers. A little later, they came across their first town.


    It appeared deserted, and in poor repair. Viv recognized the brutalist architecture of Old Harrak, but there were also additions made of a mix of thick logs and low stone walls, fitting for the cold winter down here. The gates were open, one of them hanging miserably from a rusted hinge. More importantly, mana was behaving erratically here.


    ¡°Do you feel it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I smell it,¡± Zero-Five replied.


    The Kark split into a half-circle with the Hadals disappearing. Soon, the stench of rotten meat became overwhelming. Something shuffled among the derelict buildings. They heard a pained gurgle.


    A cancerous mass of flesh and tentacles erupted out of the doors with a ghastly scream. It was strangely humanoid except for the back which was a mess of appendages, spikes, and other revolting growth. Viv reacted immediately.


    ¡°Excalibur.¡±


    With the range extended to a few meters, she sliced the creature¡¯s feet off which barely slowed it down. Marruk received the charge on her shield and slammed the beast back, then the Kark struck together. The wounded aberrant collapsed against the wall. The Hadals emerged from shadows before it could right itself and planted their blades in its bulbous flesh. Viv knew for certain the thing had no organs, and yet thick arterial sprays erupted when the blades withdrew. The creature died a few seconds later.


    She had stopped herself from vaporizing the thing because the others clearly needed some mid-travel entertainment but¡­ so many elites together against a weak aberrant certainly made the fight trivial. She shrugged. Gaining experience was all well and good but she could use some more trivially easy battles from time to time.


    By her side, Marruk frowned.


    ¡°We need to burn¡ª¡±


    Viv disintegrated the thing down to the blood it had shed, then she did the legs as well.


    ¡°¡ª it. Or I guess that works as well.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s check the city.¡±


    ¡°We go first,¡± Zero-Five said in a voice that brooked no argument.


    The town was abandoned, but a cursory search revealed it had been done peacefully. Most of the furniture was missing along with any coin or valuables. They found only one house intact in a corner, filled to the brim with broken things. The damage hinted that the person living there might have been the one to go aberrant.


    ¡°Peaceful evacuation means survivors, hopefully? Maybe they left when trade died out?¡± Marruk asked.


    ¡°Yes, though we will get our answers sooner rather than later.¡±


    The journey continued, the mood just as good as before. Those were people who¡¯d seen death too many times to let an aberrant ruin their mood though Viv¡¯s appetite was shot for a day. Those were really nasty beings.


    Three days later, the group stopped at the edge of the woods. The ground lowered onto a vast plain of rolling green hills peppered with small copses. In the distance, smoke rose to the horizon, coming from the charred remains of a village a few kilometers away. Viv used a farview spell to have a clearer look.


    Basic buildings, the kind built without skill but with patience. They were burnt to a crisp, completely demolished. Nothing moved. Not even carrion birds. It was recent too.


    ¡°By the Ancestors,¡± Marruk said.


    The group moved forward, keeping their eyes open for danger. Whoever had done this might still be around and more importantly, they were without mercy. Viv remembered Anelton, the border town in Enoria, after Elix had been done with it. It paled compared to the level of destruction seen here. Whoever had destroyed the village had been very systematic. She had to learn more.


    She had not expected danger.


    And then, something itched at the back of her neck. She recognized the sensation immediately. It was danger sense.


    ¡°Wait, something is ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is Arthur supposed to be here?¡± Zero-Five asked.


    Viv looked up to the blue sky and cotton clouds, to a distant yet familiar seek shape. The sun reflecting on shiny white scales, the crimson glow of malevolent eyes. Wings, longer than the main body.


    The dragon roared. It was a lower pitch.


    More muscular. Larger. Significantly larger. Around Viv, mana twitched in a way she recognized, as if the world itself became a weapon in the hand of her enemy. Every hue shivered when the creature pulled power to itself. It grew larger in her normal and mana sight, a tiny, multicolored sun contained in a package of fangs and claws.


    The dragon dove.


    ¡°Spread out,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Spread out. That¡¯s not Arthur. That¡¯s her brother.¡±

 Chapter 178: Weight of the Past

    Viv stood her ground while the rest of the fighters scattered, and the camp attendants scrambled back to the cover of the forest. Her defiance triggered something in the diving dragon. His attention zeroed on her.


    It was so¡­ feral.


    She felt it like a physical weight pushing down on her, attempting to crush her before she could even fight. Her leadership and intimidation rose in response. They spoke of her soul, and said she would not fall so easily.


    But she still, for one brief moment, let that fear overwhelm her. She allowed it to take hold of her, forcing a gasping breath from her lungs, flooding her veins with cold terror. She stared at the dragon like one stared at the sun. It was¡­ the stuff of legend. As large as a plane. He had scales for water, fire in his belly, four solid legs for earth, and wings for the air. He was the wrath of the world itself, and it twisted to answer his call. Her breath ran short. The dust rose, ready to betray her, to slip under her soles, revealing the rocks underneath. She would be crushed, molten, burnt, and asphyxiated. This was the end of many stories. This was the kingdom destroyer. The prime antagonist of so many tales. Sometimes, evil incarnate. Viv allowed this terror to fill her and savored it.


    And then, she crushed it.


    ¡°Deadland domain.¡±


    Pure black mana expanded around her in a sphere, cutting off the dragon¡¯s access. Now, the space around her was hers. It existed under her dominion. ¡®Always a chance¡¯ picked up to bolster her attacks. Her magic flared angrily to answer the call of the elemental war caster.


    The dragon slowed down. Viv felt his surprise from the way he moved. She expected him to circle her instead but he kept diving, certain of his victory and uncaring about her status. He really meant to kill her. Mana gathered in an undirected wave to attack her but she blocked it with aegis, none of the hexagonal pieces even breaking. The unfocused mana scattered around her in an undirected assault, melting, burning, breaking, killing vegetation outside of the blighted circle by saturating it with mana. There was so much of it. Viv didn¡¯t have time to think about the others. She had to be ready for the next attempt aaaand here it was.


    The dragon opened his mouth and spat fire.


    An orange sphere expanded in Viv¡¯s eye, spreading to smother her from every direction. It was all above her like an umbrella and it was so. Damn. Bright. Like a second dawn. The orange blaze grew in intensity as it fell and she answered, even as the temperature rose.


    ¡°Nu¨¦e.¡±


    A thick black ball rose to meet the attack with a thud and then it exploded. A thick cloud of black mana expanded upward, a black breath to answer the red. Even as the two collided, sweat already covered Viv¡¯s brow. It was so far and yet so damn hot.


    Around her, embers fell, igniting all that was left of the field. What it touched turned to glass while cries echoed behind her. The forest was catching on fire but Viv was too busy to do anything about it.


    She felt her spell collide with the fire and knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. It was like stopping a flood with a flimsy door. Her advanced stats allowed her to supercharge the spell and so she desperately flooded it with power until her conduits hurt. The cloud darkened, thickened. It was a plume of darkness swallowing fire up like a voracious tongue. Black and red fought for annihilation under the summer sky. Viv¡¯s core pulsed once. The energy increased.


    She had defeated two gods and saved a third. She was no prey. Viv was the Light that Never Dimmed.


    Nu¨¦e became an all encompassing cloud. It devoured everything, even the heat around her. The flames finally petered out.


    The dragon veered off with a roar of outrage, which Viv could only see through the mad inferno thanks to her improved eyes. All around her was soot, saturated mana. An apocalyptic vista of maddened colors, but the dragon could not use that to hide from her eyes. He carelessly exposed his flank, so she took the invitation it offered.


    ¡°Hyperbeam.¡±


    Concentrated annihilation mana raked the dragon¡¯s flank, doing fuck all she could see but that was fine. The hiss of pain confirmed she had done something. The dragon dodged the end of the beam by rolling on itself but it had given her time to prepare for the next step. Except, again, it wasn¡¯t what she expected. Rather than a single massive assault, the dragon pelted her with a flurry of weak, disorganized attacks. The air between them became a torrent of fire and water and rocks, a shimmering hell that would undo lesser casters, but to her, this was nothing. They smashed into her shield. She felt all this aggression press against her defenses and fail. It was¡­ inefficient. Blunt. She countered immediately.


    ¡°Astra swarm.¡±


    Black, whistling spheres raced in graceful arcs towards the circling dragon. He arrogantly flicked an arm and the first sphere was disrupted, or rather, the colorless containment field around the black payload was disrupted.


    The first astra spell exploded, spreading concentrated annihilation mana as if it was flak. The detonation upset the dragon who fled before the rest of the swarm, giving Viv more time to prepare defenses, more time to engrave circles into the earth below her. Out of patience, the dragon climbed then looped down, grabbing the earth with his mind. A tidal wave of soil and stone formed under him in a wave of destruction, uprooting everything in its path. A lone house was instantly obliterated. She turned and attacked him with more beams, scoring glancing blows. Some of the scales darkened.


    ¡°Eldritch walls.¡±


    The dragon was forced to veer off, but the wave was launched, and it made right for Viv. Blighted earth rose in a cliff of grasping limbs. The attack dissipated against her defenses.


    This time, the dragon screeched in anger.


    ¡°Scream all you want. You are just too sloppy,¡± she thought at him in the way Arthur used.


    The dragon flinched. It was confused. That confusion only made it angrier.


    ¡°Vicious little thing,¡± Viv hissed.


    Right. Time to go on the offensive. She had to get him to get closer if she wanted to hurt him seriously. The dragon roared again, peppering her with spells that achieved nothing. Viv was a fortress.


    Fury blinded him. She used the opportunity to infuse a defensive circle around herself. It would last long enough to fit her needs.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer.]


    Viv rose above the earth on abyssal anchors. Her core pulsed again, then more mana flooded her. She had expected it. The ¡®light that never dims¡¯ was making her stronger the longer the fight lasted. There was so much power to play with, her mind could barely handle it all. Again, the temperature plummeted. Around her, fires died out. Even the dragon felt that something was wrong. She was now airborne, a challenge, and yet it didn¡¯t dare approach. That was fine. She would force it.


    Two fingers aimed at his distant shape, she aimed.


    [Sequence: Astra swarm, hyperbeam, hyperbeam.]


    The dragon pulled mana to himself in a disorganized vortex. The swarm of astra spells would have been easy to dodge, but the shield was so large that it caught and detonated them all in a shower of annihilation shrapnel. The hyperbeams burnt the dragon¡¯s side while Viv could maintain them on target, which was rather hard at this distance. She still lacked practice.


    It was enough, however. She had caused pain. An angry aura flooded the region, Viv meeting it with her own. The dragon accelerated with gray mana, first rocketing up and away from her spells, and then down. It clad itself in fire. This time, he was going straight for her.


    Finally.


    Viv didn¡¯t bother attacking him, or even trying to slow him down. She double, triple-checked her spells, and then she waited. The dragon was a meteor roaring towards her, unstoppable. So she wasn¡¯t going to stop it.


    When it was too late to change course, Viv simply shadow walked away to a nearby spot.


    The dragon landed in a cataclysmic explosion that leveled the nearby forest. The shockwave made the blighted land buck under Viv¡¯s feet, but her control leveled it again. The dragon¡¯s roar of triumph turned into a hiss of frustration.


    Shapes moved inside of the cloud. To Viv¡¯s surprise, Marruk smacked the beast in the snout with her huge mace, then retreated behind her massive shield. A tail whip landed upon it with a firm clank and yet, somehow, the Kark still held. Zero-Five¡¯s axe bounced on his flank as it was exposed.


    Those two idiots were going to get themselves killed.


    ¡°You missed,¡± Viv drawled in the most dismissive tone she could. The dragon¡¯s pride, already wounded, sent him into a terrible fury. He charged her. She got a very good view of the knife-sized fangs closing down on her.


    [Aspect of the guardian.]


    The dragon bit her shield, attempting to crush her like a nut. He failed.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The shield turned as black as the void, then immediately exploded outward. Hexagons bit into the flesh of the dragon at point blank range. Blood seeped from a few cracked scales. The roar turned into a whine.


    It was time.


    Viv let the aspect of the guardian fall, right hand forming a claw in front of her. Wounds in the fabric of reality formed each finger.


    This was going to sting.


    ¡°Guillotine.¡±


    Massive void blades slashed at his massive form. She didn¡¯t try to enclose him ¡ª he was too large ¡ª she merely willed him to fall.


    The blades bit deep. Flesh parted, and blood sprayed the savaged soil in a splurt of crimson liquid. The skin of his left wing broke. He screamed. Mana wailed with his agony.


    The scent and sight of blood made Viv blink for a second. It felt so surreal. The dragon was bleeding.


    Arthur¡¯s brother yelped in fear. He took to the sky, gray mana propping his wounded wing. He flew away. Viv let him. She didn¡¯t have a way to corner him and finish the job anyway.


    She stood there, watching the dragon turn into a small dot at surprising speed. The last pieces of flaming rock fell around her like rain. Silence returned to the ravaged field. The colors returned to a normal state, but the land didn¡¯t. Nothing would grow here for seasons.


    Viv shook her shoulders, remembering a quote from earth that she had really enjoyed. Tales and stories were more than true, not because they told that dragons existed, but because they taught dragons could be beaten. She had believed in her own legend, and she had beaten a dragon.


    Funny thing was, Arthur was much harder to stop. For one, she was impossible to pin down.


    Marruk and the Kark ran to her, clearly amazed. Even the Hadals watched the skies with naked disbelief.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Marruk said. ¡°You¡¯ve done it. You¡¯ve beaten a damn dragon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. By the gods, he was fucking stupid, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ***


    It took some time to mop up, not because there was anyone to defeat but because of the fires. Viv was forced to manually walk from one to the other, smothering them with black mana so they would stop burning. At least, most of the trees on fire had been flattened by the shockwave of the dragon¡¯s landing so the blaze hadn¡¯t spread too far.


    Mercifully, no one had died on account of having fled as fast as they possibly could before the more calamitous spells had started flying. Thank the gods for people with brains, Viv thought. Except for Marruk and Zero-Five, bless their hearts. The only difficulty came from the animal handlers. The horses and cornudons were spooked. It took most of the morning to find and calm them all down. While Viv busied herself with dousing fires, she checked her latest notifications.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana Mastery: Intermediate 9


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Getting very close here. This was a powerful archmage tool, a fused skill. It had to lead to insane upgrades.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have covered your troops and fought alone rather than sacrificing them as distractions. They are inspired by your example. Leadership, expert 1.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Leading from the front certainly had its perks.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You may choose an additional effect.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Don¡¯t I get something for defeating a dragon?¡± she asked, not expecting an answer.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Did you slay the dragon, or did you merely chase it away? There is no dragonslayer title for those who let their quarry escape. Defeat the dragon fair and square, and the world will recognize you for the achievement. You may be strong but you have not pushed yourself to your limits in this fight.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv grumbled to herself. She was strong because she¡¯d practiced and fought hard. At the same time, Nous was right. This contest was not done.


    Curious, how feral that dragon was. He certainly had a mean streak. She wondered if he could even be reasoned with. It certainly beat killing him, though Judgment would probably not intervene considering the little twerp had struck the first blow.


    ¡°Alright, let me see those Leadership options.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Imperial authority: your will is carried out by edict and decrees. All the laws and orders you send carry a fragment of your power, making those who listen much more willing to obey.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    That was¡­ extremely powerful for an empress, indeed. And it would be amazing if she led a nation of millions, except that she didn¡¯t and this was mostly useless now. It was very likely a path power, one bound to her decision to be Empress. It was a shame to let it go, but she had no use for something that would only become impactful decades from now if everything went well. She wasn¡¯t the edict kind of person either. She was the ¡®teleport there and scream in faces¡¯ kind of person. There would be no ¡®this could have been an email¡¯ under her mighty rule.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Inspiring leadership: you have proven you care for your people. Upon visiting a place or people, they will enjoy lingering benefits for several days, including a higher motivation, scaling with your understanding of the skill. Your leadership has a calming effect.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    That was pretty good. She was usually hands-off with things so she could just rotate around New Harrak and keep everyone in good spirits even during a crisis. It would also serve in battle. Maybe that would be enough? She checked her third option.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Aura of the Champion: you lead from the front. In the thick of battle or at the head of complex projects, your leadership inspires those around you while you are actively participating. They perform at peak performance. The effect is less on strongly minded individuals unless they fully acknowledge you as their leader.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    This was a more concentrated effect, to an extent, and if she had to be honest, it was perfect for her. She often worked more with small groups of elites, preferring to leave the general management to people who were just good at it like Lady Azar or General Jaratalassi. She hesitated for a moment before picking that option.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I get draconic leadership, if I may ask?¡±


    She offered a ton of mana to Nous to nudge him. It was a polite way to get his attention. She felt it drain away, receiving an annoyed ¡®hmph¡¯ in return.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    First, dragons are not leaders. They are an extremely individualistic species that only gathers for the mating season, rare celebrations, and extremely rare wars. Second, while your intimidating tactics have been incredible, your leadership was only above average. You are more an expert than a commander and your leadership skill options reflect that. You are good at it, just not the best.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It¡­. hurt a little bit but he was right. She was a capable leader. She simply wasn¡¯t the best one around, and that was fine. That skill was still amazing. It would make a great difference.


    And it probably fused with intimidation at higher levels.


    ¡°Alright. Now what?¡±


    ***


    A part of Viv wanted to follow after the dragon, but it wouldn¡¯t just be a distraction from her current goal. It would also be a complete waste of her time. She had absolutely no way of tracking a fast-moving flying target. As such, she moved with her escort towards the still burning ruins of the devastated village, finding something she never expected.


    Survivors.


    Pale and grieving, in clumps or alone, laborers emerged from behind the odd rock or the few standing stone cabins at the edge of growing fields. They watched her come with reverence. A few made religious symbols with their hands as she passed them by. Stooped. Desperate. Deep red marks under their eyes. They were otherwise well-fed and clothed in carefully-made fabric, so not destitute, but they shared the same tragic fatalism she had seen in so many enclaves she had come across. Those were people lacking the elites New Harrak had aplenty, the paths dedicated to killing. They knew they were at the mercy of fate, and fate had come for them with great wings and fire to melt the very stone. Viv stopped in front of one of them who didn¡¯t avert his eyes quick enough.


    ¡°Do you still have a leader alive?¡± she asked in Old Imperial.


    He replied in Harrakan but¡­ weird.


    ¡°You! You glazy the dragon, weh! I cannot believe.¡±


    Ah.


    Three hundred years of isolation.


    A likely contact with southern tribes.


    They were going to develop a sort of creole, of course. That made perfect sense. It was just going to be a huge pain in her ass.


    ¡°You¡¯re almost making me miss quebecois.¡±


    ¡°Kessou?¡±


    ¡°Your leader. Mayor? Alderman? Elder?¡±


    ¡°Oooh, yes. You want clap lips with the Elder!¡±


    That better just mean talking.


    ¡°I will show you.¡±


    Viv followed the man inside of the useless palisade that had served only to keep people in so they would die from asphyxiation faster. A woman by the gate was holding the hand of a dead child, his arm the only thing left unburnt. A surge of anger filled Viv¡¯s heart. Maybe she had been¡­ a bit too lax with her nephew. Maybe she should have tried to kill him. Pluck his wings and let him remember how to hunt properly¡­


    Oh yes, they were not done.


    There was a reason Judgment didn¡¯t intervene with overly aggressive whelps.


    Viv¡¯s entrance left the locals absolutely terrified, not least because she was a war caster with an escort clearly composed of elites in black, high-quality gear. It was nice to see her evil overlady brand was finally paying off. The local Elder proved to be a bereaved man standing next to the smoking husk of his house, holding a younger crying man. The stench of burning meat told Viv all she had to know about the situation. She gave him some time to recover and ordered her escort to help where they could, authorizing them to use their flesh-mending potions. Even though those things were damn expensive. The mood in the village shifted.


    Eventually, the Elder approached her. His clothes were dyed blue, and he wore a few jewels, the only sign of affluence she had seen so far. His long gray beard was charred at the tip.


    ¡°Milady, thank you so much for saving us,¡± he said in perfect imperial.


    ¡°Oh, you speak the language fluently. Excellent. After hearing the others¡­¡±


    ¡°We are good, simple people, milady. My father sent me to the capital for my education, so I could read and express myself in full imperial. We are defenseless, milady. Your help is most generous.¡±


    A bead of sweat dripped down his temples. It was warm here, yet Viv suspected his stress was part of the issue.


    He looked terrified. Her intimidation aura was carefully tucked in her soul and she had even pulled her wings in, so that wasn¡¯t it. To be fair, she hadn¡¯t said she wasn¡¯t here to kill everyone yet.


    ¡°I apologize for the poor welcome,¡± he continued, eager to fill the silence. ¡°My name is Osso. May I ask who you might be? You come from the east¡­ on foot? We thought everyone had died over there!¡±


    ¡°Am I the first to come this way?¡±


    Osso wiped his brow. His replies were quick and eager, his voice halting and a little shaky.


    ¡°Well, there were the folks from Plima when the town was abandoned. Too exposed you see? To the monsters and the raiding tribes. Haha. But no, not from¡­ farther, as you seem to be, milady. Ah, and you speak our language as well! How fortuitous!¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not here to pillage and loot if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. You can relax.¡±


    ¡°Aha, of course milady, thank you very much. We depend on your mercy, though, may I ask who you might be?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I have not introduced myself yet. I am Viviane, empress of New Harrak.¡±


    If Viv hoped this would make the Elder relax, she was solely mistaken.


    ¡°N¡­. new Harrak? Empress? Oh, Maranor¡­ I, uh, I am sure that Emperor Marus will be delighted to¡­ to know that more of us survived, haha. You, ah, you will tell him?¡±


    Emperor Marus?


    Oh, this was going to go to shit in a handbasket. She could already feel it coming. A body needed only one head. Ooooooh yeah that was going to be a big problem.


    ¡°So, you are the empire?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, we are what remains of the disaster, of course, as I was taught in the hallowed halls of the Imperial Academy at Frostway. The, ah, capital. It¡¯s near the sea.¡±


    Viv considered her options. She didn¡¯t have many, really. She needed to meet that Emperor, Marus, sniff each other, and decide if they killed each other, if he would submit, or if the two nations were simply impossible to merge. Because she was going to absorb them if she could.


    ¡°I know you are in the midst of great tragedy, however I require help meeting with your Emperor. We have much to discuss, including the dragon.¡±


    The Elder was positively shaking in his boots by now.


    ¡°I assure you, we are normally better protected from wandering beasts. The dragon is newly come, but I assure you that the Emperor can protect you while you visit our lands.¡±


    Viv frowned. What was he implying?


    ¡°Indeed, we have followed protocols to call upon the Hunters. They will surely arrive soon to chase off the beast for good.¡±


    He gave her a pointed look, the kind that said that there was a hidden message. He was clearly utterly loyal to his nation, but he was¡­ ah, that was it. He was warning Viv that soldiers were coming.


    Now, she wasn¡¯t completely familiar with the power scale on Param, but she doubted any of the hunters had the ability to pick a dragon out of the sky. She would be fine, even if they were hostile.


    It would probably be best to wait for them. Her role was that of a diplomat, for now.


    ¡°Very well. And when can we expect these hunters to arrive?¡±


    ¡°Two to four days, milady. The, ah, the finest hunters will come if a dragon is present.¡±


    ¡°Is this dragon a constant danger then?¡±


    Elder Osso carefully checked if anyone was listening before replying. As far as Viv could tell, the villagers were more concerned with the slaughter of relatives and friends and the destruction of their lives than with spying on them.


    ¡°I have heard rumors. Several villages wiped out over the previous two years, milady. It is.. difficult to ascertain the truth, as we are not to speak of evil without proof. For the common good, of course.¡±


    The specific choice of words sent several alarms blaring in Viv¡¯s mind. She was pretty sure you wanted your people to know about asshole evil flying flamethrowers so people kept a look up, if anything else. This didn¡¯t bode well.


    ¡°And those hunters could escort us to the capital? Frostway? I remember that Frostway was an important harbor before the disaster.¡±


    ¡°Yes! All of the supplies to the southern outposts passed through here. Ships would travel south from the Bitter Sea port all the way down here, purchase food and supplies, then travel to the relevant island, then return loaded with precious metals, or fish, or whatever was profitable at the time. Of course, with the death of¡­ but you are back now, meaning that¡­ oh, what an incredible development. I would be elated to be a witness of history, if only¡­¡±


    He waved around, at the death, at the destruction. In the distance, wails continued.


    ¡°Speaking of, milady, I apologize but¡­ I must look after my people if you will allow it.¡±


    ¡°I will come and assist.¡±


    ¡°Oh, milady, it is obvious that you are a mighty caster. To lower yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°Helping people isn¡¯t lowering oneself. Lead the way.¡±


    Although Viv couldn¡¯t heal anyone, she could still help by using Telekinesis to, for example, remove half-burnt beams from people. The dragon attack had utterly devastated the village. His assault had been indiscriminate. Barns and houses went up in flames without rhyme or reason. VIllagers confirmed that the dragons had carried off all of the cattle he hadn¡¯t simply vaporized over the course of several hours. Thankfully, the fields had been mostly left unburnt so the village wouldn¡¯t starve on top of everything else.


    It pained her to realize how much it helped that¡­ there were less mouths to feed now.


    The New Harrakans set up camp at the edge of the seeded fields, with the Kark being watched with a mix of fear and curiosity. Viv had brought them on purpose. With all the weirdness New Harrak had gathered, it would be useful to know if her potential recruits were as racist as the Pure League. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t appear to be the case.


    As for the Hadals, they kept themselves out of sight, as usual.


    Viv considered sharing the knowledge of portals with her guests but decided otherwise in the end, even if it meant that more people suffered because their healers were out of mana. It was a strategic advantage she was unwilling to disclose before knowing exactly where she stood with ¡®Emperor Marus¡¯.


    A part of her wondered what Solfis would have to say about that.


    Meanwhile, she would keep her cards close to her chest.


    As promised, the hunters arrived two days later, ready for war. The appearance of armed men with large bows spread in a loose formation immediately gave Viv a positive opinion of them. They could have delayed until they were sure the dragon was gone. Instead, the group did not just hurry, they came ready for a fight. Against a dragon. They were courageous.


    Viv stood near the gutted gate next to Elder Osso, the Kark arrayed in formation and the camp people waiting behind with their gear. To meet her first official, well, first one barring the bereaved mayor, she had chosen to get out of her armored robe and into a more official travel dress. She still wore her circlet as a symbol of sovereignty, though a rather understated one. She also sat on a horse because it helped her look down on people even more. So far, she had been on foot to stay with the Kark but sometimes, one had to play up to expectations. Queens and empresses rode. That was just the way it was here.


    The hunters closed formation as soon as it was clear there were no dangers present. Or at least, no feral ones. They wore mismatched armor of metal and leather that looked well-traveled in. Their bows were wood, polished to a sheen and decorated with trinkets she couldn¡¯t identify. They looked like an important part of their path.


    She felt them identify her, and returned the favor.


    [Guardian Hunters, not dangerous, a path dedicated to the elimination of monsters and dangerous foes. Decent melee combatants, expert marksmen.]


    Not dangerous to her. The hunter leader was a tall man with deep brown eyes, the light green skin tone of the Imperials and a thick beard. He didn¡¯t show fear but he was certainly concerned. She felt him twitch, and two hunters detached themselves from the back of the formation, disappearing into the shadows thanks to the help of a black mana skill. It was absolutely pointless against her, of course. Only the best Hadals managed to fool her.


    ¡°Zero-Five, it appears some of our visitors are leaving the fray. Do make sure they return,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°As you command,¡± the wind replied.


    The hunter finally stopped a few paces away from her, his men following him in double ranks and making no secret that they were ogling. The leader¡¯s mouth opened and shut, and now Viv realized she held the advantage.


    This was not a diplomat. In fact, the southern lands probably had a dearth of those, having been isolated for so long.


    She decided to seize the moment.


    ¡°Greetings. I am Viviane, Empress of New Harrak to the northeast. I have come to meet those who would be the heirs of the old empire. Who might you be?¡±


    The hunter¡¯s hesitation turned to shame. He straightened up before saluting in the imperial way, one fist over his heart.


    ¡°I am Cerus, commander of the Guardian Hunters of Harrak. I, you said New Harrak?¡± he asked, composure breaking just as quickly.


    ¡°Yes. We have traveled south since hearing that there might have been survivors from the disaster six hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ we thought¡­ most of the continent was dead? That we were the last, barring some southern¡­ Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am quite sure that the continent survived. I have been there myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. What a¡­.. his majesty must be informed. This is¡­¡±


    High above my paygrade, Viv finished in her head.


    ¡°I am eager to meet this Emperor Marus that the village head mentioned. Since it is morning and we are ready to depart, would you consider guiding us to Frostway? Unless you need rest, naturally.¡±


    ¡°Oh no that is fine. Still, a living nation¡­¡±


    Suspicion twisted his features. He was quite easy to read, and Viv could imagine what was going through his mind right about now. Perhaps she was lying and just attempting to pull a fast one as a member of the southern tribes the Elder had mentioned. Then, his gaze rolled over her gear, her, her escort, and he shook his head. Viv was displaying enough wealth to buy five villages in horses and clothes only.


    ¡°Yes, the Emperor will want to meet you and learn of the world beyond the mountains. Perhaps¡­ this could change everything!¡±


    His eyes shone with excitement. Pity filled Viv¡¯s heart.


    Emperor Marus already knew about the world beyond the mountains, or at least the true leaders did.


    Solfis had mentioned trade. The southern empire sold pieces of armor to distant cities. They could not ignore the state of the continent. Meanwhile, the leader of their monster hunters traveled in old gear, ignorant of the wide world beyond.


    This wasn¡¯t looking too good.


    ¡°Yes, come with us. We should speak to the emperor. I am sure he will demand to hear everything you have to say! Come on, follow me.¡±


    The hunter guardian turned but Viv¡¯s cold, amused voice stopped him.


    ¡°Ah, two more things, before we depart.¡±


    The temperature cooled down. Next to Viv, the Elder retreated slowly to the illusory safety of the gates.


    ¡°First, no one, and I mean absolutely no one, demands things of me.¡±


    Draconic intimidation slowly seeped over the field, not the violent declaration of spread wings but the slow, uncoiling of power to subtly remind everyone of where they stood.


    Viv snapped her fingers. Zero-Five and another Hadal rose from the grass around Cerus¡¯ men even though there wasn¡¯t room there to hide even a child. They pushed the hunters who had concealed themselves forward, blades brushing exposed backs.


    ¡°Second, and though I appreciate your position, I will guarantee my own safety and you will be enjoying my hospitality. Until we reach the safety of the capital, of course.¡±


    The hunter didn¡¯t look pleased at all. He nodded anyway.


    For now, Viv had the advantage.


    The convoy departed almost immediately with the hunters in front. Viv was eager to speak to Cerus, but she noticed Marruk hastening her pace to come to her side.


    ¡°I got a bad feeling about this, Viv.¡±


    ¡°I know. Too many signs of tight control. And we¡¯re coming to flip the table.¡±


    ¡°You are very good at talking. I am sure you will manage to find a way.¡±


    Marruk nodded to herself, fully confident in Viv¡¯s ability to resolve this without a crisis.


    It was adorable how delightfully naive she was.


    ¡°Marruk?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I may be here to flip the table.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ***


    With the road open and the land green, and mercifully devoid of dragons, Viv made good time. This was a nice place though it was rather cold. She could still see the white flanks of Harrak¡¯s circular mountain chain to the north. There ought to be more people. Curiously, they came across plenty of villages but those remained scattered and the people, wary and poor. Even the frugal Mountain People had better clothes than those poor wretches. There were cereals growing in the fields, though, so she didn¡¯t know what was wrong. A question to the camp helpers remedied that.


    ¡°It¡¯s the tools,¡± Derin said.


    She was an old woman, her face tanned and wizened like an old prune. Her eyes were quick and ready, and she had the best grasp on logistics and supply of anybody present.


    ¡°Tools?¡±


    ¡°Watch the people work. They pull stones with their bare hands, those still seeding the place. They have spades and hoes made of wood. Bound together with twine. Shit stuff, easy to break. There¡¯s not enough metal.¡±


    Viv frowned. Maybe they lacked¡­ but no, there was a famous iron mine on a nearby island. Surely, if they had ships, they should be able to¡­ people missing metal would not sell armor. This was getting more and more curious.


    ¡°No iron, no tips for the spears or the arrows. Makes defending villages impossible.¡±


    Derin shrugged. She drew on her pipe, the scent of smoke clinging to her like a cloak.


    ¡°Scattered because of that. Can¡¯t defend, so make many small settlements. Families spread around. When a village gets destroyed, others will pick up the survivors. If a village is too successful, people will leave. It¡¯s like that in western Enoria, close to the Deadshield woods. ¡®cept we had weapons there. Just not enough people who knew how to use ¡¯em.


    ¡°I see. Thanks.¡±


    Derin grunted, then Viv decided it was time to interrogate the good Cerus. His shoulders tensed when she rode to his side and didn¡¯t dismount. This was an interrogation. She was going to be a prick.


    To his credit, his men shifted to form a protective half-circle in front of him, closing rank in an innocent yet meaningful manner. The message was clear. They would jump to his aid in a second. That wouldn¡¯t do shit to help him, of course, but Viv¡¯s esteem for the man went up.


    ¡°So, since we are traveling, I have a few questions for you if you do not mind. I wish to learn about your empire.¡±


    ¡°I would be happy to satisfy your curiosity,¡± Cerus lied.


    ¡°I understand that you have been cut off from the rest of the continent for a very long time. How have you fared?¡±


    ¡°The empire has endured, weh! We boast many villages, much food. We have kept the technologies of the empire alive. Frostway holds the Imperial Smelting and Smithing Workshop, which provides tools and weapons for our workers and our strong military!¡±


    He sounded quite proud.


    ¡°A strong military?¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Thousands of militiamen, ready to lay their lives for the nation. Dozens of well-trained mages. And the legion. At least eight hundred men are ready at any time.¡±


    ¡°Well-trained mages?¡±


    ¡°By the Imperial School in Frostway, a beacon of knowledge in a ruined world. They are capable of incredible feats of magic.¡±


    It was almost too easy. He was just spilling everything. Viv would have more problems getting a financial statement out of Arthur¡¯s minions and some were half his age.


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re really proud of your nation. How many cities survived?¡±


    ¡°Three great cities stood tall after the cataclysm,¡± Cerus recited. ¡°Over the years, we have spread and we are now¡­ a great many. ¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Viv replied.


    He didn¡¯t know how to count. For sure. That was fine. There was more to learn.


    ¡°May I ask you something in return?¡± Cerus hazarded, and he suddenly sounded quite sheepish.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Viv replied with a smile.


    This would help her establish a rapport.


    ¡°Your eyes, they are quite strange¡­ I mean no disrespect but are you human?¡±


    Viv smiled to show she wasn¡¯t offended.


    ¡°When a caster like myself reaches a high level of attunement, they must become part elemental. That is what I am. No longer fully human.¡±


    It was abundantly clear he had no idea what she was talking about.


    ¡°I see. And that makes you stronger?¡±


    ¡°I am significantly stronger in combat than other mages or witches, yes.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you were able to fend off the dragon?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Cerus considered his words. He tended to chew on nothing when he was thinking, she realized. He had absolutely no poker face.


    ¡°I am grateful. You protected our people when you didn¡¯t have to. I would have been too late to save them.¡±


    ¡°I cannot accept your praise because the dragon attacked me, however I was happy to help the villagers after the dust settled. I wish we could have saved more. Sadly, a dragon¡¯s fires burn hot.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a powerful opponent, weh! But you stopped it.¡±


    ¡°Have you pursued the dragon for long?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°Yes. That is to say, we have been running after it, only finding devastation¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me, you mentioned mighty mages, yes?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Have they found a way to handle the creature?¡± she asked as innocently as she could manage.


    He squirmed a little.


    ¡°Their duty is to guarantee the safety of Frostway. If we lose it, the empire will suffer greatly.¡±


    He didn¡¯t sound like he was believing his own words.


    ¡°I am sure they will come up with something, and the great forges of the capital will soon produce weapons to take down the beast.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It took another week for them to reach their destination. During that time, Viv carefully squeezed a clueless Cerus for information. He was so glad for the attention that he became downright friendly, even speaking about his childhood.


    As far as Viv was concerned, it was traumatic and sucked hard.


    Life outside of the capital seemed completely worthless. Even the two other cities didn¡¯t have it much better. In anticipation for an inevitable shitshow, Viv would leave the common encampment at night to set up the teleporter network in secret. She made a few visits back just to make sure everything was ready. The One Hundred gathered, but she decided to ask Solfis to hold back despite his eagerness. He had a¡­ peculiar relationship with the Harrakan past that might lead to brash decisions. Hard-coded directives or not, he might decide that Emperor Marus was an impostor and string him up by his intestines to ¡®protect¡¯ her and there was fuckall she could do to stop him. Absolute overrides were awfully convenient, sometimes.


    After weeks of travel, they were in sight of Frostway.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s make sure Solfis doesn¡¯t see this,¡± she whispered to Marruk who nodded hastily.

 Chapter 179: Hermit Kingdom

    Frostway was built along a bay, and Viv had to admit that the Old Harrakans knew how to pick their spots. Far to the right, piers stood protected by encroaching cliff walls that formed a natural harbor, where fat ships with folded white sails bobbed placidly in the calm waters. Closer, the land sloped up towards her while a sharp incline to the right led to a fortress with thick walls overlooking the bay, battlements smoothed by time and harsh weather. The marks of a glorious past could still be seen there and in a few buildings scattered across the city. A series of warehouses and forges directly in the city¡¯s center showed the typical brutalist style of Old Harrak. Same with barracks and what looked like an office, or perhaps a large house, she wasn¡¯t sure, but everywhere else, time had gnawed at the ancient splendor and no one had seen fit to resist it. Poorly made thatched roofs grew on ancient walls like ratty hats on top of cocktail dresses. Some of the smaller structures around the surrounding fields used salvaged stones for barns and sheds, the cuts square and uselessly precise. The town had expanded aggressively since the old days of the Imperial outpost until a shanty town organically formed around the town center, squalid and crowded. There was, however, a third type of building. Or rather, a single building. It was brand new.


    Now Viv had seen some artistic horrors in her gods-forsaken radioactive dumpster fire of a life, but Baroque shit like this took the cake and then ate it as well. A palace squatted at the end of the road, just before it bifurcated right towards the piers. It was a gaudy abomination born from the feverish mind of a color-blind asshole who¡¯d heard descriptions of Harrak from a compulsive liar, then decided to outdo it. That was the only reasonable explanation for this shocking pile of red, blue, and yellow engraved stones. It even had a cupola. It was the Taj Mahal¡¯s painted harlot of a distant relative.


    Viv realized she had stopped and was blocking the way, but as the saying went, she just couldn¡¯t even. Yeah, Solfis could not be allowed to see that. Not until Viv gave up on a diplomatic solution.


    ¡°Viv?¡± Marruk asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with it.¡±


    Morning light touched Frostway and did it absolutely no favors. Viv, on her horse, then a squad of the One Hundred, the Kark, and then the baggage train walked down the main road at a brisk pace. Protocol dictated that someone should have come to meet them, but no one had, and Viv was not going to stay planted at the edge of the city like an awkward cactus. She rode at a slow pace to give herself time to watch the land around her, but also to let the gathering of local soldiers she could see in the distance stew in their own impatience.


    The slum dwellers made no secrets of their presence, especially the children. They ogled at her with naked befuddlement, like they absolutely could not believe their eyes. Viv took it as an indication that no one had reported her presence. Or at least no one had done so to the general population. The lack of horses could be a reason, but it also betrayed a lack of communication that she couldn¡¯t relate to. The only time she had ordered a sexy outfit to surprise Sidjin with, from a famous Baranese tailor no less, one of her attendants had offered to send a bottle of sweet wine to her bedchamber while she was carrying the damn package upstairs. Here, the fact the rest of the continent was still alive didn¡¯t warrant a single runner.


    As they made their way further, the mood changed. The half-stone building residents retreated in their mansions with locked doors and fearful eyes peering through closed shutters. Viv was obviously Bad News. Curiously, Frostway didn¡¯t really have a commercial district so much as a bunch of large dedicated workshops, one for each trade, lacking a front or any form of embellishment or, indeed, advertisement. The foundry was a disappointment as well. Although people clearly worked there, it was obviously underused. Only one of the smelters was currently active, the rings of metal on metal lacking the loud intensity of Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s smaller structures. Sad batches of tools waited by the entrance, signs of rust already appearing on a couple of exposed tips. The palace was soon in view, and Viv swallowed back a lump of nervousness. Despite everything that had happened, she was still not really an experienced politician. Killing princelings didn¡¯t really count. She hoped she wouldn¡¯t fuck this up.


    The locals went all in on the grandiose reception. Almost a thousand soldiers waited in tight formation on a large plaza, covering almost every available space, clad in pretty good armor and wielding steel weapons of solid make. There were even some on the palace¡¯s steps, and Viv felt blobs of black mana on the roofs as well. Ambushers of a sort. Robed mages stood in a circle at the back of the formation to provide support in case things went south. More tellingly, the soldiers blocked the path to the entrance of the palace and the three people standing there, at the foot of a massive statue.


    It depicted an emperor, or that was what Viv gathered from the elaborate Harrakan armor and the imitation dragon crown. It was huge and, though painfully detailed, lacked that simile of life that made great carvings so fascinating. A poem was written on the pedestal, in Harrakan. Viv quickly read it. The short form celebrated the man¡¯s achievement with awkward, flowery prose. It was fucking bad.


    Dominating the group was a man wearing the same armor made of gold-layered steel. Marus, Viv assumed. He was a handsome, clean-shaven bastard smiling benevolently, hand to the side and posturing like a superhero. A dour, overweight man in a custom chestplate backed him up. That one had enough medals on his chest to provide for a dozen magpies. The last figure was slightly behind the others, wearing a comparatively dull gray dress in the fashion of Imperial senators. She was an old woman with august traits and a quiet dignity that sent off alarm bells in Viv¡¯s head, not least because there was something in her soul that spread over all of the plaza, more so than from the emperor himself. Her gaze watched Viv approached like a snake watching a mouse dangling in front of its cage. Bad vibes all around.


    Since it was a show of force, Viv made sure to close the distance until her horse stopped right in front of the front row of spears, just to show she knew what they were doing and didn¡¯t give a shit. Power games were a given on Param. It didn¡¯t mean that shows of intimidation would lead to violence, not necessarily, but it still took a lot of willpower to squelch the draconic instinct to just murder everyone and teleport the army in. She was not here to destroy. She was here to take, maybe.


    The outnumbered One Hundred stopped right by her side around Brick¡¯s battle standard. They radiated smug condescension to a palpable degree. Many of them were two full steps above their counterparts and, in the case of battle, that would only go one way. Not that they were even needed.


    Viv smiled pleasantly. It was acceptable for her to speak first, so she did.


    ¡°Greetings, cousin. I am Viviane, Empress of New¡ª¡±


    The gray-haired woman spoke. Her voice blanketed the area and it felt¡­ very strong. It reverberated among the soldiers as if amplified by their attention. It was a smothering thing, cold and terrifying. The weight of a nation.


    ¡°You will dismount before the emperor.¡±


    Her voice was matter-of-fact. An evidence that made her own men uneasy. Far behind, gasps echoed from the supply train.


    But what were numbers, what was a state to a dragon? Viv¡¯s soul carried the weight of a slain prince, a vanquished elemental archmage, a defeated expeditionary force.


    A redeemed god.


    She let it all out.


    Draconic intimidation: Expert 9.


    ¡°If you interrupt me again, I will disintegrate you.¡±


    Her answer was as factual, sounded as true to the assembly as the woman¡¯s command. Viv would, if interrupted again, dust the woman. And that was it.


    And she would absolutely do it.


    They would play the game subtly or she would just go to town and they would see. The absolute certitude of her words was echoed by Brick¡¯s strange power, the woman ready to go at it at a moment¡¯s notice. Viv¡¯s aura bounced on her and the entire One Hundred glared ahead like a spiky cathedral¡¯s worth of angry gargoyles.


    ¡°Good. Now, where was I? Ah yes, greetings cousin, I am Empress Viv of New Harrak. I recently learned of your survival and am delighted to meet you, from one inheritor to another. I have come to extend a hand in friendship.¡±


    Or to bitch slap him. Most likely the second.


    ¡°I come bearing news of the wider world, and gifts from all across the continent.¡±


    She signaled and the baggage train¡¯s lead attendants approached with chests. Sadly, the soldiers didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°If you accept them, of course.¡±


    That was it. Viv had laid down the law. So far, Viv had been tested by a subordinate and she had returned it, but those were just games. Marus could take offense and demand submission, in which case this was going to turn into a slaughter, or he could delay the confrontation. From the expression of the soldiers, they clearly expected to have to fight and they didn¡¯t look too happy about it. A quick inspection revealed that, although those were Harrakan regulars, more than half of them were still second step only. It didn¡¯t necessarily look too good.


    Viv felt the passing touch of a lot of inspection skills being used on her. Marus seemed to hesitate, but then he smiled widely. Arms extended, he stepped forward to welcome Viv.


    ¡°Welcome, lady Viv, welcome to Harrak, beacon of civilization. We are ecstatic to see visitors after so long. I am Marus, Emperor of Harrak. This is General Kobanis.¡±


    He pointed towards the frowning, overweight man by his side. The general mood was that Viv had fucked up and was going to get scolded, yet nothing was happening. The confusion only grew but no one dared speak.


    ¡°And this is Arana, our Prime Minister.¡±


    Viv, in turn, presented Captain Ban of the One Hundred, and Marruk, leader of the Kark detachment whom people watched with a mix of fear and curiosity. Zero-Two remained anonymous since he was an assassin and also because the only way to make him stand here, in front of a thousand people, would have been to drag him screaming there. A counterproductive use of Viv¡¯s time.


    Viv noted that, although she had called Marus cousin as a gesture of equality, Marus had not returned it. Yet another slight. She held back her anger anyway. The game was just beginning.


    ¡°We welcome your presents with gratitude,¡± he said.


    If he had used the word tribute, she would have had to correct him.


    The soldiers were ordered to make way for the attendants, which caused a bit of shuffle because, one, the local soldiers were packed like sardines and two, they had been drilled by an ape. Ban turned an interesting shade watching the shitshow without hurling insults. After a little while, the gifts were brought forth. There were embroideries and a few blades from New Harrak which the trio eyed warily, bales of fabric from Baran, medicinal herbs from Enoria, spices from the north, and a few silver jewelries from the south. Whispers shook the ranks before NCOs slapped a few helmets. Any more displays of unprofessionalism and Ban would explode, Viv judged. He was on the verge of apoplexy.


    ¡°Those are sumptuous gifts. As a token of our appreciation, we would like to invite you to stay for a few days with us, if that pleases you.¡±


    ¡°That would be agreeable, yes.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± the smooth man declared. ¡°While your servants make their way to your quarters, allow me to show you the splendors and achievements of the Empire as it has endured after the catastrophe.¡±


    Viv only kept a handful of One Hundred with her while Marus led her around the city in a strange procession, local citizens watching them move around with utter shock.


    Viv noticed that she was not invited into the palace. In fact, she would not even be hosted there. Instead, the manor she had first seen would be her base. It was apparently used by visiting local leaders during celebrations.


    ¡°Here, the seamstress guild perpetuates the glorious traditions and techniques of the empire!¡±


    Viv oohed and aahed when requested while the visit continued. It was clear Marus wanted to give himself some time before dealing with her, and this was a way to do so. She obliged, as she needed information anyway.


    Frostway was definitely a mixed bag. Production occurred in dedicated guilds that Marus admitted were tightly controlled state monopolies. Of course, he didn¡¯t state it like that. Those were ¡®centers of excellence for the most talented citizens of the empire¡¯.


    Or something.


    The reality was more of a contrast. The facilities were ancient and crumbling despite ready access to earth magic. Space was obviously at a premium in some of the workshops while others had long, windy, empty corridors bordered by storage rooms collecting dust. If Marus held any shame about showing her disaffected factories in a clearly improvised moment, he showed none. Obsequious men and women in opulent clothes covered them in praises and platitudes while they inspected the best the Old Empire still had to offer. And yet,  despite all that mediocrity and nepotism, undeniable flashes of brilliance shone like diamonds in a pigsty. Genius artisans struggled with limited supplies to create masterpieces, fugacious moments of excellence. They offered glimpses of what could be. Marus had been right in one regard at least. Many of those people had managed to keep long traditions alive through the catastrophe and the following fall. It was an uphill struggle, as the visit of the forge proved.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Precious ore is brought here from the island every spring by our valorous captains,¡± Marus claimed.


    There was clearly not enough ore to go around, and most of the metal adorned second-step idiots parading around the city instead of an expeditionary corps that would increase the mining output by, at the very least, clearing the mines of monsters. The trip between Frostway and the island would take less than a month, round trip, even with a full cargo hold. Surely it wasn¡¯t that hard to get more stuff in.


    Viv abstained from sharing this observation with her host, who led her to the city fortress after a silent, five minute walk.


    Despite its tired exterior, Viv was surprised to find that the castle was not just in decent repair, but it also sported some decent magical protections. They went through a monumental entrance without issue, and Viv noted that the hinges were oiled and the battlements above, guarded by soldiers wearing far more basic gear than what she had seen out on the plaza. A shy apprentice led them through windy corridors to the office of the master of the place. Viv felt his mana signature through the doors before they even got in. Mostly air and water. It was cold, but also crisp, like a breeze. The mage watched her come in from a desk covered in papers. Marus had not knocked. Out of all the mages she had ever come across, he was the one who looked the most like an old school wizard. He was only missing the pointy hat.


    ¡°And here is Archmage Frosthawk, the current head of the Imperial School of Magic.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Viv replied with a smile. ¡°You were leading the tactical array near the palace.¡±


    Viv recognized the design from both her class at the Academy and Solfis¡¯ theoretical training. Imperial mage cadres tended to prefer specialized constructs, and this was no exception. The array would protect the mages inside while allowing the leader to cast a powerful version of a single type of spell. And that was it. Nowadays, war mages preferred a more flexible approach.


    ¡°A witch who knows about tactical arrays?¡± the man replied with doubt. And a bit of condescension.


    Or at least, that was what his tone said. His aura spoke of a different story. It pulsed, lightly, in a pattern. One, two, one. One, two, one.


    Viv stopped to think hard, even sending her mind into overdrive to slow down time as much as possible.


    Frosthawk¡¯s gaze was sharp. The pattern meant something, something familiar. She had perfect recall but she didn¡¯t remember the exact pattern itself, no. What then? She had heard it mentioned. Theoretical knowledge. Who had told her that?


    By her side, she could see Marus slowly turn his head towards her. Frosthawk¡¯s insulting tone would give her a couple of seconds. She only had to pretend to consider retaliation.


    Frosthawk, name of an imperial family of southern mages. He was a direct descendant, no doubt. Not magery. Security protocols?


    Imperial codes.


    Yes, she had it now. Imperial code for long-range communication across large battlefields. This was a greeting, the equivalent of ¡®do you copy?¡¯. Crafty crafty. She allowed herself to smile.


    ¡°You would be surprised what one can pick up over the years,¡± she replied.


    Two one one. Two one one. I copy.


    The mage nodded.


    ¡°If you say so, then I will take your word for it. I assume you would like to see our facilities?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a bother, Frosthawk old friend,¡± Marus lied through his teeth.


    The mage proceeded to show Viv a series of classrooms, a library, and a magical workshop in a bored drone. From an outside perspective, it would have sounded like the most unmotivated demonstration in history. Secretly, Frosthawk tested her knowledge of spellwork through various little traps he left in his wake, which Viv enjoyed undoing tremendously. Frosthawk remained guarded, however, and it was clear that he kept a healthy dose of disdain for witches in general. So Viv made him stumble by shifting a rug under his feet with a delicate application of colorless mana. While he was casting his next trick. After that, the tests stopped.


    It was nice to see that people had a spine. She shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. One could stuff the military with their stooges even if it cost them their efficiency, but magic was magic, and mage candidates were too few to safely discard. Oh, Viv was sure that Froshawk had some form of political officer watching over his shoulder, but he was still competent. As was the scout head, Cerus. Perhaps there was an angle there.


    The visit ended soon after, and Marus sent her ¡®home¡¯ by presenting the usual excuse of ¡®you must be exhausted¡¯. Not even a feast to celebrate her arrival! She must have really caught them off guard.


    Viv retreated to her quarters, finding them adequate. No one was missing yet, and the One Hundred had finished establishing a perimeter. Viv spent two hours setting enchantments just in case, then it was time for a short war council. Viv found herself missing Lady Azar. This would have been a perfect playground for the crafty stateswoman.


    ¡°I am a little out of my depth,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°How? You are being an empress,¡± Marruk replied.


    Zero-Two shrugged. Ban was not talking tonight. He had said what he thought of the opposition and then simmered in his corner, clearly eager to show them what a bunch of wankers they were (his words). Old Derin represented the supply wagon. She was still drawing on her pipe. Also not one for words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest, we could take this city in two hours.¡±


    ¡°Less,¡± Ban grumbled.


    ¡°Less if we don¡¯t care about collateral damage,¡± Viv conceded. ¡°I would just like to try it another way first. For once. The peaceful way.¡±


    ¡°You could negotiate with the people,¡± Marruk said.


    ¡°Yes, although they are afraid. And something else. A sort of aura over this place. I will seek advice before I commit.¡±


    ¡°That does not sound like you,¡± Marruk said with a frown.


    It didn¡¯t, Viv had to admit. She knew what was different.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m trying subterfuge. No, setting traps in a dense forest doesn¡¯t count, Marruk, because I was always applying what I was taught. Same as slandering Elunath. My first approach is always to find the right tool for the job, or create it. Here I will have to be inventive. Cunning. It¡¯s fine. I need to get out of my comfort zone, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Viv. If all else fails we can always apply maces to faces,¡± Marruk said with confidence.


    ¡°Thanks, you always know how to put things into perspective. Alright, let¡¯s wrap up for tonight.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That bitch is going to ruin everything!¡±


    Marus threw an amphora against a wall. Debris and stale wine showered a nearby couch, staining the pillows.


    ¡°Patience, my grandson,¡± Arana replied in a calm voice.


    ¡°Patience? She struts on my land with such arrogance. I am the Emperor of Harrak.¡±


    ¡°Do not.¡± Arana hissed, ¡°Raise your voice at me.¡±


    Marius bit his lips but his anger was misplaced. He knew it, and threw his hands up with annoyance.


    ¡°An invader in all but name. Where is your precious control now? We had no inkling she was coming. She has no family to threaten. No clan to exterminate. No money to seize!¡±


    ¡°There are more ways to control someone than just brute force, my grandson. I have already given orders for riders to return to the villages she visited and see if she left people behind. I have no doubts she will send runners back to whatever hole she crawled out of.¡±


    ¡°And those lands are not safe,¡± Marus replied with a smirk.


    One Arana mirrored.


    ¡°Precisely. First, we will isolate her. Cut off her support. Then we remove her. She was a fool to bring Kark here. Ugly creatures. We shall spread word that they, hmm, crave carnal desire with human women. Yes, that will be a nice start. Unfortunately, she is no village head. It will take more than influence to finish her off.¡±


    Marus scoffed.


    ¡°Surely you do not believe those lies. A single person fending off a dragon? Preposterous.¡±


    ¡°I agree, however, it matters not that she lied. That dolt Cerus is adamant that the dragon was fought and she is still standing, therefore she has the support of a mighty force. You did not feel her intimidation like I did. She has blood on her hands.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°There is a¡­ simple request I would like you to make of her. One that would allow her to prove herself and might not just rid us of the problem, it will also make up for the slight she so casually flung into my face.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Marus heard the proposition, aghast.


    ¡°She will never agree to it.¡±


    ¡°She will.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because she is supremely arrogant.¡±


    ***


    That night, Viv slept. She didn¡¯t really need it but she still made an effort to go to bed every night as a way to anchor her in her humanity. The rituals helped, as did Sidjin though he wasn¡¯t there tonight.


    Something pulled her into the in-between.


    Someone new.


    Viv had no choice but to allow it. The pull was the most imperious she had ever felt, to the extent she could not even formulate the will to resist. Her presence was demanded, and so she would attend. There were no alternatives. Rather than the strange void that was normal, she was transported far, far away, and up. At the top of the world, where things like weather patterns and atmosphere no longer mattered. A part of her knew mana was thick here, but it was a vision, and only a ghost of a sensation nourished her core.


    She was standing in front of a throne.


    A woman sat there, confident in her power. The throne was mostly unadorned though there were sculpted corpses on it that spoke of an impressive tally. The woman only wore a dress, and a sword rested on her lap. The dress was simple, the sword short and functional. Her hair was raven-black and her eyes brown, warm. She was beautiful in a very alive, imperfect yet charming way Viv had loved on Varska, yet the woman was very clearly a goddess.


    It wasn¡¯t her power, which she restrained, but her dress. The hems were darkened, tattered, soaked with blood, and shadows danced behind them like behind the curtains of a well-lit theater. Knights. Mages. Assassins. Courtiers. The agents of the Great Game, all working towards one thing and one thing only.


    Power.


    Maranor, Queen of the Gods, leaned forward.


    ¡°Hello, Viviane. I believe our meeting was long overdue.¡±


    Out of all the gods except perhaps Efestar, she was by far the most human-sounding, as if she had retained much of her mortal identity. Nevertheless, Viv knew better than to provoke her. The gods followed obscure rules in the way they handled mortals. Viv knew this because without them, Octas would have dragged her in a dreamscape and then eaten her. It didn¡¯t mean that Maranor could not punish her. Painfully. So Viv held her tongue and gave a curtsey.


    ¡°Greeting, Maranor.¡±


    ¡°You must be surprised to be here.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Viv replied candidly, ¡°I was under the impression that you didn¡¯t like me very much.¡±


    And that was even without knowing about the divine spark of luck, which Viv seriously hoped was hidden.


    ¡°Because you bear the mark of my absent husband?¡±


    Well, shit.


    ¡°I know how you came here, Viviane the Outlander. My husband disappeared in the Palace of Many Doors, then never came out. And recently I discovered that a blazing Outlander came to Nyil at exactly the same time. It was easy to guess that my dear brother Maradoc sent his old friend to another world, far beyond my reach now, which I find¡­ unpleasant for a variety of reasons. And no, I do not hold this specific offense against you, not anymore. I have had time to¡­ reassess the situation. Admit that you bear no responsibility in this incident.¡±


    A goddess being reasonable? Either she was leading up to something, or it was going to rain frogs for a tenday.


    ¡°I come to you to discuss the fate of the remnants.¡±


    She leaned forward, resting her chin on her fists.


    ¡°That is what I call this land you are visiting.¡±


    ¡°I assume you do not want me to start a revolution?¡±


    ¡°No, I will support you if you attempt a coup.¡±


    Viv tried to blink, though it wasn¡¯t really a thing since she didn¡¯t have a real body here.


    ¡°Pardon me?¡±


    ¡°You assume that I enjoy the current regime, correct?¡±


    ¡°I thought order was your thing, yes.¡±


    ¡°Order, yes. Power as well. There is a nuance between power, and control.¡±


    Now Viv was listening. This wasn¡¯t going the way she expected.


    ¡°Before you begin, I wish to dispel what appears to be a¡­ strongly ingrained misconception. I am a light god. My purpose is and has always been the triumph of mankind. I know you favor most sapient races and I will grant you that we disagree on this, however this is not relevant to the current discussion. We share the belief that peace and prosperity are superior to constant war and chaos. That it is better to build and prosper than to destroy. We are in agreement on this, at least, are we not?¡±


    ¡°Our disagreement has always stemmed from the method. And the cost.¡±


    Maranor nodded. On the hem of her dress, someone was killed by a spear to the chest.


    ¡°It is so. My purpose is not to debate you tonight, because I believe that we will never fully align. I can accept this. I only wanted you to understand that we disagree on methods but we share a purpose, and that common purpose is the betterment of mankind. The remnants are currently under the control of Arana, and Arana has erred in her mission. For the sake of absolute control, she has eroded the power of the remnants to a nub of its former self, a shadow of what it could have been. She and her family have destroyed all who would oppose her before they could react until she alone stood on the pedestal of rulership. Now all that is left are sycophants and experts too cowed by the threat of terror to be a danger to her.¡±


    Maranor stopped here, offering Viv an opportunity to answer. She didn¡¯t. The Goddess of Power was sounding surprisingly reasonable.


    ¡°I was not going to interfere. I had no reason to. Bringing chaos is against my nature. Even if it were not, Arana clamps on anything she sees as a threat. It took a major disruption, a seismic upheaval for her grip to loosen. Now, she will seek to reassert it by any means necessary, though she will try to weaken you first, as she fears your might. You two are on a collision course and there is nothing anyone, not even the gods, can do to stop it.¡±


    ¡°And you favor me, despite my revolutionary tendencies.¡±


    ¡°You were a revolutionary, a bringer of chaos, and so I supported your opponents. Now, you are a guardian of order. Your order. And so, I support you.¡±


    ¡°I, uh, ok.¡±


    ¡°Does it really surprise you that the Goddess of Power and Order would support an empress bringing civilization back to the Deadlands?¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t immediately reply.


    ¡°Your opinion of us must be rather dreadful.¡±


    ¡°Welllllll.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what refreshing insolence¡­¡± Maranor said, and her power shifted.


    Viv froze, or rather her soul did.


    Do not tickle the god-slaying womanchild. Her visual acuity is based on provocation.


    The moment passed.


    ¡°Since conflict is inevitable, I will attempt to minimize the damage. That is why I would favor a coup. I would simply advise you to send the Hadals you love so much for a decapitating strike but I already anticipate your answer.¡±


    ¡°I gave my word I wouldn¡¯t use them as assassins.¡±


    ¡°They have already assassinated people in your name.¡±


    ¡°By their own volition. I will never force them.¡±


    ¡°Even if refusing to do so will endanger your land and cause more casualties?¡±


    Viv resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was an old argument she had, sometimes with Solfis, sometimes with Lady Azar. They had a very realistic approach to politics.


    ¡°You do not know that for sure,¡± Viv retorted. ¡°You may think a small breach of a promise from a ruler would be justified in exceptional circumstances. What you are doing is destroying trust and setting a precedent. I will not do that. You think it¡¯s a sign of weakness but you would be surprised how far people are willing to go for causes and leaders they truly believe in.¡±


    ¡°Enlighten me, then, Outlander.¡±


    ¡°They go all the fucking way down.¡±


    Maranor remained silent.


    ¡°As would I,¡± Viv added with conviction.


    ¡°It is as I already said,¡± Maranor replied with a shrug. ¡°You have grabbed power and now, it is yours, and your vision has been proven to be superior. If you wish to defeat Arana on her own playing field, you will need to crack the base of her power.¡±


    ¡°Fear?¡±


    Maranor smiled.


    ¡°You are very close to the truth. Yes, specifically, her path. You must break the way her path works. The more terrified people are, the more certain they are that she cannot be defeated, the more real it becomes. You could, as I said, kill her, but it would be a bloodbath. The alternate solution is to remove her supports one by one. The more you remove and the easier she will fall.¡±


    ¡°She might try to outright kill me.¡±


    ¡°Despite being cunning, Arana is single-minded. She will attempt to sabotage and isolate you before going for an assassination because this has always worked and so it is all she knows. She is a prisoner of her own path, much more than you are of yours. Yes, you are. Your draconic aura partially guides how you react. As you grow more powerful you will also lose some flexibility. Already, it is impossible for you to let any slight go unpunished.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Was she, really?


    Did it matter? She was the result of her choices. Hmmm.


    ¡°Do not be distracted. As I said, you will defeat Arana on her own terms, and the remnants will submit to you without bloodshed. Fail, and the country will be drowned in the blood of the innocent. And you will lose many capable subordinates.¡±


    ¡°I would rather avoid that.¡±


    ¡°Then do so. Gnaw at her pillar with that contagious vision of yours, and you will send the entire rigid structure tumbling.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Viv said, and then waited.


    And waited.


    ¡°You may depart if you wish,¡± Maranor said.


    ¡°What, you will not ask something in return for the hint?¡±


    The goddess shrugged again, the move strange on her young frame. It felt too jaded.


    ¡°I only wish for my temples to remain untouched, and allowed to continue in their mission.¡±


    Her eyes grew darker, more dangerous.


    ¡°Surely, you were not considering forbidding my worship amongst your followers.¡±


    ¡°Nope! Of course not. No religious war with a light god. Just be aware that Neriad is our holy patron and I¡¯m not changing that.¡±


    ¡°Of course. We are finished now. I would say ¡®good luck¡¯ but we both know how that will go.¡±


    Viv was pushed back. Vertigo hit her soul and she woke up in her guest bed, sweating and a little disoriented.


    Once she recovered, she lay her head on the pillow.


    It was time for the League of Lesser Evil (minus Solfis) to make a dastardly comeback.

 Chapter 180: All that is yours

    Viv was summoned ¡ª sorry, ¡®invited¡¯ ¡ª to visit the palace the very next morning. Guess it had taken them that long to clean the carpets. She picked Marruk and the One Hundred as official guards, then went in without anyone giving her much shit. Walking by the statue, she reflected that it might look good to people who had never been exposed to art in their gods-forsaken life, and thus couldn¡¯t know that more didn¡¯t necessarily mean better or that there was, indeed, something called good taste. It suited Arana and Marus¡¯ little slice of hell just fine.


    The interior of the palace itself was just as cramped and overwrought as she was led to believe. A main hallway made a show of the empire¡¯s glorious past, from ancient paintings to statues of long-dead sovereigns. Viv was actually interested in some of those relics since they seemed to date back to the heyday of the empire but were considerably less disintegrated than what she was used to. Taking a better look around, she found trapdoors and enchantments, movable walls as well as the marks of secret mechanisms. This wasn¡¯t just a show of wealth, it was also a death trap. Potentially meant to hold out against a mob.


    A part of Viv worried that Arana might just lose patience and try to off her here and now, in which case this would be a short operation indeed. It didn¡¯t happen. A smarmy guide led her through winding passages to yet another small, crowded throne room where emperor Marus ruled over a court of sycophants. They eyed Viv with polite condescension in the same way old money considered the arrival of upstarts in their midst. Viv didn¡¯t take umbrage. She would be purging them soon anyway.


    It was telling that the palace seemed to be missing a ballroom. Even the small, vertical seat of her power in Sinur¡¯s Gate could handle three hundred guests around the inner courtyard if she were to throw a party, and space was at a major premium in the high city. No, Arana was not a party kind of girl.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± Marus said, ¡°it gladdens me to see you again.¡±


    The use of ¡®cousin¡¯ confirmed they planned on killing her. He would only condescend to call her his equal if he was reasonably sure he could make her pay for the audacious thought. She wondered how they meant to do it.


    ¡°I hope yesterday¡¯s visit pleased you, and showed the grandeur of ¡ª¡±


    Blah blah blah. Viv tuned out the platitudes to feel the place with her mana senses. The enchantments were strong and well-maintained, but they lacked the innovative spirit that came with elaborate traps. The palace defenses didn¡¯t rely on magic, which confirmed her opinion that Arana¡¯s grasp on the mages might not be as absolute as it was on the army.


    Mages. Can¡¯t control them, can¡¯t live without them. Well, not fully. Viv navigated through the diplomatic fake speech with answers that flowed smoothly thanks to hours of training with Lady Azar. It wasn¡¯t difficult anyway. It was clear Marus was leading her into a trap.


    ¡°Our concern for our people pains us as they fall victim to the depredation of monsters. You have proven yourself capable of leading a hunting expedition when you fended off the white beast burning one of our villages. The empire would like to call upon your skills to bring an end to the threat once and for all.¡±


    Ah so that was how they planned on killing her.


    That was fine. Viv wanted to go after the little twerp to teach him not to torch children anyway.


    ¡°I agree. The dragon must not be left unchecked after attacking humans so indiscriminately,¡± she concurred, and she could see a triumphant sneer bloom on Marus¡¯ handsome face.


    ¡°However, I will need assistance in this endeavor.¡±


    ¡°Cerus will lead you to the lair which we recently discovered.¡±


    ¡°I will also need Frosthawk¡¯s help.¡±


    Marus hesitated. The courtiers exchanged hesitating glances. Everyone was aware that something was going on, yet no one held enough cards to understand the implications.


    ¡°Frosthawk is required here for his duties.¡±


    ¡°None of which are as important as defeating a dragon,¡± Viv stated with conviction.


    ¡°I will order a cadre of our finest mages to accompany you.¡±


    ¡°As will Frosthawk since he trained them,¡± Viv quickly replied.


    Then she tilted her head in a way that indicated this was non negotiable.


    ¡°You intend to send me against the world¡¯s apex predator. Surely you can spare your court mage to help me lay down a trap. Otherwise, I would be questioning how committed you are to¡­ what was it? Ridding your people of the depredation of monsters.¡±


    The courtiers whispered, angry and provoked. If Viv had been a noble, this would have been suicide, but this empire had a dearth of elites and she was not under their command. They didn¡¯t seem ready to handle that.


    ¡°We agree,¡± Arana said.


    She smiled. It wasn¡¯t nice.


    ¡°We shall ask for volunteers as well, from Cerus¡¯ ranks. You may depart to get ready. Your escort will be ready very soon.¡±


    Viv turned away, leading her soldiers back out.


    ¡°They didn''t offer supplies,¡± Ban said with annoyance. ¡°Lucky we don¡¯t need ¡¯em.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t eat anything they sent us anyway,¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Ban replied, then after a pause. ¡°Cunts.¡±


    ***


    Ban¡¯s opinion of the locals notwithstanding, Viv was actually glad to see a hesitant Cerus and a fuming Frosthawk join her on the way. Cerus brought a couple of sheepish volunteers but Frosthawk brought only a backpack and an attitude. He didn¡¯t even have a horse, which she assumed were reserved for more important people. Viv left him stew in his outrage at first. Cerus pointed to a road heading south along the sea, a remnant of the old imperial days where people built them with some effort. A pine forest occupied the entire left side, thick and old, past the fields. It smelled pleasantly of pine.


    After ten minutes, Cerus joined her.


    ¡°I, errr, that is, the mage, archmage Frosthawk, he told me where to go. It¡¯s a small village to the south, along the coast next to the Winter Teeth. Those are two small mountains with a missing top. That¡¯s where we¡¯re going. We¡¯ve been trying to track the beast to find its lair but the mages found a way. Something about, well, the archmage can tell you more. It will take three days to travel there barring any interruptions.¡±


    Cerus gave her a meaningful glance.


    ¡°I am sure we can promptly deal with anything we encounter since I am, for independent reasons, rather invested in the defeat of this dragon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, errr, if you say so,¡± Cerus said, then he returned to the vanguard.


    Zero-Five soon appeared from the forest, walking casually under the collective gaze of Cerus and his men. His mask looked particularly smug today.


    ¡°Report?¡±


    ¡°Pursuers followed us until they were sure we were following the road. They are currently falling behind. They are a spy path, not a scout one,¡± he said.


    ¡°We are being tracked? By whom?¡± Cerus asked while Frosthawk approached, his curiosity overcoming his anger.


    Zero-Five looked to Viv for approval. He only obeyed her. Well, and Irao, she supposed. She nodded.


    ¡°Men in dark clothes with turbans and veils covering their faces,¡± he replied with a shrug.


    Ninjas, Viv thought.


    ¡°The Eyes of Arana. Oh no, we are in serious trouble!¡± Cerus said with fear.


    Viv rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Of course they will follow us, you fool.¡± Frosthawk spat. ¡°You and your ¡®volunteers¡¯.¡±


    ¡°We come to face the dragon,¡± Cerus said defensively.


    ¡°You are an idiot. Arana is looking for those who show a little too much initiative, and now they have revealed themselves. And you let them come.¡±


    ¡°We rise to defend the empire!¡± Cerus roared.


    Viv deployed leadership this time. It felt strange not using intimidation.


    ¡°As much as I agree with Cerus in principle, Frosthawk is correct in assuming this was a test. Anybody present with me for an extended period of time will become the target of suspicion.¡±


    ¡°You knew and you still called for me!¡± Frosthawk spat.


    ¡°We are loyal subjects, surely they wouldn¡¯t do anything?¡± Cerus objected.


    He was the kind of guy who thought the evil tyrant meant well as long as he was not directly the victim, and now that he was, it was all just a misunderstanding that would get cleared quickly, Viv thought.


    ¡°You are being a little naive, friend Cerus. Some people will sacrifice competent underlings and valuable resources so long as they retain control of what¡¯s left.¡±


    ¡°You understand Arana surprisingly well for someone who so readily attacks her!¡± Frosthawk yelled.


    He was getting really worked up.


    ¡°Yes, because I intend for her to die.¡±


    ¡°Die!¡±


    He laughed bitterly.


    ¡°Die. You know nothing of her. You young fool. And no, you have dragged me down with you.¡±


    ¡°I would argue that you know very little of the world outside.¡±


    ¡°We are not in the world outside! We are here! Within her grasp! Not to some, fancy, outlandish place you utter mor¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet.¡±


    Viv deployed her wings, which she had kept tucked so far. Her aura came to rest on the entire convoy like a heavy clawed hand on their shoulders. Frosthawk¡¯s words died on his lips. He gulped with difficulty.


    Viv leaned down from her impassive horse, under the amused looks of Ban and Zero-Five. Her intimidation didn¡¯t affect her the same way because they were her claws and fangs, the weight behind her words.


    ¡°The outside world is here. I am it.¡±


    She leaned back, satisfied for now. Frosthawk glared but he didn¡¯t fight her on this, though she did feel a kernel of resolve pushing back against her influence. The archmage wasn¡¯t just a teacher, but a warrior as well.


    ¡°Now that we have established a working relationship, would you like to ride a horse? I have a spare.¡±


    ¡°We do not have a working relationship!¡±


    ¡°Too bad,¡± Viv replied with a shrug.


    ¡°Yes, I would like to ride a horse, please.¡±


    It took only a few seconds for Viv to signal her aides and for one of them to bring a riding horse, smiling knowingly all the while. It soon proved very obvious that the archmage had not ridden one in his life, as everyone could tell, but he was too prideful to admit it. Viv felt sorry for the horse. As for Frosthawk, his arse would hurt for days and he deserved every second of it.


    ¡°So,¡± he said irritably. ¡°Are you not going to plead your case with me?¡±


    Viv watched him with polite interest.


    ¡°Plead?¡±


    ¡°There is no need to grow metaphorical scales over semantics, woman. You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Semantics is important during negotiations, however, I am waiting for¡­ another arrival that I believe will help me make my case.¡±


    ¡°Why are you even here? To rule?¡±


    Viv considered the question.


    She was playing nice so far, but it was true that for the first time since its inception, New Harrak was going to do something that was objectively immoral according to modern standards. She was going to invade a foreign country ¡ª arguably reunite but, yet again, this was semantics. She was usurping the local government for the benefit of her own nation. It was, ultimately, the last step she would take towards being a local ruler. Not an outlander trying to import modern governance. An actual, bone fide monarch.


    And she was fine with that.


    Mostly because Arana was nasty.


    She wouldn¡¯t have done it when she arrived. Over four years of contact with some of the worst the world had to offer had changed that.


    ¡°Yes, I am here to remove them from power. The question is not whether or not I can, but how much will it cost.¡±


    ¡°So let me ask you, do you rule over¡­ New Harrak, was it, because you are such a powerful individual? Do you believe that your arcane might makes you superior since you can bend reality to your will? Long has this continent waited for a mageocracy¡­¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Frosthawk was testing her. He was being very obvious about it. Viv wondered how someone who was so bad at acting could survive for so long under Arana. Maybe that was the point. Froshawk was competent yet an abysmal schemer while Cerus was desperately naive. They were not dangerous to her.


    ¡°I led people when I was only on the second step. This isn¡¯t about arcane might but about leadership, not the skill or the ability to move people. It¡¯s also about politics, which is the art of making different groups agree on a common purpose. My second in command has no arcane or martial abilities whatsoever. And I can tell that you do not want a mageocracy.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, no. I would not.¡±


    Frosthawk considered the road. The path so far had stayed remarkably similar: the sea to the right, beyond rocky outrcroppings. A forest lay to the left. Sometimes, they came across fishermen villages. They did so now, and Viv took a moment to watch the boats sail in the distance with a colorless lens spell. For all that they appeared decadent, those Old Harrakans sure knew their ships, especially since she doubted those had been built with a lot of nails. It gave her a bit of hope.


    ¡°So, how did you track the dragons?¡± she eventually asked Frosthawk.


    ¡°One of my apprentices followed. The dragon leaves a massive mana signature when it hunts. We merely waited in a spot where it was often seen, then tracked its signature until it faded. By doing this a few times, my apprentices reached the edge of the Winter Teeth, and stopped. They are too weak to confront such a powerful foe. While you apparently can¡­¡±


    Froshawk still harbored doubts.


    ¡°Probably a natural cave he enlarged for his personal use.¡±


    ¡°He?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The dragon is male. And yes, I fought it off myself.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Frosthawk ruminated on this for a moment. Cerus whispered by his side that it was true, according to the village elder, to which Frosthawk told him exactly what he thought of third hand accounts.


    ¡°Even if you are that strong, I will still not defect.¡±


    ¡°Because she has your family?¡± Viv innocently replied.


    Terror filled Frosthawk¡¯s features. Viv waved her hands immediately lest the old man fell off his horse.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen or heard anything. It¡¯s just that tyrants tend to be extremely consistent.¡±


    ¡°Not just them. My mages. Their families. We are all¡­ part of a web. And Arana endangers all of us. Curse her¡­¡±


    He frowned.


    ¡°Is this the point where you tell me you can guarantee their safety?¡±


    Another test?


    ¡°I do not wish to make promises I am not certain I can fulfill. You will need to tell me  what you know while we ride and while my people keep an eye on our followers. It would be wise if you keep a distance at camp. That way, their suspicions will not arise too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Even assuming you can save them, Arana is mighty. She has a thousand well-equipped and well-trained men with her, not to mention her assassins. We would be overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°New Harrak is strong. Stronger than you think.¡±


    Viv felt a light pulse of mana from the side and smiled.


    Impeccable timing.


    ¡°And I can prove it. Here!¡± she said, pointing at an empty spot in front of her.


    Frosthawk frowned.


    ¡°Are you deran ¡ª AAAAH!¡±


    A burst of mana heralded the opening of a mage gate, and from there, he emerged, looking gorgeous in armored robes.


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Every hour or so. Frosthawk, meet Sidjin, my paramour and the creator of the gate spell.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure, fellow archmage,¡± Sidjin said with the unctuous tone of the consummate courtier.


    Yep, it was going well, but as the two mages immediately went into the techniques behind portals, she couldn¡¯t help but remark upon herself.


    Even when attempting subterfuge, Viv¡¯s first and most obvious reaction was always to try and find the right person for the job. It kept working, but it also meant she depended on others to solve her problems.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad. After all, she was using her best tools for the job.


    ***


    One hour later, Viv rode behind what proved to be an extremely animated discussion.


    ¡°It cannot be done,¡± Sidjin insisted, ¡°because the mana consumption curve of connected portals increases at the speed of one eighth of the distance squared for every mile, thus making extremely long passages unsustainable.¡±


    ¡°But what could cause this then? Not the Seveno constant, or the spell would not function at all.¡±


    Viv leaned forward on her saddle.


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the curvature of the earth.¡±


    The two idiots looked at her, offended at her interruption. Sidjin recognized her smile and predictably went off at the same moment.


    ¡°Woman, don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®cause Nyil got to dig through rock to connect the portals in a straight line, see?¡±


    ¡°What? Preposterous!¡±


    ¡°THAT IS NOT HOW SPACE MAGIC WORKS AT ALL!¡±


    ¡°But there is a grace distance of a league and a half where consumption is minimum,¡± Viv replied, the very image of winged, abyssal-eyed innocence. ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re digging through air, then the curvature means we have to dig through rocks.¡±


    The two froze in their tracks. Viv had no idea if she was correct or not. It only mattered that they believed she might be.


    Sidjin choked on his fury while Frosthawk opened and closed his mouth in a solid rendition of a beached fish.


    Most excellent.


    She shrugged with the most insufferable expression she could manage. A second later, insults and imprecations washed over her, speaking of witch logic and other harmful stereotypes but she didn¡¯t care, for she had already won. Sometimes, it took a nerd to lure another nerd. With this, her nerd collection had expanded by one. New minion: obtained. They could whine and protest all they wanted.


    Viv rode on.


    ***


    While the two were still arguing, Viv began her subversion of Cerus. It immediately became apparent that it would be an uphill battle.


    ¡°Arana is harsh but fair. She might be misguided on occasions, yes, however the same can be said of any leader.¡±


    ¡°Harsh? What is the punishment for failure?¡±


    ¡°Not death, I know what you are saying. Death is the penalty for treason. I have¡­ failed several tasks, and I am still here.¡±


    ¡°And are some of the tasks perhaps impossible to realize? Unrealistic given the resources available?¡±


    ¡°We are meant to be pushed to our limits in the service of the empire.¡±


    ¡°No, you are meant to be under constant pressure and in a state of panic, so when she forgives you for an inevitable failure, all you feel is abject gratitude. Is she unpredictable, kind and motherly one time and stern and terrifying the next? Are you always on your toes around her?¡±


    ¡°I, that is, of course, a powerful advisor such as she¡­¡±


    ¡°Those are the tactics of an abuser. She will have you doubt yourself and shake with terror.¡±


    ¡°I do not serve her. I serve Marus and the empire!¡±


    ¡°But she gives the order,¡± Viv insisted.


    Cerus retreated into his own annoyance, and Viv knew this was going to take some time.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a gruff voice said from the side.


    Viv turned to see that Ban had joined her. The dry old man glared at her with his usual ¡®you¡¯re my boss now but just step out of line and I¡¯ll shove my pilum up your rectum¡¯ look. So he was in a good mood, probably.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Lemme talk to the lad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mere boy,¡± Ban said, grabbing the slightly taller Cerus by the shoulder and directing him away like he was five years old. Viv felt mighty pleased to have, once more, competent and motivated minions who were mostly loyal so long as she didn¡¯t ask for too much. Truly, the empire prospered.


    ***


    That night, they made camp in a secluded valley nestled between two small mounds, not far from a village where Viv bought fresh fish for only a few iron bits. The villagers were absolutely ecstatic to get iron, and Sidjin went as far as using some advanced magic to make basic tools.


    ¡°Mana-intensive and it makes for inferior products, but it helps in a pinch,¡± he said.


    ¡°You are very resourceful.¡±


    ¡°I strive to find a way to achieve anything with colorless mana. Perhaps one day, it will be the most used hue.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t think it would for a single second. The unintuitive castings required will and fine control. Most people wouldn¡¯t bother. She kept her remark to herself, however. There would always be a blue caster with a need to make fire and this would help a lot. They already had a repository of colorless spells safely recorded within Sinur¡¯s Gate¡¯s library.


    Zero-Five confirmed that Arana¡¯s agent had caught up, and that they had placed themselves atop the cliff to keep an eye on Viv and the Old Imperial underlings. As such, Viv made extra sure to have both Frosthawk and Cerus¡¯ borrowed tents set at a distance in complete isolation. Anyone looking would assume she either hated them, or found that they had questionable hygiene. Either way, this would give the appearance of conflict.


    After a nice grilled fish dinner, Zero-Five gave his complete report. The hadals had been extremely busy for two days, but now she would get a better picture of what she was up against.


    ¡°They sent many runners. Paths dedicated to speed. We could not follow them all so we followed two. Others went east, and north along the sea. We found two things.¡±


    His mask was solemn tonight. It couldn¡¯t be too good.


    ¡°There is a village of prisoners farther north, on a large island a little off the coast. We found the ships carrying food to them, as well as some reports. There is another island called the jewel island, but it is hidden.¡±


    Viv thought about it for a second.


    ¡°They may have the larger gulag, well, island, for the common law criminals and the potentially dangerous opponents and their families. The jewel island hides something more. I suspect valuable hostages might be held there.¡±


    Zero-Five shrugged. The axeman wasn¡¯t exactly a keen strategic analyst. He preferred a more direct approach.


    ¡°The other runner was too fast but we found out he was going to a¡­ favored village. The one that harbors ¡®general¡¯ Kobanis¡¯ family.¡±


    ¡°Favored village?¡±


    ¡°That is the term they use. They have iron.¡±


    ¡°Likely the place where the loyal guards are drawn from. It would make sense then, because in a revolution, they would stand to lose the most. Those we cannot convert. You will still find someone to scout the area.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Find where the villages are. I know what to do with them.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°As for the villages north, they are too far from us right now. Frosthawk also mentioned during the day that they were spread out. I give up on them for now since we don¡¯t have the resources to spread out that far. For the southern ones, my understanding is that they hug the shore so I will show myself there to begin with. I would like us to start on the eastern villages, those that lead back to New Harrak. We will be¡­ congratulating them on the reunification of both inheritor states through the sharing of tools. Yries-made. I know we have surplus. Let Sidjin know since he is the one operating the network right now.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Good. And let them know that I am going after the dragon and could use advice on, well, everything.¡±


    Viv was confident she could undermine Arana, but going without her advisors to prove she could be subtle when she wanted to was a waste of lives she couldn¡¯t afford. She would at least bounce ideas off of them.


    ***


    ¡°Grandmother, the scouts have returned,¡± Marus said, waving a deciphered text with a lazy hand.


    ¡°It is as you suspected. She is trying to turn our people against us.¡±


    ¡°It is always as I suspect,¡± the older woman replied.


    She was poring over reports in her office at the heart of the palace. Poorly made bark paper covered every available surface, pins linking them to one another. There were people, projects, ideas, conspiracies, clans, all bound together, all a massive spider web of feelings, loyalties, and influences. Control was about all of it. Nothing could escape it, or control itself would be lost.


    The newcomer was but another hurdle.


    ¡°She gave Frosthawk a horse.¡±


    ¡°Lent, I assume, though it confirms my fears that she is indeed a distant Paramese and not a particularly obnoxious southern tribe trickster.¡±


    ¡°The Eyes report that they talked, but the mage told her off.¡±


    ¡°He is old and cunning. Her design must appear awkward and demeaning to one such as he. He knows the price of betrayal.¡±


    ¡°They report that they built a separate encampment.¡±


    Arana nodded. She expected no less.


    ¡°She will still try to turn him around. The Eyes must keep a close watch.¡±


    Arana surveyed the corner of her domain that covered magic. Mages were a necessity, especially in times of turmoil. She could ill afford to lose one of the Frosthawk¡¯s last scions, but if it came to it¡­ She picked one of the images. Irlan. A placid man. A suitable replacement if it came to it. If Frosthawk proved loyal, she would wait another two years before¡­ retiring him in favor of the younger, more malleable candidate. Otherwise¡­ well, she still had his family. He would accept death rather than see them perish, and if needed, she would ship the ring fingers of each and every one of his children to convince him. She had resorted to this tool before.


    Such a headache, but that was the price of safety.


    ¡°I have ordered the soldiers to stay mobilized. I believe we should have them march east. Just in case,¡± Marus stated.


    ¡°A wise choice, Marus. I believe the village they saved, the one under one Elder Osso?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°It was fully destroyed by the dragon.¡±


    ¡°... I see. I will give the order. We should avoid destroying too many villages. The crops¡­¡±


    ¡°Hunger will pass. Revolt would not. Please have your men find any contaminated villages and deal with them. I want to know where she came from, so have them find it for me. Follow the trail east. My Eyes will assist them in this regard, my grandson.¡±


    ¡°What if we find them? Should we invade?¡±


    ¡°I believe this would be premature, especially since we do not know if they are the client states of adversaries we would be better served not provoking. No, finding them first is enough. We can worry about absorbing them once their troublemaker here has met her demise.¡±


    ¡°What if she¡­ doesn''t?¡±


    Arana reclined in her chair.


    ¡°What is my second lesson?¡±


    ¡°Look at the motives. She is not motivated to kill the beast. She merely needs to pretend she did, and so long as the dragon doesn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not hers. The dragons. The creature is a predator. They flee rather than fight a tough prey because being wounded can lead to their death. It is simply not worth the effort. The same cannot be said if said prey follows them to their lair. There, the dragon will be backed into a corner, and when it is¡­¡±


    ¡°She will either die or flee with her tail between her legs.¡±


    ¡°She cannot fool the Eyes. They will know if she lies.¡±


    Marus remained silent. Arana considered him with approval. Looking for points of failure to remedy them was a good quality in a planner. Her grandson was learning.


    ¡°How have the people received the news that the¡­ Kark, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I found a record of them in the archives. An unruly people.¡±


    ¡°That they are dangerous savages with a taste for imperial women. This rumor has taken well. I am concerned about the ¡®empress¡¯ herself.¡±


    ¡°The world that came after the fall is a decivilized one, and anyone who pretends otherwise is a charlatan at best, and a traitor at worst.¡±


    ¡°I see. I will pass on the word.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ***


    The next day, it took some time for the Eyes of Arana to fall behind, but they eventually did. Zero-Five reported this to Viv mid-morning while they were taking a short break.


    ¡°They are being very sticky. How many are there?¡±


    ¡°Three, rotating often,¡± the masked hadal replied.


    ¡°They must be sending word back to Frostbay.¡±


    Zero-Five shrugged again. He wasn¡¯t being very cooperative with the non-murderous stuff. Viv wondered how long his patience would last.


    ¡°I have decided to keep our discussions a secret from Arana,¡± Frosthawk finally said from the side.


    He was rather grumpy this morning, though Viv didn¡¯t know if it was due to Sidjin¡¯s departure since he should not be seen, the lack of coffee, or his natural predisposition.


    ¡°I appreciate it as a gesture of trust.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Though I would point out that she will kill you if you share this in case you are compromised, and she will kill me if she can anyway.¡±


    Frosthawk grumbled something in his beard before conceding the point. During a break, Cerus finally confessed about his family and how they were, and he had trouble saying the word, threatened.


    Then the dam opened.


    ¡°General Kobanis recruits his goons from Arana¡¯s clan. They are a lazy, entitled lot¡­ So rude and disrespectful!¡±


    ¡°Loyal to a fault,¡± Cerus confirmed. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t want to lose all of their steel. They have a lot of it. Most of it, in fact.¡±


    Viv collected information as fast as she could, and it was¡­ complex. The villages were too spread out to revolt, and there were a lot of them. The Remnants didn¡¯t exactly have a census but it was abundantly clear there were at least sixty to seventy thousand souls spread out among the cold plains that hugged the Harrakan mountain ring. It was several times what Viv¡¯s New Harrak currently had. She was basically a toad trying to swallow a bull, and yet the Remnants were so weak and disorganized¡­ Of the loyalist forces, there were several she could finally identify.


    The villagers, weak, scared, and untrained, but who could potentially provide shelter and information.


    The Guardians, led by Cerus. They were only loyal because their families lived spread out in a few villages near the capital that were vulnerable to raids from nearby southern tribes. Raids that were only prevented by troops stationed there, and even then not that well. Easy.


    The mages, led by Frosthawk. They would follow the old archmage, but his family was in the jewel island and no one knew where it was.


    The Eyes, a group of spies Viv had absolutely no way to turn and that she would purge with prejudice anyway. They were basically a dictatorial secret police.


    The last element was Kobanis¡¯ army. Even inferior to her heavies, fighting them inside of Frostway would still cause a lot of destruction, which she would rather avoid if at all possible. Fortunately, she had an idea. She started formulating a plan, then perhaps the others would have ideas as well.


    ***


    During her trip south, Viv did her best to win over the villagers, mostly with modest gifts of tools which they appreciated enormously. The difference between having one hammer and two hammers was not as significant as the one between one hammer and zero hammers. The same was true of saws, steel knives, and other specialized instruments that made life so much easier. It wasn¡¯t too suspicious of her to have brought those, she hoped, and Zero-Five confirmed that no villages had been burnt after she left it. So far.


    Soon, she stopped worrying about the coup. There was the small matter of defeating a juvenile dragon. On the day before they arrived at their destination, Viv secretly left her camp to attend a meeting set up near one of Sidjin¡¯s portals, inside the pine forest. She gated there, only to find¡­ a lot of people.


    Quite a lot of people.


    It was like a fae gathering, well-dressed mysterious people gathering in muttering clumps in the middle of the wilderness while reality was twisted nearby. The most notable pair, however, was made of Arthur and Solar. They stood at a distance and a little away from each other. Arthur seemed incredibly uneasy. She did that thing where she trampled the ground without realizing it. As for Solar, he was his stoic self.


    ¡°Greetings, Viviane,¡± he greeted first.


    Mother.


    ¡°Your daughter and I have aligned on a very important point, though for different reasons. I will leave you to it.¡±


    And just like that, he turned away to leave through his portal.


    ¡°Well that was quick?¡±


    His mate needs help with their spawn.


    Mother.


    It is important.


    I felt his aura near the village.


    He really is my brother.


    The two walked closer to each other. Viv patted Arthur¡¯s neck like in old times. Of course, now it was considerably larger.


    ¡°We, ah, never talked about it. Also about what I did¡­ Feeding you¡­¡±


    Cannibalism is common in spawn, if the parent leaves them to fend for themselves.


    It is¡­ an insult among dragons.


    Judgment told me so.


    She seemed dejected.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Yes.


    I am, too.


    Because he is cruel.


    Like our mother was.


    Judgment talked about her, also.


    He may have been alone for a very long time.


    Mother, I would still like him not to die.


    It was a request. Viv nodded. It would probably be easier to force the dragon to submit or to flee rather than just straight up kill him anyway. As for him being an ally, she really wasn¡¯t sure it could be done anyway. He was¡­ really an asshole. Even for a dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Then, you must face him alone.


    The dangerous blade master agrees as well.


    You must defeat brother in single combat.


    Viv didn¡¯t have to think long to realize Arthur was right, though it seemed like an incredibly dangerous idea.


    ¡°If I face him with allies, he will see us as humans. Cooperating together to fight a dangerous predator.¡±


    Yes.


    But since you carry marks...


    ¡°Then if I defeat him in single combat, I would be like another dragon claiming dominion.¡±


    He would listen, if only out of fear.


    But only you can do that.


    I am smaller than him.


    His¡­ primitive mind will not understand.


    But you carry the mark of the nurser.


    ¡°I will try. It will take some planning though, and I may have postponed it for too long.¡±


    The others have thought in your stead.


    They are ready.


    Go talk to them.


    Viv patted Arthur one last time to make her way to one of the largest groups of casters she had seen since Helock. Abenezigel was here, his size allowing him to look over heads. There was also Sidjin, Lana, Rakan, and Frosthawk whom Sidjin had apparently smuggled away from his tent, then many of the ladies under Lana, and Rakan¡¯s most senior trainees. The glances were unusually hostile.


    ¡°Am I bothering the conclave?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Could you please stop making a mockery out of space magic?¡± Rakan asked with false outrage.


    ¡°A mutiny!¡±


    Frosthawk tensed immediately, however the mood relaxed with a few laughs then so did he. Sidjin approached her with a new harness.


    ¡°If you want to win this, you are going to need a lot of tools, but mostly, you will need to fly very fast. But before we do some tryouts, there was somebody who wanted to talk to you.¡±


    Viv hadn¡¯t noticed him, her keen senses overwhelmed by so many mana signatures. Lak-Tak was here. His thin mustaches quivered with excitement.


    ¡°Err, you¡¯re here for¡­ Oh. Ooooooh.¡±

 Chapter 181: Slayers

    The village had stood for centuries, mostly unchanged but for the ebb and flow of the sea, the people, and as always, the monsters. It was a peaceful place far from the reach of Frostway, and so long as the tithe kept coming, they were mostly left alone. It suited them fine.


    Then the dragon came.


    He took the fattest cornudons and two villagers before permanent sentries were picked by the Elders. By then, they had learned to fear the skies. Some said that the price of isolation was clear: no one would come to save them. Others said that many things came from Frostway. Salvation was never one of them.


    It was a big surprise to see the foreigners come. They had skins of different colors, hair braided or cut in strange ways, and their wealthy clothes reflected several styles they had never seen before. The healer said that mana burnt around them like a pyre and they said that if any group of humans could possibly defeat the dragon, it would be them.


    The foreigners said they were from the New Empire, an ember rising from the ashes of what was thought to be forever lost. Many worried that those were liars, or invaders, but none dared speak for the New Imperials were rich and mighty.


    When dawn came, however, only one of them started the climb. The others stood and waited, and so the villagers did the same, and they prayed.


    ***


    He was angry.


    Anger was a familiar emotion, but also an ephemeral one. Anger was for those who opposed him, and they didn¡¯t live long. Anger, long anger, was new. New and very unpleasant.


    As was the anomaly.


    Existence followed rules. The beasts fought each other at the bottom. This was known. The bipeds ruled over some beasts, gathered in places of stone and dead wood. This had been a shock, but not a great one. It did not challenge existence. The bipeds could wield some of the colors, though not all and never many at the same time. It marked them as more resourceful, but still not like him. None of them saw fate, for example.


    No matter what new thing came into Existence, it belonged in a spot beneath him.


    This was the truth of existence.


    Or it had been, until that morning.


    He moved and his healing wing sent a painful sting of protest. Anger surged again. He hissed at a rock, a bone, but they were not the cause of anger.


    Confusion was another new thing. Like long anger, confusion was unpleasant. He wanted to banish it but could not. It was also part of him. Still, he refused to handle it. He was dragon. Confusion and long anger were for weaklings who could not burn their issues.


    Pain returned. He huffed fire, causing shadows to dance on the cavern floor. The air smelled bad from the meat spoiling in the distance. He considered changing lairs.


    Another flash of anger came with the thought that he ought to just clean after himself. That was a weak thought.


    Anger and confusion hounded him until he could stand it no longer. He peeled off the layer of emotional pain among those memories. Perhaps the confusion could be reduced?


    The anomaly.


    It felt like a dragon, yet was not. It felt caring, yet he had never been cared for. It was biped shaped yet strong.


    Only the weak could touch only one color. This was understood as the truth of Existence. The anomaly could touch only one color but it was strong. It could move the world with a mana that had no color. It could not perceive fate, yet fate covered it like a cocoon.


    The dragon coughed, an unfamiliar feeling. Painful. A little bit of fire stayed in his lungs, and that made him more angry.


    The anomaly could use mana better than him.


    He roared. The anomaly could not do this! It could touch one color only, and he was still better at every other one! Yet why could it stand against him, as a biped?


    This made no sense.


    He was above and the bipeds stayed below. It was understood as truth. Was the anomaly a false biped then? Was it something else? If then, was it his equal, or was it a fluke? Both possibilities made him angrier and more confused.


    He coughed again. There was an unpleasant taste on his tongue, so he took another bite of fat beast. That one was growing a little sour but it was fine. The dragon was not picky. The lump of meat made him feel better but the clawing pain in his lungs made him cough again.


    And again.


    It made him angrier. He spat fire, then breathed the red mana, cleansing his lungs, and that made him feel a little better.


    How can something be small yet strong? How could something touch less yet move more? Should he¡­ try the same? But he was dragon, the top of the world.


    The cough was deep this time, and so strong it moved his wounded wing. He shook with anger. The air was wrong, somehow. He needed the rarefied taste of the clouds. With heavy steps and a head full of unwelcome thoughts, the dragon walked out of the cavern.


    And stopped.


    There was¡­ something hidden there. In a black nest that faced inward. Hidden from his senses. A small fire pushed the smoke of herbs towards him, and this time the cough was terrible.


    No.


    No, it could not be.


    This was his HAVEN. His NEST. It could not be here!


    The nest opened, revealing familiar eyes of the abyss. Reddish hair. An armor made of metal and cloth, the mark of the weak who did not have scales.


    Impossible.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± the anomaly said.


    The dragon blasted the shape with fire. No no no no the words formed in his mind from sounds and it was wrong, wrong to mix perfect dragon speech with those¡­ those mouth emanations. Had to get out.


    The anomaly fired nothingness and it swallowed his flame greedily. He wanted to punt the little thing aside. Its instincts said he should be able to, but he had tried and failed last time. Failed! He coughed again.


    A new emotion gripped him.


    It was panic.


    He charged forward and the anomaly didn¡¯t block him, but pain raked his flank when he walked by. One of his wings was not moving right yet. Still healing. He took to the skies, but so did the anomaly. Colorless mana propelled her forward.


    He did a sharp turn, she could not follow. He was still better here! When he looked back, he saw that she had stopped. In the skies. Fate bound her to the planet in a tight embrace through the false wings anchored on her back. A flurry of seeking spells followed him. He was forced ¡ª forced! ¡ª to push them away with his own mana. The effort left him panting, lungs burning constantly. A new concept wormed its way into his head. He had been poisoned. Poisoned! But yes, it was a trick. A ruse used by the inferior. That meant he was still stronger. And bigger. It was understood. The ranking of Creation was set in stone. He turned around and fought, using his superior maneuvering to create some distance, then diving in but she started following and then casting while he was turning and losing speed. She was wearing tools, the treated skin of another beast meshed with metal torn from the earth and inscribed with those words the bipeds needed to make sense of the world. Weakness! He sneered, then saw the mountain and his cavern down below.


    He was¡­ he was running away?


    He was being pushed back!


    This was UNTHINKABLE!


    He roared his anger once more, screaming at the anomaly. He struggled to express his feelings, which were mostly anger.


    He needed the biped to understand that he was superior in every way.


    For the first time in his life, he formed his thoughts into a coherent message. The meaning erupted from his soul all around, loud, so the anomaly could understand.


    <ol>


    <li> am. DRAGON!</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°Oh I know. You¡¯re just not a very good one.¡±


    He screeched in rage.


    Needed to kill her. Needed to cut through that magical skin. Needed¡­ something sharper. He gathered gray mana, but it would not be enough. Needed something to toss.


    A rock.


    A rock would do. Flying towards her, he gathered the power between his claws. A painful cough almost made him break his focus but he was dragon, and he would endure! The rock formed, then gray mana propelled it forward at great speed.


    The anomaly blinked aside, a black mana trick.


    ¡°Oh? Learning are we?¡±


    Arrogant! He was already mature¡­ or was he?


    Was the rock¡­ a tool?


    Was mana a tool?


    Was he resorting to ruse? Against a biped?


    His doubts returned with a vengeance, and with it, confusion followed. His control over gray mana slipped long enough for a black beam to hit his scales, darkening them and spreading a pain he failed to oust. Dark mana invaded his conduits. Foreign dark mana.


    He dove towards the sea, trailing mana and droplets of blood. Another cough wracked his form.


    ***


    Frosthawk couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The cloudy sky above the fishermen village was the scene of a duel between flying monsters, a shock of spells that tore vivid lines across the heavens, visible clearly from down here. So far. Cold spread with the use of concentrated black mana. The booms of distant explosions shook the leaves on nearby trees.


    That girl wasn¡¯t facing a dragon. She was¡­ beating it? Arguably, it wasn¡¯t a huge dragon but¡­ between this and the other one hiding behind a hill. The scene was simply surreal. Unbelievable.


    Someone slapped his shoulder. He recognized Sidjin, apparently her paramour. The genius archmage gave him a smug smile.


    ¡°First time?¡±


    ***


    He plunged into the water, and the anomaly didn¡¯t follow. The blue was thicker than the gray, and here he would have an advantage. A ruse. A ruse! He had to resort to a ruse!


    Why?


    How?


    Suddenly, the blue parted around him. He looked up to see the sky. Liquid walls tore away from him, but he was too slow to react. A volley of spells erupted on his back, wounding him more and forcing yet another cough. He was choking. Too much effort, not enough air. Never enough air. He pushed more inside but it helped little. Too little. Life mana struggled to close his wounds. It was as if he was fighting the gashes themselves.


    ¡°Are you a fish?¡±


    I AM DRAGON!


    He surged. He could not run away. He could not fight from afar. He HAD to win in close quarters, and nevermind that his memory told him he had tried before. The anomaly was a biped, thus she was weak. She was weak, therefore he had to win. He had to win, but failed to kill her at range, thus he had to close in. There could be no alternatives.


    [Aspect of the Guardian]


    Claw smashing on a shield, barely denting it. Attempt to spit fire. Cough. Fail.


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The shield exploded. Hexagons of nothingness bit into his flesh, opening more wounds that would not heal, took more life mana, and bled more. The anomaly¡¯s presence grew more intense as well. The longer the fight lasted and the deeper its, no, her core burnt, and the more he could taste the froth of his lungs. She was killing him. He fought and threw everything he had. She blinked away, then her anchors planted themselves once again.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    Power. Black and monochrome. More than he could bring out himself. Fate tied them together now until all he could see was the viridescent ring in her abyssal eyes. He could still not understand, but he was now believing. Believing he might not be the strongest. The realization cracked his mind, his focus.


    She exposed her tiny fangs. She was, he realized, having fun.


    ¡°Not everyday I can just let go, you know? Fully let go.¡±


    You are not mother.


    ¡°Not to you, no, to your sister.¡±


    He tasted the truth in her words as gray mana kept him airborne and her own power focused to a sharp edge.


    ¡°Listen well, because I will only get to say this once,¡± she said.


    Her grin was, for a split second, infinitely cruel.


    She should not be having so much fun.


    ¡°I ate your brother. He was delicious.¡±


    That was it.


    That. Was. It. He broke and ran for it, but blades of hungry void bit into his wings, the gray no longer enough to support his lungs and his flight. He plummeted, seeing the grass below, and in the distance, a white form. Familiar, somehow.


    The dragon crashed down, tried to lift his head, then gave up.


    ***


    The villagers watched the dragon take to the sky, and the witch followed. The human battled the mythical monster high above them, one on one, over a background of gray clouds pressed by the winds. They moved too fast for peaceful villagers to follow, but they could see the flames, the air, the stones, light and darkness, great cuts and clouds and expanding spheres. Sounds of fury, destruction and on occasion, a free laugh silenced everything below. Even the raucous birds kept quiet while on the sea, the fishermen lowered their sails.


    After a long battle, the dragon fell. They saw it fall. They turned to each other with disbelief. The dragon had fallen.


    The witch had won.


    The wind picked up, raising the standard on the foreigners¡¯ tent. It was a white pyramid on a black field, with dragon wings on the side.


    It was curiously fitting.


    The villagers moved closer, drawn in by inexorability.


    ***


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have acquired a new title: Dragonslayer (merciful). This replaces monster slayer.


    A chiding mother, you have chosen the path of mercy. You have seen the child in the monster and stayed your hand. Perhaps your efforts will lead to a better future, or perhaps not. What matters is that you defeated a dragon in single combat and lived to tell the tale. Effect of social skills are enhanced. Effect of intimidation is strongly enhanced.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Acuity: +1 to 46


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Willpower: +1 to 46


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Champion''s leadership: Expert 1 to 4


    As it turns out, warriors are far more willing to follow someone who single-handedly defeated a dragon.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Draconic intimidation: Expert 10 (maxed)


    You need to path up and improve your leadership in order to access the master rank.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mana Mastery: Expert 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv needed to pick a specialization, but she¡¯d do it later. There was much to do right now.


    I will take it from here.


    She considered Arthur, now standing over the bloodied shape of her brother. It was¡­ very weird seeing a dragon wounded like that. A part of her saw Arthur in his stead, which filled her with dread, but the major emotion was satisfaction.


    Arthur¡¯s brother was an asshole. A violent asshole. And a moron. She was glad to have taught him a lesson, and there was hope for him yet, but redeeming him wouldn¡¯t bring back all the people he¡¯d killed. Now, the country would heal, and perhaps Arthur would make things better. She¡¯d done what she could. Ultimately, educating an adult feral dragon was outside of her expertise.


    She¡¯d have to trust her daughter.


    ¡°Are you sure? What happened to me felling him alone?¡±


    You did.


    Now I teach him.


    Another kind of fear took hold over Viv¡¯s heart.


    ¡°What if he¡ª¡±


    I am not stupid.


    I will never let my guard down around him.


    He is cunning.


    A mix of shame and disbelief shook Arthur¡¯s large frame. Her brother let out a piteous cough, eyes clouded by pain.


    He is also embarrassingly dumb.


    I will not underestimate how stupidly he can act.


    Her brother lifted his head and roared, or tried to. Without looking, Arthur moved her hips. Her tail whacked her brother¡¯s head with the deafening crack of a whip¡¯s end. A few of the smaller scales flew alongside a few droplets of blood.


    Her brother whined.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    He must understand defeat.


    ¡°Ok, well, you¡¯re the better dragon here.¡±


    I will feed him to help him heal.


    Her brother sniffed the air. An enticing scent covered that of blood. Seared fresh fish. And something else.


    Give.


    Arthur¡¯s claws clamped on her brother¡¯s neck in response to the imperious demand. He whined again.


    Sweet fish sauce is for dragons who behave.


    Her brother considered his situation for the first time, apparently, in his life.


    Give, please?


    Viv decided that her daughter had the situation well in hand. In paw. Well, whatever. She turned to the assembly of mages now standing at a distance, whispering among themselves. Frosthawk was still processing the presence of Arthur and the dragon¡¯s defeat. Viv approached him first.


    ¡°So, convinced?¡± she casually asked.


    There was no response. Frosthawk just shook his head slowly, unable to process the recent events.


    Well, she¡¯d gotten worse responses. Viv was about to walk to the village and confirm the good news, but the nearby portal flashed again, and a person she¡¯d never expected walked through. A plain northerner in lowly scribe robes, Lim the Fell-handed was one of the most unassuming persons Viv had ever met, but that meek appearance was a constant deception that hid one of the most twisted, unrepentantly evil minds Viv had ever encountered. Lim could not be redeemed. She could only be directed.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Viv coldly asked in the northern tongue.


    ¡°Your golem sent for me. He said that you requested him to wait until your victory was secured, but you didn¡¯t say he couldn¡¯t send help,¡± the sinister woman replied with a ghastly smile. ¡°Helock was getting a little tense. I¡¯m happy to come here to lend my expertise.¡±


    Viv considered sending the woman towards the Pure League, but if she was hired by Solfis, then she¡¯d probably refuse. And besides¡­ there was one aspect of her plan that demanded underhanded tactics. They were the kind the temple would sternly disapprove of.


    ¡°There is something you could help with.¡±


    Viv explained her plan. Lim¡¯s smile only grew wider.


    ¡°Aye, that will work nicely. Turn their strength against them. I¡¯ll ask for some help from your boys since we¡¯ll need to spread out. Alright. I¡¯ll be off then. Carrying out your will¡­ Hehehe.¡±


    Viv watched her leave. She hoped the liberation of the Jewel would balance her karma a bit.


    ***


    ¡°Messenger birds report that a caravan came from the east. It carried metal tools, grandmother. Hoes and spades and saws. Hammers and nails. Axes. Chisels. All of them well made,¡± Marus said in a subdued tone.


    ¡°Then she has the backing of a powerful nation. Hmm.¡±


    It did not come as a surprise considering the quality of the girl¡¯s gear. Arana considered her options, but there really only was one.


    ¡°Have the Eye contact the soldiers. Find every infected village. Track down and destroy the caravan. Hang the servants. Confiscate the tools. Have the leaders of every family who accepted a gift from a foreigner executed for treason. If the entire village succumbed to temptation, have them cleanse it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°There was something else,¡± Arana said, sensing further trouble ahead.


    ¡°The witch and her people. They defeated the dragon.¡±


    Silence filled the room. It was raining outside, but the palace was a fortress. Thick walls blocked the pitter-patter but not the wet cold that came with it.


    ¡°Recall my best Eyes. We will need assassins, for they are the only ones that can slay a mage of that power. I will have a ship ready just in case¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandmother?¡±


    ¡°It should not come to that, however we may now deduce that she garnered the favor of both Guardian Cerus and Archmage Frosthawk. I shall let the border guards know they should¡­ take a step back from Cerus¡¯ village. Have Frosthawk¡¯s children brought in from the Jewel. I believe their presence has suddenly become very valuable.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Marus,¡± Arana said to her grandson¡¯s worried back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We still hold the cards because the tools of control are still in our hands. Our ancestors withstood centuries of aggression, and she¡¯s just one woman. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Why is it I gotta dig when we got those fancy mages moving mud around with a wave of their stupid hands?¡± Nag asked.


    By her side, Feather planted her spade in the wet soil and sighed. She turned her dark, rich folk eyes to Nag who knew she was gonna get another earful.


    ¡°Do you see any fancy mages around?¡±


    ¡°Nay.¡±


    ¡°Then dig!¡±


    Nag shrugged. Felt stupid anyway. This village was a half-burnt wart on the ass of the southern plain. Who¡¯d give a shit? There was naught to steal but unripe wheat and ugly women. Even Nag, of famous thirst, didn¡¯t want to drag back one of those sad-eyed dogfaces to her tent.


    Skittish things. Even dumber and meeker than Nag¡¯s home folks. She turned to Feather, who¡¯d resumed digging.


    ¡°Is there like, a bumpkin scale, ya reckon?¡±


    ¡°For the love of Neriad, Nag, I¡¯ll shove that spade up your arse!¡±


    ¡°Oooh the bourgeois using bad, bad words. What will your mother¡ª¡±


    Nag expertly dodged a tossed lump of mud.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s dead and you¡¯ll join her,¡± Feather warned.


    The older woman brushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear, feather charms clinking together. Nag knew she¡¯d pushed a little too far so she patted the other lady¡¯s back.


    ¡°Hey hey now. I¡¯ll dig, promise. You wanna take a break? Tell that good-for-nothing Salt to replace you.¡±


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Feather grumbled. ¡°I am not weak. I can dig like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re new, aye? Take it easy. There''ll be plenty of holes ta dig yet. Oi! Salt! You old fuck!¡±


    Beyond the trench, the man was ignoring them, his back turned. He had his crossbow in his hands.


    That wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Salt?¡±


    ¡°Got something. There. Look¡±


    He pointed away, towards the west. The road snaked away from their unnamed village where the empress herself ¡ª the gods bless her arse ¡ª had supposedly whipped a small dragon. Crossing fields, then patches of forest, it led to another village leagues down there, closer to the sea. A tool caravan had left for that place over a day ago.


    ¡°What? We can¡¯t see it from here,¡± Feather complained.


    ¡°Nay, lady. Look up,¡± Nag said, pointing at the blue sky.


    A trail of black smoke emerged from the edge of the woods. It was a bit diffuse, but it was gaining in intensity with every minute.


    They stopped digging. Nag breathed the cold spring air. Tasted fresh here, nice, but there was something in there that woke up her old instincts. The lash scars on her back started to burn a bit.


    ¡°Trouble,¡± she said.


    Salt nodded. The old head checked his quiver, then he turned around.


    ¡°Nag, mind going to tell the chief? I¡¯ll go take a closer look. Be back in fifteen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to the boulder?¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Aight. Be careful. You, girlie, come with me.¡±


    Feather followed without complaints this time. Nag didn¡¯t outrank her and the fallen bourgeois didn¡¯t like taking orders from a yokel, but she could sense it was getting serious. Good instinct on that skittish mare. They¡¯d make a Bitter Heart out of her yet.


    Nag walked at a brisk pace, all official like. You didn¡¯t run in front of the civilians unless you wanted them to run as well, or panic. Then everything was a mess and it would be Nag¡¯s fault again.


    A sad woman knitting a shawl watched her walk by, frowning with mild disapproval. One of those. Nag gave her her best smile.


    ¡°Hey there.¡±


    The seamstress blushed and averted her eyes.


    ¡°I bet you cry when you climax,¡± Nag said as a parting barb.


    The seamstress took her shawl and rushed home. Feather half-chuckled, half-groaned behind her. Nag had her fill of banter for the next thirty seconds so she hurried, and the Elder¡¯s house was soon in view. Well, new house. Old one was still burnt to a husk with the elder¡¯s grandson in it. Damn dragon.


    She barged in.


    Elder Esso stood at a nearby table,counting things and whatnot on a piece of New Harrakan paper. Auntie frowned when she saw Nag, which Nag had to say was the normal Nag reaction.


    ¡°Nag¡­¡±


    ¡°Smoke on the horizon, west side.¡±


    Elder Esso paled. He prayed to Maranor under his breath while Auntie strutted towards Mag, her gray braids bouncing with every step. Nag soon found herself looking into the chief¡¯s suspicious eyes. The scars remained pale but the boss¡¯ face was turning red.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Definitely coming from the next village. Salt went to the boulder to scout. We ran here to tell ya.¡±


    West meant the old empire, and from what Nag could tell from the little Harrakan she spoke, those weren''t too nice.


    Elder Esso said something in a melodious tone. That was why Nag would never want to be a chief. Had to learn foreign languages of the people you were trying to kill. Bother.


    The chief replied. It was a bit brisk but Nag got the gist of it. ¡®The village is burning, of course we¡¯re getting ready to leave just in case¡¯. Elder Esso stood up, all dignified like. Nag could tell he was scared as a Harrien though, but kudos to him for not turning tail.


    ¡°Feather, go east and tell squad two to grab everyone. We¡¯ll meet at the west gate. Nag, you go find Salt and back him up. I¡¯ll be here trying to get those fuckers to move.¡±


    Nag was out of the door legging it before the chief started to scream. Force of habit. She jogged past the gate just as the alarm was ringing and the surviving villagers started running around like headless birds. Some of them broke down. Poor sods. Too many kicks in a row.


    She fell into an easy run, her [poacher¡¯s gait] kicking in. The fields extended right to the edge of the forest, right where the children would be foraging for berries and mushrooms. Right season, too. Nag regretfully left a nice plump harrien run away from her since she was in a rush. Her feet carried her through an overgrown path up a tiny slope with sure steps. Sure, the mages could disintegrate a mountain, but could they run fast in the woods? Fuck no. But Nag could.


    She stopped before she reached the boulders. Footsteps, ahead. Three adults. One limping. She clicked her tongue, and the call of a bleak sparrow returned a moment later.


    She swung her crossbow back over her shoulder. Salt appeared a moment later. He was helping a civvie move on, a sturdy man with a bandaged wound on his thigh she recognized from the tool caravan. A woman carrying a toddler came next. She was absolutely exhausted, so Nag moved in to help.


    ¡°We¡­ we are¡ª¡±


    The woman said something in imperial that ended with ¡®weh¡¯, peppered with southerner. She didn¡¯t get it.


    ¡°No talk. Wait village,¡± Nag replied.


    They moved fast, or as fast as they could. Nag ended up carrying the crying toddler in her own scarred mitts wondering how it came down to this after doing everything in her power to dodge the little shits. The woman almost broke down when they arrived at the gates of the village, and a relative of hers rushed ahead to help.


    Nag was happy to see the toddler go. She¡¯d not even dropped him once! But she knew she wouldn¡¯t like what came next.


    ¡°Report,¡± Auntie said.


    Lots of villagers had already gathered, and the crying lady got busy hiccuping through her tale in their weird tongue. Nag saw the chief had people bring crates of supplies so she grabbed spare quivers and latched them on her belt. Got a feeling she would need those.


    ¡°The village was burnt by regulars,¡± the wounded man said while a couple of villagers patched him up.


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°Not by southern tribers. By old imperial regulars. They saw the tools and they, I don¡¯t know, they went mad. Starting killing everyone in the village. We ran. My friend helped me, pushed one away with his spade. We got separated. I hope he¡¯s alright¡­¡±


    ¡°Focus. How many? What are they doing now?¡±


    ¡°Maybe two hundred?¡±


    The chief swallowed back a curse.


    That was maybe half of the current village population. Talk about overkill.


    The Bitter Hearts had two ¡®sleeves¡¯ here. Twenty-five warriors, total.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Feather asked.


    Around them, the two squads were gathering with a couple stragglers running across the field. Nag was one of the youngest around. Most others were older, having switched paths later in their life. Feather used to be a ¡®castellan¡¯ before her family got killed. Salt was a teacher. Blink was a prostitute.


    They all knew the score.


    ¡°At least they don¡¯t get mages,¡± Nag grumbled. Small favors.


    ¡°What do we do? You know what we do!¡± Auntie roared. ¡°We¡¯re the Bitter Hearts!¡±


    ¡°Last out,¡± everyone replied with varying degrees of enthusiasm.


    By their side, the surviving woman finished her tale. She was wailing now.


    ¡°In case you fine folks don¡¯t get it, the regulars kill everyone they get to, no exceptions. They won¡¯t do it here. We¡¯re not the best or the brightest but we¡¯re here for the people and we¡¯ve never been found wanting. Today won¡¯t be an exception. Elder Esso will lead his people west while we fight a delaying action.¡±


    Nag nodded. The villagers would have a lot of kids with them. It would slow them down. Regulars would just catch up to them in under an hour from here.


    ¡°They were regrouping when we got into the forest,¡± the caravan hand groaned. ¡°I¡¯d say, fifteen minutes before they arrive. Maybe more.¡±


    ¡°You hear that, Esso? You folks need to leave NOW! Ergan, you go with ¡¯em.¡±


    The caravan hand nodded. He wasn¡¯t a fighter.


    Nag sighed. What was it with this outfit that they just kept getting into battles? She was sure no other fucking warband on Param got into as many scraps as they did. At least it wasn¡¯t suicidally murderous lizard things this time. Neriad¡¯s cock.


    ¡°Right. Move to the forest, loose formation around the road. Mug, you take the right flank. I take the left. Grab as many bolts as you can carry, cause I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be recovering those. MOVE.¡±


    Nag had already done it, but she pushed a hesitant Feather forward. The lady was pale and her fingers a bit shaky. This was her first real scrap. Pinning revenants wasn¡¯t the same.


    ¡°You got this, princess.¡±


    ¡°For the last fucking time¡­ Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Stay with me and we¡¯ll get through this, alright? Your old pal Nag knows how to make it out of trouble.¡±


    Feather nodded. Nag smiled. Twenty-five against two hundred?


    Yeah, that was gonna be a tall order.


    At least they had no mages and no riders. Or Nag would have been praying for a quick end by now.


    The Bitter Heart squads merged into the forest. Nag forgot about the rest and focused on the woods in front of her. The inexperienced crossbowmen and women moved through the woods with mixed stealth. Nag was silent as a shadow, of course, but fat Nedys to the right could have passed as a stone hog. Maybe Nag could teach her to grunt and that would solve everything.


    The two ¡®sleeves¡¯ fanned out. Nag was on the left flank, with Feather on one side and Salt on the other, slightly behind. They moved up until even Feather could hear the stomps of metal boots on the path ahead. Auntie signaled to stop and they did, the signal relayed across the line.


    And then Nag heard it, to the side. She signaled quickly.


    ¡®Two soldiers. Front. Heavy.¡±


    The others stopped and lowered themselves, cloaks merging with the woods around. A moment later, Auntie¡¯s reply came.


    ¡®Kill¡¯


    Exactly as expected. Nag lifted her crossbow and focused. [Patient shot] wound up as the footsteps approached.


    Two soldiers walked over the crest of the slope. Armored. Helmets off for a better view, maybe? Bored. Confident. Foolish.


    A feathered quarrel bloomed on the back man¡¯s face, right below the nose. Hers. Muffled twangs replied and other quarrels caught the lead man in the throat, eyes. Nag was already sprinting. She caught the back man before he fell, pushing him over her shoulder. Fucking heavy. Salt had the other. They retreated, then pushed the bodies against a trunk.


    Nag now had some blood on her shoulder. Ugh. She checked the lead man, just in case.


    Feather¡¯s quarrel was the throat one.


    She raced back to her position, gently patting Feather on the shoulder as she passed her by.


    ¡°Nice shot, girlie.¡±


    Feather nodded, leaned forward, then vomited her lunch.


    Waste of food. Bah. Though she didn''t feel like it, Nag chuckled at the stuffy woman¡¯s expense. She had a reputation to maintain.


    Nag returned to her position. The column was getting closer. There should have been sentries looking at the sentries in case someone took them down ¡ª standard Witchpact operation protocol ¡ª but those regulars were awfully sloppy.


    Another signal. The line climbed up to the crest, and now Nag could see much farther, including the road. There were a couple of flankers making their way up but they were discussing and laughing. After burning a village, no less, Nag thought with a note of annoyance. The road was down and to her right, and the column was fast approaching.


    She kneeled and waited. Feather aimed, then stopped when she realized Nag kept down. Crossbows were heavy. No need to tire her arms just yet. They would be plenty tired before this was over.


    The column arrived in full view, led by a powerfully built warrior on a horse. Rare things, those, at least down here. It must be important.


    Too bad for him.


    Bird call. Bleak sparrow again. Nag aimed.


    Auntie¡¯s bolt caught the leader in the head. Her enchanted bolt practically cut it in half, covering the vanguard in brains. Nag was one of the first to get a good clean hit on another guy, in the chest. He fell with a scream. At this range, crossbows went through mail like butter.


    The Bitter Hearts silently unloaded into the screaming block, but they were fast to react. A bulky man screamed orders until a shield wall formed. It was slow though, and Nag scored a few more hits between clumps of skill-backed defenses. The bleak sparrow call came again. Two shorts, one long.


    Time to leg it.


    Nag fell back at a dead sprint, Feather and Salt on her heels. They stopped at the nearest slope and took position while the rest of the sleeve fell back in turn, and not a moment too soon. The first of the enemy regulars crested the incline in groups of five. Nag¡¯s [Patient shot] caught one in the helmet but it failed to penetrate. Probably a defensive skill, dammit.


    The second half of the sleeve covered the first while it raced out of the woods. Nag resisted the urge to turn tail while Mug sprinted by her. Her covering shots kept the regular at bay, but more and more small groups were appearing, moving forward carefully behind their skill-backed protection. Her next quarrel pinged against a steel shield, failing to penetrate.


    Bleak sparrow call again. Time to run. Again, the regulars saw the Witchpact disengage and thought it meant they could run but the rest of the sleeve got a few heads, and they returned to hunkering behind shields. Like this, the Bitter Hearts reached the village gates with no casualties.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have archers?¡± Feather asked with a fearful voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it, girlie.¡±


    ¡°For the last time, Nag, I¡¯m older than you!¡±


    No archers came to puncture Nag¡¯s buttcheeks, by some miracle. The regulars were advancing slowly towards the gates, again in groups of seven or eight, forming half-circles. It would allow them to move around without losing their defensive posture.


    Frustrating.


    Nag realized she was on her second quiver. Auntie and the others were still taking potshots at the foe. Nag felt something was wrong. The lash marks on her back flared, telling her of danger.


    ¡°There,¡± she said.


    Large groups of regulars were rushing along the flanks of the village. They were trying to surround them.


    ¡°Auntie?¡±


    ¡°I know, Nag. Saw them too.¡±


    The rest was left unsaid.


    The villagers needed more time.


    ¡°Sucks to be us,¡± Nag said.


    Her scars told her to run. They¡¯d never been wrong. Not once.


    ¡°What?¡± Feather asked.


    ¡°Nothing girlie.¡±


    Salt didn¡¯t speak. He got it too. Village wasn¡¯t big neither. Thirty houses, half of them crispy. Yeah.


    No place to hide.


    It wasn¡¯t too late to run.


    ¡°Fall in. Squad two, move to the other gate. Stand then city combat, groups of three.¡±


    Yep.


    Nag switched to patient shots. Hers were dangerous and she caught two greaves and an eye by the time the fuckers were too close to get more. Feather was breathing hard and missing every shot, but at least the loud pang on their shields taught them to advance carefully. Then the closest group of seven soldiers broke out and charged.


    Nag was waiting for it. She turned and used [Witchpact parting], catching a fucker in the stomach. With his magical defenses down, the reg fell like a sack, slowing down the others. Her group retreated into the village at a brisk pace. Salt got a great shot on one of the sergeants too, then the rest of the reg squads charged and the Bitter Hearts legged it. Nag took the lead because she was the fastest and because her back scars burnt now, whispering what to do. She turned right in a spot between two houses, only one burnt. The next reg to appear somehow caught her bolt in the shield. Without a defensive skill, the bolt pierced right through but stopped against the fucker¡¯s gorget. Still gave him a good scare though.


    The race was on.


    Nag guided the other two through a labyrinth of sheds and barns, her feet trampling gardens in their mad dash. She heard String die first, somewhere behind. Cornered probably. Another quickly cut scream might have been Nell. She had to stop thinking about her friends dying or she¡¯d be next.


    Her scars flared again.


    ¡°Up,¡± she said.


    Jumping, she managed to catch onto a beam and then drag Feather up. The two of them got Salt halfway before the regs found them. They were too heavy to follow. One of them threw his spear, but it was clear he had no skill for it and the improvised javelin missed Salt by three handspans. Nag would have laughed if she had the spare breath to do so.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    One more quarrel, this one catching the spear chucker in the ribs. He¡¯d be down for a while. Another scream in the distance marked the death of another Bitter Heart. Nag urged the other three across the roofs, of which there were exactly two before they came across the main road crossing the village from end to end.


    Mug and Auntie were at the edge of the road, blocking one of the side passages and battling a pair of soldiers. Mug was already bleeding. They didn¡¯t have shields.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Feather stumbled.


    A stone. The regs had thrown a fucking stone. Salt tried to grab her, but in vain. Feather fell awkwardly, on her waist. There was a crack.


    The regs caught up to them. Mug and Auntie¡¯s backs were exposed. Nag¡¯s scars flared again, more painful than usual.


    That was it then.


    Nag fell right behind Salt. Her [Witchpact parting] landed one last good hit before she had to draw her short sword. The reg facing her still had a quarrel lodged deep into his shoulder. She exchanged a few fast strikes with him, sweating, while Salt handled the other. Nag wasn¡¯t used to this standing and fighting. She didn¡¯t want to be here, facing that fucker who was trying to skewer her. Parry. Counter. This wasn¡¯t her way of fighting!


    By some miracle, she managed to deflect the guy¡¯s blade into the wall. Her counter landed square on his chest, only to bounce off his chestplate. She ducked under the counter but it almost landed on Salt¡¯s cheek. They were very close. She could smell the bastards.


    Auntie grunted. Not good. A twang and a man¡¯s yell told her Feather wasn¡¯t staying down either.


    The wounded man got pulled back by a massive hand belonging to a warrior in decorated armor. Tall fucker, calm despite everything.


    ¡°Finally,¡± the man simply said.


    She recognized him. He¡¯d given orders to keep his men calm after Auntie sniped their officer. Nag brandished her short sword like it was going to matter. She received the first blow just right, but the blade continued and cut into Salt¡¯s flank. He fell. His opponent moved in for the kill.


    The second strike smashed her against the wall. Her entire arms shook from the effort of just not dropping the blade.


    The third blow fell down, and Nag¡¯s mind went white. Her sword fell.


    Her hand was¡ª She stared in shock. it was missing half. Blood pumped from the gaping wound. Where were her damn fingers?


    It hurt.


    ¡°Blame yourselves for being weak, weh¡± the officer said laconically.


    Nag looked up and the last thought crossing her mind was that she¡¯d died without getting laid first.


    Then there was a horn. A ringing horn. Was it early or late? Nag couldn¡¯t be sure. Behind her, the sounds of battle stopped as men swore and fell back. The officer frowned. His partner took a step back from Salt¡¯s prone form.


    Something rose from behind the officer as a man stepped in. He was tall, bearded, and wielded a massive two-hander that got to be a pain to use in an enclosed space. From the blood though, he¡¯d just used it.


    She recognized him from church. That was Lorn, the temple guard boss. Gold light shone from his eyes when he stepped forward. His sword blazed red, overloaded with fire mana. The heat blazed in the alley like a small sun. That man was angry. He opened his mouth, and out came a sentence that would stay with Nag forever.


    ¡°Right back at you.¡±


    Lorn killed the officer in three swings, then he turned around and obliterated his way through another squad. A warcry filled the main street.


    ¡°The Rose.¡±


    ¡°AND THE THORNS!¡±


    The regs ran, but not fast enough. Nag saw a pair of fleeing men pass Auntie and a heavily wounded Mug, then a wall of steel, blue roses, and black barding, and then just a lot of blood. She realized she was sitting on the ground next to a groaning Salt. Someone was bandaging her wound. It was Feather. The smirk warned her of what was coming.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± Nag said.


    ¡°Need a hand?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ***

 Chapter 182: Sand Castle

    The villagers waited for hours, but eventually, she returned. The strange woman with the iron crown walked on the dirt path with her blade wings, her void eyes, and the emerald ring within. She came with a procession of mages and warriors of legend. Silver and rich fabrics adorned them as they passed them by, showing more wealth than the village had ever possessed. The Empress stopped to consider them, every man woman and child, even for an instant, and when she spoke, they listened.


    ¡°This is what a leader does. Not crush, not control or put down, because even though chaos is destructive, true order can only come from within. A leader rules from the front, weapon in hand, or from behind, directing competent followers. A leader may be many things that are not like you, but a leader must lead. The worth of a leader can be measured by the prosperity of those they lead. This is what you are owed by covenant, and in return, you must follow and serve the nation as best as you can.¡±


    The empress looked north, towards Frostbay and the emperor there. A man they had never seen, whose taxmen came with the harvest and whose soldiers were strangers seen only with fear.


    ¡°Your leaders have failed you. As a result you are weak and afraid. I will not ask you to fight for there are others who can do it in your stead, but at the very least, I will ask you to watch. You must stand and walk on your own feet so one day you may carry with pride, again, the title of Harrakan.¡±


    Her soul washed over them and they felt the belief behind her words. Those who could left their home with packs so they could tell those who had to remain behind. Like this, they reached the next village and told the villagers of one who had faced a dragon in single combat to protect them.


    And won.


    ***


    Arana felt blind. And deaf.


    The Eye sent east towards the land of the little witch had not reported. They were elite spies recruited from the most capable hunters her tribe had ever produced, dedicated to the cause thanks to her path. Without their reports, she felt her influence shrivel like an old branch, the green of her control slipping to reveal the gnarled bark underneath.


    Cerus¡¯ village had been successfully raided so not all was lost. The imperial ships traveling up and down the coast also returned, ready to be boarded in case the capital was attacked. As for the hostages, there were reports that the detachment was on its way back.


    Arana still frowned when she watched the map. First her subordinates, then the east. The witch was nibbling at her resources. The group sent east should have cut the witch off but, somehow, it had not.


    It would perhaps be better to send the assassins first.


    ***


    ¡°Two squads of Bitter Hearts engaged Arana¡¯s regulars near the first village, which we¡¯ve taken to calling Eastgate. They were heavily outnumbered but fortunately, a Hadal scout managed to reach the nearby gate while it was open for resupply. The enemy was routed but¡­ there were fatalities. Six soldiers. We also captured over fifty wounded regulars,¡± Ban reported.


    Viv leaned on the camp¡¯s command table.


    Losing people wasn¡¯t new but this time, it was different.


    Really different.


    ¡°I fucked up.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, casualties are a reality of¡ª¡±


    She waved him off.


    ¡°Not this. We knew they were on the way, but I didn¡¯t react fast enough. Or rather, there was no one to react because I was preparing for the dragon fight. I should have left someone in charge.¡±


    She sighed.


    ¡°Both you and I are decent commanders but we need a general.¡±


    She was actually suffering from a lack of nobility. Not her personal character, the actual social layer that raised children with knowledge of tactics and strategy.


    ¡°Maybe Order Master Rollo should take that role.¡±


    ¡°He said ¡®like hell¡¯ last time I asked,¡± Ban said with a meaningful glance.


    Viv sighed.


    ¡°If only I could poach Jaratalassi. Wait, there¡¯s an idea. I¡¯ll send him a letter. In the meanwhile, Arana owes me six lives.¡±


    ¡°There is more.¡±


    Viv waited for the end of the briefing.


    Arana was really going all out with being a terrible person.


    ¡°Your orders?¡±


    ¡°Get me Marruk, have a runner tell Lim to hurry with her preparations, and let Rakan know he can proceed.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Wait, has Lim picked troops for her task?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your linebreakers.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind went blank. Linebreakers? She didn¡¯t have linebreakers. Unless he meant Solar¡¯s apprentices, but they were not nominally under¡­ oh. Oh!


    ¡°The insane fanatics we rescued from the Empire of Dawn, right? Wait, they¡¯re ready for deployment?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been training for a little under a year, Your Grace. I saw them fight against revenant villages. They are insane bastards, but they¡¯re good at what they do. Solfis swore them in.¡±


    The old AI knew Viv was trying to hide something and since she¡¯d given him a direct order not to come until victory was achieved, he was sending his worst goons instead. She should have anticipated he wouldn¡¯t let himself get sidelined so easily.


    At first, Viv had refused them because linebreakers didn¡¯t fit with the Harrakan doctrine. It was a waste of time and men to form a new corps. Solfis had objected, saying that sometimes you needed troops that performed well in fast assaults or forest battles and yeah, the linebreakers would be it. They were perfect for the role.


    Maybe it would be fine. Yeah.


    ¡°So¡­ they¡¯ve already departed?¡±


    ¡°Aye. And Lana and a few Sisters of the Eye went as well. Turned out the regulars did things to several villages that didn¡¯t sit right with them.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well. I¡¯m sure the line breakers will exercise restraint. They know my stance on abuse.¡±


    ***


    ¡°YOU HAVE SINNED!¡±


    It was dawn In Arana¡¯s homeland. The valley had grown fat on the back of the nation. Tools, denied to the others, made every task easier. They were as plentiful as they were varied. Fruits for jam and liquor grew on old orchards while grain filled their granaries, their pastures green and grazed on by fat cattle. It was a haven, with tiled roofs and music, secluded evenings near a cold lake in summer, mulled wine and salted meat in winter. A perfect slice of what should have been.


    No more.


    ¡°You have sinned against the people. You have murdered, terrorized, raped, robbed, and maimed. You have silenced and you have crushed those you were sworn to protect! You did! Your victims have borne witness!¡±


    The regulars ran from the muster field to the nearby fortified camp. Many didn¡¯t have the time to grab their weapons, taken by surprise by the violence and speed of the attack. This had never happened before. No one had ever attacked them in recorded history. The scouts and outlying villages had reported nothing.


    The regulars¡¯ numbers equaled those of the assailants, hundreds against hundreds, but fear needled them on. Surprise struck them dumb while their enemies came with purpose.


    ¡°You have sinned against yourself! You have grown fat and complacent! You have ignored the beasts and the southern tribes instead of fighting for every bit of safe land, as you should have! Your paths lay disused and atrophied!¡±


    Quarrels found spines and knees. Spells turned the solid ground to muck under their feet, and the palissade rotted where it stood in front of them. Screaming packs of heavily armored soldiers ran after them with large swords and polearms. Ghosts shot them from the shadows. At the back, mages ruled the battlefield in dresses and heavy coats shining with runes, braids adorned with bones and trinkets. Sheds burned. Houses burned. Families ran into the woods to escape the conflagration. The valley had remained untouched by violence for centuries. It was all over now.


    The man who spoke had a face covered in ritualistic tattoos. His strange blue skin betrayed his far eastern origins, for the locals had never seen the likes of it. When the light of the fires hit the markings, they shone ominously.


    ¡°But more unforgivable than any other crime, you have sinned against Harrak. You pathetic, worthless sacks of shit dared to call yourself imperials while you wallowed in mediocrity. There is no room in this continent for two empires. You have failed, and now, you will die. You will die for what you have done. You will die for what you failed to do. You will die on your feet, or on your knees but you will. Die. And we will be the ones to kill you. The Zealots are coming for you, sinners, blasphemers! And may Efestar grant you a second chance, because we will not.¡±


    With the desperate strength of soldiers defending their homes, the regulars gathered at the entrance of their fortified camp, soon joined by militia and hunters with bows. All those that remained outside of the palisade were cut down without mercy, and the warriors of the Remnants watched the black-clad raiders advance, incapable of helping those they had left behind. Polearms and other large weapons dripped with the blood of the fallen, an echo of the tattoos of their killers, visible under monstrous helmets. Horns and antlers adorned them in a parody of nature. It gave the attackers the appearance of an inhuman people who had come from some lost world to make sport of them.


    The raiders gathered smoothly in separate formations that formed wings moving forward. Arrows flew, and most found their mark, but the enemy¡¯s armor was thick and its owners moved fluidly, not leaving anyone the time to aim.


    ¡°Wall! Form a shield wall! Gah!¡±


    Quarrels picked off the leading officer just as the defenders gathered to make a stand near the gate, with crumbling logs on either side. Hunters and huntresses shot as fast as they could against the approaching horde. Again, quarrels picked them off and forced the survivors down. The shooters didn¡¯t care for age or gender. Anyone holding a weapon was dealt with on the spot.


    Just as the line formed, hope returned. The assailants were well-equipped, yes, but inspection skills betrayed their lack of experience. They were just as green as the defenders, if not more.


    So why, then, did the regulars feel so afraid?


    The answer came soon. A spell finished off the wooden stakes until they crumbled. The regulars extended the line as fast as they could, stretching it while their skills flickered.


    The zealots arrived.


    The first to lead the charge were the deadliest and fiercest of them all. Their massive steel blades crashed down on the shield walls, or slammed through gaps in the formation, or into the helmets of those who were exposed. The shieldbreakers met the shields. They did exactly what they were trained to do.


    The first to break the formation slammed into the backline and moved, sending men and women tumbling into the feet of their comrades in arms. The line buckled. More warriors breached the line. It wasn¡¯t long before it collapsed and the battle devolved into a brawl.


    This was where the line breakers shone.


    With quick movements, the heavily armed warriors smashed into bodies and shields with devastating strikes that sent unprepared warriors to the ground in great, chaotic piles. The zealots sang as they fought, or roared, and the echo of their cries under horned and antlered helmets gave them a demonic shape in the scarlet light of the new dawn. True to their words, the zealots spared no one. Those that retreated were caught and executed, either by sword or from the bolts of hidden Sisters of the Eye. Once done, the zealots looted the weapons, then burnt down the tents. The granaries were emptied and set alight. A blaze devoured the empty toolsheds, the opulent homes and wide town halls. They seized the cattle and slew all that resisted.


    The valley fell in a single day, and the civilians were allowed to run back to Frostway to speak of their woes.


    ***


    ¡°We need to mobilize!¡± Marus said. ¡°Go after the bitch!¡±


    Arana pushed pins on a map, all the while holding a list of buried treasures. Just in case. She was as angry as he was, but she couldn¡¯t let it be seen. Control was everything. It started with control over oneself, a schooled expression, a composed posture. She couldn¡¯t let it get to her.


    The knowledge.


    That she was without recourse.


    The truth was that the regulars would be enough to repel a southern tribe, or even several of them working in concert. The mages and guardians could take down most monsters. Unfortunately, those tools had been taken in the very first days, and she¡¯d been powerless to stop it. Frosthawk was powerful, but it was all she could do to hold him at bay with hostages. The same was true of Cerus. They could not be trusted, so she had not trusted them, and now they didn¡¯t reply to her summons even assuming they received her messages at all.


    She was playing with too few cards while the witch seemed to have an inexhaustible number of them.


    Where did she even come from?


    ¡°We will. Unfortunately¡­ Half of our men have deserted. They are returning to defend their homes.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°General Kobanis?¡±


    ¡°Is leading the relief effort. His son was with the home guard.¡±


    The Emperor mulled this over in sullen silence. For the first time, he showed fear.


    Arana, too, had thought the general in their pockets forever, but when faced with the possibility of the loss of his home, he had not hesitated to ride back.


    In a way, Arana should have seen it coming. His allegiance was to the clan, through her. No clan safety, no allegiance.


    ¡°The assassins must succeed.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ***


    The Eye ran for her life. It was a monster. Had to be.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get me!¡± Lanius said from the side. ¡°You¡¯ll never get me!¡±


    She kept running through the woods, between the heavy trunks that reeked of sap, the dead needles quieting her steps. She heard a clash of steel, a second, then came a yelp of pain. It was quickly silenced.


    She kept running.


    Did monsters wield axes?


    This one did.


    Her mad dash continued until all the voices around her were silenced. She stopped when a shape bled out of the shadows in front of her.


    A tall man, bald, with a scarf hiding the lower part of his face. He was looking down.


    The woman grabbed her shortsword.


    ¡°She sent you, didn¡¯t she? She had her own assassins.¡±


    The ¡®man¡¯ looked up, and she realized that her first instinct had been right. The slit pupils didn¡¯t belong to anything human. The creature certainly looked like one but the pallid face, hairless head, and those eyes, they spoke of something else.


    ¡°You are undead.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the creature whispered. ¡°I am very much alive.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to serve her. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    To her surprise, the creature nodded. Very firmly.


    ¡°I do not have to do this.¡±


    ¡°THEN LET ME GO!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t do this because I have to. I do this because that¡¯s what I was made to do, and because it¡¯s fun.¡±


    It was like talking to a doll.


    ¡°You fucking monster, let me go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s harder, is it not?¡± the monster asked with a very calm voice.


    He ran to the side, his steps lighter than hers. Her desperate attempt at escape was aborted as soon as it started when a blade whistled past her nose. She turned and dodged an attack with a shadow step only for the monster to follow her. His voice rang in her ear. For the first time, there was an emotion there. It practically dripped with venom.


    ¡°Harder when you¡¯re not killing young poachers?¡±


    Her shortsword snaked out, but it found only air. Her instincts took over even with the next attack coming from a blind spot. The sword clanged against the edge of an axe. The angle was wrong, though.


    The power of the strike sent her flying against a stump. She struck it with her back. Got to her feet with pain. Realized she was bleeding. The sound of metal through soil forced her to raise her head, watch the monster approach casually with his bloody weapon.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± she spat.


    ¡°We could have ended all of this in five minutes had the empress ordered it.¡±


    The woman froze. She¡¯d never considered the implications of her dying, but now, in that short moment, she did. The Emperor and the senate relied on the Eyes.


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t. She doesn¡¯t want to order us as assassins, even though some of us would do it. We would choose to be the blades in the dark, for our people.¡±


    The monster shrugged.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I don¡¯t need to be asked. And you are making it a very easy decision.¡±


    The woman thought she could block one more attack, at least, but the Hadal used a skill and his axe severed her neck cleanly. When Zero-Five was done, he cleaned his blade, then put his mask back on.


    Irao was right that the Hadals deserved the gift of choice.


    His choice was simply more violence.


    ***


    North of Frostway, the land grew more savage along the coast. Marshes replaced the forest along the windswept valleys. In summer when the temperature became pleasant, a thin, frosty layer of salt formed on the surface which the locals harvested for a few more iron bits. Bees buzzed on wildflowers with the upcoming spring. The land was rich, but its people were poor. Rakan and his detachment walked past villages held together by string and flotsam, stacked stones, and hope. Its people had huddled inside to watch them go fearfully. Talking to an elder had proven almost impossible, the old man barely speaking a few words of imperial. Along the coast, the language had been lost.


    There were many such villages as he traveled north. Dozens just along the path, each as parochial as the next. Few travelers walked the disused roads, mostly young families carrying their lives on their back as they sought land in outlying regions. It pained him to watch them so miserable, and so unguarded. One of the elders spoke of a large wolf, but Rakan didn¡¯t have the time.


    He was on a mission.


    The Hadal guiding them brought them through secret paths down to a hidden creek, a deep one with water as blue as cold ice. Rickety buildings hugged a single pier upon which a small ship bobbed, men loading it with crates of supplies at a leisurely pace. Stacks of simple cloth bags waites by the main warehouse. Rakan inspected them.


    [Crushed Limestone]


    Hmm. Inexpensive stuff used to form concrete, Rakan remembered. Very useful for construction. Exceptionally malleable in the hands of brown mana specialists. There were a lot more bags than there were supplies.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to need food and two portals, captain,¡± he said.


    The leader of the Hightree company nodded. He was one of the earlier veterans to recover his eyes thanks to Viv, but sometimes, Rakan thought she should have regrown his tongue instead. The man spoke like each word was worth a water flask. His men even called him Hush. He had a short stature and the very broad shoulders of an archer, which he was primarily. A short beard and long hair gave him a wild look that fit his company.


    Behind him, the rest of his men used the lull to check their weapons. Bows, crossbows, spears, swords, sabers, slings and axes were checked and rechecked. Rakan knew the Hightrees were drawn from a dozen different militaries, with different traditions. They were not as cohesive as the Mountain Lords, but cohesion wasn¡¯t what Rakan needed right now.


    He grabbed his staff and set to work, pulling some of the stored brown mana to set the disk of flat stone he would need for the portal. Pushing the mana into a construct before it could escape his leaking core, he carved the land with a soft touch, cooking it to follow his direction. He liked brown mana. It was solid. Dependable. It could block the sun as easily as a hail of arrows.


    A quick glance at the staff confirmed that he wouldn¡¯t have enough colorless mana so he drew mana from the earth and his own leaking core, pushing it into the brown core which happened to be the largest. It took a while, but he wouldn¡¯t attack until the night settled anyway. Hush led his men to form a camp and set up sentries in the meantime. They, too, were dependable.


    Below, the Remnants¡¯ sailors and soldiers remained unaware of their presence. They didn¡¯t even send patrols out past the basic wood wall that encircled their small jetty.


    That was fine with Rakan. With a last sigh, he continued his work.


    Drawing mana from the brown core, he turned it colorless with an ease born from practice. Setting the construct was easy. The harder part started now.


    ¡°Space is like a grid, it can bend.¡±


    Rakan visualized the graph Viv had drawn for him. He also remembered the very strange movies he enjoyed so much and that Viv occasionally aired for him in her study. Space was not a distance or a theoretical concept but a three-dimensional continuum that wasn¡¯t quite as immutable as he had thought. It bent around very large objects like the sun, the moons, and Viv¡¯s ego. It could bend. It definitely, definitely could bend.


    ¡°Space is like a grid. It CAN bend.¡±


    He repeated the mantra until sweat covered his brow and the circle shown under his feet. He could do it. He¡¯d done it before. Space was like a grid and Rakan would make it bend.


    How the fuck did those two manage it so easily. Viv even admitted he was more talented than she was.


    Rakan breathed deep, letting his pride suffuse his psyche. It was easy. Space was a grid and he would make it bend. Just like that.


    The air pulsed.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Arcane Construct: Expert 2


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With deceptive ease, the portal opened just as the sun set to reveal a clearing where the light was just a tiny bit darker. A hadal stood when he looked up.


    ¡°We¡¯re, ah, we¡¯re going to need food soon. I think.¡± Rakan panted. ¡°I¡¯ll set another anchor here.¡±


    Setting the anchor was only a matter of minutes since no spells were required yet. He used the opportunity to recharge his brown core a little more, then pulled black mana into the black core as night settled. He would use it soon.


    ¡°Ready to leave?¡± he asked Hush.


    ¡°Plan?¡± the man grumbled.


    Hush definitely had a plan but for some reason, he preferred having Rakan speak out and then correct him. Rakan didn¡¯t mind. It felt like he was coming up with the plans himself, and this was just good training overall.


    ¡°Ok, we need the ship intact. I propose that we infiltrate the camp and make straight for it. Once it¡¯s in our hands, we can secure the rest of the camp.¡±


    ¡°Hostages?¡±


    Rakan blinked, caught off guard by the dour soldier.


    ¡°They have hostages?¡±


    ¡°Prisoners. There,¡± he said, pointing at the most secure building.


    Honestly, Rakan thought it might have been barracks. The last of the sunlight disappeared in a cold red blaze as the men assembled by loose squad, bristling with weapons.


    ¡°Alright, then we breach the right wall and secure that place first, and then we go for the ship.¡±


    Rakan wasn¡¯t sure it was a good plan. They needed that ship, or the mission would fail, but it was much easier to take over a ship after the alarm was broken rather than save hostages, even with magic. Ships didn¡¯t have throats to slit after all. But if the ship was somehow destroyed¡­


    He shook his head. It was worse to hold back than to make a bad decision.


    ¡°Alright. We do that. First squad with me. I¡¯ll cover the approach then after we¡¯ve secured the two main objectives, I¡¯ll send a signal for the second squad to join us. Alright?¡±


    Hush had another good look at the port.


    ¡°I can neutralize the sentries from inside.¡±


    Two towers sat on either side of the closed gate. They didn¡¯t look like much, but there were bound to be people inside.


    ¡°Alright. And the signal will be a flare.¡±


    Hush nodded. It took only a few seconds for the first squad to assemble around Rakan. A quick prayer to Neriad followed, then the squad started down the slope.


    Rakan pulled black mana, infusing it with the meaning of shadow. The cloak spread around the squad the way Viv had shown him. He directed it all around.


    ¡°I am not there. I am not there,¡± he whispered.


    Curious eyes followed them for a second from one of the walls before dismissing them entirely.


    That was right. Nothing to see. No one would ever attack them.


    Rakan stopped by the walls, and the Hightrees followed. He pulled blue mana from the air and used it to liquefy part of the palisade. The wood rotted and fell in a pungent slurry by his feet. Blue mana didn¡¯t come to Rakan very naturally, but he was still adept at using it.


    Soon, they had a hole. Hush signaled, then a short man with two swords jumped through. He signaled that the coast was clear.


    The rest of the Hightrees moved in with considerable grace for men wearing heavy armor. Rakan was second to last, then it was Iria, the group¡¯s only woman. She urgently signaled to the side and the group huddled.


    A moment later, a bored soldier walked near the pier with a lantern and a mug of wine. Rakan remembered the rumor that Iria was a dropout from Enttiku¡¯s warrior order. Maybe she¡¯d kept a few secrets. He cast the shadow spell again, then they were off towards the barracks.


    It was there that he felt an issue. Just as they approached the stone jail, a burst of mana came from inside.


    Mage.


    He stopped and signaled Hush, who nodded. The squad approached the prison¡¯s gate. Two sentries stood bored to tears. Hush signaled.


    His arrow took the left one in the throat while a crossbow bolt and two knives cracked the other one¡¯s skull. Rakan knew this would make some noise. Even with the regulars being out of practice, they were still warrior paths with suitable stats. As the left guard let out a rattling death sigh, the sounds carried inward. They must have, because Rakan felt the mage inside move out.


    Fine. He just has to remember not to play it too smart. Take them out and move on. This wasn¡¯t a demonstration.


    Rakan focused, preparing several spells.


    The Viv approach would be to collapse the entire wall structure on the fucker, but there were hostages inside and it would be quite noisy.


    The Sidjin approach would be to fell the man with a single colorless spellbreaker carrying a red mana payload, but Rakan wasn¡¯t that good yet.


    Maybe a bit of both.


    The mage opened the door. He was young with a round face and suspicious eyes, clean shaven. With a wine-stained robe.


    He was drunk, Rakan realized in that brief instant before he struck.


    A brick fell from the building on a prepared shield, surprising the mage but not breaching. A Colorless breacher followed. The shield, this time, cracked like an egg, the mage spooked by the brick and caught off guard. He pulled on black mana to use that breach before it got closed. He had it. Rakan had already won.


    An arrow caught the mage under the nose at close range, right inside the tiny breach Rakan had opened.


    Rakan turned to Hush, whose bowstring vibrated pleasantly.


    ¡°Tsk tsk.¡±


    But the man was right. Rakan had to remember that this wasn¡¯t a contest. He followed the rushing soldiers even as a yelp sounded from the inside. It was a woman¡¯s cry of alarm, but it was quickly silenced. Iria made the sign that the building¡¯s interior was secure just as Rakan reached the threshold.


    Well, at least they were fast.


    ¡°Hey, heard kerfuf bagam, weh!¡± a voice said from the pier in that strange creole the locals enjoyed.


    Rakan followed Hush towards the pier. They reached it in seconds, their feet stomping the pavement. A sentry spotted them but his utter surprise cost him a fraction of a second. Hush¡¯s bow twanged loudly in the last of the silence. The man fell back, spine punched clean through. Rakan saw three sailors on the ship¡¯s deck.


    Needed those alive, preferably.


    He pulled on blue mana from the air and from the staff, sending two of the sailors into the cold waters of the bay, but the captain resisted. He stopped the ball a handspan away from his chest.


    The two struggled for control, him on his ship, in the seat of his power, and Rakan far away on the pier with his least comfortable color. For a moment, the two were evenly matched, and the captain prepared to scream for help.


    Rakan infused the ball with the meaning of flexibility. It turned into a snake that jumped into the man¡¯s mouth. It turned the shout into a gurgle. On Rakan¡¯s side, Hush shot the sentries on the tower. Their walls didn¡¯t extend inward, which made them vulnerable to arrows shot from the inside and, Rakan assumed, the cold wind. Lazy.


    He extended his arm. Red mana fused and turned into a reddish bowl that glowed for a second. Meanwhile, the captain had recovered, but Rakan wasn¡¯t about to let him do anything. A colorless telekinetic spell was enough to throw his target against the deck. Meanwhile, the forest beyond the wall turned red from hundreds of torches. Cries of alert rang throughout the small fort.


    ¡°Hightrees!¡±


    The hundreds of soldiers charged down the hill. Rakan considered attacking the door but he realized he didn¡¯t have to when a few of Hush¡¯s men simply raised the bar from the inside. What followed wasn¡¯t a battle. The two dozen remaining guards were caught as they were drinking themselves numb. There was barely any resistance and most of them were captured to face tribunal. As for how guilty they were, Rakan reserved judgment until he managed to find the exiles.


    With the port secure, Rakan¡¯s first order of business was to check on the jail. Hush guided him through the bloody antechamber where the mage had been staying and which was now cler of bodies, right to the cells themselves, of which there were three.


    ¡°Why are the prisoners not free yet?¡± Rakan asked with a frown.


    The place was damp and cold. Even from here, it was easy to see the huddled forms waiting bound behind rusty cell bars.


    Hush frowned. Rakan was missing something, clearly.


    ¡°What are you here for?¡± he asked in imperial.


    It was immediately clear that he wasn¡¯t being understood, Rakan thought. Most of those poor souls wore badly made robes woven with coarse thread and fishbone needles ¡ª Rakan used to wear the same ¡ª so probably not trained, but to his surprise, one was not. A man dressed in the tatters of some official robe pointed at his neighbor, a young woman with a defiant expression.


    ¡°Poisoner,¡± he said.


    The woman immediately screamed at him in the local tongue until Iria was forced to separate them. Rakan believed Hush had made his point.


    ¡°Understood. Have a squad bring them to the portal where they can be transferred to the Temple of Neriad for interrogation.¡±


    ¡°Yessir. Another group of hostages in the last room. It was warded.¡±


    Rakan followed Hush to a separate place. As the captain had said, the door was indeed warded but the hinges were not, and so they¡¯d broken first. A common oversight. What he found inside was the complete opposite of the previous cells.


    While the other prisoners were filthy and beaten, they still carried signs of a relatively healthy life. Those four in front of him were clean, dressed in what passed as finery by Remnants standards, and the room itself was spacious and well-furnished with actual beds. Exile was engraved into their bodies instead. Two were teenagers but looked childish from years of starvation. Their gaunt faces looked up with a bleak resignation that pushed them beyond fear for themselves, an aura of quiet despair that clung to them like a bad smell. Rakan had seen people like that back in Halluria. Those who¡¯d already lost everything and were just waiting for the end.


    They also matched the description for the ¡®high value persons¡¯ Viv wanted freed at all costs.


    ¡°You are archmage Frosthawk¡¯s children¡­ correct?¡±


    The oldest girl looked up blearily, reacting for the first time.


    ¡°You here to kill us?¡±


    ¡°I was sent here to free you, but we expected you on the Jewel. You, ah, well it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here.¡±


    The three younger children ignored him completely. The older girl was barely any better.


    ¡°But what about his wife? Lady Shana? Is she¡­¡±


    The kids reacted for the first time, shifting with guilt and the pain of an unhealed wound. Again, the oldest took the lead.


    ¡°She¡­ Last winter, there was a great sickness. Not enough medicine for everyone. She told us she¡¯d taken enough. And food too. She told us. She told us she¡¯d¡­¡±


    The girl broke down and Rakan moved in to comfort her. She looked so much like Rakan¡¯s own sister that the pain touched him but when he reached for her, she recoiled.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, feeling like an idiot.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ not¡­¡±


    She shook her head.


    Not his fault. Probably what she was going to say.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll get you to your dad. That¡¯s the most important thing right now, but we are supposed to free the others. The other prisoners, I mean. From the Jewel and the other island. Do you know anything about them?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna need more than one ship,¡± the second child said.


    While his sister was probably holding on for the rest of them, Rakan could very easily spot what propped that one up.


    Hatred.


    ¡°More than one ship, weh. They¡¯ve got at least fifty guards. Mostly on the Jewel. The other island¡¯s very close and bigger. There is a mine there. A fishery too.¡±


    ¡°Only fifty guards?¡±


    ¡°The prisoners guard themselves,¡± the boy hissed. ¡°The murderers keep the dangerous Arana detractors in check, weh.¡±


    Rakan nodded. That made a perverted sort of sense. Even back in Helock, common law criminals were less feared than revolutionaries.


    ¡°One ship might not be enough to carry enough soldiers,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°Not for the guards and not for the bad prisoners. Or to take people back with you.¡±


    Rakan thought so too, and according to the intel, there were only two ships making the round, both too small to hide even a fraction of his forces. He would need to infiltrate the island so he could set up the next portal in peace. That was his plan anyway. The question was how?


    He should go talk to the captain.


    ***


    It was getting really cold outside, a very unfortunate fact of life for Rakan¡¯s newest prisoners. Hightrees brought the captain forward while his drenched men were unceremoniously thrown on the ground next to him. Rakan approached with all the gravitas he could muster. Normally, his Hallurian origins were enough to have most people piss themselves which suited him just fine that for once, his ethnicity wasn¡¯t a fucking hurdle. Here though, the captain was just plain scared of everyone so being from a race of boogeymen would have less impact.


    The captain shivered.


    Maybe it would still work.


    ¡°Do you understand imperial?¡± He asked, then added ¡°mongrel¡± after a small delay because it sounded like a good idea.


    The captain nodded furiously.


    ¡°I do! I do! I had school training!¡±


    ¡°Then we have a few questions for you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you! You don¡¯t know Lady Arana! If I do anything for you, she will surely kill me.¡±


    Rakan blinked very, very slowly.


    ¡°I think we need to clarify exactly where we stand. I guess we haven''t done so yet. Hush?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Neriad¡¯s take on the treatment of prisoners?¡±


    The archer gave the serious question a long thought. Rakan suspected it was unwise to ask in front of the prisoner, but he had an inkling as to what the answer would be.


    ¡°Err. If he¡¯s a civilian and refuses help that¡¯s his right. Since he¡¯s been helping soldiers, it could make him a soldier as well. Even then, he has a right to refuse helping an enemy.¡±


    The captain breathed a sigh of deep relief.


    ¡°That said, Neriad¡¯s clear about hostages, especially entire families. Way I see it, the captain here¡¯s standing between us and rescuing innocent civilians. If they¡¯ve been harmed, which they have, why, he¡¯s even an accomplice.¡±


    Hush cracked his knuckles.


    ¡°Bring him in, lads. Boy, you stay here.¡±


    Four gauntleted hands grabbed the captain¡¯s shoulders with crushing grips. A few of the Hightrees chuckled with the gravelly tone of old veterans, the jaded kind. Iria¡¯s voice rose above the crowd. It was a deep alto with a powerful Reixan accent. The city of smugglers. Nice touch, though again, the captain wouldn¡¯t recognize it.


    ¡°Drop his pants, boys! Been a long time since I¡¯ve last shaved a man!¡±


    ¡°Wait wait wait wait wait wait!¡±


    He didn¡¯t even last until the door. Just as well.

 Chapter 183: Crumbling

    Water was everywhere. In the darkness of the night, the sky merged with the sea in a dark, blurry mess that gave Rakan vertigo. The ground moved under his feet. Well, the ship¡¯s deck. All that separated him from a yawning abyss of murky waters were two layers of thin planks and the loyalty of a man he¡¯d threatened to torture. It wasn¡¯t much.


    The small ship crested a wave, spraying Rakan¡¯s face with cold water. The Halluria of his childhood didn¡¯t have a sea. Just tiny underground lakes and the jungles, in the distance, with the horrible ponds. The water back there was precious and cool. It was lifeblood and it was money. Water was precious.


    Not like this! The water here was absolutely everywhere and it was cold and salty and buckled under his feet like a treacherous cornudon.


    He fucking hated here.


    ¡°Sir, you can sit if you want. You don¡¯t have to grip the mast,¡± Iria suggested with a pleasant smile.


    ¡°I am, hmmm.¡±


    She was ten years his elder at least, and an accomplished soldier. She would be absolutely impervious to bullshit.


    ¡°The ocean is making me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°But you do have blue mana, yes?¡±


    ¡°I have red mana but you don¡¯t see me shoving my entire behind in an oven. Also¡­ It is, in fact, difficult to cast with salty water flooding one¡¯s lungs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that if we face a caster. What I meant was that maybe you can charge that gem of yours? On the staff. As a distraction.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m nervous, I clean my sword.¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°Keeps the mind focused and it might also keep me alive.¡±


    ¡°You are entirely correct. My time would be better spent on magic. Let me find somewhere to sit.¡±


    The other soldiers lined the railing. One of them was sleeping with his arm almost trailing the water.


    ¡°Errrr.¡±


    ¡°There is a crate by the steering thingie.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Rakan admonished himself for his lack of decorum. He wasn¡¯t a mushroom farmer trainee anymore. He was an archmage of the empire! There were expectations that he would always know what to do in public. That was what the elites did, like Viv. Viv always looked calm and in control in front of a crowd. Even if he knew from watching her in private that she was winging half of everything and relying on people to do stuff well.


    That was right. He just needed to appear in control of his fear.


    Rakan did what he often did, pulling mana from around and from his leaking core. Blue, gray, black, the essence of night on the waves. It was fine. It would be fine. He was still a mage and the ship would land safely on the island in an hour or two. He would open a portal and never set food on a ship again in his entire gods-accursed life. Yes.


    The island sure took a long time coming. When it did, Rakan didn¡¯t notice at first.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to arrive, Your Grace. The pier¡­ at night¡­ well, the weather is clement at least,¡± the captain uttered in imperial.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The swarthy man pointed at the gloom in front of them. It took some time for Rakan to identify a small dot of light floating in the darkness like a dying firefly. The ship bobbed and it disappeared again, only emerging a little later. Rakan focused, and the ¡®Jewel¡¯ appeared in relief, its size expanding and contracting as his mind tried to process the shadowy shapes. Then, one of the moons peeked from behind a low cloud, and he finally saw the rock.


    A wind-swept plain sloped down towards a rocky beach near the south, close to where the ship was approaching, then it climbed hard to the north towards an ominous fortress carved into the very rock. Even with little light, the trees and grass painted the image of a haven, a place of retreat for a few people to retire from the world. As they approached, Rakan could see more details using the longview spell. The light they¡¯d seen came from a bobbing lantern that walked among the statues of an expanding garden, at the fortress¡¯ feet. The pier was deserted.


    ¡°Moor us. Quietly,¡± Rakan warned.


    ¡°Yessir.¡±


    The ship stabbed through the waves like a blade, stopping at the exposed rock jetty without issue. Rakan jumped down then stumbled, suddenly unused to solid ground.


    ¡°You lost your land legs, boy?¡± the captain muttered.


    Rakan turned with a murderous glare but the sailor was staring ahead, pretending not to have said anything. Rakan had to remind himself that they still needed the ship. As tragic as this all was, the Jewel was on one island and the commoner¡¯s prison on another. He would still need to sail more, dammit.


    The squad, led by Hush, moved up fast. Rakan followed them up the gentle slope, noting anyone with a proper path could have turned it into arable lands and yet it had not been done. They caught the lone sentinel with no difficulty at all considering he was an old man with an ancient chainmail and a small mace. Rakan could only assume this place didn¡¯t have any monsters.


    The fortress turned out to be both more austere and better decorated than expected, as if it were more a troglodyte manor than a keep. There were a lot of statues, vases, and tiny ponds filled with rainwater carrying burgeoning seedlings. A vegetable garden grew on the side, hidden from sight by a hedge of trees twisted by persistant winds, yet at the same time it lacked any sort of furniture or pennant such a place would usually have. Exquisitely carved stone was still cold.


    They found the entrance deserted and the doors unlocked.


    Inside, the squad captured only one other guard who was asleep when they arrived. The exploration continued along freezing corridors of finely carved frescoes to empty chambers devoid of anything. They found the kitchen and a sleepy, reedy woman who didn¡¯t wake up when they entered. Coal and half-empty crates of supply waited in a storage room that was entirely too large for the modest pile. They found the prisoners huddling in two rooms under several layers of ratty covers. They looked terribly underfed, especially the children. A gaunt woman grabbed Rakan¡¯s arm with tears streaming down her face while the dozen or so other hostages watched on with guarded eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ are real. You are really here, right? I am not insane?¡±


    ¡°No milady. Ah, you are a caster.¡±


    ¡°My family¡­ We are, I mean, we were. Earth mages. I may be the last.¡±


    ¡°Before we discuss more,¡± Hush said. ¡°I need to know if there are more than two guards here. Any additional defense?¡±


    Right. The safety of the operation. Rakan was getting mixed up while Hush remained focused on the task. First secure, then¡­ do the rest.


    ¡°Yes, I mean no, I mean there are no guards, however, there is a mage living here. Our¡­ jailor. He is of Arana¡¯s clan. His office is warded, though I do not know much more. It is forbidden for me to practice magic.¡±


    Blistering rage flooded Rakan¡¯s mind. Cutting a mage off casting was like stopping someone from talking at all. Or blinding them. It was utterly unconscionable. He shook his head. People sent here were held as hostages and starved, so why was he more angry about this than the rest? Hush was tensing by his side so he returned his attention to the current issue.


    ¡°But he is not here tonight,¡± the woman said. ¡°He travels to the main island every now and then to inspect the results of the mining effort. This is delicate work. Or so he said.¡±


    Rakan frowned.


    ¡°Mining effort?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, we saw stone on the pier.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they do not mine stone. I thought you knew? That is just the byproduct. The jailor never told me but I saw him inspect a piece of ore while I was serving him tea. They are mining silverite.¡±


    Silverite?


    The star metal that grew from high mana concentration, and with veins that didn¡¯t regrow like iron did. Extremely precious. It was required to make functioning golems.


    Worth several times its weight in gold.


    ¡°How is Arana not insanely well-armed?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°We are here to free everyone, bring them to the mainland.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ have a fleet?¡±


    ¡°I do not need one. I will demonstrate shortly but first, let¡¯s get out of here. Gather your things. We need to free the rest of the people.¡±


    The woman stopped, hope fleeing from her eyes.


    ¡°Please tell me there are more of you?¡±


    Rakan felt judged. Well, she couldn¡¯t know how amazing he was. Surely, he was amazing. He¡¯d heard many people say it.


    ¡°I do not wish to disparage you my lord, but there are over fifty guards on the other island, and they will be supported by the ¡®citizen guard¡¯.¡±


    Someone behind her scoffed so she shrugged, acknowledging a point.


    ¡°They¡¯re just thugs given preferential treatment, yes, yet still dangerous. I can tell that you are an accomplished mage, milord, but surely¡­¡±


    Rakan smiled with a confidence he didn¡¯t actually feel.


    ¡°Please have trust in us. We are not mere raiders. We are the New Harrakans, and surprising people is our speciality.¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t seem convinced. She also probably knew she didn¡¯t have a choice.


    ***


    The moment the ship approached the mining island, Rakan knew he couldn¡¯t sneak his way in from the front gate. The island was not very large. In fact, it was about the same size as the Jewel which he could still see in the distance. The difference was that the main island was packed full with people clinging to its flank with the ingenuity of despair. Crude cement constructions melded with the stones while every spare foot of surface was either covered in vegetables, cereals, or both. Stone pillars erected on the beach showed nets, clean and waiting for the next day. Kelp dried on some stone roofs. In fact, everything was stone. There were no trees whatsoever.


    Three spots of interest could be seen from the shore. One was a mine entrance near the top. The second was the port, though calling that small enclave a port was generous. Walls formed an elevated and well-protected area between the pier and the rest of the island, then came the third landmark: a large gathering of structures from whence most of the light came. Those were magical, so they would cost a lot of mana from non casters, a luxury under these circumstances. The rest of the island could only be described as slums.


    ¡°The guards live here,¡± the captain said, pointing to the enclave. ¡°This big set of buildings beyond the walls belongs to Boss Stone. That¡¯s where his guards and the women are. And up there are the mines. Near the top.¡±


    Cold sweat formed on Rakan¡¯s back. They sent women here? He dared not imagine what they¡¯d been through.


    ¡°How do you want to do this, sir?¡±


    Rakan looked at Hush leaning by his side. A test, again, except that this time, there was a new variable.


    The mage.


    Rakan¡¯s squad might be able to hold the guards back, or perhaps they could not. It didn¡¯t matter, because they would not be able to protect him while he worked on the portal. Not from a mage. And the mage would feel the moment Rakan tried to activate the construct as if the sun itself rose from the abyss. It simply couldn¡¯t be hidden on an island this small. No, the mage would come, and he wouldn¡¯t come alone.


    Rakan could moor the ship and assault the garrison, but then he would run another risk: that of exposing himself for a devastating first strike. The others claimed he was a genius caster, and they may be right, but he was not a genius warmage. And his core was leaking.


    An old pang of emotional pain hit him. He was crippled. There was no other way of saying it. Maybe one day he¡¯d recover but¡­ they had no solutions in sight yet.


    He only had himself right now. And an unknown adversary.


    The local mage would probably be of senior rank since he was expected to keep several untrained casters in check, and someone in his position had to account for surprise attempts on his life. It would be best if the mage came to him instead.


    Rakan¡¯s eyes went up to the cave entrance.


    This might be the best spot.


    ¡°Captain Hush, here is what I propose.¡±


    The man listened in silence ¡ª as was his tendency ¡ª before suggesting a few improvements.


    ***


    The ship approached the island from the far end. Rather than beaching upon it, Rakan lifted the ground in a straight line from below the waves to form an artificial jetty, not much but enough to keep the ship stable and his men mostly dry. Waves were larger here, and Rakan regrettably allowed the ship to leave with the hostages still onboard after its captain swore an oath to Neriad. They couldn¡¯t afford to have it capsize.


    The squad quietly climbed the slope, silently eliminating a single patrol apparently ready to raid a lodging. As to why, Rakan didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t care. There were a few heads that popped from underneath the dry leather panels that served as doors here, but they retreated right away. Time would be short.


    Rakan did his best to avoid looking at the squalor, at the corpses emerging from the rare soil where plants grew, rotting flesh exposed by a burst of wind carrying a little too much rain. He ignored the hanged man who was so skeletal it was a wonder he had not starved first. He also ignored the burnt remains of what appeared to be a small aberrant.


    Things were really bad if aberrants appeared spontaneously.


    The squad moved around to the entrance of the mine where they killed a few guards, Rakan making no effort to save them. Another display of precise magic fortified the entrance without leaking too much mana, which was what Hush had suggested. On his signal, Rakan announced their presence to the world. He grabbed the black from the night, the blue from the sea, and the brown from the ground and wove an insidious spell; not a very powerful one, but an extremely effective technique either way. He¡¯d learned it from Frosthawk, much to the old man¡¯s annoyance.


    Something about ripping off his entire school of spells in a couple of days.


    The construct settled down the slope, in front of the distant gate of the guard compound.


    It took some time for people to react. Far more time than he¡¯d expected, which was strange considering every mana sensitive person on the island must have felt that one. Rakan even made sure to bleed some mana by making the construct sloppy. The mage should be up in rage right now.


    As several lights progressively appeared over the port, he finally realized what was going on.


    This was the middle of the night. It was cold and windy out here.


    Of course the mage would be sleeping right now.


    What followed was a tense minute during which the first to react were, in fact, the ¡®citizen guards¡¯. The common law prisoners. They gathered in a loose throng carrying not torches, since those needed wood, but strange spheres engraved with coarse runes he realized were lights made from silverite ore. They were led by a tall, incredibly hairy man ¡ª Boss Stone, he presumed ¡ª who walked up the slope with a cudgel and a confidence that Rakan believed to be misplaced. He was just being fucking stupid at this point.


    When a magical phenomenon happens, you do not walk into it. That was common sense. It was a miracle how these westerners managed to survive to adulthood, sometimes. Not that he missed Halluria.


    And so the citizen guards marched confidently into Rakan¡¯s construct, which he triggered. They slowed as if time had left them behind. A sound like a hiss reached the Harrakan line, as well as a puff of very, very cool air. One of the Hightrees sneezed.


    As for the citizen guards, they were frozen solid. Rakan had never killed so many people at once. Those few that were at the edge stumbled away, and the cries of alarm that came from the fort were laced with surprise.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s bollocks, that was nasty,¡± Iria whispered.


    It made Rakan a little proud though he tried his best not to show it. As the surviving citizen guards hid in the shadows, sounds of violence started to emerge. It didn¡¯t take long for the mage to finally appear from the fort after that.


    While the citizen guards had advanced confidently and stupidly, the remnants soldiers did so with circumspection, protecting the mage in a loose formation. Even then, it was clear their gear was not up to par with the mission. They wore warm gambesons, targes, and cudgels. The perfect weapons to put down a rowdy prisoner, but nothing to stop an actual liberating force. The oversight would cost them dearly.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As for the mage, he shared some eerie similarities with Frosthawk.


    In fact, the two might have been related.


    ¡°Damn. And he let Frosthawk¡¯s wife die.¡±


    ¡°You are trespassing upon the property of the Harrakan empire under his Majesty Emperor Marus, scoundrel! Show yourself!¡± the mage said with a commanding voice.


    ¡°I will send a Hightree greeting,¡± Hush offered.


    Rakan agreed. The mage had to have a shield up against spells.


    An arrow whistled through the air. A blue shield appeared on impact, blocking the projectile. The mage screamed something in the local creole Rakan didn¡¯t get but he would bet a silver talent against a mushroom peel it was insulting. His men raised their targes and advanced at a solid pace. Hush landed the next arrow in someone¡¯s throat. The formation contracted.


    He did it again a second later.


    And again.


    The mage was forced to react. A cold wind howled towards the mine¡¯s entrance, water condensing in the air like powdery crystal. Rakan raised his own shield and infused it with red mana, then he gave it meaning.


    The heat of the desert near his mushroom farm wasn¡¯t something that burnt brightly, like a fire at night. It was the sun. For hours upon hours upon hours, it beat the rock with a heat that never seemed to end, and under which all life stopped or suffered a withering death. It was a lingering heat, a stunning, debilitating one that grabbed at him even as he hid in the shadows, blinding all those who dared it.


    Cold and heat met in a contactless struggle that made the wind howl. Rakan felt another meaning push against his defenses as a clash of opposites. The frigid gale of a winter sea demanded he drop the shield and let the false warmth embrace him so he could let go in peace, but Rakan was still a child of the desert, and of the coldest nights that it brought. He would never be fooled by this false promise. Icicles carrying powerful payloads aimed for him in an attempt to puncture the thin shield through brute force, so Rakan drew from the brown gem to lift a stone upon which the attack spent itself. Volley after volley came at him while the remnants troops made their way up the slope under the protecting cover of the mage¡¯s expanded shield. Rakan kept concentrating.


    A bit more. Just a bit more.


    The remnants left the ¡®citizen guards¡¯ compound behind. The place where the women were held. They now stood on open ground.


    No more collateral damage, as Viv put it.


    Rakan could finally let go.


    He lifted his staff and pulled freely from its reserves.


    And for a moment, he felt like himself again. All colors of mana flooded his conduits freely, removing a stress he¡¯d taught himself to ignore. It was an enormous amount of mana, even more than what he had before his core cracked. He was, for a brief moment, healthy. Rakan.


    The blessed genius.


    The ground turned against the remnants. The air in their lungs betrayed them. Their blood boiled in their veins. The night itself conspired to blind them, the darkness gnawing at their throats. They died in an instant. There was no contest. The mage was a caster, but Rakan was magic itself. Every color available to humans¡­ Was that how it felt to be a dragon?


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    They were dead. Rakan was about to ask the Hightrees to assist the prisoners, but the people had not waited for him. Even now, the night was alive with light enchantments and the citizen guards were dragged from their hiding holes and killed with absolute savagery.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the compound to free the captives there. After that, I¡¯ll open the portal while you gather everyone. It¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    ¡°And the silverite?¡± Hush asked innocently.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re going to grab that too.¡±


    Solfis was going to be delighted.


    ***


    Viv had stopped for the night. She always did, so the citizens behind her could rest and recover. And also because she still needed to command the operation. During the day, the trail of people following her expanded like a fat tail across the countryside, growing by the hour. By night, her people moved from group to group to offer medical assistance, food, and take stock of what each village would need in the coming weeks. Those were already hers.


    News had come from everywhere. The Knights of the Blue Rose under Rollo rolled Remnants troops across the land westward towards the coast. The first caravan carrying tools had been recovered with a third of its people dead, another oversight on Viv¡¯s part. Now, the Order Master had taken things in hand and they would converge on Frostway at the same time as Viv would.


    Lim¡¯s diversion functioned perfectly. The zealots took over Arana¡¯s valley, though they¡¯d been¡­ a little too zealous, as it were. Right now, they were moving against reinforcements with support from Lak-Tak (of the Order of the War Crime as she was referring to him) and Witchpact squads. She wished she could be there but she was doing her thing by walking north. It was important. She could feel it.


    The biggest unknown was Rakan. The news was less than a few hours old but he¡¯d been on a ship sailing towards the gulag. Well, she called it a gulag. Others would pick another world.


    It was ironic that they¡¯d chosen an actual archipelago to set it.


    As she considered sending help, a bodyguard knocked on the tent¡¯s support. It wasn¡¯t required though. She could feel a visitor¡¯s mana well enough.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡±


    Frosthawk walked in. The old mage looked even older now, his white beard in a mess and the pockets under his eyes dark and foreboding. He looked gaunt.


    ¡°Take a seat?¡± she offered.


    ¡°Yes. Yes¡­ Thank you.¡±


    ¡°A drink?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Something strong?¡±


    ¡°I have just the thing.¡±


    Viv usually didn¡¯t drink due to¡­ an unfortunate family background. The shit she¡¯d heard in the past few days made her want to mark the occasion though, even though alcohol could no longer get her drunk. She offered the visiting mage a goblet filled with clear liquid ¡ª imported Enorian flower booze made from a local cereal. His eyes watered.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°To the departed,¡± she offered.


    ¡°Yes, to them.¡±


    They drank. She let Frosthawk resume the conversation on his own time.


    ¡°Five months. She¡¯s been dead for five months.¡±


    Viv knew he was talking about his wife. She had seen the kids come through the portal. She knew who was missing.


    ¡°I sent her letters telling her that I loved her. To hold on. I was negotiating with Arana. Creating a perfect oath. Heh.¡±


    He took a deep, shuddering breath, then his gaze hardened and it returned to Viv, like he was seeing her for the first time.


    ¡°They¡¯ve taken me for a complete imbecile and they were fucking right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy fighting against your entire world,¡± she allowed.


    ¡°Maybe, but if I had, my wife would be alive right now.¡±


    Nothing much to add to that.


    ¡°I want you to let me have her,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I cannot promise that because the list of people who want to kill her is expanding constantly. I can only promise that you¡¯ll get a go at it as I will not be intervening.¡±


    ¡°I will freeze her arms off and crush them to dust while she watches.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t comment. It wasn¡¯t even the worst threat she¡¯d ever heard.


    ¡°I actually have a related task for you, if you do not mind,¡± she said while Frosthawk fumed.


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°I need you to make sure she doesn¡¯t exterminate the magical school when we approach. I¡¯d also like you to intercept departing ships in case she tries to escape.¡±


    ¡°She will not. If she loses control fully, her path will shatter.¡±


    ¡°And if she stays, she dies. My associates have already neutralized her spies.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ associates?¡±


    Viv took another gulp of alcohol. It was actually really tasty with a pleasant aftertaste. And the first sip would also kill any and all bacteria in her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than saying my pack of mostly loyal genetically-engineered master assassins.¡±


    ¡°You have gathered the strangest people to your banner.¡±


    Viv couldn¡¯t wait for the Merls to create an outpost.


    Then she would have collected members of every non-genocidal species and culture on Param into Harrak. Like a pokemon master.


    ¡°Will you do it?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°I can have my apprentices evacuate.¡±


    ¡°Then do so.¡±


    ¡°It will be better if your paramour joins me.¡±


    ¡°Ask him.¡±


    Frosthawk gave her a measuring look.


    ¡°You do not order your own people?¡±


    ¡°My place is here with the remnants I am freeing because that is where fate is placing me. All of the elites of the empire are here, doing what they do best. I have given the orders and now, it is up to them to accomplish it however they see fit. I trust them and I trust you to work with them to save your apprentices. I am not controlling everything you do. You are not children, you are leaders in your own right. Surely, I am not mistaken?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then go save your apprentices and make sure Arana doesn¡¯t escape. That is my¡­ ¡®request¡¯. Get all the support you need and only come to me if there is a problem.¡±


    ¡°You are very different from Arana, you know?¡±


    ¡°And that is why she has already lost.¡±


    ***


    Marruk watched Koro eat an entire leg of meat on the road, with her fingers, just like that. Those humans ate entirely way too much meat. Maybe that was why they were so aggressive, always trying to kill something so they could eat it.


    ¡°Want some?¡± the tall amazon offered.


    Marruk schooled her expression. The temple guard was a good person. She couldn¡¯t let her animosity get the best of her.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m eating a lot because I¡¯m with the child again! Ooooh I hope it¡¯s a boy this time!¡±


    ¡°Oh, hmmm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good for a couple of months. There¡¯s just morning sickness. Always a pain to waste food. Anyways! Have you ever hunted a southern tribe?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Marruk said.


    Koro nodded, her thick braids dancing with every step. Marruk wasn¡¯t sure why the muscular woman never had that one canine regrown but it gave her smile an unhinged slant that made Marruk nervous. It didn¡¯t help that Koro was the second best spear wielder in Harrak just after Wamiri. The knights didn¡¯t count. Horses were horrible creatures, therefore placing a pointy thing in front of you while it charged could not seriously be considered as an ¡®art¡¯.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy! First you need to find out what kind of tribe it is. That¡¯s the first step. Hey if they are merchants, you can even get away with talking assuming you can understand them!¡±


    ¡°No talking!¡± Cerus said.


    The archer perpetually bit his lip with stress. Marruk understood well. She would do the same if it were her family being held by enemies. The thought was unbearable. Fortunately, Kark blood feuds involved no prisoners. It was a cleaner, much more civilized option, she thought.


    ¡°No no I¡¯m serious, talking is always better. You get what you want, then you come back later with your brothers and get the payment as well. But I don¡¯t think those are merchants. That leaves two options. The first is slavers. Very likely!¡±


    Koro suddenly seemed embarrassed. Marruk frowned.


    ¡°Yes, very very likely,¡± the tall woman insisted.


    ¡°What if they are not slavers?¡±


    ¡°Well then hmmm. I cannot believe you do not know this despite living next to them!¡±


    ¡°We are not allowed to raid their villages. Were not allowed. Too risky, weh!¡±


    ¡°Cannibals.¡±


    That certainly put a damper on the mood. Marruk shook her head. This was where the humans¡¯ love for meat inevitably led them. They should just eat more tubers and bread, which were delicious and didn¡¯t try to bite back.


    ***


    Marruk looked at the body of the dead southerner. He had an arrow through the skull. She had to give it to Cerus: he and his guardians were well trained, and now that they had iron arrow tips, their marksmanship truly shone.


    This was a scout. So even if the Remnants never attacked the tribe, they still had patrols out. Cautious folks, and for good reason.


    Damn but was that southerner pale. Almost like a winter Viv. Marruk shook her head, again.


    She really hoped those would not be cannibals.


    ***


    ¡°Slavers!¡± Koro whispered excitedly.


    Marruk inspected the valley from her vantage point near its entrance. The tribal encampment spread before her like a sour wound, each node a small, fortified spot linked to the other by dirt paths. Tiny fields and a handful of orchards alternated with forest patches without apparent logic. Marruk had to give it to the tribals, however, what she could see was very well crafted. Without metal. It reminded her of home.


    The main point of interest was near the middle. A massive hut stood before what may have been a muster field or a gathering spot, but those were cages that occupied this space now. Even from far away, she could see tiny hands gripping the wooden bars. This was her objective.


    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s them,¡± Cerus whispered by her side. ¡°Look. More cages. There.¡±


    He was right. Much like everything else, the cages were spread over the settlement.


    ¡°Right. Show me where they all are,¡± she asked the scout.


    ¡°We have to get them out.¡±


    Marruk sighed, then she grabbed his shoulder.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Focus. Show me where you are. There are a hundred of us and many more of them. We¡¯ll need to act swiftly.¡±


    ¡°Swiftly?¡±


    Marruk cursed her bad luck. After spending hours learning Harrakan, the only time she would really need it and her counterpart just couldn¡¯t speak it properly.


    ¡°We need to move quick. We need to move well. Look and show me where your family is.¡±


    ¡°My family. yes. Cages over there, there. And there.¡±


    Cerus pointed. Marruk did her best not to swear. The cages were spread out evenly on her side of the valley, except for one.


    ¡°Split? I take right side,¡± Cerus said.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    Marruk sighed. This was not her first time leading people into a battle, but it was her first time being in command of a fully human group besides her own. She had to remember what Solfis had taught her. And what Viv favored. Viv combined groups that complemented each other.


    ¡°No. You will split your group in halves. The first comes with me and you take half of my people as well. I come from the main entrance while you come from the mountain path. Attack on my signal.¡±


    ¡°They will have traps,¡± Koro warned. ¡°In the forest.¡±


    ¡°I know traps,¡± Cerus said, though Koro didn¡¯t seem convinced. Marruk remembered that Koro used to be a huntress before she became a temple guard.


    ¡°Fine. Koro, go with Cerus. We attack on my signal.¡±


    ¡°What signal?¡± Cerus asked, impatient.


    For the first time in days, Marruk smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We Kark are very loud.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I lead the second group. Eliminate sentries then attack on your signal. Got it.¡±


    ¡°Right. After this, I will follow the main path to the central hut and free the prisoners along the way. You take the secondary path and free them there,¡± she pointed, ¡°and there. We regroup at the hut.¡±


    This would be a two-pronged assault that would hopefully converge on the enemy¡¯s main stronghold ¡ª where most of the slaves were held.


    Very daring. Very risky.


    ¡°Remember, what was it Viv said? Shock and awe. Do not stop for anything. Free the slaves, keep them at the center of the formation then move on.¡±


    ¡°What if they cannot move?¡± Cerus asked.


    ¡°Have them carry each other,¡± Marruk replied with a cold voice. ¡°Get out first. The rest can wait. Do. Not. Stop. Follow their paths to avoid their traps. Good luck, and I¡¯ll see you at the main camp.¡±


    ¡°May Neriad bless our endeavor,¡± Koro said with enthusiasm.


    The others left. Cerus seemed nervous and so were his men. Those were their families in those cages.


    Marruk led her men down to the main road, slightly out. She did find a few traps but most were a couple of days old, covered in dead leaves, and not very well concealed. Someone had made an effort. Just not a very good one.


    She spotted people at the end of the path but those were mostly young boys idly playing by themselves. Marruk had around forty Kark warriors and half again that number of guardians with bows. She sure wished she¡¯d asked for a caster to accompany them. Marruk ordered her soldiers in a column, then they waited.


    And waited. Cerus¡¯ group would take more time. She just had to be patient.


    After ten minutes, there was a commotion. Not really much yet, but enough of a hubbub with several cries of alarm that she knew what she had to expect. The second group had been spotted.


    ¡°Alright, my tribesmen,¡± she said in Kark. ¡°Let us show them what the People of the Steppes can do. LET OUR ANCESTORS HEAR US!¡±


    Marruk winced at the wall of sound produced by forty overeager young warriors, each one hoping to be paid in iron. To their credit, the young twerps still followed her in good order as she ran onto the beaten path. The young sentries watched her charge with expressions of utter disbelief.


    ¡°Hetta! Hetta!¡±


    It probably meant intruder.


    ¡°They think you are forest spirits that eats many children,¡± Cerus¡¯ second helpfully translated.


    Every fucking time.


    Marruk roared and the kids scattered. A few warriors came carrying javelins with silex tips but they also fled when they saw her. She rotated her tower shield to deflect a lone throw.


    Her people were a symphony of grunts and screams, as well as quite a few unlikely boasts and at least three bad questions about their foe¡¯s parentage. It must have been scary for those southerners.


    ¡°Ignore them! Push through!¡±


    The world was thrown into sharp relief. The fields, so tiny from her prior vantage point, were now well-ordered spots covered in footprints, dotted with the occasional scarecrow. Naked children with bone ornaments in their hair watched her run by with dazzled expressions. It smelled of growing things, loam, and the excrements used to nourish them. A mother screamed and grabbed her spawn. Lone warriors came to meet them, only to race away when they saw their numbers.


    The first real resistance came with the first enclave. A group of young fighters had gathered near the entrance and she could see the terror in their eyes when she charged them, her armor clanging with every step. She saw their knuckles whitened over wood and bone weapons. They knew the futility of it all, but still they stood to defend their homes. Marruk respected them as warriors, but they were also slavers, and in her way, and so they would die.


    She lurched and struck sideways, letting a hasty spear thrust bounce off her shield. Her heavy mace had a reach that always surprised people. She felt the impact when it brained the first warrior. Blood and gray matter splattered the others. They recoiled. She punched through them.


    Behind her, the head of the column finished them off. She didn¡¯t look back. She trusted them to know what to do. In the small courtyard between several low houses were the first cages. Marruk placed her mace on the ground to reach for her dagger. She cut the rope in a single strike.


    Inside, there were four people huddling behind an old man who stood defiant in the face of his doom. That would be a waste of time, except her decision to split the guardians proved salutary.


    ¡°Oppia! Oppia!¡± one of her humans said.


    ¡°Lerish?¡± the grandfather replied. ¡°Och sun free. Go! Go, weh!¡±


    Another guardian took care of the second cage while the rest helped the freed prisoners move. Her people had assumed a circle formation to protect them as expected. She heard a Kark warcry to her right, slightly behind. The second team was making progress as well.


    ¡°Right, we go again. DO NOT SLOW DOWN!¡±


    ¡°For the tribe! For our ancestors!¡± her warriors replied.


    ¡°Their mothers guzzle pure league spu¡ª¡±


    Marruk was off again, and the column reformed behind her. There were now dozens of warriors keeping pace with the assault without daring to come close. Others raced ahead of them. They must have guessed her intentions by now. It didn¡¯t matter.


    The first guardian arrows whistled through the air, catching the more daring southern tribesmen unaware. The survivors dispersed.


    Marruk kept running. The second node had a bigger guard contingent ready for them. Silex arrows clicked against her shield.


    ¡°Turtle formation!¡±


    The Kark raised their shields to block the attack, weak as it was. A muscular old warrior with a stone hammer pointed his weapon at her. Clearly the ¡®officer¡¯ here. She charged him ahead of the column.


    He feinted. Marruk knew he would. She let the attack slide over her shield and lowered her head. The stone hammer clanged against her solid steel helmet at an angle. Her neck hurt, but the blow was deflected.


    And her mother always told her she was thick-skulled.


    The warrior had clearly expected her to fall down, that was why he was really surprised when her charge ended with her mace in his chest.


    [Mace of the Steel Hoarder] activated.


    The flanges penetrated his skin from the violence of the blow. He fell with blood on his lips. Again, she did not look behind when the rest of her men crashed into the shocked tribesmen with war cries. There were three cages here. This time, there were no issues rescuing the people inside.


    She turned to see the recently freed ¡®Oppia¡¯ carrying one of the young girls on his back. He nodded at her.


    Had to keep going.


    Marruk kept running, feeling the weight of her plate armor as a comfortable reminder she was protected by the steel she owned herself. The third node wasn¡¯t defended at all, and the slaves had not been executed either. Once she approached the cage, she realized there was an issue.


    Those were southerners, from another tribe if the ritual scarring and paintings were any indication. She barely hesitated a second before setting them free. No one deserved to be a slave because of their tribe. To their credit, the other humans helped them as well.


    Marruk ran again. This time, the tribal warriors had had the time to run ahead to the main encampment. The tiny roads had played against them because of the speed of Marruk¡¯s advance so far, but it was over now. A mass of warriors with javelins and bows assembled at the entrance next to a man in actual steel armor, probably taken from the remnants, and a shaman. That one wore bone armor. Though she¡¯d never practiced herself, Marruk¡¯s mother had been a wise woman, and she could almost see the mana shimmering around the ghastly figure.


    Marruk bit her lip.


    Shamans were normally not good at warcasting, but anyone who could use spells had something they could kill with.


    Get too many wounded and her troops would be bogged down trying to escape. The tribal warriors were obviously furious at the intrusion. Too many dead and¡­ yeah.


    She had to believe in herself here.


    ¡°Alright. We slow down. My brothers and sisters, loose formation, two thick. Prepare to charge. Guardians, try to keep the shaman¡¯s head down.¡±


    ¡°Lady, they have a caster.¡±


    ¡°I know, dammit. We¡¯ll deploy on that field to the right.¡±


    This time a little slower, the Kark and their allies advanced to form a line. The timing would be¡­ difficult for Marruk. It was in moments like these she wished she had a dragon as well.


    She could see the tribals very clearly from the front of the line. Damn, there were a lot of those humans but for once, it was them using wood and stone and the Kark covered in metal, an almost perfect mirror of back home. It was almost a bad jest. Marruk signaled, then she started running.


    She hated screaming but¡­ sometimes, it really was called for.


    ¡°OUR ANCESTORS WATCH US. CRUSH THE HUMANS!¡±


    ¡®RAAAAARH!¡±


    Thankfully their human allies didn¡¯t speak Kark.


    Marruk picked up speed. The enemy steel-clad warrior moved to meet her by angrily pushing his fighters out of the way. It was the shaman that she was looking at, however.


    ¡°I am a pillar of my people,¡± Marruk whispered.


    She had to believe it.


    The air shimmered and the shaman stomped a foot. The ground buckled under Marruk¡¯s feet, not much, just an echo. This was the first step after all.


    ¡°I am a pillar of my people.¡±


    The steel warrior was now charging her. Javelins and arrows filled the air but most found only steel. Some of the guardians yelped in pain. They were too close for their gear to make a difference.


    The Kark behind her kept charging. She had to keep going. She had to be the first. The shaman yelped and Marruk realized this was a wise woman. She almost faltered here, remembering her mother, before wincing under her helmet. No. Those were slavers. They deserved what she would do to them.


    The shaman stomped her feet a third time. In front of Marruk, the earth buckled. A wave expanded outward, leaving the tribesmen alone but carrying with it the promise of shattered knees. Right. This was it.


    ¡°I am a pillar of my people. I am the [Pillar of the Kark].¡±


    Marruk howled as she activated the skill. She WAS the pillar, if she wasn¡¯t, she would be. The tower shield groaned when she planted it on the ground. Her skill anchored her to mother earth.


    She was far from home. However, her people were here, behind her.


    And she would guide them.


    The wave crashed against her with a loud thud, like a stone crashing against a wall. Her shield bent at the bottom. Her toes slipped into the mud, boots groaning under an unseen pressure. The screaming pain in her muscles redoubled until she gasped but she didn¡¯t let go. Her skill fought against a spell and, eventually, the spell fizzled.


    Marruk was left a panting, sweaty mess. She stared across the last of the field beyond the charging armored commander bearing down on her, to the shaman who had one foot lifted for the next cast.


    Would be nice if¡­ ah, there it was.


    An arrow crashed into the bone helmet. The ceremonial coif attempted to stop the steel broadhead arrow and failed miserably. Part of her scalp flew off in a spray of bone and brain matter.


    Marruk stretched her shoulders while the warchief hesitated, aware of the reinforcements now attacking from another angle.


    ¡°Here I come!¡± Koro bellowed with that persistent smile.


    ¡°No,¡± Marruk bellowed.


    He was hers.


    ¡°Then good hunting, sister,¡± the temple guard guffawed before charging into the fray. The Kark mangled the tribal line, steel against fur, warriors against hunters, with predictable results.


    ¡°Right. Come at me then.¡±


    The steel-clad commander accepted the challenge. They approached each other. He extended his arms, daring her to make the first strike.


    Marruk smashed her flanged mace into her enemy¡¯s flank with satisfaction. He grunted in pain. His eyes shone red, and he struck her back even harder.


    Marruk received the blow on her shield.


    She struck again, denting the armor on the chest, then damaging the articulation near the shoulder. He roared and let fury increase his strength. His hammer slammed against her shield.


    Again, she received it at a proper angle.


    A few more strikes followed. It was clear the man was gaining strength as he got more wounded, a valid strategy, but as Marruk saw him from behind her visor, it had a very clear limit.


    Mainly, Marruk had sparred with Solar himself. Hell, even Lorn hit harder and he relied on precision and on infusing mana into his blows. The warrior might be strong but it was a strength that had not forged itself against the crucible of talented elites. It was brittle and untested, and Marruk was anything except that. So she broke him apart, piece by piece, starting with the armor, then his right arm, and once he failed to block; his head.


    That was it.


    As Marruk looked up, she realized she had failed to order her men. Instead, she had focused on being a champion and it¡­ had worked. The tribesmen were on the run, the bodies of their combatants littering the ground.


    ¡°Nicely done,¡± Koro said.


    ¡°THE ANCESTORS MUST BE PLEASED,¡± some screamed.


    But Marruk didn¡¯t feel pleased.


    ¡°Why are you lot still here? Why are you not freeing the prisoners?¡±


    ¡°Relax, Cerus is on it. We¡¯re covering this angle. Come on.¡±


    Marruk left the bodies unplundered with middling regret. She didn¡¯t have the time but old habits were hard to shake, especially after being poor most of her life. The last of the slaves were being freed as she approached. In the distance, wardrums rang.


    ¡°They¡¯re regrouping,¡± Koro said. ¡°They''ll be on us very soon.¡±


    She winced.


    There was one cage left to open, slightly deeper and to the side compared to their entry point into the village. Unfortunately, they were out of time.


    ¡°Neriad doesn¡¯t encourage suicidal charges. It¡¯s just a shame¡­¡±


    Cerus was the palest among them.


    ¡°We¡¯re still missing¡­ but if we get caught with my kinsmen now¡­ We can¡¯t defend them all.¡±


    It was her decision, she realized. She led this warband.


    The right choice was to leave. She was no Bitter Heart. Seconds slipped between her fingers as dread mounted.


    ¡®Leave no one behind¡¯. That was something Viv often said. The Harrakan military had the Bitter Hearts. This expedition had her. There HAD to be a way.


    Her eyes traveled up, to the hut though to be fair, it was more of a massive longhouse.


    The hut made of dry wood on a warm spring afternoon.


    Oh, that could work.


    ¡°Get me torches. We¡¯re gonna save them, but first, let¡¯s give the tribe a warm reminder not to fuck with us. And something to keep them busy.¡±


    ¡°I have a skill that can help,¡± Cerus offered with a concerning level of enthusiasm.


    ¡°Let¡¯s burn shit down!¡± Koro exclaimed.


    At least she could rely on humans to be humans.

 Chapter 184: The Two Empires

    General Kobanis led his men north, back to the ancestral land of their clan. Or what was left of it.


    He could see the writing on the walls. Arana clung to it because it was her nature to never let go of anything, but the Empire was done for. It was designed to function in isolation¡­ and it was no longer in isolation. The foe had come ready to attack. There was never any hope for peace.


    He knew his clan¡¯s position on politics. The elders said the clan had led the empire through the crisis and now it was only fair that they would reap the benefits. The citizens had proven they needed strong leadership, that they could not be trusted with independence. So the clan provided officials, soldiers, experts, and in return, why, of course it would get all the food and tools it could use.


    Many of his men believed this strongly. They were owed the entire cake and whatever crumbs fell into the laps of others were only through magnanimous grace. They¡¯d been told this from childhood. As for proof, the sorry state of every other village was ample evidence the other tribes were simply inferior.


    Kobanis knew it was horse shit, just as he knew the other tribes were free now, free and armed. When a tribe clung to power to the detriment of everyone else, they couldn¡¯t let it go. The history of the empire was filled with examples of groups going too far in the pursuit of power, and what happened with it slipped between their clenched fingers.


    There was only one way this could end.


    He needed to gather every able bodied person, load as many provisions as possible on whatever cart they could find, then escape south before the others came for them too. There was land there they could take from the natives thanks to steel and good training. Maybe some ships would leave the port before it fell.


    This was the only way.


    As the army crossed yet another meadow, his second in command leaned towards him. He was solid but obviously worried. Kobanis wasn¡¯t worried. He was terrified. Terrified of what they would find, because if everything was burnt as they¡¯d been told¡­ his people would starve or get caught and purged from the surface of Param.


    Kobanis didn¡¯t show it though.


    ¡°General, it has been over an hour since we came across the last refugee.¡±


    ¡°I am well aware. That is why we are in formation.¡±


    A sturdy line walked across the growing field, trampling growth that they would never get the chance to harvest. Stress made them lean forward, hands gripping their weapons with too much force. It would tire them. Kobanis had already made a speech this morning about the importance of discipline but there was only so much his path could do when news of ravaged farmsteads arrived with every new family gathering at their back. All he could do was stand tall and hope there was enough to salvage to start over somewhere else.


    Far in front, at the edge of the forest, a man crested the incline. Cries of alarm rang across the squads as soon as his horned helmet came into view.


    The man was alone for now but that wouldn¡¯t last. Kobanis recognized the slightly blue skin visible through the open helmet and the black steel armor from the many reports he¡¯d gotten.


    This was a New Harrakan zealot. Their commander, to be precise.


    He would kill to know how they¡¯d gotten there so quickly.


    ¡°I pity you, sinners.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice covered the plain and the defiant ranks of the army. He didn¡¯t yell, yet all could hear him. A skill, to be sure. Kobanis hated the way it positively vibrated with a conviction he had lost decades before. That man was a believer. Believers ought to be feared. There was an old imperial saying: The meeting of blind faith and reality never ends well. Kobanis reacted immediately, before unease could spread through the ranks.


    ¡°Wedge formation. Prepare to break through!¡±


    He could not receive the line breakers passively. He no longer had the archers for it. The only hope was to counter charge, cancel some of their abilities, surround them, and kill them.


    ¡°I pity you because you will die never having experienced greatness.¡±


    The ground shook. His men hesitated. Kobanis himself hesitated.


    This was not sorcery. He was old enough to tell when the mana in the air changed. No, this was something else.


    Carts crested the incline, first one, then two, then four. Those were to carriages what snakewolves were to puppies, however. Even calling them carts was preposterous. They were steel beasts, armored like heavy knights and sporting strange tubes at the top. Kobanis couldn¡¯t see a single piece of wood on the entire damn thing. There was enough metal here to arm half a thousand men. Line breakers formed squads between the metal behemoths, massive weapons resting contemptuously on their shoulders. Small fires lit up in front of the tubes.


    Kobanis had a bad feeling about this. His danger sense screamed to run, even though there was barely any mana seeping from the constructs. They were powered by a core, to be sure, but they were not spell arrays.


    Then what the fuck were they?


    Was he still supposed to charge?


    ¡°I pity you because you stand here, terrified, at the hour of your failure while I do not. Although my flesh will decay, I know no fear. Although my sword shall break, I will not give up, and although my mind may crumble, my heart shall never falter, for yes, I am mortal, flawed, weak, temporary¡­ but I serve HARRAK! And Harrak, oh, Harrak.¡±


    The tubes¡­ ignited. Tongues of flame spat out from the armored carriages like the breath of dragons, turning the air yellow, hot, and suffocating.


    ¡°Harrak is eternal.¡±


    All hell broke loose. Kobani yelled orders but they were not followed. They were not even heard. His path was too low to maintain order in the face of¡­ this. The tongues mixed and though they were slow compared to many spells, the men were packed together.


    And then Kobanis¡¯ world was only heat, smoke, and screams. A shield wall formed. It was scorched immediately, the skill failing as steel melted along with the flesh underneath. The screams. The people he¡¯d known for years, now blazing corpses dancing in a twilight realm.


    ¡°Run!¡± his second bellowed, ¡®Run!¡±


    But Kobanis didn¡¯t run. He grabbed who he could to reform, knowing if they fled here, it would all be over. He tried, but the carriages of death advanced and the line breakers sprinted.


    Perhaps it was justice after all.


    ***


    Frosthawk was having an interesting evening, and by that he meant that it was the most exciting and tragic moment of his gods-accursed life. After decades of uninterrupted rule, Arana¡¯s power had crumbled like a rotten leaf.


    The love of his life was dead.


    Now he had to save what he could, namely, his idiot students. The wind carried him over the waves, past the large white sails of the imperial ships.


    He would freeze those on the way back. Let the withered bitch try to flee on an icicle.


    Power carried him all the way to the parapet. The old fortress overlooking Frostway was as familiar to him as the palm of his hand, having learnt the craft here for years. He knew every nook and cranny. Right now, the fortress was silent. It could change very quickly, however, he had made sure of it. Kneeling, he tapped on one of the stones of the battlement walkway.


    A panel opened. Stone moved to reveal lines of text.


    As expected, Phaerus had taken over; that bootlicker. He had expelled Frosthawk from every list he could find down to the admission one. If Frosthawk tried to enter now, the doors would trigger an alarm just by grabbing the handle.


    Frosthawk smiled. He waved his hand once, entered a complex code, then reinstated himself as the administrator. Then, immediately, he prevented the system from tracking him. He couldn¡¯t expel Phaerus without giving him notice, unfortunately.


    Had to do things the hard way.


    Frosthawk flew to the other side of the keep, then off to a secondary tower. The door yielded before him. He slipped inside, then walked down a narrow staircase down to an empty corridor. Dim lights made the familiar place ominous.


    Frosthawk called upon the meaning of the ephemeral as he cloaked himself in gray magic. His form grew misty and wraith-like. He made his way to his study, leaving no traces behind. The door proved to be trapped. Phaerus was no fool. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop him.


    Rather than taking the risk to spring the construct, Frosthawk made his way to the laundry room. He floated above a hurrying servant on the way there. The cleaning room smelled of soap, as usual. A hidden panel opened revealing the secret passage back to his haunt.


    Phaerus had stolen his focus, as expected, but also his collection of infusing herbs. That was unacceptable. With one last grumble, Frosthawk reached for yet another secret panel for his secondary focus, as well as a revitalizing potion he gulped down immediately. Energy filled his frame.


    ¡°I¡¯m too old for this shit,¡± he grumbled to himself.


    But the students needed him.


    Thus ready, Frosthawk walked out, and found no one. The place was deserted. Another panel revealed why: everyone was in the great room. Frosthawk sighed. He hated theatrics when it was done in public, but¡­ maybe it would give him an edge.


    There were two members of Arana¡¯s retinue by the door leading to the main hall, some of the last surviving Eyes according to their gear, either guards or trainees. The one on the left frowned when he approached in his ethereal form. Two waves of gray-blue energy expanded from his hands.


    The guards took one rattling breath, their skin turning gray in the same instant. Their faces were expressions of frozen surprise. Frosthawk walked by the unmoving corpses and used another spell to listen to what was happening inside of the hall.


    Phaerus was talking. Of course he was. He loved the sound of his own voice.


    ¡°Sedition will not be tolerated. Your duty, our duty, is to the empire itself, its people! Regardless of what you think of our governance, this is not the time to fight it. We must stay united against the existential threat that endangers us all. Who could look upon our work and think we are not carrying the weight of civilization upon our shoulders?¡±


    Oh, that was his cue.


    Frosthawk destroyed the hinges with a quick gray blade, then he slammed his boot against it, sending it tumbling to the floor. The light of the main hall lit his figure while he strutted on with confidence.


    Maybe the girl was having a deleterious influence on him. He was starting to enjoy theatrics as well.


    ¡°Frosthawk!¡± the portly mage bellowed. ¡°Traitor! You return!¡±


    Phaerus stood on the elevated platform at the end of the hall where the faculty usually sat. As for the students, they stood at attention under the watchful gaze of the remaining professors, though none seemed very enthusiastic about the situation.


    ¡°Despite your pathetic attempts at stopping me, I have. I come to recover my students and get them out of here before Arana decides to ¡®test their loyalty¡¯.¡±


    Frosthawk and Phaerus carved circles under them at the same time. Everyone else jogged away from the line of fire with grim fatalism. This was what the school had been reduced to: resigned practitioners of the art too afraid to make a stand.


    That was Frosthawk¡¯s fault, as well. He was the headmaster. He was the husband of his deceased wife. No one else had more opportunities to solve problems than he did, and he had failed them all.


    There was still time to save his students, however.


    ¡°I knew you were a prideful man,¡± Phaerus said, ¡°but I never took you for a traitor.¡±


    ¡°My family wasn¡¯t made of traitors either, but now my wife is dead and my children half-starved, all while I stood here writing petitions to ¡®her ladyship¡¯. No more.¡±


    Phaerus scoffed.


    ¡°More foreign lies poisoning your ears.¡±


    ¡°My children told me themselves,¡± Frosthawk spat, anger distracting him from the upcoming duel. ¡°They told me how she slept and didn¡¯t wake. They told me with their gaunt faces and their eyes that told me I WASN¡¯T THERE FOR THEM. I failed them! I failed them. But I won¡¯t fail my students, even if I have to slay you, my old rival.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Frosthawk readied his nastiest curses, but instead of screaming at him, Phaerus lowered his staff. The runes faded.


    ¡°Lena is dead?¡±


    ¡°She died last winter. Months ago. The letters I received were falsified. I professed my love and hope to a corpse,¡± Frosthawk choked.


    ¡°What? But¡­ they were supposed to be safe.¡±


    ¡°Arana lied. Shocking, no?¡±


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°I swear on Enttiku upon pain of death that it is the truth.¡±


    Frosthawk shivered when something ancient caressed his soul. The fact he was left standing spoke of his truthfulness, or rather, that he believed his words with absolute conviction.


    Phaerus dispelled his own circle.


    ¡°I am sorry. I didn¡¯t know. Lena, no¡­¡±


    Frosthawk was almost sorry he didn¡¯t get to kill him. Bloodlust still filled his veins but he forced himself to breathe instead. The empire had suffered enough.


    ¡°We must evacuate now before Arana realizes her guards are dead. Everyone get back to their rooms and take what you need for a three day trip. No need for food.¡±


    ¡°I shall come as well,¡± Phaerus said with conviction.


    It was true what the girl said. People were only convinced of the gravity of a situation when it directly affected them. Frosthawk could hardly blame Phaerus since he¡¯d done the exact same thing.


    ¡°Very well, but you need to help me disable the fleet first.¡±


    Phaerus nodded.


    ¡°Just like old times then.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That¡¯s the group that killed our tool caravan guards,¡± Rollo¡¯s paramour said. ¡°Let¡¯s ride them down!¡±


    Rollo took a deep breath, then turned to the dark-haired man. He watched the handsome and sometimes cruel features revealed by the open helmet. In there, he saw his own drive mirrored with just a dash of savagery.


    ¡°You will wait,¡± Rollo stated.


    He surveyed the plain in front of him. Tall grass, but a few inspections and his own path skills detected no ambush, no matter how unlikely it would have been. There was just a large group of Remnants infantry ¡ª stragglers and some reinforcements ¡ª marching around a carriage overloaded with supplies. It was a Harrakan carriage. Stolen. That wouldn¡¯t do at all.


    ¡°Forgive me, ser,¡± his paramour said, chastised.


    Rollo ignored him for now.


    There it was, a wide, flat plain, a spear in his hand, his lover by his side, and not a single, fucking mage in sight.


    It was just¡­ perfect.


    ¡°You will be disciplined later,¡± he informed the man by his side with an amicable smile. ¡°PREPARE TO CHARGE.¡±


    Rollo looked around long enough to see if the formation was correct before closing the visor of his own armet. The world was narrower through the eye slits but sometimes, one needed to abandon the broader picture and focus on the moment.


    ¡°The Rose!¡± he roared.


    ¡°And the Thorns!¡± his knights replied.


    Their chargers accelerated towards the panicking mass of spearmen.


    Life was good.


    ***


    Like trickles converging into a river, the tide of people gathered behind Viv. First, the villagers and troops she had gathered south, the fishing communities left at the mercy of monsters, then Cerus and his people joined them with the Kark. There were guardians, civilians, and even a few tribe members freed from the slaving villages who had decided to join anyway. Rakan teleported from the north with the angry survivors of the gulag, and Frosthawk joined with his own apprentices soon after. Rollo and the Bitter Hearts marched from the east at the head of a newly formed militia, eager to take revenge on those who had destroyed their villages. Finally, Lak-Tak and the other nastier members of Viv¡¯s retinue rolled from the north east atop siege engines lined with spikes. It was a sea of humanity that arrived at Frostbay at dawn, close to ten thousand people all included, there to witness the collision of two paths.


    Viv welcomed all of them as they arrived, and she thanked each of her lieutenants one by one. There were debriefs and analyses because people could always do better, her included, but it was important to acknowledge that New Harrak was not just her anymore. It was everyone. She¡¯d just gathered them for the same purpose.


    By contrast, the city was empty. Everyone from urchin to crafter had fled to the hills to wait out the conflict, at least those who had not joined Viv immediately. The only activity came from the direction of the palace, where something large was being propped up. She didn¡¯t really care much. It might be dangerous, but it wouldn¡¯t be as dangerous as a juvenile dragon.


    Viv smiled.


    Fate buoyed her. She couldn¡¯t really see it, but her soul felt the telltale sign of her spark of luck working overtime to complete something. She let it happen, not eager to break what she knew would come to her eventually.


    On that dawn and facing Frostbay, she felt it come to her. She turned.


    There were woods in the distance, but in front, there was no plain, only eager faces sticking to each other in clumps for the remnants¡¯ people, and well-ordered groups for the New Harrakans. Tension and expectation mounted as the crowd slowly moved into place. With so many people, it took a while.


    A part of Viv panicked at seeing such a large group. Thoughts of stampedes and concern over supply lines assailed her mind but she put them down. There would be no battle here. The teleporters were in place. The only thing left to do was to make history.


    Viv levitated herself above the crowd so all could see her. A sound enchantment would carry her voice far, though the pressure on her soul now was so strong she was sure she could be speaking French and they would understand her anyway. It was one of those moments.


    She just had to seize it.


    By ripping off important Earth documents!


    ¡°My people.¡±


    ¡°Some of you are here today because you are New Harrakan, and what I will say, you already hold in your hearts as true, or you would not be here. Some of you have come to see the end of the tyranny that has choked you for your entire lives, either impelled by fear, or by hope. Some of you may not be sure why you came, only that it was important that you did so. It is all of you I shall address now to put into words what has brought us here.¡±


    ¡°We are here because we believe the self-evident truths that mankind aspires to universal ideas. We believe that those ideals include Life, Safety, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness on whatever path the people may have chosen. We believe that those ideals represent the highest aspiration of mankind and that their accomplishment will lead to a future free of misery, tyranny, and ignorance. We believe that to be perennial and just, to receive the unwavering support of its people, a ruler must embody those ideals. A ruler and its people united by those ideals shall endure any hardships, for they work towards a divine purpose that the light gods themselves would support fully.¡±


    ¡°We believe that when a ruler becomes destructive of these ends, when they perform actions for the sole purpose of continuing an oppressive dominion over their subject, it is the Right of the People to rise against them and to end them.¡°


    ¡°We are here to finish what we started: the unification of Harrak into a nation that holds those beliefs as true, and promotes them. Together, we shall be a beacon of conviction on Param and beyond. We shall hold to the belief that progress and success are not just possible through common effort, they are not just a possibility. They are our duty. My covenant to you is to follow those ideals to the best of my ability. What I ask of you is to walk that path with me, no matter how daunting it becomes. I only ask of you what I ask of myself: to believe, and to give myself the means of making those beliefs a reality. Now, I ask you. Harrakans. Will you join me in this covenant?¡±


    The New Harrakans did not hesitate a single second. Their roars filled the plains in a thunderous wave, the ground shaking with every hit of heavy gauntlet against their shields. Viv was concerned for a moment that she¡¯d been too verbose for farmers and fishermen, but soul magic carried the meaning to their minds, as she knew it would, and they were prompt to join them. Soul power pushed against Viv like a tide, demanding an answer, demanding something concrete. A commitment that went beyond words.


    She stretched her anchors and allowed it.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have unlocked the third of four aspects. The last aspect will only unlock on your next step.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Aspect of the Paragon: the range and effect of your social skills is vastly improved and their effect more pronounced. Additionally, you can speak and wield the majesty of a pure ruler path on the same step. In return, your emotions and beliefs will fully filter through the link without any way to hide them.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have progressed on the Ascender Path.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Viv smiled, then she reached for her backpack. Removing her silver circlet, she grabbed the item resting there.


    It was heavier than expected.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reforged Crown of Harrak (artifact). Carrying the hopes of a people, this unadorned spike crown made of silverite carries defensive enchantments that can stop any blow. So long as the wielder holds authority over the empire, anyone will recognize and acknowledge them on sight. It is very heavy.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Yeah, she¡¯d noticed.


    Viv placed the crown on her head, feeling the spikes expand back to cover her hair. The weight seemed to settle on her neck, directly on her spine like a constant Sword of Damocles. It was a warning, and it came directly from the world.


    ¡°I will not forget,¡± she whispered. ¡°This is not an act.¡±


    Behind her, Marus¡¯ preparations were complete because she heard something clank. She turned and pushed the full power of her draconic intimidation over the city. In the distance, something heavy fell.


    ¡°I have already won, tyrants. Come out and face your end.¡±


    ***


    Viv waited patiently until the stomps resolved themselves into the form of Marus, riding what could only be described as a¡­ war walker, maybe? She was reminded of her childhood, of valorous knights piloting giant mechs with sword or gun but always with courage. This¡­ wasn¡¯t it. At all. The walker was a poor attempt at reproducing a Harrakan guardian golem with reinforced joints and the core replaced by a bulky cockpit, only it wasn¡¯t balanced for it, so the already clunky frame had counterweights. It didn¡¯t walk so much as stumble forward. It also possessed a comically large chest that made it look like a toy robot, complete with a hammer arm and a claw arm. Exposed wiring near the back contracted with every step. It was partly painted gold though some sections near the top shone like natural silverite.


    Well, at least now Viv knew where it had all gone.


    Mutters and expressions of fear spread through the civilians. They could tell this was dangerous, and indeed it could be, but they didn¡¯t know how much of a threat it posed. Viv understood she and Marus were so high above normal citizens in terms of martial power that it was hard to assess who might have the advantage. She allowed her aura to carry her confusion. It was fine.


    A section of the cockpit rolled back, showing the Emperor¡¯s furious face. He had pockets under his eyes, and his lush black hair was messy and unkempt, but he was determined.


    ¡°You filthy rebel, you witch, you coward! We should have killed you the moment you came here with your seditious thoughts! You think you may have won but it matters not how many minds you turn. It will all be over once I crush you. I challenge you in single combat!¡±


    Viv let the loud declaration roll over the gathered people. Only after he was done did she let herself succumb to her emotion.


    She guffawed.


    ¡°Haaaaaahahaha oh my Neriad, what the fuck is that thing? Let me guess. You killed the programming clan so you couldn¡¯t make an actual golem. Is that it? Or were you just incapable of getting a proper core? Hooooly shit it¡¯s not even finished. You¡­ are aware that you¡¯re missing a back panel? Right?¡±


    The people¡¯s whispers carried her words forward like the dismissal it was. Marus fumed in his habitacle, but Viv was just too busy laughing her ass off.


    ¡°ANSWER ME!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha aaaaaah.¡±


    Viv brushed imaginary dust from her armored robe. She cast off the [Aspect of the Paragon], leaving the sense of community to linger in the hearts of her followers like a cooling hearth fire. Her false wings extended as she rose higher.


    Black mana erupted from her form, coating her in draconic armor that moved up to the crown of Harrak. The temperature plummeted, and colors faded. The laser green of her irises shone like beacons in the hungering void of her war form. She extended her fingers, each one forming a meter-long Excalibur.


    ¡°Right, enough of this. You¡¯re a disgrace. I¡¯m going to open you and that joke you¡¯re driving from throat to groin like a fucking oyster and after I¡¯m done, your mom¡¯s next. Goodbye Marus. I can¡¯t say it was a¡ª¡±


    STOMP.


    Stomp stomp stomp.


    The crowd muttered, then parted. They felt the remnants of Viv¡¯s anger fade to be replaced by dread, and then, resignation. The entire valley grew strangely silent besides the curious stomping sound, like a pack of horses if the horses were the size of barns.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv said. ¡°Oh. Shit.¡±


    Sensing her alarm, the New Harrakans dragged the civilians out of the way. In less than one minute, they parted to leave a very, very wide lane for what was approaching.


    This left a very confused Marus and a facepalming Viv standing and floating, respectively, near the city entrance.


    Cresting the incline, Solfis led the entirety of the New Harrakan golems in a slow procession. Deep in the privacy of her mind, Viv cursed the absolute unconscionable asshole who¡¯d opened the portals for them, and wondered if she could make them spend three days chained inside of Solfis¡¯ special collection just so they could fucking understand who they were dealing with. Then all thoughts of revenge fled her as reality came knocking with a metal mask that would never move.


    //YOUR MAJESTY.


    //YOU REQUESTED I DID NOT COME UNTIL AFTER YOUR VICTORY.


    //I CAME AS SOON AS YOU PROCLAIMED IT.


    This was on her, her and her stupid big mouth.


    //I WISH TO FEAST MY EYES UPON THE¡ª


    Solfis faltered.


    //UPON THE¡­


    //UPON¡­


    Frostway beckoned in all its ¡®glory¡¯.


    //OOOOOH.


    Silence, this time absolute, filled the plain after all the golems came to an awkward stop. Themis was the first one to break ranks. The ethics and governance golem turned and kneeled next to the starving, beleaguered forms of the gulag survivors, the few surviving women among them sticking out in brittle defiance. Eris, the engineer, approached a nearby pigsty. She raised the unfixed thatch floor from walls of polished marble stones.


    The wall collapsed anyway. Eris stopped moving afterward.


    Thalia the sculptor never moved from her vantage point over the palace.


    Clio, the librarian, walked by the frozen form of Marus, stopping before the former emperor¡¯s statue. More specifically, she inspected the sycophantic poem inscribed in its socle.


    She turned to Solfis and shook her head.


    Ares, his back covered in weapons, approached Marus, who hesitantly shook a claw at him. He stopped to look with baffled interest.


    As for Vulcan, he walked to the foundry, picked the frame of a carriage and shook it a bit.


    The axle snapped under his fingers.


    Vulcan looked down at the broken pieces for far longer than necessary considering his processing speed. His faceplate turned to his father and it was weird to Viv how something with no actual features could express that much bafflement.


    //IT¡¯S SHIT.


    Solfis didn¡¯t immediately reply. Viv knew Solfis didn¡¯t create mana, so to speak, but he did have a soul Nyil recognized, and for the first time ever, she felt it. It was uncomprehendingly massive. And cold. Very, very cold. Something expanded from there like an iris slowly unfolding to let the emotion behind flow, and that emotion, rather predictably, was rage.


    Blind, never-ending rage.


    Rage so pure it was almost physical.


    //YOU.


    //FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS I FOUGHT ALONE PRAYING FOR REINFORCEMENTS.


    //FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS I HELD THE LINE.


    //I WATCHED OVER THE BODY OF IRLEFEN.


    //I KEPT THE EMPIRE ALIVE AND HOPED THAT BY KILLING NECRARCHS, I WOULD HOLD THE TIDE OF UNDEATH.


    //I WENT TO BATTLE EVERY DAY HOPING SOMETHING SUBSISTED.


    //AND THAT MY MASTER¡¯S SACRIFICE WAS NOT IN VAIN.


    //AND I DID IT


    //FOR THIS?!


    Solfis¡¯ more human hand grabbed a loose stone and reduced it to gravel in a pang of hydraulic pressure.


    //FOR.


    //THIS?


    //YOU DESPICABLE, PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR AN INBRED BEASTLING.


    //YOU DISAPPOINTMENTS.


    //WHAT IS ALL THIS?


    //WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?


    //WHAT.


    //HAVE.


    //YOU.


    //DONE???????


    Followed by a deafening scream that Viv could only define as a house-sized dial up modem being thrown into a blender. The Strike Golem sprinted forward in a wave of collapsing buildings right to the imperial statue, which he grabbed by the feet and pulled. The marble limbs were reduced to powder under the immense pressure. An instant later, the statue was sent flying into the bay.


    It was the signal for the other golems to move. Marus was grabbed two seconds later and Viv floated away, dejected.


    ¡°Well, there goes the fucking city.¡±


    ***


    Viv sat on a boulder, watching as the capital of the Remnants was reduced to rubble and ruin, or at least more so than it had already been. She took a sip of kava. It was a nice kava, freshly made from a nearby canteen.


    A piece of palace crashed against the fortress walls, this time taking a bit of the crenelation with it. That was the fourth throw already.


    ¡°Some milk?¡± Sidjin said from behind.


    ¡°Aw, thank you.¡±


    They settled in to wait on the rock. Viv wished she had some biscuits to go with her drink.


    ¡°Sooooo where are Arana and Marus?¡± Sidjin asked.


    ¡°Oh, a bit everywhere. Except the heads, of course.¡±


    "And the half golem?¡±


    ¡°The real golems harvested the silverite for their own use.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°While Marus was still in it.¡±


    ¡°That must have been unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°It certainly sounded that way.¡±


    Another crash reverberated in the distance. Viv resisted the urge to set up a charging station. The ambient mana wasn¡¯t great here anyway. And they had enough energy as it was.


    ¡°I really thought we would be able to recover the workshops,¡± Sidjin moaned.


    ¡°Yeah, me too, but it¡¯s the people and their expertise that matter.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ a giant metal vat on the statue¡¯s head?¡±


    The golems had planted the broken statue in the middle of the bay, feet down this time, with an improvised hat on top of it.


    ¡°Yes, from the foundry. I think it¡¯s a running joke of theirs. A way to say they¡¯ve been there and no one was able to stop them.¡±


    ¡°I hope they don¡¯t make a habit out of it.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I know Solfis. It could be muuuuuch much worse,¡± Viv replied, taking another sip of nawa. ¡°And no matter what, I take solace in the fact I¡¯m not the person getting the most screwed over here.¡±


    ¡°I think I know who you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Viv nodded to herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s lucky I¡¯ll go to the Glastian wall very soon.¡±


    ***


    Lady Azar, First Minister and head of the government ¡®in absentia¡¯ while the younglings went carousing south, looked up from a pile of reports on tar production. The yries had found some tar deposits and requested a clean zone to harvest it ¡®for military purposes¡¯. She frowned. Another one of Lak-Tak¡¯s harrien-brained schemes, no doubt.


    ¡°Come on in,¡± she told the person approaching her door.


    Her secretary carefully opened the door. Lady Azar recognized that face. It was the bad news face. She sighed.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The, ah, the empress reports that the conquest is complete.¡±


    Lady Azar blinked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, could you repeat that?¡±


    ¡°The conquest of the Remnants has been successfully completed, ma¡¯am. The empress requests you to manage the integration.¡±


    ¡°Of Frostbay?¡±


    ¡°Of all of it, Your Grace. All, ah, three hundred and twenty-seven recognized municipalities for a population of, hmmm, approximately forty-five thousand people.¡±


    Lady Azar leaned back into her chair.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening.


    That was twice the current population of New Harrak, after a recent wave of immigration they STILL HADN¡¯T FINISHED PROCESSING YET!


    ¡°Why did I even come here?¡±


    ¡°To make a difference?¡±


    Lady Azar glared at her secretary. That woman had a mouth on her. It was the girl¡¯s influence. She was far too casual with propriety and the chain of command.


    ¡°By all the gods light and dark, this is ridiculous. At least, this time there will be an existing framework. We shall raise the Remnants¡¯ administration to our standards. Have the coachmen prepare my personal carriage. I shall go to Frostbay in person to assess the situation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, milady, this concerns the second part of the missive?¡±


    Lady Azar didn¡¯t have intuition. That was a spy skill. And yet, a shiver of anticipation crawled up her spine.


    ¡°The war golems went to Frostbay under Solfis¡¯ direction. They found it very offensive.¡±


    Lady Azar froze as she was standing up.


    ¡°The imperial archives?¡±


    ¡°Very, very offensive.¡±


    Lady Azar calmly grabbed her letter opener, then, with a frightful yell, planted it in her desk.

 Chapter 185: The Walls of Glastia

    The frontline near Glastia looked like some divinity had split the world in twain, showing two versions of a world that could be. Seen from the east, the left part of the landscape was one of mankind flourishing. Well-fertilized fields extended to the horizon, rich with thick ripening wheat, orchards, fat lines of fruit-bearing bushes near columns of salad greens surrounding pens teeming with animals. Neat encampments hug the walls. A myriad of colorful pennants fluttered lazily in the spring wind, speaking of the assembled might of mankind. Groups of soldiers trained, cooked, played and drank in clumps along the wall with the floating smoke trails of Glastia itself far in the distance. As for the wall itself, it was titanic yet misshapen, built in a hurry by mages as the horde of beastlings turned into a tide. Like a giant beast it grew and snaked across the land while soldiers trawled its back. That side was all warm colors and life in all its tamed diversity.


    There was the clean side of the wall.


    Then, there was hell.


    Charred stones, broken crenelations and the presence of war machines marked the limit between the rear and the frontline, after that was what the locals had come to call the corpse trench. For leagues upon leagues, there were only two things: dead soil, and corpses. Dessicated corpses. Burnt corpses. Ossified remnants mixed with the soil until one couldn¡¯t tell gravel from jutting femurs. Fresh corpses. Putrid corpses. The rotting cadavers of great beasts belonging to early shamans, before hunger had pushed the beastlings to eat everything including each other. The devastation reached the maximum range of how far of a target the war mages could kill, and after that, the only difference was that the bodies didn¡¯t have a speck of meat left on them.


    Beyond that was a haze, a black, smog-filled land squirming with hidden numbers, black mana and toxic emanations hiding the ground from sight. It was a cursed place that grew more dire and disgusting as time went by. No human had walked there in almost five years. It was about to change soon.


    Mostly, it stank.


    That was something that the wall didn¡¯t stop. Even in the sun, even with the wind, the revolting stench of carrion clung to the nose of all the humans around like a slimy film that never left. It was so bad that the Glastians had grown insensitive to it, but those visiting fighters called it the ¡®Glastian Aftertaste¡¯. It hung in the air like an invisible cloak that no gray magic could dispel. There was no escaping it. Only two things could erase it: the extermination of the beastlings, and time itself.


    Over the hill, a group of Enorian mercenaries watched the latest column approach. One of them, an older warrior missing part of his nose,  spat on the ground.


    ¡°Damn witch.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cut it,¡± a younger warrior said.


    ¡°She killed Constable Tarano!¡±


    The others groaned out of habit, but then their gaze fell on the Harrakans now marching out of the massive portal set some distance away from the walls of the city.


    Some armies, like the Golden Order or the Knights of the White Orchard were grace and aristocracy incarnate. They walked out like heroes from children¡¯s tales in shimmering colors, barded with family heirlooms and armor sets so decorated they were pieces of art. It was inspiring, fighting side by side with those barons and warrior priestesses who sallied out from the gate with beauty and panache. There were also regular armies moving in harmonious disorder, knights covering archers then splitting as they climbed the wall to take their place at the fore. Finally, there were the poor fuckers like them, sods paid iron bits to hold less risky parts of the wall. Those moved in organic blobs under the command of grizzled veterans who knew they had to give up on marching order because they were too busy enforcing basic discipline. Those were drab masses that crossed the nice roads like mud drifting down a canal.


    The Harrakans were not like any of those.


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s a lot of iron,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°Steel. Birdmen made,¡± said one with a pipe and the spare bits to buy the hotweed to fill it.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They got the mines open. My cousins moved there from Regnos. Says they pay well and don¡¯t use lashes.¡±


    ¡°Well they¡­ got a lot out.¡±


    The Harrakans moved like clockwork. They were quiet and organized with the precision of a loom and enough metal to arm a force five times their size. Massive carriages of pure metal rolled without a horse to be seen, and behind, a long baggage train followed at a good pace. Elites walked up and down the flanks but they barely gave any orders.


    The looming impression was reinforced by the uniforms those soldiers wore. In the Enorian army, each noble was responsible for arming their own retinue, and though there were color schemes, armor sets and weapons were simply the best the nobles could get their paws on. Here, the various infantry regiments wore gear that identified them at a glance. Young fellows wore scale armor with dragon patterns visible from up here, even having a white dragon on their banners ¡ª and that was calling for disaster. Older men and women carried a variety of weapons but they shared the same cloaks and their symbol, a large tree, was present on every tabard. There was a group of quiet, huge fuckers in the heaviest plate the mercenaries had ever seen, faces hidden behind intimidating war masks. Even the flankers, crossbowmen mostly, had commonalities. The oldest group had heart motifs and preferred gray while a black-clad group of younger women favored eye-patterns ¡ª a daring boast about their accuracy, no doubt.


    ¡°It¡¯s like watching a golem walk,¡± one of the younger mercenaries said.


    ¡°Like you¡¯ve seen a golem walk, bumpkin.¡±


    ¡°I did too! Near the bank!¡±


    ¡°The fuck were you doing in the bank when you don¡¯t got two bits to rub together.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Quiet,¡± the pipe smoker said. ¡°Look.¡±


    More people emerged from the portal. First, mages in robes on carriages bearing strange contraptions, a shining core present at the top. Some of those owl people crawled on their surface. Who even hired yries for war? They disliked being involved with humans.


    The next column was made of knights. But those were strange, like the rest. True knights ought to be colorful like in the stories, but these were all wearing black with a hint of blue. Truly, the Harrakans weren¡¯t normal folks.


    ¡°Maybe the black mana messes with their heads.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t let them hear that. Oh, look, here she is, the Great Black Slut!¡±


    The Enorians mercenaries watched the newly ascended ¡®Empress¡¯ ride forth on a nice horse that must have cost a lot. She didn¡¯t look like much from up there. Certainly not like the monster the rumors made her out to be. Hell, they couldn¡¯t even see her cleavage.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look so scary to me,¡± one of them spat.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s the fallen prince by her side.¡±


    ¡°Traitor calls to traitor, I guess!¡±


    ¡°And to freaks.¡±


    ¡°I resent that.¡±


    The mercenaries froze where they sat. Right there, on the hill, suddenly, there was a man. A tall man with an exposed bald head, wearing all black. On his back rested the largest battleaxe they¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°I said. I resent that,¡± Zero-Five repeated.


    And the mercenaries ran away.


    ***


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s bollocks this place smells like a dead skunk¡¯s arse,¡± Viv swore.


    Feeling sorry for her blasphemy, Viv sent a large burst of mana via prayer to her favorite god. It was a huge amount, enough to power a war mage cadre.


    ¡°I am sorry for calling upon your bollocks in vain.¡±


    YOU KNOW I PAY ATTENTION IF THE MANA OFFERING IS HUGE SO PLEASE STOP CONTACTING ME FOR STUPID REASONS. I AM TRYING TO SPAR WITH MY FRIEND.


    ¡°The blessed one answers!¡±


    YOU ARE BEING OBNOXIOUS.


    ¡°Viv,¡± her beloved said in a diplomatic voice, ¡°Please stop bullying the light gods.¡±


    ¡°Pah,¡± she groaned.


    Her mischief completed, Viv grew despondent. And annoyed. Here she was on the other side of the continent, fulfilling an obligation at a time when her empire was at its most vulnerable. And all for thankless people who would barely spit on her if she were on fire.


    ¡°Will you be going to the city now?¡± Rollo asked from the side.


    ¡°No,¡± Viv replied. ¡°I want to make sure our position at the wall is secure.¡±


    They approached the massive structure through growing fields. At its highest, it was probably thirty-meters tall but the outlying places went as low as four to five meters, enough for the most agile beastlings to climb by hand. Scorched marks showed where the walls had been breached then cauterized by fire mages. It was amazing how several types of stone and architecture were involved to raise or build different sections, yet it all felt like the same wall. She inspected it.


    [Wall of Glastia, artifact, drenched in the blood of a million beings, the wall stands battered but unbowed. Limited self-repair. Architectural drift.]


    Huh. It explained why the stones and styles seem to flow into each other.


    Viv looked down to see that spot they were supposed to occupy. All major forces that would be involved in a purge gathered around gates used to sally out when there were enough knights to justify it. Theirs stood between a large gathering of well-ordered tents with golden flags while to the right, mercenaries gathered in small groups, the runt of the formation meant to hold the far end. As soon as she approached, she knew there was going to be an issue.


    ¡°As expected,¡± she grumbled.


    The place where they were supposed to set up camp was a pigsty, an unholy mess of trash and unburied latrines. It stank even worse and it was abundantly clear the location was not just a landfill: someone had specifically dumped trash here.


    Sidjin sighed.


    ¡°He can¡¯t help it, can he?¡±


    ¡°It might not be your brother.¡±


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t start it, then at least it happened with his knowledge and consent. We are here to help and I am still being provoked,¡± he bemoaned. ¡°I will complain to father. This is entirely unacceptable.¡±


    Viv felt her own temper raise. They were here to fight for Glastia in the name of the Paramese alliance and the locals were still giving her shit. Well, some of them. The assholes.


    ¡°Can I be the iron fist and you the velvet glove?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Certainly. I feel that if I start losing my temper here, people may perish.¡±


    ¡°Ok good while I¡¯ll merely maim them. So. Who¡¯s responsible for this fuckery? Do I have to go to the city?¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Sidjin activated his long view enchantment. The air in front of him shimmered as it formed lenses. The construct then followed Sidjin¡¯s gaze. He looked right, then left, then up. He then sighed again.


    ¡°As expected, the guilty party is currently looking down on us to enjoy our discomfort. I recognize the heraldry of House Redclaw, a staunch supporter of my dear brother Prince Medjin. They must be in charge of this slice of the wall. They would be responsible for clearing the space here.¡±


    Ah, Medjin, the asshole who caused Rakan to be crippled.


    Too bad she couldn¡¯t send him a gift without risking Sidjin¡¯s pardoned status.


    ¡°And you say they¡¯re up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, on the wall as we speak.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Viv cast one last glance at the field of detritus where she was supposed to camp. No. That was just unforgivable. A pure provocation of the lowest order.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She dismounted.


    ¡°Rollo, with me. Sidjin, if you would stay here please. The One Hundred will escort us up the stairs. Masks on, bags down.¡±


    Ban approached, long white beard resting on his massive runic chestplate.


    ¡°Battle formation ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Yes but let me take the front.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty, there was someone I wanted to introduce you to.¡±


    Viv raised a brow. It was quite unlike Ban to interrupt her so it must have been important. As the One Hundred approached, she took in a newcomer by Brick¡¯s side.


    Now Viv had seen some pretty hot people around considering stats just made people healthier and gave them better skin. She¡¯d also seen some really muscular guys such as Ban himself and Solar when he trained bare-chested. But this guy? This guy was a younger Zeus. He was tall as hell too. An absolute giant.


    Clad in steel from head to toe, he was the kind of guy she¡¯d put on recruitment posters if they were a thing.


    Brick looked at him then averted her eyes, blushing.


    Fleeting dreams of the perfect genetically engineered himbo floated through Viv¡¯s addled mind, but she cast them aside. Eugenics was for losers.


    ¡°This,¡± Ban said, ¡°is Ban the Younger, my eldest son.¡±


    Viv was rendered momentarily speechless.


    ¡°How very imaginative, Ban.¡±


    ¡°Ban is a great name,¡± Ban replied. ¡°My son also ranked first in the ranking competition as soon as he joined. I trained him myself.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    That was absolutely impressive.


    ¡°He has sworn fealty to you, aye? Your Majesty,¡± he finished as an afterthought. ¡°He¡¯s my second in command. Unless, of course, you want to test him yourself.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you would accept anything less than excellence.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s a fancy way to say I¡¯m a hardass, then aye. Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Well then, Ban and Ban, I hope you¡¯re ready to impress.¡±


    ¡°Aye ma¡¯am.¡±


    Viv looked around and found a set of stairs adjoining the wall. It was wide enough to accommodate a carriage which suited her just fine. The base started next to a rather small gate peeking from underground, which made her wonder how practical sallies even were. She moved up the slope at a short jog.


    Behind her, the One Hundred trampled the stone with their steel-capped boots in perfect unison. The booms alerted two sentries lounging in the middle of the road. They moved to the side, paralyzed with fear. Viv stopped right in front of them.


    Her intimidation flared. They were both shorter than her and clearly not the pick of the litter. She grabbed one of them by the collar, then slammed him against the wall. Her wings spread behind her like omens of doom.


    ¡°You. Who the fuck¡¯s in charge of this section of the wall?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°WHO IS YOUR SUPERIOR?¡±


    ¡°Lord Redclaw, ma¡¯am!¡±


    She dropped him on his ass and cast a quick mirror spell just to be sure.


    Monster eyes? Check.


    Bone spike reforged war crown of the Old Empire? Check.


    Tall? Fucking check. She would never be tiny again.


    Silverite-embroidered regal battle robes? Hell yeah, custom made and it had pockets.


    She looked great.


    ¡°Onward!¡±


    It took only a few seconds to reach the top of the wall. Although it was rather low here, it was still wide enough to allow for multiple layers of defenders and their supplies. Right now, a hundred or so soldiers huddled in confused squads, uncertain as to what was going on. Viv had no intention of letting them recover.


    ¡°Where is Redclaw?¡± she asked in a deceptively cold voice.


    [Aspect of the Sovereign]


    Intimidation crashed into them like a wave. The squads wavered, taken by surprise, and a path was instinctively cleared towards the perpetrator of today¡¯s indignity.


    He was a thin, aristocratic man in mage robes bearing the symbol of a claw. In red, of course. Right now, he was looking like someone who thought he was doing a fun prank only for two cop cars to pull up in front of him. Viv made a beeline for the fucker. Behind her, the One Hundred pushed his men aside by sheer weight.


    She only stopped when she was so deep in his personal space he might ask for rent.


    ¡°Do you think this is a joke?¡±


    She smashed her intimidation aura into him. He had some leadership of his own, but under Viv¡¯s monstrous, aspect-boosted power, that resistance crumbled.


    ¡°I asked you a fucking question.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°You know exactly who I am. Now, you¡¯re in charge of preparing our spot. Why is there a landfill there? Is this some sort of jest?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ are defending the walls! I have no time for¡ª¡±


    She slapped him. Her enhanced strength sent him tumbling.


    One of his men drew his sword. Viv gestured and¡­ nothing happened.


    Damn, she missed Solfis already. He would have understood without prompt.


    ¡°Ban, if you would?¡±


    The armed man got an instant face full of tower shield. He didn¡¯t stand back up. Redclaw did, however, gasping with disbelief. Viv grasped him by the collar and lifted him until his feet dangled over the ground. She felt red mana coil but even in his stressed circumstances, the man knew that casting offensive spells would lead to his death.


    It was immensely cathartic grabbing people like puppets like that. Viv spared a kind thought to the planet for giving her physical stats as well.


    ¡°I am giving you and the traveling clown show you call a troop two hours to clean the mess you made, the time it will take me to meet the rulers of the Paramese alliance. If it¡¯s not done when I return then I¡¯ll throw you on the beastling side. Without your feet.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    With the help of some telekinesis, Viv tossed the harried noble over the parapet and right on the nearest pile of refuse. His scream was abruptly interrupted, then the swearing began. It wasn¡¯t a very long fall.


    Viv allowed herself a smirk.


    ¡°See you lot very soon.¡±


    ***


    By the time Viv left for the city itself, the work had already started. Redclaw had tried to leave the place but having almost two thousand annoyed Harrakan soldiers standing around meant that it was actually quite difficult to depart unnoticed. She rode across a well-traveled road at the head of the Knights of the Blue Rose towards the imposing gates of Glastia. Although she was here as a full member of the alliance, Sidjin and her headed the formation side by side to show that the fallen prince was no one¡¯s lackey.


    The ride almost changed her view on Param¡¯s politics. Almost. Past the Golden Order¡¯s encampment, they came across forces from Enoria, Baran, from Neriad¡¯s various smaller orders, then mercenary companies and the like. Each encampment proudly displayed the identity of its owner in either style or structure. Some of the mercenaries had been here for so long that the camps were more permanent fortified barracks than temporary lodgings. Some of the poorer groups didn¡¯t even have tents. They slept on the ground.


    The important thing Viv picked up was that there was absolutely no way a city, even one as rich as Glastia, could sustain such numbers. It meant that the rest of the alliance had maintained a presence mighty enough to stop the horde here for over five years, reliably. An achievement she had never expected from the bickering collection of egos that formed said alliance. It was heartwarming in a way. Some leaders here were smart enough to realize danger before it knocked on their windows. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure the governments of earth could have done any better.


    ¡°Glastia,¡± Sidjin whispered. ¡°It has been too long.¡±


    Viv returned her attention to the city-state as they approached its noble walls ¡ª those much older and made properly from the start. She had to admit, if it wasn¡¯t embroiled in constant conflict, Glastia would be a much larger player. First, the Harrakan delegation rode through a monumental gate defended by guards in puffy red uniforms, then through the outer circle which was where Glastia¡¯s poor districts, warehouses, and most artisans were. People here worked even as the distant retorts of exploding spells roared from over the walls. Viv looked up, but the defensive structure blocked the sight.


    ¡°There is always a raid happening somewhere. People have grown used to it by now,¡± Sidjin stated.


    A dark cloud came over his features.


    ¡°Sometimes, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep unless I heard the sound of battle.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    He kept quiet while they traveled under another high arc. The middle city held banks, trader¡¯s offices and other important services. Viv recognized elements of northern architecture in the thick columns and flattish roofs, though many lacked the splendor of Helock. A diverse crowd busied itself throughout the city. Wealth wasn¡¯t seen in jewels but in the nice cut of clothes, a visible concession to the constant siege. Nevertheless, Viv found they lacked the fear she¡¯d seen in other places. The constant slaughter had become a routine. Hell, there were eight year old kids who couldn¡¯t remember peace.


    The highest and most fortified circle was occupied by the palace, as much a keep as it was a seat of government. The place was crowded with elites in elaborate armor, war mages and bristling nobles. A tired seneschal kindly requested that her retinue stayed behind before leading them deep into the palace, through what Viv was pretty sure were reconverted stables.


    ¡°My father used to keep his vaunted stallions and chargers here,¡± Sidjin confirmed. ¡°I used to come here between lessons to brush my favorite mare. They¡¯re gone now. Sold out, to placate the nobles.¡±


    ¡°I imagine you have a lot of memories here.¡±


    ¡°It was my home for close to thirty years,¡± he said with a shrug.


    Viv kept an eye on her paramour while he looked around, brows furrowing at either memories or differences with said memories. There were a lot of people who looked at him, but there were also a lot of people who looked at the elemental archmage with a crown so it was hard to gauge how bad it might get. The thought of assassination attempts did cross her mind.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach what had to be the throne room. The space where court would be held had been cleared, and a massive wooden table now occupied the center of it. A detailed map of the wall and the land beyond caught the eye with nice colors and some magical effects. Right now, a dark mass of wriggling creatures battled on a ramp leading to the outer wall. That was certainly a nice enchantment that Viv definitely wanted to steal.


    ¡°I shall leave you here. We are still waiting for a few guests, so please make yourselves at home. You will find refreshments in the corner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Eldrim,¡± Sidjin replied absent-mindedly.


    The seneschal allowed a very sad smile to fold the corner of his lips before he bowed and left. A quick glance around showed familiar faces, one of whom was heading straight for her.


    ¡°My student! Hahahaha.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, General,¡± Viv greeted.


    Old Steel Trap looked much better than during the previous conflict. His curly beard covered his robes and the beginnings of a small belly, a sign he hadn¡¯t been on the campaign trail in a long while.


    ¡°I see my Bitter Heart deserter is feeding you well,¡± Viv teased.


    ¡°I married her! Great woman. Incredibly patient and understanding. Can outdrink me, which I thought impossible but here we are. Oh, I got your message and I gave it some thought.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Should we discuss salary?¡±


    ¡°I regret to say that no, I will not defect to the Harrakan Empire. You are not the first to offer to recruit me, you know? The others had the decency of gifting me jewels and weapons, at least.¡±


    ¡°I meant no disrespect.¡±


    General Jaratalassi guffawed.


    ¡°Ah, you are too pure yet. And no, I must remain as neutral as can be if I hope to keep this alliance working. Not that it will prevent me from rushing to you to show my preference for members who actually show up when I ask!¡±


    He turned at that, and the shoulders of a nearby nobleman tensed.


    ¡°I do, however, have a student of mine that could fit you. Despite his incredible talent, he managed to alienate every possible recruiter due to his terrible personality.¡±


    He grinned.


    ¡°But I suppose that just means you two will get along just fine. Don¡¯t lose your patience too fast, he¡¯s worth it. In any case, there are more people to greet for this old man. Why don¡¯t you two go around a bit? We will begin shortly.¡±


    Viv nodded, then grabbed Sidjin¡¯s elbow to allow him to guide her through the room. There were only forty people or so here, and she happened to know at least half of them by sight. Maybe she was getting experienced.


    The Enorian representative turned out to be a southerner she knew, one of those who¡¯d readily turned their back on the loyalist cause to welcome Harrakan trade. The Baranese representative, however, proved quite cold. She guessed she¡¯d burnt that bridge by allying with their resurging rival Enoria. Sidjin then deftly guided them through a gauntlet of northerners including his half-sister Shaya, who seemed pleased to receive their consideration. Viv was surprised to see the champion of the Mornyr arena. The dour blade master was far too quiet to claim a title as boisterous as ¡®dragonslayer reborn¡¯.


    ¡°And you must be Viviane and Sidjin,¡± a voice said in the northern tongue.


    Viv turned to see a short woman in heavy gold and black plate stand with her arms behind her. Next to the diminutive commander was a tall girl with high cheekbones and a haughty demeanor. Both were dark-skinned, but while the commander¡¯s hair was gray and very short, the tall warrior¡¯s own fell in long braided tails over her shoulders.


    ¡°Oh, you must be of the Golden Order. You worship Enttiku, yes?¡±


    ¡°We are indeed her warrior priestesses. You have very few threads, hmmm, interesting. You must be very hard to kill.¡±


    ¡°I try, thanks.¡±


    ¡°I am Order Master Kreta. I understand that we will be covering each other¡¯s flanks during the advance, from the way our encampments happen to be side by side.¡±


    ¡°Your reputation precedes you. I am looking forward to seeing you work.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Our goddess watches over your work in the deadlands with a pleased eye. It would have been easy for a black mana expert to expand into necromancy, yet you decided not to. We take note and we approve. When the time comes, we will be at your side.¡±


    Viv nodded.


    To be honest, she¡¯d completely forgotten she could technically learn necromancy. It was just a massive waste of her time.


    ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t my dear brother Sidjin.¡±


    Short dark beard, dark elegance, and thwarted heir ambitions announced the coming of Medjin, Prince of Glastia and an absolute twat. Viv kept her temper in check. This was up to Sidjin. He¡¯d been very clear about that.


    ¡°Have you found your arrangements to be to your satisfaction? I thought it might suit the quality of your character.¡±


    ¡°Oh you flatter me, brother,¡± her paramour replied with a pleasant smile.


    Only her familiarity with him made her realize that under his polite mask, Sidjin was absolutely livid.


    ¡°But no, it is not my habit to have someone else¡¯s underlings clean for me.¡±


    The implication made Medjin frown. Viv guessed dear Lord Redclaw might not appreciate having been worked to the bone for someone else¡¯s revenge as well.


    ¡°I see you still keep to the same¡­ company,¡± Medjin countered.


    Viv remained impassive. The asshole prince was just trying to get her to lose her temper. It would reflect poorly on Sidjin.


    ¡°Oh my company will be as pleasant as I like once you¡¯ve turned around and fucked off.¡±


    Eh?


    She thought she was supposed to be the iron fist and he would be more diplomatic? Red mana bubbled under Sidjin¡¯s controlled aura, and even now, a few of the more experienced warriors were turning in her direction.


    ¡°Remember, brother, I kill for honor, I kill for Glastia, but you, I¡¯d always kill for pleasure. Anytime, anywhere, you and me, just say the word.¡±


    Medjin paled a bit. Perhaps he had forgotten that Sidjin was an archmage named ¡®the Red Mist¡¯ before he even developed teleportation, and that little display acted as a reminder. In any case, he left, which was a relief.


    ¡°Alright everyone, the representatives of Zazas just arrived. Please take your place at the table,¡± Jaratalassi clamored above the hubbub of conversations.


    Viv once more appreciated the fact that whoever had organized things had made quite sure to place people who didn¡¯t like each other at either side of the round table, within sight and out of range of a random punch.


    ¡°First, a word from the king,¡± the old general said.


    Sidjin¡¯s father stood with regal grace. Viv appreciated that he¡¯d joined them at the table rather than sat on the throne. It was a small gesture but a meaningful one, and the other representatives seemed appreciative.


    ¡°Thank you, my friends, for coming to Glastia. It has been a long fight. We have bled and sacrificed much as an alliance but now, the time has finally come to bring an end to this nightmare that has cost us far too much. I will let the good general explain the plan, however, I felt it important to keep you apprised of the situation now. There are three developments I will explain before we begin the planning stage.¡±


    Viv nodded, as did the others. She appreciated that he wouldn¡¯t waste too much time on posturing.


    ¡°First and as you know, the number of beastlings has decreased significantly over the past three months. There was a time when attacks would be constant, when beastlings covered the land outside the walls like a spreading plague. Those were the darkest days of Glastia. I am pleased to announce that their numbers have finally dwindled, as have their food reserves, and we have confirmed a great many cases of cannibalism. We finally have an opportunity to attack. That is, unfortunately, the only good news.¡±


    ¡°In the past month, we have seen an increasing amount of partial or tame aberrants.¡±


    Cries of stupor and horror spread throughout the room, as did mumbles. Meanwhile, Viv¡¯s mind went through a logical path.


    The shamans of the beastlings used to draw power from the divine scorn of Efestar. It so happened that the God of Vengeance had stopped answering their call. With Octas out of commission for a long time, they¡¯d turned to new options.


    That left Gomogog.


    And the semi-dead one.


    ¡°Impossible. Aberrants are the bane of existence, of reality. There are no powers that could possibly twist them to service. Magic doesn¡¯t even affect them properly!¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± a voice said.


    The resident bishop of Neriad was a dark-skinned woman wielding a staff. Scars criss-crossed her skin.


    ¡°The Righteous God has spoken to me. There is a dark god they thought dead at the hand of Maranor herself, but it appears some of its essence is returning as a corrupting wave. His name was Khaton. Khaton the poisoner, or Khaton the defiler. He is a long forgotten blight that rises in the wake of Octas¡¯ weakening. This might be his attempt to return.¡±


    ¡°And his domain is¡­ aberrations?¡±


    ¡°His domain is defilement, abasement, corruption. Or rather, it is what is left now that most of him has died. Do not mistake the dead god¡¯s nature for weakness, however. No matter how dead he might be, his lingering essence is no less dangerous to us mortals. It is this essence that the beastlings are tapping into right now. It will bring them power just as it will consume those who partake.¡±


    ¡°How dangerous are they?¡± the Baranese envoy asked.


    ¡°They will resist mana effects, will fight longer, be much stronger. Wounded soldiers might become infected and die.¡±


    ¡®WHAT?¡±


    ¡°The churches will provide their support to prevent this from happening, but we cannot be everywhere. The best would be to avoid being wounded by infested flesh.¡±


    Viv sat back in her chair. Damn. It couldn¡¯t have been easy, huh. There had to be something that went horribly wrong. She thought she¡¯d have some respite after Octas¡¯ fall but now they had a new contender for the title of divine shithead.


    She massaged the bridge of her nose.


    There was a third piece of news.


    ¡°And finally, we have confirmed aerial reports that the beastling leaders are building a fortress.¡±


    This time the stunned silence only lasted a second.


    ¡°What do you mean, build?¡±


    ¡°Inconceivable. Are you jesting?¡±


    ¡°This has never happened!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    The king was not unkind even as he chastised the other delegates for losing their cool ¡ª mostly nobles and lesser leaders. The generals and those like Viv remained quiet.


    Viv was starting to ask herself questions about the beastlings. If enough gathered, what happened then? Could the smartest of them become capable of negotiations, since they were capable of at least stacking one stone on top of another? It would have been interesting to try. Farren would have tried to talk to them.


    Unfortunately, he was dead, and the beastlings were being preyed upon by Khaton. So. Yeah.


    Genocide it was.


    ¡°We believe that the various beastling hordes will gather to fight us if we march on the fortress and take it, slaying all their leaders in the process. We will need an army capable of laying siege. There is only one such group among us.¡±


    The king looked right at Sidjin, his son, then at Viv, but it was Jaratalassi who spoke.


    ¡°We would like the Harrakan forces and their siege weapons to lead this assault.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t have to think twice. This was why she was here anyway.


    ¡°The Empire will answer the call of the Alliance.¡±


    Lak-Tak was going to have a field day.

 Chapter 186: Beyond the disaster wall.

    Viv¡¯s hope that the campaign would start right away got dashed immediately. It turned out that although everyone important was present, they were missing a plethora of stuff ranging from actual camping supplies to their favorite concubines. Portals didn¡¯t solve every logistical problem. It was super fast transportation; but it didn¡¯t suddenly replace an effective supply chain. To her dismay, terms like ¡®logistics¡¯ simply didn¡¯t register in the brains of commanders who cared more about the comfort of their concubines than they did about spare swords.


    Once everyone was more or less ready, the second problem made itself known. It was possible for knights to emerge from the fortified gates for a daring attack, since they had skills to operate on rough terrain. That was not the case for supply carts. The issue was that the rough terrain couldn¡¯t easily be flattened, since it consisted of years of compacted beastling corpses. The layer was crusty and mummified on the outside and moist and putrid on the inside, a revolting mass with an eye-watering stench that chased away the walls¡¯ sentries once uncovered. It was that bad. Viv disintegrated a large swath from high on, then used Eldritch walls to push the rest away and even up there in the sky, the place still demolished her nostrils.


    ¡°And I thought it was nasty before.¡±


    Sidjin came up with a colorless spell that spared her the worst of the stench later but the horrible memory of that stinky morass would pursue her to the end of her days.


    Hopefully it would fade away after they left the vicinity of the wall.


    ¡°The path is clear,¡± she said in her short-range device. Rollo didn¡¯t answer, but battle horns sounded. The gates opened and out came the Knights of the Blue Rose. Fifty of them trotted out in good order, fanning out in a line as soon as they cleared the worst of the obstruction. The heavies, led by the One Hundred, followed in silence, then it was the crossbows and war machines. The mages stuck to their shield arrays, except for a small contingent under Lana and Sidjin. The blue mage woman had decided to join now that her wards were more eager to test their limits. She led a messy bunch of Frostbay graduates, Rakan¡¯s older proteges, and freed Helockians. They all bickered when they managed to speak the same language. Viv wondered if there was something about being a mage that made people stubborn and obnoxious.


    The Hadals hadn¡¯t shown up yet. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure where they were.


    It took some time to get the supply train through the gap because the stench spooked both horses and cornudons. The Bitter Hearts closed the march, as was tradition.


    Abe flew next to Viv. She¡¯d been surprised when the redeemed lich asked to come, but in retrospect, this was as much about restoring life as it was about reclaiming the land. His long gray dreads floated in the wan wind that mercilessly made the high air breathable.


    ¡°Ah, young Viviane. Look west, and you will see the servants of my mistress.¡±


    Far to her left, the next Paramese Alliance contingent left the wall in turn. A black and gold column emerged from the other gate. The well-ordered group was smaller than the Harrakan army, but Viv knew they were not to be underestimated. A short inspection of their rank-and-file confirmed her suspicions.


    [Archer Sister of the Golden Order, not dangerous. One who follows a path of martial worship through archery. Third step. Can see the threads of death upon her target. Expert markswoman. Decent melee combatant. Killer. Beastling slayer.]


    [Paladin of the Golden Order, not dangerous. One who follows a path of martial worship through sword and spear mastery. Fourth step. Can see the threads of death upon her target. Expert markswoman¡­]


    Each of the warrior priestesses she inspected had killed dozens of beastlings. Their gear was also excellent and they finished deploying before the Harrakans did.


    ¡°I think this flank is secure.¡±


    ¡°I agree with your assessment. The other, however¡­¡±


    Abe was not the kind of person to badmouth others. He was probably one of the nicest people around, but Viv knew what he meant. The Enorians on their right were barely getting out of the gate now in semi-organized groups. She recognized many of the battle standards, well, the few that they had. Those were the fading colors of loyalist houses that had fled the post-war purges. Along them were a few experienced mages but also a lot of people who had no business being here. Viv counted city guards, hunters, militias. They carried a variety of gear that ranged from heirloom knight plate to stained gambeson and even in some cases, shirts. She could spot at least two dozen farming implements in the spear lines. Well. Spear blobs. A few inspections showed that a majority of them were on the third step, but their paths were not always those of field soldiers. They weren¡¯t particularly bad. They were just too much of a motley group for her to trust.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them. They have a solid core but after a couple of battles¡­¡±


    ¡°Those who fight in the defense of mankind must support each other.¡±


    Abe frowned.


    ¡°And yrieskind, I suppose. I am not quite used to you working with several species. I believe¡­ yes, I believe that no multi-species army has existed in the history of the empire beyond temporary alliances and mercenary groups. This is quite unexpected.¡±


    ¡°No one has used non-magical flamethrowers before either.¡±


    ¡°Yes, those engineers of yours are¡­ certainly motivated.¡±


    Viv looked down. On the lead liberator, Lak-tak was removing little pots of blue honey from a box, religiously distributing them among his peers. She scowled. She still wasn¡¯t sure how the mild hallucinogenic substance affected the owl folks but she hoped to hell it wasn¡¯t addictive.


    Another horn blast informed her that the deployment was complete. It had gone reasonably fast. She sent a message to her paramour.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re set. Send the signal.¡±


    Sidjin cast a large flare. The red ball surged up before exploding in a wave of soundless light. A similar golden flare emerged from the Order¡¯s rank a few minutes later, then one of hybrid caster mercenaries managed a purple haze of decent power. It was interesting to Viv because that was good old Efestar¡¯s new color, which meant that the God of Second Chances had already found echoes among the people of the continent. After that, they still had to wait for another half an hour in the fetid heat before the Glastian Keep lit up. Magical flares climbed in a great, luminous conflagration, and throughout the city, horns sounded.


    ¡°Harrak Eternal!¡± Viv yelled, and the army answered. Horns blew left and right. Far, far to her left, she could spot the Baranese contingent moving forward, knights¡¯ pennants like colorful sparks on a bleak background.


    The beastling purge had begun.


    ***


    The army walked in a loose battle formation to the edge of the corpse trench. Though the stench became more manageable, the air kept a nasty scent Viv couldn¡¯t quite identify, something beastly and rotten. The deadlands almost felt homey now that she basically drank the mana into her core. This place was now officially the most inhospitable shithole on the planet in her book. And that was with her flying over the formation like a grumpy pidgeon. She kept an eye on the distant masses of beastlings. There were four main groups, all centered around larger, misshapen specimens. Probably the mutations mentioned during the briefing. Why were they not attacking? Beastlings were cunning, but also too aggressive to come up with smart strategies and that was on a normal day. Those beastlings were starving. Starving humans were dumber than that.


    She kept watching the small¡­ tribes for a better word, as they maneuvered around each other. Each was several thousand creatures strong, so the moves were organic and instinctive, a bit like watching a flock of migrating birds. The blobs extended then retracted as the larger creatures caught up with their more agile cousins. Viv couldn¡¯t get the logic of what was happening until one of the groups, slowly, ended up cornered by the other three.


    It went very fast. From maneuvering, the surrounded group started to run and its formation turned long and narrow, its flanks exposed. The flight stirred the other three into a frenzy. They fell on the overextended group with absolute savagery. It took less than ten seconds for the careful dance to turn into a slaughter, then into a buffet.


    ¡°Hooooly crap.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t even want to cast a long view spell. She notified Ban below as to what was going on, but the old warrior didn¡¯t seem worried.


    ¡°Just means there¡¯ll be less for us to kill.¡±


    ¡°They are starving,¡± Sidjin added. ¡°Beastlings always eat weaker members of the tribe when food is scarce.¡±


    Viv now realized her mistake. She should have gathered a war council of Harrakan teenagers, the world experts in beastling extermination. She bet they would have had excellent ¡ª albeit horrifying ideas on how to handle the situation.


    ¡°I should have at least asked them for advice.¡±


    ¡°The children?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be fine, my dear. We don¡¯t need to learn how to lure them into an ambush. See, they are coming for us.¡±


    And they were, Viv realized. The frenzy ended very quickly, some of the meat left uneaten which was¡­ odd. One group each was now moving towards each formation. Viv frowned. It made little sense unless those tribes were really territorial. They should be merging under a dominant chieftain or shaman¡­ what was going on?


    ¡°It¡¯s almost like they¡¯re testing us.¡±


    ¡°They could be. You remember how the tide started, right?¡±


    Viv did.


    ¡°They killed a massive monster.¡±


    ¡°The beastling that struck the last blow. We don¡¯t know if we killed it.¡±


    Ah.


    ¡°They have grown more coordinated over the years. We too, of course, and the walls have held, but that doesn¡¯t mean that there isn¡¯t a central authority. I suppose the fortress might be connected.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, they will be here soon,¡± Ban said. ¡°What are your orders?¡±


    Damn she really, really needed that general. That would probably be her next stop if everything went well here.


    ¡°Ban, maintain formation and engage. Poacher?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± the rude old woman acting as leader of the crossbowmen replied.


    She could almost hear Ban seething at the lack of decorum, but Poacher was irredeemably adverse to authority and too competent to be replaced.


    ¡°Hold fire. We¡¯re going to need your quarrels later.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Lak-Tak, I want to see what those liberators can do in a combat situation. And how the beastlings respond to them. Go wild and take notes.¡±


    ¡°Yessss.¡±


    ¡°Rollo, you may do as you see fit.¡±


    ¡°It would be best to conserve our mounts for now, Your Majesty. I am concerned about the mercenaries¡¯ ability to survive.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, then, you have your orders. Mages on standby as well. Let¡¯s see what those aberrants can do.¡±


    Objectively, Viv could just obliterate the group from up high before they closed in but something was telling her this was going to be a week of nonstop battle. She couldn¡¯t last a week without pause or sleep. She might as well wait until a decisive moment to get started. [A light that never dims] meant she grew stronger as time went by while in combat. It didn¡¯t make her immune to fatigue.


    No, this was going to be a matter of endurance.


    Viv looked on from above, ready to intervene just in case, but after that she¡¯d float down and let one of Frosthawk¡¯s students take sentry duty.


    ***


    The Baranese general used his spyglass to look right, where beastlings were already engaging the Alliance. As expected, the Golden Order attacked the creatures with confidence and the power of the God of Death backing their blows, the gold of their armor shimmering in the dull light of the late morning sun. Whatever filtered through that disgusting air.


    At least those southerners knew how to fight. Cavalry, and a solid core of infantry with archers as support. That was the proper way to wage war. He looked beyond, to the ¡®empire¡¯ and its upstarts. The enchantments on the eyepiece strained but it was a good object, crafted by the capital¡¯s best artisans. They soon caught the battle, if one could even call it that.


    Steel, that was what qualified the Harrakans. No pedigree and no old traditions, no stories of glorious deeds inspire them, no colors and heraldry of noble houses. All of their techniques, all of their stories were stolen from a long dead corpse, puppeteered by that woman. But steel, that, they had aplenty. Enough to equip a force three times that size. The barded squares of heavies advanced between hulks of spikes piloted by subhumans. As soon as the beastling tide charged, they spat fire.


    ¡°Neriad¡¯s mercy,¡± his assistant whispered. ¡°What in the name of all light gods?¡±


    The armored carriages let out long strings of¡­ something. A strange spell as orange as the sun and most likely as hot if the beastlings¡¯ reactions were any indication. Fire stuck to the tightly packed bodies in great deadly curtains. They were too far to hear screams, but the twisted forms convulsing in the thrall of agony made them redundant.


    ¡°Where did they find fire cores?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they traded for them,¡± the general hazarded.


    But with whom? There were tales the woman had taken over the lost tribes of Harrak before their existence even became common knowledge ¡ª and before anyone could guarantee their independence to box the witch in. Perhaps they had stashes left from the glory days of their ancestors.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    In the distance, the mass of beastlings split. Some ran, the screeches of their dying allies too much to tolerate. Others kept charging. The larger ones. The most blighted of their brethren.


    They rushed through the gaps into the loose formation of the heavies, and the armor-clad soldiers leisurely killed them. They didn¡¯t even stop to form a proper shield wall. A large beastling attacked the head of the formation, only to be felled by precise spear thrusts that skewered its vitals before it could close the final distance. The closest a beastling managed to get was when a wounded one had its skull crushed under a tower shield.


    Behind them, the crossbows hadn¡¯t even grabbed their weapons.


    The mages stood around doing nothing.


    A cavalry force trotted to the edge of the formation, away, towards the Enorian mercenaries.


    The general looked up to see the distant form of the so-called empress. She floated over the battlefield, searching it for¡­ he didn¡¯t know what.


    ¡°Is it the lack of beastling sharpshooters or merely inexperience?¡± his assistant wondered.


    ¡°No. Strong shield.¡±


    ¡°That is daring.¡±


    ¡°I have seen her cast during the Dawn Empire battle. She has strong shields. And good reflexes. It will take a lot of attrition to take her down.¡±


    ¡°Would, sir?¡±


    The general turned, distracted.


    ¡°It would take a lot of attrition to take her down?¡±


    The man was getting cocky, as his bitter smirk confirmed. The general knew what he meant, however.


    The king was right. His assistant had also guessed his thoughts. They should have quashed her when she was weak. Now, it was too late to do so without unthinkable sacrifices, and the shadows of an old enemy darkened the throne of Baran once more. For three centuries now, his nation had enjoyed its independence from the yoke of the empire to become the dominating power of the continent. Now, the upstart witch was bringing back an old terror. The one that their forefathers had warned them about. Harrak. The ancient monster.


    They would not find allies for this task on the continent. Only the Pure League hated her enough to join their cause, and they had their hands full. Portals made the world too convenient. Even Baran was forced to join the network at the cost of the Guild of Caravaneers, or risk being left behind.


    What a mess.


    ¡°Sir, our forces are victorious.¡±


    ¡°Regroup and resume the march. I want to be out of reach of Glastia¡¯s stench by tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yessir.¡±


    ***


    Rollo raised his fist. Once he was sure everyone was in place, he closed his helmet.


    The world became two slits. It was simpler now, but the thought of killing beastling aberrants left a sour taste on his tongue. Witchery and dark god things. He hated those with a passion.


    A sign and the formation pivoted from the back of the Enorian formation to their beleaguered flank. The beastlings that saw them ran. It was too late for that.


    ¡°The Rose!¡± he yelled.


    His leadership ability picked up. The knights closed rank, spears lowering to catch the larger monsters.


    ¡° And the thorns!¡±


    Impact.


    Crushing sounds beneath the hooves of his charger. The crunch when his spear caught a larger beastling in the chest. Some resistance, then the beastlings broke and the fifty knights rode on, crushing everything to death. He skirted the edge of the Enorian formation on their left flank then they were off. A gesture, and the knights made a short loop. The horses slowed down. With their left flank mostly cleared, the Enorians regrouped and pushed the beastlings away, yet Rollo could see the dead and the dying, their bodies taken over by a strange illness. He tsked.


    Those jokers were supposed to be covering them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish the loop and clear their front next.¡±


    ¡°Must we wipe their arses as well?¡± his lover said, damn him and his timing.


    Men chuckled. Lady Seris huffed her displeasure, the recently arrived recruit completely devoid of a sense of humor.


    ¡°Enough chatter. Ride. Crush. Kill.¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    They did so, and they did so well. Rollo was proud. The foes could not stop them but mistakes would leave openings. None were committed. This time.


    After the battle was over, Rollo rode ahead to greet the Enorian leader and get his measure. It was a nobleman in shining armor, though his banner was tattered and burnt.


    ¡°We¡­ appreciate your assistance. Though it wasn¡¯t needed,¡± the man said between gritted teeth. ¡°I am the Blue Duke. Do not think this will make us forget the roles you played in the death of the true heir to the crown of Enoria.¡±


    Rollo took the man¡¯s measure. He¡¯d met the true Blue Duke, this man¡¯s nephew, a more¡­ agile thinker. The deposed Blue Duke bristled in the ensuing silence. In the distance, someone¡¯s screams were cut short.


    The Blue Duke winced.


    ¡°I see. We will be riding back, then. A good day to you.¡±


    Rollo blew his horns, then the Harrakans were off.


    ¡°Not an auspicious first meeting,¡± his lover commented.


    ¡°I know old assholes like him. He will only swallow his pride if he has no choice.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t anything be done?¡±


    ¡°Reinforce our right flank and hope the beastlings are not too contagious. Fuck those Enorians. I care not what happens to them. Let the witch handle diplomacy.¡±


    ¡°She is not the smoothest negotiator.¡±


    ¡°That is, I believe, the most entertaining part.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That thing is disgusting,¡± Viv confessed at the sight of the specimen on the dissection table.


    The beastling¡¯s emaciated body showed an ugly, beastly face, thin long limbs and ugly spikes growing from the skull, all covered in a diseased skin that clung to the creature¡¯s bones, but now new additions added to the revolting package: a claw-like appendage extending from a right arm that should have been too frail to lift it. The cancerous growth repulsed Viv by its very presence. It seemed to quiver when she was looking away.


    ¡°Good observation,¡± Abe said with a patient smile, ¡°though rather obvious. That is not what I want you to focus on.¡±


    ¡°The mana¡­¡± Viv whispered.


    Beastlings were weak, and so was their connection to mana. The misbegotten horror on the table was no exception and whatever feeble power it possessed while alive, it had long evaporated. The claw was the exception. A lingering presence corrupted the air around, swallowing the ambient mana with little sips even though its host had died.


    It was an aberrant limb.


    ¡°Aberrants are anathema to the planet. How can a creature merge with aberrant flesh? Don¡¯t answer that, I know how. I just can scarcely believe it.¡±


    ¡°More concretely, the limb is dangerous dead and even more so alive. The bodies will have to be burned in the future, to prevent their corruptions from spreading to nearby corpses. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°Just in case indeed. I was going to build a portal anyway since we¡¯ll need more naptha for the liberators. We will just have to double the deliveries.¡±


    ¡°There is something else. Wounds will instantly drain the mana from the wounded, which prevents them from fighting off the infection. Healing magic will only help so much. As expected, divine mana will function best to fight off the deleterious effects of this dark power.¡±


    ¡°Worst case scenario, amputate the limb. We can regrow it later.¡±


    ¡°I will pass on the instruction. We are lucky to have had no casualties thus far. It might change.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be surprised, yeah.¡±


    ¡°I have more. Just conjectures, so far.¡±


    The redeemed lich passed his hand over his beard, the gesture slow and methodical.


    ¡°Two of them. First, the corruption is somehow helping the specimens coordinate. You may not have noticed it, but the larger, more diseased ones moved almost in unison. Second, I surmise we will face true aberrants soon enough, or at least creatures so corrupted by the influence of the dead one that it makes no practical difference. I see no way of preparing for them that we have not already done, however.¡±


    ¡°More fire.¡±


    ¡°That is certainly an option.¡±


    ***


    To receive the Alliance¡¯s leaders on this first night of the purge, the Glastians had selected a hillock near the center of the loose Paramese army. A crimson pavillion rose from its heights in colorful defiance to the devastated land around. Red-garbed soldiers provided a protective cordon while the Glastian army itself camped a small distance away. A few gray mages flew around to provide cover. None challenged Viv and Sidjin when they landed.


    The overlook still had a few of those white trees she¡¯d seen from afar. She took a moment to look at them. Their bark was chaffed and fibrous. She looked again.


    Now, those were teeth marks. The forest was made of normal trees, only every last piece of bark and every last leaf had been gnawed off by tiny teeth until the tree died. She shook her head. The pavilion beckoned.


    The elite sentries lifted the tent¡¯s flap to let her in with a courteous bow. The opening revealed a shaft of bright light and a very loud voice.


    ¡°¡ª supposed to be covering each other¡¯s flanks, not sod off to chase two dozen beastlings fucking in the woods!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already arguing,¡± Viv noted.


    ¡°A Paramese tradition,¡± Sidjin commented sadly.


    Viv walked in on a massive argument, decided she wouldn¡¯t start the evening with this travesty and walked off to serve herself a nice cup of kava instead. The diversion allowed her to eavesdrop while Sidjin poured warm klod into his own mug with a judgmental frown.


    ¡°What? Kava¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Not you darling, people arguing after a single day out.¡±


    The argument was taking place between a Pure League group she wasn¡¯t familiar with and the Zazas group. Since Zazas was her only ally among the northern cities, she discreetly backed them with her presence even though, from what she could tell, they were wrong. Zazas favored javelin throwers and those had hunted roaming bands of beastlings, leaving the nearby northern formation to be attacked on their flank. There had been casualties.


    She frowned, looking at the ever-present map on the center table. The left flank of the strike force, opposite to her, covered a much larger segment of land while also expecting less violent attacks. As such, smaller yet more numerous armies extended past the official big names like the Royal Baranese Army detachment. Those were supposed to stay relatively close to each other for safety. Clearly, there had been a fuckup.


    ¡°I appreciate that you had losses,¡± General Jaratalassi finally said.


    The old man still seemed energetic, a sign things were going well for now. Or that he hadn¡¯t had the time to grow sleep-deprived yet.


    ¡°However, our friends from Zazas only followed orders by pursuing fleeing beastling before they could regroup with other tribes¡­ or feed them. If you must blame someone, blame me for my lack of foresight.¡±


    The Pure League noble gnashed his teeth. His respect for old Steel Trap forced him to silence, however, and the general continued.


    ¡°The beastlings have done something I never expected from half-feral monsters. I assume you know what I am talking about.¡±


    He looked around. It was an old habit from class he never quite shed. Viv actually expected most people present to know what he meant, but nobody dared say it in case they were wrong. Looking stupid in front of the class was worse when the class was made of famous generals.


    ¡°They¡¯re using strategy?¡± she hazarded.


    ¡°Elaborate,¡± Jaratalassi ordered her as if they were still at the Academy.


    ¡°They¡¯re testing us. Some groups are sacrificed to see how we perform. Larger groups are aimed at smaller formations to chip them off. And other groups are trying to lure us. It¡¯s as if there is an intelligence directing them from afar even though individuals remain feral.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. We are seeing sporadic shows of strategic thinking in several spots across the frontline. I can tell some of the attacks are nonsensical, but others feel clearly directed.¡±


    No one dared contradict the old man, though disbelief marred a few faces.


    ¡°How does this affect our strategy?¡± the Baranese general asked.


    Jaratalassi waved, and the formations on the map shivered. Viv noticed with pleasure that the Harrakan flag looked just as weird as she hoped ¡ª a mix between edgy graffiti and Pink Floyd album art.


    Right now, the armies formed a loose line made of different¨Csized blotches, each one as large as the army it represented. Glastia was several times larger than the rest since they had gone all in. As Jaratalassi waved, the pieces moved forward into a triangle while tightening their ranks.


    ¡°Right now, the beastling horde lacks coordination, but I suspect it will stop mattering as we move on and encounter larger tribes. The optimal strategy for them would be to focus on our wings and leave the center alone for later. As we are forming a line and we cannot cover each other that effectively, a concentrated assault could overwhelm the smaller formations before the rest of us can react. As such, we will close it a little to improve responsiveness.¡±


    ¡°The purpose of this purge was to kill all of the beastlings,¡± the Enorian representative said. ¡°If we cover less ground, that means we could miss a lot of them.¡±


    Jaratalassi shook his head.


    ¡°If they can use strategy, then the mind behind their attacks already knows we are here. They will use everything they have to kill us, eat us, and find the walls less defended. We do not need to worry about going to them. They will come to us.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure they will? They could just attack the walls at our backs.¡±


    Jaratalassi nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That is correct, which is why I am going to request you to form cavalry detachment and mage wings. I will suggest banner groups at the end of the council. I have, however, good reasons to believe they will fight.¡±


    He pointed at the devastated land, somewhere north into the wilderness.


    ¡°The jungle is dead to the last tree so the only food left is other beastlings, therefore there should be no more of the nasty things after a few dozen leagues past the walls, simply because it takes food in one¡¯s stomach to run and there is no more food to be found there. They would starve before reaching the sea. All of the remaining beastlings are here, around us. I also believe that the fortress houses their chieftains, or at least holds something important. If we attack it, they will surely defend it, or at least use the opportunity to try and stab us in the back.¡±


    Viv thought it made sense. Building a fortress took time and effort, so even creatures as vile and base as the beastlings wouldn¡¯t do it for no reason.


    ¡°We will adapt if those creatures try anything. In the meantime, I¡¯ll tell you what our priests have found about the aberrants. Bishop, if you¡¯d please?¡±


    Viv listened with one ear. It wasn¡¯t anything she hadn¡¯t already found out besides one observation that the more mutated the creatures were, the less dependent on food they became. They still felt like they were starving, their bodies were just not falling apart. It explained why they¡¯d lasted for so long.


    Viv signaled Jaratalassi that she wanted to talk towards the end of the war council, then she kindly waited until the bigwigs had finished taking his undivided attention. The old general smiled at her once he was done juggling egos.


    ¡°Ah, you two, just the people I wanted to talk to,¡± Jaratalassi started, which immediately set off alarms in Viv¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Is this about the siege?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    He guided them to a corner of the room while the pavilion slowly emptied itself. Viv understood a pointed wink, casting a sound enchantment to keep the conversation private.


    ¡°I have unfortunate news. Your asshole brother intends to use the campaign to slander you, Sidjin. He¡¯s spread the word that you are not fighting on the frontlines at all.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s grip tightened on his cup. Viv was ready to go off and nuke the little shit from orbit.


    ¡°He¡¯s just being obnoxious. There is little harm he can do to you.¡±


    ¡°He can have Glastia¡¯s doors close on me. He needs not reverse my pardon. Making it impossible for me to enter would be the same as a banishment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Jaratalassi said. ¡°And you know how I hate those little fuckers who use the good fight to advance their little causes. That is why I would like to name you as the head of the mage wing on our right flank.¡±


    Jaratalassi waited for Viv¡¯s answer. Technically, she was the strongest mage around, but that didn¡¯t mean she needed to show off.


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I wanted to ignore my brother dear, but now it looks like I will have to¡­ resort to drastic measures.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything you would regret,¡± Jaratalssi warned. ¡°Or that I would regret.¡±


    ¡°I need time to think and no, I will not endanger the future of the city for my own satisfaction. But I will get my satisfaction. On him. And those who have supported him. It seems he is too afraid to face me now, so he prefers to talk behind my back. How sadly predictable.¡±


    Viv could tell he was fuming. She grabbed his hand. He gave her a little squeeze then returned to the doomed prince broody routine he often had at the start of their relationship. She let him be. He needed some time to process.


    ¡°So, I wanted to propose something as well,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°Allow the Enorian mercenaries to join up with us if they accept. They are too vulnerable, especially if the beastlings start testing our flanks.¡±


    ¡°I was considering a swap but the farther you are from the center and the more likely it will be that you need to cross a large distance to reach the fortress. I agree. I am only concerned about losing control over too much territory.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry,¡± Viv said. ¡°I asked some of my Children of the Scale recruits earlier today for tricks on how to handle large groups of beastlings. They suggested sound. A loud enough noise, or a song, will stir them into a frenzy until they either charge or flee.


    ¡°And you intend to¡­ sing to them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, something of the sort.¡±


    Sidjin slapped his forehead, dragged from his funk by his impending doom.


    ¡°For the love of all that is good, not the Spice Girls karaoke again!¡±

 Chapter 187: Kings and Beasts

    Sounds of battle echoed throughout the night but Viv, and most Harrakans, slept through it comfortably. She¡¯d set up a portal the night before so they had a new shipment of naphtha as well as fresh food, but she had to close it as people complained about the stench. The beastling lands might smell rank but the Glastian wall had the kind of odor that dove down the nose and left a film of lingering disgust at the back of the tongue. The Harrakan camp was also left suspiciously alone by night attacks. Once morning came, she left her tent to find Zero-Five polishing a new axe by the entrance.


    ¡°How was the hunt?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Boring,¡± the Hadal hissed under his scarf.


    His bald scalp almost glittered in the dawn light. Honestly it was a bit like a lightbulb, though she¡¯d never say it to his face. Because then she¡¯d have to explain what a lightbulb was.


    ¡°I want to practice the ¡®kill anything¡¯ skill. Find me an aberrant. Two legs.¡±


    Viv raised her eyebrows. Zero-Five fidgeted a bit under her glare.


    ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°Alright, if I find one roaming alone, I¡¯ll let one of the Hadals know.¡±


    Satisfied, the axeman returned to cleaning his weapon while Viv hunted for some food. She refused to have a personal chef because it was a waste of camp resources. There were no officer messes here, but her people let her jump the line for porridge which was nice, and she made her own kava to drink. Sidjin joined her briefly, but then he was off, flying into the distance to join the mage flight along with Frosthawk¡¯s students.


    ¡°We received reports about an imminent attack on the wall,¡± Abenezigel said as he joined her, watching the dot that was her paramour fly into the distance.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t told?¡±


    ¡°We deemed your rest more important, Your Majesty. There is a large force of fast beastlings and their corrupted brethren heading towards the easternmost part of the fortifications.¡±


    That was to the far right of the formation, past the mercenaries. Also one of the most undefended parts of the wall because it was very steep there, as the fortifications merged with mountains. Normally, the defenders would have time to call for reinforcements but there were no longer any. All the available troops were out here.


    ¡°Did the knights leave as well?¡±


    ¡°Just now, yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ clever. Even if the assault fails, drawing out our mages and knights tires them.¡±


    The redeemed lich nodded.


    ¡°There is a dark intelligence at work. Enttiku feels it. They¡­ well, she, as she appears to me. She whispers of something that didn¡¯t die well enough. It clings to existence like a plague. Something is whispering in the twisted minds of the blasphemous beastlings. Something that touched, and that touches them. You must find it. You must kill it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ¡°It will be cunning. It will lay traps.¡±


    ¡°I am not underestimating beastlings and I will do so even less now that they have aberrants.¡±


    Abe joined his hands in prayer.


    ¡°I will stay near the vanguard. Perhaps my old eyes shall pick signs of what is to come. If only Solfis could be here¡­¡±


    ¡°Logistically undoable,¡± Viv said.


    It was not absolutely correct, she could technically have him around, but it was just inefficient. He would have to be manually charged since the mana here was low, with a charging array placed near the wall where she would have to portal to. He was also wasted on beastlings which were numerous but otherwise very weak. Finally¡­


    ¡°And he¡¯s on punishment detail.¡±


    ¡°They are still cleaning the city?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°You could have stopped them,¡± the old man said, not as a test, but as a kind challenge.


    Viv sighed. He didn¡¯t get it. Very few people understood how the golem mind was structured, and what they were still missing.


    ¡°I am not punishing them for attacking the city. I understand why they did it. Golems can feel emotions, but they lack the human mechanisms of grief and coping. Solfis was hurting bad and the only way for him to stop suffering was to punish those who had caused said suffering. The same was true for his children. They share some of his pain though they don¡¯t know it. That¡¯s why I let them demolish Frostway. Because I didn¡¯t want him to suffer again without any outlet, and his children by extension. That was my decision, and I don¡¯t regret it. I¡¯m punishing him because he used a dodgy logical loophole to ignore my order to stay put. He knew what I wanted and he still came out of curiosity, and because he saw what I was trying to hide, he went mad with rage. His decision led to the necessity of sacrificing either the town or his sanity.¡±


    Viv tilted her head. She wasn¡¯t being fully honest.


    ¡°Also those people, that palace, and the statue were absolute eyesores and I admit that seeing them obliterated brought me no end of pleasure. Not the point though. Solfis is being punished. He knows it. Everyone knows it. No one is above the law.¡±


    ¡°An interesting perspective. I do hope it will not cause more deaths, however.¡±


    ¡°If there is a real need for him to be here, I will reconsider the sentence. In the meantime, he doesn¡¯t get a free pass for being a dick.¡±


    ¡°Then I believe I would like to address the next part of our agenda.¡±


    People around were already folding tents, stowing them on the carts. The time to depart was approaching.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to talk to the Golden Order?¡± Viv said.


    ¡°Yes indeed, I do believe they will accept to join ranks with us. That does, however, leave you the task of convincing the Enorians.¡±


    He gave her a sympathetic look.


    Viv knew that the Enorians were ill-equipped to face the current campaign. Honestly, she gave them absolutely no chances of surviving now that she knew they would likely be targeted first. They didn¡¯t even have a proper line.


    Those were loyalist exiles, so they would mindlessly hate and refuse to cooperate with the  forces of King Sangor. No amount of money or coercion would change that. The issue was that she was a close second.


    Who had poured molten gold down the throat of the third prince? Who had let intruders into a fortress that killed the first prince? Who had slain their regent, arguably during negotiations? Yeaaaaah they were probably not her biggest fans. She still had to try. Letting an entire army get wiped out was not great for either morale or for her flank.


    Now, what sort of impression should she give? Actually, it was probably best to go alone. She wasn¡¯t giving an order with the One Hundred at her back. She was making a¡­ suggestion. From one equal among the Alliance to the other. There were no ranks, in theory, among the allied forces. Nobody believed it but it was good to pretend.


    ¡°Well, nothing to it.¡±


    She stayed long enough to make sure the army was ready to march without issues. Nobody talked when the Hadals mysteriously appeared on top of the supply chariots for a well-deserved snooze. Viv expected everyone would soon come across piles of their victims. Anything for a good sleep, honestly.


    Right, the loyalists.


    Viv made herself as non-threatening as possible by flying slowly towards the Enorian formation in full view of their people. One of the mercenaries, an archer, watched her approach with furious eyes. He nocked an arrow but a glare from her dissuaded him. She didn¡¯t even have to release her aura.


    The slow approach gave her a good view of the camp, if one could call it that.


    Viv had always imagined medieval armies as groups of colorful pavilions bearing many standards, but that was the movie view. Tents were quite expensive when one had to weave it by hand, or at least by loom. Viv knew. She¡¯d signed the fucking requisition order. As such, only the rich could afford nice big tents and even the basic stuff cost a pretty talent. As such, the mercenaries just slept on the ground with basic covers, using their bags as pillows. Cooking pots were a haphazard affair spread around between bands while sergeants acted as enforcers, distributing orders and the occasional punch. It wasn¡¯t chaos but it was certainly not as clean as the other two armies. They were not even ready to depart by now.


    More tellingly, there were the bodies, buried in shallow graves by the side along with a small altar to Enttiku. Some of the soldiers¡¯ clothes showed dark splotches of congealed blood, the marks of wounds that they¡¯d managed to heal during the night. It wouldn¡¯t last.


    Viv landed at a small distance then settled to wait. She expected the mercenary leader to make her stew a bit, and he did, but only for a minute. It was a good sign.


    The Blue Duke rode down on his horse. He stopped at a short distance and didn¡¯t dismount, another power play. It was no less than Viv expected and yet her soul rebelled at the disrespect. She breathed in, breathed out.


    This wasn¡¯t about her. It was about saving people, her people as well since they would be next in line for the unenviable position of flank defender.


    And then, the Blue Duke actually dismounted. Against all expectations.


    The move took Viv off guard. The Blue Duke was a short, swarthy man with a thick gray beard. Every aspect of him was impeccable, though the dulled metal of his armor had lost some of its luster.


    ¡°And what brings you here¡­ Black Witch?¡± he asked.


    His loud call carried over to his gathered men, standing and paying attention as they were. The ¡®title¡¯ reminded her of her oldest Enorian nickname which also started with Black but ended with Whore. It was half implied. The tone itself exuded defiance and yet, the duke¡¯s face, which only she could see, expressed deep resignation.


    It was a strange mix and she wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. Deploying her own leadership, she let her voice carry as well. It was her first time using her improved leadership on people that were a little hostile, but from the reactions, it did have an effect. Some of the sneers turned to serious attention.


    ¡°The beastlings are more organized than previously thought. A dark presence guides them. A significant force is circling around the army to attack the walls behind us as we speak.¡±


    Whispers spread throughout the ranks.


    ¡°But do not be alarmed. A mage flight and cavalry detachments are already on the way. The alliance is ready for anything.¡±


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    She gave a few seconds for her words to penetrate the thickest of skulls. The duke¡¯s expression remained carefully neutral.


    ¡°General Jaratalassi, our commander, has ordered us to close ranks. As such, I would invite you to approach our position just as the Golden Order is doing, so that we may present a more united front.¡±


    ¡°You expect us to close ranks with a traitor?¡± the duke asked in a furious baritone.


    And again, his face didn¡¯t change. There was no outrage there, only a deep fatigue and almost¡­ Yes. His eyes were pleading.


    And Viv understood. The Blue Duke led an army of rebels without a cause, and he needed to convince the more stubborn supporters. At the same time, he could not appear like a sellout.


    He was counting on Viv to help him save his men.


    It was rather ballsy of him to be honest, but Viv would not decline a challenge when lives were at stake.


    ¡°I may be many things, but I am not a traitor. I was never an Enorian. If you count my origins, then I am ¡®fran?aise¡¯.¡±


    Thankfully no one knew what that meant or they might attack her on principle.


    ¡°If you care about my origin in this world, then I was reborn in Harrak, in the throne room. We were enemies but I was never one of you. I was never a traitor.¡±


    She surveyed the moody, hostile group. Her leadership was giving her a window to speak, and the fact the Blue Duke wasn¡¯t contesting her helped. Back on earth, those people might have been screaming insults by now but here, the weight of her soul gave her that precious opening.


    ¡°I am not asking for you to abandon your pride. You are still your own people and I would never give you orders.¡±


    Some people flinched when the truth of her words vacillated. Shit.


    ¡°No matter what, you are still loyalists and we are still New Harrakans.¡±


    That rang true. She wasn¡¯t here to subdue them.


    ¡°I merely ask that you fulfill your duties as soldiers of the Paramese alliance, valiant defenders of order. Our leader has given us a command: to set aside our grievances in the name of the future, and to fight side by side against those abominations. Will you answer the call, or not?¡±


    Many of the soldiers retreated into sullen resignation. It was an order from above to work with people they didn¡¯t like, an extremely familiar problem. Viv breathed out. That would do.


    The Blue Duke disagreed. Although his face was still a mask, his voice rose once more for his men to hear.


    ¡°I am the Blue Duke, heir to Cadril the Mountain, to Hiram of the Thousand Blades. What makes you think you are better suited to hold the center, woman?¡±


    Viv felt doubt roll over the Enorian ranks. This time, it was the Duke¡¯s words that left them in disarray. Nobody in Enoria could still believe Viv didn¡¯t mean business. They could see the Harrakans in the distance doing much better than they were, and outnumbering them besides. It was a stupid challenge.


    She attempted to read between the lines. She was pretty sure he wanted her to show off, to prove she was the strongest. No, to remind them how strong she was. Make them want to be on her side.


    Viv deployed her aura. Fully. Draconic intimidation and Champion¡¯s leadership washed over the ranks of the mercenaries in a soul tide just as her anchors came out. The temperature dropped. The air dulled even more. Her soul spoke of a rescued golem, of a long walk through the desert, of a found daughter, of magic with few equals, of the tragic march of refugees and the victorious charge or rebels, of many allies as strange as they were dangerous, of death in the forest, of war, of slain necrarchs, of a blighted arena, of a punished elemental archmage, of crushed dreams ¡ª that of others. It spoke of an army reforged from the gaols of history, of a reptile empire stopped, of a new species of intelligent machines, of a demolished city and a rescued population. It spoke of all of this in a single quiet note that rolled over them to remind them that Viv had been here for all of five years, but the continent would remember her for a very, very long time.


    It told them she was one of the world¡¯s two active ascenders, and that she was worthy of their swords, even for a moment.


    ¡°You may have legendary ancestors, dear duke, but I¡­ I am the legend.¡±


    The tired leader finally allowed himself a smile of relief. His back remained straight for the sake of his men so that only Viv could see how much of a burden her words had removed.


    ¡°Very well. For the sake of the alliance, we will close ranks with the New Harrakans. You will not find us wanting.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall see you all in a sea of beastling guts.¡±


    The mercenaries greeted the statement with a few ¡®ayes¡¯ that she took as a good sign. After a last nod, she flew out.


    It had all gone pretty well. Only after she landed among her troops did Lana turn to her as she was busy convoking water.


    ¡°Show off.¡±


    ¡°What? It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ***


    Horns rang across the vast battlefield. The Golden Order and the Imperials were ready to depart in good order but the Enorian mercenaries needed more time. Viv watched the Blue Duke ride with a handful of heavy knights to smash roving bands of harassers, covering his men as they approached. By the time all three formations were more or less in position, they were late.


    The attacks started around noon and then, they didn¡¯t stop. She had to forget the accursed karaoke, because the beastlings simply never stopped. The attacks were nearly constant. Every time, those were smaller groups whipped into a frenzy, designed to harass and waste ammunition rather than inflict real damage.


    The Golden Order performed as expected. They were old hands at killing beastlings, and it showed. Moreover, they were somehow always able to recover their expended ammunition. On the other hand, the Enorians really struggled, even with the wounded soldiers kept side by side with Harrakans so they had the time to recover. Poacher ordered two different volleys towards the early afternoon just to keep them from taking too many casualties. As for Viv, she flew from one end of the battle to the other to kill the true aberrants.


    They were just disgusting as she remembered.


    Aberrants were cancerous masses of abhorrent tissue assembled as mockeries of living creatures, their body functions stunted and maimed until all that was left was rage and pain. They drank mana like parched fields, so only the most potent spells tore them apart without fizzling. These specifically were also supposed to be very contagious so Viv did her best to keep them away from her troops. Despite these difficulties, things were going pretty well. Casualties were kept to a minimum. Troops rotated. No Harrakan deaths so far. High reserves of naphta and quarrels. Everything Viv wanted to save for the big push was stockpiled and spirits were high.


    Then, mid afternoon, one of the priests called her down.


    ¡°Your Majesty, General Jaratalassi requests your support on the left flank. If you could fly here¡­ the Zesthanet detachment is in trouble.¡±


    Viv frowned. Zesthanet? They were the only port city on the south coast, far into the wild lands. Did those guys even have an army?


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Past the Zazas group. The general asks if you can hurry, because¡­¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t hesitate. She flew up, then used colorless spells for acceleration. Her heavy robe flapped in the wind, despite the metal inlays. A colorless layer in front of her face prevented her from being blinded by the dusty air. Desiccated soil gave way to barkless trunks, then to boulders. Below her and to the right, some armies were fighting towering monsters leading endless hordes. She recognized the stallion of Baran on distant battle standards. Farther then.


    It only took her a couple of minutes at that speed to spot which group was in trouble. A group of pale warriors with heavy weapons was caught in a short canyon, spread out between the tall walls. This would have been relatively safe normally, but beastlings kept sending themselves over the edge to their doom and the falling bodies smashed on warriors as often as it crashed on the ground beneath. Mighty warriors with bone helmets were fighting a tall, bulbous aberrant to a standstill but as Viv watched, more aberrants crashed yet rose again. Meanwhile, archers struggled to cover the entrance and exit as the most dangerous foes used the walls for cover until the last moment. The southerners were trapped, and about to be overwhelmed.


    Yeah, Jaratalassi had it right. Viv was needed. She passed over the closest wave of beastlings throwing themselves into the canyon.


    [Sequence: triple nu¨¦es]


    A black fog hissed in every direction, covering the charging beastlings. In their madness, they charged into the cloud without a care, and the cloud devoured them. The devouring spell covered the approach in a dense fog for a hundred paces in every direction. Even the smaller aberrants that entered it fell within a dozen steps, stripped to the bone. The rain of bodies stopped, and Viv let the spell linger. The dip in her monstrous reserves was noticeable.


    Then it was the other plateau¡¯s turn. She did the exact same thing. With no more beastlings crashing on top of barbarians, those below organized themselves. Their front started to push against the beastlings blocking them in, though there were still many aberrants.


    But the most dangerous one was still the massive creature fighting against the strongest southern warriors.


    Their elites reminded her of Cloud Skull, the magic-resistant warrior who had died facing the Nemeti of the Empire of Dawn. The bone helmets were different and they wore more clothes, sometimes even armor, but their paths were similar. It was also clear they were used to facing large creatures yet the blood on the creature¡¯s lone pincer said that some had been too slow to dodge the monster¡¯s devastating swings.


    It looked like a crab, a misshapen one with far too many legs that made it sway as it moved, but it was fast, and its only claw stood at the end of a powerful arm. Viv quickly assessed the situation.


    It was a perfect opportunity to try out her new spell. It was part of a series of flowing constructs she hoped would make her a fast and continually casting beast. She¡¯d tested it in the deadlands and it worked. Now, it was time to use it against a live target.


    [Aspect of the Guardian]


    ¡°Aegis.¡±


    The thick shield formed around her, reinforced by her aspect. Each hexagon bled darkness and she saw the world in dark gray from behind its protective envelope. Outside, the breath of warriors came in puffs. A few looked up towards the light-swallowing ball.


    Viv shadow-walked herself behind the crab.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer.]


    ¡°Shatterstar.¡±


    The shield exploded like a grenade. Voracious fragments pierced the crab from end to end at point-blank range, carving through the shell with ease. Annihilation carved the cancerous flesh, backed by Viv¡¯s certainty that the creature had to disappear.


    ¡°Guillotine!¡±


    Void blades emerged from Viv¡¯s fingers as she prepared to bring them down on what was left of the creature¡¯s back. Her instincts were silent, which was weird because¡­ aaaand the thing collapsed on itself.


    It was very dead.


    ¡°Oh. Well. That did it.¡±


    Two of the barbarians reacted almost immediately. The largest one stomped on the ground once, then he turned on the nearest aberrants that still lived. His massive spear skewered the creature from end to end.


    ¡°I had it! I HAD IT!¡± he complained.


    The other one was an old woman with a bone mace. She shook a long-nailed finger at Viv, and a burst of gray mana carried her voice to others far and wide. A shaman, probably. She seemed to be some sort of leader.


    ¡°You! You did well. I give you the battle name, Winged Crab Fisher!¡±


    Others nodded in assent.


    ¡°Errrr, I¡¯ve been called far worse, so thanks. Now if you will excuse me¡­¡±


    Viv cast spells until every aberrant she could find was reduced to ribbons, then she refused three different marriage offers before lifting off again. The shaman had given her a small bag of herbal tea as thanks though, so it was all in all a successful outing.


    ***


    Tonight, the war council¡¯s mood was subdued. Gone was the anger of the first night. Gone, too, was the social mood. Although they barely showed it, Viv could feel the tension in the pale faces and clenched jaws. The low hum of conversation spoke of groups that suddenly found they had to cooperate or risk extermination. It was a testament to how savage the attacks had been, and how the presence of mature aberrants altered the playing field. It didn¡¯t help that they were supported by a rabid, starving and eminently expendable mass of beastlings.


    Viv checked that Sidjin was ok, though it wasn¡¯t really necessary. The Red Mist had seen a lot of action in his day. He was more experienced than her and, she suspected, the opportunity to lead once again out of her shadow was doing him good. His smug, crooked smile really enhanced the doomed prince persona. Especially with his mussed hair. Hmmm.


    Not bad.


    Viv shook her head. The map at the center of the table showed a much different story than last time. Where a loose line swept before, now a tight wing speared into the heart of the devastated jungle. Far in front, a gray blob showed the area where the fortress was expected to be.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Jaratalassi said, ¡°I can see that you have concerns. I do too, of course, however and despite the appearances, our offensive is going as close to plan as is realistically possible. The enemy is fighting to slow us down by any means necessary. It means that the fights are hard, but also that we are achieving our main purpose: the full cleansing of this land. The harder we fight and the more the foe must sacrifice troops to slow us down. If we stop now, if we give them a moment to breathe, then bands, guided by a fell hand, will move around us to attack our flanks, or even the walls. With this said, I have unfortunate news. You may have noticed that the Silver Snakehounds mercenary band is no longer here¡­¡±


    Viv had not. They were a minor army, barely a few hundred fighters.


    ¡°After heavy losses, they decided to retreat against  my orders. They were overwhelmed on their way back to the wall and killed to the last.¡±


    Jaratalassi looked around the table. The meaning couldn¡¯t be more clear. Disobey him at your own risk.


    ¡°Other valiant bands have suffered much, so I will reorder the banners. As for good news, I will salute the work of our brave knights under the Order Master of the White Orchard¡­¡±


    Viv gave the old commander an appreciative look. The white-bearded Baranese lord took the compliments with grace.


    ¡°As well as our mage flight under Archmage Sidjin for rushing to the wall¡¯s defense and crushing several large beastling armies before they could attempt to breach it. You have my thanks.¡±


    Viv spared a glance to Prince Medjin, fuming in his corner next to Blademaster Selyen. Had Selyen started to work with him? The ¡®dragonslayer reborn¡¯ was unlikely to be a member of   Viv¡¯s fan club after she basically ridiculed him in the City of the Gods.


    Served him right. he hadn¡¯t even slain a single dragon.


    Looking at the map, Viv realized that Glastia formed the vanguard of the wing. Not a surprise considering they were the largest army, but still something that might have been worthy of praise. Technically, Viv flying to the barbarians¡¯ rescue would have been an honorable mention too, but the clever general had paid only two compliments to emphasize them in what must have been a day of heroic deeds. It was well done, and Viv allowed herself a smug smile.


    After all, Sidjin was her boytoy. Any praise directed his way confirmed she had great taste in men. And women. Maybe less for women. It wasn¡¯t relevant right now.


    Now all of Medjin¡¯s efforts to discredit his fellow prince had gone up in smoke. That asshole certainly knew how to hold a grudge.


    ¡°We have made good speed so far. I expect that we will find the fortress by tomorrow, given what the augurs found. In preparation for that, here is the new formation I propose.¡±


    Jaratalassi took the time to draw several arrows on the map to show where people would move the next morning. It was all to be done while under constant attack which would have made the entire plan a sure recipe for chaos, but Viv had long since gotten used to Nyil where stats made people much more capable of finding their way or staying in formation. Under the new battle plan, Harrak would become the tip of the spear. Ban was going to be ecstatic.


    ¡°Glastia will lead the way, not the¡­ untested strangers,¡± Prince Medjin said in a voice that brooked no arguments.


    ¡°My plan protects the most lives,¡± Jaratalassi said softly.


    The rest of the alliance glared at the prince in quiet censure, but the brash man only grew more incensed at the apparent lack of support.


    ¡°Your siege army has never won a siege!¡±


    Have too. Against a lich, Viv thought.


    ¡°You have shown much bias and preference towards the ¡®Harrakans¡¯,¡± Medjin spat. ¡°Or at least those who dare call themselves that. They are still a small band of peasants that has yet to prove themselves while my people have held the wall for the better part of a decade. We can make it a race, of course. See if there is truth behind their boasts when they are not placed in the right spot by an overly friendly hand¡­¡±


    Jaratalassi remained silent until even Medjin reddened; his grizzled peers not really appreciating his petulant display. In the end, the old general answered with more wary exhaustion than reproach.


    ¡°If you let your pride get in the way of good planning, you only have yourself to blame for the deaths that will cause.¡±


    ¡°We have shed blood for this nation and we will do so again; until the last beastling lies dead at our feet! Pretenders and traitors have ¡ª ¡°


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡±


    Jaratalassi¡¯s aura lashed out. It was¡­ above expert, Viv judged.


    It was pretty amazing.


    ¡°I can tolerate your anger, but not your insults. You may do as you please and you will reap the consequences. That is all.¡±


    The old general finished with a few orders, then the council was adjourned. Sidjin had remained silent during all that time. He appeared thoughtful.


    They flew back without much delay. Outside, the sounds of battle reminded everyone that the conflict never ended.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do a bit of scouting, I told Zero-Five I would find him a good aberrant to fight,¡± Viv said.


    Sidjin laughed.


    ¡°Ah, the Hadals, always a refreshing change of mindset. Of course, let us not disappoint the axe murderer, hmmm?¡±


    They did find a pretty good candidate after only a few minutes. It was even going in the right direction. The two mages torched the rest of the army to make it a fun duel before heading back. They landed in the Harrakan camp a few minutes later.


    Zero-Five approached.


    ¡°We found you some prey. Go that way,¡± Viv said.


    The Hadal quietly pointed to the side, where a lone figure sat against a discarded crate.


    ¡°Irao? I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come.¡±


    ¡°Hullo. Interesting, new challenge. I¡­ made progress. On my path.¡±


    He sat straighter, eyes lost. Viv knew this meant he had something to say so she waited.


    ¡°I found the fortress.¡±


    ¡°What? Where?¡±


    ¡°Not far. It is¡­ not a fortress. Network of tunnels. Low. It is also not a fortress.¡±


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°You already said that?¡±


    ¡°Its purpose is not to protect.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    Irao told them, and Sidjin snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell the others yet,¡± he said.


    ¡°Jaratalassi won¡¯t be happy,¡± Viv warned.


    ¡°And if no one disobeys his orders, it will be of no consequence.¡±

 Chapter 188: The Push

    The air smelled of smoke and scorched meat. Massive spells striated the low clouds in rays of ominous colors while all around, the screams and shock of battle rang in a ceaseless cacophony. Viv flew to the Enorian formation as they fought the tide, a trio of aberrants bearing down on them.


    [Aspect of the destroyer]


    [Sequence: Triple Hyperbeam]


    Black lasers raked the creatures. Limbs fell down, cancerous flesh parted. Two fell while the third crawled forward on a single, misshapen limb. A fireball landed on it shortly after.


    She exchanged a curt nod with the mercenary mage before flying away. He was exhausted, but his group was holding. Barely. In the distance, to her right, the Baranese main army was closing in. A cavalry charge faced a beastling group and crushed it. It had to be the thirtieth such charge just this morning.


    By now, not a second passed without a soldier having to defend their life.


    Undaunted, Viv flew away. The Golden Order covered the left flank which should have been the easiest task, and one she intended to leave to the Enorian. Unfortunately, that plan had gone to shit in the early hours of the morning.


    Forward and to her left, the Glastians were progressing at a swift pace. Their crimson ranks slaughtered the beastling hordes at good speed, backed by specific paths and unique titles. It was the last push for them, the last great phase of a war that had lasted for so long, but that left Viv¡¯s left flank exposed. Now, the Golden Order was beset on three sides by marauding bands. They maneuvered as she watched. Groups switched with amazing fluidity. Others reinforced each other like the pieces of a puzzle sliding into place under the direction of that gray-haired general. Damn. Getting her own strategist would be Viv¡¯s number one priority after this was done.


    She flew forward, where the Harrakan lines themselves advanced steadily. Viv had left strict orders to ration ammunition and mana, so progress was slower than the breakneck rush of the Glastians. They also had to stop so the Enorians could regroup. After bombarding aberrants in a wide circle, Viv floated next to Sidjin. He minced yet another group before turning to her.


    The fallen prince seemed cold, cold and dangerous in darker armor. He¡¯d completely forfeited the red of Glastia now, and the colors played with the scar to turn him into some sexy evil antagonist. Viv thought she¡¯d cornered the market, yet here he was. The sight made her relax a bit. Cold was better than distressed.


    ¡°Your blendership?¡± she teased, but he shook his head.


    Not in the mood for pleasantries. His gaze traveled to the Glastian ranks. The distance between them was increasing.


    Viv frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I refuse to sacrifice Harrakan lives for the sake of ego, but if there is more at stake I do not understand¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no. I suspect Medjin wants to get back into our father¡¯s good grace. Now that he¡¯s lost the contest for the position of heir, his only options are to cover himself in glory while pushing others down. That is why he is attacking me. He wants to show to the noble faction that my father¡¯s decision to absolve me was weak and cowardly, a moment of sentimentality that shows he is unfit to govern. It will weaken the First Prince¡¯s claim if and when father dies.  That, and Medjin is a raging cunt.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°He has never been capable of accepting failure and defeat. He must get the last word at any cost. Many have paid the price of his petty grievances, and only his position as prince protected him from the consequences of his actions.¡±


    ¡°Then he must have made some enemies.¡±


    ¡°And that is why he will never rule. It will not prevent him from trying. He cannot stop. He does not know how to do it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like there is only one way this will end.¡±


    Sidjin¡¯s aura flared, briefly. It felt murderous.


    ¡°Indeed. And no. I have decided. We will let them go first.¡±


    ¡°So, no warnings?¡±


    He looked at her.


    ¡°Do you believe he will take us seriously?¡±


    ¡°No, but Jaratalassi might.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t listen to orders before. He will not now. And there will be questions, such as how did we find out? And where is this witness? Irao will never agree to appear before a group of people.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°Then we proceed as directed. I think we need to change the formation. The Enorians are on the verge of breaking, and once they do, they will never recover.¡±


    ¡°How would we do that, Sidjin?¡±


    ¡°Rotate the Golden Order. Leave the Enorians in the middle, covered by us. Enttiku¡¯s sisters can manage. They have the training.¡±


    Viv gave it a thought. Not a very long one.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to stop but it sounds doable. Let me ask them if they will agree to it first.¡±


    ¡°We will need to cover them. I¡¯ll coordinate with Lana so we can provide a screen. Maybe a few volleys would help too.¡±


    ¡°Tell Poacher and Lak-Tak to be ready for their signal. I¡¯m flying there now.¡±


    ***


    Viv landed next to the stern Order Master as she directed her soldiers from atop a charger. The old woman watched her land with an impassive calm that radiated confidence. Even in the chaos of battle, her troops moved with unerring discipline. Viv was a little bit jealous.


    ¡°Order Master Kreta,¡± Viv greeted.


    The order master dismounted before facing her, a gesture of respect here. Viv allowed herself a smile.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty. To what do I owe the honor?¡±


    ¡°Well, our far-speaking priests are busy and I believe I should make this request face to face. The Blue Duke¡¯s troops are going to collapse very soon unless we do something. My army lacks flexibility, but yours does not. I propose that you rotate behind us then to their right flank. That way, the Enorians only need to defend their front and back while we hold the sides.¡±


    Kreta looked east towards the beleaguered Enorians. She made to speak, then seemed to reconsider. Hooded eyes scrutinized Viv¡¯s expression.


    ¡°This will delay us even more. We will be forced to defend from every side with Glastia pushing ahead. You are aware, yes?¡±


    ¡°My witchpact and war machines will provide cover, as will us casters. The Mountain Lords shall take your role. They are my most disciplined force,¡± Viv said, ignoring the unspoken question.


    Kreta asked it anyway. In Harrakan instead of the Northern tongue. Her aides turned with surprise when she did so.


    ¡°I want to know if you intend to answer the shithead¡¯s challenge.¡±


    ¡°Not a single Harrakan toenail will be sacrificed to entertain this man¡¯s ego. Medjin¡¯s arrogance will be his undoing. Let him take the lead if he wants it that much. I am here to exterminate beastlings, not compare dick sizes.¡±


    ¡°And your paramour?¡±


    Viv smiled.


    ¡°Archmage Sidjin and myself have aligned on what we expect from this campaign.¡±


    ¡°Cut the fancy talk, Your Majesty. State what you intend to do.¡±


    ¡°Medjin is going to fuck himself over and we¡¯ll be here to watch, but I¡¯m not sacrificing anyone to play his stupid games. Not even the loyalists.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Have your army stop and we¡¯ll move towards your back.¡±


    ¡°Blow a horn, that will be the signal.¡±


    Calls echoed throughout the line while Viv lifted off again. The Harrakan formation came to a ponderous stop while the Enorians merely let inertia take over, many of their men sitting where they were.


    ¡°Alright lads and lasses,¡± Poacher screamed from the center. ¡°Let them have it!¡±


    The Harrakans fired everything. Tongues of fire scorched the earth in front of them. A hail of bolts skewered entire bands of beastlings while harpoons pinned the larger aberrants to the ground. The earth opened with spikes. A cold storm launched from Lana¡¯s position, and winter kissed the earth beyond the Golden Order¡¯s troops. Viv and Sidjin flew left and right, unleashing death. In front of the army, aberrants just fell dead where they stood. Viv spotted Abenezigel walking at the front and center with a black staff held high, the heavies following him with warcries. The battlefield seemed to take a breath. Distant bands scattered, the dark influence of their mind unable to stop the terror they felt at this sudden display of destruction.


    Viv felt inspections on her. Her gaze carried west, towards the advancing Glastians. Selyen the blademaster led them with great, cutting strikes that left only pieces in its wake.


    Kreta didn¡¯t waste this opportunity. The Golden Order moved at a dead run, slipping along Harrakan lines until they regrouped in good order. Viv was about to order a cease-fire but it was useless. For a moment, the beastlings reverted to the old instincts of finding someone weaker to harass.


    Smoothly the three formations aligned again, with the Enorian one much tighter and only exposed in the front and rear. The Blue Duke took the lead of his forces. For an instant, it seemed as if he turned to Viv and nodded, though it was so brief she might have been imagining it.


    The Glastian troops kept going. They were now fully in front and showing no signs of stopping.


    ¡°Alright. March!¡±


    ¡°Permission to recover bolts?¡± Poacher asked.


    They were still free for now. Viv didn¡¯t hesitate for long.


    ¡°Granted, but hurry. Rollo, provide cover?¡±


    ¡°We ride.¡±


    ***


    Viv insisted they slowed down around noon for food. Warm meals were distributed at speed. The Golden Order requested and received a full cauldron of fresh porridge which went a long way towards strengthening international relationships. Even the majority of the Enorians seemed to thaw now that even their most idiotic members could see they were being protected. Those who asked nicely were even fed. After they were done, the Harrakan column easily caught up with the Baranese to their right while the right was left exposed.


    As for the Glastian contingent, they were now ahead, wading through a sea of enemies.


    ¡°How could there be so many of them?¡± Viv asked.


    She turned away to watch the trail of death they¡¯d left behind them. The wall was no longer visible in the murky distance, but the plain was. Dead, barkless trees dotted a nightmarish landscape filled with corpses, great gaggle of them strewn haphazardly where beastling had met man and lost.


    ¡°I kept asking myself the same question,¡± Sidjin said. ¡°Day after day on the wall, especially the second year. They just kept coming and I was wondering how there could be so many creatures alive at the same spot. This is what beastlings can become if left unchecked. An all devouring hunger that eats itself in the end.¡±


    ¡°Good thing we Harrakans fight this scourge without mercy,¡± Viv boasted, smiling broadly despite the circumstances.


    Sidjin glared, but the crook of his lips told her he was having fun too.


    ¡°You mean you unleashed unsupervised younglings onto them, armed with knives and a complete lack of restraint?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it worked.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, it feels like you are free-wheeling your way to world domination.¡±


    ¡°Am not. Arthur is.¡±


    ¡°I cannot tell if you are serious and it is scaring me.¡±


    The mood thus improved, the combined group moved on, slowly catching up to the Glastians who were now beset on all sides and under constant attack. They were bogged down. Even from afar, Viv could see the largest aberrants tearing through their ranks before they could be stopped. That would mean many wounded, some infected.


    ¡°We really need to regroup now. I¡¯ll contact Jaratalassi.¡±


    Viv landed in the center of the formation where the altar stood, near the shield arrays that had so far proven useless. It took a good minute for Jaratalassi to give his orders. By then, the general¡¯s voice was furious, and he spoke almost too fast for Viv to follow.


    ¡°Keep going forward and try to get at least some pressure off those damn Glastians! I am telling everyone to regroup as fast as they can.¡±


    ¡°And diversionary attacks?¡± Viv asked. ¡°The wall? Is it ok?¡±


    ¡°Fly up and see for yourself.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Viv gave a few orders, then she did so. The sounds of battle were still all around. The higher she went, and the more her mind struggled to accept what she was seeing.


    For leagues in every direction, the ground squirmed, teemed, shook with hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of creatures charging, screeching, eating each other, assailing the colorful squares that were the bastions of humanity in this place, most of whom were stuck in defensive, unmoving formations. The horde rushed forward with wild abandon. Beyond that, the land was dead. Dead and unmoving.


    ¡°Fuck they¡¯re all coming at us at once.¡±


    It was easy to claim that she wanted to end the beastlings here. She had her chance now. She just wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to use it. There were just so many of them that her mind just couldn¡¯t grasp it. The beastlings were statistics made flesh. And in front, barely out of sight, was the reason why.


    A large ziggurat emerged from the fog like a lone mountain. For a moment, her mind reeled from the insane belief that this was the Imperial Palace transported here. She quickly realized her mistake. This Ziggurat was smaller and squatter. The blurry shapes of aberrants crawled over its surface like lice on a rotten carcass. At its feet, the ground was uneven, not in a natural way, but according to patterns she¡¯d seen somewhere before. Long ago.


    ¡°From Earth?¡±


    Were those¡­ bunkers? trench networks peppered with tunnel exits. A vast complex of warrens that could not be easily rolled over. Hell, no one would charge over that on horseback. It was merely missing the barbed wire¡­


    That was it.


    ¡°Verdun. The Great War. Holy shit, the beastlings actually did build fortifications.¡±


    And the Glastians headed for them head on.


    Viv surveyed the land and realized there had to be hundreds of meters of walls in every direction. It was more than a warren. It was a colony. A fort.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯re going to need more stuff.¡±


    ***


    Viv descended, setting up a portal in record time. She engraved the runes which would connect it with its twin behind the wall, only for the spell to fail.


    It was not the first time this happened.


    ¡°What is causing the failure?¡± Sidjin asked, landing next to her.


    ¡°The exit portal is deactivated.¡±


    They looked at each other. The exit portal was in a secluded valley, guarded by Glastian troops. It was there that supplies from Harrak were stored. If it wasn¡¯t responsive, then the circle had been damaged. Somehow.


    ¡°Surely, he wouldn¡¯t?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°He absolutely would.¡±


    Viv fumed. Doing reckless shit with his own troops was one thing, but cutting her supply line? Now Medjin was going too far. If it was him. Honestly, who else would it even be? Her circles only faded after a while or if someone interfered.


    ¡°Could still be an accident. Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.¡±


    ¡°Is this an Earth saying?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hanlon¡¯s Razor, we call it.¡±


    ¡°I will remember this. As for the portal, what will you do?¡±


    Viv looked around. The fortress and its network was right in front of them. One of them would have to fly more than forty leagues to reach the warehouse where their supplies were stored. It would take an hour, at least. An hour they didn¡¯t have.


    ¡°I should have added a safety portal. ARG! I just didn¡¯t expect someone to play games with us like that.¡±


    ¡°Live and learn. I assume we continue our advance?¡±


    ¡°Neither of us can leave the army for that long so yeah. Let¡¯s just go in, and if we absolutely need an exit then you fly back.¡±


    Viv¡¯s instincts told her she was needed here, now. She only hoped they wouldn¡¯t need to evacuate.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***


    The blob of troops under Viv¡¯s nominal command kept advancing at a steady pace, soon joined by the Baranese on their right. Viv hoped her left flank would be covered but the Glastians showed no indication they wanted to coordinate, and the other armies remained far off. Meanwhile, the Mountain Lords held on, their red scarves forming a continuous streak of bright color. Attacks were constant but they were also piecemeal, in an effort to make area spells less effective, she assumed. Everyone was holding out for the long game.


    By mid afternoon, they¡¯d rejoined with the Glastians. Viv got close enough to Medjin for him to glare furiously at her, decked in armor at the front of the formation. Some of his elites were obviously annoyed, especially because he was constantly screaming, but the men behind looked relieved at having one of their flanks secured. When Viv killed an aberrant that had penetrated their ranks, she thought Medjin might have an apoplexy.


    ¡°Noisy fucker.¡±


    The Baranese had finally linked up. Now, the three formations formed a powerful rectangle bordering the fortress. The ziggurat was in sight. It was time for the final push.


    Or, was it?


    As the Glastians moved on the bunkers, Viv landed near the communing altar, its priest breathing heavily.


    ¡°Is Jaratalassi here?¡±


    ¡°His Grace¡­ he is focused on the other flank. They will not be able to join. Had to regroup and make a stand.¡±


    ¡°When he talks to you, tell him we are holding here. Our purpose has been achieved. The beastlings are throwing themselves at us to the last. there is no need for¡­¡±


    She felt it first. A warning. Danger sense activated for the first time in months.


    ¡°Aegis!¡±


    Danger. From the front.


    ¡°The shields. Activate the shields. NOW!¡±


    Her orders came too late. A boulder crashed on the heavies, rolling and killing half a dozen people before she could react. She intercepted a second, a third. Lana and Sidjin managed to grab a few but one smashed a supply chariot. Another landed among witchpact, crushing the legs of an entire squad in its mad stumble. At last, the shields were in position but stones kept pelting them from¡­ where was it? There, on the ziggurat. The aberrants.


    Viv used a longview spell and finally saw what the squirming mass of aberrants was. The intelligence behind their opposition had gathered all those capable of grabbing something ¡ª not a lot, fortunately. Now they grabbed heavy stones from prepared piles, lobbing them at the advancing armies with the strength of siege weapons. They were uncannily precise too. As she watched, stones slammed into horsemen, elite formations, militias, everything. There was no real mind behind the targeting, but there was precision. At the same time, the beastlings whipped themselves into a frenzy. Gone was the time of piecemeal harassment. They were going all in.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Jaratalassi says you will not be reinforced. It is all the others can do to hold!¡±


    The Baranese general ordered his cavalry to maneuver in small detachments, making them harder to catch but still strong enough not to get easily bogged down. As for the Glastians, they were still pressing ahead. That is when the second part of the trap sprung.


    From below, tunnels opened in the middle of their troops. Soldiers fell to their deaths then aberrants emerged, those chosen for their extraordinary resilience. The first wave of warriors in red had barely bypassed the first trench when more tunnels opened. Those that were caught in single files in the trenches were slaughtered. The mage flight hurrying towards the ziggurat was met by volleys of stone spears thrown by smaller aberrants. Mages fell from the sky, chests punctured by spikes the size of stalagmites.


    Viv felt the battle slowly tilt in their disfavor. She felt it in her soul, that moment when soldiers went from fighting for victory to fighting for their lives.


    Her elites approached.


    Time to get serious.


    ¡°Alright. Enough of this. Lak-Tak, I want that ugly pyramid on fire.¡±


    ¡°Liberator range¡­ too short. Can only reach the base.¡±


    ¡°Roast them. Bathe the rest in naphtha. I want it to smolder. Poacher? Fire at will.¡±


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    ¡°Rollo, cover our backs. Lana, can you help our allies with some basic shielding?¡±


    ¡°I can if you space the generators. We only need them at the front.¡±


    ¡°Ok, you do that. As for me, I¡¯m going to clear those aberrants.¡±


    ¡°It might be too dangerous to fly there,¡± Abenezigel said.


    Viv looked towards Sidjin. Fire gouts and grinders popped left and right to stem the tide.


    ¡°I¡¯m not flying there. Too distracting. I¡¯ll use the storm spell from here. You guys cover me. This is it. You can go all out.¡±


    As if hearing her, Brick lifted the Harrakan flag. Viv allowed her aura to spill as she called monstrous amounts of black mana to herself. [Aspect of the Paragon] drew the gaze of her people just as she started casting, but then the horns blew and the witchpact roared with pleasure. It was finally their time to shine.


    Bolts, spells, javelins, pots of naphtha and hives of fire wasps filled the air, mowing everything around with deadly precision. The assault against them faltered for lack of combatants. Viv had a small opening. She needed to turn this into a breathing space. She rose just high enough to be above her troops but still under the cover of the strongest shield. By her will, the silverite symbols floated into position. That spell was complex. it would require her full focus.


    It was nice being able to just do that¡ª casting. None of this general stuff, or the political side of things where ego was causing the death of men and women just a few hundred meters away from here. And if she killed the culprit, his followers would turn on her instead! No, here, there was just her and the familiar pleasure of wielding mana. She was born for this. Concentric circles formed at her will. Around her, the air grew colder and the ubiquitous dust finally seemed to settle down. Despite the heat of summer, the breath of the nearest soldiers coalesced in little puffs. Power gathered. The array fully manifested. Her mind worked through every corner of it, arranging the message so it would be understood. Black wrapped in colorless links. She knew how annihilation worked, and how to give it direction. She just had to arrange it just right, and then, let it all out.


    Cries of pain woke her up from her pleasant trance. The spell was almost ready to be launched, but she had one last thing to add.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    Her anchors dug into the fabric of the world. She knew it wanted the aberrants gone as much as she did.


    ¡°Storm of Zamhareer.¡±


    A black pillar surged into the sky, absorbing all light and heat in it wake, and from there, black flakes fell like volcanic ash over the battlefield in a deceptively peaceful black snow. The flying human mages immediately retreated. They had good instincts.


    Viv felt the pinprick of dozens of inspection skills triggering all at once. Yes, displaying city-ending capabilities by herself might not be the best choice but they were past that.


    When the first flakes touched the top of the ziggurat, the aberrants there died without understanding what had happened. It fell lower, lower, first taking a handful, then a dozen of the aberrants with it. The rest fought by throwing rocks and javelins upward but it was like trying to ward off rain by casting pebbles. The rest ran as fast as they could. For many of them, it would not be fast enough. Those which survived would be a problem for future Viv. What mattered now was that the bombardment had stopped.


    The human armies breathed a sigh of relief. She realized now that despite the constant cover she had provided, most of her heavies were exhausted. They were not designed for sustained engagements like this.


    ¡°Right, we have to end it quickly.¡±


    The artillery issue was solved for now, but that left the network of trenches and, yeah, bunkers. She had to resolve herself to the obvious.


    Whoever had designed this had some knowledge of warfare. They¡¯d sent raiding parties to exhaust and test them, then they were counter-attacking while the humans attempted to take on the fortress. They had formed a siege group out of fucking aberrants, stockpiled stones¡­


    What the hell was she even fighting against? Or who?


    ¡°Majesty, Jaratalassi is sending a message. He says we must attack now and kill whatever directs those things, or risk being overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it slowly and methodically,¡± Viv replied.


    She landed next to Lana. Perhaps for the first time since they¡¯d met, the blue mage looked disheveled and tired.


    ¡°Jaratalassi will not be pleased.¡±


    ¡°We will go faster by being systematic. Look at them,¡± she said, pointing at the struggling Glastians.


    Their lines kept falling and reforming. The entire center of the formation was occupied by the bodies of the wounded and the dead, yet they showed no signs of slowing. Medjin kept needling them on while Selyen held the front, the man indefatigable. With every passing moment, more blood joined the crimson of their soldier¡¯s cloaks.


    ¡°That is a fair point.¡±


    ¡°And besides, can¡¯t you feel it?¡± Viv asked.


    Because she did. Deep under them, a brown construct mixed with¡­ something.


    ¡°Feel what?¡± the blue mage replied with a frown.


    Viv remembered she had very few equals for mana mastery. Lana wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°Nevermind. Ugh, I can¡¯t believe my infantry training is going to be of use again. Ok, so here is how we¡¯re going to advance.¡±


    ***


    Viv jogged to the next tunnel just as the Children of the Scale bypassed it. She ignored their exhausted faces to focus on the hole. A squad of the Eyes provided cover, quarrels aimed at the opening. So far, nothing.


    ¡°Nu¨¦e.¡±


    Devouring black mana dove down with a hiss. After a few seconds, muffled screams emerged from the abyssal fog.


    ¡°Alright, your turn.¡±


    A Harrakan brown mage approached. He was quickly tiring. That was fine. Viv only needed to collapse the passages on a direct path. Abe, Sidjin, and Lana all led other teams of elites, sealing entrances as soon as the Harrakan lines went over them. One team to clear, one to cover, one to support. It was Afghanistan all over again. It worked, though. They were making such good progress that the Glastian formation was starting to lag behind. Slowly, the black tide was becoming the tip of the spear, just as Jaratalassi had planned.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Ban junior said.


    Viv looked up.


    The Glastians were splitting. While the main army formed a circle to stabilize the situation, Medjin had taken a small, elite group led by his pet sword master. He was leaving the rest of his people behind so he could be the first to reach the ziggurat. A few powerful mages cleared his path with strong spells. They must have been holding back until now.


    Just as Sidjin had predicted would happen if he felt he might be proven wrong. He valued his pride over the lives of his people. Pathetic.


    ¡°Should we follow?¡±


    ¡°No. We will advance until we¡¯re level with the main Glastian group, then hold.¡±


    ¡°Hold?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you heard me.¡±


    Viv busied herself covering the front of the formation, where the aberrants were thickest. The One Hundred were in constant combat and even they were flagging. They¡¯d been fighting nonstop since morning. Even the liberators were out of naphtha and the attacks showed no signs of abating. The beastlings and their larger cousins kept throwing themselves at human lines with manic fury. Only the coordinated efforts of everyone kept the lines mostly intact.


    Medjin reached the base of the ziggurat in a tide of blood. As he was about to enter, he cast one last glance at Sidjin, the fallen prince too busy casting to notice. The sneer turned into a rictus of rage.


    The prince went in, followed by his vanguard.


    The ziggurat exploded.


    It wasn¡¯t a large boom, and only pieces of stone and masonry were sent flying, but the shock and surprise were enough to throw everyone in disarray. Viv shadow gated to Sidjin, who was himself exposed, shielding them both. The shockwave traveled outward and left Viv¡¯s ears ringing. The lighter beastlings were thrown to the ground but the humans suffered as well. Dust saturated the air. Gravel and stones fell, most pinging off of shields. When the air settled, the ziggurat was showing a lot of damage but it was still standing.


    Viv waited for an attack that didn¡¯t manifest. It would have been the perfect moment to pull an ace. Nothing? Apparently.


    Viv took off to kill more aberrants while the others recovered. Of the Glastian vanguard, there was no trace. Irao was right. This wasn¡¯t a fortress. It was bait. The fisher had just dragged more than they could handle, she judged.


    Sidjin flew by. His expression remained carefully neutral.


    ¡°Now that Medjin has fallen, Princess Shaya will be in charge. I will tell her to back away. Please assist, if you can.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The battle resumed but strangely, whatever hold commanded the beastlings to fight alongside the aberrants had broken. The distant tide of flesh turned on itself, its members eating, fighting, killing each other. The pressure on their positions lessened to such a degree that the remaining Glastians had no trouble pulling back. This left Viv facing a dense network of tunnels under which there were still beastlings and aberrants.


    ¡°Right. Lak-Tak, it¡¯s time.¡±


    The enemy had brought First World War fortifications, fair enough, but Viv had brought something better.


    She¡¯d brought First World War weapons.


    ¡°Gas the fuckers.¡±


    ***


    Viv entered the Ziggurat, with Sidjin and Sidjin only. The entrance was barred by boulders but it was only a matter of seconds for the Red Mist to clear them. As the stone was reabsorbed, it revealed a gruesome spectacle: the dead bodies of the vanguard.


    They looked surprisingly intact at a distance, but Viv knew what explosions could do. They were mush inside. The only survivor happened to be Selyen who was still breathing. A deep groove in front of him showed where the blast had split away from him in both directions. The insane asshole had literally cut through an explosion. That hadn¡¯t stopped the pressure differential though, and his eyes were closed and bleeding. Congealed blood stuck like gunk to his ears. His breath was a hollow rasp.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call for help,¡± Sidjin said.


    He was leaning next to a prone form. Viv recognized the elaborate armor at first glance. Sidjin stood above him, his face a neutral mask. It was Medjin¡¯s corpse. The arrogant twat¡¯s face was a mask of surprise, stuck forever in a vulgar sneer. His eyes peered at the ceiling, unseeing.


    Sidjin wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°You should go deeper. Find out if there is anything left to kill.¡±


    He was feeling it, as she was. The divine, yet profane mana. It stuck to her skin like tar.


    Viv nodded and left her paramour standing over the corpse of his nemesis. Hell, this time, she didn¡¯t even have to lift a finger for him to die. She coated herself in black until the devouring aura replaced the pervasive power of the aberrant god. Deeper she went, past chthonian columns decorated with grooves like tooth marks. It was dark here. The absence of light was an active avoidance, as if the dim sunlight from the outside wouldn¡¯t want to touch what was down here. It didn¡¯t belong in this world. It never had.


    It was very quiet. Viv expected a sonorous breath, or gurgles, anything. Instead, the place was quiet as a tomb. A vague stench of rotting meat lingered like a bad memory, that of the bottom of the wall. Eventually, she heard it. A single, wheezing breath. Something that couldn¡¯t come out of a larger chest than that of a child. She approached.


    A wall of flesh appeared in her vision. It was vile, and larger than any aberrant had any right to be. The corrupting mana pressed against hers like a wave but the devouring black tolerated no intrusions. The macabre immobility of the wall of flesh told her the thing was dead, but it didn¡¯t stop the corpse¡¯s deleterious influence. After all, its power came from something that was already dead. She moved on, towards the rattle. She finally found its source.


    It was a beastling. The creature was utterly unremarkable in itself. Perhaps a little larger than the baseline, with smarter features and symmetric horns of hard chitin. Four clues hinted at something unusual. First it was fully amputated. Every limb ended in a slowly bleeding stump. The damage was clearly very recent, and it was also killing it, no him. The second surprise came from above, from the wall of defiled flesh. There, melded into the titan, was the rest of him. A hanging, scythe-light extension rested against the titan¡¯s belly like an atrophied limb, blood congealing on the edge. He¡¯d done this to himself.


    The third surprise came from the way he remained unaffected by the corrupting mana. Or perhaps he was, but he was resisting through sheer force of will.


    The fourth and most significant was that the beastling¡¯s eyes followed her. They glittered with intelligence as Viv came to stand before him, and calm. A calm she didn¡¯t think his species was capable of.


    The beastling spoke. It took great care to articulate the words that came out of its mouth. It sounded a bit like Old German to Viv, mixed with ups and downs that clearly meant something. The beastling finished his sentence. When Viv didn¡¯t react. His head came to rest against his naked chest. He breathed deeply, then looked up again.


    ¡°Do you¡­ understand me?¡± he asked in heavily accented northerner.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You are not¡­. from my world then. I thought, I thought¡­ perhaps at the end, I had found another.¡±


    Viv blinked, too surprised to continue.


    ¡°I can feel it in your soul. You are also¡­ not from here.¡±


    ¡°You are a traveler.¡±


    ¡°One that came¡­ slipped through the cracks. Yes.¡±


    Viv breathed in, a mistake. The stench dispelled the jolt of surprise.


    ¡°Fuck. And you¡­ you¡¯re the one who started it all. You are the beastling who killed a great beast. The one who led them south. It was you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I poisoned our spears. I led raid after raid against the Ancient Sarodon. When it fell, I became so strong, I thought I could do it. I thought I could redeem¡­ us. This species. Not my own, but close enough. I thought we could transcend our nature. I was almost there at the end. Or I thought so, but¡­¡±


    He looked up to the amalgam of rotting flesh.


    ¡°The cost. That strength and malice. They were never our own.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He was a traveler. He was also responsible for the death of tens of thousands of humans and merls both. But he was a beastling. They were killed on sight by all the intelligent species.


    She didn¡¯t know what to think about it.


    ¡°I would have come out of the pyramid to slay you as you were weak and surprised, but I felt my control slipping. The dead one was taking over. I didn¡¯t want to die as a puppet. I wanted to be free at the end, even if it cost me everything. I tried.¡±


    He shrugged, and winced, the movement disturbingly human.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a monster?¡± the beastling asked after a pause.


    Viv thought about it. She thought long and hard but couldn¡¯t find an answer beyond a vague feeling of guilt.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What was your name, in your other world?¡±


    ¡°Egein Farris Ap Veor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize it as a language from my world at all. Well. You might be a monster to the Glastians, but right now, you¡¯re acting as a person. So I¡¯ll treat you as one. There is no need for me to judge you. We were enemies in a battle to the death. We fought as hard as we could. Now, you are dying. It is finished. I do not hold a grudge against you personally.¡±


    ¡°The wall people¡­¡±


    ¡°And the merl hate you. I suppose you¡¯ll face judgment at one point or the other. It won¡¯t be from me.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    His breath hastened. It wouldn¡¯t be long now.


    ¡°Tell me about your world. Is it there that you learned how to prepare traps and fortifications?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The High Cities war. Armies wielding mighty¡­ pressure weapons, carried on the wings of¡­ there is no word for it in the northern tongue. Balloons of hot air. Very large. The war lasted for so long. I was a lieutenant. I thought I could, I could¡­¡±


    He died.


    Viv waited a moment in this desolate place. She finally stood up and cut off the head of the fallen traveler before moving back to the exit. She only turned when Sidjin was in view.


    [Aspect of the Destroyer]


    [Sequence: triple nu¨¦e]


    [Sequence: triple nu¨¦e]


    Viv cast, and cast, until the foreign mana was only a whisper of what it was and until her core was so drained that her head started to swim, the magic that sustained her life threatening to fail.


    ¡°Viv? Beloved, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She thought about finding Solfis, then Arthur, then Cernit and Jorn and Benetti. Of making it back to civilization wearing human skin.


    ¡°I guess I really was lucky.¡±

 Calamitous announcement READ THIS OR DONT COMPLAIN LATER

    A couple of months back, I sold the audio rights to Bob to Soundbooth. That means Bob will go audio with some of the highest possible quality the market can offer and I¡¯m serious because we have two voice actors, music, sound effects¡­ the works. I listened to a short sample and I was floored by Solfis¡¯s voice. This also means that the onus is on me to do my part so Soundbooth can succeed in making Bob popular when Journey wasn¡¯t.


    Now you may know my stance on Kindle Unlimited. I think monopolies are a blight, but right now Amazon has it so it¡¯s their way or the highway. For Journey, I picked the highway. It will remain freely available on RR forever. The audiobook also didn¡¯t do very well commercially. For Bob, I¡¯m no longer alone in this so KU it is.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The audiobook of the first Calamitous Bob will be out on January the 28th. I¡¯ll push that same first book to KU over a week before that (because I may also need to send takedown requests to some sites). Per Amazon¡¯s conditions, said book will be removed everywhere else. That means it will be pulled off both RR and Patreon.


    This is your last chance to read/reread/download the first twenty-four chapters. After that, Bob will be stubbed on RR and the aforementioned chapters removed from Patreon. I know there''s a way to make an epub from several RR chapters but I don''t know how. If you do, please consider dropping a comment.


    Thanks for your attention.

 Chapter 189: Taking Off

    Being leaderless and fratricidal didn¡¯t stop the beastlings from being a threat to humans. In the orgy of violence that followed, the alliance armies were no less a target. The only saving grace was that they no longer had to push. They also no longer had to hold back.


    Viv unleashed everything she had. Sidjin and Abe did the same. The air was soon filled with the most devastating spells in their arsenals, soon joined by bolts, arrows, jars of naphtha, fire bees, chlorine, and a few more experimental concoctions the yries had produced in the depths of their honey-fueled depravity. Those aberrants that survived were mercilessly cut down in a last push, everyone throwing everything they had into that last stand. The sea of bodies became a sea of corpses. Soon, there was nothing left near the Harrakans or their neighbors.


    Most soldiers sat down where they were, at least those that didn¡¯t collapse. Only the One Hundred remained standing as an enduring statement of stubborn resilience. Jaratalassi¡¯s urgent pleas pushed Viv to fly away, to the west, where a large aberrant caused a lot of trouble. An hour later, nothing was left moving except for the Alliance¡¯s forces. Those few survivors that remained had long fled, condemned to starve in the desert they¡¯d created.


    In the evening, the permanent cloud cover seemed to lift ever so slightly. Viv flew up, higher than she had since arriving here. The red light of the sun bathed the entire dead valley in smears of crimson, light mixing with congealing ichor to form a tapestry of reds, blacks, and browns. It was a ghastly show that perfectly matched the stench. And it would only get worse.


    Up there, Viv looked south, back towards Glastia. The Alliance had left charnel trails a couple of leagues wide, several paths of death that converged towards the gore-drenched remains of the fortress in a circle of carnage. Black mana was visible in the distance as dark fumaroles, greedily eating at the feast now that the aberrants were dead. Viv felt that they fought off the dead god¡¯s influence to replace unnatural life with entropy.


    She felt it was necessary. This place¡­ it was the site of a struggle. Nyil was trying to remove the cancer on its ¡®skin¡¯ by necrotizing the entire area. She dove, finding the clergy of Neriad near the tents of the wounded. She met the head physician inside. He was an old, quiet man with the gaze of someone who¡¯d seen too much. No one stopped her when she barged in, finding him hard at work bandaging the stump of a panting heavy. The young woman was sweating and clearly in pain.


    ¡°You¡¯ll help me regrow it? Right?¡± she asked when Viv approached. ¡°Sorry, I meant, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Free of charge as usual. We¡¯ll get out of here first though,¡± the witch replied with a comforting smile. ¡°Speaking of getting out of here, I have concerns of a religious nature,¡± she told the bishop.


    He looked up with tired eyes.


    ¡°You may confess your countless sins later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more referring to a massive plains full of dead things emitting incalculable amounts of corrupt and dark mana, now both vying for domination in a contest that will make the deadlands feel like a nice seaside village.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bad then?¡± the young heavy asked.


    ¡°I am done bandaging you, young lady. Please stay on the bed and drink water regularly, as well as anything we bring you. You must rest now.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes please.¡±


    She was asleep in seconds, following which the Head Physician politely invited Viv to follow him.


    ¡°I am not an expert on theological matters, but I suspect you must be right. Your mana perception and your soul must feel the conflict at work more keenly than I ever could. I believe we should leave this place immediately, and call upon the churches to start purifying the land starting here.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll need to set up portals so we can evacuate the wounded first. I¡¯ll need to fly back for that.¡±


    The man nodded, clearly not interested in the minutiae.


    ¡°Our casualties have been kept to a minimum so far. I shall make sure they live.¡±


    Viv nodded. She left the tent and found that the camp had become a large sleeping pile. Actually, it wasn¡¯t even a camp. No fortifications, not even raised tents. Heavies had fallen where they stood, sometimes even only a few steps away from bodies. Ban had finally dismissed the One Hundred. The older and meaner witchpact patrolled, eyes open and fingers on the triggers. Viv felt a tinge of worry. This wasn¡¯t a good place to stop. She could feel it in her soul, as they¡¯d said. She found Sidjin burning the remains of nearby aberrants though he was clearly running on fumes. As for Viv, the ¡®Light that Never Dims¡¯ title was carrying her through the day like a furnace that just kept getting hotter.


    ¡°Sidjin.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You need to stop and rest.¡±


    ¡°I can keep going on.¡±


    Viv rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You need to stop because we are going to get all of the armies out of here as soon as possible and replace them with enough priests to sanctify a grumpy necrarch. I¡¯m going to fly back and reestablish the portal, then we¡¯ll build a temporary Nexus. You¡¯ll stay here until I do so, then set up your own portals. You¡¯re in charge of Glastia and Baran.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Baran too?¡±


    ¡°Look, let¡¯s just say things are a little tense right now.¡±


    ¡°What about the Pure League?¡±


    ¡°Oh them I fully intend to be rude to. Anyway, warning Jaratalassi then I¡¯m off.¡±


    ¡°Fly safely.¡±


    ***


    The flight back took close to an hour. Viv couldn¡¯t go very fast yet, and she regretted that Arthur was taking care of the bank and her brother.


    Going over the wall and landing felt like taking a breath of fresh air after hours stuck in a rank room. Suddenly, the world had colors again. She landed in the secluded meadow where her circle was supposed to be, finding carts and Hadals waiting in plain view. Four guards in the red of Glastia struggled against the ropes that stuck them to nearby trees. So Sidjin had been right.


    ¡°We are sorry,¡± Irao said, emerging from the shadows. ¡°My people didn¡¯t realize what they were doing at first. We assumed they were here for the supplies.¡±


    Viv waved his concerns aside.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I was naive, again. I should have posted guards and made it clear the circle wasn¡¯t to be touched by anyone except our own mages.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Hm. I want to go now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Viv set out to repair the circle. One of the trussed guards had the audacity to hail her.


    ¡°Hey! Release us, we¡¯re citizens of Glastia! You have no right to hold us ¡ª¡±


    Viv raised a finger, hitting him with the full strength of draconic intimidation.


    She had not forgotten them, it said. They were on her shit list. It was just that her anger was a cold one, and she had other priorities. Keeping them alive was not one of them.


    ¡°Interrupt me while I work again and I¡¯ll rip out your fucking tongue.¡±


    It was enough to silence them. Only when the aperture turned dark and foreboding, and the stench of an entire field of death wafted through it did she turn to the guards. Behind her, carts full of wounded already rolled while the driver on the living side hurried to provide help.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± she said.


    The man who¡¯d spoken breathed a sigh of relief. The idiot.


    ¡°Instead, I¡¯m going to give you to the inquisition.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! Prince Medjin shall make you pay for this.¡±


    ¡°I can and I will. You pieces of shit endangered the expedition for the political gain of an asshole. When the inquisitors are done with you, you¡¯ll wish I had killed you instead. Farewell.¡±


    Viv walked through the portal, regretting the fact that she still had the need to breathe, then she flew off to the Enorian army for the next portal.


    ***


    It took the remainder of the day, the entire night and then some of the following morning to bring everyone back. The novelty of the multi-portal experience meant that everything was a logistical mess of biblical proportions with the different paths not helping because people couldn¡¯t manage transportation and their own egos at the same time. Fortunately, victory and the presence of Jaratalassi kept the fistfights to a bare minimum.


    Viv and Sidjin¡¯s tireless efforts had bought them some serious brownie points with the leadership of the various factions, especially with so many wounded who would¡¯ve otherwise not survived the trip back. The fields around Glastia soon filled with civilians eager to help. There was a lot of crying, a lot of drinking, and overall a feeling of incredulous relief that yes, this was really over. The war was over. They¡¯d won.


    One of the great perils of mankind on the continent had been defeated with one last decisive blow.


    Priests and bishops were already coming in from all over the continent to help with the aftermath, the clergy of Enttiku purifying remains while those devoted to Sardanal forced grass and small plants to bloom again, chasing away the encroaching black. It would take decades before this region recovered but at least now it had a chance. Jaratalassi requested that all leaders stay for another council but in the meantime the moment was one of celebration. It wasn¡¯t every day that mankind had wins like that.


    Viv made sure everyone was settled, then she walked through the various friendly encampments during some of the wildest festivities she¡¯d ever seen. To her surprise, the Blue Duke found her to inquire about land for his people, an initiative Viv had no trouble encouraging. Rollo could certainly add more talented knights to his retinue provided they behaved, and there was always more land to farm. Once more, the Harrakans would return home with more people than when they¡¯d started.


    The Golden Order had stayed behind to pray so Viv purchased a few carts of fresh fruits and returned to the land beyond to drop them off to a grateful Order Master. All in all, she used the opportunity to make friends. She didn¡¯t feel like drinking herself. This place wasn¡¯t safe. There were still people out there who intended to fuck her over.


    ***


    ¡°Did you know this was a trap?¡± the angry nobleman spat.


    Viv reclined in her chair, letting her anchors hover menacingly behind her, bladed tips lazily hanging behind the nervous backs of representatives. She tilted her head towards the accusatory Glastian. Grief twisted his traits into an expression of pain and rage. Jaratalassi frowned, but once again the wise general preferred to let people air their grievances before clamping down. Viv had no issues with that.


    ¡°Are you asking me if I knew the Beastlings would lay a trap at the fortress?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said!¡±


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± Viv replied with a smile.


    The nobleman turned red. His fury ignited to a great crescendo that left his fingers gripping the table.


    ¡°You admit it! Traitor! Traitor to mankind!¡±


    ¡°Was I expecting the beastlings to lay an ambush? Was I expecting those who¡¯d dug tunnels to attack us from below, those manipulated by a malicious intelligence, those beastlings, to be up to something? Did I seriously think they had something prepared? Did I, who also faced a horde in battle before, expect beastlings to act in a devious manner?¡±


    Viv smiled. There was nothing quite like drenching the truth in so much bullshit, it became a whole other truth.


    ¡°Did I expect a trap? Of course I fucking did. That¡¯s why my people advanced cautiously, and that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t rush ahead like vainglorious hounds.¡±


    ¡°MY PEOPLE BLED!¡±


    ¡°Everyones. People. Bled,¡± Viv muttered, and this time she spoke backed by draconic intimidation.


    The temperature dropped ever so slightly as the air grew cold, as did Viv¡¯s heart. The skill was influencing her as she was calling upon it. A small price to pay to let the others know exactly what she believed about those accusations.


    ¡°Medjin pushed his soldiers ahead against the recommendation of our general. He left my left flank and the Enorian right exposed as a result. Children will soon learn of the death of parents because your general could not be bothered to follow orders,¡± she growled.


    The nobleman simmered but Viv¡¯s words were moved by her belief and the cold certainty of a draconic mind. Viv was no longer bullshitting. She was stating, and the power of her soul bared her belief for all to feel. She could feel it as well, the feedback. Her accuser had lost someone dear. He was blinded by the pain, the horror of tragedy on the eve of final success.


    If they were friends, Viv would have comforted him instead.


    But they were not friends.


    ¡°Medjin died because he was an imbecile consumed by petty hatred. The death of your people can solely be laid at the feet of the one who put him in charge.¡±


    Gasps and whispers filled the hall. No one dared steal glances towards the throne standing at the end of the room. Tonight, the First Prince of Glastia was in attendance.


    Viv met his eyes. He was an older, graver version of Sidjin, a stern yet distant figure that lacked the fallen prince¡¯s melancholy.


    ¡°That is not all. There was indeed a traitor to mankind in our ranks. I shall now call upon the inquisition.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    More gasps, some of them outraged. Calling the hammer of the religious inquisition in a secular meeting was bound to make no friends, but Viv was confident she would pull ahead. There was a brief scuffle outside the doors. Viv¡¯s soul sense picked up a flash of golden mana before a crying man entered, led forward by two heavily armored and rather grim inquisitors. One of them was Orkan, the apprentice now a full-fledged agent. He gave Viv a small nod.


    The crying man was one of the guards who¡¯d damaged her circle.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t want to hurt all those people.¡±


    ¡°Tell them what you did,¡± one of the inquisitors said.


    Then came a long and predictable confession. One of Medjin¡¯s known supporters approached the guards with tales of odious Harrakan arrogance, smoothing the wheels of scruples with some coin, then let them ¡®accidentally¡¯ damage the circle. None of this held now that Neriad¡¯s merciless light had exposed the subterfuge for what it was: a shitty backstabbing by someone who¡¯d lived a life free of consequences.


    Outside, people partied. In the council room, Viv could have heard an ant fart.


    ¡°Let the Alliance note that Glastia¡¯s military leader engaged in sabotage and conspiracy against a fellow member during a military operation,¡± Viv stated with detachment.


    The inquisition standing as witness, this was the sort of stuff that could lead to a valid casus belli, not to mention religious ostracism. No one wanted to go to war with every last religious martial order on the opposite side of the conflict. Gods having a short fuse, that could end with entire bloodlines scorched in a sea of holy fire.


    Viv sat back, and Sidjin stood instead.


    ¡°Considering the demise of the sinner, and our friendship with the great city of Glastia, Harrak will lay the matter to rest. We will not seek compensation on this day of triumph and celebration. Thank you.¡±


    On the throne, the First Prince gave an indistinct nod.


    Viv really thought the God King shtick was a crap way of governing, but she had the arcane monster version of awe going for her so¡­ hard to criticize.


    With a collective breath of relief, the council eagerly switched to another topic. Harrak had let the matter drop and now Glastia owed them. It was enough.


    Viv gave Sidjin a look. The prince was still thoughtful. He seemed a bit bitter about the whole thing. Only after they left did he finally talk.


    ¡°I am done with this city. At first, I believed that Medjin was merely a rotten fruit in a besieged basket, but now, facing my father¡­¡±


    Viv patiently waited for him to continue.


    ¡°I realize how much pain we have caused ourselves through the tolerance of cruelty and pettiness. I can no longer accept it. Let¡¯s just leave. I need some time to¡­ digest it all.¡±


    ¡°Is this about Medjin¡¯s death?¡±


    Sidjin nodded.


    ¡°I thought it would make me feel better. It has not. As if he had died after inflicting the most damage. How could I rejoice when the harm was already done?¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m¡­. sorry.¡±


    ¡°As I said, I only need some time.¡±


    ***


    Before leaving, Viv made sure to pick up a recommendation and directions from Jaratalassi. She wanted her own general and she¡¯d get him. The trip back was quick enough. Alas, all hopes that she could leave again were quickly dashed.


    ¡°YOU!¡± her valorous stand in screamed once Viv appeared in Kazar.


    The Lady Azar cornered Viv, letting her know exactly what she thought about being left alone handling fifty thousand new clueless citizens, some of whom had never seen a book in their lives. Viv was drafted in the chores war despite her best efforts. Lady Azar threatened to quit if she didn¡¯t and Viv was all out of experienced administrative leaders.


    The first step was in Frostway, where the golems were done clearing up the demolished city. Artisans and artists were already back at work in the restored manufactories while others struggled to repair and expand facilities that had been abandoned for decades, sometimes more. The loss of know-how was just as harmful as the destruction of legacy tools.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure the capabilities to even build a replacement vat exists anywhere on the continent,¡± a foreman explained. ¡°The original piece was custom-built in the workshops of the capital, back in the old days. Do you, perhaps, have ideas as to who may fill such an order?¡±


    Viv was here to cast magic and cosplay as sexy Sauron. She had no idea who might be able to replace a crucible three meters across.


    ¡°Let me ask around.¡±


    That was a great way to say she didn¡¯t know shit and to shelve the project until something changed.


    That wasn¡¯t the only unfortunate news about Frostway. In his anger, the local archmage had frozen all the ships¡¯ sails solid to prevent his dear leader from escaping by sea. Yeah, sails didn¡¯t like that very much. They were done for now, not that they were in a great state to begin with. No one here remembered how to make new large sails since they¡¯d just patched them up before, so Viv had ships and they wouldn¡¯t be going anywhere any time soon. That also meant flying to a nearby island to open a portal to their iron mines, or risk the miners starving to death.


    Not all was bleak, however. The initiative to distribute tools for free was wildly successful. Viv participated herself to let the people see her and remember her as a force for good. The extent of the misery in which she found some, and their gratitude, reminded her that it didn¡¯t take that much effort to improve things for everybody sometimes. Of course, that was just the beginning. Tools broke. Villages needed trained smithies to repair them and forge new ones. Because there had been no demand, there were no candidates on that path so new ones had to be trained, another expensive and time-consuming endeavor.


    It was a lot of work.


    Viv spent the next three months opening portals, clearing fresh land, and basically just being all around useful.


    ***


    //We are done, Your Majesty.


    Viv glared at Solfis. As usual, it was a little difficult guessing what a being with no facial expression could be thinking but he didn¡¯t sound remorseful at all.


    ¡°Good. Ok. Then I suppose you¡¯ll get back to training engineers?¡±


    //Yes.


    //Arcane smiths and miners as well.


    //The extraction and handling of silverite is a delicate process.


    //I do not expect more than the creation of spare parts for at least a few decades.


    //Fortunately, Ares brought many weapons back from the city.


    //And we can handle some of the repairs ourselves.


    ¡°Looks like things are looking up.¡±


    //And yet, I find myself sad.


    Viv almost gasped at the mere mention of Solfis admitting any sort of vulnerability.


    ¡°Oh? Is it perhaps related to your bad experience after blatantly circumventing my orders, orders I gave you for your own good having correctly assessed the situation?¡±


    //Of course not.


    ¡°Figures.¡±


    //Although, I shall take your advice under deeper consideration next time.


    ¡°Orders are not advice!¡±


    //No, I simply miss traveling with you.


    //We could not spend two weeks before being assailed, provoked, attacked, insulted, or otherwise bothered in ways that led either to pain or humiliation.


    //For the others, of course.


    //Life here has been dreadfully bloodless.


    //Is there perhaps a new god you have offended?


    Viv¡¯s jaw closed shut with an audible click.


    //I knew it.


    //I am missing all the fun.


    //Ah, to be young again.


    ¡°Fret not, I¡¯m sure my luck will eventually bring something only we can defeat.¡±


    //Ah but see, there lies the issue.


    //Things only we can defeat are rare.


    //Better something that mistakenly believes it can defeat us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it.¡±


    ***


    Viv approached the grotto at a sedate pace to allow its dwellers time to sense her presence. Intentionally leaking mana and moving slowly was the draconic equivalent of knocking. She just didn¡¯t enjoy it a lot. Leaking mana felt sloppy.


    The answer came quickly.


    Mother!


    You are back.


    Have you grown real wings yet?


    ¡°You know that¡¯s just not going to happen overnight, right?¡±


    I have high expectations of you.


    Higher than I have for my brother¡­


    HELLO, HUMAN.


    Viv entered the cave which smelled a little rank. Could it be that teenage dragons stank too? It would be rather unfortunate, or maybe they just had a problem with hygiene. Arthur herself had struggled with baths at the beginning.


    ¡°I just came to see how everyone is doing.¡±


    I am pleased to report that my debt portfolio has tripled while the risky assets exposure has remained below ten percent.


    ¡°I meant your brother¡¯s promotion from fire hazard to valuable member of our evil empire.¡±


    He has yet to understand the value of long term investment.


    Viv found the two dragons lying comfortably on a bed of moss. The moss was clean but the brother was not. Viv could see filth coating his talons. That immediately pissed her off.


    All those numbers are boring.


    ¡°If you burn down a village you get some buckets of fish, but if you help it instead, you get one bucket every year forever.¡±


    The larger dragon lifted his head. His crimson eyes shone in the darkness.


    Forever?


    He scoffed.


    ¡°As long as the village is standing. Now you do this for ten villages and you don¡¯t have to fish one day in your life ever again, unless you want to.¡±


    Arthur nodded sagely. She was already rich now, so she hunted for sport.


    Really?


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit more effort at first for a lot more fish later.¡±


    And the sauce?


    ¡°Obviously if you put in a lot of effort, there will be sauce as well. And the humans will cook and prepare it for you and thank you for the pleasure of doing it. You don¡¯t even have to threaten them.¡±


    Arthur nodded once again with all the wisdom her great intelligence afforded her.


    You can tell them to sing and guard your den.


    Very useful.


    Humans are versatile.


    And there are a lot of them!


    Clearly Viv¡¯s result-oriented approach was convincing, because the older dragon considered his options very carefully.


    ¡°Speaking of sauce, you¡¯re seriously not eating with claws in that state, right? Arthur, tell me you¡¯re not letting him show himself out like this?¡±


    Arthur had the decency to look embarrassed.


    I don¡¯t want to force another dragon to wash.


    ¡®Tis unseemly.


    ¡°Unseemly my ass, it¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    MY NAME IS RAVENOUS WINTER GALE OVER AN ENDLESS SEA.


    AND I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO BATHE.


    Winter gale stood as tall as the cavern allowed him, which honestly wasn¡¯t much. He stretched his arms and wings to make himself look large. So sure he was the size of a minibus but Viv had seen Judgment and she wasn¡¯t very impressed.


    ¡°You¡¯d better get cleaned up like a proper grown up, mister, or I¡¯ll call you flatulent puff over a fetid marsh.¡±


    YOU DARE.


    I WILL TORCH YOU ALIVE!


    He was really angry now. Ravenous Winter Gale stomped towards Viv but all she could think of was the increasing smell of rank fish.


    ¡°I will have none of your attitude,¡± Viv said.


    THEN PREPARE TO DIE.


    Viv allowed her draconic intimidation to rise, this time buoyed by the title of dragonslayer. Gale was immediately cowed if only because the title had been won over his walloping. Viv knew he was being emotional but it didn¡¯t matter. He was a young male dragon with the arrogance and territoriality to match. Either she got him to listen now or he would cross the line at the first opportunity.


    Her anchors emerged with sinuous grace. Even with his maw within range of her face, Viv showed no fear. Her skills would warn her if he decided to act. And if they didn¡¯t, then it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°If you do go for me again, be sure to give it your all because I am seldom merciful, and then only once.¡±


    Another aura rose behind Gale. This time, it was Arthur¡¯s.


    There was one thing to say about humans, it was that the presence of Nous really made a huge difference. Magic would empower creatures no matter the species. Nous made sure that this empowerment was optimized, maximized, and specialized and other manner of -ized for sapient races just so they would get an edge over the competition.


    There was one thing to say about dragons: they didn¡¯t need it. Viv had draconic intimidation as a skill. Arthur was intimidating. And also she was a dragon.


    That was it, really, and when her daughter¡¯s cold fury rose in the cave, even Viv pulled back.


    Make sure you lose to mother.


    Because mother kills quickly.


    And I¡¯d hate to have my time and energy wasted on an idiot.


    It was entirely too much for Gale. He crashed on his moss bed, soon covering his head with a pair of despondent wings.


    I want fish skewers.


    ¡°Wash your claws first, then let¡¯s go for those skewers.¡±


    Really?


    Gale perked up at the offer.


    Viv couldn¡¯t believe the stick and carrot worked so well with that big oaf. If Arthur¡¯s dramatic eye roll was any indication, she couldn¡¯t either.


    ***


    The harvest festival came and went. Viv¡¯s projects to recruit a general and help the kark had to be postponed because there was simply too much work. Integrating the remnants had put a lot of stress on an already fragile system. Her only saving grace was that Harrak was doing well: that the harvest was once again exceptional and exports were booming. That meant tariffs and taxes flooded into the sorely empty Harrakan coffers, funding a new round of investments. Even then, many projects were still on hold. It was just taking time training and integrating new people into, well, everything. That was fine for Viv. She¡¯d been running around a lot these past few months. Everyone needed to settle down for a spell, practice a bit, go to the temple every weekend to smile at ecstatic mothers waving their screaming crotch fruits in her nose. glibly informing her they¡¯d been named ¡®Bob¡¯ after her. Viv found herself taking occasional refuge in the Hadal haven just so people wouldn¡¯t talk to her or ask something for one fucking minute.


    ¡°Gods, why is having one¡¯s own personal empire so time-consuming. They never show this shit in movies. It¡¯s always some grand declaration about world conquest and not cereals tax rate harmonization.¡±


    She mostly kept her thoughts to herself just in case the spark of luck was listening. Busy marketplaces were good. Plentiful harvests were good. Adventures were exciting. Exciting was generally bad, no matter what Solfis claimed. Viv would just hunker down and enjoy growth, prosperity, and a total lack of tension with her Enorian neighbors for as long as it lasted.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in Enoria.


    The baron¡¯s fingers gripped that damn parchment but no matter how hard he glared at them, the scribbled numbers refused to change.


    Hard times.


    He¡¯d cut his life expenditure, even sold many of his horses. He¡¯d reduced the number of servants. Maranor¡¯s tits, he¡¯d even given up on drinking and still, still! The barony was descending into bankruptcy.


    ¡°There must be some sort of mistake¡­¡± the baron said. ¡°Ogor, tell me we are forgetting the profit from our orchards.¡±


    ¡°Alas, no sir. It has not been a great year. Reduced demand, you see?¡±


    ¡°And the brewery?¡±


    ¡°Terribly sorry sir. Competition from the north¡­¡±


    ¡°Those damn rebels are fucking me raw even after the war¡¯s over. Gods dammit.¡±


    He clenched his hands into fists.


    Was there something he could do to raise more funds? Anything? He could not let go of any more soldiers without failing in his duties to the throne. Even then, his new recruits were poorly equipped with antique mail and basic pikes. What faced him was only the prospect of ever more debt, a spiral that would end with the sale of all his assets.


    At least his father had died before seeing the fall of his noble family.


    ¡°Milord, I know someone in the city who might be able to assist,¡± his steward Ogor said with a kind smile.


    ¡°I know what sort of ¡®help¡¯ can be found in Reixa, Ogor. We will be bled dry even faster. No, I suppose I shall have to sell all that I possess save for the shirt off my back. Lean year indeed¡­¡±


    Just then, a thump sounded from behind him. He turned away from his desk towards the large window that overlooked the rose garden. A scream of horror from one of the servants made him jump to his feet. An attack?


    A burst of mana made Ogor bleat in terror. The baron grabbed his sword, unsheathing it in a smooth motion. His mind whispered that a death in battle would be the honorable out. He silenced it. He had a duty to his people.


    Somehow, the window opened by itself, as if moved by an invisible hand. That was some impressive wizardry. What was even more impressive was the serpentine head snaking its way through the aperture.


    It was coming a little short. Unfortunately, the office was on the second floor.


    The baron paled. Meanwhile, Ogor fell on his ass.


    ¡°Dra ¡­ dra dra dra¡ª¡±


    Hello hello!


    I apologize for the interruption.


    I came here because I thought we could come to an agreement.


    ¡°You¡­ you are¡­¡±


    She Who Feasts and Collects.


    I would say ¡®at your service¡¯ but we both know that would be a lie.


    I have come to solve your money problems.


    In return, you will grant me a license to operate on your land.


    Fingers gripping his sword like a lifeline, the baron could do little but stutter.


    ¡®What?¡±


    The dragon sighed audibly,


    Enorians.


    I will make sure you are no longer poor.


    In return, you will allow me to open a branch on your land.


    ¡°A branch?¡±


    Of my bank!


    Impossibly, a white-scaled arm moved through the window. Sharp black claws delicately placed a scroll on the ground.


    The contract.


    The baron was wondering if this was some strange stress induced fever dream. It felt more plausible than business discussions with an actual dragon.


    Pick.


    It.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    The baron leaned forward, not daring to meet the malevolent crimson glare of an entity of legend. A dragon! Here! What was happening.


    A dragon with a bank?


    Should he be more or less terrified? With shaking fingers, the man pulled the scroll open.


    It was a deceptively simple contract that gave the dragon the right to open and operate a bank in perpetuity with no tax. It was frankly abusive, but the return was a promise for information that would ¡®immediately return the barony to the path of prosperity¡¯.


    ¡°I find your offer vague and unconvincing,¡± the baron said with a shaky voice, but might as well play along.


    ¡°How can a single answer turn my loss into a profit? Surely, it will require more investments. That you intend to provide, of course.¡±


    But the dragon shook her head in a gesture that was disturbingly human.


    No.


    No tricks.


    You become rich again.


    I lend money to your people, they become richer.


    I become richer.


    The Crown of Harrak increases its taxable base.


    ¡°What?¡±


    That last part does not concern you.


    The dragon smiled. Again, the gesture felt disturbingly human, especially when the ¡®smile¡¯ was just thin lips pulled over rows of razor-sharp fangs.


    The baron wanted to believe the dragon. In fact¡­ he had little choice.


    Rich again with a single answer? That might be too good to be true, but the contract went both ways. Although¡­


    ¡°Who would arbitrate if we disagree on the contract?¡±


    The dragon sighed again. Her breath made the temperature increase, and the papers on the baron¡¯s desk threatened to fly.


    You can decide if the answer was worth it or not.


    I know you will be wise.


    Just sign the damn thing.


    Do not pretend as if you aren¡¯t desperate.


    He hoped he wasn¡¯t making a mistake.


    ¡°There, I signed the damn contract. Now speak.¡±


    Your steward¡¯s daughter married the Brewers¡¯ Guild¡¯s Headmaster.


    They are stealing from you.


    Shamelessly.


    All the bills of sale he¡¯s presented to you have been forged.


    The baron gasped. Dragon or not, how audacious!


    ¡°Ogor has been with my family for thirty years. You have some nerve to¡­¡±


    But his retort died with the patter of his old mentor¡¯s running feet. The traitor slammed the door shut behind him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my eyes.¡±


    Are you going to catch him?


    Because he knows where most of the stolen money is.


    And he¡¯s a witness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known him all my life!¡±


    Yeeees?


    ¡°That piece of shit. I trusted him! Where¡¯s my sword?¡±


    Finally.


    Arthur found the ensuing chase hilarious though short-lived. Her contract secure, she flew off to the nearest portal, soon appearing back in Kazar. Rather than returning to the bank, she flew on quick wings to the forest near the Hadal haven. A secluded meadow hid a tiny flower garden nestled against a brook. Arthur landed there and waited.


    The woman didn¡¯t show herself, but Arthur felt her all the same.


    Hello, Thirteen.


    ¡°Did it work?¡± she whispered.


    Yes.


    I will leave your reward with your human husband after he returns from the scout meeting.


    ¡°Good. I can spy again, if you want.¡±


    And I will reward you again if you do.


    For valuable pieces of information.


    ¡°Good. I will return to my children now.¡±


    She left.


    It¡¯s not insider trading.


    As a dragon, I am necessarily an outsider in human affairs.


    Satisfied, Arthur flew away with the sun at her back.

 Chapter 190: Recruitment Drive By

    Even with the teleporters shortening distances to a reasonable level, it still took Viv over five days of travel to find where her potential general was hiding from the nearest active portal. As to why it took so long, the answer was that he lived out in the fucking boonies.


    West of the port city of Zazas, the northern lands turned into wind-swept moors and craggy hills peppered with copses of small pines. It was a desolate place, sparsely populated by hardy folks who survived on hunting and fishing. The early fall brought cold rains from the ocean that left the trail muddy and slippery, the air chilled. Predators prowled at night in vain attempts to eat their horses. Viv was having a bad time. It took a lot of self-control to keep this fact to herself.


    Jaratalassi had been rather clear. Sahin, her potential strategist, was a genius the likes of which happened once in a generation. Jaratalassi had even attempted to train him as his heir. Unfortunately, the man happened to lack the political savviness required to navigate the ego mountain chain that was Paramese politics.


    Actually, that wasn¡¯t what Jaratalassi had said.


    Sahin didn¡¯t lack savviness. He just didn¡¯t give a shit. He had, apparently, a ¡®realistic¡¯ appraisal of his own talent and no inclination towards using it for other people. Fortunately for the world, the would-be Alexander happened to be the heir of one of the poorest lands around so he had no armed forces to take for a spin at world conquest. The natural resources of his tiny domain were fish, rain, and depression. It reminded Viv of England.


    She sighed and turned, watching her small retinue listlessly ride on the gravel road. One cart for supplies and one for gifts were all she¡¯d taken because on top of being supremely self-confident, her dear potential recruit happened to abhor showy displays, luxury, noise, and women. As in, female company. Not the gender.


    Viv had a bad feeling about this.


    For the trip, Viv had kept Rollo, who knew a lot about etiquette and represented the budding nobility. Lana was here as well to represent the mages while Ban Junior was the infantryman. She hadn¡¯t managed to convince Lak-Tak to come since he was too busy inventing napalm, and none of the Hadals were interested. Four people was a good number anyway. They also brought appropriate gifts to show proper respect. Viv¡¯s preparations were thorough.


    Finally, on the seventh day, the clouds parted on a picturesque little town overlooking the green expanse of the sea. Precious rays warmed empty fields, braying cattle, and the few locals braving the capricious weather. Fishing boats bobbed peacefully in the nearby bay, while a snaking path winded up a sheer cliff to the towering form of an ancient castle, its tall wall bearing the scars of a long life. Not all of them were caused by the weather.


    The first locals they came across were cloaked children sent out to do errands by displeased mothers, rain drying on their cloaks. They gawked at Viv like she was a ghost. Viv didn¡¯t take umbrage. She was, after all, coming from the land route which was unusual. Or perhaps it was the fact they were the only ethnically pale people in several leagues as well. Or maybe the black pseudo-wings behind her had something to do with it as well. The first adult to cross her path bowed properly at least. She happened to be an old gossip who was ecstatic to lead ¡®her ladyship¡¯ to the town¡¯s only inn.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see, they do the best fish pie in the realm!¡±


    Bleh. Viv would have settled for the worst pizza. At least the inn was clean and the innkeeper couple proved absolutely delighted to have new business in the off season. Viv had brought a lot of gold just in case, so she got the VIP treatment. At least the cart people would be properly lodged.


    Thus prepared and cleaned, Viv led her three companions up the steep path to the gates of the castle. They arrived in the early afternoon. By then, it had started to rain again.


    The fortress had a drawbridge. It was closed. There was even a moat, though it was empty of water and some trees had even started to grow in there.


    ¡°Not very auspicious,¡± Rollo commented.


    Viv didn¡¯t reply. She was busy studying the ancient and deactivated defenses. They¡¯d come across a few polite guards in the town itself, but here, the battlements were empty. Honestly, the castle itself was too small to hold a full garrison, much less a population of the size of the town they¡¯d left. They were about to enter a relic of lost age, as obsolete as it was imposing.


    ¡°Should we announce our presence?¡± Lana asked.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s grab the horn.¡±


    ¡°Would you not prefer to use a sound spell? It would announce our status as mage.¡±


    Viv sighed. One thing about being a mage was that you wanted to replace everything by mana. She was guilty of this as well.


    ¡°You want me to sing ¡®pwa pwa¡¯ instead? Or say ¡®hello, is somebody there¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lana scoffed, a little offended. ¡°We could announce who we are and demand to be let in!¡±


    ¡°Just ring the horn, Rollo, it will be shorter.¡±


    Before Lana could sulk, Viv explained that between the wind and the echo, they wouldn¡¯t be understood. Rollo blew twice cleanly while they talked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just be sober in our approach. I assure you, being assertive is pointless against Sahin. Nothing impresses him.¡±


    ¡°Not even intimidation, milady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe threatening a key strategic asset into compliance is a smart thing to do.¡±


    Lana blinked.


    ¡°This must be a Harrakan expression I have not yet studied, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Ugh. Still having an earth mindset. I was saying that it would be most unwise to threaten the man who shall wield one of my most powerful weapons, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°That does make sense, milady. I only hoped we could impress upon him the¡­ ah, to Maranor with it. Fine. I get your point.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± a hesitant voice said.


    On top of the walls, a mop of frizzy white hair mussed by the wind barely cleared the battlements. It belonged to an old man bearing an expression of intense embarrassment.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Viv said.


    ¡°I beg your pardon but would you happen to be visitors seeking entrance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, could you repeat that?¡±


    Viv huffed. A wave of her fingers and the sound between the two of them harmonized. Damn wind.


    ¡°I said, yes we are.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wonderful,¡± the man lied. ¡°Hmm, is this some manner of sorcery?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s harmless. That way we can talk without screaming our throats out. Now, would you kindly let us in? We¡¯re here to see Lord Sahin.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, and who may I be speaking to? Apologies for the lack of decorum but my master bid me ask.¡±


    ¡°My name is Viviane, current Empress of New Harrak. This is Ser Rollo, leader of the Order of the Blue Rose, Lana the Tideweaver, archmage, and Ban Junior, Sergeant of the One Hundred. We¡¯re seeking your master about potential employment, if it pleases him.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, so many titles. Ahem, fortunately you are not on the extensive list of banned persons¡­¡±


    The old man winced.


    ¡°Probably because my master is not yet aware of your existence. I would nevertheless warn you that your endeavor might be fruitless.¡±


    ¡°We were told of many failures. Now, will you open the drawbridge or do we continue our far speak session until nightfall?¡±


    ¡°Oh, terribly sorry, where are my manners? Ah, but there is the small matter of¡­ hmmm. Would you perhaps mind coming in through the secret passage? My old bones are not what they used to be and I can no longer lift the drawbridge after it comes down.¡±


    Viv resisted the urge to groan.


    ¡°We¡¯ll help. Some of us are really strong,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°And some of us even worked for it,¡± Rollo muttered.


    ¡°Hush you. I got stabbed for my awesome might.¡±


    ¡°Oh I couldn¡¯t possibly ask guests¡­¡±


    ¡°For the love of Sardanal open the damn thing, we¡¯ll help, alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh very well, very well.¡±


    The drawbridge slammed down. Viv walked in with confidence, dragging her horse behind her. The inner courtyard was an absolute wreck from dilapidated stable to cracked stairs. The only little spot of care was a tiny vegetable garden lovingly grown where the kennels used to be. Fat gourds sprouted from the glistening soil. As the group stopped, the man she¡¯d spoken to rushed down to meet them at a quick gait. He was remarkably short, and well-dressed. An unexpected sight.


    ¡°Hello, welcome!¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Viv replied. ¡°Nice tubers. Your work?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Old Lady Tillis ¡ª the cook ¡ª helps me on occasion. I find the task relaxing.¡±


    The majordomo winced. It seemed to be a common occurrence.


    ¡°I apologize for soliciting your help¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. Please show Ban here where the mechanism is? He will sort it out in moments.¡±


    The task proved a little more difficult than expected because Ban Junior did not, in fact, speak Northerner. After the false start, the majordomo led them inside through dusty gates to a frigid interior.


    Viv used the opportunity to study the castle¡¯s dormant magical enchantments. They were weak yet solid, a sign they could be reactivated. The flow was peculiar. It strengthened as she moved deeper in but only where she was, as if the castle was looking at her. The central locus of the enchantment curved back towards a distant shape on an upper level. For a moment, Viv thought it might be a core but the locus moved.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± she asked Lana.


    ¡°There are defenses around us, yes.¡±


    ¡°Not that. A moving origin. I think the castle is tied to the lord of the place. It might be a nascent artifact.¡±


    ¡°Those are extremely rare, and most of them are quite ancient¡­¡± the blue mage commented.


    It also meant that there were hidden measures, not that Viv intended to test them. The majordomo led them to a receiving room that happened to have the only working hearth around, warming a table large enough for a small group to have dinner. A separate table in the corner held books and accounting documents next to a bowl of candied nuts and a cup of tea. Viv suspected this might be the majordomo¡¯s working spot.


    ¡°Please wait here while I fetch the master. Ah, Tilly will serve tea quickly. Please excuse her lack of conversation ¡ª she is deaf and mute.¡±


    Viv sat down while the short man hurried off.


    This was the most passive aggressive way to tell visitors to fuck off she¡¯d ever experienced.


    ¡°Milady, this is highly irregular,¡± Rollo said. ¡°The lord of the house should have come to welcome us, or at least to take our measure! And there are no soldiers here? This¡­ man is failing at every possible duty or courtesy he could be expected to fulfill!¡±


    Viv nodded. A moment later, a grim old lady brought them ¡®tea¡¯ in cracked cups. Viv judged it was water with a passing acquaintance with some tea leaves. At least it was hot.


    She studied the distant shape of the nobleman above. It had not yet moved.


    The minutes passed. Ban Junior started to patrol the place while Lana meditated. The room was bare and poorly isolated, but the temperature was toasty thanks to some embers and the sheer energy of Rollo¡¯s incandescent rage. The knight was positively fuming.


    The table groaned under his grip when the majordomo returned, terribly embarrassed.


    ¡°The, ah, the master will be with you shortly. So he said. He bid you be comfortable in the meanwhile. I apologize for the poor show, oh dear oh dear¡­ I shall see if we can get some biscuits and candies, right away. Please excuse me.¡±


    Rollo breathed in and out hard once the door shut behind the hurrying servant.


    ¡°This little prick¡­¡±


    Viv weaved a sound isolation enchantment in an instant. She didn¡¯t want to be spied on.


    ¡°It¡¯s a test,¡± she explained.


    ¡°It¡¯s an insult! A deliberate provocation! Does he want to die? Does he not realize any of us could kill him where he stands?¡±


    Viv wondered about that. Well, no, she could kill him, no questions. But maybe he didn¡¯t know that. Or maybe he didn¡¯t care. That was more concerning.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°How can you be so calm?¡± Rollo asked again. ¡°I have started duels for less!¡±


    ¡°As I said, this is a test so I am trying not to take it personally. I suspect our dear general does not want to serve and if he decides to do it, he will only do so for people who have proven certain qualities.¡±


    ¡°A complete lack of spine?¡±


    ¡°Patience and humility, Rollo. These are the northern cities. Glastia had Medjin lead their troops for the most important battle of their existence rather than someone really competent. What is the point of being general if any two-bit prince can overrule you because you are merely a count? I am making assumptions here, but I imagine our recruit has little sympathy for those who pull rank. And there is reason to hope yet.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± Rollo spat.


    ¡°He has not asked us to leave yet,¡± Lana said from her lotus position.


    Rollo threw his hands up in the air, then devolved into angry mumblings. Viv let him be.


    The minutes turned to an hour. Rollo excused himself to look after the horses, which Viv allowed since it reduced the risks of shattered cups. Fresh cookies were soon served and Viv had to admit that they were pretty good.


    Outside, the sky darkened.


    Once the sun was about to set, Viv called back the majordomo who flatly apologized before she could even speak.


    ¡°I am terribly sorry, madam. I have told him repeatedly, however¡­ I do not know what to say!¡±


    ¡°That is alright, my good man. Unfortunately, the time to leave has come. Please extend my salutations to your master as well as a gift. A token of my appreciation.¡±


    She placed a small crate on the table.


    ¡°Permonn liquor from Reixa, Ducal Garden limited reserve. Six bottles, but as your master knows¡­¡±


    ¡°They cannot be bought. Very impressive. We ran out three years ago. It was my dear master¡¯s father¡¯s favorite.¡±


    ¡°I was led to believe he would appreciate it. I hope he does. They were not easy to obtain.¡±


    ¡°I will certainly let him know. Thank you madam, thank you. Will we¡­ see you tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°In the morning, if that is alright.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I shall be ready. I only hope my master will be as well. Still terribly sorry about this whole affair.¡±


    Viv nodded. They left by the bridge again, this time with Ban Junior shutting it after them and then jumping from the high wall as if it was a slightly high bench. Truly, a superhero moment. Rollo rode to Viv before they were a quarter of the way down the short slope.


    ¡°Are we going to return tomorrow? AGAIN? What if he does the same thing!¡±


    Viv gave him a calming look, patting his shoulder with benevolent patience.


    ¡°My dear Rollo, this is a competition that I am not willing to lose. Not after having spent a whole week on a damp saddle.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Right now, our dear host wishes to see how obnoxious he can get without overtly breaking the rules of hospitality, yes?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So nobody said he was the only player in that game. Rollo, would you say I can be a pain in the ass, sometimes?¡±


    ¡°To your foes? That would be a major understatement.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. By the way, I was recently wondering if I could still get drunk.¡±


    Rollo¡¯s frown turned into a smile of pure malice.


    ¡°Despite your strange constitution?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Let¡¯s find out.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I will require servants tomorrow. They will be properly compensated. A silver talent a day.¡±


    ¡°A silver! Milady, why, my niece is at your disposal.¡±


    ¡°I need four comely youngsters who know how to clean and cook, and two musicians.¡±


    ¡°Milady, young Kariss works as a traveling minstrel during the warm months ¡ª for weddings and such. Would he satisfy you?¡±


    ¡°That should do. A dancer as well then?¡±


    ¡°... Irlet is recently wedded, but she has always been a very lively dancer. Perhaps she will agree.¡±


    ¡°I will also require cold cuts, fruits, braised vegetables, fresh bread, desserts¡­¡±


    ¡°Naturally!¡±


    ¡°And your best alcohol.¡±


    ¡°We have root beer, some wine from Zazas¡­ Perhaps milady would be interested in hard liquor as well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a bit of everything.¡±


    By then, the innkeeper was rubbing his hands so fast they were on the verge of catching fire.


    ¡°Not to worry, milady, I will make sure you are kept in the best state to deal with our lord ¡ª no insult intended, of course.¡±


    ***


    By next morning, it was clear everyone in the village knew that Viv was here to recruit Sahin. It was also abundantly obvious he sent irate guests to fuck off with enough regularity that the villagers were looking forward to it every time. Viv still refused to get annoyed. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t display humility. It was that it was not her humility being tested right now, but her patience. Sahin was deliberately fucking with her and she wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction.


    This time, the majordomo slammed the drawbridge down before Viv could even ring the horn. He bowed again while Ban Junior made his way over to lift it back up.


    ¡°Welcome, Your Imperial Majesty, welcome!¡±


    The hired servants whispered between themselves, causing the majordomo to express confusion.


    ¡°Ah, I see you have brought company?¡±


    ¡°My dear Majordomo.¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°I realize that your master must be feeling indisposed right now?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a question but an out, one the poor man took with eagerness.


    ¡°Yes. He has ¡ª Yes, thank you for understanding.¡±


    ¡°Surely as a good host, he wouldn¡¯t deny us our creature comforts?¡±


    The majordomo frowned, but he couldn¡¯t see fault with her logic.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not? We are sorely lacking in our ability to welcome guests, to my eternal dismay.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be any issue. Same place?¡±


    The majordomo followed Viv as she strode back to the common room. The young servants hastened themselves to turn the place cozy with tablecloths, bowls of fruits ,and meats before disappearing into the kitchen. A blushing lad poured sweet wine into goblets for all four guests, then also for the majordomo at Viv¡¯s insistence.


    ¡°Perhaps your Tilly could take a break as well?¡±


    ¡°She must send our master¡¯s lunch to his chamber, later,¡± the man muttered with ever-increasing shame.


    ¡°No matter. Right. Some music!¡±


    Viv settled to wait, now missing a book or two. That was solved when the majordomo agreed to share his master¡¯s extensive collection. Lana then started a discussion on the nature of cold ¡ª an attack staple of both the blue and gray schools ¡ª and how Viv¡¯s tactical spell recreated the effects.


    By mid-morning, the dancer and musician were granted a pause so a tipsy pair of warriors could practice some wrestling movements, very slowly at first, then a bit faster since they were wearing armor. To Viv¡¯s mixed reaction, she realized she could not, in fact, really get drunk. As soon as she recognized that she was getting a bit mellow, the black mana in her body purged her blood stream and a cool feeling spread throughout her body, leaving her cold and a little weakened. It was weird how she had to be aware of it for the effect to start but in any case, it made the inebriation process just unpleasant ¡ª like a hangover without the fun part.


    The others were not having qualms. As noon approached, the servants had been invited to join the drinking party and their dancer was trying to make out with one of the servant girls. The noise was soon joined with the scent of some large animal being roasted in the kitchen.


    ¡°My master does not really enjoy meat, or the smell of its cooking,¡± the majordomo explained with a pained smile.


    ¡°Is that so? But he¡¯s not here right now. Surely, as a good host, he would not deny us the pleasure?¡±


    Viv gave the majordomo a pointed look. It was at this moment, she believed, that he realized she was fighting back.


    ¡°It is only fair,¡± the old man replied, defeated.


    The roast came with a side of baked tubers, and the braised greens Viv had requested. Lana was singing and dancing by then and no efforts to stop her succeeded on account of her using blue mana to zip around the pavement.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot!¡± Viv told the majordomo over a rowdy song. ¡°I have the second gift for your master.¡±


    She looked up. The lord of the house was currently pacing in his room, the first signs of agitation since she¡¯d come.


    ¡°It¡¯s a thin dueling sword forged in the fires of our factories, then enchanted by Neriad¡¯s servants. I believe this is your master¡¯s weapon of choice?¡±


    ¡°It is so, yes.¡±


    ¡°Every aspect of this blade, from the design to the raw materials, were developed and processed in New Harrak. I hope it will suit him.¡±


    ¡°I shall convey your gift, Your Imperial Majesty. Right away.¡±


    ¡°My good man.¡±


    After he was gone, a lull in the songs led to more drinking since the dancers and improvised dancers were all tired.


    ¡°Milady, you have an artifact that sings Earth music, yes?¡± Rollo asked.


    He was finally smiling. It was probably a combination of alcohol and the general festive mess the Harrakans were spreading throughout the secluded castle.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°I have to ask,¡± he continued, patting one of the serving lads on the head, ¡°do you happen to have famous artists who were, shall we say¡­¡±


    ¡°Who preferred male companionship when it came to love?¡±


    ¡°Gay, yes.¡±


    ¡°Why of course, plenty. We can start with the classics. Maybe some Freddy Mercury.¡±


    ¡°You have my interest.¡±


    ***


    One hour later.


    ¡°HEEEEEERE WE AAAAARE. BOOORN TO BE KINGS!¡±


    Viv resisted the urge to block her ears. Damn. Rollo had an insane pair of lungs on him. Maybe a skill? Also, he was completely bare chested and she had to admit it was a nice view. It was Conan the musical.


    ¡°WE¡¯RE THE PRINCES OF THE UNIVEEEEEERSE!¡±


    The sound enchantment made the windows shake with the dududun of an angry piano.


    ¡°HERE WE BELONG, FIGHTING TO SURVIIIIIVE!¡±


    Rollo grabbed the nearest chair, swinging it around like a claymore. The improvised weapon groaned under his massive strength. The servant who¡¯d been obviously reconsidering his sexual orientations since this morning followed with the movements with a look of terrible longing that made Viv wonder if they¡¯d be returning with one more recruit than she¡¯d accounted for. Maybe the Order Master was contagious?


    ¡°WOOSH WOOSH!¡±


    Now having exhausted the integrality of his English vocabulary, Rollo roared in tune with the song. The chair clipped an empty bottle of booze. It flew out of the nearest window.


    ¡°Did I tell you I tink you¡¯re kind of naish?¡± Lana asked as she did her best to climb on a much taller Viv.


    ¡°Alwaysh thought you might turn into a bad person but you¡¯re not and you¡¯re naish and I was a bad person for doubting you. Uuuuuuuuh. Sorryyyyy,¡± Lana finished, tears of gratitude dropping from her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re feeling better Lana. You¡¯ve healed so much since coming here.¡±


    ¡°Yesh. And now I sleep.¡±


    ¡°PRINCES OF THE UNIVEEEEEERSE!¡±


    The revels lasted until nightfall. When Viv left, satisfied, the master of the place was still pacing.


    ***


    The next morning, Viv showed up at the castle with enough alcohol to knock out a squad, twice as many singers, greasy food, and a large white cloth she intended to hang on a wall so she could expose Nyil to the wonders of Audrey Hepburn. She¡¯d also brought her third and last gift: a rare tea plant Arthur had torn off from some remote valley.


    ¡°My master will receive you now,¡± the majordomo said with a knowing smile.


    She¡¯d won the battle of attrition.


    ¡°Aw. I sort of wanted to watch Roman Holidays again. Oh well.¡±


    ***


    The majordomo left Viv alone in a small bedroom covered wall to wall in packed bookshelves. Exquisitely carved board games lay on a large table, their pieces carefully labeled. Several showed ongoing games, with letters piled on the side. It smelled faintly of old paper.


    The master of the house himself stood by a small balcony with his hands behind his back.


    Sahin was a slight man, with painfully thin limbs and an androgynous figure made more obvious by close-fitting clothes. His hair was completely shaved, leaving only dark skin visible. He turned to study Viv in turn.


    He inspected her so she did the same. Strategist. Second step of the path.


    It really wasn¡¯t much to speak of at first sight. Aristocratic features twisted into a crooked smile. Sahin was amused. Viv, much less so.


    ¡°I suppose we can bring our little game to a stop. I would be offended if I had not started it.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might appreciate some turnaround, a bit of spine and a bit of smile. Northern nobles are not known for their patience, or for their sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°Indeed not. Now that we have gotten this out of the way, would you care for a game of ¡®chess¡¯?¡±


    Viv joined him across a clean board. It wasn¡¯t chess per se but an equivalent that Varska had been fond of and that Viv really didn¡¯t enjoy. She much preferred asymmetrical games with a fog of war, and even then she wasn¡¯t good at them.


    Sahin absolutely demolished her in less than twenty moves three times in a row.


    ¡°You can learn much about someone by playing them,¡± he commented.


    ¡°So I have been told. And what did you learn about me?¡± Viv replied without annoyance. There had been no doubts in her mind she would get stomped.


    ¡°That you are bad at it and do not expect to sway me to your cause by impressing me with your own acumen.¡±


    ¡°Very astute. And no, I don¡¯t have the mind of a strategist. That¡¯s why I would like to have you lead our army.¡±


    Sahin slowly replaced the pieces on the board.


    ¡°And yet, I seem to recall you were victorious on many occasions. To what do you attribute such success?¡±


    ¡°Competent underlings, good training, good gear, simple plans.¡±


    Sahin nodded as he finished his task. All of his gestures were slow and deliberate, purposeful, as if he were a pure soul piloting a body rather than a person. Even Abe felt more natural.


    ¡°I see. Would you say that you forged a mighty sword only to realize you didn¡¯t know how to wield it?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know how to use a sword: stick the pointy end in your opponent.¡±


    That got her a chuckle.


    ¡°I accept your argument. Ah, but tell me at least, is there anyone among your men who enjoys chess?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not exactly a man but I believe you could play Solfis. Maybe you could even challenge him a little.¡±


    Sahin searched Viv¡¯s expression.


    ¡°You are serious. Well, consider me interested.¡±


    He leaned forward on the table.


    ¡°I will be direct. There is a reason why I have so far rejected all the offers I received, the more insistent ones forcing me to resort to vulgarity. I will not apologize but I will admit that I treated you unfairly in the hope that you would leave. Now, I¡¯d like to know what makes you believe I should serve you.¡±


    Viv leaned back into her seat, rather more comfortable now that they were talking.


    ¡°I think it would be better if we started with what you want. General Jaratalassi recommended you. He said that you were his most promising student, yet now you are a strategist without an army.¡±


    She spread her arms across the room.


    ¡°Strategy games, battle reports, essays on tactics, memoirs of great leaders¡­ Your office is filled with clear signs of interest, and yet you have refused all offers to serve. I would like to know why so we can proceed from there.¡±


    Sahin chuckled.


    ¡°Tell me, do you believe your cause is just? That your nation is the superior one?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Viv replied without a single second of hesitation.


    He chuckled, a condescending sound. Viv spoke again before he could say more.


    ¡°You will not find a motivated leader that doesn¡¯t believe in some cause because the investment and sacrifices are too great. Whether they¡¯re right or wrong is irrelevant. I don¡¯t see why you would want to work with someone who will not give it their all.¡±


    ¡°Let me rephrase, then. Do you believe it to be an honor for me to serve you? Do you believe that I should be abjectly grateful for the chance of furthering your own agenda?¡±


    It was Viv¡¯s turn to wince.


    ¡°Well, how should I put it?¡±


    She slapped her hands together.


    It was always sad to admit it.


    ¡°I have gathered some of the most diverse and colorful collection of elites in history because I don¡¯t tell people they should fall on their knees in my august presence. Mostly I leave everyone alone to find their own sources of happiness, and they gather to my banner when we have to fight. Sometimes I feel as if I were herding cats. So no, I¡¯ll not pretend that you, a northerner I¡¯ve never met, should cry tears of joy in my presence. We¡¯re negotiating. I¡¯m aware of that. You¡¯ve still not told me what you want, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I was leading to it,¡± Sahin replied. ¡°Tea?¡±


    Viv accepted. It was the tea she¡¯d offered him anyway, and she¡¯d not gotten to try it.


    It tasted bitter and pretentious.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said anyway.


    ¡°When discussing with foreign dignitaries, it sometimes pays to make them realize that some people do not see the world as they do, with them at the top. I see I will not have to go through this dance with you. We have now determined that I have no reason to follow your banner, now, I will also tell you why I refuse to be general. It is simply that I will not be allowed to take command.¡±


    He waited for her to react.


    ¡°Are you referring to the political aspect of leading?¡± she finally asked.


    ¡°I am a strategist. I felt your inspection. You know I lack practice but I will still confirm what the old man told you: I am the best. I am not a chancellor or a prime minister or whatever title is given to a man who juggles personalities. I am not the one who will coordinate the warlords jealously controlling fighters who should be yours to obey without question. If I give orders to knights to hold, they should hold. And wait. But they do not, because their honor is at stake, and they cannot afford the other order of knight to tally more kills or their position will be endangered. I cannot abide this. I understand I am not moving pieces across a board, but if I am to fail, it must be on my own merits.¡±


    Viv hesitated there. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was missing something or¡­


    ¡°You have led an army before?¡±


    ¡°Only during training.¡±


    ¡°But people make mistakes, misunderstand orders and so on. They attack the wrong hills. They extend the lines too far, or miss a spot, or a tunnel, or they spot enemies and believe they are allies. This is inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Not when you have a strategist,¡± he replied, placing his hands on the table.


    Well, that was why she was trying to recruit him anyway.


    ¡°Fair. So, New Harrak is in a relatively unique position because there are no entrenched elites yet. Well, except for me. Everyone is new. There are no ancient grudges or deep conflicts of interest, although I assume it¡¯s only a matter of time, especially because I am going to implement some changes. What matters is that I accept objections and discussions during the planning phase, but when we fight, we fight. And one more thing. The men and women under my command do not fight for one commander or a barony: they fight for Harrak, and for themselves. Their own future.¡±


    ¡°I find that hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°I give my people newly cleared land and the right to elect their local leaders. New Harrakans have the most freedom and responsibilities of all people on this continent. That¡¯s why when they go to war, they do it for an idea, not for a person. You¡¯ll see that it makes a world of difference.¡±


    The general remained quiet.


    ¡°We have war golems, mage cadres, Harrakan heavies¡­¡±


    Oh, she was getting to him now.


    ¡°Hadal scouts, armored carts that spit non-magical fire¡­¡±


    ¡°You jest?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Oh, and a dragon. But she won¡¯t listen to orders, only to suggestions.¡±


    The man tittered on the fence. Viv could see he was intrigued if nothing else.


    ¡°You would answer to me and to me only, and I only have one requirement: lead us to success with as few casualties as possible. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s your one duty. So long as you do this, you will have my full support. The others can complain all they want but we¡¯re here for New Harrak, not for pride.¡±


    She almost had him.


    ¡°Three months. Serve me three months. I will test you just as you test us and should you not be convinced, I will personally escort you back, and you will never hear from me again.¡±


    Sahin nodded, very slowly.


    ¡°This chess player you mentioned better be amazing.¡±


    ***


    Three days later.


    Viv flew in to see her new general in his fancy uniform walk from the giant chess board with a full-throated laugh. He did not even acknowledge her as he strutted, happy as a clam.


    Viv looked at the board. It was a nice golem construction with human-sized pieces that were easier and more entertaining to push around. The game was already over, with the eliminated pieces standing at the edge.


    ¡°Who won?¡± she asked Solfis.


    //Your Majesty, please.


    //I was playing Irlefen centuries before this whelp¡¯s birth.


    //He has some skills, of course.


    //But he still has much to learn.


    //I hope you were not expecting me to roll over.


    ¡°Of course not. It will be much easier to keep him entertained if you crush him every time.¡±


    //I find your minions endlessly confusing.


    //However, I will never say no to crushing humans.


    ¡°I can always count on you, Solfis dear.¡±


    ***


    It might have looked like a hovel, but Poacher¡¯s den was actually a carefully built warren with several exits, just the way she liked it. It was safe. It was hers. There was meat in the larder.


    The sound of hooves distracted her from her mushroom infusion. Curses! Who was it this time? She crawled to her lookout to take a gander, finding the familiar sight of black plate splattered with pretty blue flowers.


    ¡°The fuck he wants?¡± she mumbled for herself.


    ¡°Poacher, come out, I know you¡¯re here you old fox.¡±


    ¡°This ain¡¯t no place for you, Rollo! It¡¯s my rest day. Fuck off!¡±


    ¡°I bring you the deed to your land as well as your new title, courtesy of the Empress.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already my land,¡± she grumbled.


    And then it hit her.


    ¡°What do you mean, title?¡±


    ¡°The Empress is giving her elites proper titles and land. They¡¯re on loan with the job though. You¡¯re Viscountess of the bog.¡±


    The man¡¯s face split into a nasty grin.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    Poacher¡¯s world was collapsing around her.


    ¡°Wait, wait, viscountess? Does that mean I gotsa take baths now?!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! And you will also have to MARRY!¡±


    ¡°Nooooooooooooo!¡±

 Bob Mass Release.

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 Chapter 191: Controlled growth

    Ban surveyed the newest seven warriors joining the One Hundred, as seven others would leave it. The One Hundred needed people at the top, and there were few who could do this in all seasons. Warriors who¡¯d been part of the One Hundred even once were called ¡®Numbers¡¯ in the other regiments. It was a mark of honor.


    Two of them were returnees. Kinei was an old Enorian who stood at the edge of what the One Hundred demanded. He tried to join every season as a matter of pride. Sometimes, as was the case today, he made the cut. Prideful twit, but solid and dependable.


    Sal was a northerner and one of the deadliest spearmen in Harrak, trained by Lady Wamiri herself. He¡¯d left for the Children of the Scale to personally take over his little sister¡¯s squad. The poor sods must have been put through Enttiku¡¯s gauntlet if he was satisfied with the results.


    Ban nodded. Of the five newcomers, most were young warriors coming into their own. There was even a second woman so Brick would have company. Not like she¡¯d notice.


    ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± he said. ¡°For the five of you who join us for the first time, well done lads. And lass. You¡¯re the best New Harrak has to offer. I am proud to go to battle with you lot at my side.¡±


    It was an emotional moment for the green bloods. Ban ignored the wet eyes. Ah, to be young again.


    ¡°Now that that¡¯s out of the way, let me ask you a simple question. As you know, we¡¯re the Empress¡¯ personal guard. Now, do you think someone who flies around slapping dragons and dueling avatars needs a bunch of grunts like us to save her? Do you believe we¡¯re here to protect the deadliest mage on Param?¡±


    The five didn¡¯t shuffle, but he could tell their enthusiasm was a bit dampened. That was fine. Ban was an old hand at this.


    ¡°I asked you a fucking question.¡±


    ¡°No sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Thaaaat¡¯s right. So why are we the best of the best, equipped with runic armor and the best steel the yries can make? Why do I hand pick every last one of you meatheads? Why do I spend my valuable time making sure you¡¯re as sharp as can be? Hm? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell ya. It¡¯s because we¡¯re not here to guard the empress. We¡¯re here to guard the shit she cares about so she can fly around one tapping house-sized aberrants. We are the tip of the empire¡¯s spear. We are the cornerstone of the formation. We charge across the battlefield and plant our asses where we are needed, and then we hold the line. Come line breakers or knights or mage bombardment, we hold the line. The crossbow girls and the other regiments can look ahead and do their job because we¡¯re in the front and they know we won¡¯t be fucking moving. Isn¡¯t that right folks?¡±


    The One Hundred didn¡¯t scream or speak like the others, but they did slam the butt of their steel spears on the ground in a loud, uniformed thud.


    ¡°I say again, we¡¯re the tip of the spear, and we ram that spear down the throat of anyone who thinks they can fuck with our beloved nation. You will follow me and we will sit ourselves at the front where the killing¡¯s the thickest, and you can rest, stop, or die when I fucking say so. Am I being clear?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s go. The Empress wants to try out her new strategist. Dismissed.¡±


    As his men ¡ª and women now, had to remember that ¡ª moved to pick up their packs, Ban turned to the waiting Rollo to see what the arrogant twat had to say. The knight had waited at the entrance of the camp, on foot. A mark of respect. Ban liked him for it.


    ¡°Ser Rollo, greetings. What do ya want?¡±


    ¡°In the future, you might prefer ¡®to what do I owe the pleasure?¡¯¡± the fucker replied with a snide smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one for the fancy shit.¡±


    ¡°Well you might want to get a start on that. Congratulations. You are being promoted to viscount.¡±


    Ban paled.


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    ¡°I could not be more serious. By imperial decree, no less.¡±


    It was the girl, for sure. That sneaky bitch.


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°Her Imperial yadda yadda will explain it in person during a ceremony but as far as I can see, it¡¯s a trick to pay us less. We get land, we get people to administer ¡ª and tax ¡ª and we pay less taxes, but in return we need to buy our own gear.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a trick so the other nations don¡¯t look down on our elites so much?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are more reasons, yes.¡±


    ¡°Gods dammit Rollo. Wait, are you becoming a noble as well?¡±


    ¡°Ban. I am a noble. I was just granted the land to match.¡±


    ¡°Arrogant twit.¡±


    The knight¡¯s smile deserved its own set of slaps.


    ¡°Please, viscount. No need for us to be uncivil, yes? I will see you at the ceremony. Oh, and do bring your wife, yes? She is nominated as well, after all.¡±


    If Ban could pale even further, he would.


    ***


    Viv was kind of sorry to have to reinvent feudalism, but with the increasing load on her administration, she simply didn¡¯t have a choice. The petition line to the throne room was longer than she could shake a void stick at, and that was almost every damn day. And it didn¡¯t concern the tens of thousands of isolated people still waiting for metal tools in their faraway enclaves on the coast. Or the Hadals who wouldn¡¯t be seen in public. Or the innumerable issues that came with refugees and immigrants clashing over laws they were not familiar with. New Harrak was doing well but it was also an absolute mess right now. She needed to offload some of the pressure. She needed¡­ middle managers.


    So, nobles yeah. Mostly, she¡¯d given ¡®margrave¡¯ titles to mayors and exceptional local rulers with the caveat that they could be voted out, and viscount and higher titles to elites and specialists like Solar who couldn¡¯t be arsed to rule but needed some way to be recognized. The unexpected benefit came from the hordes of ambitious people outperforming themselves in the hope of getting the Imperial seal of nobility.


    Viv knew this would come to bite her in the ass at some point, and she had already formed an order of arbiters hand picked from the clergy to keep an eye out for abuse. It still felt iffy to her modern tastes. Nobles formed factions and groups of interest and then they¡¯d be entrenched as maintainers of the status quo. She just couldn¡¯t think of another way to bring order out of the primordial chaos New Harrak was right now.


    Her only hope was to keep social mobility alive.


    Actually, come to think of it, she could also defenestrate uppity entitled assholes on a regular basis. Or give them to Solfis for collection. Hmmm there was an idea.


    ¡°Concerned about having to redesign the guillotine?¡± Sidjin asked by her side.


    ¡°Nah. Well, maybe. Mostly this goes against what my people have fought for for generations¡­ but those were different times and muskets can go a long way towards promoting equality. Anyway¡­ Oh, here¡¯s Ban.¡±


    The old man strode through the entrance of the throne room wearing a nice doublet. As expected, he was practically fuming, but there was also a sort of fear here that didn¡¯t sit well with Viv. He had more courage when facing the fake dinosaur thing.


    ¡°Ban! Welcome. And I see you brought your¡­¡±


    Even with advanced stats, Viv couldn¡¯t quite believe her eyes when she saw the newcomer.


    Well, to be fair, she should have expected it given the fact Ban junior was a looker, but still, goddamn!


    Ban¡¯s wife.


    As tall as Viv. Face cute as a button, blushing in embarrassment. Raw, wholesome charm dripping from a shy smile. Liquid eyes that captivated. Lush, curly hair like sun-kissed obsidian.


    The body proportions of a Greek goddess. Aphrodite, specifically.


    ¡°Hmm, hello?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what I was worried about¡­¡± the old man grumbled.


    Viv ignored him to give the woman a warm smile, but the poor thing couldn¡¯t meet Viv¡¯s eyes. It was really strange to see such a lack of confidence on someone as tall as her.


    ¡°Welcome to the celebration, err, ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Laira.¡±


    ¡°Laira. Make yourself comfortable. Ban? Everything alright?¡± Viv continued as his wife did her best to merge into a nearby wall. It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was worried about. Attention! I told her she didn¡¯t have to come but she insisted.¡±


    ¡°I had to be here for you,¡± a little voice squealed.


    ¡°She¡¯s safe here,¡± Viv insisted.


    But Ban merely scowled.


    ¡°Come on, you can trust people here.¡±


    ¡°And her as well,¡± Sidjin added, trying to contain his laugh. ¡°She can behave in public. promise.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re afraid of me? I¡¯m kind of insulted,¡± Viv huffed.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve never heard of generals with beautiful wives who go ¡®missing¡¯ on the frontline and the king suddenly shows a keen interest in the widow?¡±


    ¡°Look, Ban, I know you¡¯ve been through some bad experiences, but I¡¯m not like the normal kings around, right? I think I¡¯ve demonstrated that?¡±


    ¡°I also know that you¡¯re sword and spell.¡±


    Viv frowned. Was that an expression?


    ¡°You follow two paths. You dive and you climb. You¡¯re on both sides of the civil war.¡±


    ¡°I think he means you like girls, also,¡± Sidjin helpfully whispered.


    ¡°Yeah yeah I got it. But I¡¯m not an animal. I find your suspicions aggravating.¡±


    Ban sighed.


    ¡°Apologies, girl. I know. I am merely worried. My wife is¡­ very attractive. And too shy for her own good. She cannot defend herself well.¡±


    ¡°Just kindly ask Arthur to keep an eye on her.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Now that is an idea.¡±


    ¡°That way, if anyone burns with passion for her, you can, ah, complete the combustion.¡±


    Ban relaxed when he realized he was on friendly grounds.


    ¡°I feel better knowing I can trust you. And I will be keeping an eye on the other.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Viv said, trying to cheer the old bugger up. ¡°I think you can trust Rollo as well.¡±


    ***


    The army deployed in front of Asterley, the next city on their hopping trip to the capital. Viv had picked Asterley for four reasons.


    First, it was remarkably well-preserved, a bit like Sinur¡¯s Gate. That meant standing structures. It also meant treasure, and a lot of it, which led to the second reason. New Harrak was always strapped for cash. Hard. Despite record harvests, quick expansion meant a massive need for investment that the banks could not cover alone. Almost all of Viv¡¯s money was bound to one project or another, and it was the same for Sidjin and other rich patrons of the industry. Personal wealth couldn¡¯t cover a nation¡¯s budget. They needed resources, and the best way to get those resources was to put the oversized army to work.


    And so she did, and for reason number three, they were pushing north. Viv needed reasonable access to Harrak and its untold wealth, but she couldn¡¯t just ferry stuff herself. They needed temporary bases on the way or each portal network node would be overwhelmed with powerful undead every time they smelled some life energy.


    And four, she needed to challenge Sahin. Jaratalassi might have great instincts, but Sahin remained untried. It wasn¡¯t enough that he had potential. She needed to make sure he was up to the task, and facing an undead horde while she watched was the best test she could think of.


    As an additional penalty, Sahin didn¡¯t have access to Sidjin, golems, or Arthur. The golems usually practiced by themselves and their coordination outdid that of humans by a significant margin anyway. They didn¡¯t need a strategist.


    Viv returned her attention to the walls of Asterley. On Sahin¡¯s command, Frosthawk and a couple of other mages sabotaged a segment until it fell, forming a small mound of piled bricks. A moment later, the life lure was triggered.


    Viv felt the life pulse expand like a breath, bringing a fresh puff of fresh wind to the dry and tasteless air of the deadlands. The answer was immediate. The deadlands were still immensely vast, still immeasurably deadly, and it would not relinquish its hold without fighting every step of the way. The call was made, and the dead answered it. Screams, roars, the cries of centuries of corpses crawled through the gap in the fallen city¡¯s defenses. Revenants ran through the opening while crawlers hoisted their ghoulish frames over the walls. Outside of the city, racing groups of puppeteers gathered the stoutest undead to infuse them with renewed frenzy. Dark fliers gathered overhead to challenge Frosthawk¡¯s dominion.


    Viv hadn¡¯t seen so many advanced undead since the necromancer couple back in Fort Sky, an eternity ago.


    Frosthawk flew to meet the new threats. Viv watched him freeze a sort of giant bat solid, causing it to fall to the dusty ground where it exploded into fetid chunks. Meanwhile, the army moved like never before.


    Viv had always believed the Harrakans moved with discipline and they did, thanks to their exacting training, but they still moved like people. Now, the whole formation coordinated like a smooth body, more organic than should have been possible. Three liberators moved up to blanket the gap in flames, each one alternating with the other so that there would always be something firing. Gut spillers with their horned heads spewed liquids to quench the flames almost as fast as they started. Meanwhile, precise volleys of infused bolts took out crawlers and puppeteers with deadly precision. The witchpact fired from elevated dirt towers that gave them a commanding view of the field. Viv liked the way they were spread out.


    It was not enough, of course, and the heavies were soon in contact. There, Sahin¡¯s touch proved once again useful. Each rank rotated to let people rest while the main squares moved to receive larger groups in the most efficient manner possible. It was like watching a living, breathing organism punching approaching insects. As the minutes went by, the army held well.


    Then a massive creature with a thick shell smashed through another part of the wall, opening a second front. Sahin reacted immediately. Pinpoint strikes from the yries catapults covered that opening. Meanwhile, the army advanced, with the witchpact leaving their improvised towers behind.


    ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡± Viv wondered as the humans marched towards the approaching ¡ª and still intact ¡ª hulk.


    As they were about to make contact, Abenezigel unleashed a mighty spell. Black threads appeared over the undead creature like so many strings to cut, which he did with the help of some solid marksman work. Every time a thread snapped, the undead creature stumbled, parts of its body crumbling to dust. It died before making contact.


    After that, the formation smoothly moved around the carcass like water flowing around a rock. Sahin sat the One Hundred at the second gap while the line breakers climbed the walls, going to work on the crawlers still there. Once they were covered, two of the liberators advanced to create a kill zone on every approaching street. Shortly after, the witch pact scaled the walls as well so they could take potshots. The entire Harrakan formation was now a turtling fortress using the houses and walls as natural anchors. The only dangerous creatures were easily taken out by Abe before they could cause much damage.


    It went like this for ten minutes. The tide turned into a wave, then to a trickle, and the tired and wounded were given the time to rest.


    Viv wondered if bringing Abe was cheating but to be fair, most armies this size had dangerous elites more or less on his level.


    Ah whatever. The New Harrakans had plenty of strong individual fighters. It made sense to use them like this. And the main point, which was that strategists allow formations to move as if linked by their mind, had been made. With Sahin only on the second step, still, this was an auspicious development.


    Now she only needed to pay one more extremely valuable addition to her cause. Ugh. It never stopped. With a sigh, she lowered herself next to the command group and the meditating form of her strategist. He had an array of far speakers arranged in front of him, but wasn¡¯t speaking right now. She took it that it was a good time to talk.


    Nobody was surprised when she softly landed. The only weird element was how exhausted Sahin seemed to be. His skin was pale and clammy despite the chilly weather.


    ¡°Well, you are certainly proving yourself. Now I would like to ask what your experience is so far?¡± Viv asked.


    The sweat on Sahin¡¯s brow redoubled. He blinked, and Viv wondered if she had distracted him at the wrong moment because he looked ready to keel over.


    ¡°Good. Excellent. On the army side, that is. The vast array of forces at your disposal and their capabilities is simply unheard of, especially for a young and small nation. I am genuinely impressed. Yes. I will also say¡­¡±


    He vacillated and Viv approached, ready to pick him up. He waved her concerns away.


    ¡°I will say that they perform exactly as requested on the field. Between their discipline and those wonderful ¡®radio¡¯ spells you have come up with, I believe we can take on a force several...¡±


    He breathed in deeply.


    ¡°Several times our size. Ugh.¡±


    Sahin grabbed a piece of soft cloth which he used to wipe his soaked face.


    ¡°However, do I have a complaint? Request?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You let the others know about my recruitment, did you not?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Yes, I told them I was going to see you.¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ this. The¡­ test of patience?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Errr, no, not me, but perhaps Rollo did?¡±


    She was confused.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because we have been practicing for several days, as you know, and on the first day of exercise, someone snuck into my house and, despite many alarms and the presence of my majordomo, managed to steal all the socks. All of them. I found them bundled outside.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°On the second day, all of the water in my tent was frozen solid. I had to request a mage for warm water, or I would not have had any tea.¡±


    ¡°How dreadful.¡±


    ¡°One of your golems accidentally stepped on my favorite pair of shoes.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re soles now. And on the third day, I kept seeing shadows at the edge of my field of vision.¡±


    ¡°That would be the Hadals.¡±


    ¡°All day long. It made me quite nervous, as you can imagine. The next day, I found that my metal chair was slightly bent, so that only three feet would touch the ground at any time unless I leaned forward which would set the chair on its last leg, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°The Heavies do pride themselves on their strength.¡±


    ¡°I eventually made a remark and the yries came to me to apologize in the name of the others.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    ¡°They seemed friendly.¡±


    ¡°They hold grudges.¡±


    ¡°Engineer Lak-Tak brewed me a pot of tea as a gesture of appreciation. He shared it with me.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh. Did it taste sweet?¡±


    ¡°It was sweetened with honey, yes.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    ¡°Very sweet. The honey was a potent hallucinogenic. So I have gathered.¡±


    He blinked back tears.


    ¡°I need to ask. Are there really dragons flying over the field right now?¡±


    Viv looked up without alarm.


    ¡°Hm? Oh yes, that¡¯s Arthur and Gale. They¡¯re probably just curious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good. Good. That is good. I was not sure. And the tentacles on the horizon expanding into infinity?¡±


    ¡°Most likely the honey. Or you might be seeing the yries god.¡±


    ¡°This is not a comforting thought.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not hostile. For now.¡±


    ¡°Very reassuring. Now, what was I saying? Ah yes. The request. Please ask your people to stop.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m not really in favor of hazing so I¡¯ll ask them, of course. Errrr. Carry on.¡±


    ¡°Please please please do.¡±


    ***


    The life of a thrall was a difficult one. The girl, specifically, was one of the lucky few learned thralls. That meant that she was mostly left alone by the men of the tribe and she had food pretty often. Scraps from the table of the chief-of-chiefs, mostly, but it beat being used as Scalehound bait. Or laboring in the fields until you dropped. Today was a good day as well. The raiders had returned from the lands of the pale imperials with shipments of slaves. The thrall was not sure why the unpainted ones had broken the uneasy truce they had with the chief-of-chiefs, but she knew the chief-of-chief had gathered his best warriors to teach them a lesson.


    The thrall girl didn¡¯t like lessons. The warriors were first, then the hunters, then the laborers, then the thralls, and then the slaves or prisoners. The shamans and chiefs stood above in their own world. This was how the world worked. The tribes raided the lands of the unpainted children of the fallen king. If the fallen ones offered tribute, there were less raids. If they didn¡¯t, well, cages overflowed with the women and children of those they¡¯d slain. Such was the case now, though the prisoners were still few. It was only the beginning of the time of harvests, after all. More would soon follow.


    She approached the throne on soft toes. She had the right to be here, she had to tell herself, even as mighty warriors eyed her with haughty disgust. She had to be on hand in case the chief-of-chiefs needed to understand the babbles of terrified prisoners. Sometimes, some of them held worthy secrets that could be used to plan juicy raids.


    There, next to the throne, she found what she wanted. There was the leg of a fowl with a lot of the meat still attached. If she could just sneak in a little closer¡­


    The thrall girl almost barred the way of a shaman apprentice. The taller girl gave her a dismissive glance through the slits of her bone helmet before moving on. She had muscle, a hale skin, slightly tanned from the summer heat. The thrall breathed now that the danger had passed. She grabbed the fowl leg and turned away. from the warriors standing around the throne.


    In the chaos of the feast, she stood alone, her side to the monumental stone where the chief-of-chiefs sat. She was at the heart of the tribes yet so very alone and so very exposed, safe because the eyes of the beast were turned outward. She bit down. It was greasy and delicious and the juice almost dripped from her lips when her teeth bit the tender flesh. She swallowed the meat too fast. The ball hurt her throat on the way down, making her crave water but her mouth was already gnawing on a piece of crispy skin forgotten near the end. Delicious. So good it was almost enough to cry. So hungry.


    [Attention to the master] picked up the Chief-of-chief¡¯s displeasure an instant later. Her class instincts let her regretfully place the bone on the ground. Maybe she¡¯d find it again before the hounds got to it. She hurried her way through the crowd of curious retinue for fear of punishment, should she delay. The room was mostly silent now, and the tables at the side of the longhouse were filled with gasping warriors, their eyes struck with disbelief, because there was a stranger in their midst. A man, with wavy black hair and a scar on his cheek. The thrall found him very handsome, and his clothes were finer than anything she¡¯d ever seen before. Metal glinted under his cloak. With wealth like that, he might have been a chief himself.


    The stranger strode in the monster¡¯s den, perhaps unaware that he would leave without his gear or without his life. To the thrall¡¯s side, the chief-of-chiefs leaned forward with the predatory smile of a Rakath. Meanwhile, the shamans moved. They didn¡¯t look too pleased. She heard a few say he was a shaman as well.


    It was exciting, but also terrifying. The chief-of-chief¡¯s anger seeped to her, making her tremble. Her spine stooped through the rough shift, moved by the [meek] skill to protect her from aggression.


    The foreign prince walked with a confidence that made her heart beat faster. He was either very brave or a fool. Maybe, if the chief-of-chiefs didn¡¯t kill him, she could sneak a visit in the thrall cages so she could talk to him. His skin was so dark! The novelty of it all was enough to chase the fear away. She didn¡¯t want this moment to end. She didn¡¯t want reality to catch up with her hope for something better¡­ but fate didn¡¯t wait. The stranger reached the throne, stopping at a distance. The shamans hissed in the ears of the chief-of-chiefs, who stood. He was a massive man, and the thrall cowered again.


    The foreign prince was not afraid.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that little mud rat?¡± the thrall girl¡¯s master roared.


    She moved forward at a quick gait. The chief-of-chiefs didn¡¯t like to wait.


    ¡°Ask him what he wants,¡± he said, and the tone was the calm that heralded punishment.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she said in the tongue of the fallen nation, ¡°My master¡­ inquires as to the reason for your visit?¡± she asked.


    The stranger breathed deeply. She felt his anger thanks to her skill, even as he masked it well.


    ¡°I am Sidjin of Harrak. I would like to know if I am addressing the leader here, and the one who ordered the raid on our land,¡± he replied with a smile that mirrored the chief¡¯s own.


    It was then that the thrall knew this would end in violence. A shame, because the chief would kill the handsome stranger for that, but maybe she could find a way to talk to him beforehand.


    ¡°I will convey your words.¡±


    Now to be careful.


    ¡°He wants to know if you are the chief-of-chiefs, and warlord for our tribes.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Tell him yes, and ask him if he has come to buy back his people.¡±


    The chief-of-chiefs guffawed.


    ¡°But tell him it won¡¯t come cheap.¡±


    All humor disappeared from his cruel face.


    ¡°We do not forget the blood debt so easily.¡±


    The thrall turned again.


    ¡°The chief-of-chiefs is willing to negotiate the return of your prisoners in exchange for ransom, but he warns you that the attack on the village last year will be reflected on the cost¡­¡±


    The handsome man tilted his head to the side as if he could not believe his ears. His cloak parted to reveal very elaborate armor. Slowly, he grabbed a helmet from his belt which he placed on his head. The tribesmen frowned. He was getting very close to breaking the truce of the feast and the laws of hospitality. The thrall girl paled. This was¡­ very unwise.


    ¡°Tell him I haven¡¯t come to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°The, ah, visitor says he does not wish to purchase.¡±


    ¡°Hah! What then? A duel?¡±


    The most powerful shaman, Gray Vela, whispered in his ear but he pushed her away.


    ¡°Who is the fool who comes here to die? Are you a king or a madman?¡±


    ¡°The chief-of-chiefs would like to know your name,¡± the thrall girl uttered with a shaky voice as she refrained from stepping back.


    No one would stop blood from being spilled today.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not a king, no. I am merely her paramour. She¡¯s busy right now and you might say¡­ I¡¯m an expert at culling unruly neighbors.¡±


    It happened very fast.


    ¡°He¡¯s casting!¡± Gray Vela screamed.


    The thrall jumped to the side, uncaring about those who could stab her for leaving without permission. Warriors and shamans rose to their feet. Spells smashed into a transparent, elaborate barrier made of interlocking parts like shells on a war tortoise. A hole in reality tore open at the back of the visitor, surprising everyone, and fighters in thick metal armor charged through it.


    So much metal!


    Gray Vela cast her own barrier but another tinier portal opened and something went through it. There was a hell of colorless barbs and a lot, a LOT of blood. One of the warriors with a flaming sword clashed with the chief-of-chiefs. The thrall crawled on her knees. Over here, a tall southern woman with a spear and a smile skewered a warrior. She was wearing steel too.


    The thrall found the wall, her feet, and she ran. She ran to the backdoor as more imperials poured through the portal. They had broken the truce of the feast! No, they were killing some of the best fighters of the tribe right now! No, there was a pale woman like her with a spear and a lot of metal. Could it be done? No, she had to get out of here. Now!


    She raced as the battle unfolded. The warriors of the tribe were not wearing their bone armor and the metal-clad invaders were cutting them down as they pushed forward. A monster with metal horns stepped out, with blue eyes! He roared in the old tongue, but the thrall could feel in her soul the truth his words carried.


    ¡°You have sinned! You have allowed yourselves to grow fat and weak on the weaker. You have grown complacent. You have mired yourselves in your certitudes and the easy ways.¡±


    The thrall girl reached the door, finally. It slammed open. The edge smashed into her arm. It hurt. More warriors poured in. Outside, there was fire at the edge of the distance. The girl fled. There were warriors and laborers running and screaming. One of the hunters on the roof fell, and the girl saw a steel tip jutting from his skull. Steel on arrows! How rich were those foreigners?


    A fight had begun at the edge of the village as well. Archers, mostly, but she could see more metal glint at the edge in the fires. There were people flying like birds overhead.


    The strangers were winning. The warriors were too dispersed, too caught off guard. The thrall girl¡¯s world was collapsing and she was loving every second of it.


    ¡°There you are,¡± a voice said.


    It was the spear woman. She smiled. She was missing one tooth. Other soldiers with the same sword and shield on their tabard approached as well.


    ¡°Sidjin said you can talk our language! We need someone to translate threats, girl. You¡¯ll be rewarded. And freed, also.¡±


    ¡°Can I have a spear like you?¡±


    The tall woman laughed heartily, while the other warriors nodded with approval.


    ¡°You can, girl, if you train hard enough. Name¡¯s Koro. I can teach you.¡±


    ¡°Yes please!¡±


    The warrior winced and moved her shoulder again. Suddenly, the thrall girl was concerned.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. Breasts hurt. Gotta head back to feed the little monsters before I erupt.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer to relieve the pain!¡± one of the warriors offered with a sideways smile.


    She socked him in the helmet. The rest laughed.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I am Bird Tongue. Yes, I will translate for you. And I have another question.¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°The handsome prince. Is he spoken for?¡±


    Koro winced in a way that said yes.


    ¡°Ah, yeah, about that. I think you¡¯ve got some serious competition.¡±

 Chapter 192: Is Wimdy

    One year later


    ¡°Lord Sidjin will not attend,¡± the pale messenger said.


    Viv sighed before thanking the southerner, one of many new recruits into their army. Sidjin was throwing himself into resurrecting the remnants with a vengeance and that was taking entirely too much of his time, but she could hardly blame him. The remnants were beset on all sides by monsters and tribes. Sidjin perhaps saw this as a second chance, an opportunity to save one more people from cruel neighbors. He¡¯d started by sterilizing the southern edges along with any raider tribes he could get his blender spells on, then he¡¯d moved north to cleanse monster nests along the coast. Viv might be the empress, but in the remnants hinterlands, it was Sidjin children were named after.


    She¡¯d traveled there to help as well. Some of the more distant places had reverted to caveman behavior from tools to habits, some of them living in buried warrens and wearing rags. It was a stern reminder that humanity was never more than a generation away from total collapse. Sidjin and his followers were fighting to change that, one village at a time.


    ¡°Well, since he¡¯s not showing up, we might as well start the council.¡±


    ¡°First order of business is a case Sidjin brought before us. The lead artisan for the pottery workshop has been found guilty of embezzlement,¡± Abe said. ¡°It is a crime that calls for a death sentence by Harrakan law, as well as the seizure of his family fortune.¡±


    He shook his head, white locs moving in concert.


    ¡°Sidjin recommends a stern approach, however I believe Lady Azar had another proposal?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, not really,¡± the woman in question huffed. ¡°We¡¯re already having difficulties rooting out the culture of corruption from Frostbay. Preferential treatment is not the way to go. I would rather lose the pottery production.¡±


    ¡°I assume he is the only one with the proper knowledge?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°The most advanced ones, in any case.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t really have to consider the question. Unfortunately, the nearby window opened to a familiar silverite mask.


    //I have a proposal.


    Viv rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Let me guess, it involves letting him work while executing his heir?¡±


    //Not quite.


    //His heir is also a worker, therefore it would be an inefficient use of resources.


    //However, Nim the fell-handed reported that he dotes on his daughter.


    ¡°Let me stop you right there.¡±


    //If you execute her while he watches¡­


    ¡°We don¡¯t do that anymore, Solfis.¡±


    //Spoilsport.


    //I miss a good execution.


    ¡°But we hang people every week!¡±


    //It lacks artistry.


    //No matter.


    //I see you will not be convinced.


    ¡°Execute the guilty. Slap fines on the family of the estimated embezzled amount. Oh, and have the apprentices compete to see who will be next in line to manage the workshop. I¡¯d bet anything many of them know more than they let on. We don¡¯t need to have the best pots on Param. It¡¯s for the internal market, mostly, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°Tool production. Is slowing down,¡± Lak-Tak clicked. ¡°Market. Saturated.¡±


    Viv tilted her head at Ser Geneva-violation. It was rare for him to attend. She had an inkling as to why he was here today.


    ¡°Reallocating production capabilities to liberators. We require. More cores. For propulsion.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Getting to Harrak will be my priority once we return from the steppes, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Artillery shell production starting. We need. Stockpile. How large?¡±


    ¡°You can stop at seventy thousand.¡±


    The rest of the council gasped. They still didn¡¯t get it. For most of the army¡¯s earliest engagements, the witchpact crossbows had to ration quarrels and even then, they ran out in one hour, forced to tear used projectiles from the bodies of the fallen. Viv had massive reserves of steel and wood and she was going to use them.


    ¡°Look, after a war has started, it¡¯s too late to try to build up reserves. If anyone really attacks us, I want them to scream in confusion while we unload entire vaults on their heads, okay? The state can afford it.¡±


    ¡°But the resources¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting metal from the remnants as well. Trust me, having massive supplies will completely change the way war is fought, if it comes to that.¡±


    ¡°The continent is fully at peace for now,¡± Lady Azar said.


    ¡°First, it¡¯s not. The Kark and the Pure League are still fighting.¡±


    Lady Azar conceded the point with a frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because one side isn¡¯t human that it¡¯s not a war, and you¡¯d better remember that because the Empire of Dawn will come back to wipe out that humiliation we inflicted upon them. Second, it¡¯s not going to last. It never does, here. Yries artillery will give us a glimpse of the power of a modern Earth army, if we end up needing it.¡±


    At least, she hoped so. Special stats and magic might change a lot, but there was something to say about mass production. Honestly, she would bet on any minor earth military against her own and that was with steel-plated heavies at her back.


    ¡°Alright, what else?¡±


    ¡°Two more spies arrived with the latest group of immigrants,¡± Lady Azar said. ¡°One Baranese, one Enorian. And there were some Manipeleso bankers too, come because of increased demand.¡±


    Viv nodded. The Golden Scale bank and the Manipeleso Bank and Exchange were engaged in a healthy bout of competition that Viv had managed to keep clean by threatening both parties with terrible fates should they push her. It had worked so far. As for the spies, they were an inevitable part of having so many newcomers. New Harrak¡¯s population was skyrocketing. It didn¡¯t matter anyway.


    ¡°Alright, as usual, keep an eye on them.¡±


    ¡°Should we not imprison them? Or at least ban them?¡± Rakan asked, a bit confused.


    He must have missed Viv¡¯s previous lesson. The rest of the table took on expressions of sufferance as they knew they¡¯d have to listen to her ramble again, but such was the prerogative of the sovereign. She could ramble and it counted as a speech.


    ¡°If you know who the spies are, you can filter what information they get rather than killing them and perhaps missing the next spy they send as replacement. And another thing. Solfis?¡±


    //When we go to war, we can kill all of their spies and send their heads as an early message.


    //Any spies we missed will run away in terror.


    Viv nodded. It was all very evil-empire efficient.


    ¡°And tell Thirteen not to mess with them! One of the Helockian spies got spooked and ran off!¡± Viv complained.


    The spy had been one of her favorite cooks. Thirteen, the oldest Hadal woman, just enjoyed toying with people too much, and now the hallowed empress couldn¡¯t get that delicious dish that reminded her of Jollof rice anymore! Disgrace.


    ¡°Will you really go to the Kark steppes?¡± Lady Azar asked while Viv grieved for the Harrakan restaurant scene.


    The old schemer didn¡¯t seem to approve. Viv was sure, however. She¡¯d only delayed her excursion for too long due to a variety of valid reasons, most of which required some sort of workaround. It didn¡¯t change the fact her official casus belli against the Pure League was soon expiring and Marruk¡¯s tribe was already expiring, and they¡¯d been dying off for thirty years. She had to find a way to face her difficulties fast. The most important one was logistics.


    There were only two paths to the remnants of Marruk¡¯s tribe. One went through the cities of the Pure League led by Luten, which Viv had every intention of fucking over, who were excluded from the portal network for being rabid assholes, and against whom Viv still hadn¡¯t used her alliance-approved limited scope casus belli granted after they¡¯d tried to fuck over her embassy. Going through their land with a contingent of armed Kark just meant Viv would have to contend with several armies fighting on their home territory, backed by the Black Blades, one of the most elite assassin outfits on the continent.


    Actually, simply the best one after the Hadals if the Hadals could be arsed.


    Obviously that was suboptimal.


    The second solution was to go through the Kark steppes, either going north from Enoria, which was its own can of worms, or through the imperial mountain tunnel. After that, it would be a long trek through the steppes populated by Kark.


    Kark who were only marginally less friendly towards humans than they were towards other tribes. It would be accurate to say that the needle of race relations was currently firmly lodged at the ¡®genocide¡¯ level and unlikely to move any time soon. If Viv wanted to get through there, she had to go fast, and the solution had unexpectedly come from Frosthawk. The old air archmage had grabbed enough carpenters to build an arch and proceeded to turn the ship-building ¡®industry¡¯ of the remnants to a new project ¡®for training¡¯. The result was, frankly, appalling from an engineering perspective: a land ship.


    With wheels.


    The point being that it could just keep trudging forward at a good pace instead of having people forced to stop to sleep. Viv thought it was singularly impractical, but this was Nyil. Fire-breathing saurians with no business being airborne frequently raided her pantry. One of the fairy tale calamities pulled all nighters calculating risk ratios so¡­ maybe it would work. If anything, they might roll away at a brisk 3km an hour while the Kark sentries laughed their asses off. She could only hope.


    ¡°It should work,¡± she said. ¡°We can also use the new path to hopefully make contact with the merl.¡±


    The other councilors nodded. The merls had access to rare and precious goods harvested from the deeper segments of Deadshield forest, but there was no direct line between Harrak and them at the moment. Viv hoped that she could build one along the edge of the steppes, which would be very profitable in the long run. It would also complete her Pokedex by having minions from every sapient race on the continent, but the others didn¡¯t need to know that.


    ***


    Sangor, King of Enoria, kneeled before the statue of Maranor.


    ¡°Praying?¡± his paramour asked. ¡°That is not like you.¡±


    ¡°The Empress is leaving her den on some unknown expedition. I am praying for her safe return.¡±


    ¡°Really? I would be jealous if I were not so curious. I thought you didn¡¯t like her very much. What changed?¡±


    ¡°I still think she will be the end of many lives, but the council is unanimous. Should she perish, Harrakan succession laws will apply, and she only has one clear, direct heir.¡±


    The silence hung between them for a few stupefied seconds.


    ¡°Surely, not the dragon?¡±


    ¡°The dragon.¡±


    ¡°A dragon leading humans? They will never stand for it.¡±


    ¡°Not only will they stand for it, they will teleport to the place where they believe the Empress has perished, and cause a lot of misery. My spymaster confirmed that the dragon is an expert caster who can, too, use teleportation magic.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I find myself concerned, for once.¡±


    ¡°The dragon also has a brother. They were seen flying side by side.¡±


    Again, silence spread throughout the room.


    ¡°Perhaps I should pray as well?¡±


    ¡°It would not hurt.¡±


    ***


    The expedition assembled a few days later at the edge of Kazar, near the newly built warehouse district. To Viv¡¯s surprise, Arthur insisted on coming to ¡®scout new prospects¡¯. Marruk was here, of course, along with the two hundred Kark mercenaries currently serving with her and a lot of processed steel. The rest of the team consisted of Frosthawk, Lak-Tak and, to her surprise, Rakan, who seemed concerned. He dragged Viv to a separate spot while they loaded supplies in a column of carts and tanks.


    ¡°Viv. I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°After we are done with the Kark thing, I would like you to come with me to the far east. You are aware of the other elemental archmage of Param, right?¡±


    Viv did, or at least she remembered.


    ¡°It¡¯s a woman who lives on a raft off the coast of Halluria, right? A blue elemental archmage?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In any case, she is known to have healing abilities. Spiritual healing, that is.¡±


    Viv¡¯s mind clicked immediately.


    ¡°Your leaking core. You think she can help.¡±


    ¡°I know she can help from various testimonies I found in Baranese archives¡­ Or at least, she¡¯s helped people with similar issues in the past. I need to find her. This might be my only chance at a normal core.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Viv replied without hesitation. ¡°You come with us. After we¡¯ve helped the Kark, we travel there right away. Probably by sea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I knew you would understand my pain. And¡­¡±


    ¡°She will expect payment, even if she agrees.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What sort of favor are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but money wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take some with me.¡±


    ***


    By the time Viv looked at the list of people and gear leaving, there was one more addition scrawled on the manuscript at the bottom. Hadals. And quite a few of them. Led by the boss himself?


    ¡°Irao?¡± she asked a nearby wall.


    Shadows flickered at a distance.  She felt black mana stir, and approached. A voice came from the corner of the nearby warehouse


    ¡°Hellow. I am curious,¡± it simply said.


    ¡°About the Black Blades?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The list counted some of the oldest and deadliest Hadals including Zero-Five, the axe murderer. It appeared that the old guard was growing bored.


    ¡°You guys just want to test yourselves, right?¡±


    ¡°The Kark must learn,¡± Irao whispered in the wind.


    ¡°Alright. Just make sure you bring all your gear because we won¡¯t be able to head back easily.¡±


    ¡°You will not even see it.¡±


    Viv hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to carry it either.


    ***


    The convoy teleported north towards the land of the Mountain People for a brief drinking competition, then to the iron mines of Min Goles. Viv was pleased that the decrepit retreat she¡¯d huddled in after her flight from Kazar had turned into a bustling industrial city, complete with gardens and fields for the Yries to feed themselves. As promised, they¡¯d kept Varska¡¯s precious flower alive. The Suncult Marea was now a large yellow bubble of sunshine on top of the dead mage¡¯s tomb, standing as a symbol of hope and resilience.


    ¡°We¡¯ve gone a reaaaaally long way since then,¡± Viv muttered.


    ¡°And you have kept your promise,¡± Irao said from behind her.


    ¡°That too.¡±


    That was the last bit of teleporter fun, however. After that, they were trudging through wild, revenant-infested lands with Viv flying ahead to set up teleporters. Even with those, it soon grew too tedious to cross back to camp at the end of the day.


    Viv was on the road again. Camping near the deadlands was comfortable enough with her nice tent, but she wished she had some of those space-defying pocket planes with spas, easily accessible by phone booth or whatever worked, really. After thinking that, Viv chuckled at her own entitlement. The planet was already allowing her to bend space around for convenient travel and she was whining about the luggage.


    ¡°How easily one grows accustomed to convenience.¡±


    ***


    Days turned to weeks and the expedition continued, regularly resupplied with fresh goods thanks to quick trips back. Harrak really was huge. Even with breaks, the travelers soon grew weary of the same desolate mountain flank overlooking a dead world extending to the horizon. There were variations, of course. As they went farther north, the mana concentration became so high Viv had to lead them up higher into the mountains or risk poisoning. Even with Arthur keeping the skies clear, regular revenants still required constant surveillance and regular battles. It was after one such battle that Viv approached Marruk.


    ¡°Anybody wounded?¡± she asked the stout Kark woman.


    Marruk merely shook her head. Her Imperial was excellent now, but that didn¡¯t make her any more talkative.


    ¡°Good steel, and you kill the more dangerous foes. We are doing well.¡±


    She sighed. Heavily.


    ¡°We have drifted apart,¡± Viv said, suddenly apologetic. ¡°With everything I just¡­ haven¡¯t talked to you as much as I should have.¡±


    ¡°It is life,¡± Marruk replied with a kind tone. ¡°You needed a bodyguard and I needed a guide. Now you do not, and my people need a guide.¡±


    She shrugged.


    ¡°You have kept your word. I can¡­ hardly believe we are finally doing it.¡±


    ¡°Going to war?¡±


    ¡°Going home. There is always war. Everywhere.¡±


    She sighed again. Viv sat next to her on a rock while her soldiers made themselves scarce. Marrul pulled a stained handkerchief from a recess of her armor, then cleaned gore and dust from her gear with patience and great care.


    ¡°I have not been back to my tribe since they refused to listen. They said I did not understand their struggle. They saw me as¡­ lost. Not weak. Lost. Having forgotten the old ways.¡±


    Marruk lifted a hand. Wind pulsed between her armored glove like a whisper.


    ¡°I could have been a shaman like my mother. Not a very good one, but I could have been a shaman.¡±


    She let her hand drop.


    ¡°And died like her on the eve of battle with steel between my ribs. Things have never changed as far as I can remember. Now that we are heading back with armored men, knowledge, you¡­ I do not know how to feel. What if they do not listen? What if they are already all dead.¡±


    ¡°Your people are resilient. Give them a chance, and besides¡­¡±


    Viv gestured at the milling mercenaries who were uncharacteristically quiet.


    Honestly that last part was a relief.


    ¡°They¡¯re already listening. I can already tell that you won¡¯t convince the hardliners but you don¡¯t have to. You must convince enough to follow you to turn the tide. That is all you can do.¡±


    ¡°It might not be enough.¡±


    ¡°Still the best you can do. You are but one fourth step, rich, armored lady with an elemental archmage friend.¡±


    And a dragon friend.


    Arthur landed nearby. She was munching on some hairy creature with brittle bones, according to the cracks.


    ¡°That better not be undead,¡± Viv said.


    No.


    Infestation of those things in a nearby valley.


    Good fur trade potential.


    Too far from supply lines for now.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being here. The both of you,¡± Marruk repeated. ¡°There is something I would say.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I have been banished by the council.¡±


    There was a quiet ¡®ah¡¯ moment during which Viv reassessed their chances of success.


    ¡°The council is led by my father.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Errr. Are they going to try and kill you on sight?¡±


    ¡°I can object to the council¡¯s decision.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a no.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Marruk replied.


    Her heavy mace landed on the rock with an ominous thud.


    ¡°They can certainly try.¡±


    ***


    Marruk was exceptionally grumpy over the following days, and even taking out her rage on innocent revenants did little to calm her down. Her young mercenaries walked around on tiptoes and they didn¡¯t even scream when declaring their intent. It was a worrying development. Viv cooked fresh tubers in pastry for her, putting a precious smile on her face for the brief moment it took for Marruk to ask her never to do it again, as the pastries were tragically underbaked. As time went on, the convoy cruised north of the Harrakan capital line and the ambient black mana started to decrease again. The days grew warmer, and the decrepit remains of deep forests replaced the plains of the south.


    A welcome distraction occurred when the caravan came across a tribe of Imperial survivors who had been living in isolation for decades. There were several thousands of them and, when they saw Viv, they recognized her crown.


    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle!¡± their toothless leader claimed.


    Viv spent a couple of days installing mana purifiers around while sending a messenger back to reestablish contact. Meanwhile, the chief was only too happy to have Viv visit. They¡¯d been doing fairly well considering their circumstances.


    ¡°We have wool from our cattle for clothes.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ¡°And cotton from the deep valley.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    ¡°We have precious little metal, but bone tools are good as well.¡±


    ¡°We can help with that.¡±


    Viv watched the faces of the happy villagers. They didn¡¯t seem too bad, just maybe a little thin but that was normal here. Her inspection continued along yurts and gawping men and women who touched her with calloused fingers, unable to trust their very eyes.


    More questions followed. No, they were not genocidal. Yes, it was a tribal structure. Women had rights.


    ¡°And you do not, by any chance, sacrifice people to dark gods?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, no, but if you insist¡­¡±


    Tears fell down the old man¡¯s face.


    ¡°If you want to see my commitment, we can cook my first born grandson tonight. He¡¯s plump and vigorous¡­¡±


    He stopped when he saw Viv¡¯s expression of naked horror.


    ¡°Holy shit, you are Gomogog cultists.¡±


    The nearby yurt of the priest exploded outward and a mass of unholy fresh ran out.


    ¡°Of fucking course.¡±


    ***


    In the end, they were more villagers under the yoke of Gomogog cultists than enthusiastic flesh eaters themselves and the various elites of the expedition dispatched the changed ones summarily. Viv called for a contingent of temple guards to stay there while they integrated, leading to another spicy letter from Lady Azar that started with ¡®Really? Cultists? What will you recruit next? Talking frogs?¡¯.


    Viv knew it would be talking platypuses but she refrained from mentioning it.


    ***


    The expedition finally found the ancient tunnel to the steppes by virtue of looking at stone signs that literally said ¡®steppes tunnel¡¯. Viv could finally cross the mountain range in a relatively safe way and be sure to land in the steppes, not in the northern edge of the Deadshield woods. Flying the whole way had been tempting but high mountains were the refuge of some old dragons ¡ª according to Arthur ¡ª and some of them might just decide to kill her before inspecting her. An abandoned town waited by the entrance itself, and to her surprise, it was mostly empty. The people living at the periphery had survived the initial blast, then fled before the fallout could kill them. This was obviously such a place.


    As for the tunnel, it was large enough to accommodate one large cart. A complex system of alternative travel days plastered on the walls explained when the traffic would be going in which direction. It was a fairly complex system that took festivals and seasons into consideration. Now, the presence of so many inns in the city made more sense. The convoy spread out to rest since the place was mostly secure. Unfortunately for the most enterprising coach hands, it was also completely looted.


    That left the convoy facing the tunnel the next day at dawn. Rakan stood next to the entrance, peering in. He had let his hair grow a bit, and now it was held back by an onyx headband. It was only now, with the early light hitting the deadlands behind him, that Viv noticed the awkward teenager was now more of a confident young man. It made her want to help him fix his core even more now. He remained, after all, more talented at magic than she was.


    ¡°Here we go, leagues of darkness and the unknown,¡± he recited.


    ¡°Nah it¡¯s thirty meters deep and ends with a cave-in,¡± Viv replied.


    Rakan sighed.


    ¡°I suppose we start with manual labor.¡±


    ¡°Magical, but yes. We will cross ourselves then set up a teleporter at the other end. It will be easier to kill anything we might encounter if we don¡¯t have anybody to protect. Now let¡¯s get our brown mana specialist on the case.¡±


    Rakan nodded.


    Viv patted his shoulder.


    Rakan look confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s you. You¡¯re our brown mana specialist.¡±


    Rakan crossed his arms, a confident smile on his lips.


    ¡°Oh no you¡¯re not pulling out of this one so easily. You, Arthur, are simply the best brown mage around. No human can match you.¡±


    Arthur scratched the earth with her claws, her crimson eyes expressing shock.


    Rakan had trapped her by calling to her arrogance. The poor girl was done for.


    ¡°And you, Viv, carry the knowledge of Earth¡¯s boring technologies.¡±


    As Viv was about to object, her perfect recall pushed forward diagrams of tunnel-digging drills in cylinders complete with a muck train, a screw-shaped conveyor and a really badly rendered computer simulation of processed dirt. She could totally recreate the cutting head by twisting Sidjin¡¯s blender spell.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°So the three of us are going to get our boots ¡ª and claws ¡ª dirty so we show the world how it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Some of these borglings have grown to be quite cunning.


    ¡°Sucks to be at the receiving end, huh?¡± Viv said with a dash of schadenfreude.


    You dig, I move the stone.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ***


    As expected, clearing the obstruction led to the liberation of an eldritch abomination beyond mortal ken. Fortunately, the abomination was slightly larger than a handspan and not all that powerful.


    Arthur chewed pensively on it after roasting the entire tunnel. Sometimes, Viv felt like they were just playing the game on easy mode, or doing the beginning of the movie story with end-of-movie powers.


    ¡°Is it even edible?¡± she asked.


    Arthur kept at it for a few seconds, then she spat the whole oily thing out.


    No.


    Worth a try.


    ¡°It kind of looked like a squid but again, maybe not?¡±


    ¡°How come I can¡¯t remember its exact shape?¡± Rakan asked, a bit confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s beyond mortal ken.¡±


    ¡°Then can you describe it?¡±


    ¡°It is. Beyond. Mortal ken.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not mortal anymore.¡±


    Viv froze.


    ¡°Errrr, you got me there.¡±


    ¡°Should we move on?¡± Marruk asked. ¡°I can step in front with my shield.¡±


    ¡°What if there are more?¡± Viv asked, a little worried.


    ¡°The shield is heat-resistant. Just don¡¯t spray me, please?¡±


    I can aim!


    Viv glared.


    Those were accidents.


    I have grown in power since then.


    And Judgement said I was good.


    ¡°Oh fine.¡±


    ***


    Besides the entrance, which Viv suspected had been sabotaged by refugees to keep revenants away, the tunnel was in surprisingly good condition. There were even mushroom gardens along the way and though they were wild and overgrown, they still provided a pleasant break between long stretches of naked stone.


    Contrary to Viv¡¯s expectations, the rest of the tunnel was safe. There were no breaches, no obvious damage, and the worst they had to face was a colony of carnivorous fungi that made a very sluggish attempt at capturing them in natural glue. Viv stopped the others from killing them. Naturally occurring glue might be valuable if harvested properly. Arthur was very proud of her mother¡¯s mindset but still admonished her for failing to grow wings yet again. Eventually, they resurfaced into a completely new environment.


    The first thing that came was light, warmer than on the deadland side. It bathed everything in a curious yellow dye.


    The second thing that came was the scent of dry grass, a peculiar perfume that evoked summer even though it was slightly too early in the year for that. A wind carried it. It howled through the distant entrance. Once Viv spotted that dot of light after a corner, it was all she could do not to run after it though the closer she came and the louder the howl became. By the time she crossed the entrance, her hair was rising with every burst of wind.


    Beyond the opening was a plain. A plain that extended as far as the eye could see. Green grass as tall as Viv danced with every breath of air that caressed its surface. Here and there, gaps in the verdant carpet could be beast trails, or something else. It was cloudy yet the clouds were high and they moved fast. They barely seemed to block the light. It smelled like the sun on a wheat field.


    If there used to be a kark village here, no trace of it was left.


    Marruk stepped out. She closed her eyes and sniffed the air. A sense of peace she had failed to show for weeks smoothed the angles of her face. Viv had never seen her look so vulnerable.


    ¡°Ah. Home.¡±


    She turned and the budding smile on her face turned bitter.


    ¡°Portal?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer!¡± Rakan announced.


    Rakan opened the portal this time which was good practice for him. Viv just made sure to keep his staff topped up with mana. After they were done, Froshawk¡¯s people brought the carts through. Unloading took a surprisingly short amount of time with hundreds of kark warriors helping.


    Assembling the thing took way longer. Eventually, Viv grew bored and retired to the heights of the mountains behind them to read in peace. The wind never seemed to let up, ever. It was mostly calm and tame but it never seemed to stop, and that got on Viv¡¯s nerves. From her vantage point, she kept an eye on the landship as it took form.


    First came a thick armature upon which wheels were fixed on rather massive metal dampeners. The steel was enchanted with care. Next came a squarish hull, giving the construct a boxy form that made sense considering they wouldn¡¯t be moving through water. By the time this was under way, night had fallen, and Viv spent it sparring with Arthur and keeping an eye out for trouble.


    None came. This place was out of the way. There were not even predators for now.


    The next morning, the crew started on the hull. That, too, was designed to be stuck together quickly. Viv noted that the wood was not enchanted, though there was a secondary metal frame, which meant that it wouldn¡¯t stop a sharp arrow. The solution came on the second night when the deck was getting assembled.


    Frosthawk had designed his landship around plans pilfered by Sidjin during their foray on the ocean. Enchantments would activate shields in case of attacks, all of them plugged into a monster core of respectable size. The rest of the enchantments served to handle the wheels, reinforce the frame, or act on the sails though those had yet to be assembled.


    That last part was done on the third day. The enchanted sails were raised along light metal masts, then left flapping in the wind. Froshawk landed lightly by her side. He looked very proud.


    ¡°It is an impressive achievement,¡± Viv said.


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it does work¡­ it still looks amazing, and the fact it was assembled in such a short time shows a high degree of preparation. Honestly, I am impressed.¡±


    Froshawk beamed, though he still looked like a scowling old wizard. Viv could tell.


    The final result might have been boxy and rustic, but it had a sort of je-ne-sais-quoi that made Viv want to climb it. She could tell the wind acted differently around the sails. The beast was eager to depart.


    ¡°Come, let me show you this marvel of Harrakan engineering from the inside. There should barely be enough room for all of the kark, but I believe we can make it work.¡±


    The wind chose this moment to pick up.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s ride.¡±

 Chapter 193: Taking Steppes

    Wind buffeted Viv, high up over the kark homeland. It was as unceasing as the plains that extended from horizon to horizon, a vast tapestry of gold and green crossed by the distant shapes of large beasts lurking under the tall grass. When the wind truly picked up, vegetation flattened like the fur of a wet beast while distant clouds drifted at dizzying speed. High above, Viv experienced an emptiness that was almost enough to give her vertigo. It lingered when she returned to the ship, though right now, she really didn¡¯t want to.


    The landship was designed to accommodate cargo and a crew of up to seventy. It could technically operate on a skeleton crew of eight. Right now, over three hundred kark warriors and sailors clogged every corridor to the point they rotated on the bridge to make the trip tolerable. Viv had even given up her cabin so people could sleep in shifts. As for Arthur, she had elected to sample the local wildlife so they barely saw a scale of her.


    Viv had expected the kark to lose patience, yet every time she returned, gaggles of youths glutted the railings, looking out wistfully in peculiar silence. Longing, nostalgia, anguish, their emotions bled out to give the trip a melancholic mood Viv didn¡¯t really enjoy. It wasn¡¯t exactly a good portent. It also reminded her of what she expected to find.


    The older men in her unit back in France, the ¡®vieux briscards¡¯, had opened up after she¡¯d proven herself. When bottles ran empty, tales of lands torn by civil war surfaced along with haunted gazes. It was always the same thing. The sickly sweet stench of rotten meat. White teeth exposed to the moon, from rictus that would never fade. Burnt toys. Children. It was always the children that broke them in the end.


    This was what Viv was going to face. It didn¡¯t matter that the kark were not human. They were people. And the Pure League had been in ethnic cleansing mode for more than a decade.


    One of her fears was the turnaround. If Marruk¡¯s tribe counter-attacked and managed to reach the human villages profiteering from the carnage, then what? She knew what was right: to spare the civilian population. It was Neriad¡¯s path.


    She knew what she would do if she were in their place. Her rage would burn like a poison. Her path would be that of Efestar. Without the second chance part.


    Hopefully, she would manage to rein in her emotions.


    Around her, a light rain began to fall. Viv pulled a few runes to create a transparent shield that repulsed only solid water ¡ª mage superiority meant no need for umbrellas. Her mana senses picked up the quickly approaching form of Frosthawk.


    The old archmages smiled, one of the few genuine expressions of joy he ever gave. He was in his element far above the earth and its concerns. He flew with control and grace in a way Viv would never manage to match, and the very air repulsed droplets of water around him.


    ¡°Patrol on our left,¡± the archmage said, using a spell to allow his voice to carry over the ever-present howl.


    Viv nodded. She¡¯d seen the tiny dots in the distance. Local kark riders on their strange beasts, the pakar. They had to have amazing sight to spot the landship from that far away.


    ¡°Intercept?¡± Frosthawk asked.


    Viv shook her head.


    ¡°They won¡¯t catch up. Marruk confirmed this section of the steppes is neutral. We have no reason to wait for them.¡±


    ¡°We should still consider stopping some time soon,¡± Frosthawk said.


    He looked at the landship, its deck even now crawling with people. It had already been two days since they had started sailing at breakneck speed. The landship moved almost as fast as she did, but it also did it at night thanks to rotating crews. She still installed teleporters at some distance for the return trip.


    Even then, the steppes were immense. Her people would grow restless very soon without a break, especially since most of them were young warriors with no outlet. They had to stop on the way, let people stretch their legs and their tempers.


    ¡°Marruk mentioned a lake where her people gather. We will go there.¡±


    ¡°It will delay us.¡±


    ¡°That is acceptable,¡± Viv said.


    Viv landed near Marruk. The poor girl was spending much of her day managing her restless people, so she welcomed Viv¡¯s presence.


    ¡°We should stop soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh bless the ancestors. If I have to break apart one more scuffle, I will throw the assholes overboard.¡±


    Her eyes grew distant.


    ¡°We can go to the Great Bazaar. Near the Sky-Mirror Lake.¡±


    ¡°That was my plan.¡±


    ¡°I have never been there. We might not be welcome.¡±


    Marruk¡¯s brow furrowed with concern.


    ¡°The travelers will see how much metal we have. They will be greedy. We must stay vigilant.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted. Your people need, ah, shore leave. They wouldn¡¯t be attacked, right?¡±


    ¡°They would be robbed.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Have them move in groups of no less than five. I will provide oversight.¡±


    Marruk shook her head.


    ¡°No. You cannot. The tribes will want to meet you. Yours is the role of the ambassador.¡±


    She hesitated.


    ¡°I think?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the tradition?¡±


    ¡°There is no tradition, Viviane. No outlander king has ever come to the help of a tribe against other humans, and never on the back of a steel beast. Curiosity will push the tribes out of their farming grounds. The important people will want to speak to you.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe we can use this opportunity to learn more about what is going on.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They could know where my kinsmen are. Or who is currently at war with whom. Or if we have gained any support¡­ not that I expect it.¡±


    Marruk sighed. Viv remembered it was a sore topic.


    ¡°You told me the tribes warred with each other as much as they warred with the Pure League, right?¡±


    ¡°There are long histories of Blood Feuds, and my tribe¡­ participated in most of them. We live in the easternmost fringe of the steppes. That means some stable farms, much wood, metal, and trade with the northern cities before the Pure League soured it all. We were rich. We had the most iron of any tribe, and my people used it¡­ selfishly.¡±


    Viv nodded in understanding. Caring for your own nation to the detriment of everyone else was a constant of Paramese politics. Only exceptions like General Jaratalassi drove cooperation forward when most participants wanted nothing more than to stab each other in the back for two acres of land and an extra biscuit.


    ¡°Many grudges remain unsettled. We are weak, and we are prey now. Those of us that are left.¡±


    Viv patted Marruk¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to change that.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the stout girl said, ¡°we will try to.¡±


    ***


    Sky-Mirror lake was much larger than Viv had anticipated. Water seemed rare in the steppes, mostly isolated ponds and brooks that dried too quickly, so it was with some surprise that she found a strikingly blue surface extending for several kilometers in every direction. A bright sapphire spot in a sea of emerald, its shores were high and devoid of vegetation, like the edges of a crater. Actually, it might be, perhaps the site of a meteor fall or the last remnants of a long-dead volcano. Cries of relief and excitement came from the land-ship below. Viv touched her aching sides as she flew faster.


    She had just tried to tether herself to the mast. Just to see if it would be fun. It had been a painful and brief mistake as the enchanted sail gathered a lot of wind power, and temporary accelerations could drive a rope into a foolish girl¡¯s ribs with the vindictive force of logical consequences to one¡¯s brainless actions. Viv landed on the deck just as the first yurts came into view.


    A semi-permanent encampment gathered around the lake in a structure that vaguely reminded Viv of old pictures of kibbutz she¡¯d seen in history books. An outer ring of tents surrounded seven bands of cultivated fields that all narrowed towards the lake, with a much denser gathering of tents in the north. Numerous kark worked those segregated fields, visible even from high up. There were quite a few trees as well.


    ¡°One section of fields for each tribe,¡± Maruk said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised ours is still standing, even with the holy truce.¡±


    ¡°So this is neutral land?¡±


    Marruk nodded.


    ¡°Always has been. Shedding blood here is taboo.¡±


    ¡°YET IN THE YEAR OF THE BLOOD PLAGUE, THE SEA TRIBE¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± Marruk said, interrupting an enthusiastic warrior. ¡°Please don¡¯t start a long litany of all blood feuds of our people, thank you. I don¡¯t want to be here until winter.¡±


    ¡°I need to get changed. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Viv said.


    Viv rushed downstairs to her cabin, regretfully evicting five sleepy kark girls from her bed. She quickly changed into her regal armored robe and returned to the deck, just as Arthur descended. She was excited.


    Fish!


    The large dragon pushed her way below deck. Surprised yelps and crashing sounds marked her progress until she returned a bit later with a small barrel held between two claws.


    ¡°Is that sauce?¡±


    Of course.


    I always have fish sauce.


    I created my own artisanal shop in Frostbay!


    They almost got it right.


    ¡°Huh. And you want to fish in the lake then? Be careful.¡±


    Yes, yes, I know how to approach unexplored water places!


    The dragon rolled her eyes. It was always a little funny seeing Viv¡¯s own expressions on her daughter¡¯s reptilian face.


    I will find you later, in the big place.


    Make sure you have a cook around.


    Needs proper fish preparation experience.


    Then we hunt worms.


    Big worms.


    ¡°Those would be Sudden Deaths, one of the steppes most dangerous predators,¡± Marruk commented laconically.


    Silly red woman.


    I am the most dangerous predator.


    Find me worm sauce, minion.


    ¡°I am not a minion.¡±


    The two exchanged a glare, with Marruk not backing down.


    ¡°I stole meat from the pantry for you back in Kazar,¡± Marruk reminded her.


    ¡°WHAT? THAT WAS YOU?¡±


    It is true that you helped me when I was very small.


    Now that I am large and mighty, my gratitude should be obvious for the world to see.


    I am upgrading you from minion to friend.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Borgling friend.


    Not dragon friend.


    Sorry.


    The dragon didn¡¯t actually seem sorry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it. You should go now. We have almost arrived.¡±


    The landship veered sharply north to head for the main cluster of yurts, which let Viv study the outer ring of tents as they passed by when she was not calling Marruk a traitor. Kark workers also watched them go on with expressions of complete bafflement. There were deep variations from one field to another, one that showed cultural divergences between tribes. Some preferred white, low tents that barely popped out of the ground while others stood on platforms made of woven grass.


    ¡°Sand dwellers and marsh dwellers,¡± Marruk commented. ¡°And here is my tribe¡¯s land.¡±


    The mood plummeted when the next field came into view. Malnourished farmers in tattered red clothes toiled with wooden tools, with some of the fields tended by much better looking neighbors. Rented out, possibly. The yurts themselves looked patched up from scraps, and there were noticeably fewer of them. They even came across a group of kark in green clothes harassing a few red-clad children. The children used the distraction to escape.


    Marruk¡¯s knuckles made the steel railing groan.


    ¡°There is truce and there is truce, I see,¡± Viv said in a low voice.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Were it not for it, my people would have been evicted. It could have been worse, I suppose. See how promises and oaths twist when the other is no longer worthy of respect.¡±


    Viv patted Marruk¡¯s shoulder, and since both were in armor, the clink clink sounded ridiculous. Marruk smiled bitterly.


    ¡°And to think we ride enough metal to buy ourselves the entire Bazaar.¡±


    ¡°Steel has much value here, then?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea. The first time I left the steppes, I thought eight iron bits were the ransom of a prince instead of daily wages. Ah, here we are. Look, this is the pakar market.¡±


    A long, rectangular mud building formed a barrier that covered the entire approach from the south. Groups of laborers came and left, carrying dejections in wheelbarrows. Viv used the long view to watch a column of pakars leaving the compound.


    They were weird beasts, she had to admit. They had the shape and gait of ant-eaters, though more muscular and significantly larger. Their robes ranged from deep brown to white and the muscular front legs reminded Viv of bears, but it was their faces that were rather unique. A bit triangular, they showed deep, intelligent eyes over a large snout devoid of fur. Marruk had explained the pakar had exceptional smell and tremor senses. Viv also noticed that the dominant male¡¯s snout was scarred.


    ¡°Majestic beasts, yes?¡± Marruk said.


    ¡°I have never seen noses like those.¡±


    ¡°They are very sensitive. Pure League archers aim for them in every battle so they can inflict debilitating pain.¡±


    ¡°Why have you never bought one?¡± Viv asked. ¡°You could afford it.¡±


    ¡°They are steppe creatures. Even if I bought a small herd, they would be sad in the deadlands. And then die off after a generation.¡±


    Another deep sigh confirmed Marruk was not having a good time. Quick, time to distract the poor girl.


    ¡°What about the big gaudy pavilion there?¡±


    ¡°The tribal council gathers there when something important happens ¡ª bunch of argumentative old pricks.¡±


    A few of the nearby warriors gasped.


    ¡°Important auctions are held there, such as for creature cores or metal. We will be invited.¡±


    She looked at the ship, then at Viv.


    ¡°You will be invited. You should accept.¡±


    ¡°And I invite you as my interpreter and bodyguard.¡±


    Marruk huffed.


    ¡°Just like the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully with fewer surprise attacks.¡±


    ***


    The Harrakan ship stopped at the edge of the grassless field, behind the main encampment. It was there that the larger convoys camped if they didn¡¯t want to join their assigned fields. There were at least ten thousand kark milling around, along with thousands of pakar and other beasts. Colorful tents formed a kaleidoscope of styles and influences, with the red ones being the rarest. A large crowd of stupefied onlookers formed as soon as the landship stopped at a respectable distance. They huddled in a large mass, though none dared approach for now.


    Frosthawk had a plank lowered. Viv was the first to get down, stopping at some distance with the archmage and Marruk at her side. People muttered when they saw her, but it was the arrival of hundreds of heavily armored kark that sparked the strongest reaction. Marruk¡¯s people carried a lot of steel, or at least that was what Viv guessed they were saying. She recognized the word for iron but little else. Learning the kark language had not exactly been a priority.


    Viv wasn¡¯t exactly sure where the Hadals were but she assumed they would show up when the food was served.


    Viv knew she only had to wait for someone important to show up, and indeed, two minutes later, roars and exclamations warned her someone was cutting a path through the crowd, pushing them aside with threats and injunctions. A heavy-set kark with a large hat finally broke his way through. He was flanked by two dozen muscular guards carrying heavy cudgels. They immediately adopted the ¡®violent mook¡¯ glare, with which Viv was quite familiar.


    They were also wearing wide hats. What was it with people and large hats here? Even her crown wasn¡¯t that gaudy.


    The newcomer immediately started a grand speech so loud some sort of skill had to be involved. It lasted a good five minutes and finished in an embarrassing silence. Viv leaned towards Marruk.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re supposed to introduce us and, also, translate.¡±


    ¡°Oooh. Yes.¡±


    In what was a quiet voice according to kark standards, which meant it wouldn¡¯t be overheard over a passenger plane¡¯s jet engine, Marruk introduced them. She then leaned towards Viv and whispered at barely opera soprano levels.


    ¡°He welcomes us here as travelers and inquires as to the purpose of our visit.¡±


    Viv gave her a look of disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°I am cutting away the politician''s bullshit.¡±


    ¡°You can tell him we are here to resupply on our way to the eastern steppes.¡±


    ¡°Should I tell him we are going there to fight the Pure League?¡±


    Viv shrugged.


    ¡°If you want. I think he can infer it from the situation though. Any chance the Pure League has spies here?¡±


    ¡°No, because they are extremely racist.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Would you spy on beastlings?¡±


    Was this a trick question?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Marruk sighed.


    ¡°Would you recruit a beastling spy?¡±


    The answer was that she would hire a talking squid in a felt hat if that gave her an edge, but she got the point anyway.


    ¡°No spies, got it. You can also mention the possibility of trade, now that the tunnel is open. I suppose we might as well start enquiries.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they will love this.¡±


    And he did. The kark saluted with his hat, showing carefully combed white hair underneath. Just moving that gaudy thing around probably required twenty points in power or higher given the size of the horror. His ruddy red skin glistened with sweat. Maybe he just wanted to air it a bit.


    Another five minutes of speech followed. Viv refrained from casting a sound-dampening aura to protect her eardrums.


    ¡°He says he wants to offer a guided visit and then retire to the big tent to talk.¡±


    ¡°Marruk, you really need to make an effort to sound more pompous. You¡¯re gonna make him angry.¡±


    ¡°He called me a wayward daughter of the Red Tribe. He used a condescending word. If he keeps talking, I will strangle him.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    As Viv was about to accept the invitation, a distraction broke the meeting.


    Under the mesmerized gaze of the assembly, one of the oldest Paramese Viv had ever seen barrelled his way towards them from the flank. He was tailed by a panicked, overweight kark woman crying like a fountain, probably a caretaker considering the male kark was hunched, thin, slightly stooped, and shriveled like an old prune. He had to be positively ancient.


    More surprising was that he was carrying the tip of a familiar spear design on a long wooden haft. A ratty yet familiar flag hung from the ancient implement. Viv gasped in surprise while Frosthawk turned to her, probably as lost as she was.


    He stopped in front of her with an excited rattle. Straightening up, the old kark bumped a gnarly fist on his thin chest.


    ¡°Glory to the legion! Glory to the Empire! Harrak eternal!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck? Err, I mean. At ease¡­¡±


    There was an insignia on the man¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Corporal?¡±


    ¡°Long live the Emperor!¡±


    ***


    The breathless caretaker explained the situation on the way to the bazaar while the proud ancient kark was allowed to brandish a brand new flag. As Viv expected, he was six hundred years old and a veteran auxiliary of one of Harrak¡¯s legions. He was probably one of the only three living people to have been part of the ancient Harrakan military, though calling Abe and Solfis ¡®living¡¯ was debatable in itself. Viv would have absolutely loved to bring him back just to watch Lady Azar¡¯s face, but that wouldn¡¯t have been right. Instead, she had the sail engineers turbo-weave him a dress uniform before sending him on his way with some iron and a promotion to sergeant.


    The tribal leader who had welcomed them headed the semi-permanent council. His title could vaguely be presented as ¡®Mediator¡¯, and that was how Viv chose to call him. The kark was absolutely ecstatic to show her the pakar stalls, indulging in long discussions on bloodlines and price variation, and distance traveled, and long list of merits and achievements that Marruk laconically translated in five words or less. Viv muttered the appropriate words of amazement while a crowd of surprised kark watched them go with open mouths. At least, that meant they wouldn¡¯t be talking for a while, offering her a brief respite, because she¡¯d been to quieter punk rock concerts.


    After leaving the stalls and its smells behind, the group seamlessly entered a cluttered maze of stalls and large tents displaying a variety of wares. This time, Viv did cast a sound dampening enchantment she created on the fly because it was this or a ruptured eardrum. The diversity of stuff that could be bought or sold here was nothing short of amazing. The scale also varied from children selling dirt-stained bundles of root vegetables to rich merchants piling gold ingots on an elevated table. Carved woods, ivory, bone, and stone waited next to furniture and agricultural tools she didn¡¯t recognize. Weapons, mostly spears, and bows could be found alongside gambesons and boiled leather armor. The only thing missing was steel, really. Delicious smells emerged from some of the more distant tents. Aromatic herbs fought for space with pots and pans in a colossal mess of dizzying aromas. Viv felt that every single sense she had was assaulted with the exception of touch, mostly because she would just start disintegrating faces at that stage. Even mana burnt in many hues on the backs of cloaks, the bases of stoves, and the trinkets of the wealthy.


    Viv aspired to a brief respite when they reached the largest tent. Inside, enchantments kept the air cool though a bit rank, but more importantly quiet. The Mediator helped bring her guard down when he left to order some tea. Even the following negotiations felt more subdued. Her host teared up when he learnt the trade to New Harrak would soon be reestablished. A request for a list of tradable goods garnered his approval, though a quick skim could summarize it as ¡®if it¡¯s metallic, we desperately need it¡¯. Viv deftly deflected an offer on her land ship by saying the complex piece of engineering required a maintenance team they didn¡¯t have. It was more polite than telling them they were broke.


    When Viv was finally feeling better, the Mediator sprung his trap.


    He invited her for lunch.


    Viv couldn¡¯t refuse since she intended to stay for the evening. The witch was forced to wait until the various bigwigs showed up. Food was quickly brought in large plates, and as the empress tried some of it, she was pleasantly surprised by the quality.


    Her pleasure lasted exactly as long as it took for the first kark to start chewing. She paled and turned to Marruk who gave her a look of pity. The old girl knew what was coming. Nothing could save Viv now.


    Viv had always disliked people who ate noisily. As for the kark, they were not the kind of people to chew with their mouths open.


    No.


    That was entirely too pedestrian.


    By culture, they had to express their appreciation to the cook by consuming it in the noisiest way possible. Immediately, the common space turned into a concerto for molars and gullets in B depressed. The Mediator opened the prelude with loud slurps of his soup which punctuated with a satisfied ¡®aah¡¯ in a two-beats leitmotiv, soon joined by a crusty shaman gnawing on an ear of some sort of cereal with all the grace of a woodchipper. The staccato of a merchant chewing with his mouth so open he lost a piece of food with each smack accelerated the dance. The cherry on top was a scarred warrior slurping noodles that were either two-meters long, or he was really bad at it.


    After five minutes of this, Viv was considering switching sides to Team Genocide.


    After another minute, Marruk dragged her outside for a quick breather. Viv used the opportunity to meditate and calm down. This was fine. She was exaggerating. They were just people living according to their own norms, and she was merely a guest so she ought to chill. Not to mention that they were in no way showing disrespect, quite the contrary.


    ¡°You needed a moment, yes?¡± Marruk asked in a blessedly quiet voice.


    The sounds of feasting and singing rang all around them, though distance and a barricade on the side secluded the private square they were on. It appeared Marruk had selected a sort of garden where people might gather in relative quiet. The ground was made of packed dirt with tufts of dry grass but an effort had been made to provide beautiful flowers on the side. It was almost relaxing.


    The wind changed direction, and the stench of a nearby latrine ruined the moment. Viv winced. The perpetual presence of Solfis in her throne room had spoiled her, with rude people aware that they were only ever one snap away from enthusiastic defenestration. The world there catered to her needs. Here, people were oblivious to her desires, and she had no intention to change that. One should not get used to entitlement, after all.


    It could be worse. They could be smelly and dirty.


    Having sufficiently coped with her predicament, Viv nodded to her trusty companion.


    ¡°I know they don¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    ¡°It annoys me very much as well,¡± Marruk said.


    Her eyes grew unfocused.


    ¡°Always so noisy, always claiming this and that. They have to show everything with big words while their actions fail to follow. Sometimes. Big claims about victory. About¡­ about protecting my mom.¡±


    Viv wrapped her arm around the stout kark¡¯s chest, managing to reach maybe halfway to the other shoulder.


    ¡°I will ask them where your tribe council is. We will get you back and then we will make things better, yes? Your warriors, you have already changed them. They respect you.¡±


    ¡°There are only a few hundred of them. Hardly enough.¡±


    ¡°It takes only one person to carry an idea. See, you were alone, and now, as you say, bam. Three hundred.¡±


    Marruk chuckled.


    ¡°You are good at telling me the truth I like.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called politics. You should try it sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Well, shall we head back? We should not miss dessert.¡±


    Reinvigorated, Viv just decided to focus on the delicious food until Marruk needed to translate something. The kark were not a meat-eating people but that didn¡¯t stop them from having a great love for gastronomy. Soups, pies, mashes, vegetables sauteed, braised, or baked, and all manners of dried or smoked stuff seasoned to perfection provided one of the best and most novel culinary experiences Viv had had since leaving Helock. She also managed to engage with the tribe representatives who were curious to learn who she was and what New Harrak had to offer. Viv wisely decided to wait until they served some of the freshest kava she had ever drunk before talking. By then, the representatives were full and happy, so they indulged her without much issue.


    ¡°Your timing is great. My little Shola said the Red Tribe has gathered near Small Fall for the harvest. They are collecting all the food and allies they can find,¡± the shaman said.


    ¡°As usual,¡± her neighbor grumbled.


    He didn¡¯t sound like a fan.


    ¡°Luten is gathering strength for another push,¡± the scarred veteran grumbled.


    He gave her a measuring look.


    ¡°Not a strong one. The Pure League is reconsidering their expansion. The dust storm has been especially strong this year so their people clamor for food. Many demand that the taxes be lowered.¡±


    ¡°That just means they need a win,¡± another said, but the veteran shook his head.


    ¡°Their knights have all but deserted the frontline. Only Purist fanatics and the soldiers will be here this time.¡±


    ¡°And the Dark Blades,¡± someone whispered.


    The mood grew somber. Viv wasn¡¯t so sure the outfit had survived a decade of war unscathed, but those that remained had to be aggressively dangerous.


    A bit like the Hadals but the Hadals had been playing that game for much longer.


    Marruk remarked they should hurry. She wanted to be reinstated and alter the course of the war before it started. They would already lack time to prepare.


    Viv patiently waited for the representatives to finish talking. Marruk explained that none of them held power, not really. They were just stand-ins for the true leaders who were currently all managing the hunting and gathering of the season. She was still impressed by their knowledge of the current situation. Information moved decently fast in the steppes, and that was just what they were willing to admit in front of rival factions.


    ¡°The Long River Tribe has declared a Blood Feud against the Red Tribe,¡± the Mediator suddenly said.


    He smiled. The other kark suddenly paid attention to the candied fruits served with the kava. Viv had the feeling this was relevant.


    ¡°They are in the way. The Mediator helps us by warning us. It is a small favor that shows preference and might endanger his position,¡± Marruk added.


    ¡°Make sure to tell him I appreciate it.¡±


    Marruk nodded.


    ¡°We have a course now. We go to Small Fall to find my people. Then, we fight.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget getting you unbanned first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have a plan if you will help. We will not even have to kill anybody.¡±


    Viv was intrigued.


    ***


    A small gathering of confused children had gathered not far from the landship. They scurried around, bringing twigs of dried wood from a small pile to feed the fire under a grill, upon which fish gently seared. A small dog sniffed at a nearby pile of offal.


    Arthur presided over the improvised kitchen.


    ¡°Arthuuuur!¡± Viv said, suddenly concerned. ¡°Who are they?¡±


    Helpful minions.


    Very disciplined.


    ¡°Very afraid you mean? Have you looked at the color of their clothes? They¡¯re not even from the same tribe! And where are the parents? You can¡¯t just grab children off the streets!¡±


    No streets here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you go semantic on me, young lady!¡±


    Fine.


    Not captured minions.


    Interns.


    ¡°Unpaid interns? Do we need to have that discussion again?¡±


    The dragon sighed.


    Two iron bits for the performance.


    Each.


    Except little Rana.


    The dragon pointed at the young boy in charge of the fish sauce.


    Very motivated.


    He gets three.


    ¡°No kidnapping!¡±


    Fiiiiine.


    Oh, I have found something you might like.


    The dragon¡¯s maw opened, revealing a row of serrated fangs. A smile, or an imitation of one. Arthur was really good at imitating human expressions.


    At the bottom of the lake.


    I think Marruk will like it.


    ¡°Do tell?¡±


    Arthur did tell, and Viv planned.


    ***


    The landship sped through the steppes leaving behind only trampled grass and utter confusion. They came upon one notable hurdle, a small river that they managed to cross by finding where the kark did it, then doing it while they ran away screaming. Two days later, they trespassed upon the lands of the Long River Tribe.


    Viv noticed an assembly of pakar riders arrayed in their path from high above. They had a few shamans with them, and were quite numerous but when Viv notified Frosthawk, the mage wasn¡¯t overly concerned. The landship veered north. With the speed at which the Harrakans were going, it took a very long time for the mass of riders to trot themselves on an intercept course. A group detached itself when it became clear that they were outmatched speed-wise. Shamans grew walls and pillars in the way in a desperate attempt to slow them down.


    Frosthawk calmly walked to the center of the landship, where the core was. He interacted with the central array. Their speed faltered. In return, the ground in front of them flattened as they advanced as if smoothed by some divine hand. Truly, Sidjin had done a good job.


    The land ship leveled all obstacles in its way. Those riders that were too close fled before they could experience Newton¡¯s first law, and the land ship was through.


    ¡°Damn, that was smoother than I expected,¡± Viv said.


    She sent a massive prayer to Maradoc, God of Travelers, so he would be sure to watch the replay. Harrak for free transit!


    ¡°Yes. Our engineering cannot be matched!¡± Frosthawk replied with pride.


    ¡°Maybe we should give the landship a name?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about it, but I didn¡¯t want to call it the ¡®Unstoppable¡¯ only to crash on a mid-sized stone.¡±


    He gave her an accusatory glance.


    ¡°My luck doesn¡¯t work like that.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s name it after we arrive, and quickly. It can¡¯t be good luck to leave a ship unnamed like that.¡±


    ***


    Frosthawk slowed the ship down once they approached the renowned Little Fall. Far out east, the land grew greener and patches of actual forest sprouted here and there. It was a more fertile ground where semi-permanent villages emerged as tiny dots in the distance. The Red Tribe clearly enjoyed more resources than what they¡¯d seen so far in the steppes, but Viv assumed it came with a side of hardships.


    They heard the waters of Little Fall over the wind long before they spotted it. The landship climbed a slope towards a low ridge stretching wide over the plains, the highest point for leagues in every direction. It formed a quieter natural barrier. Soon, the landship found a path it followed gently up. Permanent fields and stone dwellings showed that this was an important place, and right now, it was packed with harried-looking kark.


    Viv felt the difference. It wasn¡¯t in the clothes, though they were on average rattier. It wasn¡¯t in the belongings either although there were fewer of them. It was in the guarded gaze that expected no surprise to be good, though the presence of red-wearing kark on the deck stopped them from running. It was also in the tense postures, in the gaunt faces, in the fearful expressions of the children and the absence of males of warring age. It was, also, in the general feeling of exhaustion obvious in everyone, a fatigue that wrung out the soul until all that was left was a sort of stubborn hope that things wouldn¡¯t possibly get worse, and if they did, well, at least it would be over.


    At Marruk¡¯s request, they only stopped the imposing steel construct once in view of a great stone overlooking a pond where the waters came to rest. Warriors in tattered armor had gathered in great numbers here, thousands of them stretched in small groups over a large meadow. It was a respectable force, but hardly something that would stop an army. The veterans were too scarred and too few while the younger warriors were¡­ too young. Not yet in their prime. And the gear they used was just shit.


    Her inspection skill painted a rather grim scene, yet there was still defiance in their eyes as the ship passed them by, at least until they spotted Marruk then it turned into naked curiosity.


    Marruk was the first down the gangway. She walked with a predatory confidence that was unusual for her. Viv knew Marruk was more guarded than this, but she was also here to convince her people. That meant some posturing. The door maiden had grown a lot over the past five years.


    On the elevated rock, some of the fiercest warriors waited without a word besides an ancient, decrepit shaman of piddling power and an old warrior with a gray beard and actual metal armor. Many of the warriors there had some as well. With how long the conflict had gone, Viv honestly expected many more to have some sort of pilfered gear as well, but the kark simply lacked smithies. She assumed they¡¯d traded what they got away.


    They had also probably lost many battles.


    ¡°You! Daughter! You dare return here? NOW?¡± the leader said.


    Viv came to stand by Marruk¡¯s side, soon joined by nearly 300 armored kark. The sight of so much steel sent ripples through the assembled crowd.


    ¡°I dare.¡±


    The old shaman walked forward with some difficulty. He smiled kindly, and Viv saw Marruk soften. The contrast between him and the steely, unyielding old warrior went a long way to explain how the Red Tribe had survived thus far.


    ¡°Who is that person? Your employer?¡± the shaman asked.


    One of Marruk¡¯s trusted warriors had been translating. Viv stepped forward to reply, with her helper translating.


    ¡°Marruk is not in my employ. I am here as her friend, and also because I will wage war upon the Pure League as retribution for attacking my people.¡±


    ¡°What were you promised?¡± the graying warrior spat.


    ¡°With Neriad as my witness, I ask no boon of Marruk or your people,¡± Viv said.


    The oath settled without difficulty. She wasn¡¯t sure but there might have been a bit of golden light.


    ¡°I am here to help.¡±


    ¡°You brought steel¡­¡±


    ¡°I did not. She did,¡± Viv said, pointing her chin at Marruk.


    ¡°It changes nothing!¡± the warrior bellowed. ¡°You are still an exile! I cast you out.¡±


    ¡°You cast me out of the clan, father, but you cannot cast me out of the Red Tribe. I am still a daughter of the eastern marches¡­ and I have brought my warband with me!¡±


    She thumped her chest, the armored glove clanging brutally. Her warriors beat the ground with the butts of their spears, then a proud roar covered the plain, dispelling some of the gloom. The other tribesmen gathered in tighter ranks.


    ¡°Who would stop me? Who would refuse my spears? Who would refuse steel?¡± she said, as crates of weapons were piled on the ground.


    ¡°You are a woman,¡± her father said, though his refusal garnered little backing.


    ¡°I am a warrior of my people.¡±


    The two faced each other in a stalemate. Viv didn¡¯t dare inspect the warrior but she could tell he was mighty, though she wasn¡¯t sure it would make up for Marruk¡¯s superior gear.


    ¡°She has come to fight, and she has brought help. We will not turn her away,¡± another warrior said.


    ¡°That is for the council to decide. I will not rescind her banishment.¡±


    ¡°I have not come to be reinstated,¡± Marruk said, her tone resolute.


    The shaman gasped in surprise. He was not the only one, but Marruk merely took a step forward.


    ¡°Reinstated in the clan while I bring more warriors? More weapons? No. I am not here to follow the one who would send me away. I am here¡­ to lead.¡±


    She pointed a steel-clad finger at the chest of the old warrior.


    ¡°Father, I challenge you to a contest of speed, wisdom, and strength. I challenge you¡­ for the role of warchief!¡±

 Chapter 194: The Darkest Side

    A wave of excitement followed Marruk¡¯s declaration, yet the council was not immediately swayed. They devolved into arguments and deliberations. This was all very shocking to them. It went against tradition, a soldier explained to Viv. A woman could not become a warchief, just as a man could not decide how a child ought to be raised. Those were customs that had lasted since time immemorial. Before long, elite warriors gently pushed them away from the stone while the elders deliberated.


    Under normal circumstances, Viv wouldn¡¯t have given Marruk¡¯s bid a snowball¡¯s chance in hell, but these were desperate times. It was painfully obvious in the way the younger soldiers¡¯ eyes glittered when her soldiers distributed steel spearheads, how they whispered and scurried excitedly to fit them on their weapons. Grizzled veterans watched the land ship roll back with the haunted gazes of people who didn¡¯t dare hope, who had been scarred by life so many times that no good news could possibly come without a solid side of disappointment. They were not expecting success, but for the other shoe to drop instead. They had never had any true victories - therefore, it was all a lie. Viv then realized she had come at the very last moment. This was the last stand of the Red Tribe. They were no longer thinking of victory.


    Maybe the Steppes would have survived, and the kark bounced back in time, but it wouldn¡¯t have been done by them. Those people were at the bottom of the hole and waiting to see if it would sink lower. So Viv did what she did best: looking supremely confident that yes, she would find a way through disaster once more. The kark hesitantly gathering around them needed her cocky posture even more than the steel being passed around. Marruk played her part as savior with more ease than Viv expected as they walked through the gathered tribes, exchanging greetings and wishes.


    ¡°I have spotted Talyk Shadow-Hunter,¡± Marruk told Viv after she was done screaming salutations to someone.


    She pointed at a squat, gray kark standing at some distance over a tiny hillock. Other men in camouflage garbs gathered around him with bows made of bones strapped to their backs.


    ¡°The one who was interested in becoming an assassin?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ talked about it. Which is more than I can say about any others. Let us meet him, at least.¡±


    The shadow hunter didn¡¯t show much enthusiasm when they made their way to him, yet when Marruk approached, he eagerly touched her hand. His voice quavered a bit when he addressed the younger woman, and Marruk replied in a comforting tone. They clearly knew each other well.


    ¡°You, you are the shaman that kills and rules, yes?¡± he finally asked Viv in broken northerner.


    ¡°That is so.¡±


    The hunters bristled. Viv wondered what was going on until the explanation was given quickly.


    ¡°You sound like a northerner too.¡±


    ¡°I studied the tongue in Helock so I would not have an accent. I can speak Enorian as well, if you prefer.¡±


    ¡°No, we are not River Tribe. We do not speak the southern tongue. I am sorry. You do not sound exactly like a Lutenese. It is just¡­¡±


    ¡°Difficult to listen to a human speaking the tongue of your enemy?¡±


    ¡°I will not allow my hatred to annoy an ally. Apologies.¡±


    ¡°No harm done.¡±


    The shadow hunter nodded. He spoke a few words to his men who settled in shame. Viv realized that Tylek was one of the quietest kark she¡¯d ever met, except for Marruk.


    ¡°The girl says you have men who know the way of killing,¡± Tylek continued. ¡°She says, it is not so different from hunting. Is that true?¡±


    Viv felt a pulse of black mana at her side, so subtle most mages would have missed it. It was difficult to hold back a smile.


    ¡°I believe you should be talking to my friend and the leader of our scouts and assassins ¡ª when they bother. This is Irao. All you said, and also a good friend.¡±


    The kark jumped back when the Hadal bowed to greet them. He uttered a few words in perfect kark before pointing to the side. Tylek spoke with awe and within ten seconds, they were off to a more secluded corner of the valley. Above Viv, the wind picked up. It moaned over the crest like a dirge. Distant clouds fled west.


    Marruk sighed.


    ¡°This was the easy part, I think. Tylek will hear Irao out. Maybe we should return to the land ship.¡±


    ¡°I think you ought to greet all of the clans before we return to wait,¡± Viv said. ¡°Especially those who are not so friendly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Respect. This, I shall grant them.¡±


    It sounded like Marruk was trying to convince herself when the poor girl clearly wanted to hunker down somewhere after far too much social excitement. Viv gently encouraged her down the slope, towards a waiting group of Kark. Viv could tell they were waiting because they were trying their absolute best to look casual about it, yet when Marruk hailed them, they swarmed her with questions.


    Viv let the kark take over. She was rather good at appearing confident though Viv suspected it might be anger propping her up. That, or properly channeled anxiety. The most awkward meeting came from her own clan, half of whom loved her unconditionally while the other half thought their wayward daughter was shaming her ancestors or whatnot. The exchange was tense and as brief as Marruk could manage, then they greeted one last clan on the way to the stone. They were being summoned.


    ¡°It was very short. Normally, the old codgers love to hear themselves posture,¡± Marruk grumbled.


    ¡°Is that good?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Fortunately, Viv could tell the discussion had gone in their favor from how grumpy Marruk¡¯s dad was. It was the old shaman who addressed them. Well, he only did so after five minutes of bellowing about the ancestors but Viv was used to it, by now.


    ¡°Because of the wealth of steel and allies your warrior Marruk as brought to us in our hour of need, we, the council, grant you permission to challenge Warchief Matar for his title ¡ª¡±


    Roars of surprise and approval erupted across the clans, but the shaman¡¯s voice grew to a deafening volume, silencing them instantly.


    ¡°Under the condition! Under the condition that should she lose, she would still join us with her warband and the steel she brought for the duration of the campaign. And when she leaves, she would not try to get her gifts back.¡±


    ¡°I accept,¡± Marruk replied.


    The clans beat their chest, whistled, and screamed with approval. Well, Viv wasn¡¯t sure it was approval, but they were clearly animated now. Even the old ones standing on the stone smiled, tension melting from their faces. Nothing had been achieved so far but after decades of hopeless war, something has changed, and that was enough. Enough to believe again. Oh, many remained somber but Viv knew no amount of weaponry could lift the weight of trauma from their shoulders.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy, daughter of mine,¡± Warchief Matar said.


    ¡°I know, but I would never have left my tribe alone, even if you had refused me.¡±


    ¡°The first contest will happen as soon as our preparations are complete. It shall be a contest of speed! Each team will select three runners!¡± the shaman bellowed.


    As the clans made to leave the valley, Marruk explained the rules. The contest of speed was a relay race that would last a day, with three runners expected to cross dozens of leagues on dangerous ground.


    ¡°The candidate backed by the best hunter wins. Some of my soldiers would do well, but not me. I am too slow.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should ask Tylek?¡±


    Marruk nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I need to show local allies, and there was something else. A person can only participate in one of the events, and I would like you for the contest of wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s the first time someone implies I am very wise!¡±


    ¡°It is more a contest of politics.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°I would still ask you to monitor the event. Watchers and scouts will make sure the contestants do not attack each other, as it would be against the rules. You can also save a contestant if it looks like they might die, although it might disqualify them.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can do that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What about the contest of strength? I assume there will be fighting involved.¡±


    Marruk shook her head.


    ¡°No. I am already going against tradition. Magic is not strength. It is magic. For the kark, strength is more¡­¡±


    ¡°Brawn?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I need to prove we are the better fighters.¡±


    Viv hesitated.


    ¡°Gear can go a long way, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I am confident we can win the speed contest. Your magic will help us tremendously during the contest of wisdom, whatever it may be. I think we can win with those two, then if we do, I will allow the third contest to take place anyway. I need¡­ to face my father.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Marruk stopped talking. She stopped walking as well.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡±


    Marruk looked around. Plenty of people milled around. People talked loudly while council envoys sent runners and men to prepare for the first contest. They had a moment.


    ¡°It is the first time I talk with my father since my mother died, and it does not end in screams.¡±


    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡±


    The tough kark clenched her armored fist.


    ¡°I do not know. There are many feelings. Too many broken links. He could be trying to fill the ditch between us, also. That is because all my brothers have died so he only has me left who has not married into other clans.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, Marruk¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think my people can move on before this is done. I don¡¯t think I can do it either. It needs to stop. The bleeding must be staunched.¡±


    ¡°And I am here to help.¡±


    ***


    The council rushed to finish the preparations. Viv¡¯s understanding was that they had little time to waste because the northerners were gathering strength, but at the same time, they were glad for the distraction. Even the despondent families started to cook food and build decorations, distracted from their anguish by the unexpected development. Tylek the Shadow Hunter agreed to run for Marruk as their first which was a good sign. Her swiftest soldier would be their third.


    ¡°Who will be your second?¡± Viv asked Marruk.


    But the kark would not answer out of fear of being overheard. While the clans slowly moved to the endless plains, Irao briefly appeared at Viv¡¯s side.


    ¡°How is it going?¡±


    ¡°Poorly. Good attention. Good hiding. Good aim. No mindset.¡±


    ¡°You mean they don¡¯t think like assassins?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°Assassins need to blend. The kark cannot blend with northerners, but they could still use tricks. They do not like tricks.¡±


    ¡°Too cowardly?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Too¡­ dishonest.¡±


    The old hadal sounded completely baffled.


    ¡°War is dishonest. Why are they like this?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, this is bad. Maybe we can find a workaround?¡±


    ¡°I will think on it more.¡±


    ¡°Me as well. Ah, someone is here for me.¡±


    An old kark warrior calmly explained Viv¡¯s role as observer. Her task was to accompany the first two runners as they made their way across the plain, but she could stay longer to look after others. The first runner would carry a flag to the second, who would take it and bring it to a third who would bring it back to the starting point. Runners could take nothing with them but their clothes, which made it a contest of endurance as well. They were also forbidden from directly interfering with each other. The role of the observers was to make sure that rule was respected, and that the flag transfer was done properly. There would be several observers along the way. Viv was Marruk¡¯s first pick but there would be more. It sounded simple enough.


    A crowd of thousands waited in silence for the trial to start, at the edge of the plains where the grass grew as tall as two men. Tylek was there in a simple shirt and short fit alongside another wiry kark she didn¡¯t know. They were not even wearing shoes. The start off ceremony was quick for kark standards. Soon, the two contestants rushed into the sea of grass along with their red flags. Viv took off so she could fly over them and get a good view. She didn¡¯t expect shenanigans but wildlife might be an issue.


    Below her, the two contestants walked at a brisk pace along a narrow pathway, walls of shifting green on either side. An old pakar rider bristling with weapons waved at her from the side, so she landed next to him. The two of them kept pace with each other. He tried to talk to her but she couldn¡¯t understand, so instead, he pointed to the side and to her eyes. She got the message.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    With both watchers providing cover, the runners kept on. Viv knew they had to have some good skills or at the very least strong related stats, yet they were both conserving their energy. The reason became clear soon enough: the path they were traveling angled east but their destination was to the north, and so they had to enter the sea of grass. Without tools, they had no choice but to brute force it, so now Viv could follow them by the fluttering surface of the sea of grass. They both left a visible trail behind.


    From above, the race looked like two lines slowly drawn on a shifting emerald canvas. Viv didn¡¯t lower her guard. Her mental stats allowed her to stay focused for extended periods of time, but even as she kept an eye on things, her mind wandered.


    How could she win the war for the kark? A better question would be, how could she convince the Pure League to abandon their expansion? Winning a battle was a thing, but she needed to win a war. And she couldn¡¯t just bring her troops here, not without a mountain of complications. Viv sighed, then she tried to relax.


    It was easy to forget about the horrors of this world up here, with the wind in her hair and the floating sensation of traveling over an infinite valley. It smelled like ripe grain and growing things. The light of a late summer afternoon shone on her armored mage robe like a warm caress. Out there, people were dying but here? Here she was airborne and safe.


    For a long while, nothing happened. Just two people crossing the sea of grass. Eventually Tylek¡¯s trail left the other behind. If it were up to Viv and she were the other contestant, she would cut a path to Tylek¡¯s trail and follow him to enjoy the fruits of his labor, only attempting to overtake it in the last hour. It didn¡¯t happen. Maybe the other contestant was honorable or perhaps he had no way of knowing where Tylek was. Viv made sure to check with the other overseer on occasion, though they couldn¡¯t really communicate. His wariness towards her never fully faded. Humans probably had a bad rep here.


    A large hill eventually rose in the distance as the night fell, but before they reached it, they had to cross a large, flat expanse of low grass. The two picked up the pace then, and the other began to overtake Tylek who made sure to step lightly, and stop regularly. Viv watched them move in the moonless shadows thanks to her improved vision. What was Tylek doing? It was like he was losing on purpose.


    She spotted something moving, something large. It was coming from the side. At first, the trail of moving grass hesitated between the two runners, but then it seemed to lose Tylek, resolutely focusing on the other runner instead.  Viv understood that the old shadow hunter was using stealth. Did he know something was coming? She landed next to the pakar raider and mimicked something moving in the grass. He panicked.


    ¡°It Sha! It Sha!¡±


    Ah yes, the Sudden Deaths. Kark-eating worms that used ground magic. Too bad Arthur was off doing the gods knew what since she found them delicious. Viv flew out. She couldn¡¯t let the other contestant die and not feel like an absolute asshole, but Marruk had been offered an opportunity: Viv could intervene if someone was about to die. Key term: about to. She moved closer to the warchief¡¯s candidate.


    Sudden Death Worms attacked from beneath, through bites. She knew what to do. Somehow, the candidate felt the worm¡¯s presence at the last moment. He jumped to the side with a yelp.


    Viv cast deadland domain on the ground. Immediately, the black mana saturated the earth and prevented the worm from swimming through it. The creature burst out with an angry hiss. It was pink and as large as a tree trunk but also quite short, with a large mandible lined by three inward-facing fangs.


    ¡°Guillotine.¡±


    Not taking any chances, she severed the thing in four segments, hoping they wouldn¡¯t run away or something. The pieces fell apart. It was all a bit anticlimactic.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s done.¡±


    Whatever. The pakar raider arrived soon after. He hugged the shocked contestant which Viv assumed meant they were close. She didn¡¯t quite follow what they said afterward and anyway, Tylek could use some backup, so she left with a little wave. They sounded grateful so it was probably ok.


    Tylek reached the flag-passing spot near midnight. Without surprise, the other contestant had fallen behind, but that wouldn¡¯t have mattered anyway.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Viv asked.


    Marruk is my borgling friend.


    I want to help her!


    I am the fastest; no one can catch me.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it cheating to use a dragon in a race?¡± Viv asked.


    Her daughter waved her concerns away.


    Having a dragon on your side is always cheating.


    Because it is a dragon.


    So Marruk is always cheating.


    Therefore, it does not matter.


    Because if they want to complain.


    I am dragon.


    Therefore they will not complain.


    If they know what is best for them.


    Viv couldn¡¯t fault her logic. A short look at the examiner confirmed he wasn¡¯t in the mood for complaining either, so Arthur delicately bit the flag before taking off like a jet fighter on steroids. Damn gray mana casters and their fancy acrobatics.


    So that was why Marruk was confident. Hell, just Tylek would have been enough to get a solid lead. Now, the race was as good as won. Viv still stayed a few hours to make sure nothing else would eat the contestants, and to enjoy what felt like the calm before the storm. She followed the last contestant back with the dawn.


    ***


    Marruk¡¯s last runner was the first to arrive. He was several hours early to the disbelief of the participants, however the observers and other runners quickly returned to confirm that no one had cheated. In fact, Viv¡¯s decision to save the worm victim painted her in a favorable light, for which she got loud recognition. It would have been enough to declare her side the winner, except that the kark insisted on following the tradition to the end. It was a strange and novel experience for Viv to meet people who not only participated honestly, but were also willing to lose out of a strange sense of honor. No one accused her of cheating. No one said she had used sorcery to make her people go faster. No one had ever complained about using non-kark people in the trial. It was all above board, just, and without prejudice. Truly, the kark were doomed as a species.


    With the first task complete, Viv expected some delay before they could proceed with the next, however the old shaman surprised everyone by raising his voice before people even returned to the secluded valley.


    ¡°Congratulations to Marruk for her victory. The second task starts immediately! For the test of wisdom, your duty is to find what¡­ what happened to the spear shaft clan, then offer succor if it can be done,¡± one of the soldiers translated in a dark tone.


    Somber whispers dampened the mood. Sighs and wails came from all around, audible above the wind.


    ¡°What does it mean? They were supposed to be here?¡± Viv asked.


    ¡°They should have arrived three days ago. If they are late with no messengers, then it can only mean one thing. The Pure League found them.¡±


    ***


    The warchief left with his fastest riders. From the River Tribe¡¯s ill-fated attempt to stop her, Viv could guess this was the usual way of doing things here: ride out with a group of pakar riders in the hope of catching something. Her land ship was not only much faster, it would also carry food, healers, and medicine to help if the worst had come to pass.


    ¡°The main host of the Pure League advances slowly because it has many men on foot. Poor soldiers. They hope to earn land,¡± Marruk explained. ¡°The richer men have horses. They ride to the best pastures or to the lakes and then they kill everyone they find. They leave quickly because the pakar are not as fast as horses, but they have better stamina, then they do it somewhere else until we are enraged. This draws my people into battle. Many times, we lose, and many sons never return. Sometimes we win and the attacks stop for a while. The main army shouldn¡¯t be upon us just yet, so it must be a raid.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything after that. Viv clenched her fists. She¡¯d seen death before. A lot of carnage. It would be fine. She was used to it by now, almost jaded. Bodies were bodies, when they were dead. And she would be here to help. There would be survivors. She was going to make a difference. There was no reason to panic.


    The land rose a bit though it remained the same tall grass, the same wind that was now losing some of its charm. She just wanted it to stop for a while so she could hear herself think. Later, she retired to her cabin at night to sleep but found that the place was so quiet and deserted she just couldn¡¯t do it. Her ears rang from an absence of noise, an unnatural stillness that screamed that something was wrong. She only managed to close her eyes after hours of meditation.


    She knew the clan had been hit when the smoke and the birds of prey became visible the next morning. Every free person climbed to the deck to look ahead even though nothing could be seen yet. Eyes searched the foggy plain for anything they could see. It appeared the spear shaft clan was camping by a small lake when they were attacked. It was still out of view. And quiet. Even with the wind, they would have heard something, anything if it was still ongoing. Whatever had happened, it was now over.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon,¡± Frosthawk mumbled.


    No one replied. They knew.


    The first they saw of the village was a gaggle of villagers struck in the back as they were running. The raiders hadn¡¯t even finished them off. They¡¯d just left them to bleed out. Frosthawk stopped the land ship there so everyone could drop down.


    One of the healers managed to find someone who was still alive. The rest looked towards the village in the distance. Viv could spot smoldering tents, past a wall of grass.


    ¡°Alright, spread out. Search for survivors.¡±


    ¡°Be wary of traps,¡± Marruk said, then she translated Viv¡¯s orders.


    As for Viv, she flew towards the village at good speed with a shield ready. The silence confirmed that nobody had stayed behind. Except for the dogs.


    They were eating.


    Dogs were not common here. Kazar had a solid pack of guard mastiffs, but otherwise they were considered expensive. Those dogs were mutts, and she could see how they could be cheap seeing as they were feeding on kark corpses, of which there were many. They ignored Viv but jumped on Marruk as soon as she came into view.


    Viv killed them quickly. Marruk handled the closest ones without trouble and, apparently, without surprise.


    ¡°They hunt survivors when they get hungry,¡± the kark woman explained in a grim voice. ¡°Trained to attack only the kark.¡±


    While they talked, Viv took in her surroundings.


    It was worse than what she¡¯d expected. The village was ravaged with a systematic hatred that left her speechless. Every detail came at the same time, but her mind refused to accept them. Even the tales of Lancer¡¯s occupation hadn¡¯t prepared her for that. Even the battle against Octas hadn¡¯t started that badly. Each tent had been burnt to the ground. The pakar were all slaughtered where they stood, then left to rot. They hadn¡¯t even been stolen: they were just slaughtered for slaughter¡¯s sake. It was the same with the rest. Every pottery was smashed, every piece of cloth was burnt. Nothing had been spared. Nothing. Especially not the people. The stench of carrion assaulted Viv¡¯s nose. That one was an old companion. The sight of the dead, this time, was much less so. Old people, teenagers, men and women. Children. One of the healers rushed to a toddler clinging to the headless corpse of his mother.


    ¡°Babies keep drinking from the dead,¡± Marruk explained. ¡°The child might still be alive.¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t wait to find out. She searched around but the raiders had been thorough.


    There wasn¡¯t anything left alive here that was larger than a bird. Viv looked around for something to do, somewhere to help.


    ¡°Wait, there is something there.¡±


    A knoll stood at some distance from the carnage. There had been an attempt to set it on fire but it had failed. Only part of its surface was burnt. Viv hurried there. She needed some kind of success.


    There was a hole on the far side. It was a hiding spot of sorts, maybe? A granary, or perhaps something more? The entrance was blocked by a gate. It was partially damaged and she could spot something on the far side. The raiders had clearly tried to break in and failed.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    She cut it open but the heat of the fire near the entrance made her flinch. It was still enough to see inside. There were kids huddled on the far end of what was obviously a storage space.


    Arthur picked that moment to land next to her.


    ¡°Oh, here you are. Can you help me with the flames?¡±


    The dragon dispelled the fire with a wave of her paw, and Viv was inside. She needed to learn a spell to quench flames herself. It might turn out to be useful in the future.


    ¡°Come and help. Hey Marruk?¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t hurry.


    ¡°There are kids there!¡±


    They are dead.


    ¡°What? No, the flames haven¡¯t gotten in.¡±


    Suffocated.


    Aaaaand of course.


    Of course.


    That was why Marruk wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Viv should have guessed. She was just being naive.


    ¡°Sorry, I should have guessed. I mean, it¡¯s obvious. Happens in fires all the time,¡± Viv said.


    She had a better look at the children. It was harder to see because of the kark¡¯s natural red skin but their lips were far too dark, even though it looked like they were sleeping. Clear signs of discoloration.


    ¡°I thought¡­ they might have hidden.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a place to hide,¡± Marruk explained. ¡°The raiders put them there. They blocked the door, then punched openings in it. For the smoke. It¡¯s quicker and easier than killing the children one by one.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I misunderstood.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop now. We must keep looking.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure what to do. She slapped her cheeks to center herself.


    ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve seen dead children before. Don¡¯t grow soft now. Not now. I need to be there to help.¡±


    She left the knoll behind, finding the edge of the sea of grass a little farther. Many tracks led out. Maybe more runners. Another larger path attracted her gaze. It led further east.


    There was a battlefield there, if one could call it that. Around fifty kark warriors lay dead near the entrance of the village. The way they clumped on the field showed they had never retreated, doubtlessly trying to buy time for the others. It hadn¡¯t worked very well. They¡¯d been left to rot where they fell, but there was also a pile of partially burnt dead humans stacked in a half-assed pyre. One of the raiders at the edge was still unburnt. He had a large gut wound, though it hadn¡¯t killed him. Someone had also slit his throat. It had been done with something really sharp. A kark would have used a spear.


    ¡°Wait, the raiders finished off their own wounded?¡±


    Humans can be very cruel, I see.


    ¡°They might have thought it was a mercy compared to what the kark reinforcement would have done,¡± Viv remarked.


    Arthur huffed.


    ¡°Not that I would blame them,¡± Viv finished.


    We can go after them.


    ¡°Yeah. I just¡­ need to see them. And we can scout along the way. I need to understand. Let¡¯s just tell the others we¡¯re leaving, in case they still need us for something.¡±


    A kark blew a horn in the distance. Perhaps a safe signal or something. Viv wasn¡¯t sure she could care anymore. Useless. She was useless here, now that the land ship had arrived. She was no healer.


    Fuck.


    The veterans on her team back on earth had been right. It just wasn¡¯t the same, seeing a real ethnic cleansing. She wasn¡¯t sure why. Perhaps It was probably because those were just¡­ people. Not warriors clashing on the field of battle for important ideals, but people. Victims. They just never had a chance. Or was it really different? She wasn¡¯t sure. She just wasn¡¯t sure what made it so gutting.


    She understood the drinking nights and the lost gazes now.


    ***


    Viv followed the trail from up high. She found it difficult to keep her rage down. It wasn¡¯t even the horrors of what she¡¯d seen, it was the casual disregard for¡­ for humanity. She knew the kark were not humans, but they were people. Dragons were people, as were the merls. Golems too. Doing this to harmless children was something she found hard to process. It was just the perfect blend of casual cruelty and brutal efficiency that set her off, and yet she wouldn¡¯t kill them. Not yet. She had to do things properly now, because she represented the empire.


    Otherwise she would have used the raiders¡¯ intestines as garlands. It might still happen.


    The raiders had made no attempt to hide, relying on speed instead. She caught up to them after only a couple of hours. There were about a hundred and fifty of them left with around fifty horses laden with food, fabric, and other loot. They wore mismatched armor when they wore any at all, a multicolor convoy of murderers as jolly as they were murderous. Hell, the lead rider wore garish red from head to toe.


    Kill.


    ¡°No. I am the Empress and you are my heir. We are not at war with them at the moment.¡±


    So?


    I am dragon; you are elemental.


    We do what we want to do.


    ¡°We are safe from repercussions but our people are not. Consider this¡­ delayed gratification.¡±


    Fine.


    You always cause the most terror.


    I will follow your lead.


    For now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll land in front of them. I want to talk to them. I need to understand.¡±


    Viv let herself fall from Arthur¡¯s back until she landed far in front of the Pure League raid. The leader saw her and hesitated, so to make sure she would get her answers, Viv raised eldritch walls on either side of her as far as she could control, leaving only one opening: her.


    The leader hesitated. He was an older man, scarred, and wearing a red-dyed armor made of studded leather. He had a cruel face. Several heads were attached to his saddle.


    Viv breathed deep. He seemed to hesitate and Viv didn¡¯t feel like running after him so she gave them a sign to approach. If they ran, she wasn¡¯t sure what her response would be.


    The noble approached along with a burly warrior and a woman with a longbow. Viv didn¡¯t recognize their sigils but she assumed they were Lutenese. Maybe the newly minted nobles who ruled over their stolen lands. Honestly, she didn¡¯t give much of a shit.


    He stopped at a good distance.


    ¡°Why?¡± Viv asked.


    He only looked confused.


    ¡°Why what? Speak up, stranger.¡±


    ¡°Why the children in the oven? Why the dogs? Why¡­ this? Like that?¡±


    He blinked like he wasn¡¯t getting it.


    ¡°Stranger, you are not making sense.¡±


    The archer whispered in his ear.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a kark fu¡ª¡±


    He winced.


    ¡°A peace-lover, ey? Listen, do not believe what the Neriad weaklings tell you. The kark are like locusts. They serve no purpose and they ruin everything they touch, alright? Just look around you.¡±


    He waved at the dusty land, a brown desolation oozing dry soil with every gust of wind.


    ¡°What they can¡¯t get, they poison. It¡¯s plain for everyone who has eyes to see.¡±


    He sighed, annoyed. Viv withheld her aura for now.


    ¡°You have to understand that we are helping our entire race a favor by doing what needs to be done. You softlanders don¡¯t get it. You look out from your castles and see blood and you get the vapors. The kark must be extinguished, or there will never be peace. If you leave the children behind, it¡¯s just more pain down the road. For everyone.¡±


    The burly man spat on the ground.


    ¡°Thankless softies.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. We¡¯re doing this for all of us. You can¡¯t make the kark good. So they gotta die, so mankind can take its rightful place. Become free.¡±


    ¡°Whether the kark fuckers want it or not,¡± the burly man added.


    That was all Viv wanted to know. Wordlessly, she floated up, up, and out of view until the riders left. Arthur picked her up a bit later.


    You let them go?


    ¡°We follow.¡±


    And they did, for another hour. The raiders led Viv to their main camp. There were around four to five thousand of them. They outnumbered the Kark warriors by a factor of two.


    ¡°We know where they are now.¡±


    We could burn it down.


    They cannot stop us.


    Only their best elites could do so.


    ¡°There could be extremely competent dark blades so I wouldn¡¯t bet my life on it, and besides, it can¡¯t be done by us. It must be the kark, or the Pure League will just claim only humans could stop other humans.¡±


    I am not human.


    Yet I understand.


    It is their war.


    ¡°Yeah. Now that we know where they are, we can guide the others here and¡­ make sure the battle starts properly.¡±


    Head back?


    ¡°No. There is one last thing we must do. Remember, we are here on legal business. Gotta do things properly.¡±


    ***


    It was a complicated time for Luten. The governor of the border town smiled anyway, for it was when one was weak that they must appear the strongest. No expense had been spared to make the reception hall a haven of style and elegance. Inside, open windows led to the ballroom where soft music played. Cooling enchantments refreshed the guests as they picked finger food and flutes of exquisite liquor from passing waiters. The gardens awaited the revelers outside, in the warm air of this late summer, its perfumed paths lit with warm candles shining on blooming flowers. Everywhere, the fastuous surroundings and the soft susurrus of conversations denied the rumors that things were not going so well. Luten was not out of money. A generation of its brightest soldiers and operatives had not been lost at the front. Those were merely growing pains while the city refocused on its sadly neglected core: ship-building. No, the core had never been the trade with Enoria, which was now entirely captured by Zazas because of that uppity black bitch, thank you very much.


    A complicated time, to be sure. Nevertheless, the governor walked and smiled. He greeted the new nobles, brutes, all of them. He placated the old nobility whose sons and daughters rotted on the dusty plains where the steppes used to spread. He distracted the tense merchants with vague promises. Inside of this courtyard, within those mighty walls, he was prince. Outside, well, there was only so much he could do. The latest expedition had a good chance of finishing off the entire Red Tribe forever, which would open a lot of new, perennial land, but there were other tribes beyond¡­ and he had heard that promise before.


    ¡°I was informed that our mages have come up with a suitable way of dealing with the situation, ser. Sardanal¡¯s priests insist that the phenomenon is due to earth being lifted by the wind. More trees and uncultivated patches will permanently solve our problem.¡±


    ¡°It is not sustainable!¡± the old landowner spat.


    ¡°It is better than the alternative, yes? With revitalized land, your domain shall become arable again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s looking more and more like a pierced basket, old friend. This is the last time,¡± the merchant said with clear regret.


    The governor feared the merchant might be right.


    ¡°Fear not. I ¡ª¡±


    A boom. The fortress wall in front of the garden shook. Shards of stones fell from on high.  Something crawled down its smooth surface with sinuous grace. It was white and long as three men.


    The governor thought he might be going mad.


    ¡°Dr ¡ª dragon!¡± the merchant whispered.


    An aura of hatred and domination washed over the assembly, pushing back even grizzled captains. It was fury, barely restrained. It was a promise, also. The intensity of it was breathtaking, yet there was a restraint there that made him want to stop moving in case that last limit vanished, and the entire palace disappeared in a blazing inferno. The beast growled but it didn¡¯t kill them. Instead, its lips pulled back in the macabre parody of a smile.


    A form descended from its back. It hovered above them like a dark shape backlit on the sea of stars, but the impression faded and there was a woman instead. She was pale and armored in robes and crystallized mana, with strange void blades emerging from her back. Her eyes were two rings of emerald on spheres of nothingness, and upon her brow was a crown of bone fit for a king. The aura of hatred grew to a suffocating crescendo when she softly stopped in front of him. It was coming from her.


    Against all expectations, she handed him a scroll.


    He looked at it like it was a venomous snake.


    ¡°Take it,¡± she ordered, and he did.


    ¡°My name is Viviane, Empress of New Harrak and elemental arch-witch. By this missive, I am formally notifying you, a representative of Luten,  that following your attack on my embassy, and with the approval of the Paramese Alliance, I am exerting my limited casus belli to declare war on the Pure League. As per protocol, you are granted a one-day period of grace following which I will be conducting military operations. Consider yourselves warned, and may Enttiku have mercy on your souls. Enjoy your evening.¡±


    The woman turned around without another sound. She and the dragon took off amid the screams of panicked guards.


    The governor was left holding the scroll as if it were a fireball on the verge of explosion. This was the Empress of Harrak, an arcane juggernaut capable of killing superior aberrants in one spell. Reports from the beastling war spoke of curses to destroy entire armies. The dragon was there too.


    Just the two of them could have obliterated everyone present, leaving the entire town a sea of fire.


    It was now a very complicated time for Luten.


    Who the fuck had decided that attacking her embassy was a good idea?

 Chapter 195: Changing the Ways

    By the time Viv returned to the ravaged village, the kark were well on their way to finishing the cleanup. There were more survivors than she expected though those who had made it were shadows, haunted by what they¡¯d seen. Most of them were children, teenagers, some mothers with their children. All of the men capable of fighting had died in front of the village buying precious time for their people to run.


    ¡°They will be absorbed by other clans. We are down to seventeen. Once, the Red Tribe counted fifty-four clans,¡± Marruk said from her position of command near the pyre.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost more than half of your population?¡± Viv asked, horrified.


    ¡°Lost half of the population. A very neat way to describe families killed to the last person. Children left on the plains to be eaten. All of this.¡±


    She waved towards the survivors saying goodbye to the fallen, or performing the last rites. Once it was done, the body was deposited on the pyre next to the others.


    ¡°Some ancestors will fade with no surviving offspring. Such a tragedy. Their wisdom and the fruits of their efforts will be lost forever! And this pyre, carrying so many. Will they be lost on their way, with so many others rising to the sky together with them? We cannot even afford to do things properly¡­¡±


    Viv looked at a crying mother. This one couldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°People shouldn¡¯t have to cremate their children.¡±


    ¡°So it is. Let us attend to the pyre now.¡±


    It was well into the night before they finished collecting all the bodies. Arthur very kindly went after anything that tried to lurk closer, attracted by the scent of blood and death. Viv stood nearby when Warchief Matar arrived at the head of his regiment of pakar riders, late but not terribly so. There wasn¡¯t much for them to do besides mill around, but at least they got to attend the goodbyes.


    It was a grim affair, Viv thought. She¡¯d been to plenty of funerals by now and the mood had always been subdued, but New Harrak was finding itself in a situation where most losses had come as a side effect of victories. Her people had sacrificed their lives for something. Sometimes not much but¡­ something. This wasn¡¯t like that. The slaughter was just another one in a long list of senseless losses those people had been experiencing for years. They were just¡­ tired. It was visible in the way some of them lost themselves to the flame rather than drink and mourning.


    Viv left and did what she had to do, because no one else would do it. She approached the pile of dead raiders left where it was, and prayed before they could turn into revenants. The steppes didn¡¯t need more revenants.


    ¡°Neriad, Enttiku, those people were scum, but let them find peace anyway. If there is an afterlife, may they be a force for good rather than what they were here.¡±


    She sent a massive amount of mana to both divinities. A soft golden light covered the corpse pile for a brief moment, and she could have sworn someone patted her head.


    Viv knew that if she were victorious, the kark would end up within spear range of Pure League civilians who saw them as nothing more than animals to be culled.


    She hoped that when the time came, she would have the courage to do what was right and stop the slaughter, because after today, the temptation to let go was growing stronger.


    She could just go out with Arthur and¡­ it would be easy. It would be so easy. Ride across Lutenese lands, blighting the soil and torching every person in uniform she came across. Their elites would never catch up with her. She would slaughter them, spreading their remains over a gray, dead country until they begged for her to stop being the calamity they liked to pretend she was. They would never see it coming because she was holding back, holding back and being nice instead of fully embracing the black elemental aspect of her. Just a band of death at the border with the kark. A border. A warning. A scar that would never heal. Starving masses would drag princes from their brittle thrones¡­ And they would all know it was her.


    Arthur landed by her side.


    Are we going?


    ¡°No. We are leaving with the kark. They need to learn how to stand for themselves. I won''t always be here.¡±


    If you say so.


    ***


    One might say that to display majesty, a little bit of practicality had to be sacrificed. That person had never visited the Prince¡¯s Hall in Luten. The golden sunlight of a late summer shone through the skylight over marble desks and engraved lecterns designed to allow the prince¡¯s council to work in a pleasant setting. Looking at the prince, however, it was clear he wasn¡¯t having a pleasant time.


    ¡°I call this extraordinary session in order.¡±


    He sighed. The past ten years had cost him a lot of his youthful exuberance. Now, with experience came regrets, and a lack of smiles. Many of the councilors watched him walk in his regal robes with wary eyes, fearing what fresh ignominy might have been cast upon their head. He pulled on his beard ¡ª never a good sign ¡ª and the men and women around flinched at this old nervous tick. It didn¡¯t befit a prince to show weakness, any weakness.


    ¡°I have just received a scroll from the border fortress. Prime minister, would you kindly share its content with us.¡±


    The old minister unfolded the scroll with a frown. His lips moved as he glanced over the words written in a script he was not entirely familiar with.


    ¡°The Harrakan empire has declared war on us,¡± he gasped.


    There were a few whispers, one laugh, that one quickly silenced, and quite a few confused looks. More beards got pulled.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± a woman asked.


    ¡°They claim an attack on their embassy¡­ two years ago? One of our senior officers defected to them and our men tried to reclaim her,¡± the minister replied.


    ¡°Instead of sending an assassin?¡±


    ¡°So it would appear.¡±


    Consternated growls erupted from the back benches. Someone was going to lose their head over this.


    ¡°Our agents reveal no movement of troops, or at least none within the past two weeks,¡± the spymaster added.


    ¡°That missive was delivered in person by their sovereign!¡± the prince hissed.


    ¡°However,¡± the spymaster pointed out, ¡°the empress herself left alongside senior mages and all of her pet kark.¡±


    The person who¡¯d laughed huffed.


    ¡°What will she do with those animals? Teach them to do tricks?¡±


    Few members still bought the idea that the kark were inferior weaklings who would break at the first cavalry charge, their lands ripe for the taking. Not after losing several family members to the futile push west.


    ¡°Three hundred armed kark are a concern. Three hundred steel-clad kark with imperial training? That is very concerning. Not to mention the woman herself,¡± a general grumbled.


    ¡°Elaborate,¡± the prince said.


    The old man gave him an assessing look. It used to be that questioning Lutenese superiority could land one in jail for treasonous speech, though the prince had mellowed over the years. In this regard, at least. He decided to hazard it.


    ¡°She killed Elunath in a mage duel. The city still bears the scars of the event. Oh, she also escaped Helock¡¯s keep in a rather explosive breakout.¡±


    ¡°Surely there was some poetic exaggeration involved?¡±


    ¡°I assure you, there was nothing poetic about those events. I have talked to witnesses. Two elemental mages fighting? That was like¡­ like gods incarnating to dish it out. A mountain walking, yet falling to a corruption that nothing could shield against¡­ Have I mentioned that the Helock¡¯s arena was cordoned off for two months because she poisoned it?¡±


    ¡°So she is a great mage. We have ways to deal with those.¡±


    ¡°Only one way, in fact. Sending a mage contingent against her would be suicide.¡±


    ¡°The dark blades it is then.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better send your best, because they will only have one chance.¡±


    Several councilmen disagreed. The prince returned his gaze to the declaration of war. It was a partial one.


    It meant that she wouldn¡¯t just fly to his palace and drop a strategic spell from the back of her pet dragon, because there was little that could stop her from doing so. Even a full mage flight might not suffice.


    Somebody ought to stop her before it was too late.


    Maybe the King of Baran would be open to talks.


    ***


    The return was much slower since the landship reduced its speed to match that of the pakar riders. The healers had suggested that the survivors ought not be separated, and there wasn¡¯t enough room for all of them on the ship, so most now the steel construct rode over the plains like a fat tank.


    ¡°I think I want to call it the Beacon,¡± Frosthawk said.


    ¡°The ship?¡± Viv replied.


    ¡°Yes. It is the first of its kind, the messenger of our old glory restored for all to see. It represents the ancient and the new fused in harmony. And it also represents hope.¡±


    ¡°A bit ambitious, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I think we need to be.¡±


    ***


    The arrival of the clan survivors was met with dismay and relief in equal measure: dismay that yet another clan had been destroyed, relief that there were survivors. Most of them were immediately absorbed in surrounding groups while others were sent on their way to distant clans, those that were not here at the falls, having only sent their warriors. The lack of discussions on what to do told Viv this wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened.


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    To her surprise, one of the fallen clan¡¯s oldest women walked to her alongside a gaggle of surviving children. Marruk translated while Viv stood there awkwardly.


    ¡°She wants to know if it is true that you carry a metal shield with the symbols of everyone you have ever helped.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, of course, should I get it?¡±


    ¡°She would like to see it.¡±


    Weird request, but Viv grabbed her old shield from her cabin. It was battered and mishappen, with each partial layer obscuring the one before, and since people used different alloys, the symbols were in different colors too. Honestly, whatever could go through her magical shield would never, ever be stopped by that thin layer of metal but there was just a psychological benefit to holding steel between the enemy and her. She¡¯d felt the same way about her body armor.


    The old woman passed a hand over the pitted, irregular surface. She nodded, then reached into a pocket for a coin.


    It was an iron coin bearing a line.


    ¡°The symbol of the Spear Shaft clan,¡± Marruk whispered. ¡°It is a great honor.¡±


    The old woman admonished Marruk for a while. The poor girl had to translate the abuse as well.


    ¡°She called me an idiot and that her clan was done for. I think she¡¯s¡­ doing this thing you said, when some people handle pain differently. She says that if you carry the symbol on your shield then it will be as if the Spear Shaft clan was never dead.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I accept. I¡¯ll have Frosthawk¡¯s people attach it immediately.¡±


    ¡°She asks if you will carry it in battle as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°She asks if you can bash someone¡¯s skull in.¡±


    ¡°No, this is my shield. Magic is my weapon.¡±


    ¡°It will have to do.¡±


    ***


    It didn¡¯t take long for the council to deliberate on the Trial of Wisdom, barely half an hour of screaming that seemed to leave them confused and annoyed. Marruk and her father Matar were called to the stone in front of the assembled warriors a moment later. The female warrior who usually did Viv¡¯s translation found her with a nervous smile, right on time for the delivery.


    ¡°The Council has decided that Marruk triumphed over the trial of wisdom. She saved our people before the pakar could arrive thanks to her great metal beast. She is our new Warchief.¡±


    The acknowledgement was lukewarm, to say the least. Some of the younger warriors cheered but most of the old geezers nodded, or looked away. No one overtly defied tradition, at least, not now, but it wasn¡¯t probably the rousing endorsement Marruk could hope for. As for the woman herself, she strode to the stone.


    Nobody stopped her.


    Little by little, the crowd quieted while her leadership spread over the assembled kark like a warm cover. Viv could taste the kark¡¯s leadership skill in her soul and it was very, very different from her own. Viv¡¯s leadership was overwhelming, buoyed by her many achievements and her tendency to ruthlessly kill any opposition. Marruk was completely different. She was solid, but more than that, she was comforting and resilient. She had been through a lot of shit since first leaving the steppes, but she¡¯d gotten back on her feet swinging every time. It had taken her a ton of effort and a bit of luck to collect all of her iron and to grow into the confident woman she was now, and it showed in the way the people she touched settled. Her soldiers closed ranks with pride while others straightened. Marruk wasn¡¯t just here to bring steel. She would stand amongst her warriors and hold the line whether it was against a cavalry charge, a gut spiller, or a siege tarantula. She was the Pillar of the Kark, and she was here to stay.


    ¡°I can tell some of you are not happy, and I think I know why. I left to find help while my father stayed. Year after year, he fought for our people while I was away. All the iron and all the allies I have now, they are because he was there to protect our people. That is why I had time. Now I come back with a bountiful reaping while he was bleeding for our home, and I dare take his place, for he has no food to offer.¡±


    The old ones nodded. The younger warriors looked introspective. All of them gathered closer, made curious by her words.


    ¡°To you I will say first that strength is not just holding a spear. To hold one¡¯s pride is the duty of a warrior, but to sacrifice one¡¯s pride for the good of the clan, of the tribe, that is a warchief¡¯s duty. I found help because we needed help. All the steel you hold on your spears, the allies we have, the metal beast, those are here because I looked for ways to help you,


    my people. Because I fought for it tooth and nail against the southern nobles who would cheat us, and because I found people I could trust, even though they are not kark. The steel you hold, that is MY strength¡­ and it is with that strength that we shall push the Pure League out, once and for all.¡±


    Some of the kark bellowed while others remained quiet, but Viv could feel their eagerness to see if the steppes could win under its first woman warchief.


    ¡°But before that, I still need to prove myself to you,¡± Marruk continued, catching everyone off guard.


    ¡°And that is why¡­ we shall conduct the Trial of Strength!¡±


    The crowd roared in approval.


    ¡°For my first, I nominate Odon the Bellicose, of the Hollow Tooth clan!¡±


    A scarred kark in heavy armor roared at the head of Marruk¡¯s soldiers. Viv knew him from reputation. It wasn¡¯t a very good one, but he was unerringly loyal.


    ¡°For my second, I nominate Sa¡­ Sa¡­ Sala? Hey, that¡¯s me!¡± the translating woman squealed.


    Viv patted her back while Sala stood there under the sudden and crushing public attention, until her reddish skin turned almost purple. Viv lost the end of the speech though she could get the content from context only. Marruk announced her third fighter by hitting her chest twice with resounding bangs of metal against metal, then her gauntleted finger pointed at her father. He raised his spear in acknowledgement.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure but he seemed shaken.


    ***


    The preparations were complete and it was now the fourth day since Marruk had ridden into the camp with an archwitch, a fortune in steel, and a metal beast in tow. Viv had expressed concerns that the army would need supplies since the Steppes were not exactly rife with resources, but it was past harvest and the kark were actually doing well in that department. It turned out that a civilization that lived on the move was actually pretty good at keeping supplies moving as well. Go figure. As for the contest of strength, mages and shamans had turned an open valley into a sunk amphitheater complete with seats and everything. It was extra, and unnecessary, and Viv was pretty sure the Red Tribe was just enjoying a change of pace in their war against extinction.


    On the fateful morning, the contestants were called in while people ate and drank all around. Viv was in the premier lodge along with all the other important people, trying her best to ignore the chewing noise and burps over the ever-present howl of the wind.


    Odon the Bellicose was first to take the field on Marruk¡¯s team. He was a spearman, of course. Most of the kark were. His opponent was another scarred master who¡¯d survived countless fights and, once the combat began, Viv realized why. A quick inspection confirmed her observation.


    [Spear of the Winds: Fourth Step on a path that pursues spear mastery, focusing on mobility and distance. Close Quarter Combat specialist. Human Slayer¡­]


    Matar¡¯s warrior was a breathtakingly graceful dancer with a spear that moved so quickly that Viv couldn¡¯t follow it. By comparison, Odon was an armored ball of controlled fury.


    [Tipped Juggernaut: Fourth step on a path that pursues battlefield dominance, relying on armored aggression. Human slayer¡­ ]


    Viv glanced over the description as a realization crept up her spine.


    She had been racist. There was just no other way to describe how thoroughly she¡¯d underestimated the kark¡¯s martial prowess. How else could they have held back an army with knights, assassins, and armor? The spear dominated their war arts so, obviously, they¡¯d be really good at spears, but Viv¡¯s prejudiced brain had decided the best kark soldiers went to Solar¡¯s wife to be taught.


    Apparently, they¡¯d been going there because only she was a match for them. It was now that she had the time to pay attention that she realized how good they could be. In fact, even with an old warrior explaining what was going on in northerner, she was lost.


    No matter. Her prejudice was a secret so no one would ever find out. It was a positive side effect of keeping one¡¯s mouth shut on occasion. Now though, images of what a legion of blindly loyal spear-wielding iron junkies in heavy armor could achieve invaded her mind with the promise of more heavies, always more heavies. And they hated humans too! It would only be the third warband of human-killing aliens joining her banner.


    She needed to get herself some merl as well and her Pokedex would finally be complete. It was only a matter of time really. Hell, she was already missing butter-grilled spider legs.


    Viv convinced herself this wasn¡¯t an evil mastermind mental process as she smiled at the kark. It was such a good show too.


    Matar¡¯s warrior was a blur, his spear movements beyond what Viv thought were possible. He had affixed a steel end on an elaborate, and probably enchanted, bone weapon. Odon was pure steel from head to toe and his style matched. He just rushed his opponent down relentlessly. Because of the way the area was set up, it prevented the more agile fighter from keeping his distance, a feature the larger warrior used mercilessly to back him into a corner. Matar¡¯s candidate was forced to block or avoid every thrust but Odon merely pivoted to let the tip slide on his imposing defenses, minimizing the amount of movements he had to do and allowing him to just keep the pressure on. Viv was concerned that Odon would run out of steam before he could win, but that didn¡¯t happen. After a remarkably long time considering how hard those two were fighting, Odon landed a hit on his opponent¡¯s leg. It only went downhill after that.


    The agile fighter did try a last ditch attack that might have pierced the armor ¡ª Viv couldn¡¯t see any blood ¡ª but when that failed, he forfeited. The two of them bowed to each other and the crowd before retiring to their respective tents.


    ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Viv said with some relief.


    ¡°A great fight! Those two are great warriors. There was no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more brutality and grudge that were a concern.¡±


    ¡°Hah! We are not resolving a blood feud! Have you never ended a fight with a show of respect?¡±


    Viv thought about it. She had. She¡¯d also killed someone with mana poisoning.


    ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s going well so far.¡±


    Marruk¡¯s point had been made. Viv was pretty sure Matar¡¯s champion had better stats and more skill but Odon¡¯s fantastic gear and adapted training had made the difference. It was a lesson the kark had experienced for the entirety of the war, but it was the first time the teacher was another kark. Many of the spectators were disappointed that skill hadn¡¯t made up for equipment but others were excited. The next fight would show Sala. As soon as Viv saw her opponent, she knew they wouldn¡¯t win this one. Sala was on the very edge of taking the fourth step.


    Her opponent was on the fifth. He was a spearmaster and teacher hybrid path. He was also ancient, all of his hair white.


    ¡°The first fight usually shows the strongest warriors. The second fight is about tradition. Respect for our ancestors. Your friend¡¯s choice says a lot,¡± the kark translator grumbled, though he didn¡¯t seem too angry.


    ¡°Her approach to tradition is unusual,¡± Viv conceded, ¡°but you should not expect a female warrior to hide what she is.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. You are a shaman who specializes in killing, so the habits of the kark may seem strange to you.¡±


    ¡°Not that strange considering the Enorians thought the same. Marruk is making a statement here¡­ even though it will cost her.¡±


    ¡°A statement?¡±


    ¡°That she stands for new customs when they are called for.¡±


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure it was a good idea. She would have placated the old guard with some concessions to tradition while pushing hard for key changes, including the right for Sala to stab some Lutenese, but rubbing things in people¡¯s faces tended to crystallize them in their positions, her dad used to say. It wasn¡¯t her call though.


    From the beginning of the fight, it became clear that Sala¡¯s opponent could end it in moments, but he didn¡¯t. Sala moved well despite being relatively inexperienced. After probing her and testing her skill, and to Viv¡¯s endless surprise, the mentor started to teach her. It was obvious in the way he mirrored her style to point at flaws or offer suggestions. Even Viv could get it.


    From excited and tense, the mood around the arena turned more argumentative, with many kark discussing the merits of various schools of martial arts. Viv¡¯s translator explained old debates with a passion and a knowledge that she¡¯d only seen in hardcore football or car racing fans. It was pretty interesting.


    After more than ten minutes of demonstration, the fight concluded with Sala deeply bowing to the old man who then offered to teach her more in a very loud voice. The crowd cheered when she accepted.


    ¡°It is like a retelling of the story of Agon and the Old Master!¡± her translator said with tears in her eyes. ¡°It is one of our oldest and most sacred tales!¡±


    Damn. Marruk was much craftier than what Viv had given her credit for. Shifting the narrative? Now that was devious. Viv was a little bit proud.


    The third fight was the one everybody was waiting for.


    Warchief Matar entered the ring in his refurbished metal armor carrying an elaborate bone spear.


    Marruk came in as well in her heavy plate, with her huge door-shield and a flanged mace.


    The two faced each other in the ensuing silence. The head shaman said something but her host was too absorbed to translate. Matar roared, a sound carried by the wind that promised swift retribution for the crimes against his people.


    Marruk slammed her tower shield on the sand. The loud noise somehow cut the wind, and the roar. Marruk was here, and she was here to stay.


    There was a certain irony in the unstoppable force standing for tradition while the immovable object was the champion of change. Viv watched the two fourth step warriors circle each other, then the battle began in earnest.


    Matar moved a lot, Marruk didn¡¯t. He attacked often, she didn¡¯t, but each of her attacks was dangerous and perfectly timed. Viv realized those were not just great fighters engaged in a fight for the fate of their people, they also knew each other intimately.


    Again and again, Matar sought to overwhelm Marruk to prove a point, using his greater stats and experience to slip under her guard, but the old girl stood her ground and she walked back to the front every single time. It was a shock of will as much as a shock of arms. Marruk was a Pillar of the Kark though, that was her path, and she would never stay down.


    It was amazing how those two were evenly matched. Marruk had grown so much since the starving door-wielding bodyguard Viv had met in Kazar. Viv was so proud. She was sure to cheer with the others as the two stubborn warriors butted heads (metaphorically). After a hard fifteen minutes of head to head combat, Marruk¡¯s father stopped.


    The kark all around held their breath until a miraculous silence spread across the plains. Even the wind quieted down. Viv¡¯s ears popped out of sheer surprise.


    ¡°You have proven yourself, daughter,¡± Matar said. ¡°I am old. Perhaps our people need a new vision. I concede defeat.¡±


    Viv nodded to herself. She was pretty sure he could have won in the end, by forfeiting, he allowed for a peaceful transfer of power. Marruk jumped on the occasion.


    ¡°I have proven my speed, my wisdom, and now my strength. I am your new warchief!¡±


    The crowd roared with measured enthusiasm, some of the kark exchanged concerned glances. All things considered, it was an amazing result. It was just that three days of change wouldn¡¯t undo years of horror. They were still waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was then that Marruk¡¯s leadership expanded in a ring of absolute conviction.


    ¡°You are waiting for me to lead you against the expedition force to avenge the Spear Shaft clan!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I will not do it. Not now.¡±


    The announcement fell like cold rain over the freshly stoked crowd.


    ¡°This is what we¡¯ve been doing for years. They come and kill, we chase them away. Sometimes, we kill many, sometimes we do not, but there is always another raid, another push. No more. No more! This time, we trap them. This time, no one is going back to Luten.¡±


    People mumbled, uncertain. They had probably been promised something similar before.


    ¡°We are going to train, not as clans but as an army, and we are going to catch them before they can flee. From now on, the Red Tribe are victims no longer.¡±


    Marruk gathered the clan heads to her while their warriors left the arena in a state of circumspect confusion. Viv sighed. There would be some preparation needed before this ragtag band could win a war. It was clear in the way their old warchief willingly gave up his throne without some nasty backroom maneuver. What a desperate people.


    ***


    ¡°They can¡¯t be assassins,¡± Irao said.


    It was a statement of fact.


    ¡°It goes against their nature,¡± he added after a while, as a way of explanation.


    Tylek the Shadow Hunter stood nearby like a confused student about to get reamed. Viv knew he didn¡¯t speak Imperial, but he could guess what Irao was saying.


    ¡°You are a hunter, right? You do traps?¡± Viv asked since she wasn¡¯t quite getting it.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°And that is fine?¡±


    ¡°It is up to the enemy to keep an eye open in the steppes. Those who are not vigilant will pay the price. Such is the way of this land!¡± he roared.


    ¡°But infiltrating lines to slit people¡¯s throats is different?¡±


    ¡°It is not honorable! The foe must know they are attacked, or are we Lutenese?¡±


    Viv blinked.


    ¡°So it¡¯s their fault if they fall into a trap, but your fault if you attack them while they are unaware?¡±


    ¡°Yes! You get it.¡±


    Absolutely the fuck not. Wait¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s about¡­ who starts it? If they fall into the trap, they are moving, but if you infiltrate then you are moving? Instigating?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°How about hiding in preparation for an ambush and getting closer unnoticed? Is that fair so long as the attack is announced immediately before you strike?¡±


    Tylek hesitated. His brow scrunched with effort as his mind studied the proposal. Ethics wasn¡¯t apparently his forte.


    ¡°I¡­ suppose? Ambushes are not honorable, unless the foe itself announced it was coming? I¡­ am not sure. I think so.¡±


    ¡°Would the rest of the kark army go for an ambush?¡±


    ¡°Against the Pure League? Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Well then. I know what strategy we¡¯re going to use. It¡¯s going to take some time before Marruk can turn that desperate tribe into a proper troop, by the way. In the meantime¡­ Irao?¡±


    ¡°We have felt their presence. They have killed a patrol not far from here. We can trap them soon.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d very much prefer giving them a visit. It¡¯s been a long week and I need to unwind.¡±

 Chapter 196: Harrakan Viv鈥檚 Instant Portable Rearmament Program?

    Once again, the Pure League called for salvation and once again, the Dark Blades answered. They left their fortress, their families. They fled the light of the day to gather in secret spots so that they may snatch victory from the jaws of disaster. Those of them that were left, anyway.


    It was a thankless task. Deeds carried out in the dark so that others may reap the rewards, bask in the glory, as always. The Dark Blades would fight and bleed against impossible odds before disappearing back into the whispers of late night taverns.


    To slay the Empress of Harrak, five cadres had gathered. Almost fifty Dark Blades. It was all that could be spared. They had met near the Frontier Citadel on their way to the Steppes. Quietly, they had traveled through the tall grass in thin lines, leaving the world undisturbed behind them. No one had seen them. Even the predators that dwelled there could not catch the elusive assassins. The Dark Blades were the shadows under Luten¡¯s extended fist, and their reach was long indeed. The Empress would be found. The Empress would be killed. To make sure they fulfilled their role, the cadres had brought a tool of great power the likes of which even Enttiku¡¯s servants envied. It was the Dark Blade, their namesake, and it would be wielded by Shon.


    It was a great honor. All the blade¡¯s wielders had their name inscribed on the obsidian stone at the heart of the oldest fortress where the elders gathered. Shon had been chosen as the new generation¡¯s most promising student despite her humble origins. Even now, her fingers ached to touch the hilt of the revered weapon. It hung at her side like an itch that craved to be satisfied, always calling, and it had a weight of its own. The old masters always said one should not bring a new knife to war, but one should practice a hundred times first. Not so for Shon. She had never even drawn it. She wanted to so badly.  Surely, she would have the chance. It was said the Empress was a dangerous caster with proficient defenses. The Harrakan beast would not fall that easily, and Shon would have her chance.


    Finding the remnants of the Red Tribe proved surprisingly tedious. Not difficult, as the kark made no efforts to hide, but longer than usual because they would not come out to meet the pacifying expedition. Everyone knew the kark were simple creatures with hot blood who could not stop to think about, well, anything. The fact they waited could only mean that the empress had a way to control them.


    ¡°Iron, I bet. Those beasts would do anything for iron. Even when we were hanging the brutes I could see their warriors look at our shiniest armor. They¡¯re like those shine-obsessed birds Baranese countesses keep as pets,¡± Jal whispered near the blinded campfire.


    It was a foolish thing, to give iron to the kark, Shon thought. They would just take it and then turn on you once the iron ran out.


    ¡°It¡¯ll all end once you slide that thing between her ribs, right?¡± Jal added, his eyes hungrily searching her flank.


    Shon didn¡¯t react. Jal and her had shared a bed before, but since she had been chosen to carry the blade, he had grown bitter. She could not let that affect her on her first mission. True wielders were beyond petty emotions. She would prove to everyone the choice of the Elders was the correct one.


    ***


    Two weeks into the trip and as supplies dwindled, the cadres came upon a kark patrol. Shon got to see what her seniors were capable of once fully unleashed. A dozen kark fell in seconds, throats severed before they could cry in alarm. It was a grisly spectacle but it also made her feel better about their chances.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let that get to your head,¡± her mentor whispered as he cleaned the blood off. ¡°Encampments are more protected. Their hunters are to be feared.¡±


    Shon nodded with confidence. She wasn¡¯t stupid. If the kark were harmless, then there wouldn¡¯t be so many empty bunks back at their secret fortress. The kark were not very smart but they were cunning, and they liked traps. She would not lower her guard.


    ¡°No food,¡± her mentor signed to the group after a brief search.


    Shon knew what that meant. The main camp must be close if their warriors didn¡¯t bother keeping food reserves on them. Finally, after days of tracking, they had it. No more following old tracks through dusty trails and the wind howling overhead. It was time for her to make history. The cadre leaders signaled that they would spread out to engage now, just in case, and prepare to infiltrate the encampment. At first, the only thing Shon felt was relief. Finally, things were happening. This was soon replaced by tension. Fear escalated when the group followed the tracks north, then west, with the wind at their back. It was an apprehension that went beyond mere stress, since Shon wasn¡¯t green either. Fear pressed on her shoulders and the back of her neck like a waterlogged cape. She knew others must have felt it too from the ways their heads swiveled like mad wind vanes. Cadres covered each other. This was the way. Shon just trusted the others as she focused on the path in front of her, as was her duty.


    The cadres entered deeper grasses then. The camp had to be closeby. Shon could see a faint brilliance in the distance, though the wind meant they wouldn¡¯t smell the pakar until they were atop of them. The terror she felt only increased with every step she made. Gritting her teeth, she fought it off. It was nothing but nerves, a weakness that true Dark Blades hammered out over years of service. She would triumph over it as she had triumphed over the others obstacles on her path. Emotions were fleeting things. They could not rule her life.


    A few of the others gasped when the fear reached a peak. It was at this precise moment Shon finally understood that something was very wrong.


    It could not be mere nerves if everyone else felt it as well. The anguish rose to a crescendo of terror when the intent behind it revealed itself. It was a cold malice of draconic patience, as uncaring as the void, and patient, not in a way a wise woman is patient but in the way a volcano is. That merciless intent was coming from above.


    Left and right, muted sounds of battle erupted at the same time. They were under attack, assaulted by an enemy entire cadres hadn¡¯t seen coming, and yet Shon didn¡¯t care. That malice, it came from above them.


    Black mana saturated the air, killing every bit of vegetation for hundreds of paces. Green stalks withered in an instant, falling to dust until the assassins stood on a field of death, exposed like scars on shaven skin. Still, Shon could not move. Above. Look above.


    Black tendrils and two emerald-colored lights.


    A dozen projectiles flew up, including Shon¡¯s own dart, but they hissed against a sphere of nothingness. For a weightless moment, everyone Shon knew was still alive, then the sphere was among them.


    It exploded. Jal took a fragment of the void in his shoulders and it just¡­ disappeared. The thing was among them, killing them. A flailing mass of hair-thin whips tore through the air and two members of her cadre while she managed to get out of the way. Another thrown dart disappeared against a humanoid shape made of liquid darkness that blinked away an instant later. Shon knew this was her target because nothing else she¡¯d ever seen could even come close, but when she tried to follow, her skill stuttered.


    Shon reappeared a step away from where she intended to be. In the distance, cadre masters fought against swirling figures and lost. It was impossible and yet, they lost. A brief glance revealed why.


    [Hadal Firstborn]


    She refused to believe it. They were supposed to have died off before the Pure League was formed. She had known this all her life, yet here they were, flashes in the dark. And she couldn¡¯t help. Her target was here. Shon¡¯s first assault turned into a mad backward dash when the supposedly unmoving witch was replaced by a hurricane of spells clawing, tearing, piercing¡­ it never stopped¡­ and then the spell storm teleported again. Shon struggled to keep up, her skill refusing to obey. The sigils of black mana shook between her practiced hands. Mana was pulled as if by a vortex towards that¡­ thing, and it didn¡¯t stop killing. It was like trying to catch up with a natural disaster. There was no exposed flesh. There was only annihilation mana. Shon used the meaning of shadow for a brief moment of respite and she was not the only one. The surviving members of her cadre rushed at her back¡­ what she presumed to be the back. The Dark Blades¡¯ shadow spell melted on top of them.


    One of the blades clanged against an actual shield. Shon spotted a flash of patchwork metal before her mentor was swallowed by magic. She existed. She was there. They just had to¡­


    The master who should have struck unimpeded was torn in half. All of Shon¡¯s skills broke at the same time. There were eyes under the layers of protective mana.


    ¡°You are trying to kill a black elemental¡­¡± the voice began mockingly.


    It moved again. It killed again. Hiding didn¡¯t work. Shon looked for an opening but there was none. She was already out of throwing darts.


    ¡°...with black mana.¡±


    The voice felt so distant and uncaring just as Shon¡¯s life was falling apart. Mentor was supposed to tell her to use the Dark Blade, but he was dead. She didn¡¯t have the time. Everyone was dead or dying. She had to do it. She should have done it before, and curse looking for openings.


    Her hand found the hilt as if called there. She cleared the blade with a cry of agony.


    It hurt so much. The power refused her at first, then it dug into her soul with ravenous fury. The pain scoured her mind and soul. She pushed through it with a last effort of will.


    Shon blinked. She was charging forward, blade in hand. Suddenly, she wasn¡¯t scared anymore. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she was doing. The blade guided her body as she strained and ran under and over spells that could cut an armored knight to ribbons. She knew with absolute certainty she would land the blow.


    She was a vessel for the Dark Blade. Someone was going to die. Even as the hail of spells tore through what was left of her allies she knew the terrible weapon would find flesh. It was already written. It was fate. The blade hissed through the air.


    A woman interposed herself between the elemental hell and the coming doom. Shon¡¯s eyes widened. The woman had gray wispy hair and sad yellow eyes. What Shon recognized there was altruism. Sacrifice. The notion sickened her.


    The Dark Blade finished its course in the air when something stopped Shon in her tracks. It was a strange blade, long like a spear, and it extended from the woman¡¯s back.


    Fate broke. What was written was forgotten. The blade hovered, its edge unsated.


    ¡°Ah,¡± a voice said. ¡°I knew all this practice with Solar would eventually pay off.¡±


    The Dark Blade dropped from Shon¡¯s fingers. The creature¡¯s wing had extended, pinning the young assassin back like a thrusting spear. Shon had been stabbed by a wing? It wasn¡¯t really even there!


    Nobody could have so much damn luck.


    It was over. She was done.


    The battle was already finished.


    The monster turned into a woman with strange hair and a pale skin tone, her eyes those she¡¯d seen before. Those were the only truly inhuman features if one didn¡¯t count the wings. Around her, accursed hadals gathered in bursts of shadowy magic.


    The woman gingerly picked the Dark Blade¡¯s hilt between two fingers. She frowned and said something in a lilting tongue Shon had never heard before.


    ¡°Nasty thing,¡± she continued in accented northerner. ¡°I¡¯m keeping it.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°You are in luck. I need someone to deliver a message. Tell them what happened here.¡±


    Shon froze. What was going on? Was she going to live after all? When everyone else had died? Just like that?


    Suddenly, she was faced with two emerald rings and a fresh layer of terror.


    ¡°This is the part where you run.¡±


    And so, she did.


    ***


    ¡°That is a cruel thing to do to a child,¡± Viv remarked as the girl fled.


    ¡°She does not know?¡± Irao whispered.


    He was the only one who talked. All the other Hadals preferred to sign, and now that the action was finally over, half of them were already spreading out. She noticed that the ladies didn¡¯t leave alone, a sign that even older Hadals were, ah, very healthy.


    Irao was being polite by staying with her, which she appreciated.


    The fate of the girl left her a bit sad, though.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, not the way she was wielding the blade anyway. I suspect they gave it to one of the youths just for that reason. Accursed thing.¡±


    Viv sniffed. Some artifacts were relatively harmless, like the Mirror of the People in the iron mines or Arthur¡¯s coin purse. Others had a will of their own. It took a master assassin to wield the Dark Blade without cost. The girl was too young, unworthy, so the weapon was killing her. Viv felt it in the way her life mana flickered with every strike. She had two months of life left provided she stopped using it at all.


    ¡°The old ones should be ashamed to sacrifice one of their apprentices,¡± Viv spat. ¡°Well, whatever, it¡¯s done and I feel much better already. I see one of your men has already looted everything¡­¡±


    ¡°The hunters need more pointy things.¡±


    ¡°Should we head back then?¡±


    ¡°There are things we must discuss, first,¡± Irao drawled.


    ¡°Discuss? Well, of course,¡± Viv said.


    It was probably the first time in two years Irao had felt the need to discuss that she could remember.


    ¡°What needs discussing?¡±


    ¡°The Dark Blade is a powerful artifact. Its call, perhaps you can feel it. It promises power. It tells you that with it in hand, you can face any foe. It might be true but the price is too high. Even if you were from Luten, it would still gnaw at you like a trapped hound¡­¡±


    ¡°I absolutely agree.¡±


    ¡°You must cast it away. Destroy it.¡±


    ¡°Well duh, I¡¯m not carrying a completely cursed item around like some kind of moron just waiting for a catastrophe to happen. I have a solution that will solve this problem forever.¡±


    There was silence.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You have tempted the fates before. You have rescued us.¡±


    ¡°You are not cursed?¡±


    ¡°And Solfis.¡±


    ¡°Still not cursed.¡±


    ¡°You have gathered many things that you were warned not to collect.¡±


    ¡°Prejudice isn¡¯t a curse, it¡¯s just people being irrational. Anyway, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re getting rid of it as soon as we¡¯re back at camp.¡±


    ¡°Very well¡­¡± Irao said in a voice that meant he¡¯d kept a very close eye on her. ¡°I want to ask something else. Why let the girl go? Mercy?¡±


    ¡°My dear Irao. If you want to win without a fight, you need a reputation. If you want a reputation, you must leave survivors. And what about you? Not tempted by the Dark Blade?¡±


    ¡°No. Bad tool. I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°You could kill an avatar with that thing.¡±


    ¡°Viv.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ***


    A shadow flew south, high in the clouds where the world became a cotton labyrinth that left dew on her white wings. The shadow could not enjoy it, however.


    Ten gold talents.


    Ten gold talents.


    This is a good price.


    And for a good cause.


    Ten gold talents.


    The shadow approached the center of Enoria, near Regnos and its lone volcano. Far below, Enorian warpriests hunted scattered defiled creatures of cancerous flesh. The aberrants fought back with dumb viciousness.


    The shadow approached the crater from up high. Thick smoke escaped from a vent, and below glowered the reddish embers of the planet¡¯s blood.


    The shadow dove.


    It¡¯s ten gold talents.


    The shadow dropped the Dark Blade into the vent, where it slowly sank into bubbling heat.


    Mother wasn¡¯t sure that the artifact could be destroyed, but if it could, then an extended magma bath was a pretty good bet.


    Ten gold talents.


    The shadow flew away on quick wings, thinking dark thoughts.


    I am NOT a glorified courier service.


    I do this for the gold.


    I am a smart dragon.


    Ten gold talents is ten gold talents.


    ***


    With their preparations underway and their troops on hold, the Red Tribe had accidentally regained the strategic advantage. The Lutenese raiding party was a slow and cumbersome beast. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue since the kark were drawn to them, but normalcy had left the way of the dinosaurs. No Dark Blades meant the horse riders were afraid to leave or risk the same fate. Hadal and kark scouts predicted which landmark the ethnic cleansers would visit next and warned people in advance. The enemy had plenty of supplies for now which Viv wasn¡¯t eager to destroy, but they were stuck chasing an elusive tribe that knew the Steppes like the back of their hands. The kark too had enough food for the rest of the year because their population had collapsed, so there was more for everybody. Silver linings.


    That meant they had some time, and Marruk used this mercilessly. There was no need to make the kark better spearmen but they did have to adapt, so she focused on squad tactics and movement. Viv learned that the favored kark infantry tactic was something that reminded her of a Schiltron, a Scottish formation that was essentially a hedgehog of pike-wielding footmen. It worked decently well against cavalry and archers thanks to solid shields which explained some of the kark successes. Viv knew a mage cadre would just rip through it but apparently, the Pure League mages had held back from the decade-long campaign. She wasn¡¯t sure why.


    Marruk was changing that. She had smaller groups formed by splitting youths from several clans and gathering them in ad-hoc squads she then trained to maneuver more quickly. Her own soldiers were familiar with the practice so they helped with drilling. The older warriors were not invited.


    ¡°Too stubborn. Too set in their ways. The younglings have adapted, thankfully,¡± Marruk commented.


    ¡°I thought there would be more friction,¡± Viv replied. ¡°Don¡¯t they have blood feud and generational grudges?¡±


    ¡°Of course. That is why I have them spar all the time while the girls watch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They tire themselves. Also sparring with warriors of a clan is an important part of wooing the girls from that clan. Important kark mating ritual. And also it makes more girls want to join. I have already recruited twenty-seven spear maidens! It is a good harvest.¡±


    ¡°I approve of your recruitment practice.¡±


    ¡°I have learned from you. You provide men with glory, witchpact horny girls, and good metal. You are very crafty.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you.¡±


    ¡°Practice will continue for now. My people are proving very patient with me. I thought they would push more.¡±


    ¡°They will run out of patience eventually, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help keep them entertained with some nice reveals.¡±


    ¡°Reveals?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Viv¡¯s portable military-industrial complex, I bring armament solutions everywhere on the continent at affordable geopolitical prices.¡±


    ***


    ¡°It is my pleasure to introduce¡­. The pakar nose armor! With the collaboration of beastmaster Surth, we have worked on a design that would protect your dear companions¡¯ adorable appendages without too much discomfort. No snoot shall be booped without consent!¡± Viv announced in northerner.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Matar screamed.


    ¡°It means the Pure League won¡¯t be able to shoot them in the face like they always do. Unfortunately, we only have enough spare metal for a dozen but that is enough for most lead animals. We can get you more in the future.¡±


    ¡°Such a great gift! But we can never spare so much metal.¡±


    ¡°Oh but we have the metal. I am sure that I can come up with some exciting trade opportunities in the future.¡±


    ¡°The steppes have much to offer!¡±


    ¡°And we will love to hear it after we¡¯ve beaten our common enemy,¡± Viv said, her smile spreading across her lips.


    The Golden Scale Bank and Exchange was going to expand massively.


    ¡°So it is!¡±


    Viv suddenly froze in her tracks, realizing what she was doing.


    Proxy war? Check.


    International weapons trade? Check.


    Deploying shady (and possibly autistic) operatives? Double check.


    ¡°Holy shit, I¡¯m speed running the whole evil imperialism thing, huh.¡±


    Solfis was going to be so proud.


    ***


    Viv adjusted the diagnostics spell one last time, focusing on the old kark¡¯s scarred leg. There was nerve damage near the knee that would force a limp for the rest of this man¡¯s life, but in battle, he ought to be able to push through the discomfort.


    She quietly eyed the old shaman standing by her side. His breath was raspy, his eyes unfocused. He could do no more this morning. Perhaps no more this day, period. She couldn¡¯t heal that person entirely without spending two days fixing everything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just fix the arm. Be ready to heal while I reform the limb,¡± she said in northerner.


    The shaman nodded. He called upon the ancestors, and Viv waited.


    Kark shamanic magic was strange, and that was with witnessing male magic only. She knew most tribes segregated casting by gender roles. Traditionally, the female shaman of the tribe would have been in charge of healing. It would have been Marruk¡¯s mother here, but she and her sisters were dead.


    Black mana moved by the meaning of change, turning the pile of worm meat into an intact limb. Slowly, the slurry reformed healthy red kark flesh. Viv patiently waited until they regrew finger by finger as her magic guided the process, then it was time to reattach it. She quickly severed the stump to attach the replacement while the shaman called upon his healing powers, a gentle light filling the tent. Kark divine magic was on the slow and soft side. She was pretty sure the ancestors¡¯ souls didn¡¯t stay or she would have felt them, but there was clearly something remaining from those who had come before. Pride. Love. Fear. The muted emotions came and lingered like a sweet aftertaste.


    ¡°We thank you, ancestors,¡± the shaman finished with a trembling voice.


    The light dimmed over the tent. The old warrior woke up, his gaze falling on the regrown limb. Its pristine surface made the rest of his battered body that much more impressive.


    ¡°It will take some time for the mana channel to¡­¡±


    Viv didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence. The old man bowed and left, pushing through the atrocious agony of regrowing magical pathways with grim determination. Even after watching Solar regenerate them in moments through sheer strength of will, Viv thought nothing could surprise her anymore but it was just how weirdly consistent those old fuckers were in facing pain in the most direct and showy way possible.


    ¡°This is the fourth great warrior you return to us,¡± the shaman wheezed.


    ¡°I wish I could do more.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. It is I who is holding us back. If only I were younger and more prepared¡­¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°If only the Dark Blades had taken me instead of my son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If it¡¯s any comfort, there is always someone new to heal. It never stops.¡±


    The old one chuckled.


    ¡°True. And if the younglings knew they could reattach fingers in an hour, they would taunt each other into shoving their hands in skarn¡¯s dens to prove their worth.¡±


    Viv could only assume it was a sort of Russian roulette.


    ¡°If¡­ when we throw off the Pure League, you can send more veterans my way. I¡¯ll heal them back on my land. Against compensation, however.¡±


    ¡°There is so little we can offer¡­¡±


    ¡°I accept service. For some, it would be a second chance.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ A second chance¡­¡±


    The old shaman grew wistful. With a gesture, he waved towards a tea set that he and Viv retreated to between healing sessions. The root concoction he drank seemed to help him.


    ¡°You have a god for second chances now, I heard?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Do you think my people will get a second chance?¡±


    Viv went through the motions of preparing the tea, even warming the water with a bit of arcane magic for which the exhausted shaman proved grateful. She waited until he had rested a little before placing a hand on his frail shoulders. She felt like he needed to know and understand.


    His eyes met hers. His were dark and old and terribly human, well, not human, but people. Viv gave him a moment to gaze into the viridian abyss of her own. His melancholy soon faded, replaced by something darker. Fear.


    She smashed his mind with her aura. Her soul sense and leadership allowed her to focus on him and him alone so that even the sentries around the tent didn¡¯t notice something was off. The terror was so deep, so visceral that he could not even unclasp his fingers from the earthen cup.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you I¡¯d help but you don¡¯t seem to understand, maybe because you¡¯ve heard promises of success before and they never happened. You no longer believe in happy endings. So believe in a sad ending instead. For the Pure League.¡±


    She allowed him to gasp under the soul marks that showed exactly how many fates she¡¯d extinguished.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking me for some happy-go-lucky rebel captain with steel and a bit of luck. I¡¯m not. I am the Calamity, the Black Witch of Harrak. I rebuilt an empire from the ashes of the past and the bones of my enemies. I¡¯ve poured gold down a prince''s throat and stabbed a fifth step through the chest. I¡¯ve killed a necrarch that was older than civilization. Look well into my eyes and realize that changing history is my thing, whether it is willing or not.¡±


    ***


    The days went on and the Red Tribe was turning into a proper force. Honestly, they already knew how to fight so it was just about making minor adjustments. In the meantime, Frosthawk¡¯s smiths worked day-in and day-out to finish the last adjustments to weapons and armor. By now, the Beacon had been stripped of all available metal except for a couple of steel crates Frosthawk kept for repair and for a ¡®special contingency¡¯ he wouldn¡¯t elaborate on. There was also one more gift they had for the kark, and this one, Arthur actively worked on. It was a gesture of appreciation for her borgling friend who had smuggled her food when she was small, and that apparently counted for a lot. Events pressed Marruk long before she could finish all her intended preparations: the Pure League expedition was coming for them.


    Viv wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d been detected, somehow, or if it was just bad luck. It didn¡¯t matter. The kark wouldn¡¯t wait any longer, so Marruk gathered all of them on the plains before they would march.


    ¡°There is no more time,¡± she began. ¡°No more time.¡±


    Rather than the shy and stoic Marruk Viv had grown used to, this one was tearing up. Viv knew the importance of showing emotion but she would never do that. A leader had to appear strong and, more importantly, always confident. Viv was the woman with a plan. That had always been the case even when her plan could be written on the back of a lottery ticket and have about as much of a chance at success. Humans needed to believe in their leader¡¯s flawlessness.


    Kark were different.


    ¡°If I had more time to give you, I would. If I had more steel I would give that too. All that I possess. Just like Echna to Pariah shed for her tribe. I don¡¯t have anything more to offer you except the strength of my arm and the fire of my anger because¡­. they killed my mom.¡±


    Viv saw Matar tense like a string by his daughter¡¯s side.


    ¡°They killed mom. I saw her dead. They¡¯ve killed your moms and your dads and your brothers and your sisters and your cousins and the ancestors weep for all we have lost, all the people who should be walking by our side and cannot because they are dead. They shouldn¡¯t be, but they¡¯re dead. No more. No more! We won¡¯t lose any more mothers to them. Not any more friends and loved ones. This ends now. I have given you everything I could. Now take it. Follow me. We end this. We free the Red Tribe from over ten long years of suffering. By our ancestors, we shall bring an end to this nightmare.¡±


    The kark bellowed their approval and it was raw, not just with anger, but with grief as well. The timing was perfect.


    ¡°There is one last thing,¡± Viv said in northerner, and Marruk instinctively translated for the others.


    The kark stopped to pay attention. So far, Viv had brought steel, reparative surgery, and death to the Dark Blades so for once in her gods damned life, she was a messenger of good news.


    ¡°Under the Sky-Mirror Lake, She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Collects-Much found a gift from the gods: a stone fallen from the heavens¡­ an iron meteorite.¡±


    Whispers, well, kark whispers, spread across the crowd.


    ¡°Out of this meteorite, She-Who-Feasts-On-Many-And-Collects-Much, the smiths, Archmage Frosthawk and myself forged and enchanted a weapon to carry you to victory, a symbol of your strength and resilience. It is my gift to you as friends and allies, that you may forever remember a time when you were desperate and still stood, and if the gods are willing, still won. I present to you: The Red Spear.¡±


    The smiths brought a full steel spear of good size enchanted with runes of strength and fire. The magic involved gave it a bronze finish that looked red under the sunlight. It was a last minute creation and more of a symbol than a true game changer, yet the kark, then the world itself, reacted beyond Viv¡¯s expectations. Marruk grabbed the spear and gave it to her father who raised it to the heavens, and as he did so, the description changed.


    [Hope of the Red Tribe, artifact. Forged from sky metal by a master crafter, then enchanted by a friendly elemental and a friendly dragon, this weapon carries the hope of a beleaguered people. The wielder can call upon dragon fire and elemental black mana to attack and protect themself. Its power increases the more united the Red Tribe is against the enemy. Current power: Maximal.]


    As soon as he brandished it, a black shield formed around him while fire roared upward.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Frosthawk muttered nearby.


    Every time mother crafts something, it becomes an artifact.


    Arthur fiddled with the pouch around her neck.


    Also, the Spirit of the World says my fire is better at attacking than your black mana.


    ¡°No, it means you need to practice your shields, young lady.¡±


    I have scales!


    The ecstatic kark celebrated with hugs and songs. Viv didn¡¯t think they¡¯d achieved much yet but hope, well, that was valuable in itself.


    At that moment, the wind died down. Pennants hung from their polearms while the people quieted, watching. It slowly picked up again. First, a few bursts, then a continuous stream.


    ¡°The winds are changing. They blow east. Towards Luten,¡± Marruk whispered.


    ¡°To battle then?¡±


    ¡°To victory.¡±


    The new warchief hailed the troops, who formed cohesive squads behind a tight formation of pakar riders. The civilians left behind prayed and sang with the passage of the warriors. Viv held back a bit. It was their moment.


    Frosthawk landed by her side.


    ¡°So, we have given them steel and training.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°I assumed you would work on their grit and spirit. You speak of them so much.¡±


    ¡°Those are nice. Superior gear is better. You can get grit and spirit more easily if you get good gear.¡±


    ¡°How very pragmatic,¡± Frosthawk said in a neutral tone.


    ¡°What? You sound surprised.¡±


    ¡°I just expected you to help them barely enough to harm the Lutenese without them becoming a threat. The tools of today are the enemies of tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because your previous masters saw everybody as threats rather than potential allies that they¡¯ve lost. Paranoia can only carry someone so far. The kark are honorable to a fault, and Param¡¯s greatest blood feud practitioners. It would be absolutely idiotic to backstab them.¡±


    ¡°But kark¡­¡±


    ¡°In my world, the greatest conqueror of all time was a steppe warrior. Let¡¯s not underestimate them just yet.¡±


    ***