“General, encampment is complete. All units report they are settled down, sentries and scout patrols have been set” The young adjutant in front of me reports, a young lad fresh from the academy from his manner. Acknowledging him and granting his dismissal I continue to read through the recent reports in the area. No incidents or outstanding events to be reported which is why I left this for later. A routine culling of the area, something to give some training to the new recruits and officers. Best any flaws are discovered now. Seeing that nothing is different from the initial reports I received I move on to the personnel reviews. The training battalion will of course need to be vetted for potential both positive and negative. Corvesta Regiment is undergoing a reformation after losing a fifth of its force due to plague. The new forces will need to work together in scenarios outside of training, the standards are strict even only for the regular army. Putting down the papers for the officers in the fourth company of the battalion I take a moment to rest my eyes.
Breathing in the smell of the land, of grass, trees, and clean wind. The smell of men, of metal, and worked wood. Familiar across many years and different lands. Always a little different but mostly the same. Who we are? and What do we want? Those were questions I was told that would help define a person. As I thought back to how I got my position, as a child I was an orphan in some nameless village on the frontier. Either I became accepted as a full member and spent a life of farming or died as a child without support in the harsh village life near the wilds. Before I would have been glad to be able to hitch a ride on the wagon they use to move hay but now I have my own personal mount. The thing responds to my thoughts before a dismissal has it return to its former position in my tent. Deciding that perhaps indulging in memory is more productive than rereading the reports I think back on those distant times. Shifting to a more comfortable position as the clank of my jewelry and rank symbols.
My old master Thel’Tholast, when we first met he appeared to be an old traveler. He called himself a wandering mage and that he needed someone to help him with the minor chores on his journey. The village offered me up and I left with him in short order, as it turned out though I had some magic potential and so became a disciple. He taught much of what he knew but now that I think about it he may have sensed my potential and manipulated a few things. Still however much he got into trouble he kept me alive and when enough time passed he had me enrolled me in the local academy for safety.
Still don’t know what happened to him but he should be okay. The man was unstable at times, collateral damage from spells were high when he was ever forced into a corner. I learned pretty much whatever he was willing to teach in regards to necromancy and anatomy along with some smattering of other systems of magic. Particularly how to heal myself and others, not really as pleasant as a traditional cleric but it kept him alive well enough as it did for me. And he had connections.This let me make my way in the academy before transferring to the royal capital’s academy. As I discovered later he had helped secure the hidden reference letter for my transfer. Did well enough to be accepted into the ranks of the imperial guard even if it was in repayment for the entry. That led to a streak of mishaps that eventually then led to my rather lofty positions and various titles, though I prefer just hierarch and general. Then again I did not Necromancy is allowed here but under restrictions including clauses like reanimating non sentient creatures only and other such things. Of course my own work paved the way for other methods of necromancy though mostly improvements to existing work.
The imperial army made widespread use of my undead beasts of burden and winged creations. This fuels my research into other forms of necromancy, various fields of magic in general, and funding my territory. Though admittedly some of the acts are illegal. Still I kept them hidden and only to me. Taking a quick stop to my thoughts I check around me, nothing has tripped any alarms or wards in place. The troops are still encamped smoothly and no one has attempted to garner my attention. Only another hour until I may pass the watch to the colonel of the battalion, one senior officer must be awake at all times for any situations that develop. Readjusting myself in my seat I pause when something changes in the air.
Feeling something strange on the edge of my senses I turn in the direction of the distant mountains. Whatever it is, it is not something benign. Realizing that something has tripped the tertiary warning wards and entered the camp at high speed I get up. Placing everything away safely I turn just in time for someone to be challenged by the guard in front of my tent. Cautiously raising my wards I soon discover how bad things are going to be. Entering the tent is my adjutant and a member of the scout patrol by the emblem. They salute quickly and report why something has occurred as I hear the rustle of the camp waking up.
“General monster stampede is approaching, mixed enemy forces. Mostly iron and bronze with a few gold rank monsters. The alert has already risen and forces are deploying according to outlayed orders.” The adjutant finishes and then the scout steps up, he takes a moment to take a breath before reporting.
“Enemy force includes feral goblin brutes, wargs, giant spiders, feral orcs, trolls, and giants. Other forces may also be present, force is not organized but running madly in our direction. The scout patrols are withdrawing, enemy totals six thousand from count in three rough groups. Possibly more behind them, there may be a forest fire or a high ranking monster behind them general. ” Nodding at his report and analysis I dismiss the scout and walk out of my tent with mount and adjutant in tow. I am confused, there were no reports of a wildfire season for this region. From my position on a slight hill I see the organized chaos of the Eight Provisional Training Division. Thinking quickly I decide that the fortification of the encampment, while strong is not enough if this is a forest fire or a monster of potentially massive scale.
Tasking people from the waiting messenger unit to send orders to prepare for a fighting retreat if needed, the supplies are to be abandoned except for food, water, and the animals of burden. Another messenger goes to the First Mage Unit(Necromancers) to prepare the completed undead to aid in the retreat and abandon the rest. All supplies are to be buried if possible in caches, the rest will be prepared to be burned. I do not want to see a bunch of orcs and goblins parading around in imperial armour. Walking forward I see that the positions are manned. Forces stand on the embankments while a second and third line of defense is created. The imperial policy of graduated readiness comes in use as units in full equipment are ready, the rest are preparing. If this comes to a retreat even if they are slowed by wearing their equipment they will need it with the monsters nearby. The sounds from said monster horde and the swirling army mix into an unholy cacophony of noise. If it were not for the signal flags it would be almost impossible for messages to cross.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“ All forces, ranged tactics, hold your positions, prepare to fallback on order” Hearing the barks of orders I continue to watch as the headquarter mage unit brings the scrying orb for my view. Just as they begin to orient the view of the orb another messenger arrives.
“Second mage troop is reporting unknown mana signatures, unknown mass of mana approaching” At this the messenger stops and then stutters out “Stra..tegic grade, anti army spell. Highest..class”
“SARD!!, Sound the retreat!! Controlled withdraw, diamond formation!”
By the divine realm! An army killer spell. Who is insane enough to attack this particular army with that scale of magic? I cannot waste time doubting such an event even as the monster horde begins to run into the defensive fire of the perimeter units. The camp truly explodes into chaos as soldiers gather around their standards for the retreat. As the fires from the burnt supplies rise into the air enmass the army retreats. It is already a good show of imperial discipline that they are not running for their lives in a rout. Then again, the monster horde will not spare them if we manage to get away in time. As the units continue to retreat through the gates I see a strange ethereal glow in the sky.
That is a massive raw mass of mana several miles across, throwing out tendrils and flares as it goes. Someone spent an absurd amount of charged magic crystals to make that. I doubt that gathering all the mana crystals in the Imperium and its suzerains can create a blast half as strong as this. That or....the detonation of a mana ley line. An insane act that would kill whoever did it even more assuredly than those caught in the vicinity.
The taint of untamed mana supercharges the air from its impending approach. When it impacts it could immolate the entirety of several miles and turn this area into a land rent by wild magic. The aberrations that would be spawned by such an act would make this unacceptable even in such a remote locale.
The only thing of uncommon value is my presence. But to kill me would not threaten things, my service in the army is past. Others now are in charge of the legions, armies, and castles. Perhaps they aim to weaken the pool of leaders but to use such force is like a warhammer to an acorn. My innovations were important but now documented. Others already know what I have done and can follow instructions. Strong but not without peers that are close. Others can make up for the slack if I die.
Any attempt at shielding against this massive an attack is worthless. Some will survive but not many, at the center of the formation against a single blast my chance to live is unlikely. I do hope that my back up plans work but I never planned them for such a massive mana blast.
I see the soldiers rushing out as fast as possible, it is good that they did not have to carry heavy loads with the carts around as they quickly ran. Some manage to cut loose those horses with only cargo while others try to pull transport carts out faster. A not so odd moment to have pride in your forces on the edge of annihilation. Looking immediately around me I see that my personal guard is also standing still along with a few more adjacent units. Technically an act of disobedience but the command post and the closest units were at the far end of the camp. None of us are stupid, there is no hope of survival on this land. A few break out old aged wines from flasks and tip each other. A few of the married couples are sharing final farewell kisses. Protocol can die in a pauper's grave is the presumed thought. Digging through one of my bags I find what I want. The wine case, grabbing out small bottles I toss them around to willing hands. One final one I raise into the air, a toast to death. Not necessarily a fair one, but one that we will face with defiance and a smile on our lips. Then the bow wave came. To hear anything became impossible aside from the roar of the air igniting shaking everyone.
As the mass of mana grows closer the flare off its surface lash out at those nearby frying them in a bath of pure mana. Most are thankfully immolated, a quick if painful death. Others are warped, from experience it is a kinder fate to kill them now. For those I have known for years, the guards I trained personally and having accompanied me for all this time I attempted to end their suffering. Thankfully they lowered their magical territory barrier at my touch, a single snap and their brains shut off. A single snip of mana. Concentrating the vast reserves of mana within my body I attempt to shield my soul. Mana is the manipulation of the body’s energy by the soul. While the soul can output quite a large amount of power, attempting to reverse it is not as efficient. Less so when so much is made up of miasma, mana turned to the energies of death.
Taking the drastic and final step of shattering my mana crystal heart, that creation all things are born with I pour everything I can to shield myself. The incredible tearing pain of the crystal bursting and the roaring of my blood as every little drop of mana is taken. Falling backwards as blood flows from my eyes and mouth is simply an afterthought. No injury from my many battles compares to this as the storm descends on my body. The pain is overwhelming, like that of being drenched in molten mercury. My wards only hold out for a few seconds, my flesh only a little less. The air is soon gone from my lungs and my eyes quickly fade away as my nerves are destroyed.
Then all there is is detachment......I feel nothing at all, total deprivation of the senses. My mind still functions but nothing else does, no limbs, no beating heart, nothing.... Pushing hard with my mind I soon feel something more familiar, my soul... I can sense it now but that is it, there is only my soul and the void. There are many ways that those before have portrayed souls. Will o wisps, shifting shadowy figures. Personally I know it depends on the person. Some take the form of animals or themselves but bleached. Mine however was a nebulous shade. The barest impression of a skull and ribcage with many tendrils in the semblance of wings. Still how can this be, a soul cannot exist without some sort of medium whether it is a body or magic essence to anchor onto and this is not one of my planned survival cards. No extra planar domain or recall to my labs.
Even so called disembodied spirits have some sort of essence to cling to even if it is metaphysical. Just what could maintain my soul in such a state? The intruding thought of eternity in such a state crosses my mind. I feel my mind quake at the thought, just myself and the whispers of the astral plane. Even now they whisper their half words, minor entreaties of the glories offered by the astral plane. The ecstasy that would come from allowing myself to learn more of the workings, my thirst for knowledge. Suddenly however as if a soul could experience vertigo, my sense of self was.. Shifted. What had happened, well my answer would appear very soon.