The people of the village were just as surprised as their alderman that we were giving them food and not taking from them what little they had. I’m sure there were plenty of horror stories about the coalition army being a bunch of marauding savages, some of them might have even been true, but here and now there was a brief glimpse at a future where hate or fear were not the most prominent emotions felt towards either side of this conflict.
While tending to the alderman’s injury, the aging man stared at the scene playing out with a look of confusion. By the time I had identified that his injury was indeed a fractured bone, he apparently found enough of his wits to ask me a question.
“Sir, you serve them willingly? Despite our history?”
Your history, not mine. But I didn’t interrupt him as he finally found the sense to speak.
“Why are they doing this? After decades of bloodshed and war, why now choose mercy? Should they not hate us?”
I took a deep breath while thinking of a fitting answer to that. “Perhaps they simply aspire to be more than what war and death would make of them. They all fight because they want to see a future where they may smile next to you rather than sneer. Few is the person who truly wishes to keep anger in their heart. It is an emotion that burns the holder as readily as the target of their ire. Anger often proceeds apathy for that very reason, as it consumes everything in your heart until there is nothing left.” It wasn’t too long ago that everything in me was devoted towards my hatred of Alathos and this whole damn world. I felt much better after I found something other than my anger to fight for.
The alderman contemplated my words for a moment as I pulled out a crystal and began to focus on healing him. “I see. Perhaps that is the best way to look at it.”
His words were mumbled a bit, and I didn’t feel that they required a response, so I continued my treatment and placed a hand on his chest, transferring the healing energy into his body and allowing it to flow along the natural pathways of his body until it reached his leg. From there I worked my literal magic and promoted the accelerated healing process, reducing the swelling while fixing the fracture.
After I finished, the man stood to test his leg and the work that I had done. He seemed almost surprised by the lack of pain that he experienced. It might have been his first time being healed with magic.
“Such a strange sensation, but the results are remarkable.” He bowed to me. “Thank you, kind sir. I don’t have much with which to repay you, but I--”
I raised my hand to interrupt him before he could offer anything. “You don’t owe me anything. I did this because I wanted to, and it costs me nothing to perform this kindness.”
His mouth opened like he wished to protest, but then thought better of it and simply bowed again. “In that case, I offer you my sincerest thanks and will pray for your continued health and success.”
Don’t spit on the offer, just graciously accept. “Thank you. I hope that you can make it through the winter with no more problems.”
With that, our interaction ended, and I was able to return to the fold of the army. There I was met with the sight of several crates being offloaded and presented to the citizenry. They looked upon the offerings of dried and preserved food as if it wasn’t real, and only after physically handling it did it seem to dawn on them.
At first, they didn’t know what to do or say. On one hand they were being given a gift, and on the other it was from those they were told were the enemy. It wasn’t until the most unassuming member of their ranks stepped forward that the icy barrier separating the two sides began to falter.
A little girl, about the age of eight and dressed snugly in thick furred clothes, waddled up to one of the soldiers who had delivered the crates. “Mommy says you say thank you when you're given something.” She fidgeted with her hands for a moment in that nervous way that kids do when speaking with adults. “Thank you,” she finally said with a small bow of the head.
Such a simple act by an adorable little child was enough to melt any heart. The Droln soldier who she approached grew a warm smile as he dropped down to one knee, still easily dwarfing the little girl. “Indeed, little one. That is the respectful thing to do. I’m sure your mother is proud of you.”
It was a great thing to see. In war, it is a common tactic to dehumanize the opposition, make them seem lesser than you or monstrous in some way so you have less of a problem with killing them. Only by shattering that preconceived image may these soldiers finally begin down the path towards reconciliation. It would take time, but I was certain it could be done.
Our stay was brief, so there wasn’t much opportunity to see more interactions between the two sides. The villagers did see us off though, not exactly with any fanfare, but with some shy waves and a few scattered thanks. That was probably an experience for both sides, but hopefully not the last one they would have in the near future.
While the general mood surrounding the soldiers had lightened in the wake of their good deed, it quickly returned to its somber roots as they turned their gaze to what lies ahead. We still had a fight ahead of us. The Thrainian army had been suspiciously quiet since the start of our march, and while turning to banditry may account for some of that, I doubted that they would leave their territory so open to incursion without taking some form of action against us.
Our next landmark was a medium sized town, likely to be a little sterner in its response to our presence. If the Thrainians were going to attempt something, it would probably be there. The buildings would limit the effectiveness of both my weapon and any numbers advantage that we might have. Holding choke points could be achieved with minimal numbers and can inflict significant casualties upon any opposition if they simply rush in without a counter strategy. It was also a production center with many forges and iron mills that created weapons. We had a few days of marching to get there, and it started relatively normally, but during the quiet afternoon of the second day, something new and unexpected happened.
The snow was light that day as it drifted lazily upon the wind before being lost in the sea of white that consumed the countryside. I would have called it a lovely winter’s day, perhaps enjoyed the sights of endless fields of snow glistening in the sunlight, but the calm was not to last. Suddenly, from near the front of the formation, a colossal pillar of flame erupted from the earth.
It was so sudden that the army ground to halt in shock as cries of alarm and agony rang forth from the front. The officers recovered quickly from the surprise and started barking orders at the rank and file to get in their formations and prepare for battle. They followed the command of their superiors, but something in my gut was screaming at me that this was wrong.
There wasn’t a Thrainian in sight, and projecting magic that far away from a source of power would be extremely inefficient, most likely requiring the same output as the massive crystals that were defending Yol’vastume. If it’s not ranged attacks, then it... The realization struck me nearly at the same moment that another two pillars of flame erupted and cast its scorching wrath on anyone unfortunate enough to be the area.
“Nobody move!” I shouted as loud as I could before jumping out of the carriage and running towards the front. My command was repeated several times as I went, trying to prevent others from making the same mistake that had already cost us the lives of dozens of soldiers. My shrieking sprint was interrupted when Durdan appeared in front of me on his horse.
“James! Do you know what’s happening? Where is the enemy?”
“It’s not an attack, but a trap. They’ve hidden something, probably crystals, underground, and our movement is triggering them.” The Thrainians invented damn landmines!
The revelation about what was happening made Durdan’s eyes widen in shock. His head snapped to a nearby officer. “Stop the soldiers immediately!” His command came just too late to stop another fiery column from engulfing a formation that was trying to assume their position on the field.
A horn was blown in a series of quick musical notes, and at last the soldiers ceased their misguided attempts at defending themselves. There was widespread confusion as they had been given subsequent and contradicting orders, but at least they heeded them and stood still while keeping an eye out. Durdan looked to me for further clarification on what to do as I was the only one who seemed to understand what we were facing here.
“How do we counter this?” His question was straight and to the point, seeking solutions to the immediate problem.
“I’m not sure exactly how they work, I’ll have to get my hands on one, but they seem to go off whenever we get close to one. We should proceed slowly, keep an eye out for any disturbed earth or suspicious snow piles. They will have to be excavated carefully, or, we could have the mages...”
My brainstorming of solutions was interrupted by the sound of another horn, though this one was in a higher pitch and further away. Everyone froze, dread sinking in as a widespread realization fell upon all of us. We had walked into a trap, but it wasn’t yet over.
Suddenly the ground around us began to shift, and from the earth came hundreds of Thrainian soldiers, emerging as if newly born and ready for violence. The air was filled with a war cry which was quickly followed by the shouting orders of Durdan and a dozen different officers.
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“Close ranks! Tight formation! Fighting retreat!” It was impressive that in mere moments Durdan could read the situation and determine a proper course of action, that being, this was not a favorable engagement, so retreat.
The Thrainians ran through what I assumed was a minefield without setting off any of the fiery discharges. That made me reconsider a few things. Firstly, whether this was a minefield, and secondly, if it was, then they must have some way to control them and prevent themselves from falling prey to their own tactics.
I cast a quick glance back at the carriage and my tesla crystal, considering whether I should try using it. The answer was no. Our forces were still recovering from the shock of the trap, and we weren’t organized in the slightest. If I tried to use it now, I would hit just as many allies as I would enemies.
My frantic thoughts were trying to organize themselves into some coherent plan, but it was dashed as the enemy engulfed our formation on two sides. The sounds of metal clashing, screams of rage or pain, and the heat of battle drowned out the logical side of my brain as a more animalistic part took hold. It was a part of me that screamed out for survival, not just for myself but for those around me, and it was difficult to ignore.
The feeling only became more intense as the very snow around us turned hostile. Large spikes of ice erupted from the pillowy snow in a wave of hazardous stakes that expanded by the second. It was clear that the spikes were trying to encircle us, limiting movement and retreat all in one go. Sometimes I hate magic.
A realization hit me then as I tracked the progress of the ice spikes further behind our army. I was separated from Kala and the rest of my group. It was my fault. I ran ahead to warn everyone about the trap, and now the coalition soldiers were packed in so tightly that There wasn’t a clear path back. That only thing to do was trust that they would look after one another and be safe while trying to figure a way out of this mess.
I have a sword on my hip, the clothes on my back, and fuck all in terms of magical material on hand. Not that any magical options I did have would be able to turn the tide so decidedly. A sense of helplessness consumed me as I floundered about, looking for some way for me to help.
Meanwhile, Durdan is barking orders left and right, directing the flow of combat with swift orders that keep the limited formation they were able to achieve intact. That was a sign of real leadership right there. Sure, I could come up with a plan and a course of action if I had time to think, but in chaotic situations I often found myself running blindly forward, just making things up as I went along. Durdan remained calm and collected, giving precise instructions as he directed mages to counter the spells being thrown at us while the foot soldiers held the line. I could even see in his orders the beginning of a counterattack being formed now that our retreat was denied.
Detachments of soldiers worked to break through the deadly ice wall and open an avenue for us to move and wrap around the enemy formation. The Thrainians weren’t just sitting around and doing nothing, though. They delayed as much as they could, throwing magic and arrows at them to force defensive actions. Yet arrows still struck true, fire flew and scorched the skin of any it touched black. The sounds of pain and misery swirled all around me in a vortex of chaos.
Some part of me realized that I was being useless, worse than useless even. I was standing around and being an obstacle to anyone who tried to pass by. While I was thinking, people were fighting, and dying. There was no time to think, and every second I did was just a waste at this point.
My problem was that I was used to leading the charge when it came to making decisions. Strategy and warfare weren’t my forte, and I didn’t need to be in control of everything. This was a time for following orders from those with more knowledge than me.
Making up my mind, I finally put myself into motion by rushing towards the icy spike wall that was controlling our movement. My eyes scanned the bodies of fallen soldiers near the wall and found that one of them had a sledgehammer. Taking the hammer from its former owner, I began to bash the wall with all my might, sending shards of ice flying into the air.
While I worked on clearing a path through the spikes in the most brutish of ways, a call rang out for soldiers to seek cover as another wave of arrows rained down on our position. I didn’t fear the arrows like the rest of my allies did, and the pain they brought, if they hit, was negligible in the grand scheme of my pain tolerance so long as they didn’t hit anything vital. As the thuds and whistles of the sharp sticks pelted the ground around me, I kept striking at the spikes and clearing a path. For a second, I thought that they might all miss me as the sounds of their landing began to slow, but I wasn’t that lucky as a single arrow managed to find its mark in my calf.
A frustrated growl escaped me as I was stung with the pain of the ranged weapon, but I used that pain and the resulting anger at having not avoided everything, to swing the hammer harder. I had managed to break through the wall in a small area, enough for a single person to walk through the gap. Now it was time to widen it. Some of the soldiers saw the hole that I made and decided to help me. As a group, the work went fast, and eventually a large gap was created.
Soldiers streamed through the opening, and I heard orders coming from officers to begin to encircle the enemy formation. However, before they could act on those orders, that horn that was heard when the Thrainians first attacked sounded again. The soldiers that had been engaging our front line broke off their assault and bade a hasty retreat. My brow furrowed as I watched them run under the covering fire of their mages and archers.
This felt like they were waiting for us to break through their trap, and if that was the case, then this could be a sign that they intended to wage a guerilla war against us as we traveled through their lands. The idea of that just seemed so off brand for the proud military force that I had seen before. Maybe they are hurting more than we thought? I could only spectate, but right now I wanted to check on my friends to make sure they were alright.
The carriage looked to be largely unscathed, save for a single arrow that was sticking out of the roof. I did a head count as I hobbled closer, and everyone was present and appeared to be unharmed. A wave of relief came over me, and I called out to Otar once I was close enough.
“Hey, is everyone alright?”
Otar looked my way and greeted me with a wave. “Yeah, we’re good over here.” It was then that he noticed my limp. “What about you?” As we got closer, he identified the exact cause of my debilitation. “Shouldn’t we take that out?”
“Better to leave it in for now, at least until I can get my hands on a crystal. Where’s Kala?”
“Don’t worry, I forced her to remain inside the carriage, so she is safe. Gave me a lot of shit for it, but she wasn’t prepared in the slightest for a fight and I shut her down quick.”
I nodded in appreciation as I limped over to the carriage and opened the door. Kala practically exploded out into the open, head darting side to side as she scanned the area. “James, what going on? Where are the enemies? Did we win?” After she belted out that quick succession of questions, she noticed the arrow in my leg. “You’re hurt?!”
Her concerns were waved off. “Barely a splinter, hardly even stops me from walking full speed. Just need to go see Velshi, grab a crystal, and get this thing out of me.” It was far from the worst thing that has ever happened to me, and even she knew that.
Kala tried to help me as we walked to the back of the army where all the supplies and support were. Trying to ward her off proved to be quite difficult. She was almost treating me like a cripple, and I had to threaten her with a snowball just to let me walk on my own.
We found Velshi preparing to mobilize with the rest of the army's medics. Even Kala’s mom was there, helping unload medical supplies. Kala and Silia briefly hugged, relieved to see each other safe, while Velshi gave my leg a quick diagnosis.
“Hmm, the arrow hit the bone.”
“That doesn’t sound good. What does that mean for me exactly?”
“That means...” She reached down to the belt around her waist and removed a knife. “This is going to hurt.”
I let out a dejected sigh. “Of course it does.” At least she gave me a strip of leather to bite down on, and for that I was grateful as she took the blade and then began to cut the hole in my leg wider. My jaw locked on that piece of leather, teeth leaving indents in it as I felt a fresh river of blood run down my leg.
Taking your sweet time digging that out of my leg. I may have been grumbling internally, but I knew that she was just doing what her training taught her to do and avoid damaging anything else while she extracted the arrow. Eventually, I felt the sweet relief of the overly large splinter being pulled out of me.
After that it was a simple fix of mending a chipped bone and closing the wound on my leg. I sighed, thankful that it was over. There was only enough time to dispense a little bit of gratitude towards Velshi before she was off to see her next patient. If there was one compliment that I could give to that mountain of a women, it was that she was dedicated to her work.
I figured it would be appropriate to meet with Durdan and share information with him. Kala said that she would stay and help her mom for a while. We parted with a warning to keep her eyes open. The Thrainians might be gone right now, but who’s to say they don’t have more tricks up their sleeve.
Once I made it back to the front lines, the sight that greeted me was a grim one indeed. Corpses of friend and foe alike were being stacked along the road like some sort of morbid art display. Deep scorch marks in the ground marked where one of the magical mines had erupted, and char black bodies of several different races surrounded each of them. The putrid smell of burned flesh hung rank in the air, and I did my best to block that scent while looking for the general.
I found Durdan speaking with some of the officers, and as I got closer, could make out a bit of the conversation as one of the officers was seemingly in the middle of answering a question. “...just that we aren’t sure what to look for. Our men are scared to even take a step forward.”
“Courage is needed now, and it’s your job to instill it in them. You know what to look for, so take it slow and clear the field.” The officers seemed a little exasperated, but they accepted the orders and went to give some soldiers the ever-loathed minesweeper job. After they left, I caught a weary sigh from the general right before he noticed me.
“Ahh, James, you’re back. Good, I could use your insight into this matter. Are there any methods you know of that can counter this new weapon?”
I thought about that for a minute. My mind immediately went to those metal detectors that you sweep back and forth along the ground. Would it be possible to have something similar? No matter how hard I considered any variation of the technology, I couldn’t imagine any way to create a similar effect on such short notice.
“I’m afraid we will have to do this the old fashion way, with our eyes and hands.”
“That is disappointing to hear. This will slow us down.” He adopted a very troubled and thoughtful look as I imagined he was considering ways to avoid this new hazard.
“Well, I may not have a complete counter to this, if we dig up one of them, preferably one that has already had its energy expended, the other mages and I can learn exactly how it works and perhaps find a safer way to disarm them.”
“A sound idea. Feel free to use any supplies you need for that, and I will instruct some of the mages to aid you. Please make haste but do be sure that your conclusion is sound. While we must continue the march, losing lives due to negligence is an unacceptable trade.” He turned his gaze to the horizon, a look of contemplation clear on his face. “The longer we take, the more time they have to prepare.”
That was certainly true, so I figured I would get to work immediately. I had a bad feeling about what we might find in the next town if they were already deploying, hence unseen, weaponry. First things first, though, I need a shovel.