Two days after the delivery of the crystals the city was alive with movement as people buzzed about. It didn’t take long to figure out what was causing such excitement as it quickly became apparent that the army was breaking camp. Finding a spot to look out over the city walls and into the field confirmed as much with a view of a significantly smaller camp with fewer tents standing and more active people. They all looked like ants swarming over the landscape from where we were standing.
That was as clear a sign as any that we should start packing our own bags. As we got to work on that the news eventually came to us officially in the form of a runner. A little late to the party, but it was nice of them to try and keep us in the loop.
We didn’t have a whole lot that needed to be gathered, and the important things, that being the crystals, were secured first. I asked Evixus to bring our carriage out so we could start loading up, and when we began dragging our gear outside, we were met with a dozen soldiers, and more than that in horses, who were fully armed and armored.
Confusion, and maybe a little bit of worry, arose in me before one of them stepped forward to explain the situation. The Ulgor man, who was wearing a uniform set of simple plate armor, gave me a quick bow before launching into a conversation.
“Lord James, we are here at the behest of Councilor Larvell as an escort for you and the weapon. We hope that you will accept us as an addition to your current protective detail.”
It seemed that Larvell wanted to protect his investment, an understandable action considering how much he was risking with this. “Well, if it puts the councilor's mind at ease, I will gratefully accept the added protection. We were just in the process of loading the crystals along with the rest of our personal items onto the carriage.”
“Allow us to assist, sir. We have brought with us a padded trunk in which the weapon may be kept safe. If it is acceptable, we will store the crystals inside and load them for you.”
That certainly seemed better than our current method of preserving them, which amounted to little more than wrapping them in as many blankets as we could reasonably get away with taking. “Sounds like a good idea. Go ahead and pack it up.”
With a nod they started to get to work, carefully taking the wrapped crystal and carrying it over to the trunk. They moved with what appeared to be extreme caution, and I was almost certain that a few looked nervous being around it. I wasn’t sure how much they were told about what they were transporting, but apparently it was enough that they wanted to avoid even the slightest possibility that it was activated. It was not an unfounded fear, but someone had to willfully use it or else it would remain inert.
Both the main crystal and the spare were loaded into the padded box, still wrapped in the sheets as there wasn’t any reason not to have that added layer of protection. After they had strapped the trunk to the top of the carriage, we managed to fit our meager possessions into a suitable place for the journey ahead of us. As we finished, I was once more approached by the same Ulgor from before.
“Lord James, Councilor Larvell was planning to give a speech to some of the officers in the army and has extended an invitation to you should you wish to attend. Shall we direct you to him?”
A speech? It honestly shouldn’t have been that surprising to me. These people were about to march to war, face the bloodshed and horrors of combat where you fought and killed one another. Inspiration and courage must be cultivated in order to drive yourself to commit such acts. It wouldn’t hurt to hear what he had to say, see the military leader beneath the man who had lost too much.
“No harm in it. Very well, you may take the reins and direct us towards where he will give the speech.” He bowed his head in acknowledgment before climbing up into the driver seat for the carriage, waiting for Kala and I to enter so they could begin their escort.
Everyone in my group, plus our newest additions, mounted up and got into formation around the carriage so they could maximize their protective coverage. With a crack of the reins, the horses pulled against the weight of the carriage and eventually gathered enough momentum to keep us moving at a decent pace.
As we traveled down the city, I was able to see just how the citizens were reacting to the deployment of the troops. There was a general feeling of celebration in the streets as everyone was trying to wish the best to the soldiers who would be sent out to fight. Flowers, banners, streamers, and drinks were all available in abundance. Many of the citizenry were following our path as they made their way to the lowest levels, more specifically, to the gates where they could get a view of the army as they amassed for departure.
It seemed a few of the soldiers of the army had either a residence or clearance to stay in the city as we found ourselves at the back of a marching parade that was slowly making its way to the gates. People were throwing or handing flowers to passing soldiers who accepted them with grace and dignity. Someone even ran up and handed a singular flower to one of my new escorts who were following along on horseback. They tucked the iridescent plant into the hem of their breastplate, showing it off almost as a point of pride as they rode through the streets. I wondered if there was some hidden meaning, like that the deliverer of the flower fancied the one they gave it to and wished for their return so they might court. The customs of this world were still largely unknown to me.
It wasn’t all happy faces out there either. There were tearful goodbyes said to some of the soldiers who were from the city, people who knew what the cost of war might mean for those who waged it. Families and loved ones saying what could very well be the last words they ever speak to one another.
All of it felt so surreal, like moving through a dream. It had been hitting me less than usual, but my situation would be considered completely insane to anyone from my old world. Things had changed so much; my perspective had changed so much. Everything that at one point I had considered bizarre or unthinkable is now common to me.
As I continued along that line of thought I came to a realization that made me wince. It wasn’t just things like magic, different races that were considered fantasy, or even the fact that I was currently in a relationship with someone not of the species as me. No, it was the fact that even though we were currently on the path towards war and death that I didn’t feel as strong of a revulsion towards the idea of killing as I once did. I was even going to be the one who opened the battle by slaughtering what could be hundreds of people in one fell swoop.
I doubled over, placing my elbows on my knees and holding my head while taking a shuddering breath. That was the last thing I had ever wanted, and one of my fears of what this world might do to me. My distress was obvious, and Kala took notice, though she did not know the cause.
She leaned forward in her seat and placed a hand on my shoulder. “James, are you alright? Are you feeling sick?”
I didn’t know how to respond. My feelings were twisted together into a knot with no visible start or end to any one of them. After a moment to collect myself, I managed to choke out a reply.
“Am I changing, Kala?” I looked her in the eyes and saw that she was both confused and concerned. “I feel like I can barely recognize myself. I just made a weapon. A weapon that I intend to use to end potentially hundreds of lives, and the only thing I can think is that it’s necessary. I don’t want to be that person; I don’t want to be the one to decide which lives are and are not worth keeping. I’m scared that if I go through with this, then I will be forever changed into something I never wanted to be.”
After sharing such a heavy burden with her, it was no surprise to see her consider my words for a minute in silence. While she thought, she took one of my hands and started to gently massage around my knuckles. It felt nice, and my body reacted as my shoulders drooped. When she was done thinking, she stopped digging her fingers into my knuckles and brought her attention back to me.
“I think it would be more concerning if you didn’t change,” She began. “Change is natural, you can see it in everything. People who try to stay the same are doing nothing but stagnating.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “You will change, but those changes can be limited to the surface. So long as you keep a clear image of who you are, you will always be that person at your core.”
I sighed, finding it difficult to accept such a proposition. She apparently felt my hesitation and decided to supplement her argument. “If you’re still afraid, then just remember that you have me. If I ever feel that you are drifting too far from the kind man that I know you to be, I'll make sure to drag you back by the ears.” That last bit was said with a touch of humor to it as she shot a sly grin in my direction.
Her humor was contagious, and I couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped me. I rubbed my eyes before gently massaging the bridge of my nose to calm myself. After another deep breath, I felt like I had returned to at least a semblance of normalcy.
“Thanks, Kala. I know I can count on you to keep me in line.”
“You’re right about that.” Her grin then softened a bit as she leaned forward and gave me a nuzzle. I cupped the side of her head and returned her affection with a quick kiss. The mood was successfully lightened as we both sat down with satisfied smiles on our faces.
When I returned my attention to what was happening outside, I saw that we were approaching the main gate. The parade was joining up with the rest of the army that had amassed outside in large column formations. This was the first time I had seen them all lined up in such a way and the visage was awe inspiring. Thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of soldiers of every size, shape and disposition stood in orderly rows, awaiting the command to begin marching.
Our destination, however, appeared to be that of a smaller group of more elaborately dressed individuals. These must have been the officers that Larvell would be speaking to. My best guess was that this would be a daisy chain of morale. He would inspire the officers who would in turn inspire the troops. It certainly was more efficient than trying to speak to over ten thousand people without the use of a speaker system.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
I wonder if they have the concept for that, or even know how to manipulate sound waves right now? Questions for another time as the carriage came to a stop which signaled for Kala and me to make our exit. We stepped down from the carriage and onto the cold and muddied ground. The snow had been cleared from the road by the frequent travel along it, though it still left its mark with the general unpleasantness that was mud.
We trudged through the unstable footing until we joined at the back of the crowd of officers. Everyone here was waiting in front of a hastily erected wooden platform. Despite the quiet conversations that were happening between these ranked individuals, they stood in their own organized rows, waiting for the speech to begin.
Soon enough a familiar figure started to climb the steps of the platform, immediately drawing everyone’s attention, and silencing what little conversation there was. The soldiers squared their shoulders and gave their undivided attention to Larvell as he positioned himself at center stage. I saw him sweep his gaze across the faces before him, and when he reached our position, he lingered for but a moment before continuing to survey the men before him. After seemingly satisfied with the attention and discipline displayed by those in attendance, he began his speech.
“Gentlemen, we have come once more to this moment, as familiar and abhorred as it is. I see faces in this crowd that are known to me and are missing some that have been lost. All of us share in this experience and know of its pain. Many would break under its strain, become twisted inside, but it is that same pressure that forges those that withstand its wrath into something greater than themselves. For war is a crucible, and all who enter it do so with the knowledge that they are to be tested.”
He spread his arms wide as if welcoming an embrace from an old friend. “So come forth my tested few, show the world your steel hearts, forged from the indomitable fires of your souls. Show them your will, as unshakable as the mountains, standing tall and defiant against all. Show them your courage, such a mighty force that it is unstoppable, unbreakable, unassailable in its vastness that it would be as if to challenge an ocean. You are those who hold the hopes and dreams of every man, woman, and child of our nation and do not buckle under its weight, for you are tested, and you have not been found wanting.”
One hand came out in front of him, open to the sky before he suddenly clenched it into a tight fist. “Break those Thrainians against your might!”
His command was met with the loud thud of hands saluting in unison, a powerful sound that was only topped by another equaling commanding call. A horn was blown nearby, someone apparently waiting for the right moment to do so was keeping an eye on our group. The melodic call was heralded by a sound most thunderous in its quantity, the stomp and thud of spears and boots upon the ground.
Ten thousand men responded with a synchronized display of raw power that could be felt in the very earth as it trembled like it suddenly gained a pulse. The feeling elicited a primal sensation that reached the very depths of your being. This was allowed to continue for about a minute before a second horn sounded which directed the army into motion.
The furthest column down the road began their march, and I assumed the others would follow in turn. At the sound of the second horn the officers were spurred into motion as well. The small crowd sought out their mounts and then rode alongside the formations that they were most likely assigned to.
After they cleared out, it was just my group and Larvell who remained on the stage to watch everyone leave. Our eyes met in a solemn stare before it was broken by a singular nod of his head towards me. I responded in kind, to which he simply walked off the stage to take a position at the side of the road, standing vigil as the soldiers marched by.
My group returned to the carriage as we prepared to fall in with the rest of the army. We would be in the back, traveling alongside the supplies. Otar took the reins this time as we didn’t need to be somewhere specific. It took around thirty minutes before the last of the soldiers in front of us started marching which allowed us to begin following behind them. This was the start of a long journey.
Armies don’t move quickly. Rarely anything with so many pieces can. The main limiting factor was the supply carts. The large lumbering transports found the terrain of snow and mud difficult to navigate as we wound our way around mountains and through valleys. The army couldn’t simply march without them, there was too little to go around as it was. It was a three-day trip for us by carriage, but that was looking to be at least doubled by the logistical nightmare that was moving an army.
We suddenly had a lot of free time on our hands, and of course I used most of mine to worry, at least until Kala came to me with questions. She was suddenly very interested in how the crystal generated electricity and the intricacies of electrostatic forces. I knew what she was trying to do. There might have been some genuine interest in the subject on her part, but it was obvious that she was attempting to keep my mind off the impending battle ahead of us.
Her attempt was transparent but pure in its intention. I decided there was no harm in humoring her request, though it did involve a lot of concepts that she had yet to grasp or that I was comfortable with sharing. My methods involved exciting the electrons in the air immediately around the crystal. This normally occurs naturally in storm clouds due to the large number of particulates that rub against one another which steadily generates electrical charges until the eventual build up creates the phenomenon of lightning. I essentially skipped the generating process by transferring the energy directly from the crystal to the surrounding electrons in such a way that it forms a powerful enough positive and negative field to create the electricity
I tried to explain this to her in a manner that she could readily understand and didn’t delve too deeply into the aspects of atomics. Simple would be better for this, so I used the basics of frictions and static build up to get the basic concepts across. When I reached the part about how static can eventually lead to a minor zap if you touch someone with a greater build up, or something made of metal, she had a minor epiphany moment.
Apparently, several years ago, she had an interaction with a Droln merchant who was selling textiles in her village. She and her family were buying more blankets in preparation for winter, and when the merchant handed over the goods, their hands briefly touched, and she received a little zap that surprised her. It was a good example of the concept and helped her get an idea of what I was talking about.
The conversation did manage to fill several hours of time and was engaging to say the least. I always felt most comfortable when I could teach someone. It just felt nice to be able to do something that wasn’t destructive or manipulative for a change.
At least there was some comfort to be found in the completion of our mission as the rules for interacting with my group were relaxed. Every night when we camped, I was once again allowed to have a normal conversation with my friends. Talking frankly and in good humor with them after spending so long having to adhere to the strict social guidelines.
We ate warm soup around the fire and spoke of what we might find when we finally reached Yol’vastume again. Otar and Jorn were quite convinced that Durdan was giving them a hell of a fight and holding the line. Hargon was of a more concerned opinion and thought that after nearly a month the soldiers defending the fortress town would need some help soon. Velian and Ulthises were somewhere in the middle, thinking that they could hold on for longer than what they have so far, but that aid would be more than welcome at such a time.
I found myself thinking about the damage that must have been done in our absence. How much had things changed? That was a question that would be answered soon enough, though slower than I might have liked.
Passing out of the hills and open plains and into the wildlands took a few days by itself to achieve. The temperature had warmed slightly, and whether that was due to our geographical position changing or just the dense environment of trees and brush I couldn’t determine. Everyone was more worried about how much this was delaying us with the untamed terrain. Even sticking to the well-used roads and paths through this logistician's nightmare.
After six and a half days of marching and riding through the wilderness we were approaching the vicinity of Yol’vastume. Camp was set up about an hour outside of the territory of Yol’vastume. Apparently, the officers were being cautious as no one knew what the situation was like. I made sure to keep involved with them so that nothing came as a surprise.
It was in one of the meetings that came directly after setting up camp that I was presented with an opportunity to get a first-hand account of things. They were planning to assemble a small group to scout the surrounding area, and I wanted to be a part of it. Naturally, they were very much opposed to the idea, stating reasons of strategic importance and positional obligations. I pulled a bit of my weight against them and made up some bullshit about needing to make sure that the conditions of the battlefield are conducive to the use of the weapon and won’t just fizzle out when we need it the most.
That caused a minor debate to go around the group before eventually they gave their consent for me to see the battlefield, though they did double the scouting party’s size. I got dressed for the outing and was even given a chainmail vest to wear. It was heavier than I imagined it would be, but it wasn’t much of an issue due to my enhanced strength.
A few hours before sundown I met up with approximately thirty soldiers who were given the mission of scouting around Yol’vastume for information and possible weaknesses in the Thrainian army. After double checking everyone’s gear, we started the hike towards a potential overlook of the fields.
Barely fifteen minutes into the journey and I had already seen a drastic change from the last time I was here. The golden fields of grain that had stretched from here to the town itself were naught but mud and flattened stalks. It was a stark contrast, but that wasn’t the end of it. Orchards and vineyards were burned to a charred husk, whether by Durdan of the Thrainians was impossible to tell. Anything remotely appealing about the landscape that I had once known was gone.
It was a depressing sight, but I braced myself to witness even more. We stayed on the lowest paths we could find to prevent being spotted from a distance, slowly working our way towards the city. Our group spread out a bit to cover the area and make sure that we weren't about to be ambushed or walk into a patrol of Thrainians.
After a very tense walk in near complete silence, we finally came upon the battlefield itself. I could hardly describe what it was like as we hunched over or lay prone on the far side of a small hill. The earth all around Yol’vastume was torn asunder with divots, earthen bulwarks, and gaping scars carved into the ground. Small fires, most likely generated by magic, burned randomly across the expanse. The city walls were scarred, particularly on the side where I had destroyed the defensive towers. A large majority of the fighting seemed focused around there if the burn marks, cracked walls that looked to be hastily reconstructed with magic, and shattered defensive emplacements were anything to go by.
However, the most gruesome feature of this picture was the bodies. All over the place there were corpses of Thrainians who had fallen in the assault of the walls. Their bodies lay in the mud and sometimes pools of blood in various states of destruction. Scavengers picked at their rotting corpses, adding to the horror with the half-eaten bodies of young men. I was grateful that we were upwind as the smell was probably horrendous.
The Thrainian camp was in sight as well, pitched outside of the range of defensive weapons and attacks. A variable sea of tents amassed for the purpose of taking back one of their most important production towns. Siege engines were lined up and firing at the walls, the mundane projectiles getting dangerously close before suddenly changing directions and landing harmlessly in the mud. Durdan’s mages must have been working overtime to keep their position safe and the Thrainians were just trying to wear them down with something a little more conventional.
All told the situation was bleak, and even though they weren’t actively trying to scale the walls, the battle raged unending. The siege camp had some minor fortifications surrounding it, mostly in the form of sharpened stakes pointed outwards around the perimeter. It wasn’t very impressive, and it seemed like they didn’t expect any large counterattacks to come so quickly. That was a point in our favor at least.
The group of scouts I was in was too big to get any closer without being spotted. It would most likely take a smaller detachment sneaking up in the dead of night to get any more information than what we had now. A retreat was in order, and we cautiously backed away from the hellscape that was before us. The way I saw things, it would either be tonight or tomorrow that our army would attack the Thrainians. Either way, I had to prepare myself mentally for the prospects of war.