It didn’t take long to unearth one of the buried crystals that had already been activated. They had been hidden shallowly in the dirt, and with the snow having been evaporated by the intense heat, it was a straightforward extraction. Though, despite the ease at which I dug it up, I didn’t fail to notice that the other soldiers who had been assigned to the task kept their distance and let me go first.
I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on figuring this weapon out instead of the hesitance of the soldiers. The crystal was muddied, what little light remained inside of it was being obscured, as were the runes on its surface. I clicked my tongue in disappointment, but it was a simple fix that only required some water and maybe a rag.
Cradling the forearm length crystal in my arms, I took my prize to a quiet area that was set aside for this. Dealing with unknown and dangerous crystals requires this sort of precaution. They were still live weapons, after all.
The clearing in question had a small tent erected, making it stand out and serve as a warning for anyone not part of the research team to steer clear. I had it to myself for now as I was the only one without any major hesitation about gathering them. That worked fine for me as I grabbed a bucket of snow and then melted it down using that magical Bunsen burner. It was still amusing to me that the design was so practical that it jumped realities.
Now armed with a decent supply of water, I placed the crystal on one of several small tables around the edge of the interior and began to scrub the surface to reveal the hidden runes beneath. Some of the first ones I saw were the most obvious of the lot. Things like ‘fire’ and some instructions for the exact radius and intensity of the blaze they wanted when this was triggered. That was useful knowledge, but not what I wanted to know. I mainly wished to find out how they were triggered, and how the Thrainians had avoided doing so when they charged our ranks.
Amid my cleaning of the surface, a sudden change in the luminosity of the crystal made me freeze. The hairs on my neck stood on end and I felt a knot form in my stomach. Oh shit.
I hit the deck just as the sound of a woosh and the feeling of scalding air hit me. The crystal let out a rather diminutive burst of flame compared to what it normally was capable of. Its lack of potency could probably be attributed to having been recently used, but that still scared me.
Even after it had finished its expulsion, there was the crackling sound of a sustained fire. I looked up and saw the roof of the tent had been set aflame. Double shit. In a bit of a panic, I grabbed the bucket of water and threw it on the fire, dousing most of it. What little was still burning I was able to snuff out with my hands leaving only a thin haze of smoke in the air and some scorch marks on the canvas above me.
Note to self, have all the crystals completely drained before being moved. That was a rather important detail to consider, so I went back to the field to instruct the mages who were currently digging them up to have whatever energy was left siphoned out. They were thankful for my input and drew out the energy from the traps before expending it on something mundane like warming themselves up or clearing snow from their path.
After the known crystals were unearthed and brought to the tent, the team began to study the runes. One of the first important discoveries was that these things weren’t just proximity based as I had originally thought. They responded to vibrations using a set of measurements that this world referred to as the ‘tremor scale.’ It was an admittedly simplistic set of measurements that didn’t use any of the normal magnitudes that I was used to and instead relied upon estimations based on personal experience. So, the set trigger point for on this scale was low, specifically, the same as several people walking.
The other discovery was that of a safety measure, probably what prevented the Thrainians themselves from being roasted as they charged. It bore a disturbing resemblance to the set of runes that Yol’vastume used to contain their slave population. A set of proximity-based commands that responded to an outside object that was most likely worn on the body. It didn’t specifically say what it was, and the intent of the one who carved their magic into this crystal probably had a similar set of gear that responded to it. While doubtful that we would find it on the bodies of the common foot soldiers who fell in battle, it wouldn’t hurt to have Durdan check, so a runner exited to ask the general to do just that.
Meanwhile, the rest of the mages tried to think of a way to counter this weapon with what we knew now. Someone threw out an idea of trying to drain the energy from the crystals, but there wasn’t a way to do that unless we had physical contact with them. Another thought that a fire mage could possibly contain the flames that erupted from the trap if they were prepared and knew where it was going to explode from. That was a decent idea, and it was kept on the table for now, but I still had a feeling that we were overcomplicating things.
A moment later, I was struck with a lightbulb moment. “What if we set them all off at once?” Everyone looked at me like I was three different kinds of crazy. From an outside perspective I suppose I did appear that way, but I wasn’t planning on running through the field and setting them all off.
“These things are triggered by tremors, yes? Then can’t we have an earth mage simply shake the earth to get them to explode at a safe distance?”
There was a brief murmured conversation that sprung up amongst the mages in the tent before one spoke up. “It is possible, yes, though to cover such a wide area would require a significant amount of energy.”
“We have plenty of crystals from Yol’vastume,” I countered. “As soon as they are triggered, we will know where they are and can dig them up safely. It’s at least worth an attempt to see if it would work.” I’m pretty sure it will though.
They spoke for a few minutes more, the tone of the conversation sometimes reaching a fever pitch as they argued about the merits of their own ideas versus my own. I didn’t know if they just wanted the credit for solving the problem or that they believed that this required more than just shaking the ground. What is it about complicated professions that prevent you from thinking small?
In the end I forced a vote, pulling a little rank as no one wanted to question me as the champion to the goddess. A few of the mages in the tent had an affinity for earth spells, so they collected a few crystals about the size of my head as we once more found ourselves standing before that minefield. Anyone nearby was told to leave, just in case something unexpected happened.
I wondered how a simulated earthquake might feel compared to a real one, though I had only felt a single minor earthquake in my time back in my world. My curiosity wouldn’t have to wait long to be sated, because a trio of mages, each holding their own crystal, formed a line as they began to focus on using their magic. It was fascinating to be at the heart of a localized earthquake, and while my attention was initially on the fact that the ground was shifting beneath me, it was quickly overtaken by the sudden and intense fireworks that shot up in front of me.
The sight of a dozen pillars of flame erupting nearly simultaneously was enough to make me whistle in appreciation of the power and spectacle of the traps in action. I had immense sympathy for those who died in that. It looked to be an excruciating few seconds of torment before either their nerves were burned out, or death claimed them. My hope was they succumbed to the latter, as living beyond the initial exposure to fire is one of the worst ways to go. The initial pain often makes one inhale sharply, which in turn serves to do nothing but burn the lungs and esophagus.
The fireworks lasted only a handful of seconds, and when they were over, quiet descended over the field like a blanket that suffocated all noise. It seemed like the whole of the coalition army was watching the display. I broke the silence after it seemed like no one was going to move.
“Well then, let’s get those crystals and deactivate them.” That was enough to snap everyone out of their stupor, and we took our shovels and spread out to each of the scorched patches. The crystals were safely pulled from the earth, and the runes that commanded them were erased.
After the cleanup was completed, I went to inform Durdan of our success. He was busy seeing to the damages and loss of life that occurred during the fighting, but when he saw me, he stopped what he was doing and turned to address me directly.
“That was quite the display you all put on, though I’m not sure if it was the wisest thing to do. The soldiers are already on edge, thinking that any step they take might end in them being consumed by fire. Them bearing witness to such an explosive show of force may lead to a drop in morale.”
“Maybe, but you can turn that display to your advantage as well. Tell them we found a way to counter their new trap, triggering it from a distance. The Thrainians are wasting their resources in a desperate bid to keep us away.”
He smirked at me. “A well phrased reversal. Perhaps it would do well if you were the one to speak it to the men?” My expression must have dropped to one like a deer in headlights because Durdan laughed at me. “Haha, forgive me, I jest. I am aware you do not seek to be at center stage. You have done a good job in clearing up this mess, and I thank you for everything, James.”
I got a little bashful at the praise. “The way you're talking, you make it sound like I’m single handedly winning the war.”
“Are you not?” he said with a coy grin.
I rolled my eyes. “I gave you an advantage, the soldiers are doing most of the heavy lifting. There’s no way I could fight a whole army by myself.”
Durdan nodded in what looked like a pleased manner. “Good, you have not become conceited due to your recent success. The fastest way to find failure is to believe yourself incapable of it.”
“Thank you for the lesson, but right now I believe we have more pressing matters to pay attention to. The way forward is clear now, just have the scouts keep an eye out for any abnormal patches of earth or snow so we don’t walk into any more traps.”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Naturally. I’ll give the signal for the army to start moving again. It’s about time we drove the Thrainians into a corner.”
After our conversation I returned to the carriage and gathered everyone together just in time for a horn to sound and inform us that we were moving again. We weren’t that far from the town we were trying to reach, even with the few hours we lost in the ambush. From the timeframe that was established, we should arrive just before sundown.
We stayed true to that schedule, and I got my first look at this production town that was nestled into a valley surrounded by hills. It was a little smaller than I imagined it would be, but the buildings were large enough that they could easily fit multiple families. These apartment-esq designs also appeared to be squarely built, sturdy and unshakable. They were clumped together in a way that seemed to be about maximizing useable space with barely enough room between houses to have what might be generously considered alleyways.
Along the way I caught sight of one of the signature features of this town, an expansive quarry that had tunneled into a hillside, hollowing it out and leaving a large pit in the ground. From this hole they extracted cut stone, iron, and copper which was then sent to the town to be processed into something more usable. This was probably as close to industrial as things get in this world.
Unlike some of our previous destinations that we passed through on this war path, this town still seemingly had its population still inhabiting it if the smokestacks stretching upwards were any indications. We would find out for sure once we arrived properly, but right now the army was taking time to cautiously spread out and form battle lines. We were expecting trouble.
The slow advance on the town left ample opportunity for small detachments to search the field for more buried crystals. No evidence of foul play turned up, and we were not met out in the field by the Thrainian army, so an initial force of about one thousand soldiers began to tentatively enter the confines of the town under the command of Captain Caldern.
It was a bad idea both strategically and logically to try and move our entire force through the narrow streets when a fraction could perform the task just as well. The rest of the army surrounded the town, ensuring that the Thrainians would not be able to retreat if it did come to a fight, and that we could provide support from every angle. Only, one thing seemed to be amiss. There was neither hide nor hair of the Thrainian army in sight.
Are they hiding in the houses? That would make things difficult, and potentially put civilians in the line of fire if they are still hunkered down in their homes. The tension in the air was thick as it felt like everyone was waiting for the moment when everything would explode into violence.
We stood atop a nearby hill that allowed us a good view of the town. We were dressed and ready for a fight this time, and considering this was a situation with civilians potentially in the blast radius, I would not be deploying my weapon, so I had a light gambeson with chainmail shirt on to potentially save me a bit of pain.
The army was at a standstill right now, both within the town and outside of it. I suppose the captain thought the same thing, because a moment later I saw tiny specks like ants start to spread out from the main column of troops and investigate the houses themselves. No one was truly prepared for what came next.
Not even a full minute later, buildings started to detonate one after another. Fire and debris rained down upon the street as soldiers scattered in the wake of the destruction. It didn’t end with just the houses that were first entered either. Like a chain reaction, multiple different houses all along the street erupted in fire that rapidly consumed everything it touched. The flames cut off streets, and prevented any escape for those who were caught inside.
I watched this unfold, slack jawed as an entire section of the city was lit up in the dancing flames. Black smoke stretched into the sky like a malevolent cloud, heralding ill omens for all to see for miles around. While I was gawking, Durdan was raging as he watched a portion of his army be devoured by a wall of flame.
“What in the black pits is happening down there! Another trap? Gods damn it all!” He suddenly turned on an unsuspecting soldier, pointing a very authoritative and angry finger at them. “You! Get the mages together, any who can control fire or water, NOW!” The poor soldier scampered off like a scared woodland animal to fulfill the order as Durdan turned back to glower at the destruction before him.
I watched his eyes rapidly flick from one spot to another, and I imagined his mind was running at a mile a minute as he tried to evaluate the situation. Wherever those thousand soldiers were, and their current condition, were both unknown as smoke blocked our sight. Helplessness consumed me, and I wanted so desperately to run in there to help, but part of me realized just how little my presence would matter amid those flames.
Eventually, a group of a couple dozen mages did show up, complete with gear and ready to face anything that we found in those burning streets. A fair portion of the soldiers in reserve were assigned to escort them and aid in their objective of getting our troops out of that hell safely. I moved to join them, figuring that there will likely be something for me to assist with, even if it is just moving burning debris out of the way. Naturally, the rest of my entourage of friends and bodyguards came with me, not that I would have dissuaded them as it looked like we would need all the help we could get.
We charged across the snowy fields and into the suffocating clouds of smoke. The thick fog enveloped my senses and stung my eyes. It was difficult to even get a full breath without coughing as the toxic fumes made a poor match for the lungs.
The first line of mages stepped up to the wall of fire and began to, quite literally, work their magic. After a moment of concentration on their part, the flames began to part, retreating from the street and containing themselves around the houses. Now the mages who could control water stepped up, throwing snow onto the flames, steadily snuffing them out.
A path was slowly cleared to the heart of the town. The heat was almost unbearable, and I found myself sweating as soot stuck to my face, leaving black smears as I wiped my brow. My friends weren’t fairing much better. Hargon was suffering the worst as he had to bend in half just to get access to more breathable air instead of the black smoke above us.
It became more difficult to progress the deeper we went. Not only did the environment become increasingly more hostile, but the water mages were further from the snow that they had been using to smother the fire. Thankfully, we soon managed to find the soldiers who were cut off.
They appeared to be clinging to survival, the mages in their group doing everything they could just to keep the flames at bay. Stone walls were erected around their formation while elsewhere the flames were desperately trying to be contained to prevent it from spreading any further. I could see bodies lining the street, some alive, others not so much. Soldiers tried to drag the injured, either bleeding due to shrapnel from the explosions or suffering burn marks on their bodies, away from any open flames. The sight of us emerging through the smoke made their faces lift from distress to hope.
“Get the injured out first! We’ve cleared a path,” I shouted at everyone within earshot. The soldiers took to my command and began to gather those who could not move on their own. I turned back to my group. “Help them as much as you can and stay safe. I’m going to look for Caldern and have him direct his troops this way.”
I received a few nods in acknowledgement as people began to move and I soon found myself wading through a sea of bodies. Near the middle of the formation, giving orders to his troops, was the captain. He was doing a good job preventing panic from overtaking his charges, but now that we were here, I needed to have him focus on getting them out.
“Captain!” I called out to him, making his head turn my way. When I saw the other half of his face, it made me pause for a moment. The fur on that side of his head had been burned off completely, leaving a blackened mess that forced his right eye shut. It appeared that all along the right half of his body were burns that seemed to dot his fur with black marks. He must have been in a lot of pain, yet it didn’t show on his face in the slightest.
“Lord James! If you’re here, then can I assume that we have an exit path?”
“Yes, I need you to start diverting your troops towards it so we can get you out of this mess.”
“We can’t leave just yet, there are still people in the buildings.”
“Then get your soldiers out quickly and lets--”
“Not just my soldiers,” he interrupted, “there are still Thrainian civilians trapped inside.”
I froze, floored by that bit of information. The Thrainian soldiers didn’t clear out the town when they trapped it? Why? Now that I was paying attention, I could hear beneath the roaring flames the cries of those who were stuck inside the buildings. How many are there? The whole town?
“We’re doing what we can to get them out of the fire, but the risks are great. We don’t have enough mages to counter a blaze of this scale.”
Looking at the raging fire around me, I couldn’t help but be overcome by a crushing sense of dread. We weren’t firefighters, hell, we barely had the equivalent of a bucket line set up. Asking the soldiers to charge into a burning building would be asking them to die. A difficult choice had to be made.
“We can’t save everyone,” I began somberly. “Grab who you can reach safely but get the majority of your forces out of here. We cannot risk the lives of the soldiers in such a careless way. First, we must put out the fires and prevent them from spreading.”
Caldern looked deep in thought. His body already bore the scars that this danger brought. In the end, he sighed and nodded his head. “You’re right. I would only be putting more lives in danger by continuing in this manner. The order will be given. I can only pray to the gods for mercy, wherever they may grant it.”
He immediately gave out the new orders to his troops. It seemed only a few civilians were able to be pulled from the fires around us, though some that had been inside buildings that had not yet been set ablaze were beginning to evacuate as well. I wondered if perhaps some were refusing to come out thinking that the coalition army would be hostile towards them. If that was the case, we needed to work fast to prevent these people from losing their lives due to their assumptions.
What started after we were clear of the fire was a massive, organized effort to contain and douse the flames. The mages played a major role in this, of course, but the soldiers did their part, transporting pails of snow and throwing them into the flames. Progress was slow, but steady, as one by one the houses were brought down to little more than a smolder.
While I may not have been part of the firefighting team, I still did what I could to help those who were burned or injured in the explosions. Caldern was first, as I personally brought him to the medical tents that were hastily erected in the time since the fires first started. I had to support the big Droln for the last half of the journey as he seemed to lose strength in his body. The pain finally had a noticeable effect on him, and he gritted his teeth with every step he took. Adrenalin was a hell of a drug.
I spent the next hour running back and forth between tents, treating burn wounds, and removing shrapnel. It was mostly bits of wood stuck in their skin, but occasionally a sharp bit of iron or shard of glass would be removed. Velshi was a lifesaver in dealing with this as she had the foresight to pack a multitude of surgical equipment, chief among them, forceps. It would have been infinitely more difficult, and painful, to try and remove the foreign objects from the injured without them.
By the time I finished patching up the last victim of the trap, the town had most of the fires put out. Seeing it now, it had undergone a drastic change. Buildings had collapsed as their structural integrity was compromised. Charred black interiors and facades were exposed to the world as bits of wood still smoldered in the aftermath. The street was covered in soot, and the snow that fell from the sky was black. There was hardly a single building that came out of this unscathed.
It was a grisly scene, made even more so whenever I saw the raw charred husks of victims who were caught in the fire with no way out. I felt ill when I saw, lying partially obscured beneath the wreckage of a collapsed house, the body of a child. My gaze was averted quickly as I took deep breaths to calm myself.
There was so much destruction and death, all of it caused by the Thrainian army. The only question on my mind was why? I planned to get to the bottom of this, and hopefully, someday, make the one responsible pay.