Azsig-Noth was a sprawling city on the southern tip of the Bel-Arib continent with low stone walls and buildings that were crafted from pressed mudbrick. Here and there were carved stone buildings, remnants of a civilization that had died off thousands of years before the Anglish occupied the continent.
Bel-Arib wasn’t well-known by most of the world except that it was a land of endless deserts stretching nearly the entirety of the continent, spotted here and there with oases.
Those that knew Bel-Arib’s value could tick off a few selling points that made it an important aspect of the Anglish Empire: glass, salt, and Light Crystals.
One point that wasn’t talked about often was golemcraft, the art of using magic to animate clay. The people of Azsig-Noth used mud golems as a tireless workforce, tending gardens, drawing water from deep wells into carved stone cisterns, and taking in vast quantities of seawater from the port, filtering the water, extracting the salt for eventual export.
When the Anglish had discovered the secret from the Nothians for animating clay with magic, there had been a push to utilize them in warfare, but the attempts were spectacular failures. Clay and mud golems were only capable of fulfilling simple instructions and were spectacularly fragile. If they dried up, they crumbled away, if their core was damaged, they crumbled away, if told to attack, they would attack simply, beastially, meaninglessly at anything around them, including other golems. There were also dark rumors that golemcraft wasn’t magical automation, but instead closer to necromancy and the manipulation of souls, forcing them into clay bodies to provide an inexhaustible workforce. The Anglish abandoned the idea of widespread golem usage and restricted it to Azsig-Noth.
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When Daveth was indifferently shouldered aside by a nine-foot tall walking mass of damp sand, rudely pressed into a vague human shape he whirled; sword coming to his hand. Jonan and Aldric barked a laugh, the wolf-sisters fingered their own swords, and Audra gave the golem a wide berth.
“The fuck was that?” Daveth asked, not expecting an answer. Aldric provided one, anyway.
“A golem, Daveth. In this part of the city, I’d say it works on a farm.” He offered.
Daveth spat a curse in a language that made Aldric raise an eyebrow.
“We fighting them?” He asked his captain, who shook his head.
“Nope. Leave ‘em be.” Aldric replied. “We’re here to fight the Orgus.”
“The fuck are Orgus?” Daveth asked, and Aldric shrugged and raised his palms to the air. “I dunno. We’re gonna find out.”
A man, wrapped in layers of robes hustled towards Aldric so quickly that Daveth interposed himself inbetween them. The man bounced off Daveth and hit the dirt, and jthen jabbered up athim angrily. Daveth gave the man a complicated look.
"The fuck're you saying, man? Speak Anglish."
The man got up and spent a good deal of time beating the dust and sand from his robes. He gave his turban a hitch, and glared up at Daveth.
"I was saying, my gigantic friend, that I would like to talk to your captain." He replied testily.
It was strange to hear polite language with such an irritable tone, Daveth mused. "What do you want?" He demanded shortly.
The man sighed, and tried to glance past Daveth, but Daveth stepped between the two of them again. The man gave him an anguished look.
"Can't you see I am trying to conduct business? Please get out of the way." He complained, and made shooing gestures at Daveth.
"What sort of business do you have with the Seventh Seal?" Aldric asked, dismounting.
"Maybe...no." The man muttered to himself, and then eyed Daveth. "May I speak with your captain?" He asked, frustration warring with his polite smile.
"Stand aside Daveth. No harm in listening." Aldric ordered, and Daveth stepped to the side. Daveth glanced to Jonan, Morden, and Audra, and they nodded.
"This one obviously has an opinion of himself." Aurene remarked, appearing as if by magic near Daveth. She had a cut on her cheek and a purpling bruise under her eye.
He could see similar marks on the faces of the two silver-eyed women and made a mental note to have a much firmer discussion with Aurene, Alysia, and Lynnabel about fighting.
Sparring, training with unfamiliar weapons, drills; all of these things were necessary for the effectiveness of the band as a whole. However, infighting was strictly prohibited. He'd seen them at it before. First came the insults, and then the fists followed soon after. He needed to nip that in the bud.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Aldric asked the man, and Daveth refocused his attention on him. Those long robes could conceal any number of weapons. The man could be a magic user. There were many ways Aldric was at risk.
"First I would like to confirm; you were the ones that came in on the ships, yes?" the man asked, and Aldric nodded.
"Yes, that's right." Aldric confirmed. "What do you need?" he repeated.
The man glanced around, and suddenly realized he was completely surrounded. He spread his hands disarmingly. "I am a businessman. I am hoping I could get you to help me negotiate with one of the ship captains to either buy my cargo, or at least transport me and my cargo away from here, so that I may sell it elsewhere."
"You're a businessman, and you can't sell cargo?" Aldric asked skeptically.
"Not here." The man replied disdainfully. "No buyers for my merchandise here."
"And what sort of merchandise would that be?" Alldric asked skeptically.
Smiling, the man told him. Aldric's eyes lit up. "Show me." He urged.
Aldric's eyes gleamed as he eyed the man's merchandise. "No ship captain in his right mind would buy these in good faith, I'm afraid." Aldric advised the man, who frowned.
"Why not? I purchased them in good faith from a Silesian salvage. That's good Anglish steel, right there."
Aldric gestured. "Those aren't designed to be fired from the deck of a ship. You'd have to strip them down and rebolt them to a deck harness, and even then, when you did it, you'd lose the versatility they offer."
The man sagged in hearing the news. "So it seems I will have to leave Azsig-Noth, then." He muttered listlessly.
"The city doesn't want them?" Aldric asked thoughtfully.
The man shook his head. "They are unwilling to make the expenditure."
Aldric glanced at Daveth with a small grin. "You know, I think that I might be able to help you out."
*****
"I can't believe you managed to dicker him down, Aldric." Daveth offered as they sat down to the evening meal.
"By the Nameless Stone, Daveth, are you determined to eat everything?" Aldric cursed, waving for more service. Daveth had appropriated a large pile of meat, several types of cheese, a carafe of wine and the entire bowl of pickles for himself.
"Bastard savage, I bet if I turned my head, you'd eat the table, too." Aldric swore. He shrugged dramatically. "The man though he had a treasure, but was mistaken. I gave him hard facts and offered him a better deal. Now he can stay here in Azsig-Noth and take care of his sister."
"Those cannon were designed to be drawn by horseback. No way a self-respecting ship captain would buy them. We can accomodate a pair of horse-drawn two-inch cannon, and we can use them." Aldric replied. "We have the mobility for it, not to mention the powder and shot."
Daveth rolled his eyes. He guessed that Aldric had just bankrupted the Seventh Seal to get his hands on a pair of cannon. That meant a return to the hardtack and gravy he hated. He doubted there was much in the desert worth eating, and so he planned to eat his fill before they left the city.
Aldric watched Daveth select several cuts of meat from the order Aldric just placed, as well as several small fruit, native to the city.
"That was mine, you know." Aldric cursed, and Daveth grinned at him from a mouthful of meat.
"Wanna fight me for it?" He challenged, and Aldric sighed, and then glanced to Daveth's right, where Aurene was eating.
"You know, Daveth..." Aldric began, and Daveth nodded, and washed down his food with a tankard.
"Second offense." Daveth reported. Aldric made a complicated face.
"How do you plan to handle it?" Aldric asked. Aldric had some very specific rules for punishment for breaking the rules in the Seventh Seal: It must be physical, it must be painful, and it must be public. The Seventh Seal had to see the one being punished and know the reason why. The punished must be seen by the Seventh Seal and understand that they had broken the rules, broken faith with the Seal, and know that respect had been lost. Everyone had to see the consequences for breaking the rules for themselves. A brutal but effective lesson.
"Same way you did with me: Ten lashes and a week in the stocks."
Aldric made a complicated face. "The Nothians won't like it. They've got rather... strict ideas on how women should be seen in public. We put them in the stocks and we won't have an employer." He took a bite of bread from his plate and grimaced; it was practically the only thing Daveth didn't take. "No job means no pay. No pay means..." He trailed off.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"I understand. We're camped outside the city. Shouldn't be a problem."
Aurene looked up and eyed the two of them. "What? What problem?"
Daveth looked to Aldric, who shook his head. "I'm going to visit the bar. Maybe there I won't have some giant stealing the food from my plate. You explain it to her Daveth. She's your second, after all."
Daveth let out a sigh, and picked at the crumbs on his plate for a moment, and then turned his attention to Aurene.
"I warned you, on the boat. That was your first offense, so I just knocked your heads together. I thought it might knock some sense in those heads of yours. You can't feign ignorance either; you know the rules. No fighting. This is your second offense, so you and your sisters are going to take some lashes in full view of the rest of the Seventh Seal, and you'll spend a week in the stocks."
Aurene stood, the movement knocking back the bench she was sitting on to the floor. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play stupid." Daveth replied, "and don't fuck around like you think I don't know. I said it already: No fighting. You broke the rule; now you face the consequences."
He was right; she did know the rules. No fighting amongst the Seventh Seal. Disagreements were to be arbitrated by a File Leader or the Commander, or the Captain. The captain had the final say.
"You don't understand-" She began, but he cut her off. "You lost the right of explanation when you broke the rules. You should know that, too." He replied, and she ground her teeth.
Daveth's face went through a number of expressions as he tried to decide what he'd say next. Finally his expression hardened. "Will I have to carry you out of here, or will you come willingly?"
*****
The desert was hot.
This was the only thought that ran through Aldric’s mind, over and over again, an idiot phrase that was maddeningly repetitive. He knew it was obvious, he knew that nothing could be done about it, and yet all he could think about was how hot it was. The sun was a great, searing ball that burned in the sky, the heat radiated up from the bone-white sand, and everyone sweated and cursed. He glanced at Daveth, expecting to share a look of commiseration, but Daveth seemed to be unruffled by the heat. He wasn’t even sweating.
Aldric glanced at the files of troops following after Daveth, and they seemed to be suffering less than his own troops. He frowned. What was the deal? Did they have some sort of magical charm to protect them against the elements? Aldric immediately decided that Daveth was a bastard for not sharing.
Using hand signs to direct his file leaders, he rode over to Daveth’s ranks. Oddly, It seemed cooler near Daveth.
“Ho, Daveth.” Aldric called, falling into step with him.
“Ho yourself.” Daveth replied, taking a short pull from his canteen.
“Seems like you’ve found a way to beat the heat.” Aldric muttered under his breath. Daveth nodded and tilted his head at Eirawen, who wore a simple hat with a wide brim to shield her from the sun. Aldric moved closer to her, and was unsurprised to find the cold eddying from her.
“I hate you, Daveth.” Aldric finally admitted.
“Envy.” Daveth corrected knowingly.
“What?” Aldric replied, confused.
“I envy you, Daveth.” Is what you meant to say.” Daveth replied calmly, the faintest of smiles playing about his lips. Aldric rolled his eyes at this.
“Well, no matter. These Nothians have said there’s an oasis northeast of here. Likely we’ll meet the Orgus there.” He smiled nastily. “It’s also where we’ll set up our forward camp for this operation.”
Daveth cocked an eyebrow at that. “So why do you think the Orgus are behaving this way? According to what I've heard in the taverns of Azsig-Noth, the Orgus mostly stick to raiding caravans that venture too close to their territory.”
Aldric shook his head. “Does it matter? Maybe they want the city. Or the golems. Maybe there’s a dragon in the desert that’s eating them up and stealing their oases from them. We’ll push them back and teach them to leave the city alone. I’m not terribly interested in the affairs of cannibals, Daveth.” He remarked pointedly.
Daveth nodded. “You have a point there.” He looked back at his troops.
“I’m concerned that my troops will tire quickly in this heat.” Daveth mentioned. “Yours too.” He added. “You think we’ll reach this oasis today?”
Aldric turned to one of the Nothian guides and repeated the question in the strange jabbering tongue they used.
“The oasis is three days’ ride, he says.” Aldric replied to Daveth, shaking his head. “We’re going to travel as far as we can before we have to set up camp tonight... and I want minimal setup. I want to be underway as soon as first light. We need to move as quick as we can in this heat.” He smiled grimly. “We’ll take the oasis and rest up there.” Daveth nodded.
Daveth called up Audra.
“Yes, commander?” She asked. He pointed out a rocky outcrop off in the distance. “You’re the fastest; mind scouting ahead?” She shaded her eyes from the sun. “Likely a den for any number of creatures. Scorpions, desert animals like dogs, basilisks, vultures.” She replied.
“Hmm.” He replied.
“Don’t get me wrong, commander. I’ll have a look for you. I just don't think it’s the best place for a camp.”
Daveth nodded. “So scout it out. You should be able to see much further from up there, anyway.” She nodded and started trotting her horse forward.
“Oh, and be careful.” He called, and she flashed a smile at him from over her shoulder as she moved away.
Aurene managed her horse near Daveths’. She did not look comfortable in the saddle, and her horse did not look comfortable carrying her, either. Today her hair was in a single braid that hung all the way down her back like a thick golden rope.
“I can’t imagine it’s very comfortable in all that black armor.” Daveth observed.
She smiled a little at him. “I will look forward to the time when I can take it off tonight.” She agreed. “Will we arrive at the oasis today, Lord Commander?”
He shook his head. “Probably within the next three days, though.” She raised an eyebrow as she digested this information.
“Also, we’ll be sleeping with our respective wagons. No tents. Aldric wants us moving fast.” She chewed this over, eyeing him a couple of times. He could see what was written on her face. “I understand, Lord Commander. I will be ready to go at first light.” He nodded.
“Do you have experience fighting in a desert?” He asked curiously.
She shook her head. “I have fought in forests, in swamps, in mountainous regions, and in the arboreal wastes of the northlands beyond the Spine, but this is my first time in the desert.” she replied. He nodded slowly.
“You’re going to be a very visible target.” He observed. “Your black armor will be impossible to miss.”
She snorted. “I welcome it. I fight with honor.” She stated emphatically, with a challenging look directed at Daveth. He raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. She sniffed, and wrested her horse back into line.
As they approached the ridge, Audra trotted down on her horse.
“We’re in luck, commander.” She said with an evil grin. “There’s a network of caves that opens up out at the top of the ridge. More than enough space for the whole Seal.”
Daveth raised an eyebrow. “is that so? what’s the catch?”
Audra’s face fell a little. “What a pain, commander. Making me spill my secrets like this.” She rolled her eyes extravagantly, and chuckled. “There’s a whole nest of scorpions in there.”
Daveth shrugged noncommittally. “We’ve got thick boots.”
She shook her head. “No, commander. They’re each about the size of a large dog.”
Aldric rode over. “Is that right? Giant scorpions?” Audra saluted and repeated herself. The captain glanced at the sky, judging time, and then glanced off in the distance.
“Yeah... no. We can put in a couple more miles before we need to set up camp. No need. Let’s get moving.”
As they started moving, Audra joked. “I shouldn’t have said anything about the giant scorpions. It would have made for a better surprise.”
“You’re all heart.” Daveth muttered, and she chuckled, and moved back to her position.
The evening brought cooler temperatures, and as the sun started to set, Daveth moved his horse over to Aldric.
“I need you to look after my troops for a bit.”
“Hmm? I don’t mind, but why?” Daveth smirked. “I have a lieutenant that’s in dire need of correction. Make sure she takes the northeast watch.”
Aldric raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “I’ll see to it. Don’t get lost.” He remarked, and Daveth nodded.
As Aldric called a halt, Daveth slipped away from the army, and rode back the way they’d come. He mounted the dunes easily, and approached the rocky outcrop Audra had scouted earlier. He could indeed see a sloping gap that could potentially lead into a cave. It was pretty narrow, though. Could he fit?
He pulled out an old leather pouch with a handful of brass balls that were imbued with a light spell, and scattered them around as he peeked into the cave.
He secured a line, and slid down into the darkness of the cave as quickly as he could. Nearly right in front of him was a giant scorpion, just as Audra had said. It seemed sedate and potentially asleep. It didn’t seem to be tracking him as he moved around the antechamber, but who knew with those things?
Daveth pulled out a wicked spear from the magical bag that served as a weapon holster, flanked the giant arachnid, and plunged his spear in the thing’s back. It let out a hissing cry, and its horrific barbed stinger, longer than his finger, thrust forward impotently, clear drops of venom scattering.
Daveth worked the spear back and forth until the thing stopped moving, and then he hazarded a look further into the cave.
Audra was right, there were dozens of the things, perhaps hundreds, all piled amongst each other. Luckily, they all seemed to be sleeping as well. Best to let them alone, he thought, and secured a rope around the tail of the scorpion he’d killed.
He climbed out of the cave, and then hauled the giant thing out of the nest. His horse shied, whinnying and kicking, but he calmed it down with some calming noises.
His original plan was to take it back to camp on the back of his horse, but it was adamantly opposed to the idea. He took his ropes and a large canvas tarp he used to set up impromptu tents and rigged a sled to drag the thing back.
He made it back to camp later than he expected. As expected, he could see no sign of Audra.
He made his way past the sentries with a wave, and after a careful circuit of the camp, located Audra, sleeping in her bedroll. He hauled the giant scorpion off of the canvas, pivoted, and gracefully dropped the eighty-pound mutant insect onto Audra’s sleeping form.
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Audra opened her eyes as the heavy insect slammed into her body, shock dumping adrenaline in her veins. She immediately spotted the giant scorpion’s hideous face, and let out a terrified shriek.
She tried to escape, but the weight of the scorpion and her bedroll kept her firmly trapped. She fumbled for her swords, already knowing in her heart that it was too late.
The others in the camp were trotting over, weapons in hand. Daveth squatted next to Audra, and grabbing one of the massive claws, made a swipe at her face with a prankster’s grin on his own.
“Graw! Kee! Kee!” he hollered, shouting out random noises as he pretended to attack her. She didn’t seem to notice, in the grips of purest terror. She lashed out with one of her swords, stabbing the thing viciously over and over. Daveth had to duck and dodge her swipes as she stabbed and slashed at the thing. Everyone around her was laughing uproariously as she panicked.
Aldric came over, weapon in hand.
“So this is how you discipline your troops?” He asked, chuckling.
“Just a practical joke, sir.” Daveth replied. Audra glanced at the two of them, seemingly noticing them for the first time.
“C-c-commander?” She inquired hoarsely. “Captain Aldric?” She took in the chuckling ranks of soldiers and support crew around her, and looked at the obviously dead scorpion.
She glared at Daveth. “You.”
Daveth forced himself to not smile, and raised his eyebrows interrogatively.
“Yes, lieutenant?” He asked.
“You’re a monster.” She said with absolute loathing in her voice.
He gestured to the scorpion. “No, but that is.” He hauled the thing up off of her bedroll, freeing her.
“You should get some sleep!” He mentioned cheerily. She shook her ichor-splattered blade at him, and he chuckled.
“All right, everyone. Tonight’s entertainment is over.” He announced. He dropped the carcass on the ground.
“Someone drag that out of camp. I’m off to bed.”