Our flying pass over Wardenhof City forced the local Sylvanians to run and hide in their cellars, which should save more lives when my army attacked.

The zombie army outside the gates was not impressed by my Dragon, but we will come back for them.

But first, loot. Then we can burn.

We descended on Castle Wadenhof like avenging angels, the fear aura paralyzing the mortal guards of the Vampire Count while Jet's flames burned the bolt throwers guarding against aerial attack. They wouldn't pierce Jet, but they could damage his wings. Always a problem with flying.

And while the Imperial Dragon remained outside to play with his food, I sped up into the Castle, while smacking my way through doors and walls until I located the Vampire Crypt.

Nine Vampires were awake still, while two dozen were being worked upon with warpstone crystals and alchemical devices. Making more Vargheists, I presumed.

"Hello, dead people. And good bye!" I quipped in a light voice, and sped up to maximum.

Vampires were both durable and dangerous, and a pair of them had dark blades in hands. I left them for last, choosing to smash my easier opponents to scraps.

In a second, the crypt was clear of mooks and extra chaff, leaving me alone with the two Vampire Lords.

"Quite fast, but still a mortal." one of them whispered in a cold voice, while magic shades covered him like mirrors.

My left hand clenched on the Fang of Taal, while I spun around to strike the other Vampire with my club. He had somehow sneaked behind me, but his Dhur weapon was tingling my magic senses anyways.

At the same time, I triggered the Fang and struck the now visible magic Vampire in the heart, just as the other Count hit the wall and splattered like a bag of blood.

"Impossible..." the Count groaned as he realized his fate.

"The world of Magic allows anything. Nice teeth..." I quipped as my club smacked him in the head and evaporated it.

Then I checked my club, and noted a small chip where the Vampire Lord had parried my strike with his black sword. Unbreakable my ass.

I will have my due, sneaky lying Dwarf! But not yet.

There was looting to be had, and then some cleaning up. Warpstone was highly mutagenic to all life forms, as proved by the dead half-formed Vargheists in this crypt.

My fingers tingled as I began to collect rings and other precious jewelry from my targets, separating them into magical and mundane artifacts.

Perhaps I could train my Dragon to identify their purpose? I sure could.

Next, a visit to the armory and the hidden vault (there always is one, you just need to break enough walls) and I had enough loot to sustain my army for a year or two again.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Jet flew to my side and began smelling the magic stuff. "Dark magic?" he asked a bit curious.

"That's is your task from now on, Jet. Identify and evaluate the worth of each artifact. Those two hammers look like Sigmarite weapons used by their Templars. These two black swords were used by the Vampire Lords. Most armors are mundane chainmail or plate, but this breastplate is made of Gromril. I'll have to ask Dorin to refit it for me." I explained in a patient voice, while shoveling gold and silver coins into former grain sacks and other receptacles.

"I see. The spoils of war." Jet mused in a thoughtful voice, while gathering magic for a new spell.

Not exactly the Bright Order's Purge spell, but a cleansing spell anyways, glowing with bright light. An audible scream rose from the loot, and then vanished in wails of pain.

Dragons are bullshit. No joke!

"Wow, was that Hysh Magic? I thought it was hard to learn." I asked in surprise.

My Dragon just looked at me with one condescending eye. "You told me to do this."

Well...yes. I did.

"Those two Hammers smell like Heaven. Should be safe to use, even by humans. The black swords...metal, blood and death. Bloodsteel, I think. Valuable, like Gromril." The Dragon said as he poked around gems and jewellery while smelling for something.

"What is it?" I wondered and picked up the amulet he just found.

"Ward Save. Reduce any damage by a quarter. Even magic damage." he pointed out in a grave voice.

Really? I paid like hundreds of gems to enchanters for 2 or 3 percent defense wards, now gifted to my officers and wives, plus some Elector Counts and other people I had to bribe. And here, a single amulet had 25% defense? Damn lucky Dragon.

"I will have Dorin install this ward on your armor. Might need to smack you twice with my club." I offered with a gentle smile.

"Please don't. I mean, yes, I want the Ward Save. Not the evil bat to the face." Jet said in a hurried tone.

"Right, you go and hunt some Orcs or Trolls in the mountains. Be at Wartenhof in 6 hours, or you'll miss the siege." I ordered while assembling my loot on the raft to carry it to my Castle.

While the distance from Eschen to Wartenhof was barely 20 miles, marching 2000 people and 50 War Wagons took more time than you'd expect. Plus the ammo and food supplies and all such things like tents and cookpots and...war is hell, you know? So slow.

Deposit the loot, meet up with Anika for some ice-cold lovemaking (she wasn't too happy about Gissela), visit my steel furnace to drop off damaged items for re-smelting, check on the kids if they were reading or playing (Thor was playing and had to be chastised) , check on little Andrew (still sleeping), then visit Wizards Rolan and Gissela at Essen.

More fiery lovemaking with Gissela (she didn't care about Anika), then fly back to Zhufbar and meet with my (not-so-favorite) Runesmith to drop off some magic items, exchange insults and make friends, then back to check on Jet from afar (playing with Orcs) and then landed at my Army just as the Wild Guard scouts returned with news. Being fast meant I could move around, and do more things in 5.30 hours than others in weeks.

"Lord Warden, the way to Wartenhof is clear. No skeletons either, for a change." a wary hunter spoke while drawing a small sketch of the city defenses. Not perfect, but quite accurate considering he had to be at least a kilometer away to avoid zombies or ghouls prowling outside the city.

"That's true. I took care of their Dark Mage already, so there won't be skeletons this time. Wild Guard, you set up camp a mile back with the supply train. Captains, advance and clear the way to the walls, wagons in front, spears on flanks. Then we wait for the Dragon." I commanded with pointed fingers at each Army Captain.

"By your command, Lord Warden!" my officers shouted and ran to their units, while I brooded inward.

Hopefully, Jet will remember we had a siege planned for today. If he was late...I would have to kick his ass again.

We had a war to fight, not just play.