Hanyr knocked on Vicid's door, "Hey, Vicid, can I come in?"

There was only silence, so he knocked again, "Hello? Are you in there?"

Still no answer. He had no way of knowing if Vicid was ignoring him, or if he was out. Perhaps talking to him in his room wouldn't be feasible, but the fact that he didn't eat with the rest of the group made it hard to catch him.

Hanyr turned to go, but then he saw Vicid coming towards him from the end of the hall. Hanyr waited by the door, and greeted Vicid when he drew closer, "Vicid, hello! Where have you been?"

"Keeping to myself," he answered curtly, "As we all should."

Vicid stepped around Hanyr, who clarified, "I don't mean to interrogate you, I just ask because I was looking for you. If there's a homeless man dead in the street, hey, that's not my business!"

Hanyr rolled his eyes at himself after he said that, “what a stupid comment.”

Vicid opened his door, "No, it isn't." But he didn't walk in. He paused, and turned back; "Not dead in the street," he said with vitriol, "my queen is the Queen of Graves."

Hanyr raised his hands in front of him in an apologetic gesture, "No offense meant. But tell me, what is the profound difference?"

"A body in the street is a bastion of disease, it's disgusting, disorderly, unsightly, should and will be cast away. A grave is a monument that stands against time, a reminder, and a source of order that contains the death."

"A monument? That's interesting, to remind people that the person buried there was killed, bringing glory to his killer?"

"Nothing so self-aggrandizing."

Nalia passed through a tangential hallway, seeing them talking. She didn't react strongly, but Hanyr took advantage of her passing by, "Should we talk inside?"

Vicid nodded, walking in to sit on the corner of his bed. Hanyr closed the door behind him, sitting on the floor so as not to put undue strain on a chair.

Vicid continued, "A grave is a monument to mortality, a reminder that one day, either due to the fragility of life or the inevitability of time, we will all die."

"Ah, I think I'm beginning to understand you now. Tell me if this is right, you kill to remind people of their mortality. Arrogance, peaceful times, those kinds of things, make people believe they will live forever, and you shatter the illusion by making graves."

"Shatter arrogance, motivate the masses, keep reality in sight, enforce an appreciation for their current life? No, I would not say that is why. Though, I do think it's a pretty idea. Strictly speaking, I do what I am told by the Queen."

"But you chose to serve the Queen, or am I misled?"

"I did, I reached out to her."

"So beyond the orders of the Queen there is an underlying motivation, no? What is so wonderful about making a grave for you?"

Vicid thought for several seconds, pursing his lips. Then he answered, "It's a celebration of mortality. Mortality isn't just something to remind people of, it is the driving factor for human behavior; the crown of life is that it ends. Just as a wedding is followed by a honeymoon period, the union of life and mortality is celebrated by the incorporation of mortality in a kill."

Hanyr's eye’s gleamed. "That's an interesting idea, though I only understand this idea that mortality is the driver in life vaguely, could you give an example?"

"Yes I can, consider a child. Any ambition he has comes out of fascination, and predominantly his life is for playing. When he grows older and recognizes the decay he is going through, being confronted with mortality, he changes into a mature adult. If a child is to mature in his youth it is because he either saw death, or saw the fragile needs that threatened death in himself or someone he knew. Maturity, among other things, is but a byproduct of mortality."

Hanyr nodded thoughtfully, "Fascinating indeed, and so unlike the Haverdash!"

Vicid's eyes narrowed.

"You know what I mean, right? No, wait, Andal and Grendala told us at lunch, and you weren't there. Let me tell you: to reuse your example, a Haverdash child is concerned about enjoying their present life, just as a human child is, but for them it is the pursuit of stronger feelings that drives them on. That never changed as they age, they are motivated by their gluttony for strong feelings from birth to death. Often they don't even try to get away if they're losing, detesting the slow emotions like patience, and having no concern for mortality at all."

Vivid had become silent again, sitting motionless with his eyes still narrowed.

“I imagine the world will be a lot different if they win. I don’t imagine they have graves, those things don’t provide strong emotion, at least not in the way they care about.” Hanyr looked out the window, “Oh, it’s later than I realized. I’d better get to bed, seeing as we head out tomorrow morning, right? See you at the gate at sunrise! We’ve got to make sure they lose.”

Hanyr left, but looking back, he knew that conversation was the one they needed.

*

The soldiers were gathered, all their supply wagons (which weren't many; they weren't going far.) with them. Each of the nominees were given their own horse, except for Grendala, Vicid, and Hanyr. Horses wanted nothing to do with Grendala and Vicid, and they couldn't be expected to carry Hanyr the whole way. Those three rode in a supply wagon that stayed at the front, along with the other nominees and officers. Lieutenant Wanrod was the head officer for this attack, with Elder Brunstrog having direct command of a smaller team that was prepared to break off at any point and handle a task that the nominees needed doing.

The plan was to use the nominees the same way the Haverdash used the Glorious: break down the gate and put the defenders in disarray before the attackers come in.

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This plan was more necessary for them to use than it was for the Haverdash, because they couldn't possibly protect everyone from the gas that hung in Haverdash cities. The nominees would have to clear that to manageable levels.

The order went down the column, and they started the march. They were targeting the closest Haverdash city, which had been captured only a month ago. They had a fast pace, knowing they could keep it up because their target was only two days away, and not wanting the Haverdash to have time to respond. Scouts reported that so far the city had not received backup, so now was an opportune time to strike. The Haverdash probably didn't believe that they could lose a city once captured, having never done that before.

Runberal moved his horse by Andal and Jeva, "I think you two will have to remove the gas with the wind you can create. We’ll have to move systematically.”

Grendala leaned over the edge of the wagon and butted in, “I’ve already got that planned out. We’ll need the wind they can make, but that’s only half the picture. I can neutralize the gas, I just need a method of dispersal. They blow my neutralizer throughout the city, and the gas will turn into a brown mist not unlike a cloud of dust.”

“Alright,” Rumberal responded, “Have you communicated that to Andal and Jeva?”

“Just did.”

Rumberal huffed and turned back to Andal, “Well now that’s been communicated. Are you willing and able?”

“We can do that, right Jeva?”

“Definitely, thanks for getting that clear, Rumberal!”

Rumberal instantly smiled, appreciating their tone far more than Grendala’s. “You’re welcome!”

Elder Brunstrog had ridden ahead to get a report from some scouts, but he came back and went straight to Rumberal. "There's a party of Haverdash on the other side of those trees, this is a good opportunity to get the nominees a warm up."

"Understood, elder!" He led his horse forward then turned around, "All nominees! A band of Haverdash has been spotted beyond those trees, let's eliminate them so they can't warn of our coming! Onward!"

Rumberal, Andal, Jeva, and Nalia all rode forward. Grendala grumbled, "Didn't think of us wagon folk, did they? I'll stay here then, I'm not going to try to catch up."

Hanyr jumped out of the wagon, "I will! You coming Vicid?"

Vicid remained seated, but looked in the direction the other nominees were heading, "I am."

"You need a lift?" Hanyr pointed at his back.

Grendala snickered at the suggestion, but Vicid answered, "I have my own way of traveling."

"Then see you there!"

Those who had taken off with their horses hadn't set them to sprint, but they were still shocked when they saw Hanyr run up beside them and keep pace with them.

Jeva yelled to him, "Hanyr, that's amazing!"

He smiled, responding between breaths, "Don't be so… surprised… my legs… are longer!"

"That's true! Hey, my head is as high as yours now! I'm as tall as Hanyr!"

She lifted herself up an inch or two in her saddle to make that true, which Hanyr tried to avoid laughing at to not lose his breath.

Andal was admiring something slightly different, "Is that your bow?"

He glanced at where it was sticking up, hanging on his back, and smiled wider.

They entered the tree-filled area, which was a large patch that couldn't be called a forest. Rumberal called out, "The Haverdash are here! Dismount!"

They all jumped off their horses and kept going, finding the Haverdash just entering the patch of trees on the other side. There were more than Andal had expected, perhaps a hundred of them, but if they couldn't handle this there was no way they could take a city.

Andal raised swords of light to shoot at them, and Jeva shot a fireball from her hands. Both thought they would be the first one to strike, but then an arrow over three feet long zipped past them and plowed through three Haverdash before burying itself in a fourth. When the first Haverdash fell dead there was a sound like a heavy metal object being dragged across stone.

Andal and Jeva's projectiles landed next, but the undaunted Haverdash responded by chucking several bottles of wine at them. Rumberal jutted his shield forward, forming an invisible barrier that blocked all of them. He let the barrier drop, and they would have sent another volley of projectiles, but they were caught off guard by the sight of Vicid standing where the first Haverdash had fallen.

He touched the heads of the dead Haverdash, and they incorporeally lowered into the earth. The Haverdash rushed the nominees, covering Vicid quickly and coming into melee with the others. Vicid passed through them, and once in an unexpected location, materialized and stabbed black daggers into adjacent Haverdash that killed them instantly. Those he killed fell in slow motion, passing through the earth like it wasn't there.

Andal raised shells of light around all the nominees, "I'm protecting you, be aggressive!"

Rumberal empowered their armor, "As am I, attack freely!"

The Haverdash were completely incapable of breaking through both shields, so the massive offensive power of the nominees was accentuated by not needing to defend themselves.

After cutting down a large Haverdash in front of him, Andal saw one standing still and collected several feet away. With a wipe of his hands, Andal's defenses were gone.

Andal quickly made a burst of wind to clear the space around him, then made a focused beam of light that incinerated the head of that Haverdash.

His defenses returned, and he called out to the others, "If a Haverdash looks like he's not trying to directly attack you, he's seeing something else! Target them!"

Then he noticed the largest tree in the area tilting, "Hanyr, avoid the tree!"

Hanyr jumped out of the way just in time, "Thanks, Andal! Which one did that?"

Jeva called out, "I found him!" And blasted him with a fireball.

They finished off the party of Haverdash, one of which had tried to run. There were light mists coming up from the ground where Vicid had buried the Haverdash. They avoided those spots as they ran together to celebrate. Rumberal told them, "We looked great! No injured among us?"

"None, I didn't even have to heal anyone!" Andal answered.

"Alright, let's remember to target those we think are having different hallucinations when we attack the city, and let’s use our stronger abilities wisely. If their hallucinations get out of control, Nalia can always cancel them with her own hallucinations or illusions."

They headed back towards their horses, but Vicid went to Rumberal, "I want a team of soldiers to place stone markers here as gravestones."

He was surprised, but fine with it, "That can be arranged."

Hanyr commented, "It's time the Haverdash knew graves, eh Vicid?"

"Yes, it is."

*

They came to their target city, Shrodac, once called the Flower of Donfas. It was made to be very easy to travel, with roads in concentric circles from the middle to the outer defensive walls, then even to the outer city. The nominees were not to try clearing the outer city, aside from gas; they were to penetrate the walls and scatter the organized defenders so that the army could operate in a dominant position, just how the Haverdash use the Glorious. They had a map of Shrodac, which wasn’t hard to come by, or to conceptualize even if you’d never been there. The advisors discussed a plan with the nominees, suggesting that the nominees would penetrate first and draw attention, then the army would cautiously encircle the walls while they cleared the outer city, supporting the nominees with arrow and sling barrages by cutting off the circular roads going around the city that many Haverdash would probably try to use to get to the nominees once they breached.

The Haverdash knew they were there, as the plains were too open for their approach to be hidden, but that wasn’t necessarily to their disadvantage. If the attack is to work then the nominees would have to be successful. The Haverdash would have to focus them completely when they breach, lightening the load for the army.

While they were discussing this and making it clear, Grendala told them, “I don’t intend to be that helpful in the breach. There’s something else I can do that will be more effective.”

Andal asked, “I thought you were going to be feeding the neutralizer of the gas into our wind so that we can spread it around?”

“We can do that, I can go with you, but you’ll have to protect me. I’ll be weakened. I’m going to place a curse on Shrodac. The effects may last many years, but it would greatly help this attack. Is that fine?” She looked at Tharrow.

Tharrow shared a look with the other advisors, then told her, “That’s fine. Continue with the curse.”

She walked away from the group until she had almost a hundred feet of space between her and anyone else. She began to chant. Her words were quiet, but each one had a weight on the air, a punchy feeling that was felt even if the sound wasn’t audible. Then a hissing sound began, and smoke billowed out from her.

She fell on her hands and knees, noticeably thinner than before. She yelled back to them in a hoarse, gravelly voice, “It’s done! Let’s go.”