Paladin Amberheart and I were on his personal battleship, the Night Blade. I was allowed full access to everything, even if most of the corridors felt small for a creature my size. The various good creatures all avoided me for the most part.

While I was in the military, I was still a cat. There was a knock on my cabin door. I went over and opened it up. “Paladin Amberheart requests your presence,” a mouse told me.

I nodded at this and followed him up to the observation deck in the command tower. Various creatures were looking out the windows with binoculars. The Paladin was looking over several maps in the center of the room. “Paladin Amberheart,” I greeted him.

“One moment please,” he told me. He then scribbled a note inside a notebook and then looked up at me. “Mittens, sorry about that. Just wanted to finish my thought before we spoke,” he told me.

“I completely understand,” I replied and he gave me a toothy smile.

“I was just considering our movements and if I should keep using the Night Blade. It’s a good vessel, but quite large,” he explained to me.

“The cannons seem like they could take out quite a bit. To help manage the blockade?” I asked.

“Indeed. The Covenant Church gave me such a ship, since it is quite useful for dishing out massive amounts of firepower once a target is in range on the coast. I have used it to great effect. Unfortunately it is also very conspicuous from shore. Its large profile is hard to miss,” he explained.

“The snakes have wised up then,” I replied, and he nodded.

“Of course. They might be unrepentantly evil, but they haven’t survived for centuries being stupid. I guess being incredibly overpowering helps as well, but they aren’t stupid unfortunately. This war would be so much easier if they were.” I nodded at this. “Clear the deck,” Paladin Amberheart said and the various creatures keeping a look out all silently left and closed the hatch to the stairwell behind them.

“While the creatures on board no better than to gossip too much, things get spread around. What I want to talk about is a bit sensitive.”

“Landing point?” I asked.

“Among other things. The main issue is the blockade around the southern continent. Nothing comes or goes without being detected. We have lots of smaller patrol boats that leave from our various bases on islands. That volcano you were involved with, created a massive gap in our defenses.” I winced slightly at that. “I know it isn’t your fault, and that you didn’t really make it, but we can’t afford to give the snakes any sort of opening.”

“Why? I mean what could they do? If they landed, they would be cut off, and we are killing Apostates quite rapidly,” I asked. He nodded at that.

“That’s what most creatures would think. And it is good you ask. The Apostates are less of a concern than an elder snake making a move. Highwater Bastion only hangs on due to its massive walls and other fortifications. That is why we are in a stalemate,” the Paladin explained.

“Even Paladins can’t kill them?” I asked and he shook his head and let out a sigh.

“We are working on weapons, but only the main guns of a battleship or a heavy artillery position with a direct strike has a chance of hurting them. A Paladin, even empowered by the Warrior is no match for an elder snake channeling their ancestral spirit.” That made me wonder how much EXP they were worth. Probably a couple of million at the very least.

It made much more sense and explained why there was a stalemate. That had been bugging me for a while. “I see. Creatures to avoid then. Highwater Bastion?” I asked.

“That is our first stop to let command know of our movements and your deployment. After that, we will take a stealth ship and use the battleship here as cover. Block the view from the shore and move in at night.”

“Not a motorboat?” I asked.

“I have been reconsidering the plan. This information is valuable enough, that we are going to take more risks to ensure it is retrieved. Let me show you,” he said and pulled over a map on the table. “We can’t change the rendezvous, since that is prearranged, you will land further North. But the pickup will be further South along the coast. The snakes will never suspect you to head that way,” he explained.

“And if they track by scent?” I asked.

“If your scent lingers that long, then you are already dead. The Night Blade and the stealth ship will move to a nearby island, here off the coast. We have a small observation post there. It will take two days to get to. We will wait four days at the outpost, and then move back here over two days, further South along the continent. The Serpentine River.”

“That’s why I want a stealth ship. The Night Blade will remain at the mouth of the Serpentine River, our presence will be detected, while the stealth ship moves upriver slightly to provide close support and targeting information for the Night Blade.” I looked over the map carefully, looking at the positions he mentioned.

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“Four days travel, four days back. It doesn’t give any leeway,” I said, and he nodded.

“It doesn’t. But we should have at least two days before a full response comes and we have to pull back. That is if the snakes want to act right away in force. My guess is they will send a probe like they usually do, before committing. But it won’t give you much time moving into the continent and back out to the coast.”

“However, the river is a major trade route they use up to their capital. We have done similar probing attempts on rivers before, so it won’t be something new the snakes will get excited about quickly. And you can take a boat down river,” Paladin Amberheart explained.

“You want me to lure a snake out,” I said, realizing the twist to his plans and he nodded slightly at that.

“It is a possibility that Slither will chase after you. Killing a mid-rank snake would be a good win for our side.” I took my time looking at the map and considering the plan that the Paladin had laid out. It was nice to have more back up.

“You don’t expect we can get out quietly and are giving me more options,” I said while carefully looking things over.

“Indeed, you can retreat North to Highwater Bastion, but it is a long trek. There is also the question of using a radio,” he told me.

“If I use one, will you send in support?” I asked.

“Most likely know. If you need support, then you are already lost. Better to move quickly. We can’t contest the snakes directly on their home turf. I have a handheld radio, but it only works a short distance. If you are that close, then I can help.”

I nodded at that. It made sense and why I had been recruited for this mission after all. “Any maps of the interior?” I asked.

“Nothing useful unfortunately. The snakes don’t make them, and they have a large contingent of birds that protects their airspace. The Covenant Church has always been weak in airpower unfortunately.” Most birds weren’t good creatures.

“We can keep them out of our skies for the most part, since it is too far to cross the ocean. But the only maps are major settlements by the snakes, who arrange their own domains how they want. The boarders shift as well, as some snakes come into power and others die.”

“The roads are mostly dirt, and their infrastructure is like ours was from a hundred years ago. They lack our unity of purpose but have much greater personal power. Do you want any weapons?” he asked me. I considered the offer as I thought about it.

“No. Just supplies so we can move quickly. Do they have a lot of guns?” I asked.

“Only their elites, but for the most part no.”

“Then I don’t need weapons. What about bombs?” I asked.

“That is possible. But they aren’t light, if you want a serious explosion, but you probably won’t need them,” he told me.

“No vehicles?” I asked.

“They have carts pulled by slaves. Lots of slave labor. The vast majority of their continent consists of slaves farming the land, to feed themselves, so they in turn can be fed to the snakes. The cycle of consumption,” Paladin Amberheart said with a headshake. It was quite grim as I thought about it.

“They won’t help?” I asked.

“The slaves work. They won’t act. They are brainwashed from birth by the snakes hypnosis. The snakes have agreed not to target the others slaves, since it diminishes their overall power.”

“And why don’t we go and kill their slaves?” I asked. Paladin Amberheart looked at me silently at that. “What?” I asked.

“That is a very controversial issue. It has been discussed but the goal is to free the creatures. We have anti-hypnosis techniques and most of our soldiers come from former slaves.”

“What, really? I thought they were penal legions?” I asked.

“That too, but our enemy are the snakes, not the creatures. We haven’t devolved into total war just yet. It has been a close thing in the past, but it is something we are holding off on for now, since there is hope we can win in other ways. Also, the Covenant Church prefers the creatures that support things to be ignorant.”

“Why?” I asked. It had been another thing that was bothering me.

“Panic. It is that simple. The societal unrest by marginalized groups comes to the front during the crusades or wars. That is going to change over the next couple of years, as we gear up for another crusade, but it will take time.”

It was incredibly masterful how tight the Covenant Church had a grip on everything. “I don’t get the purpose of it all though? Why not just let creatures know about snakes? Unify them?”

“It was considered but rejected. The development of technology happens much better while creatures don’t have to worry about other things. It seems quite odd and backwards, but panic has been shown to reduce innovation by quite a bit.” That made sense. The constant aura of fear would oppress creatures. “It is also why we keep the split between good and bad creatures.”

“What?” I asked in surprise.

“Hmm, the purpose of the split is to allow good creatures to live without fear to enhance our technological edge. Worrying about snakes, or other things outside their control, leads to panic.” I blinked several times as I processed this and felt a sense of anger.

“You are telling me, why?” I asked.

“You are cleared to know, and you asked. We are on the same side after all. Not something that normally comes up, but I can see why you would be curious,” Paladin Amberheart explained to me. I just felt mentally drained from this explanation. There were so many layers of control all around me.

“Thanks for explaining. I guess things will be heating up in the next couple of years,” I replied, and he nodded.

“That is all, unless you had more questions?” he asked me.

“No, I need to think. So, it will be by paw, there and back.” I looked over the map.

“Indeed. Speed is key once the snakes are alerted. Oh we are coming up on Highwater Bastion,” Paladin Amberheart said and gestured out the windows of the observation floor.

I could see the massive walls towering above the blasted surroundings. The city was jutting out into the water. “It used to be slightly inland, but the constant wars and battles have caused the nearby land to sink. Good for defense, but fighting the erosion is a pain. Everything has to be imported as well,”

I saw multiple cargo ships moving in and out. “A massive drain of resources, but we pull from several cities to support Highwater Bastion. Another reason to keep things as peaceful as possible back home.” Looking out I also saw several military ships at anchor to either side of the city.

Using them for reference, the walls were massive. At least 100 feet tall or around 30 meters. The buildings were just under that height and packed into the small space that was the city. “Expanding is near impossible unfortunately. It has been tried in the past, but that is one thing the snakes won’t allow.”

“Just getting this scrap of land has been a massive headache and building out the main road from the city to the battlefield. We are looking at building out into the ocean, but that takes time.”

“I never thought it would be so big. This is like a city center crammed into a tight space,” I replied as I looked at Highwater Bastion.

“Space is at a premium and the city is under martial law. More a military base, than anything. Well, lets get ready. This will be a fun conversation with command.”