There I was, admiring the view, looking out on foreign stars, taking in the majesty of the cosmos. I had some free time after sending out the rats and was eagerly awaiting their return, looking up to the sky as I waited. It hit me months ago, but just sitting there, watching unknown constellations and stars, seeing a sky untouched by pollution or filled with planes and satellites parading as distant stars. I sat and wondered if Earth was somewhere out there, perhaps one of those distant lights was home.
And then the bottom of the mountain exploded.
It came in a great plume of fire and smoke, briefly illuminating the mountainside. What followed it were the roars of men and women with the clash of metal soon after. I couldn’t see most of what was going on, but what little I could see was frantic, messy, and brutal. The relatively quiet tent city had exploded into action.
Scores of people were shifting and moving, not all fighting but many scurrying around like ants. What I could see, was that people were hunkering down, those not directly in the fight were trying to keep themselves out by staying put and keeping others out, while a few others were taking advantage of the commotion to make trouble, given the newer fights that were springing up here and there.
It was Edward that broke my attention, he and one of the regular guards rushed in, all but jumping from the lift to get here sooner.
” Dungeon, huff, doubtless you’ve seen things outside.”
” Indeed, the master has noticed the… events outside, what might be the reason?”
” We are uncertain, but Arthur believes some of them may attempt to barge in while things are chaotic. He asks that you be on high alert, we will also be unable to grant you additional help aside from the additional guards we have assigned, the fort’s new arms master, ser Balkan, is among those present when the agreement was made. He has a good head and steady hand.”
” It was to my maker’s understanding that there was another in the post?”
” Ah well… after the loss of the previous one, we had considered another, but he proved, problematic.”
Hmm, very well then.
But before the pleasantries went further another blast echoed through the hall. Looking outside, some idiot managed to hit the mountainside again.
BANG.
Hey idiots, kill each other without blasting my mountain! Jeeze it was almost like they were trying to hit-
BLAST.
Oh crap, I think they were!
” The master believes someone is attacking us.”
Edward gave the merchant a “no shit” look.
“ Indeed dungeon, I must return to my brother to handle this mess out, ser Balkan will maintain a watch with his men, but they cannot offer aid if someone were to enter the dungeon but they have been ordered to keep anyone out.”
With that he did a fast walk back out, using magic to block the debris from another explosion.
“ The master would like to offer some water.”
” Wouldn’t mind it for the boys, no rust in it?”
” Eh”
” Fair enough.”
What a weird duo these two make.
I guess I'll start getting things into shape then, perhaps I'll try to get in touch with my hobgoblins.
----------------------------------------
The brief meeting with the dungeon went oddly well, not that it should have been surprising, in all honesty. Still, that wouldn't be the hard part, that would be figuring out exactly who was blasting the fortress, like some academy newman hopped up on fire salts.
Walking through the corridors Ed came to a meeting room near the rear of the fort with a decent view of the dungeon's entrance. In it were the key notables of the castle, sans the Arms Master. Sitting was the newly chosen slash-elected castellan, ser Uriecht Strig, of the striggan people, a large bulky man who was originally a captain among Arthur's forces, he was offered the position on account of the good word of his subordinates and fellow captains as well as already having been a potential candidate for a similar position in one of the Nightingale cities, Maystrum. Next to him was the Quartermaster, Donald, appointed to the position out of the need for someone to fill the spot, he was good if a somewhat poor choice, originally a skilled blacksmith, but he was unfortunately the only pleasant choice they had, didn't help that despite boasting a strong body from his intense work, he was as meek as a mouse and had a terrible slouch. The third spot was meant for the Sorcerous advisor, a court wizard or manor mage as they are sometimes called, and was originally given to Helvina, a controversial choice but few argued against it. However, given light of her new condition she had been unanimously ordered to remain in her quarters until the mess outside was dealt with, and in her stead was Lily, a trained mage, if of a different specialty than Helvina. Together they made the critical fortress staff, with Ed taking the place of commander for the moment.
"I want solutions and ideas people; time is short, and lives are at stake."
Uriecht went first.
"Our scouts have confirmed that most of the damage is coming from a near battalion of kannorites."
"Hmm, have they delivered any demands, threats, or possible motives?"
"None so far, but I believe we are not their main target as a reported paladin was seen marching across the battlefield, leaving behind most of her forces to deal with other groups."
The presence of a paladin was always on Ed's mind, but confirmation solidified the threat.
"But why engage us, she gains nothing by harming us."
"I um uncertain my lord, only that they are."
"I'm not a lord, that is reserved for my brother, regardless, what of you Donald, Lily?"
"Perhaps they are attacking both of us? Making use of the chaos to hurt us?"
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
Hmm, not a terrible idea, the chaos could give them the benefit of the doubt in a pinch, but a proper commander, especially a paladin, would never make such a move, not without other factors coming together.
" Lily?"
"...I can only speak as a simple mage, but if they're trying to keep us in here then wouldn't that mean they are trying to get something done? Even if it's non-magical, ser Uriecht did mention a score of soldiers heading out from the main group."
" Arms Master, any thoughts?"
The room shook.
" Best we can tell, they are heading in the direction of the Kruul camp or perhaps the Leighlash camp, we aren't certain right now."
Kruul and Kannor have never had a good relationship, at least according to scripture and story. One desired clean-cut carnage between equals while the other was infamous for encouraging shady plots and the worst of people. His brother's plan was interesting in that he could see it working if things went correctly but with all the chaos that's happened Edward would have preferred it if they only had to deal with a single malignant sect, rather than most of the Outer Church. The only real benefit Ed saw was that they didn't have to deal with the proper Kannorite church, these hedge priests and swill water clerics could barely hold a candle to the real thing at the empire's core. Even the paladin commanders in the Outer territories were but laymen and women to those with access to the oldest of dungeons and most sacred of relics.
And this wasn't even mentioning the shit show that was the hatred between the goddess of freedom and the god of control and their chosen peoples.
" Is there any way we could get men into the fray, try and beat them into order?"
" Unlikely L-ser, the magic they're throwing at us is keeping us away for the moment, it is thanks to the lady Helvina and Mage Lilian that the stonework is only somewhat loosened."
" Any input on said magic, Lily?"
" Huh, oh, yes, they're using simple fire magic, real explosion magic would erode the wards and enchantments we cast."
" And what of the counter defenses you installed?"
" The conditions haven't been met for them to activate. We need to actually fight back for them to work."
Damn it.
Another band resonated through the room.
" We can't just let them attack us freely, is there any way we can deal with their mages?"
" I could try casting some counterspells, but I'm not great at them, not yet anyway."
" Arms Master?"
" While I' have already reprimanded him, one of our soldiers threw a stone at them, it didn't hurt anyone, but it hit them without interference."
" Good then, I want you to assemble the best archers we have and have them assemble along the walls, but do not let them be seen, have them hide just under the ramparts."
" Anything else ser?"
" No, now go."
He left walking but by the loud footsteps, he started running as soon as he left the room.
" Donald, I want you to prepare the castle for a protracted battle, have our food and water guarded closely, and let no one in until I say so, you may take five men with you along with those already assigned."
" Y-yes ser."
He left a lot less politely.
" Lily, I want you to-"
" Join the men on the ramparts? I can easily help them if nothing but to heal them."
"-Join lady Helvina in her room"
" What no! I may not be entirely cut for this position you unceremoniously dumped on me, but I'm not some invalid!"
" No, you are not, but in light of Helvina's... condition, and the fact that my brother still hasn't come back, and perhaps won't, I need you to watch over her until things become safe again."
" But I- you..."
" Look, you are a brilliant mage, and my... friend, but our feelings on the matter no longer matter, she might be carrying the next heir if things go wrong and if my brother doesn't return and she dies, then this skirmish will fall into an all-out war between my family and the sects."
"...sigh, fine."
" Thank you."
" Once this is over, I'm leaving, crime or not."
" I... understand."
She walked out, disappointed, and perhaps a bit sad, but they could ill afford emotions at a time like this.
Ed made his way to the dungeon once again.
----------------------------------------
I had finished rousing my forces to level 5 on the alert meter when Edward walked back into my home.
"Dungeon, I would ask for aid once again."
"The master will hear."
"I am in the process of getting ready to deal with the situation, but it is not that I need help with. I need to know if you can find my brother for me, he is somewhere in all of that, mess."
Huh, well I have negative reasons to not help him, might as well.
And after buying a cheap upgrade for the hobgobs, I could finally see through them, it was wild and weird, but I could see.
Why hadn't I gotten this before?
In addition to seeing through their eyes, I could also command them.
"Yesss masster!"
He had a hissy voice, but nothing unworkable, this one wasn't born in my dungeon but despite that, I could still feel a connection all the same. Quickly he crawled out of the hobgoblin nest I had established, an already large (by human standards) cavern filled with ramshackle huts and fire pits. It was difficult to see once you left the things, but this guy knew how to get back. Running back up the mountain and around awkward groups uncertain if they should be fighting or not, we found ourselves looking up at the main battle, a clash of chaos and brutality.
It was nothing like a movie and nothing like a book, waves of poorly fed, overworked, and dangerously faithful servants with swords and spears were pushing against similar waves of enemies. Commanders shouted and screamed orders, occasionally beating their subordinates. I'd make a joke about how the dead shit themselves, but I still couldn't smell despite taking partial control over this body, but was for certain was that I doubted half of the men laying in the mud would be killed by blade or magic, most likely they'll suffocate in the dirt, trampled by either comrades or enemies.
Ignoring the worst of it, I did find Arthur and a pickle was one word for what I found him in.
Of his group of... one, two... a couple of people, only he and three others remained, with a few unknown people dressed in all black among the dead. The three were tired and hurt but otherwise fine, while Arthur himself seemed to be the worst off with a knife sticking out of his side and arm, rendered useless by the damage. Against him was a group of five well-armed people, dressed in grey and black with what I assume was the leader wearing a fist-shaped necklace.
"A shame your little ploy didn't work as well as you thought lord Nightingale, a shame it's come to this, our master did enjoy your attempts."
Wheeze "And a shame I didn't get to feed his poppy-addled corpse to the dungeon, at least that way someone would benefit from being around him."
"Oh yes, there is also the matter of the dungeon to discuss as well, your little game with it will have to end I'm afraid, but don't worry, soon we'll give it some nice jewelry to make up for you."
"It'll kill you."
"It will try."
The leader began to stalk closer to Arthur, dagger in hand and murder in their eyes, I think.
I needed to act fast, real fast, if he dies then there's no telling what will happen.
Notice
Individual: Arthur Nightingale has been detected with increasingly dangerous levels of demonic corruption.
Current Amount: 35%
The percentage was only climbing from there, not quickly, but steadily.
Given the pace they were at and with a new round of pre-death banter, I had a minute or two to think.
What exactly does corruption do and why shouldn't I just ignore you and jump straight in?
Expediting Explanation...
Corruption makes mortals more demonic, eventually leading to blood sacrifice and demonic incursion. At present it should be no more than heightened aggression and thoughts of violence.
Is it guaranteed to happen, when did he even start getting corrupted?
Expediting...
It is not guaranteed, it is however more likely the higher corruption grows.
So, I can either save him and he might start going all blood cultist and ripping hearts out for some reason, or let him die.
...
Of course, nothing.
Moving my guy closer I put him in the perfect position I could get without being seen, his stench and other indicators were muted thanks to the smell of the field. I could jump out and save him, probably lose my guy, or let it happen, and let him die on the chance of him going crazy later on.
The lady was in position, Arthur was ready to run, and I could jump out fast enough to intercept, all I needed to do was choose.