Chapter 2: The Conqueror

Munster District, Outside Melgen, 762

Bloom was a god of destruction on the battlefield. Mjolnir ploughed through soldiers as if they were stalks of grass. Everywhere he went, people died. Growing up, he had preferred to train with swords or bows, but now, that didn't matter. Mjolnir required no skill to use. He simply had to think it and great streams of lightning eliminated anything he looked at.

They had outfitted him with a large suit of armour, similar to the one his father had worn during the wake. He found it restricted his movement too much to be useful. He had to keep requesting that his soldiers slow their pace to match his. Thanks to Mjolnir, the only thing he need fear was the appearance of King Calf, the War God. The most experienced man on the continent with a holy weapon. Melgen was located on the boarder, in technically within Leinster, but far from Calf's lands. The soldiers opposing him stood no chance of victory.

"Curse you, Alvis," he muttered. "What am I doing here? You were meant to bring peace."

"Sir," said his aid, Paulus. "The enemy appears to be falling back. What do you require us to do?"

"Let them retreat," Bloom ordered. "There's nowhere to run. They'll realize that soon enough."

Melgen bordered the desert, the lands nearby were poor. Bloom was confident they would need outside support to sustain themselves. They set up their tents around the sieged castle and sent a message to the enemy commander.

While he waited, he received word that Isaach had finally been subdued. He requested reinforcements from Duke Danann. Partially because he felt a show of power would make the people of Leinster see reason, partially because he wanted to see his old friend once more.

On the morning of the fifth day, the commander of the castle emerged. He was escorted to Bloom's tent, unarmed. Bloom rose to greet him. "I am Bloom, son of Reptor and Duke of Friege. Who are you?"

"My name is General Xavier," the man said. His words were laced with bitterness and hatred.

"Well met, Xavier." Bloom extended his hand, but Xavier merely scoffed.

"You play the good and honourable duke, while you slaughter my men."

Bloom lowered his hand. "I allowed your men to retreat. Believe me, if I truly wanted that castle, I would have it by now. But that would result in an unacceptable number of losses on both sides."

"Oh? So you don't want to see any more casualties? Then get the hell out of my country."

Bloom's eyes narrowed. "I would if I could, but so long as your king refuses to cooperate, I can't."

"King Calf is an honourable and righteous man!"

Bloom steadily began raising his voice. "He supported the man who wished to destroy our country. If he would merely accept Alvis as king of Grannvale, then neither of us would be in this mess."

Xavier grew quiet. Bloom also tried to relax as they both attempted to understand the silence between them. "What would you have me do?" Xavier eventually asked.

"Surrender," Bloom said. "Hand the castle over to us, and leave with half your men. The other half will be prisoners of war, we'll treat them well."

"I can't just let you take our castle and waltz straight into my country. I will have failed in all my duties."

"Not your duty to your men. They'll get to live." Bloom showed him the letter from Danann. "Isaach has fallen to our forces. Be it three months, or three years, Leinster will eventually fall too. You can't stop that. But you can control how it falls."

Xavier's fists shook by his sides. "I'll hand myself over to you. All my men go free."

Bloom shook his head. "You have six hundred men in that castle at least. I'm afraid you're simply not worth three hundred."

"Pox on you, Bloom. I see right through this act. You're a bully; the people of Lesinter won't stand for it."

"And what will you do?"

"I'll do what you want. For now. But even if you stick a soldier in every house in the country, this land will never be yours."

"We will do everything that needs to be done to maintain control," Bloom said. "I think you've made a wise decision today. We need people like you. People who care, people who can see reason."

"Are you offering me a job?" Xavier asked, sarcastically.

Bloom shrugged. "If you want one."

"No," Xavier muttered. "This war hasn't ended for me just yet. I hope I see you on the battlefield again someday. Next time we meet, I intend to stick an arrow through your heart."

Munster District, Melgen, 762

Bloom was behind schedule, but he still decided to rest in Castle Melgen as he awaited the reinforcements. In that time, an unforeseen problem arose. They didn't have nearly the resources to adequately keep three hundred men prisoner. Bloom had congratulated himself for avoiding loss of life, but now he was kicking himself at the lack of foresight.

Danann arrived a week later. He decided it would be more fun to meet his friend at a tavern, instead of within the castle. His aide objected, but Bloom was confident no ruffian in the world would stand a chance against Mjolnir, let alone a second holy weapon.

Bloom was dressed in his standard wear, but Danann arrived in his full armour, divine Helswath on open display at his side. Danann had been fighting the war in Isaach since the start, almost five years ago. "It's good to see you, Bloom," he said.

"Well met, friend. How was your journey?"

"I can't complain. The coastal road has a nice view."

"I hear you've finally subdued Isaach. Congratulations."

Danan rolled his eyes. "At last. I thought they'd never stop fighting. I can't even be sure this is really it. Feels like they might rebel again at any moment."

Bloom waved his hand. "You've done enough. It's time for you to go home, and for me to take up arms."

Danann smiled. "Actually, I've become rather accustomed to Isaach. I've even found myself a wife from among the locals."

Bloom caught the barkeeper's attention and ordered two drinks. "We've been out of touch far longer than I realized."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It was a bit of a rush job, if you understand my meaning."

"Do you mean to tell me you're a father?"

"Second one's on the way."

The drinks arrived and Bloom raised the goblet in toast. "To the blood of Neir."

"And to the blood of Tordo, I'm sure we'll find a wife for you soon enough."

"It's on the cards," Bloom said. "Alvis has promised to pair me with his cousin, though I've yet to meet her. Tell me about your wife."

Danann smiled greedily. "A fine specimen. They don't make women like Isaachian women. She was reluctant at first, but I soon persuaded her."

"Have you met Alvis' wife?"

"The mysterious princess? Can't say that I have. Is she pretty?"

"Words can't describe."

Danann laughed. "Looks like I should find an excuse to visit Barhara. Pay my respects to Kurth's bastard." He raised his goblet again, "to the Blood of Heim, and the Empire's future."

"Empire?" Bloom said after drinking. "We're a kingdom."

Danann raised an eyebrow. "Grannvale controls Isaach now, soon you'll subjugate Munster. Face it, we're an empire in all but name."

"We only plan to punish Leinster, not the entirety of Munster."

"Leinster, Munster, it's all the one."

Bloom shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe. But calling us an empire just reminds me of the Lopt Empire."

"Was the empire any worse than the state of things these past few years?"

"I don't know, I didn't live while the Empire reined, but they certainly tell some terrifying stories."

"Like putting three hundred men to the sword?"

Bloom ordered another drink. "So you heard about our overcrowded prison?"

Danann laughed again. "Overcrowded prison? They say you have most of them in the dining hall of the castle. Is that why we're out here in this cobblers tavern?"

"Don't tell me the mighty Danann has grown tired of taverns."

"Are you trying to avoid the conversation? What do you plan to do with these prisoners?"

Bloom sighed. "You think I should just execute them?"

"You don't have much choice," Danann pointed out. "Let them go and the people of Munster will never respect you. I made mistakes like that in the early days of the war. That's why I was stuck there for half a decade. Mark my words, if you let these men go, this war will still be raging fifteen years from now."

"Nonsense," said Bloom. "I have Mjolnir and you have Helswath. Together we'll crush Leinster, and all of Munster if need be. Regardless of how soft I seem to them."

Danann patted Helswath. "I'll give you my men, but I won't give you Helswath. I return to my duchy tomorrow, for the first time since becoming duke. And you forget, the enemy also has a holy weapon, the mighty spear Gae Bolg. I was lucky never to have faced Isaach's Balmung on the battlefield. If it's anything like Helswath, then I shudder to think of the damage it can do. The outcome of this war won't be certain until that King Calf is dead."

"I thought I'd enjoy speaking with you," Bloom said. "But you've just given me more woes."

Danann placed an arm on Bloom's shoulder. "That just means you're not drunk enough."

Munster District, 762

The next day, Bloom sent a message to King Calf. He threatened to kill one prisoner a day until Leinster surrendered and acknowledged Alvis as king. Unfortunately, the prisoners quickly realized what was happening when members of their party were taken away and never came back. The staged an uprising, tried to overpower the guards using their numbers. They succeeded, to a certain extent, holed themselves up inside the very dining hall they'd been imprisoned in, with the overpowered guards as hostages. The Second Siege of Melgen they called it. Of course, while they still had a massive amount of numbers, they were far from properly armed. They had, however, also seized the pantry, meaning the soldiers of Friege would be the ones to starve if the conflict was drawn out. There was plenty of food in the towns and surrounding countryside, but Bloom didn't want to encourage pillaging. He already had enough trouble with soldiers looting without his sanction.

Bloom threatened to use Mjolnir on them if they refused to surrender. They pointed out that being a prisoner of his meant death regardless, so he made good on his promise and stormed the hall with his mighty tome. He had wreaked havoc on the battlefield with Mjolnir, but this was entirely different. This was wholesale slaughter. They were packed so densely together, each bolt of lightning couldn't help but kill dozens. By the time the deed was done, the prisoner count had dropped from three hundred, to fifty five, most of them killed by Bloom personally.

That night, he trashed the bedchambers he'd been staying in. He felt angry at the people of Leinster for opposing him, angry at Alvis for ordering him here, angry at Sigurd for rebelling, angry at his father for dying and making him duke, and, of course, angry at himself for not being capable of avoiding the situation, angry that he had personally killed at least two hundred people.

King Calf never responded to his letter. When asked what to do with the remaining prisoners, he said they could rot in the dungeon, no matter how much that exceeded capacity.

He put the army on the march the next day. When they reached the next fortress, he personally led the charge once more. He didn't hold back this time. Using Mjolnir's power, he eradicated all who stood in his way. "This sooner this war ends, the sooner people will stop dying", he kept telling himself. For some reason, the words never seemed to do anything to subdue his anger.

Munster District, Outside Ulster, 762

The Munster District was split into four provinces. Leinster in the northwest was Bloom's primary concern. To reach it, he first had to deal with Ulster in the southwest. To his surprise, when his army arrived, the large city was flying a white flag.

"Surrender?" said Paulus, Bloom's aid.

"Hmm. What are they playing at? Ulster isn't the same as Melgen. They could hold out against us for weeks, even without a holy weapon. Send a messenger. Let's see what their conditions are."

Less than an hour later, Conor, the king of Ulster itself, arrived in Bloom's tent. He was a young man, but there was a weariness in his eyes, as if the age of his soul resembled that of a feeble old man. He gave Bloom a broken smile. "You are the Duke of Friege, correct?"

Bloom nodded. "And you're the king of Ulster." Bloom had risen to greet him, but sensing he wouldn't need much intimidation for this meeting, he took a seat behind his desk. "Let us not delay. What are your conditions?"

"We seek the protection of Grannvale," Conor said.

"Protection? Protection from whom?"

The king shifted uncomfortably. "Our greatest enemy, Southern Thracia. They've invaded Munster already. King Calf and King Carl have gone to King Crete's aid, but I have little confidence in their success. As you probably know, prince Cuan was killed in the Yied Desert last year. He had holy Gae Bolg on him at the time. We have not been able to recover it. Without it, we cannot stand up to Travant's Gungnir. Please, you have a holy weapon. Please use Mjolnir to protect Ulster."

An invasion from Thracia? suddenly everything made sense. The reason King Calf had never returned any of his messages. Bloom had thought himself the great invader, but in truth, Leinster just had more pressing concerns. The things he had done at Melgen suddenly seemed unnecessary. The thoughts of it made his stomach feel sick. He leaned back on his chair and kept a steady face. "And what will you offer us in return?"

"Peace. Cooperation. I know Leinster aided Sigurd, the rebel, but that has nothing to do with us. We're united, but we're also separate countries. King Calf is my leader, but he isn't my king. General Xavier passed through here not long ago. He said you were an honourable man. That you accepted his surrender graciously."

Ha! thought Bloom. I doubt Xavier said anything of the sort. Bloom got to his feet. "Is there anything else?" he asked.

Conor grew even more fidgety. "What do you mean? Are you accepting my request or not?"

"You've only just presented the case to me. I must consider it." Bloom gestured towards the door. "Go back to your city for the time being."

Conor opened his mouth to say something, but with a faint sigh he closed it again and left.

"What are you going to do?" Paulus asked.

Bloom sat back in his chair and began peeling an orange. "The fool made a mistake by telling me they've lose the Gae Bolg. With this surrender and Thracia's eastern invasion, it means the entire Munster District has fallen. That's a foregone conclusion. Our actual enemy now is Travant. I wonder, is it better to simply make an alliance with him and crush Northern Thracia together."

"What then?" Paulus asked. "We control Ulster and Leinster, while Thracia controls Connacht and Munster? That might provide a temporary fix, but Travant believes the entirety of the Thracian Peninsula belongs to him. He'd never be satisfied if Grannvale occupied a quarter of it."

"So then, we are to war with both Leinster and Thracia? What if the two of them agree to set aside their differences and repel me together, and then get back to their own war once the foreign invaders are dealt with?"

"I don't think that's likely sir. North and South Thracia are bitter enemies. The King of Ulster, at least, thinks we're a better option than Travant."

Even though Bloom had finished removing the peel to his orange, he kept tearing it into smaller and smaller pieces. "That's true, but the King of Ulster is weak. I could see it in his eyes and the way he held himself. From what I've heard of him, King Calf won't be so quick to simply give up. And while North and South Thracia are bitter enemies, they were once a united family. They both consider the Thracian Peninsula to be the one land. We're the outsiders here." He swept away the orange peels and looked at the map of Thracia built into his desk. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Ulster only wishes for their own protection. They haven't asked me to assist any of the other provinces. Suppose we remained stationed here. We don't make any offensive moves towards either Munster or Thracia. The two of them continue warring with each other as they are, and when one side has defeated the other, we sweep in and take control."

"But we've already attacked a major Leinster castle," Paulus pointed out. "We slaughtered over two hundred prisoners, if word gets out-"

"It won't get out," Bloom said sharply. "We had to invade Melgen, to reach Ulster unhindered. Conor summoned us for protection, and we came. That's the official story. So long as we show no intentions to move any deeper into the Munster District, neither Calf nor Travant have any grounds to suggest we are an enemy. They'll both know what we're doing, but they'll lack the excuse they need to form an alliance with each other. The fact that they hate each other should help make it easier for us. So long as we stay here, our enemies will grow weaker, while we remain just as strong."

The reasoning he delivered to Paulus was sound, but all the while he talked, a voice in the back of his head kept saying Join forces with Travant, and you can crush Munster in a month. The war will end, the fighting will stop. Let them fight it out, and countless more will die while you sit here and do nothing.

I know, he replied to his own mind, but at least I won't be the one killing them. Does that make me a coward?