[Chapter 3: Breaking Points]
E-Rantel was built for war. From an architectural perspective it was perhaps the hardest city to siege in the entire region, hence it was called the fortress city. During times of peace it served as a hub for trade, standing at the centre of the human kingdoms. And now, as usual, it was filled to the brim with people, but this time they weren't handling gold and spices, preferring steel.
Around 90000 levied soldiers were gathered in between the third and second wall. Certainly the might of Pyke was enough to end the war in an instant, but gathering these people would help Renner in engineering the famine in the future. Most of them were inexperienced, the only thing that could qualify as a weapon that they had swung in their lives being hoes and hatchets. Their armour was ill fitting and of poor quality, being merely studded leather.
Gazef looked upon them from the tower and sighed. Usually a war between the kingdom and the empire would end with at most a couple hundred casualties, less in most cases. It was a showing with alternative purpose behind it, at least it should have been, but this would be no normal war. A veteran such as him could sense it. The air was slightly more cold, as if death was looming just above them, waiting in the plains for its harvest. A subtle sense of dread could be seen in the movements of everyone gathered.
The captain turned around as he heard footsteps. They were light and silent, which meant it was no man in steel plate. Indeed it wasn't, as he saw Climb in his full mithril armour finally make it up the long staircase, breathing slightly heavier following the exercise. "Sir Gazef." he said, serious as always.
"No need to be so formal, Climb. Nobody can hear us up here." answered Gazef. The boy's attitude made sense, as their rank was now theoretically identical and they needed to maintain proper decorum in public, Renner's position on the throne still being unstable and subject to many conspiracies. But at the top of this observatory tower? There were few nobles that could even climb up here!
Still, the boy shook his head, "I can not do that, Captain." Gazef merely shook his head and turned back around to look over the area where generations of blood was shed and another would soon continue the age-old tradition. The land covered by eternal mist was a mystery.
The Katze Plains seemed to always exist and seemed to clear up only in anticipation of slaughter, as if it was sentient. Gazef scoffed at his own thoughts, for all he knew this was just another ridiculous spell of Pyke's. Climb curiously tilted his behind him, looking all too much like the puppy Renner thought him to be, "Something on your mind, captain?"
"No… Maybe? I just don't think the empire knows what they've gotten themselves into. I've told you the stories about Pyke. That was him toying with the Scripture, what will a war against him look like? Will a single one of those soldiers walk away from this?" Perhaps his statement could be confused with empathy for his enemy and that's because it was. No matter how heartless a soldier needs to be on the battlefield they are still human when they walk off of it.
Climb straightened up, "I don't know, but I will protect the princess no matter what!" Gazef shook his head and leaned over the railing. The boy could be pleasant to talk to, but most of the time this is how it went. In a time like this, where a more light-hearted conversation was needed in order to diffuse the stress, Climb was not a viable option.
More footsteps rang out on the stone steps and forth came none other than Brain Unglaus. "Fuck, I'm already missing those moving stairs." he mumbled as he finally made it to the top. "Hey, Gazef! Thinking about the whole war thing?" he asked, his voice entirely too jovial for the matter at hand.
Gazef nodded only to get an annoyed, even contemptuous, sigh from Brain as a response, "Then don't We've both seen what Pyke can do, this'll be no problem! It won't be like any of the wars you've seen!" Brain's moral compass could be called… abstract. The imperial army was trained to fight and die, so what point was there in lamenting their fate when they picked the wrong opponent? After all, the only reason Brain was still around was because he was as strong as he was.
"That's what I'm worried about." answered Gazef. In myth there often were large scale battles, the most notable of which being led by the dwarven king and one of the thirteen heroes. However that was against objectively evil creatures, demon Gods, this war would be akin to a giant stepping on an ant hill.
Brain tapped his back, "You know what? After this I'll ask Pyke to let us go drinking in his city's bar. I tell you, whatever he does here won't be half as impressive as the drinks they've got down there! Hell, you can even bring that kid." he said, pointing to Climb.
Climb actually was a rather big fan of Brain, as he was someone who enjoyed stories about powerful people of all sorts and the idea of a swordsman like Brain who used his power only for himself was rather absent in myths and legends. The boy pointed at himself, "Me? Sir Unglaus, most barkeepers wouldn't even allow me to drink."
The swordsman ignored him and instead said, "Well, the problem would be to have you not be killed by Amal'Thazad for touching his stash… Keno still owes me a favour, maybe she'll convince Jericho to help out."
"What are you even doing here Brain? You work for Pyke, but I doubt you'll be out on the front lines, or have you grown some balls?" joked Gazef, breaking Brain out of his thoughts. "That… What was his name? Validem? The one with the two unique arms seems much more suited for the job."
"That's my supervisor, Valodan. No wonder you don't remember his name after that night, you're lucky the tab was on them!" said Brain before being interrupted.
"You drink with your supervisor, Sir Unglaus?" asked Climb.
"Well, I suppose you wouldn't since your supervisor is the princess, or queen now I guess. Only reason they wanted me to work for them is because I know the region and generally what's going on around here. He called me a military consultant. Friendly guy, at least when he's not planning a war." answered Brain.
Gazef remembered days long past, when Ramposa was still alive and, more importantly, young. It was hard to tell from the shrivelled shell of a man that was left in recent years, but the former king used to be full of vigour. He was a valiant warrior and like most valiant warriors enjoyed a cool mug of ale after a job well done. A grin spread across his face, the king's stash always was of the highest quality and half the fun was hiding the mess from the maids afterwards.
That man saved Gazef from a life of being a mercenary, one that would probably be cut short after an adamantite team would be sent after him. They respected each other as friends and as warriors, especially that the first thing the former king did once Gazef won the tournament was to duel him himself. It was… interesting introduction to the royal court, albeit a bit out of sorts for a monarch.
"Did you duel Valodan, Brain? He's supposed to be a general right?" Gazef asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Brain shook his hand and waved away the question, "Pff. You think it'd go any better against him than against Pyke? Come on. Frankly, I just didn't want to get bruised by him as well as by Zesshi so I'll pass."
Gazef nodded sagely, "Yes I suppose he also feels like a complete monster. Shame Climb there still doesn't believe that we lost a two on one against Pyke, even if everyone was talking about it for weeks."
Brain looked at the boy, "Listen kid, you don't have potential for a sword so you've gotta use your head instead. This means you should listen to those who know what they're talking about and when I tell you Pyke kicked mine and Gazef's asses then he did."
Climb however still protested, "I find that hard to believe, Sir Unglaus. I'm sure Lord Pyke would have been well renowned by now if he indeed possessed such strength."
The two elite warriors merely sighed, "Kid, don't say that around the others or they'll turn you into paste. And even if you're right, Zesshi popped out of nowhere and she too could kick mine and Gazef's asses!" Brain said, rubbing his backside to emphasise his point.
"Who is this Zesshi, Brain? Is she really that strong?" asked Gazef, curious that yet another powerful individual appeared out of thin air, "Wouldn't happen to be a relative of Pyke's?"
"Nah, not this one." Brain shook his head, "He just kind of was there once I got hired and I didn't ever ask. She's an elf or a half-elf I think." He looked around nervously and thoroughly, leaning over the railing to scan the crowd, "And she can be a real bitch sometimes. At this point I think Lily and her have a competition of who can be the harsher trainer!" However the pleasant chatting had to be interrupted by a man calling out.
"Captain Gazef! You are requested at the command tent!" said the man, prompting everyone to look around in search of the legendary Warrior Captain. Most wouldn't and didn't recognize him despite the caller looking right at him. He was not only a distant figure, but one who possessed a reputation equal to vaunted heroes; if he was not a giant of a man who immediately stood out then it couldn't have been him! Of course he matched that vision when he was fully equipped in the royal treasures, but that was hardly the gear you'd wander around in camp with.
As the trio walked through the city turned encampment, Brain and Climb followed behind him because they would most likely get requested anyway, they noticed rats scurrying in between the stone walls. E-Rantel didn't have a rat problem however the vast amount of rations always brought with it an increase in their population. Where there was war there were rats, eating rations and corpses alike. The only thing missing now was crows and the omens of battle would be complete.
The tent set up was large, enough to fit a small council, however the only people present inside were Renner, Zanac, Valodan, Raevan and the three who just entered. As expected and planned, none of the nobles came to the crown's aid following her deal with Pyke; she was abandoned even by the royal faction. In the middle lay a large map, which in an instant drew Gazef's eyes. Climb and Gazef bowed immediately as protocol dictated, Brain ignoring it entirely, simply waving at the giant man overlooking the map and getting no response.
"Please, there is no need for formalities Sir Stronoff and Climb, we are here as allies." said Renner, unexpectedly as Raeven was in the room, the single most powerful noble and one who was a notorious opportunist. Such behaviour prompted a raised eyebrow from Gazef, who quickly looked between the two.
Renner sighed in response, "Marquis Raeven supported my claim to the throne and supported my father while he was alive. Please, trust him." Whether such a statement was the product of Renner's innocence or deductive ability it was hard for Gazed to decide.
The marquis himself stepped forward and bowed, albeit not a full ninety degrees as expected towards a monarch, but much more than what a commoner like Gazef anticipated. "It is true, Warrior Captain and I apologise for the disrespect I have shown you in the past. My influence would have been diminished if I showed you the respect you are due, particularly when the noble faction was on the rise. I hope you understand."
The man's behaviour lent credence to his claims, but Gazef remained suspicious. "Of course. Now let us focus on the war, shall we?" he answered diplomatically, hiding his emotions to the best of his ability, but undoubtedly being an open book for someone of Raeven's calibre. Zanac sat silently during this exchange, seemingly much more interested in the map than political discourse; rather uncharacteristic of the once ambitious prince. This whole situation felt odd, constructed even.
Gazef turned to the map as Climb took his position next to the queen. The position of Warrior Captain was reserved just for that, a warrior and a captain, not a general or tactician. But the reason for his diligence was the quality of the map, it was more detailed than even those kept by the royal scribes. "Sir Whigrane, is this your map?" he asked.
The sound of mechanical clicking stopped and the man looked at Gazef, striking just a hint of fear into the brave warrior, "Indeed. Our company takes pride in the preparations we take before our work, or at least I do. Some of my siblings have a more… improvisational style. And Valodan is enough, we are allies after all."
Raeven looked over the map and the way the troops were stationed, coughing into his fist to attract attention, "I do not mean any disrespect Sir Valodan, however isn't this formation… nonsensical? I rely on a strategist of mine so I'm not extremely well versed in matters of war, but from what I have seen this would cause a situation to turn very blood if a magic caster was to get involved, never mind Fluder Paradyne. The flanks are also open."
All 90000 troops of the soldiers were stacked together in a linear fashion, creating a rectangle through which the imperial army could chew through. A good cavalry charge or even just a few well-placed [Fireballs] would reap hundreds of casualties. However there was a method in this madness, "It is to keep morale together." answered Valodan.
"Keep morale from falling? I understand our troops are outmatched both in terms of gear and training however I doubt they will fall apart that quickly. If we remain on the defensive then we could even inflict a decent amount of casualties with a spear wall if they charge." answered Gazef.
"It's to stop them from running from our own troops. Humans are weak minded and the comfort of being next to others will hopefully stop them from breaking and routing immediately." answered the general, saying the most bizarre statement with the most level tone of voice.
"Our own troops?" questioned Zanac, "What will you be fielding? And how will you get them here? Our scouts say the imperial army is already gathered at the fort and the last negotiations have almost concluded. The showdown will happen in two days, maybe three at the longest."
"Magic for transportation. Angels, demons and undead for battle. Specific commanders for all of them. The Re-Estize army is here for show." Renner nodded, confirming the statement and Valodan continued, "They only need to stand in the back. Our army won't fight either, they are only to show what sorts of beings will be seen in our new nation. We aren't using the strongest. If we unleashed primal demons, ruling class angels and overwhelming undead then I wouldn't be able to zero casualties from your troops. The psychological toll of seeing such beings could be too much for them."
"W-wait, such beings would never fight together! Angels and demons, never mind the undead?!" said Zanac, shaken by the details of the plan that were now being revealed. He'd heard of the man who was to be king and his exploits, but he was still shrouded in an aura of mystery so thick it made sense to call him a living myth. The idea that such an army could be called to the fray was preposterous! In any tome, in any tale, in any legend there has not been one person who could control all three of these types of beings at once and force them to fight alongside one another.
"Nothing is impossible for my lord." answered Valodan, pride oozing from his voice alongside a notable amount of smugness, a large grin on his face. The summons did belong to Amal'Thazad and Jericho, however the angels and demons came from realms that recognized Pyke as their sovereign, rather than the insolent alternatives. Once Amal'Thazad's changes to the [Abyssal Gate] spell were complete and this world was subjugated the other mythical realms would soon learn the cost of their arrogance.
Gazef was of course shocked, however his previous experience with Pyke let him break out of his stupor and ask an even more pressing question, "That army won't fight? Will you take the field, Sir Valodan?" Everyone turned to Valodan as the other part of what he said sunk in. Certainly tales of the strength of the Black Lagoon company were well-known, but the only ones who saw it first hand were Gazef and Brain; the others in the room were rather intrigued by the prospect of Valodan fighting.
"No. Lord Pyke has other things planned. Frankly, I feel rather discouraged by that… All these battle plans I drafted are for nought." he said, taking several stacks of papers seemingly out of nowhere, "Not like their army could defeat even Thanatos or one of his captains. It is a shame that my strategic acumen won't be challenged. Still, if you want to witness a fraction of my Lord's power then you won't be disappointed." Gazef gulped at the statement realising that the chances any enemy would leave the plains alive was now zero.
The meeting continued on for a few minutes, it being primarily Renner and Valodan discussing the hand over the city. However they wouldn't go unpestered for long, a messenger soon barging into the room and saying that an official representative of the empire demands passage in order to negotiate. This was… unusual. In years past the negotiations were conducted by letters and were negotiations in name only, instead being outrageous demands that neither side would acquiesce to; it was meant to demonstrate their avoidance to bloodshed, but if anything it would only escalate the situation.
This year's war was no different in that aspect, until now. "Let him in and escort him to us." she commanded, projecting only a fraction of royal authority that Ramposa would have, even in his old age. Soon the representative was led in and everyone besides Valodan, Brain and Climb gasped in unison. It was none other than the legendary General Natel Inyem Dale Carvain, recognizable by anyone and everyone who knew even a bit of politics.
Sending in a general to a meeting was a breach of protocol and unheard of in between enemies. The chances of them coming out were too low and they were valuable assets. To send in the Supreme General who was about to lead the army and one as important as Carvain? It was so unbelievably stupid that one couldn't wonder whether there was some plot behind it!
And indeed there was, Carvain was sitting in his tent in the fort and this instead was Fluder disguised by illusions through which only Valodan could see. Neither Jircniv nor Carvain were so stupid as to do this. The disguised magician began speaking, "I will be brief. We demand E-Rantel and its surrounding area be given to the Empire. Additionally, the emperor requests all the members of the Black Lagoon company and their families for immediate execution."
Before Renner could respond Valodan cut in, "Oh? You want to execute us? You will not be able to, but you can try. This is a two way affair, although I'm sure you know that as a fellow general. You wouldn't mind if we executed all of you?"
The fake Carvain gave him a sharp glare, "I've faced worse odds than some farmers and a few heroes," he said, nodding towards Gazef, "so you could very well try. I'll have you know I've never lost a battle and I'm not planning on doing that now. Once we win I'm sure my emperor will appreciate your head as a celebratory gift."
"You brag of victory yet your opponents are paltry compared to those I've faced. A single commander of mine could destroy your country." answered Valodan, his bone hand turned into viscous claws that tapped on the table.
"A poor general often hides behind words and bravado. We shall see each other on the battlefield and next when you're on the chopping block." To those familiar with Carvain's rather calm and collected character would recognize that this was completely out of sorts for the man, but he was a mere fabrication. With those parting words he left the tent and teleported away in secret, an excuse for the upcoming bloodshed secured.
Slaughtering an entire army without a single prisoner was a barbaric act that would undoubtedly be condemned, but what if the enemy threatened your family and insulted your skills? Then it became a bit more reasonable and a matter of honour. Admittedly, it was a very flimsy excuse, but most of politics was built on flimsy excuses. There were witnesses to corroborate the story in the form of guards who had seen the visitor and with that the stage was set…
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Travelling this slowly was unusual for the cardinal. Usually, if he even travelled at all, it was by carriage. The Theocracy had decent roads, most around cities being paved and even the dirt ones being of acceptable quality, in no small thanks to the vast amounts of slaves labour used. Alternatively, he used a horse. Sleipnirs weren't available in the Theocracy to the cardinals for flights of fancy so that was also rather rare.
Even by foot, when he went hunting for recreation and the like, he travelled alone and was many times faster than a normal human. To travel with a companion that couldn't match his speed was an odd experience, rather unique as he was often the one being scolded for being too slow by Zesshi. The small figure that lumbered behind him was dressed in surprisingly decent clothing, fit for a hunter and easy to traverse the forest thanks to the lack of frills or other useless vanity.
'It's just so we can go faster.' he justified it to himself. Most would at the very least thoroughly wash the clothing worn by an elf, if not burn it in its entirety, but it would take weeks to reach his destination if she was going to be barefoot. Thankfully he had a couple spare outfits and there was a river nearby in which the girl could wash herself and he could clean the clothes.
That however didn't make travelling with an elf any less awkward. He personally never had slaves. Well, that was not entirely true. He never had slaves for long periods of time, but not because of excessive brutality. Simply, he preferred to do many of the things slaves did by himself. Cooking, cleaning and so on were simple tasks that distracted him, particularly recently, from the turmoil of the world outside of his house.
He'd gotten plenty of slaves as gifts in the past, but he always gave them away after a few days. Most of them didn't even make good secretaries anyway and so he hired a simple, human butler. His colleagues considered him an oddity that was so disgusted by elves that he even rejected their utility, but for him there just was no point in having them.
There was also a much bigger factor. Every time he caught a glimpse of one of the cut ears of the slaves he remembered one mission alongside Zesshi…
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The two were sitting on trees opposite one another. It was a mission with just the two of them, the other members being way too loud to sneak up on a basilisk. Thankfully, those beasts couldn't climb trees and didn't have great vertical vision. Hidden deep in the canopy they could sleep with little worry. The young Raymond felt no fear, given that he was here alongside humanity's trump card, a card he could call a friend.
At first their relationship was tense, given how zealous Raymond was, but after she saved his ass from that cult a few years back, well, he mellowed out a bit. She was still a unique character, as was all of the Black Scripture, but conversations with her were much more enjoyable than those with the likes of Clementine… besides her nagging about the lack of someone stronger than her.
And on this sombre night she spoke up to him, seeming a bit down compared to her usual, confident attitude. "Did I ever tell you the story about my ears, Ray?" she asked, her voice sounding much closer to the teenage body she possessed than the killing machine she normally was.
" 'Bout the Elf King? Yea, once or twice." he answered. It was a common story, one told to him by both her and the current cardinal of earth. It was a sad tale, but what else would you expect of that monster clad in royal flesh?
"No, not that one. The one when I was still in training." she said. Seeing that he wordlessly shook his head in response she began retelling her tale, "Many decades ago, when I was only a hundred or so, I was sent out to deal with a wizard. So far so good, eh? Well, this guy was supposed to be pretty strong. Tier 4 or 5? Can't remember. Used curses and so on, like a budget necromancer."
"And you know, I hated my ears, still do. Every time I see them they remind me that I still haven't killed my father…" she clenched her fist and the tree trunk began cracking under the pressure, stopping as she took a deep breath and calmed down. "So I was hunting him and found him. See, the reason I didn't do something with these" she said pointing to her ears, "was because they'd be repaired if I used a potion or got a healing spell."
"But what if I got a curse put on them that stopped healing? At least, that's what I thought to myself." she sighed once more, her voice beginning to crack, "And I found this guy. I lied and said I'd spare him if he cut off my ears and cursed them. See, what I didn't know at the time was just how much that shit hurts. Don't get me wrong, I knew they were sensitive, but not to what extent; never had an elf around to tell me that."
"And I sat there and let him do it. What a mistake that was. Hahahaha…" she laughed, a laugh so devoid of any sense of joy and so full with pain that it could very well act as a curse itself. "Hurts like a bitch Raymond. By the time he was halfway through the second ear I couldn't take it and kill him. Healed them as quick as I could. I couldn't take it, Ray. Me! I've been stabbed, poisoned, burnt, shocked, everything! And I couldn't take it! Wouldn't wish that on anyone but my father…"
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He looked back at the girl following him, seeing her ears were intact. Originally they were cropped as with most elves, but brothel slaves were a unique case. Elf ears were something humans didn't possess and often were of particular interest to the clients and could be cut off personally if one decided to pay a handsome sum. The ears were then healed a few days with a potion and given that a potion worked, the ears must have been cut off within a week's time of her escape.
Still, a cardinal using a potion on an escaped slave? It was like one of those plays in theatres where a holy man bonded with an elf, something simply unthinkable in real life! And yet it happened. 'Why?' he asked himself again and again. Was it because of how she reminded him of his times with Zesshi? No, that couldn't be it, Zesshi was unique. Elves were still inferior, not someone he could call an equal. 'It's to not get cursed! White ones do that… supposedly.' he told himself although his inner turmoil could be seen by a blind man.
Haila meanwhile felt her entire being resonate with the forest, practically skipping. It felt like a lifetime, and probably was for humans, since she last left that hellish place and was able to enjoy nature. Frankly, the fact that she kept her sanity at all after being deprived of this now felt like a much bigger achievement. Perhaps it was because she almost forgot how it felt and you can't wish for what you don't know.
Sadly, her botanical knowledge was not up to par and her… guide? Saviour? Well, whoever he was to her he had to stop her several times from eating berries that were in fact poisonous. While elves did have a higher resistance to poisons and diseases it would still be unfortunate were she to fall ill, undoubtedly costing an arm and a leg to have her healed.
Speaking of Raymond, he was an odd character. To her it seemed like spent more time thinking to himself than even trying to have a conversation, but even if he did she wouldn't know how to react… She had plenty of physical contact, but her conversational skills were a bit subpar. He did save her and seemed nice, and that was enough for her. He looked old enough to her uncle, a kind one that you always look forward to the visits of.
He didn't hit her, he didn't try to touch and they walked forth mostly in comfortable silence; a silence that was frequently interrupted by the sound of Haila marvelling at the various sights. The world outside was glorious, but soon they came to the village Raymond had mentioned. Supplies in the end weren't infinite and it would take eternity for Haila to walk to Re-Estize. Here they would buy horses and set on the route that went around the Katze Plains and ended in E-Rantel.
But there was just one problem, "M-mas-. Mister Raymond." she began, quickly correcting herself. A habit created through decades of servitude was hard to break, but with small steps she was able to go in the right direction.
The man turned to look at her, "Yes?"
"H-how will we get horses? I can't go in and I-I don't want to be left alone again." she said, her voice quivering at both the thought of entering an area with humans or having to be left alone in the wilderness again.
Raymond stroked his beard as a wiseman in a children's fairy-tale would have and uttered a dignified "Hmm." Eventually he sighed, seeming to be either out of ideas or finding one that he didn't find too agreeable. As it turned out, it was the latter, "Well, this'll probably work, but you may not like it too much."
The girl gulped and listened to what her companion had to say…
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Elves tended to move in a way that could be compared to the wind, flowing from one place to another. Of course that habit was generally beaten out of slaves long ago. This should have made blending in with humans much easier, but prolonged exposure to the forest had some of her elven nature returning and Haila would have had to consciously suppress her instincts; she would have to if not for the paralysing fear that her current environment caused her.
She was covered with a simple brown cloak that Raymond had stashed for his travels. With her ears hidden beneath it it was a simple affair to not be noticed by humans. The town they were at now was still a few days travel away from the border and she could see slaves being dragged around in chains. Unconsciously she moved towards Raymond and clung to his arm. He momentarily stiffened and as Haila realised what she had done she blushed and moved away again.
Soon they made it to an inn, one in which they wouldn't be staying. Having an elf stay in an inn would be way too risky and camping outside was much safer in comparison. Raymond walked up to the counter and put two gold coins forth, immediately catching the eye of the innkeeper.
"What can I do for you?" asked the plump man. Thankfully Raymond didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing him here, as civilians typically didn't know the faces of the cardinals very well or at all and he knew there were no Scripture members stationed here.
"We're travelling to E-Rantel and we need supplies, hopefully to last us all the way there. We need two horses as well." The man nodded and began gathering what constituted typical travelling supplies, things such as bread, dried meat and dried fruit.
"To E-Rantel huh? Pretty dangerous 'round there this time o' year." said the man once he finished, handing the two rather substantial bags, but nothing they wouldn't be able to take with them using horses. E-Rantel was only a few days away if they hurried so there was no need to pack a cart's worth of things. "Sure you wanna take yer girl there? Supposedly wars 'bout to start and the battlefield ain't no place for kids."
Raymond coughed into his hand and Haila looked away, both slightly embarrassed by their choices of identity to disguise as. "We'll be careful. And about the horses?" Raymond continued, ignoring the statement of the man, his plan was to after all say that Haila was his daughter if someone asked about the two.
"Yer in luck. We just got two stallions brought in by some adventurers. They're sturdy beasts so two gold for them. Each." Raymond sighed at the man and took out a few more gold coins, it wasn't like he was short on cash. The position of a cardinal didn't pay very well, but since a great many things were covered, such as his mansion being given to him as a promotion gift, he had stockpiled quite a sum.
They were led to the yard where two mighty horses stood. They were pitch black and massive, so large that Raymond had to help Haila get on hers. Thankfully, they seemed to be rather docile and well trained. Haila had some horse riding experience as when she was still in the Elf Kingdom her mother was a rather prolific rider and seemed like that experience was still built into her muscles.
Their next stop after leaving the town was on a well established road that ran parallel to the Katze Plains and was mainly used by merchants. After a while of travel, when the sun was setting, Haila already had her hood off as this was an area in between borders. Borders simply weren't defined to an exact degree and nations generally agreed that this no man's land would have the closest be the determination of jurisdiction. Here Raymond felt they were close enough to E-Rantel as to be safe when it came to her elven status.
A forested area was nearby and Raymond calmly led his companion and their horses through until they found a clearing that was decently flat. They tied their horses to a stump and Raymond, following the incessant requests of Haila, instructed her on how to make camp. He turned out to be a pretty good teacher and the tent was set up in no time. After lighting a fire they sat down and began munching on their supplies.
The flickering of the fire and the chirping of crickets helped to make the silence less awkward, but it still felt odd to just sit in silence and thus Raymond decided to start a conversation, "Any idea what you will do with your freedom?" he asked. It was a logical question and one he neglected to ask up until this point. After spending a while with the girl his aversion due to her heritage lessened and the thought slipped into his mind that she was pretty cute as he remembered her proud smile when she won the race against him; 'I didn't try, it was just to raise morale.' he told himself.
He quickly shook his head to purge the heretical thoughts and listened to her answer, "Um… I don't know. C-can I stay with you? I-I can help around the house maybe? Pretty please?" she asked timidly.
Raymond looked at the fire and thought to himself, 'I'll have to tell her the truth eventually…' Realising he hadn't answered her question he coughed into his fist, "Maybe. We'll see." he said, preferring to delay the reveal rather than crush his companion's hopes. A pleasant smile appeared on her face as the innocent soul took it as a yes and a warm feeling manifested itself in the chest of the Cardinal. Could that feeling be compassion? He shook his head once more and tried to dispel, but to no avail.
He didn't hate elves, never truly did, but his Gods demanded him to treat them as lesser. Zesshi was an exception to the rule, but if there were multiple exceptions then perhaps that rule wasn't so all encompassing as previously thought? 'I'm dropping her somewhere, finding Zesshi and going back. But where?' Zesshi had to be staying somewhere, but he wouldn't force her to come back, not with what the other cardinals were planning. Maybe leave Haila with her? Yes, that made sense.
"What about you, Mis-, Raymond? What will you do?" she asked, her curiosity evident.
"Me?" he thought for a second. What would he do? If word ever got out about Haila or him talking to Zesshi he'd be branded a traitor. Even if word didn't get out, would he really help the others in their plan? Should he just become a normal priest and retire from his position? However even his faith, which was once an unbreakable bulwark, seemed meaningless.
The Gods were gone, killed in front of his eyes no less! Yes they came back, once, but it was because they were summoned by a monster that seemed to surpass them in every way. What were the chances they'd ever come back again? 'Maybe there's some revision to be done about the scriptures…' he thought to himself, before his eyes widened at the thought and he put his hand to his forehead in order to check if a heretical fever overcame him.
The girl, still looking at him expectantly, tilted her head in a manner that Raymond had to admit was adorable. By her looks she could have been his daughter and probably by the amount of life experience as well… He tapped himself on his cheek to get back to the question he was asked, "Guess I'll go back to work." he answered diplomatically.
"Oh? What do you do?" she inquired further. He had rather high quality clothing with him when they initially met so he must have been rather successful if he could take that on a trip.
Raymond's mind raced a mile a minute to come up with a suitable answer that he could actually prove. Priest? No, definitely no. Merchant? He didn't even haggle at the inn! Farmer? No farmer could afford to leave the farm during this season, especially not a Re-Estize one that was probably being drafted. And so there was only one option left, "I'm an adventurer." he said.
Haila's eyes opened wide, reminding him all too much of the bloody moon he saw back during the ripper's visit. "What rank?" she quickly asked, excited at the prospect that she may be travelling with a real hero.
The cardinal, as of now, was probably orichalcum, maybe pushing adamantite when compared to adamantite adventurers in Baharuth. But for an adventurer like this to just travel without his team? It was a bit far-fetched… Still, he banked on the girl's ignorance and ran with it, unwilling to sell himself short even in his, by adventurer standards, advanced age, "I'm orichalcum." he said, not bothering to reveal his fighting style, which was of a dexterous duel-wielder, favouring shortswords or knives.
"Woooooooow!" the girl cried out, her ears twitching from excitement, "You're a real hero!" she said. Raymond rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed by her reaction, but more importantly permeated by a feeling of guilt knowing that in reality he was far from a hero for those like her.
"Can you tell me a story? Please!" she asked, practically demanding of him, the unspoken threat being that she would sulk and complain if he didn't; a threat that seemed to work as the man agreed.
"Sure, but you'll go to bed meanwhile okay? Go settle in in the tent while I pack this and extinguish the fire." Haila nodded enthusiastically and ran off to change in the tent, as well as tuck herself in. Raymond himself would be sleeping outside, used to it from his missions in the past. Quickly he got to the tasks he set for himself, thinking of what story would be appropriate…
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"And that's how we got the basilisk! Can't say fighting blind was easy, but my teammate was frankly just too strong." he finished his tale. He decided to tell the girl stories of him and Zesshi, and the girl, while desperately resisting the urge to sleep, asked plenty of questions about his half-elven comrade. Eventually however she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed, signalling that Raymond himself could go lay down and sleep.
He looked at her sleeping body once more and sighed deeply, as he often found himself doing recently. 'She trusts me too easily. Most elves would have tried to kill me… or at least still act like slaves.' After shaking his head once more he left the tent and went to sleep, until nature's call disturbed him.
Awaking in the middle of the night to take a piss in the forest was an experience Raymond was very familiar with and he was even more familiar with fighting with his pants down when a monster attacked him at an inopportune time, which happened more than he would admit. This time as well his senses told him something was wrong, but when he looked around he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Perhaps in his youth he would have begun a thorough search of the area, but the paranoia built up by working in the field was now thoroughly eroded by the comforts of his stately office. He rubbed his eyes and massaged his brow, 'I've been too on edge lately. Stresses of escorting a free elf through the Theocracy I guess. And this is without any obvious pursuit. Maybe I am getting old.'
He walked out of the clearing and into the forest to give himself a semblance of privacy; the chances of Haila waking up and seeing him were low, but low didn't mean zero and so he made his choice. The atmosphere of the forest combined with the cool winter air made him relax just a bit. Of course, to most the air would be freezing and sleeping outside like he did would have been a death sentence, but it was nothing a handy magic item couldn't fix, granting him protection from the winter cold.
His business was going smoothly, but it seemed that the curse of his youth still remained as he heard a screech pierce the night. Quickly he pulled up his pants and swiftly moved to draw his shortswords without which he would not dare sleep. However he quickly realised that wasn't the scream of a cockatrice finding its prey, but the sound of someone's throat being torn from a scream of fear.
Raymond may have been the cardinal of earth, but that didn't mean he was any slower than the cardinal of wind. "[Martial Art: Ability Boost]. [Martial Art: Greater Ability Boost]." he muttered, pushing himself beyond his usual limits and well into what would be considered adamantite calibre. He raced through the forest like the wind, slashing through anything that got into his way with his adamantite shortswords, a small keepsake from his days as a Scripture member.
What he travelled in a few minutes while walking was instead traversed in thirty seconds as he found himself in the clearing once more. At the area where the tent was he could see the light of torches and loud, boisterous voices yelling. He was no rouge, but avoiding what seemed to be simple bandits in the darkness was a simple affair. After taking a low stance he moved forward, swords in hand…
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Restful sleep was not a privilege afforded to slaves and this didn't change even if she was now free. This time it was another nightmare, one where she was chased and brought back to the place she hated the most. However things soon took a turn for the worse as her nightmare became a waking one. The entrance to the tent flew open and a burly, unshaven man came in.
She shrieked in fear and tried to scramble away from the man, but she still only had the body of a teenage girl, being easily overpowered. "We caught a nice one this time boys!" called out the man as he held her arm so tightly that blood circulation was cut off. The men outside cheered and shouts of disagreement at their turns followed.
"Oh we'll have some fun with you." the bandit said, licking his lips as the girl continued kicking and screaming. She tried to thrust a thumb into his eye, but the man tilted his head to the right, causing the attack to miss. He grimaced as she scratched at his arm, hitting her across the face, "Give up bitch, no one is coming to save you."
Tears threatened to flow down her cheeks, but she held the urge back, "No! Raymond will come save me!" she said, trying to feign composure. Her companion was an orichalcum adventurer! Bandits like these should be no problem, right?
"Whatever." the man said, ignoring her statement and grabbing her ankle. He began pulling her out of the tent, Haila desperately holding on to anything, but it was meaningless. After a few seconds of desperate struggling she was thrown in front of the gang of mercenaries like a sack of meat.
"Raymond! Please! Don't leave me!" she cried out, hoping that the one lifeline she found wasn't yet cut. No human was nice to her, except Raymond. No human helped her, except Raymond. "D-don't leave me. Don't. Don't. Don't. Don't." she began repeating it like a mantra as the mercenaries eyed her as if they were wild dogs.
Suddenly one of the ten mercenaries fell, choking on his blood. Silence was king for a brief second as everyone processed what happened, a deep voice cutting through the shock like adamantite through flesh, "I won't." The figure moved like a blur and another mercenary fell, soaking the ground with fresh blood.
Haila rubbed her eyes once, twice and then again to make sure what she was seeing wasn't a hallucination. Once the third man fell next to her, the hole in his gut very much real, she called out once more, "Raymond!" and her dam of tears broke.
Ten average thugs were no challenge for even a member of the Clearwater Scripture, never mind one of the Black, even if retired. By the time their leader called out to get him four men were dead on the ground, his blades separating limb from limb and soul from body. Most would have called him an angel of death, glistening crimson in the moonlight as the blood of his opponents covered him, but to the girl in the centre of this massacre he was salvation embodied.
A bandit swung his club at the cardinal, only to have his blow sidestepped and his hand to be detached from his body. As he opened his mouth to yell curses at the man he was pre-emptively silenced by that same blade entering his mouth and coming out the other end.
Two bandits swung their axes at him at once. Raymond crouched, avoiding one blow, and parried the other, throwing the bandit on his ass before stabbing his femoral artery with a surgeon's precision. The other one, still recovering from his swing with the two handed axe, had his leg swept and spinal cord severed by a martially enhanced kick.
Three still stood, albeit their shaking legs made it seem as if they were going to collapse at any second. Raymond wiped the blood from his eyes and muttered under his breath, "[Martial Art: Floor Acceleration]." The mental burden caused by the martial art was nothing when compared to the adrenaline coursing through his body and before the would-be rapists could react another lost his life as his heart was impaled by Raymond's shortsword.
The one that stood next to him swung his mace, it was a poor swing undoubtedly affected by how scared the man was and by how sweaty his hands were by that point. Raymond pushed the corpse in the way of the blow and pushed the corpse onto the man. The bandit's lack of comprehension spelt his doom as he stopped his swing and tried to catch the body, causing Raymond to push his blade through the initial victim and into the second.
Last came their leader who began to bargain and beg, as expected of a coward, "T-this is a huge misunderstanding! W-we were just worried about a pretty girl being out alone!" However the man's pleas fell on deaf ears as Raymond continued his stride and slit the man's throat open, being showered by blood once more. He wiped his swords on his sleeves and sheathed them.
Woodenly, as if he still was a killing machine, turned to the crying girl that was now walking towards him. To his surprise, instead of being afraid of him after he brutalised ten men, the girl hugged him, rubbing her head against his bloody coat, "T-thank y-y-you." she said quietly, her voice almost incoherent from the shaking, "T-thank you for coming b-back."
He awkwardly put his arms around her and patted her on the back a few times, "I'll go wash in the river." he said.
The girl however seemed unfazed by him being covered in blood and only hugged him with all her insignificant might, "No! Don't l-leave me again." she pleaded, she herself now also dyed crimson.
"I came back for you once and I'll do it again, okay?" he said, his kind smile seeming much more sinister thanks to the slowly drying blood that now stuck to his face. The girl hung onto him in silence for several minutes, seemingly debating something within herself, until she wiped her tears, spreading blood across her pale skin, and nodded.
After dragging the bodies of the bandits away from camp in order to distract any predators that would be lured by their scent. He then moved through the forest once more and towards a nearby stream. It wasn't anything grand, probably not even deep enough to reach his knees, but it would suffice. All he took with him was his knives and a bucket.
His ring would stop him from freezing and soon he was at his destination. He took off his clothes and began pouring the bucket over himself repeatedly, his impressive physique revealed to the world. Still, his motions looked mechanical, as if performed without any understanding.
Once that was done he sat on the shore and began cleaning his clothes. The crystal clear stream was illuminated by the full moon and he could clearly see his reflection in it. The blood dyed it red and it was as if the night once more heralded the coming of one beyond his Gods.
But where they his Gods any longer? 'I just killed… in the defence of an elf. Bandits may be scum, but they are still humans.' he thought to himself. 'Why couldn't I just let them take her? An elf's life is never worth a human's. Why? Why couldn't I? WHY?! WHY?!' he cried out within his own mind, only brought out of his thoughts by the sound of fabric being torn as he twisted his cloak too hard.
'I only know her for a few days and who knows how many blasphemies I've committed! Is this a test by the Gods?!' He lied down on his back and gazed at the starry heavens, what he once considered to be a domain of the Gods. Now? Now it seemed as if the weight of the heavens was crushing him.
For the first time in what felt like ages he uttered a prayer out loud, "Please, Gods, I am lost. Is this a test? Have I passed? Have I failed?! Give me a sign! Any sign! Something to prove your divinity!" he yelled to the heavens, receiving only the sounds of crickets in response.
"Show me something! Please! Or was the Ripper right?! Did he fight for those you swore to protect?! The one time you returned to us was because of him! Now that your loyal servant needs you and that your chosen country needs you, you are nowhere!"
"I have devoted my life to you and you won't spare me even a vision?! Are you as selfish as us mortals or are you dead like we all will be?!" he cried out once more and as before he received no answer. Raymond, being orphaned at a young age, turned to the Gods as a source of comfort, but what good was a source of comfort that was only one's own delusion?
He stood up and looked up at the sky once more, before spitting on the ground next to him, "You're not up there. What good are Gods like you? Pyke was right, you were just fools; strong fools, but fools nonetheless. Even if you were Gods then you were shitty ones." He looked back in the direction from whence he came and sighed, "I guess I should head back, Haila must be worried for me."
As he made his way back and thought of the elven girl he couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted from his heart…
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The next morning Raymond found himself in the tent. Briefly disorientated, he tried to remember what happened. He looked to his side to find the girl he'd been escorting clinging to his arm, as if a whirlpool would sweep her away if she let go. A smile appeared on his face and he remembered how the girl forced him to keep watch over him all night. Thankfully for him, he didn't have to go back to the river to wash his clothing again as he used the one [Clean] scroll he had with him on his companion.
'I really should have learned some utility spells.' he thought to himself as he tried to gently untangle his arm and not wake Haila. Sadly the girl was latched on tight and his efforts were useless. He patted her head and a content smile appeared on her face.
Realising he was stuck like this for a while longer he began to reflect on his future, 'What the hell do I do now? Can't be a very good character after last night now can I?' He chuckled to himself silently, not as bothered as one expected him to be. 'Is this because of her?' he asked himself, glancing to his side once more and proceeding to stroke the girl's hair once more; it may have been slightly dirtied and the concept of a brush had been anathema to it for a while, but it was still beautiful.
'Should I try to change the Theocracy?' He immediately shook his head. That was well beyond his power. His faith, compared to the others, could have been considered weak, those like the Pontifex wouldn't even question their beliefs even if the Gods were killed in front of them! And since they were and it only ignited the fires of vengeance he could see no hope of turning them away from their path of self destruction. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to take on the remaining scripture members, or even just all of the remaining cardinals, in a fight. Defecting and hiding away also didn't seem possible, the Clearwater and Windflower scriptures were still active.
Soon however his thoughts of the future had to be abandoned as the girl next to him began to stir. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, murmuring something before sitting up, "Good morning Ray." she said, obviously still drowsy.
"Good morning Haila. Today we can probably make it all the way to E-Rantel. Excited?" he asked. The girl nodded and began her typical routing of attempting to tame her hair using just her hands, but her efforts were in vain. Raymond simply ruffled her hair for the third time that morning and left to prepare for the journey. Thankfully the bandits hadn't attacked their horses that were a hundred or so metres away and soon enough they resumed their journey…
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E-Rantel was looming on the horizon and so were the armies of the two countries, visible from far away albeit indistinctly to even the sharpest eyes. Despite the war, the road was packed with merchants as usual and the duo had to manoeuvre through them rather carefully. However a thought crept into his mind, how would he even find Zesshi?
He had heard that there was an office of the Ripper in E-Rantel, perhaps he could place an inquiry there? But for a cardinal to come asking him was most likely a death sentence… Finding her, presuming she was in the city, would have been a simple affair since she stood out in a crowd. Given that once given a taste of freedom she wasn't one to likely give it up easily.
Frankly, his only plan for now was to wander the city and hope for the best. Entering E-Rantel wasn't difficult for them either, their disguise as travelling father and daughter being convenient, especially when they said they weren't on any register because of their noble dying and nobody updating the census.
And so the two walked from tavern to tavern, from inn to inn, asking about a peculiar girl with black and white hair. Surprisingly most people did say they knew the girl and that she could be quite a handful when drunk, but she was a very profitable customer nonetheless. Most often she was accompanied by someone publicly tied to the Black Lagoon company and so the only logical conclusion was to go to their office.
However when they arrived the two found a magical sign in front of it saying "Closed Indefinitely." After asking a nearby guard he said that apparently E-Rantel was supposed to be transferred to Pyke, today no less! "A kingdom!?" Raymond involuntarily cried out, clutching his head.
"R-Ray?" asked Haila after his outburst, "Are you okay? Who is this Pyke?"
Raymond waved her concerns away, "Yes I'm fine. I just… I need to sit down." He found a nearby bench and tried to catch his breath as the very thought of that monster having a kingdom caused him to hyperventilate. At this point he may very be considered an apostate, but that didn't erase his fear of Pyke. "He and I have a bit of history, that's all." he answered curtly.
Suddenly it clicked in his head and it was as if a candle was lit above him. What kind of place drew Zesshi to it more than any other? A battlefield! And that's where her current… employer was.
He grabbed the reins of his horse and instructed Haila to do so as well. After weaving through the traffic and out of the city past the security he raced towards the battlefield, Haila following him every step of the way. In Raymond's vast supplies he had a magical item called "binoculars" that could let him see much further. After taking them out and scanning the figures that stood quite a ways away from the regular army. Behind them were legions of demons, undead and, surprisingly, angels. But Raymond ignored them because next to the figure he knew to be Pyke stood Zesshi, a new and much more impressive scythe in her hands.
He got off his horse a few hundred metres to the right of the monsters and began moving towards his former comrade, Haila holding onto his hand. Suddenly a vortex of magic and arcane symbols appeared from the figure he presumed to be Pyke.
The spiral burst and Raymond fell to his knees…
(AN: Only a week of waiting for a 10k chapter? Not bad dare I say. Anyway, next time blood, death, slaughter and despair await us as the battle finally commences! Not much to say this time around... So how are you, dear reader? Good? I'm glad if that is indeed the case. Since the next chapter needs to still be written, how about you go read [Tiamat: The Goddess of Dragons] by imaweeaboo. As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story!)