Chapter Twenty-Five: Road to War
A few days would pass before Samarkand could be seen in the distance, even from a distance Logan and the others could see it as clear as day, the dark clouds that covered the entire country. An endless thunderstorm of Corruption and evil.
Pulling out a spyglass Anna peeked through, "no sign of her army, must be in the main city."
"That's where the main source of the Corruption is, the Corrupted people and the creatures from the void can't wander too far from the main source or risk burning in the light of the sun," Logan spoke crossing his arms and turning to Anna.
"Ben, send the order! We dock in Fairwind! I want all the catapults and mortars ready for battle before we march toward the city!" Anna ordered getting a salute from Ben.
Approaching the front of the deck Anna looked sadly at her kingdom in the far distance with a massive dark vortex hovering above, "Look what she did to my home, it's become a kingdom of nightmares."
"Do not worry your highness," Kalin spoke touching Tali's shoulder, "I do know this feeling of sadness, seeing your home in ruins, but I promise it will be better, it was for my home."
"That right, Aurora was once a kingdom of a nightmare, I am glad I got to see firsthand how much Aurora has changed under Albion's protection," Tali smiled looking out to her kingdom then headed below deck to change.
Lading in the abandoned port town Kalin's ship docked allowing Logan and his group dressed in revolutionary attire to exit to see firsthand the results of the Empress's cruelty, looking to the beach Logan watch Ben's men unload their weapons of war while Page and her men scouted the area.
"I can't believe we're here again," Percy spoke resting on Tali's shoulder.
"That right, when the Corruption erupted you bravely got Ben and the others to safety," Logan spoke looking to Percy, "we will be counting on you, Percy."
"Leave it to me, I don't plan to run away again," Percy spoke getting a pet from Tali who began to explore the town kneeling down to pick up a child doll.
"Alright men! Today we march in glorious battle! Let us show these soldiers how we Dwellers do battle!" Sabine spoke before his huge crowd of Dweller warriors who cheered.
"All is clear your highness!" Page spoke rushing back with the rest of her men from the Bowerstone Resistance, "Looks like no one been here in months."
"Very good Page," Anna nodded watching Ben have all their soldiers line up in marching formation, "are we ready Captain Finn?"
"Almost ready my Queen!" Ben spoke turning to see their weapons of war getting pushed off the ship and towards the awaiting soldier lineups.
"Everblaze Crystals are set," Garth spoke looking to the soldiers in the front with shields and holding the poles with the large gems are lanterns.
"So is our secret weapon!" Sabine chuckled while behind him the Dwellers pushed a massive catapult with the six-ton gem ready to be launched.
"We have soldiers we couldn't save when we had to flee, if we can free them from their Corruption our numbers will grow rapidly, we will walk the Great Trade Road, and once we reach Asur-keh-la Percy and Tali will ride to the Great Library," Anna spoke turning to Tali.
"Leave it to me, Percy and I will get the job done," Tali spoke petting Percy.
"Sabine, change of plans, once we reach Asur-ke-la you and Dwellers will follow kingdom protective walls to the outer city, so in other words," Anna spoke turning to the old man, "BRING THAT WALL DOWN!"
"Aye, now you are talking my language, my queen! Consider that wall obliterated!" Sabine grinned.
"Our troops will attack and enter the inner city, that is where Logan and his group will make their way forward to Zahadar Palace," Anna spoke.
"You heard our queen men! Forward march!" Ben declared leading their army out of Fairwind.
"Good luck Kalin! We are counting on you and our ship fleet!" Anna said to Kalin who bowed from her ship.
"Set sail! We will not allow this Corruption to take over another kingdom!" Kalin spoke sailing away with the rest of their ships.
"Look!" Echo grinned pointing to see the ships from the South Island army approaching, "The President kept good on her word, their ships will help greatly!"
"I will have to send the Madam President a gift when this is all over," Anna spoke nodding to the captain leading the South Island ships.
Looking over Logan spotted Tali who took the doll and placed it on a barrel in the open, "I hope the child of this doll finds this."
"She will come, Tali, we don't want to get left behind," Logan spoke following their army out of Fairwinds and towards the Great Trade Road.
In Samarkand, the Empress approached the balcony looking out to her dark kingdom sensing the Vexator's presence who entered the throne room giving off a foul aura.
"Hmph, in a bad mood dear brother? As I recall, didn't you leave to deal with the hero problem? From what I can sense you let the heroes defeat the agents," the Empress smirked turning to face her brother but her smirk vanished when she found him in her face and grab her by the throat, and held her off the ground.
"Finish that sentence and I'll rip that tongue out! Do I make myself clear you useless snake?!" he growled getting a nod from her and throwing her across the ground, "Good, now listen very closely because I am in an extremely foul mood! They're bringing their armies here; you and I are gonna deal with the Black Bloodline here starting with the older brother."
Grunting the Empress got off the ground and brushed herself off, "Two against one? Is he really that strong?"
"The power I saw displayed, gave this form quite a thrashing, however, it's time I shed myself from this weak body, I will not allow for mistakes, I underestimated the enemy, while I am confident in my true power, it's best to have strength in numbers, so be ready to shed yourself from that hideous form," the Vexator spoke approaching the balcony.
"Yes brother, we don't wanna end up like our dear sister," the Empress spoke crossing her arms and looking out the balcony.
"Her death will serve as a reminder to all of us, you'd do well to remember that sister, or it will be your hide I shall make an example of," the Vexator growled looking to the sky where a vortex of darkness swirled slowly.
"If you're so concerned why not have our other brothers join us then?" the Empress spoke looking to the Vexator who crossed his arms.
"Do you have any idea how much power it took for our master to just send me with our Corruption across this kingdom? Even sending the Dejestress took so much power, however, I already know how this battle will end," the Vexator spoke walking away, "I already gathered enough information for our master, he and my brothers will be ready for phase two."
"Hmph," the Empress grunted watching her brother vanish, "I suspect I'm being used as a tool again, no matter, my master will be free long before that traitor lord shows up, we will claim this world for our own."
Back on the Great Trade Road Logan with his cutlass drawn marched with the others passing by many villages along the way, "Hey Tali why is this called a trade road?" Saker asked looking down at his companion.
"Ah, well you see there are a lot of villages and towns along this road each village makes specializes in different things they trade with one another or sell to the kingdom, the town we pass specializes in weapons, while this one creates delicious spices," Tali explained stopping by a stand with huge baskets filled with spices.
"Oh, wow these smell good," Echo spoke approaching.
"They're great when used properly for curry and flat noodles, I loved having a bowl of spicy flat noodle soup as a child, but one of my favorite dishes I loved to eat with my brother was a Mapo Curry Noodles dish, I always loved poking into the meatball and releasing that yummy egg yolk into the beef broth," Tali spoke smiling at the memory.
"That sounds delicious! I hope to try that one day," Logan spoke as the continued to walk with the army.
"I am getting the sense this country enjoys a lot of spicy dishes," Saker spoke peeking into another empty shop.
"I guess it could look that way, most of the dishes we do make have a kick to it but not all the dishes focus on the spice aspect, like Baida Roti," Tali spoke looking ahead to their army.
"We better not fall behind," Logan spoke leading their group back along with the army, "when this is all over, I think the thing I am looking forward to is the famous Samarkand dishes."
"I second that," Echo smiled seeing Tali smile back and follow close behind Logan.
After almost an entire day of walking Ben checked his pocket watch as their army stopped at a small oasis, "With this Corruption all around us it's so hard to tell if it's night or day."
"The soldiers look so exhausted," Anna spoke turning to Ben, "Captain we shall make camp here, let our men rest for a few hours then we will march on at dawn."
"Yes ma'am! You heard her men, prepare camp now!" Ben ordered their army who immediately began to set up many tents.
"My men will take the first watch, Sabine can I trust your people to take the second watch?" Page asked the older man.
"Aye, we won't let anyone sneak up on us!" Sabine nodded to Page who left to get her men ready for the first watch of the night.
Putting up their tent Tali looked out to the desert sands that flowed with Corruption while the clouds thundered above, "remain vigilante Echo, Sandy Furry aren't the only creatures we have hiding in the sand."
"Got it," Echo nodded entering their tent with Tali where the girls unrolled their bed mats.
Hearing footsteps approaching Tali grab her katana and Echo her staff both ready for an attack, seeing the entrance flaps to their tent opened and Saker peeked in, "Hey have you seen Logan?"
"No, wasn't he with you?" Tali asked seeing Saker look over his shoulder to the thousands of soldiers setting up camp.
"No, he wandered off on me," Saker spoke as Tali stood up and peeked out, looking to the oasis in the distance, "he can't have wandered too far, you search the camp, I'll see if he wandered to that oasis."
Making her way out of the camp Tali knelt down to the sands to see footprints and followed them into the thick greenery of the oasis pushing leaves and branches away till she broke through and reach a small lake.
Looking around Tali spotted Logan's sword and rushed over to find it stabbed in the ground and next to it were Logan's clothes neatly folded, connecting two and two she looked to the water, 'Wait, is he?'
Before she could let another thought form Logan rose out of the water throwing his long hair back with a small gasp, rubbing the water from his eyes he then blinked to spot Tali who was frozen in place like him.
Red then tinted Tali's cheeks who quickly spun around, "I am sorry! Saker was worried when you snuck away!"
"N-no I'm sorry! I should have told him I wanted to explore the oasis," Logan spoke red-faced and sunk low into the water so only his head stuck out,
"It not safe to wander without telling someone Logan," Tali scolded trying to get the image of Logan's muscular body from her head.
"My apologies," Logan spoke watching Tali back who cleared her throat.
"I'll head back now, finish up this bath fast before you scare the Queen next!" Tali spoke heading into the green brush.
Back at camp, Tali made her way past many tents till she reached hers and opened the entrance to see Echo on her bed roll looking up from a book she was reading, "Eat something spicy because you look a little red there Tali."
"Oh, be quiet!" Tali hissed quickly getting ready for bed while Echo chuckled.
"I take it you found Logan and all of his birthday suit glory?" Echo teased this comment making Tali swing around with narrowed eyes.
"You knew?!" Tali accused seeing Echo laugh a bit.
"Maybe I did," Echo teased getting a pillow thrown at her, "oh come now, seeing a man naked isn't that embarrassing."
"Not everyone is as crude as Saker, thank you!" Tali huffed tying her long hair back into a ponytail.
"True, can't argue with that," Echo spoke flipping the page in her book.
Laying down on the bedroll Tali stared up at the roof of their tent then rolled over to face Echo, "When we go to battle, you and Saker will have your hands full with Logan, please be careful ok."
"Worried about tomorrow? We are worried about you too, I guess you will be in safer hands with Percy at your side, still, be careful, ok? Anything can happen in a war, Samarkand needs its Empress and you are the only person who should rightfully sit on that throne," Echo smiled at Tali who smiled back.
"I wonder during times like this, would I even be a good Empress? Could I lead my people as the leader they deserve? All these questions have been on my mind as of late," Tali said seeing Echo go into thought.
"Have confidence Tali, you will be a great ruler for your people because you care, you love your subjects and I know you'll see that for yourself when you free them from this curse," Echo reassured getting Tali to smile.
"Thank you, Echo, I mean it, thank you," Tali said watching her companion nod.
"Get some sleep, we're going to need it, tomorrow gonna be quite an eventful day," Echo spoke turning off an oil lamp for the night.