A Vulpine Spanner in the Works
Chapter 49: Neia's Wednesday Part: 2
[Neia]
Walking to Andross' laboratory, there was a sense of nervousness that filled me as I neared the miniature 'kingdom' of the keep's head authority on magic. Typically, Andross' job was one of two main tasks that he had been brought here to perform. His first task was to aid in dispelling any of the numerous curses or magically given injuries that our soldiers could get from fighting some of the more magically inclined demi-humans. Andross' secondary task was to ensure that the keep's magical defenses were intact and enhanced if need be.
But there was also a few of the minor tasks that the wizard oversaw. One of which being the study of magical items brought in from the field. I wouldn't consider Huginn to be a magical item, but he was probably close enough for the mage to not be bothered by it. After all, for all that everyone here knew, Huginn was just a 'regular' raven that could conjure lightning if need be. And for the foreseeable future, that was all that anyone here needed to know.
Yet, Huginn being examined wasn't what made me nervous about our trip to the laboratory. What made me nervous was the title that Andross had gained from the soldiers of the keep; Andross the Addled. And it wasn't an undeserved title. The man had an 'odd' personality that was rumored to have come from him messing with too many magical items over his career. As such, it made him a bit…lacking in normal social decorum.
I just hoped that it wouldn't cause too much trouble for Huginn and I.
Attempting to take my mind off the upcoming meeting with the Addled mage, I thought about the events that had just occurred at the infirmary. Healing those five soldiers of the squad hadn't ended just after I had saved the last person I could. Charon had ended up pulling me aside to ask me a few questions. All of which pertaining to a religious nature.
That had been a bit of an interesting conversation to say the least.
"Miss Baraja, these miracles that you performed, when did you first know that you could do them?" Charon had asked.
"I'm not exactly certain." I lied, "I just had this odd feeling that I could do something to help Ulric when I saw him. After that, the knowledge to do so again just stuck with me in my mind."
Charon looked at me with curiosity as I said this, "Very interesting. I cannot say for certain what thoughts the Four had when giving this miracle to you, but I can easily guess that it is because they have a plan for you. They may reveal that plan to you in time or they wish for you to discover it for yourself."
Oh, believe me, Charon, Odin has already told me more than enough about the plan he had with me in mind. "Your guess is as good as mine. But until that day, I'll be satisfied with helping others with this blessing of mine."
A bright smile grew upon Charon's face at my words. "That is wonderful to hear. If you're willing, might you come by the infirmary every once in a while to give us some assistance if needed? I'll make certain to inform your commanding officer to permit you the time if you were to agree."
I nodded in answer. Already, Odin had been receiving some prayers from the people I had helped heal. I just needed to continue these healing sessions to build up more of a following, and eventually, the following would start growing without my direct actions.
"I'll come back tomorrow." I promised, "But for now, I have to go meet up with Andross." That earned a sympathetic nod from the priest.
"Good luck with Andross and his eccentricities. He can be a handful for anyone that is unprepared." Charon remarked with a wry smile.
"Try to avoid doing anything too extreme, Huginn. We're trying to get Andross to like you enough so that you're allowed to stay." I whispered to the raven. Huginn's head cocked to the side in a twitchy manner. Then, he gave me a dry look, followed by a warbled hum.
Huginn's response managed to also get a slight chuckle from Odin. Guess Huginn wasn't enthusiastic about the request. That, or he felt slightly miffed that I doubted that he could control himself.
But that would soon be put to the test as I arrived at the Addled's laboratory. With a small inhale, I reached the door handle, turned it, then pushed it open to step inside. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the smell of something having been burnt. Perhaps similar enough to burnt bread.
Inside, the laboratory was a chaotic mess. The tables were littered with arcane objects, books, and papers covered in notes or images of spell circles. It was at one of these tables that I finally found the Addled himself.
His back was to me as he hunched over a staff that he was casting spells over. Even from here, I could hear Andross talking to himself at the speed of a whirlwind. He held out his left hand and a spell circle appeared in it before a book flew from another table and into his waiting hand. It was here that I noticed he was missing both his middle and ring fingers, instead replaced by a pair of wooden prosthetics held to his hand by a webbing of leather straps.
Wonder why he hasn't had those fingers healed back by one of the priests?
As I got closer to him, I could hear the mutterings of his more clearly, "-res the necessary stabilization matrix to prevent complete mana overload. Possibly will require the excess mana to be channeled out as a precautionary measure."
None of what he just said made any sense to me. But looking over to Odin, he appeared heavily invested in whatever Andross was saying. Still, I was here for a reason, and I'd like to leave as soon as I could. It felt creepy in here.
"Excuse me, Andross-"
"Bah! Leave me be, assistant. I'm extremely busy and require focus." He then waved his hand over to a less cluttered table, "Just put whatever research notes you have for me on the table and I'll critique them later." And almost as if he had forgotten I was here, he went back to his work.
Genius and madness are always well entwined. Makes me quite curious as to what ideas of genius might be lurking within the seas of madness that is this mortal's mind?
My eye just stared at the back of the Addled. He wore a large robe that was a dark gray. It was hard to distinguish if it had always been that color or had once been lighter before years of the mage's work and lack of cleaning had turned it dark. Andross' brown hair was down to his shoulders and unkempt from lack of care.
"Andross, I'm-"
"Girl, I already told you once before to leave your research notes on the table. Now, leave." I found myself glaring daggers with my eye at being rudely interrupted once again. Yet, this time, Huginn got involved as he began loudly cawing. "Who the hell brought an animal into my-" Andross blinked in surprise as he looked at Huginn and I with his green eyes, "-who are you?"
I had to hold back the heavy urge to groan in frustration. Accomplishing that, I answered, "My name is Neia Baraja, sir. Commander Darian wanted me to meet you so that my friend could be inspected."
The Addled gave me an incredulous look as he glanced between Huginn and I. "Girl, I'm a mage specializing in the study of magic. I have no inkling on animal husbandry or biology. If you want your pet inspected, bring it to a farmer."
Huginn and I looked at each other, "Go ahead and show him." We looked back to Andross and Huginn extended his wing and an arcing ball of lightning appeared before us, releasing some winds that caused the loose papers on nearby tables to fly up and scatter.
When Huginn finally ended the display, Andross' eyes were almost bug-eyed. And, much to my surprise, Andross moved faster than I could ever believe a mage should be able to as he rushed out of his chair and stood before us examining Huginn with intense fascination.
"A raven capable of casting magic! Is it a normal member of its species or has it been altered in some manner? Perhaps it's a member of a new species that has evolved from close proximity to large concentrations of mana. The spell felt like it was 2nd Tier at the very least. Could it cast even higher Tiers?"
On and on, the Addled's questions went, none of them actually directed towards us and instead just the highly verbal thought processes of the man. Midway through his rambling, he cast a spell over Huginn that finally got him to shut up. At least for a moment.
"Where did you get this bird?" Andross almost demanded as he looked at me.
"I didn't get him." I quickly corrected, "We met a few days ago, in the Abelion Hills, when he saved my life. Since then, we've been together. Other than that, I don't know where he came from."
Andross seemed to grumble at the answer, "Right. How much coin would it take to buy the creature off of you?" My eye widened at the, frankly insulting, offer. Huginn gave an indignant caw of anger as I felt a buzzing in my mouth from the buildup of more lightning from the raven.
"Huginn is not for sale. And he never will be." I answered.
"I'll throw in 100 gold." Andross countered, as if expecting that it was simply a matter of cost. The further build up of a static feeling across my body told me that this was getting extremely dangerous…for Andross.
"Andross, you need to understand that there is no price for Huginn as he is not for sale. Trust me, this is starting to get dangerous." I replied, earning a confused look from the mage.
"Dangerous? What about 200 go-" He continued on. And, as if in reply, lightning began to crackle off of Huginn in random intervals. One bolt, of which, got exceedingly close to the Addled until he backed away with a yelp. Seemingly satisfied with the reaction, lightning stopped sparking from Huginn. I heard laughing from Odin at the entire spectacle.
"I get your point." Andross admitted as he kept a safe distance away from the angered raven.
"We just came here to have Huginn inspected so that he could stay here. Why is it that you were so interested in buying him?" I questioned. Andross wearily glanced at Huginn, as if looking for permission to speak.
Then, he answered, "I used an invented spell of mine to inspect the crea-" A warning caw from Huginn got Andross to correct himself, "Huginn, to inspect Huginn for information alongside the mana within it-him, within him."
Taking a moment to calm down, Andross soon continued, "My spell told me nothing about what Huginn is, something that is extremely unusual since my spell has never been obscured before. The one thing the spell did tell me was the amount of mana within him. The only thing I've ever inspected that's come close to what I just saw were from the ancient relics back in the capital."
I gave a side-eyed glance to Huginn. I'm not exactly surprised to hear this since he's basically a god, and things that are powerful typically have a lot of mana. But this also got me to ponder something else. If Huginn, and I'd also assume his sibling Muninn as well, had that much mana while created from just Odin's eye, then how much mana was flowing within Odin's entire body right now?
It was a little humbling to think about.
"I wanted to study him to see if there was a reason for this. Possibly even a method to replicate whatever is making Huginn so laden with mana." Andross finished before adding, "Perhaps I may have been too enthusiastic about my approach."
Pursing my lips, and slowly nodded, "I understand. But where does that leave us with Huginn being allowed to stay here?"
Andross gave me an expressionless look as he answered, "Technically, with the amount of mana in him, along with how much of his nature is just unknown to me, the safest thing to do is keep Huginn out of the keep as he could present a grave danger to everyone here. But I consider the safest option to be the most boring and unenlightening. I'm of the opinion that if we have something dangerous and unknown, one should try to learn more about it instead of shunning it away in fear and ignorance."
Everything that Andross was saying made me feel hopeful, "So, you're telling me that Huginn can stay?"
A smile perked up on the Addled's face, "Yes, but there would be a few conditions." His smile then became a grin as his eyes turned manic, "I'd like him brought to my lab to be examined once a week. Additionally, I would want a sample from Huginn that I could study in the meantime. It could be a feather, blood, or something else. Up to you."
I looked to Huginn who began to make a rumbling noise in his throat, "What do you think, Huginn?" The raven made a humming noise that seemed more like a grumble, then he ruffled his feathers and flew over to a less cluttered table. I expected for Huginn to pull a feather out and set it down.
What I didn't expect was for Huginn to defecate on the table and then fly back to my shoulder. A warbled rumble let me know that Huginn was laughing, something that Odin followed suit with more laughter of his own. Andross didn't appear as enthusiastic about the sample that Huginn left him.
"I think that's all that Huginn plans to give you, Andross." I commented, earning a quick snort from the mage.
"No," Andross said while holding his hand up, "That was on me. I did say the choice of sample was left up to you." Then, Andross waved us away, "I've received my sample, so the pair of you are free to go. I'll expect to see you back here next week."
With the unsubtle request for us to leave, Huginn and I exited the lab and started to walk the halls of the keep. Around this time, Odin spoke up once more.
This is another case where one should be careful for what they wish for. Though, I will have to admit that the mage does both amuse and intrigue me.
"And why is that? I'd believe that a god would be upset if someone tried to buy their child from them. Why aren't you?" I questioned.
There was no chance of that occurring in the first place. Aside from that, the mortal was simply under the assumption that Huginn is just a magical bird. No thoughts of divinity ever crossed his mind. It makes for good entertainment when living an eternity. As for my intrigue? I enjoy when others choose a pursuit of knowledge to chase after.
Actually, it likely explains why my counterpart decided to go easy on the girl and help tutor her. After all, few have the stones to ever challenge us on their lonesome.
I found myself looking at Odin oddly when he said that. "What are you talking about, Lord Odin?" Said elderly god just smiled in amusement.
Nothing much, Neia. Just an old man's pondering on events through a multiversal viewpoint. Ignore my ramblings.
Giving a shrug to the answer, I continued my way through the halls.
[Commander Darian]
Day 34:
Receiving the [Message] yesterday confirmed my fears and Private Neia's report on the enemy we had almost upon our doorstep. Last night prior, I had the troops assembling a large score of pots laden with oil alongside traveling provisions in preparation for today. In addition, all of the soldiers versed in ranged combat spells were being assembled if they could be spared from their current posting.
This keep has 4,562 soldiers of the kingdom assigned to it as a permanent garrison. Of them, 753 are mages of varying ability. We also once had 105 paladins assigned to the fort, myself included, until Captain Francus was taken by the crimson tree. Of these paladins, I, and 49 of the others, were capable of ranged spells.
I am only willing to bring 300 of the mages with me, leaving the rest at the keep alongside the paladins incapable of ranged combat spells. To bolster our ranks so that the mages wouldn't be at risk from any form of close-ranged combat that could potentially occur, I was going to bring 200 of the regular soldiers as the front guard for the combat mages.
Pulling almost half a thousand troops from the keep was a risky maneuver as it took a great deal of strength from the keep's defenses. I planned for this assault to take less than four days before we returned. But I would never fully put faith in such a plan working out exactly as expected. I've been a soldier for this kingdom long enough to know that plans are almost always the first casualty in conflict.
As for today, my soldiers had been geared up and on the march by the time the sun had only begun to crest the horizon. We did not have time to waste. The people of Roble could not afford it.
While marching, I thought back on my decision to leave Private Neia behind instead of bringing her along as a guide. My reasoning was twofold on this. The first reason is that she has only recently been crippled with the loss of one eye, from which Charon informed me he had been unable to heal back. This left the girl as more of a liability in potential combat situations as she would need to adjust to the lost vision, an adjustment which would take more than a few days to accomplish as I already knew of the girl's record from looking at it after she had given her report.
Private Neia was a loyal soldier who followed orders, but she was astoundingly average as far as any form of combat ability went. Too average to adjust her body to the new way she'd have to fight for the foreseeable future. As for my second reason, leading to a similar conclusion as the first, the girl had managed to make a distance of over 20 miles in the span of a day after being heavily injured. Healing magic or not, an exhausted soldier was more harm than help on the battlefield.
Then again, perhaps it could potentially be due to me being soft. The girl is relatively new for a soldier. I could tell in her eye as she gave that report that she had the long gaze of a soldier who saw horror and can't let go. I've seen that look far too often in enough soldiers over the years. It could lead to her panicking or hesitating when confronted with the crimson tree and its abominations.
We couldn't afford that kind of problem as things like panic could spread like a pestilence amongst soldiers in stressful events like combat.
Hearing the crunch of boots approaching me instead of maintaining a normal march, I looked over to see the plated form of Lieutenant Sorin. "How goes the troops?" I asked.
"Prepared and in good spirits, commander. There's been scant grumblings about the march, other than the normal complaints that any soldier would make during during a march." Lieutenant Sorin replied, to my satisfaction.
"I'm pleased to hear that." I commented and added, "We'll reach the monster in good time at this pace. I doubt that we can arrive to the hill by tonight without the men being exhausted from the journey. We'll need to set camp beforehand a few miles away from the hill as we can't afford any mistakes because of the troops being tired."
"I understand, commander. I'll move off to inform Lieutenant Edgar of the decision." Lieutenant Sorin stated before giving me a final salute and moving back to the troops behind us.
It was a scant few minutes after this that my mind was filled with that of a [Message] spell's effects.
'Commander, no further activity has occurred near the tree. It appears that it has slowed down on attempting to convert anyone further. The strike force will be all clear to attack.' The voiceless words of the [Message] filled my head.
This was thankful news to be given. We needed all the good fortune that we could receive as I shuddered to think of what may occur were we to fail this attack.
Above me, I heard the loud cawing of a raven or crow. Looking up, my eyes focused on the bird that had been following my army for a few hours now. It likely was expecting some kind of feast of corpses from the upcoming battle.
Even if I would love to tell this bird that it would only starve if it expected to be feasting on my men, that was only a naïve optimism that I had long since lost from my many years as a soldier. There were always casualties in battles. What counted is how many of my soldiers I could get back home alive.
Yet, despite it being childish, I mentally found myself telling the bird to piss off. If it wanted to feast upon the corpses of those under my command, then I was going to make damn sure that it would have a difficult time getting to any of them.
Day 35:
At the approach of the crimson hill, I looked over to my two lieutenants Edgar and Sorin. We had taken great care to prepare for this plan beforehand. Now, it was time to enact what was readied. "Lieutenant Edgar, take your men and begin spreading oil around the left. Lieutenant Sorin, you take yours on the right. Once completed, hold back from igniting the oil until the first barrage of magic attacks."
"Of course, commander." Edgar and Sorin replied with nods as they quickly moved off to lead their troops. A few minutes later, and I saw the army splitting up into three, with my lieutenants' armies moving off to their assigned positions as a few soldiers poured out oil around behind the paths they took. This left me with the troops under my direct command.
Turning behind, I looked at my soldiers, all standing at attention in preparation of the moment. They no doubt felt that same tension of battle as I did. "Soldiers! March forwards a hundred paces!" I commanded to all of them so that we could get in close enough range for our mages' attacks.
Following after me, the soldiers marched until we had reached the necessary distance. "Halt!" I called out, stopping the march. "Mages and Paladins! Take position and prepare your spells! Frontline! Take a knee for first barrage!"
The cawing of the bird filled my ears, as if announcing the commencement of the assault.
The regular soldiers knelt down as, behind them, numerous blue arrays of magic lit up at their hands. Unholstering Dawnfall, I pointed it forwards. "FIRE!" My ears were filled with the noise of fire roaring as multiple blasts of flames flew over my head and at the hill with the crimson tree. I expected that the tree would be washed in flames and burn.
Color me both surprised and immensely concerned when a multitude of crimson roots burst out from the nearby corrupted hills and blocked the hundreds of bolts of fire like a living shield. My eyes narrowed as I saw the crimson roots begin to burn. This told me two things. This monster was fast enough to react to, and block, hundreds of attacks at once. And that the monster was weak to fire, considering how much the roots we could see were burning.
"SECOND BARRAGE!" I ordered immediately. After a few moments, I called out again, "FIRE!" This time, the creature acted before we could as crimson spears shot out from the hills and rained upon us!
Reacting immediately, I raised my mithril shield up before myself and felt the heavy impact of one of the spears hitting my shield. My arm rattled under the weight of the blow and I looked past my shield to see a crimson spear of wood and roots slowly twist and squirm which was six feet in length.
The cries of pain in my ears made me turn back to my men to see spears jutting through many who had been unable to raise their shields in time. I heard the gurgling cries of my men who had been unlucky enough to have been struck in a vital organ. What I didn't expect, nor did any of the other soldiers, mages, or paladins who stood near their injured comrades, was for roots to then burst out of any who been impaled, stabbing into others near them, before rapidly pulling the impaled together.
It was an absolutely horrific type of inhuman brutality that I've never seen before, especially because all of those affected were still alive, screaming in agony. And as I continued watching, these roots that impaled my soldiers began to slowly grow around them into new cocoons.
Around this point, trails of fire burst to life from where I had our soldiers pouring out oil earlier. The scene became one more akin to an infernal hell. My soldiers were in disarray or horrifically wounded by the spears of the monstrous tree. And the world around me was filled with screams of pain, shouting, and that of a raging inferno.
"KEEP YOUR SHIELDS UP AND READY A RETREAT!" I roared over the noise.
I looked back to the tree and saw another volley of spears raining upon us once again. Raising my shield up, I took another hit and saw a dent get put into my shield this time. This thing was increasing the power of its attacks!
"Commander." A voice spoke before me over all the chaos. Lowering my shield, I found myself staring at the form of Captain Francus. Except, his body was covered in writhing roots that acted like exposed veins. His eyes had also changed, now red with slitted pupils that continually shifted as they gazed upon me with a fondness that seemed unnatural in them.
"Captain Francus?" I asked with suspicion while readying Dawnfall.
"Yes, commander." He answered before an expression of regret crossed his face, "I'm sorry for this hostility against comrades. It's just that my Lord did not expect such actions from you or your men and reacted to protect himself."
"Your Lord?"
Captain Francus gave me a smile and nodded. "Yes, my Lord. He showed me the truth of things. Revealed to me and others that the Four Great Gods were always One. He told me so much that I'm forever grateful for."
My brow rose at the ridiculous statement that my former subordinate was telling me. "Are you insane, Francus? Or are those roots writhing upon your body corrupting your mind and filling it with heretical blasphemy?" I readied my mace in preparation for any hostile move my former subordinate might make.
"No, commander. I've just been enlightened. It may seem frightening, but these roots are just the One Great God's blessing." Francus tried to explain.
"A blessing that involves impaling others before cocooning them against their will. And following this, being torn apart if the final creation is flawed." A scowl filled my face, "Such a farce to call this anything more than monstrous and demonic."
Francus gave me a weary sigh as he shook his head in disappointment, "I had wished that you might see reason, commander. The failures were only because the One Great God's blessing was something that the demi-human orcs couldn't handle as it was too much power at the time for them."
I glared at Francus as 'he' said this. I never knew Francus as a man to treat life so callously, even if said life was that of an enemy. "I can't help but wonder if this is what you are actually saying or if it's the roots that are just using your voice?"
"Please, commander. It is me. These are my thoughts and feeling, not another's."
I wouldn't hear anything further from my former subordinate as I quickly charged him. Francus readied himself as a crimson mace of roots grew in his right hand. "[Heavy Blow]!" I activated the Martial Art and slammed Dawnfall at his head, attempting to end this fight quickly.
Francus put his created mace in front of Dawnfall and blocked the attack, though not without any damage as the roots forming his mace cracked under the blow.
A new mace grew in his left hand and he quickly swung it at me, "[Ability Boost]! [Holy Strike]!" My shield quickly met the attack and I felt my arm rattle as a few spikes of the mace managed to poke through my shield. Alongside this was the explosive force of his skill which made my shield ram into my side.
That surprised me for a pair of reasons. I've sparred with Francus before, and he's never had this amount of power in his blows. Even observing him in the field, there had been no sign of him being strong enough to pierce through mithril. He's been augmented in some way.
Before he could react, I kicked him in the chest, launching him back. "[Flame Touch]." I said, igniting Dawnfall in flames for a few moments as I capitalized on Francus' momentary open guard and slammed my mace upon him once again. A few roots at his chestplate formed into another layer of armor in response.
"[Holy Strike]!" I activated the skill, "[Heavy Blow]!" I reinforced the strike and watched as my mace burned through the root armor, cracked apart the chestplate, and heavily injured his body as he was launched back once again while the fire lighting Dawnfall finally extinguished itself.
Most fights aren't like the ballads that bards would sing about. They didn't go on for hours on end. Both opponents weren't always able to reveal their spells and skills. When it came down to it, they would end in seconds after a decisive blow.
Francus was a noble and skilled warrior. But he was too young, too slow and weak, and lacked the experience necessary to keep up with me at my best. But I had so many hopes that he would have surpassed me one day.
"[Heal]." Francus quickly fixed the damage I had done, but I didn't plan to give him a moment's reprieve as I rushed at him. "[Piercing Strike]!"
Waving his hand, spikes of roots fired at me from those writhing on his hand. Putting my shield before me, those root spikes punched through the mithril of my shield, yet it didn't slow my charge as got closer.
A new mace formed in Francus' left hand that he began swinging at me, "[Piercing Strike]! [Heavy Blow]!"
With the results of his previous attack, this could possibly break my shield. But this would come at the cost of exhausting my former subordinate. All of these Martial Arts he had been using would burn out his stamina.
With the expectation that I was going to lose my shield, I may as well make use of it. "[Flame Touch]!" I ignited my shield and punched out with the edge of it aimed at the shaft of Francus' mace, both riposting the attack and cracking the shaft of his mace in turn. Yet, this came at the cost of my shield being split down the middle.
With my foe open, I slammed Dawnfall at his head once more, though Francus managed to throw his arm in front of the attack, reinforcing it with more roots. Dawnfall came down hard, creating a loud snapping noise as Francus' right arm broke in the center of his forearm.
The paladin screamed in pain as Dawnfall went for the finishing strike.
As I went to smash Dawnfall upon Francus' head, putting him out of his misery, I felt a sharp pain from my back that went through me and out my chest. Looking down, I spotted a sharp tip of red poking out from my chestplate.
"What?" I found myself asking hoarsely.
"I'm sorry, commander. But this is for the best. You'll understand soon." A familiar voice said from behind me. Looking over, my eyes widened at the sight of Sergeant Kellan staring at me with a pair of somber red eyes. His hand covered in a shaft of crimson roots that impaled me. Then, he broke it off his hand and slowly stepped around me to stand with Francus.
"But your…message." I said, already feeling roots attempting to wriggle and grow within my body.
"A fake, commander. We had to ensure that you suspected nothing when you went to attack." Kellan explained, causing me to grit my teeth. A trap! We had all walked into a trap on my orders.
"[Smite]!" I cast the spell and watched my former subordinates jump away from me as the attack burst the ground where they once stood. With a moment of breathing room, my free hand gripped the base of where the root had stabbed me before I cast, "[Flame Touch]!" I felt horrific pain as I lit the roots on fire that were growing within my body, additionally burning me from within as well.
"Commander!" Francus shouted in shock and concern that was shared by Kellan.
I was on the verge of passing out and succumbing to my self-inflicted injuries until I cast another spell, "[Heal]." Repairing much of the damage. Unfortunately, it couldn't remove the dead roots that still remained impaled within my body. This would leave me at a handicap in a fight against these two.
"Why would you do that, commander?!" Francus asked. I found a grim smile growing on my face.
"Going through that agony was better than enduring life as a puppet to a demonic tree. If today is to be my last, then I will do so while steering my own destiny." I answered as the roar of the inferno behind me grew louder while the heat became sweltering.
In a way, it was fitting that my last trial by fire to the Four would be while surrounded by literal flame. "Commander-"
"ENOUGH!" I roared over whatever attempt that Francus was trying to convince me with. "Before this day is done, I'll ensure that at least one of you is released from this puppeteering torment."
Looking down at my shieldless left arm, I took a breath and ripped off some of the cloth of my tabard before wrapping my fist in it. "[Flame Touch]." I said, igniting the cloth and covering my armored fist in flame. Even now, I could feel the bite of the flames through my gauntlets, but it was minor to what I endured earlier.
"You leave us no choice, commander." Kellan stated.
"There's always a choice. You've chosen pain. [Flow Acceleration]." Activating the Martial Art, my perception of the world began to slow down. Then, I took off charging at the pair.
Francus was still tired and injured from our last fight. His right arm was still broken, even if the roots covering it had now snapped it back into place. He didn't have enough time to cast another [Heal] spell upon himself, and he had to be running low on mana at this point.
"[Body Strengthening]!" Francus said in activation of his Martial Art. The sweat on his brow, combined with his heavy breathing, told me how much strain was being put on his body. While the roots covering him gave a boost to his strength and combat ability, they did little to aid in endurance.
"[Evasion]!" Kellan activated his skill, his sword drawn and at the ready. Kellan would be harder to deal with if he was able to dodge all of my attacks. Both men likely suspected that I would go for Francus then, due to his obvious weakness.
That is what they expected this injured soldier to do.
They expected wrong.
"[Gale Acceleration]." I activated the skill, putting even more strain on my body that I likely wouldn't be able to move from by the time this battle ended, but throwing off any type of mental preparation those two had for my charge as my speed increased beyond compare. I was already upon the pair before they could blink. Dawnfall swinging for Kellan's midriff. With his ability to dodge increased, I needed to aim for an area of his body instead of a specific point.
At the same time, my fist was aimed for Francus' head. I couldn't punch him because my body was already swinging Dawnfall, but my current momentum would more than compensate for it and act as a punch on its own.
I didn't expect it to land, but I did expect that it would make Francus back away for a few vital seconds needed to take down Kellan.
Kellan tried to dodge away while attempting to block my morningstar with his sword. At the same time, Francus pulled his upper body away from my flaming fist, making him go off-balance in the attempt to do so. But unknown to both of the infested men, Francus' face wasn't my true goal.
As soon as Dawnfall made contact with Kellan's blade, and acting as a contact point, I pivoted on my right foot and transferred all my momentum to my fist. I felt my muscles start tearing at the strain of what I did, but I ignored it and put my strength into slamming my fist into Kellan's head.
"Sorry, Sergeant." I apologized as the attack made contact, eliciting a choked scream as my former officer's neck snapped from the weight of the hit. Memorizing exactly where Francus was falling, I did one final pivot and raised my right foot while twisting on my left.
I heard my ankle snap at the force as I transferred my remaining momentum and strength into my right arm and swung Dawnfall one last time.
I was abruptly stopped as a crimson spear impaled me diagonally downwards from my chest and into the ground. The sudden break from this attack caused me to crack my ribcage as my body attempted to still spin. The pain was excruciating, but I didn't cry out. It felt like the world was just becoming numb at this point.
My eyes gazed ahead to see what remaining troops that had survived were running away, the fire cutting off any other infested being that might chase after them. Good, some got away. They'll inform those at the keep. Roble won't be caught unaware.
I could feel roots starting to grow into me, one managing to puncture my lung, making me cough blood. Even now, with my broken body, this monster was still trying to grow into me. I wouldn't give it the satisfaction of doing so.
"[Flame Tou-]" My right arm was grabbed by Francus, preventing me from touching the root that was impaling me. I did the same with my left, and found myself horrified to see Kellan holding my arm back. His head was twisted in an impossible angle that was slowly fixed as the roots around his neck twisted it back into place with multiple cracks.
"How?!" I found myself asking.
"The One Great God blessed us so that his followers can survive greater injuries that might kill another. You'll understand soon enough, commander." Kellan answered as his neck made one final crack which signified his neck being repaired.
Looking at the approaching inferno, I smirked. "I doubt it. Even if you two don't burn, I will." I spat back to the pair as my eyelids grew heavier.
Suddenly, I saw spears of roots impacting the edges of the flames, launching up dirt in large waves which helped to extinguish any of the approaching flames. This also acted as a barrier to prevent further fires from spreading any closer.
"No!" I weakly shouted as I felt the roots growing outside my body as well as inside.
"Worry not, commander. You'll understand everything soon enough." That was the last I heard from Francus as roots grew up my face and deafened me. I had one last look to the inferno that I desperately wished to come closer and free me from this moment, then the roots closed in and left me in darkness…
[Neia]
Day 38:
It had been two days, going on three, since all of us at the keep had seen the massive black clouds begin billowing from the south-east. A massive fire could be seen on the horizon growing closer. Each night, we saw the ominous light of the fires in the east as they continued spreading.
I had no idea how much longer or farther this blaze would go on. What was more worrying is that the assault force hadn't returned yet. The longer they were out there, the greater the chance that they had failed to fight the tree or they had been caught in the fire before they could escape.
The only ways I found to take my mind off of these uncertainties were from the new duties I had been given by Charon to heal those on the brink of death that neither he nor his fellows priest could save. Well, that and all the extra combat training I've been forced to undergo by Lieutenant Johan.
Since my eye wasn't coming back anytime soon, at least that's what they believed as I knew it to be permanent, Lieutenant Johan wanted me in fighting shape as soon as possible. This meant more time practicing swordplay so that I could learn to cover my blindspot and extended archery session to relearn how to aim.
On top of all of this, there was a tension among all the soldiers of the keep. With the massive fire that showed no signs of stopping, that meant a lot of monsters and demi-humans were likely to come our way to escape it. Possibly even attack us as they did so.
We've had to remain on guard for days because of it.
It was as I walking to the infirmary with Huginn resting on my shoulder to see if Charon needed my help with any new injured that a horn sounded off, letting those at the keep know of approaching allies. This put to pause all the tasks and assignments that all soldiers at the keep had once been doing as we quickly rushed to the gate.
"Think that the battle took longer than expected because of the enemy being strong?" One soldier ahead of me asked his friend.
"Ridiculous, Jorge. With Commander Darian leading them, any enemy they face would've been doomed." His friend replied.
"-rmy of battlemages alongside paladins is near unbeatable. Hope Cessily has a good tale to tell us when she gets back." I soldier next to me said to his friend who began to laugh.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Odin appear next to me. Yet, instead of a joyous expression, his mouth was a grim line. "I wonder if they won?" I asked aloud to no one in particular. I got a few positive answers from the soldiers around me, but I had to wait a bit longer before Odin finally spoke.
As a god of war and death, I can dispel for you the comforting illusion of hopeful victory. The assault was an utter failure and massacre.
"How?" I found myself asking quietly.
The abomination was ready for them, and much stronger than they anticipated. Their first attack showed promise, even if the creature blocked it. They were never allowed a second as it rained spears upon them. Those that came out of it unscathed were ordered to retreat.
"Why not tell me this sooner?"
Because you didn't need the added burden to weigh upon your mind just yet. Blame an old man for sparing you the horrors of war for a moment longer. Now, the reprieve is over.
As he said this, we joined the crowd of soldiers watching as the front gate opened and remnants of the army that had been sent out were now starting to stagger in. Most of them were covered in scorch marks, burns, and numerous other injuries. All of them looked exhausted.
"What happened?!" Captain Pike asked as he pushed his way through the crowd. He had a look on his dark face that was hard to discern if it was a scowl of anger or worry.
One of the soldiers managed to stagger over to Captain Pike and answer, "The assault failed, sir. More than half of us were taken out by the first rain of bloody spears. The commander ordered a retreat after that. More fell to the second before we could get away in time. The inferno that had been lit to starve this monster off got a few others.
I had to lead everyone back here because Sergeant Wilcost fell to the second volley. We had to move nonstop to keep ahead of the flames. I don't know if we're the only ones to make it back. Did anyone get here before us, sir?"
Captain Pike shook his head. "You're the first. What about the commander?"
The soldier had a sad look upon his face. "I don't know. Last we saw, he was still at the front when he sounded the retreat. I-I should've done more. Helped the commander g-"
Captain Pike put his hand on the man's shoulder. "You did enough. You got your comrades back home, and that's a damn sight better than what could've happened." He said in reassurance, earning a small nod from the soldier.
After he said this, Captain Pike turned to the rest of us, "What the hell are all of you doing, standing there and gawking?! These soldiers just got back home after moving for days! Get over here and help them to the infirmary before I give you a reason to go yourselves!"
With this warning, everyone in the area was soon ripped from their shocked stupor and the keep became a hive of activity as soldiers began helping to act as walking supports or carrying the recent arrivals to the infirmary. I was already rushing there in case they needed my aid as Odin followed.
Prepare, Neia. War is on the horizon. Those that fell to the spears are being made into more soldiers. It it not truly certain which direction the enemy will push first, but it is certain that your country will face this foe, one day or another.
"Which direction do you think they will go first?" I questioned.
Assaulting walls and fortresses will require more soldiers than the enemy currently has from those its captured. Likely, it will turn to the disorganized pockets of demi-humans that live among the hills and add them to its horde before turning back here.
"When could it happen?"
Days, weeks, months? War is always uncertainly certain. War eventually comes to all. The unpredictability of when it comes is the troublesome aspect of it. Just know that this war will be unlike any you have ever seen before. It will be much worse.
That final sentence filled me with a strange form of dread. I've seen battles against demi-human skirmishes before, but those seemed relatively tiny compared to what I've been told about wars.
Events of terrible bloodshed that took so much from the winning and losing sides. With all of that horror making up just a normal war, it forced me to ponder a truly nightmarish thought…
What could be worse than a normal war?
[Commander Darian]
Day Unknown:
I don't know where I am. One moment, I had been ruminating upon my failure and being taken by those roots. The next, I'm in this strange forest of trees. Some were white, others were red, but all of them seemed foreign to me.
My wounds were gone, yet that gave little comfort. None of this felt right, and each moment longer felt like something was buzzing at the back of my mind, yet I couldn't scratch it.
As I continued walking, I found an open area up ahead where I thought I could see a figure in the distance. I wasn't completely trusting as to run towards an unknown person without any method of protection in place. Especially after being cocooned by those roots.
Looking around, I spotted a low-hanging branch on one of the white trees that looked sturdy. Using my strength, I broke the branch off and gave it a few testing swings. It was a poor substitute for Dawnfall, but it would have to do for the moment.
I took notice that the end of my makeshift club bled sap that almost was the consistency and color of blood. Shaking the sap off with one good flick, I started walking towards the person in the distance. I pray to the Four that I can overcome whatever challenge this may be.
The Four aren't real.
I grasped my head as words stabbed into my mind like daggers of ice before fading away. It was like trying to remember a dream, but all that could be recalled were the feelings of that dream.
Why did it make me upset?
I was unable to remember, but I couldn't let that slow me down. I needed answers and I needed to get out of here. So, shaking my head, I trudged onwards.
Growing closer, I could pick out the details of this man. He had messy blond hair that was swept back. The clothes he wore, which I might assume belonged to a wandering mercenary or adventurer, were worn out and dirty. His skin was extremely pale, which only highlighted the black squirming veins under the skin of his face.
These veins only matched the black roots that made up his right arm, ending in black claws. These same roots spread across his chest and continually rippled in activity.
Looking up, I met the man's crimson eyes that were the exact same as Kellan and Francus'. They bored into me, and while this stranger gave me a warm smile, his eyes froze any warmth that the man was attempting to exude.
"Who are you?" I demanded in a tone of warning.
Your Ruler/God/Master
My hand clenched my head again as the cold stabbing pain filled it once again. Despite this weakness, I held my makeshift club up in warning to the man.
"A friend if you would let me be." The man replied calmly and took a few short steps towards me with his hands out in a sign of peace.
"And yet, just like my former subordinates, you're infested by the tree as well." I commented in a terse voice.
It frightened me when he began laughing in amusement. "Infested? No, I'm not infested. The tree is merely an extension of my being, and I? Merely a projection."
My eyes narrowed. "A projection of what?" I questioned, not entirely certain that I actually wanted the answer to what I asked. An almost primal fear seemed to claw at my heart the longer I remained near this 'man'.
Oblivion. The Omega. The Devourer.
I fell to a knee as the pain started to become unbearable and it was almost maddening to know that words were said, yet feel them slip away. It was as if I was trying to cup sand against extreme winds and feel it just slip away.
"Of something so much greater. But if you must be convinced, how about I show you more." The man said in a placating tone, as if I was a child who knew nothing of the world. He began walking off in a random direction.
Part of me wanted to just walk away right now, but my body almost seemed to move on its own as I got back up to my feet and started following him. Why wasn't I just turning away? What was making me follow this being?
Walking behind him, with my makeshift club prepared to hit this man if he tried anything, my eyes noticed the forest starting to change. Where there had once been fewer red trees amongst the white, now the white trees were being overtaken by the red.
Suddenly, images flashed in my mind of a dark tree and a massive red slitted eye. Another flash, and I was walking behind the stranger once more.
Yet, the vision of the tree was more of a premonition as we approached the dark tree that oozed a dark sap into the ground, staining it black. But unlike the vision, there was a difference to what I saw now. At the base of the tree were a set of thrones made from the black roots of the tree.
One sat empty, yet I could only assume that it was meant to be the stranger's. In the other, the golden ethereal form of a bestial woman with ten tails. She had an inhuman beauty, but it only made her form seem extremely fragile, as if a touch might break her into pieces.
It was this fragility that elicited a slight gasp of shock from me when the stranger arrived next to the woman in her throne and cupped her chin before lifting her head up to him. Drawing closer, I noticed that there was no life in this form of hers. Her eyes were golden saucers, staring blankly forwards.
Her body didn't move, appearing more like a statue than anything living. Who was this woman?
Queen/Thief/Slave!
Growling in pain as I clutched my skull, I asked, "Who is she? What more is this supposed to show me?"
"This is simply an echo of mana from my beautiful fox goddess, Kashia." I heard a hint of a mocking tone in his voice, almost like a joke which I lacked the context of. Then, the man pulled this echo into a kiss that just appeared wrong. It looked like the stranger was kissing a corpse.
Once finished, he pulled away and moved the echo's head so that it faced forwards once again. Finishing this, the man took a seat in the throne next to the echo before taking her hand into his own and entwining his root-like hand into the echo's.
"As for what this is supposed to show you? Well, you're looking upon what projects this form." The stranger gestured at the black tree behind him, "This conduit gives me access to this realm, and it's all thanks to my beautiful fox here." He pulled the echo over in her throne so that her head rested on his shoulder.
"Truly, a magnificent helper that has gotten me so far. Yes, you really have!" The man turned the echo's head to face him and began nodding her head in a macabre act of puppeteering. "Oh, my beautiful toy. It's only fitting that you, as my future queen, will help your king this way. I'll make sure to reward you."
Another vision came to my mind once more. This time, it was that same bestial woman, Kashia, yet she was no longer an ethereal golden. Unlike the lifeless echo, she displayed extreme fear in her eyes as roots bound her to her throne and muffled her screaming. More roots stabbed into her and pumped out golden blood which they greedily drank. All the while, the stranger stroked her cheek and laughed.
Hanging above both of them was a large skeleton with roots growing across its bones that jigged the being like a puppet. Terrifyingly enough, this skeleton was among the ranks of the undead as it also joined the woman's muffled screams with bellows of his own. Not even death would give one release from this creature!
I was back in the forest once more, breathing heavily as I looked at the stranger and the echo who the stranger played with. My eyes narrowed into a harsh glare at this monster. "You're an evil monster."
That got the stranger to end whatever ministrations he enacted upon the echo and to instead face me with an unreadable look. "An evil monster? Is it so evil to be hungry and wish to eat the ripened fruit from a tree? Instead of being allowed my fill, I was unjustly locked away, looked down upon by ants, forced to endure an eternity of pain wasting away!" The man's voice changed from being a human-like tone to something ancient, filled with rage and hate.
"Whatever you underwent, I've no doubt that it was too good for you. You're the one that Francus was claiming to be the One Great God, aren't you?" The creature, because that was what this thing was, grinned at me, "I don't see a god here. I see a demon that can do nothing more than steal and eat!"
"I'm no mere god, boy. Gods cower before me. They are just arrogant children playing with powers that don't belong to them. Their only use is to act as the mound of sugar that attracts the ants to them." The creature/-r pretentiously claimed.
"Good to know. It makes certain that I will never fall for trying to worship you." I spat at the thing/-r. That earned an ominous laugh that seemed to echo all around this forest.
When the thing stopped, it looked down its nose at me and maintained its grin, "Who said that your compliance was necessary? Drop the stick." My hand stopped obeying me as I released my grip on my only weapon. "Prostrate yourself before me."
To my horror, I fell to my knees and began bowing to the monster/-gr! "What is this?!"
I am your god! I am your master! I am your reason!
The pain in my head took on new heights as I began screaming while still continuing to bow before the monster/-gr! I've never felt an agony like this, and I wouldn't wish it even upon my greatest enemy! To my greater frustration, the creature/-ggr didn't even bother paying attention to me as he started playing with the echo once more, as if my suffering was a dull event!
"Forgive me if I ended up lying to you earlier. All of this was meant to distract you from the changes that I've slowly been enacting upon your mind. Feel proud that you have a strong enough will that I needed to take this step to fully convert you." The creature/-ggr told me as I continued screaming.
It felt like something was worming its way through my brain as I felt things changing bit by bit that I couldn't truly name. Only the absence of knowing that something was missing, but not realizing what it was, plagued me.
What was this mon/-hoggr doing to me?!
"You know, your little friend, Francus, was much like you are now. So assured of his mental fortitude and faith, so frightful as it all came crumbling down. Keep to heart that you managed to resist much longer than he did." The m/-idhoggr taunted with a chuckle.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN YOUR GODS! THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN NIDHOGGR!
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" I screamed and pleaded to my Nidhoggr to release me from this torment. Wouldn't the One Great God save me!
"Why would I? I'm not just in your head. I'm worming around inside your guts, your limbs, your heart. All of them are mine."
Continuing to prostrate myself before my god, Nidhoggr and the echo of his pet goddess, and queen, Kashia, I was beginning to question why I was feeling so upset in the first place? Being in front of Lord Nidhoggr, the One Great God, should be a moment of joy for me!
I was currently being blessed by Lord Nidhoggr for my devotion to him.
"My Lord, I'm proud to be before you and the image of your queen. How might I serve you?" I asked with utter respect.
Lord Nidhoggr gave me a warm smile while continuing to enjoy his divine rights to the queen's echo. "As my commander, Darian. We have my conquest to plan before my ascension. As such, it is only fitting for the one leading my armies to receive my greatest blessing."
I smiled at Lord Nidhoggr's generosity. "Thank you, my Lord."
"No," Lord Nidhogger countered, "thank you, my commander."