by Seth Ring
Thorn was currently in his [Wolf Form], his midnight black fur making him blend into the dawn shadows. On top of his head, Akira was sprawled out between his ears, still sleeping from the trip. With a thought, he shifted back into his Titan form, catching Akira before she could slip off of his head.
[Hmm? Oh, master, have we arrived?] Blinking her eyes sleepily, Akira looked around. [I thought we were going to a big campsite. Where are all the tents? Are we camping up in the trees?]
[The camp is on the other side of the trees. You can take a look, but don’t get caught.]
[Oh, okay!] Perking up, Akira scampered through the underbrush to take a look. After a few seconds, Thorn heard a sound and she reappeared, looking disdainful. [Master, that camp site is filthy. It looks terrible. Why do we want to go there? Let’s just stay here. Or better yet, let's go back to the valley!]
[We have been summoned by the duke, Akira, so we have to go.]
Standing up, Thorn checked his messages to see how far behind him the Iron Wolf army was and then strode out of the trees and into the open. As Akira had observed, the duke’s camp was a dirty mess. The roads that crossed it had been ground into giant mud pits by the groups of soldiers that bustled this way and that and the tents that were visible looked like they had not been washed in years. Even as he watched, the marching soldiers splattered through the mud, completely covering their uniforms.
A unit patrolling the edge of the camp spotted him and, after shouting back into the camp, hurried over to intercept him. Jogging at first, the closer they got to Thorn the slower they moved until they halted altogether about twenty feet away from him. Clutching their weapons they stared at his massive figure, their expressions showing awe and fear in equal measure.
“H...halt! This is the camp of Duke Tembris Carlton, the Ironhold Duke. The camp and all the land around it are restricted to military personnel. Civilians are not permitted. State your business!”
Smiling down at the nervous officer, Thorn pulled himself up to his full height and snapped a quick salute.
“At ease, Lieutenant. My name is Thorn Greymane, I’m here to report for duty.”
“You are here to enlist?” The lieutenant’s eyes lit up with surprise as he took in Thorn’s gleaming silver armor. “What did you say your name was?”
“Greymane.”
“Oh, are you related to the Earl? I’ve heard he is huge…” Stopping mid-sentence, the lieutenant blanched white as realization set in that he was currently talking to the person he had just made a comment about.
Chuckling quietly, Thorn waved his hand to show he did not mind.
“I see my reputation precedes me. My force is on its way and should be arriving shortly. I wonder if you would be so kind as to show me where I’ll be camping.”
“Yes, yes your lordship, uh sir,” the lieutenant stammered out as he saluted.
Turning on his heel, the lieutenant walked Thorn into the camp where he arranged for an adjutant to show Thorn where to go. Giving another salute, the lieutenant assured Thorn that he would keep an eye out for his force before leading his men to resume his patrol. The adjutant who had been tasked with showing Thorn to his camp led Thorn around to the southern part of the encampment. The further they walked, the muddier the ground became, until the adjutant had to struggle to even walk.
With every step his feet would sink four to five inches into the mud, and his feet and legs were soon completely covered. Grimacing, the adjutant glanced over his shoulder to see how Thorn was doing, only to see that the Titan was walking across the mud as if it was flat stone. Not even a single speck of mud could be seen on Thorn’s body, as every time he put his foot down, the mud naturally hardened under his feet.
Thorn looked around with interest as they arrived at the southern side of the camp. The grassland where the camp was located had a slight slope to it, and the southern side was a good bit lower than the northern side, resulting in it being a complete soggy mess. All of the water used in the camp joined the natural runoff, pooling on the southern end of the camp, making it look like a swamp. Seeing that Thorn was examining the area, the adjutant waited nervously by the side.
“Thank you, adjutant...?”
“Hawks, sir. Adjutant Hawks.”
“Well, Adjutant Hawks, thank you for showing me to my camp. Would you mind leading me to the duke’s tent? I’d like to report before the rest of my men arrive.”
Gulping, Adjutant Hawks agreed and brought Thorn back through the camp to the large set of tents at the northern end. Here the ground was much drier and there was significantly less mud. Around the command tent Thorn could see a variety of flags waving in the breeze, signifying the forces of the nobles who had come to support the duke’s army. Carefully noting all of the flags, Thorn thanked Adjutant Hawks again and approached the soldiers guarding the entrance to the tent.
“Hold! State your name and your business here,” one of the knights said in a loud voice.
“Earl Greymane, reporting to Duke Carlton.”
“Please wait, Earl Greymane. I’ll report your arrival to the duke.” His tone much more respectful, the knight ducked inside the tent, emerging after a minute to invite Thorn inside. “The duke requests that you enter, Earl Greymane.”
Ducking to step through the flap, Thorn was pleased to find that the tent was more than tall enough for him to stand up fully. Scanning the tent as he straightened up, Thorn saw close to twenty people, all staring at him in various degrees of shock. Quite used to the impression he had on people the first time they met him, Thorn took a large step forward and bowed at the waist to an older gentleman with a salt and pepper beard sitting behind a large table.
“Greetings, Duke Carlton. I am Earl Greymane, the Moon Wolf.”
As Thorn paused slightly, a nasal voice sounded from the surrounding crowd.
“Arriving a bit late, don’t you think Earl Greymane?”
Completely ignoring the interruption, Thorn held his bow as he continued to speak to the duke in his slow and steady voice.
“Hero, Kingbreaker, Avatar of Hati, Stone King, Lord of Earth, Inheriting Disciple of the Temple of the Moon, and generally a scourge to my enemies.”
Silence reigned when Thorn finally finished his introduction. Lifting his head, Thorn casually glanced around at the nobles and soldiers who stood on either side of the duke. It was obvious from the map and markers spread out on the table in front of him that the duke had just been conducting a discussion of the strategy that would be used to retake Rasyn from the Orcs. On the duke’s right stood a group of well-armored men and women who were obviously from a military background. On the other side, arrayed in a fanciful rainbow of colors were the nobles who had come to join the duke’s force.
“Welcome, Earl Greymane.” Duke Carlton measured Thorn carefully with his eyes as he greeted him.
Though the duke had helped Thorn before as a favor to Athena and the Society of Roses, he had never actually met the Titan himself. Thorn stood calmly before him, his sheer size easily dominating the room. Apart from his height, Thorn had a natural presence that held up firmly against the pressure that the duke was trying to put him under. Smirking slightly, Duke Carlton gestured to one of the straight-backed military men who stood on his right.
“This is Baron Oleander. He is in charge of logistics and will get you settled. We have just finished discussing the campaign and will resume tomorrow. The baron will get you caught up. Tonight we will have a small dinner to introduce everyone and kick this thing off properly. Are your troops outside the camp?”
“They should be arriving within the next ten minutes, sir.”
“Oh? Well, in that case why not go and inspect them?” Maintaining his smirk, the duke stood up, his eyes staying fixed on Thorn’s face. “You don’t mind, right? We are somewhat pressed for time, and rather than have them parade, it would be better to inspect them as they arrive. Don’t you think so?”
“As you command, sir.” Smiling placidly in return,
Thorn stepped to the side and gestured for the duke to lead the way.
The duke walked past Thorn and out of the tent, the various people in uniforms following him closely. As soon as the officers had passed, the nobles who had been standing on the left side of the duke pushed their way forward, leaving the tent with Thorn standing silently in the middle. Dropping his gaze to the ground, Thorn’s slight smile grew. Wiping the expression from his face, he exited the tent after everyone else, walking leisurely behind the crowd of officers and nobles.
Adjutant Hawks had been standing at the entrance to the tent, chatting with the guards, when Duke Carlton came out, startling him into a quick salute. One of the officers explained that they were going to inspect the arriving troops, throwing the Adjutant into a panic. The place where Thorn and the Iron Wolf army had been assigned was, without question, the worst in the camp, and Adjutant Hawks was worried that taking the duke there would get him censured.
Noticing his hesitancy, Baron Oleander stepped forward, his captain’s epaulets glinting in the sun. Patting the adjutant on the shoulder, Baron Oleander offered to lead the way, an offer that Adjutant Hawks gladly took.
“Sir, you don’t mind if I lead the way, right? Based on where the scouts first spotted Earl Greymane, we should be able to intercept this Iron Wolf army at the western end of the camp. The ground there is best for parading, so it will make the inspection much easier.”
“Very well, please lead the way.” Nodding, Duke Carlton dismissed Adjutant Hawks with a wave.
“Thank you, sir.” Baron Oleander glanced at Thorn and spoke loudly enough for his voice to carry over the crowd. “Earl Greymane, we are heading over to the west side of the camp where you entered. The duke will inspect your troops there.”
“Mmm.” Confirming the baron’s words with a grunt, Thorn watched as many of the nobles and officers scattered, spreading in all directions.
Before the group that Baron Oleander was leading had walked more than half a mile, Thorn saw troops of soldiers beginning to gather. Immediately guessing that they were coming to check out the quality of the Iron Wolf army, Thorn stopped worrying about them. From what he had seen, there was not a single fighter in this entire army apart from the officers that could stand up to even the weakest of the Iron Wolves.
As they walked back through the camp, Thorn’s sharp ears picked up countless muffled conversations as the soldiers saw his massive form. Chuckling to himself as he thought about what sort of expressions they would have if they saw him with his [Wolf Form] ability active, Thorn continued to follow the duke and Baron Oleander. It quickly became obvious that the baron was taking the long way around, in order to give the other nobles time to gather their armies and make their way to the western parade ground.
By the time Thorn arrived at the parade ground, the entire area was surrounded by soldiers from the various nobles’ forces, all standing at attention behind the noble that they were serving under. The various nobles’ flags snapped in the wind as the sun glinted off of the brilliant armor of their soldiers who all stood as straight as pikes, creating an intimidating picture.
“Earl Greymane, I don’t see your force? Do you think they might have gotten lost?” Baron Oleander looked around with mock concern.
Ignoring him completely, Thorn pulled a small treat out of his inventory as a red streak zipped across the parade ground and climbed up onto his shoulder. Handing Akira the treat, Thorn gently scratched her stomach with his finger.
“Is that your pet? I never would have pegged you as one to keep a small vanity pet, Earl Greymane.” Obviously annoyed by Thorn’s disregard, Baron Oleander spoke louder than before, drawing the attention of a number of other nobles.
Leaning back slightly as if he was recoiling from the baron’s volume, Thorn kept his mouth shut and got out another treat. Just as the baron was about to boil over, Duke Carlton stepped in, causing Baron Oleander to snap his mouth shut.
“Earl Greymane, as nice as the weather is, we cannot wait all afternoon. There is a banquet tonight and most of the nobles will need as much time as possible to get ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Snapping a quick salute, Thorn took two steps forward and sent a message to Hasta.
For a brief moment nothing happened, and the various nobles looked at each other. Before anyone could speak up, a small vibration sent the dust on the parade ground dancing. All eyes turned to the northwest as a massive group of players trickled out from behind the copse where Thorn had hidden earlier in the day.
Dressed in all sorts of fantastical and colorful armor, the players looked nothing like the well-polished soldiers standing in neat rows on either side of the parade ground. As they advanced the players laughed and joked with each other, looking more like a rowdy mob than an army. Hasta and Mina advanced at the front, chatting with Seven Twisted Leaves and Heidi. Above them a crow turned lazy circles in the air.
The closer they got, the more chaotic they seemed, leaving the nobles sneering in disdain. The crow that circled around the front of the army abruptly turned and dived down toward Thorn. Akira, noticing the incoming bird, lifted her tails in excitement, but Thorn murmured something and she lowered her head and continued to nibble on her treat. With a swirl of deep violet feathers, the crow vanished and Corvo dropped to the ground in front of Thorn, smoothly transitioning into a deep bow.
Behind him the rest of the army arrived, standing together in a loose group. Mina, Hasta, Seven Twisted Leaves, and Heidi all stepped forward to stand next to Corvo who was still bent in his bow. Slamming their fists into their chests, the four players bowed to match Corvo as the ten thousand players behind them gave a warrior’s salute.
“The Iron Wolf army reports for duty, my lord.”
Chapter Thirty
The Iron Wolf army presented quite a sight standing next to the well-ordered troops of the Ironhold nobles, who gave off a more disciplined air. With a wide variety of classes, weapons, and equipment, they looked more like a crowd that had gathered randomly than an army. One of the watching nobles looked over them, the sneer on her face deepening.
“Earl Greymane, what is this? You were supposed to bring an army, not a mob.”
Ignoring the piercing voice, Thorn stood by Duke Carlton who was looking over the Iron Wolves with an experienced eye.
“Thank you, Commander Hasta. This is Duke Carlton, the primary commander for the expedition. He was excited to see our army.”
“Understood, my lord!” Turning smartly on his heel, Hasta faced the milling players.
Without a single word being spoken out loud, the players fell into formation. Already grouped in their battalions, the players were able to get into position without any chaos. At the front of the ten battalions, Hasta raised his hand, and every single player lifted their hands, placing one on the back of the person in front of them and the other on the shoulder to their right. As Hasta closed his fist a ripple ran through the formations as each soldier adjusted their position to be exactly the same distance apart.
Within a scant few seconds the unruly crowd of milling players was gone, and replacing it was ten thousand soldiers standing at attention in perfect formation. Pin drop silence followed their abrupt action as all of the nobles, officers, and soldiers who were there to observe them gaped in shock. The players gave off an air of quiet menace, as if they were a giant beast about to strike. After making sure everything was perfect, Hasta spun back around to face Thorn and saluted again.
“The troops are ready for your inspection, my lord.”
“Thank you, commander.” Returning Hasta’s salute, Thorn gestured for Duke Carlton to proceed. “Duke, if you would like?”
“Are they all professional soldiers?” Duke Carlton’s eyes were burning with interest as he looked over the Iron Wolf army.
“Yes, sir.”
Duke Carlton had spent his entire life in the military and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only way to get coordination executed that precisely was to train for year
s. However, from what he knew about Thorn, the Titan had only gained his title a few weeks ago which meant that he must have hired all of these players. The thought that Thorn might have converted part of his guild into a military force never even crossed the duke’s mind as his experience with guilds was that they were only concerned with making a profit, and raising a standing army was entirely outside their normal way of operating.
Looking at the strange army stretched out before him with new eyes, the duke did a quick estimation, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized that Thorn had brought a full ten thousand soldiers. An army of ten thousand was one thing. An army of ten thousand elites was something entirely different. Most nobles never managed to raise a full army as the economic cost was simply too much for them to bear, so he was surprised to see that Earl Greymane had not only brought a full force, but that every one of the earl’s soldiers were professionals.
“Hmm. Well, I hope that they can fight as well as they can stand in lines,” said Duke Carlton, amusement plain in his voice. “I’ll have the baron show you to your camp. I look forward to speaking to you more tonight.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Behind Thorn, the Iron Wolf army abruptly saluted the duke, the combined sound of their fists hitting their chests creating a loud crash that startled the whole camp. All ten battalions fell in line one at a time, following Thorn and Baron Oleander as they walked around the edge of the encampment to the southern side. As the Iron Wolf army marched on, more and more soldiers from the other forces gathered at the edge of the camp to watch them walk by.
The southern end of the camp was still the same soggy mess that Thorn had seen earlier, but he was unperturbed. Most of the nobles had left to give themselves enough time to get ready for the banquet that was coming up, but a few had stuck around to see how Thorn would react to the giant mud pit where the Iron Wolves were supposed to encamp.