by Seth Ring
Thorn’s eyes snapped open, focusing on Major Cline and Lieutenant Colonel Rivera who were still in front of him. Major Cline was in the front wielding a sword and shield, providing protection for Lieutenant Colonel Rivera who held a long cavalry lance in his hands. Major Ritter, also wielding a sword and shield like Major Cline, had circled all the way to Thorn’s left in an attempt to get behind him. Ignoring Major Ritter, Thorn stepped forward, closing toward the two men in front of him.
Watching from the side, one of the military officers next to the Duke frowned and asked quietly, “Isn’t the Earl going to equip a weapon?”
“Heh, if the rumors about him are anywhere close to true I don’t think he’ll need one,” Marquis Glettenberg said, smoothing his mustache.
“Is he really that good?” General Thiera watched Thorn closely, doubt clear in her eyes.
“Rumor has it that he killed Courdum the Stone King. By himself.”
“Oh.” General Thiera’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
Only two steps away from Major Cline, Thorn was about to speed up when a razor sharp lance abruptly stabbed toward his throat as Rivera took advantage of his long weapon. Lifting his hand, Thorn slapped it to one side, only to have it dart back toward his neck in the next instant. Using the thick armor on the back of his gauntlet to block it, Thorn was surprised to feel how much force the attack contained. With a loud screech, the lance’s tip glanced off Thorn’s armored hand, leaving a long white mark behind.
Major Cline took advantage of Thorn’s defensive position and lunged forward with his shield held high in front of his body. A faint light covered the shield as he activated one of his abilities and smashed into Thorn’s body.
[Shield Bash]
As soon as his shield hit Thorn, Major Cline knew that he was in trouble. His attack should have shaken Thorn, knocking him back and stunning him so that the others could attack him freely. Instead, Major Cline felt as if he had just run full force into a cliff. A painful feeling spread through his shoulder and arm and he desperately backpedaled to disperse the rebounding force he felt. Before he could take more than a few steps he felt his body jerk and then all he could see was a wide expanse of blue.
When Thorn sensed Major Cline’s [Shield Bash] activating through his [Spiritual Sense], he instinctively activated his [Armor of the Earth], covering himself in a deep yellow light that fortified his defenses to an incredible degree. As the [Shield Bash] simply bounced off of his body, Thorn took a small step forward and reached out his hand, getting a firm grip on the top of Major Cline’s shield. A flashing lance tip ripped through the air toward Thorn but he just ignored it, counting on the remaining second of his [Armor of the Earth] to defend against it.
Jerking Major Cline up into the air, Thorn spun around, the major flailing wildly as he was dragged along. With a heave, Thorn let go, sending the major flying. With one of the three officers out of the way, Thorn turned his attention to Rivera. Just before [Armor of the Earth] deactivated, Thorn took a big step forward, knocking aside the long lance as his foot lashed out at the shocked lieutenant colonel in front of him. Rivera tried to dodge to the side, but the speed of Thorn’s attack caught him off guard and he took the hit on his shoulder. Already off balance, Thorn’s kick sent him spinning head over heels into a nearby tent.
“That’s two down,” Thorn said, spinning to face Major Ritter who had circled all the way behind him, only to find the major standing well out of attack range, an ugly look on his face.
Without waiting for Ritter to come and attack him, Thorn began to walk forward, only to see the major back up so quickly that he ran into the watching soldiers behind him. A low wave of chuckles sounded through the watching soldiers and nobles, but none of those watching could blame Ritter for his action. Recognizing that the fight was over, the Duke stepped forward and raised his hand.
“Alright, we all know how this is going to end, so let's just call it here. Earl Greymane has won the challenge, so I don’t want to hear another word about this. Generals, we’ll be meeting to discuss our assault routes. I want the entire camp ready to march in four hours.”
“Yes, sir!”
A loud shout rang out as all of the assembled soldiers saluted the duke and then rushed off to pack up the camp. Thorn sent a message to Hasta, asking him to get all the players ready to go, and then followed the duke and the other generals into the tent.
“Okay, so I guess the rumors are true.” Marquis Glettenberg looked over Thorn’s massive form as if curious what it was made from. “Did you really punch Courdum the Stone King to death?”
“Eh, sort of. The real story is a little less exciting, but that is the gist of it.” Thorn nodded.
“Haha, I’m sure it was plenty exciting. I heard that he was an unbelievably powerful mage.”
“Alright, let’s make our final plan.” The duke rapped on the table to get everyone’s attention.
“Sir, before that, can I say something?”
“Sure, go ahead,” the duke nodded at Thorn.
“I actually think that Rivera had a point,” Thorn said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “I don’t know that I am really suited to be a general. I certainly have the combat ability, but I’m not experienced at all when it comes to war. If you are assigning me this position because you are confident in my abilities, I will do my best to live up to your expectations. But if you are doing this because of a request from any of the noble factions, I would prefer to serve under a capable general as a commander until I have more experience.”
The silence that had fallen as Thorn spoke lasted only a second before General Rensfaul erupted into laughter. Holding his stomach, he doubled over, laughing so hard that he earned a scornful look from the marquis. General Thiera was unable to hold back her chuckles as well, but Thorn ignored the three generals and focused his attention on Duke Carlton who was looking at him thoughtfully.
“Sir, I don’t mean to second guess your decisions, but there is also the matter of how I think about life.”
A slight frown creased the duke’s brow as he stared at Thorn.
“Explain.”
“As you know, sir. I’m a traveler. Even if I were to die, I would simply be back the next day. The same is true for my troops, the Iron Wolf army.”
“So you are saying that you don’t want to be responsible for the lives of natives?” The Duke’s voice was soft and calm, but Thorn could sense by his narrowing eyes that Duke Carlton was displeased.
“Not at all, sir.” Thorn shook his head, choosing his words with care. “I’m saying that the best place for me and my army is in the thick of the battle. The Orcs are fearsome enemies, and we are the best option for blunting their sharpest attacks. I’m just not confident that I can coordinate the command of multiple forces if I am in the front.”
“Hm. What do you three think?” Duke Carlton looked at the other three generals.
“I think Earl Greymane has a clear view of it.” Marquis Glettenberg nodded.
“Commanding from the front can be done, but it is hard with an army made up of multiple forces.” Genera Thiera frowned.
“If you are going to let him be a commander instead of a general, I want him to serve under me,” General Rensfaul said with an eager look, earning him scornful glances from the other two officers.
“Absolutely not,” Marquis Glettenberg said. “The Earl is part of the noble faction so it makes the most sense that he would be with me. We need to keep the military and noble factions balanced.”
“Oh, come off it. You already have all the best-equipped troops. You don’t need any more help. He’ll be put to use best by my army.”
Ignoring the two bickering generals, General Thiera looked at Thorn and then down at the map on the table in front of the duke.
“The issue is that we will have to rearrange our attack if we assign Earl Greymane to any other army. Reassigning ten thousand elite soldiers is a big deal and could easily create a hole in our assault.”
“No, they don’t have the mobility for either the western or northern attack path.” General Rensfaul shook his head as he tapped a slim finger on the map. “They need flat, clear ground to fight on. On top of that, who will we be assigning as the general if we don’t assign Earl Greymane to the position?”
“True, the balance is precarious as it is. We can’t assign another military officer; we need a noble. But anyone we assign will tip the balance toward one of the princes, which we have to avoid.”
As the generals discussed the issue back and forth, Thorn stood still, watching Duke Carlton who was sitting quietly as the conversation continued. Finally, when it became obvious that the generals were unable to come up with a good idea, the duke looked at Thorn.
“Tell me, Earl Greymane, what do you think we should do?”
“Sir, am I understanding that the problem is the political influence of the various factions involved? It can’t be a noble affiliated with the struggle for the throne, and there are already two career officers, General Thiera and General Rensfaul?”
“That is a good summary. It misses some details but does capture the thrust of the issues. Marquis Glettenberg is neutral, as are you. There are not many who still fall into that category. Even Marquis Halpert is supporting the third prince right now.”
“What about the Earl of Scorchfrost?”
“Bothswern?”
Duke Carlton seemed taken aback by the suggestion.
“Is Earl Blaige here?” General Thiera asked, her eyebrows lifting. “I assumed that he was not going to come.”
“I think his mother made him,” General Resfaul said with a chuckle. “If it was his dad I would be happy with that suggestion, but to my knowledge the young earl has even less experience than you do with fighting, Earl Greymane.”
“Why would you suggest Earl Blaige?”
Meeting the duke’s gaze directly, Thorn considered his words for a moment before speaking.
“Honestly, it is mostly a gut feeling. Earl Blaige is calm, careful, and not easy to intimidate. Furthermore, given who his father was, it is impossible that he did not have a military education. He should have at least a rudimentary understanding of strategy. So long as we assign him a competent enough advisor, I think he’ll do well.”
“And you are basing this on a single encounter with the Earl of Scorchfrost?” General Rensfaul asked, his skepticism plain on his face. “I bet he would have no clue what to do. Hah, he’d probably completely freeze the first time he came into contact with the enemy.”
“Actually, that is a bet you’d lose.” Duke Carlton’s lips curled into a small smile. “Though it is not widely known, Earl Blaige is one of the highest scoring graduates from the imperial academy. While it is true that he has no practical experience to speak of, he is a genius when it comes to theory. Maybe this is a good opportunity for us to let him put some of what he learned in the academy into practice.”
“Sir, but who will we send with him? Any mistakes against the Orcs could be disastrous for us.” General Thiera frowned. “Plus, if anything happens to him his mother will be furious.”
“Who else but our immortal friends here? We’ll assign Earl Greymane’s Iron Wolf army to act as the vanguard for Earl Blaige, as well as assigning him some veterans. What do you think, Earl Greymane? Does that suit you? I’ll be expecting big things from you and the Earl of Scorchfrost.”
“Absolutely, sir. We won’t let you down.”
“Wonderful. Send someone for the Earl of Scorchfrost. It would be better to explain what is happening in person. Once we’ve finalized the reassignments I want everyone ready to go. The mages should be about finished setting up the Aether Gate, so we need to be quick. I’ll give final orders when we embark for Rasyn. If there isn’t anything else, you are dismissed to see to your troops.”
The three generals and Thorn all saluted the duke and walked out of the tent to go back to their own sections of the camp. As Thorn was about to leave, General Thiera stopped him.
“Earl Greymane, please wait for a moment.” Her eyes carefully scanned Thorn’s face. “Earl Blaige is a, uh, special person. It will be vital that he stays safe, and that burden will rest on you. Please pay careful attention to him.”
“You have my word, General.” Despite his curiosity, Thorn simply saluted General Thiera as she walked away.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“My lord, all units are accounted for.”
The sight of the Iron Wolf Army standing in well-ordered rows brought a smile to Thorn’s face. Though their armor was hardly uniform, every single one of the players radiated a tough confidence that put the other soldiers around them to shame.
“What about the Society of Roses?” Thorn asked, turning his head toward Hasta.
“Lady Athena informed me that they would be arriving within a few minutes. There was a bit of a delay due to some bandits, but they should be here soon.”
“Good. I’m going to report to the general. Have Athena meet me at the command tent.”
“Yes, sir!”
Giving Thorn a snappy salute, Hasta jogged off as Corvo wandered over with Mina. The Avatar of Huginn grinned at Thorn and gave him a thumbs up.
“I heard the Society of Roses will be joining us. That’s so great. I’d be happy to volunteer to act as the official liaison between the Iron Wolf Army and the Society of Roses.”
“Hah, you’re only volunteering because they’re all pretty,” Mina said, giving Corvo a scornful look. “If they were not hotties you’d stay as far from them as possible.”
“What? No way,” Corvo said, putting his hand to his chest. “I just want to make sure that they are utilized to the fullest. If we’re hiring mercenaries, we need to make sure that they are being used to the fullest extent.”
“Sure, sure.” Thorn waved his hand dismissively, getting in on the fun. “Hey, I wanted to mention that your comment about the Earl of Scorchfrost was really helpful. If you had not mentioned it I never would have thought that he was a strategic genius. He certainly doesn’t have the look for it.”
“He isn’t the only one around here smarter than he looks,” Mina said with a smile, causing Thorn to rub the back of his head.
“Eh, point taken. I guess I am the last person who should be judging others by their looks, huh?”
“Did you suggest that he take the general position?” Corvo asked, falling into place beside Thorn as they walked toward the duke’s tent.
Mina, seeing Akira riding on Thorn’s shoulder, used [Blink] to flash forward, appearing next to Akira and scooping her up as she sat in Akira’s place. Riding on Thorn’s shoulder as they walked through the camp, she listened with half an ear to Thorn and Corvo’s conversation as she stroked Akira’s soft fur.
“I did. And it went over well with the duke. Seems like there is some history that I don’t know between the duke and the Earl of Scorchfrost. Or maybe his family.”
“It’s true. The duke and the old earl were buddies when they were young. They both served in the military under the old duke, so I imagine Duke Carlton has a lot of positive feelings for his old friend’s son. The old Earl of Scorchfrost died nearly four years ago now, and my reports say that Duke Carlton has been trying to recruit the current earl for his army ever since. You probably did him an inadvertent favor by suggesting that Earl Blaige be a general.”
“How do you know all this stuff?” Mina asked, giving Corvo a strange look as she scratched Akira’s belly.
“All-seeing, all-knowing,” Corvo replied with a smile, tapping the center of his forehead with his finger.
“And that really expensive spy network I am paying for?”
Wincing slightly at Thorn’s words, Corvo’s smile only slipped for a moment before it came back.
“And that really expensive spy network, of course.” Rubbing his nose, Corvo looked away from T
horn. “Out of curiosity, which of the bills did you see?”
“All of them. I stopped by the accounting department and happened to see the budget. I also noticed that we are spending a lot in the south. What’s going on there?”
“South? Ah, that's right.” Corvo winced again. “We’ve been, um, trying something. It is sort of a long game but it isn’t going so well right now. I moved some more resources that way to try and shore up the project, but we’ll see.”
“As long as you think it is worth it,” Thorn shrugged. “Money exists to be used, so if you need it then you need it. If there is anything I have more than enough of, its money.”
“Must be a nice problem to have.”
As the three of them approached the duke’s tent they began to hear loud arguing voices. Glancing at each other, they walked into the tent, only to find themselves in the middle of a shouting match.
“What do you mean you won’t do it?”
The duke’s eyes were narrowed and his face was grim. It was the most upset that Thorn had seen him since they had first met.
“I said I am not going to do it. Why on terra would I put myself in the face of danger just because you want to keep the political balance?”
Unlike the duke, Earl Blaige did not seem upset at all. Instead, he was completely unperturbed as he munched on a sandwich, somehow managing to speak clearly despite the food filling his mouth.
“You’ll do it because I told you to,” the duke said, his face growing dark with anger until he caught sight of Thorn coming into the tent. “Ah, Earl Greymane, let me introduce you to your commanding officer. This is Earl Blaige, the Earl of Scorchfrost. He will be, at your recommendation, leading one of the assault paths, which you will be part of.”
“Hello, Earl Blaige. It is a pleasure to meet you again. Allow me to introduce Mina and Corvo, two of my officers.”
“Hmph. So you are the one who came up with this terrible idea?”
“I certainly suggested it, but the duke was the one who made the assignment.”
Thorn could not tell if Earl Blaige was really upset so he shifted the blame back to the duke.