by Han Yang
I sighed happily. No one shared my joy. I could understand why they might think I’d gone a touch mad, and in a few ways, I had. The two weeks to get home at a blistering pace had given me ample time to reflect on my shortcomings and how to win the war.
The scale of my planning and unwillingness to sacrifice life would unwind our position of a meager defense to a squashed resistance. Too many foes allied against us, and I was being too nice.
“Did I miss it?” Nick shouted from behind. “Ha! Who’s this dead elva?”
“Miss what?” Asha asked.
“Wait, Nick knows?” Tarla said.
Nick, never one to be tactful unless he wanted to blurted, “Yes, I know you hid his parents remaking from Damien.”
I groaned. “I was saving that for later. This is supposed to be the big reveal. That’s just a nuanced side issue,” I said with a huff. “Toss the body out here, I need to raise him. Nee, summon all the goblin arcane mages. Raise them all to goblin ogre.”
“I want to see the big reveal,” Nee said, folding her arms defiantly.
“Yea, fine, I guess,” I caved. “Do it after, and you owe me.”
“Not likely,” Nee said.
Bell smirked, “What has gotten into you?”
“Not Tarla’s finger, I swat that thing away first chance I can.”
An awkward silence preceded a round of laughter.
“You’re incorrigible,” Tarla said with a giggle.
“I don’t get it,” Jorma said.
Jenovene replied, “And for that, we are grateful.”
“Right,” Ike snickered. “Seriously, you killed that elva in cold blood. That’s not your style. Did Bell check to make sure it's you?”
“It’s Damien. I check in more than magical ways,” Tarla said with a brow bounce.
“Darri was dirty and worth less than dirt itself. He used the Yookree and his soldiers as fodder. Screw that guy. As soon as I heard he didn’t have the protection of the yellow, I knew I was killing him. A side project of mine just got the green go ahead,” I said with a happy sigh.
Nick tossed the body on the balcony beside my feet. I bent down and connected to his orb. His will crumbled, and I opened into his Zorta.
You have connected to Jasper Longfin. Would you like to revive this being. (YES) - (NO) - No selected, Ostriva points incurred.
You have connected to Jasper Longfin. Select Claim, Consume, Drop - Claim selected.
You have selected to claim Jasper Longfin who is worth 17.235 Zorta. Spend 17.235 Zorta to convert this being into a minion. Select (YES) - (NO) - Yes selected.
“Step back,” I ordered.
Cecil arrived from out of nowhere casting a wave of ghouls from his hand. The translucent being devoured the dead elva and flew back into his body. I shuddered at the sight.
“Why? Just why on so many levels,” I said with a grunt.
“I can use the flesh to aid our shared mana pool,” Cecil said. “Congrats on necromancer fifteen.”
“Yeah, I went on a murder spree. I… We killed some ogres and robbed some minotaurs,” I said. “We have much to catch up on, but first…”
I turned to Jasper, who formerly went by Darri. I cast a revival on the elva skeleton, causing everyone to avert their eyes at the sudden brightness. A very confused white-haired elva stood in shock.
“Jasper, suppress memories. Why did you come into my home again?”
The elva spoke in that robotic tone of the undead. “To stall you by any means necessary.”
“What are you stalling me for?” I asked.
The elva robotically said, “I’m sworn to secrecy not to reveal anything to you.”
“Would you have told me the truth if you were alive?” I asked.
“No.”
“Is there any reason to keep you around?” I asked.
“No.”
Yet again, I wagged a naughty finger. “You do serve a purpose. Go wait at the harbor for me,” I ordered.
“Of course, Master,” Jasper said, leaving the balcony.
Nick frowned, “Not a part of this plan.”
Peth landed and guards hauled out a young man who was no older than sixteen. I almost felt bad. Almost. His overlords had sent him to die. I healed the bound, brown-haired youngster’s gash that ran along his forehead.
He shook himself awake, his eyes in a bit of a daze.
“You’re safe and fine. You are going to your fleet in the water. If you brought a mount, it will be considered the cost of your rent,” I said, hoping that would work.
“I was dropped off, sent to be a permanent emissary,” the lad said.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “For fu… for all that is holy. They sent you to die,” I said angrily.
“I know. I think the Emperor is a fool for making friends with the elva. King Korbi is using us to help him fight a war he is certain he can win. To me, that’s not worth our time. If you win, what is the recourse? Because I don’t think you will forgive my Emperor. I said so publicly and was told to be your lover since I loved the necromancer so much,” the lad said.
I raised an eyebrow at this.
Tarla folded her arms and said, “I was planning on telling you, but you’re kinda just acting impulsively at the moment. I never had the chance. Harco is a good kid. We’ve been having him do chores to pay for rent because he can’t go home until we surrender.”
“Because… Argh… Fine. You’re no longer with Podoni from this moment on. Go to the stables, shovel shit for a month, find a cute girl, and create a new life here,” I said. “Welcome to Tribe Moonguard.”
I could see him fretting over how to reply. Jenovene took him by the hand, and I heard her giving him the choice to leave by the gates if my option wasn’t reasonable to him. Either way, he was smart to flee an angry king’s side.
“So… why are you troubled, my Lord?” Ike asked.
“I’m actually in a really good mood,” I said.
Zhogath flew onto the balcony and pranced to a recliner. He curled up in a ball, and I said, “See, no assassins.”
Marbern descended from the heavens hesitantly. I told my assembled court about the edrino so they could understand what he was.
“I didn’t sense any assassins,” he said grumpily.
“Most thinkers don’t use the same trick twice. I robbed him of whatever he was plotting by killing him. I get you’re a pacifist and respect that. When you see this,” I gestured to the fleet of ships that spanned the horizon, “you have to be assertive and proactive.”
“I figured it out,” Jorma said, jumping for joy.
Jenovene returned and was the first to ask, “Figured what out?”
A scout came running into the throne room, panting heavily. “General Ike, we’re missing…” The scout noticed me. “Oh, excuse my intrusion, my King.”
“Out with it,” General Ike commanded with folded arms.
The scout glanced at me, then Cecil, then the General. “The skeletons, sir. They’re missing. Well, most of them are. They’re going into tunnels by the thousands.”
Fernando said, “I think I figured it out now.”
“I still won,” Jorma said proudly.
“For the love of Caitlyn, just tell us already,” Bell demanded.
“We’re ready,” Marbern said.
The scout I had told earlier to bring a voice enhancer arrived.
“Plug your ears and probably best if you go inside for this part. It’s about to get loud. If not, I can heal you after,” I said.
No one left the balcony. I snapped my fingers at the goblin and pointed at me in an overall gesture. She knew what to do, basking me in a yellow glow.
“Dear guests of Moonguard City. Your welcome has officially ended. You have five minutes to unfurl sails and leave the area,” I boomed out to the bobbing vessels.
“Ha! They aren’t going to listen,” Ike said. He clapped, having an epiphany. “You figured out how to get your minions to swim on the matogators bac
ks.”
I glanced at Jorma who smirked with a no head-shake.
“Most of our matogators are alive, and we could do that, but no, that is not happening,” I said.
“Wait five minutes,” Nick said when Ike huffed for information.
A series of guards brought me pillows and blankets. I pointed to an open spot on the balcony for them to add the comfy items.
“I’m a fighter. I should be out there,” Ike said.
“Ha!” Jenovene said.
“What?” Ike replied.
“Nothing, sorry. It’s just that you mentioned not wanting to die, oh... about every time you come back from battle,” Jenovene said guiltily.
“Stow the drama. Thank you for your dedication, Ike. I hope the rewards have been worthy of the efforts,” I said.
“I’m beyond grateful and winning certainly helps. We want to have another child if we find some peace and stability,” Ike said, a bit deflated at having the truth out.
Jorma crossed her arms but softened, staring at her parents in a new light. Pride… yes, I saw pride there.
“I - I - I wish I could let you retire, but for now I can’t. In the meantime, when blades strike, let the undead do the dying when possible,” I said.
I laid down in the blankets, closed my eyes, and said, “Start in thirty seconds.”
“That’s not giving them five minutes,” Marbern said.
“Chess, Marbern, chess. I will teach it to you, and you will forever think of diplomacy differently,” I said with a smirk.
“And so begins the Battle of the Rising Sea,” Nick said, finding a comfy seat to sit in.
CHAPTER 23
Moonguard City
My mind’s eye soared out of the city and dove down. I glided through the water as if it weren’t there, passed under the sea floor, and arrived in a massive cavern.
I had a wide selection of skeletons to pick from. All of my minions were lethal and geared for war. About half of them had skipped the heavy armor, wearing buoyant bags instead. I soared over waroni, centaurs, and elva, deciding on being an ogre alpha who led the elite fighters.
He was upgraded to level ten, reaching a whopping forty five feet tall. Seeing him standing there awaiting orders made me giddy. Sometimes, you just wanted to punt a bad guy instead of trading blows.
The moment I synced, I heard the constant clatter of arriving footsteps from additional soldiers. Thirty edrino readied, and Marbern sent the signal by busting the ceiling with a tiny hole that he closed almost instantly.
The stationed edrino levitated above the masses, swirling their hands in intricate patterns.
In a matter of seconds, circular ramps rose out of the floor, spiraling into the roof and higher. I didn’t hesitate, racing up a winding path.
After a hundred eager steps, I could hear the sound of the ocean surface. Each of the newly created towers soared into the air. Water splashed down in torrential gouts, creating a short drenching.
I surged up, my body leaning into the bendy turn. Every dozen feet up, I stole peeks out of arrow slits to see ships on both sides.
When I reached the pinnacle of the spire, my feet skidded to a halt. The tips of my skeletal toes dangled over the edge, and I absorbed the sight.
All around the enemy fleets, newly risen stone-towers dominated the area. Not a single ship was harmed in their creation.
However… The enemy found themselves in the middle of towers, making it impossible to sail in a single direction. Only the most skilled of captains could navigate the maze the edroni created.
In time, I would have tar launchers, specialty mages, and siege weapons strategically placed. For now, the fighting would be done the old fashioned way, in melee combat.
Skeletons reached the top and leaped down, with zero bits of fright. A wave of undead followed the initial divers, eager to pick this fleet apart.
I picked a vessel bobbing in the waves. This one had to be a cruiser, or maybe a small battleship with oars smashing the water as the captain shouted to turn the ship.
The gasps and shuffling feet by my real body reminded me that I had never revealed the surprise.
“I used the edrino to trap the enemy fleet with stone pillars and drop skeletons on the individual ships. Not sure where I got the idea, but I loved it the moment it rattled around in my brain. Now, no fleet can freely sail to assail our harbor without navigating the maze of defensive towers,” I said proudly.
“By Caitlyn, you’ve ruined them,” Bell gasped.
“All the skeletons raining from above is even terrifying for me,” Ike said.
I snickered, “Yup. If you’ll excuse me, I’m in that big ogre in the distance. About to jump -”
The ship below me shifted, giving a perfect opening. My legs bunched, and I lunged off the tower.
I withheld the giddy desire to scream out in glee while plunging toward the ship’s deck.
The glistening wooden deck reflected the water the towers had just dumped on it. That deck raced up to greet me, and for a second, I questioned my decision to aim for the boat instead of the water.
BOOM!
I smashed through the first deck and my shield clogged the hole I had created. I lost the arm when the incredible force yanked it from my socket.
Crash!
I fell through the second floor with a jarring impact that rocked my body. My senses waned. The skeleton suffered heavy damage and -
A wave of black magic coalesced around my form. Since it wasn’t me casting, it had to be from Cecil who shimmed the lost limb back towards my body.
The limb snapped back into place, and a fissure in my skull knitted back together. From the hole above, Podoni sailors peered down in shock.
“Argh!” I cried out, readying for a fight.
I glanced around, seeing a floor of slaves holding oars, all staring at me.
Shit, right. About that.
“Spare the slaves, capture the ships,” I said to my minions, altering my orders.
I was planning on sinking the fleet to strip all the metal with skeletons. The bonus was that I would create a reef and prevent their recapture. Seeing the tattered rowing crew left me sad.
I went down on my knees, plucking the housing that locked the chains down. The metal groaned before succumbing to my pressure.
An arrow scraped ineffectively off my back. I heard shouts of ‘to arms’ and ‘kill the undead.’ I ignored them while freeing the slaves one metallic lock-down at a time.
Pop!
The final retainer shattered. I moved to the chains themselves, tearing them over and over to free the bindings.
I couldn’t break the shackles on the prisoners, but I could unbind them from each other.
The filthy rowers consisted of every race imaginable, and they stared at me in a mix of wonder or terror.
Snap!
The final link broke.
The emperor, whose name I forgot, would pay a hefty price. He was right to side against me because I would be supporting a regime change at the very least.
“How?” a miscee rower asked in confusion. “What are you, how are you here?”
My skeleton lacked the ability to resolve his dismay. Instead of trying, I pointed to get away from the opening.
The sound of feet clomping down stairs echoed in the rower’s hold. I balled up a section of chain, readying it in my fist for the nearing enemy. Freed slaves shoved the door closed.
The space limited my movements, forcing me from my butt onto my knees. I wound up a sidearm throw but changed my mind, again rotating to my butt.
I kicked the port side wall.
Crack!
Another immense kick did the trick.
Snap!
Water gushed in, and panic erupted from the crew when the entire ship lurched from the laden load. The barred door burst open, flinging back the handful of slaves who struggled to bar the entry.
A trio of heavily armored soldiers advanced into the rower’s hold.
; I hurled the chain at them. The damn thing stayed clumped. Instead of whipping all three of them, the heavy links punched through the foremost soldier. The body burst into a showering gore.
Splat!
Drippings of blood-matter rained down, not deterring the other soldiers from advancing. I pulled swords meant for humans off my belt and tossed them into the rising water near the retreating slave.
Ensuring I had throwing daggers on this body made sense, and they might help turn the tide.
The stunned miscee tripped as the Podoni soldier swiped down at him. The blade carved an ear off, and the miscree shrieked in horror.
I shot my hand forward, wrapping the enemy in my fist.
Pop!
The final soldier tried to flee in the rising water. An orc flung one of the blades in a twirl. The sword bonked the back of the helmet hard enough that the soldier flew forward from his lost balance.
Arrows rained down, killing a troll who cowered behind my ribs. The water continued to rise. I picked up the miscee and flung him out the hole, hoping he could swim.
“When the ship sinks, we swim out the top,” a harpy shouted.
I kicked another few boards out, letting the water surge in. Slaves climbed over my frame, reaching the second floor quickly. The clash of steel rang loud, and I knew my time was at an end.
“Abandon ship, abandon ship, to the rowboats!” a leader’s voice called out from above.
The water filled the lower hold faster than many could escape. I snatched up all the slaves I could, pushing them out of the ship as it sank. The last tigran I tried to help had an orb over his body, and I felt the ship thud against the bottom of the ocean.
I couldn’t help but feel bad I didn’t get to him in time.
I left the body, knowing it was time to be more effective elsewhere. I gave him orders to walk back to shore after he exited the wreck.
When my mind’s eye floated up and over the thousands of stone towers, I saw a scene constantly repeating itself. The trapped fleets teamed with activity as skeletons clashed blades against humans for dominance.
A steady stream of skeletons jumped down from a quarter of the elevation I had leapt from. They used their buoyant bags to swim to the sides of trapped vessels. Once there, they used grappling hooks, daggers, and even team effort helped the skeletons reach the decks.