Chapter 39
Challenge and Response
The lone figure of Coral strode out from the ranks of the army. He bore the standard of the Queen of Romitu high in the air, held aloft only by the movement of his passage; the air was completely still. At about a hundred paces he stopped, planted the standard, and addressed the Demon.
“Hear me! Hear me! Hear me! I speak on behalf of Jesca, Queen of Romitu, Bastion of Liberty, Fount of Justice, Unifier, Peace bringer, and Salvation to all those in Oppression. She bears grievance against thou, Halphas, Satrap of Hell, and your minions, for waging war, most foul, against her country, her troops, and her personage. For this affront she has brought her armies hither, wrought great damage against your lands, and stands before you, victor of this battle field. She asks you now if you repent of your actions, if you will cease all action of any sort against the interests of Romitu, and foreswear to ever again trouble us directly, or indirectly, through force or connivance, personally or with any agent allied to you. How do you answer her?”
The echoes of his amplified voice rung out over the landscape and died into silence. The monstrous demon's form hulked before him, the myriad shadow shapes making it up standing or slouching, in a collective approximation of attentiveness. Slowly a voice built up from it. Coming from hundreds of separate throats, each uttering in its own way. The noise was at first indistinct, but as it rose in volume it became clearer. The demon was laughing. From high pitched giggles, to mocking basso profondo jeers it ran the gamut of cruel laughter. Coral stood, unmoved until the sound subsided.
“Only the loser calls a victory before the battle is complete”, boomed the demon, in a multitude of voices. “A cost cannot be deemed of consequence or not unless your enemy's full assets are known. No one ever bargains when in a position of strength, only when they are the weaker party.” The voices dissolved into a cacophony of jeers and cat calls. The collective limbs of its being moved a step forward. “Your army is exhausted. Your magic is depleted. And you are far, far, far from home.” Another cascade of limbs beat the ground with another step. “No, little Queen. I do not repent of anything. My business is mine to pursue by whatever means I choose. The souls of my estate are mine to tyrannize as I wish. I accept no moralizing from you. I answer you 'no'.” Its fist smashed the rocky ground in a synchronized wave, rattling the surroundings.
Its strides had moved it some of the distance towards Coral, but he gave no ground. “The Queen regrets your decision”, he replied. “If you are determined to end this through violence, we have no choice but to reply in kind. Though your tactics and methods have been despicable, we are Romitu, and fight with honesty. The Queen, by her grace, offers to you the honor of a combat of champions. To settle this matter in a more civilized fashion than it has been conducted heretofore. What force you put in the field, we will match, and both agree to abide by the results.”
The demon stopped its forward motion. “Single combat?” it sneered in a thousand tones. “Against me? Champion: you go beyond yourself. I am informed of your jaunts amongst the gods. Do not speak to me with one side of your mouth about honor while the other side makes veiled threats to the masters you turned traitor to! And the arrogance to throw stones in my own domain, and then hide behind a swaggering Champion who does not know his own limits.”
“If I spoke to you as Champion of the Queen, I would answer you most sternly for the insults you have rendered me”, said Coral coolly. “But I do not. My words are not my own just now. I speak to you as Herald of the Queen. My words are her words. It is the Queen who offers to face your Champion, not I, though I gladly would, as would any who fight for her.”
There was a longer pause. The form grew blurry and various voices of the demon's shapes could be heard rambling in their own monologues. “I have killed one monarch of Romitu already”, it said eventually, pulling its elements back together. “Yet you still persist in being a thorn in my side. I will happily kill this one too. Send your presumptive Queen forward. Perhaps the sight of her dying will teach you your place in the world.”
Coral dipped the standard in acknowledgment, turned on his heel and marched back. The demon began to slowly lumber forward. A wave of murmurs ebbed over the armies assembled just short of the gate. The vanguard of the 9th stood foremost, a little straighter and more alert, anxiously watching, weapons to the ready. There was silence amongst the Queen's guard and assembled mages immediately surrounding her. The Queen herself stood motionless watching Coral as he closed the last of the distance to her.
“You can't do this”, he said, breathless.
“I can't not do this”, she said, now looking past him, to the demon.
“We still haven't got an effective offense strategy”, said Devonshire. “But we'll give you what defensive magic we can. Unless that violates the spirit of single combat.”
Jesca shrugged. “I offered a battle of champions. To meet what force it presents with our own equivalent. It’s got hundreds of souls, it can't fight single combat. As far as I'm concerned, it's me, my guard, you mages, and the entire 9th vanguard. If I fall, that's the argument to use to draw it out and cover the withdrawal of the rest.”
“Let me do this”, said Coral, as the mages each traced patterns in Jesca's armor and lay on her their spells. “You are not expendable.”
“Neither was General Scioni”, said Jesca. “Yet we've managed without him.” Her teeth rattled as the magic took hold. “If I fall, someone will have to quickly move to lead them.” She looked directly at him. “Someone who isn't afraid of stepping forward when asked.” Coral looked at her, eyes wide, shaking his head. She turned her eyes back to the demon. “I know you will rise to the occasion, when required. As I must.”
With a nod of her head she snapped her faceplate into place. She shifted her shield forward to an easy grip. She flexed her hand and drew her sword clear of the scabbard and rested it on her shield. Without another word she strode forward in a smooth gait before the army. Tens of thousands of eyes watched her, tired, apprehensive, elated, anxious, and all other emotions in the spectrum. After a moment of silence, Coral's hoarse voice shouted out “Romitu!” The tension that had been wound tight was suddenly released and tens of thousands of throats screamed “Romitu!” in reply. Weapons beat on shields, boots stamped the ground, armor rattled and hands clapped. The noise rivaled the incessant rumble from the Demon.
Red Queen Page 39