Wild Wastes Omnibus

by Randi Darren

  “Guns aren’t as prevalent here. They’re coveted and treasured. Making them is almost a lost art, and the resources it takes are… outrageous,” Vince said. “The emperor is only the emperor because his family found an armory and had enough money to buy mercenaries.”

  Steve let out a slow breath.

  “This world is in turmoil. After seeing Yosemite, I can definitely understand why everyone there guards the city so ferociously.

  “Legion will happily be your ally in this.”

  “Red does not know what Legion is,” Red said.

  The Wardens were already opening up again, their second set of cannisters draining as they simply held their triggers down.

  “Legion. It’s… Felix’s company. Outfit. Business. We’re Legionnaires in the Legion,” Steve said.

  “Red thinks she understands,” said the Beastkin.

  Turning as one as their rifles stopped firing, the Wardens began to move backward.

  Each weapon had a light that went from red to blue near the trigger.

  “The color denotes the trigger selector. They’re all moving to plasma blasts for now, since the enemy will come away from the wall,” Steve said.

  Vince looked back to the Tri-lliance soldiers.

  Apparently, the Wardens backing up gave them courage. As if they’d emptied their weapons and were preparing to retreat.

  Lizardmen began to strike themselves with their spears, then set off at a furious pace for the Wardens.

  Tri-lliance regulars weren’t as quick to follow. They arranged themselves into skirmish lines and began to move forward, their shields up in front of themselves.

  Grabbing the hilt of his weapon, Vince wanted to charge in and fight his enemies.

  “This isn’t your time or place,” Blue said, wrapping her hand around his. “Let them do their job. You told me once that you suffered for that very problem.”

  Glancing down at his mangled left hand, Vince couldn’t help but agree with her. He had indeed suffered for not letting people do their jobs.

  Looking back to the Wardens, he watched as they all fired at the same time.

  A line of bright-blue balls of plasma whipped across the field.

  Vince could see the effect directly this time.

  The Lizardmen that were hit simply disintegrated from the waist up. Those next to them ended up losing whatever parts of their body the plasma splashed over.

  Moving backward at a steady pace, the Wardens continued to simply pour fire into the ranks of their enemies.

  “This is a slaughter,” Blue said.

  “Let’s hope it’s over soon. It takes a bit to recharge those cannons if we overuse them,” Steve said.

  ***

  Vince skewered a wounded Lizardman. Twisting his blade as he pulled it out, he looked to the glowing-edged weapon.

  Magnificent.

  He’d never need to sharpen it, and the spine of the blade was soft enough it could absorb even the mightiest of chops.

  Glancing down to the Lizardman to make sure it was dead now, he nodded.

  Moving to the next one a few feet away, he stabbed it through the heart and again twisted the blade as he pulled it out.

  “Is this really necessary?” Eva asked.

  “Very. They’d not surrender if you gave them the chance, and they’d try to kill you if you gave them medical assistance,” Vince explained even as he stabbed a Lizardman who was gasping for breath on the ground. “They’re the mindless shock troops of the Tri-lliance. There’s no middle ground for them.

  “Which is why your goodie-goodie over there is dealing with the human soldiers.”

  Eva’s eyes flicked over to where Steve was handling the surrendered Tri-lliance human soldiers, then back to Vince.

  “And you really think not approaching the garrison yet is the best idea? It seems a little unfriendly,” Eva said.

  “This world is not yours. It is one of violence, anger, and fear. Very little of it is soft or nice anymore. I will give them the courtesy of time to decide how they’d like to respond, before I force them to,” Vince said. Then he stabbed another Lizardman and ripped the blade free. “Besides, I’m running out of these.”

  A Lizardman was lifting its hands to Vince, pleading for its life.

  Moving in closer to the vile creature, he hesitated.

  Abnormal. What’s going on here…

  “Now, see? He wants to surrender,” Eva said. Moving over to the Lizardman, she got too close for Vince’s comfort.

  He grabbed her by a shoulder and shoved her violently backward.

  Just in time—as the tail of the Lizardman slashed through the air where Eva had been.

  “Stupid fool,” Vince cursed, then lunged forward with his blade. The tip slipped easily into the Lizardman’s chest and through his lungs.

  Turning the blade viciously as he extricated it, Vince looked back to Eva.

  She lay flat on the ground, leaning back on her arms.

  Her eyes were wide with fear.

  “Are you that stupid? Did you not hear a word I said?” he asked in a growl.

  “I’m-I’m-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Uncle,” Eva stammered.

  “You scared me. I’m not mad at you. Just… scared,” Vince grumbled. Lifting his sword, he pointed it at Blue. “Maybe you should talk to the Dryads about what they have to prepare for before they set off into the Wastes. This is not a land of milk and honey.

  “This is a land of fire and swords.”

  “Yes, Uncle,” Eva said, her voice soft. She lowered her chin, apparently not wanting to meet his eyes.

  Sighing, Vince squatted down next to her and tentatively patted her on the head.

  “I’m sorry. You really did scare me. I wish this world had your sensibility for goodness, but it doesn’t. At least, not yet.

  “Maybe someday we’ll get there, but right now it’s a long way off.”

  Whatever was going on in her head seemed it had to do with more than what had just happened here.

  Lifting his eyes above Eva’s head, he managed to get Blue’s attention.

  Waving her over discreetly, he indicated Eva.

  “It’ll be alright,” he said, getting to his feet. Stepping to the side, he let Blue handle her. Then he headed for the garrison’s gate.

  Might as well get this over with. I’m just putting it off. They’ve had more than enough time to figure out what they want to do.

  Besides, this is a chance to get a free pass through the East.

  Sliding the blade into the sheath made specifically for it, Vince had to wonder if this was a good or bad idea.

  Crossing the wooded path and out into the field before the keep, he approached the gate with his hands raised.

  “Ho’ the gate!” he called.

  It only took a second for a head to rise up between the stone crenellations.

  An older gentleman with short white hair and a handlebar mustache, he looked weathered but not ancient.

  “Ho’ there. I’m not sure if I should call you friend or foe.”

  “My name is Vince, the lord and master of Yosemite. I’ve had peaceful relations with your people for years now, and I believe we’ve had fair trade throughout.

  “I came to see if we could determine the origin point of an army that headed into Yosemite.”

  The man hadn’t relaxed in the least after hearing who Vince was.

  If anything, he looked even more alert.

  His head vanished for a moment, and Vince began to wonder if he was going to have to run for cover.

  “My apologies, Lord Vince. We had no idea it was you in the field. We would have welcomed you in immediately had we known!” the man called. “A moment and we’ll have the gate opened, and bring you in forthwith before the enemy returns.”

  Looking back the way he’d come, Vince plotted the course the Wardens had taken.

  Ah. They don’t know the rest of the Lizardmen aren’t coming back.

  “They won’t,” Vince sai
d, looking back to the other man. “The Tri-lliance, that is. We killed them.

  “Your siege isn’t just broken but destroyed.”

  The man at the wall didn’t respond, just stared at Vince uncomprehendingly.

  “You destroyed them?” he finally asked.

  “To a man. Though we did take some prisoners and would be delighted to hand them over to you for interrogation.

  “We won’t be able to carry them with us on our departure.”

  “I… yes. Yes! We could do that. Of course we could,” the man said. “Will you be leaving soon?”

  “As soon as you take the prisoners, honestly. We planned on heading south.”

  “Ah! Yes. That makes sense. I’ll provide you with some documentation of what occurred here, and a report if you don’t mind.”

  “A report?”

  “For the king! He’s south of here in the siege of Nashville.”

  “Oh,” Vince said.

  Well, that’ll get me an audience with the one man who could probably let me wander all over his kingdom without a concern in the world.

  “I don’t mind taking those items at all. I was a Ranger before this,” Vince said with a grin.

  “I thought I recognized you. I think you turned over dispatch bags up north of here a few times.”

  “That I did. Now, about that paperwork,” Vince said with a smile, letting his hands fall to his sides.

  “Yes, yes, of course. My name is Fred and this is my fort, held in defense of my King Richard,” the man said and then vanished from view.

  “Alright,” Vince said, turning back towards the tree line

  He made a hand gesture for everyone to remain where they were.

  There was no sense in revealing more of what he had with him, if he didn’t have to.

  Waiting as patiently as he could, Vince could hear the ratchet and clank of gears and pulleys. The creaks and groans of things being pulled out of the way of the gate.

  Looking at it closely, Vince had the impression it’d received quite a bit of attention from the Tri-lliance.

  It was pitted, scarred, and in some places cracked.

  Might not even open. They could be trapped in there until they manage to knock it down from inside.

  “Ah, Lord Vince?” called Fred from the other side of the door.

  “Yes, I’m here,” Vince replied, wondering if his thoughts had just become reality.

  “I’m afraid we’re unable to get this blasted door open. My engineers tell me it’ll be at least a day,” said Fred, his voice sounding rather discouraged.

  “Hm. That’s quite a problem. I’m afraid I wanted to be away as quickly as possible,” Vince said, trying to keep his tone light but disappointed.

  Just tell me you’ll give me those forms anyways, and I’ll be on my way. I didn’t want to stay here long anyways.“I’ll have the papers dropped over the side of the wall for you. If… if that’s ok?” Fred asked.

  “That’s not a problem at all. I’ll be on my way as soon as I retrieve them. I’ll be sure to give my kind thanks for your assistance to the king for granting me such an easy way to gain an audience with him,” Vince said.

  And he meant it, too. A letter from a garrison commander along with a report about their disposition would go a long way to getting him front and center with the king.

  ***

  Vince, Blue, and Steve passed by countless guards, all dressed in the brown-and-green armor of the eastern kingdom.

  Ahead of them, a liveried man seemed more the part of a steward or butler than anything.

  He was leading them straight to the king, after Vince had presented his credentials.

  “What’s the name of the kingdom?” Steve asked as they walked down the street.

  “Can’t remember. I always just called it the eastern kingdom,” Vince said with a shrug. “Elysia usually handles it.”

  “You’re… not very good at this lord thing, are you,” Steve said. It wasn’t really a question.

  “No, I’m not. It’s why Elysia handles a lot of it. Her and Yaris.”

  “Vince is much more skilled as a fighter, lover, and father. His talent lies in binding people together,” Blue interjected.

  “His brother is the opposite,” Steve said. “Uh… dunno about the lover thing. Andrea, Adriana, and Lily don’t seem to be upset?”

  “Enough chatter,” Vince said. A large stone building had come into view ahead of them.

  Almost always the biggest building. Or the most defensible one, for some of us.

  I wonder which one Richard will be.

  They were escorted along at a sedate pace. There was no hurry, and no one in the camp seemed bothered by the presence of strangers.

  Petra would have smashed this whole place into shape in a day.

  The sudden thought of Petra was immediately followed by Ramona. And then Karya, Daphne, and Green.

  Wincing with a small shake of his head, Vince glanced to Blue.

  She seemed strong and stoic. The burns that had covered her had healed perfectly, and she seemed as if nothing were wrong.

  Vince knew better, though. Her personality had shifted rather drastically after Green died.

  As if she had to live for both of them.

  “His Highness King Richard waits for you inside,” said the steward, opening a door that led into the large stone building.

  Keeping his pace steady and unconcerned, Vince walked into what could very well be a trap.

  It took single look around himself after he’d crossed the threshold to realize he wasn’t going to have a problem here.

  Richard had two guards with him.

  That was it.

  There was no one else in the room at all.

  Dressed in fine clothes in the coloring of his kingdom, the king looked rather simple compared to the emperor in the west. He clearly had spent some money on his attire, but not an obscene amount.

  He was an older man in his fifties. Dark-brown hair with gray at this temples and in his chin-strap beard.

  His eyes were dark and narrow, but his face wasn’t unkind.

  The room itself mirrored its owner.

  It was a simple room, dressed well, but without superfluous objects.

  The primary decoration was a table in the center with a map on it, then several chairs, bookcases, a larger table that was probably for meals, and little else.

  It’s his war room.

  The man who coud only be Richard stood at the table, his head coming up from looking at the map.

  “Ah, Lord Vince,” he said. Walking over to Vince, he held his hand out. “I’m Richard. Please, call me Rich if you don’t mind.”

  Taking the other man’s hand in his own, Vince gave him a firm handshake.

  “Just call me Vince. No title needed. It was only gained because no one else wanted it,” Vince said honestly.

  Richard snorted at that and released Vince’s hand.

  “I’m sure there were many who wanted it.

  “Now, from what I was able to read from the report and the commission sent over, you broke the siege at Fort Clarksville, killed the enemy to a man, and then proceeded here,” Richard said. “That cover it?”

  “Mostly. The goal was left out though. I’d like to discover how two armies magically appeared to attack Yosemite,” Vince said.

  “Ah,” Richard said, his face giving away nothing. “I suppose that answers a few questions I had.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. That Yosemite isn’t behind this, for one,” Richard said in a deadpan voice.

  Chapter 17

  “Well, I can certainly promise you that,” Vince said. “Two armies and three dragons have come to Yosemite.”

  “Hm. Two armies and a single dragon, for us. Is that the extent of the armies in the land?”

  “One more to the southwest of Yosemite that seems to be a reserve. The last intelligence we got out of some captured soldiers was that the emperor himself has an army to deal with as well
, however.

  “This is a consolidated push, then. They want the whole of the land,” Vince said with a slow shake of his head.

  “Hmph, a pity for them,” Richard said, then held his hand out to the map. “Best we can tell, they arrived off the coast of Florida and marched north. A second army landed a week later near New York.

  “The first sacked Nashville, then hunkered down once we arrived. They seem content to let us siege them.

  “I imagine they’re hoping that second army they landed will arrive and assist them. A real pity they won’t be leaving New York anytime soon.

  “They’re being plagued by constant skirmishes and small-scale battles that are keeping them more or less pinned down.

  “My general reports that they can hold them there for at least six more months. More than enough time to starve them out of Nashville.”

  Vince nodded at that and looked at the map.

  “I have no eye for strategy. I can tell you a third army must have landed somewhere in the gulf,” Vince said, indicating the area. “Then moved up to the northwest to attack Yosemite. The rest all came up through old Mexico.”

  “Huh,” Richard said, stroking his chin with a hand. “Well, you’re welcome to explore the coast to the east, or the south, for their boats. We’ve seen sign of them, but never when they’re at anchor.

  “I’ll give you a writ that can attest to permission and a seal. All I ask is that you return it before you depart for Yosemite. I’d rather not destroy all the other seals to simply have them remade because you forgot to hand it back,” Richard said with a grin.

  Vince chuckled at that and nodded.

  “So where’d the dragon end up?” Vince asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

  The mere mention of a Dragon made him want to go fight it.

  They were the reason a Tri-lliance existed, after all.

  On top of that, he’d watched Ramona vanish into the horizon as a Dragon chased her. Trying to kill or eat her.

  Vince had a score to settle and already had one Dragon heart to his name.

  He wouldn’t mind the opportunity for another on his way to kill the Black Dragon.

  “Right here in Nashville,” Richard said, pointing at the city.

  Oh? I wonder if I could slip in and kill it. I bet I could.