This time he was wearing articulated plate armor that had been created for him. He had requested it be in black, but it looked like Bastion had overridden him. Instead of black, it was the color of smoke. It resembled Matek’s natural coloring, and Shale had matching attire. Serena had eschewed the armor completely. Her more Saurian form meant that it was more a hindrance than a help. Slate would take hid off as soon as they started moving—the plate didn’t lend itself to subtlety or flight. It wasn’t particularly heavy or encumbering, a myth of medieval plate that Slate had discovered. Still, the Mystics had yet to figure out how to make the armor transform with his Camouflage Hide, and when Slate had asked Fidem for a bit of divine intervention, the man had laughed him out of the Crystal Cathedral.
Slate wanted to address the troops before they went their separate ways, which was why the Scourge leadership found themselves on the exterior battlements of Bastion before their army. The Vallyr high lord that had previously ruled the city had wisely mandated that the farmland surrounding the town could not touch the city walls so that the proximity of the land wouldn’t compromise their security and that was where the army marshaled now. There were close to five hundred members of the Scourge spread before Slate, and he reflected on how large the Scourge had become. He now had more members of the Scourge than he had previously had Guardians. There wouldn’t be a single Guardian going with them this time to ensure the force’s speed and agility. The Guardians were swifter than a normal force, but they still couldn’t match the Scourge on the hunt. The Scourge all could transition to a four-legged gait that ate up the miles.
The only thing that would slow them on this particular journey were the pack animals that Sumnu and Matek had decided were necessary. When Slate had asked why, Sumnu had said that their forces would need food to consume in between hunts. Slate, Shale, and now Sumnu did not need sustenance, subsisting off of the ambient mana in the environment, but the rest of the Scourge hadn’t developed the ability yet. Once they did so, many of the logistical concerns that faced an army would cease to exist. Additionally, the various metalsmiths, armorers, and blacksmiths within the city had produced different armor for each of the Scourge. They wore light, dusk-colored gambesons with more traditional Guardian-style plates over them. They weren’t sewn into the fabric like Slate’s own. Slate figured the additional time and cost wasn’t worth the effort. Sumnu’s explanation was more than evident to Slate. He was used to thinking about such concerns on his world, but for some reason, everything in Somnium felt more…fantastic. Sometimes things like logistics, supplies, and replenishment seemed like problems that magic should have been able to solve long before Slate arrived.
The material would be useful as temperatures plummeted, and winter came into full effect. The Scourge tended to run warmer than the common species in Somnium. However, at the lowest temperatures, they would still be vulnerable to the kind of exposure that could destroy an entire army before they met the enemy. However, the pack animals would also need to carry the Scourge’s armor. Thankfully, they didn’t use any weapons beyond their natural ones, so that was one less concern for them.
Slate readied himself to speak to the forces before him. This would be the first time that he tried to use the Scourgemind to talk to so many of the Scourge at once. That’s why he had chosen to situate himself above them on the walls. Besides the apparent symbolism of his positioning, if the Scourgemind didn’t work the way he wanted to, he would still be able to project his voice enough to address them.
We are the Scourge, he began. As he spoke, he began to conjure images of the various classifications of the Scourge and their different strengths. He projected the mighty Raiders and his memories of them ripping down the walls of Standur with their bare hands and fire. Next, he summoned images of the Lurkers and how they hunted down members of the Cult of the Leech within the city of Bastion. He highlighted the moment that a Lurker plunged her tail into the back of one of the saboteurs before he launched deadly magic aimed at one of her own. He was able to recreate the feeling of exhilaration and the taste of the cultist’s blood as the Lurker consumed him. After that, he showed them images of the Enticers walking among the Faithful in Bastion. He showed them healing the sick, blessing the farmer’s fields, and banishing rot from stored goods in the harbor. Finally, he showed them the Mystics high above the city in their Starlight Arcanum. They felt as the new group of Mystics worked their magic to strengthen the aurora of color that spread above the city even now. Each member of the Scourge felt these collective memories as if they were experiencing them one more time. For some, they were already their memories. For others, they had a new appreciation for the various classes of the Scourge.
Slate continued his speech as the memories faded away, As we stand here, an army is approaching the city of Bastion. He projected images of nefarious black-coated forces with darkened mail and shadowed faces. It wasn’t their faces that he wanted to portray, but the thought of them pillaging their way through the countryside. They seek to uproot us and corrupt our city. At this, he sent them memories of the soul-forged wraiths that fought them in the streets of Bastion. He shared with them the exploding creatures of Standur. He focused on their twisted, disgusting forms, and their amethyst eyes glowing in the darkness.
They seek to burn down our people and our homes. Images of the Vallyr tower trying to attack Shale and him as they flew around the city, scouting it from the air. He kept the tension up within the Scourgemind as he gave them a flood of images of the broken and bloody corpses that were in the top level of the Vallyr citadel in Bastion. The Scourge were no longer their pure mortal selves. They were bloodthirsty, savage creatures that wouldn’t shy away from the gore and the death that battle would offer. They were unique from a historical perspective, Slate knew. Since World War I on the planet Earth, soldiers had been resistant to the idea of taking another human life. Scientists and historians had been able to reliably prove that people mainly died in warfare not because of aimed weapons fire from an enemy, but because of bad luck and quantity of ammunition fired in a particular direction. After all, quantity was a quality unto itself. His Scourge didn’t have that problem, that frailty of human sentimentality. They were as cold and as ruthless as the Scion that led them.
We leave today in two directions. Some of you will move under the command of my Paramour. Your mission will be to savage and harry the Vallyrian army as it marches for Bastion. You will be responsible for slowing their progress, confounding their efforts to recruit and reinforce, and send as many of them to the Between—where they deserve to dwell for all eternity—as you possibly can.
Slate paused to see the effect of his statement. He could feel the tribal sentiment building in the Scourge. Slate was painting an us-versus-them narrative. It was one of the most effective ways to get a group of people moving in one direction. He needed to show them what they were doing, why it was necessary, and how they were going to do it. As long as he showed them that, they would be willing to follow the plan even when things were going against them.
The rest of you will follow me. We are bound for the Collective city of Koral. As some of you may know, Koral resides to the east of us. It is a port city close to the Collective border. We suspect that we’ll have to deal with the Collective and maybe some Ignatum Imperial forces. The Empire hasn’t shown any aggression toward the Scourge as of yet, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t. Next, he showed them images of the Imperial ambassador and replayed some of his memories with Matek and their discussions about the Imperial threat to the north.
While Koral exists, it represents a strategic threat to the Scourge and the people of Bastion. We intend to claim that city for the Scourge and for Lucidus. Once we remove the danger to our flanks, we can return to Bastion and destroy the Collective army that would dare threaten our borders. Slate rode the waves of pride and anger that suffused the Scourgemind. Some were fighting for Lucidus. Slate could feel the sentiment coming from the Enticers, especially. Some of
the Scourge were fighting for honor and glory. The Raiders seemed to fall under that category. Some were fighting for the challenge. That was the case with the Lurkers. Some were merely curious about what their actual abilities were. The last case was reserved for the Mystics.
Slate noticed, most of all, that the Scourge finally felt like an army. They felt like more than the sum of their parts. A great general from his world had called the effect “social synergy.” It was the impetus behind every action on the battlefield that lent itself to a more lethal fighting force. Each piece of the Scourge had an integral role to play. They weren’t as specialized as the forces that Slate was accustomed to commanding, but they resembled the main roles that were present in role-playing and tabletop games. When he had been researching the topic to relate to his daughter, he had discovered the classes and thought them quaint. Now that he was looking at fantasy-made-reality, he reflected that there was nothing quaint about them. The Mystics alone were the equivalent of heavy artillery. They launched massive fireballs and meteors that were the equivalent of magic mortars. He knew that as they evolved, their arcane might would only grow in scope and destructive potential. His Lurkers were more effective at delivering covert strikes than any special operations group, and his Raiders were front-line warriors that were truly frightening in their strength and intensity. When all of them were bolstered by the Enticers that could heal their wounds magically and put them back in the fight quickly or disrupt enemy lines better than any deception operations campaign, the Scourge were an effective army.
Slate recognized that he would need to become a better commander to utilize them to their maximum potential. No one was born a leader. Some people were born blessed with traits that would make them better leaders, but it was a skill every bit taught as anything else. Slate had always scoffed at the idea of ordinary people being transported across time and space and placed suddenly in charge of vast numbers of people, only to excel. It seemed that every fantasy movie, book, or comic made regular people into superheroes and advanced tacticians. In the real world, that was a fantasy, any skill, whether it was leadership or strategy, required practice, and constant refinement. Without training, today’s expert tactician became tomorrow’s fool. Intelligence men died in battle; fools died even faster. Slate knew that if he hadn’t built his numbers slowly and hadn’t had the advantage of the Scourgemind, he could have easily lost control of the Scourge. Loss of control was something he didn’t accept very well.
Today, he paused dramatically. We march. His last words were simple, almost anticlimactic, but they held a wealth of meaning. When layered with the rest of his communication through the Scourgemind, they became more than words. They were a call to action. This was a righting of wrongs and a holy mission all at once. As his last words died away in the Scourgemind, various orders began to issue forth on other channels. If Slate wanted to, he could listen in, but it wasn’t necessary. His advisors had passed the necessary instructions before he had even addressed the warriors. Previously, the Scourge had been arrayed by their classes, but now he saw them breaking into small groups and splitting into two separate directions. Satisfied, the Scion turned to his advisors. He switched channels so that only those nearby could hear his words.
This will be the first time that I am intentionally splitting the army. He sighed out loud. It didn’t end well the last time. We lost men and women that were dear to us. He met the unflinching gaze of Lynia. I want you all to realize that we may lose people this time too. He swung his gaze so that he could meet the gaze of each leader individually. Your jobs are first to complete your mission. Second, make sure as many of our people make it back to this city alive as possible. We’ll need every single one in the coming days and the coming wars. His advisors nodded to show they understood. They needn’t say anything. They all knew the stakes. They had been with him for the planning of this campaign, and they would see it through.
Slate turned to look at Shale. Are you ready? He asked.
She gave him a small smile. I have to be. We need to accomplish this for the Scourge and for Lucidus. She took his hands and pressed them to her lips while looking deeply into his eyes. Thank you for trusting me with part of your army. I will crush the Collective and then join you for the final assault. You needn’t fear. I’ll bring them back to you intact, and I’ll make sure we leave a mountain of Vallyr corpses behind. She gently let go of his hands and looked behind him, where Serena stood, guarding him.
Shale’s smile at Slate turned feral when turned upon Serena. Take care of him, or that won’t be the only corpse I find.
She didn’t allow Serena to reply before leaping off of the battlement and snapping open her wings. With a thought, she activated her Aspect of Cleansing Flame and rocketed toward the forces assembling to the west of the city. Slate watched her go with a measure of regret. Outside of Merus, Shale had been the earliest to join his cause. It was distinctly odd to realize that she wouldn’t be coming with him.
Well, Lynia said. I don’t have the luxury of making such a dramatic exit, so I better leave, so the army doesn’t leave me behind. Her tone was annoyed yet amused. She took a running leap off of the wall. Slate watched as she hurtled to the ground. As she was about to hit bottom, his mana vision noticed a disturbance around Lynia, and a heated pocket of air cushioned her fall. She touched down on the ground gently.
That is a handy trick, he noted. He would have to try that the next time he was performing a similar acrobatic trick. Usually, he just let his joints absorb the impact. Her way seemed much less demanding.
Slate looked at Sumnu, Matek, and Fidem. I suppose we better leave as well, he noted, idly. The other three nodded and looked at the edge of the wall suspiciously.
We don’t have to jump, do we? Matek asked.
No, the women just like to show off, Sumnu answered him, amused. If we tried to do that, we’d probably break something — especially you, Matek. You look like you’re made out of old bird bones and linen. A fall from this height would probably shatter you to pieces, he joked.
Matek glared at Sumnu. All those muscles must have replaced the space between your ears, Sumnu. Lurkers can wipe the floor with a Raider any day of the week. All your kind is good for is picking up heavy things and putting them down in other places. Lucidus even gave you four arms so that you can better move furniture.
Slate laughed in spite of himself, and even Fidem, stuck up prick that he was, couldn’t help but smile. Seeing that he had lost the exchange, Sumnu threw a punch at Matek’s head. It was heavily telegraphed, and Matek dodged it easily. He turned the dodge into a backflip that took him over the side of the wall as well. The other two men watched as he used his claws to scamper down the side of the wall as if it were level ground.
Fuck that, Sumnu stated definitely. I’m taking the fucking stairs, like a normal person. He looked over at Fidem for support.
Indeed, the latter replied and made toward the stairs cut into the wall.
Meet you there, Slate said before launching himself off the wall as well. He opened his wings and left his other two companions standing on the wall. He quickly activated his Aspect of Cleansing Flame. The air was even colder than the ground, and he was already chilled. He could feel the armor he was wearing grow colder to the touch. It was just another reason he would be ditching it as soon as possible. He would prefer to evolve his Scaled Hide rather than wear stupid armor.
CHAPTER 09: THE ROCS ATTACK
MARCHING AWAY FROM the city was almost anticlimactic after Slate’s speech. There were approximately three hundred of the Scourge under Slate’s command, while two hundred, primarily Lurkers and Mystics, had gone with Shale. The Lurkers and the Enticers were distributed throughout the forces to provide support. Most of the Scourge were walking, reasonably quickly, but not so fast that they would outstrip the pack animals that they had brought along. Slate, Sumnu, Matek, and Fidem were in the center of the formation so that they could respond appropriately to a threat from any direction.
I just don’t understand why you didn’t allow me to stay back and run the city in your absence, my Lord. I get that you believe the forces need the experience, but why me? Yet again, Fidem was complaining about the mission to the collective groan of everyone else in the Scourgemind.
Slate gave the man a sidelong look. Fidem, are you always going to question my decisions? Is that what the Lord of Light has tasked you with doing?
The man looked startled, but then his features went stony. No, my Lord. Lucidus has tasked me with guiding you and the rest of the Scourge to her light. She knows you only have a passing familiarity with the rules, and she has sent me to make sure you follow them.
What rules? Matek drawled without actually looking interested.
Her rules, Fidem was as calm and placid as the surface of a lake. You would know what they were if you ever attended my sermons like you have been repeatedly asked to.
Ah, Matek said noncommittally. Why would I do that if I have you right here to explain them? At least here, I don’t have to suffer through your sermon without a means of escape. Isn’t that right, Sumnu?
The hulking man guffawed. Quite so, he said between laughs. Besides, have you seen the robe that Fidem wears when he gives his speeches? It looks like he had to rob four whores and a merchant to get all of the material. I’ve never seen a silver and gold peacock before, but I had to beat the males away from the front door of the cathedral! He began laughing uproariously at his joke, and Matek joined in at the Enticer’s expense. I’ve never seen them so aroused! Sumnu explained between gasps of laughing.
Yes, yes, very funny from our resident village idiots, Fidem sounded amusement. He looked and saw that Slate wasn’t laughing and thought that perhaps he was getting through to him. My lord, despite the antics of my brothers, there’s still time to send me back, I can manage Bastion in her Lady’s name far better than some ghost in the city.
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