by Eric Vall
“I can do that,” Aurora assured me as she took the two rolls of parchment.
“Everyone remember the drill?” I checked.
“We’ll meet you at the market,” Shoshanne said with a sly grin.
I used my metal powers to restore my sentries’ spent magazines before I kissed each of my women, but when I turned to head toward the market, the women immediately broke out in a volley of whistles.
Then I rolled my eyes as they cat-called me all the way down the lane, and I could still hear them urging me to take my pants off when I got to the barbican of the marketplace.
“That’s professional,” I muttered, and Stan shrugged.
After that send off, though, I wasn’t even bothered by the tumult I walked into at the center of town, and I just nodded to myself as I prepared to brace my weight. Then Stan hunkered down in my vest pocket, and I shoved my way through the throng of pissed off soldiers while most of the people I passed were too worked up to notice they were throttling a head of the Order between them.
Belligerent dwarves stood on tabletops to shout at the ogres, and while the ogres roared in the faces of elves, I could tell the stoic warriors were determined not to flinch. My armored Defenders scowled at attention as they were shoved back and forth in the crowded square, and at the center of it all, my generals stood on the fountain’s edge while Haragh held his triple-striker flail propped up on one shoulder.
“Ye’ look better,” the half-ogre hollered as he caught my arm to haul me out of the crowd. “Not at all crazy-eyed.”
I grinned as I looked out on the chaos surrounding us. “Yeah, I’ve got this.”
“You sure?” Kurna snorted. “I’ve been trying for ten minutes to get anyone’s attention.”
“Give it another couple minutes,” I said with a shrug, and I crossed my arms while I let my allies be as pissed off with each other as they wanted. “Did you get those rosters finished?”
“Aye,” Haragh replied. “The Defenders all know where they’re goin’, and I gave General Kralok and Grot the numbers ye’ asked for so they could divvy up their lot. The elves are on you, though. Just sneered at me when I tried talkin’ to ’em.”
“Deya will take care of them,” I assured the man. “Did the trains arrive?”
“Yes, sir,” Urn said with a nod. “Bagneera’s set to take the Nalnoran troops to Howleigh, and the dwarves’ engine arrived ten minutes ago to bring the others to Orebane. The train to Serin’s waiting outside town until the station clears, and I already confirmed it’s got enough space to fit Cayla’s army as well.”
“What are their travel times?” I asked.
“Bagneera’s set on reaching Howleigh within the hour,” Kurna told me. “The dwarves say it’ll take two hours to reach the peak near Vasdor, and once the Army of Eyton is loaded, it’s only thirty minutes to the Willis station.”
“What about ammunition?” I checked.
“Fully stocked in every direction,” Haragh assured me. “Should be more than enough to get us by.”
“Perfect.” I nodded as I pulled the last few rolls of parchment from my back pocket. “These are the mappings you should work from once you reach the tunnels. Gauge the terrain against the portal locations and organize everyone to your best advantage.”
“Yes, sir,” Kurna said with a grin as he grabbed his instructions.
“I’ll be joining you all once you reach your destinations to make sure everyone’s set,” I assured the generals.
“If we reach our destinations alive,” Haragh muttered, and he eyed the crowd with a wary expression.
Tensions were rising in the square as a few more fights broke out, and while my Defenders did a decent job of remaining at attention, I could tell they were resisting the urge to summon their powers and go off on everyone.
Then the ground began to rumble, though, and the elves were the first of my allies to go rigid where they stood. A few of them attempted to make a break for it while the rest of the troops looked around in confusion, but before anyone could flee, my four women strolled beneath the barbican.
The crowd throttled down and parted as soon as Cayla’s icy gaze scanned the market, and she had an AR-15 in each hand as she led the others. I smirked when I saw Aurora had the two flails propped up on her shoulders for this, and Shoshanne shuffled three shuriken between the fingers of her left hand while she held a loaded pistol in the other. Deya had the bow I made her hooked over her shoulder while Halcyan blades framed her little belly bump on either side, and even though she was eating yet another burger when she entered the market, she still looked scary as hell when her violet eyes shot toward the elven warriors.
Then all ten Boms rolled in behind my elf, and as they branched out to line the walls of the market, I silently ordered them to barricade everyone inside as my women filed into place beside me and my generals.
Chapter 17
Most of the soldiers turned to me as a fearful silence settled over the market, but a good amount couldn’t take their eyes off the hulking machines who loomed around the perimeter with their rifles across their chests. Several others were torn between admiring my women’s scant attire or eyeing their weaponry with growing concern, but I waited another minute for everyone to recollect themselves before I raised my voice to address them.
“First off,” I began, “I’d like to thank you all for coming to our aid. I know the banding together of our regions has never taken place in the past, and despite how unconventional this has all been, you’ve kept your alliance admirably. I know we’re all struggling to adjust, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your willingness to work together.”
I could tell by the way the soldiers’ glowers darkened that they knew as well as I did how unwilling they really were, but I continued without dwelling on the issues we’d been experiencing over the last day.
“The time’s come to change up the way we’re handling the threat of the Master,” I told the crowd. “For months, all of our regions have been enduring his attacks, suffering the loss of our comrades, and scrambling to keep up with his advances, but that ends now. With the strength of our combined armies, we can deliver an attack capable of knocking him down more than few pegs, and thanks to our persistence, we finally have the chance to show this bastard who he’s been fucking with all this time.”
The ogres immediately roared with approval at my words, and even though the dwarves glared at the green beasts, they did their best to outdo them as they shouted and banged the staves of their maces against the tables. The elves only narrowed their serpentine eyes, but I could tell by the hint of bloodlust I saw on their faces that I had their attention more fully now.
So, I waited for the crowd to settle down since they weren’t screaming at each other for once, and I caught a few smug grins from my Defenders while they eyed my allies with more approval.
“You’ve all been informed of your stations by now,” I continued once the market went quiet again, “but let me be clear about how we are proceeding from this point forward. While I respect the authority of your rulers, Elders, and heads of Houses, in this upcoming attack, we are working as a collective. That means, you will all be expected to answer to the primary generals leading the fight at each tunnel. Any deviation could result in the mass slaughter of our own troops, and anyone acting against the orders of those leading their advances will put us all at a greater risk.”
Several grumbles of disagreement broke out in the crowd, and the elves eyed the ogres with disgust while the dwarven general exchanged a few conspicuous glances with his soldiers that I didn’t like the look of. Still, I didn’t harp on about the subject since I knew no one would come to an easy understanding, and I ordered my Boms to cock their charging handles instead.
Silence fell immediately as all eyes raked across the machines barricading us inside the market, and I nodded now that I had everyone’s attention again.
“The metal soldiers you see around you are my personal fleet of Boms,” I t
old the crowd. “They’ll be serving at the frontlines with us, and they’re programmed to act in the best interest of us all. That doesn’t only apply to taking down the Master’s army, though. Anyone acting against the good of our collective forces will be seen as a threat by these machines. So, I’d advise you to set your differences aside, and remember what it is we’re all doing here. Not only have your leaders entrusted you to do justice to their alliances, but I’ve summoned you here because I admire and appreciate the individual strengths all of you possess, and I’m counting on your abilities to see us through this. We all are, actually.”
Grot pounded his chest in agreement, and as his soldiers grunted his name in one, grating bark, the dwarven general scowled deeper and adjusted his hefty armor.
“Now, the troops stationed at the Rausch Loch tunnel in Orebane will be under the leadership of Defender Solana,” I said as I gestured to Aurora. “Those heading to the valley of Vasdor will answer to General Dorinick of the Arms of Aurum. Both of your platoons will be joined by one hundred and fifty dwarven soldiers to aid in your efforts as well, but be prepared for the harsher elements of the north. Conditions will be frigid, and when I scouted these tunnels, the winds were coming in at about thirty miles per hour up there. My mages will do all they can to counter the more challenging conditions you’ll be working in, but take all of this into consideration when the time comes to attack.”
I could see a ripple of fear in the crowd when I said this, but as I realized several of the nervous soldiers were looking at Aurora, it occurred to me they were more worried about being near my Ignis Mage than surviving the mountain climate.
This worked for me, though, so I tried not to grin as I motioned to the generals on my other side.
“The troops heading for Nalnora will be under the command of Generals Urn, Haragh, and Kurna,” I continued. “However, you’ll be joining with the elven warriors of House Quyn and House Fehryn when you get there, and you’ll be expected to answer to the leaders of both armies as well. Not only do Rhys and Dragir both have experience fighting the Master’s forces, but they know more about the dangers of the jungle than any of you, and they’ve offered to protect our troops in the five-hour crossing to the tunnels. Heed their warnings, and you should survive. As a general rule, though, don’t touch anything except the ferns if you can help it. Some of the plant life is carnivorous.”
The elven warriors snorted at the anxious mutterings of the other soldiers, but Grot’s grin only got wider, and I could tell he was chomping at the bit for some jungle action.
“The rest of you will be travelling south to the tunnel of Illaria, and you’ll be under the command of General Balmier,” I announced.
I couldn’t even continue as the soldiers stationed in the south immediately rose up with complaints, and Cayla smirked with pride as they flat out refused to go near her.
“Hey, do as you’re told, and you’ve got no cause for concern,” I chuckled as they carried on. “Once the Master’s forces show up, you’ll be thanking the gods you’ve got her with you.”
The Defenders nodded in immediate agreement as they eyed the princess, and while the elves shifted uncomfortably at the sight of Cayla’s two rifles, Deya couldn’t contain her giggles over the uproar she caused. The princess just shrugged without concern, though, and as everyone continued grumbling here and there, she sent me a wink from the corner of her eye.
“That being said,” I continued with a grin, “you’ll be travelling south to Willis station along with all two hundred of General Balmier’s soldiers, and you’ll join with the knights of Rainard upon your arrival. The landscape down there will be the least challenging, but you’ll have less advanced weaponry overall, and fewer mages. So, keep your focus sharp, don’t let up, and above all, assist your allies in the fight. I’ll be travelling between the tunnels by dragon to lend to the efforts across the regions, and our head healer, Shoshanne, will be doing so as well to assist in recovering the injured out in the field. We don’t know how long it’ll be before the Master unleashes his army through these tunnels, but no matter how long it takes, we will remain alert. Stick with your platoon at all times, and remember, my machines are on your side so long as you’re on ours.”
My Defenders broke out into raucous applause as my generals chuckled with approval, and as the deafening roars of the ogres rebounded off the walls of the marketplace, the dwarves settled for clanging their swords against their shields to try and drown them out.
Deya kept a sharp eye on the elven warriors who remained stock still, and when I sent her a nod, she hopped down to be sure the elves understood the terms of their service. Then she pulled out a pistol as she neared them, and I knew she definitely had their undivided attention.
“My generals will be directing you to the proper trains to get to your posts!” I hollered above the din. “You’ll find provisions already awaiting you on board. Other than that… all I can say is stay sharp and get ready to slaughter some possessed assholes. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride.”
More cheers broke out as I motioned for my generals to take over, and then I helped my women down from the ledge while the sea of soldiers parted to avoid pissing any of them off. I could tell by the many anxious glances my machines were getting that everyone was waiting for me to dismiss the sentries, but I didn’t.
I left them right where they were as I headed under the barbican with my women in tow, and I sent the Boms their instructions to board their respective trains once my allies were loaded up.
I was glad to hear the soldiers were more focused on preparing to depart now that I’d laid everything out for them, and as Deya trotted to join us further down the lane, she let out a cheery sigh.
“Did you handle the elves alright?” I asked.
“Yes,” the beautiful pink-haired woman assured me. “They are all aware my brother will hunt them down and skin them alive regardless of what house they serve if they betray our allegiance.”
I slowed my pace as I cocked an eyebrow. “I asked you to translate, not threaten their lives.”
“No, you said to handle the situation with the elves,” Deya corrected. “So, I did. I still don’t know what that silly rune of my brother’s was for, but no one except us knows it was removed, so once I alluded to his rune, they all focused a lot better.”
“Oh, shit,” Aurora snickered, and we all chuckled at the thought because Dragir’s blood-boiling rune was one of the more terrifying types of assaults we’d come across in the last few months. “That’s probably the best way you could have handled them.”
“Will you please just tell me what his rune was for?” the beautiful elf sighed. “I hate secrets, and you’re not allowed to keep them from me!”
“Actually, we are,” Cayla snorted. “Not only because we gave Dragir our word, but because you kept a pretty huge secret from us for way too long. It’s only fair, you sexy little sneaky sneak.”
Deya blushed on the spot as we glanced at her belly bump, and she promptly looped her arm in mine.
“I love you so much,” the elf purred as she batted her pink lashes. “Have I told you that today? And you look so handsome when you address your troops. I almost swooned three times.”
“Me, too,” Shoshanne muttered as she bit her lip. “I liked the part where you made the sentries cock their rifles.”
“Mmm, yeah, that was a nice touch,” Cayla moaned. “By the way, since the troops are getting loaded up, maybe we have a few spare minutes to cock Mason’s rif--”
“Nooo,” Aurora groaned. “You already got dragon sex today, so focus! We need to get our weapons finalized, feed the eels, and decide how long we should wait at our posts before we panic about where Mason is.”
I chuckled as the mansion came into view. “Well, the eels already ate the corpses from the battle this afternoon, so no worries there. As far as panicking goes, I’m gonna advise we remain calm at all costs. It’s probably safer for everyone involved if we don’t worry so much about each
other, and focus on leading our troops to victory instead.”
“I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything,” Aurora muttered. “I was so sure I could lead the fight at Rausch Loch with no problem until you made the announcement. Then I just felt hot all at once, and my vision tunneled.”
“Hey, you’ve got this,” I assured her gently. “I don’t doubt for a second that you’ll--”
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Aurora snorted, “it’s how far away you’ll be from me. How am I supposed to kill anyone who tries to harm you if I’m not there?”
“Exactly.” Cayla nodded. “That’s the only issue I’m facing at the moment.”
“That’s… not even close to the biggest issue we’re facing,” I muttered, but my women didn’t seem to even hear me.
“My first instinct was to tie him to the bed so he can’t go to war at all,” Aurora said while she tapped her chin, “but maybe I could get Big Guy to contain him instead.”
I furrowed my brow when I realized the half-elf was serious, and as my other women joined in on the discussion, the conversation just took off like I wasn’t standing right here.
“No, Big Guy’s made of metal, Mason can easily escape him,” Cayla reminded Aurora. “But you may be onto something with tying him down. He can’t light ropes on fire, so that’s an option.”
“A little uncomfortable, but containment does seem safest,” Shoshanne mused. “When you consider how many allies we have, plus Mason’s Boms, how necessary is it that he risks his life, even if he is fine with the idea?”
“Not necessary at all,” Deya decided, and she ignored the bewildered look I sent her.
“Yeah, he’s sacrificed plenty for the good of others,” Aurora added. “Nulena always says Mason’s too valuable to put himself into danger for these pathetic swine, and the more I think about it, the more I think she’s absolutely right.”