Looking over the company he’d selected, Azrael pondered the maps again. Rheam was situated on a three-way crossroads, with a large stone bridge over the river Vorata. The river snaked – he smiled at his unintended mental joke – through large swaths of territory, with one oxbow notably close to the border.
One company – eight squads, ten troops each. Plus himself, his second and the command staff, ninety-four in total. Given the jungle’s unsavory effect on anything not born in it – and generally anything born in it that doesn’t pay attention – the river held a particular attraction to him. His overland course was not long, but he found his eyes consistently drawn back to the river. Six days on land, perhaps ten if the going got rough. Plus the circle-around was a tough spot to navigate without being spotted, so they’d have to get very, very clear of the town to avoid patrols.
But the river, that might just work. Most security around Rheam would probably focus on the bridge.
He handed off a missive to his halfwise, with instruction to bring his company leaders together. He then sat back and considered his options. Before long, the others gathered around the fire before his tent. Walking out to them, greeting each with a nod or a spoken word, he fished a few choice embers out of the fire and added them to his cup. Kaenig was there, somewhat impassive, an impressive bruise developing across the side of his face.
“You have been told we move soon. You have not been told why. I am to meet this afternoon with Mahar and the other commanders to present my plans. We are going on a forced march to attack a large town called Rheam. This holding is approximately ten days’ march from here.” The startled looks and mild grumbles were no surprise to him, and of less consequence.
“Hold your voices. We won’t be taking that long to get there. I intend to accelerate our trip, and spend a few days scouting before the reinforcements arrive. We are the scythe. They will be the grinders. Mahar has gifted me with the mission of decapitation while the others lead a full assault on the town.” As he spoke, he drew diagrams in the dirt with a stick.
“This is Rheam, this is the Vorata. There is a bridge…here…and the rest abuts jungle. I intend for us to get a very clear picture of this town before the assault takes place, but that will depend on how much time the other commanders will grant us. If they take a full ten days to reach the place, we will have plenty of time to reconnoiter, but if they spend the effort to arrive more quickly, we’ll be considerably more in the dark.”
“Here’s my plan – we shadow-walk to Rheam, which should bring our travel time to two days, less if some of you can work up a traveler’s chant, and should also reduce any problems we would otherwise encounter en route to the location. We settle in a distance away from the town, and perform scouting missions to determine how best to infiltrate the defenses and get a plan together on reaching the leadership. Once the others are in place, we coordinate our attacks using fetches.” He drew arrows and lines in the dirt by the fire to demonstrate his plans. “Thoughts? Suggestions?”
Kaenig leaned forward with a stick of his own. “What’s your plan for the infiltration?”
“We have several of us capable of stealth spells and general sneakiness, I was hoping we could get a street layout from them after we settle in and establish a campsite. Do you have ideas?”
“That’ll depend on the campsite. What’s that going to be like?”
“Well, we’re looking at jungle terrain, and I intend to have one of our ritualists throw a bloom to enclose us once we’re settled in. On a daily basis we’ll also have camouflage thrown at dawn to last us until evening. Never know when someone’s familiar might be flying through or over. They’re likely to have all forms of observation going, though being this far from the front we might not have to worry too much. I’ll be keeping us ready to move, if that’s a concern.”
“Yes, actually it was – the snakes are accomplished casters, even if the dragonborn aren’t. Do we have enough casters for Secure Shelter to house the entire company? I want to suggest we use a Shadow Bridge to send a squad across to stake out the town for a day from various positions while under a non-detection charm. They would simply observe, taking no action until their return to us the following night. After they establish the vulnerable points and return to us, we Shadow Bridge the entire unit across during the early morning hours prior to the attack, and two of us create rope trick shelters at strategic locations they will have given us. Once this is done, we spring out in a coordinated attack with the other companies after they start their assault.”
Azrael contemplated this for a moment. “Not bad – in fact, I’m inclined to substitute this for my original plan. We’d have to disguise the ropes, sludge them up properly, since they’d be exposed. That is, if we can get into the town and secure ourselves without detection. Do you have a plan for that?”
“That’s where the choice of location comes in handy, sir – we locate the ropes inside rain-barrels. Rheam is in a rain-forest, we have time and can wait for a proper storm to cover us as well as the camouflage and cover spells. We’ll all get a little wet, but the ropes will be inside the barrels, or perhaps storm-sewers, and unseen.”
“That’s…pretty ingenious, Kaenig. Good thinking. Make sure someone’s got a bit of drying powder handy for us all, though.” He pursed his lips and nodded. “This is good. It’ll be difficult to get into position, but if we can do so, we’ll already be inside when the attack begins. Anyone else got any contributions?”
No one did. After recording the plan and discussing a few more details with Kaenig, he tasked the lieutenant with retrieving focus materials and components for the rituals mentioned and several others. After issuing orders to reconvene at dusk, he set aside his maps. Confident that things were well underway, he headed back to the command tent.
As he approached, he recognized something was obviously wrong – there was too much activity going on around it. Runners of all sorts, halfwise and alkabeth (enslaved and branded humans) scurried around frantically, carrying messages of varying importance. Probably thirty or forty officers were clustered around the command facility.
Azrael pulled a captain he didn’t know aside. “What’s going on?”
“Not sure, sir. News of some sort of attack happening overnight in Vor Kragal. Someone said the Charspire has fallen.”
Stumbled by this new information, Azrael slipped between the clusters of chattering officers. Moving inside, he saw Mahar and his fellow commanders in a far corner, discussing something at the sand-table. He moved quickly over to join them, only moments later realizing that the hooded figure behind Mahar was Balenor. Bowing to the fiend, he saluted Mahar. “Sir, orders or briefing?”
Mahar looked up from the discussion he’d been having with the other commanders. “You’ve heard the news, then?”
“Yes, sir, Charspire was attacked last night?”
“Yes – that’s the best we know. The entire tower is in flames. We don’t yet know who is responsible, but from what Lord Balenor has been able to inform us, someone turned House Barikdral’s sponsor against them. At present we are assuming it was an Arkhosian bargaining with Orcus to establish this.”
“Sir, I don’t understand – how could this benefit Orcus at all?”
Balenor lifted his voice. “The motivations of the creature voicing the Prince of Undeath’s goals are confused at best. I would guess after two centuries, any number of reasons could have compounded to result in this. Barikdral was certainly among the most degenerate of the houses, so it might not have been much of a stretch. Still, if it was an intentional bargain that created this circumstance, such a betrayal would require a great sacrifice in blood, souls and flesh to convince him.”
Azrael nodded. “How does this affect us, sir?”
Mahar looked at him. “We will be accelerating our plans. If this is a prelude to a greater attack, I want to set them off-balance before the full brunt of it hits us, set them off-guard and make them think twice before whatever it is that is intended as a follow-up to this. The loss of House Barikdral represents a significant fraction of our upper leadership, maybe ten or fifteen percent. I can only imagine a follow-on attack would be in the offing to take advantage of the disorientation. If I can push forward, we might be able to forestall whatever plans they have and regain the initiative.”
As he related this, Mahar was looking around at the commanders. Balenor stood silent. Once the silence had stretched on a little bit, the devil stepped in and captured their attention with a hand held out and low. His fingernails, alternately glassy smooth or yellowed and cracked, held perfectly still.
“I feel it necessary to point this out. Barikdral dealt with denizens of the Abyss, not with my kind. Betrayal does not come lightly to me nor mine. In many cases, the agreements we enter into prevent it with full certainty. If any of you harbor doubts, be done with them. I will not hear of them, nor will I brook mention of them among your staff or troops. Let it be known that Barikdral brought this upon themselves with their choice of sponsor.” He looked around, calmly and grimly. Seeing no dissent among them, he stepped back to the side and out of the center of discussion.
Mahar nodded, satisfied. “All right. Our mission remains unchanged, the timeframe simply moved up. You should be ready to move tomorrow. Get your supplies ready and plot your paths. You leave tomorrow.”
Azrael was not happy with this timetable, but seeing little choice in the matter, accepted it. He huddled with the other commanders for a few moments, getting general ideas of how long they would take to travel. In the end, it appeared that the other companies would be about five days in getting to a point where they would be ready to attack Rheam – three to travel, one to construct minor seige equipment from local sources and prepare, and one day for variable conditions. They also agreed to send word of their readiness to Azrael and his second as soon as they were ready to attack with a longspeaking ritual.
He busied himself that afternoon, personally making sure every squad would be ready to travel the following day, and gathering his own gear for the journey. That evening, his squad leaders convened outside his quarters as he’d ordered.
He’d already started a fire out front, and was seated at it when they all began to arrive. He set aside his tray from dinner after the first few appeared, nodding to his servant to clear the tray.
“Everyone, are your squads and troopers ready for a long march?” He asked the question anyway, even though he already knew the answer. Having them say so in each others’ presence forced them to commit to one another, as well as gave each of them confidence that the others were ready and would be prepared to mutually support the company in its mission.
“Alright. Kaenig, I want the mage squad spread out – one per squad to provide ritual support in the mornings. The remainder with me. You will assign yourself to Marco’s squad, as his is weakest and will need the most assistance. I will also need for you to drill all the company to stand in formation for me so I can get us in my reach when I set off the shadow walk in the mornings.” Kaenig nodded and moved off to begin discussing distribution of the mages squad.
“The rest of you. I’m going to want you to be ready to dispatch me your quietest squaddie on a moment’s notice in case I need to form up a quick recon. Your assigned magician will be yours, but don’t abuse the privilege or I’ll reassign it. Joannha – are you still practicing that traveler’s chant?”
The Shadrim girl nodded, and tapped a small drum hanging from her belt.
“Good. I’ll want you prepped to cast that on each batch of us soon as I get done with the shadow walk. We won’t be in a lot of danger in shadow, but the faster we move the sooner we get into position and the more time we get to reconnoiter the area. We have five days, probably less, between tomorrow and the attack. Get Muriel to requisition eight days’ worth of components tonight. Should only need two, but ask for eight, you’ll get four, and we’ll have extra.” She grinned and took off at a jog.
Azrael slitted his eyes and tapped his chin with the stick. “Folks, this is no small matter. We’re about to assault an Arkhosian town, and it is probably at least mildly fortified. We are rats about to try to bite the nuts off the housecat. Fortunately, the cat will be distracted by three dogs – the other companies. We’ll go in shortly after they attack – their commanders will notify me of their assault via fetches.”
The various squad leaders took the news with very little response.
“Platoon leaders, I want your feedback on the members of your squads – any illnesses? Any injuries? Get them treated this afternoon. The magicians you are assigned can enhance your archery squads, and I want each of you to consider tactics – this will be a fast rush in. Fleet of foot and hard hitting. We do not want to get bogged down in a long fight, or the enemy will crush us.”
“Our target is the town leadership. They will likely be snakeheads, might be some high-ranking dragonborn. Projections call for between twenty and thirty skilled targets, the rest will all be rank-and-file. If we give the other companies a chance to work, that will pull most of the town’s defenses away, open things up for us to move in and slaughter the bad guys.”
He looked around at them all, bit off a piece of ember from the end of his stick and chewed it, the smoke curling out from between his lips, out his right nostril. His head held perfectly still as he did, and the smoke clung to him as it slowly moved up his face, following the curve of his horn. His eyes moved from one to the next.
“Each of you, I’m going to need your best game. The other companies, they can probably take the town on their own, but it would cost Mahar the better part of the battalion. That kind of victory isn’t a victory, he’d be frozen for a year, recruiting and training new replacements. If we pull this off and take out the leadership, then the majority of our troops live, the battalion stays active, and we can hold the ground we took – and it’s worth a lot more to Mahar as well as us.”
The others kept watch on him, the pure humans evaluating him carefully. He appreciated the effect of his chewing habit on the humans, as well as his own kind. Humans didn’t like the thought of chewing coals, and most Shadrim didn’t have the appreciation to know the differences in flavor between good hardwoods. Azrael’s tail drew meaningless patterns in the dirt and ashes next to the fire.
“Never mind the fact that if we fail, many of us lose our chance to finish our role in this world. As much as I admire her, I’m not finished with you meatsacks yet, so let’s not have any impromptu visits with the Black Queen, please.”
He crunched the ember in his molars. Gripped the burning coal between his left-side fangs, feeling he heat on his lips. Glanced over towards the entrance of his tent. Waved his halfwise servant out, sent him back in for three bottles of brevare and cups. Spit the coal back into the fire.
The slave passed the cups out, and Azrael nodded towards the fire. The Shadrim among them pulled coals out of the fire and put them in their cups. The humans simply held their cups quietly.
Az fished out a big one, glowing brightly, blew on it with a sense of formal ceremony, and dropped it into his cup. “Pour.”
The halfwise servant held the ceramic jug up, slowly unwrapping the twine and wax from around the cork, then pulling the stopper. He stashed the stopper in the pocket of her jerkin, and poured to a centimeter below the rim of Azrael’s cup. The commander whiffed at the smoke, smiled, and nodded around the group. The tiny slave moved among them, managing her silvery waist-chain deftly as she passed among them.
Before she finished, Azrael had leaned back and drawn another mug off the tray she’d brought out. He handed it to her as she came back. She looked up cautiously, accepted the cup and poured it for herself. She nodded her thanks to him, and returned to her position behind him.
Azrael held up his mug, which had begun to issue a single soft stream of blued smoke. There had been times, deep at night when he felt the cold air of winter seep into him, when Azrael felt the warm smoke pass over his face, thinking that his own time with the Black Queen would feel this way. He held the mug further aloft, looking around at all of them.
“It is my honor I offer you all. I offer you a place by my side, and to share in my victory.”
They all raised their cups, some giving off rings and streamers of their own. Reciting the ancient salute together, they all looked to him. “By your side will we share victory. It is with you that we shall win the day.”
He completed the toast. “Fiery the angels fell, deep thunder rolled around their shores.”
They drank together. Azrael’s servant waited till they were drinking, then swallowed hers down. She looked up at him, asking for permission. He nodded around, and she collected the mugs.
The rest of the bottle slushed a little, Azrael handed it off to her. “Finish it for me. Have another prepped when I return.” She bowed and returned to the dark of his quarters.
“All of you, you know your roles. Get to it, and report back to me at sundown. We set off at dawn, and I want all of your people ready. Got me?”
They nodded. “Good. Get some good sleep. Don’t know what kind we’ll get after this night.”
They went off.
