“Each group of beastkin charged straight at your carriage, Dreya,” she noted to me as she tripled the number of troops that surrounded my position among the Army’s long train.
“I don’t pretend to know what motivates them,” Ella finished. “But that’s far more than mere coincidence can account for.”
The origins of the beastkin had always been a subject of great debate. What hadn’t been an issue was the seemingly complete randomness of the locations where their mobs and hordes sprung up, and the places they attacked. But once Ella pointed it out to me, I couldn’t deny the single-minded nature of their focus on my Army, and me in particular. Regardless of how the beastkin came into existence in the past, someone or something in the present was exerting a level of control over them that had never been noted before.
I’d made my intentions to conquer the Dark Lands quite clear, and I couldn’t help but wonder if something within those lands wasn’t content to simply sit back and wait for me to come for them. The implications of that thought were more than just a little disturbing.
Fortunately, we reached Harford without any further incident and set up camp alongside its harbor. Ansa lay directly across the straights from us, and we were certain that our foes had spies among the city’s fisherfolk and traders. Although we’d planned for this possibility, ultimately, we knew that we couldn’t totally eliminate the risk of our plans being discovered. But I had no other choice—Ansa had forced my hand, and the Realm needed to be conquered for my quest to move forward.
That night we did our best to sweep through the harbor and secure every last vessel capable of crossing the waters to Ansa, and in the morning, the city awoke to a fleet of halfling ships from Isouri strung out across the bay. Our ‘preparations’ had arrived just in time. Nadiel had come through for us, supplying my Army with the means to reach Ansa’s shores. We quickly loaded the ships with soldiers and then sent them off towards Ansa to engage our enemies.
The fleet landed a thousand troops, comprised of 500 heavily-armored front line soldiers and another 500 spears, just south of Ansa’s capitol of Dover. But when the vessels turned to head back and retrieve more of our forces, the Ansans seized on the opportunity to attack our beachhead and poured forth from their fortress to overwhelm our temporarily lesser numbers. They knew that if they waited for the full force of our Army to arrive, that we’d eventually take their stronghold, and were determined to defeat us piecemeal as we landed on their shores.
Our outnumbered forces withdrew before the onslaught and set up a defensive line in the shadows of the forest that lined the road approaching Dover—it was the best option left to them when the Ansans closed in for the kill. Our enemy knew what we’d have to do to try and conquer them and planned to counter our assault perfectly. As an island nation, the Ansans never felt the need to maintain an overly-large military force, but it seemed as if they’d gathered every last soldier they had for their defense, and nearly 2,500 of them closed in on our obviously overmatched troops. Spears protruded from a solid wall of Dwarven Steel armor, bracing for the Ansans’ charge, but when they got within a hundred yards of our lines, we sprung our own trap on them in return.
The soldiers before the Ansans were not our first wave—they were our third. Under cover of the moonless night, we’d landed twice prior and hid our forces in the trees of the forest. With the Ansans enticed out from beyond the safety of their walls, those 2,000 soldiers slammed into the exposed flank and rear of the Ansan lines, carving a swath of utter destruction through their stunned army. The rout the Ansans had envisioned was in full force, only it was their army that found themselves on the wrong side of its dwindling ledger. Fire and lightning rained down among them amidst a hail of arrows as the Ansans found themselves pinned between two solid walls of Dwarven Steel armor and long ash lances, with no choice but to endure or sacrifice themselves on our blades.
Weapons were thrown to the ground and hands raised in the air as the Ansans surrendered en masse. The ambush had worked perfectly, and our trap had managed to kill or capture nearly every armed Ansan the Realm had at its disposal, while suffering very few losses ourselves. While the survivors were disarmed and taken captive, one single soldier was allowed to return with our terms: unconditional surrender.
We’d disarmed their entire nation in just a single battle, and with virtually no one to defend their walls, the Ansans were left with no choice but to capitulate. The King and his ruling house were immediately deposed and exiled, and I chose his successor from among the nobles that had argued against his foolhardy resistance to my Empire. In the span of that afternoon, I granted the title of King to yet another monarch and secured one of the two Realms left for me to conquer. Our victory was nearly without blemish.
After resurrections were complete, we’d lost only 53 of our soldiers. The Ansans had suffered far greater, but with the windfall of gold I’d gained after taking the horse lands, I’d purchased even more resurrection scrolls. Since our former enemies had become our allies, we used those to restore as many of them as possible as well. In the end it cost me nothing, since we’d confiscated the wealth of Ansa’s former King before sending him away into exile.
The goodwill that gesture won us was priceless, however, and the Ansans repaid it by immediately reassigning 500 of their soldiers to the Imperial Army, satisfying their military commitment to me in full. We’d not only won a great victory that day but also managed to turn a bitter foe into a stalwart ally—a rather amazing stroke of good fortune.
We ferried most of our troops back to the mainland over the next few days, choosing not only to take our time, but also to share in the Ansans’ hospitality. Their former King had been something of a petty tyrant, and they welcomed their change in government for more than one reason. The celebrations went on for days; well beyond the time our last ship departed from Dover, and we began the final leg of our journey of conquest hoping for an equally good resolution to our conflict with Laska.
Between the aftermath of the battle, the coronation of the new King, and the festivities that followed, I’d been kept quite busy. But before beginning the trip north, I took the time to review the long series of notifications that I’d received.
Valued User: Due to the large volume of your pending notifications, level-up options have been delayed until after you’ve cleared them. We hope this slight modification improves your gaming experience.
Experience gained – You have gained 385 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 385 XP.
Commander’s bonus – You have earned party credit for every kill made under your command or the direct command of one of your party members.
Experience gained – You have gained 43 XP.
…
Experience gained – You have gained 43 XP.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 43.
You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to WIS and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.
I’d chosen to oversee more than participate in the battle, but had still made a number of kills of my own. Combined with the Commander’s Bonus, it had been enough for one more level. Saibra had remained by my side as a bodyguard and hadn’t seen any combat, so I missed getting her boon. Still, it had worked out well enough, and I placed my point in Strength before looking over my personal sheet.
Dreya Dae
Sintári Female
Titles: Sintári, Empress
Level - 43
772385/791200
Health - 385/385 Aura - 834/1034 Endurance - 385/385
Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable
Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects
Specialization – Protector
Master
y – Warlock
STR - 51 (+5)
CON - 32 (+3)
DEX - 30 (+3)
INT - 28 (+2)
WIS - 28 (+2)
CHA - 59 (+5)
Abilities
Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. – 36%
Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. – 35%
Block – You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 20%
Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 47%
Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 42%
Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 43%
Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%
Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 41%
Blood Price – Your arrow inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%
Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%
Achilles Strike – Cripple your target with a slash of your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 41%
Penetrator – Advanced Ability – Your arrow pierces through armor easily. With increased proficiency it may penetrate through even greater barriers. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Aura. – 20%
Disable – Advanced Ability – A successful strike of your blade to an extremity renders the affected limb completely useless until healed. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Endurance. – 41%
Shockwave – Advanced Ability – Your arrow explodes on contact, dealing minimal damage but generating a stunning Shockwave in a radius around its detonation. Size and scope of this effect increase with proficiency. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 120 Aura. – 32%
Sintári Abilities
Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.
Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities. – 75%
Protector Abilities
See Truth – Twice per day, the spoken words of your target become visible to you, allowing you to see the truth held within them. Strength and duration of this effect increase with proficiency. Cost – 60 Aura. Modifier – Wisdom. – 44%
Spells
Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. – 52%
Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type, and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 53%
Elemental Arrow – Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura. – 28%
Spike – Launch Ice Spike(s), delivering bonus cold damage on a successful hit. Cost – 40 Aura. – 20%
Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura. – 27%
Find Weakness – Highlights vulnerable points on the target. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 80 Aura. – 20%
Summon Elemental – Summons an Elemental creature. If you succeed in binding it to your will, the creature will serve you faithfully until the spell’s expiration. Modifier – Charisma. Cost 100 Aura. – 42%
Shield – May be cast on self only. Manifests a forward – facing barrier against incoming projectile attacks. Duration and resistance of the barrier are based on proficiency and modifier value. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 80 Aura. – 24%
Entangle – Create an area of entangling vines that will hold any foes caught within its radius. Area of effect, the distance you may cast the Spell, and the power of your vines will all vary based on your Abilities and proficiency. Modifiers – Strength and Dexterity. Cost – 150 Aura. – 26%
Compel – Force a sentient creature to answer a single question. If you successfully dominate their will, the target will reply with a truthful answer to one question you ask. Modifier – Charisma. Cost – 80 Aura. – 1%
Skills
Bow – 68%
Critical Hit – 54%
Blades – 51%
Long Sword – 50%
Short Sword – 53%
Dagger – 60%
Critical Hit – 44%
Two-Handed – 57%
Pole Arms – 14%
Spear – 23%
Armor – 45%
Medium Armor – 47%
Perception – 58%
Environmental – 59%
Identify Enemy – 56%
Identify Person – 54%
Combat Dodge – 26%
Subterfuge – 41%
Stealth – 41%
Find Trap – 20%
Disarm Trap – 20%
Set Trap – 20%
Manipulation – 57%
Persuade – 68%
Barter – 41%
Survival – 24%
Tracking – 27%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 19%
Skinning – 16%
Field Dress – 15%
Alchemy – 19%
Herbalism – 31%
Potion Craft – 27%
Lore – 8%
Identify Magical Item – 14%
As we marched north, the trees thinned out and patches of snow began to cover the ground, and we crossed the boundary into Laska two weeks later. In the face of our Army’s numbers, the Laskans employed their time-honored tactic of simply yielding their land to us, apparently content to bide their time and wait for the harsh climate to do their work for them, but Laska had never been invaded by an army like ours; one with hundreds of Evokers. So, even though we suffered during the day, our camps were quite warm and comfortable overnight, and we marched relentlessly forward towards the Realm’s capital of Kiva.
Most of Laska’s settlements were smaller, hosting only a few families or perhaps a clan or two, save for a few oceanside locations that were able to draw upon the bounty of its waters. The land’s sparse resources practically made this a necessity, but Kiva was an exception to this rule, made even more so by our Army’s approach. The city was practically overflowing with those who’d abandoned the lands we’d crossed on our journey there, but still stood firm against us behind its walls of frozen stone.
Most of the terrain we’d traveled over on our trek to Kiva had been flat, featureless tundra, devoid of any cover. Fortunately, just outside Kiva’s walls was a small hill, perfectly positioned for our siege weapons to pound its walls into dust. So, just as in Ondale, we began to set up our artillery and erect our camp around the base of the hill overlooking Kiva’s fortifications, in preparation for bringing them down.
Tási left me to go speak with her friends from Ashton while they busied themselves assembling the heavy catapults and ballistae, and I wandered among the rest of the soldiers as they dug trenches and set up their tents. Líann was looking for anything exciting to do after our long, tedious march, so I positioned her among the archers of our rear guard rather than listen to her whine again about how bored she was.
Despite the long period of time it’d been since we had last seen any trace of beastkin, Ella still insisted on maintaining a heavy guard around me, and Saibra and Rhia were among those who accompanied her as they followed me through camp. Bane circled high above, out of sight among the dark, billowing clouds, still maintaining his near-constant vigil over us. All was going exactly as it should, until the ground beneath my feet shook violently, and the force of a tremendous explosion launched my body through the air.
I rolled to a stop amidst a pile of icy snow, but it wasn’t the viole
nce or even the shock of what had happened that caused me to remain motionless on the cold ground. Among the pain and disorientation I felt, one thing came to me more clearly than anything else I’d ever felt—Tási. Or more precisely, her absence. Whatever happened, it had severed my link with her. The bond we’d shared since the moment her elemental spirit linked itself to me had been extinguished in an instant, and I knew that there was only one thing that could possibly cause that—her death.
My legs guided me up slowly, and I gazed at the hill where she’d been standing alongside the troops setting up our weaponry—but that hill was no longer there. In its place was a deep, smoking crater and all around it, the white tundra was streaked with scorch marks and littered with our dead, or at least pieces of them. The explosion that had obliterated the hill had also shredded their bodies, most beyond any hope of recognition.
Somewhere in my mind, screams of pain and cries for help echoed back and forth, but the only thought that registered was Tási’s death, and the wicked trap that had taken her life. The ideal location of the hill had been no stroke of luck, it had been built there just for us—to lure my army into the Laskans’ trap and snuff out as many lives as possible in one brutal stroke. As if in confirmation, the gates of Kiva flew open, and the Laskans flowed out onto the frozen ground, seeking to finish the devastation that their deception had wrought.
As the Laskans surged forward, something inside me broke. The sensation was like the snapping of a dry twig in its sharpness but powered by the unrelenting force of a hurricane. The pain of Tási’s loss was far more than I was able to endure, and I felt myself retreating from my anguish as my fury took hold of me. Tási was dead, and everything that was good inside me died along with her. Love, joy, happiness—all of it turned to ashes, and I was left with only a deep pit of burning rage and darkness, along with an insatiable desire for revenge.
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