The Wandering Inn_Volume 1

by Pirateaba

  “Yes, Miss Foliana. And there will be the banquet in two days as all of the guests will have arrived then. Lord Astoragon has requested me to tell you that attendance is mandatory.”

  “Mm.”

  Silence. That was natural. Three-Color Stalker was a legend few had ever seen. She was a [Rogue] of the highest order, but her talents made most [Assassins] green with envy, especially when she stabbed them from behind.

  “Peclir?”

  “Yes, Miss Foliana?”

  “You’ve been working for four years now. Almost exact.”

  “My anniversary is this month. I’m pleased you recall.”

  “Mm. Yes, good. Loyalty is good.”

  “Yes, Miss Foliana. Would you like a napkin?”

  “No. Orange berries. Can’t remember the names.”

  “I shall have an assortment prepared directly. Do you believe Lord Astoragon would like a snack, Miss?”

  Foliana paused. She looked out the window and spoke distantly.

  “No. He’s teaching. No time for food. Too busy shouting, I think.”

  —-

  “Incorrect!”

  Niers bellowed the word. It shouldn’t have been possible for a person of his size to project as loudly as he did, but the word rang through the lecture hall.

  The student he was yelling at, a young Human man who looked like he was still growing, turned dead white and might have fainted as Niers pointed at him. The tiny Fraerling shouted loud enough so all his students—and the visitors standing at the back of the hall—could hear him.

  “A pike square and archers to fight an Antinium army? You’d be lucky to hold your ground for an hour, much less win the battle!”

  He roared at the young [Tactician] who’d voiced his incorrect opinion to one of Niers’ questions. It was class time and in the large lecture hall, the Titan, or the Professor as he was known to his students, was angry. He was always angry, of late. He felt cooped up, especially because he had to show all these visitors how wonderful and important his classes were.

  “The Antinium are not a foe to be underestimated! If the last two Antinium Wars have taught the world anything, it is that they are a powerful and unpredictable foe that, yes, uses a stock variety of soldiers with little variation, but makes up for that with unbreakable morale, armored and numberless infantry, and the ability to tunnel! If a third Antinium War breaks out and a Balerosian company is contracted to battle the Antinium, I will see you using better formations against them than that.”

  He glared around the room, making students shrink down in their seats or stare at their inky notes rather than meet his eyes. No one wanted to catch the Titan’s wrath and be called out for their ill thought-out tactics like the trembling young man in his seat.

  Of the lot, a group near the front consisting of eight or so individuals didn’t flinch from Niers’ gaze. They were his advanced students, the ones who he considered able enough to lead his soldiers in an actual battle. Niers studied the group for a moment as his students consulted his notes.

  Yes, his best. Some were bright and truly talented, like Umina, a Lizardgirl who was studiously checking her notes despite already knowing the answer. However, she was hesitant and afraid to be bold. Others, like the Dullahan named Cameral were gifted but lacking the creative talent Niers tried to inspire.

  Some, like Marian the Centaur and Venaz the Minotaur, were supremely confident in their abilities. Venaz was leaning back in his seat, lounging with a smirk on his face as he watched the others, waiting to be called on. As for Wil and Yeranolla…Niers passed over the Human and Selphid. They would field any question he shot at them.

  “Countering the Antinium is no simple matter of lining up a bunch of experienced [Pikemen] and having [Archers] whittle them down. Anyone studying the way the Drakes fought the Antinium during the first war would see that static defenses are aggressively overrun by Antinium. They won’t hesitate for a second to run onto a pike and tear the [Pikemen] to bits while their Workers tunnel right underneath the feet of your archers!”

  Niers had a huge board on one side of the room which he would write on with the use of a magic quill. The levitating quill shot across the white parchment tacked to the board and sketched out the rough plan of a battle as he spoke. Later on he’d have the parchment replaced, and students could study the lesson at their leisure in another room.

  “No, a far more effective tactic is to destabilize their lines with elite shock units while mages bombard concentrations. Aggression to match the Antinium offensive. That is the lesson General Sserys and General Shivertail taught us in both wars. Now, let’s assume the worst. Assume you, as a [Strategist] are left with only pikes and archers as young Nenor has suggested. What is the best strategy in that case? Anyone?”

  He looked around, this time eying Venaz and wondering if the Minotaur had any better suggestions than ‘use Minotaurs’ as his arguments. He was about to call on him when a tap on one of the windows by his head interrupted him.

  Heads turned, and Niers saw a radiant bird with brilliant red and gold plumage, glittering in the morning light, perched on a branch outside of the classroom. He recognized the huge beak and glittering wings of the beautiful bird and scowled at it.

  The Sparklewing Bird ruffled its feathers in the morning air and cocked its head winsomely at Niers as he spoke. It pecked at the glass. He grunted and waved a hand at one of his students.

  “Marian. Get a bow and shoot that damn bird. It’s a hazard if there are any Fraerlings about.”

  “At once, professor.”

  He resumed speaking as Marian got up and trotted out of the room. A few seconds later he heard a squawk and the birdsong ceased. Some of the students winced. Niers nodded at Marian as the Centaur trotted back into the room.

  “Now, an Antinium army has assaulted your very odd army of pikes and archers. You’ve a few high-level individuals among them, but no one noteworthy. Your terrain is a canyon, with ground porous enough that the Antinium can dig through it. How will you survive their assault? Venaz, speak. And so help me, if you claim your entire army is filled with Minotaurs I’ll send to you to Izril so you can see how well your tactics hold up against the Antinium in person!”

  —-

  As it happened, Venaz had a far more intelligent plan of staggering his lines of pikes and archers, creating a hostile terrain for any burrowing Antinium and pointed out the use of charging pikes as opposed to a static defense. For that, Niers grudgingly awarded him full marks and set the rest of the class to fielding questions about how to handle the Antinium specialist types which the world was aware of.

  Then he set them the day’s homework—researching the Antinium Wars and discussing whether a third one would result in the defeat of the Drake cities or northern Human settlements, and what role Baleros might play in the conflict as potential mercenaries for any side. Niers privately planned to award double points to anyone who considered whether a Baleros company might be hired by the Antinium and discussed the ramifications of such a decision.

  Classes were usually like that. Niers had been teaching for a long time and in the lecture-hall sections of his classes, he would give students complex questions and test their knowledge of different species and historical conflicts, not to mention political decisions they might be subjected to. A [Strategist] had to decide the fate of their company outside of the battlefield, after all.

  However, today was different in that instead of continuing the lesson with more practical examples as usual, Niers was instead called away to greet some of the visitors who’d observed his class. He bowed over a scaled hand and kissed the tip of a fingernail now.

  “Lady Messimar, greetings to you. I hope you find the city of Elvallian hospitable in your sojourn here.”

  “You are too kind, Lord Astoragon. I was most struck by your lessons—I should hardly like to be the one shouted at by the Titan himself. That poor Human looked like he was about to faint!”

  “The students grow used to
it with time, Lady Messimar. I assure you, my shouting at them is the least of the challenges any [Strategist] will have to face over their career.”

  “So very true. And you should know, of course! On a different and far more pleasant note, may I compliment you on your marvelous attire, Lord Astoragon? You’ve seen the latest designs from Terandria, I take it?”

  Niers grimaced as he was reminded of his lace outfit, but he covered it with a courtier’s smile.

  “Oh yes. I found them…inspiring to my heart, to say the least. May I compliment you on the pairings of your dress, Lady Messimar? Rose and green become you.”

  The Lizardwoman blushed and swept herself back a step, flourishing the gown of lace and muted colors that was for some reason stylish. Niers made a show of looking her up and down—as was polite for Lizardfolk, and the Lady Messimar departed after exchanging a few more pleasantries.

  “One down, a few hundred to go.”

  Niers sighed as he stood on the pedestal that had been placed for him to speak with his guests at eye-level. He felt a presence by his side and nearly spilled the chilled drink he was holding. Foliana appeared out of thin air, munching on a muffin. It was the same one Niers had seen at breakfast, he was sure.

  “Lizardfolk.”

  “Don’t point Foliana, it’s rude. And mingle, remember?”

  Niers hissed at the Squirrel tribe Beastkin. Foliana nibbled at her muffin. She was not wearing lace and neither was she smiling. She looked around at the parade of lace and stiff, polite expressions with clear distaste.

  “We have a [General], two [Mages], our best [Sharpshooter], eight [Captains] and a bunch of other people I don’t remember. Why do I have to be here?”

  “Because you’re the leader of one of the Four Great Companies. Ours!”

  “Mm.”

  Niers sighed. They were holding this greeting session in a ballroom, a place they’d kept from the palace when they converted it into an academy and paid far too much for. They’d paid gold to have sapphires melted and drawn into the marble flooring, and the curtains! Silk and enchanted, just like the damn windows.

  But it was all important. The guests, the meeting, even the polite nothings and wearing the latest fashion trends. Niers and Foliana both knew it. They raised funding for their company during this time, made valuable alliances and deals. They could receive thousands, tens of thousands of gold pieces in donations from a single one of these guests. Fundraisers were vital. Every big company had one yearly and the biggest had to show they were willing to spend to earn.

  “I’m being polite and waiting for people to seek me out. Why aren’t you saying hello to anyone?”

  “I said hello to Morn.”

  “She’s our [Captain]!”

  Niers and Foliana spoke as their guests waited for an opportunity to swoop in and engage one or the other in conversation. Not both; that was intimidating. And in truth, Niers was the desired person to meet. The infamous Three Color Stalker was hard to recognize for many, and her reputation as both a silent killer and oddball preceded her. How Niers envied Foliana for that.

  However, there were some for whom the dual personages only added allure. Niers heard a voice, shouting joyfully.

  “Lord Astoragon! Lady Foliana!”

  A voice called out to the two as they talked quietly. Niers turned, putting on a forced smile and Foliana turned transparent. She reluctantly faded back into view as a Centaur trotted towards them.

  The fact that he was a Centaur didn’t matter at all, and was a superfluous detail that everyone didn’t pay attention to except to watch out for his hooves. Niers greeted him and then the Centaur broke into their conversation. He’d probably been listening in.

  “Might I compliment you on your outfit, Lord Astoragon? Quite the latest style.”

  “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

  By his side, the Fraerling [Strategist] could see Foliana making a face and not bothering to hide it. He smiled so pleasantly his face hurt. Two down, a hundred more to go.

  —-

  There was no chess game waiting for him when Niers finally got done with the greeting of guests and socializing. He dragged himself back into his room and brightened the instant he saw a piece had moved. But when he hopefully moved a piece—of course, after a great deal of deliberation and restudying the board, although he’d already done so that morning—his opponent didn’t move a piece in response.

  That often happened. He or she was probably asleep. Niers rubbed at his face and blinked in the candlelight.

  “Who set that out? Peclir? Good man. Damnit. I should quit.”

  He sat in his bed for a second, undoing the lace and growing annoyed at the time it took. Today had been irksome. Tomorrow would be…dead gods, the banquet was the day after tomorrow, wasn’t it? Niers groaned as he lay down and went to sleep.

  —–

  “Advance!”

  Umina the Lizardgirl shouted as a wave of her soldiers collided with the enemy. Her cavalry circled around and struck Cameral’s forces from the rear. The Dullahan struggled to keep up with her rapid attacks as the two other spears of cavalry kept circling and hitting his troops in odd places. And while they did, her archers and heavy infantry kept circling, forcing him to keep adjusting his rows of soldiers, stretching, stretching until something broke—

  It ended with a shower of arrows hitting Umina’s command. It was a stray shot aimed at her in sheer desperation, but one of the arrows filled with dry paint powders struck Umina squarely on the chest and she was knocked out. Reluctantly, she watched as her leaderless army struggled to repel Cameral as he regained control of the battlefield. In the end her forces routed, although Cameral had lost nearly a half of his army in the process.

  “It wasn’t fair!”

  Marian was strident in the after-battle review, as ‘dead’ soldiers came off the side of the field and healing potions were passed around for those with bruises or more rarely, broken bones.

  “She had him right where she wanted. If it wasn’t for that stray arrow, she would have won! How is that fair?”

  The Centaur paced back and forth as Niers stood in the shade, marking the positions of Umina’s strategy with figurines. It wasn’t a game, or rather, these practice sessions were meant to simulate actual battles. The hired [Soldiers] and [Actors] could form any number of armies and do battle as two of Niers’ students attempted to defeat each other.

  There were low-level [Mages] who could use ‘spells’ which were designed only to mark which soldiers had been killed. And as for charges and actual melee combat—they used padded weapons, but swung them hard and fast. Soldiers would retreat after being killed, but in the thick of things people could still be hurt, sometimes badly.

  But Niers paid well. And it was one of the reasons why his academy was so famous. The strategist glanced to one side and saw a lot of his guests watching from the shade of a canvas tent, talking excitedly about the battle.

  Almost as excitedly as Marian. Niers halted her in her tracks.

  “Cameral, would you like to answer?”

  The sweaty Dullahan had his head under one arm. He raised it now, looking slightly ashamed but defensive.

  “I was aware I was losing, so I ordered my archers to target Umina. On purpose. I would have done the same in any real battle.”

  “But—”

  “Just so. Cameral’s tactics were valid, Marian. However, on that note Cameral, I would have begun aiming for Umina to begin with. If there is a fault in how the battle played out, it was that you entrusted that attack to luck, rather than factored it into your plans.”

  The Dullahan nodded, looking thoughtful. Umina, still covered in yellow paint, also nodded, but Marian protested again. She trampled her hooves in a mini Centaur tantrum as she spoke anxiously to Niers.

  “It’s—it’s unfair! If we have to duck and cower away from every archer—”

  “Hah! Speak for yourself.”

  Venaz folded his arms. The Minotaur tossed his hea
d as he gestured at the trampled ground and spoke to Marian.

  “If I’m on the battlefield, I expect to be shot at. Give me a shield and I’ll command from the front!”

  “Oh yeah? I’d like to see you dodge a rain of arrows. Give me a bow and—”

  “Enough!”

  Niers raised his voice before his two most hot-tempered students could get into it. He tapped his foot on the wooden platform he stood on thoughtfully.

  “Attacking the enemy [General] or [Strategist] is a valid tactic, Marian. We saw a similar move occur in the recent battle around the King of Destruction. Or don’t you recall how his steward, Orthenon, allegedly targeted the enemy army’s [Strategists] in order to cripple it and bait them into following him into a trap?”

  His students fell silent. News about the King of Destruction’s return was hot on everyone’s lips, but news from Chandrar was sparse. Marian bit her lip.

  “But professor, how do we protect ourselves from something like that?”

  “Well, let me phrase it to you as a question. This is a class. How would you do it, Marian? Anyone?”

  The group of [Tacticians] and [Strategist] students fell silent. Then Unima raised her hand. Niers nodded at her.

  “I can’t speak for running up against the King of Destruction’s [Steward], professor, but I’d keep my command a lot further back next time even if it meant seeing less of the battlefield. Or wear plate armor.”

  There was a bit of tittering at that comment. Niers looked around and shook his head.

  “You all think plate armor’s such a bad idea? If Umina had been wearing it, she’d have won that last battle.”

  Everyone fell silent. Niers sighed.

  “Practicality. I keep telling you—in that case, if you’re all willing to stand the heat, I’ll grant any one of you willing to stand around in plate armor an exemption from the first three arrows that strike you at range in a match. One spell too—so long as it isn’t a directly targeted attack on you specifically.”