Red Queen

by Jolie Jaquinta

  Chapter 36

  Lake of Fire

  The 9th army preceded the 22nd through the gate, General Porterhouse having lost a coin flip to General Alessa. Once the word came through that there was no immediate calamity, Queen Jesca's command unit moved out followed by the remaining armies.

  The enormous alien gate loomed large over them. The troop's steps clattered on the stone of the newly constructed bridge as they marched into the coruscating heart of the central three arches. But training overcame the horror and as the signals were called the troops double timed it and quick marched through the nauseating distortion to stumble into the turmoil of the other side.

  Waves of heat staggered them as they struggled to keep formation and clear the gate. The heat passed quickly as their armor adjusted to the ambient conditions. But the overwhelming stench caused no few to retch. On they marched, undaunted, to their directed position. The ground was both unusually resilient, but also sticky and clingy in an unnatural way. The sky was the color of fetid flesh and blood red clouds hung low over the fields.

  Once she had her bearings, the Queen scanned the horizon for a more tactical sense. Reports from the present and arriving generals whispered in her ear through the magic of her helmet. Her first impression was that they were on a burning hillside of tumbled boulders with a rise behind them and a further conflagration down slope.

  The chatter on the line came in from units that were dispatched early in each direction to scout out the land. Resistance had already been met as the flaming patches were resolved into pools of fire with demons lounging in them. This appeared to be a pattern with the flames down slope obscuring a lake of lava with more demons.

  “What I wouldn't give for Desdemona's horse!” shouted Coral in feigned good spirits.

  “Maybe we should add some to the stable”, answered Jesca. She pointed up the slope, past the gossamer window of the gate. “The hilltop would be the most strategic point.”

  “It is defended”, said Bianca in her helmet. She had risen slightly above the rest and was gazing in that direction, her eyes shrouded in rippling blackness.

  “A map, Majestus” proffered Lilly. She had summoned a miniature scene before her with points of light all over it. Their armies were clear by their numbers and formation. Coincident with the lava lake were large numbers of points.

  Jesca peered intently at it, and pointed at the lake. “The light? Is that heat?”

  “No”, said Lilly. “Souls.” After a pause, “they are the one reliable pattern we can detect here. Everything else is, to some degree or another, in flux.”

  “Well, much as I'd rather secure a defensive position and sortie out from there, that would waste the one thing we have: surprise.” She willed her helmet to broadcast to her generals. “Clichéd as it may sound; the demons seem to be tormenting souls in the lake of fire. That is our first objective. I want the 9th army to take the left flank, the 22nd the right flank. The remainder form up in solid ranks in the middle, with the 31st securing the rear and our retreat. General Ainia, keep an eye on the fortification on the mount. I don't like leaving it at our back.”

  Acknowledgments came in and the armies set out on the move. A thick bank of clouds passed low overhead and spattered the army with a red rain that smelled of blood. Jesca advanced her unit to the front of the main center as it formed up. The two flanks arched forward on either side and she had an unobstructed view of the whole line. Demons ran about in front of them, surprised at the unexpected invasion.

  The 22nd had let a few of their Myrmidons rush in advance of the line, as was the Orcish fashion. Jesca watched the engagement closely, trying to judge the strength of the opponent from these tests. The smoke and flame clad demon forms did not last long to the huge weapons of the Orcish champions. Hoots and hollers rang out from the advancing line.

  “Do you want to join them?” Jesca asked Coral.

  “It would not be fitting”, said Coral. Jesca arched her eyebrow. “I am the Queen's champion. I appreciate the tactical knowledge gained at little risk from such outmatched contests. But unless there is a clearly superior foe, such a one sided fight does not project the right image.”

  “Souls accounted for”, said Lilly, examining her soul chart. “Our weapons work fine here.”

  “Good”, said Jesca. “We have the clear numerical advantage right now. I'm more worried about the environment. Can we fight on lava?”

  Lilly considered. “Probably.” Jesca didn't look reassured.

  Coral looked from the champions, to the line, to the lake. “I can find out.”

  “That would be fitting?” asked Jesca, amused despite everything.

  Coral shrugged, somewhat embarrassed. “More necessary than fitting. But, well, as you said the environment is the main foe in this battle.” With that he launched himself from the line.

  They continued their slow advance as he raced forward. The demons were mostly retreating, none of them individually willing to challenge an army. Coral dodged some, made feints towards others but kept to the clear and covered the distance to the lake. When he reached the edge he gingerly stepped into the fire. The flames partially obscured him but he could be seen flailing around unsteadily.

  Jesca willed her helmet to connect to Coral's. “Coral?” The line continued its slow advance, and Jesca steeled herself not to break ranks. “Coral!”

  “Things... in the lake” came the cut off reply between heavy breaths. “Unsteady... But manageable.”

  “I can send the Myrmidons”, said Jesca.

  “No”, said Coral quickly. “I'm holding my own. I just got overwhelmed for a while. They grabbed me and tried to pull me under.” The was a pause and some more heavy grunts. “Sword can't cut through lava, and my feet have sunk in to the calves. Warn the troops but don't halt the advance.”

  Jesca passed the information on. The line started taking smaller steps, but kept to the same cadence as they adjusted to the new information. The lake came upon them and they met with the first line of demons that had been shepherded to the edge. The troops, eager for action, engaged enthusiastically. The footing was worse than thick mud, though, thankfully, not as slippery.

  The demons had no stomach for aggressive fighting, and quickly gave ground. Their advance trudged forward and caught up with Coral. They adsorbed him back into their ranks. “Good job”, said Jesca as he took his place. Hands, claws, tentacles, and less recognizable things clutched at them from the broken scabs of rock that composed the surface of the lake.

  “If there are too many, you can hit them as they strike”, said Coral, stabbing at an appendage. “Or...” he slung his shield over his shoulder, waited, then lunged and grabbed a many toed foot with his gauntlet and hauled it upward. The short stubby leg rose out of the lava up to a many jointed pelvis. Jesca struck deep at the revealed vitals. “That's it”, said Coral. “Only way to get a fatal wound.” The nearby troops observed, and lacking any threatening force, broke into teams to emulate him.

  “I've sent the vanguard of the 9th and 22nd to circle the lake”, said Jesca. “That should cut off any escaping demons. Then we just ring it, and reel the noose in.”

  “Do you think it will stop the news of our arrival spreading?” asked Coral.

  “No”, said Jesca. “Not with that observation post up there.” She motioned to the ridge. “Since this seems in hand, I've ordered the 31st to advance to it and hold it for us to regroup at.”

  It didn't take long for meaningful resistance to be eliminated at the lake of fire. Once surrounded, the demons threw themselves at whatever part of the wall seemed weakest. They had no command structure. The souls in the lake were even less organized, and thinned out quickly.

  “Queen Jesca”, came Ainia's voice in her helmet. “The hill top is secured. I suggest you rally the troops here as quickly as possible.”

  Jesca's brow wrinkled at the tone of her voice. “Is there a concern?”

  “There is quite a view from here”, said Ainia
, a bit breathless. “And in every direction there are demons. And they are all moving in this direction.”

  Jesca flagged Lilly down. “Show me your Soul map again”, she said. Lilly obliged and their troops stood out clearly, with few others in their area. “Can you expand the scale?”

  Lilly concentrated and their viewpoint shrunk. The wider region contained countless pinpricks in all directions. “Direction. Can you show me direction of movement?” Lilly's hands made a few abbreviated gestures and the little lights turned into small throbbing arrows. Each one of them was pointed at them and moving towards them.

  “I concur”, said Jesca to Ainia, with a dry mouth. “We've attracted their attention. All Generals, move your troops out in double time to the 31st's position!”