Enzi's Irregulars Act IV - The Deluge

by Steve Mossman

  “Not anymore. We are making our way to Feergrus. Trying to save a few innocent lives.”

  The swamp man snorted, “There are no innocent lives.”

  “I can see why you would remove yourself to live here then.”

  “Don't get me wrong, some people are decent enough, but the vast majority are enough to drive a man insane. I mean, what else would you call someone willing to come live in a swamp? Still, anything is better than those damn goblinoids. So I help out travelers from time to time and see what news they can give me of the outside world.”

  “I can not imagine a lot of travelers come this way.”

  “There are always people stupid enough to foolishly come here. Rarely they are more competent like you. People driven by need. Most are just hoping to make a name for themselves in the swamp. If the goblinoids don't get them, one of the trees might. Those blood sucking fiends are always waiting to charm someone close to them.”

  Devis nodded, “We are familiar with the Orn Baer Agar in Feergrus. They haunt the Marsh of Vashim as well.”

  “That sounds like an awful fancy name for killer trees,” the Kurrot grumbled.

  “It is a pretty old name,” Devis stated, “As for new of the outside world, there is little new to tell you. The war continues. It will keep continuing for quite some time yet. I suspect the goblinoids will break eventually. The time is not yet ripe for their defeat. It will come, but the number of people who shall fall is left yet uncounted.”

  “I'll be glad when it is over. Goblinoid critters come in droves now. Ruins the peace and quiet. Well, I will let you get on your way then. I have a few goblinoids to scare. If you come back through, be sure to stop by and tell me the news.”

  “Yes, if we ever come this way again, perhaps we will chat again. Your aid is most appreciated.”

  The hermit danced off to scare off the goblinoids while the disguised Devis looked to the mercenaries, “Well, he should buy us some relatively quiet nights until we get out of this place. Perhaps we will make it out of the swamp without incident after all.”

  ***

  The hermit made his way through the Siren Swamp. He had his whistling rod at the ready. He had worked a long time on the carving of the instrument. Matching the sounds of the sirens of the swamp had been difficult. He quite enjoyed using it to scare the goblinoids. It was a necessary tool for his survival in the marsh. As he was using it to drive the goblinoids away from Enzi's Irregulars, he was quite shocked to see a Feergrus man appear in front of him.

  “Enzi! What are you doing out here?” the hermit asked.

  The disguised Rakshasa leapt forward and grabbed the hermit as he unleashed a spell. The hermit fell coughing. Blood poured from a hole in his side. He looked up in confusion as Devis Lane. The face of Enzi Cala smiled down at the hermit.

  “Your toy will come in quite useful someday. I am taking it for study. There is an added bonus that you will not be able to help any other travelers through the swamp. Any other casualties of these foreigners will help me in the long run. Survivors of goblinoid ambushes will have killed off some of the goblinoids. No matter who dies, I win. These are the kind of situations I love most when I can create them. A situation where I can not lose.”

  The hermit gurgled as he twitched on the ground, “Don't worry. Your hard work will make Feergrus a stronger country. In the end, that is all that is important. For love of my gods and country, you had to die. I am sorry, but your usefulness had ended.”

  Devis Lane took the instrument that could mimic an Orn Baer Agar from the grasp of the corpse and hid it in his pack. He returned to camp silently and swiftly. The watch never even noticed he was gone. The mercenaries of Enzi's Irregulars were highly skilled, but they were little match for Devis Lane. The Rakshasa had thousands of years of experience in these things. Disguised as the once great Feergrus general named Enzi Cala, the Rakshasa closed his eyes and rested, waiting for morning.

  ***

  The rest of the night passed without any further distractions. The next two days of travel put them past the area most likely to be heavily infested with goblinoids. They spent a quiet night in the middle of the Siren Swamp. The next day brought some hope to the group. By the end of the day, the ground had grown much firmer. Finally after another few days, the woods began to rapidly thin until Enzi's Irregulars stepped out onto the Blood Plains. To the southeast they could see the idyllic Lake Hargis.

  To the south, they could see the farmlands of the Kurrot and the reddish grass that helped give the Blood Plains their name. The myth said that when a great combat occurred on this part of the Plains of Kur, it was so terrible that it stained the grass and the ground. The ground was saturated with red clay. While the myths were not entirely true, a great battle had occurred on the Blood Plains during the Second Goblinoid War. The humans had little information on this as they had been little more than small wandering tribes that avoided the area at that time in history.

  Legends and myths had a way of remaining, even if the truth was long gone. Lake Hargis had been named after a human warlord. Legend told of him and his two daughters. One ended up as a mate to the equally famous warlord named Kur. The daughters gave their name to rivers, Liandris and Marnea. The Kurrot city-state that called itself Two Daughters was a nod to these legends. Devis could have certainly shed some light on the truth of the humans of that time, but saw little reason to tell people of their history of brutality.

  It was easier to give them hope. To allow them belief in an innate nobility, even in a savage. In Devis Lane's eyes, the humans were easy to manipulate. It made them the perfect tool for the empire that the Rakshasa planned to create. There would be no more wars. Even then, Devis would still be needed however. Those who were not content would need to be ferreted out. Devis was the perfect spy and assassin. He would help the empire to be formed, then he would help it to last forever. A perfect utopia with the Rakshasa as leaders and the humans as their servants. It would take time, but the Rakshasa did not age. They had all the time in the world.

  The group continued southwards. On the shore of the lake they could see one of the powerful city-states of Kurrot. This one had the unimaginative name of Lake Town. It was the first defense against goblinoid strikes from the Siren Swamp. It had nearly as many soldiers as it did fisherman. The freshwater fish of the lake were well loved across the island as something different from the ocean fish hauled in by the cities on the shore. As the Kurrot economy was mainly built on their export of salt, salted meats had become a major export as well.

  Keeping fish fresh enough to be edible over long distances was difficult. Using salt to cure meat often meant it could last for weeks or months. The distance meant that cured freshwater fish was a delicacy in most lands. It was possible to catch them in the river east of Ravalei, but it was rare. That brought the fish too close to the briny ocean waters and the dangerous predators that lurked within. The fish found in the Ago River and its tributaries were freshwater fish as well, although of a very different variety.

  Fish were not the only meat export. While Kurrot had significant farms for vegetables on the Blood Plains, its largest farming community were the shepherds of the plains. It was not just sheep, however. Oxen and goats were commonly herded in the Plains of Kur. While the kingdom of Agon was a dominant force in the farming of plants, Kurrot ruled the farming of most animals. Agon spent its skills in animal husbandry on horses. The land that might be used by farm animals was instead used to raise their mighty steeds.

  It had allowed the two countries to come to an equitable trade balance. Agon constantly worked to find better deals for itself, dealing with each of the separate city-states of Kurrot. Each city-state was independent, allowing for some interesting trade negotiations. While the city-states of Kurrot were supposed to be allied, there was often competition between them. This was something that could easily be used against them, as long as you were careful. It was never advisable to piss off a Kurrot.

  With that though i
n his head, Devis Lane led Enzi's Irregulars southwards. His plan was to avoid the cities and civilization. It seemed the most prudent thing to do. They would press forward, trying to reach Feergrus as quickly as possible. The wide open plains of Kurrot seemed a good place to make up some lost time. Civilization was sparse and most Kurrot would want nothing to do with travelers. The hermit in the swamp had not been much of an exception to the people of Kurrot.

  It would be a solid three week walk to the Agonish border if the group headed straight south. Devis wanted to cut westward some. He wanted to minimize the time spent in Agon. The kingdom was widest in the east and thinnest in the west. Devis hoped to cross the border, then the Capital River, followed by the Ago River. While he could travel down the Capital River to reach the Ago River, that would take the group past the capital of the kingdom.

  Devis did not want the inhuman mercenaries anywhere near the city of Agonor. It was too well policed. The criminal organizations there were quite powerful as well. Enzi's Irregulars had few fans in the southern countries anymore. A bounty rested on their heads for events long ago. Devis was sure the group had not been responsible, but that mattered little to him other than how it affected his plan. When the Irregulars had taken care of his problem with the lizardfolk, he could send them off to die. They would no longer be of any use to him.

  Enzi's Irregulars #0070

  Keeping away from civilization in Kurrot was an easy task. That was not the same as keeping away from people. Small homesteads could be seen in the distance more than once. Great herds of animals moved through the vast plains, directed by the Kurrot who ran along with them. For what was often thought of as vast empty plains, the land of Kurrot was surprisingly well populated with life and activity. The Kurrot were generally a solitary people, so the Irregulars were left alone for nearly two weeks.

  Devis Lane led the five inhuman mercenaries southwest towards Agon as a huge line of herd animals was passing on their eastern flank. However, the herd had taken a sharp right turn ahead, crossing in the path of Enzi's Irregulars. Devis would either have to push through the line of herd animals or make his westward tack much heavier than expected. The Rakshasa had little taste for delays. He was half tempted to just cut through the herd with violence.

  As the approached the line of animals one of the Kurrot herders slowed and turned to face the group suspiciously, “Who... Or what are you?”

  “Enzi's Irregulars,” Devis answered in Kurro, “Headed back to Feergrus. Your herd seems to now be in our way.”

  “Not much I can do about that,” the tall, thin Kurrot replied, “Just take a listen on the breeze.”

  Listening to the calm quiet of the fields might have been soothing to some, especially with the rhythmic tromping of hooves upon the ground. As the breeze picked up, Devis heard another sound. It sounded suspiciously like wind chimes. The metallic sound was out of place in a vast open plain of tall grasses. The Rakshasa noticed a sense of fear of the noise from the herd. A quick brush of the surface thoughts told him everything else he needed to know.

  “You hear that jingling?” the Kurrot asked, “That is razor grass. You try walking through that, you gonna have your skin carved up real good. Stuff is sharper than most blades and tough as iron. Most annoying stuff around, you just can't seem to get rid of it.”

  The disguised Rakshasa nodded, able to see the truth in the man's mind, “Then we must go around. It will delay us, but far less of a delay than having our skin carved off as you so delicately put it.”

  Devis had little fear of razor grass and assumed most of the Irregulars would be resistant as well, but it paid to appear more human and vulnerable. From reading the Kurrot man's surface thoughts, Devis knew that the only reason the herders had not attacked was that they had seen odder things in the plains. As long as it did not attack the herd, they were willing to let almost anything pass by without a fight. They had better things to do than just pick a fight with everything that moved.

  The herders still regarded the inhuman mercenaries and their foreign leader with great suspicion. Devis could not blame them. His own motives were decidedly against the success of Kurrot unless it joined Feergrus. His patriotism was without bounds. Devis would see that Feergrus succeeded, no matter what it took. For the moment, that mean turning westward and walking beside a great herd of animals. Eventually the Kurrot and the herds outran Enzi's Irregulars.

  Devis saw where they turned southwards and followed the path that had been forged. The disguised Rakshasa led the way towards Agon. He continued to head southwest, though he turned their direction mouth southwards than he had before. They had moved eastwards for nearly the whole day to avoid the massive patch of razor grass. The group traveled for eight more days before reaching the border of Agon. The border between Kurrot and Agon was not patrolled. There was no fence or anything to stop border crossings.

  At this point in the border, what separated Agon from Kurrot was civilization. Towns dotted the border. Heavily traveled roads existed between the towns. Devis hoped to cross through Agon with as little contact with the natives as possible. It would be impossible to avoid them. They would need their aid to cross the rivers, but Devis was skilled at negotiation. He expected to be able to smooth over nearly any problem, even with five monsters following him.

  Using any of his magic would be the biggest problem. He would have to rely on his cunning and physical strengths to survive this trip. In these regards, the Rakshasa was still far superior to any human he knew. The group crossed the border of Agon between the cities of Parevius and Seligkint. Devis planned to take the group due south through the farmlands of Agon until they reached the city of Eurarmis. They could take a ferry across the Capital River there.

  The trick would be the four day walk through the farmlands. Hopefully they would not have to deal with any of the farmers, but Devis did not hold out much hope for that. His only hope was that they could keep them calm long enough to escape Agon and enter Feergrus. Failing that, delaying a chase by soldiers would be good enough. Devis did not want to start a fight in Agon. He would rather spend his time on more important things. Plus he was not sure how well he could hide his identity in a fight.

  In regular things he could fool people into believing he was Enzi Cala. Even the Irregulars had not yet begun to suspect the Rakshasa. However, Devis had his own fighting style. He had fought Enzi and might be able to emulate it, but the Rakshasa's instincts would certainly betray him. His skill in battle far exceeded Enzi's meager talents. He had to rely on diplomacy. Luckily, Devis was also remarkably skilled at talking his way out of trouble. Being able to read minds helped with that skill quite a bit.

  The first day went well. They crossed the road without seeing anyone traveling between cities. Growing season had begun long enough ago that the fields provided visual cover. Harvest was still many months away thankfully. It gave Enzi's Irregulars a way to evade detection. Not that it completely worked, however, as the swaying of tall stalks gave away movement when there was no wind. Such movement brought suspicion. That was why during the second day a voice yelled out in Agonori.

  “Who goes there?”

  It was a standard hail to determine friend or foe. Animals or criminals might flee. Only a friend or the devious would reply. Devis was nothing if not devious, but he also currently had no reason to be anything but a friend. The Rakshasa could read the fear on the surface thoughts of the farmer. Like nearly all Agonish men, the farmer had been through militia training in his youth. His skill with weapons would be higher than just any person, but Devis could tell this was a man who had never been in an actual fight.

  Devis spoke in Agonori, “Greetings. We are merely passing through on our way to Feergrus, my homeland.”

  Still disguised as the Feergrus man Enzi Cala, the Rakshasa stepped to where the Agonish farmer could see him, “Ah, yes. Would not the road be easier?”

  “Time is of the essence,” Devis said, attempting to allay the farmer's suspicions, “We decided
to take a rather direct route to reach Eurarmis.”

  “It would be a lot easier to cross the rivers at the capital. They meet near there.”

  “We had hoped not to be seen too much. My companions draw a lot of attention. With limited time, I thought it best to avoid civilization as much as possible. If you see my allies, you might understand.”

  Devis swept aside some of the stalks so that the farmer could catch a glimpse of the inhuman mercenaries.”

  The farmer's eyes widened like giant saucers, “What kind of unholy monsters are those things?”

  “In the battles ahead there are many dangerous monsters we will have to face. There are few things in this world more effective to fight a monster than another monster. You understand why we might want to keep things quiet, yes?”

  “I... I can see. Just hurry up and get away from here. I don't want to see anything like that ever again.”

  The farmer shuffled off quickly. Devis could feel the man's fear. Even without his ability to read a person's surface thoughts, the fear was palpable. With his ability, he could see that the man would be too frightened to leave his home for some time, hoping that the mercenaries would be long gone before he would exit again. It would give Enzi's Irregulars plenty of time to escape the area before the farmer might think to inform anyone of what he had seen.

  The group pushed hard for the river. The hard part would be getting passage across the mighty capital river. One could not just ford it. Devis hoped to be able to find a quiet way across, but anything could happen once they reached the city. The five inhuman mercenaries could remain outside the town while Devis found a method to get across. Crossing the Ago River would be much easier. All he had to do was reach the Agonish town of Mocelare.

  An agent of Feergrus lived there and would make sure the rest of the trip went well. The group just had to make it across the Capital River and another two days worth of travel across farmlands. Then they would be home free. The group had no more delays in their trip to Eurarmis. Still disguised as the Feergrus man known as Enzi Cala, Devis spoke to the Irregulars. He told them to make their way around the town to the river as quietly as possible and to remain unseen.