Wild Wastes 5 -CH12- (Patreon)

Zathira moved out of the foul culvert and joined Vince after moving forward. She let out a slow breath and shook her head.

“There’s a large number of dead nearby. I think they’re in a mass grave. There’s also a great deal of dying nearby that aren’t far from death. Many will pass after nightfall,” she whispered as she laid down in the tall grass near Vince. They were fairly well hidden all things considered. “If we can keep them focused here with an undead force sieging the castle, they won’t look south.”

If it wasn’t for the fact the area past had been completely cleared of brush, trees, and grass, they could probably make it to the woods on the other side of the camp. All without ever being seen or noticed.

Vince could only lament what could have been.

“Alright. I agree. The alternatives aren’t great,” Vince muttered. “We have to either go through that camp, or try to sneak around it at night. Given the size of it and the fact that I’m pretty sure those are Nullifier’s and magician slaves… I’m betting we wouldn’t make it through without them noticing.

“Then it’d be a running battle all the way to the actual front-lines while trying to protect the entire Ratkin population from Gascogne. Seems like a bad idea to me and a good way to get most of them killed.”

“Yes… I think that’s what would happen,” murmured Zathira. “We’ll raise the dead an hour or two after sunset, cause a massive problem, and keep everyone bottled up here. The Ratkin can begin moving south while that’s all going on.

“We’ll catch up to them after that. I plan on using the weapons available, by the way. There’ll be a lot of gunfire once I get them moving. If you can try to wait for that to happen before you open fire yourself, that’d be wonderful.

“Preferably only if they come this way. Not to mention only if there really is a Nullifier and they come our way. If none of that happens, I’d love to get out of here without adding risk to ourselves. Your life is worth more than everyone here combined. Including my own.”

Blinking, Vince nodded his head.

It was a perfectly reasonable request and something that needed to be said. Vince was more of the “kick down the door while shouting” as soon as the action started.

“Sunset isn’t too far off,” Vince said after realizing that Zathira was planning this better than he would’ve. Holding his hand up he held up his fingers beneath the sun and the horizon. Then put his other hand atop it. “Hour and forty-five, give or take.”

“My kind can probably begin moving now,” Atis offered from Vince’s back. She’d remained with him the entire time. “There’s enough grass that we can move through without being spotted. Impossible for you two. Not for us.

“That would make it easier for you if you’re not worried for us. Not to mention you wouldn’t have to remain here as long.”

Honestly, Vince had forgotten Atis was riding him. She was of course correct. That’d move a lot of the troubles right off their plate.

“Bas, get them moving,” ordered Atis from Vince’s back. “Actually, nevermind. I’ll get them moving. I’m feeling like I need to move.”

Leaping off Vince’s back Atis landed on the ground and scampered off at high speed.

“Grandma being healthy is good. Grandma stronger, faster, smarter, than me, is bad. She’ll need to leave if I’m going to remain warren master,” revealed Bas. “She should be ambassador to you. Better use there.”

Bas shuffled off back toward where the rest of the Ratkin were getting out of the culvert.

Atis had rushed off toward where they would be going instead.

Hm.

Probably true.

Atis could probably help Petra. She seems strong enough to bind all the Ratkin populations together.

Maybe… even back in Yosemite, too.

“Maybe you should try to bless the Duke?” Zathira suggested.

Oh.

The Duke.

That’d… haha… a youthful and energetic Duke Gerard of Denver.

Master Necromancer in the prime of his youth.

Hm. Actually… should go see if there’s any elders in Legion or Yosemite that could be returned to their prime.

Need to see how far this blessing can go.

Was it different because it was just a Ratkin? Would it work on the Duke?

Things to test.

Ah! Speaking of tests… let’s hope there’s a Nullifier.

Would be good to test a Nullifier heart.

***

Vince was idly chasing about the floating Dragon energies inside of himself while laying down in a dry spot of grass. Running the Dragon Maidens about until they ducked into their trees, then going after a different one. Eventually they’d leave the Dryad they were bound with and move back out into the “playing field” as Vince saw it.

At first the Dragon’s clearly had no idea what he was doing. Most of them trying to withstand his attention until they broke and scurried off.

It only took a few of them running away before they realized it was somewhat of a game.

Now there more than a few that would try to dart through the field in the middle to see if he could catch them.

“What exactly are you doing?” asked Zathira from beside him. They’d been sitting next to one another as the sunset and night fell. “You’ve looked rather entertained for quite a while.”

For her own part, she’d slowly been pooling her power and identifying each and ever corpse she could reach. As well as embuing them with power up to the point that they coudl be raised, but not finishing them.

Or so she’d explained when he’d asked a while ago.

“Messing around with the Dragons,” Vince answered honestly as he cornered Taylor between what he was sure was Mouth and Blue’s trees. Latching onto her presence he drowned it in far too much attention and power. Flooding it through her.

Meliae had orchestrated all the Yosemite Dragon’s preparing a piece of their horns for him. Granting more power to Ferris and Dea as well.

When it was obvious Taylor couldn’t handle anymore, he released her. Letting her dark black spot of energy stumble off and run to Meliae’s tree. Hiding inside and retreating into it completely.

“I see. Well… I admit I’m a bit jealous that I can’t… be as they are,” confessed Zathira. “They’re more spirits at this point then mortals such as I.”

“I mean… if my blessing works to rejuvinate the Duke, doesn’t that mean that you can keep your health and youth with just a blessing as well?” mused Vince, looking about the playing field. Renata was taunting him now. Darting toward him, then away. Climbing over other Dragons, pushing through the Dryad trees, then sprinting toward him again.

You know, it feels like the area has expanded even if the physical one hasn’t. I wonder if this is another change due to the religious nature of it all.

It’s a shame Dea, Ferris, or the other Dragons can’t really come this way. All the Nullifier’s and their mounts flooding the area would make it impossible to reach us.

Ah well… we’re… we’re doing alright.

“That’s… a good point,” Zathira admitted then sighed. “It’s about time to start. How’re the Ratkin, Atis?”

“They’ve all moved ahead. They’re running the Spain-Scamper-Route and we’ll follow as we can,” Atis answered with a yawn. She’d been dozing in her seat atop Vince. “Bas told me he was nervous about me taking charge. Best I let him run them along and I stay here.”

Spain-Scamper-Rout.

Maybe the genocide of the Ratkin in Spain was more complete than I thought.

They were already destined to be wiped out for their treatment of Dryads, but this just makes it even more obvious to me.

They care only for their own kind and no one else. So long as they were in control they were the only ones to benefit.

“Sounds like it’s time to go all ‘eyes beyond the veil’ and what not,” Vince murmured and shifted to his side, looking to Zathira completely now.

Her eyes had reverted to their normal state a while back. She’d been trying to do everything she could without calling up too much power. In turn limiting the possibility of a Nullifier discovering her.

“I’m just going to say it directly, even if I’ve said it in different ways previously. It’s very strange that you’re so interested in that. It makes most people very uncomfortable,” Zathira remarked as her eyes slowly darkened into what could only be described as black holes where her eyes should be.

“I have Dragons with eyes that shine, Dryads whos eyes become bonfires of green, and a Gnome who’s eyes have pink and purple fierflies that skitter around in them,” Vince countered. “I like unique and different. Especially eyes.

“With that being said… wanna gimmie a smile while you’ve got your grasp from beyond thing going? I could just… file it away in the ol’ memory for later, you see.”

Zathira’s face had reddened while listening to him. Her face was still fairly neutral but he had the impression she wanted to smile or grimace.

Maybe even both if it were possible.

She’d said she was no blushing maiden, but when he talked to her, he found that she very likely was almost as innocent as that. He had no reason to doubt what she said was the truth, her lack of composure just seemed to flee her around him.

Slowly, Zathira rose up to a normal height, all the while holding his gaze firmly.

Then she gave him a smile that definitely looked rather nice on her pretty face. The lack of eyes gave it an altogether different feeling, though Vince found it rather interesting.

“Thanks, Zathira. You’re lovely when you smile,” Vince offered for the mental snapshot he’d taken of her, then looked back to the military camp. He needed to be ready to defend her if the enemy figured out what was going on. Which really just came down to a Nullifier being nearby or not.

“I’ll start with the mass graves. I had a few turned early and had them digging slowly. They’ll pop out in moments,” explained Zathira.

Vince only shrugged his shoulders.

It wasn’t his business, nor did he honestly care. This was all something he couldn’t really affect or change. What Zathira was doing was outside of his scope and that meant he was just here to support her.

A role he was perfectly happy to take on.

There are times to share the load, and times to carry it by myself. This is more the former, where someone else is carrying more of it, and I’m here to help.

Sitting there, Vince could only wait.

“She seems very skilled,” Atis whispered.

“She is. Gerard, the duke of Denver, wouldn’t have sent her to me otherwise,” Vince responded. “Too strong to keep her as an apprentice, trustworthy enough to send to his liege, enough loyalty to him as the duke to not worry of her speaking poorly to me about him.

“I imagine Gerard felt quite torn sending her out into the world. There aren’t that many necromancers.”

“Where’s Denver?” asked Atis.

“Across the ocean. On a different continent. A place that’s probably just as big as Europe without including the northern reaches or territory I haven’t taken in the south,” he answered knowing full well that he’d have to answer a lot more questions later. This much information would only drive more curiosity he was sure. “I did tell you I was a ruler of another nation. Spain is just my most recent conquest, not my first. I have an entire continent at my beck and call. Francia has a much bigger problem than they think.”

“But… if Francia falls, who’ll combat the Unsatisfied? Francia isn’t kind to it’s magical population, but that’s because of the Unsatisfied’s hunger. Without her Nullifiers, we’d all have been fed to appease Him,” Atis asked in a worried tone. “Without them… then what? Wouldn’t He devour all and leave nothing?”

The Unsatisfied.

Sounds a lot like some religious title to me. Something we’ll have to be wary off or work to solve I suppose.

We’ll have to ask more questions from Atis later. Need more information.

There’s way more going on in Europe than we originally thought.

Spain was a lot easier to deal with.

Though… I guess that’s why Ryker had it as a landing point all things considered. Even when I think he’s just being a toolbag it turns out he’s actually doing what he can to steer me in the right way.

Staring to wonder if that’s as coincidental as I originally believed.

Felix never thought it was all on accident.

“The Unsatisfied? We’ll need to talk more about that,” Vince said quickly with a nod of his head. There was a distant sound that reminded him of someone screaming in pain.

It meant Zathira was getting to work.

Out in front of them, through the dark and gloom, Vince could see there was no response. They either couldn’t hear it, or had discounted it entirely.

In either situation, it was to their benefit. The longer they failed to act, the better it’d be.

More would be pulled down and killed by the Undead, in turn creating ever more. A loop that always benefited a Necromancer.

The sudden and loud clash and clang of weapons meeting armor shattered the stillness of the night. There was no mistaking the noise now as anything other than battle.

“Stole weapons and gear,” Zathira reported. “Sweeping through the medical tents now. Killing anyone with a weapon that resists but… leaving the wounded alone. Anyone who’s fleeing without a weapon isn’t a problem for us at the moment.

“I hope I don’t live to regret sparing them their lives. I know the Duke would chastise me for my kindness. A weapon I myself hold that’s pointed toward my heart.”

“Glad I don’t have to lecture you,” Vince added with a nod of his head. Optimism and good-will was a grand thing in times of peace and propserity. Or when you had the ability to be charitable.

A war was none of those things.

Soldiers were rising from their beds and tents in the camp now. Many of them in not much more than pajamas or small clothes. Most of them having retired to their beds and sleeping bags.

They moved off in small groups, heading toward the marsh and the open plain to the east of the fort. It’d been a wide open space that would’ve been impossible to cross without being spotted by the castle.

Not to mention it’d been filled with graves and open pits waiting for more broken bodies.

Watching them go, Vince wondered if there would be anything for him to do in the end.

His eyes flicked back and forth over those who were moving, seeing nothing of actual concern as of yet.

“Alright, moving my army into a few different groupings. With any luck they’ll move right at the normal line, thinking it’s just Undead. Then I can hit them from the sides,” Zathira continued with her play-by-play. “I worked a great deal with every general who would talk to me as well as the Duke.

“I’m no master tactician like Petra, but… I’m not a push-over either. I’m at least better than an amateur.”

That’d work, wouldn’t it.

Line them up like normal Undead, prepare an ambush, hit them when they come to exterminate the Undead. Smart and usable once per commander, till word spreads.

Vince’s mind turned away from those thoughts as five people in what looked like some type of robe began heading his way. They were staring straight ahead to where Zathira was standing.

Or so he guessed since they were wearing cowls, cloaks, and hoods as well. They were quite heavily dressed as if they were expecting cold weather.

It really did give them an odd religious look.

Ah… Nullifier’s.

Lifting his pistol Vince lined it up on the first in line and pulled the trigger thrice in quick succession. All three rounds struck a bright-blue shield that came into existence from nothing.

A faith shield with enough strength to stop a bullet. Firing further would be pointless

“Fuck,” he muttered and stood up and holstered his weapon. He wanted to preserve his ammunition until those shields were gone.

Stepping over in front of Zathira he planned to take any Nullifier shot they used on him so she could keep working her Necromancy.

Except none of the five launched an attack. They instead spread out and continued to do so, with only two of their number moving to intercept Vince.

Damnit.

“Ferris, Dea, Yaris, I’d ask for your blessing. Put down a shield around my High-Priestess of Death, Zathira, so she might continue in my work,” Vince asked, putting a differnt spin on the request.

With any luck they’d accept the lie as it was.

“The High-Priestess of Death for the lord Vince Campbell Zathira prays for the assistance of her goddesses to serve her lord,” Zathira agreed as soon as Vince stopped speaking. “She believes that her pantheon will shield her.”

There was a pop in the air followed by a small sphere appearing. It surrounded Zathira in a violent and shifting kaleidoscope of color and powes. There was no light coming off of it, but given how close he was Vince could see the rapid flucuating hues.

“Well, guess that means you five get to play with me. My dear High-Priestess is busy,” stated Vince, unsheathing his sword and pulling it up in front of himself. “Let’s get this going because realistically… I’ve got a lot of work to do and you’re all just wastime my time. Lots to do. Lots and lots to do.”

The five Nullifier’s glanced at him even as they continued to spread out, with only the two that’d moved to him focusing on him.

Zathira had an odd smile on her face even as she gazed off into nothing. Working her magic to it’s fullest it would seem given the screams were getting louder. Louder and the bang and clatter of combat was reaching what had an extreme edge to it now.

A Nullifier who was now on the other side of Zathira from him attacked the shield with a Nullifier attack. The magic revoking sphere slammed into the shield, rolled around it, then pittered out. Nothing remained of the attack and the shield was seemingly untouched.

There was a quiet chuckle that came from the area above Zathira. It was a voice Vince knew quite well. A voice that he hadn’t heard since he left Legion Planet and had missed.

Yaris was laughing and present in a way that was clearly akin to a deity.

Something had clearly changed while he was making his way back south. It’d only been a few days but she’d grown in strength to the point that she could manifest like this.

She didn’t say anything, but was obviously putting more power into the shield. Keeping Zathira quite safe and secure.

As long as the shield was held Vince would be free to move about th earea and engage in melee combat. There’d be no need for him to try and work around Zathira to keep her safe.

“If you’re not going to come to me, I’m going to come to you,” Vince said then rushed forward to the closest Nullifier.