Ashborn 369: Council of the Akh Nara (Patreon)

The revelation came not just as a shock, but as a humbling moment to him. That feeling doubled when he learned just how truly close he’d been, losing multiple limbs, being a hair’s breath away from death.. Here he’d been, single-handedly attacking an Automaton of the Gods, thinking he’d prevail simply because he’d grown a bit stronger, and because he had Ashani by his side.

In doing so, he’d not only put his own life in danger, but that of his people, Cirayus, Aida, Tara… And Ashani herself.

Images of Ashani, lying broken and maimed, came back to Vir. It was the way he’d first found her, back when she’d brought him to the Mahādi Realm for the first time. And that had been against a Garuda. Not an Imperium Automaton. Hadn’t Ashani herself said that she didn’t dare fight those monstrosities? That she’d nearly died once, trying?

Stupid, Vir admonished himself. Grakking stupid.

“Hey,” Balagra said, noticing Vir’s scowl. “You’re probably thinking something along the lines of, ‘How could I have failed?’ and ‘I couldn’t protect everyone.’”

Vir’s thoughts froze. “You’re… Absolutely right,” he admitted, shoulders drooping. “Did you learn to read minds while I was away? Or is that a anga thing?”

Balagra barked a laugh. “No,” he said. “Just that it’s what any Warrior would feel were they in your boots.”

“Yourself included?” Vir asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I imagine so,” Balagra said with a small sigh. “Wouldn’t have, some months ago. Wouldn’t have believed those words would ever come out of my mouth, again, truthfully.”

Vir rested a hand on Balagra’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad to hear it. Now, do I have you to thank for my miraculous recovery as well? Or was it all Tara?”

“She was the one who handled all the healing,” Balagra said, looking away and rubbing his neck. “I just healed her so she could work without interruption.”

The corners of Vir’s lips crept upward. It seemed he owed his life to not just one, but two Panavs.

— — 

“Wow, look at you! Back from the dead,” a certain leather-clad Naga said the moment Vir had left the medical hut. He’d been assigned a private room in an otherwise open building, furnished with a dozen reed cots lined up side by side. Tara walked slowly around Vir, analyzing him from every angle just as a doctor would their patient. “I genuinely can’t believe you bounced back so quickly. Ashani really wasn’t kidding. Whatever’s in your body can work miracles.”

“Not the miracle of restoring three limbs,” Vir admitted. “I owe you a great debt, Tara.”

“No, you don’t,” Tara said with a tired smile. “Just do what you’re claiming to do, and I’ll have all the payment anyone could ever ask for. But… Thanks.”

Vir nodded, but then frowned. “Wait. Did you just say Ashani? Since when have you referred to her as anything other than ‘The Goddess’? Actually, you never even spoke to her.”

“Yeah, well,” Tara said, scratching her head. “Things have changed between us the week days you’ve been out. She’s… Surprisingly approachable.”

“That’s good to hear. I was worried she’d—Wait, a week!?” Vir cried in panic. 

“Balagra didn’t tell you?” Tara said, cocking her head. “That’s actually an incredibly short time to recover, considering your injuries. Even with Yuma’s Embrace’s healing.”

“I… forgot to ask. I thought I was out for a few hours, maybe a day. What all has happened while I’ve been unconscious? Are we still at the same camp? How fare the troops?”

Tara smiled, gesturing to Balagra. “I’ll let him fill you in. But don’t worry. It could be a lot worse…”

Tara’s ominous statement didn’t fill Vir with any sense of comfort whatsoever, and his fears proved to be true once he’d gotten the debrief from Balagra and Malik.

“Thirty dead. Over twenty severely wounded,” Vir muttered. He leaned over the large table of the command hut within the compound, arms spread across the wood that was covered with sheets of roughly-cured parchment.

“Those twenty all made a full recovery, thanks to Balagra and your friend,” Malik said.

“Still,” Vir replied. “Thirty demons.”

“The horde came out of nowhere,” Balagra said. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have considered fleeing deeper into the Ash, but alas, that is what had to be done. Many of those who perished did so not due to Ash Beasts, but to prana poisoning. I’m afraid I am only one healer, and handling that much prana poisoning for so many was beyond my means…”

“You can’t blame yourself,” Vir said with resignation. “Just as I can’t blame myself for not being here when you were attacked,” he added, more quietly.

“All we can do now is to honor their sacrifice, and to rebuild stronger than ever before.”

“Agreed,” Balagra said. “And we are. The Ravager toils hard training the troops, taking them out on raids and teaching them of actual combat. His granddaughter the Thaumaturge has already inscribed dozens of tattoos, and works to create more, while Tara and I perform treatment on anyone who returns with injuries. This camp functions as well as one could hope, but there is one thing we cannot create, no matter our skill.”

“More demons,” Vir said grimly. “I’m aware.”

Two hundred—less, now—was nowhere near enough to take Samar Patag. Perhaps with five thousand elites, they could take and hold the country. It would be difficult, but then, every troop forged in the Ash was easily worth ten who weren’t.

“It will be my top priority,” Vir assured them, realizing the task of recruitment would likely have him returning to the Demon Realm—something he loathed. Not only because he felt he needed to be here, watching over his troops as they grew, but because of the favorable time effect this deep into the Ash. It wasn’t as strong as at the core, let alone at Mahādi, but unlike their previous camp, time flowed slower here than in the Demon Realm, allowing his troops the luxury of time.

For now, he needed to ensure their safety—at least as much as was possible. A year ago, Vir would have attempted to do it all himself. These days, he knew a bit better. 

“When does Cirayus get back?” he asked. “And where is Ashani?”

“They are both out together, and should be returning shortly,” Balagra said. “Why do you ask?”

“Because we need to hold a general meeting. About our plans. About the future.”

— — 

“Staffing issues aside, there is a more immediate problem at hand,” Vir said, addressing the group who had clustered into the small command hut. It consisted of Balagra, Malik, Cirayus, Aida—who had to sit to even fit—Ashani, and Tara.

Vir couldn’t believe how quickly his core group had grown, and with such considerable talent, too. It made him more than a little proud, but all it was for naught if he couldn’t ensure everyone’s safety.

“A workshop I can actually fit in?” Aida said with a hopeful grin.

“Not quite,” Vir replied with a small smile. “Though I will ensure we construct one for you. New buildings will be constructed with Bairans in mind.”

“Music to my ears,” Aida quipped.

“Our most immediate concern is safety, and the fact that we have no early warning system,” Vir said. 

“A tough problem, especially in a land here like the Ash, lad,” Cirayus said.

“For most, yes,” Vir replied. “But together with Ashani, we now have the ability to create Ash Gates at will. And due to the ambient prana levels, any Gates created in this area are nearly self-sustaining, requiring only rare infusions of prana to keep stable.”

“You’re suggesting a network of Gates,” Cirayus said, stroking his beard.

“I am. I want sentries posted a mile in every direction. We’ll build guard towers with Gates placed within, allowing them to return instantly should they spot anything dangerous. Furthermore, I will build Gates from our base to safe zones at the periphery of the Ash. These will, in turn, have Gates leading to the Demon Realm. All will be manned and guarded at all hours. In this way, should anything like a Guardian attack happen, the army will remain safe. Even when I am gone.”

“We’ll need to come up with evacuation procedures,” Malik said. “Even with our limited numbers, moving that many troops quickly will be a challenge.”

“Doable, with enough training,” Balagra said. “We’ll add this to our drills.”

“I want you and Malik to work together to hammer out the details. Who should escape first, what signals to use to begin the evacuation… Those sorts of things.”

“Consider it done,” Balagra replied.

“Meanwhile, while everyone has done a great job building this base in my absence, we need to expand it. And to reinforce the walls.”

“I can oversee that,” Cirayus replied. “Was just thinking the same thing myself, actually.”

“Great,” Vir said. “Lastly, Cirayus, what do you feel about the current level of the troops?”

Cirayus thought for a moment. “Among demonic standards, they’re elites already.”

“Among Ash standards?”

The demon shrugged. “Somewhat weak. They fight well, and they are well trained. They simply lack the strength required to take on Ash Beasts alone.”

“And this is with them fighting Ash Beasts on a regular basis…” Vir trailed off. “I feel we are swiftly approaching the limits of what this area can give us. As such, ’m thinking of creating a Gate to the outskirts of the Mahādi Realm. Both so that Ashani can travel freely back to her home, and for our troops to train. We have the benefit of the Ash, and there is no better proving ground than Mahādi.”

“While I agree, we will have to be careful about it—place the Gate somewhere far, and keep it under guard at all times,” Cirayus said. 

“Actually, there’s no need for such precaution,” Ashani said. “We can simply place the exit within Janak’s abode. It is situated quite close to the outskirts of the city, and has remained secure against Ash Beasts for millennia.”

“Then that is what we will do,” Vir said with a smile. “Before long, our troops will be making forays into the heart of Mahādi itself.”

While that might have been a stretch, merely having an army composed of demons who could withstand Mahādi and not die would be a feat in and of itself.

“You’d best keep your hopes down, lad,” Cirayus said. “Even you would have died, were it not for the Goddess’ aid, and you have a far easier time with prana poisoning than most demons.”

“I agree,” Vir said, “but you’re forgetting we have Panav healers. One of whom bears Yuma’s Embrace. I didn’t have that luxury. If the art can bring me back from near-death, I figure it ought to work even better than Ashani’s pranites. It will be a slow, arduous process, yes. But I believe, with time and effort, we can accomplish it.”

“I won’t deny that Tara has been a godsend,” Cirayus said. “Both for you and for the others. She’s the talk of the camp these days.”

Tara looked away. “Just doing what I can…”

“Like saving my life,” Vir quipped. “Nothing major.”

“If you do this, lad,” Cirayus continued, “it’ll be one of the most significant feats any demon has ever accomplished. Not even your predecessors attempted such madness.”

Vir grinned. “None of my predecessors had a being from the Age of Gods on their side. None of them could create Ash Gates.”

“True, lad, true,” Cirayus said with a laugh. “Now, what are your plans, aside from running around creating Gates?”

Vir’s smile slipped from his face. “Aside from somehow figuring out how to recruit a whole lot more troops?” Given that he didn’t have the slightest idea how to go about that without prematurely triggering a war, he figured he’d work on a more tractable goal. 

“I need to go meet someone. It is time I returned to Saunak.”