282: Scales of Life (Patreon)

“And for the tenth time, I’m saying you’re being irrational,” Balagra muttered to Vir, careful to keep himself from being overheard by the two hundred demons who marched behind them. It’d struck Vir as odd that the Overseer had put them in charge of so many, though it was a perfect tactic to ensure maximum chaos.

‘March’ may have been a generous word for the prisoners’ disorganized movements. The untrained, ragtag mob of would-be soldiers barely managed to stay in a single group, let alone form an orderly formation. A fact made all the more obvious by the crisp marching lines of the Kothis who guarded them.

“No, I’m saying I’ll find a third option,” Vir said, reducing his voice to almost a whisper. His troops weren’t the only ones who’d be trying to listen in. “One that’ll ensure as few people die on this mission as possible.”

Balagra stopped and turned, meeting Vir’s gaze. “You think you’re doing these people a favor by extending their lives? You’re not. You’re merely lengthening their torture. You are out of your mind to even entertain the idea of keeping all of them alive, but let’s say you’re successful. What then? What fate do you think awaits these poor souls? The Ash. That’s what.”

Balagra allowed the words to hang, as if daring Vir to respond. He didn’t, so the naga continued.

“I’ve seen the way you fight. I know you could handle yourself in that blighted realm. But mark my words. Surviving alone and protecting others are different beasts entirely. Ask yourself. Could you save those who have no business entering that realm? I think not. Dying here, or dying in the Ash—what difference does it make?”

Balagra started walking again, just as the nearest troops began to approach earshot. “At least dying here puts them out of their misery sooner.”

Vir didn’t immediately reply. This was hardly the first time they had this conversation, and Vir doubted it would be the last. The hardest part was that Balagra had a point. Many of these demons were wholly unfit to be anywhere near the Ash, let alone marching right up to the boundary.

While the Warriors who fought at the Boundary were undoubtedly veterans, that was only true because those unfit to fight had perished long ago.

Even with proper training and the best equipment, Vir suspected many would still perish. If there was one thing the year’s time in the ash had taught him, it was that fighting was about more than just tactics, skill, and weaponry. It was a mindset. The mindset to put aside one’s fear, survival instincts, and compassion, to end the life of another.

Vir readjusted his ill-fitting iron cuirass as he scouted the terrain ahead. The armor had been part of his reward for attaining iron rank during the guardian ranking fight. He’d also won a steel sword, though it may as well have been trash next to Vir’s Artifact Chakram and seric katar. Weapons he missed dearly.

They were in the safe care of Cirayus while Vir was undercover, along with his communication orb. The weapons and armor were one thing, but it was the orb that he missed the most. The stress of remaining undercover and dealing with Samar Patag’s expectations of him had been manageable, in part, due to his near-daily conversations with Maiya.

It was only now, when he was deprived of that luxury, that he realized just how cathartic those moments had been. And, he suspected, how much it had done for Maiya’s state of mind. She was tough. One of the toughest people Vir knew. Yet, he still worried for her. He longed to hear her melodic voice, and to hear her tell him that everything would be okay.

“Or what?” Balagra asked. “Do you intend to kill the Overseer?”

“That’s a leading question, and you know it,” Vir said., snapping back to the conversation.

“Yes, but do you?”

“I may be new to leading others, but I am no chal, Balagra,” Vir fired back. “If we kill the Overseer, he’ll merely be replaced, and we’ll be on the run.”

Not to mention we’d be stranded without supplies. Between the rucksacks the demons’ carried on their backs and the supply Ash’va, Vir guessed they had three days of food. Perhaps a week if they truly rationed. For water, they’d be relying on runoff from the nearby mountains once their initial stock ran out.

“You see my point, then,” Balagra said. “Even taking the whole Garrison would not be enough. There are no half measures here. Either you take every garrison all at once, or you agree to play the Overseer’s games. Ruthless as they may be, there is a certain pragmatism to his actions.”

Vir didn’t have a reply. Because right now, even more than at Samar Patag, Vir was at a loss for what to do. Balagra was right. Vir had, of course, considered assassinating the Overseer. It would’ve been simple with his means, yet it would only have made the situation worse. Even if Vir was never seen committing the crime, a Chitran investigation would only have tightened the already too-literal noose around everyone’s necks. While chaos and confusion had a place, it was not here. Not now.

“Besides,” Balagra continued. “I fear that, despite our best efforts, many will perish on this suicide run.”

“I’m aware,” Vir said softly, the memories of Samar Patag’s defense still fresh in his mind. “I just—”

“Sir!” Malik said, running up to Vir. Though Vir never asked him to, the gray demon had begun referring to Vir as his superior officer the moment he’d been appointed leader of their expedition.

“We may have a situation brewing,” the gray demon said. “A scuffle, about halfway down the line.”

“Thank you, Malik. I’ll be right there,” Vir said.

Balagra squeezed Vir’s shoulder. “A piece of advice. One that was given to me long ago by a warrior many times my better. ‘Don’t worry about the monsters of the distant future, for they may never come to pass.’ We have enough worries of our own. Stay present. Stay aware.”

“That’s wise,” Vir said. “But I have to wonder. If we don’t worry for these poor souls, then who will?”

Balagra grunted. “Criminals? You have a big heart, I’ll give you that.”

Vir retrieved a piece of rolled parchment and pressed it against Balagra’s chest.

“What is this?” the naga demanded.

“A roster of every demon under our charge. Or mine, at least. Read it. Then let me know if you still feel the same.”

— —

“What is this about?” Vir asked, approaching the two groups of prisoners under his charge who’d started grappling with each other. He was reluctant to call them ‘soldiers’, as they displayed absolutely none of the behavior one would attribute to a military professional. Hooligan was closer to the mark.

With a resigned breath, Vir jumped into the fray.

The issue with ground fighting was that it blinded one to the environment around them. A fatal mistake if said environment happened to be a battlefield.

Vir reached down and plucked the burly red demon off the ground, tossing him aside as if he weighed no more than a baby.

Vir then took the place of the grappler, pinning the other demon who’d been on the ground. The demon scowled up at Vir.

“I just threw that guy ten paces. Do you really want me to do the same to you?”

The demon’s scowl turned into a look of horror, and he shook his head with vigor.

“Nothing to see here,” Vir shouted at the crowd. “Move along.”

They did move along, with some shooting him looks of awe, and others, suspicious glares.

Earning their respect is going to be a long, arduous journey, Vir mused.

“Oi, lookie who just showed up,” someone in the crows—a scrawny red demon—said. “Mebbe we’ll be gettin’ some some, eh?”

“What answers?” Vir asked.

“There’s been a rumor, sir,” Malik said, scratching his neck and looking away awkwardly as he spoke.

“Yes, and?” Vir asked, frustrated that nobody was coming clean.

“What dere too afraid ta tell ya,” the red demon from before said, “is dey think we’re all gonna die! Dat true?”

“It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Vir replied swiftly.

“The rumor is false, then,” one of the fighters on the other side said. “You didn’t receive orders to have half of us killed?”

Vir relied on every bit of acting experience he had to ensure he didn’t give away any tells. Even then, he wasn’t altogether sure he succeeded.

How in all the realms did they find out? The only ones who knew were Balagra and me and…

And one other. The Overseer.

“I can assure you there is nothing of the sort,” Vir replied loudly, scanning the group to find expressions of relief and skepticism alike. “I won’t lie to you. We journey to a dangerous place. We will inevitably fight against Ash Beasts. Likely many of them.”

The crowd grew grim.

“There are some who believe life is the real punishment here. That death is the easy way out. Maybe they’re right. Maybe it is the less painful road. I disagree,” Vir said, sweeping his head across the dozens of onlookers. “As long as you are under my command, I will do everything within my power to keep you all alive. So let’s work together and keep our wits about us, and maybe we’ll get out of this Ash damned place in one piece.”

Vir whirled and stomped away, not bothering to see their reactions. For better or worse, his path was set. So was theirs.

He found Balagra waiting a handful of paces away.

“Are you sure that was wise?” the Naga asked. “You’re committed now.”

“I always was,” Vir replied.

“Did you mean everything you said?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

Balagra hefted his spear. “No. Though I’m afraid you may have to demonstrate your resolve sooner than you’d like.”

“Why?” Vir asked, frowning.

“A scout just reported back. The Ash Beasts. They’ve encircled us.”

Vir’s eyes widened.

“Malik,” he said softly. “Order the troops to brace for combat.”

They weren’t ready. He wasn’t ready. He’d hoped to spend at least a few hours teaching his troops the very basics of combat. How to strike and block and such. He’d hoped to establish formations that put the weaker fighters towards the rear. It wouldn’t have been much, but it would have saved lives.

He’d had none of that. They’d been attacked just a few short hours into their journey. Vir had a sinking feeling that he was about to face the greatest challenge he’d encountered in the demon realm. Perhaps even surpassing the defense of Samar Patag.

And as Balagra so eloquently put it, saving one’s self was realms apart from protecting others. As for an exposed, untrained army against Ash Beasts? At that moment, Vir was not at all confident he could live up to his lofty words.