Cries of anguish and groans of agony rose up from every direction, the screams of pain overshadowed by the tears shed over the dead. Everywhere I looked, the sight was the same. We had managed to hold off the Demon’s first offensive but it came with a heavy toll. Injured and dead laid on the ground by the thousands. The numbers had far exceeded what our medics could handle. Hundreds of brave soldiers were on the laying, wounded with treatable injuries that we simply did not have the manpower to treat. Many would die, not because their injuries were too severe, but because we did not have enough people capable of treating their injuries.
I moved through the all too familiar sight, plagued by my own helplessness. “How many did we lose?” I asked softly.
“Twenty thousand dead or injured,” General Arthur replied with a sigh, “This was just their first assault. If what ye told me about Envy’s forces is true, the longer this war drags on, the more their numbers will grow. If it was just the Demonkin from Novus, we might be able to handle it but fighting on three fronts at once is costly.”
I nodded in understanding. “We dealt a pretty good blow to one of the Demons today with that explosion trick of mine. He had the best defensive ability and I expect the Demons will wait until he recovers before making another move. We might have two days to prepare for the second assault if we are lucky. In that time, we need to weaken one of the three fronts.”
“Enterin’ the blood mist over Novus is suicide with all the Demons there. That only leaves the Demonkin streamin’ in from the northeast, or the army of the Ciel Empire to the west.”
“Even with the speed of Dragon’s Nest, I doubt we can reach the rift Irene create in the east and return before the Demons’ second assault,” I said thoughtfully, “Envy probably has Alphas protecting it even if we did rush there. That only leaves the Ciel Empire.”
“Do ye have a plan?” General Arthur asked.
I shrugged in indifference. “Same thing I always do, infiltrate and assassinate. While the Ciel Emperor might have sided with the Demons, I doubt the common soldiers are too excited about this war. If I remove the leadership, the remaining army should crumble.”
“Do ye want any help?”
I waved my hand dismissively. “Just provide me with the bodies of the soldiers and Demonkin killed today. I will handle the rest.”
General Arthur laughed and slapped my back. “I look forward to seein’ ye work. Just be careful. I have fought the Ciel dogs many times over my career. They are more devious than they appear.”
“I will,” I replied.
I looked across the rows of injured. I saw one man nearby, barely conscious as they took their last breaths. I could see the tears in his eyes and clenched my fists in determination. Every enemy I removed was one less enemy that could strike down these scared men and women.
General Arthur’s soldiers gathered any corpse into a separate section of the camp for my use. Given the circumstances, there were not even many complaints from the soldiers about my plan to use their fallen companions as part of my undead horde. Among those dead gathered, there were also many from the Ciel Empire. There was no doubt the empire had already taken precautions against one of their fallen soldiers returning to their ranks but these fallen soldiers were still valuable tools for sowing discord. There were not many men that could fight their friends without being affected. Even if the undead was cut down without putting up resistance, it would still create fear, anger, and a slew of other emotions in the men that once knew them. While strong emotions could give the enemy soldiers reason to fight harder in battle, they also created discord in the camp.
As soon as I recovered enough energy, I would begin an operation against the Ciel Empire that would force them to doubt each and every person around them. Even if each soldier was checked regularly, it would only add to the fear that any soldier could become one of my undead.
First, however, another matter drew my attention. From one of my undead, I sensed a feeling that was beginning to become familiar and I returned to Dragon’s Nest.
As I approached the floating island that was currently up against the plateau’s cliff face, I spotted the familiar figure of Sebastion sitting silently on the edge. He had been even quieter than normal ever since the battle ended. I had been too preoccupied to talk to him when the battle first ended but now that he was in front of me it was hard to ignore.
Sebastion stared down at the distant ground where many corpses had fallen and for the first time since I had met him again after fifty years, he looked genuinely troubled. I had an inkling of what might be bothering him and approached the silent man despite knowing he would probably chase me away the moment I opened my mouth.
“The Novus army took quite a beating today. Rather than sulking here, your time might be better spent comforting your men. A few words from their king could be all it takes to inspire them to greatness.”
Sebastion chuckled softly and shook his head. “King? King of what? The Novus Kingdom is gone, swallowed by the blood mist. My palace is now nothing more than a den of Demons.”
“And yet your people remain,” I said. I reached out to place a hand on his shoulder but hesitated and let it fall to my side. “Cities can be rebuilt. The trust of those that look to you for guidance… that is much harder to regain.”
Sebastion turned away from the corpses at the bottom of the cliff and looked over at the soldiers working in the distance. His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. “I have already lost that trust. I was not there when it mattered the most… It was never supposed to be like this. I spent decades preparing for my revenge. I gathered every resource that this realm had to offer. I struck an alliance with that witch, Irene, to train my army in the methods of the Ninth Division. I was so sure it would be enough and yet, now that the war has begun, I find that it has all been for nothing.”
“War is a chaotic and bloody mess,” I said sternly, “If you ever actually listened to my lectures rather than staring at Lucia all day, you would remember my lesson on this. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. There is no ultimate strategy. There is no guarantee. There is only you, and the choice you make at the moment when everything crumbles around you.”
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“I remember,” Sebastion said as he turned to look at me for the first time, “I remember every lesson you ever taught. I was just too stubborn to follow your advice.”
I blinked in surprise as I stared back at Sebastion. In his eyes, I could see none of the hatred I had grown accustomed to in recent days. Instead, he almost looked… apologetic. A bright smile spread across my face and I grabbed hold of Sebastion’s hand in a moment of childlike glee.
“We can do nothing to change what has passed but together, maybe, we can still avenge Lucia and maybe even save her.” I pulled on Sebastion’s hand and led him towards the interior of Dragon’s Nest. “Come, if we delay any longer you will miss it.”
“Miss what?” Sebastion asked in confusion.
“Did you forget already?” I replied with a grin, “I might have a way to bring Lucia back to us and today I am going to prove it.”
Sebastion did not resist as I pulled him by the hand into one of the rooms in Dragon’s Nest. This room was empty, save for a single woman laying on a bedroll. This was Marilyn. In Kala, I had used her as my public image due to her beauty. As my power continued to recover, I decided to use her as my test for reviving a human without the energy sink I had used on both Sigmund and Ragnar and prove my ability to Sebastion. I had been worried since the revival was taking longer than any other one up until now but it was finally time. Marilyn was about to be reborn.
Sebastion and I both watched Marilyn in anticipation. I was a little nervous since I had never tried this method on a human before. If it failed, I would lose the little bit of trust I had built with Sebastion. I prayed silently. This had to work.
Just like when I revived Sylvie, Marilyn burst into an inferno of golden fire. The room became blisteringly hot, forcing Sebastion to protect himself with his domain. The flame devoured Marilyn’s skin and bones like a hungry beast until all that remained was a pile of ashes. Even once nothing remained of her body, the flame still burned.
Sebastion looked at me skeptically but I ignored his pointed stares and instead watched the flame intently. I was far stronger than the last time I had seen this process and I now had the improved senses of an Adept. I could feel inside the golden inferno in a way that was impossible before.
What I felt was nothing short of mind-boggling. Inside that golden flame was as if there were infinite stars and galaxies combined into a single point. It was less like fire and more like an intense, inexhaustible lifeforce. Fire was just the form it chose to take.
All too soon, the feeling faded as the golden flame sunk into the ashes scattered across the ground. The light was blinding but I refused to look away. My eyes burned as a new body was born from the ashes.
Marilyn was considered beautiful before but this new body was beyond that. It felt otherworldly. Her skin was smoother than porcelain. Her hair was like silk. There was not a single gram of fat on her very exposed body.
I flew up quickly, blocking Sebastion’s view. I used my domain to grab a nearby blanket and protect the woman’s dignity. Sebastion watched my hurried actions with an amused smile.
“Does this mean it worked?” He asked curiously.
“I think so,” I replied as I knelt down and poked Marilyn’s cheek curiously, “Wakey, wakey, welcome back to the realm of the living.”
Marilyn stirred as her eyes fluttered open. “Lord, I am starved! Tell me you have some food.” She shouted loudly.
I tumbled back at the sudden outburst but soon a smile spread across my face. I created a glyph and a small golden flame appeared above my fingertip. Before Marilyn could complain, I tossed the flame into her mouth.
Marilyn yelled in surprise. “Are you trying to burn me? Why did you… oh, the hunger faded.” She looked at me in confusion, then down at her own body.
“How do you feel?” I asked curiously.
Marilyn clenched and unclenched her hand a few times as she came to terms with the sensation of being brought back to life. She then ran her hands across her face, frowning slightly when she reached her ears, one of the few locations altered by her revival that made her look more than human.
After a brief pause, she started laughing hysterically. All of a sudden, an overwhelming pressure radiated out from her. “You really brought me back, just as he said you would.”