9.13

V9: Chapter 13

…

At the start of the game, you can generally move armies to other regions in four or so turns. The war against the Children of the Elm involved a 'quick' march to their new Citadel. That march meant crossing the lands that the Conquerors were taking at the time, too. So, we crossed half of our home region, the full breadth of the Conqueror's region, and then then half of the Children of the Elm's lands to reach their Citadel. That took a full year of campaigning to achieve, and most of that was traveling, and going through the events that popped up during our travels.

Now?

Now, I can expect to get an army assembled anywhere in my territory, which was half the continent, in two months. In four months, I can get every army that I have at my disposal in one place, while militia and Guardians took up their regular duties. That's four full armies of ten thousand men each, with twice their number to form the necessary logistical trail. Some would say it's crazy that I have two people in the army that don't fight for every one that does, but I think it's a miracle.

Rations and supplies need to be given out and taken stock of. Bases needed to stay clean. Food needed to be cooked. Armor and weapons needed to be maintained. Doctors and physicians are needed to keep the troops from getting sick. Horses need to be fed. Latrines needed to get dug. Waste must get processed. Orders need to get relayed all the way from me to the lowliest private. Stipends needed to get issued for people to buy creature comforts from the post exchange stores. People needed to get their mail moved through the system and receive what's sent to them from their families.

I'm sure without Iterants, it wouldn't be possible to have such a small logistical tail for my troops, but there was still a problem.

My forces still couldn't move as fast as I liked.

Back in my world, the US could get two thousand troops anywhere in the world within 24 hours. In another 24, it'll be bolstered by another two thousand, and in another 48 another two thousand to form up a whole brigade. That brigade will hold until the rest of the US can stream in reinforcements, and in a month, you'll have a whole army on your doorstep ready to kick your teeth in. From what little I recalled from my errant video binging, it was achieved through air power, having troops on standby, and having everything packed up and ready to go to be shipped out.

I'd kill to have those timetables.

But I didn't have them.

However, with very expensive improvements to the transports and well-trained crews, it was possible to get five hundred people somewhere else very quickly.

Or, rather, a handful of Champions and a lot of Iterants.

Quality will just have to win the day.

Along with a lot of explosives.

…

Interlude: Rita

…

The transports took off with frightening silence. All other transports were blocky constructs pulled by horses. They levitated using magic and were pulled upward by the combined work of mages and drivers. They were such a common method of transport in our lord's lands that most could sleep while in flight, and awaken in another region without any concern for their safety. There were also two spare mages in the box itself, ready to cast magics to slow its descent to safety, no matter what happened in the air.

I doubted that those would be needed with the ones we entered.

"These gliders are truly remarkable. They're almost twice as fast, and are also far more efficient." Morgan spoke while next to a window. The hull of the glider was Citadel alloy, but incredibly thin. There was no floor. We stood upright and held onto straps with all our gear. Outside the long and wide wings of the craft sliced through the air, greatly lessening the amount of power the mages needed to use to keep it up. Any excess power was used on the 'engine.' At tail of the craft was a large block upon which many glyphs and arcane sigils were impressed upon. It propelled the craft forward through the air, as they did in the dozens for the flying castles we were carefully building. "It's too bad we can't mass-produce them."

"His majesty would rather these materials be used to create more mobile strongpoints." Eight of these gliders were constructed. The arcane wind pusher at the tail did not have enough power to have it fly. Like regular transports, it needs to be pulled upward and granted speed. Once high in the air, the mages in the back could propel the craft. This entire flight were prototypes that were deemed failures. Everything involved in their creation and utilization was better used for the flying fortresses we were building. The only advantage that they held was speed. "But I believe that he can be convinced to have a few on hand."

The Citadel Alloys produced could be spent on armor plates to better resist magics. Each engine for each glider was an engine not for the slow, lumbering behemoths that would aid in holding the line against our future foes. Every single mage powering the engine was one that wasn't on artillery duty or moving thousands of troops instead of fifty.

"We'll probably crack regular flight without magic while we're building the first fifty of these things. Best to not." Morgan's response was glib, betraying her cheer, and she turned over to Conquest and Ilych. They stood opposite one another, hanging onto straps from the ceiling, in complete silence as we flew to our destination. "Anyone want to take that bet? Who thinks we'll manage to make fully mechanized flight before the year is over?"

Surprisingly, Ilych answered.

"If the train engine can be made smaller and lighter, a mechanical fan can be used to push air back. Then, it's simply a matter of making light enough vessels." Morgan gave a nod at Ilych's words. Perhaps, she was checking if Ilych was truly adhering to her studies. She needn't have checked. Ilych's discipline is without question. Only time was an impediment in her acquisition of knowledge. We simply didn't have much to spare. "Magic will still need to be used to control the flight."

Conquest spoke up at that statement.

"Nay, we've tested gliders of our own. Not of this size, but with warriors capable of manipulating wind. You can change your path in the air with a rudder and shifting wings to capture the wind. The same can be done here." Conquest pointed at the wings and the tail section with her chin. She was more thoughtful after the revelation that she received. Brought into the inner circle, given the truth of our lord's reach, she was humbled. "The scholars will be able to determine the best course of action, though the Ancients may have left something in their histories that could guide us."

"I'm sure his majesty already figured this all out, but I'll be happy to bring it up. I'll give you both credit, of course." Morgan took the leadership role of our operation without being questioned. Though she was a more recent addition to our forces than myself or Ilych, I had no reason to doubt her appointment. Not only was she talented and skilled, but she was also given the right by our king himself. Perhaps, if Khanrow nominated her and her position was granted thereafter, I would question the matter. But such was not the case. "So, I'm guessing no one will take the bet?"

Silence answered Morgan, but a moment after, the two keeping track of our progress and flight at the front of the glider spoke.

"The recon force has returned. They've located the ongoing battle. We're dropping in." The words resonated through the craft. Those at the front of the craft interacted with signals with those on flying horseback. We were accompanied by elites. The very best riders and aerial light cavalry we could bring along. While we flew in gliders, safe from the frost and wind, they rode with their steeds… knowing that this will most likely be their last flights. "Descending… now."

My grip on the handle tightened, while stomach felt like it rose up into my chest, as the glider aimed downward and began its descent.

From the front window, I saw the battlefield.

The Wardens accepted people freely throughout their lands. All who followed their faith or wished to become citizenry were accepted. They believed that their faith and way of living would convert any who lived in their lands. His majesty agreed with this, reasoning that they kept their people happy and content while making sure those in power were of their faith, thus he only sent in Iterants. Iterants eager to prove themselves to him, and willing to do anything for his favor, for he gave them the chance to redeem themselves.

Though we seeded Iterants across the lands, it was in the Warden lands that we laid the groundwork for Iterants to showcase their fullest strength. Thousands of Iterants were throughout their lands. Many were farmers and laborers. Others were factory workers. Those in higher positions replaced individuals after months of study, slipping into their roles seamlessly, and many others joined the lower ranks of their local militia.

When the drums of war cried out, when they received their messages to converge or to wreak havoc, they acted.

Now, in their own homeland, the Wardens were defending their king against a dedicated force of Iterants after their journey was slowed time and time again.

I doubted any others could see, but I could see the carnage the Iterants wrought.

Citadel Guardians were machines. They launched themselves at the enemy like a storm of knives. Their main strength lay in the fear they produced. Few soldiers can act properly when a Guardian gallops at them at full speed with limbs ready to rip and tear, especially when they numbered in the hundreds. However, that can be surmounted with training. Good enough armor, strong enough shields, and discipline can stem their advance, while magic or firepower ravaged their ranks and destroyed them. Military exercises against Guardians showcased that we could fight against them. The attrition rate would be high, but it was undoubtedly possible to do so.

But if we had a front line of Iterants, the dynamic changed.

Having a single Citadel capable of producing Guardians, it was natural that the Wardens invigorated by their forces with the bone-white, skittering creatures. Under normal conditions, having those shock-troops with strong armor and weapons would be enough to ensure safe passage through their own lands.

However, Iterants had armor that Guardians couldn't cut through, and Iterants could tear their limbs off and use them as weapons.

So, on the field below, there was carnage. Guardians lay strewn about in broken heaps with their sharp libs taken off their bodies and torsos smashed. Iterants were brawling in a frenzy amidst ranks and ranks of Wardens, whose vaunted speed and skill were barely holding against the Ancient's hidden weapon.

With disguises shed, they chose the form of two-meter-tall, spindly, long-limbed, and faceless puppets composed of nigh-unbreakable material.

One punch from an Iterant went through the chest of a Warden, and it threw the body back cut in twain.

An Iterant withstood the cutting blow of a Warden before taking hold of the mortal and crushing them in an embrace.

Wardens swarmed one holding its limbs fast, and going at it was maces and hammers, and they brought it down with sheer numbers. The Iterant changed its shape, becoming a cell that captured those holding it down, and it shrank. It emerged covered in blood and entrails that sloughed off its form.

The Warden line was breaking after their Guardians were expended, and their backline of healers could not revive the bodies tossed so far back, while their mages were not numerous enough to kill them.

It was just as his majesty foretold.

The Wardens only had one answer to the Iterants.

Sirena.

"You found her?" Morgan spoke, and I nodded. "Mark her."

I moved towards the door of the descending glider, clipping the safety belt to a railing near the door, which Morgan opened.

The wind whipped past the open door, but it was of little consequence once I strengthened by body and focused on making my shot.

Sirena was there, the anchor of the Wardens, and she was surrounded by destroyed Iterants. Her fathom-long blade cut through their armor like paper, the few that managed to reach her could only scratch her skin, and those scratches healed before blood spilled. Around her was a patch of untouched earth, but surrounding her were broken piles and cut bodies of Iterants. Even with so many dead by her hand, on her dark-brown skin, there was only the faintest a hint of tiredness in the form of a few beads of sweat. The Saintess was also aglow with holy light and driven by purpose, even with all the death that surrounded her, she did not falter. Even if the whole army of the Wardens died here, Sirena destroying them all and keeping the mages, priests, and Khalai alive would make this a Warden victory.

All the Iterants here were only meant to delay Khalai and Sirena from bringing the Goddess that they found to their Citadel.

No.

That would be an understatement.

They were also meant to kill the army that supported them.

The world went small and dark, and there was only Sirena and the arrow that I nocked.

Memories of the Saintess came forward.

The times we fought together, the support she gave us, and her glances upon his majesty in hopes of wedding him to secure an alliance for her people.

I had no doubt that she was good at heart and sound of temperament.

His majesty agreed, but he did not hesitate to give the order.

"Sirena and Khalai both need to be captured or killed. You, Ilych, Conquest, and Morgan will make this happen after we expend their strength using Iterants."

His words resounded in my mind as I let the arrow loose and it shot forward, already breaking apart after I filled it with power, and sent it flying towards a woman I once called an ally.

"Fight and kill them with everything that you have. Do not dishonor them by letting your feelings get in the way."

It landed at her feet, she traced its path, and her eyes widened as in the glare of the sun she caught sight of us diving towards her and those under her protection.

"This is my command. The Wardens and their plans to see us all fed to their Paradise must end today."

My eyes met hers, and instead of shock, her eyes grew steely with determination… and I met it with my own.

"This is an order from your king. Do you understand?"

The arrow exploded into a pillar of flame too weak to harm her, but tall and bright enough for all the riders carrying bombs to know their target.

My answer returned to my lips as I watched the destruction begin to unfold.

"I hear and I obey, your majesty."

Today, I end the lives of my once-allies and I do it without a hint of doubt in my heart.

He willed it.

It shall be so.