A Triumph

The concept is hardly alien to me. At its most basic level, it's merely a military victory celebrated by festivities and other merry making activities. Hell, I've not only seen them in both lives but actually took part in a few in my previous life. Personally, I think these sorts of things are a tad extravagant.

Zorzal went out and destroyed the bunny warrior kingdom.

Even now, knowing men died in this conflict, I still can't take that damned name seriously.

Still, names are hardly the thing to worry about right now. I'm more concerned about what is going to happen now. For while Zorzal went out and conquered, the Emperor was furious about it.

Naturally he didn't say such a thing outright, in public or private. In the Senate he exalted his son's actions as the makings of a true leader, one who would sooner face defeat on the field of battle than victory through shameful means. Now I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to PR moves, but even I can tell when someone is making backhanded comments that sound like praise but are in fact insults. Of course, the question of how Zorzal got the authority to command the Empire's military forces in such a way that the Emperor himself couldn't recall them is still in the air.

As the months dragged on the Emperor's mood darkened sharply. Every day seemed to see him in a fouler mood, culminating in a breaking point.

One night I caught him just standing in the hallway outside his study resting his forehead against a pillar. His breathing was slow and, as if trying to control himself, labored while a crumpled note lay at his feet. I tried to sneakily move closer to see what the note said, but the guards alerted him to my presence before I could get a good look. Like a professional actor all the stress in him melted away and with a soft smile he jovially offered to walk me to my chambers, as if he wasn't just holding off a violent outburst a mere moment prior.

While I couldn't see the note I was able to gleam a single word before he smeared the note beneath his shoe: annihilated.

Given his barely contained anger it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. Oh, I can already see it now. Muscle meat head goes to war thinking it was easy and promptly gets his forces trounced because he doesn't understand strategy in the slightest. I saw this happen plenty of times before in both Germania and the Commies; people raised up to powerful positions via connections or birth then led their forces to catastrophic defeat. A tale as old as time you could say.

Still, after that day the Emperor stopped exalting Zorzal's campaign at court and in the Senate. Frankly he stopped talking about his eldest son completely in public, only mentioning him doing 'good work' before moving to another subject if he was questioned about his son's 'glorious' campaign. Though given the fact he won the war I suppose the campaign was a pyrrhic victory rather than a 'complete' defeat.

Not that it changes the number of corpses.

Still, this all puts me in an awkward position. That is to say, once people realize how much of a fuck up Zorzal is they'll start looking for a place to direct their ire. Whose fault is it that so many men are dying? Why it's obvious! The Emperor who allowed this to happen and his family! And, by extension, me. I know exactly what happens when a populace gets the idea that getting rid of their monarch and their family is the best way to solve their woes.

Sure, maybe if this was a modern era with basic human rights established I could eek my way out of this mess with exile or a promise to forsake my royal claims and get out of the 'splash zone' with my life when the inevitable uprising occurs. Not to say I couldn't do either of those things now, just that I doubt any such agreement would be honored indefinitely. I probably wouldn't be killed, Being X is far too wrapped up in his warped 'plans' to let that happen, but I could be relegated to a forced marriage to whoever takes the throne after Molt to further legitimize their claim. Essentially forced into the life of a broodmare for whatever family wants to cement their hold on the throne.

In light of this very possible outcome I've accelerated my plans for a 'charm' offensive at the citizenry.

In short, I am going to give these retches some basic creature comforts and goodwill services, plaster my name and face all over them so they know exactly who is funding them, and just hope that whatever good PR I can squeeze out of the populace can keep me out of the mob's rage.

Still, while I was not going to the 'parade' part of the Triumph, I was still expected to attend the 'dinner party' portion held at the palace. And that meant dealing with my greatest of foes in this new life: the overly extravagant nobility.

--
--

The party was as extravagant as I feared it would be.

A victory as complete as Zorzal's demanded the finest of celebrations, so I was told. The palace was filled with nobles, senators, guests, and a handful of dignitaries from the Empire's client states. Truly, anyone who was anyone was here in the palace, going about their meandering motions of courtly intrigue and faux passes.

Honestly, the fakeness of the social interactions was hardly the worst part. It was bad, hence why I was sitting alone in a quiet corner of the ballroom with guards blocking the immediate area off from the rest. A few nobles, both adults and children, tried to approach, but were politely and soundly sent away with a stern word from the guards. So, while the interactions were bad, it was manageable.

The worst thing about these events was the damn clothing!

Ugh, if dressing up like a peacock in an overcomplicated dress was what these people considered 'the finest' then they can keep it! I can hardly walk in these shoes they've forced me to wear, let alone breathe in this damned dress they've literally strapped me into! If I didn't know any better I'd have assumed this was a primitive straitjacket with all the harnesses and cords and-

"You look miserable," an all too familiar, and snarky voice dragged me from my mental woes. An overly dressed man slinked his way past the guards who spared him but a single glance.

"I feel miserable," I quip back to the latest addition to my 'retinue'.

"Well don't worry, it's almost late enough that you can excuse yourself to retire to your chambers for the evening," Gaius Rax commented, pausing to sip from the glass he was holding.

Gaius Rax; record keeper, eunuch, and now the newest member of my 'retinue'. I took on Gaius as my personal retainer a few weeks ago when the Emperor mentioned how it was time for me to begin building a retinue for myself. I'm pretty sure he was assuming I'd take on one of my acquaintances as a 'lady in waiting', or 'handmaiden', or whatever the hell they're called rather than a middle aged, balding eunuch who appeared out of nowhere. Objectively, I can understand why the Emperor gave me such a strange look when I brought Gaius into the palace as my employee. It does look a tad strange.

Though his reaction was not as animated as Gaius' to me offering him the job. Pretty sure I gave the poor man a heart attack when I showed up to his archive with a dozen praetorians in tow, no sneaking out that time as it was official business. After some calming down, and him readily agreeing to my proposal, I told him the one condition to being in my employment: no slaves. If he wanted to keep Remus on as an assistant so be it, but he would do so as a free person and with pay. I was prepared for him to call me out on my hypocrisy of demanding he sell his slave while I have my own at the palace, along with my rebuttal that I do not have the means or ability to emancipate any of my staff.

Surprisingly, for someone of this culture, he readily agreed to my caveat. Strange, but I suppose when offered the chance to work for the most powerful family in the Empire the price of a single slave was hardly a deal breaker.

And so, with Gaius and a newly freed Remus in tow, the real battle began: convincing the Emperor. Given my station it is entirely understandable that he took a great interest in who I hired on as my retainers. Initially, he was less than enthused by my choice. When presented before him he argued that Gaius didn't have the proper training or pedigree to serve me in such an official capacity, that he would make me look bad before my peers. I should be glad he didn't ask how I knew him I suppose.

Still, I replied that I didn't care about any of that. He was sharp, intelligent, quick-witted, and most importantly wasn't some sycophantic yes-man who simply agreed with everything I said. I phrased the last point in more eloquent words, but the basic premise remained.

After a terse twenty minutes of debating and arguing (with some begging), Gaius was officially my first retainer with Remus being my second, but less official, retainer as well.

Now while I talked up Gaius's skills I was worried that there would be some 'growing pains' with his new duties as my, for a lack of better words, secretary. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. Gaius took to his new duties like a fish to water. Within two days of working for me he was already organizing my schedule, keeping track of all my documentation, and keeping track of the numerous 'charities' I was running with my monthly 'allowance'.

An allowance that is more than what most skilled workers make in a year, but I digress.

"Don't tempt me," I grumble back, resting my head against the cool table, watching the people dance. "You have no idea how hard it is for me to not just rip this thing off me."

"I can make an educated assumption," he quipped back. "Excuse me for changing the topic, but I was just talking with the kitchen staff about the leftovers."

That caught my attention, "So what did they say?"

"It will be done," Gaius replied. "A few of the lads downstairs will start taking the food to those kitchens of yours in Akusho in a little bit."

One of my first charm offensive items was to create a series of food kitchens in the lowest economic locations in the city serving the people there some basic sustenance like soup, bread, a bit of meat, and some vegetables. Nothing extravagant, I do have a budget to work with, but better than just bread for the human poor or straight up starvation for the local demi-humans. And given the extravagance of these kinds of banquets, it's obvious that a large amount of food will go to waste well after it was over. So why not send it to the kitchens for some 'brownie points', I thought. The problem was actually getting the leftovers there, but that issue has seemingly solved itself.

"That is at least some good news," I mused. "And how much are they asking for?"

"Nothing, as you feared," he reported. I was afraid of that. They probably see it as an order rather than me asking them to work in a short-term capacity.

"And you…" I led him onto my next question to see if he followed my instructions on what to do in this situation.

"I shoved several handfuls of denari into their hands and told them you would not accept any refusal of the coin," Gaius replied.

"So, everything went according to plan?"

"Indeed, Your Highness," he nodded.

"At least something positive happened this evening," I mumbled to myself. While this was a 'win', I couldn't help but be afraid this whole thing would backfire on me, that I would wake up tomorrow to find out the people at the kitchens are insulted that I'm sending them leftovers normally given to the kennels or maybe assume it is a subtle jab at the demi-humans for their 'inhuman' origins.

'No, stop overthinking it. Nothing good has ever come from overthinking these sorts of things. Food is food to a starving person, no matter what it was meant for. So long as it tastes good and is nutritious, that is enough for most.'

"Ah, but, before I forget, Your Highness," Gaius continued. "There is the matter of filling out the rest of your retinue that we discussed earlier."

"And I thought I told you I would think about it later," I waved off his comment.

"Technically it is later," I groaned at his bad joke. "But more to the point, with how fast you are expanding your expenses and… reach, I feel it would be prudent to your efforts if we had more manpower at our disposal, beyond the occasional members of staff of this palace."

"I think you overestimate how much money I have on hand," I roll my eyes.

"And I think you are overestimating just how much some people will work for," he countered.

"So, a race to the bottom for how little someone will work for," I said. It was hardly a good way to secure reliable labor if you just kept betting downwards.

"Beyond simple manpower, there are other positions you need to fill. You will need a castellan to manage your estates and expenses, a number of courtiers with a variety of skills to add to your own capabilities, and most importantly a sufficient number of eccentrics to surround yourself with."

"Wait, what?"

"Eccentrics," he repeated with a straight face. "Everyone knows lords and ladies must surround themselves with a sufficient number of eccentric individuals."

"Really? I already have you, don't I?" I snort under my breath. "You're enough for a dozen people at least."

"While true it is still, sadly, insufficient for one of your station," Gaius continued, giving this joke far more seriousness than it deserved.

"Is that right?" my eyes roll at his melodrama, off handedly watching two women argue over a man. I couldn't hear it from where I was, but it looked quite animated.

"Indeed," he nodded, gesturing to the crowds beyond my line of guards. "Why, just look at them. How else do they make themselves look sane to the common man unless surrounding themselves with greater insanity?"

I sigh, pinching the ridge of my nose. "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days."

"I'm more likely to lose my tongue than my life," he quipped back.

I was about to comment on his comment when I heard the crowds and music die down. The nobles and guests parted like the sea as the Emperor strode to the center of the room with Diabo in tow. Garbed in magnificent shades of purple and burgundy, to his sides were a mix of his usual praetorians and members of the newest imperial knightly order: The Rose Order of Knights.

Yes, it seemed Pina did achieve her dream in the end of being a knight. Sixteen and already the head of a military formation. She stood at the head of her party of knights as they marched beside their liege.

Granted it was probably out of nepotism, and I attained a similar rank prior to my death at thirteen in my former life, but that is hardly here or there. Still, I am surprised all the same. While this is a 'fantasy' world, by my previous two incarnations' definitions, it was still rooted in some form of 'realism'. Beyond barbarians, such as the bunny warriors Zorzal so recently smashed to pieces, and mages, women rarely see any combat.

I can only wonder what the assortment of nobles and guests think of a bunch of armored warrior women.

Any further musing was meaningless as the Emperor gave me a gesture to beckon me to come to his side.

And in came the wayward prince. While his hair was longer than it was prior he didn't look any different from when I last saw him. Flanked at his sides were several legionaries pulling along several cloaked individuals with chains. It was hardly a secret that they were probably those rabbit people, anyone could see bits of their ears peeking out of their hoods. But what was the point in dragging them into a ballroom?

Standing before his father, Zorzal gave an exaggerated bow. "Your Majesty, I stand before you victorious in battle! Through my strength and diligence, the Empire has expanded and the demi-human barbarians who would threaten our people have been broken beneath the boots of my legions!"

A polite clap emanated from all those in attendance. Claps akin to someone scoring well in a game of golf than being told we just enslaved an entire population.

"I come before you not only in victory, but with a present to you. Behold: the bunny queen herself!" With a firm tug of the chain one of the cloaked figures was thrown to their knees. Without pausing, he grabbed the back of the cloak and exposed the woman to all. I could safely say that under better circumstances I would be in awe of her beauty. The white hair, pale skin, and red eyes were a combination that was never in either of my previous lives. Also, the rabbit ears and, strangely, bits of fur along the arms and legs added an exotic flair to her. Sadly, the bruises and cuts that littered her pale form did detract from her elegance, vain as it might sound.

"Though she fought with great dishonor, even her dirty tricks did little to stop our righteous legions from taking what is rightfully ours by right of conquest," Zorzal sharply tugged the leash to emphasize the point, the woman in turn crying out in discomfort. "Even in defeat she showed her duplicity. She threw herself at my feet and begged for her life to be spared, offering everything and anything to be spared death. Being the honorable man I am, and taking pity on this worthless foe, I of course accepted and took her into my chambers to see to her promises. Know that I can assure you that for all her bluster of being a monarch and warrior, the skills she showed me in the ensuing days prove without a shadow of a doubt that she was raised in a house of whores."

More polite clapping, though there were a few lurid jeers thrown in by several men in the audience.

"But is not all I bring from her lands. Though poor in coin their lands were ripe with flesh for our markets. Even now the brothels are filling to the brim with their race, and I have no doubt they shall become favorites of many lords if the service their queen has provided me is any indication."

Again, quiet clapping, though I could hardly hide my frown, appearances be damned.

"For my father, our Emperor, I give you her lands for expansion," Zorzal turned to me and smiled, signaling to his henchman to bring another one of the cloaked figures forward. "But for my beloved sister," I held in my eye roll, "I had to think hard on what to give her. As I said, this is a poor race with little of value to offer. But it occurred to me that I should give my sister, your princess, something that has no equivalent in value!"

Led forward by a chain leash was another cloaked bunny humanoid. She looked far younger than the former queen if her size was anything to go by. She was thrown to the ground next to her leader and had her own cloak ripped off her form. Not only was the second rabbit person younger than the first, but she also looked like a younger copy of the older one! The same white hair, pale skin, and red eyes, but had barely any of the injuries that her senior had.

"The answer was obvious to me: what better slave for a princess than another princess!" Zorzal pressed his boot into the younger one's back, forcing the girl to bow before the assembled royal family.

As the applause rang out far louder this time than before only one thought raced through my mind.

'Are you fucking kidding me!'

"Brother… you shouldn't have…" 'you really fucking shouldn't have!' Ignoring the whole ethics issues I have with having a fucking slave taken in war just 'given' to me, the girl is setting off every red flag in the back of my mind. A girl who has lost everything, had been publicly humiliated, has probably been abused in numerous ways, is most likely suicidal, was raised in a martial society and now has nothing to lose by going after the closest of her tormentors is NOT someone I want to be around!

The rest of his little speech was a blur as the crowds applauded one thing after another. I only realized the whole thing was over when Zorzal walked over and handed me the chain leash for the younger rabbit girl.

"If she gives you any issues, just have one of the guards have a go at her, that tends to shut them up from what I've heard," Zorzal 'helpfully' advised. "If she keeps at it, just let me know and I'll set her straight."

'Ugggh'

"So, are we going to be done with that one or are you going to try and salvage something from her?" Gaius returned to my side as the festivities resumed, nudging his head in the girl's direction as she was escorted with me to my chambers.

"I'm not going to just kill her for no reason," I retorted as we made our way out of the chamber, people parting before us.

"You might end up with a slit throat if you don't do something," the eunuch sighed. "What was that man thinking giving you a bunny warrior slave? The girl just saw her whole civilization crumble before her and now they think she's just going to just ignore that?"

"I know."

"Even young bunny warriors have superhuman strength and speed. If she tries to kill you, it may happen too fast for you to blast her away with a spell."

"I said I know," I grumbled. "Look, I'll take the necessary precautions and deal with her."

"Kindness has its place Tanya," Gaius broke court protocol and addressed me by my name. Not that it doesn't happen, but never in public with so many people around us. "And that place, more often than not, is the grave."

"I said, I know," I repeated more forcefully. "Push comes to shove I will deal with it, but I'd rather see if there is a diplomatic solution if at all possible. Show her she's not going to be treated like that anymore."

"As you say," he commented, doubting the end result of the situation as it stands.

"If she attacks me, I'll put her down myself," I replied. "But just trust that I actually do know what I am doing."

Rax sighed and shook his head. "I will defer to your judgment then."

He didn't believe me. Not surprising since I was lying. As with many situations I find myself in, it seems I will just have to come up with something on the fly. With every step I took to my chambers, guards flaking me with the girl not far behind me and Gaius, my mind raced through a myriad of possible outcomes.

--
--

…why…

…why was her life like this now…

Since she fell into captivity, time seemed to just blur for Cordelia. Despite knowing weeks have passed it still felt like only yesterday that her home burned before her eyes. Imperial soldiers marching in horrific unison to pillage and loot everything in their path. The screams of the daughters being torn from their mothers and sisters as the legionaries started… partaking of them in such a bestial display that still haunts her nightmares.

If she closed her eyes, Cordelia could swear she still felt the cold kiss of steel on her throat from when she was forced to watch her Auntie be… defiled in front of her. The night before that she remembered Auntie Tyuule saying that everything would be alright, that she was prepared to do what was needed to save her people. But the scene, and then forcing Tyuule to thank that human, was too much for Cordial.

She thanked whichever God was watching her that evening that she didn't suffer a similar fate. While depraved lust hung in the air from the other humans watching their leader, that monster took one look at her and decided that she was 'off limits'. Cordelia thought he was referring to wanting her for himself, but he showed no interest in her for that sort of action. She was quickly separated from her aunt and left to wallow in her fear.

Cordelia even heard from some legionaries guarding her that some of her people began to think Auntie Tyuule betrayed the kingdom to the Empire! That she spread her legs to that degenerate of a human of her own volition, as if she wasn't threatened with the death or violation of every single one of her subjects had she continued to resist.

The insanity!

Cordelia only knew this because she was in the room when the decision to surrender was made. After her father died in battle against the Imperials Auntie Tyuule had kept her close at all times, closer still after a failed assassination attempt on her life. She was in the room when her Auntie had made the decision to lay down her arms and surrender. Cordelia saw how she smashed her war table to splinters as the realization dawned on her and her council that there was no victory in their war, and the rage and anguish on her face as tears flowed without end when she gave the order to surrender her crown and herself if it meant of sparing her people further bloodshed.

Now here she was, a proud warrior princess made to be a slave to a human girl her junior.

It was pathetic.

Led into the human's darkened chamber, the girl had foolishly ordered Cordelia unbound and requested her guards to remain outside. Was she so arrogant that she believed Cordelia's spirit was broken to the point of not resisting, or was she so stupid she didn't think the warrior princess was a threat? She didn't know what was more insulting.

Alone now with the human, the child turned her back to her to look at something on her desk, as if she was forgetting a skilled warrior was unbound and in her chamber.

But since she was alone with the human, it made what was to come much easier.

Cordelia may not be able to bring back all those who had died or rebuild her kingdom, but she can give these humans a small taste of the horror and anguish they inflicted upon her people.

Moving as quietly as she could Cordelia carefully grabbed a nearby adjacent candlestick. While it was a tad gaudy with its gilded appearance it was still sturdy enough to crack open a person's skull if it strikes the proper place. She had seen her aunt do something similar to the assassin after her own life, so it was probably doable for her.

But before she could close the distance between the two of them, the girl spoke to her for the first time.

"Are you going to try and kill me?"

The question made the young warrior stop dead in her tracks, makeshift weapon arched high, her ruby eyes widened as she watched the human slowly turned to face her.

"W-What?" was all she could reply with, her first words to this human.

"I said, 'are you going to try to kill me'?" the human questioned again. Cordelia gave no reply, for her words carried all the weight of asking about the weather. Her eyes looked at the candlestick in her hand, "I assume that will be your weapon of choice?"

"Why are you… talking like that?" her red eyes met the human's deep blue with unhidden confusion.

"I'm just curious," the human admitted before walking over to her dresser.

"H- Hey! Don't move!" Cordelia angled her weapon.

"I just want to change out of this dress. This damned thing has been on my nerves for the entire evening and I'd rather be in something more comfortable," she replied, though stopping her motions to the dresser.

"A-Are you stupid!?" She yelled at the weird human child. "Don't you understand what's happening?"

"You were going to try and kill me, correct?" the human tilted her head in confusion.

"Stop that," Cordelia snapped. "Stop acting like nothing is happening. I am going to kill you, and you're just acting like it's nothing?"

"Overreacting would hardly benefit the situation," the human shook her head. "Besides, I wanted to try and stop you from making a mistake."

"Killing a human can't ever be a mistake."

The human sighed and shook her head. "Well, before you try and bludgeon me to death, could you at least humor me with an answer to a single question for me?"

"I'm killing you for everything your people have done to my- "

"Not that," the human cut off her tirade that she had been holding in for such a long time. "The 'why' is obvious. My question is: what do you think will happen next?"

"Huh?" That…. was not what Cordelia was expecting. Shouldn't this soft human princess be begging for her life or cursing at Cordelia with some vague promise of vengeance? It was what she did to the assassin before her auntie raced into her room and killed him.

"I don't care." She admitted. "I just want your people to understand a fraction of the pain and suffering you inflict on others! I want your people to mourn the loss of someone they hold dear. We didn't do anything to you, and you killed and enslaved us! So, I am going to kill you for the sake of all those who died to your invasion!"

"And what do you think they will do if you kill me!?" The human raised her voice for the first time. Cordelia's ears twitched as the girl's voice carried some underlying authority that shouldn't be possible for anyone her age. "I won't say your people did nothing to the Empire," the human paced her words carefully. "Your people raided and pillaged the outlying territories and provinces for slaves and mates. So no, you have done something to the Empire, but I will agree that nothing your people had done warranted such a disproportionate response against your kingdom."

Are all human children like this or is this one just the weird one? Who talks like this?

"But, going by your logic, if doing nothing caused the Empire to destroy your kingdom, what do you think the response will be when you actually do something?"

"They'll kill me," Cordelia stated, it was a fate she had steeled herself for when she committed to this path.

Yet her reply only made the human girl give her a quizzical look, "Really? That's what you think will happen? That the guards will just cut you down?"

"Perhaps after they torture and violate me for a time," she added, not sure why the human was giving her that look. Most likely they would also force her aunt to watch all of this occurring. Though it will be painful for her Auntie, she knows she'll understand why she did this.

"Really?" The human looked disappointed. "You think they'll torture you for a while before killing you?"

"What does it matter to you? You'll be dead in a few moments," but why was she hesitating now?

"Let me rephrase my question then," the human took a step closer to her. "If the Empire attacked and destroyed your kingdom for doing, as you say, nothing, what do you think they will do after you kill a member of their royal family?"

"…what?" They would… they…

"I said," the girl spoke slowly, taking another step forward. "What will the Empire do to your people if you kill me?"

'They'll kill them all…' her mind whispered.

The human seemingly noticed her reaching this conclusion and nodded. "That's right, they'll punish everyone they can in retaliation. Your own death, torture, or violation, will not be enough satiate the lust for vengeance."

As much as Cordelia wished it wasn't so, the human was… correct. Here she was, a proud warrior princess of the bunny warrior kingdom, forced to grovel and serve at the feet of those who slaughtered and enslaved them, and should she lash out at an Imperial to share with these humans a modicum of the loss and anguish they had happily inflicted on others they would pay it back a hundreds times more.

It's not fair…

It's not fucking fair…

Its not GODS DAMNED FAIR!

"Gods damn it!" Cordial blindly threw the candlestick away and fell to her knees with tears racing down her cheeks. But before she could even properly weep at the futility of her own situation she heard the human girl yelp in pain. Looking up, Cordelia saw the human girl holding her forehead as a small dribble of blood ran down her cheek and the unused murder weapon lay bloody at her feet.

She barely heard the doors slam open and the guards race in.

"What's going on!?" the taller of the pair asked, roughly grabbing Cordelia's shoulder. She felt his grip tighten as he noticed the girl's bleeding forehead. "Did you lay your filthy hands on Her Highness slave!?"

Cordelia wondered if killing herself here and now would help alleviate the pain forced upon her people or would they simply respond more cruelly for having been denied inflicting pain upon her? Her musings were cut short by a swift kick to her stomach that pushed all the air out of her lungs.

"You damn animal, don't even have the gall to deny it?" the guard spat in her face. "Don't worry Your Highness, we'll send for an apothecary immediately and make sure that this beast learns her place- "

"Wait, she didn't do anything," the human girl spoke up.

The words made Cordelia go lightheaded.

What was the human doing?

"Your Highness?" The other guard questioned, a hand still on her shoulder.

"I tripped and fell," the girl seamlessly lied, her hand trying to curtail the bleeding.

"But this beast raised her voice and swore at you," the guard countered.

"She probably did that because she was afraid that you would jump to the conclusion that you did," the girl replied. As good as her acting skills were, there was no way these two humans would ignore the bloodied candlestick at her-

Wait… where was it?

Cordelia had seen the thing land by her feet, and the gold on it should be reflecting the light from the hallway now shining into the room. She had only taken her eyes off the girl for a moment when the guards rushed in. But as the girl exchanged more pleasantries with the guards, she saw it. The candlestick was laying by the edge of the room, the deepest and darkest corner of her chamber. Did she kick it there intentionally so the guards wouldn't see it?

But why?

The warrior bunny could only stand in a haze as a healer rushed to the child and cleaned her wound. She ignored the glares the humans sent her way as they exited the room at the prompting of the child.

"So... what's your name anyway?" Cordelia asked the girl.

"Didn't you hear it when my brother went on that whole speech of his when he… handed you over to me," the girl asked.

"I wasn't really paying attention to that," Cordelia admitted with a shrug.

Rather than look annoyed, the human nodded. "Understandable. My name is Tanya Augustus. What's your name?"

She stared at the human for several seconds before sighing, "…Cordelia."

"Well then Cordelia, while these are hardly ideal circumstances it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," the girl then held out her hand for the bunny girl.

Cordelia stared the human's extended hand before crossing her arms, wondering what this human's game was.

"I'm not your friend, human," Cordelia commented. "Just because you show basic decency and lied for my sake doesn't mean we're suddenly friends."

"Naturally," she replied, pulling back her hand. "I do hope that I have demonstrated the sincerity in my intentions to not treat you as a slave, even if you must be legally identified as such."

"All you've proven is that you're the least deplorable human I've ever met, a crowning achievement for your entire race," Cordelia frowned at the girl and pulled at the chain attached to her collar. "But from where I'm standing, actions speak louder than any flowery words you can say."

"Agreed," what is wrong with this girl? Does she have a comeback for everything in her head? "Then starting tomorrow I'll have Gaius show you my itinerary and see how you fit into it."

"Want to keep your new slave nice and close to show off to your friends?"

"Close, yes, but only make sure you don't do something stupid given your current emotional state. And you're not a slave, at least, I don't want you to be one. I prefer it when someone works for me with an equivalent exchange. If it's something in my power, I will do it to have you in my employ."

"If that's the case, why don't you free my fellow bunny warriors and we'll call it even," Cordelia joked.

"Agreed," the human replied, causing the albino girl to stare at her.

"Wait… what?"

"Though I have neither the authority or the funds to emancipate an entire race, I do have a sizable enough cash flow to at least purchase and emancipate groups of your people in small bursts," the human explained.

"Stop mocking me," the bunny warrior waved off the human's words.

"It's an agreement, not an insult," the human shook her head and extended her hand once more. "As I said, while I am hardly flush with enough currency to emancipate your race, I can still free your people in groups. While I can hardly find them large scale employment to facilitate a transition into the general population, I can still have them legally emancipated so they are free once more. Would that be sufficient for you?"

Cordelia stared at the girl, "…why are you saying you would do that?"

"Because I hate slavery and if I could I would see the whole institution burned to the ground," the human did not mince her words. "While I cannot do such a thing on my own I can still alleviate the suffering of some in whatever ways I can. So, do we have a deal?"

The human extended her hand again. Cordelia stared at it for a moment. She wanted to slap it away and yell at her for playing with her mind. But there was a part of her mind that questioned if this was better than nothing. For as ignoble as humans are, this one has shown surprising decency with her. Hardly a stirring compliment, but far more than any human had shown her so far. She supposed that the worst thing that could happen is that nothing happens, her people remain as slaves. But if this human is being honest with her at least some of her people could be saved…

Damn the Gods for these choices!

"…fine," Cordelia grasped the human's hand firmly. "Free my people as best you can and I'll… behave."

"So we are in agreement," the human nodded. "I will have my aids draw up an appropriate and suitable outflow of coin to facilitate long term emancipation tomorrow."

"I want to be there when you do that," the bunny warrior huffed, making sure this human wasn't going to pull a fast one on her.

"That's fine. In the meantime, though I have no issues with it, you might wish to be a tad more... composed," she said the word as if was something dirty. "I might not care all that much about some backtalk, but I've seen people dragged out to be broken on the wheel for less than what you just said."

"You know, before I was enslaved by your brother, I was a princess myself," Cordelia rolled her eyes at this human girl's worry. "I can hold my tongue just fine."

"It's stuff like that I am worried about," she pointed out.

"What? What could I possibly want to say to the people who butchered their way through my people's homeland?" She quipped with a half-hidden growl. Cordelia was half sure she was goading the human girl to see how far the girl's 'deal' went and she decided to just call the guards, but she was also certain that this was the first genuine conversation she has had with someone since her captivity. She was kept separate from her people and the guards were hardly the conversing sort beyond the usual mocking and joking at her expense.

"I'm serious," the girl frowned at Cordelia's attitude. "If someone overhears you even I might not be able to- "

"Don't worry, I said I know how to hold my tongue, didn't I?" She cut the human off. "In public I'll sing your praises and talk about how much I love how your Empire destroyed my culture and enslaved untold numbers of my people. That I'm so blessed that my Mistress is so generous, she lets me have my own opinions in private and promises to not beat me as much as the other slaves. What more can a girl ask for?"

"You did come in here planning to kill me in a fit of misguided blame," while the girl hardly seemed enthused by Cordelia's words, she again didn't call in the guards. Maybe she was being honest with her, or as honest as humans can be.

"Not misguided, misdirected," Cordelia corrected her 'partner' before sighing and taking a seat on the child's overly decorated couch. "But I admit I… may have let my anger get the better of me. I was so consumed with righting the wrong done to my people that I was just lashing out at anything I could get my hands on that could make them feel pain. In short, I was acting like a damn human. Thinking it through now, it's obvious a kid like you could hardly be responsible for the war."

"…you're only four years older than me."

"So, if your serious about treating me like a servant rather than a slave, and hold up your end of this agreement, we'll have no problems. But just know that I'm not some lowly maidservant or pauper to be tasked with things beneath my station."

"…and what is your station then?"

"I'm a warrior," Cordelia proudly stated. "I suppose I can tolerate a task like guarding you. If you hold to your end of our deal, I might even try to protect you."

"I'm not some helpless waif," the girl replied.

"Look, don't try and act tough with me," Cordelia cautioned. "If not for some fast talking I would be already walking away from this room with your lifeless corpse on… the…" Cordelia's chastisement died on her lips as she watched the human conjure a flame between her hands. With a flick of the human's wrists, the flame snaked from her palms to the fireplace to ignite the fresh wood.

"I didn't fight you because I didn't want to fight you," the apparently magical, human girl replied as she walked over to the soft fire.

"Why? The possibility of getting hurt scares you?" Cordelia tried to bounce back from the revelation of the girl's defensive capabilities. "Or do you prefer others to inflict the pain for you?"

"I'm hardly squeamish to the concept of violence," not for the first time did the warrior princess wonder what the deal with this human was. "If pushed I will fight, and I'll gladly strike first should the situation call for it. But if I think I can reach a mutually acceptable agreement then I'd rather do that."

"Hmm, no kidding," Cordelia stretched her dirty feet onto the table. "Well unlike humans, I honor my agreements. Free as many of my people as you can and I'll… work with you," she spat out the words. "I'll also protect you as best I can, since you're more useful to me alive so you can go about freeing my people. But prove true to your human nature, betray the modicum of trust I'm giving you, and you better be able to cast a spell faster than I can snap your neck."

"I suppose that is the best I can hope for at the moment," she sighed.

"I suppose it is," Cordelia agreed.

There was no more talking after that. The girl finally changed into some nightwear and wandered over to her desk to write something down. This whole situation was bizarre. Less than an hour ago she was going to kill this human, now she's working for her. The whole situation was surreal.

Still, as Cordelia started to nod off on the couch, the first cushioned surface she had felt in months, she thought that this bargain did come with one additional benefit: it let her see if humans were cruel by nature or by nurturer.

--
--

"You left without permission."

"I did, Father," Zorzal agreed. "I left a boy and return to you as a man. A conquer." The faint hum of festivities reverberated within the Emperor's solar. Zorzal could hardly contain the glee in his step when his father had summoned him to his private study.

Zorzal had been hesitant to trust the rat man Borro at first. What he proposed seemed outrageous. To use his father's seal to falsify commands to the Legions to march against the warrior bunnies, to accomplish in months what Emperors of centuries past have tried and failed to do, to finally secure the Empire's eastern territories. It was mad!

While he accepted the forged seal and path the creature showed to leave the capital without being seen, Zorzal thought little of the creature's assurances of support. After all, what use could he possibly need from the likes of a haryo that could not be achieved infinitely better by the might of the Legions? But after enough defeats at the hands of the honorless women he accepted the ratman's help in informing him of the bunny warrior locations. Where they were strongest. Where they were weakest. He was even provided with their exact battleplans.

With these weapons in hand, his victory was guaranteed. Battle after battle, his legions smashed the warrior women. Twenty-one times did the bunny warriors charge his lines, and twenty-one times did they break before the might of his legions. Even their city was no match for superior Seradan siege engines. In short, he achieved complete victory.

He may have left under the cover of darkness as a boy, but he returned home a man. A conqueror!

"I called you here to speak of your… actions in the far east," his father began. "It made me realize something. I was wrong about you, Zorzal."

This was it! Zorzal felt his spirit soar as his father would soon shower him with praise for his actions.

"This is hardly something I dare admit, but I was wrong about you," he repeated. "Before you marched off with six legions to subdue the bunny warriors, I had thought you were little more than a spoiled boy who knew nothing of how the world truly worked and sought out tasks in bid to fuel your own ego and vanity."

Zorzal felt his chest swell at the anticipation and he prepared the thanks he would give him in turn.

"In hindsight, I can admit I was wrong… I had vastly overestimated your abilities."

"What?" What had he just said?

"I said I was wrong," the Emperor repeated. "You are far worse than anything I could have ever imagined."

"I- I…" Zorzal didn't know what to say. What had he done wrong? "Father, whatever it is that you think I did wrong please tell me, and I will make it right. Give me any task and it will be done!"

"Anything you say?" Molt mulled over his son's plea.

"Yes!"

"Hmm, well I suppose there is one thing you could do to make this right," the Emperor mused aloud.

"Name it and it shall be done!"

"My Legions," though soft, the Emperor's voice carried as sharp as a blade. "Give them back to me."

"…what?" What was he talking about?

"My Legions, give them back to me," he repeated to his son. "Give them back to me you pathetic little worm!"

Zorzal flinched as his father sent a golden goblet flying towards his son, the chalice bouncing off a hand covering his face. "Father, I- "

"Do you even understand what you've done!? Can you even comprehend the magnitude of your insanity, your idiocy!?" The Emperor raised his voice in a manner the prince had never seen before.

"I led our legions to victory- "

"Over the corpses of five legions that you marched to their deaths!" he cut Zorzal off. "Do you understand you commanded the single greatest military loss since the Northern War?"

"They died honorable deaths in the glory of- "

"Eighty thousand men! And you couldn't even defeat a force barely a tenth of your own!? Demi-human or not, the legion's superior formation and discipline should have been enough to scatter the barbarians in any pitched battle." He ignored Zorzal's rationalizations.

"They fought us dishonorably!" Zorzal finally stood his ground, determined to defend his honor. "They attacked in the dead of night, set fire to our stores, slaughtered the men as they slept, and when my legions forced them into a battle they refused to meet us on favorable ground! So I forced them to commit to fighting me by never retreating after a battle. Bloodied as we were from their craven tactics, we pushed forward, regardless of the losses. Eventually we forced them to fight in a proper battle and annihilated them! We emerged victorious with the glory and honor such victories grant!"

"Victory? You see the deaths of two thirds of your forces as a victory!?" Molt raged. "And honor? What does that have to do with victory?"

"Everything!" Zorzal countered.

Molt started in disbelief at his eldest son, before signing with annoyance.

"It appears you don't truly understand. Then let me explain to you what you did in a way even a man-child like you will understand," Molt's eyes narrowed at his eldest and slid a paper across his desk. "When you pulled the legions guarding the east away for your little war, that caused gaps in our eastern most defenses to be noticed by the steppe tribes. Then the sheer carnage from… whatever in the Gods' name you think you were doing came to light, they smelled blood and attacked in force. In the time it took for you to prance your way back to the capital with your whores, six cites have been sacked and dozens of towns razed to the ground. Thousands of our people lie dead, and thousands more are now slaves to barbarians."

Zorzal tsked, "Ut's hardly my fault when others fail in their duties- "

Molt slammed his fist down to quiet the prince, "It is when you're the one who pulled their forces away and made it impossible to hold their positions with the broken legions you returned to them!"

"Then I shall return to the east and teach the horse tribes the lesson I taught the warrior bunnies." Zorzal declared. "I will burn their homes to ash as I drag each and every one of those filthy beasts from- "

"You will do nothing," Molt silenced the prince's promise. "I've already sent word for ten legions across our western and southern borders to redeploy to deal with the mess that you created. You," he almost spat the word, "have already done more damage to my legions than a thousand barbarian warbands could have inflicted. Were you not my son I would have you broken on the wheel and burned alive for your actions."

"You bastard! Don't you know what I've -UGH!" Zorzal's burning rage and rebuttal to his father was cut short by the sharp sting against his back forcing him to his knees. Looking back, he saw one of the guards pressing his foot into his back to keep him prostrated before the Emperor.

"I know exactly what you've done," the Emperor replied to his cut off question, uncaring with the way his heir was being treated. "And it's because of what I know that I would sooner let myself be consumed by maggots then let a single legionary be put under your command ever again."

Why… Why was he doing this to him?

He had conquered in the name of the Empire! He had slaughtered their enemies and broken their will to ever rise up again! He has done more for this Empire than anyone has ever done before-

Wait…

Was that it…?

"You're jealous…" Zorzal mumbled.

Molt raised a brow at his son's words, "What is it you're- "

"You're jealous," Zorzal repeated with more clarity, kicking off the praetorian and standing upright once more. "I'm the one who marched our Legions against the warrior bunnies. I'm the one who accomplished in months what Emperors of centuries past have tried and failed. I'm the one who finally secured the Empire's eastern territories. I've done more in months than you have ever done in your whole life! That's why you're beating me down because you're afraid of what I can really do! That I would be a better Emperor than you could ever be!"

"Is that how you're rationalizing all of this?" He seemed confused and surprised, though a cold fury was still evident just beneath the facade he held up. With a tsk, he waved to his guards, "Get him out of my sight."

Zorzal yelled at his father as he was dragged out of the solar, fighting to stay upright as the armored figures pulled him by his heels down the hall to his chambers. No matter how loud he raged and swore his voice was drowned out by the continued celebrations of his victory that echoed across the palace.

He would not forget this betrayal…

--
--

The Great Khan was dead.

Ironic in a sense. Great Khan Plekx had rallied his host under the assumption that it would be a quick victory. That the tribes must strike with all to haste to take full advantage of the Imperial's moving their forces to subdue the Hares in the northern plains. And for a time, it was good.

City after city paid tribute to the clans or resisted to face the mercy of the sword and the life of the chains. After the first handful broke, the remainder simply complied and lavished the clans with coin and slaves of their own volition.

Khan Febos saw none of these riches. In response to the slight his father gave Great Khan Plekx's father two score years ago, when both men still drew breath, the Great Khan had ordered Febos and those sworn to him to raid along the territories of the dark-skinned knife-ears. A fool's errand. While Febos would gladly fight any foe before him, he can hardly fight a foe who refuses to meet him in battle. Such as, for example, the knife-ears who limber up the great trees of their forest home and pepper his host with unending volleys of arrows. Perhaps if he had a number of griffon or pegasus among his clan's mounts it would be less of an issue, but griffons are too far to the north and pegasi are too temperamental for hobgoblins to ride effectively.

Not that he would ever exchange his beautiful pearl white plain strider for anything. She may be stubborn as a mule and spiteful to a fault, but he trusted her with his life as he knew she trusted him with her own. Now that he thought about it, the hot-blooded girl would probably hunt him down if she even caught wind of him riding another mount!

Still, his host's task did have one advantage in retrospect: they were far from the bloodbath and slaughter that followed the Great Khan's fall when the Imperials, flushed with reinforcements from the far west, pursued the fleeing riders. So many were cut down by cataphracts and wyvern riders.

Laid low by a dozen arrows as he charged to break the line at Magna Orientis. Worse, his two sons died in the same battle when they attempted to sally forth and collect their father's corpse before the Imperials could desecrate it. They suffered the same fate as their father. With their deaths, the host broke against the imperial defenses and routed.

But the death of The Great Khan led to another issue: succession. News of this death spread faster across the Khanate then even a man on the swiftest steed could deliver it. With both of Plekx's sons dead, and with their own sons too young to rule, an Assembly was called by the eldest shamans to select a new leader. All the khans were ordered to ride for Kurultai for the vote.

And by virtue of being untouched by the slaughter at Magna Orientis, Khan Febos's clan, and many others, were made stronger by the others' losses. While hardly a large clan to begin with, his motley band of riders now held more power now than it ever did before. Enough to possibly tip the balance of votes in favor of one party or another.

Naturally, he could hardly weigh in one way or the other without seeking the console of his riders. Perhaps a poor choice in hindsight.

"Plizek's claim is strongest! He was Great Khan Plekx's good brother!"

"He also takes Imperial gold for his own benefit!"

"Slander! The shamans exonerated him of that false claim!"

"Zirix is a proven commander who has led dozens of raids against the Imperials and Hares both. Who better to lead us in a time of war than a proven commander?"

"How dare you! You would support the man whose father spat upon the honor of our clan?"

"His father, not his son. The holy texts are quite clear about the sins of the father- "

"And did that stop Great Khan Plekx from slighting us?"

"Neither of those men have done any good to our clan, we must stand beside Khan Chax. Our clans have ever been allies for generations!"

Febos sighed as the circular debates dragged on for hours. Dusk had eventually turned to night, meals have been placed and taken away, and all he could do was watch the myriad of emotions dancing along the faces of his riders' faces in the light of the fire. He was almost angry that his first wife had forbade him from drinking himself into a stupor.

Yet as the moon climbed to its zenith in the sky, as talk moved from claims and rights to glory and bloodshed, a raspy laugh quieted all gathered. "Oh, young boys, so eager for slaughter that they turn into rabid beasts at the first mention of blood."

The crackling voice came from the old shaman who sat beside the Khan, Orik. He was an old hobgoblin, covering in wrinkles and bruises accumulated over ninety years of life advising countless of Febos's line. His yellow teeth were crooked, his hands shook softly even when resting on his lap, and his eyes near grayed over from blindness. Yet, despite his ancient age, his voice, raspy as it was, carried a sharpness and wit rarely seen in a man's prime.

"With respect, elder," one of his men softly replied, realizing who he was conversing with. "The Imperials have never been weaker. Their losses against the Hares have only made our people stronger. One good raid could lavish us with enough riches to be the deciding vote in the Assembly."

"Yet we too also suffered losses that have made our people weaker as well," Orik noted back, his grey eyes on the young man. "Is more death truly worth a slightly heavier coin purse?"

"If we move fast, we can sack a city before they can respond," a companion of the young man agreed. "The Imperials are too slow to match our speed."

"Perhaps, or perhaps their wyverns shall see us leagues away and assemble to counter us," the shaman shook his head. "No, that is not the way."

"I have meditated on this matter a great deal and asked God for a sign to best lead our people forward. I received not a sign, but a vision," the shaman commented, turning to Febos. "I saw you, young lord, leading a force from all the clans to war."

"You saw me?" Febos felt lightheaded at the implication that he would ever be Great Khan.

"Yes, you," Orik nodded. "Not old and grey with age, but as you are now. Youthful and in the prime of your life. I saw not the distant future, but what is to be very soon. You, Febos Kokx, shall be the one who is the next Great Khan."

"Excuse me," Febos laughed, barely believing what he was hearing. Him? Great Khan?

"Then what is our future Shaman?" Febos questioned, curious about how far this went if nothing else.

"Greatness," the elder chuckled as he turned to his lord.

In the light of the fire, Febos could swear the old man's greyed eyes reflected the dancing flames. "God has shown me a glimpse of what events are to come and what events may come."

"Please speak plainly, Elder,"

"From Alnus Hill, they will come," the shaman stated suddenly to the silent gathering.

"They?"

"A people, an army. I do not know their name," he answered with a shake of his head. "By the Demon Gods' own hubris and the Empire's greed, they shall be brought here. They shall set forth as a great force, mighty and terrible in equal measures. Like a flowing river they will pour forth and drown the Empire in a sea of Imperial blood. With magic and means unknown to my eyes, they shall cut the Empire's armies down, breaking and humbling them in a manner so complete that it will be spoken of for as long as words exist."

The assembled riders began to mutter amongst themselves. While true that shamans had some clairvoyant abilities this was a… tad more than what usually was spoken of. Normally it was of a hidden blade amongst a crowd of supposed friends, or knowledge that a foe would be weakest to strike at a specific time of morning. This was…

"But that is not all He showed me," the elder continued, standing up to address the entire gathering. "Standing before this carnage and great power was a mighty hydra. Yet instead of fighting against the tides of blood, it ripped and tore at its own flesh. It ate itself as the world around it burned. From each bite rose another dozen heads that joined in the grizzly feast. The many heads ate until naught but clean bones remained and the monster collapsed under its own weight. Heed my words! Brother shall turn upon brother, magics and forces of unimaginable power shall lay waste to the land, and demons will laugh at the slaughter before them! Know this, young lord. Serada will burn, the kindlings relit over and over by the insistent winds of change. This squabble with the Empire's border territories will be nothing compared to what is to come."

Silence dawn upon the men as the elder's words sunk in.

"So, all we need to do is wait until this catastrophe occurs and simply move into their lands afterwards?" An older warrior spoke up.

"No."

"No?"

"Our war is not to the west, but to the north. It is in the north that you, young lord, shall fulfill your destiny."

"I have a destiny?" this was the first he has heard of such things.

"You, with the full might of our people, will join our strength with a mighty force in the north to fight under the banner of the one true God. To take part in a war between the Faithful and the False Gods."

"You mean to say… I will destroy the Empire?"

The old shaman chucked, "I never said you would be fighting the Empire. I said our fate is to fight under the banner of God. By extension, we shall join alongside all those who would take up arms in His name. And it's as you said, only reavers and Imperials are in the north."

"Enough!" One rider shouted. "You go too far shaman!"

"Too far?" this made the shaman chuckle. "Young man, were you not the one who suggested we go our way through the Empire in the hopes of finding trinkets to swing a vote one way or the other? Yet I am the one who is speaking out of turn?"

"I would sooner let myself be consumed by maggots than fight beside an Imperial," the rider marched over and towered over the old man. "They killed my brother; I would sooner spit on their graves then raise a sword for them!"

"And what of me?" he questioned back. "I have lost a father, brothers, nephews, sons, and a grandson to Imperial steel. Do you presume that I would choose this path for us of my own volition? As you so colorfully described, I too would sooner die than fight beside a dragon banner. But before I am a son, a brother, a father, a grandfather, or even a servant of our Khan, I am a servant of God. And by His will, I shall obey. Human, hare, hobgoblin, we all are equal before God. Are you so filled with pride and vainglory that even God's will is not enough for you to smother it?"

"His will, or yours," another, younger, voice spoke up. A young lad, no older than twenty, stood up and joined the other rider.

"Careful boy," the shaman growled, "you are treading dangerous ground."

"I am not refuting God's will, I'm only saying what others are certainly thinking," the young warrior refused to back down. "Your mind is going soft, Elder. This tale of yours is but the first sign of the sickness of the mind." He turned to Febos. "My Khan, surely you can see it too? Age and stress are getting to him."

"Would you have me cast out my advisor?" Febos narrowed his gaze upon the boy.

"No man here could dare argue that retiring the elder is a slight on his honor," the boy seemingly had a better backbone than Febos did at his age. "I would ask you to let him spend his last days in peace and comfort. He has served our people well over the years, but there is a time when the old- "

Before the warrior could finish his plea, a crack of thunder roared around them. The fires in the pit jumped and glowed white hot only to reach out like spindly fingers towards him. On reflexes, both warriors threw themselves backwards to avoid the fiery grasp. The flames whipped and wrapped around the firepit, slithering their way towards Febos. They did not seek to burn him, but to encircle him in a cage of white fire.

"Enough!" the voice that boomed from the shaman's throat was not his own. Projected by unseen magics and magnified beyond mortal means it rang into the very minds of all assembled. "I am not merely a man, but a conduit for God's will upon this world. A great war is coming to Falmart. A war that will be fought by man, beast, abomination, and powers beyond your imagining. From the old order, the faithful shall raise as never before and unite under one banner. MY banner! With your righteous wrath the deceivers shall be cast down from their charnel pulpits, the false idols smashed until they are naught but grains of sand cast to the wind, and the deceived shall be brought into MY Light as is proper."

Despite the scene unfolding before him, Febos did not feel any fear at the unnatural display. All he felt was warmth that bled into his very soul. There was no terror amongst those watching either, merely contentment and a desire to hear what this… Voice wanted to say.

"I see you, young lord," the shaman's neck twisted in a way similar to an owl so he could look Febos in the eyes. The gray of his eyes was gone, replaced with a torrent of shining gold. "Yours is to ride at the vanguard of My Heavenly Host. Upon a white horse you shall have a crown upon your head to lead your people against your foes, and with a bow in hand you shall conquer as your people have done before and you shall do a thousand times again. It is your fate to be an instrument to cast down the deviant, the heretic, and the false God. You will stare down the dragon, rising sun, the abominations beyond, and any other who would oppose My will. Once the Gate opens, this is inevitable."

"I-I…" he could barely form words.

"Claim your crown and march north when the time comes," the voice instructed him before swiveling the shaman's head back to the assembled riders. "The Anointed One shall await you there."

With that said, everything returned to normal as suddenly as it had changed. As the fires died down to normal, the elder shaman's eyes returned to its blind grey state as he fell to the ground and laid there still as the grave. Silence reigned as all who had seen this… event could hardly articulate their thoughts.

Febos did not know how long they sat there in absolute silence before one of their number, the young man from earlier who challenged the shaman's claims, spoke up.

"My Khan…. what… W-What was- "

"Have the camp ready to move before first light," Febos commanded. "We ride for Kurultai to place my name before the Assembly."

None spoke out against his order. As the assembled dispersed to collect themselves, one thought lingered in the back of all their minds, one that overshadowed even the knowledge of a cataclysmic war on the horizon.

God's will be done.

--
--

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see."

"And I saw and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

Book of Revelations, First Seal of the Apocalypse