“Commander,” said a middle-aged man in a dark blue robe. I have received a report from the first scout team.”

“Oh,” said Grevaldi. He looked up from the drawing of a plant he had started not so long ago. “And what is this report?”

“Yes, but first I regret to inform you that the first scout team has been wiped out.” The man paused to let the commander absorb the information.

“Yes, please go on. I assume the report is related to their fate.”

“Yes. At around twenty-one hundred, while a quarter of the team patrolled the camp’s surrounding area, the second quarter patrolled the camp, and the other half slept. All in all, the area was secure, however, without indication a swarm of beasts attacked. Special class scout T managed to identify beast attracting potions around the campfire; however, the team didn’t have any nor did anyone infiltrate the camp.” The messenger took a breath and continued to relay his message in a monotone voice, “The scout team was managing to hold back the beasts and protect the special class scout T while enduring the waves of beasts. However, when half of the beasts had been dealt with something seemed to dive down from the sky, pick up a scout before dropping him to his death a few metres away. The scout, while in the air shouted that it was a dragon. However, not more than a minute later the remaining scouts heard the scream of what could best be described as an owl's dying scream. Next, they saw two pairs of silvery wings which dazzled them into confusion. This is when special class scout T seemed to have been killed by a wolf.” The man saluted to indicate the end of the report.

Grevaldi, still sitting at his wooden desk looked up to his paintings of dragons, angels, and what he imagined demons would look like. “Silvery wings and the screech of an owl,” he muttered. I can’t say I’ve heard anything of the sorts both here nor on the Continent. But that does not mean we can ignore it.” Grevaldi tapped his charcoal on his drawing paper specially imported from the continent. “That seer from the kingdom beyond the seas insists on neutrality. However, haven’t I read reports of a sun elf adventurer who has made a contract with an angel?”

The messenger, who had the highest clearance in the kingdom knew of this and so he answered. “Yes, his name is Pythias, a sun elf adventurer. His origins are unknown, we only know that he registered, and seemed to have appeared three to four years ago. Since he’s an elf without any obvious connections, we searched the records of travellers from the continent. However, nothing could be found.”

Grevaldi continued to draw the lily and spread the charcoal with the tip of his index as he shaded the lower half of the lily’s flowers. “And if I remember correctly the leading black sect’s head agent in the Carling duchy is a dark elf. And although the Carlings are the weakest, they have been thrown in the ring against us without support.” He laid down his pen and walked over to a painting of an angel he had seen on the continent. It’s twelve wings and single spec of an eye gazed into his soul, unfortunately it did not reveal anything to him. “There are too many oddities.” He stroked his scrappy beard. “There are too many possibilities.” He turned to the messenger, “This black sect became active twenty some years ago, right?”

“Twenty-nine years.”

“Do you know any major events which occurred on the elvish continent back then?” asked Grevaldi.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t have more than a level two clearance back then, so I wasn’t made privy of anything that wasn’t common knowledge regarding this subject.”

“Well, yes, but you’re a messenger for a reason, I’m sure you had memorization skills back then as well. I barely remember the internal politics of the kingdom so enlighten me.”

“Yes sir,” answered the messenger with a salute. Grevaldi wondered why they always had to do such fanciful actions more than once. “Forty years ago, an elvish civil war broke out between the northern and eastern clans. Thirty-five years ago, the humans of the continent tried to take this opportunity to expand into the grand continent and struck a deal with the eastern clans. When the southern, central, and western clans learnt of this they sided with the northern clans and annihilated the eastern clans, with the most notable moment being the razing of the eastern clan’s largest city in which it is said one hundred and fifty thousand elves were massacred. This event ended thirty-one years ago.

Grevaldi pondered on the matter for a few seconds. “Well, sparing the fact I cannot fathom how a single city can hold such a large population, especially since many must have fled, I wonder if this sect may perhaps be the remnants of a cult from the grand continent who fled the war. They know too much compared to the old black magic tribes and they grew at the pace of a bamboo shoot. And if this were the case, both elves would be on the same side. This may all be a ruse to play both sides of this conflict, however, it is of no matter for now, I’ll keep the sun elf in mind; however, it is better not to use him for now. Send one of our agents to him. Tell her to gather as much information as possible and provide her with all she may need. This is a top priority mission. Tell her that if the results are satisfactory, I will compensate her with five hundred gold coins.”

The messenger walked away without a word. He was probably etching the words into his skull and had no space for anything else.

“Ah fuck, I forgot about that silver-winged beast. And who placed that beast attractor potion. If this single potion awakened a griffon or another nearly mythical beast, I’ll beat him myself if he’s not already dead.”

Grevaldi walked out of his office, down a flight of stairs and into the general hall. There, four of his twelve sub commanders were drinking wine and having a casual conversation. After all the war had been ongoing for a month without much progress and the initial tension which gripped the military headquarters had largely faded.

“We’re moving out,” yelled Grevaldi, which made two of the sub-commanders spill a bit of their drinks.

“Everyone?” asked one of them. She was a lady in her early sixties with a shaved head, and more than four piercings on each of her ears, on which she attached round cut gems.

“Of course not everyone, but certainly you,” said Grevaldi. Reno, Levi, you stay here with a thousand warriors to defend the capital. Hearing this both men happily continued to sip their wine and enthusiastically ate cheese.

“So, what are we doing?” asked the last sub-commander.

“Tennito is a prudent man who cares for his troops more than his children. He’s advanced with more prudence than a fox; however, he’ll soon have to besiege the fortified city of Yivaldi. There are currently six hundred men stationed there. It should take him at least two weeks to take it considering he’ll do his upmost to give his men as many advantages possible. In that time, we’ll cut his supply line, and when he takes the fort, we will besiege and starve him out. This way, considering his personality he should surrender without a fight. And from the conversation I have had with him in the past he doesn’t seem to be a black mage sympathizer. He shouldn’t hold up too long. If we can keep him locked in that city for a month, he should surrender without a fight. Letting us go and support our allies.

“A whole two-month sortie,” whispered Delia.

No, a mere two months,” replied Grevaldi. “I will go and tell this news to the other sub-commanders. Four other sub-commanders will remain here to defend the capital. Although nothing should get here do not let your guard down. We do not know what tricks the black mages might have.” The commander of the royalist army turned, left the room, and headed to the training grounds where the other sub-commanders were drilling the three thousand, now mildly competent new levies who would mostly act as supply personnel or arrow and magic fodder. The true army consisted of a thousand and eight hundred men who were currently waiting to move out. They were awaiting my orders outside the city under the supervision of another two sub-commanders.

#

Finally, with his four thousand eight hundred men strong army Grevaldi led his men towards the extremity of the royal’s territory. Each of his six sub-commanders controlled around six hundred men, except for the king’s uncle who led the lizard division which was composed of three hundred mounted knights, and he himself controlled the last thousand men. Of course, these thousand men were under the order of ten field commanders, who were further in control of five field officers, which all controlled twenty warriors. Well, it didn’t add up to a thousand men exactly; however, those numbers would quickly adjust themselves as some died of disease or stupid accidents.

Anyhow, with that sorted it was time to put down a rebellion.

Swartze

One or two more chapters of buildup before the first battle between armies.