The winter winds howled outside the tent, spellcraft was the only reason those inside didn’t tremble against the cold. Five figures stood around a table set up with a rough map indicating the area around the city of Osan and the surrounding region of the Wildlands. Four lanterns glowed in each corner of the room, providing suitable illumination. Three of those present were human and two elves. One of the elves stood at the edge of the tent, peering out into the heavy snowfall that battered the campsite of the subjugation force. He let out a sigh and rubbed his hands together, marching back in to meet with the others.

“Winter came early,” Stepan said dourly, “My sovereign powers can only do so much, but the soldiers will be comfortable at least,” Stepan was a wiry elf of modest proportions. Thin-faced, effeminate, and blessed with yellow-blonde hair, he’d quickly drawn the eye of one of the human Ascendants when he’d arrived just a day before. He slipped into the group next to Nifar, the Ascendant from Taywill. The taller, brown-haired human gave him a pleased look before returning his focus to the map. Across from them the other Elven ascendant, a tiny thing by the name of Mila, scowled at him. “Something the matter, Mila?” Stepan asked.

“Could you at least pretend to be interested in what we are about to do?” She asked.

Telom of Harav, a yellow-blonde-haired human with a regal, almost lupine appearance raised an eyebrow, “We’re all friends here, and we appreciate the support of the elves. The cold would have put an end to this mission in the long term,” He said diplomatically.

The largest of the humans, a powerfully built male with coppery hair and deep-set red eyes set his hands on the table, his fingers tracing the surface of the map. His name was Abel and he had been sent by Katal. Both Elves eyed the enormous man, taking particular notice of the eerie red-bladed sword he wore on his hip. “Our forces should arrive at the outskirts of Osan by mid-day tomorrow. You two need to stay with the rear guard, we can’t take any risks with losing the effects of your abilities,” He glanced up at the elves, “Understood?”

“Obviously,” Mila ground out.

Nifar leaned on the table and tilted his head, looking Mila up and down, “I still don’t quite understand how this power of your works. Just a little bit of blood and our men don’t need sleep?”

“A gross oversimplification,” Mila said sharply, “I possess the Sovereign Aspect of the Vigil. Those bearing my mark will be blessed with boundless vigilance, their stamina will replenish itself actively so long as they pace themselves. I would suggest that you rotate your men in and out of combat if the battle drags on so as not to break the enchantment.”

Nifar nodded, “So they don’t need sleep.”

Mila sighed and shook her head. Telom reached for her shoulder and pat it once, “Patience.”

She shook her head and walked away from the table, stepping out into the winter storm. The snow weaved around her as if it were unable to touch her body. Stepan’s aspect truly was a marvel in its own way. She squinted through the snow towards the distant black spot that loomed against the sky. Even from so far away she could see the ancient capital of the Azar people. She rubbed her thumb against her palm, hadn’t the king been friends with the ruler of the Azar? Since when was it practice among the elves to side so blatantly with the humans? She reached up and rubbed the bridge of her nose as the tent opened behind her.

“Nervous?” It was the smooth voice of Telom. She glanced back at him and huffed.

“Hardly. My role is to stay with the rear guard. I’ll deal with whatever minor threats come from that direction. You and your kin can enjoy yourselves,” She said sourly, “Do you have information on the enemy commanders? I hear one of them was enough to take on one of your fellows.

“Safira was an idiot, she wanted to take that woman on alone and we granted her wish,” Telom said, “We will not make the same mistake. As for intelligence on the others,” He nodded toward a hooded man hurrying up towards the tent, “I believe it’s just arrived, lets have a listen.”

The Ascendant from Harav pulled the tent open and Mila went inside, followed by the hooded figure who slowed to a stop as he approached the table surrounded by ascendants. Telom followed him in, regarding the others with mute amusement. He stopped and nodded to the hooded man who threw his hood back, revealing a half-scarred face. His dark eyes burned with hatred for something distant and untouchable. 

“The prisoner is dead, we got all we could from him before he gave up the ghost,” The short, battered human hissed. “There are three other leaders among the Demons. Barin Kot is a seasoned war mage and is patroned by a mighty salamander that breathes fire, it’s well known that he experiments with magic and possesses unusual knowledge.”

“Our first target, then,” Abel said, “The others?”

“Argus Wo is their finest footsoldier and a powerful hand-to-hand combatant. He was once a member of the Wardens who we fought at the edge of the forest. His patron is a sea-creature that can produce water to appear on land.”

“Water in the middle of the winter? He could be a problem,” Stepan said thoughtfully, “Endless stamina or no, a frozen body is still a dead body, the last?” He pressed.

The scarred man nodded, “Tiisha, no family name. She is known as the strongest of the ‘four’ and possesses numerous powers to control the earth and stone. Her patron is a great serpent. The prisoner knew very little about her except that, strangely enough, she is the head of their government’s finances.”

“Finances?” Nifar laughed, “How strange indeed. At any rate, is there no way to stop them from summoning their patrons?” he asked.

“I’ll handle the patron beasts,” Abel said coldly and reached for his eerie sword, “That’s part of why I was given this, after all.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Telom chimed in, “What is that ruby blade?”

Abel wrapped his fingers around the pommel of the weapon and rolled his knuckles, “The Hero’s Sword. What should have been given to the hero if they had bothered to show up, it apparently will give us an edge against the Demon King when that fight comes. It has other abilities as well, though I have not had the chance to test them out.”

The other four ascendants in the room all stared at the weapon. “You really think we’ll need something like that?” Nifar asked.

“From what I’ve heard, if we don’t have a trump card, we will not have a chance in hell against the King himself,” Abel said, “I doubt all of us will come out of this alive.”

Telom snorted, “We will see.”

Abel nodded, “Yes, we will.”

—

Twelve hours later, the united human vanguard had marched its way across the snowy wildlands, carefully navigating the pockets of hibernating rilk nests with the help of conscripted locals. In total, the forces that arrived at the edge of the settled region of the Wildlands numbered at approximately seven thousand and five hundred combined infantry, cavalry, bowmen, casters, and others. As they drew within line of sight of the great stacked city of Osan they found that an arrayed force of three thousand had formed up outside the gates. There was no way of knowing how many soldiers were in reserve but it really didn’t matter.

At the head of the human forces, Abel sat atop his warhorse with his ruby sword already drawn. He ran his hand over his chin, wondering at the effects of Mila and Stepan’s combined abilities. Stepan’s work had forced the snow to avoid them entirely, protecting them from the worst of the cold. It was Mila’s aspect power that had changed everything. Every soldier had received a drop of her blood as a mark on their skin. Even the Ascendants. Even after hours of riding he still felt fresh, rejuvenated even. He could barely fathom what she could accomplish with more practice and growth.

As the thoughts crossed his mind a flash of light erupted over the gathered demons, the light condensing into a bird clutching at a branch. Abel frowned, they were suing for peace already? Were they stupid? He glanced to his right as the sound of an approaching horse caught his attention. Nifar slowed to a stop and nodded to him, “Should we at least respond?”

Abel sniffed, and turned his head to the left, “Telom! Give them our answer!” He bellowed. Off in the distance to his left, the Ascendant from Harav stretched out his arms and then pulled them to his chest, he threw his head back and opened his mouth wide. A gout of flame erupted from his throat and burst into the sky, burning away the snow for a moment and sending a flash of heat over all those present. Abel chuckled and raised his voice again, “All forward! We sleep in Osan tonight!”

A roar rose up among the soldiers present and Nifar peeled away to rejoin his own contingent. Ahead of them a howl of responses rippled through the air, the demon soldiers were not going to go without a fight. “Good,” Abel said cooly, his face twisting into a sadistic smile, “I’ll make the count proud and earn my place with the nobility.”

In the distance the roar of the demons died down as three flashes of light rippled in the space around them. On the left side an enormous salamander crawled out of the ground, wreathed in flames. It bellowed and a wave of heat rushed through the demon troops, the snow around them melting away in an instant. On the right a gout of water erupted from somewhere beneath the city itself and a tidal wave crested in the air. A whale of some kind bellowed, controlling the water beneath it and carrying itself around the demon troops and off to the side. Water began to fall from the sky between the two armies, Abel narrowed his eyes, “Flooding the field, are you?” He hissed and turned his horse to the right. 

“Telom! Nifar! The mage!” He shouted, pushing his horse forward and in the direction of the water beast. Before he got far the ground began to shake and one more creature came into being at the drawbridge of the city. A serpent of incomprehensible size reared up and leveled its gaze on the battlefield. The ground rose and fell rapidly, square blocks of dirt and stone shuddering, rising, and falling until a maze of twisting stone paths stood in the way of the approaching human army. It’s own work done it turned and retreated into the city itself, its tail disappearing into the darkness.

Abel ignored the change in terrain, his men would march forward regardless. He needed to ensure that the only foes they had to deal with were ordinary soldiers. His horse put on a burst of speed as he began to concentrate on his Aspects. He strengthened himself with his aspect of the Champion. His body growing stronger as his muscles became denser and denser. His eyes began to glow as the aspect of the Light burned beneath his skin, energy pouring through his veins and into his fingertips. His skin shined and turned into Bronze as that aspect took effect. His aspect of the Reaver pumped his blood faster, heat rising in his core. 

As he drew closer a group of Azar charged at his flank, aiming to stop him before he got too close to the watery beast. He whipped his head in their direction and bellowed, “Kneel!” The force of the command sent them to the ground, pressing their faces in the dirt without realizing what had happened. He ignored them, working himself up until his final aspect began to shine through. His pride and his path to something greater than even his patron, the Count of Balthin, would ever achieve. Abel embraced the Sovereign aspect of Humanity and felt every aspect empowering him grow even stronger. The last faint hints of chill in the air faded just as a blade of water cut the horse out from under him. He threw himself into the air and rolled across the ground, getting to his feet and pointing his weapon at his attacker.

The Azar man in gleaming armor mimicked his gesture. He had grey-blue skin and a ferocious look in his eyes. The air around him seemed to tingle with power. 

“Any last words, Demon?” Abel asked, the sword in his hand beginning to glow.

“Azar Eternal, Human. We will never die out!” Argus Wo bellowed, “Have at you, wretch!”