Cultist of Cerebon - Litrpg/Isekai

Nasrith had been a creature of habit and discipline from the moment he had hatched.

At least, this is what he had been told by the various high-leveled [Caretakers] and [Instructors] who had molded him into the man he was today. They claimed that even as an infant, Nasrith would demand to be fed at the exact same time each day, his cries as punctual as the shadows on a sundial. This trait followed him as he grew older and was the one Nasrith credited in his rise to power.

It was what had allowed him to excel in his rigorous military training, where precision and discipline were paramount, and avoid the many excesses that plagued naga society.

It was what had allowed him to level faster than any of his peers and draw the favor of House Vhelan, granting him the connections to thrive in the military’s cutthroat hierarchy.

It was what had allowed him to become the ostensible ruler of the most militarily powerful city-state in the Qahtani Desert, despite being born to a relatively minor family.

Nasrith’s discipline was evident in every aspect of his life, from his spartan living quarters to the meticulous care he took in maintaining his armor and weapons. It influenced the way he planned his military strategies and the expectations he held toward his subordinates. There wasn’t a single officer in Tal’Qamar’s military who didn’t know of this quirk of Nasrith’s personality.

This was why everyone knew not to interrupt him during the fifteen minutes of solace he demanded on the eve of every battle for anything less than an emergency.

How soon after those fifteen minutes passed before he was interrupted generally informed him of how urgently his attention was actually needed. That his personal adjutant felt the need to come to him less than a minute after his allotted time told him that today’s morning was going to be more interesting than most.

“General Nasrith, I apologize for interrupting, but Colonel Salzin has requested that your pre-battle briefing be held now,” said Lieutenant Colonel Anaya, his personal adjutant, from the entrance of his tent as she gave a crisp salute from the otherside of his desk.

He had many adjutants handling all manner of administrative work for him, but the Lieutenant Colonel was the only among them who held ties to House Vhelan and was thus the most trustworthy.

“At ease. Has there been a change in the strategic situation since yesterday’s meeting?” Nasrith asked sharply, looking up from his copy of the Duchess and placing down his cup of imported Maharan tea. “If so, then he should present that information in front of the entire war council. If not, then I see no need to reschedule our planned briefing from its typical time when our strategy has already been decided.”

The Duchess was a rather obscure political treatise written by the former Duchess Rowena of Arbasel that detailed her experiences as a [Noble Cannibal] living during the height of the Eldamir Empire’s first civil war. Such Classes were reviled across all cultures that Nasrith had encountered, due to their tendency to grant power through the consumption of other sapients.

Her circumstances led Duchess Rowena to develop a rather robust political acumen as she successfully hid her true nature up until her death, allowing her to write the greatest literary masterpiece Nasrith had ever encountered.

It had been Nasrith’s habit for years to read his favorite passages from the book on the eve of every battle, and he would not be pleased if he was interrupted for a trivial manner.

“The Colonel refused to clarify, sir,” said Lieutenant Colonel Anaya, a momentary baring of her fangs the only sign of her displeasure. “However, he implied that he had a few matters to speak about regarding Tal’Qamar’s internal politics.”

Nasrith’s adjutant couldn’t help but speak the words ‘internal politics’ with barely veiled disdain, a sentiment he could fully sympathize with.

There were many naga who found it far preferable to deal with wars and bloodsoaked battlefields than the tiresome viper pit created by the Great Houses’ constant maneuvering for power. Nasrith dearly wished that he could simply ignore the happenings within Tal’Qamar and focus entirely on warfare as he always had done in the past, but that was no longer possible.

Nasrith, tragically, had been forced into a situation where he was now the official Ruler of Tal’Qamar, which meant he now had an obligation to keep an eye on the tedious nonsense that was its internal politics.

“Send him in,” Nasrith said decisively after a moment of thought, not showing any of the weariness those words brought him.

Lieutenant Colonel Anaya saluted again and left to retrieve Colonel Salzin, who entered his tent a few moments later with a professional demeanor. The Colonel was the highest leveled and most talented of Nasrith’s [Spymaster Colonels], which was why he had trusted Salzin to handle everything related to the military’s espionage efforts for many years.

Despite them each owing allegiance to two Great Houses with historically poor relations, Nasrith had never caught Salzin acting in bias toward House Zarqet beyond the normal amount.

Whether that would continue given their change in circumstances was yet to be seen, but Nasrith believed in judging a person’s true nature through their actions. As soon as Colonel Salzin entered the command tent, he offered a salute and coiled his tail until his upper body was lower than Nasrith’s.

This was a typical gesture of respect between members of the upper class in naga culture and demonstrated that Salzin recognized him as a superior both in the military hierarchy and within their society.

Nasrith left the Colonel at attention as he rose from his seat and made his way over to a small, ornately carved chest next to his desk. Opening it, he retrieved a small, polyhedric device adorned with glyphs along its sides, with a small spherical indentation at its center that held a near perfect Sunstone.

While it had cost him a fortune unaffordable to even most wealthy families, hiring a level 50 [Artificer] to make him a proper Spell Repository had been one of Nasrith’s better decisions.

There were few Skills capable of providing the proper level of informational security that someone in Nasrith’s position required. Being able to store a [Greater Ward of Secrecy], a spell too powerful for any of his [War Mages] to replicate, was priceless in protecting himself from the myriad of cunning methods used to gather information.

After activating the Spell Repository, a golden shimmer quickly spread through the tent until it encircled all the tent walls. Nasrith returned the artifact to its place in the chest and turned his attention back to the still waiting Colonel.

“At ease, Colonel. I assume that you have important matters to discuss with me given that you’ve decided to change our schedule,” said Nasrith, a hint of steel in his voice making clear that this better be the case as he moved back to his seat. “Is any of it time sensitive?”

Given that the lives of his soldiers could be at risk if that was the case, Nasrith needed to know if immediate action was required.

“No, sir. I’m here due to your prior orders for any important changes to Tal’Qamar’s political landscape to be brought to your attention, especially in regard to the Hierophant Council,” said Colonel Salzin, dropping his salute and straightening his posture. “There would not have been enough time to do so if relegated to the schedule briefing.”

Tal’Qamar’s new religions were absolutely insignificant in influence compared to the Great Houses, but they were still worth keeping a close eye on. The majority of Tal’Qamar’s factions were fairly settled in their positions and relatively predictable, which meant emerging groups like the new religions were the most likely source of any disruption in the city.

“Very well. Start with the military portion of your briefing first,” Nasrith said after a moment of consideration, deciding to prioritize the upcoming battle before forcing himself to endure the rest.

Colonel Salzin nodded and began providing a standard troop disposition update as required by protocol prior to each battle. Most of it was regarding logistics and troop readiness, which while not exceptionally exciting were the very foundations of any military force.

With the exception of their dwindling water supply, which would be supplemented once they seized the moderately sized oasis their enemy had positioned themselves around, everything else was well in order.

Nasrith had assigned one of his best [Logistics Officer] to Tal’Qamar’s Second Army, so he directed the Colonel to move on and update him on enemy troop movements once he verified that logistics were under control.

Nasrith paid particularly close attention to this topic as the enemy’s movements would reveal whether or not their approach had been noticed.

It was near impossible to sneak up on a competent military so long as they invested in leveling their [Scouts] to an acceptable degree. Around level 40, any variants of Skills like [Detect Threat] were extremely effective and could alert them from many miles away, especially for a force as large as the one Nasrith was leading.

However, their decision to go through the Sea of Dunes meant that [Detect Threat] would have trouble distinguishing his troops from the many Living Sands until it was hopefully too late. As such, Nasrith had ordered last night that his forces rest in preparation of a [Swift March] on the enemy position, and also to avoid lighting any large campfires.

Careful espionage and a culling of enemy [Spies] had convinced the enemy that they were still several days away from arriving, and Nasrith had no intention of losing the element of surprise to sloppiness.

“Fal’Ashar’s forces are well prepared and remain vigilant, but there is no sign that they’re anticipating our attack,” Colonel Salzin reported, his voice steady and professional. “Their [Scouts] continue to patrol their usual routes and the illusory artifacts provided by House Khysar have hidden us from any aerial reconnaissance. Our [Scouts] who have been enhanced with the Mirage Stalker template are able to monitor enemy movements far better than expected, and should be able to notify us the moment there is a change in circumstances.”

“Good. What of the enemy reinforcements being sent by Jalasa and Anket?” Nasrith asked, nodding in approval at the report, glad to hear such favorable news.

The two city-states had already entered the war quite some time ago, but the sheer size of the Qahtani Desert and distance between major population centers meant that the bulk of their forces had taken significant time to muster. Neither of them had Tal’Qamar’s rich military tradition nor its experience with rapid deployments.

“The pace of the Jalasan military is so far consistent with what our [Strategists] predicted, which places them as arriving to the frontlines within two weeks,” said Colonel Salzin, confirming nothing had changed overnight. “However, there’s been a new development regarding the mercenaries hired by Anket. I’ve received word that they will likely arrive a week later than anticipated.”

Nasrith couldn’t help but raise a brow in surprise.

“Explain. The Desert Falcons Company are a fairly competent fighting force and wouldn’t allow themselves to be delayed without significant reason,” Nasrith demanded, his mind racing as he considered the implications of this information.

“According to my sources, there have been some disputes regarding payment and the Desert Falcons are intentionally slowing their march until the matter is resolved,” Colonel Salzin reported, his tone remaining professional despite the hint of satisfaction in his expression. “One of the most valuable artifacts which Anket promised as payment has had its ownership disputed, due to several historical records that have conveniently emerged.”

How convenient indeed. It wasn’t Nasrith’s experience that luck often caused such dramatic shifts in the course of a war, and he had a feeling that wasn’t the case here either.

“I assume from your tone that this wasn’t a coincidence,” Nasrith said as he watched Salzin closely for any reaction. “Also, how did you acquire this information? It wasn’t my impression that your [Spies] had managed to infiltrate Anket so thoroughly. I have no doubt that they would have done everything in their power to hide their internal disputes.”

An uncharacteristic trace of hesitation flicked through Salzin’s expression that caused Nasrith’s eyes to narrow.

“You are correct, General. This information didn’t come from my own network and instead came from House Khysar,” said Colonel Salzin, causing Nasrith to force back a sigh as he realized it was time to move on to Tal’Qamar’s internal politics. “They almost certainly heard it themselves from Priest Kassan, and the rest of Ghisara’s worshipers.”

All of the Hierophant Council’s members came with their own complications, but the Circle of Ghisara was perhaps the most troublesome and subversive. They had a long historical alliance with House Khysar and behaved in a way that made it difficult to understand their goals.

Whereas most deities could be reliably trusted to seek more followers and more power, the Circle of Ghisara had never openly recruited new members. Instead, they only recruited by approaching specific individuals within naga society who they knew beforehand would be receptive to joining.

It was nigh impossible to gather information on their internal selective recruiting process, which made them a relatively unknown quality in Tal’Qamar.

“I see. I suppose that this is their way of proving their value and contributing to the war,” Nasrith said after a moment of thought, his finger tapping against the desk.

Nasrith had been skeptical at first when Lady Marilith proposed the plan to distribute land to Tal’Qamar's factions in accordance with their war contributions. He did not trust the bickering fools with the responsibility of administering lands and would have preferred to leave such matters to his own officers.

While he had never had ambitions to be a ruler until Raqasor and the Conclave forced his hand, Nasrith had every intention of excelling in this role as he had done in all others. So long as the citizens of Tal’Qamar understood their place in the city’s hierarchy and obeyed its laws, they deserved his utmost protection and consideration.

Handing them over to be governed by a group of petty, short-sighted fools engaged in endless power struggles was not what he considered his utmost consideration.

However, Lady Marilith had made a convincing argument that Tal’Qamar would be in a worse position in the long run if Nasrith had his own people administer those lands and didn’t distribute some of it to other factions. Not only were the Desharin and the ogres pushing for more autonomy and could potentially act foolishly if perpetually denied, but Tal’Qamar would also need their active contribution to win this war.

Nasrith trusted himself and his subordinates to defeat any other military force in the region, but against multiple city-states with the full backing of the Conclave, it would not be so easy.

“Is the Circle of Ghisara still conspiring against the Cult of Cerebon?” asked Nasrith, his thoughts drifting toward the small religious group that seemed intent on garnering attention. “I believe that I ordered their situation to be monitored closely after you informed me of the cult’s highly conspicuous actions against the Conclave.”

It had certainly been a memorable day when he was informed that a giant flesh house had torn apart several Conclave agents in the center of Tal’Qamar and also a highly satisfying one.

There were few things that Nasrith despised more than traitors, so the actions taken by the cult were well-appreciated by him. Nasrith only regretted that so few of the Conclave’s agents had survived to be interrogated.

While he was ostensibly the Ruler of Tal’Qamar, he lacked the ability to act against a Great House without clear evidence of wrongdoing and the consent of the others.

Otherwise, they would see it as a challenge to their influence and join together against him very quickly. Each of them knew this and exploited it ruthlessly, leaving him to deal with the consequences of their selfishness.

“The Circle of Ghisara hasn’t taken any overt actions recently, but they've been monitoring the cult closely for reasons unknown to us,” said Colonel Salzin, a small trace of frustration breaking through his professional facade for the first time since the briefing began. “Specifically, they seem exceedingly interested in Apostle Zareth and his activities. I have confirmation that they’ve bribed an administrator in the Adventurer’s Guild to report any missions he posts and quietly hired someone to explore that temple they discovered to the north of Tal’Qamar. They’re even closely tracking the books he purchases, especially those related to history.”

Nasrith was quiet as he tried to make sense of the Circle of Ghisara’s recent activities. They’d taken several risks recently for seemingly marginal benefits and their focus on the Cult of Cerebon also didn’t have any discernible purpose.

Chances are that they’re making decisions based on information inexplicably given to them by their deity, Nasrith concluded after a moment of consideration. Of all the Goddesses to exist in my city, why did the Goddess of Oracles and Mysteries have to be one of them?

“Continue monitoring the situation and inform me if the Circle of Ghisara’s actions against the cult escalates to a point where we need to intervene,” said Nasrith, deciding that there was little else they could do until more information surfaced. “We won’t know until the end of this battle, but that cult could potentially be an indispensable part of Tal’Qamar’s rise moving forward.”

He usually disdained untested and unreliable changes when it came to matters of warfare, instead trusting methods and strategies that had withstood the test of time. However, he understood the value of listening to his subordinates and accepted their advice to deploy a notable number of biologically modified soldiers to a portion of the battlefield.

While their overarching strategy didn’t rely on the augmentations that the cultists had provided, this would be their first real battle where they were tested and Nasrith expected interesting results.

Especially if the plan that their leader had presented him proved to be as effective as Nasrith’s [Strategists] claimed.

That human is definitely one to keep a close eye on, Nasrith mused as he refocused on the Colonel and ordered him to move on. “Enough about them. Have there been any notable changes within Tal’Qamar?”

“No, sir. The Circle of Ghisara is the only faction acting particularly strangely, though House Khysar does seem slightly less interested in Tal’Hadin than expected,” Colonel Salzin began before continuing to update him on the ongoing matters within Tal’Qamar.

Nasrith found himself feeling mixed emotions with the rest of Salzin’s report. On the positive side, there didn’t seem to be any significant shifts with the various other faiths who were all focused on contributing to the war.

The Desharin were extremely invested and were willingly guiding Tal’Qamar’s forces through the desert without complaint, while the ogres aided significantly in information gathering and on the battlefield with their necromancy-adjacent abilities. The foreign monks had far less of an impact due to their scarce numbers, but their expertise in manipulating emotions was very useful for maintaining the morale and discipline of his forces.

However, the fact that little had changed in Tal’Qamar meant that the Great Houses were still causing needless trouble.

This time by fighting over Tal’Hadin, a relatively modest settlement within the territory recently conquered by Tal’Qamar. While the oasis around which Tal’Hadin had been built was too small to support a proper city-state, the settlement was on a notable intersection of the trade routes that led to the much more significant city of Shihr.

Due to geographical constraints, Shihr was nearly unconquerable and highly isolationist, but still a highly valuable trading partner for whoever controlled Tal’Hadin.

The infighting that had broken out among the Great Houses was quiet enough that few were aware of it, but they were still bloody enough that Tal’Qamar was left worse off for it.

Nasrith had been able to tolerate that sort of nonsense when he spent the vast majority of his time away from Tal’Qamar, but circumstances had changed…

A society, much like an army, could only function with strictly enforced rules and a clear hierarchy.

Every day that went by when he was forced to tolerate their constant lack of respect for his position or anything but their own interests infuriated him like nothing ever had before. Nasrith knew that he’d only been allowed to ascend to his current situation due to his perceived disinterest in political matters, but he more and more found himself wanting to bring the Great Houses to heel.

The desire to do so felt like an ever present ember in his chest that was slowly being fanned into roaring flame by each new act of defiance or insubordination, and Nasrith had to force himself not to hiss in anger by the time the Colonel had finished speaking.

Fortunately, Nasrith managed to hold onto his composure until the end of the pre-battle briefing and put all matters regarding the Great Houses to the back of his mind.

It was nearly time for them to begin their march and he could not afford to be distracted.

“Keep a close eye on House Khysar. My instincts tell me they’re going to be trouble in the future,” Nasrith said as he once again rose from his seat and made his way over to the armor stand in the corner of his tent. “Now go and inform Lieutenant-General Yazir that he has authorization to use [Rapid Mobilization]. I want our troops prepared to move within the next twenty minutes.”

Colonel Salzin nodded sharply before saluting. “Understood, sir. I’ll relay the message immediately.”

Nasrith waited until Salzin had left the tent before deactivating the [Greater Ward of Secrecy] and beginning the process of donning the same set of armor that he’d worn into countless battles. Each piece was so thoroughly enchanted that even the [Enchanter Lord] of Fal’Ashar would admire its craftsmanship and the power it bestowed on him. House Vhelan had made a truly heavy investment when they commissioned it in honor of him becoming the [Mercenary General] of Tal’Qamar’s military, one which he had repaid several times over.

As he strapped on piece after piece and took hold of his spear, Nasrith felt the familiar surge of power that came with having one's Stats raised through artificial means.

As always, he couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if it were possible to standardize such enchantments across all of his forces. It was a hopeless fantasy, of course, but Nasrith had found his ambition growing significantly due to events over the past year.

Perhaps it would be possible to acquire the next best thing through the cult of Cerebon, Nasrith mused as he studied himself in the mirror and ensured he was equipped as to protocol. Though, I suppose I’ll know the answer to that by the end of the day.

Satisfied with his appearance and readiness of his gear, Nasrith made his way out of the tent. He was greeted to the sight of their military camp being swiftly and efficiently dismantled by his soldiers, each of them moving with unnatural speed and coordination due to Lieutenant-General Yazir’s [Rapid Mobilization].

Nasrith took a moment to enjoy the swell of satisfaction that came with a force of ten-thousand people working together with such discipline. Tal’Qamar’s military was one of its few institutions where people could rise above their station through the merits of their competency regardless of their origins.

Oh, it was far from the impartial organization that he wished to make it, especially in the Officer Corps. However, Nasrith ensured that even the most spoiled of fools who exploited their connections to secure a position among his Officers were rigorously molded into someone worthy of their rank.

It was for this reason that there had actually been a significant decrease in nepotism since he took over, as those spoiled aristocrats shied away from hard work.

Soon enough, the moment passed and Nasrith shifted his focus to the present. His subordinates were more than equipped to handle the final preparations, so he moved to take his position at the head of where the troops who had finished were entering formation according to their assigned units.

Before long, Nasrith found himself standing before row after row of impeccably arrayed soldiers, their armor glinting in the desert sun and their expressions focused. Despite the large number of people, Nasrith’s soldiers were completely silent as they awaited his command. The only sounds came from the Living Sand moving within the sands surrounding them, pacified by the Platoon of Desharin still wearing their traditional garments after refusing the standard armor.

It was a slight blemish on an otherwise beautiful display, but one Nasrith could ignore given their contribution to the safety of his forces.

Nasrith nodded in satisfaction and began to rise as high as he could by uncoiling and straightening his tail to its full length, allowing as many of his troops to see him as possible. With his Strength, he was easily able to support his full weight on a mere inch of his tail even while fully armored.

Nasrith wasn’t prone to motivational speeches, as his soldiers should already possess the dedication necessary to fight without inspiring words. However, he had learned through the years that it was useful to remind your troops what exactly they were fighting for.

“The Conclave and the cities which they hold influence over have declared war upon Tal’Qamar, the closest of which is Fal’Ashar,” Nasrith began, his authoritative voice carrying out over the sand filled air. “Our enemy has positioned themselves around the Qareeshar Oasis, which is the only natural water source in this area capable of sustaining a siege on their city. They understand the importance of this and will not surrender it easily. We will give them no choice in the matter.”

Nasrith’s eyes swept across the assembled troops and spoke with a tone of complete and utter certainty. He was exceedingly familiar with the capabilities of the soldiers in front of him, and knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would emerge the superior military force today.

“Our strategy is clear. We will move through the Sea of Dunes and strike them before they can muster a response,” Nasrith continued as every eye focused on him. “They have won isolated battles against our forces by leveraging their large number of enchanted armaments, but they have not seen the true might of Tal’Qamar. While they have enjoyed peace for decades, we have fought and died on every corner of this continent. Today, Fal’Ashar will be broken against your superior training, experience, and levels. Today, we will show everyone who dares attack Tal’Qamar the consequences of their actions!”

Nasrith could immediately see the effect that his words had on his soldiers, pride and confidence glimmering within their eyes. [Perceive Morale] made it clear that their fighting spirit was at a peak, and that they were more than ready for the fight ahead.

“Prove to me that you’re worthy to be called soldiers of the greatest city in the Qahtani Desert,” said Nasrith as he placed his fist over his heart. “Victory at any price!”

“Victory at any price!”

The response was booming as every single soldier shouted out as they thumped their own chests with closed fists, faces etched with determination.

“Good. Now, [Coordinated Movement]! [Swift March]!” Nasrith yelled as he recoiled his tail and began moving at a brisk pace toward the Qareeshar Oasis.

He could feel his Skills take hold over the entire ten-thousand strong army, a feat capable of only high-leveled individuals with a [General] equivalent officer Class. As their names suggested, it caused Nasrith’s soldiers to move with near synchronous strides at twice the speed that would normally be possible.

Nasrith had arranged for his forces to camp as close to their target as reasonably possible specifically so that he could maintain these Skills for the entire march without succumbing to Skill Exhaustion.

With every single one of his soldiers possessing a minimum of 25 Agility, the speed at which they moved was blazingly fast and even caused large clouds of sand to billow up in their wake.

As a result, it was only a mere fifteen minutes before Nasrith received word that their forward [Scouts] had seen increased movement around the enemy’s defensive fortifications. An additional fifteen minutes after that was all that was needed before Nasrith was able to get a good look at the situation himself.

The fort around the Qareeshar Oasis was far too small to garrison the entirety of Fal’Ashar’s forces. With walls that were approximately only forty-feet-tall, there were many soldiers who could simply leap above them if not for the enchantments they almost certainly had to prevent just that.

Fal’Ashar’s long peace had clearly caused their defenses to dull, resulting in them not hiring a sufficiently capable [Mason] to build them a proper fort.

Still, it was enough to protect their more vulnerable forces.

[Archers], [War Mages], and administration focused personnel could be seen frantically running into the sand stone structure and manning its walls. The rest of Fal’Ashar’s forces were likewise hurrying to take defensive formations close to their fortifications, with [Spear Infantry] quickly forming long lines ahead of the fort and [Scorpion Riders] attempting to organize themselves.

At a glance, it was clear to him that the enemy leadership had used [Emergency Positioning] or one of its equivalents to rapidly deploy its troops. It was a wise decision, though not one that would save them.

Having seen the enemy’s formation, Nasrith immediately activated [Commanding Edict] so that he could relay long-distance orders to his officers over the clamor of the battlefield.

“Captain Serithal, break to the right with your Plaguebringer Company. Captain Eryndor, your [Archers] are authorized to attack the enemy fort the moment we enter standardized [Far Shot] range. Captain Qamaris, send your calvary around to flank their [Scorpion Riders] and prepare to engage them at the same moment we make contact with their main force.”

Immediately, Nasrith’s officers responded to his commands as two separate groups broke away from their charge to reposition themselves. The Plaguebringers needed to be separated from the rest of the troops due to the nature of their abilities while the cavalry were perfectly positioned to devastate the enemy’s own unprepared cavalry.

Tal’Qamar was one of the few militaries in the region to use [Horse Riders] over the more common [Scorpion Riders] due to their history of fighting abroad in a wide variety of terrains. While horses may be slightly less adapted to the desert and incapable of burrowing themselves beneath the sand, their charges were far more effective in open battle.

Moments later, Nasrith spotted a volley of arrows soaring above his head as Captain Eryndor momentarily used [Halt March] and ordered hundreds of [Archers] to attack simultaneously, utilizing [Far Shot] to its fullest advantage. The arrows rained down upon the enemy fortifications, causing chaos and disruption among the Fal’Ashar [War Mages] and [Archers]; who struggled to retaliate.

It was immediately apparent how unprepared the enemy had been for such an attack, as their retaliation was disorganized and ineffective. The [Shieldbearers] at the front easily withstood the few arrows that reached them, the combination of heavy armor and [Deflect Projectile] thoroughly protecting their bodies.

The enemies would need to use a Skill like [Piercing Shot] if they wanted to cause any damage to Nasrith’s heavy infantry.

“General, enemy [War Mages] are attempting to open sinkholes beneath our advancing units!”

Nasrith’s eyes narrowed when the voice of Captain Talrasha, leader of his own [War Mage] Company, resounded in his mind as their charge brought them within three-hundred feet of the enemy’s fort. By now, [Archers] from both sides had changed to using [Quick Shot] and there was a near constant barrage of arrows flying over the battlefield.

“Focus on maintaining terrain stability. Offensive action is not necessary,” Nasrith immediately responded as he idly dodged an arrow aimed for his head by one of the enemy’s higher-leveled [Archers]. “Assign the Desharin to assist you.”

He would normally have his [War Mages] focus on retaliatory attacks, but ensuring that their charge remained uninterrupted was far more important.

It wasn’t long before that proved to be the right decision.

As the frontline of his charge finally reached within fifty feet of the enemy, Nasrith suddenly stopped as he allowed his troops to pass, [Coordinated Movement] ensuring that they instinctively moved around him. He then raised himself up on his tail so that he could get a clearer view of the battlefield as he activated several of the most powerful Skills in his arsenal.

[Bolster Unit: Shieldbearer Company]. [Indomitable Charge]. [Victory for Recompense].

[Bolster Unit] did exactly as its names implied, significantly enhancing the abilities of any soldiers assigned to a particular military unit of his choosing. Combined with [Indomitable Charge], the Shieldbearer unit would tear through most enemy forces as if they were a line of cavalry.

When further empowered by [Victory for Recompense], the Crowning Skill he received with [Mercenary General] which temporarily increased the Stats of anyone under his command, the effect was utterly catastrophic.

Nasrith watched as Skills took effect over his [Shieldbearers] seconds before they were about to make impact with the enemy frontlines, causing them to immediately surge forward in a burst of speed that was normally impossible for most heavy infantry. The moment of impact was as loud as it was violent, causing an ear splitting cacophony as dozens of Fal’Ashar’s [Spear Infantry] were instantly slaughtered and trampled beneath the line of [Shieldbearers].

Nasrith even saw one of the enemy practically explode into a gorey mess when a heavily armored ogre charged through them as if they weren’t even there.

By the time the charge had been stopped, it had pushed the enemy line back nearly twenty feet and somewhere around a hundred of the enemy’s soldiers littered the ground. It was also clear that the enemy troops had suffered a terrible blow to their morale as a result. After which, the frontline devolved into a skirmish as the [Shieldbearers] followed protocol and fell back, allowing the rest of the infantry to move forward and engage the enemy.

The enemy had made a shrewd decision by placing their [Spear Infantry] to the front, allowing them to be sacrificed in favor of protecting their heavy infantry during the charge. It was likely one of the only reasons that Fal’Ashar’s infantry was still able to hold their own.

Nasrith could tell after a few moments of observation that his troops had the matter well in hand and turned his attention to other parts of the battlefield. He’d missed the moment of impact when the [Horse Riders] made contact with the enemy cavalry, but it was clear that they had been very effective.

Around twenty [Scorpion Riders] had been killed alongside their mounts, and Captain Qamaris was swinging his massive war ax through the enemy line with a near manic smile on his face. The ogre often lost himself in the heat of battle, but it had never caused Nasrith problems so he usually overlooked it.

Fal’Ashar took advantage of its specialization in enchantments as they retreated as closely toward their fortifications as possible, the magic imbued into its walls releasing everything from arcs of lightning to bursts of fire at any enemy that approached. One particularly unlucky soldier was even seized by tendrils of sandstone that erupted from the fortress walls and squeezed to his death.

The troops will need to be reminded of such risks before we siege Fal’Ashar, Nasrith calmly noted before quickly turning his attention to the new unit being trialed.

The Plaguebringers were a fairly impressive sight, covering nearly the entire right flank of the fortress where they had been deployed in a cloud of noxious fumes that seemed to have no effect on them.

Their enemies, however, were not quite so fortunate.

While the majority of them had enough Vitality to not die outright, the poisonous gasses caused them to cough, choke, and lose coordination. This made them much easier targets for the Plaguebringers to cut them down with precise attacks, allowing a mere hundred soldiers to pin down nearly three times their number of enemies.

“General! [Scorpion Riders] are ambushing our rear!”

Nasrith immediately looked back just in time to see a large number of [Scorpion Riders] emerging from beneath the sands alongside their mounts. He couldn’t help but admire the quick thinking of enemy [General] for coming up with such a plan given how little time they’d been given before Nasrith’s arrival.

[Bolster Unit: Bulwark]. [Reposition Unit: Bulwark Rear]

Nasrith hadn’t intended to test the new Bulwark template during this battle, given that there were fewer chances to do so when they were the offensive party, but it seemed like an opportunity had presented itself.

From within the main bulk of Nasrith’s army, a group of disproportionately large soldiers rushed to the rear and hastily took positions to defend the vulnerable [Archers] in the back from attacking cavalry. Even with Nasrith using a Skill to reposition them, they weren’t able to organize in any particular formation before the [Scorpion Riders] arrived, the enemy likely having their speed enhanced by some type of Skill.

However, it became abundantly clear that them being in a formation was unnecessary.

Even as many of the Bulwarks were completely impaled by the enemy’s lancers or filled with venom by their mounts, they remained standing and effectively stopped the enemy’s charge. The large bone protrusions emerging from their bodies prevented any [Scorpion Rider] from coming too close, turning the ambush into a grueling melee.

The Bulwarks weren’t quite as effective as they would have been against [Horse Riders], because the scorpions could better control their momentum and avoid colliding directly with the protrusions. Nevertheless, the Bulwarks accomplished their purpose as well as any heavy infantry and suffered fewer casualties despite their messy formation.

Having seen everything he needed to from the battlefield, Nasrith turned his attention back to the front lines and launched himself into the melee. As one of the highest leveled people in Tal’Qamar, his presence on the front lines was a formidable force multiplier.

Taking full advantage of his extreme flexibility as a naga, Nasrith darted in and out of the battle, his movements a blur to weaker foes. He used his spear with deadly precision, each thrust and swipe finding purchase within an enemy’s skull or removing limbs from their bodies. His powerful tail acted as both a weapon and shield as it deflected incoming attacks and pulled enemies to the ground for easy killing.

One unlucky lizardkin intimately learned just how powerful his tail was. The lizardkin was likely the daughter of some wealthy [Enchanter] within Fal’Ashar, as she possessed even more enchanted gear than anyone else on the battlefield. Her burning scimitar cut through steel with ease while her armor caused any bladed weapon to slide off her like water. This allowed her to slay several of Nasrith’s soldiers, several of which were even veterans who had fought with him for nearly a decade.

Unfortunately for her, the enchantments did not stop Nasrith from using his 80 points in Strength to crush her and her armor until she was little more than a mangled heap.

As the battle raged on, Nasrith always kept a sharp eye on the state of the constantly changing battlefield, which was how he noticed a subtle shift in the enemy’s movements.

They’re intending to retreat, Nasrith realized as he saw the enemy begin to slowly reposition its forces to the western side of the fortress where they were strongest.

It was perhaps somewhat early for the enemy leader to make the decision to retreat, but it was a wise move given the larger context. Fal’Ashar could easily survive a siege for months, while its allies still needed time for their reinforcements to arrive. Nasrith had successfully placed them on the defensive with his ambush, so maintaining the lives of their soldiers was a high priority.

The more manpower they had to defend Fal’Ashar, the more likely it was that they could survive until sufficient amounts of help came to break the siege.

As the enemy began their organized retreat, slowly evacuating their fort through its westward exit while they fought in heavily defensive formations, Nasrith weighed his options. A direct pursuit could allow them to defeat the enemy’s forces in its entirety and make their future siege that much easier.

Nasrith’s forces were clearly superior, so that was a fight that he was confident they would win.

However, Fal’Ashar had shown itself to be farsighted when it came to properly preparing their escape route and used a wide variety of enchanted traps. Tal’Qamar had suffered a surprising number of casualties in a prior battle when they chased after Fal’Ashar’s forces, only for the sand to disappear beneath their feet and reveal a pit that swallowed nearly fifty soldiers.

Even now, Nasrith’s [Strategists] weren’t certain how they managed to seemingly create an illusion that they could walk across and dismiss at will.

While Tal’Qamar was superior to Fal’Ashar in terms of military might, that didn’t mean that the enemy were helpless hatchlings incapable of defending themselves.

Fortunately for Nasrith, those weren’t the only new tactics available to him. He didn’t know for certain how effective it would be, but there was little risk in making the attempt.

“Captain Talrasha, the enemy is intending to retreat. Deploy your [Aeromancers] and release the Blood Sacs provided to us by the cult of Cerebon around the enemy’s escape route.”

“Yes, sir!”

Nasrith didn’t bother watching the sky as he waited for the attack to take effect. He didn’t wish to alert any particularly vigilant foe nor would there be anything to see due to the illusionary magic hiding the [Aeromancers] from enemy arrows. It wasn’t until several minutes later that Nasrith saw any evidence of his orders being carried out when several dozen small crimson objects began falling from otherwise empty parts of the sky.

Having seen them up close, Nasrith knew that those objects were actually pulsing, fleshy organs adorned with several writhing tendrils that produced a strange bloody concoction within its center. As they impacted the ground, Nasrith watched the Blood Sacs immediately begin burrowing into the sands before pumping the concoction into the ground.

It took some time and many more Blood Sacs being dropped around the increasingly confused Fal’Ashar forces, but the sands eventually began to churn and shift into a treacherous, mire-like substance. A crimson mist arose from it, causing any soldier who breathed it in to choke and cough up blood.

The cult had intentionally designed the blood produced by the Blood Sacs to be both highly adhesive and quite acidic, so the effect it had on the enemy was extreme. While Fal’Ashar’s soldiers had enough Strength to prevent themselves from being stuck completely in the mire which suddenly surrounded them, it greatly hampered their mobility.

Many of them found themselves struggling to move through the muddy substance as their flesh and armor started to corrode under its influence. What was once the beginnings of an orderly retreat turned into a desperate struggle for survival as the Fal’Ashar soldiers realized that there was nowhere they could flee.

Without mercy, Nasrith ordered his [Shieldbearers] to move forward and trap the enemy while his [Archers] unleashed a torrent of arrows on the immobilized enemy forces. Before long, the battlefield turned into a one-sided slaughter as the blood of Fal’Ashar’s soldiers spilled into the sands and mixed with the same corrosive mire that had ensured their deaths.

It was only once the enemy began throwing down their weapons en masse that Nasrith ordered his troops to cease their attack. The surviving Fal’Ashar soldiers were quickly rounded up, their expressions a familiar mixture of fear, defeat, and relief to have survived that Nasrith had seen countless times over the years.

Nasrith spent the next few hours organizing the aftermath of the battle, counting the dead, gathering them for burial, and inspecting the prisoners for any noteworthy individuals. He also made sure to send out squads to secure the surrounding area and scout for any enemies.

Dealing with the Blood Sacs after they served their purpose was… surprisingly frustrating. They continued to produce their bloody concoction and caused the mire to grow until it started threatening the foundations of the fort. It wasn’t until the Desharin offered to use their Living Sands to destroy them that they finally solved the issue.

Nasrith could tell from their expression that they had enjoyed watching his officers struggle to find a solution, and had the urge to reprimand them. It was only because of the slight autonomy that the Desharin enjoyed under Tal’Qamar that he refrained from doing so, unwilling to ruin an overwhelming victory by sowing future problems.

It was only as Nasrith listened to his adjutant’s final report of the battle from the walls of his newly captured fort that he realized exactly how successful this endeavor had been.

“So many? Are you certain?” asked Nasrith, his eyebrows raising as Lieutenant Colonel Anaya relayed the final count of their prisoners. “Then this must have been the entirety of Fal’Ashar’s third division. Did none of them escape at all?”

“Yes, sir. I’m certain. The enemy was too confident in their escape route so none of them attempted to flee before we released the Blood Sacs,” Lieutenant Colonel Anaya dutifully reported.

Nasrith’s mind raced as he considered the implications of what this meant. Fal’Ashar’s third division was their primary offensive force and with them removed from consideration, Fal’Ashar would likely be stuck hiding behind their walls for the rest of the war.

While those walls were among the most difficult to siege of the Qahtani City-States, the results of this battle had placed them in a significantly more favorable position than they had been in before.

“Inform the officers that they’re to prepare the troops to move the moment we have the necessary provisions,” Nasrith ordered as he realized that it was time for Tal’Qamar to seize the advantage. “I want Fal’Ashar surrounded before Jalasa’s military can reinforce them.”

A flicker of surprise flashed through Lieutenant Colonel Anaya’s eyes at the aggressiveness of his strategy, but she didn’t hesitate to salute and leave after being dismissed, ready to carry out his orders.

As Nasrith turned back to look out the bloodsoaked sands that surrounded Qareeshar Oasis, he soon lost himself in thought as he considered everything that had happened today. The only reason that the battle had gone so sharply in their favor was due to the successful ambush made possible by the Desharin, as well as the Blood Sacs provided by the cult of Cerebon.

Without either, they would have never been able to both surprise Fal’Ashar’s by attacking from an unexpected position and prevent them from fleeing at the first sign that they were losing.

Those augmentation templates have potential as well, especially the Mirage Stalker, Nasrith mused as he recalled how much more information they’d been able to gather prior to the fight.

The Plaguebringers and the Bulwark were both extremely useful as well, especially when it came to the increased survivability they offered his soldiers. Nasrith could easily think of several strategies to efficiently deal with them, but less competent enemies would find them troublesome.

Besides, the cleverness and effectiveness of the Blood Sacs showed to him that the young human who led the cult, Zareth, was smart enough to develop alternative templates if necessary.

I’ll need to keep them close, Nasrith thought as he decided on his course of action.

From the moment he had chosen [Warlord of Ambition] as his Ruler Class, Nasrith had begun making plans for how he would shape the future of Tal’Qamar.

Everything that he had seen today had reinforced that the Hierophant's Council would be instrumental in securing that future, and he intended to make great use of them.