Hungry Necromancer

Clamouring desperate for forgiveness others spouting righteous indignation and casting Anera's holy symbols over the gates. My guards have little trouble holding the disgruntled nobles and their house back, although they look nothing like their titles would suggest.

Their robes in tatters from the dozens of rats and mice that tore through their homes, attracted by the scent of death, decay and rotting food. Their water turned sour, an added punishment on my part, they reek foul stenches on par with the worse the Underground had to offer when it was active.

Hastra, the Diviner and I stand bold over the gates wall, staring down at the large congregation of nobles, "I thought you said you targeted the nobles that sponsored the protests?" I hiss at the Diviner.

He only shrugs, chuckling lightly at the raucous scene below, "I knew they had sponsors from high class families but I quite frankly couldn't be bothered finding out which ones."

"So you punished the last vestiges of the noble class?" Hastra completes, her stern, scolding voice mirroring mine.

He nods, "Exactly, now there'll be no such thing as 'I wasn't a part of this'. If everyone gets punished they'll be more inclined to police themselves, I think I've done you a favour, Lord Mayor."

Scoffing, I cast a glance at the mess of Nobles without a shred of nobility and raise my hand, silencing their cries.

Taking a deep breath I measure my voice so it booms loud and clear for all to hear, "Only one of you is allowed to speak so make sure you pick the right person."

The Nobles chatter amongst themselves, nearly devolving into infighting before a woman, no, a girl steps forward and screams at the top of her little lungs.

"Your plague has touched the innocent! My family and many families gathered here had nothing to do with the dissenters! They've shown themselves to you now haven't they?" She turns and casts her finger to her left, "The ones tossing symbols of Anera and laying curses even with the maggots biting at their flesh. Take them and free us of these plagues!"

Murmurs spread through the silenced crowd of Nobles, behind them is another growing crowd, Elves, dwarves and all the regular citizens, the passageway to my gates opened up for this display to go forward.

'Another one of the Diviners schemes.' In the midst of the crowd of regulars I can pick out several of his acolytes, whispering lies into ears and crafting more rumour and legend.

'He's good at his job, I'll give him that.'

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I squint down at the little girl who's spoken. For a human I'd say she's in her teenage years, her cheek is smeared with dirt and the dress she wears is poked full of holes.

"What is your name, child?"

Inwardly cringing at the word 'child' coming out of my mouth, 'I'm starting to sound too much like mum.'

"Paige Braxwood, second dau-"

"I only asked for your name." Her mouth clamps shut and a blush brightens her dirty cheeks, "Paige, I couldn't care less about which Noble spoke against the true faith of Aste."

It's a struggle resisting the urge to roll my eyes at my own words.

"So long as one of you did, you're all viable to be punished by our Lord, and you have, you are. The punishment goes on until the faithless repent or die. The choice lies in your hands now."

Paige stares up at me, mouth hung open with words edging on her lips. But rather than speak she clamps her jaw, tears her dress free and picks up a rock.

My eyes grow wide at the action, before anyone has the chance to speak out Paige launches herself at the few remaining Anera worshipping Nobles and cracks open the nearest person's skull.

Blood splashes over her clothes, her victim grabs onto her, muttering nonsense that's cut off with another skull crushing slug. He crumbles to the floor, spurting blood.

A cold silence blankets the gates, Paige falls to her knees and delivers several blows to the man's severely disfigured face, his blood pooling and staining the snow around.

Panting, Paige stands and glares at the other dissenters who just like the rest of us watched in shock, "Repent." she growls, "Repent!"

At her roar the lot of them fall on their knees, crying, sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

Still wide-eyed, a bright cackling stirs me from the shock. Laughing and clapping heartily is the Diviner, he grins down at Paige and declares, "Now this! This is true faith! Come, let her in, get her clothes and food! Hahahhaha!"

The gates creak open before I can say otherwise and Paige marches in, barefoot on the snow. The Diviner leaves us, eager to meet with this Noble girl that's just demonstrated the greatest show of faith to the pseudo-religion.

Gulping I meet Hastra's eyes and words fail me, she nods, understanding me anyway and says, "Better them than you."

She takes my hand and leads me away, but not before I catch a glimpse of the acolytes taking the dissenters away. 'Where are they taking them to?'

There's no time to look for answers or intercept the Diviner to find out what he wants to do with that scared girl, that desperate child. My ring starts humming, the little sting from it letting me know the call is urgent.

"Hold on, we need to take this." I let go of Hastra's hand and walk into the room in the guard tower, dismissing everyone in it.

Answering the call with a touch of mana a panicked voice comes through, Yelenia's.

"Kaylin! Get Asher on now!"

"What? Why? He's not here."

"What? Fuck! Call him, someone call him now we're fucking outnumbered and outclassed! It'll be a bloodbath!" She screams.

"Yelenia, what's going on out there? What's happening?"

"They're here, the Marquess' army is here. I thought since we took most of the March we'd have most of the men but…scouts say otherwise. They have Mages, siege weapons and men armed to the teeth marching under her banner, they're a day away from us!"

The news racks me with a greater fear than whatever the Diviner and his acolytes are moving out to do. At least with the Diviner I've got my strength as the Mayor but now…against the Marquess.

'No, no. She's far from here, it'd take days to reach us from Autue.'

I shake my head clear as Yelenia calls out for me again, "Did you hear me? I said-"

"I heard you, loud and clear. I'll get in contact with Asher or at least Mayor of Demme, you contact everyone else, especially the Mayor of Dover."

"Aren is already on call with her, but she wants reassurances that Asher as well as everyone else will be there, that's another reason I'm calling. Her men are half a day away from us, they'll make it if we settle this soon."

"Fuck, this isn't the time for assurances, we have a deal don't we? Aren struck a deal with her!"

"He did but now she's making demands, valid demands by the way."

"You're siding with her?" I seethe.

"I'm not siding with anyone, I'm simply saying Asher and his ghost companion could do with showing up at the frontlines every once in a while, would freaking help morale to see the man behind this chaos and know if he goes down then so do you."

"How does that in any way help morale? You know what? Don't answer that, get off, I need to call Asher."

"Do that and emphasize the fact that the battle starts soon…very soon." With the last word Yelenia, commander of the armies cuts off, leaving me to break the dire news to Asher as I'm closer to him.

Hastra huffs and crumples down, squatting with her hair pulled back as she breathes.

"Are you alright?"

She says nothing, or rather can't. I hurry to her side as her breaths quickly become laboured, panting and gasping for breath.

Frankly I'd like to be the one to shrink under pressure, but years of living underground, persecuted for being an Elf in my own city and fighting to stay out of the dungeons has given me a tough skin.

I guess that and the fact that I'm a founding member of this mess. 'It was just the three of us, when the idea for this Kingdom was born.'

Patting and rubbing Hastra's back, whispering soothing melodies in her ears, the same ones Maylin sang for me whenever I couldn't handle the pressure, I mentally prepare myself for what's to come.

War.

"You'll be alright, Hastra. We're going to win."

She gulps and snaps her tear filled eyes at me, "And how do you know that? You heard Yelenia, their army is…it's prepared for things we don't even have. Siege weapons? Is Aste going to be besieged? I can't…I-"

"Shhh, shhh, put that out of your mind. Instead, how about you remember I'm a Mage for a second, and then remember that I'm an Elven Mage. My magic is naturally stronger. We have the Mayors of Dover, Demme, Autue and even Frozia all on our side, not to mention whatever hell Asher has brewed from his…expedition in Demme's Forests. We will win, Hastra."

'At least I hope we do.'