Rules of Biomancy: A LitRPG Healer Fantasy

The first true battle of the new war had been a success for Serenova. With minimal losses on their side, the soldiers present had achieved good morale, and the story of their accomplishments had been shared with Kulvik. The people had cheered, elated about the possibility that this war could be won.

It did not last.

"One thousand dead, eight hundred missing limbs, another three hundred temporarily out of commission from injuries, and six hundred missing in action," Cleo rattled off, as she served Elijah and Aleksi tea. The water was hot, steam flying into the air, but nobody seemed to give it a second thought. "The officers are having a hard time bringing those who have already fought back out. The soldiers are restless. Stories are starting to circulate."

"Stories with truth in them or simple fears?" Elijah asked, adding a bit of honey to the tea. While he normally drank the madam's mixes cleanly, he needed something extra today.

"A mix," Cleo replied. "Castilla has prepared for this war for decades. They know that it was the righteous fury in our souls that kept us going last time, and they're making sure not to make that mistake again. They've started leaving some alive, allowing them to return to Kulvik and spread the word about what they saw. Piles of corpses, half a family cut apart, and that total despair that comes from a battle not able to be won. They've brought out most of their powerful mages from the start."

That explains the rain, I suppose.

While the battle Elijah had been witness to had ended in sweet victory, the three that happened in the days after did not bring the same result. Villages had been burned down, homes ruined, and those who had fled in time were without shelter or resources to take care of themselves. Soldiers had witnessed their trek back towards Kulvik before they had been faced with the enemy forces themselves.

"Our best can't be everywhere," Aleksi commented, as Cleo refilled the giant's cup. "Serenova doesn't have that kind of manpower. That was true the last time, and it's even more apparent now."

More than anybody, Elijah and Aleksi would know it, seeing as they had been part of the group exploiting that fact. Every village they met in their path had been torn apart, the harvests ruined and stolen, leaving a country without food to last a winter. It hadn't won Castilla the war, but Elijah had read through the records in the past weeks, and he knew it would've caused the collapse of the rebellion eventually. Even with the work of Biomancers, the population had been too great and the production of food too little.

"It does pain me to see that our iconoclast queen is getting such pushback for her decision to order the remaining villagers in the north to travel to Kulvik," Cleo said. The older businesswoman sighed as she leaned back. Even with her flawless makeup, made to highlight her cheekbones and remove all signs of wrinkles, Elijah could tell she had grown more tired as of late. "Those who visit my establishment have less and less kind things to say. The sentiment in the street is not favorable to your friend."

"We all know that's not surprising," Elijah countered. He paused briefly, as a red letter manifested on Cleo's desk, accompanied by a low chime. A quick written reply on the paper from the madam made the letter disappear again. "Vera is not her father. While she might be as strong-willed, and though she might have even more tenacity than Mason, the people are not as connected. She didn't fight beside them as an equal, and she hasn't gone through the same hardship."

"Most of the people in the country haven't gone through what Mason had," Aleksi said. "Not that that's a bad thing. The people just don't remember what it was like under Castilla's rule. They don't know what they're truly fighting for."

Freedom.

Or maybe the people would still be free if Castilla were to absorb Serenova into their fold once again. The act of destroying every store, bringing down the walls, and rebuilding every other piece of infrastructure would be expensive and take time. While a country and its people could hold a grudge, bureaucrats still made the final rulings, and whatever option that maximized profit while minimizing losses would most likely be taken. If the city that surrounded a Dungeon traditionally became more wealthy, Kulvik had no reason to break from that standard while under the control of another country.

So… why would the common worker risk their life for Serenova? Looking at the grander reality, their families had a real chance of surviving if the war ended quickly. It only required that the royal family accept that fact.

"There's little that can be done to sway that particular movement," Cleo explained, bringing out a new bottle with clear liquid. From the fact that the mere smell of it cleared Elijah's nostrils, he had little doubt about its contents. "Your friend is already sending out care packages to help those in need of food, and your Earth Mage has been taking a break from his work outside the city to build up larger shelters for those seeking refuge, yet it isn't enough to make the anger settle. The death counts are still rising, and they won't stop for a long time."

"You think that we are in for the long haul, with this war?" Elijah questioned, accepting the crystal glass filled to the brim with the unholy liquor. Just the first sip was enough for his pupils to widen in size and the pain in his knuckles to disappear. "No heroic feats or sudden deaths?"

"A heroic feat would be for a mighty display of power, which we both know Serenova won't be presenting for a long time, and sudden deaths would require the queen's spies to be deep within Castilla's borders. From the fact that she hadn't predicted the date of the invasion, I'd say the latter isn't happening either."

As Cleo sipped from her glass, Elijah wondered who inside the castle had spilled the details about Ethon and Darim.

That morning, mere hours before, they'd finally received word from Ethon. Vera had sent out a request for another meeting on the same day that the invasion had started, making it clear that Serenova required Ethon's aid, but the elven country had taken its sweet time replying. Now, when they'd finally done as much, the message that had arrived was plain and simple.

No meeting. Accept the terms regarding absorption, and aid will arrive.

Extortion on a national scale. Ethon had made it clear that they were confident about winning a war against Castilla. Their army was ready, the boats to transport the elves had been fully prepared, and only the king's orders were left. But… those orders would only arrive if Vera accepted the terms. The king would not let elven blood paint the world over land that wasn't theirs.

While they'd decided not to send a response to that offer, the curses shouted at the top of the royal lungs might've just made it across the ocean regardless.

When it came to Darim, however, there'd been some progress. The enchanted armor that had been used by the Castillan scouts and by rogues who tried to dispatch Elijah during the battle had a similar appearance to the one used during the killing of Hafrad.

Similar but not identical.

Enough to warrant very strong suspicion, but not enough to declare war.

Elijah could still remember that emotionless face Vera had worn when the dwarven lord had explained that fact. While he believed that Castilla had been behind Hafrad's death, and that action should be taken because of that, this still wouldn't be enough for Darim's king. The duty of a dwarven royal to uphold prior contracts, to respect century-old agreements between nations, required something more solid to break. It required less now, with the evidence in front of them, but Greyhelm made it clear that more needed to be showcased before the armies of Darim and Stroham could be mobilized.

If it were any consultation, Lord Greyhelm's forces had arrived just the day before, bringing with them a thousand fighters, half as many for support, and most of the armor and utility that had been promised for Jack's work.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Those shorter customers have been quite the experience, I must say," Cleo said, once Elijah brought up the new additions to the army. "From what I've gathered, they don't have establishments like this in the depths. It's rather strange."

"Perhaps they find greater joy staring at gold and silver all day," Aleksi joked, getting an unamused stare from the madam in response. "They're very focused on materialism. You can't disagree with that."

Elijah just rolled his eyes as Cleo educated the giant on the trading opportunities found in Darim. Instead of larger groups organizing the industry, it was operated on an individual level, allowing for greater secrecy and a lack of information flowing through the channels. A bonus for those with looser tongues, but a catastrophe for those who dealt in information.

"Now that so many are joining us, however, I hope to expand in that market," Cleo continued. "It's incredible how much those musclebound men and ladies can relax. So many little bits and pieces that come together to reveal dastardly plots."

"Anything we should know?" Elijah questioned, to which the madam smiled.

"Nothing that would concern you," she promised. "Certainly nothing that I want to lower the value of."

A businesswoman, at the end of the day. Elijah had to respect the dedication.

With the tea finished, and the last remains of lunch consumed by a duck while they hadn't paid attention, Elijah and Aleksi had to excuse themselves. They had a final stop for the day, one that Elijah had dreaded.

"Shame about the center square," Aleksi commented, as they approached the main Dungeon entrance. Guards briefly looked their way before letting them pass without comment. "Now it's just… grim."

"The price of efficient planning," Elijah supposed, surveying the square as he tried to find a particular face. What had been previously a mainly empty area, a connection between all sides of the city and a general social area to relax, had turned into the main operations of military might.

Tents were filled with officers, while soldiers and recruits lined up outside to get their measurements taken. With the new armor from the dwarves, every person who had the chance was getting an upgrade before they were being sent out again.

There you are.

"Dominic Garcia," Elijah said, when he found the magical signature of a certain Summoner. The younger man turned around in surprise, clearly not noticing their approach. "Apologies for the delay."

The Summoner couldn't have been more than twenty-five, with the light, curly hair, brown eyes that didn't have any bags under them, and that lack of wear and tear on his face. Elijah didn't like to consider what the man would look like within the year, if he even survived that long.

"Oh, no, sir, you've arrived right on time," Dominic assured him. The Summoner looked up at Aleksi for a moment, the giant matching the gaze, before thinking better of it. "Everybody else is here, and Emma is over at the entrance arguing with the guards about something. Some forms weren't filled out properly."

Elijah studied the group of ten he would be helping babysit in the Dungeon. With purple robes a shade lighter than Dominic's, they were clearly marked as new apprentices. Powerful and wise enough in their respective fields to channel their Mana, but not enough that their mentors wanted them anywhere near the front lines just yet. Elijah had to help change that.

Another Wind Mage, two Pyromancers, no clue whatever that headache is, and… one Luxomancer.

While regretting his own lacklustre work ethic, when it came to reading the documentation about those he was meant to protect, Elijah did feel a small amount of pity for the last apprentice, a thin boy who barely looked eighteen. A Luxomancer, a Mage who utilized the might of the sun to create rays of burning light, was a very powerful opponent, but also an opponent that required good timing.

In fact, they were one of the few types that could be defeated by bad weather alone. While not a requirement, a Luxomancer's powers were greatly enhanced through direct exposure to the sun. With the right conditions, even a weaker Mage with that affinity could blind an entire army, burning right through eyelids and skin until the muscle fibers were revealed and blackened.

Now, with that variable in play, Elijah was dragging them into a Dungeon.

Get somebody else to help next time, Grace.

With Dominic's assistance, the group of Mages was made to follow along. At the Dungeon entrance, the last member of the group was found, the Blood Mage arguing with a tired-looking guard. Papers were waved around, pens were used to scribble out names, and it was only upon Elijah's intrusion that they were allowed inside.

"It's pure chaos now," Emma complained to him, as they headed inside. "Nobody is agreeing about any part of the scheduling. We had a system, and that was thrown out the second that it started to make sense."

"Not the best person to voice concerns to, Emma," Dominic said in a hushed voice, one that Elijah acted like he didn't hear. "We all just need time to adjust."

"Good luck with that," Elijah replied, confident that somebody would have a great idea to remake the schedule plans that he hadn't bothered looking at. "Are you all familiar with the formations?"

They were, luckily. Elijah and Aleksi were in the front, Emma and Dominic in the back, and all the new apprentices were in the middle, looking unsure and wary of any noise that reached their ears. No brave hearts could be seen, but at least it made it easier to protect them from any possible dangers.

Not that there were many of those, since they needed to walk for an hour before they reached anything that would present a challenge.

'You have returned,' the Dungeon noted within a few minutes of Elijah entering the depths. 'I have waited. Curious about developments.'

'You mean the Mana that you gained from my work?' Elijah clarified.

'Yes. Plenty. Potent. Rare,' the Dungeon confirmed. The stone beneath their feet trembled slightly, as the Entity in charge recollected the experience of the sudden influx. 'Product of modifications. Return on investment. Positive result.'

'So you knew this would happen?'

'Theorized. Wasn't sure.'

'I guess that's good for you then. Being able to absorb the energy of the dead from the battlefields around Serenova.'

'Not all,' the Dungeon corrected. 'Pillar required. Extension of presence. Without, I am powerless.'

'So the kills still need to be mine.'

'Your presence only. With it, I can harvest.'

They reached the lower floors not long after, Elijah beginning his work of managing the apprentices. The larger threats were dealt with effectively, each grouping of monsters cut down in numbers so the stragglers could be killed by the younger Mages.

Mindless work, but one that allowed Elijah to see the chance for a deal.

'What I'm hearing is that you now have a stake in the matters of Serenova,' Elijah pointed out. The Dungeon kept silent, not understanding what he meant, so he continued. 'I joined the battlefields on Serenova's side. Without them, there is no need for me to be present, and you lose the ability to harvest.'

'... What to give in return?'

Elijah smiled, eyes glazing over while Aleksi ripped apart some flying bugs trying to get to him.

'The protection of Kulvik,' Elijah replied. 'We've made the network more efficient, but it still needs a final push to sustain itself. Your involvement would allow it.'

The Dungeon didn't reject or accept the offer instantly. It kept quiet, numbers being calculated and compared at record speeds. Elijah felt the request for memories over his work, and he offered it instantly, watching as the Dungeon went through and critiqued every single connection he'd outlined. It hated his work, to be blunt, and it wanted a thousand changes before it would consider the proposal.

… But it didn't say no.

'So? You'll agree to the idea, when I've made the changes? You'll help us win?'

'Helping you would break the rules,' the Dungeon denied, changing its speech patterns to be more specific. 'I am helping myself. Expanding potential for growth. New source to harvest. Costs are inconsequential.

As Elijah used a nearby tree's branches to stop a leaping drake from getting near a certain Luxomancer, he allowed himself the idea that the state of the war might improve.