Siren's Reach - Fallen Lands Book 3

Chapter twenty-one

Fantastic Battleplans and ...where to find them?

Evelyn

The next three days passed in a flurry of activity that left me feeling like my head was spinning. Our trip back was relatively uneventful. We passed a few messengers close enough to be spotted, but fortunately, they didn't pay enough attention to realize how odd our group was, entirely focused on their missions. Sarah was not used to riding at all, to say nothing of riding on a dire wolf, and we needed to take a few short stops on the way back for her to rest. Things didn't start to get crazy until we actually made it back. There had been another attack on the port, though it was far less dire than the previous one and only included a few unknown sea monsters not much larger than a human. We all went to join Septimia for this investigation, but soon after I arrived, all of our ships were harried back into port by a larger force that had been laying in wait for them, and several people were injured. With Amélie still away on her mission to patrol the coast and meet up with Grandfather in Vigilance, I was the only one in town with magical healing outside of alchemy. Fortunately, after making myself feel silly dancing around in front of the whole port for half an hour, I was able to get everyone back on their feet. With Septimia in a much better mood and feeling very grateful, that was also when I introduced her to Sarah and asked her to take the young noble under her wing.

My plan was to have Septimia teach her all the ins and outs of running a domain that her father had neglected because she was a woman. After seeing everything he had done and hearing her story, I was no longer interested in just finding a way to resolve everything peacefully. I didn't want him as a neighbor at all anymore, and the only way to make that happen would be to remove him as lord of Blackstone. Of course, that would mean I needed to replace him with someone capable of managing the land – because I certainly didn't want to do it myself. I didn't have any spare vassals to take over the position, and I had no idea how to look into a tenant lord I could trust, but I did have a perfectly valid successor to that land with me. I didn't think she had even considered taking his place, but when I brought her to Septimia and told her what she would be doing, Sarah had been ecstatic. I didn't even have to bring up the uncomfortable notion of her being my vassal. The moment that she understood I was being serious, she'd taken a knee and given a very formal oath of fealty and homage.

While this was ongoing, Sibylla had been exploring the town until she stumbled across the local Alchemist Guild Hall. Naturally, she'd disappeared inside and refused to leave. I didn't find her there until late that evening, after a long day filled with keeping my mysterious new shadowfox out of trouble and going over the many reports and issues ailing our holdings with Septimia. I was just reviewing the scout reports on the movement of Blackstone's forces when the very harried Guildmaster interrupted us to complain about the mess Sibylla was making. My mind filled with terrifying images of mushroom clouds radiating fallout that turned people into turkeys, and I rushed over to stop whatever madness she'd been up to – Only to find her in the guild's library surrounded by dozens of open books propped up against anything she could find, and a wall-sized chalkboard covered in her ongoing notes, symbols, formulas, and abstract spellforms I didn't understand. She'd even filled the large space she was working within with a giant magic circle drawn in chalk as she continued to work. All of that immediately settled my nerves …until I noticed the cauldron bubbling merrily in the corner. She'd looked up at me, smiling face smeared with chalk dust, and insisted that I let her show me what she'd been working on. I wisely stepped backward into the hall and closed the door.

Soon enough, the others caught up with me, and a moment later – before anyone could say a word, Sibylla stepped into the hall to join us, sipping on an iced coffee. She was surprised I hadn't just come to see her, and when I explained everything I'd been dealing with all day, especially that we had less than three days to prepare for an army much bigger than expected to come marching down the road toward us, she'd just shrugged. "That's not news. I've been working on it all day. Well, that and the perfect frap. Are you sure you don't want one? No? Well, don't worry, we'll sort them out."

Her determination to do her part using the guild left Septimia, Lilith, and me to work on organizing our defense. Of course, no one knew Lilith was the chittering shadowfox on my shoulder, so her contributions were mostly expressed through me. Siren's Reach had such a lovely environment because of its unique geography. Any large monsters or group of bandits would be forced to come down the main road into town – and on that road was a very strong fortification. The main road into Siren's Reach branched off from a kingdom road and came south through a twelve-hundred-foot-wide pass leading into the valley. Across the span of that pass was a fortification known as Vaelmar's Gate. Like the seawall, this fortification was older than the current town and older than most remembered history, built back in the time when ancient empires held this land. And while I thought it was really neat how the name had stuck even if the memory of why hadn't, that didn't matter for the current war. What did matter was that it was a wall that spanned the entire valley entrance and where we'd need to hold off the advancing army. Vaelmar's Gate was centered on a bastion thirty feet tall and eighty feet in diameter that spanned the road into the valley and housed its gate. The rooftop was home to a massive trebuchet, and the entire fortification was made to house an army of archers and infantry. Six smaller bastions, thirty feet high and in diameter, were to its sides, spaced about every two hundred feet, with the last built partly into the valley walls. They were all home to a pair of heavy ballistas, and spanning the space between all of them was a fifteen-foot high curtain wall, twelve feet thick, and the entire thing reinforced with enchantments.

It was reassuring that this wall had never once fallen into enemy hands, despite several attempts over the centuries by both nearby baronies and roaming bands of monsters. Less reassuring was the sheer volume of soldiers being brought against us. The numbers weren't solid yet, but our scouts were reporting that Lord Edgar's forces were composed of approximately nine hundred infantry, a hundred of which were heavy infantry, nearly three hundred archers, and over five hundred mixed cavalry. I knew that of those forces, four hundred of the cavalry were Drolian mercenaries, as were another four hundred of the infantry – though they'd been heavy infantry before Sibylla's …intervention. The scouts also reported seeing banners from several houses and estimated that at least fifty of the cavalry from the local forces were minor nobility, likely knights by class, and twenty of the cavalry from the mercenaries were likely the same, though their classes might vary.

We had far less dedicated to defending the fortification. A hundred and twenty soldiers guarded the wall, supported by seventy archers and artillery teams for the siege weapons. We had around twenty-five scouts in the field who could be called back, and between the mercenaries and locals, about a hundred and twenty-five cavalry on standby. It was enough to hold the wall but at a dangerous margin. Part of the issue was that we couldn't abandon the port with the monster attacks, and we still needed patrols within our lands for any more attempted crossings of the much smaller mountain passes. Despite this, Septimia had a very well-organized plan for our troop movements, rotations of soldiers on and off duty to ensure fatigue didn't build up, and several scenarios on how to use our smaller cavalry forces to counter the enemy's cavalry with flanking maneuvers, or to ambush their supply lines with the scout forces hidden outside the valley. And as intimidating as the numbers sounded on paper, they didn't take into consideration that our forces also included two [Heroes] who would be present at the wall during the battle.

We were never meant to participate in these kinds of battles. That was not a [Hero]'s purpose, and the devastation we could cause to a force of normal soldiers was horrible to imagine. But I wanted to ensure that the local soldiers from their side – most of whom were levies – went home to tend to their fields and raise their families when this was done. I didn't want them to hold a grudge and cause further issues down the line. I cared far less about the soldiers from Drolia, but if I were to drop a tornado on top of their army, the devastation would be catastrophic, and it wouldn't discriminate at all in who it killed. All of these things meant I needed to take a more measured approach. So, I was planning to approach this battle with a few curveballs that would make our lives easier. The first and most obvious was to allow Septimia to arrange our forces in the best possible fashion to defend against the approaching army. Lord Edgar would be expecting to face the defense of a young noble with no experience and not the battle-hardened strategies of Septimia. Her title, Valoranthe, was a high honor she earned as a war commander fighting against the undead and demons of The Fallen, back when they had commanders and coordination. I had no doubt that she'd be able to defend against an incursion from Blackstone, no matter the disparity in forces. Next, I stirred up storm clouds that would envelop the entire march to our gate and began a light rain that was just enough to ensure the misery of the moving troops and difficulty setting up camp without getting to the levels that would create a flood with extended durations. I even worked out some enchanted markers, small stones really, that could be placed along the wall to create shifting illusions of how many troops were in any area, making it impossible to know how many defenders were really on the wall or where they stood. They'd only last a week or so, but I had no intention of letting this go on for anywhere near that long.

With this in place, the next bit of planning was putting our pieces together for the pre-battle parley. We had to work out how Sir Edgar was going to approach us, what his goals and demands would be, and how we would counter them. Then, we needed to put out our own demands while driving wedges between his various forces. We expected that he would demand I personally surrender as Sarah had already confirmed he was instructed to capture me alive and likely would suggest otherwise seemingly reasonable terms for everyone else. He was experienced at these sorts of engagements, after all. Just as we would try to drive wedges between his people, he'd likely do the same – offering safe passage for anyone who surrendered and threats for anyone who didn't. We could counter that we had a wall that had never been breached and did not fear a siege, we also had his only living heir as our guest, and then point out to his allies that he'd already incurred a massive debt with them over lost gear, and now he didn't have the money to pay for even that, let alone the deaths that would occur if they didn't back down. It was difficult to determine how effective these things would be. His backer in Drolia might cover the costs for him or at least part of it, but if not, his mercenaries may refuse to fight. Our possession of Sarah was slightly more complicated. Count Alexander had agreed to marry her as part of his payment for this invasion, which would give Lord Edgar a permanent link to that house in Drolia and greatly increase his political standing. He might fear losing that opportunity if we were to harm her. I didn't have any illusions that his fatherly instincts would urge him toward caution for her sake, so it would entirely be down to the terms of that agreement and what he really had to lose.

So, we may be able to deplete his forces somewhat and possibly delay the conflict, leaving his soldiers camping miserably in the rain. But we also had something else to boost the power of our forces as well, and it was the most easy yet awkward thing I'd ever had to do. On our second day, before everyone got into full swing with preparations, we called all of our forces together for a speech. With them all present, I dragged Sibylla out with me and onto the stage, all of our traits and titles fully enabled and on display, and introduced us formally to my people. After a long preamble to build some morale by Septimia was done, I think everyone was a little bored and possibly a little angry with the standard "we're going to war, good luck" speech nobles always gave before sending their people off to die, but there was still a fire in their eyes. It was a good speech, and the people of Siren's Reach both respected her and wanted revenge for the deaths of their neighbors. When I stepped up and began speaking, they were definitely not expecting what I had to say.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Many of you have met me over the past several days as we have defended our land together and know me as Lady Evelyn of Siren's Reach. I have fought by your side, and I will continue to do so whenever it is needed. Siren's Reach is now my home and the home of my sisters. And those are fine words, but what little I have done here for you is nothing compared to what Valoranthe Septimia has done for you with her many years of service. Still, that is not my only title, and it is important that you know who is going into battle with you and asking you to stand against such dire odds. I want you to know that you have nothing to fear. I want you to know that our enemies, puppet forces from Drolia that have no right to step a single inch inside the Spires, are Doomed. I recently gained the title Lady of Siren's Reach, so you may not think you know me, but all of you knew my name long before that. So please allow me to introduce myself again with a name you will recognize. I am the [Hero], Princess Evelyn Shakespeare Dalen, and I will defend my home."

When the words left my mouth, the looks of stunned silence were almost as deafening as the roaring cheer that followed. I had more of a long, drawn-out speech to give, but I didn't really have a chance. It was far more of a reaction than I deserved, and it left me feeling terribly embarrassed and awkward, but it was needed. It wasn't only the morale boost that it gave the people, nor the leaked information that would get back to the enemy forces from any spies that might be present. It was because in the past several months, I hadn't just been studying whatever the kingdom put in front of me. I'd also been studying whatever I could find about [Heroes], including my own status sheet. My Lore spell, regardless of how obnoxious it was, had been liberally applied to every single title, skill, attribute, and trait I had. One of those traits, one of the first I'd ever obtained and never understood before that point, made it incredibly obvious that hiding who I was from those I cared about or would be fighting beside was worse than a bad idea. It was next-level stupid.

Hero Perk: Heroic Presence

Essence of the Perk:

In the grand gallery of gallantry, where heroes hew history with heart and heroism, the perk 'Heroic Presence' emerges as a crown jewel. Bestowed as a benevolent boon by the very breath of the world, it serves as a silent sentinel, a beacon of bravery and bonding. This extraordinary endowment encapsulates the essence of what it means to be a hero, transcending the tangible and transforming the trials of those touched by its tenor.

Nature of the Aura:

This perk manifests as a permanent, pulsating aura, a circle of courage that encompasses the hero without demanding any draught of their dynamic forces. The aura's influence is intricately interwoven with the awareness and acknowledgment of the hero's presence. It reaches its resonant potential only when the hero is known and recognized as such, a testament to the intertwined tapestry of perception and power.

Range and Recognition:

The aura's reach ripples out to all within a realm where the hero can be clearly seen and recognized, binding them in a bond of bolstered bravery. This celestial circle does not demand the undivided attention of those it aids; rather, it resonates with the rhythm of recognition and respect.

Effects on the Affected:

Those bathed in this beatific beacon find their resolve reinforced, becoming bastions against the blights of fear and the fog of mind-altering forays. It instills in them an innate inclination towards unity and cooperation, whether they are clashing in combat or collaborating in communal causes like construction or crisis resolution.

Hero's Boon:

The hero themselves, the heart of this harmonious halo, is equally enhanced. Their skills and attributes are amplified, a growth that gains gravity with the growth in the number of souls soothed by their presence. This synergetic strength serves not only as a shield but also as a sword, sharpening their skills and solidifying their status as a standard-bearer of hope and heroism.

It was an incredibly powerful trait, not only for me but for everyone who believed in me. It was why everyone was able to so single-mindedly come together in West Peak and perform in such an incredible fashion to rebuild the airship. It was what gave everyone in our raid the courage, drive, and endurance to go so far beyond the scope of our plans, rescuing so many people and so utterly devastating the supplies of our enemies while I distracted the demons. On the battlefield, it would help everyone work in perfect concert, fearlessly and with the most optimal performance possible. And more than that, it would boost my ability on that battlefield even further for every person who knew who I was and who believed in me. It let me finally understand how the Last [Hero] stood at the head of an army facing a demonic deity and prevailed, and let me understand how we might do the same one day facing the last Greater Devils. Most importantly for right now, though, it was going to help keep my people alive.

Of course I'd also introduced Sibylla in the same fashion as soon as I had the crowd under control again, and that made the rest of her day much easier. Good to her word, Sibylla conscripted several of the guild novices who'd shown up for the gathering, loaded everyone up with overstuffed backpacks full of supplies, and taken them north of the gate out of the valley. Every one of them was awestruck and excited to go. Much to my surprise, Lilith had even gone along with her, so I figured she couldn't get into too much trouble. Sibylla didn't bother to tell us her plans or where exactly she'd taken all those budding alchemists after the speech, but I had no doubt that if, or when, things came to a fight, we wouldn't be disappointed. When she returned at the end of the day, her entourage wore empty packs, and all of them were exhausted and covered in dirt. Rather than stopping to let anyone start any rumors, she led them right back to the guild hall with plenty more "normal" things left to get done before the battle, like additional specialized munitions for the siege weapons and archers. When she finally returned home, nearly an hour after I had myself, she looked completely pleased with herself.

"How are preparations going?" she'd asked.

A little confused by her cheery demeanor mixed with obvious exhaustion, I carefully answered, "They're going as well as can be expected. The huge difference in force size still makes me nervous, even if I know the numbers won't matter. How about you?"

She grinned, "I made the guild master cry, but we turned out far more potions and munitions than are likely to be needed, so I think I'm off tomorrow. They're just going to be making bandages and poultices that have weaker healing properties so soldiers with light wounds can save the stronger stuff for serious injuries. Actually, I was hoping to study that broken dungeon core you have hidden around here to pass the time. I've been looking forward to it since you told me about the thing."

"What? Oh, sure." I leaned over to pick up my bag before stopping, "It's kind of big. I'm not sure where to put it."

She shrugged, "Just give it to me one piece at a time. I'll store it and take it out again somewhere with space."

I reached into my bag, carefully extracting the first pillar fragment, "Just don't turn these into a potion or grind them up or anything. I want to study them too. I'm really curious about their runes and how they work."

She looked at me like I was an idiot, "Obviously not. Have you heard anything from Amélie or Mom?"

"No, but it's only been a couple of days. I'm sure they'll both be back soon. Honestly, I'm kind of glad Amélie isn't here. Blackstone would flee if they saw even a hint of Dawn's Light, and I want this to be over with.. I also think it might be for the best if she doesn't see me having to kill an army of people if it comes down to it. I definitely don't want mom to see that."

Sibyl snorted, "Yeah, actually, that is a good point. Best they don't see this."

That sent a shiver down my spine, "You didn't do anything too crazy, did you?"

She focused very hard on storing away the core pieces and not looking at me. "That depends on your point of view. But it's safe to say there is no Geneva convention on this planet, and hence, no war crimes."

"That's not funny!"

The third morning had us up early, preparing ourselves for the day ahead. Our scouts reported that the forces of Blackstone were still hours away, but we wanted everyone to be in position and then well rested in case battle broke out more quickly than expected. I was bubbling with anxiety, and I regretted every time I'd wished that we could just get this ordeal with Blackstone over with. Sibylla was carefree, as usual. She was even offering to help me pick out the perfect outfit to meet Lord Edgar in. I'd been more than a little annoyed with her teasing at first, but when she started pulling out dresses on mannequins, I quickly realized she was being entirely serious. She gave me several options, everything from a dress meant to make me look like a fragile maiden to one meant to make me look more like a warrior queen, but one caught my eye enough that I was almost interested in her plan. As my eyes settled on it, she grinned.

"Ah, yes. I call this The Storm Queen's Regalia. The entire thing is laced with threads and embroidery that will react to your emotions. You know, dim when you're calm, brighten when you're angry or determined – it really makes those lightning patterns flicker, and the storm patterns ripple."

As she talked, I took in the dress – or perhaps battle gown would be the more fitting term. I could see all the reinforcements woven into it, hidden beneath layers of elegance. The entire piece was done in midnight blues and stormy gray, the fabric shifting like the sky before a tempest. Silver embroidery traced constellations and lightning filigree, each line catching the light with a faint, ethereal glow. The bodice was fitted but not restrictive, and the split skirt allowed for riding, though the way the layers fell made it nearly imperceptible. The sleeves tapered into gauntlets that clung like gloves, inlaid with storm motifs. When I checked the stand, I found she had already prepared a set of riding pants and armored boots, seamlessly matching the ensemble.

Beautiful as it was, I could feel the magic woven into the fabric… but not through the kind of enchantments I used. Instead, it was alchemy, embedded deep into the threads and metals themselves. At first glance, the effects seemed purely cosmetic, but the longer I studied them, the more utility revealed itself. The first thing I noticed was its slight luminescence. It was the effect Sibyl had just explained: a soft glow that would shift with my emotions, especially along the lightning filigree, making it seem as if storms flickered beneath the fabric. I thought the next effect was part of the same enchantment at first, but as I watched, I could tell it was separate and far more useful. The gown would always appear to move slightly, caught in a breeze that didn't exist – yet the actual wind would have no effect on it at all. Not just the winds of a storm, but my abilities, such as Heroic Leap or Zephyr Charge, wouldn't be impacted at all.

Every material carried an electrical resonance that would cause the storm designs to spark and flicker when I channeled magic, an effect that was as intimidating as it was practical. More importantly, it enhanced my abilities – every electrical spell or technique I used would be empowered by the very fabric I wore. Lastly, it was armored. Not with hidden plates or anything so mundane, but by the very nature of the magical, alchemical materials it was made of. Every thread and every plate bore natural, inborn arcane reinforcement, making this the strongest set of armor I had ever owned. It would resist impacts, cuts, and tears with ease, stand impervious to fire, and, perfectly fitting for a storm mage, was completely hydrophobic.

"Sibyl… you made this for me?" My words were faint with shock and heartfelt appreciation.

She grinned, "I knew you'd pick that one. Which is great, the others were just a joke."

I rolled my eyes, but the smile never left my face. "How did you have time? You've been so busy! It's so beautiful.. and perfect! I didn't even know you made clothes!"

That made her laugh, "Oh, I didn't just make this. I started months ago, and Elder Haruka helped. She used it to help teach me some things, so you can thank her. I mostly wanted to make sure you didn't end up dead since you always seem to be trying your best to come up with idiotic ways to die."

I stopped and looked at her, "Wait. Elder Haruka taught you how to sew? I don't buy it for a second."

She sighed, "No. I used to make cosplay costumes, and No, you can't tell Amélie about that. I was never good enough to be internet famous, but it was enough to get a ton of tailoring levels when I got here. When I mixed that with other crafting skills I had making cool stuff, eventually I accidentally merged them into Thaumaturgic Tailoring. Then Elder Haruka showed me how to use my alchemy and crafting together to get better effects."

I felt my eyes tear up a little, and I couldn't hold back the happy smile. She saw it coming and her eyes went wide, but before she could dodge away, I crashed into her with a huge hug. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. I love it. Thank you so much!"

"Groooooooooosssssssssssssssssss!" she whined at me, but I made her suffer my affection for another solid three seconds before I let go.

I stepped back and started to undress, only then realizing that Kira had joined us at some point when she came to assist, "Thank you, Kira. Don't leave, Sibylla! You have to see what it looks like first!"

She'd almost made it to the door when I'd called out, but she paused, then sighed and turned back with a grin, "Yeah. That's fair. I did a very good job with this."

It was only a couple of hours later when our entourage arrived at Vaelmar's Gate, just in time to watch Lord Edgar's forces march onto the field.