The Column of Ash [Epic Fantasy]

I returned to Aurelesar, expecting something bad to come as a result of the execution. After I'd finished the display, I began to regret my hasty show of strength and feared the worst. But the city was silent, its archons reserved.

I spoke to Demetria in the evening of my return as we walked the shipyard grounds, observing the assembly of a new fleet. Ships were built, purchased, borrowed, and seized to make the crossing possible. I didn't expect organized resistance to the endeavor, especially since we were using Novakrayu as the port of entry into the east-west running Nadya River—a tributary of the Suldnya Sea bordering the Kingdom of Ladoga. That was my first target. A backwater country, by many accounts, decentralized and poor but stubborn and hardy all the same. Most importantly, it had access to the Kastalec Sea, providing a launching point to face Vasia and potentially Agonia, if a truce could not be made. I was explaining the threats of facing Agonia to Demetria now.

"Their fleet could rival our own," I said as we walked, hand behind my back as my other arm hung beside me, tingling with pain from where my hand should be. "They will not be as centralized as us, being the rough collection of city-states that they are, but their defensive pact would protect them."

Demetria was beautiful, particularly in her collectedness, striding across rough, dirtied planks of wood as if they were hand-carved stone in a grand hall. Even just over the last year, she'd grown more confident and poised, carrying her expertise with the kind of certainty it deserved. More than just an equal partner to me, but a leader worth following in her own right, as her many attendants, scribes, and hangers-on would attest to, cast back by my personal guard.

"We should aim to turn them against Vasia. They are long-standing rivals," she mused. "Though that would require their trust—implausible, considering our status as foreign, reputationless invaders."

"Let us call them against Ladoga. The two are enemies. It could work. A simple blockade of the coastline would help."

"Yes, but what do they gain out of it? Promises of a reliable neighbor are insufficient… What reason have they to trust us as the aggressive outsider?" She hummed in thought, and through our bond, I felt her mind working away, calculating probabilities of diplomatic shiftings. "They need assurances of their sovereignty, at a minimum."

"They would threaten our flank when I suspect the Merkenians hold grudges."

"I've secured truces," she said.

"They hate this island," I replied, scowling over the sea to the distant coast. "A history of raids doesn't just go away. This could be an opening for them should they unite to seize it."

"That's why I sought to keep them divided and bickering. Aethelsty and Thegn's Rest both defy the self-proclaimed king in Aelred."

"So that was why you sent envoys to them first. Wise." I smiled proudly. "What did you promise? A defensive pact against Aelred? Support for independence?"

"The former with assurances of the latter when our war is over."

"That could overextend us if the king moves against them."

"We made it in secret," she said with a subtly prideful tone. My love was not one to boast, even if she ought to. "Aelred has no reason to attack them, not with us making moves, drawing their gaze eastward. Truly, it is to our benefit."

I nodded in agreement. It was subtle but sensible. "And what if they see more benefit in attacking together as allies when we are away?"

"They worry about northern expansion into their domains, particularly from the Kingdom of Sadovoe. I made vague assurances in support of them they should hesitate to discard. And if they move against us, it exposes them in turn to their temporary allies." She gave me a knowing, coy grin. "We need not depend on their goodwill for it to succeed."

And to think my grief-stricken mind had recalled only her kindest attributes, demoted to merely a victim of my own failures. It was appalling how the unconscious can sway even one's own memories.

I stopped to look over a line of galleys set upon the shores north of the city's docks, for there was simply not enough room. Some were beached on the sands, stripped of sails, oars, and anything carryable, with a large camp set up nearby of carpenters, weavers, and more beside a lumberyard and significant building depot. It was a considerable operation I'd stressed over in organizing, then left to people better acquainted with the logistics and economics of the country when the plan had been established. They would build all winter, then come Spring, when the wind was right and the tide high, our enlarged fleet would be ready.

"How did your troubling archons react to the news?" I asked after a while.

"Their complaint seized with the offer of loot guarantees," she explained, hands clasped before her rather tightly. She would not approve of my actions in Ersani, of course. "And now they are rather intimidated. Many are. Even some of the magistrosi. Eudoxia spoke to me about it. She seemed worried you had begun a campaign of supremacy against your own people."

"That's absurd. She said such a thing?"

"It was inferred. You may have overstepped, my love."

"They were nearly rebellious, Demetria. I was soft, if anything."

"You executed an archon publicly with Soulfire," she replied with a sharp frown and wave of disappointment in the bond. The feeling made me wince as it settled over my mind. "Please, do not call that soft."

"Fine. But I was lenient. I could have punished more than just the one."

"Do not push them away. Not when Maecia may return, as Emalia's letter suggested." Her voice was tinged with concern and worry. She feared my sister's presence would disrupt things, break things. I did not have the same feelings, exactly, but I trusted Demetria's intuition. To an extent.

"I don't see Maecia as such a danger," I said. "Not if I can speak to her and explain the threat before us."

"We simply don't know what she will do. All we know is that if there is anyone who can rival your sway here, it would be her. She could dismantle more than just the campaign, but your very rule."

"She wouldn't do that."

"You trust her. I know. I understand that and love that part of you. But she is not perfect, and she has likely changed dramatically in the past century." Her face darkened, and her mood shifted toward resentment and anger like a nearing roiling mass of thunderheads. "She abandoned you to the confines of Rotaalan. I cannot trust nor forgive her for that."

"It would be fair to learn why. If it was as I suspect—"

"The priest's return is not enough of a deterrent to abandon you, my love. It simply is not."

I waved a hand, dismissing the line of discussion. "We'll get nowhere on this right now. As for my actions in Ersani, how do you propose I win everyone's love and support when they continue to disappoint?"

"Simply? Victory. They need to see you strong, but for their benefit. Until now, it has been to all's detriment, at least in the short term. The costs of preparing for the war are high, both in wealth and in their own power. They must see that they will gain more from loyalty than subterfuge," she explained, arm looping through mine as we walked back to the center of the docks, away from the sandy stretches and camps. "But now is not the time for battle. You need something else."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"What victory could I offer them?" I asked, shaking my head. "They want wealth and power. I have none to give that isn't buried halfway across the world."

"You punished them with Sorcery. Reward them with it."

I thought on this proposition. It was curious. I'd always seen Sorcery as a tool for great things, but often for my own uses, whether it was the Grand Observatory or Soulborne that could think as warriors… But how to turn it to the benefit of others? The Vasians did that well enough, though marred by the occasional waste like a floating city. How that had worked still eluded me. Pure foolishness.

"I shall speak with Eudoxia," I murmured. "She may have an idea to pursue."

"I suspect so." Her hand slid down my arm, and her fingers interlocked with my own. "They are our people now, my love. We must show them why we deserve their loyalty."

I thought long on her words. On what I could do.

Significant reserves were already used to raise the army of Dead to supplement our own. That would protect lives, which should be seen as quite the advancement, but it was too militaristic and far-sighted. The war was in the future, not now. So what then? Dead labor? I needed them for the army…

Or did I? No. Not yet, I didn't.

There were already hundreds of Soulborne forged and waiting in rows like soldiers at attention. I spoke to Eudoxia about it, and immediately, she was taken with the idea. Putting the Sorcerers to work in commanding the Soulborne would give them experience in handling the strain and working through kinks in the organizational and command structure while simultaneously providing utility to New Petha here and now. But what to do?

I brought the other magistrosi in, hearing out each's proposal. The Magistros of Reserve, with his civil focus, provided the best idea: agricultural improvements.

Our resources would be strained with the war, with farmers bearing spears, food transported by men who should be in the fields. Mercenaries to feed. Supply redundancies to stock. In all, New Petha would be left with fewer laborers and a greater demand over greater distances. That meant coin. That meant demand on local foraging—a dreadful, unreliable prospect that would only build resentment toward us when we would eventually rule all we pillaged. Plus, it wasn't as if we lacked existing projects to pursue, but New Petha had just been limited by money. The plans were there, calculations for distances and time completed, agreements reached—the work had simply never happened. One of the detriments of an immature economy without foreign trade, limiting wealth.

I moved much faster than the previous High Magistros, primarily because of the power and obedience I harnessed. Thus, in only a few days, we were able to begin.

There were many rivers in the isle, but none crossed north to south, forcing large-scale transport of goods to either take a coastal sea route—exposed to the weather and rocky northern shores—or inland caravans, which were more expensive. Thus, I sought to complete a few previously unfinished canals fully connecting the river from Aurelesar to Ersani, and then to a few other nearby towns and coastal ports, enabling the island city of Thessara to export goods inland without circumnavigating New Petha itself. Still, simple as it sounded, I would be a fool to pretend the grand project was an easy one, for it meant dozens of miles of new canals, many more of expanding present rivers for boat transport, and reinforcing existing infrastructure to maintain waterway integrity, such as the occasional sluice gates. Fortunately, the labor efforts were managed by hundreds of Soulborne controlled by scores of Sorcerers. I outfitted each Sorcerer with as many Soulborne as they could manage, meanwhile keeping the excess Sorcerers on production duty, manufacturing more Dead.

By the end of day three, we had over four hundred Soulborne at work, with more coming in every day. We even had to pull Shells from the mainland to fuel the process—a dangerous, but necessary task that involved luring Shells to be captured and transported for conversion. Injuries and deaths were uncommon but still a regrettable reality. Yet they fed the machine of growth, and it had to continue.

If we aimed to line the canal sides with brick, it would be an impossibly arduous task considering our timeframe, relying on the finalization of complete dimensions first. In contrast, I could let the water erode the newly dug canals passively, saving much labor and time.

Each Soulborne did the work of multiple men due to their strength and tenacity, but more, they scarcely needed to rest or take breaks, meaning almost constant work, all with a constant flow of more raised Soulborne each day. The progress was significant, both in productivity and the organizational knowledge from directing such an endeavor.

Nevertheless, after a few days, when all began to progress steadily, I decided that my presence there had been sufficient, and they were now more or less self-sustaining. The work would continue in my absence, and so I decided to head to the mainland. To Merkenia.

Demetria and I argued about it the night before my departure, when I sprang the news upon her as suddenly as I had decided myself.

"I'll be protected, Demetria," I said, seated upon the edge of the bed as she stood by the window, hands on her hips, looking out of it and away from me. "Wendof and the others would normally be enough, but I'm taking Soulborne, just in case. And Ignatia to deal with any unseen complications in case I am incapacitated."

"Do not plan on being incapacitated, please."

"I am not, of course."

"It shouldn't even be a possibility." She shook her head; long dark grey hair shimmered with the motion. "But you're going to pursue Emalia's letter, aren't you? This isn't about diplomacy with the han."

"That is true," I admitted. "I can't wait. I simply can't."

"I know. I understand. I just wish it would happen differently, at a different time."

"We have much in the works here."

"I will manage in your stead. Not that you make it easy."

"You worry about the archons."

She gave me a bemused grin. I didn't need to guess about her feelings—I could sense most of them through our bond, after all. "You executed a powerful archon in the middle of a city square. Of course, I worry about them. But there are others, too. Have you spoken to Eudoxia yet?"

"In passing," I muttered.

"In passing."

"I do not care to defend my actions before my subordinates. Not when I acted so…" I trailed off, then sighed. "I am growing arrogant, aren't I?"

Demetria let loose a rich laugh, eyes crinkling. "Oh, even after all these years, you are still so cute in your innocence, my love." She bent down and kissed me, then straightened. "Do as you must in Merkenia, but speak with your magistros, please."

I spoke to Eudoxia the following morning, upon the docks where my ship's final preparations were underway. The breeze was light and sky cloudy, mist hanging over the waters. The Magistros of Hubris looked nervous, though I couldn't tell if it was because she dreaded the conversation or my departure. Perhaps both.

I looked to the west. The open sea, the curve of our coastline, hiding Merkenia from view, even if we were close enough to see it with the naked eye. How it drew me… "I understand you disapprove of my actions in Ersani."

"It is not my place, Returned One."

"Please, we are both magistrosi. Traditionalist or not, you are also exceedingly practical about these things. That's why I trust you."

"I shouldn't disrespect the True Oaths in such a manner."

"I seek to acknowledge and grow from my Hubris, Eudoxia."

The magistros sighed, giving a conciliatory nod. "Very well. But it is not my place to question you."

"And yet you do. Demetria said so herself."

The woman winced. "I had forgotten my place. My deepest apologies."

I searched for the words to properly communicate my thoughts on this. "Criticism is not betrayal, nor is it treason. You are allowed to disapprove of my actions, though I would rather you approach me about it than others; I understand if that may seem unwise. But understand, I want to lead New Petha well, and that means accepting my flaws and calibrating accordingly. Do you understand?"

Eudoxia met my eyes after a moment. "I do. I think your execution of the archon, while perhaps justified, was unwise. You have returned to rule, as was foretold and as is proper, but that doesn't mean all will accept and follow. You ask for much, Returned One, and that can be difficult for those who have grown used to the status quo."

"You are correct in your analysis. I expected obedience and deference to my experience and leadership, but that was presumptuous. Just because you won me the title of High Magistros does not mean all accept it."

"Indeed," she said, the word weighty, burdensome. I saw then the great efforts she had expended in securing me not just my position but also preparing the way. If not for her, I might very well have failed upon facing High Magistros Bardas on my arrival. "But we have also let ourselves grow lax. We were not a people meant for raids and isolation. Our legacy should be more than that. But it demands sacrifices all must be willing to offer."

"I cannot force that."

"No, but I should have worked with you earlier and not kept you in the dark. It is my fault things grew to such extremes that your actions were at all necessary." She bowed. "I apologize."

"In my absence, Demetria will act as my regent. I trust you will work with her as you have me?"

"Of course, Returned One."

I nodded. "Good. And continue to oversee the canal works. If they are complete prior to my return, I want them to focus on irrigation to whatever specifications the Magistros of Reserve deems fit. Additionally, you should charge the Magistros of Strife with greater responsibility in overseeing the archons." When she nodded in confirmation, I reached forward and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up in surprise. "Thank you," I said, meaning it wholly and earnestly. "You made this possible. You made our future possible. I hope you can forgive my flaws as I work to be the leader you deserve."

And with that, I left, finding Demetria standing near the ship, waiting for me. I embraced her and kissed her goodbye. It was the first time since her resurrection we would be truly apart for more than a few days, and the fact frightened me, but I found reassurance in her confidence and trust. She wished me luck, and I her, and accompanied by my guards, Soulborne, and Ignatia, I left to be carried across the sea back to Novakrayu. Then back west. To my homeland. To Pethya.

To Maecia and whatever foolish business she had begun.