Wartorn Obliteration

Eventually, the man picked up the repetitious words and started to say them in a tiny mumble. Aquint persisted, saying the phrase clearly over and over again. The man followed suit, and the words became more distinct.

'I am a member of the Broken Circle,' Aquint said. 'I will say nothing else.'

'I am a member of the Broken Circle. I will say nothing else.' The man spoke it perfectly now, without a hint of slur.

They commandeered a wagon and horses and rode at a reckless speed toward the Registry. Their timing was close, very close. Jesile had already gathered his ten random victims.

Aquint led the man inside, Cat trailing. Aquint had bound the man's hands behind his back. When they reached Jesile, Aquint gave the man a hard shove, and he tumbled to the floor.

'Here,' Aquint said. 'Ask him who he is.'

Colonel Jesile looked at Aquint, then at the man on the floor. 'Who are you?' he finally asked.

'I am a member of the Broken Circle,' the addict said. 'I will say nothing else.'

Jesile nodded. 'That's good work, Aquint. I hope you'll believe me when I say I would much rather put this guilty man to death than harm any innocent citizen of this city.'

Aquint made no reply. He turned and exited, Cat following, leaving behind the single innocent man who would unknowingly sacrifice himself for the sake of ten others.

DARDAS (3)

The fresh conscripts from Trael were being absorbed into the ranks. Soon, it would be time to get this army moving again. Two targets were within striking distance, the city-states of Grat and Ompellus Prime.

Weisel was standing over a table where a map was spread. He was gazing down intently, brow furrowed as he concentrated.

They are both good choices, he finally said. I'm having difficulty seeing how one might be better than the other to invade next.

Within the Felk nobleman's skull, Dardas stifled a mental sigh.

The capture of Trael was a decisive move. It has, effectively, opened up the entire south portion of this Isthmus.

Weisel nodded. I can see that.

Dardas wondered if Weisel actually did. Then he continued, Grat and Ompellus Prime lie to our west and east, respectively. They are of comparable size and population and could both most likely mount similar resistance to this army.

So, there is no logical choice? Weisel asked.

The man expected war to be a thing of simple logic, Dardas thought darkly. As if it were a puzzle or a riddle that could be unraveled with the application of a formula.

If the choices are equal, Dardas said, then it is wise to consider where either choice will lead. What happens after the conquest of Grat or Ompellus Prime?

Weisel studied the map harder. There was no one else inside the pavilion, and Weisel had given orders not to be disturbed. He apparently wanted this time to absorb a lesson in warfare from Dardas. Dardas, for his part, was complying, though it was taxing his patience.

He could bear it, however. The day couldn't last forever, and when night came, things would be different. Weisel was still evidently blissfully unaware that Dardas was taking full control of this body while the Felk general's consciousness slept at night.

If we take Grat first...

Yes? Dardas prompted.

Then we will face the Rijji Hills to the southwest of the city, Weisel went on, excited now.

And what would that mean? Dardas coaxed him along.

It's dangerous terrain, as far as moving an army through it. There are gullies and rivers, and no easy roads through. Whatever military Grat has could retreat into those hills. It would take a lot of effort to dislodge them.

So...? Dardas said.

'So we take Ompellus Prime,' Weisel said, aloud now, 'then move south, make a lateral move west, and swing up at Grat so that they have nowhere to retreat to!'

Well done, General Weisel.

Weisel was as happy as a child, and that was fitting, Dardas thought. Even a child could have figured out which city was their next sensible target.

There was more to it than cold appraisal, however, and this was something that Dardas knew he could never teach the Felk noble, even if he had been inclined to try. Weisel had no war instincts. Armies and terrains and weather conditions were fluid things, and one often had to make adjustments in mid-stride, so to speak. There wasn't always time for cool, rational analysis. Sometimes one had to act from the gut, trusting oneself that a particular maneuver was the right one to make.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, Dardas had led his mighty army with instincts he had honed to gleaming sharpness all his life.

Your assistance has been valuable, Weisel now said.

Dardas replied, graciously, You solved the problem on your own, General. I merely helped you to see it.

With your aid, this war will be won.

Then what? But Dardas kept the thought to himself. Once more, Weisel had obviously not thought it through. Dardas knew that he himself would no longer be useful to Lord Matokin once this war was done. Apparently, Weisel was unaware that the same was true of him. Matokin would have no need of Weisel after the Isthmus was fully conquered.

Perhaps the Felk general planned to retire gracefully, ceding his position of power and importance, allowing the bureaucracies of the empire to replace the vigorous animation of the military. Perhaps Weisel was happily anticipating this. If so, he was an even greater fool than Dardas suspected.

A war commander was nothing without a war to sustain his existence.

Dardas had been giving a good deal of thought to his own peculiarly sustained existence. His resurrection was not entirely stable. It needed to be maintained through rejuvenation spells. He had already experienced one close call, when death had come to reclaim what had been taken from it. A mage had come from Felk, through the portals, and had brought Dardas back from the black brink.

But Matokin controlled that mage. Kumbat was his name, the same one who had evidently been responsible for resurrecting Raven inside the delectable body of Vadya.

How much better it would be for Dardas, how much more secure he would feel, if Mage Kumbat were under his control.

Weisel set his aide Fergon to summoning the senior staff, no doubt to unveil his grand plan for the conquest of Ompellus Prime. He would bask in his officers' accolades, feeling for that moment as if he truly was this army's legitimate leader.

Dardas wouldn't spoil his fun. It was best if Weisel was distracted by his 'progress' in learning the craft of war. Meanwhile, Dardas had serious plans for tonight.

* * *

Raven was obviously expecting another session of torrid lovemaking. Dardas noted her flushed color, the quickness of her breath as her sublimely shaped breasts rose and fell. In her eyes was a lascivious glimmer that she didn't try to hide.

'Raven,' Dardas said, 'how good of you to join me.'

'I serve at your pleasure, General,' she said in that throaty purr as she sashayed across the length of the