CHAPTER ASHBORN 413: THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF WAR

Ashborn Primordial

The traitor whirled around, confused and panicky. Vir greeted him with a smile.

“Raoul, my friend. You have done well preparing the army. Our time has finally come.”

“Wha—I… We’re going to war? Now?” Raoul said, looking incredibly flustered. Vir nearly laughed at the traitor’s bewilderment.

Vir shook his head. “I am as distraught as you about this development. As I said, I was not the one who precipitated this conflict.”

“I understand, Akh Nara. Then I shall return to the Garga Lavani and command their assault upon the city.”

“Actually, I had something else in mind,” Vir said, his smile growing ever slightly larger. “I want you to oversee the troops storming the castle.”

Raoul froze, which Vir took to be a positive thing. He’d debated endlessly whether to kill or imprison the traitor before the battle… Raoul’s role as an agent of misinformation was finished at this point.

There was little benefit in keeping the demon alive, let alone granting him authority at this late hour.

Little benefit, assuming Vir had other commanders to take his place. The unfortunate truth was that, despite his and Cirayus’ best efforts, they’d failed to train up any leaders Vir felt were good enough for such an operation.

Traitor or not, Raoul was brilliant. Without him, Vir’s assault would lose coordination and efficacy. The risk, of course, was that Raoul would betray Vir to join the Chits. Or that he’d try to kill him and assume command of the army himself.

Yet after discussing the matter with Balagra and Cirayus, Vir was convinced neither were likely. For one, Raoul hated the Chits as much as anyone. They’d robbed him of his family and his life, and Vir saw that hatred burn whenever the topic of the Chitran came up… Or when Raoul went to meet his kothi informants. There was no love there. No loyalty.

Likewise, assuming control of the army was equally impossible. Something someone as intelligent as Raoul would know well. Raoul seemed to want Cirayus dead, though as far as Vir could tell, not from any personal conflict. In fact, they’d hardly ever spoken.

Yet, even assuming the Chits somehow killed Cirayus—an incredibly unlikely scenario—the Garga Lavani answered only to the Akh Nara. Any action taken against him would be seen as treason, and Raoul would be swiftly massacred by his own people.

The best Vir could tell, Raoul wished Cirayus out of the picture, so that he could take Vir’s place as advisor.

Vir sighed internally. If only Raoul had fought for the cause, he’d have had a real chance of obtaining that role. As a tactician, Raoul was excellent. Better than anyone in Vir’s army, excepting Cirayus, of course.

But now? Now, all that remained was for Raoul to be executed once he’d fulfilled his purpose. Despite the demon having no one to blame but himself, Vir despaired. It was such a waste of talent. Such a waste of a life that could have done so much good in the world.

That time, however, was not now.

“We will work together to take the castle,” Vir said. “Your actions will bring about the Gargan victory.”

And you’ll also be under my watchful eye every step of the way. While Vir might not have spoken the words out loud, the confusion, concern, and desperation that flitted across Raoul’s face made it quite clear what the demon was thinking.

“I understand,” Raoul said at last, his shoulders sagging in resignation, though Vir knew it to be a false one. “I shall make the necessary preparations.”

“Do that,” Vir said, watching as Raoul stomped off.

“Ekat’Ma, have one of your Iksana tail him until the battle.”

“Understood,” came the spy’s voice from the shadows. “And if he attempts to flee?”

“Then kill him,” Vir said, his expression cold and devoid of emotion as he prepared to Leap away.

Before he could, however, a figure emerged from his shadow and knelt before him.

“Akh Nara, I bring word from Panav.”

Vir cocked an eyebrow. “After all this time? What is it?”

“I’m afraid not good news, Akh Nara. I bring information best shared in private,” the ghael said, eyeing Raoul, whose back was receding into the distance.

“Very well. Command center. Ekat’Ma, order the others to congregate.”

Vir didn’t like surprises. And especially surprises mere hours before his war.

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By the time Vir landed within the sturdy walls of Stronghold Vijaya and entered the command center, the traitor was the last thing on his mind.

Having the gift of mobility, Vir was one of the first arrivals. Only Cirayus, Malik, and Ekat’Ma were present.

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Vir entered to find Cirayus chatting with Malik. “I must say, this is quite the bold move of the Chitran,” Cirayus said. “Did they think this would go any other way?”

“They must have had some form of plan…” Malik said.

“I get the impression their Raja doesn’t think too highly of me. Pretty stupid of him, after seeing Ashani at the Tournament. I’m sure he’s heard the Iksana pledged not to attack by now.”

Both demons turned and acknowledged Vir.

“Perhaps they seek to force your hand before you enlist the Panav,” Cirayus said, stroking his beard. “If so… I admit it is not the worst strategy.”

Vir’s face darkened. The Panav… A clan that, by rights, ought to have been his ally. Yet, despite having received an invitation at the Tournament to meet with the Panav Rajni, every note he’d sent asking for an audience had been met with polite, but firm, refusal.

To this day, the Panav hadn’t sent even a single healer. Those he had were all thanks to Tara’s efforts.

While Vir hadn’t expected the Panav to join him out on the battlefield, their response had come as a shock. Given his mother was a Naga of the Panav—and a beloved one at that—Vir was sure they would’ve been more receptive to his cause. He’d even counted them as allies, once.

It was why he’d had Ekat’Ma deploy a spy to the Panav, to try and learn what she could. With only a dozen, Vir’s Iksana were far too valuable to waste. Even sparing that one had been a hard decision.

It seemed his effort had paid off.

Balagra, Tara, and Aida arrived soon after, with Tara being carried through the Shadow Realm by another of Ekat’Ma’s spies. Ashani was the last to arrive, attempting to sneak in as stealthily as possible. As always, she failed miserably in that endeavor, with Balagra and Malik going down on their knees, while the others averted their eyes. Some things, it seemed, would never change.

“Well?” Cirayus asked. “I take it this isn’t a normal pre-war council?”

“It was supposed to be,” Vir said, turning to Agni’Sa, the spy he’d assigned to Panav. “But we seem to have learned something from our Panav friends. Mind telling us what you have learned, Agni’Sa?”

“The Panav are being held hostage by the Chitran,” the spy said, causing everyone in the room to stiffen. “It seems the Chitran took a preemptive action when the Akh Nara revealed himself at the tournament. An action we were not aware of.”

“Explain,” Vir said.

“Panav healers are usually deployed all over the world,” Tara said, “both in official and unofficial capacities. Though the Chitran had fewer Nagas than other clans, nearly a hundred were stationed along the Boundary garrisons, to help heal injured Warriors.”

Vir frowned and crossed his arms. He didn’t like where this was going.

“Raja Matiman Chitra had all the Panav in Chitran lands imprisoned,” Agni’Sa said, nodding.

“Pathetic,” Balagra spat. “To think they would chain up my people! We are healers. Our only sin is trying to save lives.”

“Agreed,” Tara said, looking very much like she wanted to kill someone.

“A ruthless move, aye,” Cirayus said. “But a smart one. By doing this, the Chitran prevented the Panav from joining our cause. Furthermore, they have effectively blocked us from gaining access to healers, while they themselves can order their Panav prisoners to heal their army. They lose little, and gain much.”

“And it worked,” Vir said, clenching his fists so hard they hurt. “I always thought the Panav were hesitant to join us due to their typical policy of nonaggression… I decided against pressing them, for fear of alienating them even more.”

“This is my fault,” Tara said, glowering at the large table in the center of the room. “I should have gone to Panav to find out myself.”

“You’ve heard nothing?” Vir asked. Balagra was estranged from Panav politics, but Tara seemed to keep herself quite abreast of such matters. That she didn’t know surprised Vir.

“Not a whisper,” she said in anguish, turning to Agni’Sa. “How did you find out about this?”

“By looking through the Rajni’s secret notes. Notes that were not shared with a single other party in Panav. No conversations were had. No meetings kept.”

“Which explains why it took so long for us to find out,” Vir said. “And we never would have, had you not taken action. Thank you. Truly.”

Without her, Vir would have marched into the war blind. He didn’t even want to consider that scenario.

The Iksana bowed her head before sinking into her shadow, reappearing in a corner of the room.

“So… What now?” Aida asked, having remained silent until now.

Vir leaned on the massive table—covered by the most intricate map of Samar Patag in existence—and thought for a long moment. All eyes in the room rested on him. Some more keenly than others. While Balagra and Malik were hesitant, Vir felt the gazes of Cirayus, Tara, Ekat’Ma, and Ashani all looked at him with expectation. Expectation, and the hope that he would make the right decision.

“We have to rescue them,” he said at last, earning a nod from Cirayus, and sighs of relief from the others. Apparently, he had chosen well.

“Do we even know where they’re being held?” Aida asked.

“Samar Patag,” Agni’Sa said. “Recently transferred from the Boundary garrisons. All have been fitted with subjugation collars.”

“Utterly disgusting,” Tara said, fuming.

“I agree, but this is a good thing for us,” Vir said. “We need not travel far to rescue them.”

Not all agreed, however.

“What will this accomplish at this late hour, other than to complicate our plan?” Balagra asked. “Nayan has already deployed to the forests of Samar Patag. Our army prepares to mobilize even now.”

“Which is why I will do this alone.”

“You cannot,” Balagra said. “You are an indispensable part of this operation. Without you to take the castle…”

“I promise you, I will fulfill my role,” Vir said, allowing some of the anger that was always simmering these days to surface. Balagra must have felt it, for he took a half-step back.

“My apologies,” the Naga said. “I didn’t mean—”

“No, it’s good that you raised the point,” Vir said, smiling. “Thank you. Just that there is no one in this room, or in all the realms, for that matter, who want this as badly as I do. Even so, I cannot let this atrocity stand. On principle, if for no other reason.”

“I’m with the lad,” Cirayus said. “And besides, there are plenty of other reasons why we will want to do this. Depriving the Chitran of healers, for one.”

“And preventing them from being killed when the airships start dropping bombs,” Tara said darkly. “They’re healers. They’ll be forced to fight on the front lines. Where they’ll be forced to die, as well. I cannot participate in this battle knowing my own people are being mercilessly slaughtered.”

“I feel as you do, Tara,” Vir said. “Besides, while we don’t know what state these prisoners are in, it is quite possible they will be ready and able to aid our side once freed.”

“Good points,” Balagra conceded. “I’m in favor. Still, we cannot allow you to go alone.”

“Balagra is right,” Cirayus said, not giving Vir a chance to disagree. “Who do you plan to take along?”

“I shall accompany him,” Ashani said, stepping up.

The room went silent, and Vir almost rolled his eyes. Even more than him, anything Ashani said was considered the word of god. None dared refute her.

“I’ll take Shan and the wolves, of course,” Vir said, sparing them the agony of raising their voice after Ashani had spoken. “And… Yes, I think I’ll take Raoul along, too. I suspect he’ll be too busy wetting his pants in the presence of Ashani to even dare think about sabotage.”

“It’s settled then,” Balagra said. “We save the Nagas, deprive the Chitrans of healing… And then we take Samar Patag.”

Vir couldn’t help but reflect how this revelation could not have come at a worse time. Was it mere coincidence? Or was it, perhaps, Fate?

Either way, it seemed Nayan and his forces would be on his own for just a bit longer than expected.

Vir could only pray the demon was capable of holding off the Chitran forces long enough.