Edge of Extinction war story/Chapter 10

Grimveil landed with a contingent of Brilhado on the road between Battleon and Darkovia.

“Auricarius.”

“Yes, General?” the Goldwing answered.

“You and Argentum will take control of the army. Flank the city and begin your attack from the opposing side. They will not be expecting a war on two fronts. Secure the Guardian Tower and prevent entry and egress from that point.”

“Respectfully, General, I do not think an assault on the Guardian Tower is a wise use of our resources,” Auricarius stated. “An assault there would be as foolish as commanding the armies on Deren to take on the palace.”

“Just such an order is being given...” Grimveil stated.

“What?! Are you a FOOL?!” Argentum declared.

“Which one of us is the General of the Brilhado? You will speak respectfully and follow my directions to the letter or I will have you arrested as a traitor to the Brilhado. This is war, we cannot afford internal discord, and any such discord detected will be rutted out by force. “

“Respectfully, General,” Auricarius responded, moving to place himself between Argentum and Grimveil, “are you purposefully attempting to cause the forces that presently remain neutral to this war to join in on the opposing side? Guardians of Lore exist in both our camp and the camp of the paladins, but such a forward attack...”

“Will add the crown of Deren and the city of Battleon to our enemies list!” Argentum finished, moving out from behind his relative.

“Are you refusing my orders?” Grimveil asked noncommittally.

“Yes...” Argentum began, but Auricarius cut him off with a shake of the head and a quick gesture of the hand.

“No, General, only trying to ensure our people remain secure even after this war ends, and the war will ultimately end.”

“Fine,” Grimveil grunted. “Do not take the tower, just secure the perimeter. Set up a barricade. Only those neutral to the current hostilities or who remain on our side are to be allowed to pass. Do you think you can manage that? Or will you argue with me on this point as well...?”

“We can manage, General. Where will you be...?”

“The Order of Mysterious Necromancers is holding a tactical meeting near the Darkovian forest. I will be attending that meeting and then will return here. Are the other Brilhado contingents in place?”

“They are, General,” Auricarius answered.

“Good. You have your orders.”

Auricarius nodded and Grimveil moved off down the road.

“That child cannot continue leading us. He would have brought down the entire weight of the armies of two nations and their allies on the Brilhado people...”

“Yes.”

“What do you intend, Auricarius?”

“To follow orders at the moment...”

“What? You cannot seriously be countenancing Grimveil’s half-cocked effort... The fool knows nothing of sound military strategy. He is but a babe.”

“He is a babe, but he is also the appointed general of the armies. So yes, I will be following orders. It is the only way I can also ensure that our people behave honorably in this conflict...”

“Our entire race is in the balance. This is not about the necromancers anymore. I do not understand why non-necromancer Brilhado are even required to be involved.”

“Presently, Argentum, it is the Brilhado Necromancers who control the assembly. When the election occurs...”

“If the election occurs,” Argentum corrected. “I do not think Grimveil ever intends to allow that to happen.”

“The election will occur. Let me worry about that. Grimveil is 13 years old. He can hardly be expected to have the calm or reason of an adult. He is just misguided.”

“Be careful, my kinsman,” Argentum answered. “That 13-year-old will pull down the world on your head if you let him. His heart is filled with vengeance over Shroudbrood’s passing. It is only because I was his father’s secretary and acting under Shroudbrood's recorded orders at the time of his death that I even am still in any position whatsoever... He is quite convinced that the council was plotting with Drakath to enable this assault.”

“That belief might not be without basis, Argentum. He may have, in fact, even gotten the idea from me.”

“What? Of course it is without basis. It is the height of paranoia... Why would he have gotten the idea from you?”

“Drakath somehow broke entirely free from the thrall under which he was held. Shroudbrood was fairly adept at the Cold. I wondered aloud how it was that someone could break free from the Cold without another expert on the Cold aiding the effort. I was merely speculating, but he has taken that speculation quite seriously.”

“You did not do us or him any favors by wondering aloud, Auricarius. You know as well as I that the only Brilhado necromancers in all of Lore who would have dared stand against Shroudbrood are our cousins and they were NOT involved.”

“Our necromancers are not the only Brilhado who can learn the Cold. All of our people have the facility, you know that.”

“Yes, but they and the other magi are the only ones who are regularly trained in it. And none of the non-necromancer mages would have stood in Shroudbrood’s way either. They called him the Charnel for a reason...”

“I am very well aware of what Shroudbrood’s pedigree is. I refuse to just paint his non-adult son with the same brush. Grimveil did not choose his parentage.”

“We will have reason to regret your magnanimity, I fear.”

“We undoubtedly will. That does not stop it from being the RIGHT course.”

“No. You are right, my kinsman. As usual, you have thought it out rather fully...”

“I have. I am only hoping you are not right about his paranoia.”

“Why? Why would you prefer that there is a Brilhado who aided Drakath with the Cold?"

“Because if you are right and I am wrong, then our cousin and the Derenian crown may be in very very serious trouble.”