Edge of Extinction war story/Chapter 12

“Good evening, Grimveil,” the cloaked necromancer said. “I see you are once again eschewing the costuming of both our order and your own people.”

“I have no need of costumes or makeup. Unlike you, I do not need to hide my true identity lest it be found out by the masses. Imagine if they knew a respectful businessman like yourself was a member of the Order of Mysterious Necromancers; such a situation could not be good for your business...”

“Is that a veiled threat, Brilhado?”

“No. Trust me when I say that if I were threatening you, you would know it, and by that time it would be too late to do anything about it.”

“Really. You seem entirely too full of yoursel--”

Grimveil raised his hand slightly while keeping his arm slack at his side. A diffuse glow reached out from that hand and a single tendril of the light touched the edge of the necromancer's cloak...

“Yes, of course you are right,” the necromancer said. “I am a second-rate necromancer who would not stand any chance against you. Your greatness dwarfs my own by an order of magnitude. Next to you, I am an abject failure... In fact, I have always been a failure. My shop is in danger of closing due to lack of business; I cannot control my undead properly either. The Light priest was able to rip them from me without nearly enough effort... I should just give in and di–”

“Hold on... It was your contingent that Lux liberated. And ever the cowards, you now simper at the edge of the forest, letting the armies of other necromancers take the fore and take the risk...”

“Yes...”

“In point of fact, our order has been quick to take the coward’s way out at every opportunity, haven’t they...? The priest called me a coward, and how right he was, given I associate with the likes of you...”

“Yes...”

“You will walk out into the center of the most active combat. You will begin a direct assault from that point.”

“I will walk out into the center...” the Mysterious Necromancer began even as he crossed out of Grimveil's earshot.

Grimveil frowned severely even as another Mysterious Necromancer entered the glade.

“Grimveil. And how goes the eff–” the stout necromancer began before Grimveil abruptly cut him off with the Cold.

“You will not take my people down with you. We will fight your war because we are bound by honor to do so. But know this: my association and the association of the Brilhado with the Order of Mysterious Necromancers ends today. Regardless of the outcome of this conflict, our people will not be a party to your cowardice...”

“You are one to talk about cow–”

Grimveil increased the Cold's grip on the rotund and rubicund necromancer. “Deliver the message. You are quite happy to put the Brilhado, the Moglin, and Lady Kaley in the path of harm’s way, yet you cower at the edge of these forests as if this is some giant chess game... Well, this is checkmate: our treaty is ended with this war. Our association is ended.”

“Our association is ended,” the fat necromancer said, stalking off into the distance.

“Lord Grimveil, is that wise?” a Brilhado mage asked. “Without the support of the Order, the Redwin–”

“Goldwings,” Grimveil corrected, annoyed. “And you will return to the front; they are my commanders and they need all the support they can get in this foolish conflict, and Rhapsteiar...”

“Yes, lord?” Rhapsteiar answered.

“If I should learn of any treachery or if those two Goldwings do not survive this conflict uninjured, it is you personally I will hold accountable...”

“Yes, lord.”