NABC Chapter 426: Chapter XLVI: Reinforcements Galore
Chapter 426: Chapter XLVI: Reinforcements Galore
Chapter 426: Chapter XLVI: Reinforcements Galore
A/n: There shall be no chapters next week due to me taking a much needed break.
To immediately reiterate, this is not me going on hiatius or dropping the fic, I just really need to chill after writing non-stop for over a year and a half.
(General POV)
Merin Zadir of House Dres cursed his pride as he hobbled after the group of nobles and officers. Oh it was most certainly satisfying to refuse healing for those in greater need but when Dagoth snorted loudly and simply left while shaking his head he knew he only made a fool of himself.
He still did not ask for healing though, his pride could only take so many hits in one day, even if he had bolstered it mightily with the blood of Argonians. His pain inevitably ceased as they soon reached the western gatehouse, a place Lord Dagoth had called them all to for some reason he refused to share.
Lord Aren seemed to be the only one truly relaxed with the situation, the venerable Mer keeping a constant knowing smirk on his face.
They did not need to wait long to get their answers, as a cloud of dust approached the city under the setting sun, and soon from the western hills came hundreds upon hundreds of banners fluttering in the air.
Triangular banners attached to halberds, colored in black and purple and bearing a now familiar crest. Rows upon rows of blackened steel armor, all of it bearing at least the smallest glow of enchantment placed upon it. Most of the marching elves had their faces covered in masks, either of simple plain design of carved with the visage of the saints of old, and to their front marched a hundred elves in cloaks of white fur, all of them armed with sleek crossbows of an odd design.
As the army of some four thousand elves and uncountable automatons approached the city, Lord Dagoth rose his hands welcomingly and the army stopped, saluting him as one, the sheer noise and synchronicity of which sent goosebumps down Merin's spine.
His fidgeting did not go unnoticed and soon the Indoril approached him and wordlessly began healing him, muttering some empty apology about no doubt missing him within all the chaos.
Which only made the Dres even more embarrassed. Was the Indoril coward doing it all on purpose?
Deciding to distract himself from his frustration, Merin Zadir looked down at the approaching force and pondered at just how far the Dagoth would reach before someone finally told him to fuck off.
And just how many would die before they realized how useless defiance truly was.
(Reyvin's POV)
No one really complained as I commanded the army to march inside the city, well excepting Almeril who bluntly told me his rivals would not hesitate to humiliate him for letting what was largely considered a foreign army into a city under his command, and then just as bluntly added that he did not care in the slightest.
There was being dedicated to one's duty, and then there was whatever the fuck the Redoran did.
Even as the rest of them whispered amongst themselves, Regnild directing me a distinctly unsurprised look all the while, I still remained standing atop the gatehouse and waited patiently.
Not that I had to wait long as mere moments later my unnaturally sharp hearing caught the slightest shuffle of boots on stone. Well, I caught it after the numerous enchantments carved by my own hand did, but no one needed to know that little detail.
As if on a casual stroll, a figure in immaculate light armor bearing my house colors simply walked up the walls, startling the absolute shit out of most of the nobles around me but ignoring them completely in favor of offering me a lazy salute "Boss."
"Davos" I grin at him "Took your sweet time didn't you?"
His face was covered by his helmet but I could hear him internally screaming out 'Didn't you tell us to wait for the most dramatic moment to appear?!' He held it back of course, and instead bowed "Met some lizards on the way, had to wade through their corpses to get here." "Hmmm, understandable" I pretended to ponder forgiveness, drawing a mildly confused look from Almeril before he realized what was going on and shook his head.
Davos, apparently having had enough, snorts and turns to said Redoran "Still kicking Faren?" "My lords are demanding but the work is honorable and rewarding" Almeril answers with a light smirk "I hope your own tasks have not been too... draining on you."
'Did the two strike up a friendship while I was not looking?' I raise an eyebrow 'Then again I was rather busy during those particular celebrations.'Nôv(el)B\\jnn
"Eh, it could be worse" Davos directs a quick cautious glance to the rest of them "No offense meant but didn't you all just go through an assault?"
"That we did." Almeril nods "We can share introductions and catch up later, the city still needs immediate work done and I trust your hands are as willing as they are many?"
"Brought half a legion of automatons so you don't have to worry about repairs." Davos shrugs "The troops will be busy making themselves comfortable though."
"Keep the marksmen ready for battle for now." I interject "Oh, and have the healers help those I missed, I didn't train the lot of them for nothing."
And oh boy was the Telvanni looking jealous as I mentioned that.
Davos nods and soon we were dispersing, everyone throwing themselves at work, rescuing those covered in debris, healing the wounded, looting and burning the dead, and counting our own fallen.
By the end of the day the numbers were confirmed and we had lost some one hundred and sixty four actual soldiers and eight hundred and seventy militiamen, joined by seven magi, only one of whom was an actual Redoran while the rest came from the conscripts.
All in all, a great success, even if some turned dour at losing a full third of our force.
Now how does one persuade them to follow me in a counterattack?
shakes his head.
My eyes narrow instantly "That was... fast."
Davos' relaxed expression shifts and he sighs "Boss, what happened exactly?" "Managed to cull the last members of that order and used their 'Night Mother' as fuel." I
answer bluntly, to his immediate and unsurprised nod "I am not sure if the void is already trying to get its hands on new tools, or we are dealing with... fans."
"Definitely the fans" He snorts "The lot of them were so incompetent I almost felt bad for cutting them down to the last."
"Weep not for the stupid, you'll be crying all day" I drawl in response.
We both share a snort and shake our heads, effectively ending the conversation until I spoke
again about a minute later "How is the wife and kid by the by?"
Davos contains a smile "Things are going pretty well, little bugger is far too energetic but
Nightshade has him under control."
I just snort "Just wait till he begins walking, that is where the true fun begins."
He doesn't even bother questioning the words and simply nods.
Ah, he has ascended beyond being baffled by me. How... sad.
A few hours later, the true reason behind my choice in venue was made apparent, as in the
distance the sound of marching boots could be heard, and another tall cloud of dust was thrown up by yet another small army making its way to Kogoruhn.
Their march was far less synchronized than that of my own troops, making me feel incredibly
smug about myself. What made me feel even more superior, and slightly disappointed if I was being completely honest, was the numbers and equipment of the forces approaching the city, even if I knew this was only the initial relief force and the actual armies would follow a few
days later.
Sure there were an extra four thousand of them, but only two of those four were actual Redoran professionals, another thousand looked to be the force sent by House Dres, clad in
medium chitin-based armor and armed with spears and shields and of seemingly middling
discipline.
The final thousand did make me raise an eyebrow though.
The Telvanni obviously sent the least number of people but also the most individually
powerful of the lot as I could easily count some fifty battle mages of varying skill accompanied by two hundred or so well equipped bodyguards.
The Sadras sent what looked to be every mercenary they could get their grubby little hands
on, the lot of them being the most diverse of the whole group and armored in anything between a mage's robe to full plate orichalcum in the case of a couple of them. And finally the most surprising group of all, just over two hundred Indoril warriors, robed
plate armor, saintly visages carved upon entire helmets, and mohawk plumes galore, this
particular group seemed even more battle ready and disciplined than the Redoran.
Curious and curioser.
Send forth your stones so my poor mind may rest!
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