Chapter 34
I rode quickly out of the main camp, and made my way to where the herd was being kept. My 'shadow', the Drebasty guard, followed me. He was watching everything. I still couldn't get over the giant spider, Svedra.
It had a sense of humor that was very sophisticated. He did not need me for very much, just a couple times a day, really. Still, being the 'body man' for a giant spider was disconcerting, to say the least.
After a good thirty-minute ride, I was where the herd was kept. I dismounted, and went over to the tent of the supply commander. Besides food, he was in charge of everything else that an army might need.
The supply depot was a thing that had to be seen to be believed. It had weapons, shields, and leather armor for the infantry; extra harness and horseshoes for the horses. A smithy set up was close by. There were extra boots and clothing for the men, and grain and feed for the animals and chickens.
The commander gave me a tour that lasted for over two hours. All in all, it was an impressive set up. There was also a tent city set up here for workers. Replacement troops were being trained here daily, also.
There were several hundred soldiers under the supply commander's orders. He had to mount a guard, and have runners that would go to the front line commanders, filling orders. Wagons were parked in a sort of Vehicle Park. Some were loaded with supplies to be sent up to the front lines. Others were just loaded to keep the supplies off the ground. Most of those contained vegetables.
All in all, it was very impressive, for such primitive times. Well, primitive compared to my time line, and what I was used to. Our supply line stretched for hundreds of miles. That was not a good thing. It was even more important now, that nothing happen to Darla. She was our main conjurer.
No wagon ever left alone for the cities to our rear. They went as a convoy, with an armed escort, as well as at least two combat trained defensive magicians. All convoys were protected as well as we could protect them, without denying the frontline what it needed.
I thanked the commander for the tour, and pronounced myself satisfied with his efforts. He literally beamed at me. Having the Duke de Landkur give his approval, was almost as good as having his own commander's approval, which was as it should be.
I mounted my horse, and started back to the main camp with my trusty, but silent, Drebasty riding along. It wasn't that he was rude, it was that his people were silent by nature. I had tried to talk with him before, and while he answered, it was usually a monotone answer, or just a yes or a no.
He still did sword practice with me, daily; and I improved dramatically. Everyone should have a Drebasty swordmaster as a trainer. I could now feel his connection in my mind, as we practiced. It was a bit unnerving to have someone in a section of my mind, instructing me on a level that was hither-to unknown to me.
After I got back to camp, I was summoned to Vostich's tent. I interrupted a meeting of some sort.
"Ah, Paul. You're back. We have a situation developing. I believe that a major offensive is about to be launched by Jorslan. While magical spying is not possible by his or our side, we still both have spies that report to us.
"Jorslan is massing a huge number of troops for what we think is a push to break our line, here," Vostich said, pointing to a spot on the holographic map of the battleground. "Svedra and I have identified a number of defensive spells being cast in preparation. The type of spells being cast, tells us it has the offensive must be done soon, as the spells will only last a short time. The reason we can detect them, is because of the sheer power of them to begin with.
"We need to put up our own defensive and offensive spells. The Drebasty Adepts will be a perfect offensive force. They have already prepared a place to fight from. Jorslan will find their type of magic deadly indeed," Vostich said in a recap.
That was a lot to walk in on. Our field commanders were all looking at me. Darla was there, off to one side. Mirwanna was still not back with her reinforcements yet. Fithian was sort of staring off in the distance. I felt him doing something, I just didn't know what it was.
"I will go make myself ready to battle with the dragon riders," I said nodding.
"No. You will stay with Svedra until he reveals himself. YOU will do spells from that location. I want Jorslan to think he has everyone placed. If this is an all out offensive, then there is a good chance that he will be drawn out from his main protections.
"If we can kill him, or injure him, then that will force a withdrawal of his forces. If they start to retreat, we can hurt them badly. I have had the dragons turning the desert to the south of them into a quagmire. It will slow their retreat, and force them to abandon their wagons and supplies.
"Jorslan has tried to counter what the dragons have done, but there are too many dragons working towards making the ground a sodden mess. Even his power can't over come that many dragons, working in concert, for so long. Especially since they worked their magic on a portion of the desert which is miles from his location.
"Also, every time he tried to do a counter that looked effective; either myself, or the Drebasty Adepts sent a spell his way. If anything, we have kept him busy," Vostich said with a feral grin.
I nodded. I noticed that Svedra was not here. I wondered if I was to rely Vostich's instructions to it.
(No. I hear and see everything from where I am. I have also been carefully bringing reinforcements of a different sort into the area. The enemy will be most disconcerted!) Svedra told me, chuckling in a manner I found unsettling.
I walked over to Darla, and asked her to walk with me. She smiled and nodded.
"Look. I know you have not known me that long, Darla... but, well, I really have fallen for you. It would pain me like you wouldn't believe, if something happened to you. Please, please take care of yourself during the upcoming battle, ok?" I asked her when we were somewhat alone.
She looked at me wide eyed. "I know how you feel. I have been thinking of us as a couple, lately, ever since Mirwanna revealed your little 'secret crush' on me," Darla said with a grin.
I flushed red with embarrassment. She laughed and hugged me, then laid a really good kiss on me! It was electric! She broke the kiss and looked at me, her eyes wide.
"Wow! Did you... feel something when I kissed you just then?" she asked a bit breathlessly.
"Yes! It was like a jolt of lightning going up my spine," I told her, almost as breathless as she was.
"I have to go. I have a job to do, myself. I am stationed with a group of combat wizards. I think I will be safe. I want you to keep yourself safe. Now that I know for sure your feelings for me and you know mine for you, I plan on having you to myself, eventually," she said with a smile, then turned and walked away.
Why had I wasted so much time! I walked towards Svedra's tent, brow beating myself for my own cowardice in not approaching her earlier. She liked me as much as I liked her! I thought about that time in the palace. Why hadn't I taken the opportunity then to make my feelings truly known to her.
(Because the mating dance you primates do is silly, ) Svedra said to me, chuckling.
I growled and wondered how hard it would be to kill a giant spider. I heard that mental laughter again. Obviously, Svedra was not the least bit worried.
(Of all the races I have seen and studied, yours is the only one to place an artificial value on sex. Although I will admit, that you and Darla are not as troubled with sex as are almost all humans I have seen, thus far, ) Svedra said to me.
Great. I was getting love advice from a giant spider. I could see it now. 'Advice for the love-lorn, ' by Svedra. It would be nationally syndicated in all the newspapers, of course. I snorted in mirth.
I finally arrived at its tent, and went inside. Svedra had made a sort of nest of blankets, and had folded his legs until it was settled down onto it. When it was standing, it was about 10 feet from the ground to his belly. He was really huge. He was gray in color, and had what looked like fine little hairs growing all over his body and legs.
Now with his body down to my level, I got a good look at his mandibles. I would really hate to get bitten by this guy. It looked as though it could bite a human in half, with ease.
It had those compound eyes most insects have. While I did not see an individual eye, I could almost sense that it watching me. It had not just two of these compound eyes. They circled his head, giving it a 360 look at the world. I shuddered. Something like that would drive me crazy.
(It is natural to me. My body is efficient for battle, and mating. I have lived for more years than you can imagine, ) it said.
"Could you at least wait 'till I ask a question, before you answer it?" I asked plaintively.
Its body quivered and hissed in that way it had of laughing. I deliberately turned my back on him, folding my arms.
(You are very funny, for a primate. I might take you home with me for a visit, when we are finished with this task Vostich has given me, ) it said to me.
"Ah, no thank you. Much as I like your company, I am sure I have other things to tend to," I said lamely.
It hissed and shook again. I rolled my eyes, and started to check my spells. I could feel it checking my spells with me.
"Do you mind?" I asked acidly.
(Those are some very clever, and very unique spells, ) it said. Had I actually impressed this being?
(Yes. I am very impressed. Might I make a suggestion of a few spells you might find interesting?) it asked.
It then poured information on some spells into my head, and I gasped! Who'd a thought? I quickly produced two of the spells in question. I was not going to have time for more.
Right at that moment, the battle horns sounded, alerting the entire camp to the enemy and the fact that they were advancing. I made a move towards the tent flap, but Svedra stopped me.
(Observe, ) it said.
I felt a trickle of power. A glowing sphere appeared in the air before us, showing the enemy, and what they were doing. It was as if we were on the front lines!
The enemy was advancing. Thousands of troops were pouring over their breastworks. Yes, this was going to be a concerted effort.
(Simply prep the spell you want, and cast it through my sight spell. It will arrive and do what damage it normally would, as if you were on the battlefield, ) Svedra told me.
Well, now. This was a very handy spell to work with! I cast a massive sleep spell at the advancing troops. I watched as a little over a 100 fell asleep, just like that. I grinned. I started another sleep spell, and cast it at another section of advancing troops.
(Sleep is fine, but we need to hurt them, not give them a nice rest, ) Svedra told me.
I blushed. I cast another spell I had ready. A glowing ball of light appeared in front of the advancing enemy. Tendrils of power licked out and touched hundreds who were carrying any metal item.
They were instantly electrocuted. About this time, I was getting resistance. I cast a fireball spell, only to have it blocked by some defensive spell. Still, a couple of the enemy were affected, and died.
I was joined in my effort by the wizards of our side. Literally hundreds of spells were launched. While most were blocked or neutralized, some got through. I could feel the enemy casting at our side, too.
Soon spells were flashing from side to side. The dragons finally roared, and the dragon riders added their own lances of light to the battle. Dragon fire rained down on the advancing army.
Vostich had done much to defend the dragons from enemy fire. But I watched as first one, then another dragon burst into flame and fell to the ground with its rider. Both were dead.
Still, the dragons were doing massive damage to the enemy. Arrows were now arching through the air at the advancing enemy. The Drebasty Adepts launched a huge spell that broke the primary protections of the enemy, and were even now launching a massive strike at the center of the army, where Jorslan was located.
With the failure of the enemy protections, our side was killing the enemy a lot more easily, but as soon as an enemy dropped, it seemed two took his place. They were almost to our walls now.
I watched in awe as a single spell, the width of our wall, lashed out at the front line of advancing enemy. The entire front line of the enemy had been cut in half, literally. I watched, horrified, as upper torsos separated from legs, and bodies fell in two pieces.
The enemy stopped for a moment, stunned. Dragon fire rained out of the sky, and hundreds more were burning. There was a disturbance in the enemy ranks, and a figure was striding towards the front line.
That had to be Jorslan! I concentrated on a heart attack spell and cast it at him. It bounced off his personal protection. I pondered what to cast next. At that moment, there was a disturbance in the ground out in front of our position.
Literally millions of spiders erupted from the ground, and started to bite the enemy. It was like a living carpet that had taken it into its head to start to climb the people standing upon it.
The spiders were poisonous. I had never really seen this type of spider before. There were enough spiders to cover the entire field between our wall, and the enemy's walls.
(These are some of MY servants, ) Svedra said with satisfaction. I watched as a soldier who was bitten, was dead in less than a minute. The enemy started to run. AWAY! I felt like cheering.
I felt Svedra leave me. One moment it was there, the next it was gone. Damn it! I refused to be left behind! I concentrated, and teleported myself to a place close to where Svedra had teleported.
Vostich, Svedra, Fithian, Salvadi, and now myself, all faced Jorslan. I got a good look at him. He was very tall, over 7 feet. He was broad of shoulder, with dark hair and eyes. He exuded POWER, like a water faucet turned to full blast!
I watched as he was hit with a powerful spell by the Drebasty Adepts. His shield flared and weakened just a bit. Time and again he was hit with spells. He was casting spells himself.
I saw Vostich and Svedra forced back a bit. I cast a couple spells myself. It was my turn. I saw his hand make a throwing gesture in my direction, and I was blasted off my feet, despite my protections! I struggled, but I could feel myself losing consciousness!
Edited By TeNderLoin