Chapter 19: Whatever You Do, Don't Forget the Soap
Othran mimicked the act of closing his eyes, despite no longer possessing any, and let out a long sigh. At least there was one pleasant thing about this miserable morning.
Azrael dominated the predawn sky, bathing the forest in its familiar blue light. Othran had always loved this time of day, when the strange blue hue filled him with a sense of power and certainty, as though nothing in the world could stand against him and survive.
He wished the sun would take its time rising. There was something deeply satisfying about watching the world beneath Azrael's light, and for a few precious moments, he could forget all the frustrations of the past several days.
Then he looked at Princess Seraphyne.
Well, almost all of them.
The sight of her was enough to remind Othran of just how thoroughly he'd misjudged this assignment. He hadn't merely accepted it; he'd practically jumped at the opportunity when the council asked for a volunteer. He should have known something was wrong when he'd been the only one of the nine to offer.
Every member of the council was ambitious, just like him. They were constantly maneuvering for power and position, and none would willingly pass up an opportunity to improve their standing. So why hadn't he been forced to fight for the right to lead this undead raid?
Why had the other eight members been so willing to let him have it?
There was a reason he'd failed to recognize the warning signs. For the past several years, Othran had been so consumed by his research that he'd paid little attention to the affairs of the Chaos Lands.
He'd barely left his dungeon during that time, and his work had consumed nearly every waking moment. He hadn't even known much about Princess Seraphyne Noctara until the council was summoned to decide who would accompany her into the Great Dryad Forest to take out the Chosen of Nia.
At the time, he'd cared very little about the Princess herself. It was the destination that had caught his attention, not the Dryad.
The Great Dryad Forest was home to countless Spirit-folk, and Othran had been desperate to acquire more subjects for his experiments. The few he'd managed to obtain over the years had proven insufficient, and replacing them had become increasingly difficult. The opportunity to enter their homeland had seemed almost too good to be true, particularly when he considered how much progress he might make with a fresh supply of subjects.
Subjects that were now on their way to his domain. If only he could have gone back with that last batch, but leaving Princess Seraphyne to her fate would have sealed his own.
No, it was clear now. He'd been set up. Not one of the other eight had warned him about this Succubus and her shortcomings.
Princess Seraphyne Noctara was a one-woman army of frustrations, and he was past believing the other eight members didn't already know this.
Before abandoning his humanity and joining Chaos, Othran had heard stories about how difficult raising children could be. He'd never paid those stories much attention, having considered them little more than complaints from parents who lacked the discipline to control their offspring.
He was beginning to understand them now. If he'd had a child like Seraphyne, he would have drowned her in a lake.
Not only did she refuse to listen to his perfectly reasonable advice, but she seemed determined to do the exact opposite of whatever he suggested. It was as though she considered every instruction an invitation to demonstrate just how little regard she had for his experience.
Othran shifted his gaze toward the Succubus, who was currently admiring her latest victim.
In truth, he was surprised the Goblin had lasted as long as he had. The screams had told a story of despair and agony that even Othran had found impressive. Under different circumstances, he might even have appreciated the Princess's enthusiasm, but their present situation made her choice of entertainment particularly irritating.
Not that he cared how much suffering the Princess inflicted upon her bound soul. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that they were supposed to be avoiding attention, and Seraphyne seemed incapable of understanding that torturing someone loudly enough to be heard throughout the surrounding forest was hardly conducive to remaining undetected.
What was the point of sneaking through the Great Dryad Forest if the Princess insisted on announcing their presence to every creature within earshot?
Here I am! Come take a look!
The mangled body at her feet was finally silent, thankfully, but that presented another problem. Soul Taming didn't work if there was no longer a soul to tame.
By the Gods of Chaos, why had he been so stupid?
All he'd needed to do was remain seated. That was it. When the council asked for volunteers, he could have simply kept his mouth shut. He was ranked fifth among the nine, and if he'd stayed quiet like the others, one of his lessers would have been sent in his place.
And he could have been safely back in his dungeon, working on his flesh experiments. Sure, there would have been fewer specimens, but he'd made do with what little he'd had for a long time.
He'd been so close to a breakthrough recently, a solution to a problem that had plagued his research for longer than he cared to admit. Despite all the knowledge he'd accumulated and the countless experiments he'd conducted, one particular challenge continued to elude him.
How to turn Spirit-folk into undead minions.
That was the entire reason he'd agreed to this miserable expedition. More specimens meant more experiments, and more experiments meant another chance to succeed where every other Arch Lich had failed.
Yet here he was, wasting precious time babysitting a Succubus who seemed determined to make every moment of this expedition more miserable than the last.
What was that expression from his time back when he was still Human?
A Troll in a crystal shop. Yes, that had been it.
Perhaps he would have solved the problem by now if he hadn't been saddled with this ridiculous assignment. Worse, he knew of two other Arch Liches conducting similar experiments. One wasn't even on the council, while the other occupied the seventh seat.
Both were competitors, and both would undoubtedly love nothing more than to claim his position. The thought of either one succeeding before him was almost enough to make him regret leaving his dungeon more than he already did.
And what got under his skin the most was the thought that if something happened to him and he didn't make it back from this expedition, his rivals would get the specimens he'd recently sent back.
Again, he looked over at the Princess.
Othran wasn't a fool, despite his spectacularly poor judgment in accepting this assignment. He knew perfectly well that the Princess wanted him dead. If she'd possessed the power to kill him, she would have done so already.
One thing had become abundantly clear during their journey. Princess Seraphyne Noctara did not appreciate being told what to do.
Othran was just about to try yet again to explain to the Princess why her behavior was unsuitable for a stealth operation when movement against the dark sky caught his attention.
A raven.
Before long, the bird swooped down toward its master, who stood beside a cluster of willow trees nearby.
Finally.
Perhaps the bird carried news explaining why they had yet to encounter the Dryad Princess.
He hurried over to the Hag, who now had the raven perched on her left arm. His gaze followed her right hand as she detached a small piece of parchment from the bird's leg.
As he approached, she unrolled the message.
Othran waited impatiently while she read the note. After nearly two minutes of silence, he'd had enough.
“Well?”
The Hag, instead of responding, kept right on reading.
I swear to the Gods, the women who live in the Chaos Lands are far worse than any woman I suffered through back when I was still human.
“By the Gods, Hag, what does it say?”
“It seeeemmmmss the Dryad has goonnnee back to that cursed place,” she screeched in answer.
“Fuck my undead life.”
“So, all of this was for nothing?”
“It would appear noootttt.”
Othran stared at her, waiting for her to elaborate.
“She is leaving for the south this mooorrrnnninggg.”
“With how many guards?”
“The number is vague, but not as many as shoulllddd be.”
“I say we wait for her here, then,” an all-too-familiar and unwanted voice said behind him.
Apparently, Othran hadn't been the only one to notice the raven.
He turned toward Princess Seraphyne. “I would strongly advise against that, Princess. The longer we remain here, the greater the chance of something going wrong.”
“Did we not make plans for that eventuality?” Seraphyne asked.
Othran considered his answer carefully. “Yes, Princess, but relying on a backup plan is rarely wise.”
He wanted to call it the height of stupidity, but insulting the Princess would only bring him trouble down the road. Not only with the Council, but also for the remainder of this mission.
He could already tell Seraphyne was dangerously close to ignoring his counsel entirely. And if something happened to her while he was responsible for protecting the Chosen, he would never live long enough to see his experiments bear fruit.
“We should cut our losses. So far, we've only lost one Necromancer. An acceptable loss.”
Seraphyne's perfect smile turned cold.
“Promises were made to me, and I will see them honored. I am not leaving this forest without that woman.”
There was only one response he could safely give. “Yes, Princess.”
He allowed a moment to pass before continuing.
“However, if you insist we remain, may I suggest moving farther south? This location is too close to Glenhaven. With the Princess traveling under guard, the fighting could last long enough for reinforcements to reach her.”
Othran retrieved the map he used to navigate this cursed forest from the satchel at his hip. It took him only a moment to find the location he wanted. He held the map out for Seraphyne to see and pointed to a spot farther south.
“There is a small village here, approximately twenty miles from our current position. We could raid it, acquire a new soul-bound servant for you, and replenish our supplies. We could also add several new undead to our ranks, improving our chances when we confront the Dryad Princess.”
He paused before adding another benefit.
“My Create Death Knight skill is nearly off cooldown, and it will reset again by tomorrow morning. That should allow us to compensate for the loss of that one Necromancer.”
Othran could see that Seraphyne was still reluctant to agree. Fortunately, he'd spent enough time with the Succubus to recognize one weakness he could exploit.
“Best of all, by moving farther south, you'll have more time to play with your princess.”
There it was. He saw the excitement appear in her eyes.
“Very well,” Seraphyne said. “But I want four playthings from this village.”
“As you wish, Princess. So shall it be done.”
This was a newer tactic he'd been employing with Seraphyne. Rather than acting as her superior, he was learning to behave more like a servant.
It galled him to do so, but the results were considerably better than anything he'd accomplished during the past week.
With the assistance of his Death Knights, Othran had the undead column moving before the sun crested the horizon.
The journey south went better than expected. For once, the forest had demanded a relatively small price for their passage.
They lost only five lesser undead to a Troll and one of the Hag's ravens was killed by a Strike Halk. The aerial predators were surprisingly powerful for their relative size.
Jamie awoke to a knock at the door. Sitting up, she stretched her arms above her head. It felt nice to sleep in a bed again, even though sleeping in the forest surrounded by nature had its own charms. She felt more connected to the forest with each passing day.
The bed had ended up quite crowded with the addition of two Dire Wolves, one of whom was over four hundred pounds of muscle and fur. Most wolves preferred to sleep in the Dire Wolf dens that had been purpose-built to house the large predators throughout the city.
Dire Wolves had been a part of the Royal Manor's grounds back when the Royal Family still existed, so the estate even had a den of its own.
Not that Hope and Sentinel had any intention of using it. Where the pack went, they went, and Jamie and Ember were members of that pack.
“We're up. Come on in,” Jamie called to the maid outside her room.
“Good morning, Princess Jamie,” Kendra said as she walked into the room.
“Good morning, Kendra.”
“Good morning, Princess,” Quila said as she followed Kendra inside, accompanied by four other maids quickly on her heels.
“Good morning.”
The maids greeted Ember and the Dire Wolves as well before getting to work.
Ember, who never seemed to want to get up right away, was quickly scooped off the bed and carried to her spot by three tiny Fairy maids who shot into the room like a tornado the moment the lead maids cleared the doorway.
Hope didn't fare much better when two Sprites both tried to scoop up the cub. Mirelle turned out to be slightly quicker than Tessa and carried Hope to what was now her corner of the room.
The team had gotten in late last night, and although Jamie's party hadn't been expected to return so soon, the Royal Manor had turned into a hornet's nest of activity after Jamie and her team showed up.
“Princess, we worked late into the night, but all the preparations are in order for your departure this morning,” Quila, the head maid, said as she followed Jamie over to the vanity where Kendra was waiting.
“Wow, that's impressive,” Jamie said. “I wasn't expecting to leave until mid-afternoon.”
“The Elders are partly to thank for that,” Quila said as Kendra began working on Jamie's hair. “They ordered the Royal Guard to be prepared and on standby ever since you left to grind some levels, so all that was left to do was make sure the packing list matched the items packed.”
“Everything is in order, from battle gear to soap.”
“You're the best,” Jamie said. “I wish you were coming with me to the Elven Kingdom.”
“As do I, but someone needs to stay behind and maintain your residence for when you return, Princess.”
“Don't worry, though. You will be in good hands at the capital.”
“Any word on Tovin and Lady Adelaide getting permission to come to the capital with me?” Jamie asked.
“Tovin has been assigned as your porter, in addition to serving as a scout for the journey south.”
“I have yet to hear back about Lady Adelaide,” Quila said.
“Ouch.”
“Sorry,” Kendra apologized, “but you've got quite a few tangles in your hair this morning.”
“Did you do a bunch of tossing and turning last night, by chance?”
Jamie had, in fact, so she answered honestly.
“Yeah.”
Jamie didn't remember much about her dreams, but what she did remember involved almost dying to the badger in one of them. She also remembered having a gun pointed at her and the moment it went off.
Jamie decided to leave those particular details out when answering the maid.
It wasn't until breakfast that Jamie received confirmation that Adelaide would not only be accompanying her to the Elven Kingdom but would also be attending the Affinity Magic Academy as well.
Adelaide and her father had been sitting at the breakfast table waiting for the princess when she arrived downstairs.
“And you're all right with Lady Adelaide coming with me?” Jamie asked, wanting to be certain.
She only asked because of the obvious concern on Lord Avelaine's face as he ate.
Adelaide, who was sitting beside Jamie, kicked her leg under the table.
“Ouch!”
“Sorry, Princess. My foot slipped,” Adelaide said in an obvious lie.
Ember scoffed.
You deserved that, she sent.
“Of course, Princess Jamie. Our family lives to serve the Forest,” Lord Avelaine said at once.
Ember had been spending most of breakfast talking with her mother and brother at the far end of the table. It felt awful not having Ember sitting beside her, but Jamie didn't think it had anything to do with the rift between them. It had everything to do with Ember wanting to spend time with her family before they departed.
Joining Ember, in addition to her mother, and her brother for breakfast were aslo Ember's aunt, Lady Akari, and Ren's new Tamer.
Lady Nerina Riversong, a lesser noble and Ren's new Tamer, looked far more like a princess than Jamie ever could. Not only did she carry herself with the natural grace of someone raised among nobility, but she dressed far more elegantly than Jamie did.
Her dress, which turned out to be a mage's battle dress, had been made by her family. It offered many of the same protections as Jamie's enchanted dress, although this particular outfit came with far more bells and whistles.
And Jamie had to admit, it was beautiful.
The dress was predominantly white, with layers of rich sapphire-blue fabric beneath the flowing outer skirts. Intricate blue patterns resembling flowing water decorated the hems, cuffs, and overlapping panels, while gold and silver detailing traced the edges. Brilliant blue gemstones hung from delicate chains along the front, adding to the elaborate design.
The upper portion was considerably more elaborate than anything Jamie owned for fighting. A fitted white bodice was reinforced with dark metallic armor that curved around Nerina's waist and ribs, decorated with silver filigree and blue gemstones. Matching armor extended over her shoulders and forearms, providing protection without restricting her movement.
Her sleeves were particularly impressive. Long, flowing layers of white fabric hung from her upper arms, widening toward her wrists before ending in delicate, ruffled cuffs. Blue embroidery followed the edges, giving the impression of waves rolling along the fabric whenever she moved.
Even her boots looked expensive. White and silver armor covered her lower legs, accented with blue gemstones and low heels that Jamie suspected would make walking through the forest an absolute nightmare.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
But it wasn't just the dress that caught Jamie's attention.
Nerina was a pretty young and very lovely woman at age seventeen. She stood around five feet five inches tall, with a slender build and delicate features. Her skin was fair, and her large, soft blue eyes gave her an almost innocent appearance.
Her hair was what really stood out.
Long, icy-blue hair fell slightly past her waist. Much of it flowed freely down her back, while the upper sections had been gathered into an elaborate arrangement of braids. A silver floral ornament decorated one side of her head, its petals surrounding a small blue gemstone. Dark-blue ribbons and delicate gold chains completed the arrangement.
Jamie couldn't imagine how long it took to get her hair looking like that every morning.
The girl commanded the room, and Jamie wasn't the only one caught staring at her more than once.
Tovin, who had done his best to avoid sitting with the nobles at breakfast because of his commoner status, was clearly smitten with the young Tamer.
At some point during breakfast, Jamie learned that Lady Nerina's family were vassals of House Avelaine, which prompted her to ask a very important question.
“Say, Adelaide's father.”
“Yes, Princess?”
“Are all the women in your lands as beautiful as your daughter and Lady Nerina over there?” Jamie asked, pointing toward the young Tamer as though there could be any doubt about whom she meant.
“Yes, Princess.”
“You should visit sometime in the near future. Beautiful men and women, and fine sandy beaches on top of that,” he said proudly.
“Oh, trust me, it's on my to-do list. Close to the top, in fact,” Jamie added pointedly.
Although she couldn't care less about seeing what the dudes looked like. It was all about seeing what Lord Avelaine's lands had to offer in hot Naiad women wearing what Jamie very much hoped would be some very revealing swimwear on white sandy beaches.
“Well, we would welcome you with open arms and show you a feast like none other,” the Naiad Lord said.
Oh, crap…
Were topless beaches a thing here? Jamie wondered suddenly.
Jamie, Ember sent in warning.
What? A girl can dream, can't she?
Don't take this away from me, Ember. I need this right now.
Jamie turned just in time to see Ember roll her eyes. Still the ever-judgmental spirit fox.
Jamie walked out into the courtyard to see those tasked with her safety for the next two years lined up in orderly formations. The courtyard was large enough to hold many times this number of guards, but the fewer than one hundred who stood patiently waiting for their charge to emerge from the Royal residence made the space feel unequal to the task being asked of it.
This wasn't a new sight to Jamie. She'd seen troop formations on parade grounds in her former life at Camp Pendleton, just outside the city of Oceanside, California.
This was far different, however.
Those events had been meant for someone else. Her father, to be exact.
As a full-bird colonel in the Marine Corps at the time of his retirement, Jamie's father had held more than a few troop reviews over the years. From captain on up, the number of Marines standing for inspection by her father had only grown as he climbed the ranks.
Jamie remembered feeling a sense of awe watching those men and women standing in formation, looking so impressive. It was the same feeling Jamie was getting now, but unlike back at Camp Pendleton, these troops were here for her and not her father.
Pride swelled in Jamie's soul.
Her dad had always wanted Jamie to follow in his footsteps. He'd been disappointed when she hadn't, instead deciding to pursue a career in architecture.
Jamie smiled at the memories.
She remembered with fondness how she and her father had spent long days talking about military history. About what worked and what didn't in wars from Earth's past. About how seemingly certain defeat was somehow turned into victory by great military minds.
Jamie's father was a war historian, heart and soul, and somewhere along the line, even though she hadn't followed her father's career choice, she'd become one too.
I hope what I need to do is the same as what my father did during those inspections.
Jamie was worried she might do something to offend these proud warriors as she walked down the stairs and over to the leader of the Royal Guard.
When Jamie stopped a few feet in front of Captain Gerg, he stiffened and brought his left arm across his chest, his hand clenched into a fist in salute.
“Thank you, Captain,” she said, not sure if she was meant to return the gesture.
“Your Guard is assembled and ready for royal review,” the captain said proudly.
“After you,” Jamie said as she gestured for the captain to lead the way.
Although Jamie's approach had been informal, she knew this was how her father would have conducted the review, just without the informality. Not knowing if or by how much things in this world were different, Jamie decided to remain informal and adapt to the situation. If she started snapping off U.S. military salutes and following Earth's formalities, she might confuse more people than intended.
Captain Gerg didn't seem to mind as he led her to the far left of the formations.
The twenty Goblin riders all stood at attention next to their Dire Wolf mounts. The wolves looked like battle-hardened veterans, just like their riders. These wolves were every bit Sentinel's equal in height, but not in level. Not one of the Dire Wolves was lower than Level 35, and it didn't come as a surprise that each of their riders matched them in level.
Leather and plate armor covered some of the wolves' most vulnerable areas, protecting their chests, shoulders, and flanks without restricting their movement. Heavy leather harnesses wrapped around their massive bodies, reinforced with metal fittings and fitted with saddles designed specifically for their Goblin riders.
And what riders they were.
The twenty Woodland Goblins wore a mixture of leather and metal armor to match their mounts in design, with reinforced breastplates, shoulder guards, and heavy boots. Each carried a bow and quiver, along with at least one shorter weapon for close combat. Dark green and brown cloaks hung from their shoulders, allowing them to blend into the forest when needed.
But as impressive as the riders were, Jamie found herself drawn to their mounts.
The Dire Wolves were enormous.
Even standing on all fours, their shoulders rose nearly as high as Jamie's chest, and their massive heads were large enough that she suspected one could fit most of her own head between their jaws.
Not a particularly comforting thought.
Their thick coats ranged from dark charcoal and black to lighter shades of gray, with several bearing scars across their muzzles and shoulders. Their eyes followed Jamie as she approached, alert and intelligent, although none moved from their assigned positions.
That alone was impressive.
Jamie knew firsthand how powerful a Dire Wolf could be. She'd seen Sentinel fight, and she'd watched what those massive jaws and claws could do to an enemy.
Now she was looking at twenty of them.
Twenty fully grown Dire Wolves, each at least Level 35, standing beside riders who were every bit their equals.
And unlike Sentinel, these wolves had clearly spent years training to fight with someone on their backs.
Jamie studied the equipment more closely.
The saddles sat low against the wolves' backs, secured by broad leather straps that allowed their riders to lean forward and remain close to their mounts during a charge. There were no bulky decorations or unnecessary pieces of armor to interfere with the wolves' legs or shoulders.
And unlike a horse, none of these wolves had reins to guide them in the direction their riders needed them to go.
Jamie understood why.
Dire Wolves weren't mounts simply for the sake of helping Goblins get around. They were every bit the warriors their riders were. No one needed to steer them in the direction they were supposed to go.
Everything appeared to have been designed with one purpose in mind.
Combat.
The extra quivers of arrows secured to either side of the wolves' hindquarters proved that.
A mounted Goblin could fire arrows as the wolf closed the distance, while the wolf remained free to attack anything that came too close. Jamie suspected the real danger of the Goblin Riders lay in their melee combat. The wolf was hardly going to stand there waiting for its rider to finish the job.
Those jaws could crush bone. Those claws could tear through armor.
And with a skilled rider providing support from above, Jamie could only imagine how dangerous the pair would be working together.
They weren't cavalry in the traditional sense.
They were two combatants sharing the same battlefield space, coordinating their attacks as a single fighting unit.
Jamie had seen mounted troops before, at least in photographs, films, and historical accounts from Earth. Her father had taught her plenty about cavalry tactics, from the horse archers of the Mongol Empire to the armored knights of medieval Europe.
But none of those horses had been capable of turning around and eating the enemy.
Jamie had to admit, that was a rather significant advantage.
She stopped beside the nearest pair.
The Goblin rider stood perfectly still, his bow secured across his back. Beside him, an enormous charcoal-gray Dire Wolf regarded Jamie with bright amber eyes.
“Morning,” Jamie said.
The rider snapped a fist across his chest.
“Your Highness! Honor in service!”
“This is Lieutenant Merk, leader of your Goblin Rider guard and my second-in-command. And this is his Dire Wolf, Lionel,” Captain Gerg said, introducing the pair.
“Lionel?” Jamie asked.
“Yes. He's been my packmate for nearly fifteen years. We do everything together,” Merk said. “The Goblin Riders are sworn to the protection of the Royal line and the Forest.”
“We will not fail you,” Merk said, saluting just as Captain Gerg had.
“Thank you,” Jamie said before following the captain to the next group.
“The riders will be bringing up the rear of the column, directly behind the noncombatants and supply wagons,” the captain explained as they walked.
Captain Gerg then stopped in front of the largest group of Royal Guards.
The fifty Goblins all carried either a sword and shield or spear and shield.
Unlike the Goblin Riders, whose equipment had been designed around speed and mobility, these soldiers wore considerably heavier armor. Steel breastplates protected their torsos, while overlapping plates covered their shoulders, forearms, and legs. Beneath the armor, dark leather and thick padded clothing provided additional protection without restricting their movements.
Their shields were particularly impressive.
Every shield bore the royal crest of the Great Tree, its design worked into the metal or painted across the surface. The sword-bearing guards carried broad, sturdy blades that looked as though they could deliver a devastating blow, while the spearmen held long weapons with wickedly sharp points.
And there wasn't a single weapon Jamie could see that looked ornamental. These were weapons meant to be used.
Jamie also noticed that the formation contained a fair number of women. Some were taller than the men standing beside them, while others were considerably shorter, but all wore the same armor and carried the same weapons.
There was nothing delicate about any of them.
Several bore scars across their faces or exposed arms, and more than a few had the kind of weathered appearance Jamie associated with soldiers who had spent a great deal of time in the field.
But it was their discipline that impressed her most. Where the Riders were built for mobility, these Guards were built to be a wall.
“This is Sergeant Aira. She will be seeing to the security of your residence in the Elven capital,” Captain Gerg said.
“Honor in service,” she called out as she too saluted.
Jamie repeated the phrase back to the enthusiastic Sergeant. She'd come to understand that this was both a pledge and a philosophy held dear by the Royal Guards.
The last group of guards was also the smallest.
Ten Sprite Warriors stood at attention, eyes forward. None of them had their weapons in hand, but instead wore them on their left hips.
“This is Flight Leader Nyissa. She will be in charge of the Sprite Aerial Scouts,” Captain Gerg said.
Jamie pointed to the weapons on her hip. “What are those?” Jamie asked.
“It's my Twinfang spear, Princess Jamie,” Nyissa said at once.
“Those are spears? They don't look long enough to be used as spears,” Jamie commented.
The Sergeant and the captain both shared a look.
“Yes, Flight Leader, we have a few minutes. Show her what it can do,” the captain said. “Just be quick about it. I want to be on the road in the next thirty minutes.”
“Of course, Captain.”
Flight Leader Nyissa stepped away from the formation, giving herself several feet of open space. She drew the two short weapons from her hips, holding one in each hand.
Jamie leaned forward slightly.
They looked more like short swords with unusually long handles than anything she would have called a spear. Each had a narrow, leaf-shaped blade at one end, while the opposite end appeared to be fitted with some kind of metal connector.
Nyissa gave both weapons a quick spin, testing their balance.
Then she moved.
The Sprite stepped forward, thrusting with her right-hand weapon before bringing the left around in a sweeping slash. She reversed direction almost immediately, crossing the two blades in front of her as though blocking an incoming attack.
Another step brought her forward again, this time with a rapid series of alternating thrusts.
Jamie watched the blades flash through the air.
Nyissa wasn't simply swinging two weapons independently. Each movement seemed to lead naturally into the next, one blade protecting her while the other attacked.
Then the Sprite spread her wings.
With a powerful beat, Nyissa launched herself several feet into the air, twisting sideways as she brought both weapons around in a crossing strike. She rolled backward, wings flaring to arrest her movement, and dropped lightly to the ground.
Jamie didn't dare blink as she watched. “Okay. That's impressive.”
Nyissa smiled faintly before bringing the two weapons together.
With a quick twist, she locked their handles into place.
A metallic click sounded across the courtyard.
And suddenly, the two short weapons had become a single five-foot spear, with a blade at either end.
“Oh!” Jamie exclaimed.
Nyissa shifted her grip to the center of the weapon.
She began with a straightforward thrust, this time adding a bit of wind magic to the attack, thrusting the spear toward an imaginary opponent before drawing it back and rotating it across her body.
The opposite blade swept forward in a wide arc. Wind magic followed in its wake, effectively extending the weapon's lethality by several feet.
Without stopping, she reversed her grip and drove the other end forward, following it with a low sweeping strike that would have caught an opponent across the legs.
The spear moved so quickly that Jamie had trouble following which end was attacking.
Nyissa took two running steps and leaped into the air again.
This time, she held the spear horizontally as she rose, then twisted her body and drove one point downward in a vicious thrust.
Her wings snapped open, stopping her descent just short of the courtyard stones.
She hovered there for a moment before spinning the spear behind her back and bringing it around into a defensive position.
Then, with another twist of her wrists, the weapon separated into two halves.
Nyissa immediately launched into another series of attacks, alternating between the two blades as she descended.
She landed in a crouch, both weapons extended to either side.
For a moment, Jamie stood there speechless.
Finally able to tear her eyes away, Jamie turned her head to look at Captain Gerg.
“You sure we shouldn't bring more Sprite Warriors with us?” she asked.
“Yeah, about that…” The captain scratched his left cheek, looking a bit frustrated at what he had to say next.
“Elves aren't fans of Sprite Warriors, not when they're not slaves, anyway. They still remember the war of 789 A.F. Let's just say that war didn't go so well for the Elves, thanks to the Sprites.”
“In all honesty, I was shocked they agreed to let us bring any at all into the Elven capital,” Gerg added.
“Well, that sucks,” Jamie said. “You need to promise me you'll tell me everything you know about that war when we get a chance.”
Jamie was about to move on to where her pack was when the captain stopped her suddenly.
“Sorry Princess, but there is one more unit awaiting your review.”
“Oh?” Jamie looked around confused.
That was when Jamie heard a feminine voice clear her throat.
“Hello your Royalness,” the voice said. Jamie’s head turned to the right to see a very tiny figure hovering in place at eye level.
“Name’s Vixen, and if you need things delt with I’m the Pixie for the Job,” Vixen said as she pointed her thumb to her chest.
“Oh, hello,” Jamie said.
Jamie cast Analyze.
STATUS SCREENName: VixenRace: PixieSex: FemaleLv.: 40Class: Kinetic TitanAffinity Types: Kinetic (Primary), Wind (Secondary)Weapon Focus: Unarmed
TITLES:
Spirit Royal Guard (+5 Willpower)
Carnage Made Form (+10 Agility)
Devastator (+5 Strength)
ATTRIBUTES• Strength: 59• Agility: 100• Constitution: 22• Stamina: 26• Intelligence: 12• Willpower: 19• Charisma: 12• Spirit: 16
ABILITIES (Slots Used: 10 / 10)
Kinetic Titan Physiology (Passive — Core) — Lv. 1 — Converts movement speed directly into damage scaling. Strength and Agility increase kinetic output. Prevents self-damage from extreme velocity and impact. Enables safe interaction with solid matter at catastrophic speeds.
Momentum Engine (Passive) — Lv. 2 — Continuous movement builds kinetic charge, increasing damage, penetration, and impact force. Stacks rapidly while airborne. Charge dissipates if immobilized or forcibly stopped.
Impact Collapse (Kinetic — Active Strike) — Lv. 4 — High-velocity kinetic punch that causes localized implosion at point of impact. Ignores conventional armor and structural reinforcement.
Shockwave Halo (Kinetic — Active Burst) — Lv. 3 — Releases compressed kinetic force around both fists, creating visible kinetic rings. Deals area damage and severe knockback. Scales with current movement speed.
Breach Drive (Kinetic — Active Charge) — Lv. 4 — Extreme forward acceleration into a target. Obliterates barriers, wards, and fortified structures. Leaves destabilizing pressure wake. Commonly used for entry, execution, or message delivery.
Mach Traverse (Passive — Extreme Mobility) — Lv. 2 — Allows acceleration up to Mach 3 in open air. Movement restricted to straight-line vectors only. Turning at Mach speed is impossible. Direction changes require full deceleration. Generates destructive shockwaves along the travel path. Severe stamina and spirit drain with use.
Slipstream Bind (Wind — Active Control) — Lv. 2 — Manipulates airflow around targets to disrupt footing, balance, and weapon control. Can disarm or throw enemies off trajectory. Most effective against slower or grounded foes.
Inertia Guard (Passive — Defense) — Lv. 2 — Converts incoming physical force into reduced damage and rebounds impact back at the attacker. Rebound strength scales with incoming force and pixie speed at impact. Does not reflect spell or elemental damage.
Overclock (Active — Limit Break) — Lv. 2 — Temporarily removes internal kinetic dampeners, massively increasing speed, damage, and reaction time. Causes severe post-use fatigue and system backlash.
Threat Supremacy (Passive — Presence) — Lv. 1 — Enemies hesitate when attempting to track the pixie. Reduces enemy accuracy against the pixie while airborne. Scales with Agility and Spirit. Psychological warfare, not mind control.
Jamie stared at the status screen for several seconds before looking back at the tiny Pixie hovering in front of her.
Vixen stood only seven inches tall, but there was nothing delicate about her appearance. Her short, wild orange hair stuck out in every direction, framing a mischievous face with pointed ears and bright orange eyes. She wore fitted black leather armor that left her shoulders and midriff exposed, along with armored shorts, heavy gauntlets, and knee-high boots. Four translucent, veined wings extended from her back, their delicate appearance contrasting sharply with the rest of her equipment.
Jamie glanced at the oversized armored gauntlets, then back at Vixen's smiling face.
“Kinetic Titan?”
“Yup. You need things destroyed, I’m your gal!”
Vixen hovered closer so that no one else could hear what she said next, whispering into Jamie’s ear.
“And for just a few coffee beans, I can make people go away, no questions asked,” she said, then winked conspiratorially after flying back in front of Jamie’s face.
“Huh, yeah. I’ll let you know if I need anything like that done in the future, I guess,” Jamie said.
“Sure thing, Princess, just let me know, day or night.”
“Remember, no questions asked,” Vixen said again.
“Okay then. Moving on. I’m going to go over there and pretend like this conversation never happened,” Jamie said and pointed to her pack.
“See? I knew it. They told me you were a pain to deal with, but I said to myself, Vixen, that girl looks like she’s got her priorities in order. And just look, I was right.”
They?
“Well, like I said, need to go, but really great to meet you. And looking forward to working with you,” Jamie said.
“That’s smart, Your Royalness. Just pretend like this conversation never happened,” Vixen said with a wide grin on her tiny face.
Walking with Captain Gerg, Jamie turned to look at him.
“So that’s one of the Pixies that can destroy entire cities single-handedly?”
“Yes.”
“But she’s so tiny.”
“Trust me, you don’t want a Kinetic Titan any bigger than they already are,” the captain said with genuine trepidation in his voice.
“And there are five more just like her?” Jamie asked.
“Twelve actually, but only six will be working with us,” the captain corrected.
“Do we need to be worried about them?” Jamie asked.
“Only if someone makes the grave mistake of letting them eat too many coffee beans,” the captain said.
“I’ll try and remember that,” Jamie said.
Not long after, Jamie was mounted on Sentinel. Her divided riding skirt was an odd thing. Not quite pants, but also not really a skirt.
Jamie wasn't sure, but she kinda liked it. It felt like overly comfy pajamas, but at a glance, it still looked like a skirt. Sentinel seemed to take to the saddle without complaint.
I hope I'm not too much of a burden, Jamie sent to him.
Wolves didn't smile, as far as Jamie knew. Not with facial expressions, anyway, but they sure did with their sendings.
Someone had made a basket that was attached to Sentinel's left hindquarter so he could also carry Hope with him. And where Hope went, Ember hovered over her. She didn't ride in the basket with Hope but instead sat on Sentinel's back just behind Jamie.
He was literally carrying his pack on his back. Yeah, the joke landed for Jamie too.
What’s wrong with you? Ember sent.
Pixies.
Oh, that makes sense, Ember sent.
Jamie looked over at the Kitsune to see if she would qualify that statement with a reason for saying it, but Ember never did.
Right.
Jamie patted Sentinel on his head. What a strong Alpha, she sent, trying her best to forget the conversation she’d just had with Vixen.
But for real, was Vixen playing with Jamie, or was she being serious?
Jamie decided she really didn't want to know. Instead, she turned her attention to Adelaide, who would be riding at the front of the column right beside her.
Jamie stole another glance at the thing Adelaide rode as a mount. This thing had been living in her head rent-free ever since Jamie first saw it.
This was not okay.
Otters were meant to be cute little things that played in the water all day and ate fish. Okay, sure, he had that same cute face you would expect to see on an otter, but that was where the similarities ended. The thing was huge, like African lion huge. And with that powerful body, massive jaws, and those claws, Jamie suspected he was every bit as dangerous as one.
Jamie had seen a video once where an African lion took down a zebra, sinking its teeth into the animal's throat. Jamie had zero doubt this thing could do the same to anything it wanted to with that giant mouth. And those teeth… His fangs had to be five or six inches long and reminded Jamie more of a saber-toothed tiger than the cute little fangs you would expect to find on a river otter.
Let's just say Jamie’s brain was having a hard time processing this. Jasper, the nightmare Riverfang otter, was messing with Jamie's perception of what cute needed to be. That damn face didn't belong on that huge body with those fangs.
As they left the royal estate and started the long trip south, Adelaide caught Jamie checking out Jasper again.
“What's wrong, Princess?”
“Oh, nothing,” Jamie said. “Just wondering if Jasper is a piscivore, or does he also eat red meat?”
“Mostly fish,” Lady Adelaide said casually.
“Mostly?”
Jasper snorted and turned his head in Jamie's direction.
Oh, crap, that thing knows I’m talking about him.
“Don't even think about it. I'm far too cute to be eaten,” Jamie said.
Worried that she might make eye contact one too many times with Jasper and start a who's-the-dominant-predator contest with the super-huge, cute otter thingy, Jamie turned her attention to the column behind her.
Captain Gerg chose to walk with his dismounted troops. He'd explained it as a necessity so he'd know the level of fatigue his men were experiencing at all times.
Even though there were only about one hundred people in this caravan, it looked impressive. Still looking back at the people who had chosen to follow Jamie south, she took a moment to admire their loyalty. She just hoped she proved worthy of it.
At the back, Jamie caught sight of Tovin riding in one of the supply wagons. He looked miserable, so Jamie smiled and waved at him.
Tovin awkwardly waved back, as if he wasn't sure if he should be acting so familiar with a princess.
Nope, that doesn't work for me.
Jamie's expression turned stern, letting him know to knock that off.
Jamie knew the Pathfinder got the hint when he simply nodded in apology.
Better.
As they rode south, Jamie started to notice more and more people stopping to watch them pass by.
When they turned the corner onto Heartwood Grove, the same street Jamie had traveled when she'd left Glenhaven for her leveling expedition, she was shocked to see so many people standing along the sides of the road.
This wasn't business as usual. The people of Glenhaven were here to see them off.
“Princess!”
Jamie turned toward the Sprite who had called to her.
“Morning!”
The Sprite waved, and Jamie waved back.
A few doors farther down, a Sprite hovering outside an open window called out a greeting. Two Fairies carrying a basket between them stopped to watch the procession, their wings buzzing as they hovered above the street.
Jamie smiled and waved to them as well.
A woman stepped out of a bakery, wiping flour from her hands as she watched the soldiers pass. A group of Woodland Goblin children abandoned whatever game they'd been playing and hurried toward the road.
Someone called out that the princess was leaving. Another voice answered that she was going to the Elven Kingdom.
And then Jamie heard someone mention the Affinity Magic Academy.
More and more people began emerging from buildings farther down the street. Shopkeepers left their counters, customers stepped outside, and residents appeared at upstairs windows to see what was happening.
Within minutes, what had started as an ordinary departure was becoming something else entirely.
“Good luck, Princess!”
“Safe travels!”
“May Nia watch over you!”
Jamie waved toward the voices, trying to acknowledge everyone.
Not all of the attention was for her. Jamie saw children run over to many of the Royal Guards and hand them freshly picked bouquets of wildflowers. It was like something right out of an old World War II video, where the grateful residents of a newly liberated European town wanted to show their appreciation for everything the soldiers had done.
A small group of Fairies flew overhead, calling out encouragement. Several Sprites joined them, darting between the buildings before settling on a rooftop to watch the procession.
Woodland Goblins stood shoulder to shoulder with Kitsune and Dryads along the roadside. Children waved enthusiastically, some standing on their parents' shoulders to get a better view.
And still more people came.
Jamie glanced toward Adelaide. “Did someone arrange all this?”
Adelaide looked just as surprised. “Not that I'm aware of, Princess.”
By the time they had reached the south gate, Jamie guessed she and her people had collected just about every flower that had been growing in the surrounding area.
It was both heartwarming and scary.
She thought about the first time she'd arrived here.
She'd been frightened and uncertain, still trying to understand what had happened to her and why she'd been brought into this strange world.
She'd had Ember with her back then, but beyond that, she'd known almost nothing about the people waiting to welcome her.
How could a place she'd never visited before possibly be her home?
But things had changed.
She thought about Quila and the other maids, who somehow managed to make every day at the manor feel a little less overwhelming. About the Fairies who seemed to appear whenever they were needed, often before Jamie even realized she needed anything.
She thought about the Royal Guard and the people she'd met while exploring Glenhaven.
About Adelaide and Tovin, who had become friends rather than simply members of her traveling party.
And about Ember. Her first friend in this world.
Things between them weren't entirely back to normal, and Jamie knew there were still things they needed to work through.
But Ember was here. So were Sentinel and Hope. Her pack.
She looked back toward the city one last time as the last of them cleared the gate.
It hadn't been very long since she'd first arrived in Glenhaven. Barely enough time to learn her way around, much less understand everything about the people who lived here.
And yet, somewhere along the way, the place had become important to her. More important than she'd realized.
She thought about the people who had lined the streets to see her off only a short time ago. The guards who were accompanying her south. The maids who would be waiting when she returned.
These people had given her a home.
Jamie turned her attention toward the road ahead.
There was an entire world waiting beyond the Great Dryad Forest. A world filled with people she hadn't met, places she'd never seen, and dangers she could barely imagine. She still had so much to learn.
But she wasn't leaving Glenhaven because she wanted to get away from it. She was leaving because she wanted to help protect everything it represented.
Jamie glanced back one final time before the road curved and the city vanished from sight.
What wouldn't I do to protect what I love?