Chapter 456
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Chapter 456
Mister Rustram, command of the camp is yours.
Despite the bosss confident smile and a reassuring pat on the back, Rustrams stomach twisted into knots at the thought of holding sole command. Warily keeping an eye on the bosss cantankerous, snarling quin, Rustram leaned over the collection of gourds strapped to the quins saddlebags and whispered, Boss, is this really the best idea? Theres still the matter of Wraiths and Demons aiming to take your head, not to mention your other enemies lurking about. Im sure the Major is more than up to commanding the cavalry while you remain here in camp.
He wasnt just saying this to avoid the heavy responsibility of command. Since their less than victorious return to the front lines, public opinion had heavily shifted against Falling Rain and the Bekhai. At times, it felt like every soldier outside their immediate allies eyed the bosss camp with distrust and disdain, and Rustram worried there were countless assassins lurking in and around Sinuji just waiting to take Falling Rains head. With an organized army of Defiled almost upon Sinuji, the next few hours were bound to be stressful and chaotic, which would be the perfect opportunity for a savvy opponent to fake a Defiled attack or falsify troop orders and send the boss headlong into danger. Better if he remained in camp where Military law and thousands of eyewitnesses could keep him safe, but he insisted on leading the cavalry and chariots in spite of the risks, no doubt eager to get stuck into battle as soon as possible instead of standing behind spiked pits and earthen barricades.
As if to confirm Rustrams suspicions, the bosss smile widened and he replied, I dont need to go, but I sure as hell want to. Dont worry, we wont be far, just outside the defences where well have room to maneuver. Ill be safe as anyone else in camp, so long as Colonel Hongji knows enough not to send his cavalry in for an unsupported charge. Winking as if hed just told a great joke, the boss patted his monstrous quin and said, Come on Zabu, time to earn our keep.
And then he rode off with his cattle, horse, and quin-mounted warriors, leaving Rustram in sole command of half the retinue and more.
Stifling a sigh, he turned his gaze to the soldiers under his charge and put his mind on how to best arrange them, a task made difficult considering he wasnt sure where Colonel Hongji would place him in battle. While a smattering of Senior Captains commanded balanced, thousand-man retinues, most officers present were merely Captains leading hundred-man units, which gave rise to many... unique compositions of soldiers. Most officers strove for some semblance of diversity and commanded a varied unit of light and heavy infantry and/or cavalry, but most brought a mishmash of soldiers and armed them with whatever was available. For example, Zians retinue was comprised solely of heavy infantry with polearms aside from the few Experts set to guard him, so he would undoubtedly find himself on the front lines with his retinue. On the other extreme was Wu Gam, whose retinue looked less like professional soldiers and more like a motley crew of brigands sporting an assortment of patchwork armour and a medley of weapons ranging from massive, two-handed sabres to farmers pitchforks and scythes. Adding to the mayhem were the various beasts of war sprinkled among his ranks, with seven cattle, five rams, four boars, two horses, and a single flightless bird making up Wu Gams mounted contingent.
Were it not for the half-foxs repeated refusals to allow the boss into his camp, Rustram suspected Rain would have poached the bird and rams for his menagerie. A cassowary, the boss called it, though Rustram suspected it was closely related to the Terror Birds found back home, a massive, feathered creature with piercing eyes and a flesh-rending beak.
To Rustrams initial horror, he learned that most retinues in Sinuji resembled Wu Gams more than Zians, but after thinking it through, he realized he should have expected as much. Officers flocking to the front lines generally came in one of two varieties: eager young nobles in search of thrill and excitement, or grizzled old veterans who lacked the political influence to avoid this most perilous of postings. Putting it another way, Sinuji was filled with arrogant youths and professional shirkers, and Rustram wasnt sure which group he would rather stand beside.
Not that hed have a choice...
Thankfully, Colonel Hongjis personal command accounted for half the soldiers present in Sinuji, seven-thousand light infantry and five-thousand heavy infantry supported by three-thousand light shock cavalry and scouts. A standard composition for an army from Central, wherein the heavy infantry held the line, the shock cavalry broke the enemy, and the light infantry moved in to clean up the survivors. Optimal for battle against rebels and bandits, but far from ideal for tussling with the Defiled. Luckily, the good Colonel was both able and willing to learn, which in Rustrams experience was a rare combination amongst the ruling elite, so he waited for his orders with a modicum of hope for the battle ahead.
Word in camp was that the Defiled were only hours away, so after arranging the remaining soldiers into what he felt were appropriate battle-groups, Rustram ordered everyone to rest while they could. Though he tried to do the same, his mind refused to quiet down and cease its worrying as he sat on the front steps of the bosss yurt. Everything was going to be fine. Colonel Hongji had left five thousand soldiers under the command of Major Sun Qiang, who Rustram met earlier today when the boss brought him to meet the Major and let their Senders learn each others signatures, whatever that meant. A gruff, soft-spoken man, the Major was of similar age to the Colonel and a career soldier, a steadfast and dependable sort whose presence Rustram found reassuring. Less reassuring was when the Major established the boss as the next in line for command if he should fall, and with the boss out with the cavalry, this left Rustram second in command of Sinujis northern flank. Hopefully, Major Sun Qiang was well protected by the four-thousand light infantry and one thousand heavy infantry hed brought with him. The Imperial Army soldiers were the first line of defence on the northern flank, and the Major would call upon Rustram and the various officers as they were needed. Whats more, the Colonels three thousand light cavalry would be travelling with and fighting alongside the boss, which lessened the chances of Society assassins leaping out of the shadows. Rustram was probably worrying too much as he was wont to do.
...
Should he send a request to Hongji asking to put his archers and crossbows onto the rammed earth walls? Currently, they were lined with light infantry bearing a mixture of polearms and hand-weapons to keep the Defiled from running straight over the walls, but an elevated position for Rustrams ranged contingent would work wonders. Then again, the elevation wouldnt matter much unless they were situated on the forward wall, and he wasnt sure he wanted to commit his people to such a dangerous location. Not that he didnt think they could handle it since Sai Chou and her shabbily dressed woodsmen were amongst the most dangerous elements of the bosss retinue, but with how heavy the fighting was expected to be, even the heavily armoured Death Corps would take substantial casualties if placed there, and the wagons would be elevation enough.
Not that it mattered. Soon, the fields of Sinuji would be filled with Defiled as far as the eye could see, and even Rustram would be hard pressed to miss a shot. Besides, ranged weapons only mattered if they had time enough to use them. Oh how he wished he had more Death Corps soldiers to hold the line, but he would have to make do with the hundred-and-forty or so the boss left behind. Despite their lack of riding skills, the Death Corps insisted on following behind to keep their charge safe, so the boss brought Green Unit out with him, travelling in their cattle-drawn wagons and under Li Songs command. Coincidentally, this meant most, if not all of the Peak Experts were also now absent from the retinue, leaving Rustram less than optimistic about his chances for survival. Targeting Officers and Experts was a textbook opening move for the Defiled, and while theyd successfully seen off three separate Wraith attacks in the last eight days, that was with help from Argat, Lei Gong, OuYang Yuhuan, and three mysterious Experts Rain maddeningly refused to tell him about, all of whom were now absent.
At least Ravil and Siyar were still around, though they were a far cry from Argats reassuring presence. It wasnt that Mentor didnt think him valuable enough to assign him any protectors, but shed scoffed at the idea when he brought it up. How are you to grow as a warrior if coddled all the time? She had asked, poking him firmly in the chest. Trials and tribulations mean nothing if experienced without risk. Return alive, that is all I shall demand of you.
A hard woman, Rustrams Mentor, tough enough to chew nails and spit fire despite her frail physical condition. From the stories the Khishigs told, it wouldnt surprise him to see her kill a Demon without moving from her chair, the Mountain Rose of the Bekhai who wielded a Piercing Star from the Heavens and brought death to her targets from a thousand paces.
Brimming with nervous energy, Rustram fought the urge to get up and move about because he would soon need every scrap of stamina he could bring to bear. Waiting was always the hardest part of soldiering, because fighting was easy enough. In battle, it was kill or be killed, but the greatest enemy one faced while waiting was yourself. Dont overwork, overeat, over-drink, or overthink, all seemingly simple enough tasks, but it left nothing to do except wait and think. Rustram sat and thought about the various ways the battle could go wrong and all the terrible possibilities to come, before moving on to all the friends hed lost and the ones he might lose in days to come, the people hed left behind and ones he had yet to meet.
The horns sounded twice to signal Defiled were in sight, and Rustram shot to his feet and looked west as the sea of grass rustling with motion. Minutes passed in silence before the first Defiled finally came into view, far behind the leading figures as they trampled the grass in their passing. Rustram could almost make out their leather head-wraps and mottled-grey skin, though they still had a handful of kilometres to cross before they arrived at Sinuji proper. Soon, more figures revealed themselves as Defiled riders entered the scene, mounted atop horrific creatures of beak and tusks. More and more Defiled arrived, blanketing the plains in movement as they approached with ill intent. The Defiled vanguard stopped over a kilometre away, nestled in the untrampled grass and well out of bow and catapult range. Behind them, the Enemy forces continued trickling in by the thousands, slowly spreading out in a semi-circle around Sinuji like the jaws of a predator ready to devour its prey in a single bite.
The scouts had estimated the force at three-hundred thousand strong, a good match against Sinujis paltry twenty-nine thousand. This clash marked the first major conflict between Imperial and Defiled forces since the fall of the Western province, and though they were outnumbered by ten-to-one, such odds were typical in battles against the Enemy. That said, knowing this didnt make it easier to accept the horde growing before Rustrams eyes. Three-hundred thousand was not a considerable force in the eyes of the Empire, but it was the largest force Rustram had ever seen. In Sanshu, Butcher Bay had numbered just over twenty-thousand strong, perhaps thirty thousand once you added in the Defiled irregulars they picked up during their march to the city and the traitor guards under Mao Jianghong, but now there were ten times that number of Defiled settling in on the plains of Sinuji.
Mother in Heaven, they even had an armoured contingent reminiscent of Yo Lings Butchers, sporting the bulky brigandine suits favoured by the West and standing at full attention beneath the scorching noon sun. In a moment of horrified clarity, Rustram realized that these disciplined Defiled were undoubtedly the surviving warriors of the west, city guards and dedicated soldiers infected by the Fathers taint and turned against their former comrades. Would this be his fate if captured? To take up arms against the people of the Empire and devote himself to wholesale slaughter?
No, better to die a free man than succumb to the Fathers whispered lies.
A glimmer of steel flashed before Rustrams eyes and he followed it to find a dagger embedded in the throat of a dying Wraith, its pale face etched with surprise as it flopped to the ground. Rapier in hand, Rustram shouted, Wraiths in camp! Sound the alarm! Placing himself back-to-back with Sai Chou, he watched Ravil cleave a wraith from shoulder to hip while Bulat sank his axe into another Wraiths face and almost lost his hand in the process. Isolated and alone, Silvas eyes darted left and right, unaware of the shadows slinking up behind him, but before Rustram could shout a warning, Siyar appeared out of nowhere and lopped off the Wraiths head.
The scraping of boots alerted him to danger from above and he shoved Sai Chou away. Raising his rapier to attack, he performed an awkward Deer Parts the Underbrush, and his quick thinking was rewarded with two metallic clangs, smashing two poisoned weapons aside even as his sword scythed through the descending Wraiths neck. Blood and viscera rained down on Rustram mere moments before the corpse smashed against his chest, driving the breath from his lungs and the strength from his feet. Woozy and lightheaded, he found himself staring at the sky with aching lungs and a massive headache while Sai Chou chuckled from out of sight. Leaning into frame, her hair hung loosely as she shoved the corpse off him and helped him sit up, her eyes still scanning for threats. Thanks fer the save, she said, none too gently hoisting him to his feet. Mother in Heaven she was strong. You good?
Yea. Yes. I am fine.
Spitting a few times to clear the taste of blood from his mouth, turned around to face her but she hissed in reproach. We aint clear of danger yet, merchant boy. Watch my back and Ill watch yers. A dainty grunt, followed by the hiss of steel told Rustram she did in fact have more than one dagger, a thought which worried him to no end. The woman was intimidating enough without knowing she had multiple weapons hidden about her person. Ravil could make it look like he pulled blades out of thin air, and if Sai Chou could do the same, then she was far more dangerous than she let on. It took a certain type of mindset to master a skill like hiding weapons about ones body, an almost irrational paranoia and overwhelming blood-thirst which normal, well-adjusted people could never achieve. Even if she were the most beautiful woman in the world, Rustram would be insane to court her.
Then again... she was easy on the eyes and fun to chat with, plus he found her twisted sense of humour rather charming...
A deafening shout rose out from the gathered Defiled army, and there was no time left for watching for Wraiths or pondering romantic notions. Wiping the blood from his face, he barked orders as the ground shook beneath the Defiled charge, readying his soldiers to lend aid if the Enemy should break through. Falling in line around him with three other Death Corps, Red One saluted and Sent, Major Sun Qiang has fallen. Command of the Northern flank is yours, Mister Rustram. Your soldiers await you on the front lines.
Oh no. No, no, no...
Sounding much calmer than he had any right to be, Rustram picked up the pace and said, Inform them I am on my way over and they are to hold the line until further notice. Red Unit, Wang Baos irregulars, and the Protectorate will escort me there. They wouldnt get in the way, and best to put those bows and crossbows to work as soon as possible, for every soldier in Sinuji would need to kill ten Defiled a piece in order for the battle to be won. There was also the minor issue regarding the many Demons he could just make out lurking in the distance, including the overgrown, waterlogged abomination responsible for the retinues early return from patrol. Worst of all, morale would be an issue if Sun Qiang was seen dead or injured, and no career soldier would be pleased to take orders from a no-name foreigner grunt leading a bunch of bow-wielding peasants.
As if sensing his thoughts, Sai Chou Sent, Straighten up, merchant boy. Yer taller than you think. Aint gonna be no drowning today.
For some odd reason, her reassurance untwisted his belly and bolstered his courage. Head raised high, he gave her a grateful nod before handing command over to Bulat and heading for the front, where the Defiled would soon arrive to carry out wholesale slaughter. The time for fear and self-loathing was over. Thousands of lives were at stake here, and if he didnt step up, then they would fall where they stood. Besides, there wasnt much hed need to do, the Colonel would soon hear of their plight and...
Oh Mother in Heaven... if Hongji and a few others fell too, then Rustram would be left in sole command of all of Sinuji, something no one would ever want to see.
No one.
Chapter Meme
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Chapter 456
Mister Rustram, command of the camp is yours.
Despite the bosss confident smile and a reassuring pat on the back, Rustrams stomach twisted into knots at the thought of holding sole command. Warily keeping an eye on the bosss cantankerous, snarling quin, Rustram leaned over the collection of gourds strapped to the quins saddlebags and whispered, Boss, is this really the best idea? Theres still the matter of Wraiths and Demons aiming to take your head, not to mention your other enemies lurking about. Im sure the Major is more than up to commanding the cavalry while you remain here in camp.
He wasnt just saying this to avoid the heavy responsibility of command. Since their less than victorious return to the front lines, public opinion had heavily shifted against Falling Rain and the Bekhai. At times, it felt like every soldier outside their immediate allies eyed the bosss camp with distrust and disdain, and Rustram worried there were countless assassins lurking in and around Sinuji just waiting to take Falling Rains head. With an organized army of Defiled almost upon Sinuji, the next few hours were bound to be stressful and chaotic, which would be the perfect opportunity for a savvy opponent to fake a Defiled attack or falsify troop orders and send the boss headlong into danger. Better if he remained in camp where Military law and thousands of eyewitnesses could keep him safe, but he insisted on leading the cavalry and chariots in spite of the risks, no doubt eager to get stuck into battle as soon as possible instead of standing behind spiked pits and earthen barricades.
As if to confirm Rustrams suspicions, the bosss smile widened and he replied, I dont need to go, but I sure as hell want to. Dont worry, we wont be far, just outside the defences where well have room to maneuver. Ill be safe as anyone else in camp, so long as Colonel Hongji knows enough not to send his cavalry in for an unsupported charge. Winking as if hed just told a great joke, the boss patted his monstrous quin and said, Come on Zabu, time to earn our keep.
And then he rode off with his cattle, horse, and quin-mounted warriors, leaving Rustram in sole command of half the retinue and more.
Stifling a sigh, he turned his gaze to the soldiers under his charge and put his mind on how to best arrange them, a task made difficult considering he wasnt sure where Colonel Hongji would place him in battle. While a smattering of Senior Captains commanded balanced, thousand-man retinues, most officers present were merely Captains leading hundred-man units, which gave rise to many... unique compositions of soldiers. Most officers strove for some semblance of diversity and commanded a varied unit of light and heavy infantry and/or cavalry, but most brought a mishmash of soldiers and armed them with whatever was available. For example, Zians retinue was comprised solely of heavy infantry with polearms aside from the few Experts set to guard him, so he would undoubtedly find himself on the front lines with his retinue. On the other extreme was Wu Gam, whose retinue looked less like professional soldiers and more like a motley crew of brigands sporting an assortment of patchwork armour and a medley of weapons ranging from massive, two-handed sabres to farmers pitchforks and scythes. Adding to the mayhem were the various beasts of war sprinkled among his ranks, with seven cattle, five rams, four boars, two horses, and a single flightless bird making up Wu Gams mounted contingent.
Were it not for the half-foxs repeated refusals to allow the boss into his camp, Rustram suspected Rain would have poached the bird and rams for his menagerie. A cassowary, the boss called it, though Rustram suspected it was closely related to the Terror Birds found back home, a massive, feathered creature with piercing eyes and a flesh-rending beak.
To Rustrams initial horror, he learned that most retinues in Sinuji resembled Wu Gams more than Zians, but after thinking it through, he realized he should have expected as much. Officers flocking to the front lines generally came in one of two varieties: eager young nobles in search of thrill and excitement, or grizzled old veterans who lacked the political influence to avoid this most perilous of postings. Putting it another way, Sinuji was filled with arrogant youths and professional shirkers, and Rustram wasnt sure which group he would rather stand beside.
Not that hed have a choice...
Thankfully, Colonel Hongjis personal command accounted for half the soldiers present in Sinuji, seven-thousand light infantry and five-thousand heavy infantry supported by three-thousand light shock cavalry and scouts. A standard composition for an army from Central, wherein the heavy infantry held the line, the shock cavalry broke the enemy, and the light infantry moved in to clean up the survivors. Optimal for battle against rebels and bandits, but far from ideal for tussling with the Defiled. Luckily, the good Colonel was both able and willing to learn, which in Rustrams experience was a rare combination amongst the ruling elite, so he waited for his orders with a modicum of hope for the battle ahead.
Word in camp was that the Defiled were only hours away, so after arranging the remaining soldiers into what he felt were appropriate battle-groups, Rustram ordered everyone to rest while they could. Though he tried to do the same, his mind refused to quiet down and cease its worrying as he sat on the front steps of the bosss yurt. Everything was going to be fine. Colonel Hongji had left five thousand soldiers under the command of Major Sun Qiang, who Rustram met earlier today when the boss brought him to meet the Major and let their Senders learn each others signatures, whatever that meant. A gruff, soft-spoken man, the Major was of similar age to the Colonel and a career soldier, a steadfast and dependable sort whose presence Rustram found reassuring. Less reassuring was when the Major established the boss as the next in line for command if he should fall, and with the boss out with the cavalry, this left Rustram second in command of Sinujis northern flank. Hopefully, Major Sun Qiang was well protected by the four-thousand light infantry and one thousand heavy infantry hed brought with him. The Imperial Army soldiers were the first line of defence on the northern flank, and the Major would call upon Rustram and the various officers as they were needed. Whats more, the Colonels three thousand light cavalry would be travelling with and fighting alongside the boss, which lessened the chances of Society assassins leaping out of the shadows. Rustram was probably worrying too much as he was wont to do.
...
Should he send a request to Hongji asking to put his archers and crossbows onto the rammed earth walls? Currently, they were lined with light infantry bearing a mixture of polearms and hand-weapons to keep the Defiled from running straight over the walls, but an elevated position for Rustrams ranged contingent would work wonders. Then again, the elevation wouldnt matter much unless they were situated on the forward wall, and he wasnt sure he wanted to commit his people to such a dangerous location. Not that he didnt think they could handle it since Sai Chou and her shabbily dressed woodsmen were amongst the most dangerous elements of the bosss retinue, but with how heavy the fighting was expected to be, even the heavily armoured Death Corps would take substantial casualties if placed there, and the wagons would be elevation enough.
Not that it mattered. Soon, the fields of Sinuji would be filled with Defiled as far as the eye could see, and even Rustram would be hard pressed to miss a shot. Besides, ranged weapons only mattered if they had time enough to use them. Oh how he wished he had more Death Corps soldiers to hold the line, but he would have to make do with the hundred-and-forty or so the boss left behind. Despite their lack of riding skills, the Death Corps insisted on following behind to keep their charge safe, so the boss brought Green Unit out with him, travelling in their cattle-drawn wagons and under Li Songs command. Coincidentally, this meant most, if not all of the Peak Experts were also now absent from the retinue, leaving Rustram less than optimistic about his chances for survival. Targeting Officers and Experts was a textbook opening move for the Defiled, and while theyd successfully seen off three separate Wraith attacks in the last eight days, that was with help from Argat, Lei Gong, OuYang Yuhuan, and three mysterious Experts Rain maddeningly refused to tell him about, all of whom were now absent.
At least Ravil and Siyar were still around, though they were a far cry from Argats reassuring presence. It wasnt that Mentor didnt think him valuable enough to assign him any protectors, but shed scoffed at the idea when he brought it up. How are you to grow as a warrior if coddled all the time? She had asked, poking him firmly in the chest. Trials and tribulations mean nothing if experienced without risk. Return alive, that is all I shall demand of you.
A hard woman, Rustrams Mentor, tough enough to chew nails and spit fire despite her frail physical condition. From the stories the Khishigs told, it wouldnt surprise him to see her kill a Demon without moving from her chair, the Mountain Rose of the Bekhai who wielded a Piercing Star from the Heavens and brought death to her targets from a thousand paces.
Brimming with nervous energy, Rustram fought the urge to get up and move about because he would soon need every scrap of stamina he could bring to bear. Waiting was always the hardest part of soldiering, because fighting was easy enough. In battle, it was kill or be killed, but the greatest enemy one faced while waiting was yourself. Dont overwork, overeat, over-drink, or overthink, all seemingly simple enough tasks, but it left nothing to do except wait and think. Rustram sat and thought about the various ways the battle could go wrong and all the terrible possibilities to come, before moving on to all the friends hed lost and the ones he might lose in days to come, the people hed left behind and ones he had yet to meet.
The horns sounded twice to signal Defiled were in sight, and Rustram shot to his feet and looked west as the sea of grass rustling with motion. Minutes passed in silence before the first Defiled finally came into view, far behind the leading figures as they trampled the grass in their passing. Rustram could almost make out their leather head-wraps and mottled-grey skin, though they still had a handful of kilometres to cross before they arrived at Sinuji proper. Soon, more figures revealed themselves as Defiled riders entered the scene, mounted atop horrific creatures of beak and tusks. More and more Defiled arrived, blanketing the plains in movement as they approached with ill intent. The Defiled vanguard stopped over a kilometre away, nestled in the untrampled grass and well out of bow and catapult range. Behind them, the Enemy forces continued trickling in by the thousands, slowly spreading out in a semi-circle around Sinuji like the jaws of a predator ready to devour its prey in a single bite.
The scouts had estimated the force at three-hundred thousand strong, a good match against Sinujis paltry twenty-nine thousand. This clash marked the first major conflict between Imperial and Defiled forces since the fall of the Western province, and though they were outnumbered by ten-to-one, such odds were typical in battles against the Enemy. That said, knowing this didnt make it easier to accept the horde growing before Rustrams eyes. Three-hundred thousand was not a considerable force in the eyes of the Empire, but it was the largest force Rustram had ever seen. In Sanshu, Butcher Bay had numbered just over twenty-thousand strong, perhaps thirty thousand once you added in the Defiled irregulars they picked up during their march to the city and the traitor guards under Mao Jianghong, but now there were ten times that number of Defiled settling in on the plains of Sinuji.
Mother in Heaven, they even had an armoured contingent reminiscent of Yo Lings Butchers, sporting the bulky brigandine suits favoured by the West and standing at full attention beneath the scorching noon sun. In a moment of horrified clarity, Rustram realized that these disciplined Defiled were undoubtedly the surviving warriors of the west, city guards and dedicated soldiers infected by the Fathers taint and turned against their former comrades. Would this be his fate if captured? To take up arms against the people of the Empire and devote himself to wholesale slaughter?
No, better to die a free man than succumb to the Fathers whispered lies.
A glimmer of steel flashed before Rustrams eyes and he followed it to find a dagger embedded in the throat of a dying Wraith, its pale face etched with surprise as it flopped to the ground. Rapier in hand, Rustram shouted, Wraiths in camp! Sound the alarm! Placing himself back-to-back with Sai Chou, he watched Ravil cleave a wraith from shoulder to hip while Bulat sank his axe into another Wraiths face and almost lost his hand in the process. Isolated and alone, Silvas eyes darted left and right, unaware of the shadows slinking up behind him, but before Rustram could shout a warning, Siyar appeared out of nowhere and lopped off the Wraiths head.
The scraping of boots alerted him to danger from above and he shoved Sai Chou away. Raising his rapier to attack, he performed an awkward Deer Parts the Underbrush, and his quick thinking was rewarded with two metallic clangs, smashing two poisoned weapons aside even as his sword scythed through the descending Wraiths neck. Blood and viscera rained down on Rustram mere moments before the corpse smashed against his chest, driving the breath from his lungs and the strength from his feet. Woozy and lightheaded, he found himself staring at the sky with aching lungs and a massive headache while Sai Chou chuckled from out of sight. Leaning into frame, her hair hung loosely as she shoved the corpse off him and helped him sit up, her eyes still scanning for threats. Thanks fer the save, she said, none too gently hoisting him to his feet. Mother in Heaven she was strong. You good?
Yea. Yes. I am fine.
Spitting a few times to clear the taste of blood from his mouth, turned around to face her but she hissed in reproach. We aint clear of danger yet, merchant boy. Watch my back and Ill watch yers. A dainty grunt, followed by the hiss of steel told Rustram she did in fact have more than one dagger, a thought which worried him to no end. The woman was intimidating enough without knowing she had multiple weapons hidden about her person. Ravil could make it look like he pulled blades out of thin air, and if Sai Chou could do the same, then she was far more dangerous than she let on. It took a certain type of mindset to master a skill like hiding weapons about ones body, an almost irrational paranoia and overwhelming blood-thirst which normal, well-adjusted people could never achieve. Even if she were the most beautiful woman in the world, Rustram would be insane to court her.
Then again... she was easy on the eyes and fun to chat with, plus he found her twisted sense of humour rather charming...
A deafening shout rose out from the gathered Defiled army, and there was no time left for watching for Wraiths or pondering romantic notions. Wiping the blood from his face, he barked orders as the ground shook beneath the Defiled charge, readying his soldiers to lend aid if the Enemy should break through. Falling in line around him with three other Death Corps, Red One saluted and Sent, Major Sun Qiang has fallen. Command of the Northern flank is yours, Mister Rustram. Your soldiers await you on the front lines.
Oh no. No, no, no...
Sounding much calmer than he had any right to be, Rustram picked up the pace and said, Inform them I am on my way over and they are to hold the line until further notice. Red Unit, Wang Baos irregulars, and the Protectorate will escort me there. They wouldnt get in the way, and best to put those bows and crossbows to work as soon as possible, for every soldier in Sinuji would need to kill ten Defiled a piece in order for the battle to be won. There was also the minor issue regarding the many Demons he could just make out lurking in the distance, including the overgrown, waterlogged abomination responsible for the retinues early return from patrol. Worst of all, morale would be an issue if Sun Qiang was seen dead or injured, and no career soldier would be pleased to take orders from a no-name foreigner grunt leading a bunch of bow-wielding peasants.
As if sensing his thoughts, Sai Chou Sent, Straighten up, merchant boy. Yer taller than you think. Aint gonna be no drowning today.
For some odd reason, her reassurance untwisted his belly and bolstered his courage. Head raised high, he gave her a grateful nod before handing command over to Bulat and heading for the front, where the Defiled would soon arrive to carry out wholesale slaughter. The time for fear and self-loathing was over. Thousands of lives were at stake here, and if he didnt step up, then they would fall where they stood. Besides, there wasnt much hed need to do, the Colonel would soon hear of their plight and...
Oh Mother in Heaven... if Hongji and a few others fell too, then Rustram would be left in sole command of all of Sinuji, something no one would ever want to see.
No one.
Chapter Meme
Chapter 456Mister Rustram, command of the camp is yours.Despite the bosss confident smile and a reassuring pat on the back, Rustrams stomach twisted into knots at the thought of holding sole command. Warily keeping an eye on the bosss cantankerous, snarling quin, Rustram leaned over the collection of gourds strapped to the quins saddlebags and whispered, Boss, is this really the best idea? Theres still the matter of Wraiths and Demons aiming to take your head, not to mention your other enemies lurking about. Im sure the Major is more than up to commanding the cavalry while you remain here in camp.He wasnt just saying this to avoid the heavy responsibility of command. Since their less than victorious return to the front lines, public opinion had heavily shifted against Falling Rain and the Bekhai. At times, it felt like every soldier outside their immediate allies eyed the bosss camp with distrust and disdain, and Rustram worried there were countless assassins lurking in and around Sinuji just waiting to take Falling Rains head. With an organized army of Defiled almost upon Sinuji, the next few hours were bound to be stressful and chaotic, which would be the perfect opportunity for a savvy opponent to fake a Defiled attack or falsify troop orders and send the boss headlong into danger. Better if he remained in camp where Military law and thousands of eyewitnesses could keep him safe, but he insisted on leading the cavalry and chariots in spite of the risks, no doubt eager to get stuck into battle as soon as possible instead of standing behind spiked pits and earthen barricades.As if to confirm Rustrams suspicions, the bosss smile widened and he replied, I dont need to go, but I sure as hell want to. Dont worry, we wont be far, just outside the defences where well have room to maneuver. Ill be safe as anyone else in camp, so long as Colonel Hongji knows enough not to send his cavalry in for an unsupported charge. Winking as if hed just told a great joke, the boss patted his monstrous quin and said, Come on Zabu, time to earn our keep.And then he rode off with his cattle, horse, and quin-mounted warriors, leaving Rustram in sole command of half the retinue and more.Stifling a sigh, he turned his gaze to the soldiers under his charge and put his mind on how to best arrange them, a task made difficult considering he wasnt sure where Colonel Hongji would place him in battle. While a smattering of Senior Captains commanded balanced, thousand-man retinues, most officers present were merely Captains leading hundred-man units, which gave rise to many... unique compositions of soldiers. Most officers strove for some semblance of diversity and commanded a varied unit of light and heavy infantry and/or cavalry, but most brought a mishmash of soldiers and armed them with whatever was available. For example, Zians retinue was comprised solely of heavy infantry with polearms aside from the few Experts set to guard him, so he would undoubtedly find himself on the front lines with his retinue. On the other extreme was Wu Gam, whose retinue looked less like professional soldiers and more like a motley crew of brigands sporting an assortment of patchwork armour and a medley of weapons ranging from massive, two-handed sabres to farmers pitchforks and scythes. Adding to the mayhem were the various beasts of war sprinkled among his ranks, with seven cattle, five rams, four boars, two horses, and a single flightless bird making up Wu Gams mounted contingent.Were it not for the half-foxs repeated refusals to allow the boss into his camp, Rustram suspected Rain would have poached the bird and rams for his menagerie. A cassowary, the boss called it, though Rustram suspected it was closely related to the Terror Birds found back home, a massive, feathered creature with piercing eyes and a flesh-rending beak.To Rustrams initial horror, he learned that most retinues in Sinuji resembled Wu Gams more than Zians, but after thinking it through, he realized he should have expected as much. Officers flocking to the front lines generally came in one of two varieties: eager young nobles in search of thrill and excitement, or grizzled old veterans who lacked the political influence to avoid this most perilous of postings. Putting it another way, Sinuji was filled with arrogant youths and professional shirkers, and Rustram wasnt sure which group he would rather stand beside.Not that hed have a choice...Thankfully, Colonel Hongjis personal command accounted for half the soldiers present in Sinuji, seven-thousand light infantry and five-thousand heavy infantry supported by three-thousand light shock cavalry and scouts. A standard composition for an army from Central, wherein the heavy infantry held the line, the shock cavalry broke the enemy, and the light infantry moved in to clean up the survivors. Optimal for battle against rebels and bandits, but far from ideal for tussling with the Defiled. Luckily, the good Colonel was both able and willing to learn, which in Rustrams experience was a rare combination amongst the ruling elite, so he waited for his orders with a modicum of hope for the battle ahead.Word in camp was that the Defiled were only hours away, so after arranging the remaining soldiers into what he felt were appropriate battle-groups, Rustram ordered everyone to rest while they could. Though he tried to do the same, his mind refused to quiet down and cease its worrying as he sat on the front steps of the bosss yurt. Everything was going to be fine. Colonel Hongji had left five thousand soldiers under the command of Major Sun Qiang, who Rustram met earlier today when the boss brought him to meet the Major and let their Senders learn each others signatures, whatever that meant. A gruff, soft-spoken man, the Major was of similar age to the Colonel and a career soldier, a steadfast and dependable sort whose presence Rustram found reassuring. Less reassuring was when the Major established the boss as the next in line for command if he should fall, and with the boss out with the cavalry, this left Rustram second in command of Sinujis northern flank. Hopefully, Major Sun Qiang was well protected by the four-thousand light infantry and one thousand heavy infantry hed brought with him. The Imperial Army soldiers were the first line of defence on the northern flank, and the Major would call upon Rustram and the various officers as they were needed. Whats more, the Colonels three thousand light cavalry would be travelling with and fighting alongside the boss, which lessened the chances of Society assassins leaping out of the shadows. Rustram was probably worrying too much as he was wont to do....Should he send a request to Hongji asking to put his archers and crossbows onto the rammed earth walls? Currently, they were lined with light infantry bearing a mixture of polearms and hand-weapons to keep the Defiled from running straight over the walls, but an elevated position for Rustrams ranged contingent would work wonders. Then again, the elevation wouldnt matter much unless they were situated on the forward wall, and he wasnt sure he wanted to commit his people to such a dangerous location. Not that he didnt think they could handle it since Sai Chou and her shabbily dressed woodsmen were amongst the most dangerous elements of the bosss retinue, but with how heavy the fighting was expected to be, even the heavily armoured Death Corps would take substantial casualties if placed there, and the wagons would be elevation enough.Not that it mattered. Soon, the fields of Sinuji would be filled with Defiled as far as the eye could see, and even Rustram would be hard pressed to miss a shot. Besides, ranged weapons only mattered if they had time enough to use them. Oh how he wished he had more Death Corps soldiers to hold the line, but he would have to make do with the hundred-and-forty or so the boss left behind. Despite their lack of riding skills, the Death Corps insisted on following behind to keep their charge safe, so the boss brought Green Unit out with him, travelling in their cattle-drawn wagons and under Li Songs command. Coincidentally, this meant most, if not all of the Peak Experts were also now absent from the retinue, leaving Rustram less than optimistic about his chances for survival. Targeting Officers and Experts was a textbook opening move for the Defiled, and while theyd successfully seen off three separate Wraith attacks in the last eight days, that was with help from Argat, Lei Gong, OuYang Yuhuan, and three mysterious Experts Rain maddeningly refused to tell him about, all of whom were now absent.At least Ravil and Siyar were still around, though they were a far cry from Argats reassuring presence. It wasnt that Mentor didnt think him valuable enough to assign him any protectors, but shed scoffed at the idea when he brought it up. How are you to grow as a warrior if coddled all the time? She had asked, poking him firmly in the chest. Trials and tribulations mean nothing if experienced without risk. Return alive, that is all I shall demand of you.A hard woman, Rustrams Mentor, tough enough to chew nails and spit fire despite her frail physical condition. From the stories the Khishigs told, it wouldnt surprise him to see her kill a Demon without moving from her chair, the Mountain Rose of the Bekhai who wielded a Piercing Star from the Heavens and brought death to her targets from a thousand paces.Brimming with nervous energy, Rustram fought the urge to get up and move about because he would soon need every scrap of stamina he could bring to bear. Waiting was always the hardest part of soldiering, because fighting was easy enough. In battle, it was kill or be killed, but the greatest enemy one faced while waiting was yourself. Dont overwork, overeat, over-drink, or overthink, all seemingly simple enough tasks, but it left nothing to do except wait and think. Rustram sat and thought about the various ways the battle could go wrong and all the terrible possibilities to come, before moving on to all the friends hed lost and the ones he might lose in days to come, the people hed left behind and ones he had yet to meet.The horns sounded twice to signal Defiled were in sight, and Rustram shot to his feet and looked west as the sea of grass rustling with motion. Minutes passed in silence before the first Defiled finally came into view, far behind the leading figures as they trampled the grass in their passing. Rustram could almost make out their leather head-wraps and mottled-grey skin, though they still had a handful of kilometres to cross before they arrived at Sinuji proper. Soon, more figures revealed themselves as Defiled riders entered the scene, mounted atop horrific creatures of beak and tusks. More and more Defiled arrived, blanketing the plains in movement as they approached with ill intent. The Defiled vanguard stopped over a kilometre away, nestled in the untrampled grass and well out of bow and catapult range. Behind them, the Enemy forces continued trickling in by the thousands, slowly spreading out in a semi-circle around Sinuji like the jaws of a predator ready to devour its prey in a single bite.The scouts had estimated the force at three-hundred thousand strong, a good match against Sinujis paltry twenty-nine thousand. This clash marked the first major conflict between Imperial and Defiled forces since the fall of the Western province, and though they were outnumbered by ten-to-one, such odds were typical in battles against the Enemy. That said, knowing this didnt make it easier to accept the horde growing before Rustrams eyes. Three-hundred thousand was not a considerable force in the eyes of the Empire, but it was the largest force Rustram had ever seen. In Sanshu, Butcher Bay had numbered just over twenty-thousand strong, perhaps thirty thousand once you added in the Defiled irregulars they picked up during their march to the city and the traitor guards under Mao Jianghong, but now there were ten times that number of Defiled settling in on the plains of Sinuji.Mother in Heaven, they even had an armoured contingent reminiscent of Yo Lings Butchers, sporting the bulky brigandine suits favoured by the West and standing at full attention beneath the scorching noon sun. In a moment of horrified clarity, Rustram realized that these disciplined Defiled were undoubtedly the surviving warriors of the west, city guards and dedicated soldiers infected by the Fathers taint and turned against their former comrades. Would this be his fate if captured? To take up arms against the people of the Empire and devote himself to wholesale slaughter?No, better to die a free man than succumb to the Fathers whispered lies.A glimmer of steel flashed before Rustrams eyes and he followed it to find a dagger embedded in the throat of a dying Wraith, its pale face etched with surprise as it flopped to the ground. Rapier in hand, Rustram shouted, Wraiths in camp! Sound the alarm! Placing himself back-to-back with Sai Chou, he watched Ravil cleave a wraith from shoulder to hip while Bulat sank his axe into another Wraiths face and almost lost his hand in the process. Isolated and alone, Silvas eyes darted left and right, unaware of the shadows slinking up behind him, but before Rustram could shout a warning, Siyar appeared out of nowhere and lopped off the Wraiths head.The scraping of boots alerted him to danger from above and he shoved Sai Chou away. Raising his rapier to attack, he performed an awkward Deer Parts the Underbrush, and his quick thinking was rewarded with two metallic clangs, smashing two poisoned weapons aside even as his sword scythed through the descending Wraiths neck. Blood and viscera rained down on Rustram mere moments before the corpse smashed against his chest, driving the breath from his lungs and the strength from his feet. Woozy and lightheaded, he found himself staring at the sky with aching lungs and a massive headache while Sai Chou chuckled from out of sight. Leaning into frame, her hair hung loosely as she shoved the corpse off him and helped him sit up, her eyes still scanning for threats. Thanks fer the save, she said, none too gently hoisting him to his feet. Mother in Heaven she was strong. You good?Yea. Yes. I am fine.Spitting a few times to clear the taste of blood from his mouth, turned around to face her but she hissed in reproach. We aint clear of danger yet, merchant boy. Watch my back and Ill watch yers. A dainty grunt, followed by the hiss of steel told Rustram she did in fact have more than one dagger, a thought which worried him to no end. The woman was intimidating enough without knowing she had multiple weapons hidden about her person. Ravil could make it look like he pulled blades out of thin air, and if Sai Chou could do the same, then she was far more dangerous than she let on. It took a certain type of mindset to master a skill like hiding weapons about ones body, an almost irrational paranoia and overwhelming blood-thirst which normal, well-adjusted people could never achieve. Even if she were the most beautiful woman in the world, Rustram would be insane to court her.Then again... she was easy on the eyes and fun to chat with, plus he found her twisted sense of humour rather charming...A deafening shout rose out from the gathered Defiled army, and there was no time left for watching for Wraiths or pondering romantic notions. Wiping the blood from his face, he barked orders as the ground shook beneath the Defiled charge, readying his soldiers to lend aid if the Enemy should break through. Falling in line around him with three other Death Corps, Red One saluted and Sent, Major Sun Qiang has fallen. Command of the Northern flank is yours, Mister Rustram. Your soldiers await you on the front lines.Oh no. No, no, no...Sounding much calmer than he had any right to be, Rustram picked up the pace and said, Inform them I am on my way over and they are to hold the line until further notice. Red Unit, Wang Baos irregulars, and the Protectorate will escort me there. They wouldnt get in the way, and best to put those bows and crossbows to work as soon as possible, for every soldier in Sinuji would need to kill ten Defiled a piece in order for the battle to be won. There was also the minor issue regarding the many Demons he could just make out lurking in the distance, including the overgrown, waterlogged abomination responsible for the retinues early return from patrol. Worst of all, morale would be an issue if Sun Qiang was seen dead or injured, and no career soldier would be pleased to take orders from a no-name foreigner grunt leading a bunch of bow-wielding peasants.As if sensing his thoughts, Sai Chou Sent, Straighten up, merchant boy. Yer taller than you think. Aint gonna be no drowning today.For some odd reason, her reassurance untwisted his belly and bolstered his courage. Head raised high, he gave her a grateful nod before handing command over to Bulat and heading for the front, where the Defiled would soon arrive to carry out wholesale slaughter. The time for fear and self-loathing was over. Thousands of lives were at stake here, and if he didnt step up, then they would fall where they stood. Besides, there wasnt much hed need to do, the Colonel would soon hear of their plight and...Oh Mother in Heaven... if Hongji and a few others fell too, then Rustram would be left in sole command of all of Sinuji, something no one would ever want to see.No one.Chapter Meme
