Chapter 27: An Unexpected Variable

After a long stretch of flying, the mountains finally appeared.

Which was good.

Not because I suddenly developed an emotional attachment to geology, but because my arms had been wrapped around Nemris's armored waist for so long that I was beginning to question whether we had accidentally entered a legally binding relationship.

The border region of Inizio looked completely different from the capital.

Gone were the wide roads, crowded marketplaces, white towers, and expensive buildings designed to remind poor people that architecture had favorites.

Here, the land was rough.

Mountains rose in uneven lines across the horizon, their dark slopes covered in thick forests and pale gray stone. Narrow valleys cut between them. Rivers twisted below like silver threads. The air itself felt cleaner, colder, and sharper.

And most importantly, the ground existed.

Beautiful ground.

Reliable ground.

Ground had never betrayed me by sprouting wings.

Our horses descended toward a wide stretch of relatively flat land nestled between the mountain slopes.

The moment Nemris's horse touched down, I climbed off.

Not gracefully.

Quickly.

I planted both feet on solid earth.

Then I crouched and pressed one hand against it.

Nemris dismounted behind me.

She stared.

"What are you doing?"

"Rebuilding trust."

"With the ground?"

"Yes."

Nemris looked toward the nearby knights.

Nobody responded.

Cowards.

I patted the soil once.

"Missed you."

Nemris sighed.

"Stand up."

"Don't interrupt us."

"Caled."

"Fine."

I rose.

Around us, the knights were already dismounting.

The moment their riders left the saddles, the magical wings on the white horses dissolved into light.

Nemris immediately shifted into command mode.

No hesitation.

No wasted movement.

She removed her helmet and turned toward the gathered officers.

"Set the camp."

Knights straightened.

"Establish the perimeter first. I want scouts in the air immediately."

Several riders moved at once.

"Keep watch on the eastern approaches. Nobody leaves the perimeter without authorization."

One officer bowed.

"Yes, Lord Commander."

Nemris pointed toward the mountains.

"Send the fastest scouts ahead. I want the Agranian army located before sunset."

More acknowledgments.

Then everyone scattered.

It was impressive.

Nemris could turn a group of armed people into moving machinery with a few sentences.

Within minutes, tents began appearing across the open land.

Supply wagons were unloaded.

Horses were secured.

Lookout positions were established near higher ground.

Several knights flew into the sky.

Their horses spread white magical wings and climbed rapidly.

Higher.

Higher.

Until they reached the clouds.

Then they disappeared into them.

I looked up.

"That's cheating."

Nemris glanced toward me.

"What?"

"Clouds."

"Scouts use them as cover."

"I understand. Still cheating."

"Against whom?"

"The concept of being visible."

She walked away.

I followed.

Not because I had anything useful to contribute to camp construction.

Mostly because if I wandered farther than twenty steps from the center of camp, somebody suddenly appeared beside me.

Apparently my security detail had received instructions equivalent to:

Protect the diplomat.

Do not lose the diplomat.

If the diplomat attempts to do something stupid, assume that is normal and increase supervision.

Three knights followed me nearly everywhere.

Three.

I went toward the supplies.

Three knights.

I walked to the edge of camp.

Three knights.

I stopped near a tree because I wanted five minutes of silence.

Three armored men stood behind me like guilt made physical.

I turned.

"You know I can still see you."

The nearest knight nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent."

He did not leave.

This was going to be a long mission.

We spent most of the day preparing.

Weapons were inspected.

Tents reinforced.

Food organized.

Patrol schedules assigned.

The knights treated the possibility of battle with the calm seriousness of people who had done this before.

Nobody shouted unnecessarily.

Nobody panicked.

Everyone had a task.

Even the horses seemed professionally concerned.

By late afternoon, the camp looked completely established.

A temporary military settlement had appeared where empty ground had existed only hours earlier.

Then one of the scouts returned.

His horse descended fast.

The moment it landed, the rider jumped off and hurried toward the command tent.

Nemris was called immediately.

So was I.

Diplomat privilege.

Apparently being responsible for talking after everyone finished hitting one another meant I needed to attend the part where they planned the hitting.

The command tent was larger than the others.

A broad wooden table stood in the center.

A map of the region had been spread across it and pinned at the corners.

Several carved markers showed roads, mountain passes, settlements, and borders.

Nemris stood on one side.

I stood opposite.

The scout leaned over the map.

He pointed toward a wide section east of our position.

"We located them here."

Nemris's attention sharpened.

"Numbers?"

"A moderate force."

The scout moved his finger.

"Smaller than we anticipated."

That should have sounded good.

For some reason, it didn't.

Nemris frowned slightly.

"Estimate?"

He gave one.

Not tiny.

Still enough soldiers to turn a casual afternoon into an extremely permanent inconvenience.

But definitely smaller than what the council had expected.

The scout continued.

"They are already moving west."

His finger traced the route.

"At their current pace, they should reach Dahera Plane tomorrow morning."

Nemris looked at the map.

"Dahera."

She studied the terrain around it.

I leaned closer.

The place was marked as a huge open area with forest along one edge and hills farther north.

Nemris tapped it once.

"Open ground."

The scout nodded.

"Very little cover."

"Good."

I looked toward her.

"For us?"

"For me."

Right.

Important distinction.

Nemris's eyes remained on the map.

"If I confront their force alone, open terrain gives them fewer opportunities to conceal movement."

She moved one marker away from the forest.

"I can keep them together."

The way she said that was so casual.

Keep an army together.

Like organizing sheep.

I looked at her.

She noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"That expression means something."

"I was thinking about your confidence."

"Do you object?"

"No."

I pointed toward the map.

"I simply enjoy hearing one person discuss an army like it's inconvenient furniture."

The scout coughed.

Probably hiding laughter.

Nemris ignored both of us.

"We leave tomorrow morning."

She looked toward the scout.

"We will reach Dahera Plane before them."

"Yes, Lord Commander."

"We establish our position first."

The scout nodded.

I leaned toward the map again.

Something bothered me.

Not enough to name.

Just a small itch.

A moderate army.

Smaller than expected.

Approaching openly.

Nothing inherently wrong with that.

But Zeria had warned me about variables.

Things even intelligent people could not predict.

Maybe that was making me suspicious of everything.

I looked at the scout.

"Mister Scout Sir."

The man blinked.

Nemris looked at me.

I continued.

"Did you notice anything strange?"

The scout considered.

"Strange?"

"Anything."

I gestured vaguely.

"Extra movement. Missing movement. People behaving like they're definitely not suspicious, which is usually suspicious."

He thought for several seconds.

"Nothing unusual so far."

"Nothing?"

"No."

"Scouts?"

"We saw several."

"Additional camps?"

"No."

"Hidden forces?"

"None that we detected."

Fair.

I nodded.

The scout added, "I can return and continue observing if you wish."

Nemris looked toward me.

"Do you have something specific in mind?"

I stared at the map.

That was the problem.

"No."

She waited.

"Nothing specific."

I tapped the edge of Dahera Plane.

"I'm curious."

"About what?"

I shrugged.

"The army is smaller than expected."

"That is not necessarily unusual."

"I know."

"And?"

"And nothing."

I smiled slightly.

"My paranoia has not yet developed supporting evidence."

Nemris studied me.

Then looked toward the scout.

"Return."

The man straightened.

"If you notice anything unusual, no matter how minor, report it immediately."

"Yes, Lord Commander."

He bowed.

Then left the tent.

I continued looking at the map.

Nemris folded her arms.

"You're concerned."

"Curious."

"Those are different."

"Mine occasionally overlap."

She looked at me for another second.

Then changed the subject.

"Have you fought in a real battle before?"

I considered.

The Hyenakin attack on Silverclaw.

That had technically been a battle.

Not armies arranged over terrain.

Not strategy.

But people had definitely tried to kill each other.

"Yes."

Nemris's eyebrow lifted.

"But?"

"But not like this."

I gestured toward the map.

"Planning. Formations. Scouts. Terrain."

I leaned back.

"My previous experience was more along the lines of angry people appeared and violence became socially acceptable."

Nemris nodded slowly.

"So this is your first military operation."

"That sounds more professional."

"It is."

"Then yes."

She looked toward the map once more.

"Stay alert tomorrow."

"I planned to."

"And stay behind the knights."

I smiled.

"Probably."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Caled."

"I said probably."

"That is not reassuring."

"Honesty rarely is."

Night came quickly in the mountains.

Once the sun disappeared behind the peaks, darkness poured across the valley.

Torches and campfires became the only islands of light.

Most of the knights ate early and went to rest.

The ones assigned to patrol moved quietly along the perimeter.

Armor reflected orange firelight whenever they passed.

I considered walking around.

Then I looked behind me.

Three knights.

Still there.

One noticed me looking.

"Sir?"

"Nothing."

I walked twenty steps.

They followed.

I stopped.

They stopped.

Excellent.

I briefly considered using Dimensional Storage to hide myself out of spite.

Then remembered that causing a security panic the night before a potential battle would probably count as bad diplomacy.

So I surrendered.

"I am going to sleep."

The three knights visibly relaxed.

Rude.

My tent had been prepared near the center of camp.

Not luxurious.

Still better than sleeping outside.

A cot.

Blankets.

Small lantern.

Table.

Several supplies.

I lay down.

The distant sounds of patrols and horses carried through the canvas.

For a while, sleep refused to arrive.

That strange feeling remained.

Something about the Agranian force.

Smaller than expected.

Visible.

Straightforward.

Maybe I was overthinking.

Wouldn't be the first time.

Eventually, I slept.

When I opened my eyes again, morning had already arrived.

The entire camp was moving.

Armor being fastened.

Weapons checked.

Horses prepared.

Tents partially packed.

Apparently soldiers woke up before the sun fully committed to existence.

Terrible people.

I climbed out.

The cold morning air hit my face.

Nemris stood near her horse.

Already armored.

Of course.

I approached.

She looked toward me.

"You're awake."

"Against my will."

"Good."

"Debatable."

She gestured toward one of the knights nearby.

"You will ride with him."

I looked at the knight.

Then back at her.

"Not with you?"

"No."

Was that disappointment?

From me?

Absolutely not.

Maybe a little.

Nemris continued.

"You will remain with the observation group."

"Observation group."

"At a safe distance."

"Safe."

"Yes."

"I've heard of it."

Her expression remained stern.

"You are a diplomat."

"Recently."

"Not a frontline combatant."

"Technically true."

"Your responsibility begins after the battle."

I nodded.

"So while you're fighting an army, I watch."

"Correct."

"Comfortable arrangement."

"For you."

"That was implied."

Nemris ignored the joke.

"Prioritize your own safety."

"I'll try."

She gave me a long look.

I smiled.

She sighed.

Then reached into Dimensional Storage.

Darkness opened briefly beside her hand.

She pulled out a rolled parchment.

The scroll looked expensive.

Magic symbols covered the surface.

Nemris held it up.

"Once the Agranian force is defeated, I will use this."

I looked at the scroll.

"What's that?"

"A one-use town portal."

Interesting.

She unrolled part of it.

"It is prepared specifically for the capital."

"So prisoners go straight there."

"Yes."

Efficient.

Extremely efficient.

Nemris continued.

"Once activated, it will create a temporary transport gate large enough to move the captured soldiers."

"And then?"

"We call for parley."

Right.

My part.

Nemris rolled the scroll again.

"Be ready."

I nodded.

"Understood."

She stored it.

Then mounted her white horse.

I climbed behind the knight assigned to me.

Less emotionally interesting seating arrangement.

Probably safer for everyone.

The camp broke apart quickly.

Horses manifested their glowing wings.

White magic illuminated the morning.

We launched.

I hated it slightly less this time.

Progress.

Maybe eventually I would stop believing my stomach had been abandoned three kilometers behind my body.

We flew through the mountain passes.

Then the landscape opened.

Dahera Plane appeared below.

Massive.

Grassland stretched beneath us like a green ocean.

Almost completely flat.

The forest bordered one side.

Low hills rose far away.

No buildings.

No villages.

Perfect battlefield.

Which was probably a terrible compliment for geography.

And there.

In the distance.

Movement.

The Agranian army.

Even from the air, their colors stood out.

Red.

White.

Armor reflected the morning light.

Their formation moved across the grass in disciplined rows.

But the mounts caught my attention first.

White tigers.

Huge ones.

Not normal Earth-sized tigers.

These looked capable of eating normal tigers while maintaining eye contact.

Armored riders sat on their backs.

Tigerkin.

Most had striped ears and long tails visible beneath armor.

Red-and-white banners moved above them.

They looked organized.

Dangerous.

And still smaller than I had expected.

Nemris raised one hand.

Our formation separated.

She flew forward.

The rest of us descended toward the forest edge.

We landed far enough away that the Agranians would have to seriously commit to ruining our day before reaching us.

Close enough to see everything.

The knights around me dismounted.

Horses remained nearby.

Several soldiers took positions between me and the open plain.

Of course.

Diplomat cage.

I looked toward Nemris.

Her horse carried her farther into the grassland.

Then stopped.

Nemris dismounted.

The horse immediately took flight again.

It climbed.

Leaving her alone.

One woman.

Standing directly in front of an approaching army.

Completely normal behavior.

The Agranian formation slowed.

Even from here, I could see confusion moving through them.

Their front line stopped.

The rest gradually followed.

An officer moved forward.

His white tiger walked several meters ahead of the army.

The man removed his helmet.

Tigerkin.

Broad face.

Orange-and-black striped ears.

He shouted something.

Too far for me to hear clearly.

Nemris responded.

They spoke for a while.

From body language alone, I could tell the Agranian commander was not impressed.

Then he laughed.

Mockingly.

I tilted my head.

"Bad decision."

The knight beside me looked over.

"You think so?"

"I've met her."

The Agranian officer turned back.

Returned to his troops.

Then raised one hand.

The army shifted.

Weapons came out.

Spears lowered.

Swords drawn.

The officer dropped his arm forward.

Charge.

White tigers exploded into motion.

The grass shook beneath hundreds of paws.

The sound rolled across Dahera Plane like distant thunder.

Nemris did not move.

Not immediately.

She opened Dimensional Storage.

A white greatsword emerged.

Huge.

Long enough that I would have considered using it as furniture.

She gripped it in both hands.

The blade began glowing.

White light spread along the metal.

Brighter.

Brighter.

Until looking directly at it became uncomfortable.

Nemris stepped forward.

Then swung.

One swing.

That was all.

A massive wave of light tore across the plain.

It struck the charging army.

Half the front formation disappeared beneath the impact.

Not exploded.

Not cut apart.

Knocked down.

Riders flew from saddles.

White tigers rolled across the grass.

Weapons scattered.

Bodies hit the ground.

I stared.

"So that's the Lord Commander."

The knight beside me barely reacted.

"That's not even all of it."

I slowly looked at him.

"What?"

He kept watching.

"She's holding back."

Of course.

Naturally.

Why would sanity participate today?

The remaining Agranians tried to reorganize.

Nemris jumped.

Not a normal jump.

She launched herself high into the air.

White light gathered around the greatsword.

She turned downward.

Then drove the blade into the earth.

Light exploded.

A circular shockwave expanded across the grass.

The ground shook.

The remaining riders were thrown from their mounts.

Tigers collapsed.

Soldiers rolled.

Within seconds, almost the entire Agranian force was down.

Alive.

Apparently.

But down.

One of our knights laughed in relief.

"The Great Sage's plan worked!"

Others reacted too.

Not cheering loudly.

But visibly relaxing.

I watched Nemris.

Then the fallen army.

Then the open field.

Yes.

It worked.

Perfectly.

Too perfectly.

That feeling returned.

The itch.

Why was this so easy?

Zeria herself had warned me about variables.

The scout had seen nothing unusual.

The army was smaller than expected.

And now Nemris had defeated them in minutes.

I scanned the grassland.

Nothing.

Forest.

Wait.

Movement.

Behind us.

No.

Around us.

My head turned.

Branches moved at the forest edge.

Not wind.

Too coordinated.

Then figures burst from hiding.

Tigerkin.

Armored.

Red and white.

A smaller army.

Right on top of us.

"Incoming!"

One of the knights screamed.

Everything happened at once.

The ambushers did not charge us first.

They charged the horses.

Smart.

Terrifyingly smart.

Spears flew.

Blades struck.

Several horses screamed.

One collapsed.

Then another.

White magical wings flickered uselessly as mounts fell before they could take off.

Our escape route disappeared in seconds.

Knights rushed forward.

Weapons clashed.

Metal screamed against metal.

The quiet observation point became chaos.

I stepped backward as one Tigerkin slammed into a knight in front of me.

Another attacked from the side.

Our formation compressed.

Too many enemies.

Too close.

"Ambush?"

My eyes moved everywhere.

"How?"

They had hidden from the scouts.

Somehow.

The scout had seen nothing.

No secondary force.

No unusual movement.

Yet they were here.

Waiting.

And they had targeted the horses first.

This was planned.

Very planned.

I looked toward Nemris.

She had noticed too.

But she was no longer looking toward us.

Someone was walking toward her.

A massive Tigerkin.

Huge.

Even compared to the soldiers around him.

Heavy black armor covered most of his body.

His striped tail moved behind him.

One black greatsword rested in each hand.

Two.

Because apparently one giant sword had failed to communicate enough personality.

I focused.

Used Zeria's appraisal.

Information formed.

Strength.

Speed.

Magic.

Endurance.

Combat capability.

Then Nemris.

I compared.

Nemris was stronger.

Good.

But not dramatically.

Bad.

She could defeat him.

One-on-one.

Probably.

As long as it stayed one-on-one.

Then I saw something else.

A shadow.

Fast.

Too fast.

Moving behind Nemris.

My stomach dropped.

"Nemris!"

She turned.

"Behind you!"

The shadow was already there.

A blade flashed toward her neck.

Nemris reacted instantly.

Her white greatsword rose.

CLANG.

A dagger struck the flat of it.

The impact sent sparks through the air.

The shadow materialized.

Female Tigerkin.

Lean.

Dark armor.

Masked lower face.

Short blades in both hands.

Assassin.

I appraised her too.

And my blood went cold.

Comparable.

Not to random soldiers.

To the giant Tigerkin.

Similar level.

Nemris could handle one.

Probably.

Two?

Different problem.

Around me, weapons clashed.

Knights shouted.

Horses screamed.

Tigerkin poured from the forest.

Our defensive formation was being crushed before anyone had time to understand how they had been found.

Nemris stood between two elite enemies.

One massive warrior with twin black greatswords.

One assassin fast enough to nearly reach her throat before she turned.

The original Agranian army lay scattered across the plain.

Our horses were going down.

Our knights were being overwhelmed.

The scout had reported nothing unusual.

Everything had been arranged too perfectly.

Too precisely.

Too deliberately.

I stared at the chaos surrounding us.

What is happening?