Book of Mors: Summoned

Arc: Knowledge is Power

Chapter 19, Part 2: Politics

****************************

After passing through the maze that was the innards of the arena in silence, Mors followed Kelora out of a small, concealed exit and into a bustling city street.

The sights and sound hit Mors like a brick wall, causing him to wince, his heightened senses momentarily working against him.

Kelora noticed his reaction and, with a smirk, pointed at a shimmering rune next to the door they just exited. "I suggest you read up about military magic wards in your spare time. This city, like most on the continent, is littered with them. That one is for noise cancellation. The one I had disabled before we exited was a self-destruct variant. Would have turned you into a lovely red paste."

Shaking his head in an attempt to focus, earning a laugh from Kelora, Mors surveyed his surroundings.

On the way to the arena, Mors had walked these very streets, only seeing small groups of Huntsmen or individuals moving about with purpose but now, hundreds, if not thousands of heavily armoured men and women were marching past him on the left side of the street. Their black cloaks and white masks creating a haunting, yet captivating scene.

Most of them were marching on the left side of the road, their boots creating a rhythmic sound on the cobbled stoned floor, where the right side seemed to be reserved for, what Mors assumed to be, messengers and supply carts.

Mors had to step back to avoid one of the couriers and frowned. "Seem's like something pretty big is going on."

Kelora walked back to where Mors had stopped and grabbed his hand, dragging him behind her. "'Someone' is causing mischieve on the border with the Mystic Republic and, although it never turns out to be anything more serious than a skirmish, we have to treat every threat seriously."

Mors tried to pull his hand back, but it only caused Kelora to increase her grip. After a couple of seconds, he decided to wait for a better opportunity to escape when he felt his bones start to creak. "Someone?"

Dragging Mors through the marching column, which paused momentarily and saluted to Kelora, Mors was pulled down a narrow side street and deeper into the city.

Mors stifled a growl at being dragged around and decided to focus on the area around him. He was on high alert, expecting Kelora to get some payback for what happened in the arena, and using his surroundings might give him the edge to escape.

Most of the buildings were two to three stories high and made from the same stone as the floor around them. All of them had differing runes, in varying colours, running down their sides and odd segments cut out of their corners, which Mors could not fathom the reason behind.

Kelora, always watching the demon from the corner of her eye, smiled but decided to stay on topic. "Probably our mutual 'friends' to the west that start with the letter S. Causing a skirmish, or even the threat of one will limit the number of resources we have available for internal operations for a while, letting them recover after the Captain's retaliatory strike."

Mors was about to try and escape Kelora's grasp again but at the mention, even vaguely, of those who he deemed responsible for destroying his life, he settled down and followed Kelora without resistance. "So they have engineered a war to weaken you? And what is this strike?"

"Us," responded Kelora, ignoring Mors' second question. "Weaken Us. Don't forget you are a Huntsmen now and it won't turn into a war. Because of how the boarders of the big three fall, the Mystic Republic, Federation and Empire, they can't afford to participate in a full-blown conflict. If one was to try pushing into another's territory, they would probably be attacked on their opposite border causing a war on two fronts and ultimately them loosing. Due to the massive size of the regions, it's easy to conquer lands, but keeping it is another matter altogether and so an uneasy truce has formed over the years. Worst that happens is a few skirmishes but the Captain always prepares for the worst case scenario."

"Do you have any proof they are involved?" Mors' mood had soured greatly.

"None, but they wouldn't be worthy opponents if they were so simple." Mors felt irritated by Kelora's choice of words but from the look on her face, or at least the side he could see while following her, he could tell she was thinking dark, bloody thoughts and decided that she did not mean it in a complimentary way.

Deciding to try and get as much info from Kelora, who was strangely chatty, Mors continued their conversation. "So, I take it that due to logistics, the number of civilians, races, tribes, monsters, it would take quite a large, standing army to hold any newly acquired lands?"

Supprised, Kelora nodded, the chilling look in her eye slowly fading. "Pretty much. Even with the Adventurers guild and other organisations, there needs to be a lot of troops spread across the lands, especially those close to natural dungeons. If you take them away for an offensive, then your regions at home suffer. You then need to keep those troops in any new lands to maintain the peace as you don't want to give any military power to the locals or let a monster uprising take place which, in the end, spreads your forces thin."

"So it's a stalemate?" asked Mors.

"Yes and no," responded Kelora. "Gone are the days of old where sides would line up and charge at each other while mages wrecked havoc from the rear. Now it's all small, specialist divisions, taking out key targets and infrastructure to destabilise the enemies ability to mount any large-scale assault. Especially with how large scale magics, with enough preparation time, can decimate any large force gathered. Open warfare has been replaced with stealth conflicts that only a hand full of people know about. Well, that is apart from when it comes to a siege, then it's pretty much the standard meat grinder."

Mors looked behind him but could not see the marching columns anymore. Noticing this Kelora shook her head. "Here, in the protection of our fortress, we can mass safely, the moment they hit the tunnels, they disperse into their squads and won't return until their unit leader decides the mission is complete."

Mors frowned, his free hand rubbing his temple as he blinked his eyes to unblur them. It had been a long time since he last slept. "Their leader decides when the mission is complete?"

Kelora had a look of understanding on her face, knowing full well how ludicrous it seemed. "Unlike other organisations, once a unit is deployed, they cut all communication, complete their orders and return. It does make organisation a nightmare for Valcea but keeps prying eyes and infiltrators at a disadvantage."

"Doesn't that make you pretty inflexable? What if there is a change in orders or circumstances?" Mors was confused by this strange military setup.

"Communication crystals are not as secure as the masses think and the huge distance we opperate in makes it almost impossible pass news through conventional means. Anyway, we have our ways to ensure no one goes rouge or steps out of bounds," Kelora's smile was fitting of a demoness.

After realising that she wasn't going to elaborate, Mors sighed, forgetting that Kelora was holding his hand.

"How much impact does a mage have in war? At times it seems they are over powered then at others like they are nothing but a hindrance. Also, why are there only three nations when there are so many diffrent races and, why does the Federation let the Sun Council run free if they are causing issues?" Mors was finally getting some answers and so decided to press forward.

Kelora looked at him with annoyance but sighed, turning down another alley, a bright, sunlit opening could be seen in the distance. "Mages have no place on the modern battlefield. It's all hit and run/guerilla tatics but, Spellblades, Enhancers and Transmuters are pretty standard. Pure mages, tend to hold defensive positions or in dungeon adventure parties, anywhere with a good amount of meat shields, wards and mana supply around them. A decent mage can be more devistating than a city fortress if played correctly."

"And the reason why there is only three kingdom's is easy. Every race wan'ts to domminate others, some are just better at it, or don't have every other species screaming about a horde coming to destroy everything they hold dear the moment three of you get together for a drink. Racist bastards." Clearing her throat, she continued.

"The Sun Clan are the eyes and ears of the Federation and we, the huntsmen, are the blade. Slowly, we are getting more credit for our intelligence divisions but the lords that run the Federation have too much vested in the Sun Clan's continued existance and tell the masses that they are needed for the survival and prosperity of the nation. Corrupt ogre lovers wouldn't know what was good for them even if it came with a divine blessing and a naked goddess."

Kelora spits on the floor, the hand grasping Mors tightening.

Mors felt his temper spike. "Are you saying that without them w-"

"No, I am not saying we need them to survive. The Federation feels it does and we need the Federation or else the Empire or Republic would wipe us from the history books. We are only a few hundred thousand strong and specialise in lightening warfare. We eliminate the threat and then we disappear. We are not suited to prelonged battles, managing a nation or looking after it's people," intrupted Kelora, almost as irriated as Mors. "Forget it. Its a touchy subject at the best of times and us demons are not exactly the embodyment of restaint and patience."

Mors nodded, as he took a deep breath to relax. feeling the exhaustion in his muscles. "Don't I know it. Now, why don't you tell me where we are going? You're obviously not leading me somewhere secluded for revenge."