Gray The Grand

A week had passed since the assault. The shades were busy orchestrating conflicts and winnable battles, while others trained the new bloods as they were called. Many of them showed promise, while our heavy-hitting vampires were still in reserve. Every day, we lost more ground. Each inch was paid for in rivers of blood by the enemy, the rebellion splitting the army itself as they did not expect this much resistance.

The more undisciplined soldiers resorted to looting the various treasures left unattended, often falling for traps that allowed us to reclaim the wealth. Of ten thousand, only two thousand members of the White Corps remained. The Blue Corps suffered losses thanks to the rebellion and skirmishes, bringing their numbers to two thousand from five thousand. Would-be assassins from the Gray Corps had their numbers cut in half from two thousand. While the Green Corps started with three thousand and only lost one thousand to us. Finally, the six thousand members of the yellow corps were also cut in half.

As of now, fifteen thousand lives were lost over the course of a week. Not including those poor souls that went into the Underground with only a hundred returning. Despite this, our enemy continued their march. Two armies, and a renegade faction competing with each other for the apparent wealth. Catapults launched debris from destroyed buildings as the fights continued to escalate. Despite all the claims made for vampires being the natural predators of humans, there wasn't much to be done when a building was dropped on top of someone.

Over half the potential bloodlines were manifested, new members for older vampires, while others were simply new altogether. The Count was pleased, urging us to continue our work while we sidelined those bloodlines that had too few members to risk. Strong entomancers kept our bugs from harassing the machines of war, forcing us to use them to whittle away at buildings we felt were likely to be chosen. Then collapsing the entire structure on top of the enemy.

With the armies this far in, it was time to utilize the sewers and secure the inner walls behind them. A knock came at the door, TRG bringing Guy'Spears and Guy'Belts as requested. I found these talks went smoother with a map and some pieces on it. I sent the shade an invitation and watched as the three entered. After a quick exchange, I gestured for the two to take a seat. "I trust you have no problems with the accommodations so far?" TRG silently left to tend to other tasks.

Guy'Belts just crossed his arms, fidgeting in his seat. Guy'Spears decided to speak first, "It's nice, and the one not wearing a mask was polite enough to explain a few things. Are you really all the same person?"

"Spider," I corrected, "I am the original, while they are all parts copied from myself. He would have explained as much, had it not become clear how much of an asset you two could be. I'll be frank with you both, our loss is almost guaranteed without the Count's intervention. If your former leaders had spent more time preparing you for an all-out assault, we would have lost the moment you arrived. As I understand it, you both were taught basic math?"

Guy'Belts nodded, "Yeah, it wasn't that hard after we were taught the correct numbers." He held up his fingers, "Still haven't figured out how to read, yet."

Guy'Spears shrugged, "We'll get there, I still don't like you, though. You're the fuck that haunts my dreams, that made Ink go through that, I want answers before we even agree to help you."

"That is fair, truth be told, you deserved them far sooner than this. However, you needed a foundation to understand what we will be asking of you both. Basic numbers, a solid grasp on your abilities and their limits, a few of the training exercises you had, along with the understanding of whom you were eating. The Real Gray would have explained all of this to you, but he is my most efficient shade. I needed him back on the front lines, helping the others."

"Why is he TRG? I thought you were the original? Isn't that confusing?" Guy'Belts helpfully pointed out.

"He believed himself to be the original until I made myself known. It is not confusing to us, as we have naming conventions that help us find which one of ourselves we are looking for. I am the Grand, while others are Great and so on. Some just repeat Gray, while others add a word before their names. I am only explaining this to show there is nothing to be gained from us hiding such information from either of you. Likewise, I hope you'll answer my questions honestly."

"Right, what exactly do you need us for?" Guy'Spears asked in turn.

I held up a hand, "We will trade questions and answers, otherwise we won't be getting anywhere fast. One question from your group, and one from mine. Unless you wish to answer fifty questions asked by my shades before we finally get back to you?" I smiled under my mask.

The two looked at each other then agreed to my terms. Guy'Spears looked at his partner, "We'll take turns, sound fair?" They nodded in response.

"Wonderful, since I had these terms applied just now, I will go ahead and answer your question." I looked at Guy'Spears with a nod, "You have been brought here because we want to confirm a few things. It has come to our attention that a talent might be involved, or people are simply being told incorrect information. We have memories, but it is largely incoherent. After confirming a few theories, we wish to ask you both to participate in the war and aid us in the manifestation of others into our fold."

They looked at me blankly, "That's a lot of fancy words."

Guy'Belts gave a curt nod, "You need to dumb it down. Can you use fewer words?" They gasped, "Fuck, shit! That's not a question!"

I chuckled, "Very well, that does not qualify as a question." I coughed, "I mean, sure?" It hurt a little to not use the appropriate vocabulary to extrapolate my ideas. "Short-form; your leaders might be telling us lies through the people we take in. I want to know about the corps and what the colors mean."

Both of them perked up, Guy'Belts speaking up first, "Yeah, that's the general. I think she has two talents, 'Tolerate No Traitors' and 'Misinformation.' Kind of weird that it doesn't work on us anymore."

Guy'Spears shrugged, "Well they betrayed us first? Maybe it doesn't work after you die for the cause? Rumor has it the people closest to the general have talents as well. I think everyone at the top has talents, right?" Guy'Belts nodded.

"I see, that is concerning in its own way. Let's start with the bottom and work our way up. Tell me everything you can about the White Corps and those above it and so on, please. That will be my question, one for each color respectively." I put my hands on the table, leaning closer.

The two looked at each other and laughed, "Fine, but you better tell us the whole truth when we ask you our questions." Guy'Belts just smirked.

"Heh, sucker." Guy'Spears smugly crossed his arms, "We got a lot of freebies then, will you take off that mask? It's kind of creepy."

"Very well, that does count as a question, however." I took off my ivory spider mask, looking at the two. "Now, onto the White Banners. As individuals serving in it, that should be what you know the most about. Please tell me everything you can."

Both of them were gawking at my features. Guy'Belts let out a small whistle, "I didn't think you'd look like that."

Guy'Spears nodded, "Yeah, that's not bad at all. You look better than the other guy." He coughed, "The White Corps? Not much to say about us, really. We're your disgraced nobles, criminals, mutts, sluts, and unclaimed orphans. Most of us come from families though, since the gray boys have a soft spot for orphans. We don't have names, so to earn it we just kind of die and turn our banner red with blood."

"Yeah, most of us can't even use magic because of the elf curse. Just meant someone in our family went out and fought the elves. They made it home, had kids, then it just continued down to fuck us over. I hear the really lucky people have started to break through their curse and can use magic and runic firearms. That guarantees them a spot in the Orange Corps, at least."

I leaned closer, "Fascinating, I thank you both for your compassion in not making me give up more for such common knowledge."

"Well, we both know you're going to ask how we got drafted. I think it's your turn, Belts." The man barely kept himself from chuckling.

Guy'Belts nodded, "Yeah, it's always the next question someone asks. Anyway, I think we both want to know where you came from. See? I can ask questions without asking them, just-like-you." He stuck his tongue out at me.

"Quite, your apprehension leaves me in quite the awkward spot." They both gave me a sour look at that. I grinned back, "I fancy myself a teacher, your question was vague. I came from the Underground roughly a month ago. About a year ago, I was a spider. Then I came into a group far greater than I ever could have imagined. It is relieving that you have the ability to sense the truth, so you can confirm this with your own power. What can you tell me about the Blue Corps?"

The two were bewildered, as they struggled to come up with a response. Guy'Belts crossed his arms, "How are you lying to us and tricking our ability?"

I just grinned at that, as Guy'Spears' eyes just grew wider. "Holy fuck! You were actually a spider!? Like, those things crawling around on eight legs? How do you go from spider to vampire!? What!?" Guy'Belts tapped his shoulder, as he stuttered and slowly realized what he'd done.

I let out a small laugh, "Fret not, I won't count those as questions I need to answer. Not unless you ask them one at a time. Again, I consider myself something of a teacher. I'm not afraid to tell you, but what do I have to gain from lying about such trivial things? We are supposed to be allies, so taking advantage of outbursts is quite rude. A word of advice before you mingle with other vampires, they take offense to being asked where they came from. Doubly so when you point it out as a lie. I hope this experience is as enjoyable for you both, as it is for myself."

"Thanks." Guy'Belts pouted a little. Guy'Spears repeated the phrase with a small bob of his head.

"About those Blue Boys as you call them?" I spun my hand gesturing to the both of them, trying to get us back on track.

Both of them sighed, with Guy'Spears taking the lead, "People that can use a little bit of magic. A step up from us, those that have names. Kind of the only thing they have on us, if you don't count the criminal records most of us have. Though some of them do, not that it matters since they are supposed to be the guards and people in training that couldn't afford tutors."

"There are some mutts mixed in among their ranks, I thought that was supposed to be exclusively for the White Corps?" I politely asked.

Guy'Belts shrugged, "If you have enough wealth or power, you can buy your way up. The Blue Corps is made out of people with citizenship. You do a skirmish and get paid by the Fire lord. Then you can keep going higher until you're nice and comfy. White Corps doesn't get shit like that, unless we do something outstanding. Then we get named, we get put in the ledgers, and everything that says we're real people. They're typically the ones in charge of us. Not good enough to stand out and be recruited by the other three above them."

"I see, is it true that the Gray, Green, and Yellow Corps are on the same level?" I tapped my lips in contemplation.

"Yeah, though you're getting ahead of yourself, we got some more questions to ask you. We should be ahead by three now, right?" Guy'Spears looked at his partner for confirmation. A nod was all that he needed. He turned to look right at me, "How the fuck do you go from spider to vampire?"

"You meet someone powerful enough to help you become more than what you currently are. It helps that she is quite generous." I leaned back, happy that the two were learning something from this conversation.

"That's your Queen isn't it?" Guy'Belts asked. I gave him a nod, to see if he wanted a follow-up question. "Where is she now?"

"In a city called Fis'Ton, as far as the most recent news has told us. That does count as two questions, however." I smiled, as Guy'Belts shot Guy'Spears an apologetic look. Naturally, the man waved it off. The two were quite close and more than happy to let such small slights slide. It was comforting in a way I missed, given the nature of vampires.

I coughed, to keep us from lingering too long on such a thing. "What can you tell me about the three? I'll give you both the appropriate number of answers in kind."

Guy'Belts let out a small sigh, "It's based on where you came from. Gray Corps are your assassins that come from the cities closer to the Fire Lord. Anyone could become one of them, though their job is to mainly carry talent stones on the field. If someone with a useful talent is going to die, well they are supposed to show up and snag it. From what I heard, you can have two talents and if they are similar they have a chance of merging into something stronger. It's why all the wealthy people have powerful talents, some of them passed down, others growing them through their kids."

Guy'Spears nodded, "The Greens are from the cultivators in the West. They have to deal with the monsters on that landbridge and it helps to be a part of the kingdom. Everyone knows you can use runic guns if you accept the Fire Lord, so usually, they're the guys that aren't really needed. Gotta be careful though, sometimes you get young masters with hidden masters watching them. It's kind of awesome, how they can just break talents and spread it out to each other through pills and rituals. They give everyone Ki or whatever it's called."

"Remarkable!" The Hive had no knowledge about that. It might be important to start expanding that way just to learn how. "We'll need to discuss this in greater depth another time."

"Spears likes cultivators," Guy'Belts smiled despite his sigh. "They are kind of badasses, holding off the monster hordes from the Western landbridge. A lot of us lowly servants like the idea of going there and getting chosen to join a sect or something. Then we'd have magic and a group to help us grow stronger. Not that it matters now, since we're monsters." He waved it off.

Guy'Spears clapped his face with horror as some realization dawned on him. "We can't become cultivators anymore! Fuck! They'll kill us on sight, Belts!"

The youth nodded slowly, "Yeah, most people probably will now. Anyway, the Yellow Corps are the religious guys. They're more spread out, usually meaning they have the most people. The Church of Fire is a big religion in the cities, while the Golden Circle has towns and villages. This is kind of their first attempt at a crusade, I guess. I mean they didn't send a lot of deacons. Most of them are kind of like the Blues, just more religious and doing it for the gods. I wouldn't be surprised if half of them snuck into other corps just to prove themselves faster."

That does explain why so many of the people just obeyed without question. It'd make sense for the religious zealots to spread their doctrine while fighting in this war. The whole army was a melting pot of cultures with no sense of unity established. I was thankful for the oversight on their part, which allowed the rebellion to break them apart. "I'll count that as three questions, thank you. It is oddly comforting to talk to you both in such a manner."

Both of them smiled, Guy'Spears speaking first, "Kind of weird to find out you're actually a decent guy. I mean, spider? On one hand, I should be mad that you turned us into vampires and killed those I knew. On the other, you kind of kept us from dying and saved the ones I cared about."

"Our only other option is going back to the armies, which we couldn't do even if we were still human. At least you made it clear you have no intentions to shoot us in the back." Guy'Belts winced at that, the mood turning a little sour.

There was a pause, with Guy'Spears breaking it. "You mentioned that asking other... vampires what they were before they were, well, us? I mean, it offends them to ask who they were. What can you tell us about vampires? I don't want to make enemies, we don't have anywhere to go."

"A marvelous question, my friend. I have a textbook that was given to me by one of those above us in status. It was a dry read, and quite bothersome to find out the hidden context and messages littered throughout it. That said, it is a good way to introduce you both to reading. I must ask that such a task waits until after we are done." I looked them both in their eyes, "I promise to teach you how to read and write. I will do my best to ensure you stay alive to see such. I just need to know everything I can about the Colors of War as they are called."

Reluctant nods met my statement, Guy'Belts continuing the conversation. "Above the Yellow, Gray, and Green Crops; are the Orange, Purple, and Black Corps. Kind of the same, but not really. Yellows go into Orange when they become inquisitors and crusaders. Though you don't really need to be religious to get in. Orange is power, the part of the flame that burns. Their job is to cleanse anything that is impure, or whatever they want to call it."

"Yeah, they are the guys you don't want to mess with. Magic users that have been trained from birth to do one thing. They kill in the name of the gods or the Fire Lord. They burn the bodies, they even burn down towns and villages that try to break away from the kingdom. They're the guys you should never fuck around with. I hear that they even have talents that make them explode on death."

The two shuddered, as I nodded, "I see, does this apply to the others? Green going into purple or black? I'm struggling to understand this."

Guy'Spears just shook his head, "No, the Cultivators never send their heavy hitters out. They just send out the Green Corps, then call it practice if any of them make it home. Purple Corps, they're the city nobles. Young people that have been sent to oversee the war, they don't usually fight from what I heard. Though a lot of them have talents that protect them. Most of the people in the back of the army are slaves belonging to these guys. The Invisible Corps as we call them. A second White Corps meant to protect the sons and daughters of the rich."

"Kind of fucked up, even though a lot of them are family with the Blue Boys." Guy'Belts spoke up, "Most of the time, the Purple Corps just sit back and use their magic to support the others. They gather information, they use their talents to give others advantages, that kind of stuff. Sending a few noble bastards out to war gives them a chance to take over from their older siblings. Inheritance battles can get kind of bloody from what I understand."

"I see, it is awful to think that such a practice is fairly common in such a kingdom. What about the Black Corps?" There was no reason to linger on the affairs of nobles. It was concerning to see how much they knew. Something was amiss here.

Guy'Belts looked around before leaning forward. "They are the private assassins. The ones that were hired for the nobles specifically. The protectors of the Purple Corps, and the ones that will get the Red Corps to move. They do any job and carry out all orders. Rumor has it that they would sooner kill themselves than be taken alive. There isn't a Corps that is more terrifying."

"Yeah, rumor has it that talking about them too much is enough to get their attention." Guy'Spears paused for a few seconds, "We don't want their attention."

"Right, what about the Red Corps?" At least the information was a start, though I could feel some bias in how they spoke. There was likely propaganda or some talent at play to make it seem more intimidating.

They both looked at each other, with Guy'Spears speaking up, "The initiates for the Phoenix Corps. The toughest sons of bitches the kingdom has to offer. They're supposed to have the best talents, as even the big nobles want to raise one of these guys. Whoever gets into the Phoenix Corps, well they're immortal."

"I beg your pardon?" Shaking my head, I blinked. Immortal?

Guy'Belts nodded, "Yeah, whoever raises someone that joins the Phoenix Corps will have an easy life. Their house will never truly fall because the Phoenix guard never dies. I heard there are displays in the city where they join in on executions to see if anyone can kill them. They aren't allowed to leave the big city, but it can't just be rumors. The Fire Lord never dies. Probably a ritual or something involving phoenix blood."

"The Fire Lord caught all the Phoenixes, that's why you'll never see any. Those flaming birds make the kingdom as strong as it is. Everyone knows that. The Red Corps are just the initiates with a hint of blood. The General should be in that group, if not a member of the Phoenix Corps themself. Even though we said they never leave the capital. Is that everything you wanted to know?"

I rubbed my chin, "I do have more things to ask, but that was more than I hoped for. Please, ask all the questions you wish. If I think of something else, I'll ask if you are willing to tell me."

Guy'Spears grinned, "The other guy told us a lot about your Queen, but she sounds like someone we should meet with. I mean, is she a vampire too?

"Yeah, he always seemed happy when he talked about her. If we're going to live forever as vampires, we might as well become friends with those that are nice to us. I mean, if we're good enough for that." Guy'Belts grinned, as I smiled back at them.

"Well, there is quite a bit to tell. I suppose we have told others some relevant information we should have. There shouldn't be any harm in telling you the same things that anyone could find out." There it was, a strand of magic linking the two. Their thoughts and memories were transmitted to another source I couldn't find. Someone was listening in on our conversation. Someone was feeding them information to give me. The next stage of all this was about to begin.