The artefact was made of shiny black onyx. Its surface rippled, though it sat still for now. Eradin stroked it. It brought back old memories. The first of the artefacts he had created. The Old Magic which was poured into it, the craftsmanship by those across the sea in the Azure Kingdoms.

He had been so excited to leave Qursa then. Desperate for knowledge and for power which hadn’t been available locally. Back when it was a festering backwater.

“Where will these be stored?” Horace asked.

“The way these artefacts work, they are at their strongest together. They were crafted so that their maximum power would be achieved by storing each artefact as one large entity. The contracts feed them, and they sustain each other. But if we separate them and need to be stored individually, then proximity is key. Proximity to the spirits which are contracted to it. It is a regrettable situation, but they will each need to be stored in their respective cities throughout the Empire.”

“Those ungrateful bastards. Those traitors..” Horace began to spit as he spoke. Others murdered similar thoughts.

Eradin held up his hand to silence the others. He stroked the stone once more. He enjoyed the memories it brought back. No doubt Dariea had gone to the effort of trying to find their makers, but she couldn’t. Not even if she found the right place, there was nothing left to see. He hadn’t allowed it.

“They are simply desperate Horace. Desperate and pursuing the only course of action they have left to them.”

“Of course your Eminence, I only meant that for one of our own citizens to do so is a disgrace.”

Eradin smoothed his golden shirt. It was no doubt worth more than half of Horace’s belongings put together and he fought against pointing it out. He needed the loyalty of a sniveling assistant. The others in the background would no doubt come to do well enough in time. But he needed someone of Horace’s slippery talents now; time was a luxury.

“How is our army of Slummers coming along? I will be leaving soon and I want to make sure this city can be held without my assistance.”

“Have you thought about where you will be visiting your Eminence?” Horace snivelled.

Eradin thought for a moment, as though he was thinking. He wasn’t. He had everything planned out. He needed to seek counsel with the gods. One in particular. That was never an easy task.

“I plan to tour my empire. There are many threats facing us and we need to be ready.” Eradin replied simply.

Horace looked terrified for a second, then he gathered his features back under control. He shuffled a little closer. Eradin would have demanded he step back usually, but he was in a good mood. Instead he smiled and tapped his twisted little pen pusher on the shoulder. Horace beamed. That simple gesture ensuring his loyalty. Eradin almost laughed, ‘if only other cities in the Empire were as easy as this’.

“Other than being full of Slummers, it is going rather well. We have been conducting drills regularly and have received some excellent tutelage from your War-Masters. I believe that with a few more weeks they may even be ready for a campaign.”

‘What would you know of the readiness for war?’ The words flashed through Eradin’s mind. Instead he gave a thoughtful smile and an approving nod. He paused for effect.

“Excellent work. I believe I have some ideas in mind.”

He waved for Horace and the others to leave. Then he began to stroke the artefact once again. He was captivated by the power of the thing, and it stirred some feelings which he had thought long forgotten.

“And send for Marlow. We need to accelerate the disassembly.”

“Of course your Eminence.” Horace cried in the distance.

————————

The makeshift army gathered outside of the city walls. It was the first time Alsace or any of her army had been allowed outside. She looked over her shoulder at the tall grey stone which hemmed the thousands of citizens inside. She noted the small gathering of Shimmer watching them. She commanded six units within her section and Horace had delegated his command of his section to his favourites.

She couldn’t believe how easily accepted the Shimmer had been by the population generally. They had swallowed the line that Qursa was under attack without any real critical thought. The idea that these creatures were needed to defend the city was as ridiculous as it was effective. Last time she checked, there was no threat of an army nor had there ever been a skirmish to speak of by an aggressor.

Horace coughed. He was a bureaucrat through and through and he had no interest in anything but paperwork and Eradin. It was sad really. Men and women jostled for position as they explored their new surroundings.

What they were supposed to do was beyond her. None of the Mages who had seen any form of battle would associate with their army. This was below them. Why waste their time with people who were at best cannon fodder? They were positioned in their own army. Though they only seemed to meet in grand halls and never did much drilling. Instead, even the Emperor could only coax his generals to give her and Horace a quick briefing on drills to run and how to instruct such a force. And Horace had no interest, which left her.

“Line up! Get yourself into your units.” Pim shouted, his booming voice lifted through his command of air essence. At least he had mastered it enough for her purposes.

Pim was one of only a handful of the sub-commanders she had been allowed to appoint and that she trusted enough to talk to. He was the second born son of the wealthiest merchant in the Slums. Instead of moving to the Middle, their family made it a point of pride to remain in the Slums. They constructed their own home, which was at least as good quality as those built in the Middle. He was more of a Mage than most in the Slums; being a Class Five. He could have left, and though he had definitely had training that most Slummers couldn’t dream of, he stayed with his family. Even then, she couldn’t afford to be totally free with what she said. She couldn’t be sure where anybody’s loyalties really lay.

“What are we doing now then boss?” He asked and Horace scoffed as only those born with a silver spoon up their rear could manage.

“Basic movement drills. That’ll do for starters I should think. We need to get used to working as a cohesive group. If we can’t move without getting in each other’s way, what hope do we have of fighting?” She had no real clue about training groups of people, but she had been left to her own devices after Horace had expressed unchecked enthusiasm for the command to Eradin and the complete opposite in practice. She had some really basic instruction from some of the other commanders. They were apparently to take over later when they weren’t just a bunch of totally green recruits. But they needed time to settle in and of course, to suck up to the Emperor as best they could.

“None.” Horace said. Alsace knew that he didn’t mean that just in answer to her rhetorical question. Ignoring him, she walked closer to the unit closest to them.

“Pim, could you instruct units one, three and five to go

with you and I’ll take two, four and six. Have them practice moving around in formation.”

Pim gave a nod. “Okay, units one, three and five. Move out. In formation!” With his cry hundreds of people turned together and began to follow him. There were varying levels of quality in the act of the following, but Alsace was happy enough to see so many people just doing what they were told.

After the stragglers caught up and managed to get back into position with the others, Alsace surveyed the units left before her. “Good luck with this lot. I’ll be watching from the wall. Try to do a good job.” Horace grumbled as he straightened and headed off.

That’s much more likely now you’re gone you miserable prick, she thought.

“Okay, let’s begin.” She projected her voice, it was audible but it was nothing compared to Pim.

Alsace gave the commands. The three separate units began to move in an awkward and terrible dance. The unit commanders did their best, but it was not good. Alsace sighed. “Unit two, stop where you are. Unit six - regroup!”

She sighed and laughed to herself, grateful that Horace had left. She wondered whether Jano was having as weird a time as she was, or if he was even still alive. Outside of the city walls it seemed less dangerous to think about her husband. She felt her stomach quiver at the thought. A mixture of anxiety and worry.

She would do everything she could to survive and get revenge on Eradin.

“Huh, Unit Four actually looks pretty good.” She mumbled to herself. Then she had the beginnings of a thought.