Chapter 249: An Army For An Army

I'm beginning to think the reason Monarchs don't walk and live amongst their people is to protect them for the frightening side of casual power. To keep them from overstepping their bounds or even being tempted to do so. 

A Monarch coming down to walk the same filth ridden streets a peasant walks, with their own two feet no less, such a thought is frightening for the local rulers, exciting for the people and an unknown experience for the Monarch.

The local rulers of such a filthy place will no doubt want to hide said filth from the peering eyes of the Monarch, to now have them walk through it, it's as though they should go ahead and hang themselves. And for the people they will be excited, the Monarch is a mystery usually and far off to their problems, the closest they can get is the local rulers and those aren't often what they need.

For the Monarch, the experience is unknown and completely unique to what kind of glorious ruler they are. For me, walking through these streets with my two feet, a troop of Warriors trailing behind me and the Mayor begging not to frighten the people, the people themselves are indeed frightened. 

But none of this is because I'm a terrible, scary or oppressive ruler. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that these people don't fully accept I am their overlord. Since I released Demme from the clutches of the Demons of Reais, I have been as far removed from them as their 'true' Monarchs. To them, I am a terribly powerful warlock that demands tribute and worship, to some I may even be an invader rather than a savior, I can somewhat sympathise with Piol's inability to move these people now that I walk through their streets.

Their eyes stark wide, their windows shutting, their kids between their legs and their jaws hanging open. I suppose I'm not helping the fear aspect by pulling dead people out of the sky. Sometimes I peek into some of these houses and materialize ancestors they long mourned as dead and in the embrace of Anera.

I've summoned so many spirits that the System has deemed it important to give me a counter at the side of my view, a much appreciated help really. So far I've summoned over forty men, women and children hanging over Demme and I've only walked through some parts of the large village. Death occurs everywhere, for various reasons and Demme is ripe with the dead, teeming with them even.

The best part of much of this is, many of these dead are Warriors, Warriors who saw their people suffering and lingered, thinking they could help somehow, that they could influence aspects of the raging war with the Monsters, that they could help with the crops. 

Pitiful that none of these spirits knew the cruelty of Anera, but now they're glad to follow me. Out of the forty-something I've summoned yet I've got about fifteen following me around, questioning me, asking my intent. I promise answers will be had once I'm done.

Given I intend to walk through the city and even to some edge of the Forest in search of these spirits, I imagine it will take me some while before I'm even nearly done. Even more so with Anselm's nagging.

"You've never summoned these many before, is this really the solution to the Dungeon problem?"

"Dungeon?" I reel at him, eyes glowing with a fiercely leveled up [Sense Death] using it with such consistency has given the spell little choice but to move up as I get more proficient with each cast. 

"Well, it does fit the description of a Dungeon doesn't it?" He shrugs, then shakes his head, "But that's beside the point, I know I said we'd need an army but are you truly making an army out of Demme's dead to attack the Dungeon?"

"I have given Alric the order to gather as many of the city's weapons as he can, so yes, I figure I'm making an army of immortal souls...like yourself." I sigh, shaking my head as well, "For the life of me I'm not sure why I didn't consider this in the first place." I would facepalm but my hands are filled with wisping balls of mana, set to shoot out and free the next Spirit I find with my eyes.

He groans and grumbles some more but I've stopped listening, my mind drifting and my body moving on auto-pilot as I ponder the System's generosity.

It's given me a counter for the Spirits, much like it's given me a counter for the number of souls I have in my [Soul Gem], but that isn't the end to it's generosity. It's also gifted me two more spirit counters in a freakish display of omniscience.

[Loyal Spirits - 3]

Loyal Spirits. I can make a guess what that refers to and who it's counting as Loyal. Anselm would be one obviously and Garland the First would be another, I'm not sure about the third, perhaps that's some other spirit I summoned often enough back at Ioina Village.

[Rogue Spirits - 49]

The Rogue counter is basically the same as the total minus the Loyal three. The rogues are the ones I've conjured up just now, the ones I intend to use for my army. 

I like the counters, the Rogue and Loyal Spirit counters give me a solid idea of the spirits I've got on my side. After all, these Spirits are still...well, they're still people. Immortal as they are, fueled by my mana which is now close to all but exhausted, they are still people who need to be convinced to pick up the swords, spears and bows I have Alric arranging now.

Of course, there's always this.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out my mouth I feel almost all my mana leave me and a headache split through my head as the changes take place.

[Loyal Spirits - 7]

[Loyal Spirits - 13]

[Loyal Spirits - 21]

[Loyal Spirits - 30]

"Aggh fuck!" I let it all go and the numbers drip back down to a firm three. I catch Anselm staring at me, he doesn't look happy. "I'm only testing, besides, it's not all practical anyway and it hurts far too much to be the go to."

Even as I explain his arms remain folded and his lip pursed thin.

I frown and straighten, "I'm sorry Anselm, I know this is...sensitive, it is for me too."

"Is it?" He presses, his look doubtful.

"Yes, it is. Trust me, I'd rather not spend so much mana forcing my will on them, think of the costs alone...no, it's a drain I can't maintain as I am."

"So don't bother testing!"

"I thought you wanted to be brought back to life? What's a few spirits under my will hurting? You? No, in the end anything that helps me, helps you Anselm, trust me, you want this as an option."

"No, I don't." He doesn't let me speak another word before flying off. 

Heaving a sigh, mana drained and expended, I decide to take a break while I recharged. I'd rather not use [Soul Manipulation] to fuel my empty reserves as is, best to leave the souls for later, important uses...like the ritual that needs ten of them.

Still, I turn to the spirits following me, "You guys go have fun talking to your loved ones, the ones alive or dead, I'm sure there should be a mix. I'll call on everyone when I'm ready."

The set of fifteen are a bit reluctant to leave, but they do with more urging from me.

[Loyal Spirits - 10]

"Huh, not a bad turn out."