Winter's Crown: Act 6, Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Training resumed as planned that night, with little in the way of complications. Rather than complications, their schedule had been accelerated. The steady stream of Goblins carrying supplies, unaware that the main body of the Goblin army had been destroyed the previous night, provided the new arrivals with full contingents of Squire Zombies before the evening had fallen.

As reported, the target camps for the night were mostly what one might consider ‘training’ camps, filled with weak and poorly equipped Demihumans that were often set upon while they were performing their drills. As a result, they provided even less resistance than previous nights, and Ludmila had to outline theoreticals in absence of a more genuine experience as the Elder Lich commanders practised with their troops.

Once it appeared that they were well on their way, her mind turned to Shizu’s words and she pulled out the Rune Bow Ultuwah. How would she draw the attention of others to the bow? How would she use it, for that matter? It was nearly as tall as a longbow: ill-suited for firing from the back of a mount – or the shoulders of an Elder Lich, in her case.

“I do not recall identifying a magical bow from any of the forays against this Goblin army,” Nonna said.

“This is from Miss Shizu,” Ludmila replied. “The Rune Bow Ultuwah.”

“From Lady Shizu…Rune Bow…I see.”

Lady Shizu? As expected, the servants of the Sorcerer King were from some extraordinary backgrounds. Considering her detachable leg and nearly expressionless features, was she some sort of construct? A Golem princess? Lady Shalltear had mentioned something about turning into a Golem, once. Entoma likely held some lofty status as well.

“Do you know anything about Rune Bows?” Ludmila asked, “Lady Shizu said something about it being crafted using the ancient art of Runecraft™. She also mentioned that it was an exclusive product of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

“I am uncertain of its details, but it is most surely a wondrous thing.”

How could she speak so confidently about it when she was uncertain of its details? It was a sort of inconsistent statement that she rarely, if ever heard from the Elder Lich.

A number of arrows rose into the air as one of the Elder Lich commanders skimmed a bit too close over its assigned camp. She retrieved a broadhead arrow and raised the Rune Bow Ultuwah.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to see if I can use this up here…”

Scanning the camp for a likely target, Ludmila located what looked like a healer who was desperately scrambling back and forth. She drew her bow, then something came loose between her legs. Startled, she released the arrow and it grazed her target’s arm. Looking down, she saw that Nonna had released her grip on her thighs and her hands were now placed on top of her head.

“Did your head just–”

“It didn’t happen.”

Ludmila frowned down worriedly at the back of Nonna’s cowl.

“I was trying to stabilize my form and I just–”

“It didn’t happen.”

“O-of course.”

There were already enough strange rumours circulating about her. Squeezing an Elder Lich’s head off with her thighs was not something she wanted to add to them. She settled on releasing her arrows at half-draw, though even those attacks appeared to be stupendously powerful. The healer that she had missed was picked off first, followed by anything else that looked like some kind of magic caster.

After two dozen targets, she felt like she was depriving the trainees of their training, so she stopped. Killing such weak Demihumans didn’t seem like a very efficient use of arrows, anyways. She had Nonna ascend so she could look over at the remaining encampments.

“Have there been any reports of these training camps starting to break up yet?” She asked.

“We’ve received no updates of the sort,” Nonna replied. “If anything, these camps are larger than the average encampment.”

Ludmila mused over the idea of just scattering the remaining encampments. Since they were Demihumans engaged in training, it would stand to reason that they were the native population of the basin. Once they were dispersed, they would be trivial to deal with using her regular security forces. She eyed the ancient pass looming far to the west. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. If some overwhelming evil did appear, the chaos might be more than she could manage.

When the night’s training ended, Ludmila returned to her manor, eager to find out what the Bone Vultures had discovered in the west. The distance from the southern edge of the basin was so great that it took them until midmorning to reach the harbour. Thinking about Lady Shalltear’s push to have her claim the upper reaches for the Sorcerous Kingdom, she wondered how Clara managed her huge demesne. She probably didn’t ride one of her Elder Liches everywhere, and there were far more people living in Corelyn County.

“Wiluvien, has there been anything from the Bone Vultures we sent out?”

“Only a few have returned, my lady,” she replied. “We don’t have a proper map of the region, so there are only rough reports to go by. The base camps we identified when all of this started are still there. Across the river, there’s some sort of plain…that’s all we really have: nothing noteworthy has been reported there.”

It was good news, probably. If nothing went on, she could conduct the last training exercise and then settle down to see how the camps on the west side reacted to the destruction of the Goblin army.

“There have been some movements reported inside the basin, however,” Wiluvien added.

“Where?” Ludmila tensed.

“The reports are intermittent, my lady. It may be that the tribes in the upper reaches are returning to their regular lives.”

“Is it everywhere at once? Or are they coming from somewhere?”

“There are groups of Demihumans returning from where they were driven to in the east,” Wiluvien looked down at the map, “and there might be another group in the southwest? Perhaps the remaining camps are breaking up now.”

“The east should be safe to leave alone for now,” Ludmila said. “I doubt they will try anything after seeing that the Goblin army has been wiped out. I will head out and see what I can learn about the movements to the southwest once I complete my report. Please let the next batch of trainees know where to go once they arrive.”

She headed out with Nonna in the mid-afternoon, flying over the passes to see if anything had disturbed the Zombies collecting there. After inspecting the westernmost pass, they turned south to investigate the approaches. When they had passed over several sets of camps, she spotted movement in the one ahead. Whatever it was must have seen them too, for it dashed away into the trees as they approached. Judging by its size relative to the camp features, it was larger than a Hobgoblin.

Ludmila looked around for a Bone Vulture and sent it over to where the figure had disappeared. It circled overhead several times, finding nothing.

『Did you see that?』

Nonna shook her head.

『Summon some Wraiths. See if you can flush whatever it is out of the trees down there.』

The Elder Lich did as instructed, but failed to find anything. Further down, there was more movement.

『Another one. Or maybe the same one. In the camp to the west of us.』

Nonna turned to follow. This time, the mysterious figure did not seem to take notice of either Nonna or the Bone Vulture circling overhead. It finished rooting around the camp before they came close enough to identify it, loping out towards the nearby brush.

Ludmila leaned forward as they closed in, trying to figure out what it was. It passed behind a tree. When it appeared on the other side, it was facing them directly. Her sense of alarm rose sharply when she realized what it was.

Gnoll!

『Protection from Arrows! Get us out of here!』

The Hyena Beastman raised its massive greatbow. Ludmila grabbed the round shield from her Infinite Haversack and held it before her.

“「Protection from Arrows」.”

“「Fortre–”

Ludmila was jolted off of Nonna’s shoulders. Pain filled the world and her body seized. In her shock, she dully registered the arrow that had exploded out of her chest. Its shaft was wider than her thumb, and it was tipped by a barbed black head as long as her hand. She didn’t feel herself hit the ground.

Amidst the murky nothingness, she floated. Irritation filled her being. Dissatisfaction. Something important left undone. Too many somethings.

The nothingness lapped around her like soothing waves but was of little comfort. Somewhere beyond herself, she felt herself: drifting away like she herself was. What she felt from them only served to exacerbate her bitterness. Ignorance. Failure. Incompetence. Impressions of other selves, punctuating her powerlessness.

She didn’t like this place. No, it was more truthful to say that she hated it. There was nothing for her here. There was nothing to be done here. She sought purpose; duty; a way to fix things; a way out.

But there was none. Only the nothingness and the beyond.

An eternity later, something dark approached. Evil, a part of herself screamed. Unclean, the echoes in the nothingness came. But the darkness was familiar to her. It was comfort in a place where there was none. A chance to make things right. She reached out across the void; felt the comforting darkness entwine around her being…

She opened her eyes. There was the ceiling of her manor; the scents of her home. Her blankets slid over her bare skin as her chest rose with a weak breath.

“Leave us,” a familiar voice said. “Now.”

She turned her head. Lady Shalltear was seated on the edge of her parents’ bed. An exquisite ivory rod lay across her lap. Her crimson eyes glowed, fixing Ludmila’s gaze with her own.

“Lady Shalltear,” she said, “what…”

Memory came. A sudden jolt and a world of pain. The sense of falling, her body burning from the inside. At the end…nothing.

“Did my words mean nothing to you?” Lady Shalltear asked quietly.

“I…”

“Did you not understand them, perhaps?” Her liege’s voice smouldered, and Ludmila fell silent.

She could absorb the fury of others; shrug off their hate and their scorn. But not this. This…was disappointment. Disappointment in her failure. Ludmila’s very soul seemed to want to curl up and disappear somewhere. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes.

“Oh, it seems that you do,” Lady Shalltear said. “At least in part. Do you require me to enlighten you of my full meaning?”

“No, my lady,” Ludmila replied. “A-at least I think I understand.”

“Are you sure?” Lady Shalltear raised an eyebrow, “Let’s hear it from you, just in case.”

Lady Shalltear rose from her seat, walking up to the side of Ludmila's bed. Her hand stretched out, and Ludmila tensed. She felt the points of Lady Shalltear’s nails playing lightly over her blanket.

“If I don’t like your answer,” she said lightly, “you won’t be getting up again.”

Ludmila remained silent for several moments, feeling the touch of her liege roam over her abdomen.

“You have taken me as your vassal,” Ludmila said quietly. “Invested me with duty; shared with me your responsibilities. I am an agent of His Majesty’s will. To fail is to show that His Majesty’s will may be resisted; denied."

“That’s right,” Lady Shalltear said. “Lord Ainz’s Will is absolute. All who challenge His authority must be made to see this truth. Yet you have done just the opposite.”

Ludmila sat up in her bed, drawing her blanket up to her collarbone.

“I will return to the field and seek restitution, my lady. I will reclaim the honour lost.”

Lady Shalltear sniffed dismissively.

“You say that, but are you capable of delivering on your claim? You were slain by a single arrow from an opponent you did not even realize was there. Your equipment is gone and you’ve lost levels. Your words ring hollow, in my estimation.”

Ludmila cast her gaze downwards, looking around for her things. There was nothing there. She would still be able to command from the air, but at a safe height, she had no real hope to locate those Gnolls. None of her forces could detect them. Even if they did, they wouldn’t be able to catch the strong ones and would eventually lose them again.

“…it is as you say, my lady,” Ludmila said. “I possess the resolve, but it is all that I have. I can’t do it on my own. I need help.”

Two objects landed at the foot of her bed. Ludmila’s eyes widened. They were Infinite Haversacks identical to her own.

“It would be better if you were to permanently cast away that sort of impulsive response,” Lady Shalltear said. “What is required of you is demonstrable results, not empty words.”

Ludmila reached out and pulled one of the containers onto her lap. Within was her equipment.

“My lady,” she looked up in disbelief, “this is…”

“The failings of a vassal are the responsibility of their liege,” Lady Shalltear told her. “Fortunately, they were foolish enough to take off with your equipment, so Nigredo found them right away.”

“You…you went out there personally?”

“I did,” Lady Shalltear said. “My escorts herded them back out of the upper reaches. There are a couple of thousand Gnolls smeared against the walls of that ancient pass, now. I think a few thousand Goblins ended up in the mix, too.”

“I am truly ashamed for troubling you, my lady.”

Lady Shalltear stepped back, crossing her arms over her midriff.

“I may not be very good at many things,” Lady Shalltear said, “but I believe that I told you that fighting is something that I excel at. I know well enough what should and shouldn’t be possible when it comes to personal combat. I won’t arbitrarily punish you for failing at something that you cannot do, but I wanted to hear your response all the same. I have dealt with this matter for now, but I believe you realize that an affront of this nature cannot be allowed to repeat itself, yes?”

“Yes, my lady,” Ludmila replied. “Thank you for your consideration. I should be pursuing a permanent solution more aggressively, all things considered. It is unforgivable that the defence of the realm is limited by these ongoing shortfalls.”

“Indeed. For now, however, you have a job to finish.”

They stared at one another for several moments. Ludmila shifted uncomfortably under her blanket.

“What are you waiting for?” Lady Shalltear told her, “Duty awaits.”

Ludmila stepped out of bed and went about dressing herself. Lady Shalltear smiled from the side.

“I suppose there are advantages to not having Quickswap enchantments.”

Ludmila tried to ignore her liege’s leer, which only seemed to amuse her all the more. When she had fully equipped herself, Ludmila went over to the dinner table to see what had changed on the map. Urgent knocking sounded at the door. She went to answer and found Lluluvien waiting outside.

“My lady,” she said after she stepped in and closed the door again, “something’s happened on the other side of the ancient pass.”

“Go on…”

“The base camps along the river have been attacked,” Lluluvien said. “They’re burning. There are thousands of Demihumans fleeing into the basin.”

“Did they describe what is attacking them?”

“Not in great detail,” Lluluvien replied. “They suddenly came from over the plain – we’re still trying to sort it all out.”

Ludmila furrowed her brow, and a chill washed over her body. Whatever it was that the Hobgoblin General had mocked her over – the ‘evil star’ that the Krkonoše had fled from – had probably come. She turned to Lady Shalltear.

“My lady,” she said. “I must return to my command.”

Lady Shalltear smirked up at her, and a Gate opened near Ludmila’s bed. Ludmila made one last check over her person before stepping towards the portal.

“Baroness Zahradnik.”

Being so addressed, Ludmila paused for a moment, then turned.

“My lady?”

“Ainz Ooal Gown does not know defeat.”

Ludmila straightened, placing a hand over her breast and lowering her head.

“His Majesty’s Will shall not be denied.”