Chapter 753: Army's Completion

Chapter 753: Army's Completion

Oh hells! Birger hissed, frozen in place like a mouse before a snake.

Beautiful his rune-marked son murmured, his voice a mix of awe and fear.

The mighty war-spirita creature of honed flesh and metallooked at the giants, then back to Alex. Every single twitch of her body language spoke of violence.

Eyes of blood, molten metal and blue fire looked back at the young wizard. For the second time since he'd summoned a monster with a ninth-tier spell, he felt like an otherworldly entity was looking through his very soul.

Blood. Battle, she pronounced, looking at him closely.

Her tone was hard to read, but Alex could sense no derision toward him. He remembered how Professor Mangals war-spirit had sensed something in him that was counter to violence, and had resented him for it.

He was very glad that he no longer had the Mark of the Fool.

Bargain, archwizard, she said.

I present you with these, he said, pointing to Uldars weapons on the table behind him. I seek to lead you into at least two battles. The first will be here, against opponents who are mighty, wielding the sort of violence that would make an entire army tremble. They will come here, bringing war to us.

His jaw flexed. I wish to show them what war truly is. The second battle will be greater: it will be fought against an ancient opponent, one that has caused endless war for thousands of years. Our battle against it will be the stuff of legends, and it will redefine the fate of a kingdom and an age of the world. I would not presume to call on your mighty talents for battles that are beneath you, and I believe these will match your appetite for destruction. I would also not presume to ask you to join me without payment: I am not some arrogant mortal who seeks to make a being as old as you bend the knee to him. I seek to establish a relation with you, one that could be of mutual benefit for a thousand years or more. To prove this, I would like to present you with these four gifts.

He pointed to the divine weapons on the table behind him.

Asmaldestres eyes snapped to them.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

These arms were forged by a god Alex started.

Behind him, Bjorgrund sputtered. What? he gasped, looking at his new axe.

to be borne into battle as his personal weapons

Now it was Birgers turn to cough. You stole weapons from a god?

Alex continued. but he no longer needs them. There is no reason for such weapons to lie useless in an armoury, I would see them in your capable hands. I only ask in return for your alliance, your friendship, and your loyalty. I offer the same in return. If you join me, then we will fight on each other's behalf. I will lead you into the great battles that I will no doubt fight over my lifetime. You will fight along my sidereaping blood and glorywhile I will fight beside yours.

The young wizards voice took on a quality of intimidating confidence: the same tone hed used to terrify the giants of the firbolg village in Kymiland. I have slain greater demons, slaughtered monsters and destroyed armies: though I know, I am only an infant compared to the violence that you have created. Still, I believe we can serve each otherand I wouldwelcome your teaching me the true nature of war, for I am a General. So, I come to you with both pride and humility to propose an alliance.

The war-spirit looked upon him, her eyes burning. You have great pride in yourself and your prowess, mortal, she said, her words slamming into him. The spirit watched him closely for signs of weakness, for any sign of him flinching back from the violence in her voice.

He showed none.

Few are the archwizards that dare to summon me. Fewer are those that still live, she pronounced.

Birger made a strangling noise.

Asmaldestre looked at the summoning circle around her, eyeing the gifts carefully. Her eyes shifted from the iron filingsglowing even nowto the blood in the chalice, which had begun to boil.

Some wizards make mistakes in the spell, freeing me to slaughter them for their arrogance and incompetence. You have made none. Some seek to come to me, and elevate themselves as master, turning me into their slave. They wish for me to bend my knee to them. She ground her teeth, metal scraping on metal. Mortal arrogance. They think they know mastery and violence. They do not know the beginnings of such things, not in the way I do.

In just a short whileby combining his dances, the preciseness of carving, his knowledge of anatomy, his augmenting spells and teleportationhed grown into the General, a deadly warrior, the Hero he was always meant to be.

By my ancestors Birger murmured. Incredible.

Enough, Asmaldestre said.

The single word stopped the fight as both Alex and Bjorgrund froze, the war-spirits voice striking them like a blow.

Alex looked at the summoned being, his gaze levelled. Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I didn't use most of the spells Im capable of. If I could use all of the spells I've learned over the last few years, or even the combat spells I've learned over the last few daysthis fight would've been very different.

He's right, Bjorgrund said. I saw him destroy an entire band of rune-marked, and he was a lot weaker then. Mighty war-spirit, he will make a good ally for you.

Her eyes snapped to the giant. You are a whelp of a rune-marked, with only one rune. But you have a good foundation. You will make a terrifying warrior one day, and as for you She looked at Alex. you are skilled in the art of violence. If you had unsheathed that weapon, your opponent would now be devastated.

I have a lot of room to grow. I'm new at this kind of fighting. But I intend to keep learning and grow even more, the young wizard said. Which brings me to a final point. If you ever plan on betraying me, then we should probably end this negotiation, and go our separate ways.

He pointed to his chest. I try to be fair, loyal, and kind to friends, companions, and allies. That said, Im no doormat: I don't tolerate betrayal, and I've got something of a knack for vengeance. I may not have your skill with weapons, at least not now. I may not have your experience in battle, but I have taken the lives of enemies both ancient and strong. If you ever betray me, or harm my companions, then I won't rest until I find some way to make you wish that youd died on a battlefield somewhere.

Arrogance? Now, you would threaten one such as I? Asmaldestre asked.

The giants were making choking noises.

Not arrogance. A promise. Everything I have stated is fact, nothing more nothing less. I was beginning to get a little annoyed that you were referring to us as whelps and dust. I also dont want you to have the wrong impression.

What wrong impression? her words struck.

Thatyou could take advantage of usand even have a prayer of walking away from that betrayal alive, he said, looking into her eyes.

The war-spirit watched him for a time.

Then her body began to shake.

She threw her head back, laughter tinged by fire spraying from her lips, exploded.

Well done! I am amused and impressed, mortal! If your deeds are as strong as your words, then this will be a most pleasing alliance.

Alexs eyebrows raised. Then that means

I am Asmaldestre the Unmaker. She slammed one of her front claws into the stone. By the binding magic of this spell, I swear an oath and form an alliance with the archwizard, Alexander Roth. As long as our alliance is not broken by either party, I will follow you into battle as you might follow me.

She grinned. Hand me those weapons. And I will show your enemies a violence that they could never hope to understand.

We will, Alex said. We will show them a violence they can never hope to understand.

And with that, Alexs army was complete.

They were ready.