pursuit.” Rai said, drawing upon her knowledge as a scout. “A bridge that big, over a river that fast—they'll never be able to rebuild it strong enough to carry those ceratos without sending back to the city for some architectural spellcrafters. Military engineers wouldn't be enough even if they had them.”
“And with Daire now in a succession crisis, an army loyal to the old king will be decidedly disfavored in terms of funding and favors.” Kaiel added. Then he pointed to where lines of soldiers were busy digging an expansive hole in the rich soil. “Percival means business though; they're digging for stone to build a smaller bridge for the lighter mounts.”
Taylin frowned at what looked to her own experienced eye like an inefficient set of actions. “Why not have the mages dig if they have them? They need those shovels for latrines and defensive works.”
“Same reason they can't just raise the old bridge.” Said Kaiel. “The river. All that akua moving along with it scatters ere-a and makes it harder to gather and use spells that require it—like all stone manipulations for example. It would be too much of a strain on their mages to dig down to usable rock and build a bridge out of it. The bridge is going to be a near enough thing.”
Taylin nodded slowly. “They'll be here a long time then. I guess this is where we go on our own—after Brin visits the homestead.”
“We'd be heading on alone along the path we know a demon took.” Kaiel pointed out.
Rai folded her arms and looked down with some misplaced disdain at the army. “There's nothing for it though. We have to get to Rivenport and get to Motsey. There's no time to waste, demon or no demon.”
“Heh.” Ru got everyone's attention with his usual cruel vocalization. He'd summoned his scythe and was balancing the weapon on the flats of both hands in front of him as he surveyed the scene below them. “If we cross the river, there will be no demon before us at all.”
“What are you talking about, Ru?” Taylin asked, “The bridge—”
“—was not destroyed to avoid pursuit.” Ru cut her off.
“Blood turn to flame, stop being smug and tell us what you know.” Kaiel said with a glower.
Ru smirked and waved his hand to indicate the length and breadth of the valley. “This place is a terrible place for your average spellcrafter. As Raiteria and Arunsteadeles already noted, the river stunts ere-a . Not only ere-a , but that favorite of battlemagi: flaer . Meanwhile, the floodplain is normally a cradle of life, inviting vast amounts of vitae . Except, and she ,” He shot a venomous glare at Brin, “can attest to the fact as well, that the violent deaths and moldering corpses of so many minor beasts of the Threefold Moon have left that homestead a festering pit of nekras , and by extension, this entire valley anima-neutral: a perfect brew for abnormally weak spellcraft—unless like me you possess a robust natural capacity, or like this dog of Immurai, you possess a conduit to an outside source of power.”
He watched their faces when he was done. It didn't need to be said because even Taylin, who knew nothing of magic, knew much of tactics and the laws of advantage. The demon hadn't destroyed the bridge to escape the army, it had done so to keep them from escaping.
“Yes.” He said casually, “They're all going to die.”
“No.” Taylin said before the words were even completely out of his mouth. “They're not. Look at how many there are of them, how many mages. It only works if they're taken by surprise. We can warn them, help them mount a defense.”
“To what end?” Ru swung the scythe up onto his shoulder. “We owe them nothing. It might even be a kindness: I've seen the fates of hundreds of armies left without a nation. Death at the claw, or death from starvation and neglect.”
Rai started to say something, but stopped. Percival had worked with Grandmother to find her to bring news of Motsey's kidnapping when
“And with Daire now in a succession crisis, an army loyal to the old king will be decidedly disfavored in terms of funding and favors.” Kaiel added. Then he pointed to where lines of soldiers were busy digging an expansive hole in the rich soil. “Percival means business though; they're digging for stone to build a smaller bridge for the lighter mounts.”
Taylin frowned at what looked to her own experienced eye like an inefficient set of actions. “Why not have the mages dig if they have them? They need those shovels for latrines and defensive works.”
“Same reason they can't just raise the old bridge.” Said Kaiel. “The river. All that akua moving along with it scatters ere-a and makes it harder to gather and use spells that require it—like all stone manipulations for example. It would be too much of a strain on their mages to dig down to usable rock and build a bridge out of it. The bridge is going to be a near enough thing.”
Taylin nodded slowly. “They'll be here a long time then. I guess this is where we go on our own—after Brin visits the homestead.”
“We'd be heading on alone along the path we know a demon took.” Kaiel pointed out.
Rai folded her arms and looked down with some misplaced disdain at the army. “There's nothing for it though. We have to get to Rivenport and get to Motsey. There's no time to waste, demon or no demon.”
“Heh.” Ru got everyone's attention with his usual cruel vocalization. He'd summoned his scythe and was balancing the weapon on the flats of both hands in front of him as he surveyed the scene below them. “If we cross the river, there will be no demon before us at all.”
“What are you talking about, Ru?” Taylin asked, “The bridge—”
“—was not destroyed to avoid pursuit.” Ru cut her off.
“Blood turn to flame, stop being smug and tell us what you know.” Kaiel said with a glower.
Ru smirked and waved his hand to indicate the length and breadth of the valley. “This place is a terrible place for your average spellcrafter. As Raiteria and Arunsteadeles already noted, the river stunts ere-a . Not only ere-a , but that favorite of battlemagi: flaer . Meanwhile, the floodplain is normally a cradle of life, inviting vast amounts of vitae . Except, and she ,” He shot a venomous glare at Brin, “can attest to the fact as well, that the violent deaths and moldering corpses of so many minor beasts of the Threefold Moon have left that homestead a festering pit of nekras , and by extension, this entire valley anima-neutral: a perfect brew for abnormally weak spellcraft—unless like me you possess a robust natural capacity, or like this dog of Immurai, you possess a conduit to an outside source of power.”
He watched their faces when he was done. It didn't need to be said because even Taylin, who knew nothing of magic, knew much of tactics and the laws of advantage. The demon hadn't destroyed the bridge to escape the army, it had done so to keep them from escaping.
“Yes.” He said casually, “They're all going to die.”
“No.” Taylin said before the words were even completely out of his mouth. “They're not. Look at how many there are of them, how many mages. It only works if they're taken by surprise. We can warn them, help them mount a defense.”
“To what end?” Ru swung the scythe up onto his shoulder. “We owe them nothing. It might even be a kindness: I've seen the fates of hundreds of armies left without a nation. Death at the claw, or death from starvation and neglect.”
Rai started to say something, but stopped. Percival had worked with Grandmother to find her to bring news of Motsey's kidnapping when
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