And so Dread Emperor Irritant addressed the heroes thus: Lo and behold, I fear not your burning Light, for I am already on fire.

Extract from Volume IX of the official Imperial Chronicles

Abigail was beginning to reconsider her position on tanning being an acceptable vocation. Sure, the smell was horrible and they made you live outside city walls. Pay wasnt that good, and good luck trying to get anywhere without joining a guild thatd squeeze you on fees. On the other hand, she mused, the average tanner did not usually have to deal with fifteen thousand angry crusaders howling for their blood. I probably shouldnt have gotten sauced and insulted the entire family before leaving, she decided. Now even if I come crawling on my knees theyll make me marry a cousin before taking me back.

I just cant do it, Tribune Abigail of Summerholm sighed. They all look like ferrets.

Maam? Captain Krolem asked.

We have to win this one, Captain, she told the orc solemnly. Theres a lot riding on it.

For the honour of the Black Queen, the orc growled approvingly.

Yes, Abigail lied. That is exactly what I meant.

The queen could stab her way to an honourable reputation on her own, as far as the woman was concerned, but telling greenskins shit like that was never good politics. It wasnt quite as bad as someone badmouthing the Carrion Lord or, as this was known within the Army of Callow, suicide by stupidity but orcs tended to be touchy about Queen Catherines reputation. Shed had drinks with a Taghreb once whod explained it to her, and what shed gotten out of the man was that greenskins had a great big cultural boner for people that were good at killing. And Hells, no one ever said the Black Queen didnt have a talent for that.

Rotation, Captain Krolem, she said, eyes scanning her frontline. Were tiring.

The Hellhound had, in her great wisdom, decided that the four thousand men under Nauk Princekiller were enough to kick an entire enemy column in the balls. The tribune wasnt all that fond of the Marshal of Callow, who was rumoured to eat people who got sloppy with kit maintenance, but she had to concede this wasnt going as fucking horribly wrong as shed expected when the enemy had advanced. For one, compared to Summer fae and wights the levies were godsdamned pushovers. It was incredibly refreshing to fight people that didnt keep attacking after you hacked an arm off. Captain Krolem sounded the whistle around his neck and the twenty soldiers at the front of her cohort withdrew, a fresh line taking their place. The crusaders didnt have fancy manoeuvres like that. When they got tired they just died, thank the Gods. Her eyes flicked to the sides and she grimaced.

The crusaders had wasted the better part of an hour getting in battle formations before attacking, but what had struck her as unnecessary wariness was beginning to pay off. Sure, they were failing to breach the shield wall, but the flank to the west was a problem. General Nauk had left a full kabili of one thousand floating out there to prevent easy flanking, but the crusaders had the numbers to keep going around even after engaging those. The only reason the host hadnt been enveloped yet was A horn sounded, and Abigail kissed her mailed fist in thanks to the Gods Above. Retreat to the next line, at last. It was the third time the general called for one, and they gave more ground every time. Abigail figured at some point the entire army would just fucking leg it, and it couldnt come soon enough.

In good order, soldiers, she called out. Anyone falls out of line and Ill drown them in the marsh myself.

It was going well, she thought. Better than she could have reasonably hoped for.

NAMED, a legionary called out.

It fucking figured.

It was like trying to break a stone with a wooden hammer, Captain Pierre Dulac thought as he strode over the corpses of his fellow fantassins. It left a mark, but the hammer tended to break and considering his company was the hammer of this tortured metaphor this was not a pleasant state of affairs. The Brabantine had heard stories about the Legions of Terror, how theyd swept aside the armies of Callow effortlessly, but hed always believed them to be exaggerated. Theyd had twenty years to swell, after all, and he was not unacquainted with how evenings at taverns made yarns grow ever more vivid. After the first time hed lost thirty of his finest trying to break through the enemy shield wall, however, hed had to swallow his old opinions. The heathens fought as hard as the devils they bargained with. Horns sounded in the distance and the Army of Callow moved as a single living creature, retreating at a measured pace as balls of flame bloomed in the sky and began raining down on Proceran lines.

Pierre put his shield over his head and knelt, waiting for the rain to pass. A man to his left was a little too slow to bring up his own shield and sorcerous flame struck his face, searing flesh and muscle in the blink of an eye. The fantassin squinted. New recruit, he was pretty sure, some Segovian second son whod enrolled to seek his fortune. The poor fucker should have listened, when his mother told him fortune was a fickle bitch.

On your feet, men of Procer, a voice rang out.

The captain obeyed before he even realized what he was doing. The man whod spoke was tall, and his accent in Chantant was heavy with the thick syllables of a native Levantine. Armoured in silver, with a shield polished until it shone like a mirror and a sword that was more radiance than steel, the Chosen could be felt even from ten feet away. Like a pulse, a whisper of power bestowed by the Godss.

The enemy retreats, the hero said. We must pursue. The Heavens will it.

The Heavens will it, Pierre replied in a fervent whisper.

He would have formed the wings with his fingers, had he not been holding sword and shield. With the end of the wave of fire, advance towards the retreating legionaries was left unbarred. His company formed ranks and advanced, the Chosen at their head, and they shouted defiance. The humans and greenskins on the other side watched them in silence from behind their shield wall, grimly professional. No levies, these. The difference between soldiers trained and soldiers conscripted had been written across the field today.

Do not be afraid, the Chosen called out. Their dark queen is wounded and they stand bereft of her protection. This battle will be won by faith and courage.

Company, charge, the captain screamed. Honour to the Wreath!

Shouts gave answer, the oaths of half a dozen principalities sounding where no banners stood.

Double pay to anyone who stabs the shiny fucker, a womans voice called out from the other side.

Pierre blinked, but had not time to spare for surprise as a moment later his shield hit the enemys. A massive orc, who smashed him back with brute force. The fantassin had not survive the Great War without picking up a few tricks, though. He went low and stabbed up, finding flesh, and the greenskin howled in rage. Squaring up behind his shield the captain let the creatures violent death throes bounce off wood and iron, pushing forward before the legionary behind this one could fill the gap. Along the line his men were like wave hitting a cliff, save for where the Chosen led. Legionaries were smacked down like insolent children, and those that tried to force back the hero found a sliver blur carving through their flesh. The fantassin rocked back as a Callowan went shield to shield with him but dug his feet. Gritting his teeth, he had to retreat when the legionary to that ones right stabbed forward with his sword. Another of his men took his place, and he joined the pressing throng to look for a better opening.

Scatter, a voice too deep to be human shouted.

Pierre found his gaze moving to the side, attracted by sudden movement where the Chosen was fighting. The legionaries whod been surrounding the man retreated swiftly, and a moment later lightning struck. The Brabantines blood quickened and he blinked away the bright light, relieved when he saw the hero stood unmarried with his shield up. Lightning scarred the earth around him. A trail of red went up in the sky above, some sort of munitions, and the captain grimaced. That did not bode well. A spike of flame formed above the Chosen and hammered down at him, but the mirror-like shield shone blindingly and the fire blew back into the sky. The second spike, though, shook the Chosens stance. The third drove him back. The fourth nailed him into the ground. Pierre hurried towards the grounds, not sure what he could do but knowing he had to try. The fifth spike formed and went out. Snuffed like a candle. By the Chosens side a wrinkled old woman stood, glaring up with a sword in hand. The Regicide, Pierre understood with trembling hands. The fantassin hurried and helped the other Chosen back to his feet as the Saint of Swords casually carved through half a dozen legionaries with a single swing.

What part of careful advance did you not understand, kid? the Regicide said. This is a battlefield, not your sisters wedding. Going in with your dick out wont get you fucked the fun way.

Pierre would never be so foolish to admit this out loud, but he felt a little cheated that the first sentence hed heard the Chosen of the Heavens speak involved mention of dicks. It was perhaps less radiantly heroic than hed expected.

I apologize for my failure, Honoured Elder, the Chosen still leaning on him gasped.

Apologize by not forcing me to drag my ass here again, the old woman snorted. Steady this flank, sorcerers are focusing on the right.

The Saint glanced at Pierre, who blanched, and nodded approvingly at him before moving out in a blur. In the distance, horns sounded again and the legionaries began to retreat. The hole the Chosen had carved into the lines had already reformed seamlessly, and the fantassing let the hero hed been holding up steady his own footing.

Again, Captain, the man said. The Heavens will it.

The Heavens will it, Captain Pierre Dulac agreed.

Well, at least she was still alive. Tribune Abigail rubbed at her left eye again, pretty sure she was going to have to get that looked at by a mage. Shed made the mistake of looking at the fucking hero when he made his pretty little shield shine and shed had to deal with persistent black spots ever since. General Nauk had finally sounded what should be the last retreat before they got the Hells out of here, so her odds of surviving the day were looking sunny. Shed also gotten through a visit by the Saint of Swords without losing any limbs, which had her in a good mood. Named were like lightning: the odds of them striking at the same place in the battle line twice were pretty low once they left. Shed lost a quarter of her cohort when the shiny fucker had led a charge, and not even calling for heavy mage support had gotten rid of the bastard, but they were approaching the low earth slope the sappers had raised and that was probably a good sign. She hoped. It wasnt like tribunes were high up enough the ladder to be in the loop for whatever secret plans were unfolding. The crusaders were pressing on all sides, but the measured pace of the retreat had continued to prevent encirclement.

Still, thank the Gods the enemy didnt have cavalry.

Abigail squinted at the enemy, to her dismay finding out that the hero from earlier was still leading the pursuit. Fuck. Shed really been hoping that would end up being someone elses problem. Her cohort still had two tracers to send up to request mage intervention, but for the heavy stuff the mage lines could only hit one place at a time. If her signal went into the sky and they were already busy, the enemy Named was going to fuck them up.

At least they dont fly, Abigail mused out loud. So theres that.

Maam? Captain Krolem asked.

He tended to do that a lot. It was a little unsettling for an orc his size to turn into an eager page whenever she spoke.

Keep us at pace, Captain, she said. Im just thinking.

May I ask about what? the greenskin said.

Comparing this to the Arcadian Campaign, she said. Didnt fight much at Five Armies and One, but this is about as bad as Dormer.

The orc looked at her eagerly.

Is it true you ripped out a faes throat with your teeth? he said.

Oh Gods, the rumours kept getting worse.

I stabbed it, she denied. Blood just sprayed into my mouth.

Because shed been screaming at the top of her lungs in terror at the time, then nearly choked to death as the fae kept trying to knife her.

Drinking the blood of your enemy is an honourable thing, Krolem assured her.

Burning Hells, shed never get used to orcs. Sometimes they were almost like people, then they said shit like that.

Eyes on the enemy, Captain, she said, retreating from the line of conversation.

Speaking of retreats, her cohort was nearing the position theyd been ordered to stop at. The beginning of the earthen slope snaking across the field. Abigail glanced at it and frowned. Wasnt high or angled starkly enough to serve as proper field fortifications. What had the sappers been doing? Looking further back, she saw the packs of goblins standing in companies. No longer digging. Was this the sum of the plan, raising a second-rate hill? It was impressively long, sure, but all it meant was that her soldiers were going to be killed with the high ground. Pressing through the ranks to get to her, one of her lieutenants was making her way with an urgent look on her face. Tribune Abigail went to meet her half-way after leaving Krolem in command.

Maam, the dark-haired Callowan saluted.

Report, she ordered.

Shed sent the officer to have a look at what the goblins were up to, in case it ended up blowing up in her face.

Tunnels, maam, the lieutenant got out. They dug tunnels.

Abigail frowned.

To where?

The lieutenant gestured forward.

In that direction, she said. I couldnt tell how far, but at least beyond our position.

The tribune wiped sweat off her brow, though she was pretty sure shed smudged dirt more than wiped wetness. Tunnels, huh. What for? Her cohort finished falling back in good order moments later, and she got her answer. The ground shook with muted explosions, snaking across the field until a chunk of the battlefield went up in the air. The Callowan almost fell, but caught herself at the last minute. Dirt began to fall like rain maybe a third into the Proceran host, and her brows rose. That would have killed a few hundred, but it wouldnt stop them. Itd dug some kind of trench in the ground, she saw, pretty deep and wide. Not exactly a knock out-blow, though. Then the water from the marshlands began pouring into the trench and Abigail of Summerholm breathed in sharply. A river. The Hellhound had dug a river in the middle of an active battlefield, too broad and deep for easy crossing. And now a third of the Proceran host was stuck on the wrong side of it. Horns sounded, but the call was different this time. Itd been on of the first she learned, when going through officer training.

All companies advance.

Left flank, tracer just went up, the human officer said.

General Nauk of the Waxing Moons did not reply, idly chewing on a finger. Hed had one of his aides drag a corpse out of the swamp. Bloated corpse wasnt his favourite, but it beat rations and the water made the flesh easy to tear off the normally tricky finger bones.

Use the Spikes, Legate Jwahir said. And keep hammering, the Marshal handed down orders to try a kill on any hero on our side of the river.

Juniper of the Red Shields. The Hellhound. They had been friends once, he thought. He could remember parts of that. Enmity too, but that only to be expected. Nauk was certain he had not been a very good orc, even before Summer burned away most of what he was. Licking the last scrap of flesh and skin off the tip of the finger bone, the general swallowed. Eyes on the battlefield before him, he savoured the taste of meat and blood as he watched Proceran lines waver. The crusader left flank was attempting to salvage the situation by circling around, but hed put most his heavies in the kabili standing in their way. It had meant more casualties for the regulars under heroic pressure, but that was necessary. He did not have enough men to be able to afford coddling.

Jwahir, he growled.

Sir? the Taghreb answered, turning to him.

Burn them, he said. Were not lingering, not with heroes on the prowl.

His legate looked like she wanted to argue, but he stared at her calmly until she flinched and gave the order. Calm came easily, these days. Balance for all the things that did not. The old killing urge was muted, the Red Rage burned away. Instead now he had this vicious spasm of violence never too far from his hands. That and the hollowness, but he had grown used to that. There was satisfaction to be found in his work, as close to pleasure as it got. General Nauk watched as clusters of green flames exploded in the ranks of the crusaders on the wrong side of the river, picking at the flesh between his fangs with the finger bone. The screams were soothing, almost as good as listening to the spasm. Hed keep his troops in place long enough the Procerans could not escape, then pull back to the camp as instructed. Heroes could still bleed them, and if a commander on the other side managed to restore order long enough to start sending soldiers around the river which only went on for so long, time had forced limits defeat could still happen. The world shivered.

Sir, Jwahir said.

I see it, Legate, he grunted.

A pair of heroes were hacking at the river with great spurts of Light, trying to collapse a ford. He snorted, dimly amused. Might work, but itd take too long. Even if they didnt get exhausted before the end, the amount of men theyd be able to spare a burning death would be minimal. Dark eyes, one dead and one living, turned to the crusader camp even though it was too far to see. Soon that would go up in flames as well. Special Tribune Robber would be starting fires there, green and otherwise. Nauk felt like she should dislike the goblin, though he hardly remembered why. Something about a woman? Felt childish. And now he was hungry again. His fangs crushed the finger bones and he sucked at the marrow within, swallowing shards with it before licking his chops clean and tossing away the remains. A great ripping sound sounded in the distance, and the orc jolted in surprise. There was a wound in the sky, a woman running on it. Past the enemy lines, past the goblinfire, past his own men. Nauks brow creased.

Scry our mages, he ordered the Callowan officer. The rest of you, go away.

Legate Jwahirs lips thinned.

Sir-she began.

Nauk unsheathed his sword.

Disobeying a superior officers order had clear consequences, Legate, he said. The army now goes in full retreat. You hold command until told otherwise.

The woman paled. The orc did not pay much attention as the mage officer placed the scrying bowl in front of him on a tripod and the rest cleared out. His eyes were on the old woman running across the sky. Heading towards him. She flicked her sword, carving another rippling wound and sliding down until she landed in front of him.

Youd be the general, then, the Saint of Swords said.

Nauk tapped the flat of his blade against the scrying bowls edge.

Spike, he ordered.

Flame hammered down a moment later and the world became a sea of fire as he laughed. Ah, thatd felt good. The impact had knocked him off his feet, but he rose.

Again, he called out.

The heroine carved apart the flames that bloomed above them both, glaring at him. Another cluster was born and they both went down. Fire licked at his hands and the Princekiller hacked out a cough. She wouldnt die that easily. But neither would he. Hed felt harsher flames than this. Still did, whenever he closed his eyes. Through the smoke a shape burst out, but he was quick enough the cut that would have taken his throat cut through his ruin of a cheek instead. Barely felt it. The old woman eyed him contemptuously, raised her blade once more and then hurriedly backpedalled when a long knife scythed through where her throat had been a heartbeat earlier.

So, Archer said, blades twirling in her hands in a display of unnecessary dramatics, Is it me or youve gotten a little crazier?

Nauk hacked out a laugh.

Try to get me a slice, will you? he said. Never had heroine before.

That wasnt a no, the woman drawled amusedly.

Youre one of Rangers, the Saint of Swords interrupted.

And youre Archer began. Shit, I could have sworn I knew. Sorry, I really wasnt paying attention during that briefing. Catherine was wearing this very flattering tunic and I was hammered like you-

The heroine struck, but Archer danced around the blow and forced her back with a slash that would have gone across her eyes.

Go for a walk, Nauk, the brown-skinned woman said, as if she hadnt been interrupted. I dont think shes happy about your setting her minions on fire. Go figure. Some people just take things too personally.

Flank meat, General Nauk suggested. Or cheek. Tender pieces.

Gross, the Named said, wrinkling her nose. And Ive been stealing goblin bedding for like a month, so I know gross.

The orc snorted, and fled to the sound of Archer beginning to expound on the virtue of royal liquor cabinets with breakable locks as the heroine tried to kill her.

Princess Rozala clenched her fingers until the knuckled turned white around the reins. They had been so very, very close to utter and complete victory. Shed followed the classics perfectly. A first wave of levies to tire out the enemy infantry, followed by fantassin companies across the line while princely retinues struck at weak points. Shed tied down the enemy cavalry with a portion of her own, the sent the rest to circle around to hit the back of the Army of Callow while she thinned she extended the line of her left flank. The enemy mages had been more than a match for her priests, but the struggle had occupied the both of them and left her foe with no real check for the Chosen. Whod torn into the shield wall with remarkable alacrity, constantly forcing the opposing commander to reinforce breaches with fresh troops. Within the first half hour of the battle, victory was in the air. Wherever Named struck, the Army of Callow bled men like a leaking barrel. Then her circling cavalry had struck, and found a thin line of scorpions awaiting them. Shed almost laughed at the sight. The wave of bolts tore bloody swaths, but it could not stop thousands of horseman on the charge.

Then theyd fired again, barely a heartbeat having passed.

The tip of her cavalry wedges disintegrated. Men and horses died like flies as the scorpions damnably kept firing. The losses promised to be brutal, but as her horsemen spread out and began to close distance she bit down on her fury and made her peace with the trade. A higher cost than she would have wished, but victory was coming nonetheless. Then the goblins had wheeled out some shoddy-looking slings, and packed munitions began to blow away whole chunks of cavalry. Her people were valiant, many of them hardened veterans from the Great War. It took them sixty heartbeats to break, and what should have been a triumph tipped towards a draw. The Callowan knights, though outnumbered, broke through the cavalry shed sent against them after an hour of hard fighting. Losses on both sides were steep. One of the few comforts of the day, that over a third of the enemys cavalry had died before her own fled the field. Without the Chosen it might very well have been a defeat. The enemy commander turned those vicious scorpions against her fantassins, revealing that in addition to being repeating they could also be swiftly moved by oxen.

Then the Grey Pilgrim had taken the field and radiant light carved through the engines like a heavenly stroke. The enemy commander ordered a retreat soon after and the legionaries withdrew in good orders, bleeding men to heroes and skirmishers they had no answer to. But the knights of Callow threatened to charge them, and Princess Rozala had no choice but to order a temporary withdrawal while she sent some officers to force back steel in the spine of her horse. After another hour she was gathered in good order again, and ready to order another assault. With the scorpions destroyed, her foe would break. The the sky streaked with sorcery across the march, and she learned that the other column was in full retreat. But a half hour later, another signal touched the sky. Her camp had come under attack. Soon after the flames grew tall enough she could see them even from this far out. Princess Rozala had fought a battle, today, against twelve thousand men. Shed slain near a third of that army, at the price of perhaps five thousand dead of her own. Yet if she pressed the assault now, without the other column, she might very well be assaulting a fortified position with numerical inferiority. Gritting her teeth, she ordered a retreat back to camp.

One night. One night of rest in whatever was left of her camp, and then with dawn she would dispose with all strategic subtlety. She would muster her entire host, and hammer at the enemy until they broke.

Vivienne woke to the sound of someone pouring wine. She had a knife in hand before her eyes opened, and she was halfway out of her chair when a chuckle gave her pause. Thief stilled her heartbeat, meeting the former Prince of Nightfalls lone good eye. The fae had a cup of wine in hand, sitting at the edge of Catherines bed. There were four mages in the tent and over thirty of her Jacks outside, yet not a single one of them had raised the alarm. The Callowan eyed the mages, who had neither noticed her waking nor Larats presence.

Where have you been? she croaked out, voice still-half asleep.

The sound broke whatever glamour had kept the mages from noticing what was going on. Their eyes widened in alarm, but Viviennes hand rose and they shut their mouths.

Around, the fae drawled.

Instinct warred in the woman. Part of her wanted to dismiss the mages, since this might be a conversation best kept private. Another part of her was very much aware the nonchalant fae could kill her with a flick of the hand and Catherine was not awake to hold his leash. The mages might be her only chance of survival, if the fae felt inclined to violence.

Every word spoken in this tent is under seal, Thief told the mages, choosing self-preservation with a bitter taste in the mouth.

Precious, Larat smiled.

We fought a battle, today, Thief sharply told him.

And won it, I hear, the fae replied. Or at least avoided loss, which is victory enough for the likes of you.

Shell have your hide, for staying out of it, Vivienne said, forcing calm.

I take no orders from mortals, the fae sneered.

The implication that Catherine was not one of those hung heavy in the air. Thiefs lips thinned. It might even be true, to an extent.

Then why have you reappeared? she asked.

The one-eyed fae idly set down his cup on the bedside table and rose to his feet.

Perhaps Ive decided to dispose of my shackles, he suggested. Or merely to hack away at dead wood.

The way he smiled at her when speaking the latter sentence sent a shiver up her spine.

Doubtful, Thief said. Theres no Hell horrible enough for what would happen to you if you did, and were both aware of it. Thats not the game youre playing.

Larat shrugged languidly, leaning against a dresser.

Perhaps I am simply waiting, he said.

Vivienne frowned.

For what? she pressed.

There was a gasp and Thief wheeled about. One of the mages was staring at the bed, where Catherine was well, her body was no longer shuffling around. The woman flicked a glance at the fae, who was smiling thinly. Amused. After a long moment, the Queen of Callows eyes opened and she let out a ragged sound. Rising to a sitting position on her bed, she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Well, Catherine Foundling rasped. That was a thing.

Oh thank the Gods, Vivienne whispered.

Then Larat plunged his blade into her throat. Thief froze in utter surprise, but Catherine did not. She slapped the fae across the face, breaking his chin and teeth, and got on her feet. She took out the sword and her throat reformed within a heartbeat. Larat began to get up, but Cat kicked him back down and kept her bare foot on his chest. The fae began to laugh.

Already? the Queen of Callow said, and glanced at the mages still in the tent. Bind him.

She reached for the cup of wine on the bedside table, then after a sigh withdrew the fingers. Thiefs fingers clenched.

Hold, she said.

The mages looked at her in surprise.

And in wickedness doth Evil sow the seeds of its own defeat, Vivienne quoted, meeting Catherines eyes.

The queen rolled her eyes.

For barren is the womb, and certain the fall, she replied.

Is was, Thief knew, the correct second half of the verse from the Book of All Things. It was also not the correct answer to this phrase. It should have been the punchline to a truly filthy joke about sailors and holes in the hull shed learned while a waitress in Laure.

Hello, Akua, Vivienne said.

The Queen of Callows face went blank and immediately a long spear of ice formed from her extended hand, the point resting on the sleeping Hierophants throat.

None of you, Akua Sahelian said through Catherines lips, are to move or make a sound.

The mages went still. Larat was still laughing.

You wont, Thief said.

I assure you, Diabolist said, the survival of this man is of middling import to me.

You wont, Thief repeated, for the same reason you didnt drink from that cup. Youre still bound by the oaths her body took.

Akuas eyes narrowed and her wrist flexed, but did not otherwise move.

Clever girl, Catherines lips said. She took an oath not to harm any of you.

Moonlight, Thief said, and the body froze.

Passing a hand through her hair, Vivienne felt her stomach drop. This, she thought, had just gotten a great deal more complicated.

Bind her, she ordered the mages.

Larat, she noted, was still quietly laughing.