Daveth was talking with Alysia about maneuvering the individual files in formation when he suddenly looked up with a frown.

“What is it, Lord Commander?” She immediately asked, her had going to her sword.

“Nothing,” He replied, but gestured her away. “Just realized I need to see a man about a fish.”

She recoiled a little, her face descending into a frown. She wasn’t a fan of seafood. She turned back to the files and began drawing on the map how they should enter into the pass, which was narrow in some places.

They didn’t want to get choked up in the pass if they were attacked; they were hoping for a clean deployment into the Land of Eternal Night.

Lynnabel came over and eyed the map that Alysia was working on.

“Files seven and fifteen will have trouble at this point if you go that route, sister. And don’t forget the bombards.” She eyed Alysia curiously. “Where has the Lord Commander gotten himself off to?”

Alysia frowned. “He said he had to see someone about fish.”

Lynnabel blinked. “There are no fish here, sister.”

Alysia blinked a few times, confused. “He wanted to get away from me.” She complained.

“Perhaps he needed to do a necessary and has learned the proper tact in not doing it in front of you.” Lynnabel offered, and then added, “You might do him the same courtesy and not watch while he does it.”

“I will hit you, sister.” Alysia warned, and Lynnabel smiled. “I will hit you back, sister.”

*****

Daveth strode to the treeline and moved through a few of the trees.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to watch me anymore, Eleven.” He called, and one of the trees crumbled away to reveal the half-mad woman that chased after him from time to time.

“I never said that.” She argued. “I said that I could no longer work miracles in your favor. You chose the Phoenix and not me, after all.”

“What does that even mean?” He asked, but she twirled about in her dress made of leaves.

“Can you fly, Daveth?” She asked him curiously, her too-bright green eyes flashing.

“What’s that- I’m getting very tired of these riddles, Eleven.” He complained.

In a flash she had him pressed against a pine tree with phenomenal strength.

“Can you fly? Can you mount the sky with wings like eagles?”

“...no.”

“Why not?” She demanded.

“I don’t... have wings.” He replied. He tried struggling against her and found he couldn’t.

“There are rules, human. Rules that cannot be broken. I cannot work miracles for you anymore. I cannot give you gifts anymore. The Marauder is once more in the loving embrace of the Phoenix.”

“Great, wonderful. Now I understand even less.” Daveth complained. “But I have a bargain for you. One last story, a story that I will never once tell anyone ever again.”

She gave him a toothy smile that looked painted on. Her eyes opened into yawning gulfs where things slithered and the screaming never stopped.

“Rules are rules, Daveth.” She stated flatly. “They cannot be broken.”

“I’ve seen men fly.” Daveth replied quickly. “In Philippa, across the Mirras. They climb into things with wooden frames and cloth wings and they can fly for short periods of time.”

Her glare intensified, and he didn’t want to look into her eyes, but he was helpless to look away.

“Maybe rules can’t be broken... but maybe they can be bent.” He offered and her grip on him loosened. Her face regained its lunatic cheer.

“The Phoenix has left her nest... And a story told only once, in exchange for a favor. Hmmm.” She murmured. She let him go.

“Tell me what you want, and I will tell you if I can grant it.”

He explained what he wanted, and she laughed. “For a story, I would be happy to do as you wish. Quickly, the story.”

*****

Daveth returned to Alysia, who was struggling with the map.

“Where were you, Lord Commander?” She complained. “I have been struggling with how to get the bombards through the pass without leaving them completely exposed once we clear the pass.”

“I told you.” Daveth replied. She frowned at him. “There are no fish in Nauders, Lord Commander.”

“I’ve been caught.” He replied with a grin. “Truth, I had to write a letter. I’m terrible at writing letters. I didn’t want you mocking me.”

“I would have been happy to do it for you, Lord Commander.” She offered.

He shook his head. “It wasn’t a letter I could leave to other people.”

“I am familiar with the concept of secrecy, Lord Commander.” She replied.

He shook his head and took the map from her. “You can’t figure this out? Really?”

She blinked at him. “No, I can’t.”

“You’re good up to here, why can’t you figure out the last part?” He asked honestly. “This should be simple.” He grinned. “If you can’t figure it out by the time I count three, then you owe me dinner.”

“I owe you dinner, then, because I am certain that I can’t figure it out.” She lamented.

“Breach tactics.” He replied and pushed the map into her hand. “Push the files through in half-numbers in breach tactics, followed by the bombards at regular intervals.”

She blinked a couple of times. Breaching tactics were used when punching through defenses. A File would punch through a breach, dividing in half, left, right, left, right, and fortifying a position.

“I didn’t see it.” She muttered.

“Don’t worry about it.” He replied, and ruffled her hair. “We’ve still got a couple of weeks to get our shit squared away and we actually march on the pass.”

“I worry.” She muttered. “Only a few of us have gone beyond the Spine, and all of them Golds.” She looked up at Daveth. “Aurene was the only one to come back from what lies beyond the Spine.”

“Yeah well, she didn’t have an army at her back.” Daveth replied. “I’ll expect my dinner in four hours. In the meantime, watch the drills.”

*****

Dorothea appeared in the command tent a couple of days before it was time to march on the pass.

“Our best-laid plans are in place. All that’s left is for chance to fuck them up.” Malacath reported.

“Oh, you have that saying in Therannia, too?” Daveth asked, and the elf shrugged.

“I think it’s true everywhere, my friend.” He replied.

“Well, let’s do it to it.” Aldric stated, pushing himself up from the desk.

“Before you leave, Captain, Commanders, I have a question.” Dorothea called from outside. “Two, actually.”

“At least Morden is doing his job...” Malacath muttered. Morden was stationed outside to keep intruders from coming within earshot of the tent.

“Still no word from Gerland and Deepe.” Daveth muttered back. “I’m thinking sabotage or desertion.”

“Deepe never struck me as the desertion type. He was with us in the Obsidian Palace.” Aldric shot back.

“Morden, let her in.” Daveth called.

“You got it.” He replied back.

The albino woman strode in, her leather armor creaking.

“Am I expected to believe that you recruited one hundred Yamato Shrine Maidens into the Seventh Seal?” She asked, her face screwed into an expression of utter and complete skepticism.

Aldric gave her a baffled look and opened his mouth, but Daveth cut her off.

“No, that was me.” Daveth offered, raising his hand. “I had a stroke of genius- unbelievable, but true- and I asked them for help.”

She gave him a frown. “I don’t understand why.”

Daveth scratched at his beard. “I’m not surprised. It’s okay if you don’t understand. Just know that they’re here to help us.”

Aldric eyed Daveth. “You got- how did you convince one hundred Shrine Maidens to join us?” He asked, baffled.

“I asked them as nicely as I could. I wish someone else had done it, I’ve got no way with writing letters.” He replied. “But I thought, “Hey, they train practically from birth to be the best warriors alive” and it occurred to me that if I asked them nicely they might send us a few- if nothing else, because we helped them establish a Shrine in Philippa.” He spread his hands. “I never expected a hundred.” He looked to Dorothea.

“You had another question, or was that it?” He asked.

“There are two thousand men trying to cross Landeck into Nauders. They claim they’re part of the Seventh Seal.”

Daveth smiled. Deepe and Gerald had come through in the clutch.

“I got permission from the Lady Sybella to bring in our reserves. You were there.”

Dorothea nodded.

“All’s good, then. We’ll be making for Timwaite Pass in two day’s time.” He paused. “Will you be joining us in the fight? I think it’d do the men good to see a representative of the White House of Nauders there when we deploy our forces around the fort.”

She held up an edge of her crimson-dyed cloak. “And be a target like last time?”

“By the Void, I hope not.” Daveth cautioned. “I were you, I’d pick out something white. I hope that we’re not attacked while fortifying our position, but if we are, you need a way to hide and escape if things go bad.” He cautioned. “We’ll do our best to protect you, but there’s a lot of rumors and not a lot of hard facts about what lies beyond the Spine. It’d be smart to play it cautious.”

She nodded. “I’ll join you then.”

“Good. We’re breaking camp. Get your gear and meet us...” He looked at the map and pointed. “Here, at the north end of Ansbach. It’s where we’ll likely meet up with our reserves. If you plan on heading back to the palace, that’s where we’ll pick up our payment. No need to move three thousand troops in front of the capital; it’d make everyone nervous.”

She nodded at that. “Makes sense. I’ll do that.” She smiled a little. “It’s nice that you can turn off the sarcasm once in a while, Commander.”

Daveth shrugged. “Don’t forget to ask permission from Lady Sybella if you can come along.” He offered with a smirk.

“Ass.” She spat, and flounced out of the tent.

“She really should ask the old lady. Fifty gold says she does everything to keep Dorothea here.” He shrugged. “I expect she won’t be there when we hit Ansbach anyway.” Daveth opined, and puffed on his pipe.

“You’re making a lot of moves on this board, Daveth.” Aldric complained, glaring at him as they left the tent. “Some of which I don’t understand.”

Daveth swung into his saddle and watched the men from the Tross pack up the command tent and table. He puffed on his tobacco a couple of times and watched the crisp air whisk it away.

The Seventh Seal began its relentless march on Timwaite Pass.

Aldric shouldered his horse up to Daveth’s. “Why the Yamato?”

“Visibility.” Daveth replied. “I think that’s the term, anyway.” Daveth replied.

Aldric glared at him askance, but Daveth nodded.

“Look, it’s the tickle, right? I think that somehow, the Lady Sybella is going to fuck with us, in some way. My thought is that she’s going to figure out some way of stranding us on the other side of the Spine and leaving us to be massacred. So I asked the Yamato to come along.” He looked back at the square of ten-on-ten Shrine Maidens that marched behind them and waved politely. They didn’t return the gesture.

“What happens if one hundred Shrine Maidens don’t come back home after a mission in Nauders?” Daveth asked.

Aldric’s eyes widened. “You son of a bitch. That’s fucking damn well clever. Fucking brilliant.”

Daveth’s smile turned bleak. “At least there’ll be someone that remembers us.”

He dropped back towards the Maidens.

“Who is in command?” He asked, and one of the women raised her hand. “I am. I’m the most senior.”

Daveth nodded. “What’s the proper way to address you?”

“Maiden Toshie, if you please.”

“Fantastic, Maiden Toshie. I’ve worked with the Maidens before-” He grunted and swung down from his saddle. “-there, now we can see eye-to-eye- I’ve worked with the Maidens before, so I’m a little familiar with your abilities. Are you all archers?” He asked, and they all nodded.

“You’re making my day better and better. Are you familiar with earth magics?”

Toshie nodded. “There are a few of us who are.”

Daveth handed her a map. “When we get through the pass, I’d like to set up earthworks- berms- here and here. Can it be done?”

She eyed her compatriots, a mix of human, elven and Yamato, and nodded. “We can do that much. How high do you want them?”

“Up to your waists?” He asked. “They’re going to be your firing positions during our first night.”

She eyed him curiously. “How deep into the Forbidden Wastes are we going?”

Daveth pointed out the markings on the map that indicated the ruined fort. “We’re deploying around this. We’ll dig in for about two months.”

She eyed the map and nodded. “Would it be possible for us to copy this map?” She asked, and he nodded.

“Thank you, Commander Daveth.” She replied, and faced forward again.

He stepped into his saddle and trotted up the ranks.

Alysia waved at him, so he eased in beside her.

“Do you really think we will last two months?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I sure as fuck hope so.” He replied.

She nodded, and he went back up the line.

The mountains of the Spine were thick and tall and oppressive, reaching up to claw snow from the clouds that had yet to lay it. As they approached the Pass, they seemed to grow taller and higher.

“Reminds me of the skyscrapers of the Shapers.” Daveth muttered.

“Don’t remind me.” Aldric muttered. “I heard you modified breaching tactics to get everything through the pass?”

Daveth nodded. “Only way I could think of to solve the bombard problem.”

Each of the bombard cannons were roughly thirty feet long and required three wagons and teams of oxen to pull. They were boarswood trees hollowed out with magic and then reinforced with great steel rings to keep them from exploding. Once the Seventh Seal was emplaced, they’d dig up the ground where the cannons were to lay and drop them into place so that they had a slight elevation. The Seventh Seal would divide into wings divided up by the heavy guns; the smaller cannon would be repositioned as necessary if any serious fighting was to happen.

The Tross would be positioned between the fort and a little towards the pass; away from fighting as usual.

The pass was lined with fortresses carved into the black bedrock of the mountains. Men patrolling the fortresses eyed the thick columns of men from the Seventh Seal. No one offered so much as a salute; they just continued their grim watch on the pass.

Certain parts of the pass had been blasted or molded with magic in order to more effectively turn Timwaite Pass into a killzone for anything that wandered in, or the lunatics- typically unhinged mages- that tried to go north.

“What do you suppose it’ll look like?” Daveth asked Aldric.

“I suppose it’ll look a lot like Nauders, just with a bit more snow.” his captain replied. Malacath shivered in his robes, and Daveth chuckled.

“The elf needs a thicker cloak.”

“Oh, I’m doing just fine, fuck you very much.” Malacath swore, and rubbed his sleeves. “When we set up camp, I’ll stitch in some runes for cold resistance.”

“Strange to see you swear.” Daveth opined.

“I have great role models.” Malacath shot back with a grin.

*****

The difference between the Forbidden Wastes and Nauders was obvious. Wherever human hands touched, they left their mark on the world. Just fifty miles south, large tracts of land were cultivated into farms and orchards. Cities had defined roads that branched and spiderwebbed into each other. Herds of livestock moved where they were led.

In the Waste, there was none of that. There was a couple of inches of snow on the ground in every direction. Shattered stone outcrops broke through the snow in black, crumbling fangs. Everywhere, the ground was covered in pockmarks and craters and the resulting ridges from each impact.

“What the fuck happened here?” Aldric muttered as he eyed a crater big enough to tuck in the entire Seventh Seal. There were hundreds, probably thousands of the craters everywhere, from the size of a small fist to city-sized craters.

“I’m liking this less and less.” Daveth announced. “Last time I saw a crater, there was a lich in the heart of it. This time we don’t have a Champion with us.”

“By the dead gods, don’t remind me.” Aldric complained. “Everyone through the pass?”

Daveth waved some hand signals, and counted the returns.

“Yep.” He blinked at one of the signals Deepe sent his way. “Seems like we’ve got a guest, too.”

“A guest?” Aldric and Malacath replied simultaneously.

Daveth shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. We need to get in as many miles as we can in four hours.”

Aldric rubbed his chin. “Four hours. You want to spend the rest of the day embedding?”

Daveth nodded. “We’ll pick up a spot for a camp, get every mage we’ve got to set up some berms and pound down the dirt so we can deploy our camp. That’ll take time, so we’ll stop after four hours.”

Aldric nodded and agreed.

To Aldric, the ground looked like it’d taken a good shelling, but the craters stretched out for miles, in every direction. As far as he knew, there’d been no major incursion by the people of Nauders into the Forbidden Lands- and even if there were, it would take hundreds- perhaps thousands of heavy artillery to pound the ground like this. He doubted there was enough artillery in the entire Anglish military to accomplish this.

“I don’t much like this place.” Mal offered, rubbing his gloved hands against his robes distastefully.

“You got a reason?” Aldric asked.

“The magic here feels... weird.”

“Magic is weird. Tell a campaigner that doesn’t care about magic just as long as it works why it’s weird.” Aldric replied.

Malacath frowned at Aldric, but tried to find the words to describe it. “It’s too... rich. Like, there are places where magic is strong and where it’s weak. But even where it’s strong, it’s not like this. I feel like I’m breathing in magic, drowning in it.” He waved his hand and a handful of grains of light appeared and trailed after his fingertips. “There’s too much. I’m a little afraid of what might happen if I try to cast anything.”

“What do you mean?” Aldric asked.

“Magic overload. I think if I try to cast any major magics I’ll explode.” Malacath replied. “I’m going to stick to small spells until I get a feel for this place.”

Aldric thumbed his chin. “Ride back and spread the word to all our casters.” He decided, and Malacath nodded, turning his horse around and heading back, leaving a swirl of sparkling lights to follow in his wake.

*****

The Seventh Seal, known for its speed and tactics, crawled sluggishly across the Wastes of Arborea. The craters, large and small, played a part in it. The richness of the magic played a part. The tension and reluctance to push forward into the Land of Eternal Night was a part of it.

The sky was dark. The clouds were thick and oppressive, blotting out the sun. The snow was light but constant.

Daveth and Aldric pored over the map constantly. How long did they have to travel? How far? There was nothing that measured scale. Was the fort a dozen miles away? A hundred?

The camps were set up in the hearts of the craters. Those familiar with earth magics set up concentric rings of berms, the Tross and Command tents were at the center, the bombards radiated out like spokes on a wheel, the scorpions bristling in every direction.

“There’s no way to tell if it’s day or night.” Daveth complained as he gulped down his meal. “Just that is enough to drive a man mad.”

Alysia nodded as she chewed her food thoughtfully. Things had become a lot less tense between them since their talk. “Even when we set a rotation and a schedule, people come out of their tents, and the first thing they do is look at the sky.”

“You can’t help it. It’s part of ... everything.” Daveth fumbled awkwardly, trying to express a concept that he lacked words for.

“There’s a rumor among the troops.” Alysia offered, switching topics.

“I imagine so. There always is. Are we sleeping together?” He asked, and she blushed.

“You shouldn’t tease me so. It’s embarrassing.” She chided.

He shrugged. “What’s the rumor?”

“Someone from the White House of Nauders is here to make sure we do the job right.” She offered.

Daveth gave her a lopsided grin. “They’re half-right, as rumors often are. Dorothea actually made it through the pass.”

“Made it through?” Alysia asked, frowning.

“For now, it’s considered ‘need to know’. There’ll be an explanation later. Right now the goal is the fort.” He stated decisively. Alysia nodded.

“I’ve gotta spend some time at the Command tent. Lately it’s been ‘talk talk talk talk talk talk’, but it beats... whatever’s out there that makes this place so miserable.” He pushed himself to his feet, scraped the leavings of his meal into the fire, and strode out of the tent.

*****

“So, did your grandmother give her permission for you to be here?” Daveth asked curiously.

“I don’t need her permission for anything.” Dorothea snapped back, and Daveth grinned at her.

Aldric and Daveth took their time packing their pipes, trading tobacco, muttering to each other in small voices.

“...I did leave a note.” She confessed, looking ashamed. Daveth and Aldric immediately burst out into laughter and bumped fists. Malacath chuckled quietly.

“It’s good that you’ve come.” Daveth agreed. “I’m glad you got rid of the flashy outfit, too. It’ll be easier to keep you safe.” He explained. He leaned forward. “Are you here to supervise? To make sure we’re doing our jobs right?”

She shook her head. “I came here to fight. To stand and hold the ground until the mages and builders arrive to put the fort together.”

Daveth nodded. “I can respect that.”

Aldric leaned forward. “I want you to understand that I’m not being a dickass when I say this, but you need to understand that you’re not in command. You give no orders.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

Aldric nodded. “Good. Go see the quartermaster about getting your shit squared away. Tent, food, rations, the like.”

She nodded and left the tent.

As soon as she left, Aldric eyed Daveth and Malacath. “Gentlemen, we are well and truly fucked.”

Daveth entered the tent, remembering the previous conversation.

“Scouts seen anything?” He asked.

Aldric shook his head. “There was an encounter with a giant bear on the northern ridge, but we put it down quick enough.”

“So there’s wildlife, at least.” Daveth acknowledged. “You wouldn’t think so with the ground pounded like that.”

Aldric nodded. “Desertions?”

“None so far.” Daveth reported.

“There will be.” Aldric replied sourly.

Daveth let out a heavy breath. “You really think it’ll be that bad?”

Aldric chuckled bleakly. “You really think it’ll be any different from what I said last time?”

They came across the ruined fort the next day.