Cultist of Cerebon

Chapter 34

It had taken a bit longer than Zareth had expected to finish dealing with the fallout from fully occupying Jabal-Alma and clearing out their previous leadership.

Not only did they need to figure out how to handle a relatively hostile population and establish some manner of administrative structure, but they also needed to thoroughly investigate the Cult of the Unfettered One’s activities. The first two tasks had been almost exclusively left to Zareth for to reckon with since General Nasrith had taken a few steps toward legitimizing Zareth’s territorial claim as a part of their agreement. Zareth had been fairly accepting of this and even somewhat excited to dip his toes into governance so that he could hopefully start meeting the requirements for his Ruler Class.

But any bit of enthusiasm that he may have once possessed had since thoroughly evaporated…

“Excuse me? Didn’t we spend days scouring Jabal-Alma so that we could confiscate every single weapon? How did one of your men get stabbed with a stone knife?” Zareth asked incredulously as he read through the daily report of incidents within the settlement. “And what’s with this request for more manpower being temporarily allocated to patrols? I thought we’d done a good job of sorting out the troublemakers and separating them from the rest of the population. Not to mention the effectiveness of the elementals.”

It was a widespread custom to take over the previous leader's seat as a symbol of your authority after conquering a particular territory, but even sitting on the ornate stone chair in Chieftain Murog’s former office wasn’t enough to make him feel like a ruler. Instead, Zareth felt more like an overworked bureaucrat as he dealt with the most recent complication to reach his desk.

“A few of the locals apparently have a special variant of the [Mason] Class called [Stoneshaper] that allows them to manipulate stone without any tools,” Major Idris explained, posture rigid and expression weary as he stood on the other side of Zareth’s desk. “We’re trying to hunt down the one who created the weapon, but that’s going to be difficult until the [Investigators] arrive along with the reinforcements from Tal’Qamar. As for the patrols, Corporal Farzaneh felt her [Detect Threat] activate while passing through the southern district. I’d rather not take any chances of anyone being ambushed without back-up.”

Zareth let out a groan of frustration and glanced out a nearby window overlooking most of Jabal-Alma, the wellbeing of which now rested squarely on his shoulders.

Most of the civilians had been allowed to return to a semblance of normal life given that it simply wasn’t feasible to maintain too tight a grip with the resources available to them. Jabal-Alma’s food supply wasn’t so large that it could afford to keep most of its population being kept as prisoners.

This meant that he could actually see a good number of people walking through the streets and going about their daily lives, which was a far better outcome than Jabal-Alma would have faced under most circumstances. High Command had heavily suggested executing every single person who was discovered to be even tangentially related to the Cult of the Unfettered One, including their families.

Such heavy handed tactics were fairly common in this world, and it had taken Zareth a significant amount of effort to convince High Command otherwise.

It was truly fortunate that the Southern Legion needed Jabal-Alma to serve as a useful logistical hub for its campaign to hold off Ankhet—which itself required that half the settlement’s population wasn’t put to the sword. He sincerely doubted that he would have been able to sway the opinions of High Command on moral grounds alone.

Still, Zareth had managed to sway them and now had to deal with governing a hostile population and maintaining order well enough that High Command didn’t regret their decision.

The only reason we’ve even managed this long is because of Archmage Agnazir, Zareth thought as he turned his gaze to the rather intimidating creatures the overpowered naga had created to help keep the population under control. I have a feeling that those rumors of Agnazir specializing in elementals are likely to be accurate…

A half-dozen stone behemoths slithered through the streets of Jabal-Alma, their serpentine forms towering over its terrified residents. Vaguely shaped wisps of wind flew high above, darting through the air and acting as some kind of advanced surveillance system for the Tal’Qamari forces. Unnatural waves disturbed the surface of the settlement’s cenote as the same water elemental that had washed away so many warriors lingered beneath its depths.

Even if everyone with a combat Class hadn’t been detained, it was safe to say that any uprising would be swiftly put down.

However, Agnazir wasn’t going to stay here forever, and Zareth didn’t exactly want to rule these people with an iron fist.

“You’re free to reprimand the parents of the children and levy them a fine, but make it reasonable,” Zareth said as he turned his attention back to the Major. “Even if we’ll have a well manned garrison after reinforcements finally arrive, I’d like to keep resentment to a minimum. Regarding the increased patrols, I trust that there is likely to be an actual threat given that the Corporal’s [Detect Threat] was triggered, but you know as well as I how short-handed we are. It doesn’t seem like a good idea to have extra personnel patrolling for who knows how long.”

Many soldiers were needed to watch over the nearly overflowing prisons, as people with combat-oriented Classes were very dangerous even without weapons. A decent number had also been allocated to help establish the urgently needed supply line to the Southern Legion, relocating food and containers of water to the surface for future transport.

“You’re not wrong, Lord-Marshal. But that doesn’t make the potential threat any less real,” Major Idris said with a stoic expression. “I’d rather not have any of my soldiers killed in an attack we saw coming. Especially when the issue could almost certainly be solved within a few minutes if certain parties decided to do so…”

“I really wish you’d stop using that title,” Zareth grumbled as he set aside the report, already knowing that his protests weren’t going to go anywhere given the recent legitimization of his claim and that aristocratic titles superseded Class-based titles in Tal’Qamari culture. “Archmage Agnazir isn’t particularly enthusiastic about helping any more than he already has. Especially when it would pull him away from his research of the ruins. He’s… not exactly easy to talk to.”

Zareth’s first attempt at speaking with Agnazir after the Archmage finished dismantling Jabal-Alma’s defenses like a knife cutting through butter didn’t get very far. The naga had looked at him for a few seconds as if he was a mildly interesting insect before seemingly growing bored and flying away, though he had at least been kind enough to leave behind elementals to help maintain security.

Agnazir had eventually been found in the Nephalan ruins, but he was so engrossed in his research that he barely acknowledged anyone’s presence. The only bright side of the situation was that they’d since learned a good deal from Agnazir’s assistants, which he had somehow brought with him from Tal’Qamar, about the Cult of the Unfettered One thanks to the ongoing research.

“That’s why I chose the life of a seasoned military officer over that of a feudal lord, Lord-Marshal,” Major Idris quipped, a hint of humor breaking through his otherwise stern demeanor. “The only politics that I have to deal with are ones that involve supply requisition requests and the occasional squabble over mission assignments. The food isn’t all that great, but at least I don’t need to talk to irritable Archmages who could turn me into a newt with a flick of their wrist.”

Zareth let out a huff of amusement before changing the subject to the rest of the day’s agenda. The sheer variety of issues that needed to be addressed—from civil unrest to food supply logistics to making plans for Jabal-Alma’s integration into Tal’Qamari society—was quite daunting. It was clear that Zareth needed to find himself a proper administrator who knew what they were doing to handle the settlement’s day-to-day affairs.

As competent as he may be, the life of a veterinarian turned street rat turned cult leader didn’t exactly grant him a wealth of experience as a governor. The easiest way to do so would be to solicit the help of House Vhelan, but Zareth wasn’t eager to hand over such a crucial position to someone of dubious loyalty.

It’ll probably be best if I find an appropriate administrator from the Tessik instead, Zareth mused as his mind began to wander. They need me too much to betray me lightly, and they’ll start trickling people into Jabal-Alma as soon as High Command allows migration to captured territories regardless.

However, that would have to wait until after he temporarily handed Jabal-Alma over to whoever High Command was sending and returned to Tal’Qamar. Until then, Zareth still had plenty of work to do if he wanted this place to be in any shape to hand over.

“Alright. Unless there’s anything else, I think it's time that I go speak to those ‘certain parties’,” Zareth said as he finished signing the last document on his desk and handed it to the Major. “Archmage Agnazir has graciously allowed me time from his schedule to discuss a few matters. I’ll be sure to ask if he can contribute a little more to Jabal-Alma’s security while he’s still here, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you.”

“I’m a soldier, Lord-Marshal. My hopes are always in the sinkhole,” Major Idris said with a small smirk as he took the requisition form and snapped into a crisp salute, as was appropriate for Zareth’s new title.

Zareth nodded and waited for the Major to leave before he gathered his thoughts and started to make his way out of the former Chieftain’s office. A human soldier around the same age as Zareth quietly fell into step behind him the moment he stepped into the corridor. Private Naveed took the role of his guard as he walked through the hallways of what had now become the temporary headquarters for Tal’Qamari operations in Jabal-Alma.

It was strange being protected by someone other than Rizok, but manpower was too low and his friend was too capable an asset for him to act as a simple bodyguard. Rizok was instead keeping a close eye on the captives with his [Aura of Greater Perception] while Vidhatri was busy ascertaining how pliant the locals would be to joining a moderately less evil cult.

But judging from the hateful glares that were immediately sent in Zareth’s direction as soon as he stepped out onto the streets of Jabal-Alma, he wasn’t all that hopeful. The outright hostility almost had him shrinking back, but a combination of pride and his [Leadership] Skill caused Zareth to straighten his back and hold his head high.

As he began walking as confidently as he could toward the no longer artificially darkened tunnels that would take him to the Nephalan ruins, he noticed that his guard was extremely tense and kept constantly glancing backwards towards the angry locals.

“I won’t say that you should relax, Private Naveed, but try not to look as if you’re expecting an arrow to come flying at us at any moment,” said Zareth, voice calm as he tried to ease the mind of his guard. “Major Idris wouldn’t have assigned you to this position on your own if there was any immediate danger that we couldn’t handle. You’re a decently leveled soldier, and I’m not exactly easy to kill.”

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Private Naveed seemed surprised that Zareth had actually spoken to him, but the young soldier took a deep breath before offering him a grateful nod. “I’ll keep that in mind, Lord-Marshal. Just hard not to be wary considerin’ what these bastards did to our people. I’d rather be on the front lines than surrounded by a bunch of cultist frea—uh, no offense meant to you, of course.”

Offense slightly taken.

“Yes, well, the vast majority of the locals weren’t aware of the Cult of the Unfettered One’s true activities,” said Zareth, keeping his expression neutral as the angry and fearful civilians split to either side of the streets when they saw him approaching. “Chieftain Murog and the other Elders simply described them as foreign mages who could help with their magic dependency. The cult would recruit from the locals and their family members would often wear particular heraldry to show support, but there was apparently a great deal of secrecy about what was actually going on.”

Private Naveed seemed doubtful, but accepted his words and gradually stopped glancing around so nervously.

Zareth didn’t really blame the guy for his skepticism. According to the reports he was receiving from the interrogators, it was starting to seem that Jabal-Alma had a widespread culture of simply ignoring inconvenient signs of their leadership’s nefarious activities. That was awfully convenient for Zareth if he wanted to do something in secret, but as the leader of a not-so-evil-cult, he had some slight reservations about the kind of people who would turn a blind eye to the Cult of the Unfettered One.

Nothing of note occurred as Zareth walked through the streets of Jabal-Alma and passed by the large stone elemental guarding the tunnels that led to the Nephalan Ruins. Zareth had no idea how the thing recognized friend from foe, but he was glad not to be squashed into a puddle of meat with its serpentine tail.

After seeing Archmage Agnazir in action, Zareth was excruciatingly aware that his self-claimed label of “difficult to kill” didn’t universally apply.

The journey through the tunnels was uneventful, with a single Tal’Qamari patrol respectfully saluting Zareth as he passed them by. Archmage Agnazir had dispelled the magical darkness that once protected the tunnels, so none of them had any problems following the recently erected signs pointing the way to the Nephalan ruins.

Once they finally stepped through into the large cavern that housed said ruins, Zareth was greeted to a sight much different from the one Vidhatri had first seen during her infiltration.

Gone were the robed cultists excavating the ancient Nephalan city and conducting dark rituals. Instead, the massive floating crystal which had once served as centerpiece of their rituals had been completely shattered by Archmage Agnazir. It had apparently been instrumental in maintaining the illusion around Shabail’s Pass, and its pieces were now being carefully cataloged by a group of [Scholars] wearing the heraldry of House Kavasa. It felt a bit strange to Zareth that Agnazir had taken the time to transport non-combatants all the way from Tal’Qamar, but he’d developed the impression that the Archmage was heavily invested in magical research.

This was exemplified by the fact that Agnazir had insisted that the ritual site be left… entirely undisturbed.

“Ugh. Fuckin’ bastards,” Private Naveed cursed with a look of disgust on his face as he stared at the corpses that were still impaled on the ritual site’s pedestals and the [Scholars] impassively studying them.

“Indeed. The Cult of the Unfettered One is just as depraved as everyone claimed,” said Zareth, his tone carrying particular emphasis as he mentioned the cult and glanced meaningfully between Private Naveed and the nearly invisible air elementals flying just above. “Hopefully Archmage Agnazir and his research can learn more and help us prevent such atrocities in the future.”

Zareth nearly let out a sigh of relief when Private Naveed seemed to pick up on his subtext and followed his gaze toward the air elementals, expression shifting to one of caution and then careful neutrality as the young soldier fell silent. Zareth was glad for it; while he didn’t know Archmage Agnazir well enough to guess how he would react to petty insults, it would be best to avoid offending him.

With that settled, Zareth began making his way toward the portion of the ruins that had been cleared away by the cultists to house modern installations. Archmage Agnazir had apparently decided that there was little of value in the structures that had once been there, because he himself had leveled them completely and raised a massive stone mansion in its place.

Unnaturally smooth roads of stone wound through all the important sections of the ruins, with a variety of elementals transporting all manner of excavated items back to the mansion that served as the Archmage’s makeshift research facility.

Although, I’m not sure that this could be called ‘makeshift’, Zareth thought wryly as he scanned his gaze over the expansive infrastructure that hadn’t existed just a few days ago. I suppose it’s not enough that he could destroy a small city by himself, but he could probably create it anew as well. How absurd.

Zareth instructed Private Naveed to wait outside once he reached the stone mansion—an order which the young soldier seemed more than glad to obey—and stepped inside.

While the exterior appeared no different from the luxurious residences in the Sunstone Heights, the mansion’s interior was clearly designed with functionality in mind. All of the walls had been removed in favor of a vast open laboratory filled with carefully organized magical instruments—many of which Zareth recognized as being extraordinarily expensive. Excavated artifacts had been cataloged and stored along the perimeter and several crystallizing corpses in various states of examination were placed atop long tables, each accompanied by detailed notes and sketches.

Zareth couldn’t help but feel a trace of envy that Agnazir was able to establish a laboratory better than his own in the middle of nowhere with so little effort, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside as he spotted the Archmage himself in the midst of his research.

The Archmage was on the far side of the room, dispassionately looking down at a male lizardkin stripped of any clothes and almost entirely covered in crystalline protrusions. A nearby quill floated in the air, scribbling notes onto a parchment while numerous magical instruments flew around the subject and disturbing the Etherveil as they performed unknown functions.

All the while, the Archmage radiated an aura more intense than any that Zareth had ever encountered. If General Nasrith felt to Zareth like a carefully controlled inferno that would burn him to ash if provoked, then Agnazir felt like an inexorable cataclysm that wouldn’t even notice his presence as it destroyed everything for miles around.

Even if he hadn’t seen it first hand, he couldn’t imagine ever doubting the Archmage’s power.

Zareth waited several moments for Archmage Agnazir to acknowledge him, but he realized that the naga was too engrossed in his work. Deciding that he needed to make the first move, Zareth cleared his throat and addressed the leader of House Kavasa as politely as he could. “Good afternoon, Archma—”

“Quiet.”

Zareth’s greeting died in his throat as Agnazir silenced him with a single word. Before he could even react to the rude interruption, the Archmage suddenly tilted his head as if he had just realized something and turned his slit pupils directly toward Zareth.

“Hmph. You’re Marilith’s human. The one who serves the foreign god of flesh,” said Archmage Agnazir, his words rapid and direct as his expression grew thoughtful. “I recall being annoyed that House Vhelan purchased a rare thaumaturgic catalyzer last month on your cult’s behalf. This implies experience in magical research. Your patron’s domain implies a focus in biology. Is this correct?”

“Uh…” Zareth elegantly began before managing to collect himself. “Yes, Archmage Agnazir. That’s correct. Is there anyth—”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

He was once again interrupted as the naga casually waved a hand, causing Zareth to be dragged across the room by a sudden gust of wind and positioning him on the other side of the table.

“Your abilities will be useful. I will tolerate conversation so long as you are assisting me,” said Archmage Agnazir, his tone imperious as he dismissively looked away from Zareth and turned his attention back to the lizardkin. “Open the subject’s abdomen until you reach the thoracic cavity. Initial observation suggests that crystallization ceases abruptly at the external intercostal muscles and I wish to understand why.”

Zareth hesitated for a moment before deciding that he had nothing to lose. It wasn’t like he didn’t open up corpses in his free time, and Agnazir agreeing to actually speaking with him was better than being ignored or brushed off entirely.

“Of course, Archmage. Though I’m surprised that this is something you’d need my assistance with,” said Zareth as he placed a hand on the lizardkin’s chest and willed their flesh to neatly part.

“The crystals, preliminarily designated as Ethershards, have demonstrated abnormal sensitivity to ambient Ether, meaning that typical dissection spells risk contaminating the sample,” said the Archmage, his tone analytical as he fixed his eyes firmly on the subject. “A curious attribute given that confidential research undertaken by Veilspire Academy has determined that the cultist’s unique teleportation magic involves transportation through leylines. Standard theories imply exposure to such a potent source of Ether would drastically affect the Ethershards in unpredictable fashion. Yet they still took such great lengths to harvest them.”

That part of Zareth that had always been desperate to learn everything he could about this world lit up with curiosity, and he found it difficult to stop himself from bombarding Agnazir with questions.

The Archmage seemed a bit more long winded now that he was actually willing to speak, so Zareth may as well take advantage.

“I’m surprised that you have a close enough relationship with the Eldamiri academies to access their confidential research,” said Zareth as he carefully removed the flesh around a particularly large Ethershard at the Archmage’s instruction before settling on his chosen path of inquiry. “I have only ever seen vague references to leylines as rivers of Ether that run through the world. I didn’t know that they could be directly interacted with like that. Would it be possible to harness them in other ways as well?”

He’d attempted to learn more about leylines after first hearing about them, but the topic was either highly esoteric or under some kind of censorship.

“You seek an alternative source of Ether to sustain this population of aberrant ogres to replace the Ethershards,” said Archmage Agnazir offhandedly as he cast a series of spells on the crystal, somehow immediately determining Zareth’s intentions. “A logical course of action, but a fruitless one. Leylines are extremely difficult to detect or harness by any conventional means. This is why I decided that it was worth accepting Nasrith’s request and stealing Veilspire Academy’s research into the cult. I’d recommend substituting Ethershards with either Sunstones or creating more of those Etheric Organs that you’ve integrated into your body.”

Zareth felt a wave of disappointment because he wasn’t able to find an easy way to address the abnormal condition of Jabal-Alma’s residents, but it was quickly overshadowed when he registered the rest of Agnazir’s comments. It wasn’t really a surprise to him that a literal Archmage could sense Zareth’s magical organs, but it hadn’t really occurred to him that Meldorath’s Heart could be a potential solution.

Not only was it a practical, but it would also make it much easier for the Cult of Cerebon to spread its influence in Jabal-Alma. After all, who wouldn’t feel grateful to the religion responsible for literally keeping you alive?

A series of ideas for magical organs that passively absorbed ambient Ether flashed through Zareth’s mind before he pushed them aside. Now wasn’t the best time to get lost in his thoughts, and there was something else that Agnazir had said which he wanted to ask about.

“Thank you for the suggestions, Archmage, but… why would you admit to stealing from Veilspire Academy to someone you barely even know?” asked Zareth, deeply confused about the naga’s actions.

Agnazir wasn’t at all what he had expected from the leader of a Great House. There had been several occasions when the Archmage acted as if he didn’t care about conventional political wisdom or the potential repercussions of his actions.

Archmage Agnazir paused in his examination and a thoughtful expression crossed his features for several moments before he seemed to come to some sort of decision.

Before he understood what was happening, Agnazir’s gaze had fixed on him with such intensity that it caused Zareth’s hairs to stand on end and his body to freeze as though he was prey caught in the stare of a predator. The Archmage’s already terrifying aura grew until Zareth felt as if he was being suffocated by the sheer force of it.

He tried to break eye contact but his body refused to move no matter how much he tried and he began to feel a strange sensation that he couldn’t quite describe. Eventually, Agnazir seemed to finally achieve whatever result he was seeking and the oppressive force keeping Zareth immobilized abruptly dissipated, allowing him to stumble back and take several deep, shuddering breaths.

Zareth pushed past his fear to look back at Agnazir, expecting some kind of explanation for his actions. Instead, he saw the Archmage had turned his attention back to his work and was casually reading through the research notes taken by the floating quill. Zareth took a moment to gather his thoughts and regain his composure before deciding to confront the Archmage.

“What did you just do? Were yo— did you try to read my mind?” Zareth asked incredulously as he suddenly identified the strange sensation that he’d felt during… whatever had just happened.

“Among other things,” Archmage Agnazir admitted without the slightest hint of shame or concern. “What you felt was me casting a variety of diagnostic spells—though the one that most heavily affected you was the one meant to access your System information. The System interfaces with individuals primarily through the soul, so the spell to access it is invariably unsettling. If it’s any consolation, the artifact protecting your mind was surprisingly effective at resisting my intrusion.”

Zareth recognized that the naga was referring to the ring gifted to him by the Tessik, which doubled as a telepathy and mind-protecting artifact crafted to protect their secrets. It was relieving to know that it worked, but that relief was hard to feel over his outrage.

“And why exactly did you feel that it was appropriate to do something so intrusive and steal such private information?” asked Zareth through gritted teeth, barely stopping himself from yelling at the Archmage who could kill him with a mere thought.

“Several reasons. The first of which being that there’s absolutely nothing you could do to stop me or retaliate against House Kavasa,” Archmage Agnazir said with a calmness that was infuriating as it was chilling. “Which is also why I rarely make any effort to conceal my actions or play the usual political games with those beneath me. As for why I chose to cast those spells on you specifically, I wanted to know more about the ambitious human who caught Marilith’s attention and elevated themselves from a street rat to someone of your station in so little time.”

Zareth’s first thought as Agnazir finished speaking and dismissively continued reading was that the Archmage might possibly be one of the most deeply arrogant people that he had met in either life.

His second thought was that nothing the naga had said was actually unreasonable given the circumstances and vast gulf in power between them.

That realization only further fueled Zareth’s desire to prove Agnazir wrong and grow to a point that no one—not even an Archmage—could treat him so casually. He’d grown closer to that goal than he dreamed possible just a few short years ago, but that journey was far from over and he had little choice but to swallow his pride.

“And? Did you actually learn anything that justifies your invasive investigation?” Zareth said with only a bit of venom in his voice as he attempted to maintain a facade of composure.

“Simply that your Class is marginally more interesting than expected and that the System is making accommodations to your soul for a budding Ruler Class,” said Agnazir, as he set aside the parchment he was reading. He then began slithering to the other side of the laboratory where an array of complex instruments were being put into place by several dozen stone arms that emerged from the mansion. “I fail to see any exceptional characteristics worthy of Marilith’s intention, but I suppose you’re adequately competent and know your place well enough to suppress your anger in my presence. That and my agreement with House Vhelan is enough for me to offer you some compensation in the name of quenching your petty resentment, I suppose.”

Before Zareth could ask about the connection between souls and the System or what Agnazir meant by “compensation”, one of the stone arms emerged directly at his side while holding a parchment-sized tablet filled with densely written text on its surface. Zareth glanced skeptically at the Archmage before taking the tablet and examining it more closely.

When one of the first words he read was Kethr’syssen, he couldn’t help but feel alarmed and immediately turned his attention back to the Archmage. “How did—”

“You severely underestimate the capabilities of the Great Houses if you honestly believed that we weren’t closely monitoring you and the rest of Tal’Qamar's new religions after finally expelling the Conclave,” Agnazir drawled, interrupting him with a hint of impatience. “Your attempts at subtlety were… endearing, but my [Spies] know everything about the subjects you’ve endeavored to learn more about. From Leyline Nexuses, or Kethr’syssen as they referred to in Seshani, to House Kavasa’s heraldry—which you’ve doubtlessly noticed has similarities to heraldry used by the locals. Answers to those questions and many more that you’ve shown interest in are contained on that tablet. Your gratitude is, of course, presumed but entirely unnecessary.”

Rendered speechless with surprise, Zareth stared at the naga for several moments before looking back to the tablet. It didn’t take long before he realized that Agnazir hadn’t exaggerated at all about the depth of information that it contained.

He had spent months writing letters and soliciting all of the [Scholars] that he could find, to no avail.

He had spent more gold coins than most people from the slums would see in their lifetimes purchasing the few books on magical theory outside of the Eldamari Academies’ tightly guarded libraries, but had little success.

Zareth had honestly expended every possible effort that he could to answer some of the questions and now Archmage Agnazir had so casually provided him those answers on a whim.

That, just as much as the absurd show of force that he had witnessed a few days prior, demonstrated to Zareth exactly how vast the gap between him and the Great Houses truly was.

Atavistic Apostle has reached Level 27! Skill Point Gained!

“Ah, you’ve leveled. I’d already known from your System information and general interest in history that your Class progressed most quickly through the acquisition of knowledge, but it’s useful to confirm my theories,” said Agnazir, briefly looking up from preparing his array of magical instruments to glance at Zareth with a flicker of curiosity. “I’d insist that you spend that Skill Point now, but I don’t subscribe to my people’s superstitions. Regardless, I trust that your acrimony has been assuaged with this development?”

He knew that later he would be thrilled by the valuable information that he had just been given and to have gained a level. But in this moment, Zareth’s mouth felt like it was filled with ash as he forced himself to thank someone who treated him with such disregard that it was as if he was once again a [Street Urchin] being thrown a coin by a passing [Merchant].

“Yes, Archmage. Your gift is appreciated,” Zareth managed to say, his voice kept as neutral as possible.

“Good. Then you are dismissed,” Archmage Agnazir said with an air of finality as he looked back to his work. “I have no more use for you and your questions have been addressed. Go speak to my subordinates if you’re still seeking aid with the threat that the human officer mentioned to you earlier.”

At this point, Zareth couldn’t muster any surprise that the Archmage knew a detail about the meeting with Major Idris that even he had forgotten to mention. Zareth allowed none of his frustration to show as he nodded to the Archmage and quietly began making his way out of the mansion.

For the second time just a few days, his estimation of the Great Houses and the influence they wielded had been significantly recalibrated. The first time this happened, he’d been too filled with awe at Archmage Agnazir’s display of power and the subsequent deluge of work that had been dumped on his lap to really react.

But now, after reality had once again slapped him in the face, Zareth felt an urge to do whatever he could to make sure it didn’t happen again.

And the first step on that road would be to return to Tal’Qamar, so that he could arrange for everything he needed to turn Jabal-Alma into a place that could truly serve as the seat of the Cult of Cerebon’s power.

General Nasrith allowed the scimitar of the Jalasan [Dervish Warrior] to shatter across his cuirass before instantly wrapping his tail around her neck and snapping it like a twig.

He then threw the corpse in the path of a glowing arrow aimed at his back, causing the enchanted projectile to detonate as it hit the corpse and send a shower of gore splattering across the battlefield. Nasrith ignored this and swiftly slaughtered the rest of the glory-hungry fools who’d abandoned their positions to focus on attacking the enemy General.

The battle between the Tal’Qamari and Jalasan soldiers had been going on for several hours and Nasrith could tell from the enemy’s flagging stamina that it would soon conclude. The Tal’Qamari side possessed higher Vitality stats on average, which meant the Jalasan’s would need to retreat if they hoped to avoid a complete rout.

This is what happens when you allow a long peace to lead you tocomplacency, Nasrith thought as he sneered down at the corpses of the undisciplined vermin. He then turned his attention toward the exposed point in the enemy lines they had created in their half witted assault.

He was not so kind that he would not exploit such a blatant mistake. Especially when the Jalasan army, with aid from the Conclave, had attempted to ambush Nasrith’s forces in the middle of the night. The [Priests] of Sarqalim, God of the Twilight Moon, had even used their powers to hide the Jalasan approach so that Nasrith’s [Scouts] failed to detect them.

It was admittedly a wise course of action as all of the Jalasan’s previous attempts to directly engage them and break the siege of Fal’Ashar had ended in failure.

However, the spirits summoned by the contingent of [Shamans] sent by the Way of Gendal had spotted the attack long before it could be effectively sprung. Much like most of the Great Houses, the Conclave had grown complacent in their power and would soon suffer the consequences of their hubris.

[Bolster Unit: Heavy Infantry]. [Exploit Vulnerability]. [Instantaneous Charge].

Nasrith watched with satisfaction as his heavy infantry—their armor glinting under the moonlight and the glowing orbs summoned by his [War Mages]—immediately fell under the influence of Skills and launched a brutal assault against the enemy lines. [Instantaneous Charge] took them from a relative standstill to moving with the same momentum as if they had been charging down a dune, allowing the heavy infantry to cut down the Jalasan’s with ruthless efficiency and stomp over their corpses.

The battle had fallen into a stalemate after the Jalasan [General] realized that his ambush had failed and repositioned his forces into a defensive stance, but that deadlock was now crumbling.

It hadn’t taken long for the enemy [General] to respond with a [Reposition Unit] that directed a group of [Shieldbearers] to blunt the Tal’Qamari charge, but the damage was already done. Tal’Qamari [War Mages] were superior to every other city-state in the Qahtani Desert save Fal’Ashar, which meant they could simultaneously counterspell the enemy’s attempt at offensive magic while directing devastating spells against the now thinned Jalasan lines.

[Resist Magic: Heavy Infantry].

Nasrith didn’t even need to issue any orders before lightning streaked across the battlefield and struck the Jalasan infantry, instantly cooking many of them within their metal armor. [Chain Lightning] wasn’t a spell that was used casually in war due to the extreme risk of friendly fire, but the magic tended to follow the path of least resistance and because of [Resist Magic], Nasrith’s troops were left relatively unharmed.

“General, permission to deploy the Blood Sacs? Colonel Verek reports that the Jalasan’s are likely to soon order a retreat,” Lieutenant Colonel Anaya said calmly, her eyes closed in focus as she stood at his side and sorted through the torrent of long-distance messages that she was receiving.

Nasrith would normally handle such messages himself, but there was a good reason why he needed to avoid any distractions and retain his ability to react on short notice. He ignored the Lieutenant Colonel’s request and looked across the increasingly bloodstained dunes to the enemy leadership, using [Battlefield Vision] to see unobstructed through the night.

Standing next to the Jalasan [General], a naga of middling competence who was better at holding power than fighting wars, were several figures wearing ornamental robes that caused Nasrith to feel a strange combination of disdain and caution.

Even if he looked down on the Conclave, the power wielded by those who devoted themselves to deities was not to be underestimated. High Prophet Venthys had recently begun directing the Conclave to more heavily participate in the conflict, and it had already caused a shift in the dynamics in several skirmishes and across the southern front.

Even now, Nasrith could tell that the enemy was sustaining far fewer casualties than normal due to the [Priests] of Nuriel, God of Restoration, healing their wounded. It was difficult enough planning around [War Mages], but the addition of the Conclave’s meddling introduced a level of unpredictability that left Nasrith cautious.

“Permission granted,” Nasrith eventually said, despite having little hope that the Blood Sacs would actually prevent a retreat. “But instruct the Colonel to remain vigilant for potential countermeasures from the Conclave. My instincts tell me that they have a few surprises in store for us.”

Lieutenant Colonel Anaya nodded stoically as she relayed the orders. Before long, the [Aeromancers], under the cover of illusions, had successfully positioned themselves above the enemy’s most likely path of retreat and began releasing the Blood Sacs. Much like in the extremely successful Battle of the Bleeding Sands, the Blood Sacs began burrowing into the ground and started releasing the viscous liquid contained within.

However, Nasrith’s suspicions were confirmed when an alarmed Lieutenant Colonel suddenly shared an urgent report. “General, the Desharin are sensing a massive build-up of Divine Essence and significant subterranean movement. They believe that the Conclave must have snuck more of their people among the Jalasan than expected!”

It took a single moment for Nasrith to analyze the situation and settle on the enemy’s most likely intentions. Only Suhail, God of Sand and Sun, possessed a domain capable of causing dramatic underground movement.

[Commanding Edict]!

“All forces, prepare for widespread terrain manipulation! All [War Mages] and Desharin are to focus entirely on stabilizing the surrounding sands against enemy control! Long-ranged units are to direct attacks agains—”

Nasrith didn’t get the chance to finish relaying his commands before the sands beneath their feet began to shake ominously and caused him to stumble. The Jalasans—likely under the influence of a retreat Skill—abruptly began their withdrawal on seemingly stable ground even as massive walls of sand erupted all around the Tal’Qamari side of the battlefield. Nasrith could see his forces sinking as the sands were pulled from the desert and rose until they stretched nearly fifty feet into the sky.

These walls then began to fall toward Nasrith’s army, threatening to crush and suffocate them all under several tons of sand.

A lesser military might have panicked when confronted by such an overwhelming magical attack, but Nasrith’s forces began responding as soon as he started issuing his orders.

The [War Mages] began working in concert with the Desharin’s elementals to seize control over the surrounding terrain, causing the shaking dunes to calm significantly and the wall of sand to shrink considerably before it impacted the Tal’Qamari forces. By the time the Conclave’s attack reached them, it was barely large enough to knock over a few of Nasrith’s already braced soldiers rather than bury them completely.

The [Archers] then immediately began unleashing volleys of arrows on the Jalasans, acting on Nasrith’s interrupted orders. Unfortunately, their attack was promptly blocked by another wall of sand that rose to cover their retreat.

“General, should we pursue?” asked Lieutenant Colonel Anaya once the ground ceased shaking. It didn’t take long for Nasrith to study the battlefield and decide on a response.

“No. At the speed they’re moving, the Jalasan [General] likely used [Expeditious Retreat],” said General Nasrith as he watched the enemy become more and more difficult to see under the cover of the night. “Even if I used [Coordinated Movement] to prepare our forces for pursuit and [Rapid Movement] to enhance our speed, I doubt that we could catch them before Sarqalim makes them impossible to track. Not to mention the presence of Suhail’s worshippers means that they could easily leave behind plenty of traps in their wake.”

It was likely also why the Blood Sacs hadn’t made any difference, as Suhail’s worshippers had more than likely crushed them moments after they burrowed into the sand.

The longer Nasrith analyzed the aftermath of the battle, the more he felt as if the Jalasan’s had come out better than he had first judged. The enemy’s ambush had failed, but they had managed a very successful retreat and their losses were minimal due to their access to healing capabilities in the battlefield. Even if the Cult of Cerebon could match the Priesthood of Nuriel in healing abilities, the former simply hadn’t grown to the point that Nasrith could comfortably draft its members to the battlefield.

Yet.

As Nasrith returned to his tent and went over the battle with his [Strategists] to learn what lessons they could, that was a recurring point that they all returned to. The disparity between the Hierophant’s Council and the Conclave would become more and more of a detriment to Tal’Qamar’s war effort. If Tal’Qamar’s [War Mages] hadn’t been thoroughly trained by House Kavasa in geomancy, then the Desharin’s assistance wouldn’t have been enough to counter the worshipers of Suhail.

While Nasrith’s forces had ultimately won the battle, he could easily envision a potential future where the scales might not tip so favorably and result in catastrophic consequences. There were too many examples in history of a superior military force being undone by a surprising tactic they didn’t see coming or some manner of magical assault they could not counter for Nasrith to feel comfortable.

As his meeting dragged on and eventually came to end, Nasrith was left alone in his tent to ponder on what he had learned from this battle. Strategies were formed, discarded, and reconsidered as his mind raced with ideas on how to best prevent the Conclave from turning the tide.

Nearly an hour later and with a plan in mind, Nasrith instructed the officer responsible for arranging long-distance communications to arrange for a meeting with Lady Marilith. With the changing realities on the battlefield and the leverage he now had over the Cult of Cerebon, he felt that it was time for several plans to move forward earlier than initially anticipated.

Plans which would ensure Nasrith had everything he needed to win this war and spread Tal’Qamar’s influence all the way to the Western Divide.