บท 177: What it means to give your heart away

Warmarshall Michael reached the east wall, and with a mighty leap, bounded to the top of the eastern wall. Landing with a slight quake, Michael looked into the distance for the Dead Tide.

However, the Dead Tide was not what Michael saw, but a small army of unknown origin.

[Is this what the prophet meant?] Michael thought to himself.

Michael walked over to a few lookouts on the wall, that quickly gave a Deagoth Salute. He took from the neck of one of the lookouts a pair of binoculars and used them to see from the wall to the incoming army in detail.

Now more visible, Michael was able to see the army come to a halt and reformed. He could also see white flags drawn, and a few riders moving ahead of the army.

[Those are Spider Behemoths... Neolith? Why here?] Michael wondered, he would have to beat his communications officer around a bit since he didn't make mention that this army had white flags drawn. Maybe the officer was in too much of a hurry to get him the information.

Michael sent a message to Darkfield, who made his appearance on the eastern wall fifteen minutes later.

"I believe they wish to parlay," Michael spoke with Warmarshall Darkfield, as they both looked over the camping army.

"It appears to be so." Darkfield looked to be in thought.

Michael seemed to be a bit impatient by the reaction of Darkfield but remained silent.

After a pause of five minutes, a single rider came to the gates and passed a message.

The message was quickly brought to Michael and Darkfield.

Quickly reading it, they found that the army was known as the Eighth Leg of the Grand Tomb of Neolith. They wanted to parley to help with the Dead Tide.

In a flash of light, the message scroll burned into dust.

"What do you think?" Michael asked.

"I don't trust Neolithians," Darkfield said flatly.

"You do realize that the God-King's Second Consort is a Neolithian," Michael said slightly peeved.

Darkfield shrugged, as he continued to look over the army of Neolith.

"Well, I'm going to go see what they want." Michael nodded his bony head, as he made his decision.

"...I'll stay here. If they assassinate you, I will avenge your death." Darkfield said flatly.

As Michael was about to leap from the wall, he stopped, and looked back over his shoulder, "Was that a joke from you?"

Darkfield shook his head, as he spoke, "Just letting you know."

"Oh..." Slightly disappointed, Michael called for some of the resting troops from the last rotation to ride out with him to meet with the Neolithian Army.

*******

Michael rode up with his soldiers half way between the camping army of Neolith and met with a small group of Neolith Soldiers.

Michael stepped from his undead steed, as he announced, "Warmarshall Michael of the Holy Kingdom of Deagoth, Disciple of the God-King's Prophet. What business do you have in the lands of Deagoth, and encroaching upon his Lord's City?"

His voice was strong and vigorous. Dust spiraled in the directions surrounding him, in the dim light of the underworld.

leading the small contingent, walked forward a tall geist undead. He was wrapped like a mummy, with bandages from head to toe. Over his bandages, he wore light Dark Steel armor, which suggested that he was an agile fighter, unlike Michael's brutish hulking appearance.

"It is good to meet her Highness's Husband's Warmarshall. I am Madu. High General of the Eighth Leg of the Armies of Neolith, under the direct command of her Highness, Princess Emily, Consort of the God-King of Deagoth." Madu spoke, extending his hand to shake with Michael.

While Michael couldn't see this undead's face for all the bandages, he could tell from his voice he was very sincere, or at least he sounded like it.

"Then let me ask. Why has God-King's Consort directed your wrath here to assist, without letting us, the armies of Deagoth expect your welcome?"

"This... I cannot say." Madu tilted his head slightly.

After letting go of Madu's hand, Michael thought for a moment, before speaking, "I will have to send word to the God-King for his decision. I can only apologize."

"That's fine. We've come here under secrecy, so it's to be expected." Madu nodded a few times, "While you are sending that missive, you might also want to ask if We can provide you with the special suits we have."

"Special suits?" Michael asked in wonderment.

"We'll have to use them in a live test, but these suits should protect against the Dead Tides spores... Spores, it what I think they were called in the briefing."

"...Wot..."

"They're not called spores. Dust? Whatever it might be, the suits should protect the soldier's from changing into more humps."

"No, no... I mean... That's great! You just got me off guard. I didn't expect such a boon." Michael was ecstatic. If he could protect himself and his undead from the orange dust, then he could end the Dead Tide waves.

"If I may be so bold to ask the good Warmarshall, is it possible for us to continue to camp here?" Madu motioned behind him to his camped army.

"Of course. I have a good feeling about you, High General Madu. I hope a good reply comes back from the God-King."

Another handshake and Michael returned to Souigak to send his message to Saigunrai to the God-King for further instructions by relay.

*******

Eris sat atop the Holy Palace staring at the dried blood that stained the roof in silence. She would sometimes show a strained smile, and other times her eyes threatened to tear.

"Princess..." Captain Fairfield called out again. He had stood here for the last three days after he found her. He had tried to talk to her, but she refused to speak.

After three days the good Captain's patience wore thin, and he decided on impulse to get some response from the Princess.

"Where is your god now?" Captain Fairfield said in anger.

Eris lifted her head to look at the glowing ball of light in the sky above Saigunrai, where the Skull of the Sun God used to be...

"He's with her consort. Sleeping with her no doubt." Eris finally replied.

"Why don't you come back in... Bathe, and rest. I'm sure when he is done, he will start to inquire about what's happened in his absence..."

Eris remained silent, and with another stretch of time, Fairfield opened his mouth again, "You have to allow him to rest. He did just kill an Ancestor Ranked Cultivator and assisted his City in the cleanup. He will come for you afterward."

Eris placed her right hand over the left side of her chest, over where her real heart should be. Inside, blood still pumped, but from a heart that wasn't real.

"Captain."

"Yes, your highness." The Captain finally felt some relief believing that his Princess might have snapped out of her gloom.

"...What do you think about me giving my heart to my god...?"

"Ah!?"

"What do you think?" Eris asked again...

"Ah... Well... I... This should be talked over with the Emperor, your father first. Marrying into such a small and remote Kingdom... I couldn't say, but such an antiquated and barbaric means to marry as to give your heart. I shudder to think what he could do with it. There is nothing wrong with thirteen coins, and a wedding ring, your highness."

"You wouldn't want your wife to give her heart to you?" Eris countered.

"I mean... It would be a great gesture, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know if she has the resolve to pull it out, even more, I wouldn't want her to feel the pain just for my sake."

"I see..." Eris thought for a moment, before speaking again, "Did you know my mother pulled her heart out for my father?"

"The Empress did?"

"Yes. My Empress-Mother. She pulled out her heart, and she died anyway in strange lands. She still died even though my father still has her heart. Did you know it still beats for him?"

The Captain turned silent looking at the rooftop he stood on... Should he be listening to this, he wondered.

"...Maybe I can see her again one day..." Eris muttered.

"Go... My god will bathe me. I will return now." Eris touched the blood stain on the rooftop, before she stood up, and turned to order Captain Fairfield.

The good captain sighed in relief, and he departed.

Eris climbed along the roof and found the window of the God-King's office. She slipped inside and hear buzzing.

She looked around, and squinted, "Hey now." Eris raised her hands.

"You know I am my god's pet. I just took the short cut in..."

The buzzing continued for a moment before it died down.

Eris breathed a sigh of relief of her own, as she opened the office door and made her way to her god's room. She had followed before and found who's rooms were whose, in her sneaking. Though she sneaked around, the Holy Sentinels knew her every move, and she had met them on more than one occasion. If not for the God-King's approval of her... They would have cut her down on the first day.

Finding her god's door, she entered to see that his evening tomb was closed. She saw his shoes to the side, and a Qi Pao, along with other female clothing items on the floor...

Shaking her head slightly, Eris went to the side of the evening tomb and laid down. She soon went to sleep on the hard obsidian floor at the side of her god's resting place, while she waited for him to wake. She believed that her place was at his side, and maybe he would favor her one day...