Chapter 21: Shock and Awe

"Aren't they, kind of, small?"

Thanks to buffs and undead mounts.  It only took a couple of hours to reach a village that is days away by foot or wagon.  The scaly scavengers must have heard us coming as the woods in front of us burst into flame.

My minions retaliate with a chilling aura that first keeps the flames at bay.  So cool.  And then spreads, smothering them.  Rowl pulls another badass entrance like he did with the church ninjas and completely captures the lizards attention.

As me and the girls come out behind him, we see the charred remains of the village.  Its keep half collapsed.  Outer wall toppled in numerous places.  Every hut and hovel crushed or burned.  What's really strange though?

"Survivors?"

[Super Senses] picks up clumps of humans here and there.  All injured to one degree or another.  Rowl detects my confusion.

~Snacks, master.  Dragons prefer their food alive or very fresh.~

Huh.  That does explain all the burnt corpses.  If they liked their food cooked those would be the first to go.  Raw though?  Yuck.

"B-b-bastards..."  Milti is trembling

If it wasn't for her Juri half's restraint?  She would already be charging into the ruins.

The dragons though?  Underwhelming.  Was looking forward to seeing giants hundreds of feet long with massive wing spans.  Isn't a 747 like two hundred feet long?  These? Even the biggest looks, what, maybe fifty feet, tops?

Ushi chimes in.

"Master, two adults and two children. All imperial breed dragons."

A fifty foot male, forty foot female, thirty foot male, and twenty foot male.  Oh well.  Guess a big one was too much to ask for.  Have to check later about how huge they actually get.  Now, how do we take these down?

"Rowl?  Alex?  Mitsu?  Ready?"

Alex starts first.

~One. We have the village surrounded with crossbows.  We have not tested them against dragons before though.  Aerial combat will be difficult too since only the oracles have wings.~

Mitsu speaks next.

~Tenno.  We are among the ruins and have gathered corpses.  Their wings will be our first targets.~

Finally Rowl.

~Master.  The skirmish line is formed.  We can move on your word.~  The largest lizard begins moving toward us and rears up.  ~Ah.  The male adult has chosen fight over flight.  That will make this easier."

Red, armored from head to toe, moves in front of me wielding a tower shield even bigger than Dwarfinator's.  Frankie takes position behind me and casts a barrier while Blue and Silvie move to my right and left.  Thanks girls but isn't this overkil-

*FAZZHH*

Whoa.

A hose of red and white flame is vomited from the biggest dragon's mouth.  Wow.  That's some range.

It first impacts Ushi's barrier and I figure that's it.  Until I start seeing it, like, melt its way through.  Holy shit.  [Super Senses] tells me the fire is part chemical and part magical.  Fascinating.  How do they channel the two together?

"Lady Alote! Lady Chandrelle!"  Guess Ushi wants backup.

Two more barriers pop into existence.  Both have become quite good at chantless casting.

A much smaller but intense jet finally burns through Ushi's barrier and strikes Blue and Silvie's.

*FAZH* *FAZH* *FOZHH*

The other three reptiles add their flames to the barrage.  Do they really want to kill me that badly?  Can they?  Are dragons that strong?

"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

Why did I suddenly remember that line?

With the extra firepower the dragon's are melting an even bigger hole in Ushi's barrier and begin burning through Silvie's, then Blue's.

"Lady Edelys!"  Frankie signal's Red.

"Ha!"

Red dismounts, positions her tower shield, and begins, glowing?  Oh yeah [Fortress], one of her body magic skills.  A defensive spell.  Just in time too as four jets of flame break through Blue's barrier.

Can see the sweat on Ushinua, Chandrelle, and Alote's faces as they channel more and more mana to maintain the barriers.  Each barrier reducing the flames coming through to a smaller and smaller torch.

Want to join in.  A bit sexist but don't like women fighting my fights.  But they insisted on this.  Can feel they want to show off how strong they've become.  Maybe, they need this?

Four much reduced but still powerful jets strike Red's shield and splash to the sides. But also pushing her back until she's only a few inches in front of me.

"YYEAAHHH!!"

My knight-wife lets out a tremendous yell and begins pushing back.  A battle of wills for each inch.  Even from behind Edel I can feel the scorching heat.  Its burning her but she's enduring it.  The shield, armor, and [Fortress], scattering what's left so it doesn't endanger her life.

I cannot help but speak in awe.

"Why do such amazing women love me?"

Instantly feel their joy thru my links to Red and Frankie plus glowing smiles appear on Silvie and Blue.  Yeah it may be a cheesy line but its an honest one.  These girls are facing off against freaking dragons for me.

*ROOAAARRRR*

Suddenly the flames stop.  The blinding light and burning heat recedes.  Was about to ask why they stopped when my eyes adjust and can see again.

"Huh."

Oda-Mar and Sim-Fer are floating in the air above the east and west ends of the village. Arms spread wide with a sickly green smoke cascading off their bodies and covering the town.  The dragons are now thrashing about.  Trying to shake off the things covering them.

"Well done."

They can't create living shadows, but raising the less unique versions of undead?

Yep.

A couple hundred zombies and skeletons are crawling across the four dragons.  Clawing and biting.  Looks like there are some intermediate level undead among them too.  Ghouls?  Like ants attacking wasps.

Amidst the undead are shadow assassins stabbing and cutting.  The four dragon's wings are already in tatters.  Their thicker hides though are proving a tougher challenge.

*FAZH* *FOZH*

Smart.  The dragons are turning their fire on each other.  Short quick bursts that do burn themselves.  But obliterate the undead on them.  Unfortunately?  The paladins, knights, priests, and half-deads have reached them now too.

The anthill look quickly returns but this time its even thicker.  The thick hides that resisted the claw, tooth, and dagger?  Doesn't do as well against swords, spears, axes, and maces.

The priests and oracles are busily 'healing' and reraising the undead.  Adding even more weight.

*BOOM*

An explosion shows the dragons have recovered enough to start casting.

*SPAK* *FOOM* *KRAK* *PASH*

A cascade of spells gets fired.  Showing impressive mastery of the four elemental schools.  Frankie says dragons can't use the light or dark schools of magic.  Of course the priests and oracles give as good as they are getting.

*zkrak* *gunch* *foosh* *frazh*

A light show signals the reptiles second counterattack.  Air, Earth, Fire, and Water, elementals are summoned by the handful.  Attacking my undead.  Especially Sim-Fer and Oda-Mar.

The mana pools of these dragons are huge.  Using their bodies, spells, and summons to break up my army's attacks.  While putting pressure on the priests and oracles supporting my undead.  Slowly the darkness, my darkness, is being pushed back by the elements.

Shit.  Need more.  Crap.  Have not tested this yet.  Will it work?  But if I don't?  I'm going to lose.  Retreat?  There will be casualties.  Especially among the half-deads.  Nope.  Not going to happen.  I will protect what's mine.

My oracles feel my desire and reposition themselves.

Maximum effort.

"[Army of Death]"

Channeled thru my two fallen angels, my will spreads across the ruins.  A wave of darkness rises and washes over dragons and their elementals.  But passes onward.  Does not linger.

The draconians are wary at first but their arrogance quickly returns and the assault against my forces resumes.  However, everywhere my will passes?  There is a change.  The surviving villagers notice it first.

Corpses whose souls have left them behind?  Begin moving.  Lost spirits who cannot live but cannot die?  Gather.  And above the dead whose souls still linger?  Shadowy things pull themselves out of the abyss.

"Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station."

The surging brightness of the dragons slams into a darkness far deeper than before.  The pressure of their heat cools against a front far colder than before.  Their advance, falters.

Across the ruins the war turns ever fiercer.  Flames burn dead flash.  Living rock split apart by wraiths.  Shadows blasted away by cyclones.  Water frozen and shattered by undeath's touch.

From the treeline I watch explosions, lightning, flames, and crashes rip back and forth across the former village.  Is this what Caesar felt like?  Napoleon?  Patton?

I'm guiding hundreds of undead.  Feeling the battlefield and directing my legions across it.  Some need barely any instruction.  Others need a lot.  Experimenting as I go with forming units and chains of command.  So I can focus more on the strategy and less on the tactical.

Units of one type.  Units of mixed types.  Integrated commands.  Detached commands.  Rapid deployment and redeployment.  Concentrate to overwhelm in one spot and then shifting before they can respond.

Randomly blitz thru the elementals and barriers.  Doing drive byes on one of the dragons.  Keep them injured.  Damaged.  Off balance.

Shock and awe bitches.  Shock and awe.

But these creatures are truly at the top of the fantasy food chain.  Monstrous amounts of mana.  Summoning more elementals as fast as I can destroy them.  Its a carnage of attrition.  Who can re-summon their pawns faster.  Who can summon more.

Off to the side I see Milti-Juri leading another group of survivors out.  She's heading her own unit right now.  Detached command.  One focused on rescue operations.  Silvie, Blue, and most of the half-deads are in it.

Figure the shell shocked survivors will respond to the living, and half living, better.

*grong*

I'm impressed with the half-deads.  A handful easily take apart the earth elemental pursuing the latest batch of survivors.  While no where near as fast and agile as living shadows?  They are indeed much tougher and stronger.

---D-Day+44, Glenic 16th---

Hours have passed.  A drizzle has come and gone.  And we are still at the treeline.  I'm using Sim-Fer and Oda-Mar as conduits so my mana can still reach everyone.  Frosty and some shadow priests are taking care of the refugees.

Frosty is a bit freaked.  Guess she can finally see I'm not the 'hero' Sayo was.  Keep telling her.  Maybe it will finally sink in this way and she'll stop chasing that fantasy.

Settled on a unit mix and chain of command I like.  The endless slugging match finally turning in my favor as the reptile tyrants slowly start running dry.

Suddenly one of the younger dragons bursts out of the village thru the southern wall.  Its eyes crazed with deep cuts and gashes all over its body.  One of its wings broken and bent at an odd angle.  The other missing completely.

*FAZ-* *FA-*

Is it trying to reach me?  Its attempting to breathe fire but the flames keep escaping thru holes in its neck.  ...  Wow!  Look at Rowl go!  He's charged out of the village like he's in hot pursuit.

Then pulls a kill move you would think he stole from Skyrim.  Using the dragons own horns to pull himself up onto its head.  Plunging his great sword down.  Deep into the lizard's skull.

The dying lizard slams into the ground and slides for dozens of feet before coming to a stop.

"One down."

Really want to raise him but if it costs me too much mana I may still lose this battle.  So I just watch it die, pitifully.  Its spirit is strong. Remarkably strong.  But it recoils from me in fear and hides in its corpse.  Fading after a few minutes.

"Only mortal after all."

My ocean feels about half drained.  Don't want to jinx it but I think this battle is a wi-  Shit!

*FHOOM*

Felt the ambient mana plunge and then spike as the female, blows up?  Half the hamlet of nearly a hundred homes disappears in a ridiculously large explosion. What's left standing of the keep, isn't anymore.

The other young dragon makes a break to the north.  Its wings have been healed enough to struggle airborne.

Only to turn into a pin cushion and lightning rod as dozens of spells and hundreds of bolts strike it.  The former sky master crashing back to earth.  Where Byern, as a half-dead, finishes it off by crushing its skull with a great mace.

One left.

Its trying to self-destruct like the female, but we are onto that trick now so keep disrupting its mana.  Guess its time.

*clip* *clop* *clip* *clop*

All seven of us ride into the what's left of the village.  Frankie, Red, Blue, Silvie, Frosty, Val, and I.  Sorrowful flashbacks to the last time I traveled with six women.

The last dragon comes into sight and we see Rowl, Alex, and hundreds of undead around it.

Both Ushi and Edel lean over and give me a squeeze.  Fuck, I feel like such a proud papa right now.  My babies all grown up and saving China.

Dismount and walk up to the almost dead monster.  Holy shit.  If looks could kill.  Can sense its been waiting for this moment.  Mustering its last reserves of mana and strength.  One last strike to kill its enemy.

Everything goes slow mo as the ambient mana plunges and I place my palm on its snout.

[Bullet Time]

Feel Frankie and Red start to panic as everyone starts to move to save me.  But they won't be fast enough.  So damn proud of them all.  Even impressed with mister dragon here.  Holding out for one last strike.  What's that great Khan line?

"From hell's heart, I stab at thee.  For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

"[Drain]" "[Shadow Rise]"

Its eyes bulge as I grasp its soul and, pull.  Feeding off its mana and using my own.  It tries to thrash.  Tries to withdraw.  Tries to fight.  But it can't do anything but resist my reach as its spirit's binds to its body begin to tear.

*ZZKKYYRRYYRRAAHHKKAAHHKK*

The air above the dragon screams as it tears and bursts.  Knocking everyone who was just flying at me backwards.  Flashing the remains of the village blacker than black.  As a dragon like thing of ink and shadow climbs out.  My mind is, invaded.

Orders of magnitude stronger than even the super swords, it attempts to take over my mind.  While my ocean may now feel more like a bucket?  My will is unchanged.  Correction.  Its stronger than ever.  Each minion joining making me greater than I was.  Stronger.

So while it is indeed the mightiest being in my mind?  It is still in 'my' mind.  With plenty more room to spare.  Its attempt to dominate me flounders and fades.

Frazurrarth?  Okay, that's too long.  Frazur.  Hehe...  Like the sitcom.  That's funny.  Frazur stands over its own corpse and bows low.

~Archon.~

Okay.  You want to talk about stronger?  Eat a dragon's soul.  Oh sweet jesus, am I part dragon now?

"Thoughts Frazur?"

~You killed my woman and children.  Tore my spirit from my body and bound me to your will.~  Did he just tsk?  ~Even the Lich Kings never managed to take a dragon's soul.  This makes you, my Archon.~  The attitude of this bitch.  ~Yet, though I am just a shadow of a dragon?  I am still, a dragon.  Consider me an unwilling servant, at best.~

I recall Frazur and help Frankie and Red up off the ground.

"Master.  You did it.  My faith is again rewarded by such a sight."  Ushi is, excited.

Feel a collision on my back as tiny arms and legs wrap around me.

"Onii-chan!"  Yep. Its Frosty.  "I could not imagine how terrifying and amazing it would be!"  Excited loli again.  "The booms and bangs!  The way you stood over it all!  You were like a god of war!  And the way you still made sure to save and heal the survivors!"  She's shaking.  "Really real!"

Sigh.

Was Sayo actually like this too?  Or is this little firecracker just too desperate to remember her old flame?

"I didn't save anyone. I didn't fight anyone."  Turn my head to look at Frosty.  "The ones who deserve the praise are the ones who did the fighting.  The ones who did the saving.  They are the heroes here.  I am merely their wagon, at best."

Oomph...

What the fuck?  I'm getting hit by waves of, emotion?  Appreciation?  What?  Counting the undead raised and surviving the battle?  I have over two hundred minions now.  And when I look up?  Every single one of them, is kneeling to me?

"My lord necromancer?"

Turn around and see a hundred survivors lead by what's clearly a mother daughter combo.  And while their outfits are torn up and filthy?  Its fancy enough to make it clear they are nobles.

Ooph!

And another impact.  This one by Milti-Juri who first lip-locks me, and then yells to the heavens.

"I have the best god!"

"Stop.  Get down.  You'll upset Yodo and Mitsu."

They actually don't look upset though.  Which bothers me a bit.  Don't want another harem member.  Want her to find a nice half-dead boy and make a nice half-dead family with him.  Yeah.  I may be a little fucking nuts.

"Uh...  Master necromancer?"

I signal the mother to wait with a finger and turn to Rowl.

"Inform the column that the corpses will meet them in route."

The Shadow Champion bows expertly, leaps onto a charger, and accelerates down the southern road as I turn to Alex.

"Prepare the corpses for transport and begin moving them south to meet the column."

The Shadow Inquisitor also bows, and begins directing my minions.  Oda-Mar and Sim-Fer land before me and kneel.

"Organize the new minions with Val.  Keep only the best.  Pass on the rest."

"Frosty?"  The still clinging loli looks up.  "Go help Alex with preserving the dragons.  You and lamer saruman seemed very interested in getting your hands on them, so you can help."

She starts to pout but thinks better of it.  Nods.  And skips away to help freeze the meat.  Okay, now that's all done I finally turn and walk up to the sudden refugees.  Many are still numb from the horrors but others have enough wits left to be afraid.

"L-lord sorcerer?"  Mommy isn't on her knees like everyone else.  She's got some guts.

Dispel [Umbrarmatus] so they can at least tell I'm human. Her daughter is grasping her hand tightly still, but looks done for a while.  Well, they've had a rough day.  I should try to be nice.

"I am sorry for your losses, my lady, and wish we could have arrived sooner."  Bow courteously.  "Forgive me for not knowing your name, which is?"

Considering her condition and circumstances she pulls off an impressive curtsy.

"I am the Lady Lilias Sothhea and this is my daughter Lady Clari."  Gives a daring look.  "And if I am not mistaken you are the Viscount Swordmage Jon Barton.  Protector of Pearlden.  Guardian of Stormgarde.  Lord of Lions Keep.  Son of the Marquis of Vaegia."  Ugh.  "And now killer of dragons."

"Noble woman, I did not kill any-"

"Please."  Interrupting me?  "Forgive me but it was clear to even an ignorant like me.  That their power?  Is yours."  Hmm...

"So what would you like to discuss?"

"Survival."  Eh?

"... Proceed."

"House Sothea serves the Rottbows.  Yet we are only a few families that cannot afford more mouths to feed and nobles to support."  Okay, following so far.  "My husband and son ended up in dragon bellies."  Now she drops to her knees.  "Please take us into your service!"

Time for ask the expert!  Ushi?

"Master, there is precedent.  With the male lord and heir dead?  The women and subjects are, available."

God dammit Frankie.

"What's wrong with just two wives?"  Seriously.

"Husband.  The longer you wait the more House Chastel will push to take Alote away from me."  Et tu, Red?

God dammit Red.

"You do not need to marry the mother and daughter."  What you talking bout Ushi?  "Marry the mother, adopt the daughter.  The daughter, if she passes the exams, can attend Stormgarde and her prospects as a Barton will be far superior."

The mother seems a bit blown away.

"W-would you not prefer Clari?  I a-am old and used up."

What the fuck is up with this world?!  She's gotta be thirties, at most.  A top shelf milf too.

"Lady Lilias."  Ushi, pass on your wisdom.  "Master likes aged woman."  Hey now.  "You will have a god as a husband and, as you can see, master's sister will be safe even from dragons."

Stop with the god stuff.  Oh shit.  Lili's got those damn sparkles in the eyes.  ...  Fine.  Whatever.

"Bring me metal."

Without mana-metal the rings are a little different but my control over my mana is entire levels higher than it was in the vault so the end result is the same.  Two more blacksky coil rings.  There is now a Lady Lilias Barton and Lady Alote Barton.

Both drop to their knees as soon as the rings go on.  Oops, probably should have warned them about the whole link thing.  Crap, before I forget, again.

"Red?"

"Husband?"

"You're pregnant."

"Huh?"

"Edelys!"  Frankie tackles Red.  Quickly joined by Frosty, Silvie, even Val and her sisters.  And Red's crying.  Sigh.  Why isn't Blue joining in?  Oh.  Yeah.

"Edy's right.  Darling truly is an ocean.  So deep.  So wide."  Come on Blue.  Keep it together.  "I.  I.  Hehe.  I felt that."  Wow that's a big smile.

Lili is looking at me and quietly crying.

"Mamma?"  Clari looks nervous.

Her mother turns and pulls her daughter into a huge bear hug.

"We are saved daughter.  I have seen within my lord.  He will heal us and provide a rich future."  Don't go wacky on me Mrs Milf.  "Hehe.  Ali.  I feel him too.  Hehe."

Clari looks confused as Lili and Ali hug, laugh, and cry.  Then join in the impromptu celebration of Red's pregnancy.

Look over the confused and scared villagers.

"You too.  We'll resettle you around Pearlden and other villages.  None of you will be sold into slavery."

Which gets them celebrating and hugging.

What is up with this shitty world?

Barton, Alote (female, human, tourinese)

Barton, Clari (female, human, tourinese)

Barton, Lilias (female, human, tourinese)