Chapter: 751 - Mustering

Tala had enjoyed her time with Lea, chatting about ‘old’ times and acquaintances. Tala hadn’t really hidden anything from her daughter, but like most parents, she rarely talked about her own past except when explicitly asked, and even then, her answers were usually perfunctory simply because of other demands on her time.

All that to say, she had far more than she could convey to her daughter in the relatively short time they had while she refilled her expanded space with power from her gate.

“Thank you for taking this time with me, Mom. I know that you could have spent it doing a dozen other things.”

Tala gave Lea a hug, drawing her close. “I wish I had even more time to give. Maybe when all this is over?”

Lea smiled down at her mom as she hugged Tala in return. “I’d like that.”

All told, it was less than three days after the retreat from the Forest Spirit before the allied forces were recovered and all but gathered once more.

The Black Legion had pulled back across the board as they were consolidating and recovering from whatever damage Eskau De-arg had done to them during his perfect moment. The alliance might never discover exactly what that had been, but it had clearly shifted the aggressive automata into a more defensive posture.

Tala supposed that the alliance had the advantage of at least mostly understanding what had happened, at least to a basic degree.

From the perspective of the Forest Spirit and the Black Legion? It might seem as if an unknown Sovereign had reached out to smite them for… something, and they were likely poring through all the information they had or could gather in order to figure out which it could be, and what they might have done to offend the being so that they could avoid it going forward.

That just made sense. After all, no one wanted to fight a Sovereign. Such beings were far scarier than ‘mere’ god-beasts, no matter how powerful. After all, if one stayed out of the domain of a god-beast, they were generally unable to do much against you.

Even though Anatalis was unquestionably more powerful than the Forest Spirit, he was a perfect example. He had even manipulated the chains of power to be what was likely the most flexible and far reaching god-beast in the world. Even so, the fact that the Forest Spirit remained was testament to the difficulty of dealing with Sovereigns even for god-beasts.

-I mean, that’s not very fair, because the Forest Spirit is both.-

True, but the underlying principle is sound.

-True…-

Regardless, the gathering was almost complete.

Tala willed herself to the superficial, Lea and more than a hundred Talons joining her a moment later.

Lea immediately went to stand with Talax and a few others of her friends among their number, and Tala let her go with a smile.

Humorously, as she was shorter than all the others who’d come to the superficial with her, Tala would have been physically overshadowed and hidden if they’d not all come into place behind her.

She was reminded of the dwarven City Lord who had purposely floated a bit higher than necessary to be at a similar eye level to her, and her smile grew. Physical size isn’t everything.

-Yes, keep telling yourself that.-

I like my size, and so does Rane.

-And that’s wonderful for you. I suppose it also makes some stupider enemies underestimate you.-

That’s right.

Regardless, she hadn’t come to the superficial for self-related reasons.

Her arrival was definitely noticed, and the arcanes she’d arrived near all turned and took a knee, genuflecting more than required.

The Houses and Guilds had finally gathered their forces to a staggering extent.

The great engines of bureaucracy that were the Houses and Guilds had finally mobilized, solidifying their support of the war.

Tala still had a hard time remembering that they’d only found a force of Black Legion that they could attack less than two weeks earlier, and it was impressive that they’d been able to gather what forces they’d used to make that assault.

Now, though? The arcanes had been able to transport their slower forces—and those from further away—including quite a few guards and soldiers, who couldn’t easily get to the previous battlefields.

Those gathered before her were Pillars and Eskau by the hundred, and guards and soldiers by the thousand. The fact that they were gateless made them immune to some of the more pernicious attacks from the Black Legion, which gave the arcanes a larger pool to pull from for their forces.

Their unified deference and subservience was warm sunlight and water on the plant of her authority.

After a long moment, the arcanes rose, and one Pillar walked forward, a woman from the House of Stone whom Tala had not met previously. She was a gnome, which made her one of the few present who was shorter than Tala, bringing her earlier thoughts to mind, but she forced the humored smile from her lips. “Glintle, Pillar of the House of Stone, greets Tala, Eskau of War, Eskau of the House of Blood, Iron Matriarch and Reforged of Gated Humanity.”

Tala gave a slight bow in return. “I greet thee, Pillar Glintle. Your House has shown up with force and honor this day.”

The little woman winced slightly. “We would have been at your side sooner if existence allowed, but we are glad to be of service now.” She straightened slightly. “I am to make introductions. Your mandate and authority are unquestioned, and it would honor us all to give you our loyalty and strength face to face.”

Tala had expected this. It was, in fact, one of the core reasons she’d come out of her sanctum before the last of their forces had arrived.

This would take a couple of hours, but they would be well spent. Just like many aspects of arcane culture, it was about authority, whether they knew that or not. Going through this process would both solidify her foundational authority among the arcanes here and give her greater sway to exert her authority through all of them at need during the upcoming battle, something that would profit the alliance greatly.

More than that, though, this was part of their culture, and to deny it would alienate a powerful sector of the alliance for no reason other than her own discomfort and laziness.

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No, this was a small price to pay.

Tala gave a small smile. “Of course, and let me in turn introduce you to my daughter and the leadership of the Talons.”

The first charge was hours or even a day away, but Tala knew the truth. The battle had already begun.

While it was a bit tedious, everyone involved treated the process with utmost solemnity.

This made the process all the more important as there were arcanes of great renown and power who hadn’t had the chance to fight under her banner, thereby solidifying her authority over and through them.

Even so, it was odd, as Tala went through the ceremonial greetings and supplication—something that she’d never truly been on the receiving end of—she was reminded of when she’d sworn to the House of Blood as an Eskau. It had been purposely distinct from Be-thric’s oaths, even though she was sworn to him at that time.

These fighters, these Pillars and Eskau—along with their followers—these arcane warriors of age and skill were binding themselves directly to her and her cause, not simply following those they’d sworn to obey.

A leopardman bowed low, his fellows—possibly his kin—bowing behind him. “I, Trinus, Pillar of the House of the Valorous End, honor you and pledge myself, my House, and my followers to you and your cause against the Black Legion.

Behind him, his Eskau and guards added in a unified voice. “So swear we all!”

Tala gave a bow to the beast-kin and smiled. “I accept your pledge and pledge in turn to use your strength toward the good of our cause and to not waste your loyalty nor valor.”

These were a different level of commitment, a different depth of deference, and there was unbelievable power in it.

The difference was like the sun and the moon. Both sent the same light, but one was simply a reflection of the other rather than a true source in and of itself.

Each directly given oath changed a moon into a sun… if a dim one.

She couldn’t really describe it any other way.

Still, that analogy made it seem like a greater boost than it truly was. As such, it might be better to describe it as changing a luminescent planet in a distant star system into another star.

Even that altered analogy also gave the impression that the original, reflected authority was no longer there when it was simply added to.

Regardless, Tala wasn’t about to get hung up on such minutia. The authority granted by each arcane notably increased, the difference measurable and of consequence, but no single shift was something that could tip the scales on its own.

Tala stood straighter as she moved through hundreds. Any one of these might be the grain of sand that gave her the metaphysical weight to move mountains.

An elven woman bowed, her retainers kneeling behind her. “I, Erwin, Eskau of the House of the First Blossom, devote my sword and my magic to you in the name of my Pillar, Arathwil, and my House. Those sworn to me will be as your own bannermen, and we will follow you in this fight and into a future of hallowed radiance.”

Those kneeling behind her, male and female elves, kept their heads bowed as they added as one, “So swear we, also.”

Tala gave a nod of her head. “I accept your oaths as Eskau of War, and as Tala, Iron Matriarch and Reforged of Humanity.”

She smiled at that. If she’d attempted to accept as the Eskau of the House of Blood, it would have tainted their oath, since allegiance to any given House was purposely and explicitly exclusionary of loyalty to any other House, and trying to overlap them weakened both pledges from an authoritative perspective.

Tala doubted most would have noticed how she tailored her response, and she was rather sure that even those who did notice wouldn’t know the real reason.

Even with the mental and authority gymnastics she was performing, there was a calming serenity to the process, and she almost laughed when she realized that she’d found the peace that she’d been seeking over the previous days.

Opening up to her daughter and then falling into the ritual seemed to have been exactly what she needed.

-Yes. This is the secret. Unburden yourself, then find someone to stroke your ego, and you’ll feel better. We must tell all the sages of the world this great revelation.-

Tala kept her face properly schooled even as she sent a withering glare toward Alat. I do actually need to be centered, and the exerting of my power upon the world is an inherently selfish and egotistical act.

-Huh… You don’t actually believe that… What did I.. Oh!- Alat grinned, clearly realizing that Tala wanted to show the revelation directly.

She switched to sending a sly smile. That assessment of selfishness would be true if I were doing it for myself, but I’m not. I’m doing it for these.

She mentally indicated the arcanes around her, most of whom she’d now met in a far more personal manner. They weren’t taking any chances. When god-beasts and Sovereigns were involved, any improved purchase her protections could be given was worth it.

And these. Her mind indicated the gated in the near distance. And these. The Talons washed through her awareness. And her.

Her focus landed upon Lea, patiently walking at her side, being explicitly introduced by her mere accompaniment of her mother, along with the honor guard of Talons.

It might be egotistical to believe I am the right choice for this role, but that which I do? I do for them.

Alat’s presence in her mind was utterly radiant with approval. -And don’t you forget it.-

I won’t.

She was almost through the arcanes when a disturbance rose up from the eastern side of the camp.

Tala didn’t break her pattern nor change her plans. She didn’t rush, nor slight the last few arcanes, even if they were simple guards, sent by an allied guild. In this case, the seven were from the Brick Maker’s Guild.

She gave them the respect and attention they were due, the same as she gave to every one of those fighting for the cause.

The blue hue-man bowed low. “I am Aaron, senior guardsman of the Brick Maker’s Guild. We pledge to fight for the cause and for you.”

“So swear we all.”

Tala smiled and bowed. “I accept your strength and your power toward our shared goals with gratitude.”

After the last bow, the last word, was exchanged, Tala turned to face the horde of beasts that had arrived.

At their head were three oxen-sized wolves that radiated power.

Tala had been forewarned about the coming of the god-beasts, and so she knew them by name—since they’d earned their names as god-beasts—if not yet by sight. Even so, it was easy enough to distinguish them.

The right most was a forward-heavy monster of lupine majesty. His chest was deep and strong, his legs full of restrained power. His fur rippled in steady waves as if he were underwater in a gentle current, and shimmers of heat danced between the black hairs. There were no sparks, no flame, just heat. That would be Botulf, most recent claimant of a territory, and youngest of the god-beasts who would be fighting.

The one on the left, then, had to be Conri. His hair was bone white—not snow white— and his eyes had a subtle green glow to them. His hair wasn’t matted or dirty, but it didn’t move in the slightest, not even with the breeze that moved through this part of the forest on occasion.

The weight of the two god-beasts was palpable, but it was equally paltry beside that of the central figure.

Anatalis.

Anatalis was at their head, and his was the hardest countenance to truly grasp. His coat shifted through every natural hue of mundane wolf-kind as well as those of the most prevalent arcanous lupine races.

Even so, it didn’t look patchy or disjointed. Instead it changed as a whole, always seeming unified, always fully representing that subset of his pack, but never resting on a single manifestation overlong.

He seemed as if all the natural beauty, all the primal power, all the base predation of lupine kind were gathered together and given form.

He was not hiding his utter dominion and domination of the wolves with him and all that they surveyed.

And there were a lot of wolves with him.

The Pack had arrived in force.